You are stronger than you think

Whether you are just stopping by or you're staying awhile welcome.

[holmesandtheroman]

NOTICE: As more and more fanfic writers are using generative AI for their works (you uncreative dweebs), I hereby swear on everything I hold dear that I have not and will NEVER use generative AI in ANY of my written work. Everything I post will be organically and creatively my own.

[kissofvenom922]

It's my 10 year anniversary on Tumblr 🥳

I feel old 😅

[lifehacksthatwork]

Signs of a heart attack are different for each gender yet we only really teach the male warning signs. Make sure you’re aware of both and spread it to as many other women as possible!

[branwyn-says]

EVERY SINGLE TIME I HAVE TAKEN A CPR CLASS I have had to be that person who points out that the training videos ALWAYS frame the “male” symptoms as the default universal heart attack experience, while the “female” symptoms are framed as though they’re a deviation from the norm, rather than the primary symptom set that cis women experience. 

ALSO: I just showed this post to my roommate, who is an MD at a clinic that specializes in care for the LGBT community in the Baltimore area. I asked her  whether hormones were responsible for the difference in the “male/female” symptom arrays. I asked how that would apply to her trans patients (which, she treats a LOT of trans patients). She said, basically, that the longer you’ve taken testosterone the more likely you are to get the intense chest pressure and the arm pain, versus the upper back pressure and shortness of breath.

Obviously I am not a doctor myself, consult your own health care provider, etc.

[sanscarte]

Reblogging this comment because this is the FIRST TIME I’ve ever seen someone address what XYZ medical condition would look like in trans patients. Also this is partly why my great-grandma died: the (male) doctor dismissed her heart attack as basically indigestion, because she didn’t have the typical male symptoms.

[solarpunkarchivist-deactivated2]

Oh my God someone was able to answer the trans patient question!

[inseobts]

Shadows

zoro x gn!reader

you’re on the brink of death until zoro shows up and rescue you — or at least try, despite his terrible sense of direction.

reader's powers: ten shadows technique, inspired by megumi from jujutsu kaisen, allows you to summon shadowy spirit beasts through hand signs.

words count: 5.5k

warning and tags: blood, hurt/comfort, angst with fluff

zoro m.list || anime m.list || ao3 || ko-fi

The forest is thick. The air hangs heavy like it’s watching you bleed.

You lie in the dirt, your clothes soaked in red and sticky with sweat.

The sun filters weakly through the trees above, your vision blurring in and out of focus. Your limbs don’t answer anymore, not since the last fight. Not since they came for you.

“…Damn  it,” you breathe out, lips cracked “Not yet…”

You don't want to die. Not here. Not alone.

Your fingers twitch.

You reach past the pain, past the fatigue, into your hand.

With your last bit of strength you pose your hands and whisper, “Come.”

The ground beneath you darkens unnaturally, a swirl of ink-black rising like mist. 

From it steps a familiar shape: a hulking black dog with pale eyes and pointed ears, silent and alert.

“Shika…” you murmur “Find… someone. But not just anyone... Someone good... please.”

The dog tilts its head, as if to acknowledge your command, and then darts into the trees, a blur of shadow between trunks.

You exhale shakily. Then everything fades to black.

Somewhere else in the forest...

Zoro hates forests. Especially ones that all look the same in every direction.

“Left, I went left last time.” he mutters, turning right and ducking under a branch “...Or was that the other left?”

His swords shift at his hip as he walks, and his scowl deepens.

Nami’s gonna kill him if he’s not back by nightfall. Not that he cares much, he just hates the lecture.

Suddenly, the leaves rustle behind him. A low growl.

He whirls around, hand already on a blade and freezes.

A black dog stares at him from the shadows.

Not normal-black. This thing looks wrong, like it’s stitched out of smoke and silence.

Its eyes meet his.

Zoro tenses “What the hell are you?”

The dog doesn’t bark. It just turns and bolts into the trees, pausing once to glance back, like it’s expecting him to follow.

“…You want something?” Zoro mutters, narrowing his eyes “Tch. Great. Now I’m following a haunted mutt.”

Still, something gnaws at him. An instinct. A pull.

And against his better judgment, he follows.

Back at your location.

You don't know how long it’s been.

Your body feels like it’s part of the earth now... cold, numb, and heavy.

But then… footsteps. Crunching leaves. A shape above you, blocking the sun.

“…Hey. You alive?”

You groan weakly.

“Yeah, breathing." says a voice, rough, unimpressed “Barely.”

You manage to blink up.

A shadowed figure stands over you, green hair wild and spiked, swords glinting at his side.

His eye seem sharp and skeptical while he scan you like he's trying to solve a puzzle he didn't ask for.

The dog sits beside him, tail thumping once in satisfaction.

“Did you summon this thing or what?” he asks, jerking a thumb at the dog.

You swallow thickly “Yeah.”

“Huh.” Zoro scratches his head “Guess it found me instead of lunch.”

You almost laugh, but it turns into a cough.

“Don’t move,” he says, kneeling “You’re bleeding too much.”

“Thanks… for the observation…”

He snorts “You’re welcome. Anyway I didn't come here for this, I'm gonna leave now."

You try to move to stop him but fail "Wait, please help me. I... I'll give you my treasure once I'll get back on my ship."

He doesn't seem to care about the offer but he stops anyway, "...I could use that to distract Nami."

Then he turns to look at you and say "Deal. Now shut up and stop moving before you bleed out trying to be clever.”

You don’t fight him as he pulls off his coat and presses it against your wound.

You wince, biting your tongue, but his hands are steady. Rough, but careful.

“Name.” he says after a beat.

“…Y/N.”

“I’m Zoro. Swordsman. Not a nurse, so don’t expect miracles.”

“I wasn’t.” you mutter “Just… didn’t want to die alone.”

There’s silence.

Then “Well… tough luck. You found someone.”

The world sways, warm and rough and jostling.

You blink slowly, the trees overhead blurring with each step. Your body’s too heavy to move, but you feel arms holding you firm, steady, scarred.

“Hey. No sleeping.” Zoro’s voice grumbles near your ear “I didn’t drag your half-dead ass off the forest floor just for you to die on me now.”

You grunt softly, lips dry “Didn’t… drag. You’re carrying me.”

“Yeah, bridal style’s for fairy tales. You’re on my back. You bleed on my shirt, I’m dumping you in a river.”

You feel the muscles in his back flex as he hikes over a slope. His voice is casual, but there’s tension in it. Alert. Watching you too closely.

“I’ve lost a lot of blood,” you murmur “You think you can talk me out of dying?”

“I can try,” he says “I’m stubborn.”

“…You’re also lost.”

He trips slightly.

“I am not—”

“You’re moving in circles,” you croak “I’ve seen that mossy tree three times.”

There’s a pause.

Then, reluctantly “Shitty trees all look the same.”

You chuckle weakly, but wince as pain lances through your ribs. Zoro slows a little. His voice dips lower.

“…Who did that to you?” he asks “That wound wasn’t from some fall.”

You hesitate. The forest rustles around you, the only sound for a few heartbeats.

“People with uniforms,” you say finally “World Government dogs. They don’t like what I can do.”

“The shadows?”

You nod against his back.

“I didn’t attack anyone. I just exist. That’s enough for them.”

Zoro exhales through his nose “Tch. Bastards.”

He walks for a bit, stepping carefully over a log.

“You got a crew?” he asks suddenly.

You shake your head “No. Just the shadows.”

“…That’s a sad answer.”

“It’s true.”

“Still sad.”

You smirk a little, even if it hurts “What, you offering to adopt me?”

“Hah.” He shifts you a bit higher “I’ve got my hands full already. Speaking of which…”

He glances over his shoulder.

“We need to find Chopper.”

“Who?”

“Little guy. Big eyes. Blue nose. Reindeer. Wears a hat.”

“…Are you okay?”

“He’s our doctor,” Zoro explains, as if this makes it all perfectly reasonable “And the only one I know who can stop you from dying.”

You blink, taking this in “So… you’re with a crew.”

“Straw Hats.”

You’ve heard the name. Even in the darkest corners, they whisper about Monkey D. Luffy and his bizarre, unstoppable crew.

“Your captain’s the hat guy with the smile.” you mumble.

Zoro smirks faintly “That’s the one.”

There’s a pause. You watch the trees pass, the same ones you’ve seen before. It clicks.

“You were already lost when my dog found you...” you say flatly.

Zoro doesn’t respond.

“Seriously?”

“I had a plan.” he mutters.

“Omg, my dog was actually doing you a favor.”

“You want me to drop you?”

You laugh, hoarse and weak “Do it. Then you’ll never find your crew.”

Zoro grumbles, but you feel his grip tighten just a bit more, like maybe, he’s starting to care if you fall.

You don’t mean to fall asleep.

You fight it with everything you've got, every ragged breath, every heartbeat that still remembers how to be stubborn.

But the edges of your vision go soft, and the warmth of Zoro’s back lulls you like waves on the shore. It’s the first time you’ve felt something solid beneath you since you collapsed. Maybe that's the danger.

Because then nothing. No pain. No noise. Just dark.

“Oi.”

Zoro shifts your weight suddenly, jolting you, but you don’t react.

“...Hey.”

Your head lolls against his shoulder.

Zoro’s heartbeat kicks up, and he mutters a sharp curse.

“Don’t you dare.” He crouches, lowering you carefully to the ground “You don’t get to drop dead after dragging me into this haunted forest. I carried you, damn it.”

Still nothing.

Zoro runs a hand through his hair, eyes darting through the trees. No voices, no footsteps, no idea where he is. Again. This time with a dying stranger who has shadow monsters and no crew.

“Shit.”

He kneels beside you, slaps your cheek gently “Wake up. I’m not about to explain this to a crew full of idiots. Come on.”

Your breathing is shallow, almost fading.

Zoro growls under his breath, fists clenching.

Then, suddenly your lips twitch.

“…You really don’t shut up, huh…” you murmur hoarsely.

Zoro lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding “Took you long enough.”

You blink slowly, eyes barely open “Still lost?”

“Don’t push it.”

You chuckle, it’s weak and breaks into a cough, but you lift one shaking hand. Your fingers curl, knuckles popping, and Zoro watches as you position your hands into a bird shape.

Zoro steps back instinctively, hand hovering near his sword.

The air chills.

A deep, inky spiral blooms at your feet like a puddle of ink swallowing the light. Your breathing grows rough, your arms trembling.

“Don’t,” Zoro says quickly “You’re too weak—”

“I’m not dying in this forest,” you whisper, voice shaking but firm “Not before you admit you were lost.”

And from the shadows, it comes rising in jagged, fluid motion.

A black heron, long-legged and eerie, with wings made of rippling darkness and talons sharp as blades. Its eyes glow dimly, its beak clicking once like a signal.

Zoro stares, eyes narrowing “…You’re full of surprises.”

The heron takes off into the sky, a silent arc over the canopy. A beat of tense silence passes.

Then, it circles once, twice and swoops low, gliding back to you. Its beak points north, head jerking in a clear direction.

“That’s the way.” you mutter.

Zoro grunts “How do you know it’s not leading us into a trap?”

You smirk faintly “Because I told it not to act like you.”

Zoro stares at you, deadpan “You’re lucky you’re half-dead, or I’d make you walk the rest of the way.”

You lean your head back with a raspy sigh “Yeah, yeah. Just follow the spooky bird, swordsman.”

Zoro lifts you onto his back again, muttering under his breath “Next time I get lost, I’m not stopping for creepy dogs.”

“I heard that.” you mumble, already dozing again.

“Good.”

And with a shadow-heron overhead and your fading warmth on his back, he starts walking, this time, in the right direction.

You’re not sure how long you’ve been walking.

Or well, Zoro’s been walking. You’ve just been on his back, fading in and out, letting your summoned shadow heron glide ahead and lead the way. But the pressure behind your eyes is building. A deep, dragging ache in your chest. Your limbs have gone colder again.

“…Hey.” you rasp.

Zoro glances over his shoulder, just barely “What?”

“I can’t… keep it up anymore.”

“What?”

“The bird. My power. It takes energy to maintain. I’m almost out.”

The second those words leave your lips, the heron wavers in the sky like smoke blown sideways. Then it disperses, feathers evaporating into the dark. Gone.

Zoro swears “No. No, no—damn it. You can’t pass out now.”

“I’m trying.” you mumble.

“You fall asleep, you die. That’s the deal. You remember the deal?”

“I… don’t remember making a deal.”

“Well, we’re making one now,” he snaps “You talk. You don’t shut up. Keep your brain going, or I will drop you in a lake.”

You let out a weak little huff “Okay. Talking. Talking’s good…”

He adjusts his grip on you slightly. You shift in his arms, cheek pressed against his shoulder.

“…You like swords?” you mumble.

“…Seriously?”

“You seem like a sword guy.”

“No shit. I’ve got three of them.”

“That’s a lot. Compensating?”

Zoro glances back with a flat stare “You wanna die today?”

You snort softly and keep mumbling.

“You smell like trees… and aggression.”

“Sure. That’s the cologne.”

“And… your arms are very comfortable.”

“Great.”

You go quiet for a second. Then “…You’re kinda cute, y’know?”

Zoro nearly misses a step.

“…What?”

“You’re cute,” you repeat with a lazy smile “For a grumpy, directionally-challenged swordsman.”

He stiffens “…You’re delirious.”

You just smile more “Still true.”

There’s a pause.

“…Tch.”

He doesn’t respond beyond that, but you do notice the tips of his ears go a little red. He tightens his grip on you again, just a touch more careful. His chest rises and falls a little faster than before.

And just as you’re about to say something else…

Rustling.

Branches shift ahead of you. Zoro stops, instantly tense.

His hand moves toward his sword hilt “Stay down. I’ll—”

But before he can finish, two figures step into view.

One is a small reindeer in a pink hat. The other, a tall blond man with his shirt open like he’s auditioning for a romance novel cover.

“Zoro!” the reindeer exclaims, voice high and worried “There you are! I knew you were lost again!”

You snort, barely holding in a laugh “So you do always get lost, huh?”

Zoro groans “Oh my god, you’re never gonna let that go.”

“Never.” you say, grinning despite yourself.

Then the blond man steps forward, blue eyes widening as he spots you in Zoro’s arms.

“Mon dieu! Who is this cutie?” he gasps, dramatic and scandalized “Zoro, what did you do to them?! You brute!”

“I didn’t—” Zoro looks like he’s going to explode “I didn’t do anything!”

Chopper’s already scurrying over, climbing up to check your pulse “They’re bleeding too much! We need to get them back to the ship now!”

Zoro grumbles, half to himself, “First I save their life, and now I’m getting accused of murder.”

You manage to lift a hand weakly and poke his chest “Murder with a side of charm…”

“Stop flirting when you're dying.” Zoro mutters, ears still red.

The forest thins out as the four of you head toward the coast, Chopper leading the way, bouncing on small hooves with urgency, and Sanji at his side, glancing back every ten seconds like he’s ready to yank you off Zoro’s back and carry you properly. Zoro keeps shooting him warning looks. You’ve never seen two people passive-aggressively walk so hard.

You, meanwhile, are still clinging to Zoro’s back, barely awake, aching, and somehow still in the mood for mischief.

“…Do I have to keep talking now too?” you murmur near his ear.

“Yes!” Chopper squeaks without turning around.

“Absolutely,” Sanji adds, cigarette bouncing between his lips “You go quiet and we panic.”

Zoro sighs “Apparently it’s a group decision now.”

You smirk, eyes half-lidded but sharp “You’re all very demanding to someone who bleed out in a ditch today.”

“You flirted through it.” Zoro mutters.

“And I stand by it.” You nudge his shoulder weakly “So… what now? I keep whispering sweet nothings in your ear until we reach your floating house?”

Zoro makes a face “Sweet nothings, huh?”

“You’d prefer dirty nothings?”

He falters half a step.

Sanji nearly chokes on his cigarette behind you. Chopper lets out a confused little “huh?”

You grin.

Zoro groans “Damn. Is death making you horny or something?”

You laugh, voice raspy but full of life “Maybe.”

“You’re impossible…” he mutters, adjusting you higher on his back but more gently now. His arms tighten a little, like he’s afraid you’ll fall even now.

You hum contentedly “Yeah. But you’re still carrying me.”

“You’re light. Like a sack of haunted flour.”

“Such poetry. I see why you’re single.”

Behind you, Sanji shouts, “I’m single too, just for the record!” and you can hear him turning to flash you his best wink, even without looking.

Zoro huffs “No one asked you, curlybrow.”

“I heard that!”

Chopper breaks in, hurrying ahead “The ship’s just past the clearing! We’re almost there!”

You let your eyes flutter closed for a second. Safe. Maybe. A warm body under you, familiar voices around you. Even if you’re dying this isn’t the worst way to go.

But you're not going. Not yet.

“…Hey, Zoro.” you whisper.

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad it was you my dog found.”

Zoro pauses a beat.

Then “Tch. Told you I had a plan.”

You don’t remember passing out.

All you remember is the wooden creak of the Sunny’s deck under Zoro’s boots, the sea breeze hitting your face and then nothing. Just the deep, dark warmth of unconsciousness. No pain. No sound. No shadows.

But now you blink awake.

Everything is dim, filtered through the soft glow of a porthole window. The air smells like sea salt, tea, and something vaguely antiseptic. You’re in bed. Your chest is tightly wrapped, your limbs heavy but… intact. You’re not alone.

A shape slouched beside your bed comes into focus.

Zoro.

His head is resting on his forearm, breath deep and steady. One hand still on the edge of your blanket, like he forgot to let go while waiting.

You stare at him for a moment. There’s a quiet pull in your chest, and it’s not just the stitches.

“…Aw,” you whisper, voice hoarse but teasing “Were you this worried for me, swordsman?”

Zoro stirs. A low, almost growled breath as he jerks upright, his eyes wide for a split second before narrowing again. He blinks hard, then focuses on you.

“…You’re awake.”

You smile faintly “No, this is a ghost. You’re dreaming.”

He exhales sharp and subtle and rubs his face. For just a heartbeat, his relief shows. But then he leans back, crossing his arms like the world's most defensive wall.

“Don’t think too much into it,” he grumbles “It just happens to be my turn to guard you.”

You raise a brow “Mhm. And you guard people by napping next to them?”

Zoro glares, then slowly leans forward. His face hovers close… closer than it should. You can see the way his eyes catch the light, green and unreadable.

“We’re both alive and good, aren’t we?” he says, voice low.

You don’t move. You don’t have to. The warmth of his presence is heavy in the air between you.

“…Good enough for me.”

Your lips twitch upward “You sure you’re not too good at this bedside flirting thing?”

He smirks just slightly, then leans back with a small snort “You’re the one who said I was cute, remember?”

“Oh, I absolutely stand by that.”

Zoro rolls his eyes and gets up, mumbling something about telling Chopper you're awake but not before he adjusts your blanket again.

Like he didn't mean to. Like he always meant to.

Five months later.

You’ve healed.

Well… mostly. There’s still a scar on your shoulder where the blade cut deepest, and your stamina takes a bit longer to bounce back after summoning your shadows. But it’s fine. You’re fine.

Because now you’re one of them.

It didn’t happen all at once. The Straw Hats don’t do things the “normal” way. They just… start handing you plates at dinner. Chopper makes check-ins part of his routine. Luffy shoves random snacks into your hands like you’ve always been there. Nami asks if you’ve updated the crew roster. Brook sings about you at least twice a week. And Sanji makes you custom meals shaped like little animals.

But the one who made it official?

Zoro.

Three months in, after you helped him fight off a bunch of bounty hunters on a rainy island, you slumped down beside him and asked, “So, am I part of the crew yet?”

He looked at you like you were dense “You’ve been part of it.”

You didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the day.

Now, you’re sitting cross-legged on the Sunny’s deck, casually summoning a shadow crow between your palms. It flickers into shape with a familiar ripple, your hands forming the gesture in the air, fingers locking like a frame, shadows bleeding upward and folding into wings.

“You’re getting faster with that.” Zoro says from nearby.

He’s leaning against the railing, one eye closed, arms crossed. Definitely not watching you, except he absolutely is.

You let the crow flap lazily to his side and perch on his shoulder.

“Maybe you’re just impressed,” you say, grinning “That happens a lot around me.”

Zoro opens his eye. Flicks the crow’s beak. It vanishes into smoke.

“Tch. Delusional.”

You stretch your arms over your head “C’mon. Admit it. You’d miss me if I left.”

“…And now I miss the quiet.”

You throw a small stone at him. He deflects it without even looking.

“You still haven’t stopped flirting.” he mutters.

“You haven’t told me to stop.”

Zoro shifts, gaze flicking sideways, trying to hide the faint curve at the corner of his mouth “Yeah, well. I know you won’t listen anyway.”

“You like it,” you say, leaning toward him just slightly, like it’s a secret “You like the attention.”

He doesn’t answer. Just stares out at the sea for a long moment.

“…It’s not bad.”

You blink “Wow. Was that… a compliment?”

He rolls his eye “Don’t make it weird.”

“Oh, I make it weird? Mister I-guard-you-by-sleeping?”

That gets a tiny huff of laughter out of him. Barely there. But real.

You grin “You know, for someone so grumpy, you’re terrible at hiding your soft side.”

Zoro turns his head toward you. Slow. Steady.

“We’re all soft around people we care about.”

Your breath catches for a beat. He says it like it’s nothing. Like it’s obvious.

You blink, then smirk “So… you care about me?”

He lifts an eyebrow “You’re still alive, aren’t you?”

You laugh, head tipped back, eyes warm. Yeah. This? This feels like home.

A more few months later.

The moon is full and quiet above the Sunny.

The waves roll soft and rhythmic against the hull, and most of the crew is asleep, even Luffy, finally, thanks to Chopper’s “sleep juice” tea. The only sounds are the creak of wood and the occasional flutter of sails above.

You sit on the deck rail, legs dangling over the open sea. Beside you, Zoro stands with arms crossed, keeping watch like usual. Not that there’s anything threatening around. It’s peaceful. Still.

You look at him and damn if he's beautiful. So your mouth opens before you can even connect it to your brain.

“Hey,” you say, your voice just above a whisper “Did I ever thank you properly for saving my life back then?”

Zoro doesn’t look at you. But you see his jaw twitch “You thanked me enough. Don’t worry about it anymore.”

You lean toward him, nudging his arm with your elbow “So you don’t want a thank-you kiss?”

He finally glances at you. Blinks. And… blushes.

Like, full-on pink dusting his cheeks. He tries to scoff but it comes out awkward, caught in his throat.

“N-No. Ew.”

You grin “You are so bad at pretending.”

He rubs the back of his neck, gaze fixed on a spot somewhere very far away on the ocean. Then…

“Do…” he starts, voice rough “Do you mean the flirting?”

You blink. The tone shift is quiet, but it hits. He’s not joking now. He doesn’t even sound like he knows how to joke right now.

You tilt your head slightly “What do you mean?”

Zoro exhales. He doesn’t move closer, but something in him shifts. He’s there, vulnerable in a way you rarely get from him. Even when bleeding, he keeps a wall up. But not now.

“I mean… is it just a game to you?” he asks “Just a joke, or something you say to get a rise out of me? Or do you actually… mean it?”

You stare at him for a second. Caught off guard, not by the question, but by the way he says it like he’s been holding onto that thought for a while. Too long.

So you answer with another question “Do you take it as a joke… or as something meaningful to you?”

Zoro’s expression doesn’t change. But something in his eyes does.

“…I don’t think I ever laughed at it.” he says.

Your breath catches in your throat. He’s not grinning. Not smirking. He’s just looking at you, with that focused intensity he usually saves for swordsmanship and getting under Sanji’s skin.

You lean a little closer “Then maybe it’s not a joke.”

Silence.

The kind of silence that feels like it’s about to break.

Zoro looks at your mouth for a fraction of a second too long. You catch it. He knows you do. He looks away, muttering something under his breath that sounds dangerously close to your name.

But then he sighs “Tch… You’re gonna make this complicated, aren’t you?”

You smirk “Isn’t that why you like me?”

He doesn’t deny it.

He just stays beside you, silent and warm in the moonlight, until the moment passes.

But it doesn’t really pass. It just waits.

The training deck of the Sunny is quiet.

You're kneeling in the center, fingers bent into familiar signs, pulling the shadow from beneath your feet, summoning it upward into two familiar shapes.

With a subtle flick, your two black hounds rise: one lean and swift like a wolf, the other stocky and strong like a mastiff. Both shimmer with shifting smoke and black light, their eyes glowing faintly.

“Okay, no distractions today,” you say firmly “We're practicing coordination. No chaos. No running off like last time—HEY!”

Too late.

Your first summon, the one who found Zoro in the forest five months ago, immediately bolts. Not at an enemy. No, it heads straight for…

“ZORO!” you call, already scrambling to your feet.

The swordsman had been mid-kata on the far side of the deck when the blur of shadow dog slammed into his legs. You hear a familiar, irritated grunt.

“The hell?” Zoro glares down as the hound latches gently but firmly onto his pants leg, tugging.

You sprint over “I told him not to do that again, I swear—”

Zoro frowns “Is this the same mutt that dragged me into the woods?”

“Technically led. You weren’t exactly resisting.”

He raises an eyebrow “You were bleeding out.”

“...Details.”

Before Zoro can roll his eyes, the second hound appears, the bulkier one, and it shoves you. Like, full-body charge to the back.

“Wait, wait, what are you two doing!?”

You stumble forward. Zoro catches you, barely, but your hands land on his chest, and you freeze.

The world stops for half a second.

His chest is warm. Solid. Your fingers spread across taut muscle. Zoro blinks down at you, stunned, heat prickling faintly at his cheeks.

You immediately step back “Sorry! That was… I didn’t mean… They’re being weird—”

But before you can recover, the hounds strike again.

The big one slams into you from behind a second time, harder this time, you yelp, lose your footing, trip forward and Zoro catches you again, arms wrapping around your waist on instinct.

This time, you're practically against him. Your breath stutters. His does too.

“…Seriously?” Zoro mutters, glancing down at the shadow dogs, who are now sitting obediently a few feet away like they’ve done nothing wrong.

You manage a breathless laugh “I think they ship us.”

Zoro doesn’t answer right away. You feel the press of his fingers against your back, firm and real.

“…They’re not the only ones.”

You blink. Look up.

“What?”

His eyes meet yours. Calm, steady… but not guarded.

“Nothing,” he says quickly, voice lower. He releases you and takes a small step back “Just tell them to stop tackling people before I turn ‘em into shadow stew.”

Your dogs let out ghostly ruffs. Unrepentant.

You brush your hands down your sides, flustered but smiling “Honestly, that’s on me. I probably shouldn’t summon them when I’m thinking about kissing you.”

Zoro’s jaw drops slightly, his ears visibly reddening “You—”

You smirk “What? Just a joke, right?”

Zoro narrows his eyes “One of these days, you're not gonna be joking.”

You shrug “Maybe I already half don't.”

The dogs wag their ghostly tails in agreement.

Now it’s late.

The kind of quiet that settles deep into your chest, where the air feels cooler, the ship gently rocking under the stars. Everyone else is asleep, even Sanji has finally shut up for the night.

You’re lying on the upper deck, arms folded under your head, just watching the constellations above. You like it up here. It’s peaceful. No chaos, no flirting (unless you talk to yourself). Just space to think.

And then you hear boots.

Slow. Steady. Familiar.

You don’t look up right away. You already know who it is.

“…Can't sleep either?” you ask casually, voice low.

Zoro doesn’t answer at first. Just walks until he’s standing next to where you’re lying, then lowers himself down beside you, arms resting over his knees.

He’s quiet. Too quiet.

You finally glance over “What’s up?”

“…About earlier.” he says.

You smirk “You’re gonna have to be more specific. A lot happens on this ship.”

Zoro gives you a look, dry and unamused, but he doesn’t rise to the bait. Not this time.

“You said…” he starts, then trails off. You wait.

He tries again “You said maybe it wasn’t a joke.”

Your smile fades just a little. He’s serious. Like really serious. You shift to sit up, leaning on your hands, eyes on him.

“Yeah,” you say softly “I did.”

He stares at the ocean like it’ll help him out, then says, “It’s not a joke to me either.”

Your breath catches.

Then, before you can say anything, he moves.

Not fast. Not suddenly. But sure. He shifts closer, a hand lifting to your cheek, calloused fingers brushing your jaw.

And then he kisses you.

Firm. Warm. A little rough at the edges, like him, but so full of tension finally released it almost knocks the breath out of you. It’s not long, not dramatic, just the truth, pressed against your lips.

When he pulls back, your heart’s pounding.

“…Whoa.” you murmur, dazed.

Zoro’s eye half-lidded, like he’s trying to decide if he regrets it “Too much?”

You shake your head slowly “Not even close.”

He exhales, like he’s been holding his breath this whole time. His hand lingers for a second longer, then drops.

You grin, just slightly “So. Was that a thank-you kiss?”

He huffs “That was a shut-you-up kiss.”

“You failed. I’m gonna talk about this forever.”

Zoro groans, tips his head back, but he’s smiling “I know.”

You lean on his shoulder, heartbeat steadying as the stars swirl above you both.

No jokes now. No teasing.

Just truth.

The silence after the kiss stretches, but it doesn’t feel awkward.

Zoro hasn’t moved much, his shoulder still brushes yours, steady and warm under the stars. Your head leans against him, and neither of you says anything for a moment.

It’s quiet. Safe.

So you speak.

“…I’m really, really happy it was you who found me that day in the forest.”

Zoro doesn’t respond right away. But you feel the subtle shift in his posture. The slight intake of breath. He’s listening.

You let the words come, slow and honest.

“I’ve thought about it a lot. How different things might’ve gone if it had been someone else. If I’d passed out before summoning anything. If no one had come at all.” You glance up at him “But it was you. You were the one the hound found. You carried me. You talked to me to keep me awake. You—”

“Y/N.” he says, gently interrupting.

Your voice falters “…Yeah?”

Zoro doesn’t look at you when he says it, but his voice is so sure it settles deep in your chest.

“You found me, too.”

You blink.

“What?”

“I was lost. Not just in that forest. I mean—literally, yeah, I had no idea where the hell I was,” he adds, earning a small laugh from you, “but also... something changed. After I met you.”

You watch his profile, the way his jaw tightens like he’s not used to saying this kind of thing. But he pushes through anyway.

“I don’t let people get close. You probably noticed.”

“Oh yeah.” you mutter with a tiny smirk.

“But you kept pushing. Teasing. Showing up. Making your creepy shadow dogs tackle me.” That gets a laugh from you, and his eyes flick to yours, a small smile forming “You made it hard to ignore you.”

“…Was I annoying?”

He shakes his head “You were alive. And I didn’t know how much I needed that until you were suddenly part of the crew. Part of us.”

You stare at him, heart so full it aches.

You whisper, “So… you’re glad I didn’t die, huh?”

He rolls his eyes “Obviously. Don’t make me say cheesy stuff.”

“You just did.”

“I’ll take it back.”

You laugh again, and the sound is soft, almost surprised by itself.

Then you say it, the words you’ve been holding since you woke up on this ship “Thanks for not giving up on me.”

Zoro looks at you fully now, and you swear there’s something shining in his eye that he won’t let fall.

“…Not in me to give up on people like you.”

You lean in and kiss him again. Slower. Deeper. Like a thank you, like a promise.

And this time, he kisses you back like he means it.

[fibro-memes]

[dadbot]

Just in case

[sappire-charizard]

I’m actually going to reblog a thing just because this is really important.

As someone who has epilepsy and used to have several grand mal seizures a day, I’d also like to add that “offer help” can range anywhere from keeping the person calm to explaining to them where they are and what they were doing to even just telling them they should sit and rest for a while longer (lack or coordination is common, and it can be hard to walk straight or see clearly).

It’s okay for them to take up to a half hour to fully regain their bearings and sort out what they were doing prior to the seizure. Just answer any questions calmly and be there for support.

If they come around and you start to panic or shake them or ask them what the heck is wrong with them they are going to freak out and panic too.

I cannot stress it enough that this is bad.

If someone has a seizure and they come out of it, please. please stay calm. They are likely disoriented and confused, even if it’s only for a minute or two, and you don’t want them panicking on top of that because they can have another seizure as a result.

[ultrafacts]

Source 

[hellkatsally]

These dudes are fucking legit.  They don’t just show up one day in court, either, they actually make friends with the kids and let them know they have a support system and that there are people in the world who care about them and will always have their back.  And less important, but also cool, is that the few times a couple of them have come into my cafe, they’ve been super friendly and polite and when I told one of the guys that I noticed his Bikers Against Child Abuse patch and wanted him to know how awesome I thought he was because of it, he got kind of shy and blushed and said, “The kids are the awesome ones, we just let them know they’re allowed to be brave.”

[bebinn]

The source is long, but so, so good. These men and women are available in 36 states, 24 hours a day to stand guard at home, in court, at school, even if the child has a nightmare. Many of them are survivors of childhood abuse as well, and know what it’s like to feel scared and alone.

In court that day, the judge asked the boy, “Are you afraid?” No, the boy said.

Pipes says the judge seemed surprised, and asked, “Why not?”

The boy glanced at Pipes and the other bikers sitting in the front row, two more standing on each side of the courtroom door, and told the judge, “Because my friends are scarier than he is.”

[lesbian-moon-gf]

Actual tears.. hnngh

[bee-whistler]

Show me more of people like this, world. I give up on humans too easily.

[groovypirate]

where do i sign up for this,i want to be in this gang

[ultrafacts]

[haydengisearchive-deactivated20]

This is fucking amazing. It may be out of character for me to say this but rock on

[clatterbane]

Bikers Against Child Abuse was founded in 1995 by a Native American child psychologist whose ride name is Chief, when he came across a young boy who had been subjected to extreme abuse and was too afraid to leave his house. He called the boy to reach out to him, but the only thing that seemed to interest the child was Chief’s bike. Soon, some 20 bikers went to the boy’s neighborhood and were able to draw him out of his house for the first time in weeks.

Chief’s thesis was that a child who has been abused by an adult can benefit psychologically from the presence of even more intimidating adults that they know are on their side. “When we tell a child they don’t have to be afraid, they believe us,” Arizona biker Pipes told azcentral.com. “When we tell them we will be there for them, they believe us.” ( Article)

More about BACA, from their site

[uriesays]

My parents are a part of this organization and they are metal af

They go on runs to protect the child if they feel even the slightest threatened no matter where. If the child needs them to go on vacation with them, they do. Bikers come from across the nation to watch over and take shifts for these kids. And the best part is once you’re adopted into this family as a BACA kid, you’re always one. Even when you’re 40 and the perp gets released from jail, they’ll come meet with you and find your best options for avoiding the person and maintaining the life you’ve built for yourself. Once a BACA child, always a BACA child. In Florida, there’s 100% rate for identifying the perp based on the child’s testimony. Why? Because BACA stands with the child and supports the child so they feel comfortable enough to point out their attacker.

What’s better than a badass biker gang being on your side???

[kikithegirl]

NATIVE AMERICAN CHILD PSYCHOLOGIST WHO IS A BIKER AND NAMED HIMSELF CHIEF HELL YES I’M HERE FOR THAT AND BIKERS BEING BAD ASS TO PROTECT KIDS. HELL YEAH.

[birdungehrl]

it’s back! I will always reblog BACA

[your-uncle-dave]

Damn good people.

[rowsdower-saves-us]

I know they wouldn’t consider themselves such, but these people are freaking heroes and the world is a better place because of them. 

[racethewind10]

Hey folks, it talks about this in the article but its not mentioned in this post, BACA is a 501 © (3) charity that depends in part on donations to help pay for stuff like gas for their bikes. If you want to help, consider donating. 

[drgaellon]

@copperbadge You like posting about heroes, Sam. Seems like this would be up your alley.

[copperbadge]

I love these folks! I’ve reblogged them before but it’s wonderful to see the donation information has been added. 

[galaxy-of-stories]

Always reblog. Keep doing what you’re doing y'all.

[hurtlittleboy]

Guys? This post changed my life. I saw this post. Forever ago. And thought it was only in america… and wished desperately that they could help me. But then I saw it again, during a bad episode, and checked their site. They aren’t just in the USA

They’re in Canada as well and probably other countries. I met and talked with a native guy who runs the place near me. His name is Shaman. I got in, and I’m considered a BACA child now. Despite being 17, turning 18 when I talked to them. They spent time with me when my abuser was over, they gave me therapy resources. They give you something called a ‘level 1′ where they go to your house with as many bikers as they can, i shit you not a solid 20-40 bikers came from even out of province, and met me. I got to choose my biker name and I got a vest with patches on it and my name on it. They all hugged a Teddybear before giving it to me, and told me if I ever felt the BACA bear was running out of love, to give them a call and they’d refill it for me, and then I got a ride on one of their bikes. Just a day or so ago I went to an annual party with them and they we ate food one of them cooked and had a lot of laughs. 

I’ve never felt as loved as I did being a part of the BACA family. They also gave me dog tags with the names, and phone numbers of my 2 workers.  So I can call them whenever I feel scared. 

BACA is an absolutely wonderful group that will do everything in it’s power to help any child whos been abused. 

And it doesn’t end when you’re 18 either. As long as you get in contact/get your level 1 before you’re 18? you’re ALWAYS a BACA kid. I’m 18 now and they still invite me to parties, ask me if I’m okay, and are there for me. They’re still trying to find me resources for therapy. 

BACA has changed my fucking life. 

I hope you all can read this, and reblog it knowing from someone who fucking been with them, that they are absolutely amazing. 

[feanor-the-dragon]

If I ever don’t reblog this, it’s because I am physically being restrained against my will.

[gasdiver2]

Supporting your local hero’s.

[darkangelfoundmyway-069]

FUCKEN AMAZING what these Bikers do!!!! This is why I don’t give up on humanity…

💞🖤💞 Carpe Diem 💞🖤💞

[instructor144]

[pottercastleminds]

Links the International BACA Chapters:

United States

Canada

Australia

Belgium

Denmark

Germany

Spain

France

Italy

Netherlands

Iceland

Austria

Greece

New Zealand

Portugal

Sweden

United Kingdom

Switzerland

B.A.C.A’s Byline: “Keepers of the Children.” B.A.C.A.’s Motto: “No child deserves to live in fear.”

Not all heroes wear capes, some wear biker vests.

[humanjoy]

Had seen this before, but never realised that this is on an international level - there’s even a contact address close to where I live (in Germany), very cool (though hoping the only use I’ll ever have to make of it is for donations) ❤

[catchymemes]

[kissofvenom922]

https://gofund.me/d0b68efhttps://gofund.me/d0b68efe

Frankie had his surgery this Tuesday (11/26/24). It went well and he is doing ok. It's been a lot for the poor guy. He was brought in on Monday afternoon then taken to the vet the on Tuesday and had surgery,so he's had a lot to adjust to. We did have some unexpected experiences for is visit. Not only was the IV not covered but two days before we brought him in he got into one last fight. He had not one but three bites on his are and one in his ear. They had to clean out the bites and put antibiotic cream in them. So we knew we had to pay for the pain pill be he had to buy additional antibiotics for him. If you could please continue to share or consider donating it would be really appreciated. It would help with the extra experiences as well as the thing we still need to buy like a microchip

https://gofund.me/d0b68efe

[fibro-memes]

[urgentkettle]

Have you ever lost a pet? I’ve learned some things about pets that surprised me as a marriage and family therapist. If you have a pet you a

[naamahdarling]

Let me be the miserable wretch to whom the caring lead the disbelieving, that they might see the wounds and know how much of a human being's humanity three furry boys can take with them.

[leafstranger]

This video, by an ER vet, reaffirms what the therapist above is saying from the veterinary side. I rewatch it, and her video on euthanasia, whenever the grief over Sully and Alphi gets too bad.

[slinksowses-primary-inactive]

HELP ME FUND A GIFT FOR MY CHRONICALLY ILL PARTNER

Hello, I'm Sow, and both my partner and I are chronically ill. My partner, moth, has POTS and Fibromyalgia, and they currently work a full-time job where they recently fainted unexpectedly and got a concussion. I want to get them a gift for them that would help them function and would warm them when they are about to faint.

I unfortunately don't work currently, as with my chronic agoraphobia, I am unfortunately extremely housebound. But!! I am an artist! And I am willing to draw next to anything to help fund this gift!

So I'm opening commissions!

The general goal of these commissions is to reach 500$

I have a short list of things I won't draw:

-proships

-problematic art

-extreme gore

-extreme nsfw

Aside from these three things, I can and will draw anything.

Here's some examples of my art:

Rendered Headshot:

Rendered Halfbody:

Rendered Fullbody:

These are more basic examples, for more complex examples I will post later or you can DM me.

Please share and reblog this if you can.

Thank you for helping us out!!

[fibro-memes]

[beautyembrace]

2 step guide to having a beach body!

1) Have a body.

2) Take it to the beach!

[heidi8]

There is a very important step missing. 

1.5) Put sunscreen on the body.

[heidi8]

Annual Reblog. Stay safe!

[kissofvenom922]

There is one more missing

2.5 stay hydrated

[teaboot]

Wait what's a buildings fire evacuation plan if you aren't supposed to use the elevator to get down

[lazodiac]

You go down the stairwell/fire escape. Is that weird?

[teaboot]

But what if you have a walker or a wheelchair??

[durpacerangerrogjro]

in america at least, in this situation, there isnt one. either your loved ones or the firemen can get you out using the emergency fire escapes or stairs, or you die 

[teaboot]

That's fucking horrific, thank you

[official-lucifers-child]

“fun” little story:

last summer my friend who is an amazingly talented artist and i were in this super tall building, and she’s in a wheelchair and i’m pushing her around the room. it’s an art exhibit and some of her art was chosen to be showcased there and so it’s all fine and dandy until suddenly an alarm starts going off

a FIRE ALARM

everyone starts running for the stairs and my friend just looks at me with this forlorn look on her face

“i can’t go down the stairs”

but i’m a stubborn bitch “i’ll carry you”

“what about my chair? it’s too expensive for me to be able to get another one if i can’t get this one back”

“i’ll carry that too”

and i did. we went to the stairs (by then most people from our floor were gone) and i lifted her up in a fireman’s carry over my shoulder and then lifted her chair up and used the ridiculous amount of adrenaline that was coursing through my veins to make it down approximately 20 half-flights of stairs until we met some people exiting lower floors, one of which who kindly took the chair. I changed positions so i was holding my friend bridal-style which was, somehow, easier and the person who took her wheelchair (with her permission to handle it of course) accompanied me to the ground floor and then out the doors

basically there is no real protocol for people who can’t use the stairs in an emergency. it’s up to the people with them, if anyone, to help them or the person to somehow make it down the stairs alone, unassisted

thank fuck that it was just a faulty alarm system, because if i was unable to carry her down those stairs and the building was on fucking fire???? then i don’t know what would have happened to her, but i don’t think it would have been very good.

it’s fucking ridiculous and ableist to the absolute max.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

I use a cane. When I did a day-long fire safety training at my northeast American university (UMass Amherst), I asked that exact same question: “what am I supposed to do if the fire alarm goes off and I’m in my lab on the twelfth floor?” 

the fire marshal hemmed and hawed for a while and then said to take the elevator- you’re supposed to leave it free for the fire department to use and they want able-bodied people out fast not waiting for elevators. if the fire alarm has just gone off the building probably hasn’t suffered enough structural damage to make using the elevator dangerous, and modern elevator wells are heavily reinforced. many large and high-trafficked buildings on my campus have fire rated elevators that link in with the fire alarm system so they won’t let you off on a floor with a possible fire. 

if the elevator isn’t working, wait in the stairwell and call the fire department to let them know where you are. modern stairwells are also heavily reinforced- it might not be pleasant but modern building code usually requires fire-resistant stairwell doors in office and big residential buildings, also to help firefighters get in and out safely. older buildings’ stairwells may or may not be retrofitted with fire-resistant doors but a stairwell is generally the safest place to wait if you can’t get out. 

what happened to your friend was horrible, and i’m very glad you were there to help her out, but you can absolutely use the elevator to evacuate if it’s not shut down. those don’t-use-the-elevator rules are for abled people.  

[tisfan]

This is GOOD TO KNOW. why do they not tell people this??

[ravynfyre]

Okay, firefighter here. If you are not physically able to use the stairs, and the elevator is NOT compromised, use the elevator. But you MUST be ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN that the elevator is NOT compromised before you get into it, because there is always the chance that once you get into it, you may not exit it. Power could go out. The elevator may actually BE compromised and you just couldn’t tell from where you were until you were in there, and it suddenly shuts down on you. Something else could happen. 

Understand that once you enter the elevator, you could POTENTIALLY be taking your life into your hands there.

It is NOT LIKELY, to be perfectly honest. It’s only in a pretty catastrophic scenario - think the Twin Towers, USA, on September 11th - that the elevators will be compromised and out of service. But there is a NOT ZERO PERCENT CHANCE and you need to understand that and accept it.

As for leaving the elevators free for the firefighters, okay, here’s the deal. Unless your nearest fire station is literally right next door? Your first on scene fire truck is NOT likely to be there on scene and needing that elevator before you get to the ground. It takes us TIME to find the address, gear up, and drive to the building. Then we need to hoof it into where the elevators even ARE, so YOU HAVE TIME to use the elevator to get down to the ground floor... BUT ONLY IF THERE’S NOT A RUSH ON THE ELEVATOR! And THAT is WHY we don’t tell people this shit. That’s WHY we tell people to NEVER USE THE ELEVATOR... because every self-entitled asshole will use it because they don’t feel like walking, and then put YOU in danger by delaying the elevator’s arrival to you.

IF, however, the elevator IS compromised, or you just can’t get it to come for you, or whatever, and you either don’t have anyone with you who has the adrenaline fueled BALLS to be able to toss you over their shoulder and hoof it down the stairs with you - because, let’s face it, that is RARE AS FUCK, then HERE IS WHAT YOU DO:

You call 911 and tell the call taker that you are in the building that has a fire alarm going off, and you are not able to evacuate because of a physical disability, and you tell them what floor you are on, and EXACTLY what stairwell you are waiting at. And the very FIRST thing that the firefighters are going to do once they arrive, if it is, indeed, a REAL emergency, and not a false alarm, is come get your ass and bring you down. Whether that means carrying you down the stairs, or whether that means locking out the elevators so that no one else can override them and coming to get you themselves, they WILL come get you FIRST THING if it is a real event. And if it is a false alarm? You will probably be the first person who is not involved with the building to know, because the call-taker is going to stay on the line with you until you are under someone’s care and out of danger, or until the scene has been sorted out as real or false, and you are out of danger that way.

These are pretty standard operations in the fire service throughout the United States. There may be some minor variations based on specific municipalities, but, for the most part, this is pretty typical: LIFE BEFORE PROPERTY. So, as long as SOMEONE knows where you are - hence why you call 911 - Firefighters will come get you. You are NOT alone, and you have NOT been abandoned. I PROMISE. It’s like, our whole reason for doing the shit we do: to save lives and to break shit. Sometimes, we get lucky enough to do both at the same time.

High rise fires suck ass, and I always hated them. But the very FIRST thing I asked anytime we got one was if we had “any entrapments” - which is what we call anyone who could not self-evacuate for ANY reason. We ain’t leaving you behind. And yes, your friend who doesn’t have the stamina to carry you down can stay with you, too. Because I would never ask that of someone, honestly. 

Also, just a little FYI... MOST fire alarms are false alarms. Not to make anyone complacent or anything, but, yeah. Most of them are either system malfunctions, someone accidentally hit a pull station, or someone burned popcorn in a break room. So don’t let a fire alarm freak you out until you need it to - by smelling or seeing smoke or flames. 

[gentle--riot]

i have had multiple nightmares about this very thing because NOBODY BOTHERS TO ACTUALLY TELL WHEELCHAIR USERS THIS STUFF

[refugeed-kim]

YES YES I NEED THIS SIGN IN EVERY SINGLE PARK PLEASE

This is my daily struggle, I had so many arguments with people with off-leash dogs (in a mandatory leash area!!!). Thanks to this behavior I'm struggling with Kim being anxious/aggressive with other females as she often gets involved in unpleased interactions with free females while on leash. And every single time that I ask for the dog to be at least recalled, I'm being called names and insulted of course.

Also 9 out of 10 their dog isn't really that friendly at all.

[the-haiku-bot]

Also 9 out of

10 their dog isn’t really

that friendly at all.

Beep boop! I look for accidental haiku posts. Sometimes I mess up.

[quetzal-pretzel]

ID: the text on a sign reads:

“ “IT’S OKAY MY DOG IS FRIENDLY!”

NO! NO! IT’S NOT OKAY!

Just because your dog is friendly doesn’t mean other dogs are, some may be nervous, reactive, fearful, in training, or owned by people who want to be left alone.

NEVER LET YOUR DOG RUN UP TO ANOTHER DOG

RESPECT OTHERS AND THEIR NEED FOR SPACE

IF YOU HAVE NO VOICE CONTROL OVER YOUR DOG KEEP THEM ON A LEASH.”

/End ID

[sanguineterrain]

Hey I saw you're still taking requests... what about a batman x reader where the justice league meets his wife (the reader) by accident? And maybe they're shocked because he's so secretive and she's really sweet and just the total opposite of him. Feel free to ignore if this doesn't sound interesting to you. I love your writing 💗

Hey! I love this prompt, thanks for sending it in :) I made the reader gender neutral, I hope that's okay!

Bruce Wayne x spouse!gn!reader. No warnings, just Bruce being a little shit (and a sweet hubby).

****

You press your palm to the reader at the entrance of the Cave and jog down the stairs, talking all the way.

"Honey, Alfred and I are going to..."

Six superhero faces stare back at you. Bruce is in the cowl, expression hard to parse. Your brows rise.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't know B had company. I'll leave you to it," you say, beginning to back up the stairs.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," says Green Lantern. You can't tell through the mask lenses, but you think he might be zeroed in on the ring on your left hand. "Uh, Spooky? Something you wanna tell us?"

You freeze on the steps. Bruce looks at you, then crosses the Cave in a few long strides. He stops next to you.

Sorry, you mouth at him. He shakes his head and reaches out to squeeze your hand.

"Hold the fucking phone," Green Arrow begins. "You're his—"

"Partner," Wonder Woman says instantly. She sounds pensive. "I have never seen you look at anyone like that, Bruce."

Bruce doesn't say anything, not that you expect him to. You feel him tense.

He'd been content to keep his family as private as possible, and you hadn't minded being kept separate. You know it's out of extreme protectiveness and the fact that you're the only one of the Wayne family who doesn't put a suit on and fight crime.

There's a moment of silence as the League studies you, then Bruce. You smile slowly and wave.

"Hi, Justice League. Nice to meet you all."

"Hello," says the Martian Manhunter, who's probably known about you since you entered Wayne Manor.

"You got married without telling us?" Superman sounds hurt.

Bruce heaves a sigh.

"We got married during the League's infancy. Please spare me the theatrics. Of course I didn't tell you."

"We revealed our identities two years ago!" Superman argues. "You didn't want to mention you have a spouse?"

Superman nods at you then. "Uh, of course, it's still very nice to meet you."

You smile. "It's nice to meet you too, Superman."

"Clark," he corrects hastily. Then he turns to Bruce again, upset flaring. "Bruce—"

"You're upset over nothing," Bruce says. "We weren't close when I got married, and I never found it a pertinent detail."

You roll your eyes.

"B," you say, nudging his shoulder. "C'mon. Try to be a little gentler about this, hm?"

Bruce looks at you. You smile at him and squeeze his wrist encouragingly. He eventually turns back to the League.

"Very well, you're right. Clark, that was harsh of me. My apologies."

The League startles.

"Whoa. Rewind. Hold up. Did Spooky just apologize?" Green Lantern asks. "Did I just get zeta'd?"

Bruce sighs. You stifle a laugh and kiss his bicep. His hand slips to your back.

"Aw, you guys are cute," Flash says jovially. "Congrats, B! Even if it's been almost six years."

Bruce nods. "Thank you, Allen."

"It is incredible how the better half can transform the other," says Wonder Woman, and you preen a little at the compliment.

Clark looks flabbergasted. It takes him a second to speak again.

"Um. That's... okay, Bruce. I forgive you. I suppose you did it out of protection, right?"

"I'm just a boring ol' civilian," you say, nodding. "No powers or years of Krav Maga training here. B worries."

"You're not boring," Bruce says fiercely, quiet enough for only you to hear... and Clark, who has superhearing, and who softens at the statement.

"This is so weird," Green Lantern says, and Bruce glares at him.

"I mean, it's sweet!" he hastily adds. "Uh, you guys are very sweet together, like Bar said. I just feel like I've been mind controlled or something."

"If it was mind control, you wouldn't still be talking," Bruce says flatly.

"Okay, alright, point taken. Shutting up. It's very nice to meet you, though," Green Lantern says to you.

"You as well," you say warmly. "All of you. I want to thank you for looking out for him all these years and bringing him home safe."

Wonder Woman smiles at you. "It is a great honor to fight alongside him. And we are happy he has someone to come home to."

"Seconded," Clark says. "You deserve someone special, B. And I can tell they're just that."

Your face feels warm under all the praise. Bruce is quiet for a long moment. When he speaks again, there's a slight tremor in his voice.

"Thank you. I—they are the best thing to ever happen to me."

You have to kiss Bruce for that, cowl be damned. He meets you gently, and you keep it short but full of love. Flash aww's.

"Well," you say, laughing bashfully. "I suppose I'll let you all get back to work. Nice to meet you. Goodbye. Bruce, I'm going out with Alfred."

Bruce nods. "Call me when you get home."

"'Course, sweetheart. I always do."

You head up the stairs. Flash starts to speak.

"Y'know, I told you all when I got married," he says. "You guys were the first people I told! We didn't even know Clark's identity then. I think you could've loosened the reins, Bruce."

"Yeah, no. You telling a bunch of superhero co-workers is infinitely stranger than Bruce never telling us, Bar."