Whats A Fate Worse Than Death? Continuing To Live.

“What’s a fate worse than death? Continuing to live.”

and

“That was pain, this is suffering.”

i think are two of my favorite quotes from unus annus

*grabs you by the shoulders*

You don’t know how long this actually took me-

ANYWAY HAPPY (BELATED) ANNIVERSARY SANDERS SIDES!!

2 kids getting along

i’m always soft for damien. he’s so sweet :’)

A List of Things Jackie Has Definitely Done in the Superhero AU 

-Literally thrown someone (usually Henrik) out of the way of danger, more than once.

-Forgot he was still wearing his mask after changing back into his normal clothes and played it off as cosplay or something

-Gotten stuck on a high place for a while because uh oh, fear of heights

-Called Anti quite a few creative insults that would leave Chase wheezing and Henrik face-palming 

-Scared the shit out of Henrik by just casually dropping into his office. Literally. As in he came in through the office window instead of going to the door because it’s easier. 

-Accidentally broke something by hitting it too hard

-Jumped a solid 3 feet in the air after getting jump scared by something and almost broke the ceiling

-Given everyone nicknames. Everyone. Even Anti has nicknames and they’re all ridiculous.

-*Gets hurt by Anti* “Rude.”

-Got so excited about something he literally started vibrating and glowing a little

-Verbally key-smashed

-Yelled “yeet” while throwing something at a villain probably Anti

-Quietly hummed the Mission Impossible theme to himself while sneaking around somewhere 

In conclusion, Jackie’s a dork and I love him. Happy birthday buddy. 

His hands.

—

It’s such a small thing, hardly noticeable. Henrik’s gaze flicks over when he hears Jackie enter his lab, rummaging through his bandages until he finds a couple to wrap around his wrists. Jackie’s knuckles are bruised and bleeding, but his expression is stoic as ever, lips a thin line as he marches back out, probably going to wrap his hands up for healing purposes. Henrik watches him leave, wondering what triggered this bout of injuries, but he doesn’t follow.

He already knows Jackie won’t answer. He turns back to his work, figuring he’ll ask later, maybe over a cup of tea.

Jackie sits down in the living room to wrap his hands. Jameson is already sitting there, turning over a piece of wood in his hands, wondering what to carve next. He flicks his gaze up hopefully, wanting to move closer to Jackie and ask him for company, but Jameson says nothing when he notices Jackie’s fingers. They’re trembling lightly while Jackie wraps his knuckles up tightly, mouthing swear words to himself as he hisses back pain. Though his expression remains stoic, Jameson can see pain in Jackie’s eyes, so he lowers his gaze and turns back to his block of wood.

Maybe he’ll carve something later, or speak with Jackie when he’s not in a bad mood. He says nothing when he hears Jackie get up and storm away.

It’s a few days later, and Chase is sitting on the edge of Jackie’s bed. He’s rambling on about a project he wants done, while Jackie is typing out and organizing notes for him. Jackie’s always been the faster typer, but Chase stops briefly when he glances down at Jackie’s keyboard. Have Jackie’s fingers always been swollen? They look redder than normal. He opens his mouth to comment, but when he sees the impatient look on Jackie’s face, he dives right back into his ramblings, hoping to forget the brief but silent exchange.

He’ll worry about it later when they aren’t both in the middle of doing important work. Right now, he needs to focus.

Later that evening, Jackie and Marvin are lounging on the couch together. Laughing over stupid jokes, knocking back cans of soda and eating various junk foods. It’s a simple evening with nothing to worry about, until Marvin takes Jackie’s hand in his own. Not to hold, but to inspect. The mood shifts from light-hearted to more somber as Marvin falls silent, tracing along the many callouses along Jackie’s fingers, the faded scars, the bruises, healing cuts, and swollen pads.

How long had Jackie’s hands been like this?

His hands had been used for so much. Marvin sees Jackie grabbing at a falling Chase to save him from heights. He can see Jackie reaching a hand out to a lonely Jameson, who’s reaching back to take that offered friendship. Jackie’s hands prying a grief-filled Henrik away from a deceased patient, to guide Henrik away and pull him in for a hug.

Jackie’s hands have reached out to nudge Marvin into continuing his magic against all other odds, when reality should have had the magician sprawling back into oblivion. Jackie’s hands had always been there to hold him upright.

To hold all of them upright when they wanted to fall.

To hold the city in one piece, even without thanks for all the work he’s done.

Reaching for the most broken down person, always with a smile on his face, always with new scars on his fingers.

His hands have always been there, always a symbol of safety.

How had Marvin not noticed before? He glances up briefly to see Jackie watching him, an expression of melancholy on his face. He doesn’t need to peek into Jackie’s mind to know what the hero is feeling.

They both already know.

Silently, Marvin conjures up a bottle of lotion and rests the bottle in his lap. He keeps hold of Jackie’s hand, spreading the fingers out wide so he can start massaging them.

Silently, the others come trickling in, with snacks of their own, but the food isn’t what they’re focused on either. Chase is taking Jackie’s other hand in his own, giving it a squeeze before mirroring Marvin’s movements.

If Jackie’s hands can do so much for them, imagine what they can all do for Jackie.