#(been a while since I've done an open starter

[urielscorruption]

Lights Out - Uriel & Open

Location: The Clinic

The fallen angel heaved a sigh as he leaned against the spear that he had formed from his Rod of Punishment.  Given the nature of everything that was happening, Uriel had decided to forgo his usual linen clothing for his heavenly raiment, armor, wings and all.  Thankfully he didn't need to sleep or he would be exhausted.  He let his gaze drift over all of the people that were sheltering in the clinic, idly wondering what was going to happen next.  Of course, that's when the power went out in the clinic.  "Oh are you fucking kidding me," he growled.  Straightening up with another sigh, Uriel focused his ability to create light on the tip of his spear, allowing it to glow softly.  "At least we have some light," he commented offhandedly to the person next to him.

@the-institute-starters

[cardsknight]

I'm more nervous than a fly dodging spiders on Halloween.

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[goldenbeastkeeper]

Valor didn't like going into town. He'd avoided it whenever possible, but unfortunately he was the only one available to go out today, and they needed the ingredients to make some healing potions tonight for someone who was to pick them up tomorrow.

So he'd donned his fire bee mask and his cloak to conceal his identity and flew out to Bonesborough.

He naturally gravitated towards the least crowded areas of the marketplace, where there'd be less of a likelihood of getting accidentally brushed by strangers just trying to get passed. And there he cast his gaze around the place. Now, where was the shop . . . ?

But rather than the shop, it was something else that caught his attention.

[petermorwood]

More on pre-electricity lighting.

Interesting to see this one pop up again after nearly two years - courtesy of @dduane, too! :->

*****

After experiencing a couple more storm-related power cuts since my original post, as well as a couple of after-dark garden BBQs, I've come to the conclusion that C.J. Cherryh puts far too much emphasis on "how dark things were pre-electric light".

For one thing eyes adjust, dilating in dim light to gather whatever illumination is available. Okay, if there's none, there's none - but if there's some, human eyes can make use of it, some better or just faster than others. They're the ones with "good night vision".

Think, for instance, of how little you can see of your unlit bedroom just after you've turned off the lights, and how much more of it you can see if you wake up a couple of hours later.

There's also that business of feeling your way around, risking breaking your neck etc. People get used to their surroundings and, after a while, can feel their way around a familiar location even in total darkness with a fair amount of confidence.

Problems arise when Things Aren't Where They Should Be (or when New Things Arrive) and is when most trips, stumbles, hacked shins and stubbed toes happen, but usually - Lego bricks and upturned UK plugs aside - non-light domestic navigation is incident-free.

*****

Here are a couple of pics from one of those BBQs: one candle and a firepit early on, then the candle, firepit and an oil lamp much later, all much more obvious than DD's iPad screen.

Though I remain surprised at how well my phonecam was handling this low light, my own unassisted eyes were doing far better. For instance, that area between the table and the firepit wasn't such an impenetrable pool of darkness as it appears in the photo.

I see (hah!) no reason why those same Accustomed Eyes would have any more difficulty with candles or oil lamps as interior lighting, even without the mirrors or reflectors in my previous post.

With those, and with white interior walls, things would be even brighter. There's a reason why so many reconstructed period buildings in Folk Museums etc. are (authentically) whitewashed not just outside but inside as well. It was cheap, had disinfectant qualities, and was a reflective surface. Win, win and win.

*****

All right, there were no switches to turn on a light. But there was no need for what C.J. describes as stumbling about to reach the fire, because there were tinderboxes and, for many centuries before them, flint and steel. Since "firesteels" have been heraldic charges since the 1100s, the actual tool must have been in use for even longer.

Tinderboxes were fire-starter sets with flint, steel and "tinder" all packed into (surprise!) a box. The tinder was easily lit ignition material, often "charcloth", fabric baked in an airtight jar or tin which would now start to glow just from a spark.

They're mentioned in both "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings". Oddly enough, "Hobbit" mentions matches in a couple of places, but I suspect that's a carry-over from when it was just a children's story, not part of the main Legendarium.

Tinderboxes could be simple, just a basic flint-and-steel kit with some tinder for the sparks to fall on...

...or elaborate like this one, with a fancy striker, charcloth, kindling material and even wooden "spills" (long splinters) to transfer flame to a candle or the kindling...

This tinderbox even doubles as a candlestick, complete with a snuffer which would have been inside along with everything else.

Here's a close-up of the striker box with its inner and outer lids open:

What looks like a short pencil with an eraser is actually the striker. A bit of tinder or charcloth would have been pulled through that small hole in the outer lid, which was then closed.

There was a rough steel surface on the lid, and the striker was scraped along it, like so:

This was done for a TV show or film, so the tinder was probably made more flammable with, possibly, lighter fuel. That would be thoroughly appropriate, since a Zippo or similar lighter works on exactly the same principle.

A real-life version of any tinderbox would usually just produce glowing embers needing blown on to make a flame, which is shown sometimes in movies - especially as a will-it-light-or-won't-it? tension build - but is usually a bit slow and non-visual for screen work.

*****

There were even flintlock tinderboxes which worked with the same mechanism as those on firearms. Here's a pocket version:

Here are a couple of bedside versions, once again complete with a candlestick:

And here are three (for home defence?) with a spotlight candle lantern on one side and a double-trigger pistol on the other.

Pull one trigger to light the candle, pull the other trigger to fire the gun.

What could possibly go wrong? :-P

*****

Those pistol lanterns, magnified by lenses, weren't just to let their owner see what they were shooting at: they would also have dazzled whatever miscreant was sneaking around in the dark, irises dilated to make best use of available glimmer.

Swordsmen both good and bad knew this trick too, and various fight manuals taught how to manage a thumb-shuttered lamp encountered suddenly in a dark alley.

There's a sword-and-lantern combat in the 1973 "Three Musketeers" between Michael York (D'Artagnan) and Christopher Lee (Rochefort), which was a great idea.

Unfortunately it failed in execution because the "Hollywood Darkness" which let viewers see the action, wasn't dark enough to emphasise the hazards / advantages of snapping the lamps open and shut.

This TV screencap (can't get a better one, the DVD won't run in a computer drive) shows what I mean.

In fact, like the photos of the BBQ, this image - and entire fight - looks even brighter through "real eyes" than with the phonecam. Just as there can be too much dark in a night scene, there can also be too much light.

*****

One last thing I found when assembling pics for the post were Folding Candle-lanterns.

They were used from about the mid-1700s to the later 20th century (Swiss Army ca. 1978) as travel accessories and emergency equipment, and IMO - I've Made A Note - they'd fit right into a fantasy world whose tech level was able to make them.

The first and last are reproductions: this one is real, from about 1830.

The clear part was mica - a transparent mineral which can be split into thin flexible sheets - while others use horn / parchment, though both of these are translucent rather than transparent. Regardless, all were far less likely to break than glass.

One or two inner surfaces were usually tin, giving the lantern its own built-in reflector, and tech-level-wise, tin as a shiny or decorative finish has been used since Roman times.

I'm pretty sure that top-of-the-line models could also have been finished with their own matching, maybe even built-in, tinderboxes.

And if real ones didn't, fictional ones certainly could. :->

*****

Yet more period lighting stuff here, including flintlock alarm clocks (!)

[honeybeedrabble]

Casanova (Cheating!Sasuke X AFAB!Reader) - iv

18+ MDNI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CW: reader pregnancy, deadbeat dad activities lmao, homewrecker!reader, cheating, piv sex, oral (f receiving), slight degradation, drinking/drunk Sakura (let my girl live), mentions of masturbation, unhappy family, Sasuke being a breeder, unprotected piv (please use condoms IRL reader is already preggo, okay?) minimal editing tbh, lmk what I missed :p

Word Count: idk I wrote this on my phone lol. maybe like 2-3K words.

AN: Oh, hey guys... this is SO. EMBARRASSING. First time writing in a while. Yes, its been almost a year. No, we won't be addressing my absence. Please go easy on me I'm a little out of practice, I still hope this is enjoyable. I'm still a freak I swear. Okay enjoy, thanks.

The Uchiha household was tense, everyone under the roof could feel it. Sakura would work long hours at the hospital while her beloved daughter would attend school and her husband- who felt more distant now than when he would be off for missions at months at a time- would be off doing gods-know-what. Sakura knew it, Sasuke knew it, and their only daughter knew it- something was going on.

"I just don't know what's been going on with him lately," Sakura sighed, setting her wine glass down on Ino's coffee table, a girls night long overdue. "I mean, I haven't seen him this distant since we were teens. I know he's been through a lot and he's done a lot of work on himself to be more present... I don't know why all that efforts gone away all of a sudden..."

Ino frowned, brows knitted together, she set her wine glass next to Sakura's, the light sound of the two crystal glasses clinking together sounded like a small chime. Ino adjusted her seat, sitting closer to her beloved childhood friend.

"Well what do you mean by distant? I hate to say it but Sasukes kinda... always distant." Ino muttered, recounting in her head the amount of years he had been gone away from Sakura and their shared family.

"Well for starters he's been working late and won't open up about what he's been doing. Secondly, he'll barely say anything at the dinner table, and when he does its one worded. He'll be in his head so whenever I talk to him its like talking to a wall," Sakura's demeanor changed, her pace increasing and her voice shakier and brassy. "He won't look me in the eye, he won't cuddle me in bed, he won't touch me- oh gods..." she cut herself off, fighting back tears that welled in her eyes.

Her throat became dry and tight, quickly Ino picked up the wine bottle and filled Sakura's glass to the brim before the pink haired kunoichi on the couch gulped it down in seconds. After placing the emptied glass back down on the table, Sakura slammed her face into her palms, her elbows sinking into her thighs. Deep breaths through her fingers as she tried regulating her emotions, the alcohol in her system warming up her body and loosening her inhibitions.

"We haven't had sex... in months" Sakura slowly mustered up the courage to confront the lack of intimacy. Ino held her close, Sakura crying softly as her tears hit the blondes exposed shoulder. "I've never felt uglier..."

"Don't say that," Ino grabbed both of Sakuras shoulders, looking her directly in her green eyes. "You are such a beautiful woman and you know it. Sasuke's lucky to call you his." Sakura rolled her eyes, the whites of them an anguished pink.

"You're just saying that."

"Sakura, I'm not." Ino furrowed her brows.

"You're my friend, you have to say it."

"Yeah but that doesn't make it any less true. You have an amazing body, your face is gorgeous, and you always have the softest hair. That's just the physical stuff, you're the strongest woman in the village and you're one of the kindest people I know." Sakura scoffed a laugh, ends of her lips curling up.

"See, don't pretend like you don't know it." Ino softly shoved her shoulder playfully. "If I wasn't married maybe we would end up together, you're a piece of ass" Ino giggled. Sakuras face reddened.

"Ino, you're too much..."

"Or maybe you would've ended up with Lee," Ino trailed off.

Sakura perked up. "What do you mean?"

Ino rolled her eyes, reaching for her wine before reclining back on the love seat. "Honestly, I don't know why you didn't end up together. I mean, he's not as easy on the eyes as Sasuke but I bet he sure knows how to treat a woman. He would probably hang the moon for you."

"... Do you really think so?" Sakura blushed, her palm coming up to press itself against her warm cheek.

"SAKURA!" Ino raised her voice in a coy shock. The pink haired woman's eyes widened, shocked as well by her comment. She reached for her own wine glass, sipping it timidly.

"Seems like I've had too much," she giggled, continuing to finish off her glass.

____________________________________________________

Sakura ended up stumbling home drunkenly instead of staying the night at the Yamanaka house like originally planned. She wanted to confront Sasuke, feeling quite rowdy from the bottles of wine the two of them polished off. When she reached the door she fumbled with her keys, the jangling alerting her insomniac husband- who just so happened to be busy with relieving some tension. He quickly clothed himself and opened the door for her.

"What're you doing home, I thought you were spending the night?"

"What? Are you mad that I'm here? Upset?" Sakura accused.

"No, of course not-" Sasuke sniffed the air around her. "Are you drunk?"

"What if I was?" Sakura crossed her arms, stumbling for a second, then leaning against the entry room wall.

"Well, I guess I'm not surprised," He turned to walk away, Sakura quickly grabbing the back of his shirt.

"Hey! I'm talking to you," She pulled him back against her with ease, her hands then running against his shoulders, kissing against his back sensually.

"Don't be so loud, Sarada's asleep." Sasuke whisper yelled. Sakura continued her run her hands along his back. Sasuke sighed heavily, feeling her delicate lips trail all along his back. "What're you up to?" He quickly snapped out of his trance.

"Come on, loosen up." She pushed her breasts against his back, wrapping her arms around his waist as her hands snaked further south. He pulled away, a flustered mess. He turned to face her, face a red blob.

"Whats gotten into you?" He asked, lips pursed and brows knotted. Sakura felt her chest hollow out.

"I'm a piece of ass!" She yelled through grinding teeth. Sasuke shushed her. "Don't shush me, you know its the truth! You're such a prick." She walked past him towards their bedroom. "I can name several people who think the same. I bet they'd actually fuck me if they had the chance."

"Don't be so vulgar, I don't want Sarada to hear you like this."

"Well then say it, say that I'm a piece of ass and I'll be quiet." Sakura stood there, arms crossed tightly against her chest, face stern.

Sasuke stayed quiet, face still hot and red. He felt a burning embarrassment inside his body, unable to open his mouth as he stood there paralyzed. A side of Sakura he'd never seen right in front of him. She frowned then started walking past him.

"Could've gotten lucky tonight... Don't worry, I'm tired anyways. I'm going to bed." Sakura ran her hand along the hall as she neared her bedroom. Sasuke sighed, on her tail. "Where do you think you're going?" She asked, standing in the doorway.

"To bed with you?" Sasuke raised a brow.

"Thats funny," Sakura grabbed the door knob. "You get the couch tonight, don't even think about it." She slammed the door in his face.

___________________________________________________

You would've been pissed someone woke you up at 2 am with a knock at your door if you weren't already up, pregnancy bladder is no joke. You had a feeling it was gonna be him, nobody else would've showed up with the audacity to wake a pregnant woman up at such an hour, especially unannounced.

"Good morning," you grimaced at the Uchiha man.

"Good morning..." he responded, running his hand through his hair.

"Well... come in, you're letting the cold air in." He closed the door behind him, locking it. "What is it this time?"

"Sakura's gone crazy." You jumped as your heart sank.

"Y-you told her...?"

"No! She just came home all drunk and started acting really weird."

"Oh, thank goodness... well I'm not a marriage counselor so you'll need to leave, goodnight Sasuke." You turned around to head back to bed.

"Hey wait! I need a place to stay, I don't want to go back home..." He huffed.

"... Then go to Lord Seventh's. Or your office, I don't know what to tell you."

"I cant go to Naruto's, this matter is too personal for him to know about."

"Oh my-" you sighed in frustration. "Fine." You watched as he approached you, his arm sliding along the outside of your arm, he felt the goosebumps on your skin.

"Cold?" he asked in a soft hum. His touch made your skin feel electric. "I can keep you warm," he slowly lowered his face closer to yours. You pursed your lips, your face said one thing but your body was screaming another.

Instead of kissing you he breathed softly against your neck, the warm air making you shiver, his all-seeing eyes watching this effect on you. His arm curved around you and his hand rested against the soft curve of your back. The suddenness of it all made you reach out and slap him across the face, you didn't want to admit how he was making you feel, although you didn't have to say a thing- the both of you knew that what was going to happen next was inevitable.

You pulled away, on a mission to escape. Sasuke reached out and grabbed onto the back of your shirt, a trick he copied from his wife. The wife he left drunk at home alone, in bed alone, with their child alone. Familiarity.

"Don't," he ordered, stopping you dead in your tracks. You drive me crazy." He huffed, it almost sounded like he, Sasuke Uchiha- the last Uchiha, was begging. "I was like this earlier at home, I was thinking of you."

You felt weak all over, ignoring your obvious arousal and chopping it up to pregnancy hormones. But pregnancy hormones won't give you the intense feelings of wanting to and actually fucking the husband of one of your friends.

"W-why did you feel that way? I haven't seen you in weeks..." You asked, back still given to the dark haired man.

"Because I was touching myself thinking of you."

You raised your hand up to your mouth, softly biting the pad of your thumb to stifle a moan at the thought of him fucking his fist to just the thought of you. You slowly turned around, unable to resist him any longer. You wanted to run your hands along his hard chest, and so you did.

"Did you come all the way over here just to tell me this or did you have ulterior motives?" You asked in a sultry voice, swiping his cloak off his shoulders, it hit the group with a soft thump. He sighed, your hands felt delicious on his shoulders, he could only imagine how it would be on his bare skin.

"I knew my chances," his hand resumed its place, although it kept slowly inching lower. "And I liked my odds."

"Sasuke...?" you bit your lip.

"What is it?"

"What is it about me? I know this all started because of that one day fighting that genjustu user, but why continue?" Every day that you watched your stomach get bigger you felt more and more guilt, currently you're at a level you never knew existed, which is ironic when you considered the current scene in front of you.

Part of you still wanted to believe Sasuke was a good person, while it might still be an affair, there's no emotions mixed up on his part- that you know of. However you couldn't say the same for yourself. You craved his touch, and the sound of his voice. You didn't ever know what was going through his head- in fact nobody did. However, you were a different case. It was like you were imprisoned to stay with yourself and exist inside your head daily, you hated who you were and knew exactly how you felt. You liked the attention, the fucking, and although you would never admit to yourself, you knew you loved how fucked up this situation was. The rush was like none other, with the only exception being the sensations that were Sasuke Uchiha.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, a smirk on his mouth and mischief in his eye. "Because you're a piece of ass."

His hand clamped down on your ass cheeks, squeezing it harshly and kneading it with his strong fingers. You moaned, feeling your own erotic secretions start to flow from your pussy to your thigh. Sasuke's appetite was insatiable, he devoured you with his eyes, kissing you with them half lidded, watching as your eyebrows arched as he slipped his tongue into your own mouth.

He swirled the tip of his tongue with yours softly, a moment of gentle before he withdrew it and slammed his lips into yours, his hand still firm on your ass.

"So sexy..." he trailed on, his hand sinking lower to play in the warm slick of your pussy. His rough fingers gathering the wetness that seeped from your hole to slather it against your sensitive clit. The second it made any friction your legs weakened, standing this way wasn't good for a woman as pregnant as you are in this state.

"You always were a piece of ass, but fuck. Never knew you could look even better now that you're carrying my baby." His cock swelled and twitched under his pants, all he wanted to do was take them off.

His hand leapt to grasp around your waist, carrying you like you weighed nothing to your bedroom as you wrapped your legs around him. He laid you down on your bed, pulling your thighs and moving you closer to the end of it, your breathing felt heavier now. Sasuke knelt down, knees planting firmly on the plush rug underneath him.

He traced the outline of your cunt, watching you squeeze your pussy in anticipation of his entrance. He inserted his index and middle finger inside of you, curling them upwards as he pumped in and out of you. Your juice flowed down your ass, Sasuke bent his neck and licked the honey.

You shuddered, biting your lip when his tongue pressed itself against your sensitive clit. He ate you as if there was something inside of you that he wanted to posses, as if you were fuel for his body that desperately craved the sustenance you had to offer. Before you knew it you started grinding your hips against him, pulling on his hair while you threw yourself into his hungry jaws.

His fingers felt like magic, fucking that little spongy spot inside of you until you saw stars, while his greedy mouth continued to make you whimper. You were both panting heavily as the pressure from inside and outside of you became almost unbearable- back and forth, back and forth, in and out, in and out.

You felt yourself rip open into the descent of pleasure, cumming hard on both his fingers and his face. Drops of your arousal squirted out into his mouth, which he held open with his tongue out to collect. You felt your muscles tighten with the blinding a white heat of your orgasm, shouting his name, which to Sasuke sounded like a song.

“So fucking hot… your pussy tastes amazing…” Sasuke mumbled low, his thumb pad still rubbing up against your overstimulated clit.

Your voice sounded rusty towards the end of your cries, Sasuke stood up, looking at your blissful face. Your mouth was slightly agape, belly swollen with his child, your soft thighs quivering, and your hair completely disheveled. He immediately felt drowned in your beauty, his cock hard and swollen. He unbuttoned himself and plunged into you, the initial stretch at your entrance enough to perk you back up after your orgasm. You loved the feeling of his cock inside of you, filling you up as if it had been missing all along.

You opened your eyes back up and were shocked by the look on Sasuke's face, painted with a look you had seen in previous lovers, not an affair partner. You disregarded it as you felt the tip of his dick scratch the familiar itch you experienced anytime he was near. He pumped erratically inside of you, a ravenous energy associated with addicts. Sasuke grunted with a feverish breathlessness, as if the wind was knocked out of him when he first inserted himself inside of you.

“S-Sas…Sasuke…” You whimpered, toes curling while your head spinned.

“You like that, whore?” He teased, stopping his fast pace to instead pump hard and rough inside of you.

His thick cock was hitting every spot you wanted it to, with his heavy balls smacking against your ass. The squelching noises filled the room along with both of your moans.

"So fucking warm..." Sasuke trailed off, his hand harshly squeezing the plush of your thigh.

Your hand trailed underneath your shirt, feeling up your tits, rolling your nipple around between your fingers. Sasuke took notice and quickly ripped it off of you.

"Play with your tits for me..." he ordered. You continued to roll your nipples in circles, this time with only your index finger.

"F-fuck Sasuke.... s-so good..." You stammered. Sasuke kept fucking you, this time at a faster pace, with each thrust harder than the last.

“You look so sexy all full with my child…” Sasuke grunted, his hand caressing your round belly, wandering down to your thigh.

His hand left your thigh and instead traveled to your mouth where he would stick his index finger between your lips. You could taste yourself on his finger, swirling your tongue around it, leaving it wet and messy with your spit. He dragged that finger and placed it on your sensitive nipple, mimicking the same movements you were making on it.

“Pretty tits… They’re getting bigger, aren’t they?” He asked with a smirk, licking his lips as he watched them bounce with each thrust of his cock.

His hips slammed against you over and over again, soft pubic hair nudging against your clit. All the sensations between your pussy and nipples made your head spin, your mouth subconsciously parting for a kiss your stoic lover would not reciprocate. Instead he bent down between your neck and shoulder, inhaling the marvelous and faint scent that came from your body. He moaned in your ear, the ticklish sensations made you clamp around his cock, which twitched in response.

“Fuck- Sasuke! U-use me Sasuke, love feeling your big cock.” You whimpered helplessly and unapologetically, your face burning.

"Such a perfect pussy..." Sasuke grunted, moving at an agonizing pace, the sounds of his skin against yours made you drool. “I swear, it’s the tightest I’ve ever had.”

It felt wrong hearing him talk to you like that, knowing his perfect wife was alone while you're getting stuffed with her husbands cock as he praises your cunt over hers. Some sort of twisted part of you enjoyed it, and you put a little twist in your hips every time he bottomed out inside of you.

He licked up and down your neck, his mouth greedy once again. He bit against your soft skin with a deliciously erotic sensation filling his chest, travelling down to his core, his abs tightened, his orgasm close- yours closer. You tilted your head the other way, exposing more of your tender flesh to him, choking his dick with your walls.

"Fuck... you're going to drain me, aren't you?" Sasuke's breath was hot on your skin again, you could only reply in cock-drunken moans, as if you were the one who had drunk a whole bottle of wine tonight.

"m-mm' gonna cum..." You could feel how wet the sheets underneath you were, soaked with the mixture of both your arousal.

"Cum for me- cum on me." Sasuke demanded. His wish was a command when his hand moved from your nipple to your clit, flicking the wet nub with his rough finger while he pounded into you. His own orgasm coming a lightning speed, filling you with his cum, unafraid doing so due to you already being pregnant by him.

It must be your hormones making your orgasm stronger, as after he finished inside you you still were clamped tight around his cock, moaning and crying out, writhing under his touch. Hot sensations bloomed inside of you, gushing fluids spilling out and onto his still hard cock. Sasuke's own fluids filled you up, the sudden and warm intrusion amplifying your ecstasy even further.

When he pulled out you weren't ready for it, but Sasuke didn't want to stay inside of you, the risk of him continuing to abuse your cunt was too high, and even if he did it was too late in the night for him to carry on.

He picked up your T shirt and wiped his cock with it, cleaning off his cum before turning to you with it. Normally he would’ve just tossed it at you for you to deal with it but as you were lying there helplessly, too fucked out to respond, he felt an odd feeling of pity- or maybe care. He wiped the ejaculate from your pussy, the feeling of the fabric against your sensitive cunt made you whimper loud, Sasuke shushed you almost affectionately.

"Now make some room for me," He huffed softly, tossing the soiled shirt to the corner of the room before getting in next to you and throwing the covers on you both.

You turned the other way, not wanting to look at him yet still leaving yourself exposed.

"When are you leaving?" You murmured, the question made Sasuke frown slightly- not that you could see anyways.

"Before 7."

"Whatever." You shut your eyes and tried catching your breath, slumber slowly creeping back up on you as you accepted your fate to sleep with the enemy right after literally sleeping with the enemy.

While you fell asleep pretty quickly, Sasuke stayed up, unable to stop his mind from going a million miles a second. Why couldn't he just tell Sakura he thought she was beautiful when he could tell you exactly what she wanted to hear? It was ridiculous the way he was acting and he knew it. Sneaking off late at night to avoid the shame and guilt he felt looking his wife and precious daughter in the eyes, blissfully ignorant of the great betrayal he committed against their family. Avoiding sex because he knew what he really wanted was to fuck a pair of twins into you as soon as you gave birth to this one.

He adjusted himself in bed, his hand coming up to gently caress your bump while you slept. He had always wanted to feel your shared baby kick, thoughts of nursery shopping and foot massages always in his head. Something he never got to experience with his wife but so desperately wanted to, especially now with you.

He wondered if maybe all he wanted was to feel connected to his family- to have a family. One he's never hurt, or abandoned yet, he hated how he always felt compelled to run away. He decided what he really wanted was to be a good father to his daughter he never had the chance to bond with, he wanted to right his wrongs.

By now Sasuke was anything but tired, anxiety keeping him wired for hours. He saw your alarm clock read 6:45 AM. He sighed softly, getting out of bed gently to not disturb your sleep. Sasuke crept through your house until he reached your living room, sliding on his sandals and draping his long dark cape over his shoulders.

He reached for your front door knob, quickly stepping through and locking it from the inside, then slamming it shut to lock behind him. When he turned around his blood ran cold, heart dropping instantly as his color drained from his face. His eyes widened as they locked with a pair of shaky green irises.

"...Sasuke?" The pink haired woman asked cautiously, dropping a small basket of vitamins, fruits and teas she was just carrying. "Sasuke... what's going on?"

[acosmicbee]

The Regular pt.2

(Hopefully the few mentions of the reader's broken arm are accurate, I've never broken a bone before...)

You were back in the basement again. You were lying on a soft mattress, the same one you woke up on when you'd first been kidnapped. You were gagged, but the blindfold had been left off this time. Your kidnapper, or 'mommy' as she insisted you call her, was at her desk streaming.

You were on your back, staring up at the ceiling as your mind drifted. You'd tried to fight her earlier. She'd turned her back on you while in the kitchen and you'd grabbed a knife. It had taken less than 10 seconds for her to disarm you and all she could do was look down at you with that infantilizing frown. It had been barely a week and you were already getting sick of that stupid frown.

You could still hear her condescending words echoing through your head. "Now, now baby. Knifes are only for grown ups to use. I think you have a little too much energy today, so Mommy's gonna give you some night night juice while she works today. Don't worry, when I'm done we can play every single game you want."

You had woken up a while ago, still hazy from the drugs, as you listened to her talk. She was streaming for her day audience, the ones who only knew her as the faceless gamer 'LadyInRed'. You could hear her laughing, talking to her chat as she played some game. They would never know she was holding someone hostage in the same room she was streaming in.

"Give me a second, I'm going to go check on my kid." She said, her eyes scanning the chat as she paused her game. "Hm? Yeah, I finally adopted a kid chat! Can you meet them? Aw, I would love for that but they're a bit too young to be on camera. I'm gonna mute for a second so entertain yourselves, okay?"

She clicked a few buttons before standing up from her desk with a groan. She set aside her headphones, walking over to your mattress with a soft smile. "Aw honey, have you been awake for a while?"

She stroked your hair, chuckling when you glared at her. "Aw, someone's grumpy. I'm almost done for the day, then we can remove this icky gag and do something together. Wanna watch a movie with your momma, baby?"

She didn't wait for a response that wouldn't come, leaving you there as she walked back over to her desk. Just like that, she was back to being the fun streamer you used to listen to behind your manager's back at work, not the woman who'd kidnapped you nearly a week ago.

You settled back into your mattress as the drugs pulled you under again.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ 🎧 ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

When you woke up the next time, she was gently shaking you, smiling when you finally opened your eyes with an annoyed groan. She gently helped you stand up, finally removing the gag.

"There you go, sweetheart. Isn't that so much better? I'm sorry, but Mommy was working and needed you to be quiet." She cooed, gently escorting you upstairs. "Let's get you some food okay? I'll put on a show for you while I cook."

Even in the short amount of time you've been here, you know whenever she puts on a show, it's always one meant for younger audiences. Despite that, you're still a little woozy from the drugs and anything seems better than staring at the wall while she cooks.

She handed you a cup of water and sat you down on the couch, picking some random show. You finished the water quickly, pretending to be interested in the show while your mind wandered. You needed to get out of here.

The only issue with that was the amount of things standing in your way. For starters, your still broken arm. It had been maybe a week and a half since the break and still ached and pulsed when you even thought about moving it. You were down one usable hand and if your failures to get dressed by yourself told you anything, it was that you were pretty useless without it.

On top of that, you were never left alone. 'Mommy' was always close by, and she came running anytime she heard a noise. Any kind of misbehavior was either corrected by a 'time out', being tied up in the basement by yourself for a while, or 'night night juice'.

Worst of all, you were lacking critical information. When you looked out the windows all you could see were trees. There was no telling how close, or far, you were from any other people. On top of that, you didn't even know her name. She'd been good at hiding anything that could possibly have her name on it from you, instantly snatching up the mail and even taking phone calls in another room.

It was obvious why she hid her name so diligently. She wanted you to call her Mommy, to condition you to associate her with the title. That way when stockholm syndrome began to creep in she already had the position she wanted you to see her in.

Despite that, you refused to give up. You refused to give in. You had a mother, and even if she wasn't the best, this kidnapper could never replace her. You would find your escape, one way or another.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ 🎧 ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

It was another day of filming and streaming, this time for her other audience. She was reviewing how your first few days together were going. She gave tips here and there about things like what material to use for gags or bonds. Your only saving grace was that she never showed your face, only zooming in on the bonds themselves as she demonstrated her methods.

You felt like a doll as she manipulated you to do what she wanted. It was only once she was back at her desk, editing the footage that a really stupid idea hit you. She hadn't sedated you again, and you weren't currently tied down. There was a chance, slim but a chance, you could make it up the basement stairs before she did.

You glanced over at her, humming as she worked on the footage and slowly you crept off your mattress. By the time she realized something was up you had dashed the rest of the way across the basement and were already on the stairs.

You slammed the door shut behind you, grabbing one of the nearby dining chairs to prop under the handle as you backed away. You were breathing heavily, your eyes wide. The second you heard her slam against the door from the other side you were off again.

You ran down the dirt road, surrounded by nothing but trees as you ran and ran further away towards what you hoped was safety.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ 🎧 ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

You were lost. Hopelessly and completely lost. It was pouring, and the road under your feet had become more of a mud and dirt soup then solid ground. Not to mention, you'd forgotten to grab a pair of shoes in your haste to escape.

All in all, you were miserable. You trudged down the road, your cast and clothes fully soaked through. The sun was beginning to set and you were beginning to shiver. You almost wished you never took the chance to run, but pushed that thought back as soon as it came.

You had taken your chance. You had run and now you were free. But freedom felt a lot less safe when it was getting dark quickly and you were wet and cold and hungry.

You could almost hear a maternal voice in your head, one that sounded suspiciously like your kidnapper, cooing and fussing over you. You could feel phantom hands wrapping you in a non-existant blanket to warm you up again.

You stopped for a moment, hiding under the trees beside the road as you actually thought for a moment. What was waiting for you back home? A mom who was too busy for you, a job you hated, endless hours of school and homework.

You shook your head, gritting your teeth as you started walking again. No. That was the stockholm syndrome talking. You couldn't seriously want to choose a kidnapper over your actual home... right? You couldn't want that. So, you pressed on.

❛ ━━━━━━･❪ 🎧 ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜

Your entire body was shivering so hard you could barely walk when a car stopped beside you. She was there, instantly. Her red hair was illuminated in the car headlights as she pulled you close. She didn't care about the rain soaking into her clothes as she held you, cradling you as you began to sniffle and then sob.

It was only as she tucked you into the passenger seat, reaching over to turn up the heat, did you notice her bloody knuckles. There were still some visible wood splinters in them. You stared at them through your tears as she drove you back towards the house.

You couldn't stop sobbing, not as she ran you a hot bath or made you some warm soup. Not as she carefully unwrapped your cast to replace the now soaked bandages. She warmed a pair of pajamas for you in the drier and bundled you up in blankets the second you got out of the bath.

You finally managed to stop crying when she lay you down on the couch. You were too exhausted to cry anymore and just watched as she finally tended to her own hands. You watched her pull out every splinter and sliver of wood. You'd already caught a glimpse of the now broken basement door in the other room.

As you lay there, half asleep watching her, you realized something. No one had ever put you first like that before. No one had ever made sure you were completely okay before they took care of themselves. Your mother had always been too busy for you, running around and leaving you to fend for yourself.

It was then that you'd realized that she'd won. She'd found your one weak point. She'd somehow found a missing part of yourself you'd refused to ever acknowledge before.

As you curled into the blanket, you finally managed to say something. "I'm sorry..."

She paused for a second before setting down the tweezers. She closed the med kit as she slowly approached you with a soft smile. Gently, she pulled you onto her lap and into her arms, so she could stroke your hair as she looked at you. She looked at you like you were precious... Like you actually meant something.

"Oh darling... Mommy knows." She said, her voice gentle as she kissed your forehead. "Rest now love, tomorrow is a new day."

[edenmemes]

arcane (s2) sentence starters

ep1 - 8. warning for spoilers !

❝ everybody wants to be my enemy. ❞ ❝ you’re our leader. they follow you. i follow you. ❞ ❝ i've seen miracles spring from the hands of mages many times, but so often, they turned to horrors. ❞ ❝ why does anyone commit acts others deem unspeakable? for love. ❞ ❝ in my experience, no one in power is innocent. ❞ ❝ i don't wanna hear another word out of your mouth. ❞ ❝ i keep telling myself that you're different. but you're not. ❞ ❝ i haven't insulted your intelligence. do not insult mine. ❞ ❝ if you see the opening...take the shot. ❞ ❝ it's me. your vile villainess. the author of your nightmares. ❞ ❝ you have no inkling what family is to me. ❞ ❝ our paths diverged long ago. it was affection that held us together. ❞ ❝ i'm done blaming myself for your mistakes. ❞ ❝ there's one thing i know in my bones. there is no force in this world that can control you. ❞ ❝ your talents can be used to build, instead of destroy. ❞ ❝ no beast is more savage than man. ❞ ❝ i am the dirt under your nails. nothing's gonna clean me out. ❞ ❝ the dirt was on both our hands. ❞ ❝ stick your head in the dirt if you want, but this fantasy you've been living out here, it's not gonna last forever. ❞ ❝ now people avert their gaze when i roll by. ❞ ❝ still giving me the silent treatment, huh? ❞ ❝ you think it's so easy? to turn your back while your city looks to you for salvation? ❞ ❝ playing coy doesn't suit you, love. ❞ ❝ is it bad that i'm making friends with my demons? ❞ ❝ can i do the right thing for the wrong reason? ❞ ❝ ever since you dropped into my life, it's like i put on glasses. ❞ ❝ jeez, lady, you crazy? talking to dead people. ❞ ❝ sometimes taking a leap forward means leaving a few things behind. ❞ ❝ that's a past life, kid. and it was about as sweet as last year's milk. ❞ ❝ why is peace always the justification for violence? ❞ ❝ haven't i done you enough favors? ❞ ❝ i must say goodbye to this place now. to you. ❞ ❝ you got that look in your eye again. what are you planning? ❞ ❝ people have lost their heads for less. ❞ ❝ everyone in my life has changed. promise me you won't change. ❞ ❝ wrath must be met with wrath. ❞ ❝ what you've stolen…is more precious than any gold. ❞ ❝ i apologize for the intrusion. i was attempting to sneak in. ❞ ❝ address me with respect, or keep your mouth shut. ❞ ❝ this is what you asked for. heavy is the crown. ❞ ❝ and then what? you take what you need, hang me out to dry? ❞ ❝ do you realize how easy it was for me to track you down here? ❞ ❝ awful, isn't it? losing a loved one. ❞ ❝ i'm sorry. i’m not comfortable trusting our fates to chance. ❞ ❝ you think it's so easy? to turn your back while your city looks to you for salvation? ❞ ❝ whether i'm pulling the pin or not, everyone who gets close to me dies. ❞ ❝ you walk along the edge of danger and it will change you. ❞ ❝ your youth betrays you. patience is a product of age. both of which i possess in abundance. ❞ ❝ we gotta choose right now whether we're gonna throw in the towel or make a stand together. ❞ ❝ i had a different name back then, you know. ❞ ❝ when will you admit that this is just one of your fantasies? ❞ ❝ my arrogance led me to take on more than i could handle. ❞ ❝ such force must be a final resort. ❞ ❝ in my experience, only guilty men answer accusations with silence. ❞ ❝ every time it seems like we might catch a break. ❞ ❝ you're a monster. why? why do all this? ❞ ❝ i must ask you to surrender your weapons. this is a place of peace. ❞ ❝ i still think it's a dumb idea. but i guess you won, and a deal's a deal. ❞ ❝ it’s nice to know there are still good ones left. ❞ ❝ i promise, it's the last offer you're gonna get. ❞ ❝ no matter what i do, i just can’t seem to die. ❞ ❝ maybe i underestimated you. maybe you have the strength i do not. ❞ ❝ you don't actually need my help. you haven't for a long time. ❞ ❝ like it or not, we're in this mess together. ❞ ❝ compassion. hate. two sides of the same coin. ❞ ❝ i have a plan. you’re not gonna like it. ❞ ❝ come closer, will you, babe? ❞ ❝ i'd feared i wouldn't have the chance to speak with you again. ❞

❝ you here to finish me off? ❞ ❝ i thought you were on our side. ❞ ❝ what is up with you? you've been out of it all day. ❞ ❝ as good as it feels to pour everyone's drink, you need to fill your own cup every now and again. ❞ ❝ you must destroy it. it corrupts. consumes. ❞ ❝ sometimes taking a leap forward means leaving a few things behind. ❞ ❝ we do not lament a warrior's death. we avenge it. ❞ ❝ for the gifted, arrogance is the ultimate threat. ❞ ❝ why do you persist? after everything i've done? ❞ ❝ you're not alone. look at my shadow right behind you like a ghost. ❞ ❝ there is nothing to gain from this senseless bloodshed. ❞ ❝ i choose wrong every time. and because of it, i've lost everyone. ❞ ❝ go. before i do something i regret. ❞ ❝ i don't wanna lose what makes me "me" chasing some wild dream. ❞ ❝ i'm gonna find a way back, with or without you. ❞ ❝ i'm sorry. i've been an idiot. and an ass. you're hurting too. ❞ ❝ one's thoughts are more easily gathered in isolation. ❞ ❝ all right, out with it. what do you want from me? ❞ ❝ hey, in case i don't remember to tell you tomorrow, you've always meant the world to me. ❞ ❝ you ever wish you could just stay in one moment? ❞ ❝ if you're here to kill me, make sure to finish the job. ❞ ❝ i think beneath that mask you're scared. ❞ ❝ i must say that since i've met you, i've truly lived. ❞ ❝ never seen you give up on anything. ❞ ❝ i have the feeling that you'll be running this place soon. ❞ ❝ i think beneath that mask you're scared. ❞ ❝ i'm choosing to fight. and i pray that you will join me. ❞ ❝ this place will grow on you. you'll see. ❞ ❝ you're never gonna give up on me, are you? ❞ ❝ i think the cycle only ends when you find the will to walk away. ❞ ❝ hating you…i've hated myself. i just don't have the energy for it any longer. ❞ ❝ greatest thing we can do in life is find the power to forgive. ❞ ❝ oh, don't get all mushy on me now. ❞ ❝ i'm always with you. even when we're worlds apart. ❞ ❝ just 'cause you're having a bad day, don't take it out on me. ❞ ❝ look at the price of your ambition. you've sacrificed everything. ❞ ❝ you taught me the best lies come wrapped in truth. ❞ ❝ i feel like i woke up in the wrong universe. ❞ ❝ oh, spare the sympathy. ❞ ❝ uh, you do realize code phrases don't work when you make them up on the spot? ❞ ❝ desperation is the doorway to oblivion. ❞ ❝ it was a mistake to come here. ❞ ❝ this will have consequences. ❞ ❝ i know it's my fault that i'm here all alone. ❞ ❝ if you choose to flee, don't stop running. ❞ ❝ go and make some mistakes. you live and you learn. ❞ ❝ let me guess. you think i'm holding myself back. ❞ ❝ i have people back home who need me. ❞ ❝ i’m sorry i haven’t been around. ❞

[inspirationalucky]

EPIC: THE ITHACA SAGA PROMPTS & STARTERS.

of course, go ahead and change names/pronouns/words/etc as necessary to fit your muse or the situation! please do not add more lines/prompts to this post!

The Challenge

"I'm supposed to choose a suitor."

"They don't know that every night I unthread all the work I've done."

"I'd rather lie than allow them to think they've won."

"I never thought that I'd resort to this."

"I don't know much longer I'll last"

"Could it be some kind of sign that my world is all about to change?"

"Is it finally time for the challenge I arranged?"

"Though I never thought that it would come to this, just know I'll be here buying you time."

"Time is fleeting, it's running out."

"Time to be the man of the house."

"Let the arrow fly once you know that your aim is true."

"I'd rather die than grow old without the best of you."

"Though I never thought that this would be the lengths we go for love, I would not have it any other way."

"Though I never thought that it would end like this, just know I'll be here waiting."

Hold Them Down

"Screw this competition. We've been here for hours."

"No more delays."

"Can't you guys see we're being played?"

"This is how they hold us down while we slowly age."

"Where in the hell is our pride and our rage?"

"Here and now there's a chance for action."

"We can take control."

"Burn it down to ashes!"

"Channel the fire inside your soul!"

"Haven't you noticed who's missing?"

"I heard today he comes back to town."

"I say we wait 'till he arrives."

"When he docks his ship we can breach it."

"Let us leave now, today we can strike"

"Hold him down while I slowly break his pride, his trust, his faith, and his bones."

"Cut him down into tiny pieces."

"When the crown wonders where the prince is, only the ocean and I will know."

Odysseus

"For twenty years I've suffered every punishment and pain."

"I come back and find my palace desecrated, sacked like Troy!"

"I... have had... enough."

"Somewhere in the shadows lurks an agile, deadly foe"

"We have the advantage! We've the numbers and the might."

"You don't understand it, this man plans for every fight!"

"Keep your head down! He's aiming for the torches!"

"Our weapons... they're missing!"

"He's using the darkness to hide his approaches."

"We're empty-handed, up against an archer."

"Our only chance is to strike him in the darkness."

"We know these halls! The odds can be tilted!"

"You think I don't know my own palace? I built it!"

"You've destroyed the serpent's head. Now the rest of us are no longer a threat!"

"Forgive us instead so that no more blood is shed."

"Let's have open arms instead!"

"Damn, he's more cunning than I assumed."

"While we were busy plotting, he hid our weapons inside this room."

"I find it hard to believe that the sharpest of kings left his armory unlocked."

"Now that we have armed ourselves, let's make the bastard rot."

"Throw down those weapons and I ensure you'll be spared."

"After seeing what the King will do to us? We wouldn't dare."

"I don't want to hurt you, but trust me, I've come prepared."

"Your very presence has doomed the king, young prince. We don't fight fair."

"We've got company, and he's made a grave mistake!"

"There's a chance for us to win."

"We can still defeat the King if we all attack the Prince!"

"Capture him! He's our greatest chance."

"Make the King obey our command, and if he won't I'll break the kid's hands."

"Mercy? Mercy!?"

"My mercy has long since drowned. It died to bring me home."

"As long as you're around, my family's fate is left unknown."

"You plotted to kill my son!"

"All of you are going to die!"

"You have filled my heart with hate."

"All of you who have done me wrong? This will be your fate!"

I Can't Help But Wonder

"All my life, I'd have died to meet you."

"I thought about your name so much it hurts."

"For twenty years, I dreamt of how I'd greet you."

"Now you're here, and I can't find the words."

"All my life, I'd have died to know you."

"I never could outgrow you."

"I can't help but wonder what your world must be."

"All this time I've wondered if you'd embrace me as your own."

"For so long I've felt alone."

"Look how much you've grown!"

"Oh, my boy, sweetest joy I've known"

"Twenty years ago, I held you in my arms."

"Oh, how time has flown."

"I used to say I'd capture wind and sky for you."

"I held you in my arms, prepared to die for you."

"I can only wonder what your world has been."

"All I've ever wanted was to reunite with my own."

"For twenty years we've wandered, but today you're not alone."

"I'm finally home!"

"You were never one for hellos."

"I can't help but wonder what this world could be if we all held each other with a bit more empathy."

"I can't help but feel like I led you astray."

"What if there's a world where we don't have to live this way?"

"If that world exists it's far away from here. It's one I'll have to miss."

"I've got one endeavor: there's a girl I have to see"

Would You Fall in Love with Me Again?

"Is it you? Have my prayers been answered?"

"Is it really you standing there, or am I dreaming once more?"

"You look different... your eyes look tired."

"Your frame is lighter, and your smile torn."

"Is it really you, my love?"

"I am not the man you fell in love with."

"I am not your kind and gentle husband, and I am not the love you knew before."

"Would you fall in love with me again if you knew all I've done?"

"Would you love me all the same?"

"I know that you've been waiting for love."

"What kind of things did you do?"

"I hurt more lives than I can count on my hands, but all of that was to bring me back to you."

"I had built that wedding bed with my blood and sweat."

"Do you realize what you have asked me?"

"Only my husband knew that, so I guess that makes him you!"

"I will fall in love with you over and over again."

"I don't care how, where, or when. No matter how long it's been, you're mine."

"Don't tell me you're not the same person!"

"You're always my husband, and I've been waiting for you."

[moongothic]

So for a while I had wanted to make a knitted sweater or a cardigan with thick, vertical stripes. Needless to say though I was having a hard time brainstorming HOW to make that such a thing. Colorwork would be doable if I wanted to do thin stripes, but I wanted the stripes to be like a good 5-8 cm wide. That would result in a lot of extremely long floats, which would make knitting it a pain in the ass and far beyond my skill level (if not straight up impossible?), but also it'd be such a waste of yarn. But, I figured... people make granny square sweaters and cardigans where they sew the individual pieces together. Hell, knitters make sweaters and cardigans in pieces too. So, if I wanted to knit something with vertical stripes, what'd stop me from knitting each stripe as an individual piece and then sewing them together?

Now, a lot of this project was me figuring things out as I went along (partially because for a while I wasn't sure if this project would work out, and if I'd be able to make a cardigan at all or if I'd have to make a sweater instead), knitting pieces and sewing them together as I went instead of making all the pieces first and then putting them all together in a grand finale. So I don't have photos of the individual stripes I knit up pre-sewing. Each stripe ended up being about 7 cm wide but their lenghts vary depending on where they're placed (sides are shorter to make room for the arms etc), and two stripes on the front I knit into a sharp point to shape the neck opening. In total I knit 13 pieces to make the body of the cardigan

Now I did originally intend to just sew the pieces together using mattress stitch, but as I was sewing, I just... Did not like how it was turning out. It wasn't quite as seamless as I had hoped it would be, but more importantly, if you pulled on the sewn pieces at all you'd end up with a gaping hole between the pieces (not pictured) that just felt really unsecure. So I tried just crocheting the pieces and, honestly, I did prefer it quite a bit. It felt stronger than the mattress stitch and it blended into the knit way better, so that's what I ended up going with

I did however mattress stitch the tops together (I don't understand why it felt better/stronger up there than on the sides but whatever, if it works it works)

I did originally make arm holes waaay too big by accident. Fortunately it was easy to fix though, since I had made sure all the pieces were attached the same way- starting row at the bottom edge and bind-off at the top. I just had to undo the bind off on the side pieces of the cardigan and knit a few more rows before binding off again (and crocheting the extended sections together), aka I didn't have to rip the cardigan apart or anything to redo these sections (Yellow stripe on the left has already been extended (black marker shows where I picked up from), about to start knitting the black stripe on the right)

With all of that done, the body of the cardigan was mostly done! I was maybe a liiittle bit concerned about the fit, but I knew I wanted the ribbing to be as wide as the stripes were, so the ribbing was going to "complete" the fit; I had taken that into considderation when I was originally mathing out the size of the cardigan (how many stripes I'd have to make and how wide they'd have to be etc (though I did have to adjust that math a few times during the process lmao)) (Also; the reason I wanted to make a cardigan instead of a sweater is because I prefer clothes I can wear open. Like I don't really like hoodies without zippers because I can't open them, where as hoodies that do have zippers I wear all the time and I pretty much always leave them open. So even if this cardigan had turned out a little snug, it'd be fine, because I know I wouldn't button it up anyways lmao)

I figured doing the ribbing in crochet would be easier, but man. It took me fucking forever to figure out how to do the ribbing. For starters, the yellow yarn I've been using I've actually been holding double this whole time (while knitting), and so I was unsure if I wanted to hold it double for the ribbing as well or hold it single. I was also unsure if I wanted to do the ribbing in slip stitch, single crochet or double, not to mention figuring out the right hook size. I really did try like 5-10 different combinations before I landed on doing double crochet ribbing with the yarn held single. Like I had wanted to try other methods because I feel like double crochet is too hole-y and loose, but all the other methods made a really thick fabric, much thicker than the knit. And I just didn't like that. The double crochet/held single was the only way to get a fabric that was the same thickness as the knit, so that's what I ended up going with. On the plus side, it was also faster to work up lmao

Once I figured out what technique I wanted to use I just had to crochet the damn thing. Which was fine, though I felt like the ribbing was making the cardigan flare out weirdly (in hindsight I think I was just slightly loosing it at this point lmao I can't see what was wrong with the ribbing looking at that photo again fjdghksdf), so I also did a round around the edge of the ribbing to help secure it into a tighter shape. Once the front of the ribbing was done, I did the bottom ribbing and cleaned that edge up too

And then I ran out of yarn

More specifically, I had been using scrap black yarn I already had in my stash. And after I started knitting the sleeves with the remaining balls, having successfully turned the vest into a button-up t-shirt, yeah, ran out of black. So I had to go and order some more black yarn, one or two balls would probably be enough, just need some cheap wool But I don't want to pay 5 bucks in shipping for 5 bucks of wool, man. If I'm gonna order something I might as well make it worth the shipping (or even better, get the free shipping). Now the plot twist is that I originally began working on this cardigan back in September, and when I ran out of yarn it was October. And I knew in a few weeks I'd be going to a Spooky Convention, and I wanted to wear something Halloween-y to said Spooky Convention. So I put this cardigan on hold for like three weeks (in total) so I could crochet a Spooky Cardigan for the convention.

So yeah this cardigan I did start before I made that other one. Lmao.

Anyway, once that other project was done I finally got back to working on This Fucking Thing and finishing it with the yarn I had gotten. Hilariously the yarn I had bought was actually too thin so I had to hold it double to finish the sleeves, but it's fiiine, I've used all sorts of scrap black yarns for this project and could not tell the difference on what yarn has been used where, it's all wool (or wool alpaca mix) And once the knitting was done, I crochet'd some simple cuffs on the sleeves so it'd match the ribbing. I blocked the cardigan, weaved in all the bajillion ends and sewed on some buttons.

I'm deeply upset blocking ruined the shaping of the collar/ribbing. Like I should've seen it coming, I know crochet is stiff innitially but becomes loose and wavey when blocked. But I somehow forgot, and now the collar looks dumb as hell. Also, because the ribbing is quite thin, it can't actually support the buttons I had picked out for the cardigan, so they just kinda. Flop around and sit there, looking sad and flaccid. Of course, the buttons would be very easy to switch out (esp since I haven't weaved them in yet) but there's a part of me that feels like I should undo the whole ribbing and redo it to fix the collar. But. I've already weaved in everything. Undoing the weaving would be a massive pain in the ass, there's so many yarn ends in there... And I'm not sure I care enough to put in that effort into this.

Another minor thing is that I feel like the neck opening is a bit too open for my personal taste- like the cardigan fits on me perfectly, I did my math just fine on that front, but I prefer something that hugs my neck more and this is really open (especially after blocking ruined my perfect, fitted collar). So I should've left the front black stripes normal instead of doing the shaping on them, or something like that

All of that aside though, I am happy with how this cardigan turned out (especially it's technically my first one, even if I didn't finish it first), it fits perfectly and I'll absolutely wear it around home, it's nice and comfy and warm and that's all I wanted and needed

[pokepollsters]

Little Cup Stats- January 2025

So the first month of the Little Cup Polls comes to an end, and I've loved seeing you all talk about your own Pokémon experiences when it comes to Starters, shiny hunting, the National Dex, and all the takes on Mythicals vs Legendaries!

As promised, here's a quick roundup of all the polls and some stats for each of them! For future reference, polls that span across two months will be included with the month that the majority of it took place in. All below the cut-

Week #1 (Grass, Fire, or Water)

The first week was a simple choice of which starter group is the best! Grass was the victor, though with strong support for all three types. 1,424 votes were cast, with the distribution being as follows:

Grass- 36.5%, 520 votes

Fire- 27.3%, 389 votes

Water- 32.2%, 459 votes

See Results- 3.9%, 56 votes

When we remove the people who couldn't choose, the final percentages come to:

Grass- 38%

Fire- 28.4%

Water- 33.5%

So while there is a clear favourite, Game Freak has done a good job of balancing all the types with each one having their own fans!

Week #2 (Shiny Hunting)

Our first submitted question was a simple one! Have you shiny hunted? And a clear majority have- at least once anyway! There were 986 votes cast, and the results were:

Yes- 70.7%, 697 votes

No- 28.5%, 281 votes

See Results- 0.8%, 8 votes

Since so few of you couldn't remember if you'd done so or not, the adjusted percentages are very similar.

Yes- 71.3%

No- 28.7%

So more than 7 in 10 players have tried it! A popular pastime indeed.

Week #3 (Mythicals and Legendaries)

Are they one and the same? Well, our second submission this month was asking just that. Mythicals and Legendaries are closely related, but according to the Pokémon Company, they are indeed different! Do you disagree? 526 people voted on if they considered Mythicals to be Legendaries as well, and they had this to say:

Yes- 77.8%, 409 votes

No- 18.4%, 97 votes

See Results- 3.8%, 20 votes

When we remove those that didn't have strong feelings on the matter, the adjusted percentages are:

Yes- 80.8%

No- 19.2%

Perhaps I needn't have split up the tournaments after all then?

Week #4 (National Dex)

Our final Little Cup of the month was about the National Dex! Over 5 years on from the infamous Dexit, it seems opinions have cooled about it, but most do still miss it! Of the 418 people that voted, these are the people who miss the National Dex:

Yes- 60.3%, 252 votes

No- 29.2%, 122 votes

See Results- 10.5%, 44 votes

This time, more than a tenth of you couldn't make up your mind one way or the other! When we remove those numbers from the equation, it looks like this:

Yes- 67.3%

No- 32.6%

It seems that a two thirds majority miss the National Dex after all! Will we ever see it again in a main series game?

Final Stats

With exactly 3,354 votes cast this month, I'd say the Little Cup Polls have been off to a good start! This means an average of 839 votes on each poll, well above any tournament, but we'll see how this average looks as the weeks continue. From next month onwards, I'll be including both the month's average, and the overall average too.

Unfortunately, each poll has been less popular than the last, but there's bound to be variation in vote numbers when each poll presents a very different question from the last! The graph looks like this:

But with all that said, that's all for January! I hope you've enjoyed the Little Cup Polls so far, and I've got many good questions from you folks queued up! Right now the queue goes into April, but submissions are always open for more. We'll be back with more stats in a month's time!

[msftsnmemes]

EPIC: THE ITHACA SAGA STARTERS.

the challenge

"i'm supposed to choose a suitor to wear the crown."

"cause i would rather lie than allow them to think they've won."

"though i never thought i'd resort to this."

"but i don't know how much longer i'll last."

"just know i'll be here buying you time."

"cause i would rather die than grow old without the best of you."

"i would not have it any other way." "

hold them down

"where is he?"

"screw this competition, we've been here for hours"

"can't you guys see we're being played?"

"this is how they hold us down while we slowly age."

"where in the hell is our pride and our rage?"

"here and now there's a chance for action"

"here and now burn it down to ashes."

"only the ocean and i will know."

"i will not let any part go to waste."

odysseus

"i've suffered every punishment and pain."

"i have had enough."

"he's using the darkness to hide his approaches."

"our only chance is to strike him in the darkness."

"you don't think i know my own palace? i built it."

"you've destroyed the serpents head."

"let's have open arms instead."

"let's make the bastard rot."

"we don't fight fair."

"there's a chance for us to win."

"mercy? mercy? my mercy has long since drowned."

"it died to bring me home."

"you've filled my heart with hate."

i can't help but wonder

"all my life i'd have died to meet you."

"thought about your name so much it hurts."

"and now you're here, i can't find the words."

"all this time i've wondered if you'd embrace me as your own."

"for so long, i've felt alone."

"oh my child, look how much you've grown."

"oh my child, the sweetest joy i've ever known."

"used to say i'd make the storm clouds cry for you."

"used to say i'd capture wind and sky for you."

"held you in my arms, prepared to die for you."

"i can only wonder what your world has been."

"things you've had to suffer, and the strength you hold within."

"all i've ever wanted was to reunite with my own."

"you were never one for hello's."

"i can't help but wonder what this world would be if we all held each other with a bit more empathy."

"i can't help but feel like i've led you astray."

"what if there's a world where we don't have to live this way?"

"if that world exists it's far away from here, it's one i'll have to miss."

would you fall in love with me again?

"is it you? have my prayers been answered?"

"is it really you standing there?"

"you look different."

"your eyes look tired."

"your frame looks lighter."

"your smile is torn."

"is it really you, my love?"

"i am not the person you fell in love with."

"i am not the person you once adored."

"i am not your kind and gentle partner."

"and i am not the love you knew before."

"would you fall in love with me again if you knew all i've done?"

"the things i cannot change, would you love me all the same?"

"i know that you've been waiting for love."

"what kind of things did you do?"

"hurt more lives than i can count in my hands."

"all of it was to bring me back to you."

"do you realize what you have asked me?"

"only my love knew that, so i guess that makes them you!"

"i will fall in love with you, over and over again."

"i don't care how, where or when."

"no matter how long it's been you're mine."

"don't tell me you're not the same person."

"i love you."

[zoot-marimba]

Your turn!! 1, 4, 6, 9, 11, 14, and 19! :3

1. What is your favorite OG seasons (ie seasons 1-13ish when they stilldid odd plots) weirdest plot gimmick? IE- Mecha Streisand, aliens, manbearpig, etc.

4. School aged background characters youd like to see a resurgence of? Think of Billand Fosse, 6th graders, DogPoo etc.

6. Name a character (not a child) who used to be prevalent who you'd be glad to see return to the show more often? (Big Gay Al, Jimbo, Officer Barbrady- for examples).

9. Explain a potential plot youid like to see for an episode i in anu upcoming season. It t canI be vague details with current political/celebrity drama and the like.

11. A game/activity you'd like to see the boys play/do? Not video games- just kids being kids to get away from the adult/tegridy focused plot.

14. Name a one-shot character you wish they'd have explored more, not just brought back to the show, but explored their background/personality more?

19. If they did, would you be happy to see a Post-Covid spin-off or episodes relating to the kids as teenagers/adults? Not to replace the main show.

#1. Favorite weird plot gimmick from OG seasons (1-approx.13)?

Very hard to pick as I love a lot of those weird, offbeat story points, but for now, I'll go with the Woodland Critters.

The juxtaposition of these adorable little critters with some of the show's blackest humor-no small feat-will always be hilarious to me.

#4. School aged background characters I'd love to see brought back?

My first pick is definitely Bill and Fosse. Seriously, just imagine them playing off PC Principal. Hell, let's have them come out as gay just so they can keep calling things gay.

There's also DogPoo, who it would also be cool to see more of. Maybe he can be this quirky, offbeat genius type, and you could have somebody like Brimmy as his silent sidekick of sorts.

#6. Adult character who used to be prominent that you'd like to see return in a prominent capacity?

While I answered this question when Lotus asked me, I'll go ahead and pick another character. Since I already picked Jimbo and Ned the first time, I'll go with Big Gay Al. I'd like to see Big Gay Al (and Mr. Slave, for that matter) again and see he's still super (thanks for asking).

#9. Potential storyline/plot I'd like to see in the future?

-For starters, something with Hello Kitty Island Adventure. Butters basically conjured the darn thing into reality, those bastards have to do something with that!

-It would also be really kewl if they did something that explores how Stan could end up at his second PC Future (military/space force). People talk and debate about Cartman's fate, yet pretty much everybody has agreed to ignore Stan's second future, so I think an episode laying out how this isn't as far fetched as people might think could be a good idea.

-An episode focusing more on Butters and Dougie's relationship. I've said it multiple times, but this is something the show hasn't done nearly enough with, and I think it would be a great way to keep Butters fresh as a character, let alone one guaranteed to lead at least one episode per season.

-What's been going on in Hell since Satan's ascension to Heaven? Is Damien in charge now or is something else going on?

-Shelley and Kevin McCormick dating. Yes, I'm talking about making a ship canon, but beyond that, I do think it could open up some interesting avenues for storytelling.

#11. Game/Activity I'd like to see the boys play or engage in?

Comic Con. Don't tell me you wouldn't love to see the kids at Comic Con. Hell, make it a trilogy of sorts with different kids going to see different things (can also give the show a chance to work another Creek story in there).

A boat race could also be fun, as well as the good old wishing well.

#14. One-shot character I wish had been explored more?

Damien. That's always my first answer to this question, and I've already elaborated why elsewhere, so I'll instead go for my next choice-Gregory of Yardale.

Beyond his obvious role as a rival of Stan for Wendy, there's plenty of other characters he could have a solid dynamic with...

-Pip: As the other British kid in school, Gregory is basically everything Pip is not-popular, successful, charismatic, respected, and proud. You could take this dynamic quite a few different ways; you could

Have Pip initially excited to have another Brit at school, only to start souring in the idea either because of Gregory rubbing him the wrong way and/or some other reason.

Have Pip admire and/or envy Gregory, with the latter being who Pip wishes he could be.

Have Pip realize that with Gregory's presence, he's now lost the one truly distinct thing he has going for him and which distinguishes him from his peers.

Have Gregory take Pip under his wings, so to speak, help him learn to stand his own ground or have another guaranteed ally in class/school.

Consequently, any combination of these reasons could prompt some strong character development for Pip in his own right. This would be especially helpful once Butters starts coming into his own as a character and proves more effective at filling the role Pip had originally been intended for.

-Kyle: Besides the obvious guilt-by-association, Kyle and Gregory could also have an interesting dynamic as two headstrong moral crusaders. While Gregory comes from a place of clear and blatant privilege, Kyle comes from a place of marginalization as the one Jewish kid in his class and from his family being one of or the only Jewish families in South Park. Gregory is most likely an only child, Kyle is an older brother with the responsibilities that entails. Gregory is generally very even-tempered, Kyle is known for having a hair trigger temper. Gregory is confidant to the point of often being boastful, Kyle deals with a great deal of self-doubt. Gregory would probably have girls throwing themselves at him, Kyle doesn't exactly have the best of luck with girls. Gregory literally introduces himself by mentioning his grade average, Kyle is a good student but does see his academic success as the be-all-end-all.

-Cartman: He and Gregory are polar opposites in many respects-Gregory coming from a comfortable home life with both parents at home, Cartman only has his mom; Gregory is very much a gentleman driven by a clear moral code, Cartman is a crude, obnoxious sociopath who (usually) only gets involved if there's something in it for him; Gregory is thin and keeps himself in top shape, Cartman is the fattest kid at school. Yet there are also some similarities between the two-both are proud and egotistical, both have a certain amount of charm and charisma that allows them to sway people to their side, both have grown up as an only child, Gregory's home life likely involves a mix of being spoiled and emotional neglect much like Cartman's, and he also likely has a certain amount of insecurity that causes him to seek out others' approval/attention much like Cartman.

-Kenny: Again, polar opposites in many ways. Gregory presumably comes from a home of wealth and privilege, Kenny and his family live in poverty. Gregory is the classic gentleman who is reserved and carries himself with a certain degree of decorum, Kenny is foul mouthed and loves to tell dirty jokes and limericks. Again, Gregory is an only child, Kenny is the middle child of three. At the same time, however, both have a strong sense of honor and duty and are driven to help whenever they can (as best exemplified by Mysterion in Kenny's case).

-Tolkien: As the other rich kid in South Park, Gregory and Tolkien could also have an interesting dynamic. Once again, Gregory is the epitome of privilege-a wealthy cishet white male, while Tolkien is the one black kid in town (at least until Nichole's arrival). Tolkien is very humble and doesn't like to make a big deal about his family's wealth, Gregory has a fairly sizable ego and makes no bones about his family's wealth. Tolkien is very well liked by the other boys and is genuinely part of the group, Gregory is tolerated at best and is never truly be part of the group. Tolkien is a pretty normal kid as far as South Park goes, Gregory is actively throwing himself into some huge mission or (mis)adventure on a regular basis.

-Gary Harrison: This didn't occur to me until recently, but I could see these two having a strong dynamic. I can see a one-side rivalry on Gregory's part as the two often seem to be in competition for one reason or another, be it grades, athletics, or whatever. And while Gary may not have Gregory's wealth and privilege, he also has many things that Gregory doesn't have. He has the loving and tight-knit family that Gregory likely doesn't have, his peers genuinely like and respect him rather than just tolerate him, he still has a sense of self-worth even if he doesn't get that one A+, he's perfectly content being single, and he's naturally kind, humble, and generous. There's nothing truly extraordinary about Gary, and he's okay with that; he's perfectly happy and content to do good without receiving credit or recognition for it. Basically, Gary is the person Gregory wishes he could be.

And there's probably a few others I could think of, but that's just off the top of my head.

I could also mention other one-off characters, but I'll just stick with Gregory for now.

#19. Would I be interested in any subsequent Post-COVID spin-offs/specials/episodes or with the kids as teens or adults?

Yes, absolutely. Hell, I've even been working on and off on a Post-COVID sequel of sorts (you can read the first few chapters on my Ao3) where I deal with Cartman's handling of his loss as well as flashing back to his old life and the events of the special from his POV.

[shadowmaat]

The Jedi Order: a different view

From what I can tell the overwhelming majority of fannish content regarding the Jedi, their Order, and their Temple, relies solely on content from the now-discontinued Legends.

I understand the urge since it gives fans a veritable feast of trauma and whump for Obi-Wan and can help underscore the belief that Anakin was a misunderstood, maligned pariah who was never good enough for anyone in the Order.

However. It does get a little... tiresome after a while. Oh, people do some incredible and cool things to try and "fix" the Order, but they still start with the belief that the Order needs fixing. I wanted to ignore all that and start fresh.

Right! So! I'll focus on the Jedi on Coruscant, since they're the most relevant to the picture. I'll also start with the Temple itself, since it IS where everyone lives.

THE TEMPLE

The Temple was founded millennia ago and has been building on ever since in an effort to keep up with the growth of the city around them. I'd be tempted to base that at ground level, or the nearest equivalent. Given how high up Coruscant has now become, that implies layers upon layers upon layers, and of course they aren't going to add one level at a time, it'll be multiples.

I would absolutely love to see some archaeology-focused stuff. Jedi explorers delving deeper and deeper into the Temple's depths, discovering lost and forgotten histories, artifacts, art, books, etc. And also notes from previous Jedi archaeologists who also delved down.

With that in mind I've decided that the "Room of a Thousand Fountains" is a vast misnomer. The Temple Gardens extend downward, encompassing previous Gardens and lovingly maintained not only by the Agricorp (who aren't limited to just crops), but also bunches of Jedi, outside gardeners, and of course specialists for the different regions/biomes. There are plants in the Temple that have gone extinct everywhere else in the universe (credit to RoosjeM's Temporary Temple Guards for making me think of this possibility).

The point is, the Gardens are ENORMOUS. There are fixes and workarounds for the issues of sunlight, and I imagine there's a water reclamation/sanitation/whatever system in place to make sure everything (and everyone) stays as hydrated as necessary. I betcha there are secret depths to the Archives, too. Maybe museums full of ancient starships that regrettably had to be walled up whenever the surrounding city got too tall.

Jedi come from nearly every sapient species imaginable, and some of them have specific environmental needs. I know I've seen plenty of fics where Plo Koon's quarters are specially sealed so he can breathe his homeworld's atmosphere and not need to worry about goggles and an anti-ox mask. I think it'd be more interesting if there were entire sections dedicated to (or easily converted to) different atmospheres. This is easier and a lot more convenient when, say, there are multiples of a species in the Temple. Sure, individual room conversions can be done, too, but having a whole mini "neighborhood" of your fellow [species] can be nice as well. Walk freely. Chat with neighbors unencumbered. Enjoy meals together. Communal stuff like that.

I also love the idea of water-filled corridors for the aquatic types. Like that one comic panel that showed naked Kit Fisto happily swimming by on his way to somewhere else. Maybe an underwater training salle so the aquatics can learn how to fight/use their sabers in those conditions.

Dining areas would also be spread throughout the Temple, with some being "generic" fare to feed a wide variety of the most common species and others having a more specific focus, both in terms of species and cuisine types. Open-access kitchen areas for those who want to cook their own food, but not in their own kitchen (MUCH better ventilation in the public spaces, for starters). Also vending machines and automats for those on the go. (This shows up in K_R_Closson's All the Roads We Walk Are Winding and was goddamn genius.)

THE JEDI

In my version of things, the Jedi are much more considerate than fandom generally depicts.

A Jedi can never "age out." While allowances can be made if someone with basic control skills wants to leave, or if they want to find their own path when they reach their species level of majority, no one is ever forced onto the streets or "dumped" into a place not of their own choosing.

When an Initiate enters the Temple the biggest themes they are taught are "Community" and "Choice." Community means that they will always have a home in the Temple, no matter what. They can leave and come back if they choose. There are no legitimate mistakes that can get you thrown out. Failing a class, or multiple classes, doesn't mean you don't belong, it means that you need a more tailored learning experience to help you reach your goals.

Starting at an early age, crèche clans are taken on a "tour" of the various service branches; each one maintains a presence within the Temple itself, not only to maintain connections with the Jedi as a whole, but also to make communicating their needs (to the Jedi, to the Senate, to various interests) easier. And there is always at least one person available to chat about what it is their branch does. I did a whole separate post exploring how varied the Service Corps could be.

As the initiates grow older, they're encouraged to do a work/study thing that matches with their interests and gives them a better taste for what a particular field is like. This can, and usually is, done many times so an Initiate can find the best fit. And if they can't find a good fit, that's fine, too; there's no time limit on choosing a career. In fact it isn't uncommon for a Jedi to switch paths, either within an individual branch (Consular to Sentinel) or an entirely different discipline (Seeker in ExplorCorp to Crèche Master in the Educorp).

The point is, there are always choices available. It isn't shameful to not be a Knight. In fact it's expected that most will choose paths that don't involve a lot of political juggling and aggressive negotiations (although politics do creep into every field).

The whole mess with the Jedi being beholden to the Galactic Senate is a bucket of eels I'm not willing to handle at the moment, but I figure this is a good start to pinning down my ideas and I may venture back if I think of anything else.

[nosebleedsturn]

forty-two ; lucille

Words: 2,253

saturday, january 10, 2025, 10:30 am

matthew bernard sturniolo

pandemonium. the whole house was a chaotic mess. malerie and nick were cleaning up more thing's and separating a section of their cabinet and fridge just for lucille. i had slept over at vega's house last night not knowing what i was going to be waking up to. i don't really understand why vega's so worried about lucille moving in for the time being. i feel like there are more important thing's for her to worry about. like the art projects that sit half done on the floor, but i'll pester her about those later. i mean i guess i get it, i couldn't imagine having to take care of any of my younger cousins right now. plus, vega is also is school too so she's really fucking busy. i told her that i'd go with her to pick up lucille. vega is very sweet when she wants to be, helping her aunt take care of her kid while she's healing in the hospital. 

vega's in the bathroom getting dressed when i ran back to my house and switched out my clothes. funnily enough, i think i was nervous too. this is the first person in vega's family i'll be meeting since we've been... interested in one another. huh... i guess i didn't think of it that way. i'm frozen in the kitchen when chris comes up the stairs, holding the phone on his hand. a voice on the other end of the line, i assume camille, but i'm too busy freaking out. "fuck are you doing, move." chris grumbles, pushing me aside to get to the fridge. "why you standing there? shouldn't you be over with your girlfriend or something?" i blink a few times. i'm meeting someone from vega's family? what if lucille doesn't like me? i mean, all veloz women can't be that hard to impress right? what if lucille goes back home and starts telling everyone about us. what if vega doesn't even want to date me after this? i mean lucille could single handedly ruin everything i've got going on. "matt!" chris shouts and it breaks my attention from the table and i glance up at him. "huh, what chris?"

"alright man relax, i was asking if you're okay?"

"you're being annoying!" chris' eyes widen. "are you good dude?" chris presses a button on the phone, setting it down on the table. "i'm on mute, talk."

"it's lucille."

"who's lucille?" chris asks and i roll my eyes. "vega's cousin who's staying with her cause her mom got into an accident." chris mouths and oh and nods. he finally opens the fridge and pulls a pepsi out. "is that a problem?"

"no, no problem." i shake my head. "alright, then what's up?"

"what if lucille doesn't like me?" chris groans and slams the fridge shut loudly making me flinch slightly. "are you collecting these veloz girls like infinity stones dude, who cares!"

"i care! i want vega's family to like me!" chris mouths and 'oh' as he pops open the pepsi. i seriously think it's his third one within the past hour, i don't know how he does it. "so you're worried about meeting her family huh?" i nodded, pulling out a chair and sitting down, chris does the same. "if it makes you feel any better, i still haven't met camille's family yet and her father a fucking millionaire." you know, it doesn't make me feel any better. "i mean, what if he doesn't think i'm good enough for his daughter?" i raise my eyebrows as chris begins ranting on and on about camille's father. "i mean the guy's loaded! and you now how business men are 'i want my daughter to marry rich' i mean, we're fucking kids!"

"chris!" i shout, interrupting him before he could blabber on some more. "you're not making me feel better. what if lucille hates me and she like tries to get vega's whole family to hate me too." chris' lips purse into a pout. "well, you're not daniel for starters, that's a plus."

"they don't know i'm not like daniel!"

"dude, you're starting to sound like you are daniel." chris glances at his phone. camille is sitting up, applying some makeup casually. i snap, getting his attention back to me. "can you be serious for a minute! i'm freaking out!"

"alright..." chris holds his hands up, attention on me again. "just become her friend. i mean, if you can get vega to like you for whatever reason, after she swore she'd never date again or whatever, lucille can't be that hard to please?" chris throws out there and i nodded. "yeah, yeah that makes sense." my phone buzzes in my pocket and i pull it out. "shit it's vega, she's probably gonna say that we're late or something, i gotta go." chris and i exchange a few bye's before i leave the house, locking it. i meet vega at her care and she glares at me. "we're gonna be late! you're still wearing pajamas, matt i thought you said you were gonna change!" i press my hands against her face, connecting our lips slowly, catching her off guard. i pull back after a few seconds. "stop worrying." her worrying is making me worry even more and i don't think i can handle much more over thinking. i move my hand aside, resting it on her upper arm and kiss her cheek, cradling her face in my other hand. "you play too much." vega's hands which had come up at some point to rest on my chest, shoved me away playfully. she turns and gets into the car, it lowly rumbles to life. i don't miss her small smile though. 

the thing's i'd do for this woman.

i make my way to the other side and get in quickly so she doesn't yell at me again. "thanks for coming with me." vega turns around, looking behind as as she backs up the car. the only reason she's driving is because she said lucille wouldn't like my car. should i be worried? "you don't have to thank me, it's what i'm here for." vega chews on her bottom lip and i know there's something else she wants to say. i wait a beat to plug my phone into the aux, i never get aux, "what's wrong?" i asked and she switches the gears and drives off forwards and we turn onto the road. "two thing's... very small thing's, two thing's not to worry about." vega stutters but it doesn't make me feel better. "alright what?"

"i think we should focus on being friends."

oh. "mmm.... mhm. yeah."

"lucille is very... she's very complicated. i haven't seen her since i was with daniel. she's been traveling back and forth around italy, spain and portugal so she's not exactly accustomed to being in one place for long. she's also incredibly hard to please, luckily we live in la so hopefully with school and everything she'll be busy making friends and shit... and because of that, we should focus on being friends."

"you wanna be friends because your cousin is hard to please?" i think this is both of my biggest fears turning to reality. "no," vega sighs. "what i mean is, i think we should focus on being friends because well we never got the chance to be friends... and if lucia is gonna be coming around, i'm too busy for whatever we've got going on... and i-i just need some time to think alright?" vega's hits the break rather harshly at a red light. "yeah, no message sent. friends." i click my tongue and look out the window, letting out a silent breath.

"hey," she murmurs catching my attention again. i look from the outside to her. she looks so beautiful today. "i still like you, ya know? this doesn't change anything. we just need to slow down." i nodded, listening to her intently. sure it wasn't what i wanted, but it'd do anything for her. it's not a 'no i don't wanna be with you ew' but it's not a 'yes let's get married and have kids tomorrow' it's a weird in between but i guess a break is better than nothing? i take her free hand into mine and nod. "i know. how's your piercing doing?" vega glances down quickly at her piercing which was showing, her seat belt resting right under neath. taking more notice, she looks a little... stiff. 

"she's doing fine, i'm a bit sore but i think that's my fault, i was laughing so much yesterday." vega presses down on the gas and the car slowly accelerates forward again. i like when she laughs. i'm glad she was sore cause she was laughing so much, that's so cute. "and i just don't want you to have to worry about meeting my family. this isn't that serious, you know. she's just a kid." vega continued, talking about lucille once again. "i get it vega, i really do." she nodded. she never had to explain herself to me. "okay thank god because i'm tired of talking." i laughed and set my hand on her thigh gently. "we don't gotta talk." i teased and vega side eye'd me. "you're a nasty freak hoe!"

12:00 am

"are you sure you don't see her? her plane was supposed to land a few minutes ago." vega has been pacing in the aisles for like ten minutes now. "sit down vega, you're making me dizzy with all the pacing and shit." i pat the seat beside me but vega shakes her head no without even looking at me. "vega, her flight just touched down three minutes ago, earlier than what they planned too, we watched it happen out that window over there." i shut my phone off, putting my full attention on her. "she's gotta get off the plane first, then she's gotta find her luggage, make her way through the airport. there's a lotta shit-"

"vega!"

i watch as my girl whips her head around, her hair flying in a fray of curls as she looks around. a girl, not much shorter than vega (her whole family must be pretty tall) stands, three luggage's surrounding her and a carry on slung over her shoulder. lucille. "lucia!" vega runs in that direction and the two girls laugh, meeting somewhere in the middle. i stand up, walking over to lucille's forgotten luggage. that shit will get stolen, especially cause they appear to be louis vuitton. who is this girl? i tug the three suitcases closer to the two, but still keep my distance so they could have their little moment together. "it's so good to see you again babe." vega pulls away, looking down at her little cousin. "how's your mom, how's carmen?" lucille sighs. "my mom is doing alright. she's got a surgery tomorrow evening for something, it's not too serious. and carmen she's well... a baby."

lucille had an interesting mix of accents, it was cute though. i'd assume that a lot of the time with all the places she's traveled too, english isn't the only language she speaks. 

vega renee veloz

"i didn't want to split you and carmen up, but my mom only has the time to watch one of you, plus the baby shouldn't be flying with you, that's such a big responsibility." lucia just nods. "it's okay, i barely know the baby anyway."

"lucia, she's your sister." lucia just nods. "i know but december was my first time being home. i've always been busy with school and then in october my dad and i went on another trip to spain for his work so..." lucia shrugs. then this just proves furthermore how this is such bad timing. "i promise, you will get to know her."

"i've barely even gotten the chance to hold her. your mom was smothering her." i chuckled and nodded, walking over to matt and taking one of the suitcases as we walked through the airport to my car. "who's this." lucia seems to notice matt now. "lucia, this is my friend, matt." matt smiles sweetly at lucia. "friend, i was born at night vega, not last night. i know he's your boyfriend. what happened to daniel, i thought you two were like getting married?" i suck in a deep breath and force a smile. "no, no... daniel and i.. we just weren't compatible anymore, anyway, are you hungry?" i switched the topic before we could talk about daniel anymore. he's in the past. 

"you didn't deny matt being you boyfriend." we walk through the parking lot together, matt taking the lead with two suitcases. i think three suitcases means that she won't be going home any time soon. i make lucia pause, letting matt walk away further so he can't hear us. "look lucia, matt and i are just friends, i promise. i'm not seeing any guys right now, i'm far too busy." lucia looks up at me and smiles. "alright, i don't believe you, but if you wanna play that game. and i want in n out. we don't have that in new york." i smiled down at her and nodded. "we can do in n out. it's matt and i's favorite." lucia glances up at me. "oh yeah?" she smirks. this is gonna be a long month i can already feel it.

N O S E B L E E D S

[meatball-headache]

Unfortunately, Bakool Ja Ja is no longer with us. He started off really good, kicked ass effortlessly and got to level 8 in no time flat. But he managed to die in the Rust Wells of all places, because for some reason there was a Slumberling down there, and for some reason he woke up, charged me, and killed me in one hit. My theory: the Social Repugnance defect is so repugnant that it woke up the Slumberling! Maybe I just smell real bad?

Anyway, after that, I've spent the entire day with the next Qoomer pilgrim, and look! Qoomer XIV has made it to Grit Gate! He's the first pilgrim to get this far, but he's not the fourteenth pilgrim overall, that was just what number I was up to when I finally saved the build. I made a lot more after that, most of which died at level one, and I stopped bothering changing the name. He's probably the fortieth or so. But, this guy got real lucky! I started in a random village, and the starter quests were to go to another village and find their thing—this second village also had a quest to go find their thing... back in my first village—and to go discover a salt weep somewhere in the desert. I managed to do this on accident while being lost.

All this gave him a couple levels, and the first Unstable Genome procced. The options were, I don't remember, but I took Teleportation, so I'd have an escape button if things got hairy, which I knew they would many, many times. When I went to the Stilt and turned in all the books that I, um, "found," that got me to level 7, and another mutation: this time I took Precognition, since that would open the door to both shenanigans and saving my highly endangered bacon.

After that it was just exploring, getting lost, fighting stuff in forgotten ruins, fighting stuff in lairs, accidentally teleporting myself—yep, Quantum Jitters, my favorite—fourteen strata deep who knows where, trying to use the Recoiler only to find they gave me one with a dead battery, so on and so forth. I gained more levels, and more Unstable Genomes stabilized: next up, I had a pick between Stunning Force and Domination. I felt like Domination would be more in tune with my mind-powers Esper, and lead to some shenanigans; but I also really like Stunning Force. I had to yield to practicality, though, and I took the third option: Manipulate Light. Yeah. Can't-miss lasers that make me self-luminescent, so I could dual wield hammers? (I was hoping to be a mysterious swordsman, but, when it came time that I needed to spend points on some way to fight, the best weapon I had was a steel hammer.) And later I added Pyrokinesis to the mix.

So far, going good! I know, I always die right after I say that, but, consider: I die all the time, anyway. I'm not going to Golgotha until my final Unstable Genome procs—this will be the first time I successfully get all five to go. I'm only using my mutation points to power up the ones I've got, too, I'm not buying any new ones until the Unstable things are done. So far, my build has been to the tune of "How can I most effectively run away?" But, it's been working! I'm level 14 now... must be my lucky number... So, we'll have to go find a nice cave to explore and see if we can find any goodies. I've got a Recoiler with batteries, Teleportation, Precognition, and also a relic shield with a 6% chance to teleport me away whenever I take damage. So, if things look bad—which they usually do—I should have plenty of means to bail the entire hell out of there.

Anyway, see you in five minutes when I'm dead lol :p

[isolatednights]

closed starter for @elpida

there's a stark difference between the arrival of rhea and elias to the farm compared to their newest guests. the first few days are slow ; battered and bruised bodies needing to heal, a new routine needing to be formed, a caution between two uncertain groups fading.

despite cade's desire to keep her bedridden until the deep rope burn on her wrists had healed, the woman had forced herself up and about within two days. busying herself with chores, showing the ropes to silas and eris when they weren't visiting with their friend, and watching the children. she was hopeful that this might work out for them ; that their group might expand, and its a hope that only grows when she walks back inside that afternoon to be told eden's woken up.

dinner is more lively than its been since before everything had occurred, and by the time everyone drags themselves to separate corners of the farmhouse, she's exhausted. there's a gentle breeze slipping through the open windows, and aside from the soft murmurings of others and the occasional shuffle of feet against old boards, the house has quieted. she knows cade isn't asleep, because his breathing hasn't deepened, yet the pair of them lay close, seemingly content.

"my father was always able to see the world in a way others weren't," she notes softly, breaking the silence between them and mentioning the man for the first time in ages. "a third eye, my mother called it. this...divine Intuition that begged to be followed." fingers tug at her pillow case, eyes drifting toward the billowing curtains. "he always hoped someday i'd find someone good. who'd love me, and protect me, and value me in the way he did my mother."

it's a statement that sits heavily between them, something unspoken. "i think he took one look at you and just knew. every interaction after that just proved it and that's why he trusted you with me." rolling slightly to glance over her shoulder at cade, brows furrow. "i put them on a pedestal for a long time. the ideal example of love, yet i couldn't understand how my father could've done what he did, you know? how he could choose between my mother and i so easily. but i - i get it now."

"think i've known for a while and i should've said it the moment you came for me and i - you know i love you, right?"