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argu-collective · 3 months ago

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Supper Club Series #001

Before heading over to the decaying heart of the East Village, I crushed a six pack of Modelo. I had to ease the nerves a bit, afterall, I had a huge part to play tonight. We had to tell everyone what the dinner party is really for, the club, ARGU.

I go over the main points in my mind; ARGU is counter culture. ARGU is trying to revitalize the youth and art scene in New York. ARGU picks things back up from a time we weren't from, yet crave. ARGU is the attempt at progress through revision.

I walk through the streets, passing a red cup of my final beer from hand to hand so that my fingers don't freeze off.

Black shirt and blue jeans, that’s the outfit I have on - my old reliable, it’s non-threatening. Before I’d left I promised I’d bring a few plates from my place so I brought about three in an orange tote bag. Anyway, I checked my phone when I got to Houston and Avenue B and picked my feet up when I realized that I was already 10 minutes late. In a blur I passed bars I’d forgotten about, restaurants I’ve had first and final dates at, and corner stores I’ve wandered into at all hours of the day and night of every season.

Once I finally arrived at the address on the invitation, (ADDRESS REDACTED), I called ARGU’s founder and one of my favorite people - Jah - because I misread the apartment number. She corrected me and I buzzed up. I walked in to music, conversations in flux, and food being prepared, all mediated by wine and good company.

As I let myself melt into the room and more guests started to arrive, it became extremely clear that we were in the process of achieving exactly what we wanted to with this dinner. We wanted to bring people together, we wanted to form connections, we wanted to make ARGU feel more real. After answering and asking the routine questions - “what’s your name?”, “what school do you go to?”, “what’s your major”, etc., it was off to the races for everyone there. It felt like something special was happening, some divine grand union of creativity, a masterclass in the human experience unfolding in front of my eyes. People talking about their passions, their projects, and perfect strangers bonding over mutual friends and shared experiences.

The meal was prepared over the course of an hour and a half, with bruschetta and a charcuterie board to start followed by steak and clams with linguini - utter ambrosia. The entire room was intoxicating, it was a petri dish of talented degenerates that had eager eyes set on each other and on the future. After eating a bit while observing the room, Jah came up to me in distress, “Marco.” she said, touching my arm. “Hey Jahdae!” “What do I say later?”

“Just tell them what you’d tell me. Everything we’ve talked about.” And she nodded yes. “Alright - you’re right. I’ll start the speech later. You have to finish it though.”

I say okay and turn around to roll my eyes and continue a conversation about something I don’t remember, but was probably about a bar or a restaurant or something like that.

There are little things that I disdain more than having to speak to a group of people and get them to emote. I’m cursed with being monotone, which is not helpful in getting a reaction from a crowd. But, I know that it’s for the greater good and is necessary for the growth of the club and the collective and blah blah blah yadda yadda I needed some more liquid courage to deal with this.

I got a glass of wine and I talked to Sami about her band, Jack about ketamine, McKayla about New York, Zay about my house party last week, and Masai about FIT. We took some photos of the night and one way or another wound up all sitting around the dinner table for the aforementioned speech to begin.

Thankfully it all went fine. I didn’t get a big reaction from my words but I wasn’t expecting one. Hopefully they were strong enough to evoke an internal spark in the group, though I’m not sure. Regardless, the night continued as it had gone, as time fell away and we all fell deeper into the night. We ate, we laughed, and all celebrated with Mike Dough as his single dropped at 12.

Eventually people started to find their way home, but not before embracing one another before leaving - people that before the night started were complete strangers that would walk by each other the street without a glance, strangers that if you’d met at a bar or a club you’d talk to and then disperse from without a trace. I hoped that those hugs were a sign that those experiences were not this. I hoped that ARGU could be a rarity of this city and isn’t something that’s disposable.

I hope we’re building something real

[M.M.]

#nycunderground #nycart #argucollective #art collective #media #indie magazine

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animalsweaters · 4 years ago

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grin tugs from ear to ear , butterflies flutter within her stomach simply at the sight of the other girl . rachel berry is more than just smitten . mary jane’s click against linoleum , hands gripping her books tightly to her chest . her shoulder rests against the lockers besides santana’s . ❝ my dads want to know if you’d like to come for dinner tonight after glee club . ❞ a beat . ❝ they mentioned something about finding out what your intentions were ... although now that i think about it i think they might have actually been joking on that part . but we could watch a movie or something after ... if you wanted . ❞

@awesomegaydar ♡’d.

#awesomegaydar #‹ script. / i’m like tinkerbell‚ i need applause to live. ›#‹ 001. / being apart of something special‚ makes you special. ›#my head is throbbing but have some Soft uvu

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vandbaerer · 7 years ago

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@unicorndreamcr I cont. from x

❝ I- it’s a little scary at first. But once you get used to it, it’s really not that bad. When my parents signed me up for singing lessons as a kid, I r-r-refused to sing until my t-third session. ❞ It had been a long and hard battle, but eventually they got through to her.

#unicorndreamcr #( interaction ; tina cohen-chang. )#( verse 001 ; being apart of something special makes you special ; tina. )#( queue ; no business like show business. )

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flyinglotus777 · 3 years ago

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Netflix’s Squid Game

SPOILER ALERT! If you are interested in watching the series, I HIGHLY suggest you do so. This article will be an overall synopsis and my review of the show. For an in-depth analysis of the symbolism of the show and ending, scroll down to the fourth to last paragraph.

The Netflix show, “Squid Game,” written and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk is a phenomenal Korean drama centered around our victor, Seong Gi-hun, played by Lee Jung-jae. Contestants were recruited to play in a life or death competition due to their lack of luck, financial knowledge, and influx of impending debt they have accumulated throughout their lives. We first meet Gi-hun as he is down on his luck. Living with his elderly, overworked mother (which in countries outside of the United States is not strange nor uncommon) Gi-hun was a friend to gambling, but that toxic love caused him to be in debt to a gang of (what seemed to be) loan sharks. When luck finally strikes him on the race track, life simultaneously decides to take an excrement on his reality. His debt seekers catch him on his hot streak and involuntarily sign him up to be a participant in the Squid Game.

Similar to many other of the 456 participants, they all shared a common denominator of being in situations it seemed only money could fix. Upon arrival the contestants were asked to voluntarily sign wavers in order to participate in the game, while unknowingly risking their lives, for the opportunity to win 456 billion won (which would be roughly over $3.5 million in US currency). The challenges were mostly based on nostalgic childhood games, both based in the United States and South Korea.

Now I knew due to the explanation in the introduction of episode one that if any player were to lose, they would die. So during the first challenge of red light green light, when players were bulletly penalized for losing I was not surprised. After the game, the players decided to rally together and quit playing. The influence of the cash prize split the decision down the middle, leaving the old man, player 1, to be the final decision. To my surprise he actually chose to decline, freeing all of the players. During the voting, many players screamed at each other as to why they would choose to stay in the hell hole as other players responded that the outside world was not any better if not the same as the harsh environment they were already in. This reality struck many contestants as they returned back to their reality of debt, dependents, and for some bounty hunts, thus resulting in them returning to the game.

During the whole season, I was trying to find the purpose of these games. We knew why the participants felt motivated to play, but I wondered what was the purpose of having them fight for their lives in the first place. When the PlayStation faced soldiers forced the doctor (player 111) to dissect the bodies for organs to sell at the black market, at first I thought that it was what the original game maker wanted which I thought was genius. Soon to learn that it was actually a violation to a code of equality that was placed inside the arena applying to all of those who existed, soldiers and participants alike. Which struck me as odd due to the soldiers being able to tote guns and wear masks based on their own hierarchy and the participants being collectively isolated and given numbers as if it was a remake of the Stanford Prison experiment. Nonetheless many soldiers faced the same fate as the players, and my pondering would meet the solution come the finale.

Let’s discuss players. I only favored Gi-hun because he was the protagonist, but throughout the story he grew on me as his big heart prevailed through the madness. I knew Choo Sang-woo, the embezzling business man and hometown friend of Gi-hun played by Park Hae-soo, was a psychopath when I saw him in a fully filled bathtub with his suit on. Running from the police, in debt or not, that’s just as much of a red flag for serial killer tendencies as sleeping with socks on or having too thin and highly arched eyebrows. The episode that he crossed Ali, the father of one from Pakistan with the missing fingers, made me hate Sang-woo for the rest of the series. I was infuriated and frustrated with Ali for being that naïve to believe that they could escape the round as a duo, but understood his perspective since up until that point Sang-woo was a dependable, trusted ally to Ali. However after that episode I didn’t care who won, I was just ready for Sang-woo to die.

Kang Sae-byeok, the skeptical and beautiful warrior from North Korea played by Jung Ho-yeon, deserves her own paragraph. Along with her beauty, her presence and demeanor was so bad ass. She was thrifty and intelligent, as her talent being pick pocketing. I was waiting for her to just be so bad ass. As the punk disguised to be gangster, Jang Deok-su, pushed her around which seemed to be normal behavior between the two, I was ready for Sae-byeok to twist his arm, send a plunging round house kick to his nuts, and cut his snake tattoo right off of his face. Although her exterior was tough, her heart was made of malleable gold which we got to see as she opened up to her female companion during the marble challenge and sobbed from her loss afterwards. Although she was not the killer bad ass queen I had wanted her to be, I still call her a warrior because of her resiliency throughout life’s and the game’s many obstacles and her drive to provide her younger brother with a better life.

Thankfully Deok-su got what he deserved as Han Mi-nyeo poetically decided to take both of their lives during the glass challenge. “You said we would be together till the end,” she said before diving into her inevitable death with her short lived lover. Mi-nyeo was incredibly annoying as I would often pinch the inside corners of my eyes and scratch my eyebrows when she would appear. However that crazy bitch served justice, and I love her for that.

I was highly disappointed by the demise of the detective Hwang Jun-ho, played by the handsome Wi Ha-joon. I was rooting for detective Jun-ho, as I’m sure we all were, on his pursuit to find his brother. I was not surprised that his brother was Front Man, as I had suspected that his brother must’ve died or been apart of the game making due to his absence in real life and the current game. After discovering his brother was the victor of his year, to me it only made sense that he would be apart of the game enforcement. As we saw from Gi-hun, a normal life is impossible to live after experiencing something so traumatic as a series of death ridden children games. However I was saddened and surprised that detective Jun-ho was unsuccessful in closing down the whole operation. I mean the man was close to performing forced, aristocratic fellatio in the name of serving and protecting the law. I truly thought because he had gotten so far and was so close to exposing the operation that the only choice he had was to be successful. At last he was shot and killed by his own blood, the one he had been looking for; providing us with a cinematic and heart jerking ending to detective Jun-ho.

Lastly lets discuss the old man, player 001 named O Yeong-su, whom I also nicknamed Poppy during the series. Deceivingly innocent and weak, I genuinely liked Yeong-su throughout the game play. I thoroughly enjoyed his relationship with Gi-hun and saw him as a valuable player in most instances. I believe he was one of the main reasons that Gi-hun continued to lead with his heart. Gi-hun claimed that Yeong-su was the reason he returned to the games and later found out that Yeong-su was the reason there were games in the first place. The climatic episode of the marble challenge was when their relationship had been defined as “gganbu” (which is a term for trusted, close friends in Korean, as explained in the series), thus Yeong-su establishing a special place in Gi-hun’s heart. During the challenge, Yeong-su begins to have an episode of what we all assumed to be dementia as the arena they are playing in is designed like his old neighborhood and he abandons the game to take a trip down memory lane. Gi-hun screams in frustration at the old man to play with him only to end up losing in their even and odd game and resulting in deceit, tricking the old man to let him be the victor. Now if I was Gi-hun, I would’ve convinced Yeong-su to let me hold his marbles for safe keeping and let him have a fun time reminiscing on his life while he ran down the clock. Then when it was time, I would’ve turned in all 20 marbles just as Sang-woo did and went about my business. It would’ve only been right for the old man to forfeit as he was already on his death bed, or so we innocently thought. Before I get into the ending, I want to talk about the last match between Sang-woo and Gi-hun.

Finally, the last game to see who would be victorious in a highly anticipated game of Squid between Gi-hun and Sang-woo. It seemed as if it were a battle between good vs evil; Gi-hun representing a more benevolent side as he would often optimistically look to help other competitors and extend the kindness he had been shown versus Sang-woo who represented a more vindictive and ruthless side, determined to hurt anyone in order to receive his highly coveted and long awaited prize in an arena that erased any foundation of morals or ethics as soon as the light turned red. Luck was on Gi-hun’s side as he had the opportunity to play offense. With a cunning mind and a vengeance for Sae-byeok’s death, Gi-hun delivered a can of whoop ass to his opponent. As the saying goes, the good shall always prevail. Perhaps his heart was too pure as Gi-hun halted from crossing the finish line and offered Sang-woo a chance to live, thus forfeiting the prize money. Needless to say, I applauded when Sang-woo committed suicide as it was the only right thing to do in his position.

A year passed by and Gi-hun seemed worse than before. Physically his style was bummy wealthy, a look pioneered by Bill Gates, but mentally he was in shambles. How could you blame him? Gi-hun discovered that the responsible party for these horrendous events was none other than his ggangbu, old man Yeong-su. The biggest, jaw dropping plot twist of the entire series. As they were joined on Christmas Eve and Yeong-su on his death bed, they placed one final bet on an assumed to be drunken, homeless man who sat on the streets as it snowed and waited for help to arrive. Yeong-su explained how he actually wanted to help people and give his money to people who needed it, but wanted to do it in an “entertaining way.” As Gi-hun flared with outrage towards the old man for finding amusement in killing people, the old man rebutted using horse races as an example of people’s amusement. Yeong-su also said he participated in the games because it was more fun to play than to be a spectator, which I had noticed him treating the competition as if it were adult summer camp. I had just assumed since he was old, he didn’t care if he had died or not.

I think most people will think that this show was a metaphor about how money and rich people are evil. However I think it can be seen as commentary on society as a whole, not just the wealthy. Yeong-su says on his death bed that it’s a test of humanity, and asks Gi-hun if he still has faith in humanity after what he has experienced. Although money was the luring motivator to win the game, people still chose to return to the competition to escape their problems. Sure, money was apart of their problems as all of the players (excluding Yeong-su) were in debt, but that was due to choices that they had made. Whether it had been through embezzling, gambling, lack of luck, or financial ignorance, it was the people who had gotten themselves into those situations. Money doesn’t have a personal vendetta against anyone nor does it have an inherent quality of good or evil. Money is a neutral energy used to be exchanged for goods and services. It’s people who designate that energy to their humane or inhumane desires.

Leading to the next point of the wealthy and how they are seen to be evil due to having wealth. Although I do believe that there are some wealthy people who act as villains, money didn’t create the villain inside of them. Those people were going to behave maliciously whether they have money or not. The VIPs, who were spectating the finale of challenges, were tied to a bank devoted to the wealthy and gambled on the competitors who played (and most likely helped subsidize the events). We place judgement on them, but as Yeong-su said, people gamble on horse races. Although people are not animals and by my knowledge I don’t believe most or any horses die during these races, it is still the principle of watching an entity being tortured for amusement, which is not only confined to the wealthy population. When the concept of killing and tormenting living breathing beings for amusement is normalized within society, the lines begin to blur on who is okay to perform and who is not. Take the audience of this show for example, we all watched a show where hundreds of people were mercilessly killed for the desire of winning a cash prize for our own amusement, thus making “Squid Game” the number one show on Netflix at the moment. Although the show is fictional and brilliantly written, this Hunger Games concept is not new. We come in contact again and again with the idea of people who are disadvantaged given an opportunity to better their lives through inhumane means, including risking their own lives or actively sacrificing the life of another, and being spectators on the edge of our seats who can’t seem to look away. It is no different than a Roman gladiator match in a grand colosseum, which in modern day would be a MMA fight at the MGM hotel. We blame it on the rich who are ridiculed for creating these events, but at the end of the day it is the people, rich,poor, and everyone in between, who continue to still go along with it and to some extent desire it. Which makes me question, what does that say about humanity, and do I actually have faith in us? Although Gi-hun went through hell and back, he still remained pure of heart and used his wealth to enhance his life and those around him; proving that wealthy people can still be benevolent and desire righteous good. Similar to Gi-hun, the optimist in me wants to believe that there are still people in this world with good hearts, but I guess we just have to wait until the time comes to see.

Ultimately the show was phenomenal, and definitely sparked a desire inside of me to watch more Korean dramas. I don’t think the show will have a second season. Simply because I think the story line would be better cut off there, thus leaving the audience always wanting more. However if season 2 ever comes out, I’m ready for Gi-hun to take a Liam Neeson approach to ending the Squid Game and hopefully with a beard. Thank you for reading my article. I know it was incredibly lengthy. I have just finished the season after a 2 day binge watch, and have a lot of emotions and thoughts ruminating in my brain. Let me know what you think of the show and what you think of the article. Did anyone else notice the paintings of the games on the walls of the dormitory?

God bless.

#squid game #netflix #review #korean drama #kdrama #series review #web series

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scpdata · 3 years ago

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Scp-001 is an O5's tale

Good evening, Doctor.

No, no, don't stand up. And, yes, I am who you think I am. Let's not make any more of this than it is. You know my number, and I know enough about you to make a duplicate that even your mother wouldn't be able to tell apart from the real you. No, that's not a threat, just a fact.

Now, as to my business here, it seems you have stumbled upon something above your clearance. Well, no, stumbled is not the right word. Dug up? Perhaps. And you are getting to the point where further digging would end in some fairly lethal gunshot wounds. This would be a sad state of affairs, as you are otherwise quite a good researcher. Therefore, you are getting something very few people in the Foundation ever get… an explanation.

Yes, we were alerted when you first started digging into SCP-001. Every researcher who's been around for a while looks into it. Most are satisfied when they uncover the angel with the flaming sword, it's buried under enough levels. But then you started looking into The Factory, and that is when I knew you wouldn't stop. So, here it is, plain and simple.

The Factory is SCP-001.

But it will never be written up. It was a choice I made early on in the creation of the Foundation, and a choice I still stand by. You researchers are far too curious. I'm not sure which scares me worse. That we'll never understand the Factory… or that we one day will. Ah well, I'm sure you're eager to learn more.

The Factory was built in 1835. Back then it was known as The Anderson Factory, named after James Anderson, a rather well-to-do industrialist. It was built in, well, we'll just say America, and was the largest factory yet designed, a good mile across at its widest, three stories tall throughout, with a special seven story tower by the front gate that Anderson lived in. It was designed to be the ultimate factory, capable of taking care of everything, including the housing of workers. People could be born, work, live, and die, without ever leaving the confines of the Factory. And work they did, on everything from cattle raising and slaughtering, to textiles, to everything else under the sun.

Now, no one knows whether James Anderson was actually a Satan worshiper. It's just as likely that he followed some kind of Pagan gods. What is known is that he was VERY exact in the building of his factory, and in the placement of his machinery within it. Survivors claim the floor was engraved with arcane symbols, that were only visible when blood flowed across them… But then the survivors claimed a lot of things. What is known is that Anderson made his money on the blood and sweat, and sometimes body parts of the lower class. His journals indicate he thought of them as less than human, being put on this Earth only to serve his will.

Of course, at that time, no one knew about his predilections, and so people flocked to the Factory. A place to both work and live at the same time? Well, of course people wanted in! Never mind the harsh hours, working conditions, sadistic security force, and all the rest. Factory workers were forced to work 16 hour days, work only shutting down on Sundays, between sunrise and sunset. Workers were not given individual rooms, instead sharing rooms with eight other people, sleeping in shifts of three. Medical attention was unheard of. If you were injured in the course of your duties, which most people were, you were expected to just keep working. Anyone too injured to work was dragged off by the security, never to be heard from again.

For forty years, the Anderson Factory cranked out all sorts of things for people. Meat, clothes, weapons. Never mind that the beef might be mixed with human. Don't care that the weapons were forged in blood. No attention need be paid that the clothes were dyed with…well, you get the idea. Rumors leaked out, but the products were so good, why bother? Until someone got out.

I never met the brave soul who managed to escape, but she managed to meet with President Grant, and, in 1875, he enlisted my aid. At the time I was… well, it doesn't matter. We'll say I was military, kind of, and that my people were the same. A hundred and fifty good men and some few women, who were often given jobs that weren't supposed to be common knowledge. We'd been cleaning out some Confederate holdouts, and some of the worse things we found down South. So, we did some research, didn't like what we saw, and went in, loaded for bear.

I don't actually remember much about the night it all went down. Most of it blends together in my head. I get flashes, sometimes, of the people chained to the line, living next to dead, and damned hard to tell which was which. Children working underneath machines, the majority of the flesh scoured from their bones by the great wheels and cogs. And the other things…

No, I'm all right. I haven't thought about that night for a very long time. The security force wasn't much of a problem. But then Anderson's creations showed up. He'd been taking the injured workers and, well, experimenting on them. Men, if you could call them men, with multiple arms, sewn together, some of them combined with animals, horrible monstrosities out of mankind's worst nightmares. They kept coming, wave after wave of not quite living creatures. I lost a lot of good people that night. And then we found Anderson's breeding pits, girls as young as eight, chained to the walls, forced to be nothing more than-

I'm sorry. Even today, more than a century later, the memory makes me see red. When we finally found Anderson cowering in his office, we hung him from his tower window, with his own entrails. As he died, he laughed, saying it didn't matter, we could kill him, but his factory, The Factory, would go on. He was still laughing 24 hours later when we finally cut him down, had him drawn and quartered, and then burned the remains. The entire time he uttered blasphemies that I don't like to think about.

We spent a week cleaning that place out, freeing the workers, putting down the things we found in the basements and many lightless rooms. We pulled out things that were useful, stocked them in a house near the gate, tried to make sense of everything. A hundred and fifty of us went into that hell pit that night, and only ninety-three came out. By the end of that week, we were down to seventy-one.

But the things we found in there, my god. Well, you've been with the Foundation a while, they wouldn't seem as amazing to you, but we found toy guns that shot real bullets. A yo-yo that would flay the skin from anyone it touched, hammers that only worked on human flesh. A breed of skeletal horse that ran faster than anything we'd ever seen. Cloaks that seemed woven from the night itself, and let men access a shadowy dimension that… I get away from myself. We found tools, both wondrous and horrible. And we were faced with a choice.

I gathered my highest ranking, well, we'll call them officers, to me, and we tried to figure out what we would do. They all had opinions. The Chaplain, he had gone a little crazed. Thought all these objects must be miracles sent from god, holy relics to be worshipped. Marshall and his little toady Dawkins thought there was a fortune to be made here, making and selling these things to the highest bidder. The Injun we all called Bass, due to his deep speaking voice, he called these things an abomination, and declared that we should hunt down and destroy everything we could find. And Smith thought we should take this stuff back to the president. The only one without an opinion was the old man, but he never said much of anything anyways. We argued for hours, days, trying to work it out. Me, I thought we were sitting on a gold mine, all right. But that we could use these things, these objects, to hunt down some of the scary things we'd run into down South, the other monsters this world had to offer, and use this factory for good, as a place to contain these things, find a way to make them work for our fellow man, or at least protect our fellow man from having to deal with them.

I'm sure you can figure out what happened. The Chaplain snuck away in the night with his devotees, taking a couple of small items with him. Marshall we kicked out when we found him… abusing his authority. He promised he'd get revenge, and that little Dawkins shit led the rest of their group off with some of the juicier items. Bass and his people tried to light the whole damn thing on fire, then just left when it didn't work. And Smith left, to report back to the president. I did manage to get him to promise me he'd tell Grant the Factory had been destroyed. I had big plans for that place.

A'course, it was kinda hard to follow through on big plans when you only have 12 other people to work with. But it was a start.

And it worked, for a while. We had these amazing toys, and finding people to work with us was easy. Back then, going off the grid was as simple as leaving town. We knew what we wanted, we knew what we could be.

Leventhal set out getting us backing. A simple invention here, some well invested money there, it all worked out. White and Jones set out getting us… other backing. In our previous work we'd found out some interesting things about people. Some secrets that powerful men didn't want getting out. And, with our new position helping keep secrets, we got more people asking us to deal with their secrets. Blackmail is a dirty word, but it works. Bright, Argent and Lumineux got to work cataloging the items. Light and Bright's wife, the nurse, they made sure we kept ourselves healthy. Heh. No, it's just, remembering Light. She had such unusual ideas about hygiene, for the time. Brilliant woman. Czov, Fleischer and Carnoff dealt with training the troops. Tesla and Tamlin were in charge of figuring out how to take advantage of the items, without making it obvious.

We were amazing. The city we built around the Factory, which we took to calling Site Alpha, was self supporting. Agents, researchers, operatives of all sorts… not by those names, of course, but those positions. We expanded.

…

I'm sorry, I am an old man. I know I do not look it, but the body lies. The mind… doesn't always remember right. And sometimes I get lost in my memories. Things get confused. But, the long and simple of it is this: We used the Factory. It always seemed to have more empty rooms to store things in. Back then, that was the word for them, things. No Skips then, no. We thought we had the Factory tamed. That's one of the reasons I refuse to quit this job. If there's anything I can do here, it's remind people that we will NEVER tame these things. Contain them, yes, but as we saw with Able, tame them? Never.

After a decade or so, we were pretty organized. The 13 original of us were being called by numbers, not names. We knew how to make things work. And, if a thing or two vanished inside of the Factory, still? And the occasional D-class? What? Yes, we had D-class back then. Disposables. That's where the D comes from. Had to have someone to test things on, Tesla and Tamlin were both very firm about that. But, yes, sometimes we lost people who didn't matter. Adam… sorry, Dr. Bright, was fond of saying it was the Factory taking its toll. You can't get something for nothing.

1911 was when it all went wrong. Things… we called them faeries. An entire race of things, living beside us. They could look the same as you or I. The only obvious difference was an allergy to Iron. Yes, that's why we called them faeries. No, you haven't heard of them. Why? Because it's the one time the Foundation wiped out an entire race of things. Root and branch. And I'm the one who did it.

We'd been hunting them for some time. We'd run into them a time or two before, come out on top. So, when a certain royal asked us for help, of course we were eager to get them in our debt. We've always loved having people in our debt. We sent a team to help out, take care of what we thought was a hunting party. The next time we saw them, their heads were on poles, attached to the saddles of the creatures the Faeries rode, when they attacked the Factory.

It was horrible.

Three words, but they convey so much. I have never… I'm sorry, please, give me a moment. I've never told this part to anyone. You should consider yourself lucky. And, if you ever tell anyone any of what I am about to impart on you, I will not just kill you, but everyone who shares your DNA, in the worst ways possible. You'll think Procedure 110-Montauk is a walk in the park compared to what I do to you.

We lost. The things came, and they destroyed us. Rode over our emplacements, slaughtered our people, shrugged off our weapons like they were nothing. I watched my thirteen go down, left and right, just trying to hold the Factory. And I? I, their leader, their friend, their father figure? Godfather to the Bright's four young children. Confidant, sometimes lover, always the confessor? I ran. I ran like a scared little school boy, deep into the dark guts of the Factory. I was chased by the things, always just one step ahead. I could hear them behind me, feel their breath upon my neck, and …

I came to a door I'd never seen before. A bronze door, covered in Arabic script of some sort. I've never been one for languages, especially not the curvy bullshit the musselmen use. But I didn't care. They were coming for me, and I threw the door open and dived through it. Everything inside… was different. There was a feeling of peace, that nothing could hurt me here. The light was this dark red, but still felt right. My ears were filled with the steady thrumming of a gigantic heartbeat. And, in front of me, were the remains of Anderson. It spoke to me then, but I'll be damned if I could tell you exactly what it said. What it told me was more meaning, than exact. It offered me hope. It told me… it told me that each of the things we had used from the Factory, no matter what we did with them, fed it. Helped it grow. But, if the Faeries took the Factory, they would destroy it, and we couldn't have that. It offered me… a deal. It could remove this event. Make it have never happened. All I needed to give it was… us.

I didn't want to. I knew it was a bad idea. But then, I saw them again, my family, my friends, dead. Dead by the hands of those bastards… I agreed. It smiled. And I found myself once more upon the ramparts, watching the horde of Faeries crest the hill. My Foundation alive once more. In my hands was a weapon. I won't bore you with the details, but we slaughtered them. And, with these new weapons, continued to slaughter them, everywhere they lived, everywhere they bred. My fellow O5s questioned my decision, thinking we should save some, in case we might ever need them… I overruled them.

We moved away from the Factory. Shut it down. Moved our things out of there. We changed the name from things to Special Containment Protocols, focusing on containing them, not… anything else. The others were curious, but understood I had my reasons. I boarded up the Factory. Locked it shut. Buried it under a ton of rubble, saying it was too dangerous. I thought… thought I'd gotten away with it. Until I found a thing on my desk. One of the old toy guns that shot real bullets. And it had the Factory label on it.

… I've sent people in, from time to time, to see what it might be doing. Last time I sent people in to look, there was nothing there. We keep finding Factory items out there. I can't help but think of how many more we don't find. The people who use them, and keep it hidden. I think back to the body telling me how each item used gave energy to the Factory. I never asked it 'energy for what?' I don't think I want to know.

What do we give it? D-class, mostly. Where DID you think all those bodies went? There's a place. Bodies are left, and they vanish. Everyone thinks I'm a genius for figuring it out. Sometimes… sometimes I have to feed it other things. Researchers. Agents. They never know it's coming. It just reaches out and takes them.

But, in the end, we're doing more good by being here. Whatever the Factory wants, whatever it IS… We're doing good here. I have to believe that.

And now you know. Are you happy? I didn't think so. Why tell you? I'm getting old, Everett. Should I die, someone will have to keep feeding it. Maybe you'll be different. Maybe you'll figure out how to stand up to it.

… But I doubt it.

#scp foundation #scp fandom #scp 001

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cbings · 4 years ago

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㊛ ⋛ TASK #001

It was a cold and rainy day in Manhattan while the Bings were gathered around the kitchen table of their Upper East Side apartment. The house in Westchester County was being renovated so tensions were already particularly high thanks to Monica’s neurotic habits and Chandler’s easygoing disposition. Chris’ incessant spending only exacerbated the issue.

Christian had returned from an afternoon of shopping at Kith where he picked up the latest sneakers he had his eyes on along with his usual treat from the apparel store: A signature Kae Dot milkshake. Making his way to the stairs, he stopped once his parents called his name. “Uh.. yes?”

“Come in the kitchen, Christian.” Monica yelled loud enough for him to hear.

Rolling his eyes, Chris walked into the kitchen and hopped up on the marble island. “Hey. What’s up?” The male questioned as he placed his shopping bags down and lifted the milkshake to his lips.

“Well, son. Your mother and I were going over our bank statements and it appears that your purchases...” He trailed off while frantically punching in numbers on his calculator. “are double the amount of money needed to run the state of Oklahoma.”

“What do you mean?” The young man questioned with his brow raised.

“What? What do we mean?” Monica asked rhetorically while pushing the bank statements towards her son. “You’ve spent over $200,000 just last month alone. That’s ridiculous!”

“Yeah! And—and irresponsible!” Chandler added on.

“This is bullshit.” Chris was confused as to why his parents were badgering him about frivolous numbers. He expected it from Chandler, but Monica typically overlooked his spending habits. His father would bring it up, but she’d always shut it down.

“Honey, you have no direction. You just graduated from Columbia and you’re not even applying for jobs. Do you know how many well-paying jobs you can get?”

“God. Can I enjoy my accomplishment first? I don’t need to throw myself into work to prove my value as a person or make awkward jokes for validation.” He spat while motioning in between his parents. Chris felt his milestone warranted several “special” purchases, but it was no reason for his parents to bug out.

“These shoes. How’d you pay for them?” Monica questioned.

“With my credit card…” Chris answered flatly.

“And who pays for that?” His mother interrogated him.

“You guys.”

As if to cosign the point Monica was making, Chandler flailed his arms about. “Um, exactly!” The older male exclaimed.

“You can’t live off of us your whole life, sweetie. Your work ethic needs improvement. You’re a Bing for God’s sake.”

“Yeah.. you say that as if it’s supposed to mean something.” Christian retorted with a small chuckle. Seeing his parents’ unamused faces caused him to shrug slightly. Reluctantly, Chris spread out all of his credit cards onto the marble island. “This is cruel and unusual punishment.”

Chandler passed his son the scissors while chanting the word, “Cut.”

The young man grudgingly cut his credit cards in half, a blank expression painted on his face. “Like I told your aunt Rachel, welcome to the real world. It sucks, but you’re gonna love it.” Monica beamed while squeezing the side of Chris’ face.

It was the beginning of the end. @sghqs

#〞 ⌜CB⌟ * TSKS. ♯

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arsenicpanda · 4 years ago

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1. do your work!!!! but also 2. pls rank the serpents for me from fav to least fav.

lol, I’m gonna assume that means bughead

001| bughead

when I started shipping it if I did: I literally have no idea. I wish I could tell you, but all I know is that when my friend and I got to the 1x06 kiss I was like “YESSSSSS”

my thoughts: Man, what can I say that I haven’t said before? I think they’re two of the most compatible characters I’ve ever seen in anything, in interests, in priorities, in attitudes, in world views, in sexual preferences, in intellect, in just anything and everything. Like, all my favorite ships are soulmates in my mind, by jfc, these two are SOULMATES. It’s hard to imagine a world where they don’t end up together in some fashion or at least with a very deep bond (or a lot of hurt from a severed bond). I also really love that Betty is mostly rational and will doubt Jughead’s nonsense; that is, until he or something else manages to convince her it’s not nonsense and she gets on board with it, at which point watch the fuck out, choo choo, all above the crazy conspiracy train, motherfuckers. Meanwhile, Betty has her own outlandish ideas, which Jughead also sometimes doubts (although not as frequently), but he always supports them anyway because he trusts her judgment, although I’m sure he’d step in if things went too far. I feel like there’s a danger with them, though, that they could let their biases and blind spots get the better of them and turn onto a dangerous, cruel track that they would be convinced was the Right and Just one, and I think that they could absolutely confirm each other’s stances and they would trust each other’s opinions over the more rational ones of anyone else. There’s a real possibility for Betty and Jughead to become the villains of the story, not that the show will ever explore that, and I find that very, very interesting. Also, they would be the world’s most protective parents, jfc, imagine if their kid got bullied, they would ensure that other kid was destroyed

What makes me happy about them: They’re just fucking adorable together and sexy together and crazy compatible and crazy in love. Watching them make heart eyes at each other, watching them bone, and watching them investigate together bring me great joy

What makes me sad about them: The cheating and the breakup and the b/a and the SEVEN YEARS APART and also all the trauma and the alcoholism ;_;

things done in fanfic that annoys me: When Serpent Jughead is a douchey Bad Boy instead of this guy who is overly intense and extremely committed to his community and constantly ready to FIGHT for it; Serpent Jughead is the world’s most annoying Jughead because he is not only ready to argue with anyone and everyone, he is about to argue with anyone and everyone, someone please stop him, and I don’t know why you’d trade something as ridiculous and fun as “Local Gang Leader Petitions City Hall, Hates Drugs, and Ensure the Safety of His Community (Possibly With Punching)” for “Generic Bad Boy #23435″. Also irritating: Betty being a complete sweetheart with no edge instead of someone with a good heart who will absolutely cut you if she thinks it’s necessary and right. Oh, and when Jughead just doesn’t have an interest in writing (or an equivalent creative pursuit). As a side not, when their parents are made a lot better or a lot worse than they actually are in canon; like, you can’t ignore that they’re terrible, but there’s really no need to make them any worse than they are because they already really suck. Oh, and alcoholic Jughead is a dealbreaker, I guess excepting canon compliant fic now gdi

things I look for in fanfic: P I N I N G, especially from Betty’s end. For canon compliant fic, I love a dash of “Jughead has been crazy about her for YEARS”, especially if we get a glimpse at smitten, bby!Jughead. I also love a well-done Serpent Jughead, and friendships with Jughead and the other Serpents are always a big plus for me, as is any friendship between Betty and Veronica and Kevin. If the fic is comedic and has a strong supporting cast, I am especially down for it; Betty and Jughead are both so fucking ridiculous, and I think there’s a lot of comedic potential in them in general and also in putting them in regular situations because I do not think they would respond like regular people. Also a bonus: Jughead being The Most and Betty being Intense and both of them being insufferable. Oh and tropes upon tropes upon tropes, with a special shout out to there was only one bed

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: I’m down for jopaz and jabitha for Jughead, beronica for Betty long term and some hatesex bonna short term

My happily ever after for them: at this point, leaving Riverdale forever and opening a Private Investigation agency in a city, with Jughead writing novels based on their adventures, maybe with a side of kids in the future

who is the big spoon/little spoon: Canonically Jughead is the big spoon and Betty is the little spoon

what is their favorite non-sexual activity: Investigations, 100%

003 | teen Serpents + Joaquin

1. Jughead: Look. I love him. He’s a disaster. He loves his community. He loves Betty. In general, he loves deeply but also really guards his heart. He does crazy shit with the best crazy eyes. He’s The Best.

2. Toni: She is such a delight. She just does not take people’s shit--with the exception of Cheryl, for better or for worse--and that’s so fun to watch. She also cares a lot about her community, which I find very fun. Also she, like all the other Serpents except Fangs, can be mean and I think that’s great.

3. Sweet Pea: Just. The surliest boy. So grumpy, but his smile is so cute. Always ready to fight anyone and everyone, but also really cares about his friends and the Serpents. Looks cool, absolutely is a loser.

4. Fangs: A sweetheart with a nebulous personality. Really fun to watch with Sweet Pea and Jughead and Kevin, but I barely understand who he is. An enigma. I love him anyway.

5. Joaquin: I am sorry, Joaquin, but I know nothing about you except that you really like Kevin, so you are my least favorite, but know that I still think you’re neat!

#asks #sullypants #Riverdale #Riverdale season 5 #but like only barely #bughead #teen Serpents #'idk what I can say that I haven't already said *writes almost 300 words*' askdjflsjf why am I like this #my thoughts on Riverdale let me show you them

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pathogenliliaceae · 3 years ago

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Let the games begin. To go off on: Mia. To explore changes, potential, concerns, etc: Jill.

Oh! Cooperation is lovely! Thank you, Anonymous! This may be a bit longwinded... We'll give Mia a go first.

My Thoughts on Mia Winters:

I make no secrets that my analysis on Mia will be full of speculation. Quite honestly, though she's been in more games than some of our series protagonists, there isn't much that is truly known about her (Ha, I put "it" and had to correct myself). She is full of mystery, and while that functionally works for Ada and her behind-the-scenes mischief, there is something that absolutely irks me about the enigma that is Mia's purpose.

I think this is why: While Ada ends up being beneficial in some circumstance, Mia finds herself in need of rescuing. We are two for two, at this point. Her presence in both games is inconsequential. Everything that happens involving Mia could have been just as easily expressed in a memo or through cutscenes. Those of you who enjoy her will defend that she did not ask Ethan to come and rescue her in Seven, but truly I am not entirely convinced nor sure of how much of Mia's actions are the E-001 mould or are her own. Therefore, we cannot pick and choose.

We can, however, analyse what Mia was like prior to the E-001 infection.

Let us talk first about the organisation she finds herself involved with. The Connections, founded by Brandon Bailey, who you may recognise from memos in Five- a protégé of Dr. James Marcus. From what I can tell, The Connections does not have much to do with anything other than the E-series. They (he?) attempted partnership with HCF in the early 2000s, but the only bit of information I can find about what they did states that they only managed to "revolutionise" mind-control experiments through the use of fungus. Fungus which they obtained from Miranda under the false pretense that they would use it to resurrect Eva. Right, then- Mia joins them in 2010.

The timeline is a bit wonky in this bit, but stick with me as I try to make some sense of it. Mia and Ethan date in Texas (video games tell me that the most awful things happen in Texas) in the early 2000s, and marry in 2011. Therefore, it is (hopefully) assumed that their relationship was at least somewhat serious prior to Mia joining The Connections in 2010. One would assume that they engaged and Mia celebrated by becoming a bioterrorist. I understand, though. Weddings are expensive.

Mia keeps her job a secret from her to-be, and later- current, husband. She tells him she works as a "worker for a trading company", which- shame on Ethan for not asking more questions to uncover that elaborate ruse. That story falls apart if you brush it with a feather. She even calls the transport and handling of Eveline a "babysitting job" in her video to Ethan at the beginning of Seven. Oh, Ethan, you absolute moron. We should expect that he does suspect something, at least, as in her second video that she attempts to send she states "You're right, I have been lying to you". In October 2014, Mia and Alan spirit Eveline away, intentionally across the Atlantic, and presumably transporting her to Miranda, because the BSAA uncovered the facility (I am unsure where the facility Eveline was conceived in is located. I assume Texas, as Mia joined The Connections in Texas, and Louisiana is on the way from Texas to Romania). I am aware that some articles state that the Annabelle was headed to Central America, but I cannot find citation of it in a memo, nor remember it in my playthrough of Seven. She is "killed" (fails at containment) whilst "trading goods" (smuggling a sentient bioweapon). Ethan presumably moves on with his life, all the better for no longer having Mia as a spouse. ... Until July, 2017. All bad things happen in July in this series. Arklay, Lanshiang, now this.

As we cannot be certain that Mia is not lying, due to her track record, I will state that we cannot be sure that she did not lure Ethan to Dulvey, and therefore is entirely involved in the events of Seven, from transport to finality. Mia, canonically, unfortunately, is "cured" with the serum and evacuated from the Dulvey Estate by Blue Umbrella (which I take absolute issue with).

I've said this timeline is a mess, and my thoughts are equally messy, so I apologise again. We'll move on to Village and the bulk of what I suspect is Mia's covert (if you could call it covert) allied relationship with Miranda. Previous to October 2014, Miranda travelled to The Connections facility that was housing Eveline. There, she met and conversed with both Mia and Alan. Both were working in tandem for and with The Connections, and both were intimately involved in the E-series.

Back to the whole transporting Eveline across the ocean bit, because I've just had a thought, just WHO approves of transporting a BOW of Eveline's calibre without containment measures and protocols? Oh, yes, it could not possibly backfire that we've given everyone out of the know the impression that this is a family with a not-at-all-dangerous small child. Yes, a gun will fix it. Perfect. Whose idea was this? Mia? Alan? Brandon? Whomever, you're thick.

Anyhow- I wholly and fully believe that Mia's involvement in Village and, by proxy, with Miranda, is willful. They had met before, and by extension had worked together, on the E-series project in specific regard to Eveline and the moulded. Rosemary is born to Mia and Ethan, and the BSAA relocates the Winterses (this still makes me laugh as it does not, at all, roll off the tongue) to Romania. I am not one hundred percent certain how this comes to be the location, as I have faith that Mia would know that Miranda operates nearby. There is too much happenstance for it to not be purposeful. That, however, involves Chris in some fashion and I cannot make that connection in a way that I enjoy it. I like to imagine that Mia simply expressed that she had always wanted to visit Romania, and the BSAA bungled it accordingly.

A bit more on the BSAA in this whole instance: While I do find them entirely insufferable, an utter joke at times, I do believe that some of them are at least somewhat competent. Yes, even Miss Valentine. Canonically, The Connections has a mole in the BSAA. The Connections, who hired Lucas Baker as Head Researcher in the E-series project. The Connections, who trusted Mia to transport a sentient BOW without containment measures. Has a mole. In the BSAA.

Sure.

Anyhow, this "mole" provides Miranda with intel of where the Winterses are living, that they've just had a baby, that both Mia and Ethan are living fungal colonies, and therefore, perhaps, maybe, Rosemary may be a suitable substitute for Eva. Bit of a leap of logic there, but I digress.

This "mole" in the BSAA must absolutely be Mia. I do not think so much it's that she's in the BSAA so much as that she is privy to whatever intel they would have regarding her family because she is a part of it. Again, she would have know they were close to Miranda. "Remember that mouldy pseudo-child BOW that my organisation promised you? Have I got news for you- my husband and I have gone stale, I've got a daughter, and I'm right in the neighbourhood!"

It ultimately makes more sense in the whole of how the universe operates that Mia and Miranda would be in league with one another. One does not simply make connections in... Well, The Connections... For all this to be coincidence.

Miranda takes Mia's forme and then goes on to impersonate Mia for days, her confrontational attitude goes unnoticed by Ethan because Mia's mould-type is of the toxic variety. Allegedly, Mia is captured and holed up in Miranda's lab having been experimented on. The only supporting evidence to Mia having been experimented on is in Eugen's Diary, stating that Miranda asked Eugen to bring her medical equipment and drugs on Wednesday, 3 February 2021. On Friday, 5 February, Miranda had taken Mia's place. And, of course, Mia's claim that she was experimented on and held hostage. I have one question of all of this:

Why would Miranda need to experiment on Mia if she is infected with the same E-series mould that Miranda already has samples and an unlimited supply of due to her proximity to the megamycete? Mia does not state that she is special after being rescued by Chris, only that Ethan is special. I would argue that both are rather run-of-the-mill, but again, I digress. Simply put, I don't believe that she would need to. Us scientists are not in the habit of wanting to perform experiments for the sake of using up supplies.

Furthermore, when Chris finds Mia in Miranda's lab, she is "imprisoned" in oddly the same way as she was in Seven. Behind bars, but unrestrained. In Village, Mia even has relative access to a weapon which she tries to attack Chris with. While Miranda is a mimic, after having obtained target DNA, I do not imagine that it would be easy to have mistaken Chris for Miranda. Unless Miranda regularly comes down to her lab as other people, which would be rather amusing- though setting up for a massive security issue.

If you were to imprison someone for experimentation, it's likely you wouldn't give them anything they could possibly use to attack you with. At least, that's how I would do it in the off chance that for whatever reason I became interested in imprisoning someone against their will for the purpose of science. (Do not read into this, Christiana.)

I believe that Mia intended to attack Chris, and after failing miserably, played the damsel card.

I will end this rambling on this note: She is entirely rude, confrontational, and hostile for someone who has just been rescued from imprisonment and had their baby saved. Honestly, if this is her default personality, who could fault Ethan for not noticing his wife being replaced for three days?

In short: Ethan should have saved Zoe instead. Mia Winters is a false-protagonist who has found herself in more than a few suspicious situations, has proven from the beginning to be a liar, and already has the connection with Miranda that might foster her involvement in the events of Seven and Village.

I'm certain I've missed something further that would be worth discussing. We will cover Jill in another entry as this has run much too long already, and it is time for my job as a worker at a trading company.

#Thoughts on Mia Winters #False protagonist #I quite hate her actually #No one shouts at Chris and gets away with it

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strangergrove · 5 years ago

Text

× VOL 001 × 04.19.2020 ×

TUMBLR | @bambixxblue AO3 | moonlight_xx

× these hearts adore (every other beat, the other one beats for) ×

WORD COUNT: 10,569

CHAPTERS: 2/?

My Tumblr prompt fics all in one place. Some pining, some angst, but usually always a damn happy ending.

1. peach, curve of an ear, coffee grounds, veined hands, thunder

2. ways to say 'i love you' - 'i brought you an umbrella.'

The writing in this is so exquisite. It feels like cracking open a favourite book on a rainy Sunday morning, when the rest of the world is still asleep. It's comforting and poetic and incredibly heartwarming.

The first chapter takes us along on a sweet little vacation to California, a last hurrah of sorts, before the kids head off to college. It's sweet and peach-soaked and you can feel the ocean breeze against your skin with every passing word. It's the exact brand of happiness our boys deserve.

The second part is an achingly beautiful redemption for Billy. He learns how to let his wounds heal, learns how to let others in, learns how to trust and love. His initial interactions when he meets Steve are so precious and it shows how complex of a person he is, the softness beneath his concrete shell. I will devour any update to this amazing collection.

× the light of day shows me how ×

WORD COUNT: 39,173

CHAPTERS: 7/7

And from Robin, a single picture: the official cast list.

ROMEO MONTAGUE...BILLY HARGROVE

JULIET “JULIAN” CAPULET...STEVE HARRINGTON

Ah, fuck.

(or, Steve and Billy are in ballet school. They're cast in LGBT+ Romeo and Juliet. Featuring mutual pining, angst to fluff, and an Ancient Slavic demon cult. It gets weird.)

This is such a fun read. The spattering of background into the story really carves out the characters so well, choreographing the story in such a way that you fall into their lives without realizing it. You sit down to watch Steve practice his role for Julian and suddenly find yourself wondering if that small stutter you just saw has anything to do with any number of little details you know of his past. You see Billy storm across the studio floor and know that he’s trying to bury something that keeps resurfacing, but he refuses to let anyone help him.

It’s wonderful watching the way the boys play off of each other, pushing one another to better themselves in both their dance and their personal lives. Watching Steve fumble with his newfound and confusing feelings is sweet, hopeful, just waiting, waiting for it to tip over the edge, for the boys to fall into the space they’ve always belong: by each other’s side.

I’ve never done ballet, only watched it here and there in movies and shows, but I fell in love with this story, the way their dances are described, their movements. So if you’ve never been that into ballet, don’t let that deter you from reading this story. It’s so much more than just ballet.

× friends should sleep in other beds ×

WORD COUNT: 13,517

CHAPTERS: 2/2

It isn’t easy being in love with your best friend.

It especially isn’t easy being in love with your best friend if he’s the practical-Godfather of your university.

(or, 'I won't let anyone hurt you; you're safe with me' prompt fill where Steve thinks his love is one-sided but it absolutely isn't. Feat. loving girlfriends and Hawaiian vacations.)

This story is beyond achingly stunning. It’s all whirlwinds and longing and the white-knuckle deathgrip of trying to hold onto something you’re convinced is going to slip away. The deep, binding relationship between Billy and Steve is beautiful and heartbreaking and hopeful at the same time. Both characters have obvious trenches of emotional trauma they’ve had to trudge through to get where they are, trenches they’re still slowly crawling their ways out of.

The words are so wonderfully crafted that I felt the sway and break of Steve’s emotions at the same time he did. I felt the longing, the sorrow, the sputtering flame of hope that just refuses to gutter and die. I want to say I wanted more of this story, but I don’t know if my heart could have handled it. No, it was the perfect length, detailing the long harrowing journey of love and friendship, of finding family that doesn’t come from blood, of holding desperately onto things that are worth the bruises they leave on your fingers.

TUMBLR | @cameorabbit AO3 | CaffeinatedBunny

× Life Is Sweet ×

WORD COUNT: 8,676

CHAPTERS: 4/4

Snapshots of domestic bliss, between loving boyfriends.

(This story will be marked as complete but I will be adding chapters as the muses come to me or when I need a break from some of my larger wip)

This wonderful little collection offers us a sweet insight into the boys' relationship. We get small glimpses into the boys' pasts that add layers to the stories. We get to see little snippets of Steve's relationship with his mother and grandmother. We get to see Billy's insecurities.

Each story has it’s own little theme, if you will, from baking Christmas cookies to battling insecurities in their relationship. Each story gives us a little more, brings us a little deeper into these boys’ lives, adds that next layer to them that has you coming back to see how they’ve developed. I'm looking forward to any future additions to this collection.

× When I run out of road (You bring me Home) ×

WORD COUNT: 5,316

CHAPTERS: 1/1

The road back to Hawkins Indiana is long and tedious with neither of them really wanting to reach their destination; so to distract them both Billy has a plan to make it as pleasurable for both of them as he can.

Uffda. This was a fun read. Now, before I dive into the review, just a heads up: this is a PWP with dom/sub. And apologies in advance for my inability to be eloquent about smut.

The dynamic between the two was a joy to read. Steve's mannerisms as a baby and the way Billy handles him as his Daddy was fantastic. It's not heavy dom/sub here, but you can tell they've had this relationship for a while. They're both comfortable in their roles and both know exactly what they're doing, and how to get a rise out of each other. But between the power play and the drops of backstory, there's actually some beautiful writing here, too. There were a few lines that I found myself rereading just because they sounded beautiful.

Also, I just have to say... The way Billy handles his own cock... Why do I love that so much? Just little things, too, like tapping it against the steering wheel while he's teasing Steve.

× I'll Keep you Mine ×

WORD COUNT: 3,926

CHAPTERS: 1/1

Billy's forged a kingdom and took an empty throne, and he'll burn anyone and anything that tries to take it from him.

(My Dudes this whole story is pretty much the Grumpy Possessive one claims the Sunshine One - Literally. And I ain't even mad.)

Here we get a gorgeously written tale that spins the events of the Upside Down in a different light. I don't want to spoil what that is, as it's not explicitly stated in the summary or tags, so you'll have to read to find out! This idea could easily be fleshed out into a much longer piece, but there's also something about just getting a small taste of an idea that is very enjoyable.

There is this persistent sense of danger beneath all the beautiful imagery. It's in the pacing of the story, in the way Billy needs to claim Steve. We get enough of a taste of this otherness to want more, to want to see exactly how everything unfolds.

TUMBLR | @wickedlydevious AO3 | wickedlydevious

× Weak Hands, Weak Lungs, Strong Heart ×

SERIES: Strong Heart

WORD COUNT: 2,771

CHAPTERS: 1/1

After the events at Starcourt Mall, Billy is recovering in the hospital and bored out of his mind. The only bright spots are when Max comes to visit.

And then Steve Harrington starts visiting too and that's even better.

There is a very beautiful light and warmth throughout this story. Billy's character feels so accurate, and the way he deals with being in the hospital and everything that entails is exquisitely portrayed here. What Billy has to deal with in the wake of the Mind Flayer grates against his entire personality, but it forces him to step outside of his comfort zone, outside of himself, and relearn how to interact with people, namely Steve.

The thing I loved most about this story is that we get to see these different facets of Billy, facets that maybe even he didn't really know were there, ones he never allowed himself to show because of his father. Still recovering, still being dependent on other people forces these different aspects of him into the world, and it's beautiful. It creates this very special sort of relationship between Billy and Steve that is just so pure and heart warming. I'll definitely be coming back to this when I need a spark of joy.

× Weak Backbone, Strong Convictions ×

SERIES: Strong Heart

WORD COUNT: 3,212

CHAPTERS: 1/1

After the events at Starcourt Mall, Steve starts bringing Max to visit Billy at the hospital.

And then Steve starts visiting on his own.

The sweetness continues with the second part of the Strong Heart series. The events of the first part are retold, but this time through Steve's POV. I've always loved the idea of telling the same events from different perspectives and this did not disappoint. The events may be the same, but you feel them differently than when they were told through Billy's perspective. Though the tone of the previous installation is ultimately uplifting, it's clear Billy is struggling. This part, however, is overflowing with hope, which only adds to the already beautiful feeling of the last piece. Don't think that because you already know the events that will take place because you read the last part that you shouldn't read this one. It's beautiful and moving and there are moments added that would be a shame to miss out on. I really hope this series continues, because it is wonderfully uplifting, but it stands strong all the same, just as it is.

× T(h)ree Mistakes ×

WORD COUNT: 4,559

CHAPTERS: 1/1

It’s their first Christmas in their own apartment and Steve reluctantly tasks Billy with getting the tree.

Mistakes are made.

This is a great read for the holidays. Billy's tree-getting adventures brought back so many memories of going to the tree farm down the road from our house as a kid and making a day of trying to find a tree that didn't look like trash and wouldn't break the bank. The feel of the story is cozy and sweet, like a warm and sleepy holiday morning. The kids, now teens, make a short but fun appearance that really makes this story feel like it's about found family.

This story is like coming home, rounding up all of your best friends you haven’t seen in ages, and making a night of the holidays. It’s sipping eggnog, the lights turned down low, and listening to the sweet croon of gentle music somewhere in the house. This story is comfort and happiness and love. Now I want some hot apple cider...

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FIND ALL VOLUMES HERE

#Harringrove #Harringrove fic #fic rec #creator spotlight #billy hargrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #steve x billy #Creator appreciation

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ghostwoo · 4 years ago

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── ❝ 001 : CHARACTER STUDY: SUNWOO SEONG ❞ ───

Name: Sunwoo “Sean” Seong

Age: 26

Gender: Nonbinary Male

Pronouns: He / him + They / them

Birthday: Saturday, January 01st 1994 at 06:59 AM

Zodiac sign: Capricorn

Enneagram Type: Type 8 — THE CHALLENGER

Character Alignment: Chaotic Good

Myers-Briggs Type: ENTJ-A

Chinese Zodiac Sign: Rooster

Birthplace: Santa Monica, California ( Pico District )

Ethnicity: Korean American

Current Location: Downtown Santa Monica

Occupation: Reference Librarian / Anonymous Street Artist

Sexual Orientation: Pansexual + Demisexual

Relationship Status: Single

Nicknames / Aliases: — “Sol” ( artist tag / alias ) — “Sean” ( acquaintances / generally ) — “Sunny” ( close friends & family )

── ❝ HEADCANON COUNTDOWN ❞ ───

5. FIVE HEADCANONS ABOUT:

Mental Health.

O1. While Sunwoo doesn’t have any psychological disorders that are massively disruptive to their lifestyle, they do exhibit signs of mild narcissism and characteristics of OCD.

Sexual Orientation.

O2. Sunwoo identifies as pansexual and demisexual. They feel sexual attraction once they have a close emotional bond with someone, and that someone can be anyone regardless of gender.

Their Appearance.

O3. Their appearance is one of the things they take the most care and pride in. They don’t make a large effort to look flashy, but they like to have an unique flare to their style no matter where they’re going. For work they make ‘business-casual’ attire look formal. For casual gatherings, it might be comfortable but it also looks ridiculously coordinated and cool. They’ve picked up their tricks from looking through countless fashion mags while cataloguing at the library but fashion is a general interest of theirs. Especially since California is a lively state with an infinite pace of styles.

History of their name.

O4. It is one of the Seong family traditions that the parents pick the name of their firstborn grandchild, so Sunwoo’s grandparents chose their name as they’re his mother’s firstborn. Sunwoo’s grandparents chose the name because it sounded mighty and powerful for a boy. But the tradition is also why Sunwoo cracks jokes about how their little brother gets away with getting a generalized name. Sean is the name they chose to generally introduce themselves to people as.

O5. As for their tag name “Sol”, Sunwoo adopted the name during their time doing community service when serving as a volunteer at the library. They became obsessed with mythology and studying the different types of it. The name Sol was always associated with the sun, much like their own name was. On top of that, they embrace the name even more because of its interchange of pronunciation between the word “soul” ( which they feel all art speaks from + calling themselves the ‘soul’ of Pico ) and Seoul, the capital of South Korea, and a homage to their roots.

4. FOUR HEADCANONS ABOUT:

Academics.

O1. After graduating high school, Sunwoo jumps in to study at UCLA. At the age of 20 after interning at Los Angeles County Museum of Art, they complete their two year program and receive their master’s degree in Library and Information Science (MLIS) with special concentrations in academics, reference, and user services.

Favorite Things.

Three things Sunwoo cannot function too far without:

O2. Diet Coca Cola ( they’re always seen with one. It’s a pretty unhealthy habit they’re busy trying to break. )

O3. a nice watch ( they love having matching watches to go with their outfits )

O4. and a fidget spinner. ( Sunwoo enjoys spinning them when he’s idle at work or in deep thought. They can do a few tricks. Their little brother turned them onto these after leaving a few at his apartment by accident. )

3. THREE HEADCANONS ABOUT:

Languages spoken.

O1. Sunwoo can speak in English, Korean, and Spanish fluently. They started to pick up Spanish from friends as a teen and chose to completely commit to learning the language when they noticed a need for speakers during their time doing community service work at the library. Between learning Mandarin and Spanish, both predominant languages in the community, Sunwoo opt for Spanish not only for the need but also? They quietly enjoy the shock of people have when an Asian begins fluently speaks the language.

Home life.

O2. Sunwoo was raised in a single-parent home, since their dad walked out on their family when they turned 17. He went off to marry another woman and began a family of his own and Sunwoo resents him for it. Otherwise, Sunwoo’s mom and his baby brother, Mason are their world and he would do anything for them. He was quick to readjust his more reckless behavior to be a better role model for Mason after their dad left. He moved out from their home in the Pico District to an apartment Downtown when they were 21.

Ethnicity/Culture.

O3. Though they were born in America they’re not shy in embracing their Korean heritage and roots. They’re very proud and appreciative of their culture and though Mason doesn’t appreciate it as deeply as Sunwoo does, they’re glad that their mother didn’t shy away from sharing and raising her boys around it despite it being in a different country.

2. TWO HEADCANONS ABOUT:

Favorite Food.

O2. Sunwoo loves loves loves pizza. If pizza is mentioned you could make them budge on close to anything. There are so many types of pizza and pizza combinations in the world you can never ever get bored.

Their Workplace.

O1. The library is their home away from home. They’ve been working at the Main Branch in the head reference librarian in the reference department for five years. Their desk and workspace is very neat. They have a two art prints and photos of them and their family framed around their desk. There’s also a small personal collection of their favorite philosophy books on display, a small desk plant, and a glass dragon egg for display simply for the aesthetic. They make sure their desk always remains neat and clean.

1. ONE HEADCANON ABOUT:

Defining moment + A Goal.

O1. It was a impromptu, spur of the moment visit back to the neighborhoods of Pico one day. They were pretty upset over something, and if you asked Sunwoo now, they still couldn’t tell you what it was exactly. All they knew was the only way to make themselves feel better was the comfort food served in a local corner store they used to frequent so often as a kid. It was a hotspot among many in the neighborhood and the family that ran it was always friendly and there was no way you could be mad once interacting with them.

Except when Sunwoo arrived, the corner store was shut down and instead had an obnoxious sign nailed outside the building about a reconstruction for a new shopping center instead. Sunwoo was baffled, wondering how many people knew, knowing the closure had to be fresh because there were a handful of people in their contacts that would’ve told them of any premeditated closures. They wondered if the family had much of a warning, as Sunwoo knew for years the business was how they made their living. The entire situation ignited a blazing fire with them. The projects of building around Pico wasn’t new per say, but this was too close to home. For a shopping center? For who’s benefit? It hit too close to home. It was too close to someone else’s home.

After days of digging, reconstructing the story on the closure, hearing more stories of displacement, and reading into the million dollar projects that would be appearing in the area of Pico over the next few years, Sunwoo’s kindled anger had become an entire firestorm.

Those they said they did, the city didn’t really care. The “betterment” of the district was at the expense of the people who lived there their entire lives. Sunwoo was one of those people. No matter how far they moved, Pico was always home.

Despite being better in the eyes of the law, serving the community to dismiss older incidents of graffiti tagging as a teen, Sunwoo picked up some old spray cans. They came back to the corner store, now sad and deserted, and went at the sign that showcased the pristine future shopping center: ‘F*CK YOU’.

It was aggressive, it was all rage, it was relieving. But it could be better. They could be better. It was start of a war, but not the one Sunwoo could see themselves continuing. Their noise couldn’t be bleak and dark like most taggers resorted to. It had to be bright. It had to paint the town, it had to speak loud and illuminate Pico to prove to Santa Monica it was something worth saving.

Pico had to have a light. And Sol would be the one to do it.

#sm:task #sm:talk #//i smashed two into one and hm lets say this unintentionally got Long™ 😰😰 pls forgive if you read thru #( sunnygraphics )

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animalsweaters · 4 years ago

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rachel’s had her entire life planned out since the age of four . choking on don’t rain on my parade for her nyada audition wasn’t included . her entire world was upside down . she spent the first 12 hours curled up in bed crying . the next twelve she sat in silence . she’s barely slept . barely had anything to eat . she’s not only embarrassed but disappointed . and most importantly she feels as though she’s disappointed barbra . she cried into noah’s arms the day it happened until she eventually crashed for an hour or two max .

it’s been a couple of days and she hasn’t really moved much , her dads constantly checking in on her . thats who she assumes it is when her door opens , except its not them . it’s noah . she doesn’t have the energy to fight him . but she does manage to shuffle a little so he can squeeze in behind her . ❝ can we just stay here ? ❞ her words are quiet , teeth gnawing at the inside of her cheek . rachel’s not ready to face the world quite yet . she relaxes against him and his lips against her shoulder is soothing . ❝ maybe , and i mean maybe we could get some chinese or something ... ❞ it’s a start . he has to give her that . ❝ maybe we could watch something you want ... maybe one of those superhero action space movies you like . ❞ a beat . ❝ you’ve been trying to get me to watch one for how long now ? ❞

@oflettermanjackets / continued .

#oflettermanjackets #‹ script. / i’m like tinkerbell‚ i need applause to live. ›#‹ 001. / being apart of something special‚ makes you special. ›#me @ rachel: do u mean avengers ... star wars ... something dc ??? idk #but lbh she probs won't really watch she'll just wanna be cuddled up to him uvu #anyways i've wanted to respond to this bc i like pain :')))

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vandbaerer · 7 years ago

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@burglarbravery | random muse generator !

❝ M-maybe it’s better if I give that Maria solo t-t-to Rachel. It seemed like it was really important to her, ❞ Tina admitted, her gaze faltering. That solo had been important to her too, it had been the first one she had earned herself. For the first time, she had the opportunity to shine instead of swaying in the background to Finn and Rachel’s constant duets. She couldn’t believe she’d have to lose it for some girl being petty.

#burglarbravery #( interaction ; tina cohen-chang. )#( verse 001 ; being apart of something special makes you special ; tina. )#( queue ; no business like show business. )

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dvlwthn · 4 years ago

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“ i’m tired –- ” .... of what? “ of surviving and not living. ”

Is that MADISON BAILEY? No, that’s just ALEXIS RYAN KING. They were born on 29/01/99 and are in their THIRD year at Northknot University. They live in Northknot because they are a WEREWOLF from Kaleb’s bloodline (Moon Valley Pack Beta). Some they're COMPASSIONATE and AMBITIOUS, but I’ve heard others say they’re SHORT TEMPERED and SKEPTICAL. When you think of her, don’t you think of A FREE SPIRIT WHO’S ALWAYS LOOKING FOR THE NEXT ADVENTURE, THE SOUND OF THUNDER BEING HEARD FOLLOWED BY STRIKES OF LIGHTNING, HEART OF GOLD THAT WEIGHS HEAVY ?

A E S T H E T I C

dark scars on the heart . thunderstorms ; wild and chaotic . broken girl , fearless woman . stubborn heart . fire in her eyes , darkness in her soul . not afraid to get her hands dirty . just survive somehow . heavy heart , dark past .

Q U O T E S

“ some days i am the flower, some days i am the rain . ” – pavana.

“ she is both hellfire and holy water. and the flavour you taste depends on how you treat her . ” – sneha pal.

“ i wasn’t born soft and quiet. i was born to make the world shatter and shake at my fingertips . ” – unknown.

M U S I C P L A Y E R

“ you keep things bottled up inside–- i wish you'd give someone a try. you fell apart a million times. ” happy face by tate mcrae.

“ listen closely ‘cause no one told me, but you deserve to know: that in this world, you are not beholden. you do not owe them your body and your soul. ” fall in line by christina aguilera.

“ i can bleed, i can hurt. knock me down in the dirt. i am strong i’ll show you even when i’m black and blue: i’m bulletproof. ” bulletproof by dimante.

“ keep me from the cages, under the control.. running in the dark to find east of eden. ” east of eden by zella day

P E R S O N A L I T Y

+ intelligent, protective, and observant - stubborn, distant, and ‘apathetic’

there is a lot that goes into making alexis who she is. from who her family was, to the trauma she experienced, even to her pack. a little bit of everything lives on in her... alexis ryan king is a bit of a conundrum to be honest. she’s protective yet distant. after losing her family, she doesn’t want to feel that loss again. so she tries to keep her distance, the less people around her, the less people she can hurt over is something happens... but she can’t always help how close she gets and to those that manage to become close to her, she very protective over because, again, she doesn’t want to lose them. the young woman TRIES to be apathetic, hopes that if she can act like she doesn’t care long enough she just won’t... it’s hard not to try to fin way to protect yourself (physically and emotionally). so she tries to focus on school or work. just to keep her mind busy.. but she can’t JUST survive anymore. she wants to live her life... live the life her father made sure she could... she has to do it for him, for all of them.

H E A D C A N O N S

001. alexis was born to into a family of wolves, she had two older brother and two younger brothers. both of her parents were very in touch with their wolf side, which made alexis and her siblings feel very much the same. they all loved what they were, even if at times they seemed to lose control... the king pack was very in touch with nature and life, so after each kill they had a little goodbye prayer for. tibi gratias ago pro tui sacrificium tuum pugnet ( thank you for your sacrifice, your fight is over ). no kill was taken advantage of or forgotten. the family paid respects to every living thing they killed (human or animal). alexis was never sure if it was their way of honouring kaleb or just the way her parent were.

002. while most supernatural creatures had started to live in harmony and even had a special location for supernatural only to live, the king family never felt the need to move there. though it was always the plan if things went bad. it was something they talked about since she was a young pup. she never actually thought the time would come.... she especially never thought that she’d have to make the trip solo.

003. a couple of years ago her family was attacked. she had no clue why or what happened, she just remembers that after her and her youngest brother got home from running through the forrest behind their house, she wanted to nap on the floor in the living room. she was asleep when the screaming started but she heard it and started to wake up. by the time she was half awake and trying to process everything, her eldest brother was kneeling next to her and shaking her shoulders. the young girl would never forget the look on his face. wasting no time, the only female child in the king family was up and trying to collect her two younger brothers. “ it’s time to leave. ” her father had told her when he had passed her briefly... but it seemed whomever wanted them dead wasn’t going to allow that. there was fire everywhere, she couldn’t inhale without breathing in smoke. she never understood how it spread so fast. when she found her two younger brothers she remembers instantly falling to her knees and reaching out to try to hold them. their lifeless mangled bodies lay side by side and she couldn’t see past the tears anymore. it was than that her father found her, she could see he was injured and just that look in his eyes... she KNEW no one else survived. her father was yanking on her arm, pulling her away from the scene. he was speaking to her but she couldn’t hear him. it wasn’t till they reach the back of the house that they stopped and her father placed his hands on her shoulders, looked her right in the eye and spoke “ just survive, somehow. ” kissed her forehead and gave her a look that said it all. goodbye. i love you. i’ll hold them off. please survive. i’m sorry. she wanted to scream, scream that he could come with her, or that she’d stay and fight with him... or even die with him. he entire family fell, why did she get to live? but the look he sent her before turning to face the shadows of whoever killed her family told her everything. someone needed to survive this. SHE needed to survive this. so she did.

004. she took her time getting to northknot. it was the plan so she knew where she needed to go, but she was never prepared to make the journey alone. her mind just wasn’t in it. her heart wasn’t in surviving, she wanted to be with her family. but as weak as she felt, she knew she had to keep fighting. her heart and soul were broken, she really didn’t think that anyone or anything at northknot would make it better. but upon arriving she met this older woman... another wolf, and when the lady met her gaze alexis just felt like she could read her like an open book. hated it but also welcomed it at the same time. the lady took her in, helped her settle before introducing her to an alpha.. they all seemed patient with her. and eventually as time went on, the moon valley pack reminded her of her family... and while she felt like an outsider for awhile, they ended up becoming like a second family. it never truly fixed her, but it did make things easier.

005. NOW: she still lived with the woman who took her in and has been going to school at the university. bonds have been formed and while she will always miss her family and sometimes dazes off to think of them, she’s started living her life again. she’s happy here, or at least as happy as one can be after everything she went through.

C O N N E C T I O N S

best friend. could be anyone, pack member or not, but just someone she bonded really well with. someone she can confide in.

ex. it definitely took her awhile to come out of her shell to even think about dating but this person was her first real relationship since arriving to northknot. relationships like this aren’t always meant to last, so it really came as no surprise that they ended... (if you are willing to play her ex, we can talk about how exactly they ended)

friends. friends from school, work (i picture her working at a coffee shop or bookstore to help her with school), pack members, etc. anything and everything.

dislike. maybe a member from a different pack? or maybe even someone from her own pack and they didn’t trust her when she first arrived? idk. we could do anything with this. but it’d be fun.

#nktintro #a. king: intro #species: werewolf #yaaay #done #now i can work on replies #tw death #death tw #tw depression #depression tw

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dackewins1 · 5 years ago

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Windsor Dacke Self Para #001 Crashing Down

It was times like this that everything came crashing down. When the fridge was full, homework was done, practice was over and no one was around. These were the moments' Win hated. The cup of ice had already started melting as he rubbed it up and down his shin. Practice had been hard. His shoulder and side should have felt numb and he knew that he had to take the ice off eventually. They didn’t feel numb. Everything about him ached. His body protested with every back and forth moment as his shin turned pink. He didn’t want to think. He didn’t want to remember. He should go find someone, he should have gone to the kitchens. He should have done something. Instead, the paper cup that once held ice crumpled in his hands.

Everything comes crashing down eventually.

Moving really wasn’t becoming all that special. Win had moved many times in the past that he really didn’t care. He was always ready to move at the drop of a hat. It would take him 3 minutes to grab everything he needed and leave. That was quicker than the average police response. He knew since he’d done it after all. But this time it was different. They told him they were moving to Texas. Texas isn’t bad, they told him. He’d make new friends, as if that wasn’t obvious. That he could still stay in touch with his old friends too. That everything would work out perfectly. Trust us, they said. Come with us, they said. We won’t leave without you. If you want to stay in New York it’s okay. We don’t have to move, we just think we are better suited to live in Texas. Come with us.

He really should have said no.

They didn’t tell him that when they meant they were moving to Texas it meant that week. That he had two days to tell his friends. All of them. That they had actually already told the school he was moving. That his choice wasn’t a choice, that they had already made it for him. They expected him to follow, they just wanted him to agree to move. It was better that way. If he thought he had a say. They always told him he had a say in things. That had never been farther from the truth. He told all of his friends at school. That was simple. The hard part was his true friends. The ones he’d been with for so long.

Kenzie and Fane.

He knew Kenzie would be okay. He’d have to tell her first and she’d cry but he’d promise her he’d stay in touch and everything would be okay. Her parents would give him their address, they’d hug, and everything would be okay. He would still be her friend. Even if they were one thousand five hundred and fifty-some miles apart. Win had done the math, he’d counted. Kenzie cried and he hugged her but it was okay it felt like a see you later not like a goodbye. This wasn’t a goodbye.

Fane would be different.

It would be much different. Win didn’t even know what to say. How did you tell your best friend you were leaving. That you were going one thousand five hundred and fifty-some miles away. How did you even explain the distance? He didn’t want to move, he didn’t want to move, he didn’t want to move- he’d already agreed.

“I’m leaving Fane.” Win twisted his hand behind his back. The nervous tick that so many people had commented on. Keep your back straight, puff out your chest. You're a boy, aren’t you? Act like one.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Fane grinned at him. Fane didn’t know. He didn’t know that wasn't what Win meant. That Win wouldn’t see him tomorrow that was the problem. Win quickly shook his head.

“No, I mean I’m moving again.” Win tried to get his point across.

“Okay well, we’ve been friends even when you don’t live in Brooklyn.” Fane still was smiling at Win.

“I’m moving to Texas!” Win finally yelled feeling his heart clench. He couldn’t cry, this, it didn’t matter they were friends they’d always be friends. Boys didn’t cry.

“What?” Fane looked shocked, the grin dropping from his face.

“I’m moving. To Texas. Tomorrow. I, I didn’t know earlier or I would have told you.” Win kept his voice low, his hands behind his back twisting and tugging at his fingers nervously.

“Oh,” Fane nodded. “I, that's okay. We’ll still be friends and you can write to me.”

“Oh. Okay.” Win nodded and then looked behind him hearing a yell of his name. “I gotta. I gotta go. I’ll write.”

Boys didn’t cry. Win didn’t cry as he left quickly going to the car where he knew his name had been yelled. Even in the car answering meaningless questions, Win did not cry. He would write. He’d keep his word and they would still be friends and somehow Win would get back to New York. He’d do everything he could to get back to New York. Fane would be okay. Win told him he’d write. That was good, that was okay. Win didn’t need to say anything else. Right? This would be okay. Boys did not cry.

Win should have said something better.

Standing up that quickly made his head rush. Ice got pulled off his body plastic film tearing and being dropped to the floor as he leaned against the wall. Boys didn’t cry. Boys didn’t cry. He turned letting his body fall to the ground back against the wall, hands in his hair. Everything that had happened was his fault. He should have said no, he should have protested. Why the fuck did anyone want to go to Texas when they were living in the best city on earth. He left his home, he left his friends. He had spent years in Texas before he finally, finally made it back to New York.

Win hated times like this. When everything came crashing down.

#Win self para #WinMusing

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frozcnhcart · 5 years ago

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Task 001 : Getting to Know You ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

What were their best subject(s) in school?

Literature, History, and Geometry.

Do they have any allergies?

She’s not allergic to anything specific, but her allergies every spring and summer can be fairly intense.

What is their opinion on Mystiques and Supernaturals?

Elsa regards them cautiously. She can’t control her own powers as a Mage and doesn’t understand how others not only have full control, but also show off their abilities without any fear. She actually might be a little jealous. When it comes to Mystiques like Fae and Merfolk, Elsa finds them fascinating and beautiful. Supernaturals are darker and often dangerous, but she sees many of them as just misunderstood. After all, is she not dangerous as well?

How they react to being flirted with? How do they flirt?

While she is very intelligent in most all areas of life, Elsa is completely dense when someone is flirting with her. She doesn’t understand the concept of someone being romantically or sexually interested in her and will almost never read someone’s actions towards her as flirtatious. For that same reason, she herself never flirts.

Do they prefer white, milk, or dark chocolate?

Intensely dark chocolate is the only kind she doesn’t like. She thoroughly enjoys both milk and white and struggles to pick between the two.

How are they with children?

Around children she tends to be rather distance/awkward at first, but if the child is sweet then she all but melts.

Are they religious?

Elsa considers herself to be Agnostic.

Which of the seven deadly sins do they most embody? Which virtue?

None of the sins really align with Elsa’s personality, but if I had to pick one I would probably say Envy? Not that she’s a jealous person, she just constantly wishes for something she does not have (control over herself). As for her heavenly virtue, I think she best aligns with temperance. Her whole life has revolved around self-restraint - though it isn’t exactly a good thing.

What’s their sense of humor like?

Elsa isn’t the type to crack jokes, but she can be heard making little sarcastic comments under her breath every now and then.

How do you know when you’ve upset them?

Concealing her emotions is something she’s become very good at, so if she looks/acts upset then you know you really hurt her. She often has to remove herself from situations where she knows she is becoming upset.

What does their room look like?

Back home in Norway she has a nice size room that she moved into after the accident - she used to share a large room with Anna. The walls are covered in a lilac colored wallpaper on all sides of the room. On the opposite wall from the door there’s a large, triangular window with a widow seat. The color scheme is blue, purple, and white. On the left wall is her bed, a nightstand, and her desk. The right wall is covered in bookshelves with dozens upon dozens books from her childhood into her teenage years. Here in Porthaven, her apartment is very sleek and minimalist. It’s modern, but has a slightly rustic feel to it.

Do they have a favorite color?

Blue. More specifically: icy blue or teal. Though she really likes purple as well.

What do they usually eat for breakfast?

Since taking over the company she’s found herself increasingly more busy in the mornings and often skips breakfast. She often picks up a cup of coffee and a muffin or danish on her way to work. On the weekends when she actually makes an effort to have something substantial for breakfast she enjoys a small fruit and cheese platter with some sort of bread and a soothing cup of tea. Or crepes!

At what time of the day are they most productive/have the most energy?

Elsa doesn’t have much of an issue with being productive except for in the evenings when her energy begins to drain.

How do they handle money?

Elsa is very careful with her money and prefers saving to spending. Outside of necessities she doesn’t often shop for herself. The only time she “indulges” herself is when she occasionally buys herself an expensive clothing item for a formal event. Anna’s spending habits are more difficult to control, but Elsa doesn’t often reprimand her sister about it.

When a craving kicks in what’s the first thing they go for in the kitchen?

Macarons! As a child she used to sneak into the kitchen late at night and bring some back for her and Anna during their midnight adventures. In her current apartment she keeps a small container of them in a cabinet for whenever she needs a sweet pick-me-up.

Are they patient?

Incredibly so, though she does have her limits.

What’s their favorite kind of weather?

Elsa may not like that she has magic, but she truly does love the snow. It’s the weather she feels most comfortable in and she finds it absolutely beautiful.

If they were to attend Hogwarts which house would they be placed in?

Ravenclaw! Once Elsa begins questioning something, she develops an intense need to understand and learn more about it. She also loves learning for the sake of learning and loves to read classic literature. Elsa has incredible creativity, but she puts restraints on herself that limit her expressiveness and individuality.

What is their voice like?

That depends on who she’s talking to. Those closest to her are see a side of her that is gentle and soft-spoken. She sounds lighter and more genuine. At work, around people she finds gruesome, or when she is feeling cautious her voice becomes cold and formal. She can take on a very authoritative tone. For Anna, it’s often a mix of both. Elsa tries to be as gentle and warm as she can to her sister, but often has to become more firm if Anna begins acting out or starts getting too close.

Do they feel like their astrological sign is accurate?

Certainly not. Elsa doesn’t know a whole lot about astrology, but from what she’s heard about Sagittarians remains entirely confused as to how she could be classified as one. She feels much more connected to the star sign that comes the day after her birthday: Capricorn.

Which of the four elements do they feel the most connected to?

Water, of course. Though she does sometimes feel an odd pull towards the other elements. Like she’s drawn to them somehow. She’s not sure if it’s just her mind playing tricks on her or something to do with her being a Mage.

What’s the easiest way to annoy them?

Push her beyond what she’s comfortable with or is willing to permit. People who repeatedly questions her gloves also tend to irritate her.

Can they dance?

She can, but won’t.

What’s their personal style? What do they most often wear?

Multiple layers. Lots of turtlenecks and long sleeves. Color palette consists of blue, teal, dark purple, white, and black. Hair in a neat bun whenever she leaves the house. Minor gold or silver accents. Always gloves.

Are they affiliated with any political groups?

Elsa tries her best to stay out of politics, both for the sake of her company and because she just finds them exhausting.

What is their favorite hobby?

Reading! It’s what she spends a great majority of her free time doing.

Where were they born?

Arendelle, Norway (fictional city located along one of Norway’s many fjords)

What is one question they’ve always wanted an answer to?

“Why was I born with magic?” Her parents never found any trace of Mages in their family tree, nor any other reason as to why Elsa was born with magic.

How do they sleep?

She’s a very light sleeper and is prone to waking up to any noise outside her room. Often has trouble sleeping as well and takes melatonin on the nights she’s most restless. Usually wakes up in the same position she fell asleep in.

What’s their favorite game?

Chess, and she’s very good at it.

Are they a very private person or, for the most part, an open book?

She is incredibly private. The only person who’s really seen a deeper side of Elsa is Anna. If she shares something personal with you without feeling obligated to, then you are a special person. It takes a while for that to happen though. She tends to keep to herself and doesn’t like discussing private matters with anyone outside of her sister.

Have they ever had or currently have any pets?

Anna and Elsa always wanted a pet when they were little, but their parents didn’t think it was a good idea. She currently believes herself to be too busy for a pet of any kind.

Do they have any reoccurring nightmares and/or dreams?

It’s rare that Elsa dreams. Or if she does, she never wakes up with an idea of what it could have been about. On various occasions she does have a reoccurring nightmare - the night when she almost killed Anna. As she’s gotten older the nightmare hasn’t occurred as frequently, but it still makes occasional appearances. On days when she isn’t feeling good she often goes to sleep with her gloves on in case her negative emotions follow her into her dreams as well. As a child she would sometimes wake up from a bad dream to her room covered in ice. It seems like even when she drifts into her subconscious she still can’t control her powers.

Is there a music genre they prefer over all others? How about one they can’t stand?

She adores classical music and often has it playing quietly in the background whenever she’s home. Doesn’t care for most other music genres, as she prefers instrumental songs over those with lyrics.

Have they ever played any sports?

Never on a team or competitively, but she does have a talent for ice skating.

What things make them feel the most comfortable/relaxed?

Being alone (oddly enough), reading, a mug of hot chocolate, and being somewhere high above the ground.

How intuitive are they? Can they read people easily or are they oblivious?

Elsa is pretty intuitive. She’s very wary of people so she looks into everything way too much. She isn’t oblivious to other people’s feelings either, but often feels like she has to ignore them for the sake of keeping her formal composure.

What are their eating habits/typical diet?

Elsa doesn’t eat much. She doesn’t intentionally avoid meals of course, she just often forgets to eat. She’ll get absorbed by work or a book that it’s not until a while later that she feels any hunger. Most days she just has a cup of coffee and a muffin or some other pastry. Lunch is usually whatever she can get ordered to her office. If she’s home then she tends to just lightly snack throughout the day rather than sit down to have a proper meal. She used to be a picky eater, but boarding school helped force her to expand her diet.

Do they have a favorite season? What about a favorite holiday?

Winter! Nothing matches the excitement she felt as a child when she would wake up to the first snowfall of the season. She and Anna would rush outside and spend all day making snowmen and sledding, then cozy up by the fireplace in the evening with their parents drinking hot cocoa. Even after those days were over, she still enjoyed watching other children play in the snow outside. She considers the icy patterns on her window during the winter to be one of the most beautiful things in nature. Her favorite holiday, Christmas, also happens to fall within the winter season.

Are they ruled by logic, emotion, or some combination thereof?

Elsa considers herself to be a very logical person. She thinks with her head before her heart and tries not to let her emotions get in the way of her life. However - whether she’s aware of it or not - many of the important decisions she makes are driven by fear. Fear keeps her from letting people in and being open to new possibilities.

How do they feel in regards to their sexuality and/or gender?

Elsa has always felt comfortable being a woman, but her sexuality is something she’s uncertain of. She tries to never actively think about or question it, but as a teenager it was something that sometimes took up the residence in the back of her mind.

What’s their most distinguishable/noticeable feature?

Definitely her hair. It’s incredibly light - almost unnaturally so - and she keeps it very well taken care of. Unfortunately she usually keeps it up in a bun, so no one really knows it’s true length or volume except for Elsa herself and probably Anna. She also has piercingly blue eyes and very fair skin that help people instantly pick her out from a crowd.

Do they have any particular speech patterns or mannerisms?

She tends to fiddle with her gloves whenever she’s uncomfortable and is prone to keeping her arms crossed at all times. When a stray lock of hair slips out from her bun she is often seen repeatedly tucking it back behind her ear rather than trying to place it back in her updo.

Can they speak more than one language? Do they have an accent?

Elsa is fluent in Norwegian, Danish, French, and English. Since she is from Norway she has a Norwegian accent, but it is slight since she’s been practicing her English since she was a child.

What’s their opinion on Porthaven, Maine?

Her opinion on Porthaven is not yet conclusive, as she’s trying to give herself more time to warm up to the city. However, she does miss Norway and prefers the old cities and fjords of her home to the rocky beaches and modern buildings in Porthaven. She isn’t a fan of how warm it gets in Maine compared to Norway and seeing so many Mystiques and Supernaturals living openly is quite a culture shock.

#task ✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*#phqtask

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