Angel.

Angel.

Okay, so I see your touch-starved!Zuko headcanons, and they’re great and valid, and we’ll get to that in a minute, but first. Hear me out a sec. Touch-starved Ambassador Sokka

He grew up in the Southern Water Tribe, a small enough group that everyone mostly knew everyone, and touch was free and easy. Closeness was not only common, but sometimes a necessity. Then, when he left, he traveled with his sister (also Water Tribe, and Comforting Hugs Incarnate), Aang (who both valued and needed the physical contact as much as Sokka and Katara did), and later Toph (who wouldn’t know personal boundaries if they were made out of solid rock) and Suki (who was dating Sokka at the time). And Zuko - but like I said, we’ll get to him

So coming to the Fire Nation in an official, politics-like capacity is a bit of a culture shock for Sokka. It’s not that he didn’t notice how they’re more reserved with physical touch the last few times he was there, it was just that he had a buffer of close friends who were always there with hugs and sleep piles when he needed them. Now, he’s largely surrounded by strangers who Do Not Touch

Sure, there’s the odd handshake, a pat on the shoulder for a particularly good idea, even sparring matches when the palace guards start to loosen up around him (challenging nobles other than Zuko to spar seems unwise, politically speaking, and other members of the palace staff certainly won’t engage, but the guards will let Sokka train with them sometimes, so that’s cool), but it’s really not the same. It’s no substitute for Katara’s hugs (not that he’ll tell her so), or the way Aang will sometimes just cuddle up to friends, or Toph’s casual invasion of space, or the way they could all just shove their bedrolls together and sleep in a pile of limbs - and it’s definitely no comparison to the way things had been back home

Sokka feels almost sick with it sometimes, like his skin is crawling and aching and, counter-intuitively, like the only thing that will make it stop is if someone just maybe lies down on top of him. Or something. He finds himself lingering over brief touches from the few people at the palace he’s become friendly with, and realizes he probably needs to do something about this soon before he just asks one of the palace staff for a hug or something equally depressing and likely to get the staff to lodge a complaint about him

Thus, Sokka hunts down Zuko (oh, how the tables have turned). Not that Zuko’s been avoiding him, they’re both just busy. They haven’t seen each other as much as either of them would like, so really Sokka’s taking out two birds with one stone here. Have bro hangout time, get a hug. Totally not weird

He probably makes it a little weird by saying, as soon as Zuko has let Sokka into his chambers and they probably can’t be heard by the guards, “So not to be weird, but can I have a hug?”

He did, in his defense, say that he wasn’t trying to be weird. The look Zuko gives him tells Sokka that he has probably not succeeded in not being weird about it

“Uh,” Zuko says, which is as far as he gets before Sokka interrupts to attempt damage control and probably makes it worse

“Okay, no, that definitely sounded weird, didn’t it? Sorry, I’m not trying to be like- not that I wouldn’t! Or that I would! I don’t want you to be uncomfortable, is what I mean, but I’m also super uncomfortable because I don’t think I’ve been able to just be close to someone for more than a few seconds at a time since I got here and it’s like I just- I just need- but, I mean, not if you-” Sokka cuts off when Zuko grabs him by the front of his shirt and yanks him in for a hug

“You’re overthinking again,” Zuko tells him, and holds on, and lets him be close

Sokka doesn’t even have a comeback because spirits, this is nice. This is so nice. This is exactly what he was missing and it feels so good to have another person wrapped around him that he might actually cry. He buries his face in Zuko’s neck and tries not to do that, so as not to make it weirder, but Zuko probably wouldn’t notice if Sokka did shed a few tears because he’s too busy being overwhelmed himself

Because spirits, this is nice. Zuko hasn’t had anyone to hold like this since he and Mai broke up and she went to seek out Ty Lee, hasn’t had anyone who wanted to hold him since he last visited Uncle in Ba Sing Se, and he hadn’t even realized how much he was missing it until he realizes he’s shaking against Sokka, and Sokka-

Sokka definitely notices. And holds Zuko tighter, and presses his face a little closer, and they stand there like that until their legs get stiff and tired, and then they just go to the little sofa by the fireplace and practically settle on top of one another and fall asleep that way

After that, Sokka declares it’s just mutually beneficial for them to go on being Cuddle Buddies. (Zuko makes a face at the name, but Sokka is unwilling to budge; he is great at naming things, thank you very much.) They try to make time for each other at least once a week, which turns into pretty much any day one of them isn’t in a late meeting, and they spend evenings curled together doing paperwork or reading or (hopefully) catching some sleep

Kissing isn’t really necessary, but after the first one, Sokka suggests they graduate to being Smooch Buddies, because that is far superior

(”Boyfriends,” Zuko says, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Let’s just be boyfriends.”

“Yeah,” Sokka replies, hoping desperately he sounds cooler about this than he feels. “That’s good, too.”)

what does it mean when a fic is tagged "dead dove: do not eat"?

Ooooh good question friend! This term is less popular nowadays, so it’s a great one to cover for anyone new to fandom. 

Dead Dove: Do Not Eat is a warning or tag used to indicate that a fanwork contains tropes or elements that may be deemed morally reprehensible without explicitly condemning the sensitive aspects.

So, it’s a way for the author to warn you, that if you don’t like taboo subjects it might be best to stay away. They know what they’ve written is not the norm, or widely accepted.

The term comes from an arrested development episode. 

Hope this clears things up for you friend! 

Life Assurance Policy

DP x DC

Ghost King Danny has inherited all contracts made with Pariah Dark but doesn’t know it until he finds himself pulling a bullet out of Bruce Wayne.

He was instantaneously summoned in Ghost King regalia to a shooting in progress. Luckily, he had taken Clockwork as his mentor and could bend time just enough to take a bullet out of someone and put it back into the gun it came from. He was as surprised as anyone else at the gala to have saved his life, but was trying to be casual about it to hide his panic. He jumped right to being annoyed about being all the way in New Jersey when he had a test tomorrow.

He stole the Joker’s wallet to pay for his coffee tomorrow morning and left him with the police. Pointedly not saying anything of who he was or why he was there.

Clockwork broke the news to him about his newfound inheritance. People were still able to make contracts with the ghost king when he was in the sarcophagus, but since Pariah couldn’t hold up his end of the bargain the contracts would be voided. Someone must have made a contract before Danny became king but only became relevant when the bullet was already in Bruce Wayne’s heart. They had to check the castle’s archives and found a solitary valid contract. A contract to preserve the life of one Bruce Wayne until his natural death. Paid for on completion with the eternal human soul of the signer.

Cue phantom sheepishly ringing the doorbell and asking to see Mr. Pennyworth about a Life Assurance policy he purchased.

Dozens of NYC Subway riders, fresh off a Robyn concert, singing “Dancing On My Own” while waiting for the E train. (Video by Triszh Hermogenes) 

Au where Instead of Batman adopting Danny it’s Aquaman being a feral parent.

Like Arthur Curry would 100% see this dead child in line for the infinite realms throne and be like “that is mine thanks I’ll mentor him well” to “the government is treating your kind like how they treated my kind and I know just how to solve the problem.”

Cue the entire Justice League tackling Arthur so he can’t go murder the president while Batman explains to the media and government officials that if someone doesn’t get rid of the anti-ecto acts then they are going to be at war with the Antlantian People and the Justice League won’t be able to help them because the anti-ecto acts are a direct violation of what the Justice League stands for.

Danny would just be so confused but also just very content that the GIW are gone and that the ghost hunters who show up just get arrested immediately. He’d be completely oblivious of the fact that the nice hero he met that one time has practically decided that he is his child and would just have no clue about the amount of damage control the Justice League has to do so that Aquaman doesn’t outright start murdering people.

How did Phantom meet Aquaman?

Topo the Ectopus.

That’s how they met. For those of you who haven’t read the comics Topo was Aquaman’s sidekick.

His Octopus sidekick.

Topo was also a down right menace and I have no doubt that Topo would lead Danny on a merry chase all the way to Atlantis if that is what it took to get Danny and Arthur in the same room.

I find so much joy in the fact that this undead octopus would take one look at this undead child and be like “you need a parent don’t worry I know just the right guy for the job”.

So Aquaman’s bestie who he believed he’d never see again just shows up and is like I brought you a child, he is a good child :) .

Arthur would straight up break down and simultaneously swear on his life that he’s going to be the most loving parent to ever parent so his friend doesn’t have to worry. Danny would be confused cause “oh i guess he was your friend and wanted to come see you my bad I’ll go now nice to meet you underwater dude” and just have no context as to why this Atlantian is suddenly giving him advice and letting him know that he’ll come visit and that if he ever needs a place to go that he could come to Atlantis (Danny appreciates it cause honestly he’s had a really rough go at things lately and it’s very nice to just have someone just be really kind for once).

Thus starts the relationship of:

Phantom: this is my adult emotional-support-hero. He is my friend and role model

Aquaman: if you even look at my child I’ll drown you and no one will find your body

Their dynamic would be amazing and fit so well together. Way better then any of the other heroes just in terms of behaviour, situation, power-set, and experience.