#◖ man of steel . — ‹ recs ⤺ p. ›

[supurman]

new tags ...

[sarahowritesostucky]

📖"Blood Moon Rising"

Rated: Explicit

Pairing: Bucky x Steve

Tags: shrinkyclinks, werewolf au, omega Steve, Alpha Bucky, prison au, dub-con, non-con, werewolf sex, knotting, oral (m!rec), hand jobs, held hostage, age gap (40/26), mating, violence, bonding, Dom/sub elements

Summary: Steve gets a lot more than he bargained for when a prison riot breaks out and he becomes the captive of an Alpha werewolf.

Part 1 - "Captured by the Alpha"

“Boss. What are we supposed to do with this one?”

Steve stumbled as he was dragged into an open cell, the only thing keeping him from faceplanting into the floor being the henchman’s meaty grip on his upper arm. They stopped—fucking finally—and Steve panted as he regained his breath. He kept his head down and looked around nervously. A handful of prisoners had gathered there. None of them looked friendly.

(But that was kind of what Steve had expected, being dragged into the wrong side of a prison riot.)

“Who is he?” a deep voice asked from the shadows, and Steve looked up.

The man holding Steve shifted his grip. “A civilian, boss,”

“I told you to stop calling me that.”

“Sorry, Alph—Bucky.” He gave Steve a jostle by his arm. “Found this shrimp in the visitation rooms. He was trying to stab Batroc with a pencil.”

“Ooh, a tough guy, huh?”

Steve’s eyes widened as the man in charge looked up from the shadows he was sitting in. The light hit his eyes and made them flash an inhuman yellow as he leant forward.

The man addressed as “Bucky” was a massive and dangerous-looking guy, with muscles for days, dark hair knotted back, and gang tattoos all over his arms and neck. He sat leisurely on the bed that was attached to the cell wall, slouched and with his thighs spread wide, looking like a menacing king on his throne, holding court. He wore the orange jumpsuit as many of the other prisoners did: with the top half unzipped and tied about his waist. The remaining white undershirt more than showed off his strong body … and it was impossible not to notice that it was marred with a splattered line of somebody’s blood.

Steve gulped as he clocked the prison guard’s belt that was slung around “Bucky’s” hips, and the pistol holstered there. Beside him on the cot was a pump action shotgun, and there was a large knife in his hand, which he was twirling as he assessed Steve cooly through steel blue eyes. Steve jutted his chin out, determined not to cower in front of the man. If he was about to be killed, then he’d go out with dignity. “‘Bucky’,” he said, throwing the name out with disdain. “What kinda name is that for a werewolf?”

The man grinned. “Oh, so you know what we are.”

Tight-lipped, Steve’s eyes tracked down to the distinctive tattoos on the man’s shoulders. “Haită de lupi” he said, figuring it would surprise him.

It did, his gaze sharpening with interest. “You a cop?” he asked, leaning forward a little. Then his gaze went mocking and he smirked at Steve’s diminutive stature. “Sorry. Dumb question.”

Steve felt his face heat in indignation. He was small and he hated being made fun of for it. “Criminology major,” he said tersely. “Psychological profiling specialty. I’m aiming for the bureau in the fall. Their organized crime division. So I know all about your gang, and your little werewolf tattoos.”

Bucky’s smile became more predatorial, and Steve considered that it might not have been the smartest thing to mention any association with the feds while he was being held captive in the middle of a prison riot. Outside the cell they were currently in, the cell block was a mess of hollering and thuds, violence all around them. This one room seemed to be the only place where things were calm. The king and his men.

Steve shifted in place, wondering if there was any way he got out of this situation alive. Probably not. His hands were cuffed in front of him, his arm ached with the promise of bruises from being dragged by the henchman called “Dum Dum” through the halls, and his jaw was still smarting where he’d taken a punch from one of the other prisoners. “I study people like you,” he told Bucky. “So yeah, I know what you are.”

“Study, huh?” Bucky considered Steve’s form. He nodded at the man who was holding onto his arm. “He’s fine, Dugan. Let him go for now.”

The man gripping Steve’s arm released him, stepping to the side but not leaving the cell. Steve fought the urge to wince from the pain his body was in. He’d fallen awkwardly when the rioters had broken into the visitor’s room, and he was pretty sure that he’d twisted his ankle back there. But the eight men standing around the cell didn’t look pitying at all. They looked pissed.

“So you study us.” Bucky tilted his head at him. “A college student, then. You’re just a kid.”

“Grad student. I’m twenty six,” Steve said stubbornly. It only made Bucky laugh at him.

“Good for you, kiddo. I’m pushing forty.”

Steve sneered, and Bucky narrowed his eyes in consideration. “You’re pretty nervy for such a little guy.”

“I’m not afraid of thugs like you.”

“You should be,” Bucky warned lowly. “You’re lucky I told my men to bring any remaining civilians in here, otherwise you’d be dead by now, right along with the guards. You do realize that?” He waited for Steve’s response, scoffing when he got nothing but another defiant look. “You said you ‘study’ us? Then you’d know a pack is so much more than a common gang. If you’re bothering to memorize the lingo then you should understand its meaning, don’t you think, piele legată?”

Steve stayed resolute, though he couldn’t keep his eyes off the knife in Bucky’s hands. Being called the werewolf slur for humans was the least of his worries, right now. “I wasn’t aware you guys killed with anything but your teeth,” he said, his wavering voice betraying his nervousness.

Bucky shrugged. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“You gonna carve me up?”

Bucky made a considering face. “Mmm, I could. Or I could shoot you.” He tapped the shotgun. “Or … I could keep you. Keep you as a pet, like the humans used to do to us.” He smirked at Steve’s widening eyes. “What’s your name, little guy? I’m not sure you fully understand the predicament you’ve gotten yourself into.”

“... Steve,” Steve said, hesitating for only a second in giving his name. It surely wasn’t anything this beast of a man could use against him. “And I understand perfectly. Your men are rioting, killing. You’re probably going to kill me.” He stood tall (or as tall as he could). “So does that make you the pack Alpha?”

Bucky nodded. “It does.”

“How long’ve you been in for?”

“Oh, a few years.” Bucky’s answer was evasive, and he twirled the knife and pointed it at Steve. “This escape has been in the works for a long time.”

“Riot,” Steve corrected.

“Escape,” Bucky growled back, sounding pissed for the first time. Steve gulped and Bucky didn’t miss it. He went back to smiling. “I’m sorry, Steve, but I can’t allow you to get in the way. Once you’re tangled in pack business, you’re tangled in pack business. It’s as simple as that. I tried to organize everything to minimize casualties. There weren’t supposed to be visitors today. I had assurances of it.”

“... They changed my appointment last minute.”

“Mm. Well that’s very bad news for you, unfortunately.”

So they were going to kill him. Steve took a deep breath, trying to be brave. He knew there wasn’t much he could do. He was surrounded by violent criminals. They were all armed and he wasn’t. Plus, they were preternaturally strong and fast, and could transform into wolves at the drop of a hat. (It hadn’t escaped Steve’s notice that none of the rioting prisoners were sporting their trademark iron shock collars.) “You won’t get away,” he promised. “Prison security is too good these days. They’ll shut you down.”

Instead of getting mad, Bucky actually looked quite gleeful. He purred low in his throat at Steve—an inhuman noise that had Steve inhaling with fear. “Oh, I don’t know about that,” Bucky said, letting his teeth show a little more when his smile widened into something vicious. “Like I said: this has been in the works for a while. We know what we’re doing. And we have plenty of outside help.”

“Boss,” Dum Dum looked alarmed that he was spilling secrets.

“Be quiet.” Bucky snapped.

He went silent. Steve was left to wonder just how powerful this man was, that he commanded such obedience. But he wasn’t a man at all, was he? He was a wolf, a shapeshifter. And that made him infinitely more dangerous than any regular prisoner. Werewolves had a storied history steeped in crime. They were bad news. That was why so many of them were locked up. Steve had no doubt that the huge man in front of him had done plenty to earn his time in a federal penitentiary. “You’re fighting a losing battle,” he warned. “It’ll go better for you if you surrender.”

Bucky laughed at him. “You’re a know-it-all, huh little man?”

“Stop calling me that.”

Bucky sat forward, elbows on his thighs. “I’ll call you anything I like, sweetheart.”

Steve once again felt his cheeks heating. He considered the other things that might happen to him, if this Alpha werewolf was so inclined. Designation wasn’t so important in human society anymore, having nearly gone dormant with most people born beta; but he knew that it wasn’t so with the wolves. They were still born alpha, omega and beta. And they held on to their old fashioned ways—Animalistic ways.

In class and at home, amongst his friends or his coworkers, Steve was usually the odd one out, the only omega, and even though his stature was pretty much a dead giveaway, he’d worn two sets of scent blockers underneath his clothes that day, knowing that he’d be visiting a prison full of violent criminals and not wanting to be taunted for his designation. He was supposed to be interviewing the worst of the worst, the Alpha werewolves who were doing hard time; sitting down across a table and psychologically analyzing gang members and murderers. He’d been waiting for the guard to bring one of them in the interview room when the riot had started.

Now he was up close and personal with the Alpha werewolf, apparently. The tattoos alone told Steve plenty: epaulette on his left shoulder, marked with theive’s stars indicating a General’s rank. He had the rising sun on the back of one hand and numerous ring tats on his fingers, manacles on his forearms. The double headed griffon and it’s ever watchful eyes fanned out across what bit of his chest Steve could see above the shirt's neckline. They were all clearly prison tats, which meant that Bucky had served a lot of time.

But it was the snarling canine oskals at either side of his neck that were the most alarming of the bunch, because that was a tattoo that Steve knew only one man was allowed to get. Bucky was marked as the Lupului of the Romanian-American Bratva.

There would be no guards or shackles or guns to protect Steve from him, here. No metal table between them. It was beyond too close for comfort. But he supposed he should just give up on comfort for the foreseeable future. He was a captive of these dangerous men, and now he could only hope that the other men standing around the cell were enough to keep this Alpha werewolf’s paws off of him.

“Well what’s your plan, then?” he asked. The more he could know, the better chance he stood of being able to save his neck in this mess.

“Mm, not your concern, Steve.” Bucky was teasing him now. “You need to worry about convincing me you’re worth keeping alive.”

Steve gulped. “Well … I know the layout of the prison.”

“So do we, pal.” He tapped the walkie talkie on his stolen belt. “And from what I hear, we’ve got everything but C block, now, and closing in on that fast. Administration and the other blocks are ours. Communications are jammed.”

Steve’s eyes widened, alarmed. “That’s … that’s not possible,” he breathed. He knew the security of the facility, had studied it. There was no way a bunch of imprisoned criminals could overtake such a system, even if they were supernatural creatures. “You’re lying,” he said. It only made Bucky smirk at him again.

“You’re cute. I told you, Stevie: we have outside help.”

At that very moment, a person walked through the cell’s cinderblock wall, and Steve all but jumped out of his skin. “What the fuck?!”

A few of the other men startled enough to flinch, but Bucky only laughed and waved the newcomer over. “Oh, that’s just Ava. She can do that.” He winked at Steve’s shocked face. “We like to call her Ghost.”

“Ava” had a suit on that completely covered her face. The mask reminded Steve of a sort of robotic spider, and he found himself not quite knowing where to direct his eyes. “Figures,” he just mumbled, thinking that it was just his luck that these werewolves would have a bunch of super powered people aiding them in their escape. If they really had taken over as much of the prison as Bucky said they had, then Steve’s goose was truly cooked. He looked back to Bucky, trying to think of something that he could offer to prove his worth and preserve his life—at least for a little while longer. “I know all their protocols,” he said. “I’m familiar with hostage negotiations. When they come to negotiate with you—and they will—I can speak for your side, arrange an exit plan for you and your men.”

He was lying, of course. No hostage negotiator in their right mind would allow a bunch of hardened criminals to escape after such massive violence; certainly not for one puny wannabe FBI cadet. But Steve kept his expression steady, determined to seem confident in his promises. “It might not be worth much, but I’m worthless dead. You need at least some bargaining power, just in case. The more people you kill, the harder they’re gonna come down on you.”

Bucky looked peeved at Steve telling him that anybody was going to stop them, but he didn’t dismiss him outright, which was good. “We’ll see about that,” he said, relaxing back into his seat on the prison cell’s bed. After a moment of smug consideration, he flicked his head at Dum Dum. “Undo his cuffs.”

“What?”

“You heard me.” Bucky ‘tsked’ and flicked his hand. “Get ‘em off.”

Dum Dum looked highly uneasy, but he did as his leader commanded, coming forward to unlock the handcuffs from Steve’s skinny wrists, before taking them and stepping back to the wall.

“Thanks,” Steve said, forcing himself not to rub where the metal had bitten into his skin.

“You can thank me by getting on your knees,” Bucky said, pointing at the floor just in front of himself with the knife. “Go on.”

Steve gulped. He didn’t like it, but what option did he have? Reluctantly, he went to his knees.

“Not quite, boy. Come a little closer,” Bucky purred, waiting with dark eyes until Steve gradually shuffled up to where he sat. The Alpha parted his legs wider for Steve to come between them, and though it was mortifying, he was the one who held the knife, so Steve obeyed.

“You gonna make me suck you off, is that it?” he asked bitterly.

Bucky smirked. “Not quite yet, little guy.” He traced the side of Steve’s face with the blunt side of the knife. “You just sit tight and behave, and you might make it out of this okay.”

Steve hoped so, but he wasn’t feeling overly optimistic about it. Especially when in the next moment, several more men came into the room. (These ones at least came through the open bars of the doorway and not a solid wall). Their presence made Steve flush all the harder for where he was positioned suggestively between the Alpha’s thighs.

“Alpha,” several of them greeted Bucky.

The one in the front of the group nodded his head respectfully, barely sparing a glance down to Steve. “It’s done. We’re just waiting on your command, now.”

Bucky nodded, and despite not knowing what “It’s done,” meant, Steve felt his stomach sink with dread at the satisfaction that Bucky seemed to express at hearing this news. “What?” Steve asked, anxious. “What’s he talking about?”

“The Warden,” Bucky said, almost flippant about it. “They have him. Ready to execute.”

Steve tensed. Holy Shit. “You really shouldn’t do that,” he warned. “It’s bad enough that you’ve killed so many guards already. You’ll have nothing left to make your way out of this, if you kill the Warden.”

Bucky rolled his eyes. “I told you: we aren’t going to need any negotiations. We have outside help.”

Steve frowned, still not knowing the extent of what that might mean. But if the woman walking in through the freaking walls was any indication, then he figured he should probably take Bucky at his word. Who knew how many werewolves and other mutants—or metahumans, or whatever—these guys had working for them from the outside? Bucky sure seemed confident of their imminent escape. Still, Steve persisted. “Well you shouldn’t kill him.”

“Oh really? And why is that?” Bucky was looking down at Steve like he found him highly amusing.

Steve squared his jaw. “The Warden’s just a man,” he argued. “He’s just doing his job. It’s not like he’s got a vendetta against you. Prisons exist for a reason. You can’t hold that against him. He didn’t invent the system.”

Bucky raised his eyebrows. “No, I suppose you’re right. But he does comply with the system—a system that does nothing but oppress my people.”

Steve shrugged. “Do the crime, do the time.”

Bucky laughed and wagged the knife in his face. “Don’t get smart with me now, little boy. Or I’ll have to put you in your place a lot sooner than I’d like.”

“Sooner?”

Bucky just leered and leaned in close to where he was kneeling, thankfully whispering his next words: “I know what you are, Steve. You think I can’t smell you?”

Steve paled. His eyes shot up to Bucky’s, and he saw a dark interest there that made things low in his belly stir against his will.

“What the fuck were you thinkin’, coming into a place like this, little one?” Bucky murmured. When Steve had no response for him, he sighed and sat back, speaking normally again. “And for your information, I’ve never been convicted of a crime … Well, not a felony anyways. Most of the wolves in this pen haven’t.”

Steve froze, then scowled, refusing to believe it. “That’s impossible.”

“It’s true,” Dum Dum said from over by the wall. “Arrested, indicted. But never convicted. They’ve tacked a bunch’a stuff onto the old RICO laws, stuff specifically aimed at us that allows ‘em to throw us in prison indefinitely until they scrounge up some farce of a trial.”

“Which almost never comes to fruition,” Bucky supplied. “And they treat us like shit. Like animals. Because that’s how they see us.”

“They throw away our mail,” Dum Dum said angrily, and one by one the other wolves standing around added their own grievances to the pile:

“Deny visitation.”

“Deprive us of basic necessities.

“Force us to do shit just to humiliate us.”

“Goddamn unconstitutional.”

Steve gulped, not sure he wanted to ask just what humiliating ‘shit’ they were forced to do. He could practically feel the anger radiating off all of them. It made him want to inch closer to Bucky for protection.

“Okay, but … but those RICO laws are on the books to protect the general population,” Steve argued, though his voice came out weak. “And they’re probably tough on you because … um … well y-you guys can do things humans can’t. It requires special circumstances.”

Bucky’s eyes darkened. “Like throwing all of our rights out of the window?” When Steve remained tight-lipped, he growled down at him. He reached out and carded his hand through Steve’s hair, messing it up in a mockery of a caress. “I told you to be careful, boy,” he warned. “Rioting inmates tend to get pissed off kinda easy, you know?”

Steve shivered, unable to stop it. He licked his lips and muttered a quick, “Sorry,” lowering his eyes in a show of submission that would hopefully satisfy the Alpha. He heard Bucky hum, which he took as a good sign.

“Boss,” Dum Dum said, shifting uncomfortably. “Let me handle him. He shouldn’t be in here. Morita and Jones’ve got the Warden. I’ll take him over there, put ‘em both out of their misery.”

Steve shivered and looked up at Bucky with pleading eyes. He’d made up his mind in the beginning not to beg, but that didn’t mean his body had gotten the message. Because when Bucky leaned forward and freaking scruffed him with heated eyes and a low rumble of consideration, thumb digging into his glands, Steve lost control and felt a sudden gush in his underwear.

Was that … release??

Steve froze, shocked and humiliated. He didn’t want to believe it, but even without looking down at himself, he could feel it, he could smell it; the wetness on the front of his pants—not urine, but the fluid from organs that he’d always known (in theory) that he had inside him. Steve breathed open-mouthed, trying not to let the scent get past his nostrils. Holy shit. Now everyone would know. Shit. He whimpered and squeezed his eyes shut, panicking. He’d never wet submissively like this before. He’d thought he had better control of himself than that! Oh, God.

His eyes shot open when Bucky’s hand cupped his jaw, warm and large. Instinctively, he tilted his face into it. Bucky’s thumb stroked over his cheek tenderly. Steve saw him looking down at the dark spot on his slacks, and he wanted to sink into the floor and die.

But Bucky’s eyes weren’t mocking or disgusted—They were lit with excitement. “Oh, Sweetheart,” he breathed, continuing to cradle Steve’s face in that way that felt inordinately reassuring. Steve fought not to slump further between the Alpha’s spread thighs. Bucky chuckled darkly at the reaction. “Oh, yeah. You’re gonna be fun.”

Steve was put in a cell by himself, which was honestly the best outcome he could’ve hoped for. If he was lucky, the prisoners would just make their escape and leave him there for the rescue squads to find later. That was, if the prison complex wasn’t surrounded by SWAT personnel already. If that was the case, then this whole hostage crisis situation might go a lot worse for him.

He grimaced as he shifted in place, forced to feel the cold wetness left behind from his release. Bucky hadn’t let him change. He’d told Steve that he wanted him to stay in the soiled clothes, to feel and smell the evidence of his own submission. He claimed it would help keep him calm, but Steve seriously doubted that. The Alpha was just being a jerk and trying to humiliate him further.

The cell’s bed was a concrete bench with only a thin sleeping mat on top of it. Steve sat there and tried not to think about the uncomfortable clothes he was stuck in. He could’ve stripped himself, then maybe tried to cover his privates with his shirt. But he’d be damned if he was going to take anything off in front of these people. He was just lucky the other werewolves had delivered him to his cell unmolested, and that he was being left alone. … For now.

He sat there for a while, loud noises still echoing from different places in the cell block and beyond. But in general, the commotion was dying down. Steve didn’t think that was a good thing. He still couldn’t imagine how Bucky and his men had pulled something this elaborate off. Bucky didn’t even seem to be involved in the action. He’d just been lounging in his cell like the friggin’ queen of Sheba. Steve scoffed. How typical: Big man in charge, making everyone else do the dirty work for him. They’d probably be the ones to come back and execute him, as well. The man named Dum Dum had clearly been in favor of doing away with him.

Steve was more than a little surprised when the Warden was dragged by—alive—and placed in the cell next to his. Apparently Bucky was choosing not to execute him yet either (the key word there being:“yet”). It was clear that their situations could change at any moment.

Time passed. Maybe an hour, then maybe two. It felt like much longer. Steve and the Warden couldn’t see each other, but they talked back and forth a bit to ascertain their respective conditions. The Warden said he’d been roughed up and stabbed in the leg with a shiv, but was otherwise doing okay. Steve was unsteady on his feet and sore, but likewise had no critical injuries.

He’d met the Warden earlier that day upon his arrival, but their interaction had been brief, and Steve didn’t know the man. “You think we get out of this?” he asked, head leaned back against the wall between their cells. He figured the Warden must be sitting right there on his bed on the other side, too, because his voice carried easily. It sounded weary when it came through the bars.

“You might make it. I don’t think I will.”

Steve frowned. “I told their leader not to kill you,” he offered, feeling bad for the guy. Most of the werewolves probably wanted to rip the Warden’s head off. “He didn’t seem sure either way. Not even about me.”

“Bucky?”

Steve was surprised that he knew the Alpha’s name. “Yeah,” he said. “How did you—”

“Oh, we’ve had talks, he and I.” The Warden laughed humorlessly. “I keep close tabs on all the gang leaders in my prison. And the more dangerous they are, the more attention they get. We’ve got a little bit of everything here, unfortunately, from the mild to the worst of the worst. Got the Kings, the Mexicans, the Black Gorillas, Crips, Sicilians, Aryans, Bloods , MS13. … And then there’s the Wolves.”

“Jesus. You really put ‘em in that order?” Steve had seen confidential police photos of the shit MS13 did to people. Stuff so bad that it wasn’t shown to the general public for how gruesome it was. He couldn’t imagine how a gang could get much worse than MS13, but the Warden was ranking werewolves above them. “They can’t be that bad,” he hedged.

“Yeah? And how many werewolves do you know?” The other man shot back, probably satisfied when Steve didn’t have an answer for him. “They’re the most dangerous people I’ve ever dealt with, Steve. And I say that as someone who specializes in dealing with some really dangerous fucking people.”

“Yeah,” Steve said quietly. He sighed and looked down. The wet spot on his pants confronted him again, humiliating, reminding him of what deep shit he was in now that he’d revealed himself. If he was being held by a bunch of human prisoners, it probably wouldn’t have mattered much. A bunch of human betas would know, but they wouldn’t be tempted. Unfortunately almost all the prison’s werewolves were alpha—in designation, if not title. Steve was sure that even the beta Warden could smell it from the negligible distance between their cells. “... Did you know I was O? I mean, before. This morning when we met?”

The Warden was quiet for a moment. “I didn’t,” he said. "But now ..."

It was a special kind of humiliation, to know that everyone around you knew right away that you had recently wet yourself in submission. At least the Warden was polite enough to refrain from saying it. “I doubled up on blockers,” Steve told him glumly. “Not like it did me any good. He still knew.” He didn’t say who “he” was, but figured the Warden could probably guess. “He knew right away.”

“Werewolves have a better sense of smell than we do. Like dogs.” He said it kind of meanly, and Steve squirmed in discomfort at the bitterness in his tone. “Want my advice?”

“... Sure.”

“Just do what they say. Don’t fight them. Don’t insult them. Try not to cry in front of them. Don’t submit until they make you. The thing is, you want to get them to respect you as much as possible, but without doing anything to challenge their dominance. Whatever you do, don’t do that. Pecking order really matters to these guys.”

“I know that,” Steve huffed. “I am a criminology major, ya know.”

The Warden scoffed. “Yeah, but that’s a world away from the reality on the ground. And we’re … in a unique situation.” There was a long pull of silence, and then, more somberly and quietly he said, “This is really bad, Steve. Really bad. I don’t think any of the staff made it out. Some of my officers are dead. I saw the bodies. I haven’t seen any other hostages.”

Steve gulped. He hoped that wasn’t true. “M-maybe they’re just locked up somewhere,” he said weakly, realizing that he was grasping at straws.

“Yeah. Maybe.”

He could hear in the Warden’s voice, how much he didn’t believe that. “I don’t understand,” Steve murmured. “With all the security in place, all the safety measures and controls, I just don’t see how they could’ve—”

“They must’ve had help. A lot of help. It had to be from people on the outside, and from officials inside the prison. Somebody betrayed me.” He scoffed bitterly. “Probably several somebodies.”

“How do you know that?”

“I don’t. But it’s the only way they could’ve gotten access the way they did. And you should’ve seen how quickly they did it. The whole thing started over in administration. Alarms disabled, comms out. Hell, even our talkies stopped working. They had all communications jammed from the start, then their collars started fallin’ off their necks all at once.” He growled. “Once their bodies were free there was no matching ‘em. Bastards were able to take over the system in one goddamn hour. I even think they might’ve used an EMP.”

“Shit,” Steve whispered. “... This has never happened, has it?” he said, kind of dejectedly, because he pretty much knew the answer.

“No. Nothing like this. Even Attica in ‘71 wasn’t this bad. And riots like that just don’t happen anymore, because they can’t.” He huffed. “But somehow these fucking freaks figured out a way. And as far as I know, they’ve got complete control. Nobody on the outside knows what’s happened. It could be hours, maybe even a day or more before response teams come. If the wolves haven’t executed all the employees yet, I think they will soon. Animals. They don’t have any self control,” he gritted out. Then he scoffed. “Hell, I’m probably enemy number one. They hate me. Blame me for their miserable lives, think they’re not treated fairly.”

Steve thought of what he’d been told earlier, remembering Bucky’s pack and the near-the tangible rage that’d been in the air amongst them. “Um ... They were tryin’ to say that they weren’t convicted of any crimes,” he said carefully. “Before being locked up. Said that the expansion of RICO keeps ‘em here with no set date for trial? That’s not … I mean that’s not true, right?” On the other side of the wall, the Warden was quiet, and Steve’s heart sank. “That’s … that’s violating at least three of their civil liberties, Sir.”

“I’m not the one who made the rules,” the Warden snapped. “Federal standard. Justice comes for them eventually, but the system is overtaxed and it takes time. They’re just a bunch of dumb brutes who don’t like waiting.”

Steve didn’t know if he believed that, especially since the Warden seemed to have a heavy bias against werewolves in general. “They also said other stuff.”

“What ‘stuff’?”

“... That they don’t get basic necessities, stuff’s withheld, the guards throw away their mail, do things to humiliate them.”

“They’re a bunch of liars,” The warden hissed. “They behave like beasts and they’re treated accordingly. Are you honestly gonna put stock in what those murderers say?” He huffed like he was disgusted with Steve. “Jesus.”

Steve bit his lip, still bothered by it. “... Those shock collars you make them wear,”

“Are for everyone’s safety! The guards, the staff, and the other prisoners; visitors like you. Hell, they even protect them from themselves. They’re a deterrent, Steve. A failsafe to shut ‘em down quick.”

Steve bit his tongue to hold back any more prying questions. He could tell that the Warden was pissed at him. The poor guy was likely going to be executed soon, and Steve figured that he shouldn’t rag on him anymore about the shitty management of the prison’s were population. Not in what might be the last hours of the poor bastard’s life. “Well none of it worked,” he just mumbled. “Maybe you should’ve tried something different.”

The Warden sighed and didn’t speak to him again. Eventually Steve gave up on talking and lay down on the cell’s bed, exhausted from the intensity of the past few hours. He closed his eyes and shot off a few foxhole prayers that he wouldn’t be murdered in the very near future.

Lying on a concrete bed, he was able to fall asleep surprisingly fast.

Masterlist

Part 2

If you liked what you read and feel so inclined, please consider dropping a tip in the Kofi��� cup. It's a big part of what allows me to take time to write. Thanks!

@stuckyversebingo

card: sarahyellow / sarah-writes-stucky

Square A5: on your knees

[fancyfade]

answering the cass ask I was like dang i should re-read cass's batgirl series I haven't posted about her in a while.

So I looked at my current comics reading list :P

currently reading:

JLA (1997)

Aquaman comics, on vol 5

Hal’s Spectre series

Re-reading:

new titans: issue 69

Flash 1987 51 – but have been paused here for a bit might be tempted to re-read from issue 1

teen titans 2003 issue 61

52

On pause for the forseeable future:

Flash: Stopped after the crossover w/ Impulse

supergirl: 58

static: 15

hardware 20

blood syndicate 18

icon 17

superman on pause for the forseeable future

adventures of superman 517

action comics 704

Superman: Man of Steel 38/0

superman 94\

Talia era superman comics:

superman 201

adventures of superman 624

action comics 811

want to get back in to:

Steel

Superboy

Hawkworld

Damage

Justice League Odyssey

Have been recommended to me but have not started to read yet

Ragman 1991

ragman suit of souls

watchmen

superman: metropolis –no one recced it to me, i saw an ad and added it in case i need it to understand talia era

league of one

eclipso event - no one recced it, I just want to read it for research purposes

green lantern/ green arrow

[elusivemellifluence]

I'd heard good things about Avi Cantor Has Six Months to Live but didn't realise it was free online, so yay

Some more diverse SFF novella recs:

The Binti series by Nnedi Okorafor - deadly (misunderstood) aliens attack a ship en route to space university

Stone & Steel by Eboni J. Dunbar - a sapphic general returns from war and makes some concerning discoveries about the queen she's been so loyal to

Finna by Nino Cipri - following your ex into the multitude of alternate dimensions that can be accessed from every Ikea store

The Dead Djinn series by P. Djèlí Clark - steampunk with magic, ghosts and djinn in 1910s Cairo, featuring a lesbian detective. There's two novellas and a short story before the first full length novel

Rupert Wong, Cannibal Chef by Cassandra Khaw - a man sells himself into service of the Chinese hells and makes a living as a chef preparing human flesh for ghouls, much funnier than it sounds when I say it like that

Fireheart Tiger by Aliette de Bodard - Vietnamese fantasy with royalty, intrigue and sapphic romance

The Xuya universe by Aliette de Bodard - Vietnamese scifi with empires and sentient starships

The Singing Hills cycle by Nghi Vo - a wandering nonbinary cleric travels around collecting stories

The Murders of Molly Southbourne by Tade Thompson - horror where every drop of Molly's blood spawns doubles who inevitably try to kill her

Sunbolt by Intisar Khanani - ya fantasy about a street thief turned underground rebel with untrained magic

The Route of Ice and Salt by José Luis Zárate - the tragic gay story of the captain whose crew Dracula preyed on during his voyage to England

Catching Teller Crow by Ambelin Kwaymullina - Indigenous Australian fantasy about a teenage ghost trying to support her father through his grief and help him solve mysteries

The Past Is Red by Catherynne M. Valente - post-apocalyptic science fiction about a girl living in a civilization built on a floating mass of garbage

The Order of the Pure Moon Reflected In Water by Zen Cho - described as fix-it fanfic for an imaginary 50 episode wuxia series

A Taste of Honey by Kai Ashante Wilson -scifi fantasy about a gay prince being pressured into marrying a powerful woman but falling in love with a foreign soldier

The Deep by Rivers Solomon - a civilization of merfolk born from Africans thrown overboard by slavers

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey - queer librarian spies on horseback in a scifi Western setting

Deadline by Stephanie Ahn - urban fantasy with a lesbian private detective who draws on BDSM for magical powers

The Four Profound Weaves by R.B. Lemberg - queer trans fantasy with fairy tale vibes about carpet weaving as a form of magic

Ring Shout by P. Djèlí Clark - horror set in 1910s America with the Klan as literal monsters

I've been reading a lot of novellas like Mira Grant's stand-alones, Wayward Children, Murderbot, Monk and Robot. but i'd love to read more like this but I need help finding more diverse reads like this. I'm finding (and reading) tons of books with this vibe that are full length novels but sometimes i just want a quick fantasy read, ya know?

[a03bkdk]

fantasy bkdk fic rec list

a certain kind of magic by eatdirt

((4590-1/1))

“Forgive me, kind witch! I—I do not wish to disturb you, but I’m afraid it's urgent!"

Katsuki will later blame his bewilderment that anyone—let alone a human boy in filthy rags—would drag themselves all the way out to his home on the outskirts of civilization, for why he stalks down the stairs and cracks open the door.

“Are you a fucking idiot?” he growls.

Or, the one where Katsuki is a witch in a weed-infested swamp and Deku won’t stop coming around.

the shrinekeeper and the harvest god by bkdkwritingsdump

((smut-30148-18/18))

Izuku keeps the shrine of the harvest god, a minor god mostly worshiped by farmers and ignored by everyone else until the yearly harvest festival. During a spring thunderstorm one year, a mysterious man named Katsuki shows up at his shrine seeking shelter from the rain, but ends up over staying his welcome by a few months. In that time, Izuku not only begins to become suspicious of his identity, but finds himself longing for something more between them.

cupid, draw back your bow by almasaga

((i dont remember if there is smut-16496-2/2))

Cupid remembers the oath he took, remembers the broken arrow, remembers the wrath of his mother and goddess, remembers his roots, remembers that he is a god.

But when he hears him he forgets it all.

“Are you there still?” Asks a voice, clear and never wrong. The only voice he wishes to hear.

“Always,” he says and it blows through his beloved.

solar by kindaopps

((smut-7037-1/1))

Here he is, a god, wanting a mortal.

deku by mirachadoodles

((smut-20852-9/9))

Neither seemed willing to look away in the tense silence that fell, drawn to one another as if by a thick and brilliant thread.

The boy viewed him thoughtfully, as though he recognized him from another life, as though he knew him.

It was odd—he felt the same way.

---

Or, shortly after Katsuki's dragon went missing, a naked man attempted to break into his family barn. Izuku had no memory of his past life, and apparently had no idea how to be human, either. He was just acting on instinct.

a cat named deku by  silentsongbird

((6662-1/1))

Bakugou begrudgingly takes in a stray cat that has been hanging around his home. He says he's motivated by the weather turning colder, but he just can't resist the little fur ball. One night, Deku decides to let him in on a little secret.

if the stars align, then for us they were meant by runawaydeviant

((smut-17485-6/6))

Katsuki and Eijirou crash land in a forest to the south of their homeland. Injured and stranded, they befriend a local nature spirit, who is much more than he first appears to be.

soulmates in steel and (p 2)mine is yours by lalazee

((3000-1/1)) (p 2(smut-2509-1/1))

Midoriya Izuku returns to a tribe long lost and forgotten to claim his rightful throne. At least, that's what King Katsuki assumes of him.

(p 2) One large, calloused hand spread sparks down Izuku’s chest, ribs, rested at his lightly bruised hip. Izuku knew fingerprints still remained from last time, and the last, and the time after that. He felt more like a dappled deer now, all those spots smattered across his thighs, ass, hips, wrists. King Katsuki was certainly a man who marked his territory.

but the entrails are the best part! by supercrunch

((15278-1/1))

The boy straightens up. He’s about half a head shorter than Katsuki, face soft and youthful and sweet. He turns to look at him properly. His dark hair shines in the dying light, basket of blooms looped over one arm and mouth quirked into a tiny half-smile. The sun hits his face and makes his eyes a bright greeny-gold, just like emeralds.

Katsuki likes emeralds.

“Pretty,” he says, reaching out and picking the stranger up around the middle. He’s surprisingly heavy, although Katsuki doesn’t mind. “I like you. Come see my nest.”

The boy hits him.

He’s stronger than he looks, turns out. Katsuki drops him and falls onto his back, pain blooming across his face. Birds sing. The sky’s a lovely shade of orange, clouds floating lazily by. The boy scarpers. He leaves his basket of flowers behind, footsteps thumping on the ground and fading away as he escapes.

The sun sets. Katsuki, lying flat on his back with a bloody nose, decides he’s just fallen in love.

happenstance by merrywetherweather

((78566-22/22))

When Katsuki was just a child, his mother, the King of Lucia, took him to enact diplomacy with the Midoriya's, the royal family of the neighboring country of Tayloria. After that day, his fate was sealed, his marriage arranged to the Midoriya's elusive omegan child.

At the age of twenty, he leaves for Tayloria again, this time, to finally wed his fiance and cement the allyship of the two kingdoms indefinitely. Only, his fiance turns out to be the child he had met on his very first visit, a naive, idealistic young prince who wants nothing to do with marrying the prince of Lucia.

Good thing he just assumed Katsuki was only part of his fiance's entourage.

An arranged marriage between two princes aob au where Katsuki tries to abide by Izuku's desire for a natural romance to develop without letting Izuku know his true identity.

plums by Ivillpunchyouinthethroat

((14116-3/3))

There’s a boy stealing plums from the garden below the balcony Katsuki’s lounging at for the night.

Correction.

There’s a boy stealing plums, very badly, from the garden below the balcony Katsuki’s lounging at for the night.

mermaid AU breathe In by contrarybee

((series-smut-3 works-45236 in all))

Midoryia Izuku was born in captivity. He's never known the ocean.

His human carer Yagi-san tells him they're getting a new merman in the aquarium, one that they hope Izuku might like. Having been alone since his mother's death, Izuku is beyond excited to have a new mer around, but Bakugo Katsuki might prove to be too much. Or maybe he's just right.

fishy by warschach

((smut-19417-1/1))

Izuku’s convinced his hot co-worker/neighbor, Katsuki, is a mermaid-or merman- you gotta consider genders even with mythical creatures- and plans to prove it.

(or this is kinda like the show ‘Monster Quest’, except Izuku actually finds said monster, falls in love, and have sexy times.)

home is where the waves crash. by tiredwrites

((4105-1/1))

Izuku thrashes in his cage, the fins that line his large tail flare with a dangerous purpose. The claws his fingers taper into slice through the water and catch the light that filters into the clear water of the aquarium tank he's in.

His gills flare in irritation as he flips around, muscled tail ramming into the three-inch glass barrier with a thundering BAM!

Bioluminescent sacs under clear scales flare and glow, flashing a brilliant toxic green. The team that had brought the merman into the tank watch the mer flail and roar, flexing the powerful jaws that can often unhinge, like a snake.

only the roses know by katyastark

((13193-5/5))

Izuku didn’t want to marry a foreigner. The person he wanted was here… somewhere. He didn’t have a face or a name to ascribe to his admirer. Only roses. For every name day and holiday since he was thirteen, he had received a perfect orange rose. He’d never seen anything so beautiful. The roses never failed to make him feel doted upon. It was their secret, and Izuku cherished it more than anything else in the world. He didn’t want to give that up for some stranger, for an alliance through a loveless marriage.

torn fur, blunt teeth by scribespirare

((smut-43013-17/17))

After eight months of being collared, Izuku is finally free. But a dark, stormy city is no place for a lonely shapeshifter on the run.

ignorance leads to bliss by nikawithspice

((smut-3941-1/1))

A brave wandering adventurer swoops in and saves a beautiful prince from danger, gets dragged to a celebratory bonfire and has a night that he could only have dreamed of!

Or, the one in which Midoriya Izuku accidentally gets married to a Dragon Prince but wouldn't have it any other way.

[gameofdrarry]

Wizards Hearts Smut Recs: Polyjuice Sex or Anonymous Sex

Wizards Hearts was a four-month-long Drarry reading fest. Players were given a playing deck of 52 tropes, and were asked to find 52 different fics to read and comment on to fill their decks. To prevent the same few fics from being read, fics were restricted to only being used for the game three times before being considered ineligible for further points. The tropes and submissions list can be found here. Players could opt in to an additional suit of 13 cards, all themed around various popular smut tropes.

Check out the masterlist of fics for this trope below the cut!

📜 Closure is a state of mind by Quicksilvermaid Rated:  Explicit Words:  12229 Tags: Morally Grey Draco Malfoy, Inappropriate medical/therapist relationships, Dubious Consent Due To Identity Issues, Lies, Self-Esteem Issues, low key stalking behaviour, Loneliness, Guilt, Therapy, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, taking advantage of a grieving person, Death of a Spouse, Character Death, (not Drarry), Disfigurement, Scars, Brief Mentions of Suicidal Thoughts, Drinking, First Time, Polyjuice Potion, Sex While Using Polyjuice Potion, pensieve sex, Voyeurism, wanking, Concealed Identity, Bittersweet Ending, H/D Hurt!Fest 2020 Summary:  After Harry's husband Charlie is killed, his Mind Healer recommends a Polyjuice therapy company, so Harry can see 'Charlie' again and find closure over his death. Draco, whose life over the last ten years has gone from bad to worse, gets assigned Potter's case. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Aletheia by lazywonderland Rated:  Explicit Words:  8340 Tags: Confident Harry, Sex While Using Polyjuice Potion, POV Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Pseudo Het, Pseudo Female Draco, Bisexual Harry, Enamored Draco, Hung Harry Potter, Vaginal Sex, Vaginal Fingering, Smut, Het, Anal Sex, Anal Fingering, Slash, Top Harry, Bottom Draco, Submissive Draco, Angst, the teeniest amount.....i can't write anything without angst idk how, there's very little plot here but i still managed, Choking Summary:  Draco finds out Daphne's been shagging Potter and it turns out it's really not that difficult to get a piece of her hair. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Exposure by GallaPlacidia Rated:  Mature Words:  26993 Tags: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Sex Work, Sex Worker Draco Malfoy, Camboy Draco Malfoy, it's all pretty sex positive tbh, less sex than you would think there would be, Betrayal, Secret Identities, Draco in the Muggle World, it's p lighthearted really, falling in love through online geography quizzes, (partly) textfic, Oneshot, H/D Hurt!Fest 2020, Loneliness, Self-Loathing, Threats of Violence, Age Difference, Public Sex, Guilt, Hate Crimes, grey area infidelity (not between Draco and Harry), Mention of Minor Character Suicide Summary:  When Seamus uncovers Draco Malfoy's camboy profile, he, Harry and Ron decide to anonymously book a private show so as to humiliate him later. Fascinated by Draco's confidence, Harry keeps booking private shows under the disguise... ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 I'll Only Hurt You If You Let Me by Penryn3 Rated:  Explicit Words:  6862 Tags: Hogwarts, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Polyjuice Potion, Mistaken Identity, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, Kissing, Boys Kissing, Vaginal Fingering, Oral Sex, Love Bites, Biting, Enemies to Lovers, Confessions, Fluff and Angst, Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Non-Consensual Touching, Face-Fucking, Invisibility Cloak (Harry Potter), Wizarding Court Trials, Angry Kissing, Frotting, Wandless Magic, The Marauder's Map, Powerful Harry, Past Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Self-Discovery, Sex Whilst Polyjuiced, Explicit Language, Hand Jobs, Male Slash, POV Draco Malfoy, Mildly Dubious Consent, Complete Summary:  Draco stared intently at the long strand of fiery red hair between his pinched fingertips and let out a shuddering breath. He could do this. He could. He had to find out what was going to happen to his parents, and if anyone was privy to that kind of private information - it was Potter. Draco took a breath, steeling himself. Raising the bubbling glass to his lips, he closed his eyes and swallowed. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 How to Court your Husband by magpie_fngrl Rated:  Explicit Words:  5520 Tags: Alternate Universe, Identity Porn, Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Humor, Explicit Sexual Content, Hieros Gamos Summary:  Prince Harry must marry Prince Draco, a man he's never even seen before, for the sake of the alliance between their two kingdoms. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Welcome to the Broom Closet by incapricious Rated:  Explicit Words:  23143 Summary:  Harry thinks he knows how his life will go: Become an Auror. Marry Ginny. Have a family. But then he sees an advertisement in the paper that no one else can see, and his life is turned upside-down. The Broom Closet: you can be anyone you want while you're there, but you won't remember it in the morning. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Mistaken Identities by MalenkayaCherepakha Rated:  Explicit Words:  1831 Tags: Public Sex, Public Blow Jobs, Anal Sex, Blow Jobs, Polyjuice Potion, Polyjuice sex, Hermione is confused Summary:  In which Harry finishes a mission early, Polyjuice takes a while to wear off, and Hermione is very confused. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 The Journal  by LakeWitch Rated:  Explicit Words:  59439 Tags: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Depression, Anxiety, Anxiety Attacks, Mental Health Issues, Therapy, Hufflepuff & Slytherin Inter-House Friendships, Hufflepuff Common RoomD, iary/Journal, Magical Diary - Freeform, Grief/Mourning, Healing, Slytherin Abuse, For a bit anyway, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, With emphasis on the friends part, Slow Burn, Sexual Fantasy, Sexting, Except it's in a magical journal and not a phone, Masturbation, Anonymity, Alcohol, Party Games, Spin the Bottle, Angst, I made myself cry at a certain part, Eventual Fluff, Smut, Epistolaryat parts, Fighting in the halls, Background Relationships, Teaself-care, Knitting, Television Watching, Mind Healers (Harry Potter), Magical Tattoos, Cooking, Desi Harry Potter, Indian food, flower shop, Christmas, Christmas Presents, Christmas Tree, Showers, Blow Jobs, Anal Fingering, POV Harry Potter, the html in here is a b, Coming Out, Anal Sex, Top Draco Malfoy, Bottom Harry Potter, if that matters, they switch but I don't show it Summary:  After Voldemort's death, everything was supposed to get better, supposed to be better. Harry was meant to live a normal life. However, he very-unfairly found himself with crippling depression and an anxiety problem—his Mind Healer says he has PTSD. Hence (when he could get out of bed), Harry's summer after the war was filled with intense therapy sessions, renovating Grimmauld Place, and teaching himself how to cook Indian food. Now Harry thinks he's ready to return to Hogwarts for an Eighth Year. But before he does, Harry picks up a journal from Flourish and Blotts on his Mind Healer's urging. He's meant to write down his thoughts and feelings, no matter how seemingly trivial. There was nothing, no pamphlet, to indicate the journal he bought was magically-linked with someone else's. But, when he finally opens it up, someone's already written inside. ❤️ Read on AO3

📜 Start the Chase by FleetofShippyShips Rated:  Explicit Words:  4015 Tags: Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Post-Hogwarts, Masks, Anonymous Sex, Blow Jobs, Deepthroating, Identity Reveal, Don't copy to another site Summary:  Harry liked to tell himself he didn’t do things like this often. He liked to pretend he wasn’t a rotten liar too. But the fact of the matter was, charity balls were incredibly dull and they made him incredibly uncomfortable, but not going was even worse. It wasn’t the first time he’d gone off and done something he shouldn’t have. Done someone he shouldn’t have. And really, having it splashed all over the papers should have stopped him by now. But this time, this time he was wearing a mask. And so was the other man. ❤️ Read on AO3

[thisbluespirit]

For @bunn1cula : #david collings#also if you have a list of stuff he's distressed and or deaded in that are available to watch#let me know!#blake's 7#sapphire and steel

Well, okay, but bear in mind that David Collings came out of nowhere to be Raskolnikov from Crime & Punishment so his entire early career was a mix of crying, dying, suffering and murdering people.  Sadly, a lot of this is burninated, probably including C&P itself, but here are some of the things you can try:

Gideon’s Way “The Prowler” (this is a terrible ITC series and a terrible ep re. mental health issues, but it is some quality very early wee distressed/murderous David Collings.)

Level 7 (part of the SF anthology Out of the Unknown) is the apocalyptic story I was mentioning in the other post.  It’s pretty great, although they lobotomised David Collings too early in my opinion.  (He’s wee and sarcastic and adorable and the only person in the bunker who doesn’t want to have sex to a rota.)

UFO ep “The Psychobombs.”  UFO bores me a lot (I am not allowed to watch any more of it because all I do is find more evidence that SHADO are an evil organisation maligning poor innocent aliens.  But I have an inconvenient ITC allergy, see Gideon’s Way above, so I’m probably being unfair.)  BUT aliens hypnotise three humans and turn them into bombs!  One of them is David Collings!  The colour is very pretty, although I didn’t find it worth watching on once they blew up David Collings.

Scrooge (1970) - okay, so he doesn’t die, but Albert Finney is mean to him.  BUT his hair is amazing, he sings and has half a dozen wee red-headed children and cries in a snowy graveyard.  (But watch out for the totally random WTH bit where Scrooge suddenly goes to Hell immediately after the snowy graveyard scene.  I had blocked this out of my head so hard I have forgotten to warn people in the past.  Sorry, people!  Why is there random Hammer Horror Hell in the middle of this??)

“The Suicide Club”“ from Mystery and Imagination - this isn’t up currently but I recommend regular searching for it because it is top notch improbable, suffering, dying wee murderous moppet David Collings. 

Elizabeth R - “Horrible Conspiracies.” - He’s Anthony Babington.  It doesn’t end well.

Shadow of the Tower - eps 3 & 4.  Having been tortured in the Tower the previous year by a Tudor monarch, David Collings comes back to get tortured in the Tower again by a different Tudor monarch, which was how I found James Maxwell. 

I’m sure I don’t need to mention Doctor Who’s “Robots of Death” but if you have somehow missed it so far, this is the classic bit of 1970s David Collings in distress, as written by Chris Boucher.  (He is also, of course, burned, alien, undead and has spaghetti on his head in the Fifth Doctor serial Mawdryn Undead.) (No links, but they are up and down all the time on Dailymotion, so just search.)

Julius Caesar (BBC 1979) as Cassius.  This isn’t currently up, but again, it does appear sometimes, so keep searching.  (The DVDs can also sometimes be found very cheaply secondhand, too).  It’s feels so very B7 it hurts and the combination of Richard Pasco and David Collings is one of the most amazing things the BBC ever did.  Have this vid in the meantime. XD

Also not up, but worth looking for: The Professionals “Stake Out” is not great or anything, but David Collings is a weasely terrorist who gets beaten up, soaked and made to disarm his own bomb.  Ditto children’s TV serial Midnight Is A Place, where he plays Julian Oakapple, the tutor with a tragic past, a love of music, and who gets badly burned halfway through.  He also sings the theme song.

(I mean, and that’s just the TV and not the radio/audio, and only the available ones and not, say, the one where he works as a PR guy in a chocolate factory that gets accidentally cannibalistic, or the one where he was an evil Bertie Wooster.  The man had a sex scene on the radio.  He was a terrible person. XD)

Oh, oh, wait, while I’m making this giant David Collings post, let me throw in a rec for his stalwart Look & Read efforts (aka BBC Educational learn to read telly).  There’s Dark Towers (he is two people, one of them is dead, both of them are called Lord Dark, and it also has Gary Russell in it) and Through the Dragon’s Eye.  He’s only in eps 5-8, but he’s the villain Charn and somebody forgot to tell him or the costume designer not to go overboard on terrifying every child in the country.  If you want a laugh and some quality Collings content, these two are priceless. 

Have fun?

[drawlfoy]

The Sound of...Magic? p.2

pairing: draco x nannyhalfblood!reader

request: yes! thank you :)

warning: draco being kinda angsty and uninterested. mentions of death in the family and also i’m butchering canon because *gasp* i refuse to consume any media about the cursed child....everything jkr has said since the deathly hallows is NONE of my business 

summary: after astoria dies, draco malfoy hires an american halfblood nanny who’s having some difficulty finding herself. he slowly falls for her

a/n: ok i’ll be totally honest, i might end up cutting this story short as it’s the story on my page who has gotten the least amount of feedback and i kind of suck at writing adults and parenting things, but i don’t want to let down the person who requested this fic and i’m hoping i’ll fall back in love with this! also i only have about 30 minutes today to write this particular fic so i apologize if it’s short! i’ll be totally honest, i’m having a lot of trouble writing this one up.

music recs: there really aren’t any that i recommend tbh

word count: 939

Y/N always held a special place in her heart for Britain, and quite honestly, Europe in general. She’d always envied the stories she heard of her professors that attended Hogwarts before being offered a teaching job at Ilvermorny. She’d attempted to take a year abroad and attend any wizarding school in Western Europe, but unfortunately, given her blood status and the fact that there was a full out war raging, her applications were denied and she was stuck on the East Coast of the US once again. 

Her holiday season had, in fact, sucked major ass. Uprisings were beginning around her office to protest one of the laws the Congress and recently passed regarding Magical Object Importation, and one of them turned violent. 

Her mother probably didn’t even have the chance to get up and try to run before her office was enfulged in flames, something that hurt Y/N to think about. 

Her father had left when she was young, and without any siblings, Y/N suddenly found herself completely alone with more inheritance than she knew what to do with. 

So when her supervisor heard her complaining and told her of a wizard requesting a nanny in Britain, she couldn’t resist. Before she knew it, she was organizing the portkeys needed and packing for one year away from everything she knew.

♥♥♥♥

The British countryside never failed to stun her with its beauty. Y/N had visited once with her mother when she was no older than 10, and she always promised herself that she’d return when she was older.

And I did, Mom Y/N thought, smiling sadly as she watched the world race by from her seat on the train. She’d opted to take the train for a bit to get closer to the address she was sent, which was a bit unorthodox and inefficient as she’d end up apparating anyways, but she needed the moments to think and gather her thoughts.

The only information her supervisor had given her was limited and vague. Something about a man just a few years older than her who had a son that was a couple year old. His wife died at birth and he had been getting by with local nannies, but apparently he wasn’t loved in the community and didn’t feel safe leaving his child alone with anyone who knew him, thus explaining why he wanted an American nanny. 

Y/N found that a bit odd, but cast the thoughts aside. Death changed everyone, and it certainly changed her. She could only hope that--she scoured the slip of parchment that gave her the address to find a name--Mr. Malfoy would be kind to her. 

She got off on the next stop, slipping away to a private alcove to apparate to the Malfoy...Manor? She stared at the word Manor. In America, no one had manors...sure, they had mansions, but manor was old money. 

Y/N gulped. Perhaps she was getting in way over her head.

No matter, though. She’d teleported all the way out here, and it wouldn’t be for nothing.

Here goes Y/N steeled herself before apparating.

♥♥♥♥

Her concerns were echoed as she saw the type of lodging she’d be staying in as the architecture of the giant mansion imitated one of a gothic castle. 

Maybe this was a mistake Y/N thought nervously to herself. Her trunk with her rather plain clothes began to feel out of place and she couldn’t help but wonder what kind of woman Mr. Malfoy was accustomed to--a prim and proper and manicured one that ate caviar for breakfast, no doubt. 

But she was alive, and his wife was not, so she decided to bite the bullet and approach the front door. It towered over her, pushing Y/N to the conclusion that this house was not constructed to feel homey and welcoming. It was designed to intimidate, and it was doing its job wonderfully.

She knocked thrice, picking her trunk back up afterwards and nervously waiting for the door to be answered. Y/N began to wonder what the father would look like--would he be classically beautiful? Or would his features resemble those with a family tree that interwove a little too much?

She didn’t have more time to worry as the door began to creak open. Y/N gulped, awaiting to see the man in the flesh, and was shocked when she had to look down to see who had opened the door.

Of course. A house elf. 

Any doubts she had about this household being one of luxury were immediately banished. These people were rich, alright. Richer than she could ever imagine.

The house elf greeted her and led her inside the manor, and she was immediately struck with a draft. It was cold and dark inside, the opposite of the cheery examples of rich lifestyles that had been shoved down her throat in America. 

Everything was spotless, no doubt to the credit of the many house elves bustling about the place. 

“This way, miss.” The house elf that greeted her directed her down a long hall off to the side. “Master is in his office.”

Y/N inwardly cringed at the use of the word “master”. She cringed even harder when she imagined Malfoy instructing her to refer to him as that.

If he does that, I’m giving myself the clear to take the first flight home she promised herself.

Finally, they reached the end of the hallway, which opened up into a giant office with windows stretching luxuriously across the walls and the ceiling. 

“Master, she is here,” the house elf reported.

The large, plush chair in front of the giant mahogany desk spun around.

[chicago-reeed]

PHCK ME - Reed900 Fic Rec List

Hello!!! You might not remember, but awhile back I mentioned I had the start of a fic rec list that I planned to post (which I never did). To celebrate all 1K+ of you, I thought I would finish the list for you! It is my duty as a loyal reed900 servant.

DISCLAIMER: This list of reccomendations was made purely out of personal opinion. I by no means want to discredit any other fics/authors. Some may not agree with my choices, and that’s totally understandable. I just wanted to share these fics because I personally enjoyed them <3

I didn’t include some fics because they haven’t been updated in a long time, or I didn’t remember them enough to give them accurate reviews. Also, I’m sure there are many more fics that I forgot to put on here (these are from my ao3 bookmarks). I might include them in a future update.

Anyways, all of my recs are under the cut! There are a lot!! I had eight pages worth of them in my documents haha

Mint Condition - by itsdefinitive - Mature - Content warnings - Chapters 18/? - Reed could see what they were going for there -- the whole infallible super-soldier thing.  A monument to testosterone made perfect, cast in steel within plastic.  It was actually really creepy.  Maybe that was on purpose.

The first reed900 fic I read, and it’s honestly what got me into the pairing itself.

Charon - by Vapewraith - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 20/20 - Gavin Reed, a mess of a human being, just wants to be left to his self destructive tendencies. RK900, an android designed by the most brilliant minds in the world to be the perfect machine, is desperate to grasp the full range of emotional freedom now afforded to him. The two will need to find an equilibrium before their incompatible personalities—and an eccentric serial killer with a dangerous piece of tech—swallow them whole.

I can’t even describe how much I love this fic. I’m a slut for horror, and there’s plenty of that in here. It might just be my favorite. Definitely recommend.

Two Sides of a Vaguely Similar Coin - by ZombiBird - Mature - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 13/? - RK900 is lost.

It’s been months since the Revolution and he’s still no closer to figuring out what the hell he’s supposed to be doing with himself. He feels like an outsider in his own body. Completely detached, nothing more than a quiet observer; like he’s looking down at the world through a layer of glass instead of fully living in it.

Gavin Reed is a temperamental asshole.

This isn’t news, okay? Gavin’s fully aware of what he is. He burns bridges instead of building them. Bites hands instead of shaking them. Would rather drown in a sea comprised of the consequences of his faults and misdeeds than try to change the way he is. Because people like him? Maybe they deserve to drown.

[Alternatively: Both lost in different ways, Gavin and RK900 try to figure their shit out and end up learning that, sometimes, it takes two people who have absolutely no idea what the hell they’re doing to get a goddamn clue.]

I don’t remember much about this fic, if I’m honest. Not that the story is forgettable, it’s just been awhile since I read it. However, the title definitely stood out to me so I know it was very good :P

Captcha Encryption - by Cerulaine - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Content warnings - Chapters 18/? - It's a little over a year after the android uprising and it's still the end of the fucking world.

Back in the day when things became shit he used to enjoy a drink or two. Or Five. It all depended on how long the shift ran. After 'The Accident' he can't even cough without Nines breathing down his neck anymore.

He just wishes everything would go back to normal, but if there's anything Gavin has learned it's that you can't unring a bell once it's been rung.

Or whatever. Fuck if he knows.

Similar situation to the last fic: I don’t remember much about it (my memory SUCKS), but I do remember thoroughly enjoying this one.

Daydreamer - by Pence - Mature - Content warnings - Chapters 21/24 - Large purple bruises twined prettily around the corpse’s throat, every finger defined in perfect cruelty. His eyes tore away from the handprints as a cold finger traced the lightning strike scar across the center of his face—drawing his attention to a small, blue lipped smile.

“Do you think you’ll ever leave this town, Gavin?”

________

When a series of Detroit murders are linked as originating in his hometown, Gavin Reed is unwillingly assigned the case. Fowler insists that his history with the place and people will hugely benefit such an investigation.

He was fucking wrong. 

This fic is one big holy shit moment tbh. Really fantastic. Really makes you wonder why these authors aren’t paid to do this.

All Aboard the Underground Railroad - by Senjihae - No Rating - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 11/? - What starts as sticking it towards his half brother evolves into something with the potential to rewrite android history as he knows it. Gavin doesn't realize what he gets himself into until he is mistaken as the 'Android Messiah' of all things. It's not like he goes out of his way to help them, but his life gets a lot harder once Hank is assigned a shiny new boy toy ('sent by CyberLife').

Things only get worse when he's gifted a heap of metal of his own ('sent by Elijah Kamski').

(Yeah, fuck off Elijah)

Very interesting fic. Gavin is RA9 so that’s a thing. A nice slow burn!

Dragon Become Age - by errantwheat - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Content Warnings - Chapters 11/? - Y’all wanted me to write dragon age!au so I did :)

YES! YES! YES! DRAGON AGE AU! YES! YES! YES! (it’s really gud)

Warmth - by TheRedPaladin101 - Teen and Up Audiences - No Warnings - Chapters 1/1 - Gavin frowned, the aching in his shoulder fading from his mind for a moment. “Then give me my jacket.”

“Your jacket is in no condition to keep you warm,” he stated. “For now, use mine and stay warm while we wait to head back to the station.”

----

Five times RK900 gave Gavin Reed his jacket, and one time Gavin gave his in return.

Very wholesome. Lives up to its title. Some good ole hurt/comfort!

Letifer - Terminallydepraved - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 19/19 - Gavin Reed is a DPD beat cop determined to make detective by any means possible, and putting an end to a string of murders looks like the quickest way to accomplishing that goal. Unfortunately for him, he fails to account for the real culprit— or the thought that perhaps he isn't the only one on the hunt for a killer.

(Now with cover art by Leetmorry!)

I love beat cop!gavin. It humbles him. And vampire!nines is scary and amazing. Love how the author wrote both of these characters (and the others too!). I definitely recommend this one!

A Strange and Beautiful Creature -  by LittleLalaith - General audiences - No warnings - Chapters 7/7 - Scientist Nines is called in to Amanda's lab to assist with a new discovery - a genuine Mermaid.

While Amanda is indifferent to the creature's circumstances, Nines builds an unlikely connection to the specimen and they grow a little closer than either of them expected.

(AKA Gavin is a sassy sea slug and Nines thrills in breaking the safety protocols)

Mermaid au! Nines wants to save mermaid Gavin, and it’s all very wholesome.

I Think You Do - by spotlightonmringenue - Teen and Up Audiences - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 16/? - “Son of a bitch, there’s another one. What the fuck is it doing,” Gavin says, grip going white on the gun as the android continues to stare at him without acknowledging Connor.

“RK900, my name is Connor. I’m part of a group called Jericho that recovered you from Cyberlife’s Production Center late yesterday. We are currently in the Detroit Police Department Central Station. Are you feeling okay?”

“It doesn’t feel shit,” Gavin mumbles, resisting the urge to step back as the RK900 takes a step closer. It holds out the cup, and Gavin’s eyes dart to it for only a second before flipping between Connor and his doppelganger.

“You requested coffee,” it says, and Hank sighs, leaning back against his desk while rubbing a hand over his forehead.

Quality ‘enemies to friends’ content. Nines is intimidating. Gavin is confused. Good times.

Flying with Crooked Wings - by UnCon - Mature - No warnings - Chapters 20/? - “Listen, kid,” Gavin started, cutting off the desolate child. Sure it was sad his dog had died but it wasn’t Gavin’s fault no one taught the little twerp chocolate was a dog’s kryptonite, “he’s in a better place, alright, so if you’d just stop asking for him to come back—it’d be much appreciated.”

“You promise?” the eight-year-old asked, his big brown eyes looking like glass—fragile and sparkly.

“Yeah,” Gavin lied, looking away as he did it—his halo going a bit crooked. To be honest, he wasn’t sure where dogs went after they died, only that he was tasked with calming the little boys and girls who despaired after them—at least until his punishment was up. “So just, you know, go to sleep and all that.”

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In a world where angels and demons inhabit the same earth, both searching for a way to overthrow the other, both failing--Gavin sits right in the middle, with a crooked halo and a pair of wings to match. It's not enough to be a bit mischievous, however, he also has to get caught up in the demon brothers' scheme to take over heaven. Perfect.

Really good! This fic has the interesting dynamic of Gavin as an angel and Nines as a demon. Check it out!

The Red String Will Still Connect Us Ten Thousand Miles Apart (and to the moon and back) - by Jillflur - Teen and Up - Content warnings - Chapters 5/5 - Gavin, an ‘unlovable’ man without a Soulmate. He was used to it, never had one since he could remember. However, that little fact changes when he wakes up one day and realizes that he suddenly has a Red String connected to his ring finger. It only gets worse when months later, an android walks into the precinct who apparently is his new Soulmate!

Can androids even have Soulmates?!

To make everything even more complicated, a sudden new killer is on the Streets, and he murders people by cutting their Red Strings!

A soulmate fic by our very own jillflur! So good. Amazin. I love the red string trope so much. Yall should big read.

the prince & the reed - by Pence - Mature - Content warnings - Chapters 2/? - "I wanted to marry you," the prince murmured, polished armor gleaming as he stared down at the injured man--icy eyes tinged with sadness. Regret.

A guttural scream ripped from the soldier's throat as a heel dug into his wound, arm coated crimson from his weeping shoulder.

The soldier's teeth were stained pink as he jerked his chin up to grin toothily at the other man, bloody fingers scrambling down his thigh in search of the dagger tucked into his boot.

"Then drop to your knees and ask me properly, Nines."

Okay this fic is only two chapters and hasn’t been updated in awhile but GOT DAMN do I love how the author set this medieval fic up. I’m a slut for the medieval au’s, so that’s just extra points.

Not a teacher but I can teach you a thing or two - by Adishailan - Teens and Up - No warnings - Chapters 20/20 - Gavin owed the walking hunk of plastic. He owed him. Ugh, Gavin hated owing people stuff. It gave him a horrible feeling in his stomach, like indigestion, except worse because it involved emotionsTM. This, coupled with the fact he was pumped up with drugs and suffering a concussion, was why he was about to make a terrible, terrible mistake.

“‘Kay. Fine. Thanks or whatever. Lemme know if you ever need anythin' prick.”

RK900’s LED went yellow at this, and this time Gavin was pretty sure he was doing the processing thing. It was still yellow even when he nodded in a serious way and said:

“That would be useful.”

Oh man this one is BIG CUTE! It’s so soft, and is a fantastic slow burn. I totally recommend this fic.

O May I Join the Choir Invisible - by BanishedOne - Mature - No warnings - Chapters 13/? - Gavin Reed was a new inmate at a prison where the infamous killer, R. Nathan Kearney, was on death row. Circumstances led to an unfortunate encounter.

Okay don’t quote me on this but I think you can find the rest of this fic on Twitter. It was posted in a bunch of seperate posts and it was really confusing but there was definitely extra chapters. You can find the post here (or at BanishedOne on twitter). Other than that, this is a really good fic! The boys get into a lot of trouble!

Neon Maps - by caffienefueledfeels - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Content warnings - Chapters 11/11 - Everyone has their limits. Gavin is about to discover several of his own.

He's broke, barely scraping along, and struggling to keep an aggressive black-mailer off his back. On top of that, the grey-eyed distraction in his bed is about to test his heart in more ways than one.

Cyberpunk fic!! Super interesting! Go check it out!

Computers Are Elaborate Cat Beds, Actually - by errantwheat - No Rating - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 6/? - “Marvelous find, Gavin. They’ll promote you for this, surely.”

Gavin pulled an exaggerated frown. He was awfully animated for a robot. “Jesus, What kind of human are you? I’m waving a fucking kitten in your face and you’re still a bitch.”

Really cute. I’m pretty sure there’s some art to go with this fic. Super duper cute reverse au!

More Than a Woman, More Than a Bride - by AvixiLynn91 - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Content warnings - Chapters 38/? - When Gavin’s life is threatened for the last time by a violent gang expanding the production of a new drug in Detroit, Captain Fowler must come up with a plan for his safety. Perhaps forcing a marriage between Nines and Gavin wasn’t the best solution he could come up with...

Oh man. This fic. Let me tell you. I’ve been with this fic since the beginning and it is one hell of a roller coaster XD. The author updates constantly, it’s really impressive.

More Like You - by Mooneye - Teen and Up - No warnings - Chapters 1/1 - “This next bit’s going to get awkward. I’m going to interface with you.”

At that he could feel the collective confusion in the room. His eyes darted up to look at Hank and then Nines. They both seemed eerily still and were possibly thinking that Gavin had surely lost his mind.

Gavin has kept his prosthetic arm, with good reason, a secret from humans and androids alike for as long as he’s had it. The prospect of losing Nines threatens to unravel everything, but perhaps it’s worth the cost.

The idea of Gavin (an android hater in-game) having a prosthetic-android arm is definitely interesting!

An Unforeseen Union - by AvixiLynn91 - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 16/16 - Gavin and Nines are sent undercover to investigate a slew of brutal murders at a gay counselling and therapy resort for androids and humans. They're forced to pose as a couple, but soon feel their relationship becoming more than an act as real feelings develop.

I loved the dramatic whodunnit vibes in this fic! It gets crazy :P

The Great DPD Kink-Off - by connorssock, LittleLalaith, Skye_Willows, Stujet9rainshine - Explicit: only suitable for adults - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 24/24 - It started out as a bit of rivalry and turned into a competition. Who was the kinkiest android in town?

If you like smut, then read this. That is all I will say.

The Black Nights, The Long Dark - by bvssbot - Explicit - Content warnings - Chapters 8/12 - translation of an amazing russian fic тёмные ночи, долгая тьма (the dark nights, the long darkness) into english

An unknown catastrophe was the reason Gavin ended up stranded alone on a godforsaken Canadian island. Having almost made peace with the thought of living in solitude for the rest of his days, he saves the life of a pilot named Richard, whose airplane crashed in the middle of his humanitarian mission.

Shit, I loved ‘The Long Dark’ and I love this fic. I don’t speak russian, unfortunately, so I must wait to read the end. But this is still amazing and you all should read it.

Detroit: Outlast - by Cardboardghost - Mature - Content warnings - Chapters 1/? - Connor Upshur is a down on his luck reporter, who spends his nights getting drunk and passing out at home. A mysterious email calls him to Mount Massive Asylum, owned by the Cyberlife corporation. Armed with nothing but a camera and his wits, Connor must brave the asylum's horrors and find way to save the people Cyberlife stole from him.

Gavin Park is a beat cop looking for a more well paying job. So when an offer to work private security at the Cyberlife corporation all but falls into his lap, how could he refuse? Gavin quickly realizes things are not what they seem, and in an attempt to expose Cyberlife, he ends up further in their clutches. Now he and Connor must work together to claw their way out of the asylum's depths, and the familiar faces that wait inside those walls.

This fic only has onw chapter, but go check out Cardboardghost’s art if you finish reading this!! They have provided so much quality content for the Outlast/DBH crossover I didn’t know I needed.

Gin & Tonic - by limchi - Explicit - No warnings - Chapters 8/? - People didn’t like Gavin Reed. Gavin Reed didn’t like people. It went together like gin and tonic, you can’t have one without the other. Nines hated him and he hated Nines. Those were the rules they played by, the rules that couldn't be changed - until fate decided they could.

It turned Gavin into pretending to dislike and Nines into a dense idiot with a crush, unable to grasp the concept of love. Both in utter denial. The catch: gravity worked against them, pulled them together at a frightening pace. Push against and defy the rules of nature or go along the prevailing forces?

Your friendly neighborhood reed900 fic. Very epic slow burn and fluff (and a hint of angst tbh). I definitely recommend!

Bitter Half - by turnabout - Mature - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 5/5 - Gavin Reed was born unmarked, and had spent his entire life expecting to die like he lived - alone. It isn't until Tina points out the new serial number on his chest that he realizes everything is about to change. Whether that's for better or for worse is up to him.

I’m a sucker for soulmate fics and this one does not disappoint!

K-900 - by Serazimei - Teen and Up - No warnings - Chapters 3/3 - Gavin and Nines were a great team. Unfortunately they were both huge workaholics. That's why when Nines' body gets busted on a job and the needed parts aren't available yet chaos is inevitable. Needing to choose between waiting and potentially being of no use at work or participate in one of Kamskis experiments and transfer his mind into an Android dog the decision is easy to make.

Who knew being in a dog body could become such a hassle? Not Nines, that's for sure.

Nines is a pup!!! I don’t believe I’ve seen a fic like this yet, so it’s really cool!

Thanks I'm Hating It - by Lupo (LupoLight) - Explicit: only suitable for adults - No warnings - Chapters 4/4 - Gavin goes to a fast food burger joint and Nines judges him. Then he realizes that Gavin isn't as much of a dick as he used to be, except he is, but in a different way. He isn't sure how to react to this knowledge.

QUALITY reed900 content

Bloodstains - by DeviantAlicee - Mature - Content warnings - Chapters 12/? - Nines is an interrogator & detective for the DPD with a dark past. His thick skin & smarts helping him to be one of the most valuable members of the department. He's cold & daunting.

GV200 is one of the first police android models who's partnered with a cruel beat cop who not only hates that his partner is an android but doesn't think GV can feel any of the cruel things he does or says to him. The android doesn't speak up due to the fear of being shut down.

Nines has no clue that the android he bumped into at a bar is in fact a police android. He just thinks that he might be somebody in need of some help. But, as time passes by & a new drug that can be used by androids begins to circulate, Nines begins to realise the situation is a whole lot more convoluted than he originally thought.

This is a really interesting reverse au! Check it out!

Team spirit - by ilse_writes - Mature - No warnings - Chapters 4/4 - Someone had the unholy idea to go camping with the department, all in the name of 'team building'. Gavin is not liking it very much. That tall instructor with his haughty manners and cool eyes... that one he likes very much.

I don’t think I’ve seen another au quite like this one. Very epic content, can we hit Gavin Reed?

Wake Up - by SkySquid22 - Mature - Content warnings - Chapters 6/? - “Gavin!”

GV200 slipped out of his stasis. He didn’t get a chance to open his eyes before a file came down on his face, smacking him.

“And here I thought tin cans didn’t sleep.”

Something was wrong.

Something was very very wrong.

DIS GOT ME  F U C K E D  U P!!! Bruh @skysquid200 really out here shaking my world with this fic. I was hollering while reading this like I got HYPED

Natural - by Erik_Heinrich - Teen and Up - Author chose not to warn for content - Chapters 1/? - They are all wing people.

Gavin gets partnered with Nines. As expected hes not too happy about it, but their partnership seems to be going well. That is until spring comes along. Nines wings seem a bit fidgety and Gavin is nesting. Nines doesn't realize he's been trying to court Gavin, and Gavin is just as oblivious.

or. They are both complete idiots the whole time

WING FIC WING FIC WING FIC!!!! Yall dont know how long I’ve looked for a reed900 wing fic. My homie @phckingusername out here doin God’s work <333

Thank you all so much for 1K!!! Being able to hop on Tumblr everyday and talk to you guys makes me so happy!! I really hope I didn't f up this rec list anywhere lol. Hope u guys like it!!

[fyeahvulnerablemen]

Hi! Love your blog, always great for my daily whump dose :P. Speaking of which, I feel like watching a nice whumpy movie tonight. Any recommandations? Or maybe your community has some ideas for me :D!

Hello! Thank you! Well here's a few I like: The Sherlock Holmes movies with RDJ, Mad Max Fury Road, The Hitmans Bodyguard, The Man From Uncle, The Cold Light of Day, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (all of them really), X-Men 1, The Greatest Showman, Guardians of the Galaxy, Aquaman, Man of Steel and the Bourne movies. (I could go on a while lol)

Hope you like some of those! Anyone have any other recs?

[elizabeth-234]

Chapter Twenty-four

Someone to Care

Chapter Twenty-three

The light from the TV washed across the floor. Peyton knew she should be watching the movie but her gaze rotated between her watch and then Mr. Stark who was lounging next to her. He held a bowl of popcorn they made in his hand. The first batch they made burned, all Mr. Stark’s fault although he blamed her. Once they finally made an edible snack they sat down to watch the movie. He shifted so he was facing more toward her and she quickly pretended to watch the movie again.

Her eyes unfocused on the screen as she thought. She couldn’t stay late tonight. May was coming home from work and Peyton promised that she would be home so they could spend time together. She needed to ask soon or risk not finding out. After a moment she looked back at her watch and then at the man. Without moving his eyes from the TV he spoke, startling her back.

“Alright, Peyton. Ask away.” He had a smirk and she blushed at being caught. She loved the nicknames he came up with for her and knew they were never meant in a derogatory manner, or to poke fun at how young she was. Nothing, though, could beat the sound of her name. It felt special when he said it somehow. Like he was savoring it, only letting it out on special occasions or when he was well and truly happy.

She fumbled with the blanket and tried to keep her face blank while glancing up under her eyelashes. They met eyes when she didn’t answer and he raised his eyebrow, leaning toward her.

“What’s wrong?” She sighed before answering.

“I heard some rumors at school.”

His other eyebrow rose to greet its partner and his smile faded a bit. She hurried to continue not wanting any misunderstandings. “It was just something so like you. Like the room with the cards and I know it’s not my business but I feel like it’s my fault, even if that doesn’t make sense and I…” She blushed. “I’m not making any sense. Am I? Sorry for bothering you.”

He leaned forward and scooted down the couch till he was sitting next to her. She rested against his side and let her head drop on his shoulder.

“Hey, hey. Start from the beginning and we’ll work this out. Whatever it is I doubt it’s your fault.” A breath flew out of her lungs forcing her back to curl inward.

“Did something happen with that boy in my class? Did you do something about what I told you about Flash?”

She felt his body freeze next to hers and realized that this wasn’t what he was expecting at all. He shifted back and for some reason her eyes were scratchy at the thought of him moving backward. Before she could think about it his fingers applied pressure under her jaw and raised her face so they could look at each other.

“It’s okay, Peyton. You’re okay.” He sighed. “It’s complicated, kid. I don’t want you to think I’m not on your side because I will always be on your side in that matter and anything else. There were some red flags when you talked to me and it made me worried.” She opened up her mouth to talk but he silenced her. “I know you look out for the little guy, but this time I could. Though it’s not really my story to tell. All I did was pull a few strings to get him moved to a better home.”

“Why?” She whispered. It was nice that he was concerned. That he cared even though he had ever reason not to with Flash. Mr. Stark even refused to say his name most of the time. The silence was deafening. “It… You don’t have to tell me, Mr. Stark. It’s none of my business.”

“It’s not that. It’s just personal.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I heard what you said and it reminded me of when I was a kid. I mean I had it all. Anything I could ever ask for but from that freedom came expectations and Howard, my father, demanded that they be met. Let’s say that I learned quickly how to please.” His words were methodical and it pained her to hear them. Her stomach clenched at the thought of his childhood. At what lay behind his words. He continued to talk, to explain, the dynamics of his life. Peyton, like when she had found the card room, realized how good he was. How human he was. People loved to portray him as a legend, as Iron Man, and yes he was. Mr. Stark was also a person, like Nat. Like her.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stark.” He scooted over and brought his hands to frame her face. His thumbs ran under her eyes and she was surprised to feel the tears run together under the pressure. 


“Don’t cry, sweetheart. I didn’t say that to gain pity. I wanted you to understand.”

“I think I do. Somehow though it doesn’t make me feel any better.” He chuckled as he leaned back, his own eyes bright with dammed in moisture.

“Knowledge doesn’t ever tend to make people feel better but the price of knowing in the end is worth it.” She nodded and curled into his side. Her head rested on his shoulder, his warm arm wrapped around her back as they finished the rest of the movie. Peyton’s eyes felt heavy and all her plans and practicing of her questions for Flash drifted to the back of her brain.

——

The brick was hard against her back and she looked back and forth along the sidewalk, waiting. Her stomach clenched as she debated her course of action. It really was none of her business. She had no reason to pry anymore into the situation with Flash. Mr. Stark explained some of it. More than she anticipated once she was thinking rationally. She lifted off of the brick and shifted her feet before landing back on the wall again.

His hair caught her attention first when he rounded the corner. He had earbuds in and didn’t see her right away. It wasn’t until he passed her that she saw him stop and slowly, like in a movie, turned around to stare at her.

“What do you want Parker?” His voice was defiant but quiet, much different than the usual. She swallowed at the resigned look on his face.

“Nothing.” She said quickly. “Well, I just...”

“What?”

Her doubt cemented and was slightly disappointed with her decision. No matter how curious she was it wasn’t her business. Even though she was involved in an indirect way, her and Flash were not friends. He didn’t owe her anything and she had no right to pry in the end, even if she was still dying of curiosity.  

“I, uh, I just wanted to make sure that Mackenzie is not still mad. Did you see I sent in the Google docs?”

His eyebrows rose at her paltry attempt to steer the conversation but he answered anyway. They stood there, Flash fidgeting with his earbuds and Peyton rocking against the wall. Finally she broke the silence.

“Yeah, so that’s all I needed. Thanks.” Again his eyebrows furrowed.

“Sure, Parker.” She wanted the earth to swallow her up whole and talked at the ground.

“Okay, so I have to go but, yeah, thanks again.” Peyton turned to leave, concentrating on making her steps even.

“Hey Parker,” Flash said. Her head turned to see him standing where he was before. This time she raised her eyebrow.

“Hey Flash.”

“Look.” His hand came up to scratch behind his head. “I don’t know what you did but, um, thank you and tell Mr. Stark thank you.”

“Sure,” she said. “See you around.”

She smiled hesitantly and his own was less of a grimace in response than she was used to. Peyton turned around and started her walk home, continuing to debate whether she should have asked Flash for more answers.

——

“Pass the noodles please, sweet P.” Peyton looked across the table and smiled at May and Nat. It was one of their now weekly dinners and the pasta was perfectly al dente. These get-togethers made her feel nice, normal even. She winced as she passed the hefty bowl to her aunt. Her aunt’s eyes narrowed at her expression but she said nothing to Peyton’s relief. The patrol she went on the night before had been rough but she really didn’t want to answer any questions about it yet.

The two women across from her chatted about their day and Peyton smiled at the openness in Nat’s eyes. It was hard to believe that not long ago Nat was hurt on their couch, a stranger. The surprise at seeing her red hair in their apartment was long gone by now and instead was replaced by a warm glow. Nat was good for their family.

She helped May write a letter to her boss asking for a raise. All May wanted to do was burn it up unsent but Nat was firm and May gathered the courage to send it. When they got the word that May received the raise, they all went out to celebrate. And like she said Nat was there for Peyton. She taught Peyton how to calm down from a panic attack and how to meditate to help steady herself before sleep. In turn Peyton thought that her and May helped Nat feel easier, more open. Her laughter came easier and she shared more about her life.

By the time dinner was done Peyton’s stomach was protruding with pasta. They started on the episode they left off of in Parks and Rec. Peyton could feel her eyes drooping closed and the TV sounds faded into the background.

A dense fog rose up from the floor, leaving tendrils of smoke caressing the dark concrete. Peyton groaned and sat up, staring at the unfamiliar door. The silver steel was tough, heavy duty, and goose bumps rose along her arms. She crossed them and rubbed her palms along the outer parts of her arms. Where was she? Light emanated from under the door and her spidey senses pinged. Peyton crawled toward it and tried to see underneath it. Something was in there but she couldn’t see. Her arms shook as she rose to her knees and pressed her hands to the door, like she would be able to permeate through.

A cry came form inside the room sending chills down her spin. She knew that voice. Peyton pulled herself up to her feet and pounded on the door. The cries grew louder, more animalistic, and they egged on her attempts to knock the door down. Her fists hurt from the impacts and small dents formed into the metal but it would not budge.

The cries crescendoed and the banging of her fists echoed together until they stopped and faded into silence. She leaned her head against the steel and let the cold sink into her skin. Peyton allowed her self to sob once and tempered the rest down. Her brows furrowed as mechanical sounds came from behind the door. She stepped away and the mist dispersed as it groaned open.

Peyton steeled her shoulders and walked into the room. The air was heavier and she couldn’t see anything. The doors closed behind her but she stared forward. Not willing to take her eyes off of whatever was in front of her. She could hear the sound of heavy breathing and two hearts beating. One was calm and steady while the other was palpitating, erratic. She coughed when the smoke engulfed her body and had no choice but to breath it in.

The temperature rapidly cooled down and her breath mingled with the mist surrounding her. Peyton walked further into the space and slowly the fog rose. She saw a pair of bare feet clenched against the cold tiles. They were marred with dirt and dark specks along the top. She didn’t recognize them. The fog continued to lift and black pants were revealed next.

She gasped when the round symbol shone through. Her hand trembled against her lips. Peyton would recognize that triangular symbol anywhere for the rest of her life. Her eyes continued up not heeding her own urges to stop, to save herself from the face that was waiting. Their eyes connected and Peyton held back her tears. They were wrinkled in pain and dull. His hair was matted around his face, which was sweaty and bruised. The smile that could always calm her was erased. Mr. Stark’s lips were cracked and his breathing was labored.

She moved forward to release him when a figure moved from out of the shadows. The rolled sleeves and balding head made her heart pound. She was frozen, trapped in her own invisible holdings.

“Hello, Peyton.” Her eyes were wide as she stared at the man looming over Mr. Stark. “I am sorry that we have to meet like this but you’re looking well. Better than Anthony here.” He moved his hands so that one clasped his shoulder making Mr. Stark hiss and the other came forward to caress his cheek. The action sent chills down her spine with its imitation kindness. Mr. Stark groaned and flinched back.

“Don’t touch him,” she whispered. Her voice echoed around the room and she wondered how large it was. The hand moved idly for a moment but lifted in surrender when she stepped forward. “What do you want?”

The man merely smiled and took out the remote from his pocket. Smiling he pressed the button and the sound tore through Mr. Stark and into her. She trembled and stepped forward.

“What do you want?” She said louder.

He continued to smile and laughed while pressing the button again. Mr. Stark’s hands clenched tighter and she could see the blood dripping down from his fingers. His cries became screams the longer it went on and the laugh echoing simultaneously. She tried to move forward but a barrier stopped her. Peyton pounded on it trying to break through but nothing worked. His back rose away from the back of the chair but the restraints kept him in place. Peyton couldn’t allow herself to stop and she continued to hit the wall. Her hands coming away bruised and bloody.


“Please, I’ll do anything. Just tell me what you want.” Her breath was in spurts and the man only smiled before stepping aside. Her eyes stayed trained on Mr. Stark. They took in the way his head fell to the front, like he couldn’t hold it up anymore. Spit and blood fell from his now unseen lips.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Stark. I’m so sorry.” He didn’t look up and she was forced to stare at the other man. He stopped further to the side and Peyton was sure if she had eaten she would have vomited.

The fog moved once more and the corner was illuminated. The bodies were horrifying enough, their lips twisted unnaturally. The grey tony of their skin glowed against the harsh lights but it was their faces that stabbed Peyton. Her friends, her family’s dead eyes stared up at her. The lights bounced off of their blank pupils. This time Peyton let her sobs project into the room like a disturbed battle cry. Her teeth ground together and her eyes couldn’t leave theirs.

“What do you want?” Her voice rasped and felt foreign to her ears.

“Nothing, my dear girl. Nothing at all.” He swung his fist around and hit Mr. Stark in the face. She was helpless and could only watch. She slumped against the invisible wall and sobbed.

“Peyton?” Her cries were getting harder, she couldn’t hear over the sound of fist hitting flesh.

She looked up but the barrier was black now. The room fluctuated around her, leaving her alone.

“Peyton?”

Not a dull, matte black but it was almost alive.

“Peyton, sweetheart.”

The blackness was deep, alive and it encompassed everything around her. She wanted to crawl into it. To become apart of it.

“Peyton!”

Her surrounding compressed, sucking her into a tight ball. It squeezed her until she couldn’t breath then they exploded out and bright light hit her eyes.

“What?”
She said weakly.

“Oh my gosh. She’s awake. May she’s awake.”

“Peyton? Sweet P? Are you okay?” She couldn’t see past the light but heard movements around her. Peyton flinched back into the soft material behind her. Hands touched her forehead and she clenched her eyes shut.

“It’s May, Peyton. It’s your aunt.”

“May?” Her aunt’s face was stricken with lines, with worry.

“Are you okay?” She couldn’t say anything, just shook her head until she gasped and rose up.

“May!” She lunged forward to grasp her hand. “You, are you okay? I saw. I saw!”

“Sweetie. You’re okay. I’m okay.”

“They had everyone and Mr. Stark. They have him. They have him!” Her aunt pursed her lips and looked over her shoulder, talking to someone.

“Peyton. I’m sure Tony is okay.”

“No, no, no, no!” Her hands came up to clench in her hair. Peyton knew what she saw. She could still feel the aching in her hands from pounding to get to him, could feel the empty feeling welling up inside her at being in the grey room again.

“Nat… should do?” Her mind was fuzzy but she knew that she had to find Mr. Stark. She tried to get up but her aunt pushed her back down. Why wouldn’t her aunt understand?

“I have to find him.” She whispered to herself.

The couch, she realized that was what she was laying on, was soft around her but offered no comfort. There was something wrong with her vision. It was thinner and fuzzy around the edges. She wanted to tell May but felt to weak to form the words so she kept her eyes closed. Tried to let the harsh breaths even out but her lungs also weren’t cooperating. Peyton heard voices around her but she couldn’t focus.

The couch dipped and the weight had her tipping forward slightly. A calloused hand wiped under her eyes making her face wet.

“Sweetheart?” She swam toward the voice, the one that should have been sore from screaming. The first thing she noticed was his face was clean. His eyes narrowed in concern but the warmth of his hands didn’t leave the sides of her face and she nestled into them afraid this was the dream.

“Mr. Stark?” She said weakly.

“I’m here, Peyton. “

“They… he had you. And I was so worried. I couldn’t get you out. I couldn’t save you!” She shuddered and he pulled her into his embrace. His scent wafted to her nose and she hurried it deeper into his chest needing to feel close to him.

“I’m so sorry Mr. Stark.”

“There is nothing, nothing at all to apologize for. I’m always here for you.”

She shuddered again and went limp against the strong arms around her. Some rational part of her mind realized it had been a dream, realized it was fantasy and this was real but her clenched fists in his shirt didn’t get the memo. They grasped at the material, keeping him close to her, making sure he wouldn’t disappear again. She spoke in a soft whisper, not sure if she wanted him to hear but needing to say it out loud.

“I couldn’t save anyone and then there was this blackness. For a moment it swallowed me whole and I, I never wanted to come out again. It was horrible but I was so scared to leave, to find everyone gone.” Her arms rubbed her back. It wasn’t the awkward way he used to comfort her back then. This was sure and real. Peyton realized she needed to tell him. To say it now while she had the chance.

“I love you, Mr. Stark.”

His hand froze for a second but not enough for Peyton to feel awkward. He squeezed her tighter and kissed her head. Peyton knew how he felt. He showed her through his actions and didn’t want him to say it out of some misplaced obligation. She was glad she spoke it out loud.  

Her eyes were heavy now but she tried to keep them open. Peyton could feel her eyelashes opening and closing against his shirt material. His presence calmed her and the remnants of the dream faded into the back of her mind. This time when blackness overcame her it was warm and peaceful. With Mr. Stark beside her, watching over her, she slept.

Thank you!!!

Chapter Twenty-five

[meetnewpeople]

Hey, it’s Hannah

Age: 16/Junior in high school

Where I’m from: USA

Sexuality: Heterosexual, but completely accepting of everyone and anyone!

Favorite TV shows: Parks and Rec, The Office, Modern Family, Impractical Jokers, and basically any cooking/baking contest show

Favorite Movies: The Breakfast Club, Fried Green Tomatoes, Good Will Hunting, Love Actually, Steel Magnolias, Mrs. Doubtfire, Hercules, Hobbit/Lotr movies, Harry Potter movies, and Mamma Mia (1 & 2)

Favorite music/bands/artists: AJR, Sara Bareilles, Queen, Elton John, P!atd, Parachute, Imagine Dragons, The Beatles, Macklemore, and MUSICALS!!! (Specifically; Dear Evan Hansen, Spring Awakening, Hamilton, Be More Chill, Waitress, Heathers, and The Music Man)

Hobbies: singing mediocrely, jumping around to music in my room, reading, writing(specifically poetry), playing with my dogs and cats, hiking, being around people, acting in plays, and talking( a lot)

Fun Facts:

• I really love all foods, but I’m not a huge fan of french toast.

• I’m a Gryffindor.

• My Meyers Briggs type is ENFJ.

• I’m a Taurus sun, Gemini moon, Gemini rising!

• I talk waaaayyy too much haha

If I sound interesting to you or you want to talk with me, text me @hellowithhannah !!!

I try to reply fast and I love to meet anyone new!

https://hellowithhannah.tumblr.com

[cardboard-moon]

40 Things You Never Wanted To Know About Me

You probably already know me decently well or else you wouldn’t be reading this, so instead of rehashing the basic (boring) “getting to know me” questions I dug a little deeper and asked myself about what’s really important. Here is the result: 40 Things You Never Wanted To Know About Me. Enjoy!

1. What Parks and Rec character am I?

While I could argue for almost everyone on the show I’m probably most like Ben Wyatt: a white, brunette, and sad man who eats soup alone on a park bench (minus his love of math and rollerskate kink)

2: Top 5 books?

To Kill a Mockingbird, The Secret History, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Help, 11/22/63

3: Top 5 movies?

Chinatown, Star Wars, Rear Window, National Treasure (nick cage can be good in small doses ok) and Nancy Drew (2007)

4: Top 5 shows?

Parks and Rec, B99, That 70′s Show, Mad Men, Arrested Development

5: Top 10 most iconic vines?

1) Chris is that a weed/Mary is that a police

2) Hi My Name is Trey I have A Basketball Game Tomorrow

3) Rebecca It’s Not What You Think

4) The one where the girl is just hitting elmo with a baseball bat

5) Anything Kermit but esp. the one where he falls off the building

6) You Know This Boy Got His Free Taco

7) 2 Bros Chillin in the Hot Tub

8) Waelcom to my Keeetchen we have bananis and avocadis

9) Whoever Threw That Paper Your Mom’s A Hoe

10) i spilled lipstick in your valentino bag (yOU SPILLED WHAHULAUG LIPSTICK IN MY VALENTINE WHITE BAG)

6: Where do I see myself in 21 years?

One of my dreams in life is to marry the heir to a prestigious winery out in wine country. I have a vision of myself at 39, waking up at 10 AM on a tuesday and standing on my private balcony in my state-of-the-art spanish stucco villa. i am drinking a chardonnay despite the early hour whilst i observe my grape empire in my silk negligee. the only event planned for the day is a portrait sitting for my rottweilers (4 of them), for which i have arranged spaces in the family’s private art gallery. i am aging well despite the harsh california sun and my partner and i have a trip to tuscany planned for the fall. it’s a charmed life and i never tire of eating grapes  

7: Top 5 favorite cryptids

1) Nessie (Nessie is a true lady I believe in her)

2) Mothman (not real)/ el chupacabra (possibly real)

3) the kraken (definitely real)

4) Bigfoot (not real but a legend anyways)

5) the yeti (real only in russia)

8: Do I Believe in Ghosts

It’s a complicated topic and of course we will likely never know for sure but the short answer is yes. in my opinion though, what ghosts are is the important question: are they really the dead coming back to haunt the earth? are they just manifestations of energy that the mind interprets into recognizable shapes? hallucinations? or is it wish fulfillment and the reduction of tensions on a heavy conscience? our brains are capable of powerful things, but it begs the question as to whether if a human desperately wants something to be true does the human mind have the power to make it true? c. s. lewis mentioned once that he never understood the ghost debate since, given that ghosts are real, they have no real power over us or anything interesting to say. but i believe that just goes to show how the mystery is far often more important than the solution.

9: Best/Worst Month of the Year

Best: May/November (spring/fall in full swing, holidays, time off school, great atmosphere) Worst: August (too dang hot & start of school)

10: What is one of my embarrassing secrets

I didn’t learn how to tie my shoes until I was nine (velcro ftw)

11: What is my Dream Date

We go cryptid hunting in the woods and have a picnic in the dark; you supply dogs for entertainment and guardianship purposes, i supply drinks and the cryptozoological myths we are chasing. Afterwards we get gelato

12: Top 3 Presidents

(this is based solely on arbitrary opinion not policies) 1) Barry Obama 2) Lincoln  3) Millard Fillmore (his name is funny) 

Honorable mention: jimmy carter (he was the only noncorrupt man in office for like 30 years before barry)

13: Top 3 Vice Presidents

1) John Adams, if nothing else but for the drama this man caused 2) Walter Mondale 3) the big boy JB 

Honorable Mention: Nichard Rixon

14: Top 3 Secretaries of State

1) Madeline Albright 2) Henry Clay 3) Elihu P. Washburn 

(note: secretaries of state have the funniest names, like Hamilton Fish (1869-1877) rest easy Mr. Fish)

15: Worst Activity they make you do in middle school PE

Middle school P.E. is the worst in general but I’m going to say either grading you on your shotput skills (?) or BMI (??) or just the tuesday run in general (luther kids know)

16: Top 4 Worst Scents

1) Washing a knife covered in peanut butter 2) Really cheap perfume that they sell in checkout lines at convenience stores 3) Olives 4) organic deodorant

17: Top 7 Conspiracy Theories

1) The Denver Airport is an underground military fallout shelter designed to protect the 1% from nuclear warfare

2) A Roman pope adjusted the Gregorian calendar so that his reign would fall on 1000 AD so we’re actually living in the year 1783

3) Paul McCartney is dead and was replaced prior to the Seargant Pepper album by a lookalike named Billy Shears

4) The state of Wyoming is a myth

5) Avril Lavigne died and was replaced back in the early 00’s

6) The Titanic sank because too many people went back in time to prevent it from sinking

7) Not to be cliche George Bush and the military-industrial complex orchestrated the 9/11 attacks (jet fuel can’t melt steel beams and all that)

18: Inside jokes with myself

I’m not usually a “gamer” but every year without fail someone introduces me to a game exactly at finals time and I get hooked and it ruins my gpa and study habits. This year it’s Stardew Valley, last year it was Dream Daddy and the year before that it was undertale and I blame Jojo for absolutely all of it bc they are usually the instigator. Anyway, every year I joke with myself about what game will derail my grades this year

19: Top 5 Worst Tactile Sensations

1) Putting tights or leggings on wet, hairy legs post-shower

2) Running fingernails along cardboard

3) Sweating in a turtleneck

4) Having wet, salty hair after swimming that drips down onto your back and makes the top of your shirt damp

5) Reaching into a bag of grapes and only finding really soft, slimy ones

20: Best Cat I’ve ever encountered

One time my friend and I were leaving Romancing the Bean and walking back to her car and the fattest, fluffiest, softest ginger cat I’ve ever seen came trotting up to us and flopped over at our feet. He was such a good boy!!! And so friendly with strangers!! He was very well groomed and just wanted some love, and whenever we stopped petting him he would jump up onto our legs and leave little wet paw prints everywhere, I wanted to kidnap him

21: Best dog I’ve ever encountered

All of them

22: Best squirrel I’ve ever encountered

My dad has befriended a squirrel named Nutty that likes to sneak into his office when the door’s open and steals peanuts. if the door is closed he’ll bang on it and scream until we acknowledge him

23: If I were a furry what would my fursona be

I do not know because I am not a furry. HOWEVER someone who is well-versed in furry matters told me once that I would be one of those long, nervous dogs like a greyhound maybe and tbh I could see it

24: Favorite/Least Favorite Disneyland Rides

My favorite has always been haunted mansion, except for the halloween season when it’s nightmare before christmas and then it’s thunder mountain. I just love the outside atmosphere of the house bc I’m a slut for that southern gothic architecture style. Worst is splash mountain because there’s no seatbelt and LOGICALLY i know I don’t need one but it doesn’t stop me from having a panic attack every time I get on and we go up the big hill as I worry about being flung from the toboggan across the park

25: Least favorite restaurant within 10 mile radius of my house

I live over by Porto’s so I am #blessed to be surrounded by some really dope food. However there is a hipster place a couple of blocks over in Toluca Lake that only serves bizarre food like fried chicken in maple syrup with waffle fries and it’s surprisingly bland, so the lack of taste combines with how expensive it is probably makes it the worst (it’s also forgettable bc I can’t even remember its name)

26: Rank of JBHS history department according to how good of a parent they would be

9.Mr. Bixler - I have never had this man so I can’t say shit. NA/10

8. Ms. Snowden - I’ve never had her either but I’ve heard enough about her between Burroughs and Luther to know that this woman is kind of scary, intimidating and uptight, all things I personally do not desire in a parent. 2/10

7. Mr. Hatch - I love Scott Hatch but he is a tremendous mess of a man. Judging by his wife’s instagram photos his idea of parenting is taking naps while cuddling his children and letting his wife do the rest of the hard work. Plus he seems like the type to be too wrapped up in his own melodrama and too busy hangin out with his best friend Edward Frankenbush playing Xbox to pay much attention to his kids. However, he did skip the first day of school to take his daughter to kindergarten so he gets points for that. 4/10

6. Mr. Lee - Mr. Lee is a very respectable guy who seems like he does a very good job providing for his family. He’s ranked as middle of the road because he’s a naturally private person so I can’t speak to his parenting tactics or personality much, however the few stories he shared about his daughter were very cute and he does the typical teacher/parent things like making her his screensaver on his computer. Overall, a very quality dad and man, 6.5/10

5. Mr. Fitz - Kyle Fitzgerald is similarly a mess of a man, but the difference between him and Scott Hatch is that he seems to make an investment in his kid. He always talks about current events in terms of what idiocy his poor daughter will have to put up with which shows his devotion to her well-being and survival in a confusing world. Also he brought her in to go swimming once while I was working at Verdugo and I got to see them having a great time on the splash pad and it warmed my heart. Great dad 7/10

4. Mr. Piper - Richard Piper is such a good father but in a detached way. He loves talking about his son and wife just as much as he loves talking about planes. The real kicker? When he talks about taking his son ON planes and geeking out over history together. He also asked all of his classes for people looking for tutoring work when his son was struggling in math which is so cute. Good guy Rick gets an 8/10.

2. (tie) Mr. Frankenbush and Ms. Hacker - Ed and Jan are both beautiful people. I know Ms. Hacker is #divisive but I personally am a big fan and would die to have her guidance in my daily life. She’s always interested in what’s going on in people’s lives and sure she’s definitely chaotic but it’s a loving chaos that’s only looking to help other people. I’ve not had the pleasure of having Mr. Frankenbush but he always is hanging out with his son Joey and they love coming to the Burroughs pool and playing water polo together; they spend a lot of time together since his wife works so much and they have such a buddy friendship. Both of these lovely people are super devoted and invested in the youth and would make great parents. 9/10

1. Mr. Clark - A god. We don’t deserve this man and I can’t sing his praises enough. Were were all lucky enough to be Greg’s children I don’t think evil would exist in the world. 11/10

27: Worst book I read for school

Hands down Tale of Two Cities since it’s the only one I’ve never finished. Dickens just doesn’t do it for me I guess plus I get really tired of the one dimensional characters and how much he romanticizes Lucy

28: Favorite little-known tidbit of history

When Richard Nixon went to Soviet Russia as Eisenhower’s VP during the cold war his secret service agents detected higher than usual amounts of radiation coming from Nixon’s hotel room, so they started talking loudly about it bc they knew the Soviets had planted buds and were listening. Within like an hour the radiation had vanished and they never heard anything about it again so man Soviet’s ain’t sly

29: 5 Places in Burbank That Are Definitely Haunted

1. Coral Cafe for obvious reasons, look up the ghost on youtube

2. The View seems like it would have some kind of el chupacabra-esque creature prowling around, maybe a mountain lion hybrid

3. Fry’s Electronics

4. The abandoned train station under the bridge

5. The LA river by the equestrian center

30: Rank of all the AP classes i took in order of entertainment value

9) AP Bio: I liked bio but the class wasn’t very entertaining. There’s not a lot of humor in bacteria and cells, and Mr. Van Loo is much more of a calming than a humorous and chaotic presence, so overall it takes the hit as the least entertaining class.

8) AP Stats: Math is similarly not very entertaining, but Mrs. Hollingshed’s erratic personality gives it the edge over Bio. Definitely more humorous than expected of a math class.

7) AP Econ: I bombed econ and business/money isn’t very entertaining but Jan Hacker made it so thanks to her chaos (love her though).

6) AP Euro: European history is incredibly iconic because, spoiler alert, Europeans are idiots and historically speaking everything that can go wrong, will go wrong. I just wish I remember it since I think idiot sophomore Lily slept through most of the class so needless to say I didn’t soak up much of the entertainment value. If it were up to me I’d take it over again and maybe stay awake this time.

5) AP Lit: Lit was just as much challenging and intimidating as it was entertaining, so it balances out. Mrs. Caluya is notably iconic and the books we read were all pretty interesting so it gets a high vote from me.

3) (tie) Gov/APUSH: History is always entertaining in my eyes since people do stupid things out of pettiness. These two tie for different reasons: Mr. Piper is a great teacher and that mock trial we did for the industrial age was great, but the subject was also extremely entertaining overall. I loved reading about how John Adams made making fun of him illegal. Gov was mostly just entertaining because of Mr. Hatch and how salty his is about the government. His sarcastic comments about how corrupt everything is gave life to an otherwise pretty lifeless subject.

2) AP Lang: aka the class with no curriculum, or the Kuglen Hour. I love Mr. Kuglen so much and he is responsible for 99% of the amusement in the class. I somehow learned how to be a better writer by listening to him complain about Trump and everything else under the sun for an hour every day so it was well worth it. Also who doesn’t like a class where you read Dave Sedaris for homework?

1) AP Psych: Without question, this is the epitome of entertainment. Psychology is just a mishmash of people trying to figure out why humans are as stupid as we are and why we do dumb things. Add in all the iconic psychologists and history and a class led by salty Mr. Hatch and you have a recipe for an entertaining year.

31: Top 5 Iconic JBHS teachers that I NEVER had (no particular order)

Mr. Peebles: A quirky man who I would have loved were I any good at math whatsoever

Mr. Arakelian: Band kids hate him but the stories I hear are so frickin iconic that I wish I could be an honorary band kid for a day and see the horror firsthand. If you have Arakelian stories please send them my way I’d love to hear about your pain

Mr. Frankenbush: A sad boi who everyone should get to experience and I regret never having.

Dr. Madooglu: He was so kind to me after the failed anti-trump lunchtime protest last year and he didn’t even know me. I wish I could’ve experienced him as a teacher.

Mr. Clark: The man, the myth, the legend

32: List of some iconic swim horror stories

Charlie breaking his hand after he lost a race and punched the gutter as hard as he could

Some idiot JV boys smearing poop all over the Burbank High locker room

The entire JV team getting Burroughs swim banned from Islands

Me almost passing out at the Los Amigos meet last year after I didn’t eat or sleep all day

Everyone always feigning illness or injury to get out of swimming the 4x100 relay

Getting in trouble for watching boys volleyball practice instead of doing the weight room sets

Every. Single. 5AM morning practice before school.

When coach martin finally figured out how periods work and suddenly we couldn’t use that as an excuse for not swimming anymore

33: What Office Character Would I Be

A mix between Angela, Oscar, and Kelly (we love our dramatic icons)

34: #1 Thing I’d Bring With Me to a Desert Island

Castaway for instructional purposes

35: What Would I call my memoir

Schadenfreude

36: 7 Best Buzzfeed Unsolved Episodes (no particular order)

This is one of my favorite shows so these are my recommendations:

1. 3 Horrifying Cases of Ghosts and Demons - one of the very first and best episodes; a 45-minute special where the Boys investigate the Winchester house in San Francisco, the Island of the Dolls in Mexico, and the Sallie House in Kansas

2. The Strange Disappearance of D. B. Cooper - A man going by the name of Dan Cooper hijacked a plane, demanded money and passage to Mexico, and then at some point jumped out of the plane and was never seen again. To this day no one knows his identity or his fate despite some of the ransom money turning up in a river somewhere.

3. The Haunted Halls of Waverly Hills Hospital - Ryan and Shane explore an abandoned asylum in Pennsylvania and some creepy stuff ensues. One of the best supernatural episodes

4. The Thrilling Gardner Museum Heist - An almost hilarious story (with reenactments!) about a seriously inept security guard and the loss of some of the world’s most beloved paintings. This was one of the first episodes after they started making money and the production quality is off the charts 

5. The Scandalous Murder of William Desmond Taylor - Another excellent reenactment story about one of Hollywood’s first and biggest scandals, the suspicious murder of a leading film producer.

6. The Enigmatic Death of the Isdal Woman - A woman’s body was found suspiciously burned in the European wilderness and no one knows who she is or how exactly she was killed. Watch if you like espionage!

7. The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElroy - An entire town seemingly rose up to murder a douchey, violent pedophile. One of the only episodes that’s actually happy?

37: 6 Things I would Have Changed About High School

1. Definitely would have joined yearbook as soon as I could

2. Wouldn’t have forced myself to swim for all 4 years; if the passion’s gone then you shouldn’t force it. It’s just a sign that you need to move on to better things

3. I would’ve taken more AP’s and maybe tried another stem ap class. I’ve always been self-conscious about how bad I am at math, but I’ve gotten a little better over the years and instead of being too afraid to challenge myself I would’ve liked to see how I could do and prove myself.

4. Worrying less about grades!! I killed myself over my grades for like three years and then I just kind of let myself go. I would have let myself have who knows how many more hours of sleep and taken the L on a couple of assignments; I’m still learning that my health is more important than perfection.

5. Meeting the right people! I wouldn’t have restricted myself to a few friends and would have branched out more by joinng stuff like JSA. It sucks meeting the right people your senior year and realizing that I was hanging out with the wrong people this whole time.

6. Spanish instead of French.

38: What Would I Name My Farm Animals if I had A Farm

I’d definitely name them all after female Shakespearian characters. My cows would be Hippolyta and Titania from Midsummer, my horse would be Desdemona from Othello, my chickens would be Gonereil, Regan, and Cordelia from King Lear and my goat would be named Gertrude from Hamlet

39: Most Useless Talent I Have

I have a really strong internal clock so when I don’t think about it too hard and guess intuitively I can usually predict how much time has passed/what time it is without looking at a clock. It’s really only useful for estimating how much time I wasted standing in the shower staring at the wall

40: Top Regret After Writing This:

Writing this instead of studying for my econ test in seven hours.

Thanks for reading!

[sinkingorswimming]

CONGRATION FOR 600 FOLLOWERS U DONE IT

more X-Men coming through, maybe not so “soft” anymore @linneakou

He could be doing a gig in DC at the 930 Club right now, but Ciao Ciao and his teammates are playin’.

An old friend of Celestino’s, Dr. Mireya Thomas, mentioned during a lunch date to check in and catch up her close neighbor’s son disappeared six months ago. She’d been searching for him—Leo had confided in her that he was a mutant, having moments where flames would appear on his body. Leo was a kind kid, she told Celestino—went to mass every Sunday, was in the church band, good grades in school, helped his local Kiwanis chapter—but he’d come to her because Mireya is a leading geneticist in the field of human mutation.

He prayed every night for a cure, he said then. 

Celestino handed her a tissue to dry her stoic tears and said he would try to find out what he could, keeping an eye out for posters or social media posts.

Thanks to some creative computing on Seung Gil’s part, they have the following—

1) There is some shadow org called The Right taking recently mutant-presenting teens.2) They have some kind of crazy financial backing that no one can properly trace. (”Yet,” grumbled Seung Gil with some acid.)3) Blackwater looking goons with masks do the aductions, and some shady dude who speaks only in a mixture of German dialects calls the shots.

Yuuri is in a costume that’s mostly different from his stage outfits. It’s black and made of some fabric Seung Gil calls “unstable molecules” so it’s fireproof, waterproof, bulletproof, shockproof, and Andre Leon Talley’s scathing critique proof. Chris handled the design, making a point to compliment its inventor on how it goes through a serger like a hot knife with butter. It’s a black-form fitting number covered in prismatic crystals, mesh inserts, and fingerless gloves so he can still use his Laser Hands (TM Phichit, not to be confused with his Laser Pants, also TM Phichit) and he puts in red contacts instead of the UV purple ones. His hair’s gelled back and the make-up that obscures his features is charcoal and crimson. 

Yuuri could dance before he could run, which is how he keeps ending up the point man. Little rainbow shimmers float in the air around him, a sublte method to distract people from paying too much attention to his voice or face. 

“I hate this.”

I know you do, Dazz, replies Phichit over their special earpieces. Just know Forge and I are right behind ya’ once you clear the security systems.

“He really can’t just hack it?” Yuuri arches his back, holding his right foot above his head in a Bielmann. The boots he wears have split soles like dance or wrestling shoes.

Sure I can, if I want the FBI on our door in two minutes, comes the inventor’s scating reply.

Yuuri stretches his other leg. Standing at the wall behind him, Longshot clears his throat. 

Yuuri gives him a look. Since he doesn’t have a secret identity at all really, he just lets his face show with nothing to conceal his features. 

His suit’s been modified by Chris to use the same fabric as Yuuri’s—instead of hot pink, he now wears a purple top attached to black fingerless gloves that begin at his elbows. His pants are a tight shimmery black like oil slicks, but his boots are more traditional combat style unlike the Dazzler outfit. The embellishments on his top are actually weapons—the cord doubles as a whip, the “braiding” is actually those short silver darts he throws, and so on. 

Longshot smiles, his eye glimmering with the gold burst for a moment. “Your lucky charm’s on stand by, beautiful,” he assures Yuuri with a wink.

Yuuri turns forward again so he won’t see that his cheeks now match his make up. He coughs, takes a look at the grid, reminds himself of his forays into acrobatics, aerial silks, and capoeira…and goes.

Phichit should really be doing this, he thinks as he manages to get a hold in a cloth banner above the laser grid, climbing it and then doing a triple somersault to the next one. He’s the one who can cling to surfaces that have friction and can freaking teleport. His eyes are better in the dark, too, but since they couldn’t get the schematics on where the grid stopped or if they continue inside the rooms in the facility (since if Phichit BAMFs into a room full of them, they’ll go off), Yuuri has to do it. 

He tumbles through, avoiding a moving grid with a randomized pattern using the steps from a Paso Doble Minako insisted he learn. There’s not much sound here, but it’s enough and when a random beam almost hits him, he manages to shield himself with a bit of white light at a differeing optical density so it refracts around him. 

Nice, Forge and Nightcrawler say in unison.

Only after doing a full split under the last few does he make it and disables the grid. He’s oddly not sweaty or throwing up or anything. Huh.

Longshot saunters to him, and when they’re face to face, he picks up Yuuri’s right hand, kissing his ring finger and then his cheek, the day’s stubble prickling against Yuuri’s skin in a way that makes his breathing stop and his heart stutter. 

The smell of sulphur and a black bit of smoke heralds Nightcrawler and Forge. Phichit doesn’t need a mask since his daytime appearance with the Image Inducer is one—his gold eyes, deep blue fur, and short fangs make him cute in a sinister manner. His costume is deep red and gold, while Forge wears a sedate gray-blue and black jumpsuit as Chris vetoed his idea for a loud costume like a rainbow.

They find an office with a terminal, and Forge cracks his neck and sets to work. It only takes him a few minutes before he can copy the relevant data. There’s a guard rotation but they timed their entrance with the shift changes. 

It only takes three minutes and they have six more before the gig is up. 

“Done,” Seung Gil says. He pockets the HD. 

“Jěng âh!” Phichit grins and his tail swishes like an excited puppy. The four of them link hands, Longshot giving Dazzler a particularly happy look, and they’re BAMFed out to an alley a couple blocks down.

Longshot pitches forward with a pain-filled cry. 

“Sorry,” Nightcrawler says with a sheepish shrug. “It’s hard on passengers the first…eighteen times.”

“I threw up twice,” Seung Gil adds in a voice that has no comfort whatsover.

Dazzler helps Longshot get back upright. “You okay?”

“It’ll be alright, beautiful,” he answers as Phichit sings some of the lines from Ellie’s “Something in the Way You Move” in the background. 

Yuuri might add it to his rotating encores after he punches Phichit for the heckling. It’s a moot point he forgets, because they end up back at the house Chris bought them—it’s a Park Slope multi-million dollar home that the Giacomettis have owned since it was built. 

Chris perfers a skyscraper’s penthouse so he can stretch his wings…literally, so since this was in disuse, they all moved in. There’s seven bedrooms—Celestino has the master, Seung Gil’s converted the parlor into his sleeping area and work shop, and Phichit keeps waggling his eyebrows that Dazzler and Longshot should double up.

Their rooms are the two on the second floor, which take up the whole thing. They share a bathroom and Yuuri let Victor have the room with the terrace access. 

The cellar has been expanded through the backyard, outfitted with steel walls, soundproofing, and Seung Gil’s hologram tech. It’s a gymnasium on steroids for all of them to refine their skills with their gifts, and boy did Seung Gil get a sour expression when Phichit called it the Danger Room.

He twitches every time someone else says it. He twitches a lot, because it’s caught on.

Chris happens to be waiting in their living and rec room when they get back—he’s discussing something with Celestio. Since he’s not acting as the face of Intoxicated by Giacometti or as a board member of Giacometti Corp, he’s wearing a shirt with a low back so he can have his wings out. 

Seung Gil boots up his computer to run the analysis of what they got. and Phichit BAMFs into the kitchen, returning with a bottle of Mekhong and glasses for everyone filled with ice. He pours and they all take one, though Victor looks at his from every possible angle like it’s poison.

“Mote gaow!” Phichit shouts, and they echo it as they drink.

Victor stares at his glass after his initial sip. He looks confused. 

“It’s more or less rum,” Yuuri explains. Victor doesn’t look like he understands better. Right. Alien. Not from Earth. “Uh, it’s a…sugarcane beverage that can get you drunk.”

Victor lights up. “Ah!” He takes longer sip, and things seem pleasant enough until Seung Gil does a literal sitcom-style spittake at his montior.

“That’s not gonna be fun to clean,” Phichit deadpans. 

“What happened?” Ciao Ciao asks with a serious tone.

“Chris—” Seung Gil begins. “When’s the last time you reviewed GC’s R&D budget?”

Chris pauses, thinks. “Five years ago, if I’m honest. Josef insisted on handling the line items and minutiae so I can be free to do the public appearances and philanthrophy without conflicts.” His expression shifts from thoughtful to grim. “I’m not going to like what you say next, am I?”

“…Let me ask a follow up in that…you’re sure Josef is okay with mutants?”

Yuuri’s spine goes rigid. Even Phichit stops smiling. 

“He’s always told me he is since I presented,” Chris answers with no emotion in his voice.

“Well—” Seung Gil says. “He’s clearly lying. GC-0963 Project: The Right. There’s dozens of mutants in here that have either been abducted for experiments or—”

The silence hangs heavy, leaden with horror and dread.

“How many?” Chris says.

“Chris, maybe—” Ciao Ciao begins.

“How. Many.” Chris snaps.

Seung Gil gives Chris a look uncharacterisically filled with sympathy. “198.”

Phichit gasps, dropping his drink before catching it with his tail.

“They’re imprisoned at a facility out in Montauk,” Seung Gil says. “It’s similar to Supermax but for mutants—they have power dampeners most likely, or they’re sedated.”

“Well, we’ll get them out,” Victor says with resolution and stilted cheer. “It’s a good old fashioned jailbreak!”

“No.” Chris stands, reading the data on Seung Gil’s screen. It all bears out, it seems given the pallor in his face. His eyes look haunted. “We’ll do this in a softer way.”

“You’re hitting him in the board room, then,” Ciao Ciao answers.

“Yeah.” Chris nods. “There’s a nuclear option I can employ with the Board to get him out—and I’m sure we can kill this Project: The Right easily enough too. I don’t want my family name aligned with bigotry or human rights violations, and I’m fairly confident they’ll agree.”

Chris narrows his eyes.

“Plan B though,” he begins. “You all are my Plan B.”

[bloojayoolie]

Being Alone, Benadryl, and Cats: We're never too old to love and be loved 66616 8 years old, 74 lbs SSTEELE Adorable Older Gentleman Friendly, super lovable, housetrained, crate trained, tolerant of handling,, lived in harmony with a small child, welll behaved when home alone @Brooklyn ACC waiting for LOVE TO BE KILLED - JUNE 25, 2019 He's got the cutest little baby face! Perhaps part hippo, a pinch of piglet and a whole lotta special! His super cute face is complimented with the cutest flap forward ears. Steele is anything but tough, in fact both the shelter and his prior home describe him as super friendly, affectionate, excellently behaved, attention seeking and allowing all handling. Steele was raised right, and lived in harmony with a child. His bio reveals he is well trained, including crate and commands. He does well alone in the home, and LOVES TOYS, yet does not resource guard! He is 75 glorious pounds of heart! Naturally he misses his prior home and arrived a bit timid, but acclimated perfectly with his new friends at the shelter; demonstrating he is more than ready to be a part of a special home. He does well with other doggies! Steele has a long life ahead to cherish a wonderful home, now that time is not on his side, he is urgently in need of a foster or adopter. If you want to save this most adorable man of steele, with a soft heart and disposition, please message this page now! STEELE@BROOKLYN ACC Hello, my name is Steele My animal id is #66616 I am a desexed male gray dog at the Brooklyn Animal Care Center The shelter thinks I am about 8 years old, 74 lbs Came into shelter as owner surrender 6/20/2019 Reason Stated: MOVING - NO PETS ALLOWED Steele was placed at risk due to his medical condition; he was diagnosed with a Heart murmur, Lipoma, nuclear sclerosis and has mass. Steele's initial timidity and fearful behavior, we feel it would be best for him to be placed in a stable home environment with no young children, as loud noises and sudden movements may startle him. My medical notes are... Weight: 74.2 lbs Vet Notes 6/21/2019 DVM Intake Exam Estimated age: 8y Microchip noted on Intake? yes History : owner surrender Subjective: BARH, normal appetite, no elimination concerns Observed Behavior - tense posture, did not warm up. was muzzled Evidence of Cruelty seen - no Evidence of Trauma seen - no Objective P = wnl R = wnl BCS 6/9 EENT: Eyes OU nuclear sclerosis, ears clean, no nasal or ocular discharge noted Oral Exam: muzzled, incisors unremarkable PLN: No enlargements noted H/L: NSR, grade 3 HM, CRT < 2, Lungs clear, eupnic ABD: Non painful, no masses palpated U/G: male neutered, no leakage or discharge MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, 2 firm small masses <1cm on either thorax and 1 2-3cm soft mobile, subdermal mass on the L ventral abd healthy hair coat CNS: Mentation appropriate - no signs of neurologic abnormalities Rectal: visually normal Assessment masses - lipoma and mast cell HM nuclear sclerosis Prognosis: fair Plan: rec cardio consult +/- US rec excisional biopsy of masses with histo FNA mass - large amount of mast cells with an approx number of RBC surrounding benedryl 2mg/kg IM once during FNA Benedryl 2mg/kg PO BID until excision famotidine 0.5mg/kg PO SID until excision SURGERY:neutered 6/23/2019 Hx: Intake 6/23, diagnosed with Mast Cell Tumor via FNA. Currently on Benadryl and Famotidine. Noted to have a head tilt on rounds board. EENT: No ocular/nasal discharge, OU nuclear sclerosis. PLN: No enlargements noted U/G: male neutered, no leakage or discharge MSI: Ambulatory x 4, skin free of parasites, various masses noted on body (2 firm small masses <1cm on thorax and 1 2-3cm soft mobile, subdermal mass on the L ventral abdomen), no ectoparasites appreciated CNS: Cranial nerves intact, full neuro exam not performed, no ataxia or head tilt appreciated. Rectal: visually normal Assessment Lipoma Mast cell tumor HM nuclear sclerosis Plan: Continue to monitor at BACC Rec cardio consult +/- US Rec excisional biopsy of masses with histo Continue benadryl 2mg/kg PO BID until excision Continue famotidine 0.5mg/kg PO SID until excision Details on my behavior are... Behavior Condition: 3. Yellow Behavior History Behavior Assessment Upon intake Steele allowed handling. Counselor was able to collar and take a photo. Date of Intake: 6/20/2019 Spay/Neuter Status: Neutered Basic Information:: Steele is approximately 8 years old. It is an altered male. He was surrendered due to the owner moving and the apartment does not allow pets. Previously lived with:: 2 adults and 1 child How is this dog around strangers?: Owner stated Steele is a friendly and outgoing around strangers. How is this dog around children?: Owner stated Steele lived with their 3 1/2 year old son. He is relaxed and playful around them. How is this dog around other dogs?: Has not been around other dogs so it is unknown of the behavior. How is this dog around cats?: Has not been around cats so it is unknown of the behavior. Resource guarding:: Owner stated Steele does not resource guard his food or toys. He does not mind if you try to take it away. Bite history:: None Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: Medium Has this dog ever had any medical issues?: No For a New Family to Know: Owner stated Steele is a friendly, affectionate, playful and shy dog. He is very lovable. He rarely seek attention when your home. He likes to play with toys such as ball. He is mostly indoors. He eats dry food 2x a day. He is housed trained. He does not mind being groomed. He is well behaved when left in the house. He has been crate trained before, up to 8 hours a day. He knows ques such a sit, come, and stay. He slow walks on leashes. ========================= Date of intake:: 6/20/2019 Spay/Neuter status:: No Means of surrender (length of time in previous home):: Owner surrender Previously lived with:: 2 Adults, 1 Child (3) Behavior toward strangers:: Friendly and outgoing Behavior toward children:: Relaxed and playful (w/resident child) Behavior toward dogs:: Unknown Behavior toward cats:: Unknown Resource guarding:: None reported Bite history:: None reported Housetrained:: Yes Energy level/descriptors:: Steele is described as friendly, affectionate, playful and shy with a medium level of energy. Summary:: Leash Walking Strength and pulling: Moderate-hard pulling Reactivity to humans: None Reactivity to dogs: None Leash walking comments: Sociability Loose in room (15-20 seconds): Neutral body, ears erect, closed mouth, tense head, distracted by outside noises, approaches handler, solicits attention, leans into and accepts all contact Call over: Approaches readily, neutral Sociability comments: Handling Soft handling: Neutral body, leans into handler, low tail, closed mouth, lip licking, ears neutral, accepts all contact Exuberant handling: Neutral body, leans into handler, low tail, closed mouth, lip licking, ears neutral, accepts all contact Handling comments: Arousal Jog: Follows handler, neutral body, low tail Arousal comments: Knock Knock Comments: Pulls hard toward door when assistant exits; No response to knock; Approaches assistant after a few seconds, neutral body, low tail, ears forward Toy Toy comments: Minimal interest Summary:: According to Steele’s previous owner, Steele did not socialize with other dogs while in their care. 6/21: When off leash at the Care Centers, Steele greets with a neutral posture. He is sexually motivated and licks the greeter’s rear end before moving away when interrupted. ======================== Date of intake:: 6/20/2019 Summary:: Allowed all handling Date of initial:: 6/21/2019 Summary:: Tense; Muzzled as a precaution ENERGY LEVEL:: Steele has been observed to exhibit a medium level of energy during his interactions in the care center. BEHAVIOR DETERMINATION:: Level 1 Behavior Asilomar: TM - Treatable-Manageable Recommendations:: No young children (under 5) Recommendations comments:: No young children (under 5): Due to Steele's initial timidity and fearful behavior, we feel it would be best for him to be placed in a stable home environment with no young children, as loud noises and sudden movements may startle him. It is advised that the new adopters should be able to exercise appropriate and safe management when handling Steele, allowing him to acclimate and decompress at his own pace. Force-free, reward-based training only is advised when introducing or exposing Steele to new and unfamiliar situations, as well as utilizing guidance from a qualified, professional trainer/behaviorist. Potential challenges: : Fearful,Strength/leash pulling Potential challenges comments:: Fearful: Although Steele displays social behavior, he does appear to startle easily and is initially wary of interacting with handlers. Steele warms up quickly and allows all handling, but should never be forced to interact or approach if he is not comfortable. Please see handout on Decompression period, as well as handout on Fear. Strength/leash pulling: Steele was observed to display leash pulling due to his strength. Please refer to the handout on Strength/leash pulling. *** TO FOSTER OR ADOPT *** HOW TO RESERVE A “TO BE KILLED” DOG ONLINE (only for those who can get to the shelter IN PERSON to complete the adoption process, and only for the dogs on the list NOT marked New Hope Rescue Only). Follow our Step by Step directions below! *PLEASE NOTE – YOU MUST USE A PC OR TABLET – PHONE RESERVES WILL NOT WORK! ** STEP 1: CLICK ON THIS RESERVE LINK: https://newhope.shelterbuddy.com/Animal/List Step 2: Go to the red menu button on the top right corner, click register and fill in your info. Step 3: Go to your email and verify account \ Step 4: Go back to the website, click the menu button and view available dogs Step 5: Scroll to the animal you are interested and click reserve STEP 6 ( MOST IMPORTANT STEP ): GO TO THE MENU AGAIN AND VIEW YOUR CART. THE ANIMAL SHOULD NOW BE IN YOUR CART! Step 7: Fill in your credit card info and complete transaction HOW TO FOSTER OR ADOPT IF YOU *CANNOT* GET TO THE SHELTER IN PERSON, OR IF THE DOG IS NEW HOPE RESCUE ONLY! You must live within 3 – 4 hours of NY, NJ, PA, CT, RI, DE, MD, MA, NH, VT, ME or Norther VA. Please PM our page for assistance. You will need to fill out applications with a New Hope Rescue Partner to foster or adopt a dog on the To Be Killed list, including those labelled Rescue Only. Hurry please, time is short, and the Rescues need time to process the applications.

[realtalk-princeton]

any book recs for the summer?

Response from Clover:

If you’re into sci-fi, you’ve most likely heard of Ender’s Game, but there’s another set of books set in the same universe starting with Ender’s Shadow. It’s the events of Ender’s Game told from the perspective of another character and is seriously awesome. Both really great books that I would highly reccomend, and it’s nice for the summer because if you end up liking them there are many more that come afterwards (like Shadow of the Hegemon, which is also 10/10).

Response from Opal:

Nothing curated, just some of my favorite books that I read in the past year or so: Fun Home (Alison Bechdel), Watchmen (Alan Moore), Autobiography of Red (Anne Carson), The Goldfinch (Donna Tartt), Dune (Frank Herbert), An Indigenous People’s History of the United States (Roxane Ortiz), Whereas (Layli Long Soldier), Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoevsky), Orientalism (Edward Said), God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater (Kurt Vonnegut).

Response from Alito:

Here are some books that come to mind that I have previously read:

Friedrich von Hayek: The Road to Serfdom

Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America

A. Huxley: Brave New World

Ayn Rand: Atlas Shrugged

Nassim Nicholas Taleb: The Black Swan

Cass Sunstein: Impeachment

Keith Whittington: Speak Freely (I’m serious…for ‘23, it was the ‘22 preread and I enthusiastically recommend it.)

Dr. Suess (even tho he’s a Dartmouth ‘25): Green Eggs and Ham

I’d also heavily recommend books by Milton Friedman, Thomas Sowell, Robert P. George, etc.!

Response from Winnie P:

10 of my favorite fiction (non-inclusive and list not ordered):

Italo Calvino’s Invisible CitiesWilla Cathers’ O Pioneers!TH White’s The Once and Future King (this is more for kids tho)Joseph Heller’s Catch 22Marguerite Yourcenar’s Memoirs of HadrianStendhal’s The Red and the BlackFedor Dostoevsky’s The IdiotAnatole France’s The Gods Will Have BloodBoris Vassilyev’s The Dawns Here are Quiet and Tomorrow Was the WarRacine’s AndromaqueErnst Junger’s Storm of SteelDino Buzzati’s The Tartar Steppe

10 of my favorite nonfiction (heavily tilted towards interests in Russia lol):

CS Lewis’s Mere ChristianityFelix Chuev’s Molotov Remembers: Inside Kremlin PoliticsEdward Luttwack’s Grand Strategy of the Roman EmpireStephen Kotkin’s Stalin series (2 books so far) and Uncivil Society: 1989 and the Implosion of the Communist EstablishmentDe Tocqueville’s Old Regime and the RevolutionWilliam Buckley’s God and Man at YaleAlexander Zinoviev’s Flight of Our Youth (idk if this exists in English tho)Peter Brown’s The Rise of Western ChristendomCarl Schmitt’s The Concept of the Political