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dickheadcanons · 2 months

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Your brain is literally gynormous. Do you think Damian's and Dick's relationship is paternal? Because, as someone who has actually had to raise their sibling (do not recommend) it looks more like a guy that had too much in his plate trying to be the best caregiver he could, but not really being a parent, if that makes sense. I feel like the idea of him wanting to adopt him feels like kind of a retcon, couldn't really see it in the og run. But of course, it could be because it's not exactly the same as my experience (abusive father, incapable mother, yknow the drill). What do you think? All your posts are so good.

Also while you're at it, what do you think of Dick as a parent? Some elseworlds have played with the concept, and main continuity did something too with Olivia but T*m Tayl*r fucked that up too. I also wonder how Damian would be as a dad, but I don't think I've ever seen any stories with it.

omg anon thank you and thank you for asking!! this is literally one of my favorite topics!! i was thinking about making a post on this and now you gave me the excuse for it!!

Long story short, I don't think that “parental” is a binary thing. I mean, I know several bio-parents who are just guys with too much on their plates, trying to be the best they can, you know? And people can see parent figures in all kinds of relationships that aren’t blood or traditional moms/dads, especially with people who didn't know each other from birth. There are a million ways to be parented, and a million ways to act as a parent.

The way I think about it is, is Dick Damain's John Grayson? No, I don't think so.

But is Dick Damian's Bruce Wayne? Yes. Totally. Absolutely.

More under the cut bc I have a lot of thoughts.

I think to talk about Dick and Damian, we have to start with Dick and Bruce. So much about Dick and Damian is a reflection of the original Dynamic Duo, and I think that's very much the case with this element as well. From the start of their very long comic history, Dick and Bruce have been dancing around their relationship. We get early comics that say they're "like" father and son, we have Bruce saying he couldn't care about Dick more than if he was Bruce's son, but we also have places where they call each other their best friends, where they act more like brothers, etc etc.

When it comes to who our parents are, I think there is the responsibility, and the result. Certain people have the responsibility, the duty, to be our parents, and sometimes (because death or illness or being shitty people), they aren't able to meet those responsibilities. That never removes the responsibility; they don't stop being the parent. But they aren't able to create the result of us becoming good stable adults. That's where other people can step in, where the parental figure appears, and those are the people that we actually point to when we say "they made me the person I am today."

In fandom, we see a lot of Dick not wanting Bruce to replace his father, of him asking not to be adopted. I think this is a fine characterization that works with who Dick is, but Bruce is actually the one to say that he is not going to replace Dick's father. He says it completely unprompted, too. This is withholding the responsibility of being Dick's parent from Bruce, keeping him at a distance and reserving it as an honor for someone who can't hold it anymore, even as Bruce demands responsibility for literally everything else about Dick.

And I think that it's very telling of what Bruce's idea of a father is. The thing about having a dead parent at a young age is that the person of your parents is still tangled in the role of parent in your life; Mom is mom, not Martha, and because she's dead, the image of both Martha and "mom" is frozen. For Bruce, the relationship of father and son is frozen in the relationship of specifically his father and him. Of course Bruce is not Dick's father; Bruce himself is so different from what his conception of a father is. And as a fellow son, for Bruce, someone who just got back from 7 years abroad studying to be Batman, for whom the nearly 20 year old wound is still fresh, the idea of even wanting another father doesn't make sense, particularly for a boy that Bruce identifies with so hard that he becomes the third person ever to know who Batman is.

This looming memory is even worse when it's Dick's turn to be Batman. While Bruce looks at Dick and sees the memory of his own loss, the shadow of his own grief, Dick is looking at Damian and seeing Bruce. Dick knows very well who Damian lost; Dick is grieving what Damian lost more than Damian is. Bruce couldn't conceive of replacing a father, but Dick is struggling to imagining himself replacing Bruce at his job, much less who he was in his personal relationships.

But even if Damian isn't Dick's responsibility, Dick doesn't hesitate to care about Damian's future. "Who's going to save him if we don't?" At the start of the DickBats era, Dick isn't looking at Damian as a family member, really. He's looking at Damian as a victim, abet a very involved, very dangerous one. It's how Bruce looked at Dick too, before he had any reason to know that this kid would become something more to him. But, like Bruce, what Dick does to save Damian is bring him into the thing that is most precious to him; Batman. The mission. Saving people. A way to live in the world.

I know saying someone is the Batman to their Robin is like, a joke at this point. Something unbelievably cheesy. But you google "iconic duos" and Batman and Robin are one of the first responses. There's a reason for the joke. So imagine you are Robin, and your Batman is dead. And you have to go and find a new partner. Dick making Damian his Robin is heavy, just as heavy to me as adoption papers. Bruce made Dick his partner without any idea of what that meant. Dick, and the audience, had 70 years of expectation on what Dick and Damian could be. Dick making Damian Robin was a very specific claim, far stronger imo than just claiming him as a son would have been.

Because, to be honest (and speak to your other question), I don't think Dick thinks a lot about being a parent. I don't really think it's that important to him. Dick is a leader, a mentor, he deals with a ton of teenagers and kids through his vigilante work, he goes to Tim's sidekick parent's meetings and takes Jason skiing and more than that, he's also young. He's in his 20s. He should be at the club. I think he probably thinks he'll have kids in an abstract way, but it's not something he's looking for, consciously or unconsciously. He's not searching for connection, or to fix his mistakes or his past, the things that lead Bruce to adopting sidekicks. He'd be a great dad, and I think we see him being pretty good with his Elseworlds kids, but Dick is a very practical person, and him taking a kid in (vs finding somewhere else they can go) is not really the practical choice.

Except for one kid. There's just been one kid with legitimately no where else to go, where Dick is truly the only option, because going home meant only bad things for him. Dick made Damian part of his family in the ways that mattered to them both in that moment. With their lives, adoption doesn't really make a huge material difference on custody (if Damian wanted to leave, Dick couldn't have stopped him; Damian has access to basically unlimited money and can feed and clothe and wash himself. and possibly already has a phd.), and Dick wanted Damian to choose, anyway. If I recall correctly, Dick says he didn't think about taking Damian with him until Bruce comes back. He thought about taking Damian with him, thought that Damian might be better with Dick (his partner!!!!) than even with Bruce, his dad, the person Dick loves so much, only in the face of them being separated.

Meanwhile Damian, for all his blustering about how Dick needs to "earn" his respect, warms up to Dick startlingly quickly. For Damian, who had never known a father, who in his initial run hadn't even known his mother for more than two years, whose other male family is Ra’s al Ghul, his father is Batman. Even in Tomasi's kinder depiction of Damian's childhood, Damian only knows the Bat. And when he meets Bruce, the first thing he expresses is disappointment. Bruce the man is underwhelming and then goes and dies. So much for the mythic hero!

And then he meets Dick. Who manages to teach Damian something, who doesn't discount his skills even when he's wrong. Who proves that he is better at being Batman than Damian, and shows that he wants Damian around. And, even more importantly, who doesn't die. Dick is stable in a world constantly in flux. Damian screws up a lot in that run, and he leaves for long stretches of it, but Dick is always there when he gets back. There's no blame here, but the truth is that Dick is the one who stays.

Bruce was Damian's father, but what does that mean to someone whose never met a father at all? Bruce might have tried to connect with Damian before he died, but he doesn’t do it in a way that works. He doesn’t give Damian trust, he doesn’t encourage him in the ways Damian finds important…the first person to do that is Dick. Dick gives Damian responsibility, makes him part of the team. It could be argued that Damian didn’t deserve it, but we’re not talking about deserving. We’re talking about what worked. It sounds like as good an idea as making a tiny 8 year old acrobat a sidekick, but it undeniably worked for both Damian and Dick. Does that mean that either of these relationships were parental in the way that we think of it in the real world, in the way that a child psychologist would say is good and healthy? I have no idea. But they are the most parental in the absence of any other parents, and I think that means a lot.

Unfortunately, we don't get to actually see the dissolution of Dick and Damian's partnership. DC conveniently skips over showing us Bruce coming back and Dick becoming Nightwing again; preNew 52, Dick is still Batman with Damian even when Bruce returns, and in the New 52, he's been Batman "Before" and we don't really see the end, just a vague aftermath. But if it did take that kind of change to make them realize their relationship had a flavor of "parent and child", had the makings of something like a father and son, well, they'd just be following in the original Batman's footprints.

#asks #dick grayson #damian wayne #bruce wayne #this is a fucking essay #batman meta #And I didn't even manage to talk about John #Sorry John #I think there is the more traditional caregiver side of parenthood #the part that makes sure the kids are fed and dressed and ready for school #but the magic of comics is that none of the bat characters really need that and damian in particular is not receptive to it #They kind of regress Damian to it a bit after the supersons era #but he is extremely assured while Dick is batman #he doesn't need a parent in the caregiver way he need a parent in the believes in you and gives you somewhere to call home way #it just turns out that its really hard to have someone love you and watch out for you and get super invested in your development #and not think of them in some kind of fond paternal way #also i may need to make a real post about dick and children because i dont know if i was really coherent here lol #also if there are any issues that show something i missed lmk #i have definitely not read everything

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syannix · 2 months

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•A JOURNEY OF MY LIFE•

This is my journey and everything in my life has a history. Everyone has their own experience and history of life, challenges.It depends on how they take it, and how they overcome each situation and how they will face each circumstance that made their endeavor meaningful. As a student, I am leaving a very simple yet a fruitful life. I started as a toddler who wants to be my parents be proud of me. I did my very best to study hard and to receive an award every end of the school year. And i never lose any chance to grab awards Day Care to Grade 12 because i want to hear from my parents the word CONGRATULATIONS WE'RE PROUD OF YOU. I may not the best child they have but i know to myself that i did my very best to prove them that i can do it, the words they throw everytime they see my grade slip makes me to feel to achieve more and more, i hate the word" MAYPA SI KUAN DAKO PA GRADO" the way papa treat my ate like a princess and i am just an ordinary daughter who crave for his love, there's a time papa talk about us while we're in a trip and it makes my eye cry because i heard the whole conversation, but i guess it's okay i can take it as a motivation to be a successful daughter so here's my another story back then.

My life started when i was born on November 12, 2005, the day where my challenges, suffering, happiness, etc begins, and here's the random story of mine. When I was a child, I remember a traumatic day in my life that i could never ever forget, the way mama screams, the way my sister and i are crying. We were eating at Jollibee—my sister, mom, and I—and later that night, my drunk father asked for money. And asking where the money goes, and then they have an argument that turns into a physical fight with knives involved. After they heard us crying my mama grabbed us immediately and decided to flee to our other house which is mama rented just for extra i guess; our house is located in Buaya Lapu Lapu City and it has no electricity yet mama still managed us to be more comfortable. The next morning we goin back to the place we permanently live and suddenly we encountered my papa outside at the gate cleaning the car of his boss which is my ate's daddy, and he smiled at us like nothing happened i can see papa's eyes that he want to tease our mama, like for him the night they fight is like a joke.And after that traumatic night, it never happened again. I guess papa learned his lesson.

Despite such traumatic memories, there were also joyful moments of mine like playing bahay bahayan and hide-and-seek with friends, which are also my neighbors.And I remembered when I was young, around 5 or 6 years old, every time it's my birthday, my mom always prepares cakes and meals for me, and we used to go to church together and pray to God and go sightseeing at the plaza. As I turned 17, my birthday was simple but special, marked by a rare kiss from my mom. I was shocked at that time because my mama never kissed me before when I was of a mature age. When I was in first grade, I remember that every time I went to school, Mama always kissed me on the lips.

In the twilight years, the journey becomes a reflection on a life well-lived. Memories serve as both companions and guides, offering solace and joy. The circle of life comes into sharp focus, as individuals witness the cycles of birth, growth, and, inevitably, the passing of time. However, when I was 16, I guess she shared a story, revealing that my dad wasn't present during my baptism and he was just outside the church waiting for the baptism to finish, and I remembered the story that Papa was present at my sister's baptism and had taken a photo with my sister during hers, and bought her a lechon, causing a mix of sadness and jealousy that I couldn't stop feeling because I was also his daughter. Despite the challenges, I strive to be a strong, independent woman. When i was at grade 10 i graduated and mama proud of me for keeping the promise.At 16, I had a boyfriend named Prince, and we were legally both family. We've been in a relationship for almost two years.

And i have a friends of mine and we're the best friend for ever, but my one friend went to leyte because of school and last year we had our reunion and it was kinda sad for me because we cry when we meet and confess of what we feel. My story is kinda random because the journey of mine is kinda random actually, and it's quite amazing afterall.Childhood journeys are filled with wonder and discovery. From the first steps to the exploration of the world around you, every experience shapes your understanding of life. School days, friendships, and playful adventures contribute to the tapestry of memories that lay the foundation for your future self. Reflecting on this journey can evoke a mix of nostalgia and gratitude for the simplicity and joy of those formative years. And now im happy with my own life.

The journey of getting older is not without its challenges. The inevitability of loss, whether it be of loved ones, opportunities, or physical abilities, becomes a poignant companion. Yet, amidst these challenges, resilience emerges as a hallmark of the journey. Individuals discover an inner strength, forged through the crucible of life experiences, that allows them to navigate adversity with grace and fortitude, ultimately the journey to the new you is not a linear path but a continuous cycle of self-improvement. Embracing change becomes a way of life, and the person you become is a testament to your courage, resilience, and the unwavering belief in your own potential. It's a journey that transcends time, marked not by a destination, but by the perpetual pursuit of becoming the best version of yourself.

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biceps--to-spare · 1 year

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Gaston D’Avenant -- Character Sheet

oh no what have I begun? / called my mother said I love her / had another and another one / questions, questions, suddenly suggestions / where was anyone at the start of this thing? / hold that gold up over your shoulder / all I need's a place to grieve

Archetype — The Hero Birthday — October 13, 1988 Zodiac Sign — Rising Sagittarius, Sun in Libra, Moon in Scorpio MBTI — ENFP Enneagram — Type 2: the Helper Temperament — Choleric Hogwarts House — Hufflepuff Moral Alignment — Neutral Evil Primary Vice — Lust Primary Virtue — Diligence Element — Fire

Overview

Mother — Sabine D’Avenant Father — Jerome D’Avenant (FC: Hugh Jackman) Mother’s Occupation — Homemaker Father’s Occupation — Owner of the Hunted Deer Family Finances — Middle class, but comfortable Birth Order — Only child Brothers — N/A Sisters — N/A Other Close Family — None, really Best Friend — TBD??? Hopefully another Swynlaker :) Other Friends — TBD?? Hopefully some Swynlakers :) Enemies — No one :) (facetious) Pets — Scout, his Brittney Spaniel and Buck, his German Short-Haired Pointer Home Life During Childhood — Idyllic. Gaston got everything he wanted. Had both of his parents wrapped around his finger. Always popular. Always handsome. Town or City Name(s) — Swynlake, born and raised. What Did His or Her Bedroom Look Like — Classic boys room. Red plaid bedsheets, cars and dinosaurs, etc. When he got older pictures of hot women posted around and a sign that said keep out. He actually moved his mom into his childhood bedroom and took the master when his dad died, lol. Any Sports or Clubs — All of the sports! Rugby captain, football captain, etc. etc. Favorite Toy or Game — Any sports, ofc. Schooling — Graduated PrideU with a business degree in 2009 Favorite Subject — Girls ;) Popular or Loner — Popularrrrr Important Experiences or Events — When his dad died, that’s about it bc Gaston had a really easy life until then Nationality — English-French (his mother is French) Culture — British Religion and beliefs — Catholic

Physical Appearance

Face Claim — Zac Efron Complexion — Tan Hair Colour — Dark brown Eye Colour — Blue Height — 5’8 Build — Extremely muscular Tattoos — None Piercings — None Common Hairstyle — Normal…men’s…hair idk Clothing Style — Casual, lots of flannels, t-shirts, jeans… Mannerisms — Talks extremely loud. Usual Expression —

Health

Overall (do they get sick easily)? — He is the pinnacle of health and fitness Physical Ailments — None Neurological Conditions — probably some PTSD lol; narcissism Allergies — None Grooming Habits — Pretty good, he prides himself on his appearance but he also isn’t doing a 10 step skin routine. What I’m saying is he showers regularly. Sleeping Habits — Gets his full 8 hours, but sleeps late into the morning because he’s usually closing up the bar at night. Eating Habits — Lots of food. Lots of protein. Does those weird all-meat diets sometimes. Exercise Habits — Gym at least once a day, runs around the lake at least once a day…etc. Emotional Stability — Uh not great; he’s paranoid and quick to anger Body Temperature — Runs warm. Sociability — Very social, very charming Addictions — …alcohol probably; looking at his reflection Drug Use — None. Alcohol Use — Too much.

Your Character’s Character

Bad Habits — Thinking everything is about him; being overbearing and overprotective Good Habits — Loyal and fearless Best Characteristic — His face Worst Characteristic — His misogyny lol Worst Memory — His dad getting ripped apart by demons :) Best Memory — For a person who brags about all the great things he’s done, nothing is really coming to mind Proud of — Himself, the Deer Embarrassed by — The fact he can’t get Belle to marry him and that she married Hades instead lmao Driving Style — Parks in two parking spaces. Strong Points — His loyalty, his strategy, his courage Temperament — Short. Attitude — Pretty positive? Idk. Weakness — Beautiful women. Fears — That people don’t like him or people he cares about will be hurt. Phobias — None. Secrets — That he’s actually deeply insecure lol Regrets — Not saving his father. :( Feels Vulnerable When — Talking about his father, his family’s legacy -- also NEVER. Pet Peeves — People challenging his authority or disliking him. Conflicts — Wanting to be liked vs wanting to kill Magicks lmao Motivation — To keep Swynlake safe. Short Term Goals and Hopes — Get Hades kicked out of office Long Term Goals and Hopes — Marry Belle :) Sexuality — Straight Day or Night Person — Night, for sure. Introvert or Extrovert — Extrovert af Optimist or Pessimist — Optimist actually, like aggressively so Greatest Want — To provide for his family <3 Greatest Need — To not think he’s the center of the universe

#character sheet #about #inspiration

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aestheticvoyage2022 · 2 years

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Day 161: Friday June 10, 2022 - “Bucket List Boneyard #34”

One of the original 20 slots on my Bucket List when I put it together 13 years ago was “Fatherhood” and on the day that William came into the world I decided that I had yet to truly experience anything related to fatherhood and so would wait until he turned one to put the most monumental adventure into the boneyard. And today, 365 days of fatherhood now under my belt I can reflect on the ups and downs of that journey - some parts were way easier than expected, and some were far harder than imagined, but we got here - the consistent drumming of time landing us here as parents of a one year old who despite the odds shows up every day as a complete joy baby - a happy ham. Not quite walking yet and babbling about things that we can only guess at, William is the complete center of our world, from wake up to bed time and through each night as he co-sleeps between us. Taking this last month picture feels like a resetting of the clock and I can only imagine all that we’ll continue to learn together over the next spin.

After work today I helped with prep for his party tomorrow by getting all the month pictures printed along with several collages from each month even creating a collage of all 12 from newborn to now its fun to see them all together and how much he changed from that little guy of last summer. Looking back I sure can be proud of having archived so much of that first year and capturing some great pictures of him that his family can cherish some day when hes grown. Of everything, thats my best contribution! When it was time for him to go to bed for the last time as an 11 month old, I went and laid with him. As he drifted up to sleep he reached up and grabbed my finger, just like he did that first hour when we visited the NICU together, and he whispered softly “Dadda” and went to sleep. What a great birthday gift. I thought about this night a year ago, sitting forever thinking he might come at any time after the sun went down with his amazing mom working through labor only to drift off to sleep on a hospital kat instead, listening to beeps and soundtrack of a hospital room at St, Joseph’s instead. Id have to wait one more day to become a Dad. Birth-days Eve. And it was a real joy now, a year later, to fall asleep next to him - perfectly healthy (aside from a cheerio allergy!) having survived his first year without flaw. I haven’t always felt like I knew what I was doing - but we sure have done something right in earning this 34th Bucket List charm and I send this one to the boneyard with more pride than any of the others.

Song: Phosphorescent - C’est La Vie No 2.

Quote: "All great literature is one of two stories; a man goes on a journey or a stranger comes to town" ~Leo Tolstoy

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miyuwuki · 2 years

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OKAY.

So. In knb you've written pregnant reader, AND reader giving birth. But what you haven't written yet, is the first couple years of their baby's life/milestones (first steps, tooth, word, etc.). And that is my request. If you have the time or you actually want to do this though. ✨Milestones✨

Brooo what if they all had like 2 boys then when their 3rd baby is born it's a daughter...?? That'd be cute af. Oh oh and the brothers/dad are totally in love with that baby girl 😍 !! Speaking from experience there. My triplet boys adore their baby sister. More often than not I'll find them sleeping in her nursery.

I LOVE THIS! i think how i’m gonna go about this is mix it up a bit if that’s okay :)

also have two older brothers IS DEF SO CUTE

baby milestones

warnings: reader is referred as a mom figure

ft. gom + kagami

KISE literally runs to you when you call out his name from the kitchen. “she said her first word!” you squealed, holding your baby daughter in your arms. “come on honey, say what you said earlier!” you cooed at your daughter, who was intensely staring at your husband. with hopeful eyes, she mumbled, “dada.. mama..” kise gasped as tears started to swell in his eyes, “we’re getting old, y/n-cchi! she’s already saying our names!” you rolled your eyes playfully and kissed your daughter’s cheek. “good job honey. he is dada, and i am mama.” “she’s the smartest baby ever.” kise said, pulling out his phone to take videos of your child that can now say both of your names.

MIDORIMA acts like he doesn’t care, but he does when he sees your son pointing at the different shaped blocks and calling them their appropriate names. “sqware! wectangle!” he cheered, distinguishing each block correctly. he pulls out his phone to take a video to show you later, but he plans on buying more complex blocks like rhombuses and diamonds so he can expand his learning. to think his son barley needed assistance to learn each shape makes midorima the most proudest dad ever. he picks up his son and kissed his forehead, “good job, shotaro. you’re growing up well.”

AOMINE pumps his fist into the air when you let go of your son and he starts to walk towards your husband. “go daijo, go! come to dad! come on!” you could tell he was struggling to balance, but nevertheless he was kept on his toes and successfully made it to aomine’s arms. “you’re too good, buddy! you’re gonna be the best basketball player with these steps.” he picked up daijo and lightly threw him in the air, making you admire them with so much love because they’re your two boys. he was like a little carbon copy of aomine, and you had to take a photo discreetly to never forget this moment. “come daijo! give mommy a hug too! you did so well, sweetie!” you smiled, opening up your arms to the both of them.

MURASAKIBARA has been trying to make homemade baby food to not only save money, but it was the ultimate test to validate his cooking skills. blending in spinach, strawberries, bananas, and blueberries along with a bit of oat milk, he put it in a cute minnie mouse bowl for your daughter, who you placed in the high chair and wrapped a bib around her chest. “ready for the ultimate truth, atsushi?” you teased, giving him a peck right underneath his shoulder blade. “i hope aki-chin likes it, i’ll actually be really sad.” he frowned and you giggled, “she’ll love it.” he took a small spoon and scooped a bit of the food and held it up to her lips. “aki-chin, it’s time to eat. here, it’s yummy.” anticipating her reaction, she ate the spoonful and immediately, a smile formed on her face. “yummy! papa, yummy!” he smiled too, reflecting hers and kept feeding her, love filling up his heart just as much as it did to yours.

AKASHI has witnessed all milestones, but his favourite one is when your daughter first smiled. you were reading her a book with akashi when you made a funny sound effect to emphasize the story and gave a big smile because it was funny. “honey! she smiled!” you laughed, softly pinching her cheek. “she’s beautiful,” he said, slowly stroking her head. “like you. she looks beautiful just like you, love.” a blush covered your cheeks and you softly kissed his cheekbone, lingering a little bit before parting. nothing but love filled the atmosphere, and in that moment, both of you guys wanted it to last forever.

KUROKO walks in on your son picking up a book from the ground. his sits himself in the middle of the room, using both of his hands to open the book. just as kuroko was going to step in to read it for him, he started to read the words out loud on his own— it wasn’t perfect and there were a lot of mispronunciations, but kuroko’s eyes lit up at his son reading for the first time. he waited for a while before he knocking on the door and picked him up, pecking his cheek. “you can read now,” you smiled, “good job, kai. let’s go show mommy what you read.”

KAGAMI was cooking dinner until he catches your daughter biting on everything she sees. “hey, karina! why do you keep biting everything!” he sets his utensils down and picks her up until she flashes a singular tooth at him. “oh my gosh you’re teething.. y/n!! karina’s teething!!” hearing ruckus from below, you rushed out of the bathroom and looked at the two. “she’s what?” you asked. “look! teeth!” you walked over to your daughter and gasped at the growing tooth. “kagami babe, we’re getting so old.” and you took so many pictures to look back on in the future.

THIS WAS SO FUN TO WRITE! i love the knb domestic series :((( ty for requesting love

*＊✿❀reblogs and likes are appreciated❀✿＊*

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ettawritesnstudies · 3 years

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Do you have any thoughts/advice about writing siblings? Especially for characters with more than one sibling,,, like how their relationship with each other might be different than if they had only one sibling.

oh you bet I do anon, I've practically got this down to a science haha. There are a few key aspects of the family dynamic you'll want to keep in mind that will influence how the different relationships form!

Parental Roles:

(I'm using the term "parent" loosely, since it may vary depending on the story, but "legal guardian" sounded weird. Yknow what I mean)

Good parents will encourage mutually respectful relationships between their kids, avoid playing favorites, and work to settle bickering quickly and fairly. Siblings might get on each other's nerves, but they'll also be friends and whacky in-jokes abound.

Poor parents will either create an incredibly tight bond between siblings (to compensate for the lack of a reliable/safe adult support structure) or will drive siblings apart (probably by playing favorites, creating a rivalry)

Another thing to consider is if both a mother and father figure are present. Kids being raised by a single parent or a grandparent will have a different dynamic than if both were around. Divorce or parental death can be a major traumatic early life event, and will affect how each child relates to their parent and to each other. I can't really speak to this because I didn't grow up in a separated family, but research by reading first-hand experiences. If the kids are orphans, or both parents are neglectful, a sibling might step up into the parenting role, creating a complex, interdependent relationship.

Birth Order:

People will argue about this for aaaaagggess, but broadly speaking, the following personality traits are accurate:

Oldest/Oldest available (when the actual eldest isn't around)/Oldest Daughter (when the older brothers are useless around the house):

Strengths: organized, responsible, leader, probably half-decent at babysitting, cooking, and cleaning, may be a peacemaker between younger siblings.

Weaknesses: bossy/opinionated, default center of attention OR invisible depending on the situation, may bully younger siblings

With great privilege comes great responsibility

Middle (depending on place in the middle and age gaps, may lean more towards oldest/youngest behaviors in the family dynamic):

Strengths: flexible, independent, more laid-back attitude, probably makes friends outside of the family easily

Weaknesses: flighty, deliberately annoying, might feel inadequate or looked over in older sibling's "shadow"

Youngest:

Strengths: "Go-get-em" attitude. They want to run with the older kids, and parents are too exhausted to stop them, so they learn a lot young. If the eldest was allowed to stay at home alone overnight at 16, the youngest is probably doing that at 14. Confident. The other default center of attention.

Weaknesses: Tag-along, loud/obnoxious.

When someone only has one sibling, it's only the oldest/youngest dynamic and since both are so independent (and the parent's attention isn't split so many ways), I've noticed they're usually not as close? Especially if there's a age gap, they function more like only children that live in the same house, idk?

When you have a large family, pretty much everything in your life rotates around the family's schedule, when are your parents available to take you to X event, do you have to be present at Y event, who's babysitting tonight? Each person has a defined role within the family and the relationships are reflective of that.

Shared Life Experiences:

How much time did they spend together growing up, and was that a positive or negative experience? Did their family experience a traumatic event? (probably in the protagonist backstory). How did they react and support each other through that? If there's common ground, they might not talk about it because nothing needs to be said. They lived through it together.

Personality Dynamics/Clashes:

Depending on how you built your characters from the above questions, this can be a highly story-specific question to answer, but I'm just going to throw some generic dynamic ideas together inspired by my own siblings and stories:

Oldest and 2nd Oldest sisters are mistaken as twins because they're on the same mental wavelength 80% of the time. Lots of affectionate exasperation and mutual complaining/info dumping.

Middle was the youngest for 5 years until a younger sibling was born. Finds themselves caught between youngest "immaturity" and new expectations to be a good example of an older sibling.

two middle kids (2 years apart) bicker as small children but grow into being chill friends as teenagers once they both mature a little.

younger middle (10M) has different favored older siblings to go to for different problems when they can't get mom or dad's attention (asking oldest for help with school, older middle for help with friends, etc.)

the impartial sibiling mediating arguments between overly concerned but justifiably frustrated parents and overly defensive but justifiably irritated sibling.

parents mediating arguments between overly concerned but justifiably frustrated older sibling and overly defensive but justifiably irritated younger sibling.

younger middle and youngest siblings being absolute agents of chaos together, and that insanity factor growing exponentially for each added person involved.

The house is just TOO NOISY with all of this chatter, you're banished outside until dinner time. Go play.

The dynamic of: "oh my gosh they're such a dumbass, but I love them too much to let them get away with this bad decision.

protective of each other against outsiders, even if they bicker a lot: "The only one allowed to punch my sibling is me."

complaining with each other about their parents

so many dumb in jokes

I think I've rambled enough but I hope this helps!

#writing siblings #writing advice #writeblr #siblings #etta rambles

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gxrlcinema · 2 years

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Do you think it would be a big deal for Bucky or Winnie if his partner weren't Jewish? I'm not Jewish myself, and I'm not even sure if that's actually a big thing in the Jewish community, I've only seen shows/movies where it has been?? I suppose I'm just fishing for a Jewish!Bucky headcanon, haha

Okay so I'm actually extremely passionate about this topic. You came for a headcanon, but you're getting an essay. So sorry.

In Jewish tradition, Jewish descent is passed matrilineally (through the mother). That means that if the mother is Jewish, the child is Jewish, and if the mother isn't Jewish, the child is also considered not Jewish. Of the three major Jewish movements (Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox), the Reform movement is the only one that recognizes the validity of patrilineal (through the father) Jewish descent. This means that patrilineal Jews can be barred from religious participation in certain Jewish ceremonies (B'nai Mitzvot, weddings, etc.) without converting, even when they've grown up fully identifying as Jewish and attending synagogue.

There can be some passive-aggressiveness expressed towards "mudbloods" like myself and our non-Jewish mothers. My mom has been pressured to convert, and shamed for not doing so. I have dear, dear friends who always refer to me as "half Jewish" as though they were not literally at my Bat Mitzvah, and I've had Jewish peers tell me that certain features of mine were "Christian" because they did not conform to stereotypes about Jewish ethnic features (like my nose, which, for the record, I get from my dad). And that can be really frustrating, and isolating, especially when it comes with the knowledge that I face antisemitism regardless. So I'm not Jewish enough for other Jews but I'm certainly not goyish enough to be unaffected by the persecution and hatred directed at my people.

Anyways, to actually answer your question, Bucky doesn't care. To put it bluntly, if he - a literal Nazi killing machine (in his own mind) - can still count as a Jew, why does any of this matter? Sure, it's nice to be with someone who shares your cultural background and values. But Bucky was born in 1917 and mentally enslaved for 70 years. As Steve said, "it's hard to find someone with shared life experience".

I have this headcanon that Bucky is really vague about Winnie's birth mother, to the point where nobody even knows if she was Jewish or not. So nobody knows if Winnie "counts". Winnie's Jewish because Bucky sends her to religious school, and they probably do Shabbat dinners every week, and there's a mezuzah on the door to the house. (The mezuzah definitely has like, a spider on it or something equally gothic and weird because Bucky let Winnie pick it and that's how the Barnes house rolls.)

And as I put in a home for bucky (which is not the same universe as Weird Little Barnes but reflects a lot of how I think Bucky would perceive his own Judaism), Bucky's not married to the traditional way of practicing Judaism. I can see him and a goyish partner navigating their own version of traditions (like, a dreidel ornment for the partner's X-mas tree? Or Bucky and Winnie saying the Shema while a Muslim parter does their first prayers of the day? Saying grace or other pre-meal prayers and also Hamotzi?). I honestly think that he might really love the opportunity to rediscover a lot of the culture and traditions with someone who is new to it, instead of someone who knows everything he's forgotten. It's less pressure that way.

And if anyone at temple gives you shit for it, well, he's got that "most ruthless assassin in history" glare on lock. His partner is making the commitment to help him raise a Jewish child and keep a Jewish household. That's far more dedication than some full blood Jews have.

Fuck what anyone thinks.

#ilanswers #jumblr #weird little barnes #jewish!bucky #jewish!bucky headcanon #anon

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littledewdrops2 · 3 years

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Okaaaaayyy

It really makes me sad when people read about a placement and just hole themselves in that box. Astrology is a reflection, when you think about how the way you are raised effects how you perceive things as an adult, it makes sense if you view your natal chart as a book of your life. I have a lot of trauma, and I'll be honest and say my kids have some inherited placements that I look at and panic at sometimes. You are not doomed to repeat the patterns though, a lot of the placements I see with my kids are karmic and they have generational trauma shown in their charts. For instance they have pluto/moon aspects like me and my mom and my sisters. However, their placement isn't as tight of an orb as us. I view this as improvement that could be built upon if they chose to have children too. My daughter has mercury in 12th, I make sure to listen to her EVERY TIME her soft spoken self talks. I stop other people and give her my full attention. My son has his sun in 8th, I make sure he has space to be alone and process, we talk a lot about healthy expression, and his father all the time. You can do these things for yourself too, make yourself a priority, commit to doing things better because you deserve that. I have a cancer mars and my drive has been something I struggle with and burning myself out while I try and care for others (also my moon in taurus in 12th), I love caring for others but self care is hard. I write, I ask for breaks and take time to process, I go to therapy, shoot I even have a boundary to shower every day. I do what I need to express my anger and sadness in a healthy manner.

Also I wish that more people, when they ask questions about their placements, would use that to examine their life a bit more. You know yourself and your life best. For example I'm a sag sun, in 7th, taurus moon in 12th, mercury conj pluto in 6th. The two people that effected me in the best way were my grandparents. My grandma was a Libra sun and a pisces moon. My grandpa was a Sag sun and a virgo moon. It's no coincidence that my planets fall there because growing up I wanted to emulate the people that treated me best. My grandpa always told me, "if it is meant to be, it is up to me", my scorpio mercury and it's conjunction to pluto in the 6th, is a direct reflection of how seriously I took what he said. My chart ruler is my mercury actually, I have held on to that advice and been determined to turn my life around. (Also my mom and dad have no pisces personal placements and no libra, no virgo)

My grandpa valued having a good time and having adventures. He wanted to provide for his family and be a pillar. Then I grew up wanting a partner who was loyal and fun and kind and makes me smile, one I could build with. I think that's pretty reflective of my venus in capricorn (leo degree), in 9th.

Your parents come with their own ideas, values and unique experiences. Their words to you become your inner voice. Always keep in mind that we didn't birth ourselves. We learned these things somewhere. A bit of reflection helps a lot, what did your parents value/did you get along and want to emulate that/do you have easy aspects or hard aspects/who else influenced you/in what ways/can you see the reflection in that? Before stressing out over someone's comment on your placements, R E F L E C T. My kids would hate me if my chart really determined how my life was going to go (because of all the stressful aspects) but hey here I am doing the work I need to do and my relationship with my children is extremely fulfilling and loving and I see the connection in the things I value and how I parent and my kids charts and what they may have taken from me.

Last long winded example lollll, I deeeeeply value being open minded and non-judgemental, education is important to me and activism is too. My son has a stellium in the 9th house with his moon there. As if his mom isn't a sag sun with venus in 9th lolol. My daughter has sun and venus in 11th. Both my kids are libra rising and my daughter is a libra moon in 1st. I already hear them talking about "doing the right thing", justice and helping people sooo much.

I'm wholly planning on teaching my kids that they have the power to transform their life. On one hand, I know sun in the 8th can be very hard and on the other I believe that that placement can be super beneficial if I can help him tap into the positive energy. My daughter has pluto in 4th. I can't do anything about what they've already experienced except to help teach them that they do have the power to break these cycles. (I don't remember who's blog but I read someone say that pluto in 4th can mean that your mom emphasized being able to transform your life, which would be spot on for us.)

You don't have trouble in love because you have chiron in the 7th. You have trouble because your examples of relationships might not have been the best or you struggle to put yourself above your partner because maybe you don't feel good about yourself etc. Chiron in 7th is reflective of the struggle, it's not the reason for the struggle.

Long af, just to say never give up on yourself and it will be okay. 💞💖✨ You certainly aren't doomed. Also envy is a sign that you have an unmet need so maybe if you are feeling envious over a placement, be nice to yourself and give yourself a little extra self love.

#astrology #astrology observations #astro notes

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thevindicativevordan · 3 years

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What are your thoughts and takes Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van, these two are ridiculously underdeveloped, not unlike the rest of the House of El outside those like Kara and Kon and maybe Jon (though that might be a tad to generouse considering he was sadly aged-up in one way or another in multiple storylines) considering they're SUPERMAN'S BIRTH PARENTS, that I'm all ears for just about anyone who has something worthwhile to say about them.

Been planning to write about Superman's moms and dads, was going to save each for Father's & Mother's Day to be cheeky. But why not dive right in since you asked?

Usually they're not fleshed out characters, nor are they really meant to be. Their purpose in Superman's story is to make him, put him in the rocket, and then die. Occasionally writers will attempt to flesh them out more (usually just Jor) but the Els are like the Waynes in that the most important part of their story is their deaths. We're shown that they are good, that they tried to warn everyone, that they launched Kal into space with little more than a hope and prayer he'd make it, that it sucks that they died, and that's usually it.

I have my own personal belief about the role of Superman's parents, all four of them, namely that each one should bequeath some aspect onto Clark that forms a basis for who he is in the present day. Seems obvious right? But when it comes to parental importance, the dads usually far eclipse the moms. Loads of times we've seen Jor-El demonstrate his brilliance or share some high-minded ideal with Kal via his AI in the Fortress. Lara however? Aside from wringing her hands and bemoaning Krypton's fate, she doesn't usually demonstrate any notable personality traits or personal skills. There's usually next to nothing Kal inherits from her, not that we can see anyway. I'd like to see that changed and see the moms (both Lara and Martha) gift something to Superman that shapes his character.

Jor-El is the Mind

Jor-El is pretty great as he is, the science hero from whom Kal gets his intelligence. When Kal is applying his powers in creative solutions, running experiments in the Fortress of Solitude, or taking up a role of leadership he's tapping into his father. I'd say Kal feels the utmost respect for Jor, admires him for fighting for the truth even when the Kryptonian leadership didn't want to hear it. The ideal of Jor is also what Superman tries to be, the wise protector who wants to save everyone and is willing to defy leadership when he knows they're wrong.

However Jor is also the failure who haunts Kal. For all his brilliance, respected reputation, and high position of power Jor couldn't save his planet. Krypton died and the only one Jor was able to save was his son out of the billions of Kryptonians. There's also the Phantom Zone prisoners who were imprisoned there because of Jor and the PZ projector he invented. Zod in particular holds a grudge against Kal because of his father's actions, a darker side to the El legacy that Kal must confront and overcome. In his more depressed states Kal is afraid that he will end up just like his father: someone who failed to save his world, who plugged holes instead of treating the underlying causes. Superman enjoys many of the same perks his father did, and Earth seems to be running towards the same ultimate fate that Krypton did, something that is not lost on Kal when he reflects on the status quo.

Lara Lor-Van is the Body

One thing that the New 52 did for Lara that I really liked was it gave her a role separate from Jor-El: she was a soldier. Brilliant idea in my estimation because now you've given her a background, job field, and skillset that's vastly different from Jor's while still being relevant to Kal. Thinking about that change sparked a realization about what Clark can inherit from her: Her fighting spirit, temper, and ability to kick ass when the situation calls for it. Not a fan of the militarization of the superhero but I'm ok with Kal utilizing the military heritage he has in an acutely different way from what his mom did. He has the same basic desire to keep others safe, and the willingness to use violence when the situation calls for it, but he doesn't kill as easily as Lara was willing to.

Lara should definitely be where Kal gets his skill at fighting and utter refusal to ever stay down no matter who he's up against. When he throws down with Doomsday, Darkseid, Mongul, or any other powerhouse, he's channeling his mom. Given Kal has been established to have a temper, I think Lara makes the most sense to be it's source, especially with the military background. Show that she could get mad as hell if provoked, and that often her anger was connected to some injustice in Kryptonian society in much the same way as what provokes anger in her son on Earth.

Also in keeping with that theme, let her be the one with the spitcurl! Kal and Jor usually look so much alike that I am happy to have just one iconic element of his appearance come from Lara. Superman adaptions that came after took a lot from the DCAU, kind of disappointed this wasn't one of the details that stuck.

Ultimately the Els are the ideal Kal honors and upholds but doesn't know and never can. Not a fan of him time travelling to meet them, that cheapens their and Krypton's death, he should only ever interact with them indirectly. Only through the gifts they send with him in the rocket, through stories that Kara tells, and through their enemies such as Zod can he gain an understanding of their character. Perfectly ok with flashback stories featuring them however, that works great to connect the readers to them more. Being Kal's blood parents who loved him and saved his life is enough for Kal to feel a connection, but fleshing them out in flashback stories helps the readers share in Kal's grief.

#superman #jor el #lara lor van #krypton #dc comics

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fishklok · 2 years

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I think you accidentally sent this to my main blog, but thank you for giving me an excuse to ramble about this.

I also subscribe to the Armenian!Magnus headcanon (tbh, I just assumed it was canon lol).

My headcanon (or at least how it is in W3), is that Magnus Hammersmith is his legal + birth name. His father had an Armenian last name, but he changed it because he thought it would make it easier to break into the American music scene (also "The Hammer" was his stage name, which Magnus later took on for himself). Magnus' parents were very young when they had him and also rebelling against their own parents. So why the name "Magnus"? Because his parents (his dad mostly) thought it sounded cool and wanted to stick it to their traditional parents.

And thus, Magnus is stuck with a name that 1. Isn't a "typical American" name, which attracted unwanted attention, and 2. Isn't consistent with any of the names in his family, leaving him to feel isolated and distant from his own community. His mom did have an Armenian name for him, but she'd only use it when she was sure his father wasn't around. But as her mental health declined, she stopped using that.

Both W3 and Encore include themes of Magnus struggling with his complicated relationship with his heritage. This may just be my experience projected onto this (what am I saying: it totally is), but it can be strange when your only real connection to your culture is your family and not a larger community. Because then, culture isn't just food, holidays, language, clothing. It's arguments over the dinner table, uncomfortable conversations, it's heartbreak. Family and culture are so tied together that it can be impossible to separate them and "only keep the good parts". Part of Magnus' healing process in both fics (mostly Encore) is about really reflecting on how he was raised, and how he can rebuild that relationship with his identity while also acknowledging that he was born to complicated people. I'm not Armenian, but recently I've been trying to reconnect with my Korean background after years of purposely distancing myself from it (for personal reasons. Again, family is complicated), and I shared some of that in my characterization of Magnus.

Sorry, you didn't ask for any of that lol. The practical reason for this was that W3 is a prequel fic and there are multiple chapters surrounding Magnus interacting with his family. Meaning that either 1. A lot of the story would be written with Magnus going by a different name (which could be alienating to readers), or there would be a lot of scenes of Magnus getting misnamed (which makes me personally uncomfortable).

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that-wizard-oki · 3 years

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Hello! I've been aware of your blog for years, and made a Tumblr blog very recently. I want to say that your posts are extremely well thought out, and give the storyline of Wizard101 a lot of much needed depth. I think if Wiz had the gameplay and story structure of Pirate101, it would benefit highly especially for worlds like Azteca and Khrysalis. Currently I'm rewriting Wiz and your posts are a huge inspiration. Finally. what are your thoughts on Arc 3? Imo it had potential but failed.

Hey there! Thank you so much for all your kind words, I’m glad you enjoy my thoughts and theories about the game- and I’m flattered to hear they inspire you to create your own fan work :D

Personally, I wouldn’t say that Arc 3 failed in any sense. I think the idea of a children's/family game to tackle the theme of a broken family\divorce is pretty smart- it gives the opportunity to adults who play this game with their kids to find a way to perhaps talk about their own experience with the same themes in their real lives (if it applies to them). Likewise, i also like that the story focuses on that the CHILDREN are the one who have to clean up the PARENTS mess, more or less. Often times the children in families who have a parent/parents that are either split, should split, or are abusive to one another, are the ones who get caught in the cross fire- this is SO evident with Mellori and Bat in Empyrea.

Following that, I think it was also super clever to have Mellori (and the wizard) initially ALSO be fighting against Spider’s children. Another common occurrence in families that experience abuse between their parents/ect, is that one or both of the parents will try to divide their children onto sides- furthering the divide and conflict in the family itself. THIS was exactly what was happening in arc 3- we weren’t technically fighting Raven and Spider, but their children were fighting each other in their names.

One of the most beautiful things to come out of this game was the fact that Mellori and Bat WERE able to see through that, and instead focused on the real threat at hand- their parents. In fact, it is their COMBINED power that allows the wizard to defeat the result of Raven and Spider- the Aethyr Titan. This reflects so well into reality, where when the children of broken families try their damned to support one another, instead of letting their parents continue to control and divide them, it leads to the kids being able to break the domino effect that comes with that kind of family dynamic. They are able to become individuals- instead of being some mini version or “part” of their parents (which is also clever on KI’s part to make Mellori and Bat/Rat/Scorpion LITERAL extensions of Raven/Spider, which makes it seem like they are just kind of mindless bots doing whatever their entrusted parent tells them).

One part i particularly like as well is that towards the end of Empyrea, Mellori talk about how she’s going to go home to her mom- and it’s not Raven, it’s Baba Yaga. I absolutely love this idea that, yea, Mellori (and any kid for that matter) SHOULD be able to choose who their mom/dad/parent is if their birth parent(s) don't provide for you the way a parent should. I think that is a SUPER important lesson for Kids AND parents to hear. You choose your own family if that’s what it comes down to, and there is NO shame in that.

That being said, i do have my issues with some things too- this might seem small, but I never liked how when we’re in the Husk, and Raven and Spider are talking to one another about who’s “really” at fault, and eventually Raven goes “oh what have i done?” and Spider just goes “.... Yea were were BOTH really bad huh?” Like.... listen, sure, Raven probably shouldn’t have locked Cob away for eternity and stole his chaos heart in order to reform the spiral, BUT imma be real with y’all... Spider also did shit to aggravate Raven- specifically, he messed with her kids into a fucking war. I mean this half sarcastically, but tbh, if you mess with a mother’s kids... that's fucking on you man, you know the grave your digging for yourself on that one lmao.

But more seriously- i feel like they REALLY tried to make Raven out to be “worse” than Spider, and having Spider just beguile her with his words at the end in a way were she ended up being like “oh nooo IM the really bad one, oh no oh noo :((” JUST for him to be like “no its ok babe :) we’re BOTH equally as bad, stay here with me and we can be bad and alone together :)”

Actually now that i write that out, it is a little.. weird that Spider kinda got what he wanted- to be with Raven, when imo, they really should have STAYED split. I don’t come from a divorced family, but I’ve many friends who do, and I’ve gathered that more often than not... divorce can be a good thing, as it is likely to stop/lessen the conflict within families. I think that yea, they both did bad things to one another, and need to stay apart, not spend the rest of eternity together.

That’s probably my biggest qualm with the entirety of Arc 3, beyond the various obvious one, which is that Morganthe played like, absolutely no part in it lmao. I’ve talked endlessly about it, so i won’t repeat myself too much lol.

Just to briefly reiterate- i think that Morganthe, the one who re-discovered shadow magic, was groomed by the Shadow Magi, and very blatantly infused with something akin to the conversion tables we see in Khrysalis, I think she would have been an invaluable source of information and help for the Wizard. Not only does she probably know the most about Shadow Magic outside of Spider, but it’s insanely alluded to that she was under his control- perhaps even had contact or conversation with him somehow in her time as Shadow queen.

The biggest frustration of her lack of presence though, comes from the way Khrysalis built up this INSANELY interesting Foil between the Wizard and her. The way that they both weirdly fit the prophecy, the way their lead into The Hive was so eerily mirrored, the fact that we were both called the Children of Light and Shadow by Spider, and not to even mention how the shared feelings of loneliness and fear of failure as students of Ambrose... like I could go on about these two and how amazing it would have been for them both to work together in arc 3, but also help heal and grow as The Children of Light and Shadow... but that’s not what we got unfortunately.

Anywho, i don’t wanna ramble on about that too much because i touched on it in another ask post and you can look at that if ya want in my tag, but yea! Those are my general thoughts on Arc 3. Again, i love this arc, i think it truly has some of the most nuanced writing and characters thus far in the game.

Besides, i always think they could easily write in Morganthe’s return for a redemption with the wizard, especially now with the Wizard seemingly trying to fight their own shadows.

Hope that satisfied your question though, and good luck with your writings :D

#wizard101 #oki answers a thing #marvelousmagicalaura

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slippinmickeys · 3 years

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Five Seconds (5/8)

If you’d like to read on AO3, you may do so here.

October 15, 2018

The leaves were beginning to change outside the window; the maples turning russet, the birch yellow. Scully felt pendulous and gravid, the child in her belly more active than her previous two combined. Sleep was becoming difficult, but by day they’d fallen into a comfortable routine, safe and unmolested from the dangers that were beginning to feel as though they had never existed at all.

She stretched and left Mulder, half his face obscured by his pillow, his lips soft and pliant in sleep. A fresh pot of decaf awaited her in the kitchen, its automatic timer set by Mulder late last night.

The kids were still asleep, as far as she could tell -- she'd heard Lily come home well after midnight. She'd been up reading anyway when her daughter had popped her head into their bedroom door and whispered "I'm home." The girl had been wearing a small smile and Scully recognized the look. Lily was falling in love.

Will shuffled into the kitchen sleepily, a palm rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He approached Scully where she stood at the counter and put an arm around her shoulder, leaning on her. He still smelled like the sleepy little boy who liked to cuddle into her side to watch nature shows when he was six.

"Morning Mom," he said, taking a snuffly breath. He leaned down and rested his cheek against her head (he was almost as tall as Mulder, though still as skinny as a maypole). Scully wrapped her arm around his waist and pulled him in closer. Affection from her kids was getting fewer and farther between now that they were active teenagers. She was determined to enjoy whatever she got.

"Morning," she said, giving his back a little rub, "you're up early."

"Yeah," he said on a yawn. "There's an open rink this morning and a couple of buddies are going. Is it okay if I join them?"

Scully nodded. "Just make sure you tell your dad, too. Know the exits before you go and keep an eye on the crowd."

Will squeezed her once and then let go, grabbing a banana from the fruit bowl on the counter and holding up like James Bond. "Call me Double O Billy," he said and sidled back to his room off of Scully's bemused chuckle.

She spent an hour catching up on email that had been routed through the Gunmen and Darlene -- coded messages that they interpreted and sent to her mother, sister and brothers. Melissa was giving her a hard time about not letting her fly to Europe (where she thought they were) to be her doula when the time came to give birth. She was tempted to send Byers to her sister's house to explain exactly what was happening, but rejected the impulse. Their mother -- the only person other than the Gunmen and the X-Files triumvirate at the FBI who knew their situation (though not their location for her own protection) -- would talk her down eventually.

Mulder came padding up behind her as she closed the laptop and she felt a soft, drawn-out kiss on the side of her neck.

"Morning," he mumbled into her skin.

She reached up and threaded her fingers through his hair, then turned to receive his kiss.

"Morning," she said.

"I’ll be back shortly. I'm going to drop Billy off at the ice complex and then take Lil to campus -- she suddenly started liking football."

"I think it's the company rather than the sport," Scully said, turning in her chair to face him.

"...I'm going to choose to believe my version," he said.

Scully reached out and linked their fingers briefly. "Tell her to be careful," she said, "she's spending a lot of time out of the house."

Mulder nodded and squeezed her fingers. "I will," he said, "and when I get back, I have a few ideas for how we can spend our child-free afternoon." He waggled his eyebrows at her and let go, backing out of the room like the charmer he was.

XxXxXxXxXxX

“So why UVA?” Travis asked her. He had his head propped up on an elbow and his other hand was wrapped loosely around her foot, his thumb rubbing circles into her arch. She was on the couch in his dorm room and he was on the floor -- she’d been helping him study for mid-terms. They had been officially dating for five weeks and had seen each other at least every other day in that time. He’d introduced her to a couple of friends as his girlfriend.

“What?” she asked. It was hard enough to concentrate while getting a foot massage, and she’d been staring at the index cards in front of her, trying to find a question that would stump him.

“Why are you going to UVA? Brain like yours, you could have gone anywhere. I don’t think I’ve ever asked you why there.”

“Other than the in-state tuition?” She had told him that they’d moved from Virginia, but hadn’t elaborated.

“Other than that,” he smiled.

“I’ve always wanted to. When I was a kid, my dad would occasionally get called in to consult there and he would take me with him. I kinda fell in love with it.”

“What did your dad consult on?” he asked, “You don’t talk about your parents much.”

Travis tapped her other leg, and she switched feet, silencing a groan when his knuckle hit a particularly sensitive spot.

She had purposely avoided mentioning her family much and debated how much was safe to share.

“UVA has a Department of Perceptual Studies,” she said, and she saw him tilt his head in question.

“A department of what?”

“Perceptual studies,” she said, smiling, “it’s a research group devoted to the investigation of phenomena that challenge mainstream scientific paradigms regarding the nature of the mind/brain relationship.” Travis stopped rubbing her foot and looked at her. She went on, further quoting her dad’s friend Dr. Stevenson: “Their mission is the scientific empirical investigation of phenomena that suggest that currently accepted scientific assumptions and theories about the nature of mind or consciousness, and its relation to matter, may be incomplete.”

“You’re shitting me,” he said.

“I shit you not.”

“What kind of phenomena?” He narrowed his eyes at her.

She tried not to smile, “ESP, poltergeists, near-death experiences, out-of-body experiences, claimed memories of past lives.”

“And what did they want with your father?” he asked, sitting up.

She shrugged. “He’s a shrink,” she said, being deliberately vague.

“This is an accredited university?” He teased her. She kicked at him, and he ducked out of the way and laughed, then looked at her thoughtfully. “You know, I myself had an out-of-body experience with Trudy Carmichael under the bleachers when I was sixteen. Pretty sure I saw through time.”

Lily chuckled, then playfully challenged: “Do I need to worry about this Trudy Carmichael?”

“I doubt it,” he said, hanging his head, “I lost my virginity, and she lost my number. Not my finest hour.”

“A whole hour?,” Lily said wryly.

“One way to find out.”

He looked at her then and she looked back. The moment was charged and sat in between them. The truth was, Lily was still a virgin. She and Travis had messed around, but fairly innocently, and she’d demurred on action below the waist/under the clothes. “I’m not waiting for marriage,” she’d told him a few weeks back, but she did want to wait for love. If only she knew what that felt like.

“Hey, Frisbee,” Travis said when she didn’t say anything, “please don’t take this as a negotiation tactic -- you’ve been clear on your limits and I totally respect that -- and with the full understanding that you don’t need a reason, and you do you and all that -- but… do you want to talk about it?”

“Talk about what exactly?” she asked, clarifying.

“When I say ‘no pressure,’ I mean it,” he said, reaching out to squeeze her foot.

Lily looked around his sloppy dorm room. There were clothes strewn about, though mostly out of the way— socks balled up near the laundry hamper, a sweatshirt hanging on the back of a chair. The wooden loft that held his bed was posted around the couch, made of flimsy-looking two-by-fours, and did not look like it could hold his weight, much less hers in addition, and remained untried (though Travis swore it had passed inspection). His desk was more fastidiously kept, a reflection of his mind, a structured order in the midst of chaos. He was kind and smart. His smile could make her insides go liquid.

“Honestly?” she finally said, “it’s my parents.”

“Super religious?” he asked.

She had to stop herself from laughing. “No, it’s… My parents love each other. More than anyone I’ve ever known. Their love is like… romance film love. It’s practically written in the stars.”

He looked at her contemplatively. “That’s a lot to live up to,” he said. “Is that what it is?”

“Yes,” she said, then, “no.” It was and it wasn’t. She didn’t know if there was a love out there that could compare, she suspected there wasn’t. Her real hang-up, and she hadn’t been able to get it out of her head since she found her father’s first wedding picture in their attic -- was that her father had obviously made a mistake. What if she did too?

She laughed, annoyed at herself. This wasn’t Regency England. Sex didn’t mean marriage. It didn’t even necessarily mean love. Still...

“Come on,” she said, sitting up and grabbing for his class notes, “this bio exam isn’t going to take itself.”

XxXxXxXxXxX

A sound woke her. Her hips were in agony and sleeping was difficult, so initially she was more annoyed than anything; she could rarely line up more than 90 minutes straight of deep slumber. And then she heard it again.

She reached over, squeezed Mulder's bicep until she heard him sniff sharply awake and silently, pulled out the sidearm she kept inside her bedside table. Mulder, slipping out of bed without a word, pulled out his own gun and went to the door. He held up a hand, trying to tell Scully to stay back, but she shook her head angrily -- she would have his back whether he liked it or not.

When he moved into the hallway, she stepped on the back of his heel and he ended up ramming his shoulder into the doorframe. He swore low under his breath. They were out of sync.

She watched as he put his head into the kids rooms as he made his way down the hallway, nodding at her that they were both accounted for. One more thunk from the living room.

He sidled up to the wall that led to the room and backed up against it. He mouthed one-two-three and they went in, but where she usually went low and he went high, this time they rammed shoulders and stumbled into the room. Mulder flicked on the light when she finally had her weapon aimed true.

There, sitting on a high bookshelf sat Apgar, her black tail swishing merrily. Maintaining eye contact, she swiped one more of the professor's knick-knacks off the shelf and onto the floor.

Mulder dropped his weapon and heaved a sigh, tipping his head back in frustration. "Fucking cat," he hissed.

Mission completed, Apgar jumped down with a thump and weaved a figure eight between Mulder's legs.

"She must be hungry," Scully said.

"Hangry was invented by cats," Mulder mumbled, reaching down to pet the cat with his free hand.

"Our tactical coordination was atrocious," Scully said, flicking the light back off and holding her gun at her hip.

"Yes," Mulder agreed.

"When was the last time you went to the range?" she asked.

"It's been months," he said tiredly.

"We're going tomorrow," Scully said. Mulder knew better than to argue.

XxX

There were more than a few Molon Labe bumper stickers in the parking lot. Scully had to remind herself that they were in Michigan Militia territory. "Michitucky," she'd heard it called by a few guys at the Bureau. Nevertheless, she pulled up to the firing range with fire in her blood. She might not share their politics, but she would share their space, and show most of them up to boot.

They signed in and bought ammunition. She got a few extra looks for being a visibly pregnant woman, but most of the men (and they were all men) who were at the range gave her begrudging looks of approval. Mulder stood, standing straighter and closer than normal, practically growling at anyone who got too close. She had to admit that his fierce protective nature was more than a turn-on.

The range was outdoors -- different than what they were used to at Quantico. And where there were metal tables and dividers and state of the art equipment at the government facility, here it was all beat-to-shit plywood tables and sunburnt grass littered with shell casings and old ear plugs. They took the lane at the end.

They both loaded and checked their weapons, snugged earmuffs over their heads.

"You want to go first?" Mulder asked, double checking the safety on his pistol and setting it on the table behind their station.

"I can do that," Scully said, looking down at her Sig.

"Care for a little wager?" her husband asked.

"You can't afford me, Dr. Mulder," she said, admiring the still-lanky line of his physique.

He raised his eyebrows, and leaned back against the tall wobbly table. "Oh-ho," he said, "I suppose that depends on the currency." He had a smug look about him that she wanted to wipe off his face. She was a better marksman and more competitive than anyone gave her credit for.

"What are you offering?" she asked.

"Dishes?" he offered, "Laundry?"

"We had children for the menial labor," she challenged, "I can win this with one hand tied behind my back. Make it interesting for me."

He licked his lips. She had him.

"I liked the part about 'hands behind the back,'" he said, "Winner decides who wears the handcuffs."

"You're not exactly incentivizing this, Mulder."

He had a flushed look about him; his nostrils flared.

"Prove it," he said, and she felt a flush. Second trimester hormones could be a beautiful thing, she mused.

It took her several rounds before she got back into the groove. It actually had been too long since she'd practiced and she was rusty. Considering their current situation, she ought not to let it happen again. Her last few rounds were dead center. Once her clip was empty, she cleared her weapon and stepped back.

Mulder's turn.

He wasn't quite as out of practice as she was initially, which irritated her to no end. However, his fourth and fifth shots were a bit wide, and he ended around the edges.

When he was clear, she stepped back up and took a bracing breath. She raised her weapon and fired rapidly; all her shots were center mass except the last two, which she swung up and finished with perfect shots to the head of the paper dummy.

When Mulder stepped forward for his turn, she nudged him.

"How big would you say the back of the Yukon is?'" she asked casually.

His first three shots went wide.

XxXxXxXxXxX

October 17, 2018

“Mom?” Lily asked. There was a hesitancy in her voice that made Scully look up from where she was chopping vegetables for dinner. “How did you know you loved Dad?”

Scully set the knife down and turned toward her daughter. “That’s a big question, Lil.”

“What’s a big question?” Mulder came breezing into the kitchen, shooting Scully an intrigued look.

Scully suspected something was up, but didn’t want to embarrass their daughter. Lily had always had an inquisitive streak and would occasionally come to Scully with problems or questions, but she was apt to clam up when pressed.

“Lily was asking me about how I fell in love with you,” Scully said, trying to catch Mulder’s eye.

“It was the day she met me, no doubt,” Mulder said. He grabbed an apple out of the bowl on the counter and shined it on his sleeve before taking a snappy bite. “I’m catnip to the ladies,” he said around the mouthful. Lily smiled. Scully rolled her eyes.

“Suddenly, I’m struggling to remember,” Scully said with mock derision. Mulder gave her a cheeky grin.

“Did you know right away?” Lily asked.

Scully paused. “Not… Not right away,” she said thoughtfully.

Lily looked back and forth between her parents. “I guess it was a long time ago, huh.”

“Love in a time of sarsaparilla,” Mulder said dreamily. Scully shook her head and he caught her eye. “It wasn’t that long ago, Lil,“ he went on, and Scully felt the low bloom of feeling that always accompanied a look from her husband. For as long as she lived, she would always remember the first time she felt it; on the Tooms case, when he’d hooked his finger in her necklace and pulled.

“No, what I mean is… it was complicated,” Scully clarified.

Lily nodded and turned to her father. “You were married. Before Mom.”

“Yes,” Mulder said.

“Did you love her? Your ex wife?”

“I thought I did.”

“When did you figure out that you didn’t?” Lily asked.

“When I met your Mom,” Mulder said.

“So what you felt with Mom…”

“... was so much bigger than I was, that I couldn’t contain it.”

Scully felt her eyes well up. Mulder still sometimes had the ability to make her feel things all the way down to her toes.

Lily smiled, but looked pensive.

"But you thought you loved this other woman? I mean, enough to marry her?" she asked.

Mulder narrowed his eyes at his daughter. "What are you asking, Lil?"

Lily shook her head, her cheeks pink. She grabbed a soda from the fridge and walked out of the room.

“Oh boy,” said Scully.

“What?” Mulder asked.

“Travis,” said Scully. “She’s trying to figure it all out.”

“Jesus, he didn’t propose, did he?” Mulder asked. The look on his face was enough to make her laugh, but she held it in.

Scully turned fully to Mulder and leaned back against the countertop, crossing her arms in front of her.

“You want to know what I think?” she asked. Mulder nodded. “She’s trying to decide whether or when to...” She made a vague gesture with her hands.

Mulder looked at her, still not understanding. Scully gave him the stare of the dotard husband.

“Mulder…” she said, glaring hard.

Realization dawned and Mulder swallowed. “I should have had that boy killed,” he said.

Scully turned back to the vegetables she’d been chopping. “Let’s refrain from wetwork while we’re on the lam.”

“I make no promises,” he said, and slid up behind her, stepping in close and putting his hands on her waist.

“I had the guys check him out by way of Darlene,” Scully said. “He is who he says he is. And he seems like a decent kid. Let’s let her navigate this on her own, huh?” She felt his fingers squeeze and then they drifted down to rest on her hips.

“I don’t like it,” he mumbled, and leaned down to rest his chin on her shoulder.

“You’re not supposed to,” she said. “But you do have to accept it, and trust that we raised her to make these decisions for herself.” She remembered being nineteen and in college and in love for the first time. “You want to hear about Kevin McAvoy, my freshman year boyfriend?”

Mulder squeezed his fingers again and then started to turn her slowly toward him. She set down the knife on the counter and let him. His head was bent toward her and she felt his breath fan her face.

“No,” he said, leaning even more into her personal space.

“I was his Little Red Corvette,” she said playfully, tipping her head back in challenge. He smiled, but she saw something rough pass through his eyes. “He’d put on Prince and --”

Mulder leaned down and silenced her with a kiss.

XxXxXxXxXxX

In her room, Lily sat on the bed, the can of soda from the fridge sitting unopened on her bedside table. Condensation beaded on the side of it, sliding down silently to pool at the base, unnoticed.

Crusher liked to sleep on her pillow, and had left a black felted indent in the feathers, which Lily brushed away and fluffed. She looked about the room. Not much about it spoke of the young woman who slept there and had for months; no posters on the walls, no pennants hanging or pictures of friends. It was a sterile guest room decorated with the mute tones of an unmarried 60-something and lately it had been making her feel like she wasn't even herself.

She stood and walked to the desk, the one place she deposited her things. Her wallet, the phone Darlene had given her that she rarely used and usually kept switched off. Her purse was half hanging off -- likely knocked into such a position by a passing cat -- and when she righted it, she noticed the picture that sat under it. The photo of her father and an unfamiliar brunette, who's face conveyed confidence -- almost a smugness -- and a certain charm.

She stared at the picture. And she wondered.

XxX

October 20, 2018

Lily glanced over her shoulder when she sat, feeling as though she were doing something illegal, something fraught.

No one really used the computer labs anymore -- if you needed to, you could write an entire paper on your phone, though Lily found the practice ridiculous and immature. Nevertheless, there were one or two students sitting at the various desktops around the small library lab, and she checked to make sure no one was paying attention to what she was doing.

She tried to be careful. She had told Travis that she was hoping to log into the university's network to prep for some of the classes she’d be taking at UVA next semester and so she was using his password and login information. She'd checked to make sure there were no cameras on the area where she sat, and that her back was to the one aimed at the larger area.

With a bracing breath, she logged on.

It was surprising what you could find with a simple Google search, and the commonwealth of Virginia's vital records office would send you a copy of any marriage certificate for a fee of $45. Knowing better than to use a credit card, she'd opted for a more in depth search, and found what she was looking for in the Daily Press -- the local newspaper of record in Newport News, Virginia.

It was a wedding announcement, complete with two pictures -- one, the same picture she'd found in her parent's attic and the other of a similar style -- of Fox William Mulder and Lauren Edith Williams, married on August 17th, 1988. According to the article, Lauren had been a recent graduate of Georgetown University and had been employed at Schuster and McClure, a PR firm in the District of Columbia.

Lily looked at the new photograph on the screen before her. Her father looked so young. Only a few years older than herself. Lauren was pretty, had perfect posture, and was staring into the camera like a dare; her dress was all frills and white froth, the material of the dress ruched in large poofs at the shoulders, a crown of satin flowers around the lush brunette curls on her head. She looked like someone Lily wouldn't have dared talk to back in high school. She looked nothing like Lily's mother.

Lauren Edith Williams, she wrote down, and stared at the paper in front of her.

XxXxXxXxXxX

October 21, 2018

Lily was on the bus when she noticed him. It was his age that first drew her attention. Most everyone that rode this route (it went right into campus) was either a student or a professor, and something about him seemed the antithesis of scholarly. He had a sharp face, was dressed in loose clothing, a plain, black ball cap pulled low over his head. His knee bounced where he sat. She thought she could make out a tattoo curling onto the skin under the sleeve of his jacket. He could have been custodial staff for all she knew, but her parents had raised her to trust her instincts, and something inside of her pinged.

He hadn’t so much as looked in her direction, but she reached up and pulled the cord that requested a stop anyway, keeping him in her periphery when the bus rolled to the next stop. She was five blocks further away than she would have liked -- she was supposed to meet Travis just off campus for lunch. The man didn't move or rise from his seat. Nevertheless, she ducked out of the back door and onto the sidewalk, shouldering her purse and pretending to look at her phone. Only when the bus left with the man still on it would she exhale. The bus had just started to roll forward when it chirped to a stop and the front doors opened. The man in the cap trotted down the steps and onto the sidewalk, glancing briefly at her before turning and walking slowly west. Adrenaline awash in her bloodstream, she turned east.

The man had had a nondescript face. He was of average height and build, not someone you'd notice. She wracked her brain trying to remember when or if she'd seen him before, and had a hazy recollection of someone who might have been him: waiting outside of Travis's dorm when she'd come to visit him a couple days prior, or maybe even standing behind her in line at a coffee shop the day before. She should have been paying closer attention. Her parents had taught her to pay closer attention. Up until she'd done a search on her father and his ex-wife, she had. Lily silently cursed at herself.

She looked at her reflection in the shop windows along Grand River Avenue, trying to catch a glimpse behind her. She caught movement, but there were plenty of other people walking up and down the sidewalk. She needed a better look.

She swung up the stairs of the Student Union when she came to it a moment later, remembering walking in with her brother and dad only the month before, and felt the sharp pang of guilt.

When she reached the top of the staircase, she stopped to retie her shoe, glancing back behind her as she did so. The man in the cap was there, and had paused a ways away, looking down at his phone. Lily finished fiddling with her shoe and casually walked to the door, holding it open for a girl who was coming out, her heart hammering in her chest as she did so. Through the large doorway was a wide set of stairs going both up and down. When the door closed behind her, she bolted down the stairs to her right. There were a number of study spaces and she could pass through each one fairly quickly -- the day was busy and there were students everywhere; if she was lucky she could get lost in the crowd.

She ducked through the main lounge and past the small coffee shop on the lower level, looking behind her. She saw nothing, but that didn't mean he still wasn't coming. Seeing the full racks of clothing in the Spirit Shop across the hallway, she went inside, bending down to pretend to look at a few items on the bottom shelf.

Peering through underneath the hanging shirts, she watched as the man in the black cap came down the hallway outside of the shop and paused, turning toward it. Her heart leapt to her throat. He did a slow turn and then turned to keep walking. She kept her head down.

From the corner of her eye she caught her own reflection in the mirror outside the tiny dressing room -- she was wearing a bright blue shirt and her hair -- as bright and reflective as a stop sign, and always a part of herself she was fond of -- would give her away.

She stood, scanning the hallway outside the shop, and then she hastily pulled a green knit cap off a nearby shelf and pulled the tag off, shoving it over her head and tucking her hair up under it as quickly as she could. She grabbed a large tee shirt off the rack nearest her and took it plus the hat's tag to the counter, pulling some cash that her parents always had her carry out and plunking it on the counter.

"I don't need a receipt, thanks," she told the young woman helping her, and turned away.

"But what about your change?" the girl called after her.

"Tip jar," she said, turning back and keeping her voice low.

Once outside the store, she pulled the tee shirt over her head and made her way for the lower level exit that emptied onto campus. Seeing no one behind her, she took the steps out as fast as they would carry her and ran.

XxX

Darlene narrowed her eyes at Lily, and opened the door. “Quickly,” she said.

“Thanks,” Lily said, as Darlene let her into the house, peering around the block. “I didn’t want to use the phone.”

“I get it,” Darlene replied as she ushered Lily into her kitchen, where Lily sank onto one of the stools that sat before the peninsula of the counter.

"You want a lemonade or something, kiddo?" Darlene asked, leaning forward against the counter herself and giving Lily an expectant look -- there was more to it than just polite hospitality.

"No, thanks," Lily said, feeling the weight of Darlene's gaze and her own guilt in equal measure.

"Did you do something stupid?" Darlene asked outright and Lily, taken aback, sat up straighter, but didn't answer, thus confirming Darlene's clear suspicion. "How bad?"

"I think they found us."

Darlene huffed a breath. "Elaborate," she said.

"I... I ran a search. A couple days ago, in the university library. I was careful, but maybe not careful enough."

"What did you search?"

"My dad's ex-wife."

Darlene gave a low whistle. "Kiddo," she said, a statement.

"I know."

"Have you considered just asking him about her?"

Lily hugged herself.

"I have. I did. But… I wanted to know. For me. I don't want his version of this woman. I wanted to see for myself who she was. Is."

Darlene moved to the window and peered out, lowering the blinds as she did so. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

Lily once again felt a pang of guilt. She looked down. "Not really."

Darlene moved around the counter to a sideboard table on the dining room side of the counter and began shuffling through a drawer.

"What makes you think they found you?" she asked.

"I think there's someone following me," Lily said, "I think maybe I’ve seen him a couple of times on campus, but I don’t know. I lost him and came here."

"Just one someone?"

Lily began to second guess herself.

"I think so?"

When Darlene straightened from the sideboard she was holding a pistol.

"Call your father right now, and tell him to get over here. Armed." Darlene's words were cold and calm. Lily's stomach dropped in her gut.

She reached for Darlene's phone, a relic from another time which hung on the wall, its cord coiled like a snake.

Darlene walked to the sliding glass door as she dialed the numbers, each tone sounding long and drawn out, Darlene pulled the long curtains closed with a snap.

"Dad?" Lily said, when Mulder answered.

"Hey Lil!" he sounded so relaxed, excited just to talk to her though he'd seen her that morning.

"Dad, I'm at Darlene's. She says to get over here. She said to bring your gun."

She heard his sharp inhale. “I’m coming,” he said, and then she heard a dial tone.

"Lily," said Darlene, walking over to her computer, which was booted up and sitting on her dining room table, cords snaking out of it and across the floor. She quickly typed hunt-and-peck with her right hand, the gun still clutched in her left. "I want you to go into the top right drawer in my dresser. In a small lockbox, code 9-10-9-3, you'll find an old Nokia phone. It should be fully charged. It’s untraceable. Do not turn it on. Take it. Put it somewhere safe -- your bra or your sock or underwear. Then get under my bed."

Lily walked to the hallway, her body on autopilot, her heart hammering and her blood roaring in her veins.

Darlene finished typing, clicked a few things with her mouse and then peeked an eye out the closed curtain toward the backyard, tapping the gun against the side of her thigh.

Pausing in the hallway, Lily turned back to Darlene.

"Is someone coming?" Lily asked.

"Kid," Darlene said, shooting her a look, "they're already here."

#MSR #AU #Sequel #Of the Eight Winds #shits getting real for the mulder family #fanfic #XF #my fic

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