Beetle
@usbkord.bsky.social
Video killed the radio star.
Ted Kord / Blue Beetle / #DCRP
29 / MDNI / A #Vague idea
Ted Kord / Blue Beetle / #DCRP
29 / MDNI / A #Vague idea
"I meant something regarding the instructions."
He gives him a knowing look.
"Two conversations."
+
He gives him a knowing look.
"Two conversations."
+
❝ Found one! ❞
He quickly selects it, setting down his cup. Then, he turns to Ted.
❝ You, make room. I'm gonna get SO comfy on you. ❞
He quickly selects it, setting down his cup. Then, he turns to Ted.
❝ You, make room. I'm gonna get SO comfy on you. ❞
December 4, 2025 at 4:14 AM
"I meant something regarding the instructions."
He gives him a knowing look.
"Two conversations."
+
He gives him a knowing look.
"Two conversations."
+
"If that continues, we might need to have another talk."
Ted pours himself a generous amount, but not quite as much. He places the bottle back on the table.
"You know what we're not doing yet? Watching a movie or cuddling. And I'm not messing up plans that haven't been made."
+
Ted pours himself a generous amount, but not quite as much. He places the bottle back on the table.
"You know what we're not doing yet? Watching a movie or cuddling. And I'm not messing up plans that haven't been made."
+
Carefully, he gives his drink a hefty pour. Then another splash. Then a sip straight from the bottle. Then, he holds the Schnapps out to Ted.
❝ Why would I EVER! ❞
❝ Why would I EVER! ❞
December 4, 2025 at 3:52 AM
"If that continues, we might need to have another talk."
Ted pours himself a generous amount, but not quite as much. He places the bottle back on the table.
"You know what we're not doing yet? Watching a movie or cuddling. And I'm not messing up plans that haven't been made."
+
Ted pours himself a generous amount, but not quite as much. He places the bottle back on the table.
"You know what we're not doing yet? Watching a movie or cuddling. And I'm not messing up plans that haven't been made."
+
While I'm at it, I'm going to try to find other ideas that I haven't made. Only the ones that seem like I should've made a version by now.
December 4, 2025 at 3:20 AM
While I'm at it, I'm going to try to find other ideas that I haven't made. Only the ones that seem like I should've made a version by now.
I need to make a hologram game board right now.
December 4, 2025 at 3:16 AM
I need to make a hologram game board right now.
"You'll do great. They're the same thing, but RPGs have more drama and more actors.
The improvisation isn't usually the problem anyway."
He looks into the distance blankly, a thousand memories rushing to his mind in one cacophonous flurry.
"It's following instructions."
+
The improvisation isn't usually the problem anyway."
He looks into the distance blankly, a thousand memories rushing to his mind in one cacophonous flurry.
"It's following instructions."
+
❝ Yes! Definitely! Hold on, I've got something. ❞
He dashes out, coming back with a bottle of peppermint Schnapps.
❝ Here! Got this a few days ago. I can't wait to open it. ❞
He dashes out, coming back with a bottle of peppermint Schnapps.
❝ Here! Got this a few days ago. I can't wait to open it. ❞
December 4, 2025 at 3:02 AM
"You'll do great. They're the same thing, but RPGs have more drama and more actors.
The improvisation isn't usually the problem anyway."
He looks into the distance blankly, a thousand memories rushing to his mind in one cacophonous flurry.
"It's following instructions."
+
The improvisation isn't usually the problem anyway."
He looks into the distance blankly, a thousand memories rushing to his mind in one cacophonous flurry.
"It's following instructions."
+
"I make games. All I need to do is think about a rule I've created for a game with a similar structure and change the context."
He gets up and grabs a wet napkin for him. He hands it to him.
"Above your mouth."
+
He gets up and grabs a wet napkin for him. He hands it to him.
"Above your mouth."
+
❝ I'll warn you now: I'm TERRIBLE with remembering things on the spot. So I may need reminding of all this info. ❞
December 4, 2025 at 2:46 AM
"I make games. All I need to do is think about a rule I've created for a game with a similar structure and change the context."
He gets up and grabs a wet napkin for him. He hands it to him.
"Above your mouth."
+
He gets up and grabs a wet napkin for him. He hands it to him.
"Above your mouth."
+
"Obviously, my wizard's magic power recharges substantially whenever they kiss. But it also works if they hold hands."
He speaks while emphasizing his words with hand gestures.
"If they find a fountain and they kiss in front of it, that's an extra +10% healing. That's all passive."
+
He speaks while emphasizing his words with hand gestures.
"If they find a fountain and they kiss in front of it, that's an extra +10% healing. That's all passive."
+
He rests the free hand against his chest.
❝ I have to get into character, after all! ❞
❝ I have to get into character, after all! ❞
December 4, 2025 at 2:09 AM
"Obviously, my wizard's magic power recharges substantially whenever they kiss. But it also works if they hold hands."
He speaks while emphasizing his words with hand gestures.
"If they find a fountain and they kiss in front of it, that's an extra +10% healing. That's all passive."
+
He speaks while emphasizing his words with hand gestures.
"If they find a fountain and they kiss in front of it, that's an extra +10% healing. That's all passive."
+
"My wizard is named Ted Kord. Short for Theodore Kord.
He lives at the edge of the kingdom in a cave that he calls the Beetle's Nest. But it's very important to remember that it's titled a Nest and not a Cave because The Dark Knight has a cave, and they don't like matching."
+
He lives at the edge of the kingdom in a cave that he calls the Beetle's Nest. But it's very important to remember that it's titled a Nest and not a Cave because The Dark Knight has a cave, and they don't like matching."
+
❝ I think his name should be... Prince Florian. Of the kingdom of, uh... Gaiamont. ❞
Nod nod. Yes... it's coming together.
Nod nod. Yes... it's coming together.
December 4, 2025 at 1:41 AM
"My wizard is named Ted Kord. Short for Theodore Kord.
He lives at the edge of the kingdom in a cave that he calls the Beetle's Nest. But it's very important to remember that it's titled a Nest and not a Cave because The Dark Knight has a cave, and they don't like matching."
+
He lives at the edge of the kingdom in a cave that he calls the Beetle's Nest. But it's very important to remember that it's titled a Nest and not a Cave because The Dark Knight has a cave, and they don't like matching."
+
"You'll be happy to know that I do not want your life or your soul, and those are dreadful things to ask a person to give. If we ever get married, lacking either of those two things would create serious complications."
He pulls him into a kiss.
"But I'll take what you've truly offered."
He pulls him into a kiss.
"But I'll take what you've truly offered."
Rose leans into the touch, his eyelashes fluttering behind his glasses. He lets out a soft giggle.
❝ Oh, there's a lot I'd like to give to you, /dear wizard./ ❞
He reaches up, stroking Ted's cheek with a dreamy smile.
❝ My heart. My body. My life. My soul. Any part of me you'd like. ❞
〖 ✎... 〗
❝ Oh, there's a lot I'd like to give to you, /dear wizard./ ❞
He reaches up, stroking Ted's cheek with a dreamy smile.
❝ My heart. My body. My life. My soul. Any part of me you'd like. ❞
〖 ✎... 〗
"But please remember..."
He brushes a hand along his cheek.
"I travelled here to give myself to you."
He presses his nose against his.
"And we're still having several discussions before you can court me."
He brushes a hand along his cheek.
"I travelled here to give myself to you."
He presses his nose against his.
"And we're still having several discussions before you can court me."
December 4, 2025 at 12:54 AM
"You'll be happy to know that I do not want your life or your soul, and those are dreadful things to ask a person to give. If we ever get married, lacking either of those two things would create serious complications."
He pulls him into a kiss.
"But I'll take what you've truly offered."
He pulls him into a kiss.
"But I'll take what you've truly offered."
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
He places his mug on the table.
"If you have something that you'd like to do for me, my dear prince, then I'll accept whatever you're willing to give me."
+
He places his mug on the table.
"If you have something that you'd like to do for me, my dear prince, then I'll accept whatever you're willing to give me."
+
❝ I'm SO glad I could help restore your powers, dear wizard! Though, there is a more direct way... ❞ he purrs, a slight suggestion in his lilt.
December 2, 2025 at 4:37 AM
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
He places his mug on the table.
"If you have something that you'd like to do for me, my dear prince, then I'll accept whatever you're willing to give me."
+
He places his mug on the table.
"If you have something that you'd like to do for me, my dear prince, then I'll accept whatever you're willing to give me."
+
He bursts out laughing.
"It's better, it's much better now! You improved my mug, and the mug improves the quality of the hot chocolate inside of it. And it started excellent, so imagine how good this is to me."
He takes another sip and shakes his head.
+
"It's better, it's much better now! You improved my mug, and the mug improves the quality of the hot chocolate inside of it. And it started excellent, so imagine how good this is to me."
He takes another sip and shakes his head.
+
❝ ... I think... you've officially lost it. ❞
He pokes Ted's forehead.
❝ All that wizard magic and knight disguise has messed with your head! I don't taste a difference! ❞
He pokes Ted's forehead.
❝ All that wizard magic and knight disguise has messed with your head! I don't taste a difference! ❞
December 2, 2025 at 4:13 AM
He bursts out laughing.
"It's better, it's much better now! You improved my mug, and the mug improves the quality of the hot chocolate inside of it. And it started excellent, so imagine how good this is to me."
He takes another sip and shakes his head.
+
"It's better, it's much better now! You improved my mug, and the mug improves the quality of the hot chocolate inside of it. And it started excellent, so imagine how good this is to me."
He takes another sip and shakes his head.
+
"Hold on."
He kisses the whipped cream off Rose's nose.
"There."
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He kisses the whipped cream off Rose's nose.
"There."
+
He nods curtly.
❝ As expected. They taste exactly the same. ❞
He offers his own mug, scooting a bit closer.
❝ Care to repeat my experiment? ❞
❝ As expected. They taste exactly the same. ❞
He offers his own mug, scooting a bit closer.
❝ Care to repeat my experiment? ❞
December 2, 2025 at 3:50 AM
"Hold on."
He kisses the whipped cream off Rose's nose.
"There."
+
He kisses the whipped cream off Rose's nose.
"There."
+
"We do have the entire day to be alone together."
He eats a small bit of the whipped cream using one of his fingers.
"Later sounds good."
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He eats a small bit of the whipped cream using one of his fingers.
"Later sounds good."
+
He glances back to the kitchen with a wicked smile.
❝ I could put something a bit spicier in it later~ ❞
Alcohol. He means alcohol. He'd love to get just a bit tipsy with Ted. Rose himself is more confident when he's drunk...
❝ I could put something a bit spicier in it later~ ❞
Alcohol. He means alcohol. He'd love to get just a bit tipsy with Ted. Rose himself is more confident when he's drunk...
December 2, 2025 at 3:23 AM
"We do have the entire day to be alone together."
He eats a small bit of the whipped cream using one of his fingers.
"Later sounds good."
+
He eats a small bit of the whipped cream using one of his fingers.
"Later sounds good."
+
"You made me a cup of heart chocolate? That's so sweet of you, thank you."
He sits beside him.
"Tell me which cup is mine.
I'd use my wizard powers to make sure I'm not taking yours, but I used up all of it freeing you from that curse."
+
He sits beside him.
"Tell me which cup is mine.
I'd use my wizard powers to make sure I'm not taking yours, but I used up all of it freeing you from that curse."
+
❝ I made us hot chocolate! The good way. With milk. ❞
Still the powdered mix that he had bought. But milk makes it taste better.
❝ I also put extra whipped cream. And hearts made out of two tiny candy canes each. ❞
Still the powdered mix that he had bought. But milk makes it taste better.
❝ I also put extra whipped cream. And hearts made out of two tiny candy canes each. ❞
December 2, 2025 at 2:11 AM
"You made me a cup of heart chocolate? That's so sweet of you, thank you."
He sits beside him.
"Tell me which cup is mine.
I'd use my wizard powers to make sure I'm not taking yours, but I used up all of it freeing you from that curse."
+
He sits beside him.
"Tell me which cup is mine.
I'd use my wizard powers to make sure I'm not taking yours, but I used up all of it freeing you from that curse."
+
"Hi. Listen, I'm not a knight. I'm a wizard. I'm just borrowing the appearance of a knight to satisfy the conditions of the curse."
He pretends to study him.
"Gosh, I heard the rumors, but you really are handsome."
+
He pretends to study him.
"Gosh, I heard the rumors, but you really are handsome."
+
His facade slips slightly, and he begins to smile. Don't laugh, Rose.
❝ The only way to save him is a kiss from a dashing knight in shining armor! But who could that be?? ❞
His eye cracks open not-so-subtly, quickly closing when he sees that Ted is watching.
❝ The only way to save him is a kiss from a dashing knight in shining armor! But who could that be?? ❞
His eye cracks open not-so-subtly, quickly closing when he sees that Ted is watching.
December 2, 2025 at 1:40 AM
"Hi. Listen, I'm not a knight. I'm a wizard. I'm just borrowing the appearance of a knight to satisfy the conditions of the curse."
He pretends to study him.
"Gosh, I heard the rumors, but you really are handsome."
+
He pretends to study him.
"Gosh, I heard the rumors, but you really are handsome."
+
Ted solved his share of problems for the day.
He had to take calls. And then send messages. And then take other calls based on the replies to those messages. And so on and so forth.
Once the process was over, he could fully appreciate that they had the whole day to themselves.
+
He had to take calls. And then send messages. And then take other calls based on the replies to those messages. And so on and so forth.
Once the process was over, he could fully appreciate that they had the whole day to themselves.
+
Shuffling over to the couch, he sets down their drinks and lays back on the couch dramatically.
Bleh. He's gonna act dramatic because Ted is leaving him SOOO ALONE.
Bleh. He's gonna act dramatic because Ted is leaving him SOOO ALONE.
December 1, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Ted solved his share of problems for the day.
He had to take calls. And then send messages. And then take other calls based on the replies to those messages. And so on and so forth.
Once the process was over, he could fully appreciate that they had the whole day to themselves.
+
He had to take calls. And then send messages. And then take other calls based on the replies to those messages. And so on and so forth.
Once the process was over, he could fully appreciate that they had the whole day to themselves.
+
"When you do come back to it, and I'm not even going to ask about it, the timing is completely your choice; you only need to talk about one reason at a time.
If anything feels too difficult to talk about or you change your mind about whether it feels necessary to share, pin it or toss it."
+
If anything feels too difficult to talk about or you change your mind about whether it feels necessary to share, pin it or toss it."
+
He carefully plucks an imaginary pin from the air and pushes it into the topic.
❝ We will come back to this, though. It's important that I go over some of the reasons I feel the way I do so we can work through them. ❞
❝ We will come back to this, though. It's important that I go over some of the reasons I feel the way I do so we can work through them. ❞
November 30, 2025 at 9:29 PM
"When you do come back to it, and I'm not even going to ask about it, the timing is completely your choice; you only need to talk about one reason at a time.
If anything feels too difficult to talk about or you change your mind about whether it feels necessary to share, pin it or toss it."
+
If anything feels too difficult to talk about or you change your mind about whether it feels necessary to share, pin it or toss it."
+
Anything for you.
You have something for everything!! You're so smart ♡
I have a better bug for that.
It returns to the location of its "nest" once daily. Hit the button on the nest, and it comes back immediately.
It can be attached to anything that always needs to return to one place.
It returns to the location of its "nest" once daily. Hit the button on the nest, and it comes back immediately.
It can be attached to anything that always needs to return to one place.
November 30, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Anything for you.
I have a better bug for that.
It returns to the location of its "nest" once daily. Hit the button on the nest, and it comes back immediately.
It can be attached to anything that always needs to return to one place.
It returns to the location of its "nest" once daily. Hit the button on the nest, and it comes back immediately.
It can be attached to anything that always needs to return to one place.
Exactly! It would be a cool way to never lose the remote again, I think. I lose mine often-
And practical for anything frequently used!
November 30, 2025 at 4:55 AM
I have a better bug for that.
It returns to the location of its "nest" once daily. Hit the button on the nest, and it comes back immediately.
It can be attached to anything that always needs to return to one place.
It returns to the location of its "nest" once daily. Hit the button on the nest, and it comes back immediately.
It can be attached to anything that always needs to return to one place.
And practical for anything frequently used!
That's so unbelievably cool...
I'm working on bug legs and antennae that can be attached to any item to move it around.
I'm using a laser pointer to control where the items move.
I'm using a laser pointer to control where the items move.
November 30, 2025 at 4:47 AM
And practical for anything frequently used!
I'm working on bug legs and antennae that can be attached to any item to move it around.
I'm using a laser pointer to control where the items move.
I'm using a laser pointer to control where the items move.
November 30, 2025 at 4:41 AM
I'm working on bug legs and antennae that can be attached to any item to move it around.
I'm using a laser pointer to control where the items move.
I'm using a laser pointer to control where the items move.
"Mess this up?
You're beyond okay with me right now. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't tell you anything. I love you too, so I want us to be on the same page."
He waves a hand.
"Forget about telling me. The point isn't transparency, it's making sure you feel like you can talk to me."
+
You're beyond okay with me right now. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't tell you anything. I love you too, so I want us to be on the same page."
He waves a hand.
"Forget about telling me. The point isn't transparency, it's making sure you feel like you can talk to me."
+
He doesn't want to push Ted away. He knows his past is... very heavy. But he also wants to be honest and vulnerable with Ted.
Relationships are so hard. He feels his breath quiver.
Maybe he's not...
❝ ... I... I love you a lot, Ted. I don't want to mess this up. ❞
Relationships are so hard. He feels his breath quiver.
Maybe he's not...
❝ ... I... I love you a lot, Ted. I don't want to mess this up. ❞
November 28, 2025 at 3:39 AM
"Mess this up?
You're beyond okay with me right now. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't tell you anything. I love you too, so I want us to be on the same page."
He waves a hand.
"Forget about telling me. The point isn't transparency, it's making sure you feel like you can talk to me."
+
You're beyond okay with me right now. If I didn't like you, I wouldn't tell you anything. I love you too, so I want us to be on the same page."
He waves a hand.
"Forget about telling me. The point isn't transparency, it's making sure you feel like you can talk to me."
+
I promise!
Do you promise?
It's okay, they're okay now.
November 27, 2025 at 10:54 PM
I promise!
Ted moves closer to him.
"It's not that you can't talk about me.
You just can't switch to the concept of talking about me or something that isn't actually a subject to talk about.
Because it delays my ability to shift your attention after I cause that feeling."
+
"It's not that you can't talk about me.
You just can't switch to the concept of talking about me or something that isn't actually a subject to talk about.
Because it delays my ability to shift your attention after I cause that feeling."
+
/ He's done something wrong. Ted is mad at him. /
Ted isn't mad at him. He's not. He's setting a boundary. Rose takes a deep breath to try to calm his mind. Everything is fine. Everything...
Ted isn't mad at him. He's not. He's setting a boundary. Rose takes a deep breath to try to calm his mind. Everything is fine. Everything...
November 27, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Ted moves closer to him.
"It's not that you can't talk about me.
You just can't switch to the concept of talking about me or something that isn't actually a subject to talk about.
Because it delays my ability to shift your attention after I cause that feeling."
+
"It's not that you can't talk about me.
You just can't switch to the concept of talking about me or something that isn't actually a subject to talk about.
Because it delays my ability to shift your attention after I cause that feeling."
+
It's okay, they're okay now.
Those poor, innocent spiders . . . [ sniffles ]
I know!
Spiders are practically my neighbors!
Spiders are practically my neighbors!
November 27, 2025 at 9:26 PM
It's okay, they're okay now.