#I have a ton more but these are the primary ones I always think of.

[ask-the-prose]

Do Your Research

This phrase is regularly thrown around writeblr and for good reason. It's important to research what you are writing about to know what to include, what can be fudged, and how to depict whatever you're writing. I see "do your research" most thrown around by well-meaning and highly traditionally educated writers. It's solid advice, after all!

But how do you research?

For those writers who don't already have the research skills necessary to write something comfortably already downloaded into your brain, I put this guide together for you.

Where do I even start?

It's a daunting task, research. But the best place to start is with the most basic, stupidest question you can think of. I'm going to talk about something that I already know a lot about: fighting.

When researching fight scenes, a great way to start is to look up what different weapons are. There are tons out there! So ask the stupid questions. What is a sword? What is a gun? How heavy are they?

Google and Wikipedia can help you a lot with these basic-level questions. They aren't great sources for academic articles, but remember, this is fiction. It doesn't need to be perfect, and it doesn't need to be 100% accurate if you don't want it to be. But knowing what is true to life will help you write well. Just like knowing the rules of writing will help you break them.

You may find in your basic research sweep that you have a lot more specific questions. Write them all down. It doesn't matter if they seem obvious. Write them down because they will be useful later.

How To Use Wikipedia Correctly

Wikipedia is a testament to cooperative human knowledge. It's also easy to edit by anonymous users, which means there is a lot of room for inaccuracies and misleading information. Wikipedia is usually pretty good about flagging when a source is needed or when misleading language is obvious, but Wikipedia itself isn't always the most accurate or in-depth source.

Wikipedia is, however, an excellent collection of sources. When I'm researching a subject that I know nothing about, say Norse mythology, a good starting point is the Wikipedia page for Odin. You'll get a little background on Odin's name and Germanic roots, a little backstory on some of the stories, where they appear, and how they are told.

When you read one of the sentences, and it sparks a new question, write the question down, and then click on the superscript number. This will take you directly to the linked source for the stated fact. Click through to that source. Now you have the source where the claim was made. This source may not be a primary source, but a secondary source can still lead you to new discoveries and details that will help you.

By "source-hopping," you can find your way across the internet to different pieces of information more reliably. This information may repeat itself, but you will also find new sources and new avenues of information that can be just as useful.

You mean I don't need a library?

Use your library. Libraries in many parts of the US are free to join, and they have a wealth of information that can be easily downloaded online or accessed via hardcopy books.

You don't, however, need to read every source in the library for any given topic, and you certainly don't need to read the whole book. Academic books are different from fiction. Often their chapters are divided by topic and concept and not by chronological events like a history textbook.

For example, one of my favorite academic books about legislative policy and how policy is passed in the US, by John Kingdon, discusses multiple concepts. These concepts build off one another, but ultimately if you want to know about one specific concept, you can skip to that chapter. This is common in sociological academic books as well.

Going off of my Norse Mythology example in the last section, a book detailing the Norse deities and the stories connected to them will include chapters on each member of the major pantheon. But if I only care about Odin, I can focus on just the chapters about Odin.

Academic Articles and How To Read Them

I know you all know how to read. But learning how to read academic articles and books is a skill unto itself. It's one I didn't quite fully grasp until grad school. Learn to skim. When looking at articles published in journals that include original research, they tend to follow a set structure, and the order in which you read them is not obvious. At all.

Start with the abstract. This is a summary of the paper that will include, in about half a page to a page, the research question, hypothesis, methods/analysis, and conclusions. This abstract will help you determine if the answer to your question is even in this article. Are they asking the right question?

Next, read the research question and hypothesis. The hypothesis will include details about the theory and why the researcher thinks what they think. The literature review will go into much more depth about theories, what other people have done and said, and how that ties into the research of the present article. You don't need to read that just yet.

Skim the methods and analysis section. Look at every data table and graph included and try to find patterns yourself. You don't need to read every word of this section, especially if you don't understand a lot of the words and jargon used. Some key points to consider are: qualitative vs. quantitative data, sample size, confounding factors, and results.

(Some definitions for those of you who are unfamiliar with these terms. Qualitative data is data that cannot be quantified into a number. These are usually stories and anecdotes. Quantitative data is data that can be transferred into a numerical representation. You can't graph qualitative data (directly), but you can graph quantitative data. Sample size is the number of people or things counted (n when used in academic articles). Your sample size can indicate how generalizable your conclusions are. So pay attention. Did the author interview 300 subjects? Or 30? There will be a difference. A confounding factor is a factor that may affect the working theory. An example of a theory would be "increasing LGBTQ resources in a neighborhood would decrease LGBTQ hate crimes in that area." A confounding factor would be "increased reporting of hate crimes in the area." The theory, including the confounding factor, would look like "increasing LGBTQ resources in a neighborhood would increase the reporting of hate crimes in the area, which increases the number of hate crimes measured in that area." The confounding factor changes the outcome because it is a factor not considered in the original theory. When looking at research, see if you can think of anything that may change the theory based on how that factor interacts with the broader concept. Finally, the results are different from the conclusions. The results tell you what the methods spit out. Analysis tells you what the results say, and conclusions tell you what generalizations can be made based on the analysis.)

Next, read the conclusion section. This section will tell you what general conclusions can be made from the information found in the paper. This will tell you what the author found in their research.

Finally, once you've done all that, go back to the literature review section. You don't have to read it necessarily, but reading it will give you an idea of what is in each sourced paper. Take note of the authors and papers sourced in the literature review and repeat the process on those papers. You will get a wide variety of expert opinions on whatever concept or niche you're researching.

Starting to notice a pattern?

My research methods may not necessarily work for everybody, but they are pretty standard practice. You may notice that throughout this guide, I've told you to "source-hop" or follow the sources cited in whatever source you find first. This is incredibly important. You need to know who people are citing when they make claims.

This guide focused on secondary sources for most of the guide. Primary sources are slightly different. Primary sources require understanding the person who created the source, who they were, and their motivations. You also may need to do a little digging into what certain words or phrases meant at the time it was written based on what you are researching. The Prose Edda, for example, is a telling of the Norse mythology stories written by an Icelandic historian in the 13th century. If you do not speak the language spoken in Iceland in 1232, you probably won't be able to read anything close to the original document. In fact, the document was lost for about 300 years. Now there are translations, and those translations are as close to the primary source you can get on Norse Mythology. But even then, you are reading through several veils of translation. Take these things into account when analyzing primary documents.

Research Takes Practice

You won't get everything you need to know immediately. And researching subjects you have no background knowledge of can be daunting, confusing, and frustrating. It takes practice. I learned how to research through higher formal education. But you don't need a degree to write, so why should you need a degree to collect information? I genuinely hope this guide helps others peel away some of the confusion and frustration so they can collect knowledge as voraciously as I do.

– Indy

[stvrlightgirl]

✧˖°. Down Bad ✧˖°.

a/n: Being inspired by my own post about primary school teacher!remus lupin I decided to write something small (possible series of drabbles in the future maybe, who knows?) just to warm up a bit. I changed a few things on the way, so just enjoy! Im not very proud about this one, but im gonna post it anyway ;p Reposts and comments are always welcome!

Also, English is not my first language, and it's kinda obvious hehe

summary: One day, it hits him like a ton of bricks - he had a massive crush on a new teacher, and it's you.

tw: none, just fluff, Remus is a lovesick puppy

pairing: teacher!remus lupin x teacher f!reader

wc: 502

Ever since you’ve started working as a new teacher, Remus couldn’t stop thinking about you. 

It was hard not to, actually. Your class was across his own, and your door were always opened, so he could hear your group having their best time with you.

You were truly amazing. He could see it in the way that you were taking care of those kids, almost as if all of them were your own. And it amazed him. That affectionate gleam in your eyes, when you crouch down to a little girl, who ran towards you while being in the playground, tears streaming down her cheeks for an unknown reason. 

He could see from the window of his own class how you comforted her, how gentle you were with her. And it just moved something in him. 

Remus's fingers dug into the stress ball he held in his hand, the soft material crunched under his grip as he squeezed it tighter. His other hand supported his chin, a pensive expression on his face as he gazed out the window.

He was so fucked up right now. 

And when he was just about to go back to grading tests, his heart skipped a beat when you stood up and looked in his direction. Out of all the windows facing the playground, your eyes somehow found his immediately. It was as if you had a sixth sense of knowing exactly where he was.

Remus felt a wave of panic rise within him, his heart pounding in his chest. He was screwed, because now that you were looking at him, there was nowhere to hide. The connection between your eyes felt almost magnetic, pulling him closer against his better judgment.

And the moment, when you softly waved at him and gave him a sweet smile, your cheeks all flushed from the cold autumn wind, he felt as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room.

He managed to collect himself enough to wave back, his heart still pounding in his chest. When his hand moved back and forth, signaling a greeting, he couldn't help but notice how awkward it must look, and that just made him blush even more. 

But he didn't care, because the fact that you took the time to wave at him, to acknowledge his presence, was enough to send his mind spiraling.

And as the autumn wind picked up and swept through the playground, Remus couldn't help but notice how your hair escaped the confines of your scarf. The tendrils of your hair danced freely in the air, each individual strand twirling and fluttering with a life of its own.

It was a small, simple moment, but it captivated his attention in a profound way. He couldn't tear his eyes away from you. That moment, was the point when he knew he was truly lost.

And it made him realize how deeply smitten he was with you, and that he had to do something about it, before it’ll be too late.

[multifandumbmeg]

Thinking about how JJ was the only Pogue who ever really saw and respected Kiara, and that's why he was the endgame. John B and Pope aren't bad people, but ultimately they liked her because she was hot and maybe fun to hang out with. Since being rejected by her, both have actually been a lot more respectful of her and stopped treating her like an object. Of course JJ also finds her attractive, anyone with eyes would, but there was a marked difference in how he interacted with her season 1 and 2. Even as it became clear he had true romantic feelings for her, he kept his hands off apart from a few, truly friendly interactions- there was never an ulterior motive or sexual undertone to the way he touched her, as if he had intuited she didn't like that early on and abided (okay apart from that montage scene in episode one where they'e dancing, but note he doesn't actually touch her and it stops on good terms when she pretend slaps him, unlike the awkward icky reaction she gives John B and Pope every time they try something). He even says in season 1 that he "tried that door" and implies she rejected him, and I wonder if maybe he made a slight physical move once and after she reacted poorly, dutifully kept his hands off. That's respect. That's acknowledging her autonomy. Also, though they bicker sometimes when he calls out her rich privilege, he always either takes her side (or intervenes and diffuses in the case of that S1 argument with Pope), defends her, and maintains that she's one of them. Coming from the one with the least out of all of them, that's meaningful, and I think it's because he's the only one that (at least initially) sees her beyond the surface level. John B and especially Pope come with a litany of reasons they're not compatible long term with Kiara, which she is aware of; JJ's primary obstacle is himself.

Regarding emotional intimacy, this is another place Jiara stands out. While Kiara can be emotionally vulnerable with a number of people (not uncommon for girls, who are raised to be that way) JJ is only emotionally intimate with her, all the way back to season 1. He cries in front of her several times, even lets her hold and comfort him when he's at his lowest. Contrast this to his best friend in the world John B. Though JJ clearly cares about him a ton and they're both ride or die, John B completely turns a blind eye to his abuse and neglect. I'm sure he knows JJ doesn't want to talk about it, but in doing so he normalizes and accepts that behavior, which further entrenches the normalization to JJ. Kiara on the other hand is extremely direct in denouncing JJ's treatment from the start. Even if JJ doesn't directly open up about it until the hot tub scene, she makes it clear where she stands and that she's on his side, which is exactly why he knows she's safe to be vulnerable about it with her. Kiara also innately understands and is lenient with him in ways that others aren't. She seems to naturally see the direct connection between what he's feeling, why he is the way that is, and the way that he behaves, even when he's self-sabotaging. She knows him on a deeper level too, which terrifies him until he overcomes it- entirely thanks to her patient, repeated efforts to reassure him.

All this to say I love the interactions we're getting in season 4, even if there's surprisingly little physical intimacy. JJ being protective on main (although we already saw this in season 2 with Kiara and his dad), Kiara accepting him even at his stupidest because loves him warts and all, Kiara reaffirming her feelings for him often, JJ making an effort to do things that make her happy (like having a little date), and of course, once again JJ respecting her autonomy no questions asked (agreeing despite his own fears to let her go along on the diving venture).

They want the same things, they're innately comfortable with each other, they protect each other, they respect each other, and they know each other's value. And, of course, they also thoroughly enjoy each other's company. That's why they're perfect for each other.

[cookinguptales]

As someone who grew up in a bilingual household where we spoke English but also signed, the part of Mabel and Theo's relationship that fascinates me the most is the communication, or lack thereof.

I'm mostly hearing (...sort of...) but grew up around a lot of d/Deaf people, CODAs, interpreters, etc. so while I can't give any input on the experience of profound deafness, I can at least tell apart different styles of signing. It's a little hard to tell sometimes how much of this is characterization vs. the skill level of the actors, but it is interesting.

Teddy Dimas does not sign fluidly. It's immediately obvious. It's not that he's terrible or that he can't be understood... it's just that there are a lot of tells that he does not sign as a primary language. The terseness of the signs, the deliberateness. You can tell that there's a second of thought before each sign, a jerky sort of compactness to them, that's common with people who learn to sign later in life. (Or who don't get a ton of practice with it.)

Signing, when you do it right, requires the use of your whole body. That can be hard for hearing people, who are generally used to more restrained movements. Teddy Dimas has never quite lost that restraint. He still can't go all in, not with his signing or his parenting.

I always thought this was really interesting, because it means that Teddy most likely learned to sign for his son (tragically uncommon with hearing parents of Deaf children) but that he still can't quite translate his thoughts properly into sign language. He can't quite get his emotions through to his son. There's a barrier there between them, and it seems to be largely one that Teddy's erected -- until Theo starts snapping back.

What I'm getting at is that Teddy has always forcibly drawn his son into his world instead of immersing himself in Theo's, and it shows. And it has really harmed their relationship, in more ways than one.

Zoe... we don't see a ton of her signing, but there does seem to be something somewhat performative about it. It's more fluid, like perhaps she's done it her whole life, but there's also something sort of... idk, false about it? And I wonder if that's just Zoe. It felt like she was always covering up her true feelings of loneliness and emptiness with a flamboyant personality, and the little flourishes to her signing seem to convey that as well. Her signing feels almost theatrical to me.

Theo and Mabel, though... I've always loved that episode where they go to Coney Island together. I get the criticism that Theo said at the beginning that he couldn't understand much of what she said when he was reading lips -- and then she proceeded to just talk at him for the rest of the episode anyway. But to me, at least, that always seemed like it was kind of the point. They couldn't understand each other, not fully, and that was something soothing to them.

There's something healing, I think, about shouting into the void. Letting out all of your most personal, complicated feelings without fear of repercussion or judgement. Talking into the wind because you know it won't talk back. You need to feel that echo but also know that it won't be heard.

I think there was some of that there in their initial relationship. Both of them desperately needed to talk, to get everything off their chests, but both of them also have trouble opening up to others due to trauma. So I think speaking to someone who couldn't understand them was, in some ways, ideal. They could make a human connection while keeping it fairly impersonal. They could unload without fear of judgement -- or worse, understanding.

Oddly, I think their mutual need to communicate without being understood was the one thing they understood best about each other. They could sense each other's loneliness and wariness and inability to trust that they could tell someone something important without it being used against them -- because their love and their trust have always been used against them.

So maybe in a way, their inability to talk to each other was actually what helped them communicate on a deeper level...?

Still, though. Still. I was so pleased to see that Mabel is learning more sign language so she can talk to Theo. She's got a long way to go, but no one learns to sign overnight. She's making progress, and you can tell that Theo appreciates it. There are still times where he gets too excited and signs too fast and she doesn't catch all of it, and there are times when she gets so wrapped up in her own soliloquies that she forgets that you have to face Deaf people while talking to them, but there's a familiarity to it now. When he signs too fast, she smiles and teases him. When she talks too quickly or forgets to sign or turns away from him, he just smiles and sighs and shakes his head. Then waits for her to come back.

Theo finds it irritating, obviously, but also understands that it's just... Mabel. She spends so much time in her own head that she has trouble communicating even with people who speak her language, as evidenced with Tobert. And maybe Theo does understand her in ways that others can't. Maybe it's the very fact that he accepts that he can't always understand her that makes her feel comfortable with him.

I also have to wonder, y'know... Has anyone ever learned to sign for him before, other than his father, who clearly saw it as a burden? Has anyone ever seen him as worth the effort of learning, not out of an obligation to speak to him but a desire to? No wonder he's being patient with her. I wonder if anyone has ever put in as much effort for him as she already has. It makes me so sad to think about, because what she's doing now is so... bare minimum. Theo has been so desperately alone, and so much of that is because his father isolated him. It's because no one else ever reached out. :(

idk, it just makes me happy that these two people who originally bonded over their inability to communicate are now comfortable enough with each other to try actually talking. There's something so shy and so joyful about it. I love that for them, especially Theo.

I don't want him to be alone anymore!! I want him to have someone he can talk to, whom he trusts enough to talk to, who thinks he's worth learning to talk to back!

Their odd brand of bilingual communication (or lack thereof) is just fascinating to me. ;;

[suffersinfandom]

I don't care when people have takes that don't agree with mine or love characters that I don't. What does get under my skin is when people are smug and self-congratulatory about a take that's just wrong.

"The story of the show in season one was that it was a bunch of people with conflicting personalities shoved onto a boat together."

The story has always centered Stede, Ed, and their relationship. The initial idea of it came from the fruitiness of historical Stede Bonnet and Blackbeard's whole situation, and David Jenkins always meant for it to be a romance about those two guys. (He talks about it in this interview. The romance wasn't added partway through filming, it was changed because of the way Rhys and Taika played it.)

"Season two of OFMD was an ensemble show and season two wasn't."

OFMD was never an ensemble show. Stede and Ed are the primary characters and everyone else, however much we love them, is secondary. Even Jim, the only other character who gets a flashback and a through-line in season one, is a supporting character. And their story is fantastic! It's about finding a place where you can be who you are, learning who you are beyond assigned roles, and finding belonging and family -- and that's also what our A-plot is about. Jim's story supports the main story.

The crew does have considerably more screen time in season one, and that's because season one has more time. I truly, sincerely wish that season two had the space to feature the crew the way season one did because I love almost all of them and wanted more of them. I think that the crew's relative absence in season two is, overall, to the show's detriment.

But let's think, just for a second, about why there was less time devoted to the crew in a season that was much shorter. If the crew's storyline was the main one and if all characters were equally important, why did David choose to spend the time he had focusing on Ed, Stede, and their relationship? Is it because he lost the plot of his own show?

No.

Season two is shorter. Cuts had to be made, so David cut back on the crew's stories and kept the main story -- the Gentlebeard story -- intact. A writer does not sacrifice their primary story for subplots. When you show me that season two has more Gentlebeard per episode, you're not proving that the nature or focus of the show changed. You're underscoring the importance of the story that has always been the show's center.

If you liked the show better when it had more time to commit to the supporting cast, that's okay. I sincerely don't mind that some people liked season two less because it was heavier on the Gentlebeard. I just don't understand why it's so important to downplay the importance of Ed and Stede in the first season. OFMD has always been their show, and insisting that that's not true is bonkers to me.

Literally no one is saying that Ed and Stede should be the only characters onscreen. No one who loves Gentlebeard hates the crew; I'm deep into Gentlebeardie tumblr and there's tons of love for every single character (with maybe one exception). No one is saying that Ed did nothing wrong or Izzy is the devil incarnate or time given to characters who aren't Stede and Ed is time wasted.

There is a right answer when we're talking about what OFMD is about and who the main characters are.

Also: anyone who's still struggling to understand Anne and Mary's importance should read this. Atticus wrote a lovely and concise essay that ought to clear everything up.

Also also: anyone who harasses people, anonymously or not, is the worst kind of fan. There are no fandom opinions that warrant racism, transphobia, homophobia, doxxing, etc.

[ms-demeanor]

I went diabetic earlier this year, since then I've had far more serious health concerns to really focus on it. I've listened to my primary care and reduced my average a1c from 13 to 7. I've recently been looking into diets and what not that are the best. Currently, I'm trying to cut out all carbs, on my doctor's orders. What I'm seeing though is that a plant based diet is best. It looks like a ketogenic diet is what my doctor wants me to follow? I've watched videos on both diets and I don't know, I agree with you that keto is evil. What are your thoughts about this?

I am not a medical professional so i can't give you medical advice, but I'd say that you should ask your doctor for a referral to a dietician (an RD or an RDN, NOT a "nutritionist" - RD/RDN are protected terms that mean they have completed specific training and have specific board certification) and ask the dietician for advice on your specific dietary needs for your specific medical conditions.

What I can say is that trying to cut all carbs is pretty dangerous - not only is it a macronutrient that our body uses as the most available fuel for your body processes (we *can* get fuel from protein and fat, and ketones can *theoretically* replace sugars for energy but nobody is actually sure how long our bodies can do that and we know it's a LOT less efficient, it's supposed to be less efficient, and what that means is it makes a lot of people feel exhausted when they try it because they literally have less available energy) but also there are certain nutrients that are fortified in the US that are going to be hard to get if you're cutting carbs completely. The example that I always use is folate, because when I had to cut wheat out of my diet (i have grain allergies and celiac disease) I didn't know to supplement it and ended up with a form of anemia and stuff like "fainting" and "dizziness" and "low oxygen saturation."

Which is part of why massive diet changes should be undertaken with the assistance of a dietician! That's why I started studying nutrition! Because nobody supervised my medically necessary diet changes and it went very poorly!

Your GP very likely doesn't have a ton of training on nutrition, and is even less likely to have training on nutrition specific to your condition. If your GP is telling you to cut all carbs, they are telling you to do something dangerous and not nutritionally sound (even really restrictive keto diets call for 20g of carbs a day). Ask either them or your endocrinologist for a referral to a dietician (again, you are looking for a Registered Dietician or a Registered Dietician Nutritionist, RD or RDN, NOT just 'nutritionist') who is familiar with helping diabetics manage their nutrition.

Now, all of that said, in the choice between two fairly restrictive diets I will always say to try the one that requires less effort. It is much easier to eat a plant-based diet long term than a keto diet, and it is vanishingly unlikely that you are going to end up protein deficient (the primary concern for most people who are starting plant based diets, and it's just not all that likely - we need a lot less protein than a lot of people seem to think; though if you're going completely vegan you do need to be careful to supplement your B vitamins and to ensure that you're getting plenty of omega fats)

Because the thing is, for a diet to "work" you have to be on that diet forever. If you stop being on that diet, and stop adhering to its restrictions, whatever benefits exist for that diet go away. So the best diet for *anybody* is one that will provide them with the nutrients they need in a way that they can access regularly and affordably, that they enjoy eating and can comfortably maintain for long periods of time, and that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables because the only diet advice that is nearly universally applicable is that people should be eating more fruits and vegetables and they should be eating a wider variety of them.

I am not a fan of "diets" as a concept and I think that people should think of nutrition in terms of "my diet" not "the diet that is meant to be one-size-fits-all for millions of people that I am attempting." Your diet is what you eat and drink, and that is what you should be looking at adjusting. If you want to reduce carbs in your diet it's better to tweak your consumption than it is totally replace your diet with a one size fits all keto diet. If you want to increase fat in your diet it is better to tweak your consumption than it is to replace your diet with a one size fits all atkins diet. If you want to go plant based I think it is better to start by adjusting your diet to include more plants and to slowly replace animal based products than by trying a one size fits all vegan diet right out of the gate. You can always (and should!) make adjustments to what you eat as circumstances change and you may end up at a vegan diet or a low carb high fat diet and find that that works for you, but part of the reason that I think nutrition studies on diets are so screwy and hard to pin down is because your body is going to *flip the fuck out* when you change from, say, an average american diet to a study-provided Mediterranean diet for a 12 week experiment. If you drastically change your diet all at once and get good results immediately it's very hard to say if those results will be lasting because your body may just adjust to the "new normal" of your diet six months down the line.

But like seriously if your GP is telling you to cut all carbs you need to see a person who specializes in nutrition, and to prepare for your appointment with that person you should make a list of your goals (for you it sounds like you want to manage your blood sugar levels, reduce a1c, and *ask about* low carbs if that is something that interests you), a list of things you think that you'll have trouble with or that you want to include in your diet because they're important to you (if you really like nuts but have to be on a low fat diet, ask if there's a way to work around that with your needs, for example; if there is a cultural staple that you will find difficult to cut from family meals, TELL THEM THAT), a list of questions that you have about different types of diets, and *VERY IMPORTANTLY* information about your food budget and cooking skills. Be clear about it if you can't cook. Be clear about it if you can't afford certain ingredients.

Anyway. Once again, not medical advice, please speak to a medical professional, good luck.

[might-be-tiny-gt]

Last year I wrote a story about a streamer who shrinks based on chat donations. I meant it as a one shot, but guys…. GUYSSSSS.

I think about this story ‘s universe a lot. I have lore notes just collecting dust and I need to share it or I might go absolutely mad XD Made these visuals charts to get the basics across but if you’re interested in my lore and semantic ramblings, feel free to read below the cut.

Consider this my unofficial pitch bible for Down Played.

General premise: Monica Diaz is Twitch streamer with steadily growing fan base. Her tag is MiniMushroom and her aesthetic is cottage core. She loves all things magical and tiny, especially toadstool mushrooms, that’s the image most associated with her “brand.” She’s approached by a mysterious benefactor who has developed technology specifically for Monica to test and utilize for her streams. It’s called Byte-Syzed Tech and it connects to a user’s twitch stream and based on the user’s preferences, gives the audience the ability to change the user’s height. The one shot I wrote takes place during Monica’s first live use of Byte-Syzed tech on stream. If I were to develop this into a full story I’d probably go back a bit and start around when Monica is first approached about using Byte-Syzed tech then continue to follow Monica adjusting to using Byte-Syzed more often. How she deals with the size change on camera, off camera, how her social and personal life are affected, all that good stuff. I think it would like a slice of life feel good kinda story.

Characters:

- Monica - Main character and primary user of Byte-Syzed tech. Surprisingly enough, she’s actually a law school grad who probably would have put her degree to use if she didn’t accidentally gain a massive following on twitch. Funny how life works out. She stands at 6’4 and always was fascinated with the idea of being small (Basically, she’s a g/t nerd who doesn’t know what g/t is) so being gifted Byte-Syzed and being able to use it on stream is kinda a dream come true.

- Kim - Monica’s girlfriend, roommate, and stream moderator. Kim and Monica were high school sweethearts but drifted apart in college due to personal matters in Kim’s life including having to drop out of college. Kim and Monica rekindled their relationship a few years later and Kim cites Monica and her encouragement as a big reason why she’s been able to get her life back together. She’s currently back in college working on getting her degree in Mathematics.

- The Twitch Team- Moni hosts solo streams but also very often collabs with three of her online friends. Ariel (@Lifeisthebubbles), a Vtuber who is the only one Moni has met in person. Corey (@McDonuts) an NB asmrist on youtube who started streaming games for fun. And Phin (@UrguyPhin) Corey's bf and the competitive gamer of the four. All three of them were streaming with Monica when she first used Byte-Syzed and have since gotten used to pausing their games so an ever shrinking Monica can adjust her set up.

- The Benefactors- Keeping their (Plural, there are two of them) exact identity to myself for the time being, but basically they’re mad scientists with the best intentions. Their antics have garnered attention across the internet as they have created and gifted inventions to up and coming online creators that seem to defy all laws of physics. Anti Gravity chambers, a literal money tree, a mask the morphs the wearer’s face, and now the Byte-Syzed size changing tech. Despite their inventions going viral, their identities have remained hidden. So what is their deal? They’re just big fans of these creators and for lack of drawing skills have gifted them weird inventions instead. Nerds… Due to the nature of Byte-Syzed and the possible effects it can have on the human body, Monica and Kim remain in close contact with them.

How Byte-Syzed Works in Universe: This I wrote tons of notes about when I first thought of the idea. Byte-Syzed can be divided into three key components; The program, the arm band monitor, and the sync suit.

The Program is installed on the user’s computer and connects directly to the arm band monitor and sync suit. The program has user friendly set up that allows the user to input the direction of height change (Shrink or Grow), The minimum or maximum height change, How height change occurs (By views, chat commands, donations, etc.), and rate of height change (How much height is gained or lost with each instance of viewer interaction.) EX: If height is based on donations, the user can set it up so they lose 1 inch for every 10 dollars donated. They can set the minimum height to 6 inches, so once they’ve received enough donations that they have shrunk down to 6 inches, Byte-Syzed will hold at that height. More donations may come in after, but the height will remain at 6 inches for the duration of the stream.)

The Arm Band Monitor, is the device the physically changes the user’s height after connecting to the Byte-Syzed Program. It also monitors and display’s the user’s current height and vitals. All data collected from the arm band will then be saved and can be referenced later if the band is connected to the computer. The arm band must be kept on at all times during active use and active reset of Byte-Syzed. Active use is the time in which Byte-Syzed is being used in a stream and the user’s height is actively changing. Active reset refers to time after the stream has ended and the user is either set at their new current height or in the process of returning to their normal height. After a stream has ended the user will remain at their changed height until they press the reset button on the monitor. Once the reset button is active, the user will return to their normal height at 1.5 times the amount of time it took to change to their current changed height. EX: A user has finished a stream that was 4 hours. They hit the reset button which will return them to normal over the course of 6 hours. (4x1.5=6) This only applies for time Byte-Syzed was in use, not how long a size change occurred. EX: If the user’s stream was 4 hours, but they reached their minimum height in 3 hours, the reset function will account for the 4 hours the stream lasted. This is a safety procedure to reduce stress on the user’s body. Note: If the reset button is not pressed, the user will remain at their changed height for a period of 12 hours. After 12 hours, the reset function will kick in automatically.

The Synchronized Suit or Sync Suit is directly connected to the Byte-Syzed program and will grow and shrink with the user at the same rate as the user. Normal clothing can be worn above it but they will not change size with the user, only the sync suit. The sync suit Monica received came with the suit, shoes, and a headset with a built in microphone to keep audio input even over the course of her size changing. More sync suits are in the process of being designed and produced, with the goal of making sync suits that resemble everyday clothing like t shirts or skirts.

Fun Story Ideas:

- Origin story. How Monica met the benefactors and was gifted Byte-Syzed, her and Kim’s gripes about using it, actually going through with it and the pros and cons she noticed, the end of her first size changing stream and dealing with being tiny in her own room and her girlfriend’s hands. Etc etc

- Monica finished a late night stream using byte Syzed and forgets to press reset when she goes to sleep so instead of growing back over the course of the night she wakes up at her tiny size. After realizing her mistake she begins the growth process but now has to do it while attempting to do her regular day time activities.

- Monica is approached by a doll company to collaborate on a new doll based on her, only issue, their studio is several hours away and they want her to model at both her full height and at the height of the dolls. After some consideration Monica and Kim decide to take a road trip to the studio and use Byte Syzed at the studio under Kim’s careful supervision. What could go wrong?

- Months have passed and Kim and Monica have grown well adjusted to the major size difference between them after Monica finishes a byte syze stream, however curiosity has gotten the best of her and Kim wonders what it would be like to be the tiny one for a change.

If you have read this far, you have my eternal gratitude. Thanks for reading this far, I really hope you liked it XD Maybe if time and motivation allows I can flesh the story out.

[iraprince]

Any ttrpgs (including/especially yours!) that you recommend to get the oc wheels turnin’? Or especially fun as oc design tools/inspiration?

as an overall recommendation for this, from the perspective of design tools, solo journaling games are often excellent for this -- you can browse the entire solo tag for the physical games category on itch and find TONS!!

moving on to specific recs: not for characters specifically, but for general worldbuilding one of mine i can recommend is lamplighter's festival! it's about building up the history and culture of a location by developing a ritual or holiday that's celebrated there, and i think sometimes creating a location with a lot of intention and thought will of course naturally get you thinking abt the ppl who live there. (i think this is also a great gm tool if you want to bring your party somewhere special!)

divined journey is a game about outlining a character's story in detail using tarot cards -- i've had a lot of fun using this to flesh out existing characters and imagine plot arcs that are different than the ones i'd come up with on my own, but i think it could absolutely start u running on a brand new character too. often the order ppl go in is make the character, THEN put them in a story, but forming a character BY putting them through the story (i.e. keeping them more malleable and considering events the primary development vs "backstory") can be extremely cool

on the more... i don't wanna say "traditional" but like, "narrative tabletop games as we know them" (vs solo journaling stuff/things that lean towards being design tools):

time to drop is a game about pulling one last heist (again and again and again, in a timeloop). i often find that games with a really specific premise/setting kickstart tons of fresh thought; as much as i love just doing the exact tropes i already like ad nauseum (being completely genuine there), restrictions and a narrowed focus are GREAT for getting the brain churning. and trapping a bunch of criminals in a time loop is a great way to develop necessarily juicy oc dynamics :3c

sapphicworld is a game that has gotten me SUPER revved about ocs (up to the point where i once planned out a 12 course formal dinner menu for a campaign finale.....). it's still in development, but you can get a pwyw glimpse at the ashcan here (kind of like a tasting platter of the style and mechanics of the game, which the dev describes as a dream about sapphicworld), and get access to the entire wip game on the darling demon patreon for five bucks. it's worth a billion times that. i love sapphicworld lol

in general i think games that have playbooks and picklists always get me going, for that same "narrowed focus" reason... at first ur urge might be to push outside the picklists, bc u have a different idea or none of the stuff on the list exactly matches what u had in mind for the character, but forcing urself to adhere and then branching out from that is something that i think creates a lot of really fun combinations. for this reason i think that a lot of PBTA stuff fits the bill -- i realize that doesn't narrow things down at all lol but it DOES mean u can browse the pbta tag and then just snag anything that seems to have a setting/tone that you're in the mood for!

i feel like this is a woefully small selection but it's all i have time for today, and ttrpgs are just so broad....! i would love if ppl gave more suggestions in the reblogs + replies!!!

[omegapheromone]

Im gonna reblog this bc Null's take is so good!! Lots of really good additions I couldn't have provided myself, thank you so much for the input!! ^^

do you have any advice for someone who is struggling to figure out their misce identity?

personally i’ve always just assumed that i’m an omega (because i’m a smaller person and more submissive?) and gone with that, but after thinking about it more i really don’t think i am?

i think that i have a lot of “typical” or “normal” omega traits, but i feel much more like an alpha? so uhh yeah hopefully this isn’t too annoying

Hiya! Not at all annoying, this ask is a great opportunity for me to talk about some topics I've been wanting to talk about for a while, actually! I will write a longer post but here's everything, VERY shortly:

First of all, ask yourself why you ascribe specific traits or features to specific dynamics, and WHY in your mind being small and submissive means one HAS TO be an Omega. Does this mean that absolutely no omega ever can be tall, muscular, strong, dominant? Does this mean that not a single alpha ever can be small or submissive? Where did these mental associations come from? Could it be that you have subconsciously taken the most common and stereotypical fictional traits of "alphas and omegas", even if you know logically it doesn't work in real life, and are trying to force those stereotypes onto yourself? Would you tell anyone ELSE but yourself that they cannot be an alpha because they are small and submissive? Or would you tell anyone else that they cannot be an omega, because they are tall and strong and dominant? Or are these things you're only trying to force on yourself because you think you should fit some stereotype that's completely based on fictional characters?

My tone there isn't meant to sound harsh at all- I go WAY more in detail below, but the post is long, like, genuinely very long, and I'm just trying to summarize the simplest and most important point as concisely as I can in a string of questions to ask yourself- the point in ALL of this is that your identity should be dictated by what feels right and good to YOU, not what stereotype you fit into. People are always more complex than stereotypes, and if you feel more alpha, then that's all you need. Physical traits, personality, sexual preferences, etc- none of these things dictate what your dynamic is or should be.

That being said, I have to give a fair warning. This post WILL end up being LONG.

Another thing- I personally am an omega and have always identified as such, so I'm gonna tag @pack-the-pack and more specifically @miscealignment a.k.a. Null's more misce-focused blog- not only do I find his opinions interesting and generally insightful when it comes to all matters misce, but I think Null will probably have more to say about the alpha part specifically. I'd also like to tag @beta-adjacent for similar reasons! Further down, I'm going to talk about my own personal perceptions of the dynamics, and my point if view as an omega only goes so far, ESPECIALLY when I've never really questioned the fact that I am an omega, even when OTHER people have (more on that way, way later.)

With those out of the way, my actual response will be posted under the cut just so I don't clog anyone's dashboard too much! Once again, prepare for rambling and a LOT of text. Sorry in advance (；´∀｀)

About Misce- Your Mental Image;

a.k.a. let's start with a little imagination. ...or lack of, maybe?

Firstly, I would ask you to evaluate what you think of when you think about each of the dynamics. While you're completely free to your personal interpretation as is everyone, I tend to think that if your mental images look something like "Alpha=dom, top, strong, masculine", and "Omega=sub, bottom, feminine, dainty and emotional" and "Beta=side character", you're not REALLY looking at misce dynamics, rather, you're more thinking of a highly stereotypical and (subconsciously) heteronormative version of omegaverse that is (often) used almost exclusively only for the sake of making mpreg possible in m/m fiction. And to be clear, yet again: Misce is NOT Omegaverse.

This specific way of interpreting alpha/omega/beta dynamics is literally just straight people gender norms repackaged to be forced onto gay/queer people, and is not in any way realistic to 99.99% of irl gay/queer relationships, nevermind people. A lot of misce folks are also some flavour of lgbtq+ anyway, and you can see why it could become an issue to impose heteronormative roles onto people who do not, by definition, fit said roles. Here's what I mean:

"Alphas are tall, big and strong and handsome dominant leader types who provide for the physically weak, dainty and small and traditionally attractive, emotional, submissive omegas. Omegas bear and raise the children, while alphas work and earn money. Omegas are at a social disadvantage because of their dynamic, and alphas often benefit from theirs, therefore it's not unusual to see omegas being exploited by alphas. And Betas are the 'other people' who don't fit these roles, I guess."

Now switch "alpha" to man, and "omega" to woman, and read it again. (And for an extra spicy take, switch "beta" to "lgbtq+ folk"... just saying.) See what I mean?

This is a common portrayal in a LOT of omegaverse fiction regardless of what biological sex/gender the characters are, and I'm SURE you've seen portrayals like this many, many times. In fiction, there's nothing wrong with interpretations or depictions like this! I know some people are unable to read works of fiction critically and think that using portrayals like these is somehow inherently bad, and sure, this specific market is definitely oversaturated as well- but the thing is that for many authors and creatives, applying these existing (male and female) roles and forms of discrimination onto imagined secondary genders such as alphas and omegas is a way to explore gender discrimination, homophobia, misogyny, social issues, etc in writing. But the crucial part is that this ONLY WORKS IN FICTION. Omegaverse is fiction, so it's fine. But Misce is not fiction. Misce is identities and people.

About Misce- Identity, NOT Tropes Or Roles;

a.k.a. let's not base real people identities on fictional stuff (or sexual preferences, for that matter).

You cannot apply those previously discussed concepts to real, living people's identities. This much is obvious. Cathegorizing real people into "alphas are the strong and big and dominant ones", "betas are the in-between ones", and "omegas are the dainty and small and submissive ones" doesn't work and should never be done to begin with.

You also cannot cathegorize people based on their sexual preferences- "Alpha" does not automatically mean they top or dom. "Omega" does not automatically mean "bottom" or "sub". Beta does not automatically mean vers/switch. Sexual preferences are separate from dynamics, and you should not assume anything based on someone's dynamic to begin with. While misce has its sexual aspects to many, it's almost never ONLY sexual. In my experience, if anything, it's a very small part of being misce to most people I know.

This is all to say- your sexual preferences do not and should not determine your dynamic in any way- so whatever you like in bed should not make you feel like you need to identify with some specific dynamic. You could be the most submissive bottom on earth and be an alpha and that would not be weird or "wrong" or "strange". I think just about any misce person could tell you this- anyone who understands that misce ISN'T "just an irl larp of omegaverse", at least.

This is a good opportunity for me to segway into the next part- misce is based on a LOT more than "just" the most stereotypical omegaverse roles. For a lot of people, being misce connects to other forms of non-human identity, whether that's being otherkin, therian, alterhuman, whatever. I'm not actually all that familiar with those things, as I've never bothered getting involved or familiar with said communities. I've never felt human either, but I struggle to figure out the specifics of it so I just don't bother- I'm content like this, and don't feel the need to label it or try to "pick a specific animal" or whatever. I'm happy being just... a being (lol) and that's enough for me.

About Misce- Deeply Nonhuman Humans;

a.k.a. there are two wolves inside of you...

...However, I recognize that with this part- me not really feeling like my misce self is connected to animal-type nonhumanity specifically, I am NOT in the majority.

I believe "miscecanis" and "miscelupus" were the first(?) terms that utilized the now-popularized term "misce" in them, and they specifically refer to canines (any, but often dogs) and wolves. Considering omegaverse itself is also based on that (proven to be unreliable/misinformed) study on wolf pack structures from ages ago, it makes sense that many misce folk would also identify with canine-adjacent creatures- I do too, I just dislike using those labels since that's nowhere near the most notable part of my own sense of non-human-ness. But I digress. A lot of misce folk, especially ones who identify with specific animals, have created their own labels to match the animals they identify most with- miscelapin, miscevulpes, miscefelis, etc. The catchall term for most misce folk, esp ones who feel that their "animal-identifying side" is strongly connected to being misce, tends to be misceanimalis.

Personally, I just say "misce" since a non-animal-attached term doesn't seem to exist at the moment and to me, being an omega isn't necessarily a non-human animal-identity thing at all- but that's just me and I don't think there's a "right" or "wrong" way to personally interpret and "be" misce.

All that being said, generally, the misce community tends to lean towards a more instinct-based social model, pack dynamics and emotional/non-verbal etc communication. I think that much is pretty obvious anyway. So, naturally, the dynamics themselves are often interpreted through that lens- "what's the 'pack role' of any given dynamic?"

Generally, everyone has their own interpretation of this, and that's totally alright- misce looks a bit different for every individual, and definitions are fluid enough that the answer you get depends on who you ask. Speaking of which...

About Misce- Dynamics;

a.k.a. this is the part where podcast bros get so confused

So, while I'm going to now list a few generic concepts/roles/tropes/traits that TEND TO be associated with specific dynamics, just know that it's completely fine to interpret them differently and come up with your own stuff for your own identity. Misce stuff is generally kind of vague and definitions depend on the person you ask anyway- Should you ask someone else to explain what kind of traits they associate most with various dynamics, you might get a different answer- what, in my eyes, is a "commonly omega trait" might be a beta trait in someone else's mind, and so on.

These summaries are based on my own personal experiences combined with speculation, and include a lot of generalization in places- if you identify as any of these dynamics and feel that my description of said dynamic is "off" or not accurate to your lived misce experience, please know that I'm not at ALL saying your experience isn't valid, or that your identity as that dynamic is being questioned. As stated before- everyone defines things differently, and there is no right or wrong way to define or BE misce.

Also: I'm going to go through both positive and negative traits for each dynamic based on my personal observations of patterns I've noticed. I WILL include a "worst case scenario" thing about each dynamic, just to illustrate how sometimes traits may manifest as genuinely bad/abusive behaviours. Every dynamic is capable of being abusive and toxic, and there is no specific dynamic that is "more likely to be abusive" than the others.

☽ ALPHAS • [ α ] ☾

"Providers, protectors, guardians and defenders, responsible for the pack staying safe, well and the members having their needs met."

Often, alphas are seen as the more physical/tangible providers, "mirroring" the more emotional/psychological form of nurture provided by omegas (more on that later). This DOES NOT mean Alphas are always "the breadwinners"- it takes many forms. That COULD be working to provide a stable income and housing, sure, but it's equally as possible for an alpha to prefer being a homemaker- making food for the pack, cleaning and organizing, etc can be just as much a form of "providing" as working for an income could be. The distinction here is that where omegas commonly tend to show their care in a more emotional and intangible way, Alphas are (often, not always) the ones who will buy their friends little trinkets and souvenirs that remind the alpha of them, cook up meals to provide and ensure the physical wellbeing of their closest ones, offer to help with menial tasks and so on. It's all about trying to ensure the people closest to them are well, and doing what they can to keep it that way.

Alphas often get a reputation for being protective over their loved ones, and while in fiction, esp omegaverse manhwa/manga/webtoons/etc this tends to get portrayed as "possessive toxic masculinity" type tropes (looking at you, 'Terminus', 'Kiss me, liar' and 'Night by the sea'...) this also has many forms, and isn't at all limited to Alphas only.

Alphas DO tend to feel very responsible/protective over their friends and/or pack though, more than other dynamics do- a sort of "hurt me, I don't care, but hurt my friends, you're dead" type attitude is quite common to alphas in my experience, at least as an omega observer. From what I can tell, Alphas derive a lot of pride and satisfaction from being able to support and lift up those closest to them, and while generally Alphas aren't fond of conflict any more than any other dynamic, they usually WILL go to bat for their friends/pack, argue to ensure their friends are taken seriously, stand up for them, and so on. From what I've seen, at times, it's the Alpha that feels more upset over someone being nasty to said alpha's friend, than the friend is themselves.

Alphas are generally seen as the ones who take care of the physical needs and safety of the pack- "safety" makes it sound like they're out there fighting wild beasts and evil spirits or something, which isn't really the case when you think "modern world", but the point is they often strive to ensure that everyone they love feels safe and comfortable around them, and that sources of stress/anxiety/worry are removed. This could take the form of helping a friend pay their rent when a friend is broke and the Alpha is able to pitch in, or it could be helping someone fill out job applications if they're finding it overwhelming to do alone, or helping a depressed friend clean and cook so that they're less stressed out and are able to recover without the additional stress of having to plan and think about food and nutrition. It could be giving massages to help someone relax, or it could be letting a friend come over just to sleep at their place when the friend is struggling to feel safe on their own.

Basically- some personality traits I've noticed many of my alpha- and alpha-coded friends tend to have, would be that they're generally very caring people who tend to put those most important to them first before themselves. Often Alphas will step in to shield others from injustice and/or perceived threats without hesitation- be that unfair treatment or a stranger being a little too friendly at the club. Alphas may or may not talk about their problems openly, but the ones who do tend to only talk about the problems and how to solve or overcome them, NOT how it has made them feel and if they're feeling alright, but when/if they DO talk about their feelings more honestly, it's basically always a huge sign of trust and closeness. A majority of my alpha friends tend to be either gift-givers who love showing appreciation in the form of presents or homemade food, OR they're silent providers, whose doors are always open (within reason) and will always be there to provide a place for their friends to crash at when said friends just need a break somewhere safe and comfortable. Often, they're both. (Shoutout to my closest irl friend who is very alpha-coded and keeps telling me I can just go to his place to sleep if I want to get away from either family or loneliness at home in a diff city lmao. I always feel like far too much of a burden so I never have, but I genuinely appreciate the offers so much)

Alphas, at least based on my humble observations, have some fairly commonly shared negative traits as well, such as being the type to run themselves to the ground to ensure others are well (especially emotionally- it's a stereotype that Alphas are bad at expressing emotion, but it's somewhat true that often Alphas will try to avoid their own struggles and emotions by constantly rushing to care and provide for others instead of sitting down to feel their emotions lmao). Alphas tend to overwork themselves for the sake of others, and overall share a "neglect self for the sake of others" thing that omegas also have, just. Different flavour.

Some alphas do also tend to have a bit of an ego at times, especially pertaining to things they excel at, and can indeed get jealous of their friends/pack-mates/partners/etc. Occasionally, this manifests as a form of entitlement, often based on the alpha feeling like they've sacrificed so much for the person that they feel like they "deserve something in return". In most cases, it's nothing outrageous- just time, effort, and acknowledgement of all the effort, though I find that sometimes alphas tend to expect others to be able to "read the Alpha's mind" and just figure out what the Alpha needs without ever communicating it out loud (this could be due to a fear of being too "demanding" or too "overbearing" which many Alphas I've known have struggled with, likely specifically because that's often how Alphas get stereotyped, leading to most Alphas trying hard to show they are NOT like the stereotype. I can imagine it's a struggle!).

At times, Alphas may be prone to being sort of control-freaks about certain things. This usually isn't an issue for most, but it sometimes shows through in their personalities as being frustrated if things aren't done "the way they like, when they like". There's various reasons- for some, it's because they're used to doing things one way and feel that it is the best way, for others, it's a feeling of "knowing best", and for some, it's a sense of wanting to have control over how things are done or hoe they happen, because not having that control causes anxiety.

On the darker side of things, some alphas may become genuinely possessive over people, often subconsciously feeling like they're entitled to and feel that they have "claimed" a person, and feel that they should be able to decide things for said person/people. When this happens, it's usually also coupled with some degree of idolization/objectification of whoever is the subject of these feelings, and the alpha may get excessively upset if the actual person doesn't completely match the "mental idealized version" in their head- this could happen for a number of reasons from something as simple as the person deciding to change something about their appearance, to having a personality that doesn't "match" the one the Alpha had "imagined". This can lead to issues with some Alphas being controlling and/or obsessive over everything, and may escalate to worse abuse based on a desire to "control" or "own". This kind of a thing is NOT exclusive to Alphas, anyone can be shitty, but this specific form of it is slightly more common with alphas specifically, over other forms of shitty/abusive patterns.

☽ OMEGAS • [ Ω ] ☾

"Emotional providers and nurturers, often take the role of maternal figures whether symbolically or literally. Caring and loving and very in tune with the emotional needs of those closest to them."

Omegas are often portrayed as more sensitive to pheromones than other dynamics, a.k.a. better at "reading people" and responding to the needs of others before they may even be consciously aware of said needs. Of course, IRL pheromones aren't a thing, but omegas are still very in-tune with the emotional states of others and as such, often, omegas can sense a conflict brewing even before it takes place, and prefer to avoid that if possible- they'd prefer to figure out what the cause of upset is, and address the feelings BEFORE they escalate. While the emotional hyper-awareness is useful in many situations, at times it instead results in excessive overthinking and stressing out over very mundane interactions.

The pack roles omegas are most often portrayed as having are usually things that concern the emotional wellbeing and social harmony of the pack, ensuring that its members are feeling cared for, seen&heard and understood, as well as being the "caretakers" for children/young members in the pack. Omegas are often great listeners, and will do so for hours. They're good at validating and echoing the feelings of others, and many omegas actually derive satisfaction from knowing they were able to help someone feel better- even when there wasn't anything to feel BAD about- just being able to offer emotional validation, comfort, or improve someone's mood tends to make omegas feel happy. In general, many Omegas are able to empathize very deeply, and tend to be good at "seeing things from the perspective of others".

Omegas are often portrayed as especially fond of children and having strong maternal instincts towards kids, both those of others, as well as their own. Stereotypically, omegas are portrayed as wanting children of their own (or, as some like to call them, pups), but this isn't really a "every omega ever" thing. This type of maternal instinct can present in MANY ways, and doesn't always even require children in the equation. Being a "chronically 'mom-friend' type person" can be one manifestation of that, for example, while in other cases, Omegas thrive in older sibling/uncle/etc roles, rather than parental ones.

Omegas are often portrayed as highly emotional/emotion-driven themselves, with a highly developed sense of empathy and compassion. This sometimes manifests as overthinking, anxiety, social exhaustion, hyper-empathy, being easily swayed by the reactions and/or feelings of others, a tendency to seek emotional approval and a likelihood to choose people-pleasing over their own wants and needs. While Alphas are more likely to neglect their emotional well-being, Omegas are somewhat an opposite, and tend to neglect taking proper physical care of themselves in favour of "being there" for someone else. Similarly, while Alphas tend to bottle up or brick-wall their emotions and instead keep physically busy, Omegas tend to retreat and isolate and neglect their bodies when feeling bad.

On the more dark side- which I feel is SO important to talk about as I rarely see people bring this up- Omegas, thanks to their high level of emotional intelligence, are also often very skilled at subtle but devastating emotional manipulation and even abuse. Omegas are great at playing the victim to gain sympathy or pity when it suits them, and are great at appealing to the emotions and feelings of other people to sway them- essentially, omegas tend to make for good liars and manipulators. Omegas are far more likely to utilize manipulation tactics, emotional abuse, self-victimization and mind games, than other dynamics- that isn't to say that alphas or betas are incapable of it, or that this is the ONLY way Omegas may be abusive, nor am I saying that every omega is abusive, obviously- but it's good to keep in mind, especially given the fact that certain medias love to portray omegas as "innocent pure uwu cinnamon rolls who can never do any harm".

☽ BETAS • [β] ☾

Let's be real for a moment and skip the quotation mark description I did for both Alphas and Omegas. There is a reason why I left Betas last, but it's not why you might think.

Both due to the fact that in SO MUCH of omegaverse fiction, Betas are simply nothing but an afterthought in a story about an a/o couple, as well as the fact that people have different ideas of things, a "widely accepted common portrayal of what a Beta is like" doesn't really exist. I feel that it's especially important to acknowledge this specifically because this means that people have VERY different headcanons for betas, both in terms of omegaverse, as well as in terms of what it means to be a beta. It WILL look a little different for every individual beta, likely far more so than it does for the other dynamics. The way I see it, there's both good and bad parts about this- the identity of a beta is less "restricted by" or "bound to" any specific traits or aspects, BUT at the same time, a lot of people may struggle with this as well, potentially feeling like they may not "fit in" or that their personal identity as a beta isn't "enough" or is "too strange". The misce community grows over time, mostly because people who were into omegaverse in fiction come across it and go, "wait, I can just be (dynamic)? Cool!" Which often leads to fundamental misunderstandings, and is an entirely different topic to begin with.

Anyway, what I am getting at is that the more "old school" misce blogs and folk, from what I TEND TO SEE, are far more open to all kinds of beta headcanons and interpretations, while the "new blood" coming in (which, hey, my blog isn't that old either, so)- tends to be people who see betas as "the normal people", basically equivalent to not even having a dynamic at all. So let's start there- let's lose that idea right away. Betas are NOT "no dynamic" or "neutral dynamic". Betas are Betas- and people who are NOT misce, and have NO dynamic identity, are the neutral/no-dynamic ones. Those people are not betas by default.

So, what ARE betas?

Short answer? You tell me.

Longer answer? It's largely up to individual interpretation.

Longest answer? ...

The way I have always seen this is that there are various interpretations of a "beta" and none of them are inherently wrong or right. If you're misce and you identify as a beta in the way they are most commonly depicted as being "the normal people of omegaverse", not having cycles (aside from menstrual ones for afab betas), not having specific traits/skills/etc, and just "being normal (in comparison to alphas and omegas)" then that's entirely valid and just as good as any other interpretation. What matter most is that YOU are happy, feel represented, and have a label you like.

However, if you identify differently as a beta- perhaps you DO have a cycle, whether that is a rut or a heat or a mixture of both, either or, or something completely different- that's also just as good- as long as you feel like yourself. (I didn't spend time talking about ruts and heats in the sections for alphas and omegas, since it's quite straightforward, but I may make a post on that at some point.) For now though- I DO actually believe I can think of at least some commonly shared beta-traits, similar to how I did for the previous sections. They may not apply to every interpretation of misce betas, but that's a given.

So, what traits are common to Betas, then?

In my experience, I find that many of my beta-coded or beta friends, they all share a certain energy that's hard for me to explain. Betas, in my eyes, seem very lively- not necessarily that they are "more energetic" or "happier" or anything, it's more like, they seem to be very "alive" in some strange way I cannot quite describe, but it makes me feel good by proxy. The way I see it, Betas, regardless of how introverted they are in terms of personality, are almost always incredibly easy to talk to, have really comforting presences, and overall make any friend group feel "complete" and "balanced".

This is actually something I noticed very strongly at Pride yesterday! A bunch of my friends are Betas, a good few are Alpha, and a couple are other Omegas (at least, in terms of how I tend to see them), and without fail, Betas always feel like the glue that makes the group feel complete. In MANY cases, they're the bridge between myself and people I've never even met, and their presence lifts everyone's spirits. Betas make groups feel like teams instead of a handful of individuals sharing a space.

Not only that- they're INSANELY resourceful and prepared. As soon as I mentioned my shoes were starting to chafe, two band-aids were IMMEDIATELY handed to me by one of my very beta-coded friends. If anyone is going to survive the apocalypse, I'm betting on the betas in a heartbeat. They're prepared, they know how to keep themselves AND their friends alive, they're good at organizing stuff and delegating tasks to the most appropriate people. Whoever thinks Alphas are at the top and rule the world are WRONG. It's Betas. It's always Betas. If they stopped existing, the world would grind to a halt in less than 12 hours, I'm calling it now. Betas get shit done and make it work, and not only that, they can gigure out what your strengths are, and can figure out which tasks you'd be best at. I'm 100% certain that almost every competent manager, strategist, advisor, expert, scout, spy, organizer, consultant, etc. Is always a Beta. If you want solid advice and good insights with anything practical, ask a Beta. They will either know the answer, or will point you to someone else who does.

From what I've observed, Betas are clever, resourceful, creative and innovative, good at planning ahead AND coming up with ideas on the fly. In terms of pack roles, it fully makes sense to me to view Betas as the leaders and practical thinkers who ensure things work. While Alphas may be the kind to defend the pack from external threats, the Betas are the ones who will help you avoid the threats in the first place. Omegas may be good at predicting and avoiding conflict and resolving feelings that may lead to internal disagreements, but Betas are the ones who will SOLVE conflicts, come up with compromises, and ensure nobody is treated unfairly.

And honestly, this is why I hope misce betas chime in! Please describe your experiences as Betas and of being a beta in misce communities, what it means to you and who you are, etc. In the notes? As I said many times- my observations only go so far.

About Misce- Personal Experience;

a.k.a. this is the part where I ramble even more.

So, I've talked about various stuff, and this is the second-to-last part. In the last part, I will try to provide my personal advice and takes, so skip there if my personal life experiences do not interest you at all. This part is just something I wanted to include, because while I've never personally really questioned my dynamic identity, I want to talk about things that COULD have made me question it, and why.

Omega.

I've always identified as one so strongly that I confidently named my blog "omegapheromone" and refer to myself online as "Gamie", a play on the word "Omega" itself, just rearranged and one letter off. I identified as an omega before I knew what misce was.

But, the people around me haven't been so confident about it.

I don't know if I'll have deleted that post by the time this one is finally done, or by the time you're reading this, whether that's the same day or a year or more from this post's date of posting- but I very recently shared a selfie, a face reveal of sorts. If it's deleted, let me describe myself in it: an androgynous/boyish person with pastel-coloured hair and clothes.

From that selfie, you wouldn't think it, especially with the angle and such- but I'm actually quite tall (167cm/5'5", almost 5'6" or so). Tall, and I have strangely broad shoulders and back for an AFAB person. I'm actually taller and often more "broad" than many of my friends, and in the past, when hanging out with friends, I've heard the "so are you the 'man' in the relationship" type comments when people have mistaken me and any of my friends for a couple. This is how people, even other queer people, tend to view me for some reason. It doesn't bother me TOO much these days, but it used to, and I still find myself wishing I was smaller, shorter, more "dainty" so that people would immediately think "oh, an omega", instead of assuming I'm an "alpha" (or in the case of real world, assuming I'm the assertive and sexually dominant type). I'd like it if people looked at me and, instead of feeling like I'm the type to care for and protect them, saw me as something they want to take care of and protect. It sounds incredibly cliché, but after living 20+ years with this being my experience (being seen as the type that protects ans dotes on others and whatnot), it's just something that's stuck with me. All my exes have approached me with the assumption that I was a dominant type, often also flat out thinking I was a cis dude (somehow, though I guess in the past my sense of fashion wasn't as "cutesy", and instead was more edgy). They weren't turned off by the fact that I flat out had to tell them, no, I'm very much a bottom and you cannot make me top for the life of me, trust me, it WILL NOT be good for either of us. I'd say "lucky me" but the most notable case turned out to be abusive and controlling, so I can't really say that, either. Of course, as I said above, sexual preferences have NOTHING to do with one's dynamic, for me it just happens to coincide that I'm an omega, a bottom, AND for some reason, have a very assertive/dominant aura despite not being either of those things, and as a result, to me, it feels like people are constantly just mistaking me for the "generic portrayal of an alpha".

As much as I complain about feeling dejected that I doubt I'll ever REALLY have the experience where "oh I want to dote on and protect him" is the other person's very first impression/thought, I've made peace with it. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn't matter so much- there's someone for everyone, or however the saying goes.

Still, it's interesting. For as long as I can remember, people have described me with words like "intimidating", saying that they've been afraid to approach because I look like I'm somehow either "too cool" for them, or "wouldn't want to talk" or whatever. Maybe I've built walls that are just too high after getting bullied as a child, or maybe my general detachment and aloofness have made me come across as cold and unwilling to make friends. It's not true though- I do genuinely enjoy meeting people and making friends. To an extent I'm aloof, and at times I will just disappear for a while before acting like no time passed at all, but that's not me trying to be distant on purpose at all.

Anyway, all of that is to say, I've never doubted my omega-ness. I've identified as one since I was a teen and read my first omegaverse fanfics. It's just something I've known. Sometimes I've wondered if I should TRY to force myself to be more of a top and pretend to be an Alpha, but the idea is just uncomfortable. I'd just be lying, both to myself and any potential partner having to experience it- and I don't like how lying to myself feels at all. It's like playing a character I hate, a mockery or parody of who I actually am, and it just makes me feel bad. I refuse to define myself based on the assumptions OTHER PEOPLE make about me, based on my height, build, "vibe" or anything else. If they make an assumption and are wrong about it, that's on THEM for making an assumption. I'm not going to cut my legs off just to be shorter, and I'm not going to strave myself (again) just to seem "dainty and fragile and weak and in need of protection" either. Fuck that, I have internal organ damage from that already, so no thanks, I'm not going to make that worse.

The Advice

the part where I actually answer the question asked.

Alright, so the question bears repeating since I've rambled so long it literally took an entire day to write this post;

Do I have any advice? Some. Most of it I've touched on already. Sit down with yourself openly and honestly, and question what your concepts are based on. Are you forcing yourself to fit a fictional stereotype thar was never meant to suit real life people to begin with, or do you ACTUALLY identify with something? Sit down with what your idea of misce as a whole is, and question what it means to you, what your place in it is, and take time to get familiar with various portrayals of all different kinds of dynamics, not just the most stereotypical ones. Domestic soft homemaker alphas, CEO boss dom omegas, betas who AREN'T just "normal guy in a world of alphas and omegas". Also even if you find a list of "traits that (dynamic xyz) has always!!!!", take your time to look at it. Are there alternative ways to interpret it? Can some traits show up differently? Does "protective" always mean "possessive"? Could it not mean "caring, concerned of their friends' wellbeing, the type to stay up until 4am to ensure a friend gets home safe and texts them, and if they don't, will physically drive over to check on them"? You get the idea.

"Because I'm a smaller person and more submissive?" - I already talked a Lot about this, but why are these things "inherently omega" traits in your mind, anon? Try saying this out loud: "Every omega is a small person, and every omega is always submissive, no matter what." If it feels uncomfortable to state that confidently as fact, then you likely never believed that yourself to begin with, but rather were telling yourself that you "have to be a certain way because you do not fit the stereotype of the OTHER things". You don't have to fit a mold. The molds are based on fiction anyway- you're you. What matters is how YOU feel, what YOU feel most comfortable with, and what label YOU vibe with the most. You don't have to force the identity of an omega onto yourself if you feel more like an alpha, just because you happen to be "smaller and more submissive". Yet again, sexual preferences don't dictate your dynamic at all either. If you feel more like an alpha, then that's all you need. There's no height requirement, this isn't an amusement park ride. There's no minimum muscle mass requirement, this is not a bodybuilder competition. There's no requirement to be dominant or a top or anything at all- that's not even what misce is about. You are you, and what you vibe with is the most important. If that means being a small and more submissive alpha, then congrats on presenting as an alpha!!! You are loved and accepted here!!! 💕

Love you, anon, I hope this helps even a little, and I hope you find what YOU are most comfortable with!

[monstrous-femme]

So You Want to Write Poly Fic: A How-To from Your Favorite Poly Mutual

(i know for many of you I'm your only poly mutual so that works too)

This guide is going to rely heavily on Stranger Things pairings, because that's the fandom I'm currently writing in, but these concepts can apply to any fandom.

Expand your definition of Polyamory

Fandom loves the triad, and if this is what you want to write, there's no reason not to. However, three people all dating each other should not be the only thing you think of when you think of polyamory! Here are some other configurations for your consideration:

Jonathan is dating both Nancy and Argyle, but Nancy and Argyle are not dating each other

Chrissy is dating Robin, but sometimes makes out with Heather at parties.

Eddie, Steve, and Nancy are all dating each other, and Nancy has a separate relationship with Barb.

Steve and Robin have a queerplatonic relationship that they consider their primary partnership, but both date other people in a casual setting.

Chrissy is not ready to be in a relationship after breaking up with Jason, but has casual hookups with multiple people who are aware of and comfortable with the situation.

2. Pay attention to your dyads.

One of the most common mistakes I see in poly fics is trying to superimpose the same way you'd write monogamous pairings onto more people. The problem with this is that in a couple with only two people, you are only writing one relationship. In a poly ship, you're writing more, and probably a higher number than you think of. This is where the dyad comes in.

A dyad simply the relationship between two people. Say you're writing Nancy/Chrissy/Robin (as you should). You're not just writing the one relationship between the three of them. There are also three separate relationships to consider:

Chrissy/Nancy Robin/Chrissy Nancy/Robin

Each of these relationships will have its own dynamic, and just because they're all dating doesn't mean it will all be the same. This is why I often caution newer writers away from writing relationships with tons of characters off the bat. The jump from a triad to a quad moves you from 3 dyads to 6. Now, depending on your POV character, you may not have to focus much on every single dyad, but you do need to be aware of their existence.

3. Metamour Dynamics

A metamour is a person who your partner is dating and you are not dating. Metamour dynamics can be very complicated (but also very fun to play with when writing) because of the feelings that can come up seeing your partner with someone else.

Let's say both Steve and Robin are dating Nancy, but not each other. Are they thrilled to never have to be apart? Do they find it hilarious how much they share one brain? Or do they get sick of never having space away from each other? Does Robin resent that Steve's relationship with Nancy is more recognized by society because of heteronormativity? Does Steve resent that Robin's never had her heart broken by Nancy?

Metamours also may be awkward or choose not to interact. Let's say Nancy's dating both Barb and Eddie now. Do Barb and Eddie form an unlikely friendship? Are they consistently awkward and tense to a point where Nancy doesn't keep them near each other?

There are as many different metamour dynamics as there are people, and giving some life to these relationships will give a lot of texture and realism to your poly fic.

4. Let it be Messy

When we write monogamous pairings, most writers in a longer fic will include things not working out, miscommunication, hurt feelings, jealousy, anger, and angst. But there seems to be an anxiety around allowing any of these things to exist in polyamory, as if by admitting it's not always perfect, we're giving ammunition to polyphobia. (This same pressure is put on poly people in real life to be the Perfect Poly Partner and never experience difficult feelings around polyamory.)

The truth is, relationships are complicated. And while I love seeing poly pairings in fluff and smut, there seems at time to be real resistance to putting poly pairings into genres that are messier.

Mess is a part of life. Mess is especially a part of intimate, vulnerable relationships, and, on a personal note, I need the mess to exist in fiction because stories are how I understand myself. When poly people are allowed to be human, it helps me (and probably other poly people) give myself permission to be human too. You are not hurting the poly community if your characters mess up, especially if it's in real and human ways.

I hope this helps you feel more comfortable and confident writing poly characters! Feel free to shoot me an ask if you have any follow-up questions.

[bangtaninborderland]

Pairing: OT7 x Reader, || word count: 9.4k || Genre: Smut (18+)

Warning: degradation, smut, dom!everyone sub! YN/JK, fingering, ruined orgasm, oral (m receiving), milking, nipple play, bd(s)m, hair pulling, spanking, overstimulation, orgy, tons of gay stuff.

A/N: So! I wrote this in 4 days it is 9 k and it was so difficult because it is all smut, the first part continues from the last chapter meaning it didn’t start in the morning but the night before. I decided to give Yoonmin AND jikook a special scene. As for YNS back story it starts when you see two asterisks ** it ends after that paragraph. If you are not interested in it then skip it, it doesn’t massively impact the story and I wrote it so you won’t be missing anything. As always please give me your feedback. Love y’all!

p.s CONFESSIONALS ARE STILL OPEN SEND ME YOUR CHARACTER QUESTIONS!

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DAY THIRTY-SEVEN

You knew you had a specific prize In mind, whether or not you could and would be granted that reward was something that left you feeling a rather dull sense of uncertainty. However, you chose to ignore this and headed straight to the producers' van as you were sure of your choice.

“YN is everything okay?” Was the first thing Sejin asked, upon seeing you he opened the door, coming down the steps to lean against the stationary vehicle. Normally you’d be more than happy to have a long conversation with him but now wasn’t the time for that, not when butterflies danced around your stomach and threatened to spew from your mouth.

You gave him a curt nod. “I want to talk about the reward..”

“What have you chosen?”

“I want one day with them, 24 hours with no rules or limits. I want to be able to touch them all and vice Versa. Is that possible?”

“I would have to talk to the producers about it, we would be two days short on time for the prompts but if you think that’s sufficient then I don’t see any issue with it. Give me 10 minutes, I’ll check in with them and see what they say.” He smiled at you before one against disappearing into the van. You didn’t try to eavesdrop as you paced back and forth outside, the fear of being told no starting to gnaw at you.

You almost jumped as a hand came to rest on your shoulder, only relaxing when you see Yoongi there. “Why do you look like a deer in headlights?”

“Because I asked for what I wanted but I’m afraid I’ll be told no.” You sighed, wrapping your arms around him for a hug.

He must have been able to tell you needed the comfort as he rested a hand on your back, his fingers lazily drawing patterns over the fabric of Jungkooks shirt. “What did you ask for love?”

“To have you all for 24 hours with no rules or limits just us all together. I didn’t want to tell anyone in case they said no, I didn’t want to give false hope.”

“What are we going to do with you hm?” He pulled back, hand stroking your cheek. “Always the kindest.”

“It’s hard yoon. I don’t say it much but it’s hard, seeing everyone and not being able to touch them. Whilst we are here the primary focus is the show, I know that’s changed for us but somehow it hasn’t because we still have to complete everything given to us. I’ll never regret coming here because it led me all to you but I wish we had more time to be with each other, I wish we could all go on a date together. A big date. I know that sounds ridiculous but I want you all and I want you all to want each other and to want me. I don’t want anything to change.”

He searched your eyes for a moment before pressing a tender kiss to your cheekbone. “You’ve been keeping a little too much in sweetheart, you’ve got to let it out some time we are all here for you. Most of us couldn’t get through this show if it wasn’t for you.”

“Well, that's probably kind of because I have a vagina and I’m the lady of the house.” You laugh through light tears that had begun to blur your vision.

He shook his head, chuckling lightly. “No, your smile on a difficult day, the way you care for us individually, the way you support us all regardless of what way you do it. We need you just as much as we need Hoseok, or Taehyung, seokjin Hyung, Namjoonie, kook-ah or Jimin.

You smiled a bit. Even in the most stressful situations, any of their presence was such a pacifying one, it silenced the disquieted feelings in you, leaving you with a slight warmth and a resolve that no matter what happens everything will be okay.

“Once it’s nearer the end I think we should all gather and talk again, we could all use it.” You knew that you weren’t the only one with worries, your conversation with Taehyung just a week earlier had lingered in your mind, the real possibility that in the outside world things just wouldn’t work out.

You didn’t have any more time to discuss the matter as Sejin opened the door, both of your heads turning to face him. You couldn’t read his facial expressions so you had nothing to go off as he approached you. “Well, I’ve talked with them.”

“And?”

“You’ve got until midday on Tuesday, it’s Sunday now so that’s a little over 24 hours but the producing team said we had gotten a good amount of footage and it should still be possible to get the prompts done between Tuesday and Sunday as there’s still five days and only three left. “

“Wait really?” You turned to face yoongi who was wearing a smile just as big as yours, they all knew they could touch each other so this may have been selfish as realistically you were the only one benefitting from it yet still the doctor only smiled at you, for you. “I have to go tell them.”

You almost run away before thanking Sejin who just replied with a “yeah yeah.”

You made a note to truly thank him before the show was over, the finish line almost in view. For now, that didn’t matter, for now, you have seven amazing people to spend 24 free hours with.

You nearly tripped over the doorframe as you slipped your shoes off, only steadying yourself before rushing into the living room where everyone had gathered. “We have 24 hours, 24 hours no rules we can touch we can do whatever we can be together just as normal with no worry about being evicted.”

Everyone stood up slowly from their respective seats darted around the room, each and every face holding a look of anticipation and hope that brought a smile to your lips. “So…they said yes?”

“We have a little more than 24 hours, our time finishes at midday on Tuesday.” You explained excitedly, their faces reading back the joy you felt.

“You thought of the most perfect prize petal.” Taehyung laughed, crossing the room to take your hand in his, kissing the back of it gently.

Jungkook shuffled from one foot to another, hands clasping awkwardly at either side. “I want to kiss you so badly.”

“Then why are you waiting?” You asked daringly, raising your eyebrows only to encourage the cam boy.

“Fuck I missed this.” He rasped, hand resting atop your cheek gently as the other hand slid to your neck, gripping it lightly. The kiss embodies everything Jungkook is as a person. His soft and sweet side morphing with the flirtatious and downright sexy side of him. You almost wanted to demand he chose one - sweet or sexy, you weren’t sure you could handle him being both.

Taehyung was next. Nudging Jungkook to the side as he rested a hand atop your hip as the other gripped the back of your neck, trapping your lips against his. You moaned into his mouth as he tugged on your hair, which only caused the others to groan.

“Seokjinnie.” You called out as taehyung stepped away, making grabby hands at the older man who happily divulged you. He crossed the small space between you in two steps, long fingers caressing your face. You had almost forgotten how beautifully the man kissed, every millisecond filled with softness but also a light air of dominance. Lips both barely brushing against yours and being overwhelmingly forceful. “Fuck.” He whispered pulling away, resting his forehead against yours to allow you both time to bathe your breath.

“Where’s hobi?” You asked, looking around until you see him standing behind Namjoon.

“Can I hug you?” You asked, wanting to have the man close, as much as you respected his identity and preference it didn’t cause a faint sadness in your heart that you’d never be able to show him the love you held for him in the way you had once hoped to. As his arms wrapped around you that feeling disappeared into some dark corner of your mind, the warmth of his body against yours and the sound feeling that he was there for you just as much as anyone else even though it may be different was more than enough to make you feel complete.

“Group hug,” Jungkook shouted, plummeting into your both as everyone else joined. Even yoongi, although he will swear later he didn’t.

“Group kiss?” Taehyung asked, only to be responded with giggles and a poke to his side from Hoseok.

“I don’t want to sleep, I can finally touch you all and kiss you all, I don’t want to waste any of that time.” You sighed, everyone slowly letting go of the hug. “I missed this so much.”

Seokjin wrapped an arm around your waist, pressing a kiss to your forehead. “We did too baby but sleeping is important, we sleep early we can wake up early. I’ll get dinner started, yoon do you want to help?”

“Okay, Hyung.” Yoongi nodded giving your arm a final squeeze before walking off with seokjin, if anyone noticed the way their fingers entwined the second they were away from the group no one said anything.

Before you could move Jungkook had already wrapped his arms around you from behind, pulling you close against him as though any distance was too far. You couldn’t say you didn’t feel the need to be close to them all, especially now there were no limits to the way you could touch them, you had never thought the rules would be an issue but then again you never anticipated falling in love with everyone here.

“What are you thinking about?” Namjoon asked from across the room, the book he had been reading for the past few days placed atop the table beside him.

You shook your head leaning back against Jungkook. “Just how much I missed this”

“C'mon Hyung, you know baby is always greedy.” Jimin teased, tongue darting out to wet his lips.

“I may be greedy but so are you. I don’t ever hear you complain when I let you fuck me senseless.” You retorted, you could play dangerously too. “Taehyungie, come here.” You reached out a hand to the other. Jungkook didn’t move but relaxed one arm to pull taehyung to you. It felt thrilling to be trapped between the pair, their bodies flush against yours. You couldn’t move even if you tried and you like that far more than you cared to admit, the feeling of being helpless between two of the sexiest men you’ve ever met left you feeling dizzy your legs giving out just a little as Taehyung brought his fingers to your lips.

“Open.” His voice was demanding and left no room for argument so you didn’t, you parted your lips slightly allowing him enough space to slide his finger into your mouth. You closed your lips around the digit, swirling your tongue around the pad of his thumb. “Fuck.” He groaned. “I want to watch you fall apart piece by piece.”

“Hyung,” Jungkook called out, you could feel his cock growing against your ass which only encouraged your own arousal. “You should wait until after dinner.” What? No. That is exactly what you didn’t want. You tried shaking your head but Taehyung slid his thumb out, fingers gripping painfully into your chin. “Be patient.”

You let out a whine in protest, pulling him closer to you only for him to grab your throat. “Ah ah, don’t even try it sweetheart, quiet okay? Behave and I promise I’ll make you feel good later.”

Your mouth went dry. Completely mesmerised by the man, you were sure you were falling in love all over again. “O-okay.”

It had been a while since you felt this floaty, this pliant and willing, for a moment you felt fear before falling slack against jungkook a mist covering your mind and leaving you feeling blissful.

“Did you just?” You heard someone ask, not bothering to find out who it was. Everything felt right, you didn’t want to disturb that.

You heard a voice close to you, jimin maybe. “Subspace?”

“I think so.” You reached forward for taehyung, wanting him next to you only to be pulled away by someone else. “Come here, darling.”

You whined, trying to find your way back to taehyung. “Tae.”

“He’s coming, baby. Tae Tae is coming let’s go sit down hm?” You could recognise the feeling of namjoons hands on your arms, guiding you over to the couch.

“Jungkook go and get some water.” Jimin directed the younger, you buried yourself deeper into namjoons frame, his warmth being inviting.

You weren’t stupid you knew what was happening but you couldn’t bring yourself to care, you felt safe with them, safe enough to let them take care of everything for a little while. “Jinnie.”

“You want Seokjin Hyun?” Namjoon asked, rubbing a hand up and down your back.

You nodded, or at least you think you did. “Yoongi too.”

“Okay okay.” He laughed calling the others in.

“What’s wrong?” Yoongi asked walking over to where you were nestled against Joon. “Is she okay?”

“Tae was having a little fun with her and she seemed to slip.” Jungkook answered, taking a seat at the end of the couch. “She said she wanted both of you.”

“Hoseok can you go and watch the food?” Jin would have asked one of the youngers but he was sure something would burn and Hoseok was the only one who knew how to season the meat right.

The dominant stepped forward, happy to help, he was always happy to help. You didn’t want him to help. You didn’t want anyone to do anything but be around you. “No!” You mumbled, wanting them all around you. “Stay.”

Yoongi was in front of you, hands on your face. Hobi stood behind him, close enough you could touch him. “We all need to eat darling, so do you.”

“I’ll be gone a few minutes and then I will come back and sit with you okay?” Hoseok spoke up, reaching out to grab your hand. “Be good for me, I know you want us all here with you I promise once we all eat we can make a pillow fort across the floor and all sleep downstairs.”

You loved this side of Hoseok, it wasn’t one you found yourself the pleasure of seeing often so whenever it did make an appearance you filed the memory away in your mind for safekeeping. “okay but be quick.” You found yourself pouting, if you weren’t feeling so floaty you may have been hit with a wave of embarrassment but that consciousness was too far out of reach.

“Can you drink some for me sweetheart?” Jin bent down, brushing your hair away from your forehead. You moved forward, allowing yourself to drink from the bottle with ease before sitting back against namjoon. “So good baby.”

You smiled at the praise, head lulling against the philosopher. “Love you.” You whispered, wanting them all to know how you felt, even if it wasn’t a huge deceleration those words held a meaning you wished some day to explain.

Everyone responded, at least you think everyone did. The blanket that clouded your mind had only caused you to feel tired and despite the dinner you knew was being cooked there was no good reason to hold back from sleep, so you didn’t. With Namjoons body against you and the comforting voices of the others around the room, you slipped into dreamland peacefully.

“She’s asleep I think.” Jimin touched namjoons shoulder. “Want me to move so you can lay her down?”

“No it’s okay, I don’t want to disturb her.” Namjoon refused, leaning back to give himself more room.

“That was definitely different, she’s never gone into a submissive headspace like that before. At least not with me.” Hoseok spoke up, leaning against the wall. “Jimin?”

Jimin pursed his lips together, rethinking all the times there had ever been a scene between the two of you before shaking his head. “She’s never been like that before whenever we have gotten into a scene, yes she has her moments of being in a submissive space but never to that extent and never that fast.”

“It’s not like it’s a bad thing.” Tae smiled, head resting on Jungkooks shoulder. “Right?”

“It’s not bad I’ve seen people fall harder and faster but it’s more so the reasoning for it, you weren’t extremely dominant with her and it didn’t become sexual. Sometimes entering a submissive space isn’t caused by pleasure it can be caused by stress, those who have fallen into submissive headspace can often use that place to keep them grounded or even relaxed if they are experiencing stress or going through a stressful situation. I think the emotions that come along with the rules being lifted for 24 hours only have her all the more reason to submit.”

“Let’s let her sleep until dinner, call me if she wakes up.” Seokjin didn’t wait for a response before turning towards the kitchen Yoongi following behind him.

—-

“Baby?” You felt yourself shaking lightly, pulling you from the dream you had just been living in. “You gotta wake up petal dinner is ready.”

“Jin?” You mumbled, reaching for the man. The absence of namjoons body against yours left you feeling cold. “Did I sleep long?”

He wrapped an arm around you, helping you sit up. “No, only about thirty minutes give or take. How are you feeling?”

You took his hand, steadying yourself as you stood. Still sleepy you chose to rest your head against his shoulder earning a light chuckle from you. “M’ okay. Not feeling like that anymore”

“It was an adorable sight to see,” Seokjin replied, a hand rubbing up and down your back. “

You groaned wanting to throw yourself back on the couch to sleep. “Food.”

“Sure sweet girl let’s go get you some food.” It felt good to be like this with him, this natural feeling to your conversation and actions with one another. “Jimin said he wanted to tell you something.”

You nodded towards seokjin, thanking him for waking you before taking a spare seat between Jimin and Namjoon. “Feeling better?” Jimin leaned in, questioning with a smirk.

You pushed him lightly, embarrassment seeping in. “Shut up.”

“Wow someone woke up feisty.” Hoseok laughed, passing you the salad bowl. You lightly snatched it out of his hand, sticking your tongue out. You ignored his teasing as you turned to Jimin.

“Seokjin said you had something to say?” You raised an eyebrow, cutting into the steak on your plate.

“I asked Sejin if we could do the date on Wednesday, it wouldn’t interrupt with your time to be with everyone else. He said it was okay as long as you were fine with it.” He explained, filling your glass with water. “You should enjoy this time.”

Despite your grogginess and the mild irritation seeping through your bones at the teasing happening just across the table, you felt so much love and pride that these were the people you’d found yourself falling in love with. Kind-hearted and considerate.

A shy smile melted across your face, eyes softening at him. “Thank you. Seriously Jimin, that means so much to me.”

“Don’t thank me for that, there are many things you could thank me for but now that. I wish you could have us all the time. How does it really feel?” He asked, his question quite in comparison to the chatter around you.

You held the food close to your mouth, raising an eyebrow at him. “How does what feel?”

“The show, us, everything.” There was a weight to his question you were unsure if you liked.

“The show is fine, there are moments I find myself questioning why we don’t all leave just to be rid of the rules but I think the time we get with one another and of course ending the prize keeps us all here. With us I feel good, happy, I think we all have concerns about the future but apart from that I’m okay.”

He looked over you, as though hoping to deduce whether or not you were being truthful, eventually, he nodded. “I’m always here for you.”

You once again thanked him, looking down at your plate to prevent an onslaught of unwanted tears at his sudden and unexpected affection. You thanked the gods when his attention returned to his food as he began talking to Yoongi.

The meal passed quickly, everyone checking in with you now an again whenever their own conversation ended. You didn’t feel like talking much instead you opted to watch them all, Seokjin was in a heated debate with Hoseok about a game they had both played courtesy of Jungkook, eventually the younger threatening to delete their progress if they didn’t stop. It was endearing how despite being the youngest Jungkook still carried an aura of maturity to him. Namjoon had given his opinion a few times on the conversation between yoongi, taehyung and Jimin. Namjoon had asked Yoongi what it was like to be a gynaecologist and exactly why he had chosen that career, it led to yoongi explaining his entire university experience with Jimin and Taehyung asking questions in between their completely obvious game of footsies.

**The outside world wasn’t perfect, you knew that. You’d had many fights with your parents over the years about your choices at school, choosing to take art with a desire to make beautiful things in the world. Eventually, they had grown to be accepting of your “outward” choices. You found a knack for nudity, the rawness that came from seeing something in its natural element. Once or twice you’d found yourself modelling for art classes, though you’d never tell your parents that. Being an only child wasn’t easy, it was definitely lonely growing up but your parents did whatever they could to keep you entertained, they gave you everything they had and then some. You remember the conversations your mother would have with you about finding someone who brought you the same happiness you felt then, who respected you and loved you as much as they did. It was at that moment, your eyes darting from face to face you realised you’d done just that. You’d found people you could call family. **

The night passed rarely quickly, you’d offered to help clean up only to be told that Jungkook would bare the task tonight after losing a game of rock paper scissors with Hoseok. The game you once found no meaning in had become a staple for resolving issues or making decisions, although you did notice how wrong that could lead things to being. You’d enjoyed watching them all, you had laughed so much at one point after Namjoon had snorted water out of his nose when Taehyung had joked and said his cock was showing through a hole in his pants. All in all the night was perfect.

Hoseok followed through on his promise of you all sleeping in the same room in a makeshift bed, limbs entwined with one another, soft kisses and rough groping and light moans shared between you all. The day had been exhausting with the tasks earlier and then the sudden slip into sub-space. Sleep was well welcomed, and everyone slowly fell into a comforting quietness.

You once again heard sweet whispers of “goodnight.” In your ear just as the curtains of sleep converted you.

The morning started off with a bang, literally. To be more specific it started off with a very tired Namjoon knocking off 4 glasses from the shelf in an attempt to get some water. You’d all jumped up, fright and various stages of panic set across your faces as you all run to check what had happened only to be met with Namjoon shouting “Be careful, there’s glass.”

“What- who? Namjoon?” Seokjin stuttered, eyes flickering from the shards on the floor to the open cupboard. “How.”

“Well, Hyung I tried to reach back for the glass I like but then when I was pulling it out one fell and then I tried to catch the others but that led to me dropping the one I liked and then I tried to catch that one which meant all the others fell. I’m sorry it was an accident.” There was an immaturity to Namjoons clumsiness but it was something you found endearing. He was a gentle giant with no perception of his surroundings. “I’ll clean it up.” He offered shyly, about to move before Yoongi shouted to him.

“Don’t, wait there do not move.” He rushed to the door, grabbed some slippers, throwing them to Namjoon who just about caught them. “Put them on and step over here, mind the glass as much as you can. Hobi get the broom and find something to sweep it into. Everyone else go and sit in the living room, watch the floor for any shards that may have flown across the room.”

It took ten minutes before yoongi had finished cleaning up the mess, you all dispersed, heading off to brush your teeth and freshen up before returning to the living room where yoongi had been waiting waving a hand in disregard at Namjoons countless apologies. “It’s fine it’s all clean now just be careful in case of any stray shards.”

“Thanks for cleaning it Hyung. Jimin passed him a smile before winning at you.”

“There’s only one good way to spend this day.” Taehyung stood, rushing to pull yoongi to the couches.

Jimin leant forward, resting his arms on his legs. “And what’s that pup?”

“An orgy.”

“I’m in.” Jungkook responded with no hesitation, standing up as if almost to volunteer.

“I don’t see why not.” Seokjin added, nudging yoongi who sat back with a smirk across his lips, eyes twisting to something filled with lust.

Namjoon coughed, pressing his palms together. “What do you think YN?”

“I want you all. Maybe that makes me greedy but I don’t want to waste a second of this day.”

“Hobi?” You turned, facing the one who had been quietest throughout the whole discussion.

“Only if jimin goes down on me.” He laughed, a bright smile across his face however you could tell he was serious. “Are you in?”

“Please you couldn’t even last, let’s make it a real bet. I make you cum in 5 minutes and you don’t fuck anyone for a week. I lose and I’ll not fuck anyone but YN for a week.”

“Doesn’t really seem fair.” Hoseok smirked, his eyebrows raising as he seemed to have come up with another idea. “You’ll have ruined orgasms an entire week.”

“Fine whatever, not like I’m going to lose anyway.” Jimin squared his shoulders, almost as if promising he would be the lone survivor of another crazy bet.

Jungkook broke the tension as he threw down a pillow, raising a fist. “May the best cock win.”

“Jungkook no.” Yoongi laughed, the younger boy jumping from his spot only to wrap himself around the other man.

“Or what?” The younger teased, picking up the pillow from the floor. You watched as he swayed his hips at the doctor who only tightened his grip on the couch. “I don’t see you doing anything Hyung.”

“Jungkook.” Yoongis's voice was laced with an unspoken demand, it was always interesting and extremely hot to watch the little moments where they would fight for dominance considering you lived in a house with seven others you didn’t see it half as much as you would have liked to.

“I want Jinnie.” You called out, the older man’s attention on you within an instant, his body colliding with you as his lips devoured you as though he was starved. His hands were firm on your hips keeping you still as you tried to press against him.

“Let’s get these clothes out of the way baby girl, I want to see you.” He mumbled against you, barely waiting for a nod before pulling your shirt over your head, your shorts following Instantly.

He pulled you back towards the couch, pulling down his own pants before taking a seat on it, you climbed on top of him, aligning his cock with your entrance.

You dug your nails into his shoulders as you slid onto his cock, his length filling you up. Your cunt stretched around his bulging cock. “Fuck you’re so perfect.”

You giggled at the compliment. “Says the literal Angel.”

“Darling if you keep complimenting me like that I’m going to “

You began riding him before he could finish his sentence, he pulled you closer, kissing you as you continued riding him. “Fuck you feel so fucking good.” He groaned, his head thrown back allowing you to leave marks up his neck.

You felt a hand in your hand pulling you back, their hand tangled in your hair. You were met with a dark-eyed yoongi. “Keep riding him.”

The command was short but it only encouraged you to grind down, riding your hips in circles as Yoongi kissed you. “Open your mouth.”

You opened your mouth, Seokjin groaning as he watched Yoongi spit into your mouth.

“Come here,” Seokjin grunted, pulling you toward his mouth. You knew what he was doing, both of you kissed tasting yoongi between you.

“Hyung.” You heard taehyung call. You turned to look, watching as taehyung fell to his knees, eagerly taking Yoongis cock down his throat. Yoongis moans and curses only turned you on more, your pussy tightening around seokjins cock.

Jin tapped your leg. “Fuck get up baby. On your hands and knees.”

You moved around, climbing onto the couch on your hands and knees, arching your back as much as possible to allow the man access to you.

You bit your lip as he slid in, his cock on the larger side making you feel stretched. “Let me hear you, baby.” He whispered in your ear, his body flush against your back as he thrusts up into you.

You pushed back against him, a growl spilling from his lips. “Fuck I love you, so perfect sweetheart, so good.”

You moaned at his sudden declaration, his cock pounding into you the lewd sounds of skin slapping echoing off the walls. “Love you my jinnie, oh- oh I’m –“

“You can hold on baby, not yet.” He grunted, pulling your hair back as he straightened up, mercilessly fucking into you as deep as possible. You felt your eyes roll back, feeling drunk from the pleasure, your body slumped the energy you had to hold yourself up drained.

You lay there for a few more seconds, incoherent mumbles and pleas slipping from your mouth hands reaching back to touch him, you felt as he slipped his hand into yours. Leaning forward once more to press kisses to your spine. “I’m going to cum.”

“Don’t…don’t pull out..” you whined, ���wanna be full.”

“Whatever you want princess.” He chuckles, his voice low. He thrust a few more times before he fell forward, your orgasms hitting you at the same time. You shuffled around, managing to lay on your back as he rested between your tits. “You’re so beautiful, you did so good baby I’m so proud of you.” He whispered, his hand running up and down your tight as you watched everyone else.

Taehyung had been with Yoongi, the younger grinding down on the doctor's thigh. Lazy kisses are shared between them.

You watched as Hoseok sat on the couch beside you. Turning your attention to him as he called out a soft. “Come here.” .You shuffled over to him, legs still shaky from the orgasm Seokjin gave you. “Turn around. Let me look at you.”

You turned, facing away from him yelling as he landed an unsuspecting slap to your ass cheek, reaching down to rub the spot h before he gripped your wrist, pulling you towards him. “You look so pretty with my marks all over you. The perfect little slut.”

“Ugh- Hoseok.” You groaned out as his fingers came up to play with your nipples, alternating between pulling them and flicking them between his fingers. With a particular painful pinch, he leant closer to you. His lips right by your ear. “What was that darling?”

“Master.” You whispered, your hands squeezing his thighs as his fingers continued to tease your cunt. “Fuck please sir.”

“What’s your colour?” He asked, a moment of concern flashing over his face, only disappearing when you whine a desperate “green.”

“Tell me exactly what you want.” He rasped, his free hand coming to wrap around your throat,

Hoseok stilled your hips, essentially leaving you cock warming him as taehyung grabs your jaw, guiding your lips to his cock. “You’re going to take care of him, you’re going to stay still until he cums down your throat. If you move at all I’m going to tie you up and let everyone use you as their little glory hole for the next - well - however long they want to. After all, you love having cock in you, don’t you? In fact, that may make you a little too happy. Hm?” Hoseoks voice rasped against you, hand still firm on your chin as he suddenly thrusted into you, causing you to emit half a scream.

“Yn is so pretty for us isn’t she baby boy ?” You hear Jimin's voice sweet sounding but laced with a poison that only makes you want more, if you hadn’t known him well and been overly exposed to this side of him you’d think he was just being kind, reassuring, but from the way, Jungkooks eyes were half-lidded, his head lulling to the side as jimin continued draining his cock you could tell it was anything but kind, it was downright dangerous.

You were a little shocked to see Namjoon and Seokjin across the side of the room, seokjin underneath his younger as yoongi ran a hand through his hair, the therapist pulling seokjin to allow his back to rest against his chest whilst Namjoon continued to mark the elder, a trail of beautiful bruises already forming across his skin.

Taehyung tapped your cheek, bringing your attention back to his throbbing cock. “Open baby.”

You opened your mouth, letting your jaw go slack.

Taehyungs cock was massive, you could feel it hit the back of your throat despite the fact that half of his cock was still out of your mouth, despite your eyes watering you relaxed, breathing through your nose as you took the last of him. “Fuck your mouth is so perfect, makes my cock feel so good.” He groaned, a hand reaching to caress your hair.

Hoseok shifted underneath you, his cock massaging your walls causing you to clench around him. Utter pleasure rocked through your body as you jolted on Hoseoks cock as taehyung tucked your throat. “You’re finally being useful, taking cock so well. Maybe I’ll reward you and let you cum.” You did everything you could to restrain your hands, wanting so badly to bring yourself to the edge, the dominants filthy words going straight to your pussy.

Out of the corner of your eye, you could still see jimin and Jungkook, jimin had Jungkook pinned underneath him, Jungkooks bigger frame looking so much smaller under the man as he milked his cock. Jungkook fighting underneath him from overstimulation but still taking it all. “You’re such a good boy.” Jimin had whispered, “My perfect baby boy taking whatever I give him. So perfect, think you can cum again for me?”

Jungkook let out a desperate whine, shaking his head no. “Hyun- ah, jimin please, please it’s fuck it’s too much.” He groaned, knuckles white as he clenched his fists.

“Colour baby?” Jimin asked, slowing down his strokes to brush Jungkooks hair from his eyes. “Tell Hyung.”

Jungkook jerked up, hissing as Jimins thumb ran over the slit on his tip. “G-green Hyung.”

“You look so beautiful like this, maybe I should keep you like this all too myself. Take some pretty pictures of you? Maybe I’ll come on your little cam show and remind everyone you belong to me. Make them watch as I tease your pretty cock.” Jimin squeezed around the base of Jungkooks cock, his lips morphing into a sadistic grin. “Maybe I’ll see how sensitive your balls are, I could play with them whilst I leave your cock tied up to a vibrator, if you begged enough I’d even put one inside your ass.”

“Ngh, hyu- hyung- ah- I wanna be a good boy for you.” Jungkook was beautiful, he looked ethereal with tears streaming down his face from the overwhelming pleasure jimin was delivering to him. “Feels s-so good.”

“What do you say, baby?” Jimin teased. Moving to take the youngers nipple into his mouth.

Jungkooks back arched off the couch as jimin bit down on his nipple, his hand reaching to massage the cam boy's balls. “Than- thank you jiminie.” Jimin gave his nipple one last bite before pulling off. Trailing his tongue down Jungkooks torso.

“Such a polite boy. “ jimin murmured. “I want to cum inside of you.”

“Wa-want your cock. I’ll be good pl-please I want-“ Jungkook whined. “ please.”

Jimin had met a lot of submissives, Jimin had fucked a lot of submissives but there was something about Jungkook, something about the way he whined, the way he tried so hard to keep his hands to himself, how hard he tried to do exactly what was asked of him. He was perfect. “Fuck. You’re a fucking sight to see.”

“Turn around baby boy let me prep you.” Jimin helped Jungkook move, his legs unsteady from the continuous teasing not to mention the two orgasms Jimin had already ripped from him. “Such a beautiful ass, wanna see you dressed up for me darling.” Jimin massaged Jungkooks thighs, hand edging closer to his entrance.

Jimin stepped away, earning a protesting groan from Jungkook. “Just getting lube baby. Be patient.”

Jungkooks protest silenced, looking around the room at the other house members. Each of them entwined in some way, their own pleasure being chased through various means. He looked over to you, giving you a shy smile followed by a flirty wink, his body pushing back when he felt jimin behind him once again.

You couldn’t respond to Jungkook,, taehyung still fucking your throat. Hiis thrusts becoming sloppy. “Gonna-gonna cum.” Taehyung grunted. Hand-fisting your hair becoming painful but enjoyably so.

“Did I give you permission?” You whimpered at the question, despite it being directed towards Taehyung, the man tending as to prevent himself cunning as he shook his head no. “Ask me nicely and maybe I’ll let you.”

“P-please can I cum.” He mumbled, hand still lazily caressing your hair even though he was struggling to hold back, if you weren’t dripping with arousal you may have found the action cute.

“P-please can I cum.” Hoseok mocked, laughing. “Pathetic boy. Show me how well you can cum. Show YN just how much you enjoyed using her throat.”

Taehyung didn’t need to be told twice, with no more than five thrusts he was on the brink of cumming, just before you could prepare to swallow you were being pulled back. Taehyung almost cried at the ruined orgasm. “B-but.”

“Ah, no buts baby. You got to cum, didn’t you? Wasn’t that nice of me?” The dominant teased, smirking. Taehyung couldn’t say no, he couldn’t deny that he got to cum. “Would you prefer next time I keep you on edge?”

Taehyungs eyes went wide, head shaking in a panic. “No Sir, thank you.”

“Good boy, you did so well.” Hoseok smiled at him, hand running through his hair as Tae sat down beside him on the couch. “Now to take care of you, darling. Do you want me to fuck you or are you at your limit?”

“I’m okay just, no more teasing please.” You whined, grinding down on his cock.

He laughed. “Too needy. I spoil you too much.”

“You don’t spoil me enough Sir.” You teased, rocking your hips. “Please fuck me?”

“Whatever you want brat.” Hoseok hooked his arms around yours, keeping you stable as he began to slide his weeping cock in and out of your cunt.

You let yourself be dragged around like a rag doll. His grip was definitely tight enough to bruise but you didn’t care as you pushed back onto him every time he thrusted, his cock ramming against your happy again and again making your legs fail underneath you. Hoseok supported the entering of your weight as you both came to a climax. “Gonna cum.” You mumbled, the words barely coherent, an orgasm brimming for the second time. “Please.”

“Cum over my cock.” he gave one final thrust against your gspot. His fingers massaged your clit, you weren’t a screamer, nor were you a squirter but you became one as his teeth sank into your shoulder. His cock pulsing inside of your pussy as he cum. “That’s it, just like that.” He grunted, your orgasms both coming to an end as he slowly pulled out of you. A hand under your chest stops you from falling face-first onto the floor as your legs have out. “Can you stand for me, baby?”

You shook your head no. “Not after you and seokjin fucking me.”

“Ah yes, the two biggest cocks.” He laughed, guiding you to sit on the couch. “Taehyungie could you go and get a wet cloth for YN?”

You’d almost forgotten his presence, turning to look at the man, his face utterly relaxed. “Okay.”

“You did so good today darling you were so patient, I’ll miss our scenes together.” He frowned a little, making you smile.

“Only a few more weeks, besides I’m sure jimin will let you watch whenever he and I have one.” You knew what the comment would do to him, seeing his scowl you held your hands up half-heartedly in defence. “Kidding.”

“What am I going to do with you?” He half-panted, taking the wet cloth from taehyung and bringing it to clean you up.

“There’s definitely cum on the couch.” You heard yoongi mumbling, he was sprawled out on the floor, seokjin beside him. Your face flushed at the sight of them noticing your eyes lingering on them. Between all eight of you, there wasn’t a single piece of clothing in sight. Jimin and Jungkook sat across from you, Jungkook cradled in Jimins arms, both of them seemingly somewhere else.

Taehyung was right, an orgy was a great way to spend the day.

—————

“I wanted to talk to you all about something.” Jungkook mumbled, his eyes focused on the window as though he was too afraid to meet anyone’s gaze. The attention shifted to him instantly. “I was thinking about it actually.”

Everyone had gone to shower, you had the pleasure of sharing yours with Seokjin and Taehyung. Both men insisting on taking care of you, definitely a form of repayment for the way they temporarily affected your ability to walk. The rest of the day had been spent playing board games, light kisses being shared between everyone, the touching non-stop. The atmosphere was calm so Jungkooks urgent demeanour had you worried.

“What’s wrong baby?” Jimins voice was tired, clearly, the sex knocking out any residual energy he had. “Talk to us.”

“What if we live together after here? We worked well being here together I have some savings we could pitch in and get a place together somewhere equal to where you all work. I was thinking about moving to Seoul permanently, I couldn’t be without you all. I know it would take a lot of time and wouldn’t be an easy decision I don’t know maybe this is a ridiculously childish idea, tae is here, Namjoonie Hyung is here, hobi Hyung is here, YN is here, yoongi Hyung could move we could all help him, jimin Hyung could move too it would be perfect.”

“Kook that’s… big.” Yoongi breathed, arm tightening around jimin. “I think we would all really need to talk about it. Jimin what would you think about moving?”

Jimin shrugged, hand grazing through the maknaes hair. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it I’d have to find work here but I wouldn’t be opposed. My life in Busan seems small compared to what we all have here.”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to look at jobs around here, Hyung do you have any contacts here in Seoul?” Yoongi shifted to face Seokjin who was sitting with a grim across his red raw lips.

“I do, a few actually. I could pass you their contact information.”

“Hobi what do you think?” You sat up, looking at the man who had been quiet throughout the whole exchange.

“Well you all know I’m aro so I don’t see-“

His words are cut off by taehyung placing a hand across his mouth abruptly, slightly shocking the man. “If you say something like “I don’t see why you’d want me there” I will make sure no one has sex with you for the rest of the time here. You are just as much a part of us as Namjoon Hyung or Yoongi Hyung. Whether it’s romantic or not you have just as much of an invitation as everyone else here does. This is your choice too.”

“Oh.” The dominant breathed, a rand running over his face as though to refresh himself, he sat for a few minutes eyes filtering from one body to the next before he smiled, nodding. “I wouldn’t mind it, besides having roommates would be kind of fun.”

“YN?” Taehyung called tentatively, reaching to wrap your hand in his. “What do you think pretty?”

You blushed at the unfamiliar pet name, your cheeks a light hue of red. “I want you all, maybe I’m spoiled but if we could all be together in one house like this for as long as we stay together I’d love that. It would be just like this without the cameras.”

“So what does this mean? Are we officially in a relationship and planning to move in?”

You show a look to Hoseok who seemed to frown slightly at the mention of being in a relationship. “How about we don’t call it that.”

“What do you mean?” Namjoon asked, eyebrows pinched.

You shook your head laughing. “Let’s not call it a relationship, we all have our own dynamics with each other but we are all entwined like some old tree with a thousand branches. I think we would need a week of planning to officially label everything between each and every one of us so why don’t we call it something else? Something inclusive.”

“I think that sounds better, we aren’t just a relationship, we also have Hoseok-ah to consider.” Seokjin spoke up, his words were always filled with care for those around him whilst simultaneously being filled with knowledge and understanding.

“What about affinity? We could say we are in an affinity.” Yoongi supplied, some smiles being traded across the room.

“Why affinity?” Jungkook questioned, head resting against Jimin's shoulder.

Jimin kisses his hair. His hand linking their fingers as he began to explain. “Affinity has a beautiful definition, it is a word used to say you have a deep understanding of someone, a similarity and a kinship to them. It’s basically the description of a bond without labelling it as such.”

“I like that.” He breathed, eyes closing before opening them again as though he has remembered something important. “You’re all mine though.”

“Even you my hobi Hyung.” He giggled, reaching a foot out to touch the other's leg.

“Move your weird toes from me right now.” He shouted, arms waving as Jungkook sunk down further, toes reaching across as far as he could.

“What’s the matter Hyung it’s just feet. I pegged you as a foot kink man.” Jimin giggled, everyone, pausing at the honorific before turning back to a mildly disturbed Hoseok.

“Shut up jimin, Jungkook move if you want to keep your toes.”

“Jin Hyung where is your knife.” He shouted, tramping towards the kitchen before yoongi could grab his waist, pulling him onto the pile of pillows beside him. “Calm down there sunshine let’s not decapitate anyone’s toes today.”

Hoseok shot him a glare as if to say he would be next if he didn’t stop talking. Yoongi laughed, muffling it with a cough. “Well then, affinity it is.”

“I love you all so much.” You brushed away the tears dampening your cheek, happiness overwhelming you. A few “I love yous.” Resounded back followed by a few kisses shared between different bodies. Hoseok looking content but also out of place. You shuffled closer to him as he removed himself from between Seokjin and Yoongi. You reached out your hand, just enough for him to wrap his little finger around yours and with that you spoke a silent promise.

You’d do whatever you could to keep them all happy.

You were more than content watching them break off into their own smaller conversations as you all set up for the night in the makeshift bed. Thankful for jimins suggestion to recreate the bed from the night before. You didn’t know how long you’d watched them for but your eyes became droopy, their voices guiding you into a blissful sleep.

Jimin and Jungkook watched you drift off, arms and legs a tangled heap. “How was it today baby?” Jimin turned to Jungkook, his fingers drawing patterns on the cam Boys thigh.

The younger sat, contemplating the entirety “Good, was a lot but good.”

“That makes me happy to hear, you were really serious about wanting us all weren’t you bun?” Jimin smiled, his eyes bright.

Jungkook blushed, nodding. “I just really love you all. I still want to get to know everyone. Even you Hyung.”

“What if you tell me something about you and I’ll tell you something about me? We can start learning right now.” Jimin offered, earning a pleased look from Jungkook.

“I really like toe socks,” Jungkook responded wholeheartedly, as though it was his biggest secret. Jimin couldn’t help but stifle a laugh, lightly pushing the younger.

“THAT’S your thing? I might just have to call it all off now, that’s definitely a deal breaker.” Jimin loved to tease, especially when it made the man he had begun to love smile like that. “They are actually good for you. I would say my thing is” he paused, wanting to give something equal to Jungkooks revelation. “If I ever have a bad day, I always drink hot chocolate.”

“If you ever seem sad I’ll make you one, I make good hot chocolates.” Jungkook smiled storing the fact away for when it was most necessary. “One more?” He raised an eyebrow, only continuing to talk once jimin has nodded. “I love being a cam boy but I also want to do more, something mentally.” Jungkook confessed. Jimin could understand that.

“I love being a porn star but I want to find what else there is in the world, I want to grow.” He had the same feeling, wanting to do something that didn’t require his body, not that he didn’t enjoy his work and held no embarrassment over it, in fact, he was fiercely proud but he always wanted to find what else in the world would be good for him.

“Maybe we can find things together?” Jungkook mumbled, hand reaching up to play with Jimins hair.

“I’d like that.” Jimin smiled, leaning down to break the space between them to give the younger a kiss, relishing in the small whimper Jungkook let out when he bit down on his lip. “Let’s get sleep baby boy.”

“Goodnight Hyung.”

“Goodnight jungkookie.”

——

Yoongi hated being woke up, Yoongi hated being waken up at 3 am, Yoongi hated being waken up by 3 am by a half-naked Jimin, although that may have been more so because of the fact he was far too tired to fully appreciate the youngers body.

“What jimin,” Yoongi grumbled, burying his head into another pillow.

He could have used that said pillow to hit the other when he grabbed his arm pulling him away from the comforts of the makeshift floor bed. “I need to talk to you Hyung.”

“Can't it wait until the morning?” Yoongi sighed, still following the dominant hand in hand.

“Nope.” Jimin popped his lips, the sound definitely would have gone straight to yoongis dick if he wasn’t half asleep.

Once they were both safely inside Yoongi's bedroom jimin pulled him to sit on the bed. “Are you really thinking about moving?”

Yoongi shrugged. “I don’t see why not, I love Daegu but I love being with you all too.”

“Hyung,” Jimin called out, his hand reaching to touch Yoongis fingers before retreating. “You’re more reserved, not reserved but you, you show your love differently and it’s, I guess sometimes I feel lonely in that.”

“You aren’t lonely jimin-ah we are all here for you. If there’s something you need to talk about we will all listen.” Yoongi reassured him, his own hand edging closer to the other. “Talk to Hyung.”

Jimin stirred for a moment, he liked that. Weirdly, he liked how that felt. “I wouldn’t have much in Seoul. All my clients are around Busan. What if this doesn’t work outside of here and I take that step and it falls apart?”

Yoongi sat for a moment, breath heavy. “We can’t tell the future but sometimes things have to start with a simple step. You don’t lose things by loving you lose things by not taking risks. Getting into the prom industry definitely wasn’t easy right?” Yoongi paused giving Jimin a chance to respond, which he did with a nod. “That’s my point, you took a chance and it worked out well for you. If you find there’s something you want to do more then you should go for that too. We don’t ever grow by limiting ourselves to one thing forever, taking risks is a part of life, it’s a part of humans. We will fail and succeed but every attempt is worth it.”

Jimin didn’t realise just how much he needed to hear that, just how much the words would hit him where he was most needing it but it did, the porn industry allowed you to meet tons of people, people you would get intimate with and people you wouldn’t but very rarely was there any personal connection. He hadn’t realised how lonely he become until he was surrounded by people who cared for him, knew him, wanted him. Not just for a scene or a chance at getting known in the community but wanted him for him.

Before Yoongi could process the situation Jimin was lunging forward, pulling him into a hug. A small sob spilt from his lips as he whispered “Thank you Hyung.”

Yoongi had never heard Jimin cry, he had never had to hug him like this. He pulled the younger away, wiping his tears from his soft cheeks. Yoongi didn’t know jimin deeply but he loved him, he loved him the way he loved seokjin or the way he loved YN. Yoongi loved jimin enough to bring his hand to cup his face, pulling him closer to him. Jimin whined lightly as yoongi kissed him with all the energy he could muster. “Let Hyung take care of you.”

“Okay. Hyung can take care of me.” Jimin rasped, falling back into the bed, his elder there to catch him. Yoongi would always be there to catch Jimin, to catch all of them.

This was his family.

[dino--draws]

TL-5956 Survival Headcanons

Involving: Some bending of the rules to make it more likely for these guys to have survived for 12+ years and counting, the likelihood I misread at least one part of how this all works so please don’t kill me, various overthinking shenanigans, me being a lil mean to characters, and my unabashed mental illness

and a sizable amount of text under the read more (not even kidding it’s like 1,500+ words LMAO)

THE PARADOX

Exclusively red monochromacy. This is not a visual filter sort of effect, everything has turned red. This actually isn’t a head canon it’s something Harry told me and it fucks me up. Actually a lot of this specific section is shit from the article itself that I’m emphasizing for fun.

The sky has become pitch black, and the horizon is rimmed by red like a macabre sunset. There is no difference between night and day. The sun will never rise here again.

Site-43 remains the single most stable area in the wake of the K-Class Paradox, and is considered the last bastion of human civilization. The rest of the world is left a nonsensical, contradictory wasteland due to spatial and temporal damages. Any entity you find roaming those reddened wastes are no longer what they once were. Do not engage, for those who wander are lost.

Randomized increases and decreases in the number of perceivable temporal dimensions results in visual distortion of surroundings. Added extrasensory perceptions may increase this disorientation in survivors. It takes a lot of getting used to, that constant bombardment.

Due to condensation of vaporous substances, there has been a sharp global temperature increase. Everything is humid.

Site-43 Condition

The following parts of the Site are lost/heavily damaged: 

Euclid and Keter Class Wings of the Security and Containment Sections [Detonated, First Sublevel is functionally abandoned due to instability]

Applied Occultism [Second Sublevel, damaged by detonation and other breach occurances]

Archives and Revisions Section [Burned]

All underwater site facilities and utilities. [Completely destroyed] 

With each instance of the breach, all areas that were previously destroyed become reverted to their 2002 states, then re-destroyed. This results in these locations being able to be scrapped and harvested for functionally renewable supplies after each amelioration of the breach. These salvaged supplies only vanish with the causal loop’s reset if they are left within their original area. 

Due to the heavy damage done to the First Sublevel of the site, the Second Sublevel is left similarly unstable structurally and partially collapsed. Both Sublevels are abandoned sans annual gathering of supplies. 

The Third Sublevel of the Site remains the most structurally stable and safest part of Site-43, the surviving personnel remain here. 

The Inner-Sectional Subway System is no longer in operation due to sustained damages during the breach, but its tunnels are still utilized for transportation to different areas of the Site by foot. 

Site’s power remains in operation, requires vigorous upkeep.

Food/Water

Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE) rations were the primary food source for several years as research was directed towards the creation of a renewable food supply. They have a metric fuck ton of rations to work with, but it's always smart to look for alternatives Just In Case, y'know?

Due to the fact that everything is red, and there is a notable lack of a sun, growing traditional plants is out of the equation because I don’t think we’re photosynthesizing in these conditions. However, what they can grow and cultivate is things such as mushrooms and algaes! Utilizing waste from the site as fertilizer, gathering soil, and perhaps a bit of GE to make sure they’re not eating anything toxic and getting the right vitamins — they can grow food. It’ll take work, but can be done with enough care. Keeping out mold will be a nightmare but god love 'em they're trying.

A handful of stray storage closets and part of the Hiring and Regulation Section have been converted into spaces for food growing

There is probably a whole bunch of shit they could science their way through when it comes to synthesizing food that isnt just mushroom farming tbh. Like turning petroleum and CO2 into food

Bottled water stores ran out swiftly. Water is primarily gathered through the usage of moisture traps (see: increased humidity). Due to SCP-001-A the harvesting of these traps are risky endeavors, and require a pre-setup of dilution equipment to ensure a lack of reflectivity. This harvested liquid is then abated to reduce risk of anomalous effects, and stored/distributed to personnel. Prior to his death in 2023, Dougall Deering would accompany those harvesting to ensure 001-A’s pacification. 

Any and all site wastewater is subjected to purification processes to acquire as much drinkable water as possible. Nothing goes to waste.  

Lake Huron itself and any groundwater adjacent to the site is unreachable and unusable due to SCP-001-B and SCP-001-C. 

There’s probably a vending machine or two that’s caught up in the 2002 causal loop reset that they can loot each year. They can have some treats, as a treat. 

For all I know this is one of those weird space-time situations where no one actually needs to eat or drink but sshhhhh it's fun to think about

Supplies

After each causal loop, the areas of the Site that are restored and re-destroyed are functionally “refreshed”. Though still heavily damaged and destroyed, these areas can be looted each year for materials -- copper wiring, plating, materials to repair other parts of the site, possible acquisition of rations and water.

Clothing from transmogrified personnel annually slain in the Archives and Revision and Applied Occultism can sometimes be recovered for use in repairing existing clothing, or as medical bandaging. 

Sections and faculties of the Site that go unused in the wake of the Paradox have been stripped; materials moved elsewhere for post-breach repairs and general maintenance of vital site functions.

Excursions outside of the Site are risky and dangerous -- though as successful containments of the breach have occurred, stability around Site-43 has begun to increase and grow safer. Nearby areas are occasionally scouted for any usable materials that remain, or were brought about by spatial/temporal distortions. 

The building of the REISNO Cannon was a nightmare to build in spite of its small size -- due to the amount of brute-forcing they had to do with its construction. When PHMD build the PXE alone, it took far more supplies to build.

Medical Care

To aid individuals wounded by SCP-001-A, able bodied personnel are encouraged to donate blood. 

These guys are working overtime due to the inherent dangers of the Paradox, doing the best they can to ration out their supplies and create what they can to help others.

Some members of personnel need to undergo treatment for sialorrhea, as the excessive production of saliva can put them at risk of both SCP-001-A and dehydration.

Medical personnel worked with the Memetics and Countermemetics Section to create Solution 001-A.

SCP-001-A

All reflective surfaces have either been destroyed, scuffed and scratched so that they are no longer reflective, or treated with Solution 001-A.

Application of Solution 001-A results in a clouding of the eyes and an impairment of vision. In light of added perceptions due to SCP-001, this is considered a blessing in disguise. 

Any personnel who had glasses has either had them destroyed, or took out the lenses from the frames.

Individuals wounded by -A are often given two options — needing to rigorously clean their wounds and be given bi-monthly blood transfusion to counteract the inability of the wound to heal and the risk of infection; or undergo amputation to completely rid themselves of the injury. For individuals whose injuries are not localized to their limbs, amputation cannot be done and the wounds simply must be taken care of. Seeing personnel with always bloody bandages, amputated limbs and prosthesis are not uncommon sights.

Bandages for -A wounds must be prior soaked in Solution 001-A, and wrapped tight, as to avoid the risk of the blood’s reflection. This is preferably done by medical staff, who have recordkeeping of all individuals wounded by -A.

SCP-001-B

Keepers of 001-B cannot communicate and over time grow conceptually vague, but the cycling of -B occurs while individuals are still recognizable. The Memetics and Countermemetics Section is in charge of the recordkeeping of Keepers.

Keepers can still interact with others and show their presence through physical touch and facial expressions. 

I don’t know if they are capable of writing, but it’d be cool if they devised a non-verbal and non-words series of drawn symbols and gestures for Keepers to utilize as a way to quasi-get around the anomaly. However “cannot communicate” could extend to “writing and sign language”

SCP-001-C

Lake Huron is to be avoided at all costs. Any individual attempting an excursion outside of Site-43 (typically for the gathering of biological materials from dead trees/foliage/etc) is not to approach due to the risk of the water rising again.

SCP-001-D

Respiration from the anomaly sometimes results in structural damage to the Site, or tremors, which requires repair.

The Survivors

The Site’s original population has been cleaved -- both by the initial breach’s heavy losses, and subsequent accidents. Only a little over 100 people remain come the 2030s, and Site-43 functions on a stretched-thin skeleton crew. 

Agent Radcliffe -- A bit torn up here and there from encounters with spectral and temporal entities, but is mostly okay. 

Agent Gwilhem -- Has a bad shoulder due a shrapnel injury. She has taken charge of the remaining members of MTFs Alpha-43, Beta-43 and Delta-43.

Technician Markey -- One of many individuals issuing repairs and maintenance to Site-43, he has sustained various small injuries to his hands due to his work. Lost a finger when it was crushed in a collapsing pipe. 

Dr. Wirth -- Has become pockmarked by various burn scars across his face and hands over the breaches. He received deep wounds across his stomach from SCP-001-A in 2027. Will never forgive himself. 

Chief Mukami -- Has taken major charge within the Site, primary maintainer of reports and processing of incidents. She has a few sparse injuries from an instance in which the bulkhead jammed during one of the loops, and she was injured by shrapnel. 

Technician Ambrogi -- Another individual who aids in site repairs, he would lose his leg in the aftermath of the initial breach due to structural damage caused by the detonation of the Keter and Euclid Wings, resulting in a small collapse of a hallway. Now utilizes a ramshackle leg prosthesis. 

Dr. Del Olmo -- Has sustained two injuries from SCP-001-A, a clawmark to the upper thigh, and one to the shoulder. Initially had turned down the offer of amputation due to their locations, but would have his leg amputated after severe infection years later. 

Dr. Deering -- Unscathed until the day he died. While everyone around him was hurt and bleeding and dying, he was always fine. It’s unclear if this is out of luck, or punishment. He thinks the latter. 

PHMD -- Injured by SCP-001-A shortly upon retrieval, receiving claw marks to the face and lower arm. Turned down amputation of the arm, claiming he needed both hands for his work. Wounds had become severely infected by the time he went missing due to neglect. 

Dr. Ngo --  Had a tendency to throw herself into danger to help others, was never wounded by SCP-001-A, but was a bit scuffed up due to other small scale accidents. Was practically the backbone of the Site for some people, as the only remaining psychologist, a lodestar of hope against this nightmare. Her death is still mourned. 

Dr. Reynders -- Mostly unscathed, aside from a few injuries -- notably one to her cheek from a temporal entity. Has gone missing.

Chronological reversions seem to have odd effects on those still alive. The running theory is that SCP-001 has severely slowed their aging to preserve their lives.

The See You In Hell PTF members are all friend-adjacent in my heart of hearts. Breach containment solidarity. Maybe a bit rough against the edges but we gotta tough it out together. All we’ve got is each other now, yknow?

jesus christ ok I think that's it I think that's all the thoughts in my brain if anyone actually reads this whole thing i heart you forever ok? i fffffucking love TL-5956-X 'n how fucked up it is I hope we get to see it again at sometime. regardless i will be thinking about it forever

[sflow-er]

Sunday snippet

I haven't done these in a while, so to kick myself back into gear, I'm sharing with you the start of an aged-up Henry oneshot that grew out of my QP Walty writing practice...

It's a long one, so I'm putting it under a cut.

[Title TBR]

If there was one thing about today that Henry did not expect to struggle with, it was his necktie.

After all, he’s got enough experience to tie it on muscle memory alone. Three whole decades’ worth. From the tedious lessons with his father since before he started primary school, to the uniformed school celebrations and secret Society meetings at Hillerska, to the summer balls of Riddarskapet och Adelns Ungdomsklubb and an assortment of high society events that have dappled his life since early adulthood. A tie was not necessarily required on all those occasions, but he always found it harder to meet the standards without one.

That’s not even to mention the last few years and the campaign he started after his father’s untimely death. Sometimes, it feels as if he’s been armoured in a silk tie and a Windsor knot every other day since the funeral, to meet with some old baron or former Society brother. Rationally, he knows that’s not true; there was plenty of tieless time in between, and the last six months have been almost entirely tie-free. It’s just hard to see that when the tie days get on top of his mind.

Which makes today’s fumbling all the more frustrating.

Even with Henry drawing on his vast experience – and standing in front of the massive bathroom mirror that should remove all margin for error – the knot keeps coming out untidy. Whether it’s one or both shoulders peeking out, or the blade being too short and the tail too long, or the end result being too tight or loose by look or feel.

It doesn’t take much effort to imagine what the late Carl Emil Silfverfeldt would make of this travesty his sole heir has just inched up to his collar. Henry can see it when he holds his own gaze in the mirror; the blue of their eyes is exactly the same, as is the critical look. The longer he stays like that, the easier it is to feel a hand on his shoulder and the words ‘we agreed that you would give it your best, and we are men of our word, aren’t we?’ in his gut.

This, he thinks grimly, is most definitely not his best. He would not settle for it even on an average day, let alone an occasion. Regardless of everything else, today is an occasion, and he cannot – will not – turn up in this mess when he’s perfectly capable of making it look right –

He breaks eye contact with a sigh and catches his head with his fingertips. Careful not to mess up his hair, he kneads his forehead from brow to temples, trying to disperse the thought that’s been popping up all morning.

Maybe a break is in order. He isn’t sure if he can still afford one when he’s already wasted so much time, but it’s not like the party can start without him.

He slinks back to the bedroom, removing the tie along the way. He should probably hang it with his jacket and waistcoat, but he can’t be bothered to circle around the king-size bed to get to them. On top of the dresser will do.

Both his phone and his smartwatch keep blinking at him as he adds the tie to the items already laid out next to the charging station – signet ring, cufflinks, antique pocket watch, little square box. No doubt he’s missed a ton of messages. Figuring he might as well catch up now, he grabs the phone and takes a seat at the foot end of the bed.

He could have guessed that the first batch would be from his mother, Mikaela. She’s been freaking out about Säpo at the manor house all morning, as if there was any risk of the agents suddenly ruling the venue unsafe and calling the whole thing off.

Then again, that would be a pretty smooth way out of this tie slump. Is it too late to call August or Wilhelm and ask them to fix a last-minute security threat? Surely at least one of them must have done it before.

The thought coaxes a laugh out of him, but alas. Mikaela’s texts about the Security Police hassle end with someone having reassured her that the event can proceed with both former crown princes in attendance.

She has moved on to requesting his input on something else, apparently explained in a long voice message. There’s also a random picture of stylised yellow roses.

‘Darling, I know you’re busy getting ready, but if it’s not too much trouble,’ Mikaela starts in a tone that strongly implies it will be. ‘I’m getting a lot of questions about what is and isn’t appropriate. Five separate people – for example, Cecilia showed me her card this morning, and there were roses on it. I said you said no flowers, but she insisted, so I promised to send you a picture. Let me know what you think, okay?’

Henry sighs and enlarges the photo. He doesn’t know much about flowers or what they’re supposed to represent, but his aunt probably does. He doesn’t hate the card – but that’s about as far as he gets in forming an opinion before his mother overwhelms him with the rest of her query.

.-.-.

Cutting it off here for now (and also reserving the right to edit further). I'm fairly excited for this one so hopefully I can continue working on it to finish it soon-ish!

[mxlfoydraco]

hey Serra! I'm curious, what are some of your favourite tropes/genres to read fic? in the broadest sense I mean, not just relationship tropes. I personally love time travel fics, do you like them? (also if you have any recs at all either time travel or for your favourite tropes I'm all ears 👀👂)

Hi! In general I really like reading Harry and Draco working together, I do like time travel tropes as well and I love it when both are combined! I'm adding on to my existing Universe/Timeline Hopping list. I had a lot of fun making this list, so many favorites. <3

Time Travel

Always Already by @aibidil (170k)

It’s 2004: Harry teaches primary school and loves his job and friends; It’s 1980: Harry has to fight Voldemort, again; It’s 2004: Draco is a trainee Healer and reformed member of society; It’s 1980: Draco has to face his father’s cruelty; It’s 2004: Harry and Draco definitely aren’t lonely or depressed or traumatised; It’s 1980: Harry and Draco listen to Kate Bush and watch Dallas and drive a 1979 Ford Cortina; It’s 2004, it’s 1980, it’s…

Far From The Tree by aideomai (112k)

The arrival of Harry Potter’s children—snapped back in time, the children themselves guessed, twenty or so years—was the most interesting thing to happen at Hogwarts for years.

And So Death Took by @icmezzo (25k)

Fairy tales may soothe small children into slumber, but some stories themselves refuse to sleep. The Tale of Three Brothers, retold.

Our Time by @m0srael (39k)

Draco Malfoy is an expert in Ancient Runes at Oxford University’s College of Advanced Magical Studies. When he isn’t at the head of a lecture hall, he spends his time alone in cavernous libraries with only crumbling scrolls and runic dictionaries for company. One day, a group of Ministry officials interrupts his research with the aim of recruiting him to lead an elite team of investigators in a top-secret race against time to decrypt a set of recently uncovered ancient runes that threaten the very fabric of time. Draco feels certain he can save the world, if only he didn’t keep getting distracted by his co-lead, one Chief Cursebreaker Harry Potter. If only that distraction didn’t evolve into something so much more.

Chrononauts by AnnaFugazzi (39k)

Harry and Draco learn that Time is making fools of them again. And then they learn it… again.

Chronological Displacement by bookinit (89k)

In which Harry and Draco have a time-turner accident, and many things go wrong, but a lot of things also go right. Featuring: reptilian bonding night, canon-inaccurate animagus lessons, and a fuck-ton of pining.

aka the fic where Harry finds his family, and fights to keep them.

The White Pawn by Soupy_George (80k)

When eighteen-year-old Draco Malfoy finds himself back at Hogwarts on the eve of Voldemort’s infamous return, he is confronted with the most difficult decision he’s ever had to make: Relive the 6th year at school he’s tried so hard to forget, or do the unthinkable and ally himself with Potter’s lot…

An Emerald In The Sky by @corvuscrowned (6k)

The hardest part about shagging an Unspeakable is that they’re not allowed to speak of anything. All Draco knows is that Harry works in Time. Harry works in Time, and while he’s out there in all of that time, it is as unforgiving to him as it is to anyone. Somewhere along the way, Draco realizes he’s been thinking in lines, when he should have been thinking in circles.

Eternally Consistent by kitsunealyc (44k)

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter assumed they would never be anything but civil enemies, until Potter lands on Malfoy's doorstep, bleeding, covered in curses, and acting very strangely indeed.

Quick as a Flash of Lightning, Unhurried as Eternity by @onbeinganangel (10k)

Can you fall in love with someone by simply watching them fiercely love another version of yourself?

Time and Again by lauren3210 (28k)

Draco has an important research assignment, and he needs Auror protection. Harry’s a little concerned, not only because he can’t even pronounce the places Draco’s dragging him off to, but because there’s the slightest chance he might do something stupid, like tell Draco all about that little crush he’s been harbouring for a while now...

Brevem Conspectum by lauren3210 (1k)

During a routine clearing of an old Death Eater house, Harry stumbles over an ancient spell that sends him somewhere completely different. He has to work out where he is and how to get back. Or if he even wants to.

Our Little Life by @tackytigerfic (7k)

Sometimes Harry dreams. Only they're not really dreams at all, and Malfoy is always in them. It's time travel, but not as we know it, and Harry just needs a good night's sleep.

Turning Leaves by @kbrick (112k)

Draco and Harry have a one-night stand that ends in disaster after Harry tells Draco he's unable to move beyond their poisonous past. So when Draco finds an unusual Time-Turner in the Department of Mysteries, he seizes the opportunity to start fresh with Harry. Only instead of fixing things, he keeps making them worse.

Everything is Relative to You by @thehoneybeet (43k)

Potter was supposed to have lived. Draco is certain of this. That Potter would no longer walk the earth was tantamount to the sun moving west to east across the sky. If only he could have stopped this from happening, if he’d have known… It comes to him as ideas often did: too late. Or, Harry dreams of his past lives, and Draco is in every one.

Just a Matter of Time by @gracerene (23k)

Draco's in a bit of a rut. He's nearing forty, divorced, and he still can't figure out how to make his Time Turner reconstruction work. He's bored, he can admit it, so he's not nearly as concerned as he should be when his pet project malfunctions and sends him twenty years into the past. That is, until he ends up relying on a nineteen-year-old Harry Potter for help and starts developing some very inconvenient—and possibly reciprocated—feelings.

Don't Want to Miss a Thing by @tryslora (8k)

Once upon a time, Ron had warned Harry about the dangers of workplace romances, but Harry didn’t listen and he and Draco became an item. But after nearly three years together, Harry broke it off. Fifteen months later, the two find it nearly impossible to work together, except when forced into an uneasy alliance. But this assignment isn’t just complicated (it’s amazing the trouble that can be caused by seven time turners and some creative magic), it’s personal, and Harry and Draco are forced to take another look at their relationship.

Wish You Were Here by cryptonym (17k)

[Snape] leans on the table, towering over me like a vulture watching its prey, his eyes boring into me. “If I were in your position, I would be considering my history as I know it. If you are here now, you were always meant to be here.” Career Choices: Harry: Time Traveller; Draco: Time Trial Test Subject

Primal Urges by @heyitsamorette (10k)

An eighth year fic …er … or should I say, a prehistoric fic? Draco gets hurtled back in time and meets caveman!Potter, who seems to like him much more than normal!Potter. Quite a bit more, actually.

Time Loops

At the Crossroads There We’ll Meet by @firethesound (24k)

Potter keeps dying; Draco keeps saving him.

The Inconvenient Death(s) of Harry Potter by @nv-md (33k)

Harry and Draco have spent the decade since the War avoiding each other, even as they’re forced to work together at the Ministry and their friend groups begin to alarmingly overlap. But what happens when Harry meets a tragic end (in a manner of speaking) and Draco’s the only one who can save him? Or Harry won’t stop dying, Draco’s had too much coffee, and there’s more than enough time for them to make a mess of each other’s lives.

Tea and No Sympathy by who_la_hoop (70k)

It's Potter's fault, of course, that Draco finds himself trapped in the same twenty-four-hour period, repeating itself over and over again. It's been nearly a year since the unpleasant business at Hogwarts, and Draco's getting on with his life quite nicely, thank you, until Harry sodding Potter steps in and ruins it all, just like always. At first, though, the time loop seems liberating. For the first time in his life, he can do anything, say anything, be anything, without consequence. But the more Draco repeats the day, the more he realises the uncomfortable truth: he's falling head over heels for the speccy git. And suddenly, the time loop feels like a trap. For how can he ever get Harry to love him back when time is, quite literally, against him?

Swish and Flick by @unmistakablyoatmeal (7k)

The Swish and Flick is the last place Draco wants to spend his Saturday evening—especially when he discovers Potter is also in attendance—and he can't wait for the night to end. Unfortunately for Draco, time is not on his side.

Groundhog Date by @gingertodgers (15k)

Draco and Harry both have dates at London's newest cereal cafe with a man called Liam. Unfortunately there is no sign of Liam, the waitress insists that they share a table, and every time Draco attempts to storm off in a huff the disastrous not-a-date starts again.

Timecode by Rasborealis (73k)

Harry Potter has been dead for two years, and Draco would laugh in the face of anyone claiming differently. Well, anyone but Hermione Granger.

It’s No Great Mystery by @agentmoppet (57k)

Who on earth decided that bringing back the Yule Ball for their eighth year would be a good idea? It feels like the worst day of Harry’s life, watching everyone get glammed up like the war never happened, like the last Triwizard Tournament wasn’t such a colossal failure. And then it happens again. And again. And again.

No Quiet Find by orphan_account (10k)

War makes a man tired…some more than most. Draco needs rest.

all in good time by @talkingtravesties (13k)

Draco Malfoy's life is boring and repetitive. He supposes he shouldn't complain, since that's better than sharing a house with Voldemort, or doing time in Azkaban. When he gets trapped in a time loop, however, he is forced to confront the routine he has fixed for himself, and try to break out of it. It isn't all bad, facing no consequences for his actions can be fun for a bit. But after he starts visiting the Auror Headquarters and having brief but remarkably pleasant conversations with one Auror Potter, he finally has the real motivation to break out of the time loop - something worth sticking around for.

[soul-controller]

27 (doesn't have to be inanimate) and 13???

13. What excites you about TF?

Honestly, it's the endless possibilities of it all. Creativity is your greatest asset when it comes to writing or even reading a transformation story in terms of envisioning how it could go. Like sure muscle growth and jock transformations are the primary interest of readers based on what I've gotten in terms of feedback from my followers, but there's endless other transformation subgenres like gender swaps (a personal favorite to write), age progression, weight gain, daddification (another recent favorite of mine), inanimate, and so much more!

Although people may not always get the kink of it all, I think that without a doubt no one can say that we're not quite creative for pondering the "what ifs" in the most unlikely scenarios.

27. If you could transform one person into anything you wanted, who would you change and into what?

This weekend was absolutely killer on my back and shoulders from doing tons of load-outs at work, so first up on the priority list would be to transform someone into a hunky personal masseuse to help take care of the tension I'm feeling because I'm SORE.

[drdemonprince]

I think you're being a little unfair to JVP! My local chapter was one of the primary organizers of the student encampment here, working closely w/ Palestinians and the Arab Student Union the entire time. They certainly did not promote getting arrested for the cause and had encampment-wide conversations about the issues that kind of attitude causes on several occasions. I would assume different chapters have really different group cultures, I'm sure what you said is accurate about many of them, but I don't think it's accurate as a blanket statement.

Thank you for this message -- I actually just edited a Substack version of my response to acknowledge that JVP stances and tactics vary a TON city by city.

Here in Chicago/Evanston, JVP collaborated with the PSL to sell out the Northwestern encampment and they tend to select actions of the more performative arrest sort, and generally speaking the group is critiqued for not centering Palestinian voices and for being normalizers but it really does vary from place to place a lot. I've seen them do some truly disruptive actions in the bay area for instance, and my good homie Jersey Noah has organized quite a bit with them. They are *certainly* not on par with the PSL as a counter revolutionary force and i've made some edits to reflect that... i'd liken them more to groups like Showing Up for Racial Justice (SURJ) in terms of their sometimes ineffectualness and liberalness at *worst*, and certainly it's not always like that. thanks for the message