#Flashlights For A&P Mechanic

[phalanxaviation]

Choosing The Right Flashlight

A good flashlight for an aircraft mechanic should possess several key features to enhance its functionality and usability in the specific work environment. Here are some important factors to consider:

Brightness: The flashlight should provide a high level of brightness to illuminate dark and hard-to-reach areas in aircraft. Look for a flashlight with a high lumen output to ensure ample illumination.

Durability: Aircraft maintenance often involves working in rugged and demanding conditions. A durable flashlight is essential to withstand rough handling, drops, and exposure to various elements. Opt for flashlights made from robust materials like aluminum or stainless steel.

Compact and Lightweight: Aircraft mechanics often need to carry their tools and equipment around, so a compact and lightweight flashlight is convenient and easy to handle for long periods. It should fit comfortably in a pocket or tool bag without adding excessive weight.

Long Battery Life: Choose a flashlight with long battery life or one that utilizes rechargeable batteries. This helps ensure the flashlight remains operational throughout the workday without frequent battery changes or recharges.

Adjustable Beam: An adjustable beam allows mechanics to switch between a focused spotlight and a wider floodlight, depending on the specific task. This versatility is valuable when working on different aircraft components.

Waterproof or Water-Resistant: Aircraft maintenance often involves exposure to fluids and wet environments. A flashlight with a waterproof or water-resistant design will continue to function reliably even in damp conditions.

Hands-Free Options: Look for flashlights that have built-in clips, magnetic bases, or other features that allow for hands-free operation. This can be particularly useful when working in tight spaces or when both hands are required for a task.

Additional Features: Some flashlights come with additional features like strobe mode, adjustable brightness levels, or a built-in laser pointer. While not essential, these features can add versatility and convenience to the flashlight.

Proper Certification: Ensure that the flashlight meets industry standards and certifications for safety and reliability. For example, flashlights designed for hazardous environments may need specific certifications like ATEX or UL Class I, Division 1.

Ergonomics: The flashlight should have an ergonomic design that feels comfortable to hold and operate for extended periods. Consider features such as textured grips or non-slip surfaces to enhance handling.

Remember to also consider personal preferences and any specific requirements or regulations set by the aircraft maintenance organization or relevant authorities. By taking these factors into account, you can choose a flashlight that meets the needs of an aircraft mechanic and enhances their efficiency and safety on the job. Learn more at: https://greasepilot.com/best-flashlight-for-aircraft-mechanics

[bigassbowlingballhead]

It’s the gay dude with the crush on the bulge-tastic straight co worker with an update. Earlier today he asked if I could help him out with something and I said yes embarrassingly fast. I help with what he needs, then we take a detour to the break room and we chat while he’s getting a coffee for himself together. That’s when he does something so straight and heterosexual I was dying in my head he starts asking me about my car. How’s it doing. What issues I’m having with it. I mentioned not having heard the word tune up in a while and this sets him off next thing I know he’s pulling up deals on tool kits here and showing a video on YouTube on how do it myself there and giving me a script to use if I wanna talk to a mechanic. While I’m p sure this is a friendship thing among straight men, the competence and attention he was showing was hot. Sue me! I’m down so bad for him I watched that entire three minute and thirty second video. Intently.

okay so here's what you do. play dumb. like yeah you could watch the video he showed you again and do it yourself. but where's the fun in that.

you wait a couple days and tell him 'hey i tried what you showed me but it's still doing it. could you come over and take a look at it this weekend?' there's no harm in the ask. and it's a legitimate reason.

if he says yes, he comes over he bends over your car you can stand shoulder to should and hold the flashlight for him. you'll see him get all greasy and look hot being all competent. offer him a beer or two and chill together. see where things go.

[wvbaandtheboys]

Hey I’m currently editing this post rn so reblog when I’m done editing but just know since it’s funny and fun I’m gonna make fnaf mechanics for the Wii boxers based offa my fnaf post for funsies so gimme like 5 minutes (btw it’s gonna be kinda unfair but that’s the point. You wouldn’t survive HAJSJSN)

Little Mac: Well, Mac’s a bit of a trickster and he loves making your night even harder. Whenever you catch the rascal moving about off his stage, make sure you monitor him. Cause this little sucker’s gonna try and shut off your power. And if he does that, I think you know what happens to you. If he’s in the generator room, make sure you flicker your flashlight on the camera to let him know he’s been caught! That’ll send him back to his place.

“Aww…! Alright… But you won’t find me next time… >:]”

Glass Joe: Oh mon dieu, the robot of this beloved, charismatic Frenchman is out for blood! But don’t worry. Joe is very easy to deal with… and don’t feel bad for doing this to him, he’ll kill you if you hesitate. If Joe pops into your office for a quick visit through your left door, slam the door to strike him! Don’t take too long! He’s eager and ready to pounce!

“AH! MY CHIN-!”

Von Kaiser: Hoo boy. Kaiser’s usually calm as can be and has no interest of coming to harass you… that is, if you keep his stage mechanics wound up to keep him occupied. Don’t do it? Kiss your ass goodbye cause he’s gonna rush into your office and give you the beating of a lifetime… well, the beating that will end your life. So just keep him calm and all will be good, yeah? Yeah. The only hope you have to stop him is to listen out for what door he’s rushing at and shutting it.

“Teste meine Geduld nicht...”

(“Do not test my patience…”)

Disco Kid: Ah, he’s real silly. The robotic version of our disco loving friend is still as much of a music lover as the real one! And you’d better know your stuff when it comes to keeping the rhythm. Disco will enter your office and play a series of notes from his speaker with a series of poses. You have a panel with four different notes that have icons of the poses. Replay the same rhythm and Disco will happily leave you to your work. Keep him waiting or press the wrong button? It’s game over for you.

“Can ya feel the rhythm, Peter? C’mon and dance with me!”

King Hippo: This guy’s hungry! And well, Hippo’s not exactly opposed to taking a bite out of you… he’s pretty hungry. But he’ll relent as long as you keep him fed… but apparently, everyone’s out to make everyone riled up. Check his stage from time to time and make sure none of the boxers are trying to steal anything from him! If you see anyone trying to bother him, play an audio bit by pushing the button on his camera to scare them off. If he doesn’t have any food of his own? Well well… guess you’re on the menu… :p (let my man eat in peace)

“Hippo hungry… Keep your hands off Hippo’s food! >:[“

Piston Hondo: Now he may be as respectful as the actual Hondo during the day… but no one said he had to be after hours. (He’s a bastard.) So, here’s the deal. You have to be listening to keep Piston from coming over there and Hondo Rushing you until your intestines become outtestines. He’ll come through the vent above you. To stop him, you just gotta look up and focus the light on his face. If he’s lost the element of surprise, he’ll leave you alone. Keep an ear out though. He doesn’t make much noise.

“Kuso…!”

(“Dammit…!”)

Bear Hugger: Nope. Absolutely not. You are DEFENSELESS against this bear. The light and doors won’t save you. The only choice you have is to hide underneath your desk and wait for him to leave, he’ll walk past. But he’s not dumb, so you’ll have to time it. If you hide when he’s already seen you, well… you know.

“…Eh? Where’d ya go?…”

Great Tiger: Who knew robots could use magic? No, but seriously, don’t mess around with him. Tiger will make his presence known by his gem glowing in the vent on the opposite of you. When he gives you that signal, you’ve got less than a minute to find all 3 of his clones either on your cameras or around your office. Once ya do, he’ll leave you be. Run out of time? Say goodbye.

“Find them… and I’ll let you live. Don’t… and you won’t see the sun rise.”

Don Flamenco: Oh sweet! Robo Don’s out to kill you! Don’t sweat it, this guy’s easy. Don will show up at your right door. He even offers you a rose! Don’t take it though- shut the door in his face! >:] He’ll get the hint and buzz off.

“OYE! …Oww… Veo…”

(“OYE! Oww… I see…”)

Aran Ryan: Well you would think he’d be a hassle to deal with and he can be if your RNG is shit. But really, he’s pretty easy. If Aran pops up from any of your office entrances, make sure you don’t look at him. Depending on where he is, simply look straight or pull up your camera. He’ll get bored and leave.

“Ah… yer no fun…”

Soda Popinski: Russian powerhouse! He’s just an inconvenience though. If you hear Soda running up a hallway, leave the doors open and let him pass though. If you try and shut a door on him, he’ll break it. …And well, you know. That’s bad. He’s just making sure you’re okay.

“Aha! Here I come!”

Bald Bull: Angry. Wants blood. Your blood, specifically. Unlike the other bots, he won’t leave easily. Every once in a while, he’ll turn on and rush to your office. When you hear him, close and hold the door shut. He’ll bang on it a few times, but he’ll relent and leave if you keep it shut. Slamming the door on this bull will just make him even more angry.

“UNLOCK THE DOOR YOU COWARD!”

Super Macho Man: Ah. He’s just as much of a jerk as the actual Macho Man. Just that he’ll kill you if you inconvenience him. Yet another specialized panel will appear if Macho Man’s in your office. Just press it and it’ll snap a “photo” of him. Sometimes he’ll pose twice or even three times, so make sure ya pay attention. Don’t ignore him.

“Photo op!”

Mr. Sandman: Yeah, he’s scary, but he’s okay to deal with. Sandman’s asleep on his camera, and will progressively wake up with the commotion of the other robots. Make sure to keep an eye on him to send him back to sleep. If he wakes up, he’s gonna come straight for you. Don’t try and fight him. You won’t win… time to go to Dreamland.

“…Brush your teeth… it’s bedtime, Peter baby.”

[tuzesdays]

A prompt request from @shirajellyfish over discord!! thanks for helping me realize that my dumb blog decided to use dumb roman numerals instead of actual numbers, my god why. but ANYWAY.

12. oh it's nothing it's just. you sing when you're happy and the place has been so quiet for so long, and I heard you- nevermind

WORDCOUNT: 1,264 | Fluff | Small spoilers for Dayshift, Youtube song link at the end

You’ve made a habit of breaking into Parts and Service during the evening.

After meeting the mechanics and technicians of the plex, you’ve come to the conclusion that only one could pose a genuine threat, and guess what, they’re already on your side. The rest – bastard techs, but otherwise nice people to their fellow humans – either think that you’re safe to let wander on account of your security clearance or think you don’t care. It took a lot less work than you thought it would to get to this point, but no way are you complaining.

The underbelly of the plex is still a dark and winding labyrinth, but you at least know where you’re going. One wrong turn could take up hours of your time, but on top of the way to P&S that you already know, you’ve found the rooms where the nighttime S.T.A.F.F. bots charge and a few interesting storage rooms full of things that could be useful in the long run.

At the moment, though, you’re making your way through the tunnels.

Passing another seemingly random pile of junk, you sigh and shake your head at it. The plex used to have a whole legion of human employees before S.T.A.F.F. got up and running, and there’s a suspicion in the back of your mind that every one of these piles are a result of those former employees just… putting things wherever.

Disorganized. Typical for FazCo, but still irritating. You won’t bother with the stuff any further than where your curiosity takes you – this is solidly their problem. They’re capable of hiring someone to do the work.

There’s not much noise down here to distract you from your surroundings, and usually that’s a good thing. The high-pitched buzz of the lights (still far too dark, but they weren’t even working the first time you went to P&S so you’ll let it slide), the hum of machinery echoing from above, the – still fucking scary and startling but also normal – hissing of pipes and steam, it’s all familiar now.

It’s also boring as fuck.

You like to think of yourself as a simple person with simple needs, one of those being: the ability to alleviate boredom. There’s no Sun, Moon, or tech to make conversation with now, so you’ll have to fill the silence yourself.

(It helped the first time you came here, jumping at shadows armed with only a flashlight. Spring and a Storm was the song you settled on, and it got you all the way to where you had been going.)

Humming a melody, you try and figure out what songs sticks best at the moment.

“One October came around just to shake the sky and move the ground, strongly insist the winds should up and change,” you fill the beat between lyrics with a ‘ba-ba-bum’, tapping along against the material of your pants. “It knocked down walls, and bridges too, and it reached more people than we knew, and it left with nothing really left the same.”

Your voice lifts, confident in the knowledge that, this late at night, there shouldn’t be anyone wandering these halls but you. Actually you wouldn’t be surprised if Moon’s first security patrol has come and gone by now – the plex has been ‘closing’ earlier these days, even if the doors stay unlocked until midnight. He’s probably wondering where you’ve gone, but… honestly there’s only a few places you’d even care to go. You doubt they’re too worried.

“You called it the reckoning, and your voice came through unquestioning – you said the universe is trembling don’t you know, don’t you know, cause you felt it coming long before I walked you through your own front door and spent ‘just one night’ on your floor… for a few nights in a row,” you smile around the words, the tune playing in your head so loudly that it may as well be in your ears. “Chaaaange ain’t so sudden, it just hiiiiiides as it’s comin’. Is this change or fruition of some hope and ambition – is this aaaaaall repercussions, was it groooown out of somethi—AUGH OH MY FUCKING-!”

A large hand pokes your shoulder, startling the absolute shit out of you so badly that you nearly trip turning around to face- “MOON.”

“Language.”

“Stop,” you wave your arms at him – seriously, how dare he just be standing there after giving you the fright of your life for the tenth fucking time- “doing that, dude! You’re gonna give me heart problems!”

“Sorry.”

“Are you!?”

“Yes,” he says, which is a surprise. Usually he’s laughing at you by now. “You were singing.”

You sigh, letting the rest of the shock fade from your system. In hindsight, you should probably be grateful he chose to let you know he’s here – he could have been crawling above your head like a damn spider waiting for you to look up. You swear, sometimes it’s like he does things just to hear you shriek. “Yeah, I was.”

Moon takes his place at your side, waving you onward, and you have to crane your neck to keep glaring at him. He is way too fucking tall. “Continue.”

“What, singing?” You roll your eyes and start walking again, glad there’s someone with you now. “I think I’ll leave that to the professionals, thanks.”

It’s clearly a dig at the few times you’ve caught him swaying to one of his own softer melodies, but based on the reaction, he’s not in the mood for teasing. His faceplate clicks to the side, hat following the motion. “You like singing.”

“Do I?”

“Yes.” Very much not in a teasing mood, then. Whatever it is he’s after, he’s pretty insistent on this point. “You hum to Tabitha. You know my lullabies.”

Fuck, you should have known he’s caught you mouthing along to the words of his songs during naptime. Not only is he way too tall, he’s way too observant. That combined with the superior animatronic hearing… ugh. Yeah, you’re caught. “So what? They’re nice.”

“So sing.”

You grin. “Twinkle, twinkle, Twinkletoes—”

Moon grumbles at you with a nudge to your side, which just makes you laugh harder. “What you were singing before.”

“I’m not really one for putting on concerts.”

He stares at you. “Please.”

Ah. That’s… that is not fair.

Despite this, your smile softens with the confusion you feel. “Why do you want to hear it so badly? I’m probably not even singing it right, you could just… I don’t know, look up the actual song and listen to that.”

“Don’t know it. We want to hear you.”

So Sun’s also in on this. Oh boy. “I’m really not a good singer.”

“Don’t care.”

“You can’t even hear the tune I’m trying to match.”

“Please.”

A second please. He can’t possibly know how tempting it is to cave, but he’s asking anyway – you’ve never really heard Moon ask for something without outright demanding it. As Sun would say, ‘he’s so grumpy’, and the things he would casually ask for are either demanded or turned into a game. Actually, you’re almost certain that he’s never asked for the same thing from you twice before.

Should you encourage the kind manners or try and hide how weak you are for them? Decisions, decisions.

“… Fine. But just this once.”

He is right. Singing is something you do when you’re happy.

“Is this all repercussions,” you start again quietly, testing the comfort of it. “Was this grown out of something that we cursed, that we prayed for, that we knew we could wait for…”

[senshis-tenshi]

HOLD UP! I HAVENT ASKED A PF QUESTION IN A FEW DAYS!!!!!! here's something... when pf and nux are living together in the green place like they HAVE TO and have their happily ever after... what kinds of things do they do to pass the time.. please. i need my otp

STARRY I'M KISSING YOU ON THE MOUTH /p Happily Ever After AU let's go

Ok so first of all, the ladies at the Green Place would definitely encourage PF to keep studying medicine. So far she had to watch the Organic Mechanic in secret, observe him sloppily and heartlessly handling people like they're disposable objects, but now she gets to learn from proper medicine women who have a ton of knowledge about herbs and flowers. Now that PF is no longer the property of the Immortan, The Dag insists to call her by the name she always wanted to give her - Liliana.

The access to fresh, healthy food and clean water every day gives Nux the strength his body needs to heal. Fuck cancer he heals because I said so. He gets to work as a Black Thumb again, fixing up the motorcycles and the few other vehicles the warriors use. Every once in a while he visits PF - no, Liliana - just to see her. He comes up with excuses like oh he twisted his ankle and he's got a bit of a cough but honestly he just wants to see her. They are almost inseparable tbh, when he has nothing to do he sticks around the med tents, watching her work, or he picks up herbs for her so she can mix her creams and salves. When she has nothing to do, she watches him work, hands him clean rags, holds the flashlight, reminds him to drink water that he now doesn't have to ration anymore.

And when they both have time for themselves, they find a secluded place in the shade where they can sit together. She teaches him how to read and write. She reads the first few chapters of a book to him, and leaves him hanging after a very interesting part. Nux complains and begs her to keep going, but she just shrugs and says if you could read, you'd know how it ends. So yeah... he starts by drawing letters in the sand, but they get blown away by the wind. Then he starts using soot to write letters on rocks, but even they can be wiped away. The ladies of the Green Place eventually get him a small, broken blackboard and a piece of chalk, and to him it's the most amazing thing he's ever owned.

Whenever they're alone together, they sit in the shade, hidden from curious eyes, and read, talk, or just touch each other. Both aren't used to gentle physical touch, so they're like... exploring it together. She wonders what it's like to have her cheeks cupped, he wonders what it's like to have his head patted. They exchange niceties, explore boundaries, find out what feels nice and what doesn't. Tickling? Kinda fun sometimes, but not always. Nose rubbing? Cute, feels funny. Poking? Depends on the body part, and on whether PF cut her nails or not. It's something that children do in their first years, and now they're catching up on what they missed and lacked in their lives.

They find out so many ways to show affection, and they explore them all. PF learns how to cut up fruit for him. Nux learns how to make a good tea for her. Small, simple things.

By the end of the year, they lay in the grass, looking up at the night sky. She tells him that apparently not all the shiny things up there are satellites, some of them are apparently massive balls of extremely hot plasma, and they glow because the protons collide again and again. Nux laughs because of how ridiculous that sounds and compares it to what happens inside an engine. Then, after a bit of hesitation, he slips her his broken blackboard. It's almost in two pieces by now, held together by lots of tape and willpower. PF takes it carefully and reads what he wrote.

"I lofe you".

She laughs a bit - formerly a rare occurance, but now, an almost daily one. She cuts a peach in half, and gives him the bigger one.

"I love you too."

[slashersgirlypop]

Grilled Cheese Chapter 3.

(October 31st, 1978) 

 “…My fucking grilled cheese.” I pouted, slightly disappointed, before I realized, hey, half of my sandwich was gone. I quickly locked the door, glancing back at the plate.

 “Maybe it was a raccoon?” I told myself, unnerved. I sat down, cautiously picking up the other half of the sandwich. It didn’t look like it was tampered with, only that it’s counterpart was missing.

 I bit into it. Tasted fine. As I bit into my food, I thought back onto what that police officer was saying, about that escaped patient. Thoughts about the patient entering my home and taking my sandwich danced around my mind, causing me to eat my sandwich without truly tasting it. I shook my head, trying to shake those thoughts away.

 ‘It could have been some animal that grabbed my food and ran off, the odds that it was that guy are way too high for it to have been him…yeah,’ I thought to myself, finishing my food. However, just in case, I locked my front door, just to be safe in case the odds were not in my favor. 

 “Alright Miss P., where are you, baby?” I called out, walking into the front room. She was under Mom’s china dresser, shaking and staring out with wide eyes. Cooing, I picked her up and began to gently pat her back like one would do to an infant. 

 “It’s okay, kitty. It was nothing, at least I think it was,” I murmured the last bit, glancing out the front window. Walking back to the kitchen to clean up the mess, I deposited the cat onto the sofa, tossing the blanket over her. She immediately crawled out from under and on top of the fabric, eyes locked onto the front of the house. 

 Placing the dish in the sink, I began to wash it, peering into the darkness, looking again just to be safe. Deeming it safe, I placed the clean dish in the other sink to let it dry. I think I wanna take off my costume, feeling more self-conscious on how it crept up my thigh and down my chest, just in case.

~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪

 Walking down the stairs, I noticed Miss Petunia was more relaxed, but still cautiously eyeing the front window. I pet her, turning my attention to the screen. Some Topcat was playing. I walked over to the kitchen counter and picked up the phone, dialing Mr. Steinberg’s number. 

 “Hallo? Who is zhis?” He asked, picking up on the third ring. 

 “Mr. Steinberg? It’s me, (Y/N).” 

 “Ah kindchen! Vhy are you kalling me? Is everyzhing alright?” I glanced out the backporch window. 

“Yeah, I was just checking to see if you were okay. Miss P. got spooked by something outside and I wanted to check in on you to make sure Schatzi was okay or freaked out too.”

 “Vell, she did get a bit startled earlier, but ozher zhan zhan, she is fine. It could have been just a wild puppy or somezhing.” I laughed, smiling. 

 “Yeah, maybe. Okay, just wanted to make sure that you and the old girl were doing okay. Did that police officer come over?” 

 “Nien, zhere has been no police-Oh! I just got a knock. Zhat might be him. Hold on Kindchen, I vill call you back vhen I am done, ja? And also, happy birzhday, fraulein!” With that, the kind old German man hung up the phone. I put the phone back on the receiver, my focus on the outside, on the edge of the forest. 

 Was that a…a Captain Kirk mask? 

 Grabbing my flashlight from the drawer, I turned it on, shining it on the spot where I saw it. My heart dropped. 

 There, standing in the dark, was a tall figure wearing a Captain Kirk mask. They looked masculine, and strong, despite the slightly baggy mechanic shirt he was wearing. Was this some sort of high schooler pulling a prank? Reaching over, I opened the window, pushing it up and leaning towards it. 

 “Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I yelled. The figure said nothing, he just stood there. 

 “If this is some kinda sick joke, it ain’t funny! I will come out there so help me God!” Still, no response. He continued to stare at me. 

 “Don’t try me! I-I got a fuckin’ baseball bat bud! And, uh, a gun! I don’t fuck around, pal!” At the mention of my gun, he tilted his head. I didn’t say anything after that, and we just continued to stare at each other, like some weird contest thing. 

 BRRRINNNG! 

 I jumped, yelping as the phone rang, breaking my concentration. I accidentally dropped the flashlight. I scrambled, picking it up and shining it on the spot where the figure was. 

 Nothing. 

 I panted, taking a moment to regain my breath, before walking over and picking up the phone. 

 “Hello?” 

 “Kindchen! I spoke to zhe nice officer, and told him I saw nozhing. Are you alright? You sound startled,” He asked, and I let out a breathy laugh, pressing my hand to my chest, feeling my heart race. That had to have been an illusion, right? Maybe the cheese had gone bad. 

 “Yes, yes sir, I’m okay. I was, um, watching some movie on TV and there was a jump scare. I’m okay though. I’m glad everything is okay over there.”

 “…Are you sure you are okay? I don’t mind coming over!” 

 “No, no, I’ll be fine, but thank you Mr. Steinberg. Have a good night, sir.” “You too, kindchen. Happy Halloween and birzhday!” I placed the phone back on the receiver, glancing outside again. Still nothing. 

 Shaking my head, I placed the flashlight back into the drawer and closed it. I then wandered over to the couch and began watching cartoons with Miss Petunia to ease my nerve, and before I knew it, I had fallen asleep.

~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪

 I woke up to some loud infomercial on the TV. Groaning, I laid up and glanced at the clock. 2 AM. I sighed, rubbing the kink out of my neck from the funny position I slept in. 

 Miss Petunia was nowhere to be found. Maybe she was smarter than me and had gone upstairs to sleep on my bed, which was far more comfortable than the sofa. I grabbed my stomach as it began to rumble, demanding food. 

 Maybe half a sandwich didn’t fill me up as much as I had hoped. Huffing, I stood up, wandering over to the kitchen to pull some ingredients together. 

I went to the pantry, opening the doors and gasping as Miss Petunia ran out, hissing. 

 Placing my hands on my hips, I frowned. She is acting kooky tonight, more than usual at least. I shrugged, reaching out a grabbing the bag of BBQ chips before turning around. I froze.

 The masked man stared down at me from the open backdoor. 

~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪~🔪

The amount of effort it took to not write MENACINGLY after the it just stood there was phenomenal. Anywhoo, sorry for the lack of chapter yesterday. I’m with family. Might post another chapter today bc, you know, da boogeyman is here. Have a lovely day, fellow slasher sluts.

[lcatala]

Paratopos #28

Preliminary report on investigation of Paratopos #28, authored by ███████████ for ██████. Authorized personnel only. Document not to be altered or removed from ███████████. Copies and note-taking prohibited.

---

Background:

██/██/████: group of teenagers from ████████████ disappeared while exploring local woodland. Search parties organized. Resulted only in number of search volunteers going missing too.

Professional reinforcement brought in. Discovered entrance of concrete tunnel on side of hill at coordinates ██████████ ██████████, not on local maps. Witnesses described tunnel as "unnaturally" dark. Flashlights unable to get past entrance. Several people attempted to explore. Disappeared from view few meters in, ceased to respond to radio. None returned.

Over possibility of toxic gas leak or similar hazard, authorities had surrounding area evacuated and contacted ████████████████████. █████████████ was able to intercept file and pass it on to us.

Team sent to investigate. Location subsequently categorized as Paratopos #28.

---

Observations:

Seemingly man-made concrete tunnel with square opening, 2.5 meters/8.2 feet across, 2 meters/6.5 feet vertically, running straight into hill. No path leads to tunnel, area mostly covered in trees and shrubs. Access difficult.

Strong shifting electromagnetic field radiating from tunnel. 5 meters/16 feet from entrance, magnetic compasses become erratic, start pointing toward Paratopos #28 instead of north pole.

No other anomaly detectable near entrance of tunnel. Air, flora and soil samples all normal. Insect life unperturbed.

Confirmed earlier eyewitness testimonies of impenetrable darkness rendering inside of tunnel unobservable. Any light ray entering tunnel dims quickly, vanishes couple of meters in. No difference with powerful artificial lighting. No difference depending on time of day or weather situation.

Occultation phenomenon, or related one, also affects sound. No sound heard coming out of tunnel. No audible impact when throwing objects into occultation zone.

Initial speculation of ideal black-body combined with extremely efficient noise-cancellation, perhaps meant as advanced cloaking device, falsified when occultation discovered to affect only direct biological observers.

No occultation when looking at Paratopos #28 thru recording device, analog or digital, on any kind of light spectrum, or even at reflection of entrance in mirror. Sounds from tunnel can be captured with microphone and then heard as playback, either live or from recording. Might also be possible to directly hear echos of sounds coming from tunnel, but surrounding geography not conductive to experiment. Could be confirmed with parabolic reflector.

No measurable effect can be linked to phenomenon. All readings from entrance normal apart from electromagnetic activity. Possibility of induced illusion. Unseen device affecting human brains directly to erase perception of inside of Paratopos #28. Exact mechanism unclear. No maximal perimeter observed. Occultation persists as long as tunnel in direct line of sight. Source lighting inside tunnel can't be seen directly, but objects outside tunnel in path of light appear illuminated.

ECGs performed on site indicate slightly decreased activity in parietal, temporal and occipital regions of subjects looking directly at Paratopos #28. PET and fMRI required for more reliable data.

Observation thru equipment revealed bare concrete tunnel. No discernible sections. 50 meters/55 yards in length. Ground flat and mostly clean near entrance. Covered with increasing amount of concrete fragments further in. Unclear origin. No visible damage on ceiling except at far end, where partial collapse has occurred and hidden most of exit from view.

Partially visible exit shows daylight and plant life similar to entrance side. Trying to access tunnel from other side proved impossible. Hill no more than 6 meters/20 feet high at peak, but much larger than tunnel is long. Theoretical position of exit in impossible location.

Speculation that exit actually underground room made to look like outside ruled out by exploratory digging. Excavating soil where exit should be revealed only more soil. Trench reached 20 meters/22 yards into expected location of tunnel without encountering anything.

Possible explanations include induced hallucination also affecting recording equipment (cf. Paratopos #23), stable wormhole (cf. Paratopos #17), or altered physical geometry (cf. Paratopos #6, #11 and #13). Digging halted due to potential risk of wormhole collapse (see Paratopos #17 Disaster, file ████████).

Exploration technically challenging. Frequency and intensity of electromagnetic field rise quickly deeper into tunnel. Significant interference with radio-transmission. Radio-guided robots become unresponsive inside occultation zone. Robots linked by cable to control-station perform better. However, past 22 meters/24 yards, frequency of magnetic field becomes high enough to induce currents and fry unshielded electronics.

Robots designed for exploration of radioactive environment able to progress up to 43 meters/47 yards into tunnel before dying. Further shielding theoretically possible, but would hit significant diminishing return on weight and necessary weak points (control and power cable, recording equipment).

All samples from robots normal. No contaminant, toxin, pathogen or other hazard detected at significant levels. Temperature, pressure and humidity all normal. Wall samples ordinary concrete with no special property. Walls themselves self-healing. Sample sites undetectable after 36 hours. Concrete debris within tunnel fused to each other and to ground. Process similar to cold welding. Successfully replicated experimentally within tunnel.

Direct recordings of shifting frequencies of magnetic field showed highly erratic patterns. Later demonstrated by higher-dimensional analysis to be governed by two strange attractors with riddled basins. Significance unknown. Far enough into tunnel, field produces ionizing radiations. Measurements indicate lethal amount of exposure to humans within hours at 36 meters/39 yards, within minutes at 41 meters/45 yards. Recovered samples only mildly radioactive.

Light and weather pattern on exit side not always consistent with entrance side. Ambient light on exit side dims then brightens on 38 hour cycle. Never fully reaches full night obscurity level. Lowest point similar to sunset, but noticeable purple tinge. Unpredictable EMPs can occur during this phase, damaging equipment beyond normally safe distance. No precipitation or wind observed at any point. Plant life static. No growth, weathering or shifting observable on time-lapse recordings.

Attempts at acquiring plant samples from exit side using mechanical telescopic arm containing no electrical part. ███████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ ████████████████████ ███████████████████████████████████████ Nature of these plants remains speculative pending successful acquisition of sample. Almost certainly not what they seem to be.

Tests using animal subjects conducted. Outside of tunnel, animals sensitive to occultation phenomenon same way humans are. Other tested senses similarly obliterated by tunnel. Professionally trained detector dogs unable to locate target objects placed few meters within tunnel. Animals placed inside tunnel appear to suffer no perceptual impairment over sight, sound or other senses. Can perceive things both inside and outside tunnel without assistance.

Mentally, animals in tunnel sluggish and passive. Still responding to stimuli but not taking any initiative. Trained animals respond to commands, but with lowered ability to follow complex instructions. Tendency to mindlessly pursue current task. Effect scales linearly with complexity of nervous system. Simpler animals less affected. Arthropods show only subtle amounts of diminished mental capacity. Cnidarians show none that can be significantly measured.

Animals back from tunnel return to prior state. No sign of psychological disturbance. No sign of physical harm. No later development of ailment out of statistical ordinary. Exception for animals pushed far enough into tunnel. Show usual symptoms of acute radiation poisoning.

Human tests conducted. Human test subjects equipped with radiation-shielding suits and tethered to outside for additional safety. Humans entering tunnel display same mental sluggishness and diminished initiative as animals. Become highly suggestible. Mindlessly execute commands given to them that don't involve direct personal harm. Speech becomes erratic on discourse-consistency level. Subjects prompted to talk about particular topic will forget said topic after three or four sentences. Go only by associative reasoning with previous sentence. Sometimes switch mid sentence to entirely different idea. Speech generally devoid of metaphor and abstraction. Attempt to communicate with test subjects using metaphors, similes, allusions or other rhetorical effects result in literal interpretation. Answer to questions often incoherent, only tenuously connected to subject of inquiry. Speech devoid of affect, empathy. Emotions almost entirely absent. Temporal reasoning highly diminished. All sentences in simple present tense. No distinction between states, processes and events.

Spatial and temporal reasoning also impaired in task execution. Generally unable to execute complex task requiring more than two steps, unless given instructions at each step. Particularly poor performance on tasks requiring precision and intentionality, or outside normal training. Routine tasks and reflex actions unaltered, possibly enhanced. Poor proprioception. Individuals respond well to commands to move specific body parts, but great difficulty if asked to describe own movements and position.

Maximum safe distance within tunnel 25 meters/27 yards. Individuals beyond no longer consistently respond to commands. Have tendency to spontaneously walk toward other end of tunnel. Need to be forcibly pulled back with tether.

Individuals back from tunnel report memory loss about entire stay within Paratopos #28. Not loss-of-time experience similar to sleeping or general anesthesia. More akin to blanking out when driving car. Individuals aware on some level of passed time. Unable to give precise estimate. Aware that they were wakeful participants in series of events. But lack perceptual recollection of said events.

█████████████ advanced hypothesis of Paratopos #28 as qualia antagonist. If confirmed, would be strong evidence in favor of panpsychism, idea that consciousness is inherent property of matter, rather than emergent property of complex nervous systems.

No trace of missing persons. Presumed dead. Recovery of bodies highly unlikely.

---

Risk assessment and containment policy:

No apparent danger of short term contamination. Paratopos #28 extremely stable and self-contained. Magnetic field active within very tight perimeter. No detectable expansion or contraction during entire period of investigation. No unusual activity outside of EMPs during "sunset" phase. Self-healing capabilities make infiltration and/or dispersal of material unlikely.

Longer term risk hard to assess. Underlying mechanisms not understood. Possible conditions of change unknown. Hard-to-monitor exit with unknown location leaves open possibility of hazardous material or entities spilling thru with no prior warning.

Recommend addition of sealable reinforced gate over entrance, to keep locked outside of testing periods. Build secure facility directly around entrance.

Recommend exclusion zone at least 2km/1.2 miles in radius around Paratopos #28, with extensive 24/7 monitoring. Facilities built on site should be properly concealed.

---

Information containment:

Back official version of toxic gas leak and long-term contamination of site.

Discredit alternative theories in public eyes by supplying select influential conspiracy theorists with poor quality forgeries of leaked documents linking site to aliens, secret government testing facility, giant race, satanism, Hollywood elites, hollow Earth, flat Earth, etc.

Covertly expose intruders to non-lethal dose of ██████████████████ before sending to military hospital and make press statements about recklessness, dangers to public health, etc.

[mlobsters]

supernatural s12e5 the one you've been waiting for (w. meredith glynn)

thule society nazis in the recap, oh boy. my fave. remember nothing of this episode (8x13 apparently). though i do remember neck stabbing a nazi to non je ne regrette rien (but i think that was a different nazi stabbing episode??? 11x14). ps totally thought rien was laugh because ríen in spanish is "they laugh". sometimes similar words between french and spanish are the same! sometimes not :P i don't regret anything not quite the vibe of i don't regret laughing lol

DEAN I'm gonna stop you right there, okay? Look, Mom needed her space, and I told you I'm cool with it. SAM But are you really?

so here for sam continuing to poke dean about this. dean should retaliate by making sam deal with something

SAM Uh, rich people like antiquing. I don't know. DEAN I say we check it out. SAM Uh… (Sighs) All right. In the meantime, you sure you don't wanna talk about – DEAN No. SAM Dean, it's called sublimation. DEAN Yeah. Yeah, it's kinda my thing.

i had to look it up because i was thinking of the science thing but psychologytoday.com says:

Why is sublimation a mature defense? Sublimation is considered a successful defense mechanism because it often leads to positive outcomes—and outcomes that are often better than the alternative. For example, let’s say a man going through a divorce emotes by destroying his ex-wife’s property or lashing out at his son. In the case of sublimation, on the other hand, the man may channel his energy into an important project at work. Even though sublimation is a more productive defense than others, it’s still healthy to fully confront and process the underlying emotions involved.

look at that, it's a mature defense mechanism! something something processing emotions too. details details

miracles of miracles they turned on the lights instead of continuing to poke around in the dark with flashlights (xfiles was very silly about that too, kind of a trope of the genre i suppose. drama!)

hi localhost loopback webmail. that is a very nice little fake email screen though. and peekaboo sam in the mirror

finally someone reacting appropriately to overhearing one of their conversations 😂

keep trying to figure out if nazi boy here just has a bad cut/style/color or it's a wig. this is why i don't remember these episodes. could not care less

send in sam to talk to the girl, they can bond over being vessels for pure evil! lol she called bullshit on sam's lucifer vessel story, very reasonable

neverending fight scene.

ok same kid and now it looks like it is his hair. maybe that was a reshoot or something?

i guess british mol villains not enough cartoon evil, bring in nazi thule whatever douchebag his dad is

haha WAIT! i know this diner LOL. i used it for my archivist painting! and in the process of doing that i was checking the outside views too. i think this is the same clip in fact, just darkened to look like night. did they forget to get an exterior shot of something? now i wonder how often they do this. only reason i recognized it was because i'd spent hours staring at pictures for that painting

s1e20 dead man's blood

s1e20 / s12e5

that is so funny. looks like they took out the searchlight from the car too. babies

sam's reaction to nazi defector boy sliding in is cracking me up. kid's hair back to looking strange. maybe it's the color? it just doesn't look right on his head

mentioning again how great his hair is looking this season! what a turnaround. clearly should tag for me rambling about his hair, like the sideburns. looking at the search for hair on my posts, i talk about everyone's hair. a lot lol (best hair, claire by a mile. ugh. so gorgeous). sigh, back to nazis

i had some weird light golden brown hair for a minute when i was using an old box of dye and i was sick of fighting the white hair. kind of looks like that. also, what were they eating? chocolate pie? cheesecake? cake? stallllling

EXCUSE ME WHAT. wheezing

the matrix (1999) / the magicians s1e4 the world within the walls

reminds me of a cross between the matrix bug and the little gold scorpion thingamajig in the magicians. but way goofier

oki doke

kinda feels like this whole episode was an excuse to get sam to say this. and for the mood pick-me-up of getting to kill hitler for dean

DEAN You know, I was thinkin'… we passed a bakery on the way into town. Sign said, “Best pie for a thousand miles”. SAM So now you want pie? DEAN I killed Hitler. I think I deserve some pie. Did I mention I killed Hitler? SAM I'm never gonna hear the end of this, am I? DEAN Probably not.

very cute

[sloan-baux]

It took a broken sledgehammer, two crooked crowbars, and a fractured ankle, but the hatchway finally gave in, and chem-baron Luegehaft — along with his thuggish lackeys — busted into the barricaded hideout. They were greeted with a palpable, dust-filled silence and the pungent stink of rank machine oil. Only the sickly green fizzling from the busted wires of the door mechanism lit the place, a derelict anteroom. It was one of many such places, part of a redundant access system built for a municipal heating engine that had been malfunctioning for half a century, its countless corridors and crawlways tunneling all over the eastern slums. But among all the accessways, this was the only one that had been locked and barred; a strong culprit for a hideout.

Luegehaft tutted — an ebbing chain of echoes carried away the click — and ran his fingers through the sweaty skin of his scalp, one foot rapping nervously. Then looked around as if the absentminded stare of his henchmen baffled him.

"What are you looking at?" He rasped, "Find the girl. Get the freaking book. Move out!"

The men started, bumping into each other as they scurried away spreading out like ants. Luegehaft unhooked a flashlight from his belt and lit up the filthy main corridor just in front of him.

"You two, with me."

As unctuous muck squelched under his feet the chem-baron pondered how he ended up in this predicament. He got used to locking the money in the safe and not the papers because that's where the value always had been. As his business and influence grew substantially, however, the realization that the value of the papers and the money switched places came way overdue. Now he was chasing a wad of notes that had the power to send his empire tumbling like a house of cards. A tiny yellow light flickered into life at the end of the corridor in front of him, and coupled with it came a faint singsong whistle. The light intensified as he marched forward, revealing a girl in a room, sitting on a dingy wing chair under a single dangling lightbulb. The whistling trailed off, and she began mumbling.

"One deal with the Ferros. One deal with the Medarda. One deal with the Cadwalder?" She stretched the last words playfully, in feigned bafflement. "Man if the other chem-barons knew how this puppy is yapping their secrets out to the enemy for coin and status?!"

Luegehaft stiffened when he recognized his booklet on the girl's lap.

"Give that to me!"

He screamed at the top of his lungs and broke into a run, his goons lagging behind. A switch went off somewhere underground, chains churned, a counterweight fell with a thump, and a wall of grille shoot up at the end of the corridor; a beat after Luegehaft darted out of it. His goons smacked at the cold wet metal, locked out. No matter — Luegehaft thought, his mind roiling, the notes in the girl's hand being his only focus — he hastened his march. As he reached the girl he lunged at the papers and a tug of war began between them — her cursing in indignation, him growling enraged — ending with the booklet in the baron's hands, pages shooting out of it, fluttering about in the air.

The girl reeled away and watched as Luegehaft fell to his knees, swept together everything on the floor with hands trembling, and franticly began clicking on a petrol lighter, burbling and driveling like a madman. Then he lit the pages one by one, but as some of the wettened sheets refused to properly catch fire, he started eating them. As he was shoving them page after page into his mouth the girl snorted shaking her head.

"Take it, easy chum," She jingled, "Eating fast will hurt your tummy! And there's more if you're hungry."

Luegehaft looked up with a mouthful, in utter shock to find two more of his booklets in the girl's hands. They were uncannily identical, all the creases, coffee marks, and dog ears in the exact same position. Shrieking with wrath he was about to leap at her when a bulkhead above them rolled open and a rain of sheets flooded the room. All of them were his booklets, all the very same. The air was saturated with swooshing and flapping pages and the bittersweet scent of ink; muffled amongst them rung the laughter of the girl and the agitated cry of chem-baron Luegehaft.

This is my drabble for the Legends of Runeterra card Practical Perfectionist suggested by @flowingmoons, I hope you guys like it!

Check out some other ones I made! #Legends of Runeterra drabble

[howtocalculateemi]

Navigating Your Financial Voyage with a Loan EMI Calculator

The Loan EMI Calculator - Your Financial North Star

Picture this: you're sailing through the choppy waters of financial decisions, and you need a guiding star to keep you on course. That guiding star, in the world of loans and mortgages, is the Loan EMI Calculator. In this article, we'll embark on a journey to demystify this invaluable tool, using simple language and a conversational tone to ensure you're well-prepared to make informed financial decisions.

What Is a Loan EMI Calculator, and Why Does It Matter?

First things first, what on Earth is a Loan EMI Calculator? EMI stands for Equated Monthly Installment, which is the fixed amount you pay every month to repay a loan. The Loan EMI Calculator is your financial compass, helping you find your way in the labyrinth of loans. Whether it's a home loan, a car loan, or any other major purchase, this tool can help you calculate and plan your monthly repayments.

The Magic Behind the Loan EMI Calculator

Let's dig deeper into the mechanics of the Loan EMI Calculator. Think of it as a recipe for financial success - you have your ingredients, follow the steps, and voilà! You have your monthly installment.

The Ingredients:

Loan Amount: This is the principal amount you want to borrow. It's the foundation of your financial dish.

Interest Rate: The interest rate is like seasoning in a recipe; it adds flavor to your financial mix. It determines the cost of borrowing.

Loan Tenure: The loan tenure is the duration for which you'll be enjoying your financial meal. A longer tenure may result in smaller EMIs, but it can also mean paying more interest in the long run.

The Recipe:

Now, you don't need to be a math whiz to use the Loan EMI Calculator. In fact, you can find numerous EMI Calculators online that do the hard work for you. All you have to do is input the three key ingredients, and presto, you get your EMI.

The formula used is:

EMI = [P x R x (1+R)^N] / [(1+R)^N-1]

Here, EMI is your monthly installment, P is the loan amount, R is the monthly interest rate, and N is the total number of monthly installments.

The Benefits of Using a Loan EMI Calculator

You might wonder why you should bother using a Loan EMI Calculator when you could rely on your lender's calculations. Here's why:

1. Financial Clarity

The Loan EMI Calculator is like a flashlight in the financial darkness. It provides a clear understanding of how your loan will impact your monthly budget. No more financial surprises or hidden costs!

2. Informed Decision-Making

Thinking of changing your loan tenure or increasing the loan amount? The Loan EMI Calculator allows you to experiment with these variables to see how they affect your monthly payments. It's like having a crystal ball for your financial future.

3. Easy Cost Comparison

A Loan EMI Calculator lets you compare different loan offers from various lenders. It's similar to shopping around for the best ingredients to cook your financial meal.

4. Quick and Error-Free

Manually calculating EMIs can be a tedious and error-prone task. Loan EMI Calculators provide instant results, saving you from hours of number crunching.

A Real-Life Scenario

Let's bring this to life with a real example. Meet Tom, who is considering taking a loan to buy his dream car. He's unsure about the amount he needs to set aside for his monthly installments, so he turns to the Loan EMI Calculator.

Loan Amount: $30,000

Interest Rate: 5%

Loan Tenure: 5 years

Tom plugs in these values into the Loan EMI Calculator, and voila, his monthly installment is approximately $566. In a matter of seconds, Tom knows exactly how much to budget for his car loan. No more financial uncertainty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I use a Loan EMI Calculator for any type of loan?

Absolutely! Loan EMI Calculators are versatile and can be used for various types of loans, including home loans, personal loans, education loans, and more.

Q2: Are the results from a Loan EMI Calculator always accurate?

While EMI Calculators provide a close estimate, the actual EMI may vary slightly due to factors like processing fees and prepayment options. It's a good practice to consult with your lender for precise figures.

Q3: Are Loan EMI Calculators reliable for comparing loan offers?

Yes, they are. Loan EMI Calculators help you make informed decisions by comparing different loan options. However, remember to consider other aspects like processing fees and customer service when choosing a lender.

Q4: How often should I use a Loan EMI Calculator?

You can use it as often as you like, especially when you're considering a new loan, altering the loan terms, or making prepayments. It's your financial ally, available whenever you need it.

Conclusion: Mastering Your Financial Voyage

In the vast sea of finance, a Loan EMI Calculator is your trusted companion, simplifying the complex and guiding you through the labyrinth of loans. It empowers you to make informed decisions, eliminates financial uncertainty, and allows you to take control of your financial journey.

So, the next time you contemplate taking out a loan or want to adjust your loan parameters, remember the Loan EMI Calculator. It's your key to unlocking financial clarity, and with it, you can navigate the twists and turns of your financial path with confidence. Embrace the Loan EMI Calculator, and take charge of your financial destiny

[pastelwitchling]

Some of my recent reads:

The Sinner's Gamble (The Perdition Club #1) by Merry Farmer

⭐⭐⭐.75

This was a fun time. I do appreciate how it doesn't pick one side of an argument as so many books tend to do nowadays, but kind of nods in respect to both, which I felt was SO refreshing. Yeah, not much else to say, just an enjoyable read.

The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag

⭐⭐⭐

I forgot to write a review for this, so here we go real quick.

Ummm. Honestly, this was pretty underwhelming for the most part. It was boring, and then the parts that weren't were just unlikeable. I couldn't feel for any of the characters on any level because they didn't feel remotely real, the main character seemed too rude for my liking, she made assumptions and treated people poorly, even her mom who actually seemed really sweet, and then it finally picks up in the last bit when they're on the yacht. Otherwise, it was rushed, there weren't any funny or fun moments, but I do like how it ended and that final plot twist I didn't see coming was pretty cute.

So yeah, not something I'd pick up again but definitely worth satiating my curiosity.

Mages and Mechanisms (Jak & Leander #1) by Devin Harnois

⭐⭐.5

This book... infuriated me 😂 I hate this thing some authors do when they create a high fantasy, but it feels more like urban fantasy with a few things changed in the background. Sorcery of Thorns did it, and this one does it, too. Outside of certain phrases, it's JUST Victorian London. There is NO depth to anybody except maybe Jak and the Baroness, and honestly, Leander is just plain detestable.

He just annoyed me at first for how unwilling he was to do anything. I have severe anxiety, too, and I would understand his hesitance to do some things if he displayed any sort of passion towards his own craft, but we don't even spend any time or focus on the actual creations he makes. It's all so flat, just like his cute little family that's clearly just there to present this contrast to a wild, solo traveler like Jak, but have no personalities or depth to them either.

Even when Leander comes to visit Jak in prison and there's the strong possibility that he'll be killed soon, Leander is more concerned that the guard will see them holding hands. Wow, what a self-serving character. And it wouldn't have bothered me so much if there was any growth, but he stays this insufferable for the entire story. I admit I liked the way he decided to save Jak at the end despite the costs, but a) it comes out of nowhere, and b) it's in the last two chapters that he finally grows a spine. That's waaaay too late in the day. When he found out Jak lied about his license, he dismissed EVERYTHING Jak did and risked for him, and didn't even try giving him the benefit of the doubt. I get he felt hurt, but to scream at him and act all wounded even as Jak was getting taken away to who knows where? Even Jak had his unlikeable moments where it felt like he went back on his growth. Like after he brought the dragon to life and didn't care about who it might kill? He only went after it because Leander made him feel guilty about it, not any moral compass. Oh, but he respected the spirits' genders so he's... a good guy, I guess?

The writing is pretty bad. The story seems like it's set sometime in the 1800s, and yet people constantly talked like they would in the modern day, especially Jak. It's not progressive, it's just jarring. I ended up liking the Baroness because she was tough in spite of the time period she was in, but the way Jak's written, it just ignores all those rules, so it just constantly yanks me out of the story. It's just not very good, in my opinion.

Vow of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Oh my GOSH, I knew there was a reason I'd waited so long to get into this one.

After the first book completely swept me off my feet and had me sitting up at 3 am with a flashlight to finish, I knew the second one would have its hooks in me from beginning to end. And it absolutely, one hundred percent DID.

Beginning to end.

I even loved the Ballengers so much this time around, ALL of them, which had been what knocked down the rating for me in the first book. I just really, really, really didn't like Priya or Gunner, and after what they did to Kazi, I knew that I could not let go of that hate until they begged for forgiveness, risked their lives for my darling girl, and redeemed themselves in ways I couldn't even fathom. And to their credit, they really did. I ended up truly loving all of them.

Mason was getting a little annoying with the way he treated Synové, but I think that was fixed in a very cute way in the epilogue.

Jase and Kazi. I'm not a huge literary couple shipper, but I can't believe how much I love and ship these two. If I'd been annotating this book (which I only wasn't because I'd borrowed it from the library and only bought a physical copy halfway through), I would've run out of pink for all the romantic, swoonworthy moments.

Jase was so hot it hurt. Kazi was so cool and loveable, I'm SO glad she finally got the respect and love she deserved. The writing was impeccable as always, the action and worldbuilding astounding, and the love story... I can't, I just can't, I would die for them in a heartbeat.

Sink or Swim (RELIC #2) by Maz Maddox

⭐⭐⭐⭐.25

Man, what a freaking BLAST. I'll be honest, I mostly started reading because I was hoping to get more of Dalton and Simon. I loved their book so much that I not only bought a physical copy, but also wrote in the bonus story in those blank pages at the end. With pink ink!

But wow. I loved Baha in the first book, but he absolutely killed me in this one. He's so cool, so protective, so caring, and so freaking funny. I loved Jackson, too, I loved their interactions, I both hated and loved Colin, which I don't think makes any sense unless you read Colin 😂 What an idiot, but he sure made me laugh.

I couldn't believe I'd had over 60 highlights at the end, but yeah, I loved so much in this book. Also, a third of those are just passing mentions of Dalton because you better believe that every single time he came up, I just went, "Dalton! 🥰🥺😍😚🥰💗"

I can't wait to start the third. I love RELIC, I love how much presence all of those characters have, I love how you can FEEL their agelessness in the writing. Hilarious, swoony, wonderful work yet again.

Daughter of the Pirate King by Tricia Levenseller

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This book was so much fun.

I will say though, the writing does not warrant 4 stars half the time, in my opinion. Mostly in terms of Alosa's abilities. The girl has no weaknesses whatsoever (unless you count her pride and arrogance as a weakness), and she reminds us of how absent she is of those weaknesses or flaws every chance she gets. Every other page or so, she'll present an impossible solution to a problem only to tell you that "psshh, I could obviously do this impossible task, it's really easy for me, but I just don't have the time." She's always "sighing" or "bored" at the threats of violence. Get it? Because she's so much of a badass, and nothing could possibly faze her?

It wasn't unbearable, but it did get silly after a while because I'm just personally sick of authors acting like a woman showing fear makes her weaker somehow? Or if she struggles with something, then it makes her less than? I just so wholeheartedly hate this whole outlook, and I think female characters deserve more than that. However, I had gone in expecting a narrative along these lines because I'd already heard about the plot to this author's other book, The Shadows Between Us, and while I don't see myself ever reading that, I did come right out of watching the live-action The Little Mermaid and was dying for some nautical stories. I guess the only really frustrating thing is that, if not for the repetition of how capable she was of doing every single difficult task and telling us how strong she was instead of just showing us (lack of feelings don't make you stronger, in my opinion, they make you weaker), this truly would've been near 5 stars.

I also think that the fact that she could see people's emotions was out of left field and a little... ridiculous. I mean, it's just soooo un-siren-y. AND they all talked like they were near their 30s, I have no idea why this is ya, it should clearly be adult. Speaking of, there were also moments just spelled out for us when we really didn't need it.

Like when the captain tells Alosa that his ship was full of dirty men and they hadn't made port in a while? But then she says, "Yeah, it means they haven't been to a whorehouse lately" and it's like... yeah, no, I got it. No need for the elaboration, I understood. But whatever.

That said, I liked Alosa fine 😂 Yeah, the constant reminders of how perfect she was got a bit annoying, but she had sympathy. I think being told about the endurance tests her father put her through was a really good way of justifying just how much she could do and handle, and I like that she wasn't this senseless killing machine. She had compassion, she was kind when the situation allowed it, she cared. You understood her anger, but it was also easy to understand her other decisions and thought processes as well.

On that note, I loved the romance. I think it was really well done where they clearly weren't suddenly obsessed with each other, which I really appreciate. The slow-burn of their relationship made so much sense and progressed at such a great pace so that you could see them only really start to acknowledge their feelings for each other at the end. I assume the second book has a lot more focus on the relationship, but for now I'm very satisfied with what we got.

Enwyn. No note, I just think he was very funny and sweet. I love Alosa destroying Riden's room, that was hilarious, and how sneaky she was. I loved her doing things just to piss the pirates off, which they deserved, and I loved the moments between her and Riden on that island, I loved how he was the one thing more important to her than her own pride. Very swoony.

I was very pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this, and I'm sure the second will definitely have even more pleasant moments to offer.

I Hear the Sunspot: Limit, Volume 2 by Yuki Fumino

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

This volume was by far the best, in my opinion. Again, I do feel like the plot progresses painfully slowly in that it feels like so much happens in the volumes that just skirts the romance so that it's like we're just watching people go to work every day and nothing's really happening. That said, I also feel like the characters are likeable enough and the interactions between the two love interests are cute enough that I think this story can get away with taking things slow. I certainly enjoyed it, and I can't wait to read the rest.

[twinhood-2dot0]

A Shallow Dive Into: Video Game Mechanics

We’re doing this again :P. I got a fun topic but realised it would take too much research, so you get this but, uh, y’know, delayed gratification and all. 

So, you know that I wanna be a game developer. I have decided to make a video game, starting next year, provided things go well. As in any art form, to make one, I’m going to need inspiration and an understanding of how it works and stuff, so, this post is mainly just for me like every other post I’ve written, but, I hope you find it interesting as well.

Undertale

Damn, this is like the third time I’m talking about Undertale. I HOLD THIS GAME VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART, OKAY? 

Undertale has a unique battle system. From the Steam page: “Killing is unnecessary: negotiate out of danger using the unique battle system.” Undertale is an RPG (Role-playing game) at its core. The battle system, however, is more of a bullet hell. Bullet hell is characterized by a barrage of projectiles that crowd the screen. What makes this game different from every other game I’ve played is the variety. Granted, the game is tiny, so it’s easier to have variety, but I’ll take the game I’m playing right now as an example, Alan Wake, god, does this game have a terrible combat system. 

At least the story makes up for it. Anyways, in Alan Wake, you are attacked by people taken by a darkness. You defeat them by shining a light on them and breaking the uh darkness shield with a flashlight or a flare or external light sources, or you can insta kill with flashbangs or flare guns (or maybe it deals a lot of damage to bulkier enemies, I don’t know, I’m so worried about running out of ammo or flashbangs that I end up never using them lmao). Anyways, I’m about 70% done and the combat system has remained exactly the same, save for additions of a hunting rifle and 2 kinds of shotguns and I never use them, see flashbangs and flare guns, granted, that’s not the devs’ fault, but how much more variety would that create? I guess easier battles and maybe ammo management but I’m already irrationally worrying about that, so… There’s also only like 4 enemy varieties, and that makes every battle almost exactly the same, save for one, which I don’t wanna spoil too much. 

Anyways, my point is, in Undertale, every single battle has its own personality. There are 8 enemies in the tutoriel area of the game, Ruins. That’s not much, but the Ruins is a relatively small area, being the tutorial area, and enemies can appear in pairs and have unique interactions with the other. For instance, there’s this enemy called Migosp, who I think has social anxiety, mood, who changes its whole personality in the company of other monsters and becomes laidback when alone. Every enemy has a personality and a unique attack, so this is pretty much the pinnacle of enemy variety.

Batman: Arkham

A lot of that was combat challenges with every single character in the game, so I think I’m pretty qualified to refute that.

So, I used to just button spam on my first playthrough, it was when trying to do the combat challenges that I realised that was not the best strategy. If you just button spam, you’re going to get hit very easily and get a lower score. There are also critical hits which do more damage and give double the points if you time your punches, and a huge amount of score if you kill knock out the enemies without getting hit or not breaking your combo. There are also insta-takedown, weapon disarm, ground takedown, which is risky as you’re vulnerable to hits, but award a lot of points and instantly take them out. So, in short, yes, you can button spam, but you’ll be missing out on a lot of fun mechanics, and the satisfaction of a perfect FreeFlow.

The other system is the Predator sections. It’s exactly what it sounds like, it’s silently (or loudly, idk, you choose, I like going loud when playing with Red Hood, that seems in character) taking out the goons in the room. This is truly how this game makes you feel like Batman. There’s a weird sadistic satisfaction in hearing the goons freaking out as their friends disappear one by one. Also, traversal is very fun, you can grapple, glide, even almost fly if you get good at gliding, dive bomb, (yes I use the Oxford comma, fight me) and there’s also the Batmobile in the last game. Also one of my favourite tiny detail in the games, the goon conversations. They’re hilarious and breathe a lot of life into the bleak empty map. Just look at this clip (dw they’re short) why you let thugs finish their conversations.

And this

Arkham Knight - Funny Militia Guard

My favourite thing is when developers go the extra mile and put in tiny details that not everyone might find, but those who do, would definitely love it. I strive to do that one day.

Pokémon

This gets pretty technical and boring, so you may skip this one if you want.

At first glance, Pokémon may seem like a children’s game with simple mechanics, but that is far from the truth. In a typical Pokémon battle, each participant sends out 1 or 2 or 3 Pokémon depending on the format, and each of them use moves to try and lower the HP (health point, numerical representation of health) of the opposing Pokémon to 0. It has a lot of different mechanics, strategies, variety and even has a competitive scene with a world championship. Pokemon releases a mainline game every few years, bringing along with it new species, abilities, moves, items, etc. I’m gonna make a glossary.

Ability - Each Pokémon has an ability that affects the battle in some way (in most cases). For instance, the ability Intimidate lowers the attack stat of the opposing Pokémon.

Types - There are 18 types in Pokémon. In short, each Pokémon has one or two types, and each type has a set of weaknesses, strengths, resistances and immunities. For instance, let’s take the classic three types of Grass, Water and Fire of the starter Pokémon you’re given at the beginning of the game. Grass type moves do double damage against Water types, Water does double to Fire, and Fire does double to Grass, so basically like Rock/Stone, Paper, Scissors (and Lizard, Spock and 13 more stuff if you use all 18 types), and these types do half damage to the types they’re weak to (Only for these types, not for every single type). Like this, every type has an interaction with every other type.

Moves - Moves are the main way to deal damage, but there are others. Moves are split into 3 categories, Physical attacks, damaging moves that use the Attack Stat, (see: Stats), Special moves that use the Special Attack stat, and status moves that don’t do direct damage, but have a passive effect. Damaging moves generally have a set base power ranging from 10 - 250, and moves of the same type as the user deal 1.5x more damage. There are more factors but I’ll ignore them for this post.

Stats - Each Pokemon has base stats, which determine how much damage is dealt or taken, or the order of moves. The stats are HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed. HP determines how many health points the Pokemon has, for Attack and Special Attack see Moves, Defense and Special Defense determines how much damage it takes, and Speed determines who goes first.

Status condition - Huh, just realised that’s kinda redundant wording. Anyways, there are 5.5 non-volatile status conditions in mainline games. Freeze renders the target incapable to move until the RNG works in your favour, Burn deals 1/16th of its health each turn currently, and halves the base power of all physical moves, Paralysis makes it unable to move 25% of the time, and halves Speed, Poison does 1/8th of the health each turn, and badly poisoned means the damage increases by 1/16 each turn (this is the .5) and Sleep makes the Pokemon unable to move for 1-3 turns. There are a lot of volatile conditions that fade away upon switching out, unlike non-volatile ones.

A Pokemon needs a combination of all these traits to be good. Landorus was once the most hated Pokemon in VGC because of great stats, great ability in Intimidate, lowering both foes’ Attack stat, and great moves.

If you got till here, thanking you for sticking around, I know it wasn’t easy, and ryl!

[eddies-perm]

𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧?

𝘮𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘤!𝘦𝘥𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘹 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳

I am not a mechanic in any way, so I kind of just made up details as I went lmao. sorry for any inaccuracies. 

warnings. smut!!, established relationship, semi-public sex, dom!eddie my beloved, spanking, dirty talk, fingering, some praise, P in V, barebacking, creampie, no use of y/n.

word count: 1.9k

** you’re having car troubles yet again, so you take your car to the best auto shop in town. it’s a simple fix, so simple that eddie decides it’s time for you to learn. but now you’re bent over the hood of the car and damn your ass looks good today... **

“Again?”

Your cheeks warm as you walk into the body shop. “Yeah...sorry. That noise is back.”

A cloud of smoke envelops Eddie as he takes a drag off his cigarette, sighing on the exhale.

“This is the third time in two weeks you’ve been here. Why won’t you just trade that hunk of junk in for something newer?”

“You know why. This was my mom’s car and I’m not ready to let her go yet.”

Eddie runs a hand through his sweaty hair, nodding. “Alright, alright. Pull it in and I’ll take a look.”

“Thanks, baby.” You smile and press a kiss to his cheek.

He grabs his tools and flashlight while you pull your car into the empty bay, bringing them over. By now, he knows your car inside and out, so he knows exactly what tools to grab.

“Mmkay, let’s see what’s going on,” he says, pushing the hood up. He looks around for the potential problem, cigarette clenched between his teeth. “Ah, I think I see what’s wrong.”

You look over his shoulder as he leans down and pulls at one of the valves. Your eyebrows furrow slightly when you don’t recognize the part he’s inspecting.

“What is it?”

“Your PCV valve is all messed up,” he says. “You’re lucky your engine didn’t catch fire, Jesus...this is one of the worst I’ve ever seen.”

“Is it reasonably easy to fix?” you ask, biting the inside of your lip. You hope it’s an easy fix, both for Eddie’s sake and your wallet’s sake.

He nods, crushing his cigarette out in an ashtray on top of the tool cart. “Yeah, it’s a quick fix.”

It’s then that he realizes you’re wearing one of his favorite dresses. His eyes linger over your figure for a moment, a small smirk tugging at his lips as a lightbulb goes off in his head.

“Even you could fix it...how about I teach you, hm?”

Your eyebrows raise. “What? You want me to fix my own car, wearing a sundress?”

“Why not? I can give you a shirt to change into if you want. It’s about time you learned this shit, it’ll save you lots of money. And save your old boyfriend some work.”

You chuckle, rolling your eyes. 

“Fine, teach me. But I’m not ruining my good dress.”

He jogs over to the office and rifles through the box, trying to find you a shirt. He does, but it’s a good three or four sizes too big for you. You can just wear it as a dress, he supposes. It’s not like anyone’s coming around here anytime soon anyway.

“Here,” he says, tossing you the shirt. “It’s the only one we have.”

You hold it up, eyes widening slightly. “You want me to wear this? It’s huge.”

“I don’t have anything else here, baby.”

Sighing, you head into the bathroom and change into the large shirt. It’s huge on you, buttons spanning down to just above your knees. You can’t believe you’re actually about to do this, fix your car wearing a fucking mechanic’s shirt as a dress.

When you come back out, Eddie tries not to stare but damn, you look even hotter than he thought. You left the first couple buttons undone, giving him just a peek of your cleavage.

And now, you’re gonna be bending over the hood of your car, reaching down, and that damn hem is probably gonna ride up to reveal your lacy--

“Looks fine,” he says. “It’s not as short as I thought it’d be.”

“I can’t believe you’re making me do this in an oversized uniform shirt.”

He smirks. “I’m the worst, I know.”

You lean over the hood and he steps up behind you and leans over you a bit, beginning to point and explain what to do. As he does this, he’s acutely aware that his pelvis is right against your ass. 

It happens naturally, really, his hips pressing forward against your perfect ass. He does it once, and then twice, and before long he’s fully grinding himself against you.

You can feel how hard he is and you smirk to yourself, trying to pay attention to what he’s saying but it’s kind of difficult to do that when he’s dry humping you. You say nothing, though, continuing to pretend to listen to what he’s saying.

By the end of it, Eddie’s not even sure if he’s making sense. He’s fully hard and all the blood has already rushed southward. 

“Alright, so...go ahead and start the repair.”

“What?” you ask, in a bit of a daze over his repeated rutting. “Oh right, the repair.” Shit. You totally weren’t paying attention...how did he say you start again?

He smirks to himself at your hesitation. You weren’t paying attention to a damn word he said. 

Suddenly, he gives your ass a firm smack, causing you to jump slightly in surprise. 

“E-Eddie!” you gasp. “What was that for?”

The darkness in his eyes tells you all you need to know. “You weren’t paying attention, and you know what happens when my good girl doesn’t listen to me.”

Goosebumps spread like wildfire across your skin and your breath hitches at his words. Fuck.

“I’m sorry, I--”

His hand lands another harsh smack on your ass cheek and you gasp loudly, hips pressing forward into the car.

“I’m sure you are, princess,” he hums, kneading your warm cheek as he leans in to whisper in your ear. “But I’m still gonna punish you.”

He spanks you twice more on the other cheek before pushing the oversized t-shirt up over your hips, revealing your lacy panties. Licking his lips, he traces a finger across the warm, damp material over your crotch.

“The first step is to pull the old PCV valve off. Do it.”

Your trembling hands reach down and pull the plug out. At the same time you do this, his finger dips under your panties and swipes across your aching clit. You whine and accidentally drop the plug.

“Fuck, goddamnit...” you curse. “I d-dropped it.”

Eddie sighs, shaking his head in faux disappointment. “Mmm. Well, you leave me no choice, kitten...”

Another two smacks are given and you let out a soft cry, gripping the front of the hood tightly.

“I-I’m sssorry!”

He leans forward and places a couple kisses on your neck, just behind your ear.

“Color?” he asks quietly.

You smile. Even in the heat of the moment, he’s still a gentleman. “Green.”

“Good.”

Two of his fingers suddenly press up into you and you fall forward a bit, moaning softly at the feeling. He starts moving his digits in and out of you, smoothing his other hand over the tender flesh of your ass.

“Look for the part,” he says lowly. “Shouldn’t have fallen too far. Now c’mon, we haven’t got all day.”

You lean down a bit further and look for the dropped part, biting down on your lip to prevent the loud noises threatening to spill from your lips. He speeds up gradually, making it hard to focus on finding the part, but you manage to pull it out soon enough. 

“Found i-it.”

He hums, curling his fingers inside you to hit that sensitive spot on your walls. His cock is still throbbing hard, leaking from the slit inside his boxers. He grinds up against you, matching the pace of his fingers. “Good girl. Now I’ll grab the brush and you can clean it.”

Eddie reaches over and digs around his toolbox for a moment while still maintaining the pace with his fingers. You’re moaning and gasping, barely able to grab the brush when he hands it to you. But you manage to and you begin clearing the grime off the inside of the valve.

“There we go, squeeze my fingers, just like that,” he coos as he feels you beginning to clench around him. “Such a good princess, fixing her own car while getting finger-fucked.”

A mewl leaves your pursed lips and your hips press down against his fingers, seeking more friction. Eddie hums, suddenly pulling away and sucking your glistening slick off his digits. 

“Mmmphh -- o-okay, it’s clean,” you breathe, holding up the now-dirty brush up for him to take. “W-What’s next?”

He grabs the brush from you and starts undoing his uniform trousers.

“Now, I’m gonna pound your little pussy until you’re cock drunk,” he states matter-of-factly. “And you’re gonna do the rest of the repair while I’m doing it. Understand?”

You nod and he yanks your panties to the side, slipping his cock through your folds. Your sensitive clit warms at the friction and your hips lurch at his velvety caress, pulling a soft moan from your lips.

He hands you the new plug. “Stick that in the tube. It’s gonna be kinda hard to get in at first, but you just have to work at it, okay?”

“Y-Yes,” you nod again. “I understand.”

Eddie smirks, hand sneaking up around your neck and pulling you up until your back presses against his front. His lips are right next to your ear, now, and he turns his head a bit, his soft, panting breath tickling your ear.

“Mm. Such a good girl.”

His cock suddenly sheathes itself inside you and you cry out softly, so worked up from his previous ministrations. He groans against your neck, nipping at your skin while his hips begin to move, fucking you slowly but deeply at first but he quickly picks up his pace. He releases your throat and you fall forward, just barely catching yourself on your arms before landing on the edge of the hood. 

You start trying to fit the plug into the tube frantically, and he’s right, it is tough. Even tougher when you’re bent over and getting railed from behind.

“F-Fuck!” you cry out, both in frustration and in pleasure. “I can’t...ssshit...I can’t get it!”

Eddie massages your hips as he fucks you harshly, moaning with each forward motion. “Yes you can, kitten, you can get it. Just p-push harder.”

You’re so overwhelmed, brain short-circuiting as Eddie fucks you even harder. You push and push and push that stupid little plug, but still, it won’t go in. You’re so close to orgasm, now, you can practically taste it.

But damnit, you’re gonna get this stupid plug in before you cum if it kills you. 

He smirks as he watches you fight with the plug. He can tell you’re determined to get it, even as your pussy spasms urgently around him.  “G-Good girl -- fuck -- you got it, princess.”

Finally, finally you manage to push that fucking thing in and you nearly cry in relief. When he realizes you’ve done it, he wraps a hand around your throat again and pulls you up against him. His hand then weaves in your hair and pulls firmly, forcing your back to arch.

“E-Eddie!” you gasp, suddenly reaching your peak with a cry of his name. “Eddie! Eddie!”

It seems like all you can say is his name and the occasional swear word, and that’s exactly how he wants you: so cock drunk that you can hardly form words. He loves it.

“Mmm!” he moans as he begins to climax, hips rutting frantically, losing any previous rhythm. “Fuuuuuuck, princess...”

Both of you are breathing heavily as you ride out your highs together, basking in the post-orgasm bliss. Eddie pulls away slowly and tucks himself away while you turn around, pulling your panties back on properly.

He’s wearing his usual dopey smile, pupils still blown wide with lust. He leans in and kisses your lips with a certain gentleness. You smile against his lips, wrapping your arms around him to keep him close.

You look up at him when he pulls away, chuckling breathily.

“If I start fixing my car, are we gonna start doing that each time?”

Eddie laughs, kissing you again. “Anything for you, my love. Anything for you.”

~ masterlist ~

[barnes-dameron]

i just read your mando x reader with hypothermia and i absolutely loved it!! it is one of my favorite tropes 😩 can i request a steve x reader with hypothermia? bc after reading that one and absolutely loving it, all i want is your take on how steve would react! i love you and your writing so much!! thank you 🥰🥰

Warming Up

*not my gif

Steve Rogers x reader

Word Count: 1.6k

A/N: So sorry this took so long. I wrote a good portion of it, and then 75% of it got deleted! I haven’t written anything in the Marvel universe in awhile, so this was a nice surprise. Pre-endgame, pre-infinity war, pre-Civil War. Gender neutral reader

***

Steve trod towards the Quinjet through the deep snow. The cold biting at his cheeks turning them to a rose pink, and his pants from the knees down were soaked. It was a simple mission in Northern Canada, during the time of the year where the snow was heavy and the wind was harsh. He told you to stay in the jet so at least you could stay warm. As he approached the quinjet, Steve’s heart began to pick up despite the cold when he saw that the light in the quinjet was off.

Steve began to sprint across the wintery landscape, kicking up snow as he ran towards the quinjet. Why was it not running? Why is there no sound? Why is the light in the cockpit off? He hurriedly opened up the hatch, the interior of the jet setting a chill down his spine; not from the cold but the thought of you silently suffering in this freezing temperature. It was enough to cause Steve to panic.

He opened the hatch to the Quinjet, and ran up the ramp, surprised to feel how cold it was; almost as cold as it was outside. The interior was dark, the only source of light coming from the windshield in the cockpit. Steve looked around and could not see the shape of your body in the haul. Treading carefully, he made his way to the cockpit. 

Steve hated the cold. He couldn’t remember much from his years being preserved in frozen ice, but the mere memory of his plane going down was enough for him to loathe it. He did remember shivering, the frigid air enveloping him, and his body systems shutting down causing him to sleep and wake up decades later. It was torture for him to be trapped. He thought that was how he would die, and he wouldn’t wish that on anyone...especially not you. 

Steve entered the cockpit, and finding you in the pilot’s seat, his heart dropping at the sight. You were curled up, huddled in the chair. Your skin was a paler color than usual, your body was shivering, goosebumps covered your skin, and your teeth clattered softly behind your frozen lips. Steve reached out a hand, pressing it to your cheek, and immediately retracting it after the brief contact. You were ice cold. Biting the inside of his cheek, Steve touched you again, placing two fingers on your inner wrist. He concentrated on finding your pulse, but it was weak barely even there. 

Quickly, Steve dragged you off of the chair and settled you on the floor. The window must’ve been the source; the cold air was seeping in. He noted that in his mind, making sure to let Tony know. Steve positioned your side to rest on his chest as he settled down on the floor next to you. He positioned your knees to press against your chest, while encircling your own arms around him. He then wrapped his arms around your figure, pressing you into his warmth. He placed your head to rest in the crook of his neck so the warmth of his breath could began to warm your face. 

As Steve held you in his arms on the Quinjet floor, his thoughts began to bombard him one by one. Why did he take so long on this mission? It was hardly a mission, mostly reconnaissance. He was supposed to scope out the area to see if the target of a potential threat were to show, but he didn’t. Steve could’ve left his post early, and it wouldn’t have made a difference. You wouldn’t be cold, and the both of you would be far away from here. Why didn’t he learn how to manage the Quinjet? Or just learn the basics for that matter? Whenever the Avengers went out on a mission, it was usually Tony or Sam piloting or handling the general maintenance and mechanics of the aircraft. His only experience was back in the 40′s, and he crashed that one. If he knew these things, he could’ve gotten the system working by now, filling the haul with heat and flying you back home. However, the only person who knew anything about the Quinjet was in his arms. 

It was all those reasons that Steve felt so helpless at this moment. Being a hero or even portrayed as a hero means that people automatically assume that he has no fear, and in truth, he didn’t have much to fear, except right now. The mere thought of losing you caused Steve’s head to pound with anxiety. And seeing you like this, frozen and fragile on the brink of death, it was enough to make his blood run cold even though the temperature outside failed to do so already. 

He didn’t know how long he stayed on that floor, praying for you to be okay and wake up from your slumber, willing all the heat from his body to leave him and go to you. Steve himself was beginning to doze off until he felt a shift in movement from between his arms. 

“S-S-t-t-eve?” you whispered, your teeth still chattering as you did so. 

Steve looked down to your face. Your eyes were barely open, but he could the pools of color beneath the eyelids. Hope surged within him as well as a burst of energy. 

“Hey,” he cooed, rubbing his hands over your arms. “Hey, it’s me. What happened here?” 

“I-I-I d-d-don’t-t-t k-know,” you stuttered out, snuggling closer to his warmth. “I-I-I f-fell asleep-p w-w-waiting-g f-for y-you.”

Steve nodded, then rested his head on top of yours. 

“Can you move at all?” he asked. 

“I-I c-can m-move m-my f-f-fingers,” you answered, holding up a weak hand and wiggling them before his eyes. “B-but n-not-t m-my arm-s or l-legs.” 

Steve nodded again, looking around the cockpit, his eyes settling on a black trunk in the corner. He unwrapped his arms from around you and began to shuffle away, towards the trunk. 

“I’ll be right back,” he said, making sure you wouldn’t fall over. 

You stayed put as he made his way to the box, opening it to find contents of an emergency kit inside. He ruffled through the various objects, only picking up what he needed. Steve withdrew a flashlight, a thermal blanket, a tool kit, and a small portable heater that didn’t need to be plugged into anything. He returned to his spot beside you, wrapping you in the blanket and turning on the heater, directing it so the heat hits you. Steve resumed to his previous position, giving you all the warmth you need to feel normal. 

Steve didn’t measure the time passing by using a clock, but more so with your little achievements. After some time, you were able to move your limbs so that they were spread out instead of close to your body. After more time, you were able to move them around with full range of motion. Then after a while, you were able to speak without your teeth chattering. Every little thing brought joy to Steve as he saw light returning to your eyes, and color to your face. 

When you were ready, you got up, grabbed the tool kit, and went to fix what was broken on the jet. Steve trailed behind you, and stayed close to you the whole time. Feeding you tools when you asked for them, watching over your shoulder both to learn from you and admire how smart you are. It didn’t take long for the jet to come back to life; the lights flickering on, the engine beginning to hum, and the heat once again warming the interior. Smiling at your accomplishment, Steve helped you get to the cockpit, your limbs still a little weak and stiff, and settled you in the pilot’s seat. He watched you attentively as you brought the jet into the air and set the coordinates to the Avengers compound. 

“Let’s get away from this Godforsaken place,” you sighed heavily. 

“Please,” Steve responded, settling in the passenger’s seat somewhat besides yours. It was quiet in the Quinjet as you flew the craft back home. The events that occurred began to settle and weigh on Steve. He could’ve lost you. He remembered the slow pulse of your heart rate. If he would’ve placed his fingers on your wrist and felt nothing, he didn’t know what he would do... with you or himself. Steve looked up to see your profile outlined from the gradual returning light, your eyes shining with life, and he smiled. “I’m sorry.” 

He watched as you turned your head back to look at him, confusion traced in your eyes as you furrowed your brows at him. 

“For what?” you asked. 

“It’s my fault that you nearly froze to death,” he began, reverting his eyes a bit towards his lap. “It’s my fault that-”

“Was it your fault that the Quinjet powered down?” you questioned, your tone shifting to a more serious one, causing Steve to look up and meet your gaze. 

“No,” he answered softly. 

You gave him a lopsided smile, causing his heart to skip a beat. 

“Then it wasn’t your fault, Steve,” you replied. “Just because you’re Captain America doesn’t mean you have to carry all the world’s burdens.” 

“I was just so scared,” Steve revealed. “You were so cold, I thought I might’ve lost you. If I did, I don’t know what I would’ve done with myself.” 

“But I’m okay,” you reassured, giving him another smile. “Your love warmed me up.” 

Steve let out a little chuckle before turning his gaze to the window. It was not often that he got shy or bashful, but you always knew how to make him feel that way. Steve felt heat rise to his cheeks, knowing that his face was probably pink by know, but he didn’t care. The rest of the ride was ridden in a comfortable silence, leaving the events that transpired in the cold. The only thing that matter was love’s warmth that was present within the jet. 

***

Taglist:  @tangledlove27 @absurdthirst @caswinchester2000 @16boyfriends-and-me @notabotiswear

[variousactionfigures]

#11

Up next is one of my newest troops and a firm favorite

Lieutenant Colonel Gerald Herman “Crash” Nash, USAF. Call Sign: Squeezie. Lt Col Nash is dressed for work as the commander of a bomb wing, ready to take off at a moment’s notice.

Clothing, specifically jackets, have been a part of aviation almost from the start. You need to keep warm up hundreds of feet, of course. What started with full body flying suits eventually became reduced to a single waist length jacket. Of course the WWII A-2's and B-10's are classics even today. There is a continual race to improve warmth, comfort, weight, cost & so on in these jackets. The last word in current military aviation is the CWU-45/P. Succeeding the MA-1, it is made of fire-retardant Nomex and features special slanted velcro pockets which prevent the contents from falling out. It is this jacket which Lt Col Nash wears, made by Dragon Models Limited. The set also added the helmet bag he carries which naturally holds...

His helmet! I don't have much provenance as to which model this helmet is supposed to replicate, but white flight helmets were a mainstay of the early air force, where easily recognizing pilots was seen as very important to recovering them.

When downed in enemy territory, there wasn't much hope past a pilot's pistol. Mainly intended more for killing small game than for holding off the enemy, it was nevertheless issued to many aircrew for survival.

Under the jacket, Nash wears a rather tan-colored flight suit, complete with an orange scarf and blue flight cap. The scarf was typically a color in the unit's insignia, though checkered or striped patterns weren't uncommon. Another aviator's predilection, introduced to the Cold War. The flight cap was a little piece I picked up from Cotswold Collectibles and customized to my liking with a small oak leaf badge and a swipe of a silver marker to mark him as an officer.

Not content with only one gimmick, Hasbro introduced the Talking Action Pilot with metal accessories, of which there was a flare pistol, flashlight, knife with sheath and the pistol. The rather obviously titled map tube rather fails in its task of keeping maps safe, but it stays safe enough in the helmet bag.

Finally the biggest selling point of the Talking Action Pilot requires some doffing of uniforms to see properly. This mechanism is the logical result of roughly thirty years of voicebox improvement. He now lasts much longer than the “talkers” of the 60′s. The mechanism still works much the same as before, with a string pull activating the phrases. Instead of the old system of marked notches identifying which one he says however, the phrases simply repeat in a short loop. An attempt to evoke the old system with the retracting string mostly fails, which I dealt with by cutting the string as short as I could make it. Unfortunately still the weight and complications the technology poses makes posing the colonel difficult and often results with him looking rather hunched over. Of course under a thick jacket the effect is barely noticeable. It’s been over twenty years since he was manufactured and he still says the commands clear as day.

[seaswalllow]

concept below :P

snippet one is mostly establishing format, snippet two, though... ;]

--

> User: E@>>J registered.

> Audio components active. Visuals active.

The camera's screen flickers. It is held in a surprisingly steady hand, although its wielder is excitable- and loud. As the pixels resolve themselves into a grainy picture that steadily sharpens, you can make out grass underfoot.

Shadows flicker on the edges. They resolve, too, into the shadows of two other boys.

> User: EF33@ registered.

> User: C2?3@@ registered.

The voices of all three fade in.

> "-did you bring the extra flashlights? Batteries? Snacks?"

The camera-holder scoffs. From your angle, you can see him dig the toe of a scuffed sneaker into the earth.

> "Yes, I did. Water, too. I'm not an idiot."

Speculative noises arise from his companions. He pans the camera up aggressively, zooming in on the shorter one who makes direct eye-contact and shrugs.

> "You're excitable."

The taller one seems more careful with his words. This earns another aggressive- relatively over the top- scoff.

> "And you're a bitch, Ranboo. Ranboob."

> "Well now that was just uncalled for-"

Ranboo's protests are overlapped by the camera-holder walking forward, and beginning to talk.

> "Let's get going! It'll be nighttime by the time we get there, and you'll want to go back because you're a little bitch-"

> "Because we don't want to break our necks-"

The camera is snatched amidst the argument; the camera flips enough for you to see that it is the other boy waving to you.

> "While they argue, we'll keep walking. We're walking down to this ravine that Tommy had found."

As he speaks, he briefly pans over to the boy arguing with Ranboo, before returning to the path in front of them. In front of you, the woods loom. This close to the edge, sunlight dapples the floor.

The boys overhear him, and their arguing seems to cease. Tommy speeds up to walk in front of the camera.

> "Tommy, is there anything that you wanted to tell us about the ravine?"

> "It's haunted, bitch."

This draws a yelp from their companion. Tommy's expression twitches with a barely concealed smile; neither the camera holder nor Ranboo seem as amused. The camera holder skirts around a tree, and you watch as a squirrel scuttles past.

> "What do you mean, haunted? Tommy, what do you mean haunted?"

> "There's no way that it's haunted. You're trying to get a spook out of us."

Ranboo and the camera holder's complaints overlap. Tommy waves a hand dismissively at the camera.

> "Take a look and find out, Tubbo. There's supposedly a sad little man who wanders around the place, playing with the lanterns-"

This time, the camera pans up again to Ranboo, who shakes his head at it.

> "This is going to end so badly."

> "It'll be fine! Just don't pussy out and run off on your own!"

A huff sounds from behind you. Tubbo pans the camera around to catch more of the forest; here, the undergrowth sprawls wildly about the floor, and it nearly trips Tommy up. Birdsong grows fainter, and fainter, and Ranboo rubs at his arms.

> "Should I turn the camera off until we get there? I'll save its batteries."

> "We brought extra, it'll be fine!"

> "Besides, if we end up getting murdered in the forest, at least someone can stumble onto the camera-"

> "Someone's just gonna leave the camera behind, right-"

The three boys' arguments overlap each other, but Tubbo does not shut the camera off.

--

Tommy brings the group to a stop in front of a hill. From behind Ranboo, you can't see why they've halted; when Tubbo pans the camera around, you can see the cave entrance.

The sunlight hardly reaches you here, thick as the canopy is. It doesn't stretch much further into the cavern.

Tommy pulls out a torch, and flicks it on. Ranboo does not follow suit; Tubbo does.

> "So this is the ravine. It goes down a passage, and then supposedly opens up."

> "I still say this is a bad, bad idea. We are going to break something, we are going to get murdered-"

> "We'll be fine. We're three big men, we can take whatever bitches try to jump us. I'll just flex- and punch them-"

> "And break your hand."

Tubbo sounds amused; Ranboo has hesitantly taken out a torch and flicked it on.

> "You go on then, bossman. You want to show us this badly, you go first."

> "Fine! Fine."

Tommy steps into the cavern; the camera is panned down to note that the floor dips down immediately within the entrance. He forges on, further, gravel crackling underfoot.

The party pauses at indentations in the floor, scrapes around it- Tommy pokes it with a foot. The camera zooms in on it.

> "Looks like somebody hollowed out this place at least a little. Did you say that this place was manmade?"

> "Well, somebody had to have found it if there's a fucking ghost here."

> "If there's a ghost here, then someone died, and we shouldn't be here at all!"

Tommy does not answer, having moved on. Tubbo only pans the camera to Ranboo- your view bobs, presumably from a shrug.

> "Come look! I found the way down, look at how cool that is-"

The camera just catches Tommy sliding into a crack in the wall, and beginning to make his way downwards. Tubbo follows. He makes a surprised sound, and points you at the stairs.

The very clearly manmade stairs. They are unevenly hewn out, and although Tubbo doesn't slip, you can hear Tommy swear up ahead as he grabs at the walls for support.

> "Definitely manmade."

Ranboo's voice does not sound terribly excited with this revelation. Tommy has stopped firing back particularly acerbic retorts- Tubbo silently zooms in on his white-knuckled grip on the torch and doesn't say another word.

> "How deep can this go? We've been in here for what feels like hours-"

The camera jerks up sharply at Tommy's loud swear, and you come to an abrupt stop. Tommy steadies himself for balance on the floor, and the camera peeks around him, Ranboo whistling under his breath.

The three beams of light play over the expanse yawning below them; pathways arch, thin and winding, between the cavern walls. Tommy's light lingers over a lantern, rusted and long-burnt out, before it wanders further down to the floor. Below them, something clicks, once, twice, three times. A rock, presumably, hitting the floor as they enter the path.

Ranboo's, meanwhile, explores the pathway that sprawls in front of them and follows it down. The camera flicks between both, before Tubbo starts cautiously following the path in turn.

> "So somebody clearly was here. They spent lots of time here if this wasn't- natural."

Tubbo's light flicks to a wooden pathway, rotted through.

> "No way all of this was natural, bossman."

Distantly, Ranboo can be heard muttering under his breath. Whatever it is, it is worried; but it's too quiet to be distinct.

By now, Tubbo is halfway down the path. Closer to the ravine floor, more cracks can be seen in the walls.

As one of their lights wander across the walls, Ranboo clears his throat.

> "Guys. Guys, are those- what is that in the walls? Buttons?"

Tubbo hops the last distance off, and wanders closer to one. The camera, grainy as it is in the low light, zooms in on one of the little square mechanisms. It's wood, and oddly smooth, despite the rot that's wormed its way in.

> "Sure seems like it."

> "You should press it."

Quick as a flash, Tommy comes up behind him, and presses it. Other than a gentle click, despite Ranboo's scandalized hiss, nothing happens. It pops back into place.

> "Next question: why're there so many of these?"

> "Someone was bored, probably."

Tommy's peeled off again, turning in a circle. Tubbo zooms the camera in on a crack in the wall.

> "Is this an actual cave system?"

Tommy moves ahead of him, peeking into the crack. Crack is inaccurate- more like an opening, oddly tall enough and spacious enough for two of them to fit through comfortably.

> "...This isn't a fucking cave."

Tommy disappears into it, and Ranboo hovers outside. His attention is drawn somewhere deeper into the ravine- Tubbo zooms in on him.

> "Shadows got to you?"

> "I thought I saw something."

Even in the low light, Ranboo's troubled expression is easy to make out. Tubbo swings the camera around to follow where he stares. The torch cuts deep enough to come across the other wall- not a single thing moves.

Tubbo swings the camera back to Ranboo.

> "Here, you follow Tommy, and I'll go behind."

> "For you to spook me too?"

Nonetheless, Ranboo does follow Tommy in. Tubbo pans the camera a last time down in the direction he was staring in- nothing. A rusted lantern swings in a breeze.

Odd, that. A breeze in a cave.

The view lingers on it, and when it's pulled away, seems grainier than normal.

> "This is an actual room. This isn't a cave. Someone made this room."

Tubbo zooms in on more scratches in the side of the wall. Some of it looks like somebody was hacking away at the walls. Others...

> "What, someone hacked out this room, and went- hold up, hold up. What the fuck is this shit on the ground?"

Their footsteps don't echo here, muffled by what appears to be softer ground. As multiple torches are pointed down, Ranboo crouches down, and pokes at it, before taking a handful. Dirt trickles through his fingers.

> "Did someone just- just haul down some dirt to shove into a random cave room? What kind of- who made this place?"

None of the others have answers for him; Tubbo crouches as well, and digs his hands deeper. He does not meet stone anywhere underneath.

> "It goes deep, too. Wonder why."

Tommy ducks out of the room; his footsteps echo as his feet meet stone once more.

> "There's more further down the hall. There's- guys. Guys, come look."

This time, his confusion sounds tangible.

The camera is lifted back up to eye level, as they follow his voice, into another room.

> "That is very clearly a bed. That is a bed. That is a table. And a chair across the room. Did- there was somebody living down here."

> "Tommy, what kind of ravine did you take us into?"

Tubbo takes the camera closer to the bed. Most of the fabric is long gone, eaten away by moisture and insects. The wood creaks as he reaches out a foot to nudge it.

The table is in no better condition. Tommy attempts to lean on it, only to jump away as it creaks.

> "They're definitely not here. Right? Why would you even live down here? How?"

The camera bobs with Tubbo's shrug.

> "Maybe this was like... someone's secret base."

> "In the middle of a ravine, in the middle of the forest?!"

> "I didn't say it was normal!"

> "We should leave."

Outside, the lantern chains gently scrape together, again. Ranboo jumps, and Tommy shoves him with a shoulder.

> "Calm down. Whoever was here is clearly long gone- and if we see a ghost, we have some cool footage!"

> "Or we just- don't mess with them because we don't know what would've killed them down here."

> "But ghosts, Ranboo. Ghosts!"

By now, they're ducking out of the room. Ranboo continues to look back behind him; Tommy continues to walk further into the ravine.

Above them, the wooden pathways creak, and all three freeze.

The torchlight reveals nothing.

> "You've already gotten enough footage."

For all of Ranboo's efforts, Tommy keeps going, poking his head into cracks and walking up roughly hewn stairs.

> "Bossman, Ranboo might be right. It's time to go, we spent a good part of the day already."

Tommy's grumbles float back up to you, but he rejoins not long after.

It's at this point that they begin maneuvering back.

The footage is fuzzier than ever. Tubbo hums, disgruntled, and the view jostles; presumably as he lightly smacks it.

> "Something wrong?"

> "The footage's gone all weird; it's even shittier than before."

> "Give it here."

The camera switches hands; your view sweeps across the ravine ceiling, faintly catching four shadows. Tommy flips the camera over, presumably examining it by torchlight.

> "That's weird. Maybe the lighting's got to it. Or maybe it's the ghosts."

A faint thud sounds, Tommy letting out a huff.

> "Don't fucking- elbow me, you're like double my height-"

> "Don't try to freak us out!"

> "Okay, let's go, boys."

Tubbo's interruption breaks up the bubbling argument, as he takes the camera and starts back to the path. The view is slowly panned around them.

> "Nothing now, see? It's just you freaking out, Ranboo."

> "Or maybe whoever it is heard that we're leaving."

Ranboo is vocally displeased with the idea of Tubbo's suggestion. Tommy only snickers.

No other banter is picked up.

> "Look, there's that weirdass bridge again. It won't hold my weight, will it?"

> "No, definitely not, Tommy. It's been God knows how many years."

The camera sweeps back to face Tommy, who has a single foot gently testing the weight of the bridge. Ranboo hovers nervously to the side.

Behind Tommy, on the film, through the increasing static, a faint figure pulls itself up from where it was dangling its legs over the side. The camera freezes where it is.

> "Tommy. Tommy- are any of you seeing this? On the bridge?"

The figure pauses. So do the boys- they look at the bridge, and then back at Tubbo.

> "There's nothing there. See?"

The flashlight plays over the bridge, passing through the figure watching them. Faintly, a trenchcoat can be made out. A tattered sweater.

> "That- Ranboo. Come here. Look."

Gravel crackles to the side, and a sharp intake of breath can be heard; presumably as Ranboo approaches.

> "Tommy, get away from the bridge. Get over here."

Tommy moves towards the camera. The figure stops moving towards Tommy.

> "Oh, what the fuck. What the fuck."

The camera zooms, slightly. With three torches now focused on the figure, more details of the patches on the coat emerge. The man wearing it- he's folding his arms, staring them down.

From further down the bridge, a fourth voice echoes.

> "Hasn't anybody taught you boys not to play on rotting fucking bridges?"