#I want to check it out I just haven't had the time yet

[ghostlyferrettarot]

/)/)

( . .)

( づ❤️ Pick a Picture:˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Channeled messages and energy check from your Future Spouse˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

•Pile 1 •Pile 2 •Pile 3

❗️This is a collective reading, take what resonates and leave the rest❗️

✨️Paid Services ✨️ (Natal charts and tarot readings) Open!

���If you like my work you can support me through Ko-fi. Thank you!🩵

🩰Masterlist🩰

/)/)

( . .)

( づ♡ Pile 1:

❤️Energy of the person:

Your future spouse has a calm and wise energy. He/she is someone who has been through many life experiences, which has allowed him/her to develop great understanding and maturity. He/she is not hasty, but rather firmly believes that everything comes in its perfect time. This person is self-confident and seeks a deep love, based on mutual trust and shared growth. He/she knows what he/she wants and is willing to wait for what he/she deserves.

❤️Channel messages:

"Our love will be a calm and deep connection, as if everything in the universe had prepared us for this"

"Even though you don't see it now, destiny is slowly leading us toward the moment when our lives will cross."

"Sometimes, what we fear most is what we need most, and your personal transformation is what is bringing us closer."

"When I find you, it won't be a fleeting encounter. It will be the beginning of a stage full of peace, growth, and connection."

"My love for you will be constant, even before I meet you, because I already feel you in my soul."

"Trust your intuition, it already knows that our story is written, you just have to allow yourself to live it."

"No matter what you're going through now, everything is aligning for us to be together. The wait will be worth it."

"Remember, the self-love you've given yourself has prepared you to receive a love like mine. You're ready for us."

/)/)

( . .)

( づ♡Pile 2:

❤️Energy of the person:

Your future husband/wife has a vibrant and passionate energy. He/she is a person full of life, enthusiastic, and with a great desire to connect deeply. Although he/she may be somewhat impatient, he/she knows that everything worthwhile takes time. His/her heart is fiery and generous, and his/her love will be unconditional. You are looking for a connection that challenges you, makes you grow, and above all, fills you with excitement and passion every day.

❤️Channel messages:

"I've been waiting for you, even if you don't know it, my thoughts are already full of you, of what we will share."

"The excitement I feel for you is like a fire that never goes out, every day I get closer to you."

"I know we've gone down different paths, but each step has brought us closer to our destiny together."

"When we finally meet, it will be as if everything in the world has made sense. The love we will share will be intense and pure."

"My dreams are full of you, and even though we haven't crossed paths yet, I already feel your presence in my life."

"I admire you more than you can imagine. What I most desire is to be by your side, to grow together and share every moment."

"Patience will be key, because even though it seems like the wait is long, what we have is greater than what you now see."

"The love I have for you will be so sincere that you will have no doubt that I have waited for you all my life."

/)/)

( . .)

( づ♡Pile 3:

❤️Energy of the person:

Your future husband/wife has a deep, serene, and spiritual energy. He/she is someone who is guided by his/her intuition and has a very strong connection with his/her inner self and the universe. He/she is not one to rush, preferring to wait for what he/she knows is right. This person has a great sense of peace and knows that everything in life happens for a reason. The love he/she has for you will be unconditional and full of deep understanding, and he/she hopes that you both grow spiritually together.

❤️ Channel messages:

"Your soul and mine already know each other, and even though we are distant, we are already united on a deeper level."

"Do not fear time, because everything comes when it should come, and I am waiting for the perfect moment to meet."

"What you are experiencing now is part of your process, a preparation for the love and life we ​​are going to share."

"When the day comes, I will make sure you feel that everything you've been through, everything you've overcome, has led you to this love."

"My heart already knows you, even if my body doesn't yet. The connection we'll feel will be something so familiar that you won't doubt that we're meant for each other."

"No matter the distance, time, or circumstances, everything will align so that our paths cross at the exact moment."

"Our love will be a serene light that will bring you peace and stability, something you may have been searching for without knowing it."

"Remember, everything you've learned, everything you've lived, has been to prepare you for this love I'm offering you."

❤️🐰Thanks for reading and tell me if it resonated 🐰❤️

[inkoflethe]

Specifically use the IRS Free Files page linked above (though they haven't updated it for 2025 yet) to pick a place!

As mentioned, places are willing to lie and mislead which includes being vague and sounding like they're free. But then, once you've already gone through the annoyance of filling in all your info, turns out it's not :)

(Note: ones approved by the IRS are free for federal taxes, but aren't necessarily free for filing state taxes. My understanding is that it's quite hard to find places that will do state taxes for free--please correct me if that's not true--but of course, some will be cheaper than others. I think the one I use has been $15 when paid by credit/debit/whatever. You can have it taken out of your return, but it's more expensive?)

Another thing: if you go to somewhere like HR block to file taxes, most of their employees aren't really like... professional tax accountants. By which I mean that's not their year round job. It's a temp role. I assume they get some sort of training and of course they have way more experience filing than most people, but my experiences have been straight up infuriating.

The first time (I think it was the first time I files as an independent), I asked if there was some sort of deduction for those in college. She said no. However, there is! Well, actually both of the ones I know of are actually tax credits but either way, they reduce what you owe. One applies for up to four years while you're working on your first bachelors degree (I'd guess also applies to associates but I never checked) and was worth somewhere around $300-400 for me PER YEAR. So this person lost my family about 1k since I only got it once when I was filing the year after I graduated.

The second time, we went to HR block again because we discovered that the year before, the state just like. Lost my paperwork so my mom wanted someone else to reassure us that we didn't need to do more than just refill out the same thing as usual (they did get the check somehow or another so no late fees at least). I had been planning to file online so I had already looked up a bunch of info but okay, sure. If it makes you feel better mom.

I had worked in another state over the summer, but the two states had reciprocal tax policies so I still only had to file in my home state. The tax person was like, I don't think so, but I had grown up and had done the research this time so I was confident. For whatever reason, I ended up being handed the huge reference binder so I found the relevant section and rules and read them out loud. At least the tax person was promptly like, oh you're right! And complimented me.

[andywritingstuff]

Nanami Kento is the type of man that cares for you, but that's a given, isn't it?

What you don't initially expect is how much he cares about you. Some call it pathetic, he calls it devotion. From dropping you off to picking you up wherever and whenever, texting you throughout the day to assure that you're okay, to ask if you need anything, to just remind you that he's just one call away, no matter what. Doesn't matter if he's fighting a curse, doesn't matter if he's teaching, doesn't matter anything.

He's there for you. Always will be.

With just one glance he already knows if your legs are about to give out from pain, or if you're upset about something. His big, beefy arms wrap around you - the arms he uses to impart violence to violent creatures such as curses hold you dearly against his chest, making you feel protected and secure and loved.

He's the kind of man that would - and has - picked you up and just started walking with you on his arms because your legs or your back hurt too much. He always carries a second pair of shoes in his car so you have something to change whenever you decide to wear uncomfortable ones.

Kento is the type of man that, even if he's not tired, would comply and lie down with you for a while on your shared bed, a book in one hand and the other busy with rubbing your shoulder and hugging you against his side. Of course, wearing his reading glasses and the most comfortable pair of pants, checking in on you to see if you're asleep yet because his arm definitely is (still, he doesn't dare move it).

Kento is the type of man that double checks if you've taken your daily medication, to remind you to drink enough water. Kento is the type that, in low energy days, would either order in your favorite take out place or cook you your favorite dish, and clean the house because he wants you to start fresh tomorrow - a clean, organized canvas for you to go on about your day. A new chance.

Kento is the type to give you surprises when you least expect it. You mentioned once six months ago that you wanted to learn how to create pottery? He got you classes. You want to learn programming? That's so funny, he just sent you a link to a group of programmers that offer free classes every Thursday. You mentioned you want to go to a museum to see the archeology finds of some recently discovered dinosaurs? Woah, he just happens to have tickets for that very same exhibit! Art museum? It's a date. Whatever you mention goes straight into his mental note list with a whole lot of other things about you.

He just wants to see that shine in your eyes. That big smile that warms his heart and, even if he can't make you forget about your pain, much less cure it, he wants you to feel cared for. He wants you to enjoy your life, just like he enjoys it when he's with you.

a/n: little drabble to cope with a new arthritis diagnosis :( wishing nanami was real. sorry for being so inactive here! too many ideas, so little time and energy ughh!! ive got like 3 fic ideas but haven't had time to write anything. let's see if i can do something over the weekend :b. NOT PROOFREAD!!

[thesensteawitch]

Divine is saying, “No Added Sugars” You Need Rawness!

💕 Pick A Pile 💕

(Left to Right- Pile 1, Pile 2, Pile 3)

Hello, beautiful souls!🍀💖

It's about your purpose. You've been at a crossroads for some time now. With logic you won't ever be able to make the right choice or jump the timelines. You need to follow your intuition and do exactly what the world would call you crazy for. I know you're afraid of being judged. But who cares? I read this on a chocolate packaging, “It's always a nut who raises the bar.” ~The Whole Truth

If you wish to book a personal tarot reading with me then check out the links below:

BOOKING FORM • RATE CARD

Also, feel free to DM💌 me in case of any query.🫶🏻

~🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️~

Pile 1🌷

Tarot Cards- The Hanged Man, Ace of Cups, 7 of Pentacles, 2 of Swords, 8 of Pentacles, 3 of Swords, King of Wands

Charms- Crescent Moon

Animal Spirit- Owl

When I was pulling out your cards, my shoulders felt burdened with bricks. Perhaps you've got responsibilities, or you are carrying heavy burdens that you must release to take a flight.

You want to fly high in the sky, but you can't seem to remove your focus from the past. Your heart's breaking every day for receiving less than what you put toward your purpose. This pile does seem to be on the right path but tired and exhausted. You're hanging in there, waiting for a new opportunity or something to align. Your intuition says something must change, but you can't see that change, so you feel stuck between the present and the future.

Some of you may even try to hide your pain by getting yourself entangled with your work. You don't want to face the truth of someone (possibly a fire sign), so you distract yourself, but you're unable to do that either.

Ugh! Okay! So the divine wants you to face your hurt once and for all. Your heart chakra needs to be activated to receive blessings. Nothing's changing for you if you do not make an extra effort or travel the extra mile to align your destiny with the opportunities that you deserve.

You've got the wisdom, yet you cannot decide, afraid of history being repeated. You need to understand that every person, every situation was meant to give you the experience you had to shape you and trigger your gifts. We're all co-creators, believe it or not! Do not take on so much load. Release the hurt and show grace to yourself and everyone else. Remove your need to keep track of the fruits your work must bear. Focus on the work, on you, and on aligning your energies to make the best out of your time.

There's a pattern that keeps showing itself up. It's not here to trouble you but to elevate you. Release it and free yourself. I feel you keep yourself in the waiting energy over and over again for something/someone, and this energy messes up your head and heart. What's meant for you will find you. Just like Harry got his letter from Hogwarts despite his uncle doing everything to refrain Harry from getting his hands on the invitation. Don't stop yourself from living YOUR life by putting a pause on your journey. The stagnancy is what bothers you.

Wealth is a few decisions away. I feel you're equipped to manifest an abundance of good fortune, but there's a pattern that's stopping you from making a decision. You haven't been feeling the spark, so it's necessary for you to release something physical—maybe old clothes or belongings that you do not use anymore. Donate them; you'll feel much lighter. Remove the past energy without ifs and buts.

At this time, divine encourages you to trust your intuition and follow your heart. Put all your love in you and your purpose. How you feel has a lot to do with what you attract, my dear pile 1. So try to make yourself feel better.

The moment you release the need to control everything on your journey is the moment aligned connections and opportunities will knock at your door. I see love to be quite prominent in your reading. I do see someone wanting to offer you their love. Listen to your intuition; you know the answer! I hear, “In my heart and in my head, tell me why this has to end.” Some of you are grieving losing someone, and that's acting as a blockage as you're not truly feeling every emotion.

Just give yourself time to grieve, release, and transform into who you are meant to become after going through the pain (properly). The new version of you will be able to manifest financial abundance easily and quickly. It's only going to take 1-2 weeks if you dedicate some time to grieving and releasing every day.

You're not crazy to feel this way, nor should you shame yourself for still needing to figure it out. Your mind tricked you into not leaving someone behind because they seemed to be the best thing that ever happened to you. But trust your inner knowing; you've always been guided to walk away as the purpose of the connection was served.

The moment you step into the different world and remove all your hopes from the past, you'll attract what/who is meant for you! God has something amazing planned for you. Your crazy move is to let go of that part of you that makes you feel you're nuts for letting go of something or someone who was good enough for you (but not the best!).

~🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️~

Pile 2🌷

Tarot Cards- 2 of Pentacles, The Emperor, Temperance, 10 of Wands, 4 of Cups, 4 of Pentacles, 3 of Wands, 10 of Swords

Charms- Fairy, Dove, Feather, Snake

Animal Spirit- Lizard

You're already going through some major transformations, or you're about to. Major endings are headed your way. It doesn't make sense for you to take things lightly, but the divine wants you to take it slow and easy. You're about to come out of it transformed just like a butterfly.

Don't pressurize yourself with overthinking. It's time to preserve and persevere. Just take one day at a time. Your life is about to shift from lack to abundance! It's unbelievable, isn't it? I know, right! If you keep thinking about what you've lost, then yes, it's never going to make sense because then you won't allow the best possible scenario to manifest. This is the time to pray and rest. Spend more time in nature. Your mental struggles are ending. I heard, “I wave goodbye to the end of beginning. Just trust me; you'll be fine.”

Some of you may be moving places or shifting. Everything's a mess while shifting, but once you're in your new home (new reality), you can easily focus on decorating the new home. Right now you're transitioning, so it's a good time to remember the lessons and be prepared to finally step into your new reality.

Don't worry too much about what's going to happen next; though we all wish to plan ahead, we don't. Umm... and maybe it's fine for you to reminisce. Whoever's calling you crazy for wanting to slow down or take a break is too sane for this world, lol! I just heard someone saying, “Be realistic!” Well, tell them this is not something that happens in everyone's reality. Refrain from taking unsolicited advice.

At this moment, your biggest project is you and your reality. That's where your focus needs to be. You need to feel your world crumbling down in front of your eyes (I know it can be intense for most of you), but with due compassion, I'm saying this: you need to feel it all. Let your soul transform with the fire that burns your whole reality to the ground for you to step into a new one. It may feel unfair, or you may want to save the precious memories. Do it. But give yourself time.

At the end you'll realize it's so little that matters and what matters means so much, but unfortunately people are missing the realization.1010 and 444 can be significant. I see the universe wanting you to trust in the ending and lean on God for support. Very soon you'll find your happiness and the joy of life. All that is happening is happening for you to realize that light has to rise after the dark.

There's no other way; this is the law of nature. Maybe some of you have found it difficult to have faith in God or experience divine blessings. If you ever asked, “How do I trust God? How can I realize God's blessings?” This situation is God's answer to you. God's saying, “Now you'll see me and experience my blessings.” I strongly feel that you're finding it difficult to believe in miracles or that something extraordinary can happen for you. Just trust. I also hear, “Are you that naive? Why are you looking for me outside? I am within you. Don't you feel it? You have my essence, and that's how you hear me if you tune the strings of your heart. Ask what you want, and it shall be given. But first realize that I'm with you.”

It's crazy to have faith at this phase of your life, but if you're nuts, you will make it to the end of the tunnel. God tests us in the tough times. It's when you're at rock bottom you're given the choice to either lean on the divine or attach yourself to a false man-made safety net. The choice is yours, pile 2.

~🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️~

Pile 3🌷

Tarot Cards- Ace of Wands, 8 of wands, 5 of wands, 4 of cups, 7 of pentacles, Ace of Pentacles

Charms- Key, Peacock, Fleur De Lis

Animal Spirit- Beaver

You do feel a blessing is coming your way that is going to shift your reality, but your mind refuses to believe it. You've been working so hard for such a long time that you don't want to get your hopes high.

Holding onto apathy or feeling like your reality is never going to change isn't doing anything good for you. In fact, this is the feeling that is keeping you trapped in an environment you've outgrown.

Get ready to do your best with what you have. As you keep doing your best despite how you feel, you'll become the best. This time, along the way you'll see the changes. You'll get your results as you remain consistent on your path.

In the past you've planted the seeds, and now the time is about to arrive for you to enjoy the fruits. The ideas that you're receiving are the key to opening a new door of opportunities. Once you stay consistent and act on your ideas, you'll rise above the competition!

Yes, it's crazy for you to still keep going. But do it! You're about to be blessed. You shouldn't lose hope when you're about to reach the finish line. In fact, you get more excited that you're about to win!

Say yes to the opportunities that come your way and believe that you deserve them. All you need to do is do your best by focusing on the work at hand.

I do see a lot of material abundance coming your way, but you don't see it yet. You need to tweak the way you work and see your reality from a different lens, and soon everything will fall into place.

You know how to water plants, but you don't know when to water what. And this is the reason you end up exhausted. Do your best with unidirectional approach. Your energies are being poured in an unorganized manner, which is causing this whole trouble of seeing inconsistent results with consistent efforts.

Your task is to manage and organize well to efficiently and effectively direct your energies in the tasks you're supposed to do to attract material abundance.

You're about to receive a new beginning in something you're very passionate about, and you're going to stand out in the crowd. It's fated in the stars for you to be blessed. Look at your sun sign and the placement of the sun in your birth chart. The planet sun is going to bless you with an auspicious new beginning.

It's time you stop denying your intuition. Don't gaslight yourself into believing what others make you believe. You're not your bad experiences; you're who you choose to become despite what you went through.

The wheel is turning in your favor. Something about planetary positions is coming out strongly in your cards. Your time's about to change. Fate and destiny are playing a major role here.

Your hard work is not going to go to waste. Divine has taken a note of your past efforts. You're about to meet your soul tribe, and I do feel many new beginnings are about to be gifted to you. Just allow the universe to do its part now, and you do yours with devotion.

Let the map of your purpose form itself as you remain consistent on your path. This is God testing your faith and patience for one last time before blessing you with what you're promised by the divine. I do feel there's even a surprise orchestrated by the divine that you will receive at the right time.

~🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️🌸☘️~

[queenkatluv]

Heya! I hope you are doing well.

This question I've been meaning to ask for a little bit since I've been meaning to start getting into at least one, if not more of your projects- (the only reason i haven't yet is because i dunno where to start ;-;)

So my question is, what series of yours do you think would be a good starting point?

(And it's alright if you can't recommend just one of them, i usually am im between like- four different stories rn and is still keeping up with all of them-)

That's a really valid question, honestly.

The longest series I've had is Otso and Derpy's Adventures, so when people find my channel that is the series that usually intimidates the most to first time viewers. Especially because, as stated, its my LONGEST SERIES and referenced occasionally in other shows. That was the first I had ever produced, so there are a lot of flaws/dated editing/etc. So while I wouldn't RECOMMEND it, I definitely would encourage a watch if the concept of two siblings who are able to travel between dimensions and get into all sorts of trouble interests you!

Other than that series, I would recommend Korina's Origin. Sure, you COULD watch the original series that mine is a spin off from, but you definitely don't HAVE to. That is a project I put a lot of love into, and I will for sure be bringing back in the future, so might be beneficial to get ahead by giving it a watch! Especially if you are interested in an off shoot of Greek mythology!

If you are interested in more scary/suspenseful things, I would recommend my SCP series as well, though that tends to go in hand with watching Davis's POV on his channel so it's a pretty heavy series to get into.

Or if you want something more recent, I would for sure check out my Vampires Bride series. I've talked a lot about it, but a lot of time and effort and love has been poured into it and I won't be stopping anytime soon!

In summary, I think it really depends on what YOU are interested in seeing. Some people really hate my Otso and Derpy series, while others think its an iconic part of my channel. Some viewers think Korina is annoying as hell, others think she's really inspiring. I'd give a few episodes a try and see which one strikes to you more and go from there!

But if you can't decide, I'd say either Otso and Derpy's Adventures or Korina's Origin is a good starting point. BUT BE SURE TO WATCH THE VAMPIRE'S BRIDE!!!

[weebsinstash]

wait.

wait-wait-wait-wait-wait-wait

have you seen arcane?!??

if you haven’t yet you should because I could thirst for DAYS over the main characters!

you should’ve seen how victor is with jayce yes-like there is a scene where he is basically straddling him?!? (im mean technically ‘he ’ wasn’t doing it, but he was puppeting the body that was so it still counts)

and let’s not get started about jayce and Mel.

or vi and cait in episode 8.

I don’t know if you’ve seen it or not so I’m going to calm down so I don’t spoil more if you haven’t

just…almost everyone in the main cast is hot, like seriously.

I need you to understand that basically within 5 minutes of me realizing Viktor would be good yandere material at least for the kinds of things I like, a little voice in my brain was going, "yeah and if you wanted to, you could include his jock boyfriend as a 2 for 1 deal!"

Arcane is another one of those things where I haven't fully officially sat down to consume it BUT it became so huge that it was all over YouTube and yt shorts. Yt shorts are AGGRESSIVE when it decides it wants to start feeding you something. Apparently it's convinced I would really like Doctor Who and keeps showing me scenes from like three specific episodes?

But yeah my algorithm was feeding me tons of Arcane content, and then I started watching specific scenes and listening to the music, and I essentially have a pretty good vague overall grasp of the plot, like, in its full entirety from jinx and silco, to the tea party, Ekko leaping through time, Mel getting those Extremely Aesthetic gold stripes. I've wanted to watch it in its entirety, though? I can probably easily pirate it from somewhere

I admit I'm a fake bisexual on how extremely off and on and specific my tastes in women can be so I'm not sure if Vi or Cait are really growing on me from romantic/sexual standpoints, but 👀 Ambessa is definitely uh 👀 you know I have a type for the taller ones that make me feel small and helpless and she's definitely 👉👈 tough and scary and domineering 👉👈 her checking out that younger guy and then just smiling to her daughter "I'm off to sample the local cuisine" like.... queen shit fr

But yeah over the last year I've been recovering from a fall at work that kinda fucked up my knee and I've been having to do PT and I've gained a deeper soft spot for specific characters and plot lines involving disability, either a yandere caring for a disabled darling, or you both being disabled, or things along those lines. Viktor's own journey from a sickly young boy unable to chase after his toy to a young man curing himself and immediately sprinting for the first time in his life, it's all very, personal now. I mean I always apparently had a disability I was born with and didn't know about until my 20s, but especially now that my knee gets in the way of activities sometimes.

I can just picture like... oh you're just this poor mousy little thing from the Undercity who bumps into him for whatever reason and he sees you have a cane just like him, or maybe you're too poor for even a cane and have some sort of improvised walking stick, and he just immediately empathizes with your situation. Like i have several ideas but I can just picture, stereotypical "we were both lost in thought and collided and we went around the corner" and you get knocked over and Viktor recognizes the fear in your eyes as you look him over, from his clean clothes to maybe even his companion Jayce being there, fearing you're going to be punished or harmed, clearly accustomed to the violence of the slums. Viktor sees himself in you as you're clearly realizing your situation and how easily you could be hurt given that they have not just power but privilege over you

Both of them taking pity on you because, oh you poor thing, how awful it must be for you to have such little help for your condition. Are you hurt from the fall just now? Let them help you out as an apology for knocking you down. Do you need a cane that's fitted properly? What about a stabilizing brace for your leg. You have hip and back problems too? The two scientists are practically drafting up schematics for all sorts of proposed solutions within the hour--

On one hand I'm like "oh what if they encourage and help you get a better education because you show promise" and then im like "but what if they think it's cute how little you know as someone from the Undercity who didn't get a decent education and they like how much you have to rely on them and ask them for things"

Viktor being against ableism without realizing he's doing it to you by subconsciously infantalizing you over your vulnerable state with not just your physical disability but if you're also potentially neurodivergent as well, whereas Jayce infantalizes you for being this :) little cute. dumb. poor. low born little thing :)

They find out you live in some absolutely dingey shitty fucking place or somewhere straight up unsafe and they're immediately just, really kind of refusing to let you stay there anymore? Just strong-arming you, "b-but I live here--" "not anymore" "no" "absolutely not" "we can hire movers, it's fine" "but-" "you'll like being somewhere new, relax"

Some scenario where they, move you into a new place to live, suddenly you've got access to all these things you didn't before, bathing regularly, new clothes, full meals, safety, mental stimulation, purpose and labor but without the desperation and fear. You can exit your building and jog around the neighborhood without fear. But, the control over so much of that rests within THEIR hands. One or both of them pays for your housing. Perhaps you even share many of your meals in their direct company. Do you have new medications they helped you obtain? Do your new mobility aids need some tweaking every now and again? Do they help provide EVERYTHING for you 'just until you get on your feet' and then stand in your way every single time you try to do something that would bring you closer to that goal?

No no, don't worry about paying them back for everything they're paying for, they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts :) no no, you don't need to get a job right away! Or, at all ever again maybe, like wouldn't that be so funny haha, just kidding lol, unless????? :) ha ha, oh my gosh that's just so silly, they told you to take advantage of living in this nice neighborhood they moved you into that's near them and told you to enjoy your life and it's just so wacky and silly and crazy but you did exactly just that and you've been doing fun stuff but with other people and not them haha that's so weird? :) don't worry if they keep acting like there's still stuff they need to help you look out for and help protect you from even after moving you into this little situation where they already hold all the power, I'm sure it's totally fine? :) oh wow they caught you out at a bar or something getting friendly with a guy and one of them just outright refers to you as disabled and accuses the guy of exploiting you somehow, wow isn't that so quirky, they're just having a boy-moment lol? :) honey they just want to make sure no one hurts you and that's why it's completely 300% justified they put a tracker in the special leg brace that they designed that helps you move around every day :)

whaaaaaaat, you think they're being creepy? Well, sweetheart, with the life you've lived in the Undercity, they can see how you might come to THINK you believe that, but that doesn't mean it's true :) you're just so used to living in the danger and the dirt and the grime that you're not used to being safe, and they can understand that, and they're here to help you through the adjustment process of, your new life :) permanantly :) never going back to the Undercity :) staying with your new male companions :) and maybe marrying one or even both of them :) they know best, so trust them! :)

[hurlumerlu]

As a fellow enthusiast of The Labyrinthine Workings of Kant's Deliciously Fucked-Up Mind, what are your thoughts on him STILL not coming clean about why he's scared of the ocean? Arguably, that could've be the perfect moment to be truthful about it because a) sympathy and b) demonstration of honesty, so I'm interested in his thinking. I'm not at all mad about it, because it gives me faith they want to treat it with the gravity it deserves and that it will be revisited later in a meaningful way, but I'm curious to hear what you think!

Also curious as to whether the invoking of penguin in this ep (I gather ppl had mixed reactions to this but I loved it - thought it was such a beautiful show of trust, and when partnered with Bison's exact words about using it from ep 3 - 'Let me know as soon as it's too much' - it becomes utterly heartbreaking) gives you more or less confidence that they'll also revisit the BDSM?

Oooooh, that is such a good question! I don't think I have a definitive answer for now, as I haven't thought about it very deeply (also I just woke up), but my gut reading of it follows three axis (and sorry. this got long. how did it get so long. why am I so verbose.)

Kant simply doesn't wanna look at it. That's the first thing I landed on and honestly the reason I didn't even wonder why he wasn't talking about it. It's just not his style! Early in the show I said that trying to write Fadel's pov is both interesting and challenging because there are many things he simply can't look at or he'll never stop screaming, and I think this is yet another thing he and Kant have in common. Kant is sociable and very sexually active, so he doesn't register as repressed in the same immediate way Fadel does, but he is! He's been dealt a shit hand in life, and he's known for a while that how he felt about it would never meaningfully change his situation ; so while he can't exactly stop having those feelings, he can (and does, all the time) chose to set them aside. It's very human tbh: no one can stare their grief in the face 24/7 and survive. But yeah, it took Kant waking up disoriented on the deck of a boat to actually look at what happened to him as a kid, and that was an extraordinarily unpleasant moment for him. So if you put him back on solid land? He's just gonna say no thanks! This is why I must say I'm not sure they will actually revisit that trauma in depth, but I personally wouldn't be mad about it. I don't think Kant is at a point in his life where he can do that work, especially since they still have so many things to worry about. However I can totally imagine him casually mentioning it years down the line, and Bison going "I'm sorry, WHAT" and Kant saying "oh we don't have to make a big deal out of it" and Bison being like "yes we do Kant. holy fuck." TLDR: Kant is very much a "if I don't touch my feelings they can't hurt me" kind of person, and that might be what he's doing there.

Kant doesn' want to make this moment (the beach vacation torture session) about his hurt. It's about soothing Bison's pain! It's about aknowledging the damage he caused, showing that he's sincere in his desire to make up for it, and proving to Bison he's worthy of trust! (this isn't not linked to the safeword thing, btw.) And we can be mad about him prioritizing Bison's needs over his own, but "devoted to a fault" is just how Kant rolls, and now that he doesn't have to keep that side of him in check when it comes to Bison (Bison who is, at this instant, very emotionally vulnerable), of course he's going to indulge. He doesn't want Bison to forgive him out of pity and compassion for his past circumstance. Does he even want Bison to forgive him? I mean, yes, obviously, but forgiveness isn't the main goal here at all. getting another chance is. I think he wants Bison to put his broken heart in one side of the scale - with no mitigating factors to lighten that weight - then Kant's sincere devotion and love in the other, and then judge for himself. And I think Kant's is very confident that his love and devotion will outweight the hurt, and that Bison just needs some time to accept that. But in the meantime he's not gonna fish (haha) for sympathy, and I don't think it occurs to him that the plane crash is even something to be honest about (after all he never lied about the plane crash. that would probably require looking at it.) but even if it was I don't think he'd believe that's the honesty Bison needs right now, as it has nothing to do with their relationship. In fact the only time he really mentions something that isn't part of their relationship, it's Babe, and I don't think I need to explain why Babe is the exception. TLDR: Kant said "this isn't about me, this is about my boyfriend's hurt feelings and saving my marriage."

The one I'm way less confident about: I'd say (and this is related to point 1 but still a separate thing) that Kant finally feel like he can turn over a new leaf. All the things that he was running from caught up to him, and it should have killed him, it certainly felt like it was killing him, but it didn't. Immersion in water symbolizes a cleansing of the soul and/or a sheding of past identities in many cultures, and Kant emerged from the sea with the absolute proof he was loved. That's bound to make a man want to look toward the future! Add to this his gradual realization that what he was doing wasn't actually efficiently helping Babe, which culminates in him admitting that Babe will be independant very soon, and you get someone who's more than willing to let the past be past. Now, obviously irl he would still probably need to adress his trauma, but as a character? I'm not sure he does. And at this moment I think he's kinda basking in that feeling of rebirth, despite everything. (There might also be some Buddhist element in that reading, like the idea of letting go of past hurts, rather than give them power over you by obsessing about them, but I am not Buddhist and know very little about Buddhism so. idk. do NOT quote me on that) TLDR: Kant did not dwell on the past because he is, symbolically, moving on from all the bad shit in his life.)

Thus conclude my thought on the question! I shall now release that post into the wild, where it perhaps will catch the attention of fellow Kant appreciators who might add to it crunchy thoughts of their own, and - oh, wait. There's a second part to this ask.

Okay, so, the thing is I am not the best person to weight in on the safeword scene, because I tend to have very knee-jerk reactions to how safewords are used in fiction. It's one of my numerous bdsm related pet-peeves, and I've been trying very hard not to inflict my rants on the subject on people who didn't ask, and. *deletes one of said rants* I will be strong and not get into it. I do personally think it was silly, but not in a bad way, simply silly like a lot of the show is silly, like a hitman tying a guy to a bed with promises of pain and then introducing himself as "the cutest waiter in a burger joint" is silly: just because something is silly doesn't mean it can't also be meaningful, or even kind of heartbreaking. Personally, it did not hit me nearly as hard as the "Hi, I'm Bison" moment did, because 1. that's a tall order and 2. see the "kneejerk reactions to the use of safeword in fictional settings" part of this paragraph. But I did find it remarkably sweet! (and just to make sure no-one gets their own knee-jerk reaction reading my post: safewords are useful in many settings and necessary in many others, including fictional ones. i am not disparaging safewords. carry on.) So my very instinctual answer to "does this scene give you more or less confidence that they'll revisit the BDSM?" is well, they went somewhere I didn't particularly want them to go, so how can I trust they'll go somewhere I actually want them to (ie, more BDSM)? (Not to mention that the safeword use could technically function as a sort of bookend: they opened the BDSM talk with it, they could close it the same way. It would not be very satisfying to me, but I have to reluctantly admit that it wouldn't be bad writing.)

But if I take a step back from my own feelings... well, I don't know. I don't know, because until now this show has not followed the usual scripts for BDSM in media. Pretty sure I've already been over some of the things that I've loved so far, so I won't go back on them, but my point is that it's been breaking some old molds, and while I appreciate it, it makes speculating a lot harder. What I will say, though, is that BDSM has been woven into the KantBison plotline in a way that allows it to really underline the various themes of that plotline (trust most of all, imo), so why drop it when we still have four episodes to go? Especially since the writers do seem to care about it enough to not just follow clichés.

And like I said, you could argue that the safeword scene do bookend the BDSM "arc" quite well - from the two of them agreeing on a safeword that can't really mean anything since one of the participants is partially having sex under pressure, to them using the safeword in a non-sexual setting to convey that they can actually be trusted to respect boundaries and, in the case of Kant, can be trusted to set boundaries. Like, it does make sense!!! But wouldn't it make even more sense, and be even sweeter, if we went from a scene gone wrong to a scene going right? Maybe the safeword scene wasn't so much the bookend as it was the climax of the BDSM arc. In which case I do believe they will put bow on it later. A nice little epilogue to it. So yeah, I don't know, but I see no reason to just assume they'll drop it. With still four episodes to go, I believe each couple will get one more (if perhaps only slightly) sexual scene before the end of the show, and I hope they'll put the BDSM there. But even if they don't, it's not like the show has been shy with sex jokes and little allusions so far, and I really don't think they'll stop. Wether that's enough or not will be a matter of taste.

Well, I started this post saying I had just woken up, and it's now time for lunch. I hope this isn't too jumbled, and that you'll find something for you in there. A sincere thank you for being interested in my thoughts! With any luck it will also spark conversations, and we'll both get to read more Kant meta.

[messrsrarchives]

writer interview game

ty @shoopsthereitis and @brandileigh2003 for the tags !! me when i'm in my writing era <3 (under cut)

how many works do you have on a03?

4! two oneshots and two ongoing wips :)

what's your total ao3 word count?

i cannot check rn because ao3 is down x

your top 5 stories by kudos? -> only have four up thus far so ahem

one single thread of gold

All In On Black

maybe time running out is a gift

the death of my dog (the stretch of my skin)

do you respond to comments?

i am so bad at doing this but i try to reply whenever i upload the next chapter! (i am very behind but i read and love every single notification <3)

what's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

it's not posted yet but the ending for 'maybe time running out is a gift' is incredibly angsty and then there's a couple more MCD fics in the vault 🤭

what's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

next question.

no actually ostog will have a happy ending 🙂↕️ eventually

do you write crossovers?

nope

have you ever received hate on a fic?

not *on* the fic but i've had some anon asks :/

do you write smut?

with @shoopsthereitis holding my hand the entire time whilst i cry and ask "is this word okay?" every five minutes

have you ever had a fic stolen?

naur

have you ever had a fic translated?

naur

have you ever co-written a fic before?

unless we count the aforementioned smut hand-holding then nope, not any that are up ! but me and a friend have some ideas floating around (i love co-writing)

what's your all-time favorite ship?

wolfstar wolfstar wolfstar

what's a wip that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

i have a longgggg jegulus centric fic that i've been toying around with for MONTHS that feels a lot like sisyphus and his boulder. not much hope on that one but lots of thinking ! that counts !

what are your writing strengths?

i'm a big metaphor lad. big fan of poetic rambles. and then the recurring themes are probably what i'm best at because that's what i'll base a story around

what are your writing weaknesses?

smut absolutely but also just,,, physical intimacy at all. and dialogue is always a big struggle (me 🤝🏻 miscommunication tropes)

what are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

so much fun !! mostly welsh in the vault because i grew up with it, but there's some french and hindi scattered into drafts too

what's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

i would love to write some scorbus at some point! i love those lil guys and i'm super excited to start on my snily one

what's your favorite fic you've ever written?

ostog has a soft spot in my lil heart. it's clunky and i've been feeling very :((( about it recently but i still love it. it's been a big learning curve (and still is) but that remus is so special to me

np tags (sorry if you've already done it!): @calamitoustide @courfee @inevitablestars @houndsinhades @littleoldrachel

[kaaaaaaarf]

fanfic author interview game

thanks for tagging me @moonheavens, @pretentiouswreckingball & @languagelessonswolfstar <33

How many works do you have on AO3?

32!

What's your total AO3 word count?

133,785. I write a lot of shorter fics....I have many, many more words in my google docs though.

Your top 5 stories by kudos/likes:

The Killing Time (unwillingly mine) - aka murder husbands check me out - university au one shot back when we were dinosaurs - aka museum soft like silk chiffon - silk slip remus 🤭 they call it the cockpit - airport smut

the rest is under the cut:

Do you respond to comments?

Yes, but I struggle to keep up!! I read every single one, though. They mean so much to me.

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

Oh, hmm. I try to make most of my endings pretty hopeful, but I Want A Dog is hurt no comfort.

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

Most of them tbh!!! Maybe back when we were dinosaurs?

Do you write crossovers?

Nope! Although @lynxindisguise has talked about doing a hatefuck b-side to everywhere, everything and I'd be down to help with that. 😇

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yes, unfortunately.

Do you write smut?

hahahahahahhahha yes. It's so funny to me because when I set out to write fanfic I always said I wouldn't write smut, and arguably it's what I'm most well known for aside from murder husbands. I really struggle to write it, but I have received good reviews thus far. 🫡

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I had someone put my work on wattpad, which was really fucking shitty.

Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope! I don't think I would really be okay with it unless I really knew the person doing the translation.

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, I write so slowly, and my writing is so dependent on the muse that I would be a terrible writing partner.

What's your all-time favourite ship?

Wolfstar!! Closely followed by everlark.

What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

I was just thinking about this earlier. I had big plans for Nobody Parts Two Rivers Met but as much as I would love to finish it, I don't know that the muse will ever take me back.

What are your writing strengths?

Erm, good question. I think I have a really strong grasp on who my characters are. I'm also very good at comedic timing. This is always one of those things where I'm like...ask people who read my work, I really have no idea.

What are your writing weaknesses?

I struggle with blocking. If there is a lot happening in a scene (like the pool scene in I Got My Spoon (inside your jar)) or there are a lot of people involved I struggle to make it sound natural. This is the same with smut...I really do struggle with it, and edit it to death in order to make it sound not so person a does thing to person b, person b smiles. I also over-use the em dash and italics.

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I wont do it unless I know a native speaker of the language who can translate for me. I don't want my poor grasp of a language to take a person out of the story.

What's a fandom/ship you haven't written for yet but want to?

I would say evan(s) but I finally wrote a piece for that! I wish I could write snowbaz...I've never written for a fandom that isn't the marauders and I'm not sure if I have the intrinsic motivation at the moment.

What's your favourite fic you've written?

Probably back when we were dinosaurs. It's my most personal fic for many, many reasons. It takes place where I live and in one of my favourite places for a start. I also see myself in both Remus and Sirius at different times in my life....also dinosaurs!!!!! Other than that, maybe check me out. First fic I've ever written off a prompt and to be frank, I didn't think I'd be able to....it turned out better than I ever could have expected, and bonus....people seem to like it.

np tagging: @pain-in-the-riri, @swifty-fox, @moon-seas, @lynxindisguise, @fruityindividual, @imsiriuslyreading, @brigid-faye & @eyra

[zerocoded]

summary: caleb wants to confess to you on his knees and an a 70-year-old lady becomes your biggest nightmare.

authors note: pls take a look at the warnings for a safe reading ♡ y'all are freakier than me and I LOVE IT, so here is the continuation of this post i made, if you haven't read it, go and tell me what you think about it! also check the talented artist who made this drawing that i'm using as a banner, credits to her ♡ this thing was supposed to be 6k words max but i think i got a little too much into EVERYTHING so i'm sorry if this sucks. still, i wish you guys a nice reading!

warnings: MAJOR LORE GUESS, THIS IS MY THEORY OF HOW THINGS WILL PLAY OUT DON'T TAKE IT SERIOUSLY • gaslighting and manipulation • SLIGHT yandere!caleb • possessive!caleb but he is also our cutie pie dw • isolation but just a little • minor injury • psychological distress • themes of wars and weaponization • we talk a little about our trauma • ptsd symptoms • negative talks about ourselves (booh) • caleb custom makes an uniform specially for us • hints at psychological torture ��� once again, ANGST BABES because these two really like to bicker with each other • sfw content but HEAVILY SUGGESTIVE, just nothing graphic

word count: 11.6k (pls let's not talk about it)

the first time you see caleb after the incident┃ you're here┃caleb teaches you his love language next! ( on going series )

skyhaven, powered by a protocore, stood as a beacon of innovation—a home to cutting-edge research centers and advanced tech organizations. when you were younger, the suspended island above linkon city had been a dream, a place of endless possibility and freedom. now, standing here, you couldn’t shake the irony: the very place you once longed to visit now felt like a gilded cage.

your journey here has unsettled you, planting a persistent seed of doubt. was this truly what you wanted? leaving behind the familiar comforts of your apartment to follow caleb to this towering, enigmatic place—was it the right choice? did that moment—the feeling of his lips on yours—truly change anything between you? did he think about it as often as you did?

the initial shock and disbelief of reuniting with caleb, after weeks spent mourning him, had begun to settle by your second night in skyhaven. the whirlwind of emotions that came with seeing him alive—relief, confusion, and a flicker of anger—faded into a dull hum as reality set in. as the day dragged on, with caleb strictly advising you not to leave his sleeping quarters’ floor, you found yourself with plenty of time to adjust to the strange circumstances you now found yourself in.

your first day here had passed quietly, an uneasy stillness settling over you. you hadn’t yet met any of caleb’s colleagues. the only glimpse you’d gotten of them was when you both arrived, their initial looks of curiosity quickly extinguished by caleb’s commanding presence. whatever questions they had, they didn’t dare voice them. his authority was absolute, and for now, it shielded you from the world beyond his floor—but it also left you feeling isolated, a stranger in this new environment.

the second day started and ended much like the first—confined to his bedchambers, with nothing but your thoughts and the ever-changing view from the huge floor-to-ceiling windows in his room. you spent hours there, caught in a trance as the sky shifted through an endless palette of colors, clouds forming and dissolving in shapes that seemed just as fleeting as your grip on this new reality.

caleb’s presence was everywhere and that made you a little dizzy. his scent lingered in the shirts he had lent you, in the bed sheets that cradled you at night, a warm mix of leather, musk, and something distinctly his own. his quarters, though rarely used given how much of his time was consumed by work, were unmistakably a reflection of him.

the room was awash in muted greys, from the smooth metallic walls to the minimalist furniture that prioritized function over form. cabinets lined one side, adorned with badges from past missions—quiet tokens of his history, his sacrifices, and his triumphs. their arrangement felt almost random, yet carried a subtle, unspoken order.

his bed, though crisply made, was an island of softness in the otherwise sharp-edged decor. a worn leather jacket hung by the door, its scuffed edges a contrast to the polished surface of his boots, lined perfectly beneath. on the desk in the corner, a stack of reports waited alongside a notebook with frayed edges, a relic of a more personal side of him he rarely let anyone see.

when reality came crashing down, you realized that you felt no different than when you were a little kid—admiring the boy of your dreams from a distance, your heart caught between hope and the quiet certainty that this dream was just that: a dream. the same ache lingered, a mixture of longing and doubt. you felt closer to that dream every time you caught caleb staring at you when he thought you were distracted.

speaking of ache, the injury you’d sustained a few days earlier during one of your missions was still fresh in your memory. the medic team at the farspace fleet had tended to it with precision, and that counted as the second time you’d interacted with anyone here. you hadn’t meant to let it slip during your journey that your ribs were swollen from an accident at work, but caleb had noticed—and he wasn’t about to let you brush it off.

when you tried to wave away his concerns, insisting you just needed rest, he didn’t take it lightly. his worry for you came out in an unusual way—firm, commanding, and impossible to ignore. he barked orders at the medic team with an authority that left no room for argument, his voice sharp and unwavering. watching him threaten them to ensure you received the best care, you couldn’t help but feel like he wasn’t just acting as a colonel—he was someone who cared deeply for you. 

as the clock marked the start of your third day as caleb’s reluctant guest, you rose from his bed, the routine as monotonous as the view outside. you slipped into fresh clothes—despite having no prospect of seeing anyone besides caleb—and began your habitual ritual of tidying up his space, a quiet attempt to pass the time and bring a sliver of normalcy to the strange circumstances.

you were certain the colonel wouldn’t mind if you spent the day lounging in his shirt—it wasn’t like he’d complain—but there was something about maintaining a semblance of decency that felt necessary. maybe it was your way of reminding yourself that you and caleb weren’t pre-teenagers cuddling in granny’s sofa like you used to anymore, now you were both adults.

caleb’s presence in the room was fleeting, almost ghostlike. you always fell asleep before he returned and woke to find the bed cold and empty, his absence a constant companion. and yet, in the stillness of the night, there were moments—fleeting, but undeniable—when you stirred just enough to feel him. his arm would circle your waist, his breath soft against your hair. it was never long enough to fully wake, but just enough to remind you that he was there, in his own quiet, guarded way.

and there it goes your attempt at decency once again.

you’d joked once about how he was keeping you hostage, trying to lighten the mood of your strange arrangement. caleb had smirked at your remark, that faint, knowing curve of his lips that you used to know what it meant but couldn’t pinpoint it anymore. “be patient”, he’d teased, throwing out that stupid nickname he’d decided to saddle you with since kids. then, with his usual abruptness, he’d turned to leave, disappearing for yet another task that demanded his attention.

you caught yourself daydreaming about kicking his ass more times than you wanted to admit, but refrained from it because of the little consideration you had for the man. caleb had always been more than a mere presence in your life. growing up, he had been both a confidant and the object of an innocent, unspoken infatuation. 

back at school, you remembered the way your classmates would fawn over him after the whole chronofit thing happened, their voices tinged with admiration and awe. it had stirred a quiet possessiveness in you that you hadn’t fully acknowledged until now—until two nights ago, when he brought you to the farspace fleet. the way the other daa soldiers regarded him, with a mixture of respect and fear, reminded you of those little girls in school, seeing him as someone out of reach. 

the sound of your footsteps echoed faintly in the silence of caleb’s quarters as you paced, restless energy building with nowhere to go. the midday light filtering through the observation deck window cast long shadows, shifting subtly as the minutes dragged into hours. you’d spent the morning turning over every piece of information caleb had given you—trying to make sense of his cryptic remarks.

you had thought about confronting him more than once, but every time you pictured his sharp gaze and those carefully chosen, guarded responses, you stopped yourself. caleb didn’t share things easily like he used to, and if he was keeping you in the dark now, there had to be a reason. but patience had never been your strong suit, and the isolation of the past three days only made your doubts heavier, pressing against your thoughts like an unshakable weight.

as the door to his quarters hissed open, your heart jumped, the sound breaking the stillness like a gunshot. caleb stepped inside, his movements precise, his expression unreadable. his uniform was slightly rumpled, the dark fabric clinging to his frame, and a faint sheen of sweat on his brow suggested whatever task he’d been called to wasn’t as simple as he might claim.

“you’re still up here,” he observed, his tone neutral but his gaze flicking over you briefly before settling on the desk where he’d left a stack of reports.

“where else would i be?” you replied, trying to mask the tension in your voice. “you made it pretty clear this is my designated prison cell.”

his lips quirked into that familiar smirk. “if this is a prison, i’d say you’ve got the best cell in the fleet.”

you rolled your eyes at his response, folding your arms across your chest. “sure, best cell in the fleet,” you muttered, your tone dripping with sarcasm. “it’s not like i have much to compare it to.”

caleb chuckled softly, his smirk lingering as he moved toward the desk, casually thumbing through the stack of reports. “you’ve got a knack for making everything sound like an ordeal,” he said, glancing at your choice of clothes for the day—it wasn’t anything crazy, just some jeans and a black compression shirt. caleb didn’t gave you time to actually pack your stuff, of course. “but you’ll want to save your complaints for later. something tells me you’re about to get more to gripe about.”

before you could ask what he meant, the door hissed open again, and a small team of people entered, their arrival so abrupt it left you momentarily stunned. they carried garment bags and cases, moving efficiently under caleb’s orders. he turned to you, his expression unreadable but his tone calm and firm.

“go with them,” he said simply. “they’ll help you get ready.”

you stared at him, incredulous. “ready for what?”

“it’s time for you to get out of here,” he said, his tone firm yet measured. “you need to meet some people. there’s an interrogation set up, and they’re going to need answers—everything you know about onychinus, the aether core, and ever. try to dig up whatever you can remember about your time in the lab,” he added, his lips curving into a faint smile. “that should keep them satisfied, princess.”

your body tensed at the mention of onychinus. it was a name you didn’t expect to hear here, of all places, and the weight of it hit you like a blow to the chest. your gaze snapped to caleb, your mind already racing. how much did he know? how much had he told them?

“onychinus?” you repeated, your voice sharper than you intended. “how do they even know about that?”

did they know about sylus?

caleb’s expression remained unreadable, his amethystine eyes cool and steady, but there was a flicker of something he wasn’t saying. “this isn’t just about you anymore,” he replied simply. “they need answers. so do i.”

“and the lab?” you snapped, your frustration bubbling to the surface. “what the hell is that supposed to mean? i don’t know shit about that place, caleb. i already told you. it’s hard enough to believe i’m some kind of fucking experiment.”

he sighed heavily, the sound more resigned than exasperated. “we’ve talked about this,” he said, his voice steady but with a tinge of weariness, as if the conversation had played out in his head a hundred times already.

“no,” you shot back, stepping closer, your voice trembling with emotion. “you talked about this. you told me we’re human weapons, made to destroy each other. you told me about your time before the chronorift and granny josephine.” your voice faltered for a moment, your breath hitching. “and i told you, caleb, i don’t remember any procedures being done without my consent. even after the chronorift tragedy. you should stop fretting me about this.”

“you don’t remember,” he said quietly, his amethystine eyes holding yours with a steady intensity. “that’s fine. i didn’t either, at first.” he paused, the faintest flicker of something unreadable crossing his face before he continued. “but i hope we can talk about this again later, when you finally do remember.”

his voice dropped lower. “trust me,” he said, the words heavy with meaning. “you’re going to want me by your side when that happens.”

you narrowed your eyes, your tone turning accusatory. “and what about you? are they interrogating you too, or is this just about me?”

he tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into that faint smirk that was equal parts infuriating and captivating. “i was the one who asked for your interrogation,” he said, his voice calm, almost casual, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell.

“what do you mean, you asked?” you demanded, stepping closer to him, your heart pounding in your chest. the sheer size of him, amplified by the sharp lines of his uniform, made him feel larger than life. the dark fabric clung to his frame, accentuating his out worldly height.

his perfume was also divine.

“i need to make sure you’re telling the truth,” he said, his tone firm but not unkind. the words hung in the air, a challenge wrapped in concern. his bionic arm rested at his side, the faint hum of its servos almost lost in the tension between you.

your breath hitched, a mix of anger and hurt bubbling to the surface. “you don’t trust me,” you said, your voice quieter now, though no less sharp. “after the stunt you pulled at granny’s house, i should be the one not to trust you”.

his gaze softened, just for a moment, but then his expression hardened again, the familiar steel returning to his eyes. “this isn’t about trust,” he said, his voice low and steady. “it’s about knowing what we’re up against. i can’t afford to take chances—not with you, not with anyone.”

you felt the heat rise to your cheeks, your fists clenching at your sides. “you’re not the caleb i remember,” you muttered, the words slipping out before you could stop them.

his jaw tightened, and he stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. the sharp lines of his uniform, the way his eyes seemed to pierce right through you—it was almost too much. “i’m not,” he said, his voice a rough whisper. “that boy’s gone. at least the part of him that had to change so i could protect you right now. and if you can’t handle that—”

“don’t,” you interrupted, your voice shaking slightly. “just forget it.”

the tension between you crackled like static, the air too heavy to breathe. finally, he exhaled, the sound more controlled than the storm in his eyes. “after the interrogation,” he said, his tone softening just a fraction, “you’ll be free to move around skyhaven. no more confinement.”

you didn’t respond, your throat tight with words you couldn’t bring yourself to say. as if sensing the shift, caleb straightened, his imposing figure softening just slightly as he stepped closer. his expression shifted to something quieter, almost tender.

“hey,” he said softly, his voice dropping to that low, comforting tone he used when he wanted you to listen. his flesh hand gently cradled your cheek, the warmth of his touch grounding you, even as you stubbornly refused to meet his gaze. “you know you can trust me, right? pipsqueak?”

the nickname caught you off guard, tugging at something familiar, something from a time when things felt simpler. you blinked, unsure whether to be annoyed or comforted by the teasing lilt in his voice. “don’t call me that,” you muttered, though your heart wasn’t in it. 

you blinked hard, feeling the sting of unshed tears threatening to spill over. your chest tightened as the emotions you’d been trying to bury the last two days clawed their way to the surface. his thumb brushed against your cheek, a quiet, unspoken reassurance.

“look at me,” he murmured, his voice so soft it was almost a plea. when you didn’t, he leaned in just enough for you to feel the warmth of his breath. 

the warmth in his eyes didn’t fade. “stop acting like you don’t trust me,” he said, the teasing edge softening into something more serious. “i know this isn’t easy for you. hell, it’s not easy for me either. but i need you to believe me when i say i’m doing this for us—for you.”

“for me?” you repeated, your voice laced with annoyance as you crossed your arms. “you shouldn’t keep me in the dark like this, caleb. i don’t like it.”

his expression faltered for just a second, a flicker of guilt crossing his features before he straightened again, his bionic arm twitching faintly at his side. “it’s not that i don’t trust you,” he said, his voice firm but not harsh. “it’s that i need to protect you. and sometimes… that means making decisions you’re not going to like.”

you swallowed hard, his words settling heavily in your chest. he reached out then, his human hand brushing lightly against your arm, grounding you with a touch that was more deliberate than casual.

“you know me,” he whispered in your ear, leaning in slightly, his voice so quiet it was almost a secret. “you know i’d never let anything happen to you. you’re the only one i’ve ever been able to count on. don’t forget that, okay?”

after that, caleb took a step away from you, nodding to the team waiting by the door.

“get her ready,” he ordered, his voice carrying that same commanding edge that left no room for argument.

the team ushered you into a side room, where they worked quickly and efficiently to help you change. the uniform they presented was a masterpiece—sleek and custom-fitted, clearly designed to match the style of caleb’s but with details tailored to you. the base was a deep charcoal grey, nearly black, with white, red and gold piping along the seams and shoulders that shimmered faintly in the light. the high collar hugged your neck, its edges trimmed with subtle leather lines.

the fabric was sturdy yet flexible, designed for both movement and protection, while still accentuating your figure with precision. the insignia on the chest was a smaller, more refined version of the fleet’s emblem, embossed in gold. the sleeves bore intricate embroidery that hinted at your stats as a companion, adding a touch of elegance to the otherwise utilitarian design. the boots were polished to perfection, completing the look with a sense of authority and efficiency.

the team handed you the final piece of the uniform—a sleek military-style hat reminiscent of a pilot’s, crafted with the same precision and detail as the rest of the attire. its charcoal-grey base was accented with a polished silver insignia of the fleet, the mark of the deepspace aviation administration that gleamed in the light. 

the room buzzed with quiet efficiency as the staff worked around you, their movements quick but deliberate. the space itself was bright and sterile, with sleek metallic walls that reflected the soft hum of machinery. the air carried a faint smell of ozone and disinfectant, underscoring the precision of the environment. each member of the team seemed hyper-focused on their tasks—adjusting a seam here, brushing away an invisible speck of lint there—all while maintaining a level of deference that left you slightly uneasy.

their respect toward you wasn’t forced, but it felt oddly out of place, as if it was more a reflection of caleb’s authority than anything you’d earned. you caught snippets of murmured conversation between them, their glances respectful yet curious, as though they were trying to piece together who you were and why caleb had ordered such meticulous preparation for you.

when they finished, you stepped out into the hall where caleb was waiting. he stood with his back to you, his broad shoulders filling the space, his bionic arm resting at his side. 

for a split second you imagined yourself kicking his ass once again and making him fall face first on the floor for the way he’d been avoiding you the last two days. but then you remembered where you were and what you were doing here.

you’re not lying when saying you had spent a few seconds just glancing at his back without his notice. the sharp lines of his uniform only emphasized the commanding presence he carried, making him look every bit the colonel he was. the moment he felt your presence, he turned, his amethyst eyes locking onto you.

for a moment, caleb didn’t say anything. his gaze swept over you, slow and deliberate, taking in every detail of the uniform. his expression was unreadable, but his eyes held something deeper—pride, maybe, or something more possessive.

“it fits,” he said finally, his voice low and steady, 

“barely,” you replied, attempting to lighten the moment, though the intensity of his stare made your voice falter.

he stepped closer, his movements deliberate, his gaze never leaving yours. “no,” he said, his lips twitching into the faintest smirk. “it fits perfectly.”

his eyes swept over you again, lingering just a fraction too long to be casual. “actually,” he murmured, his voice dropping an octave, “it does more than fit. you look…” he paused, tilting his head slightly as if searching for the right word, though the gleam in his eyes told you he already knew. “exceptional.”

you felt heat rise to your cheeks, his compliment catching you off guard. “exceptional?” you echoed, attempting to keep your voice steady, though it betrayed you with a slight waver. “didn’t think you were the type to throw around fancy words like that, colonel.”

his smirk deepened, the teasing edge in his gaze making your pulse quicken. “i don’t throw them around,” he said smoothly. “only when they’re deserved.”

the way he looked at you made your breath hitch, the weight of his presence making the space between you feel charged. “you didn’t have to go through all this trouble,” you murmured, your fingers brushing over the insignia on your chest.

“i did,” he replied simply, his voice dropping even lower. “you’re with me now. they need to see that.” his gaze softened just enough to let a flicker of vulnerability show before it disappeared. “are you ready?”

no, i’m not, you wanted to say, but you doubted your insecurity would make a difference here. you were a hunter on a mission right now, and any false step could lead to your demise and caleb’s plan failing. you hoped he didn’t sense your nervousness, but something told you that you couldn’t hide anything from the man beside you. he always knew how to read you—this part of him resembled zayne a little, though you feared the comparison.

you walked side by side out of the sleeping quarters, your boots echoing softly against the polished floors. the corridor was a stark contrast to the warmth of caleb’s quarters—bright, sterile, and buzzing with activity. as soon as you stepped into view, every officer and soldier below caleb’s rank stopped their tasks, snapping to attention with a crisp salute. the air seemed to shift, charged with an unspoken reverence for the colonel.

the corridor led to an expansive atrium, its vaulted ceiling revealing the full grandeur of skyhaven. the deepspace aviation administration headquarters was a masterpiece of engineering, blending sleek modernity with a palpable sense of purpose. towering support structures arched gracefully overhead, made of an alloy that shimmered faintly under the artificial lighting. expansive observation windows lined the atrium walls, offering a breathtaking view of linkon city far below, 

skyhaven itself was an artificial marvel, a massive floating island suspended by an intricate network of protocore technology and magnetic stabilizers. the island wasn’t just a hub for the military—it was a living ecosystem of cutting-edge science and aviation. beneath the steel and glass exterior, skyhaven buzzed with life, housing research centers, training facilities, and state-of-the-art hangars that extended far beyond the viewable limits.

as you glanced out one of the observation windows, a small sigh of relief escaped your lips. linkon city stretched far below, its familiar skyline bathed in the amber glow of twilight. despite everything—your doubts, your fears—there was something comforting about seeing the world from this vantage point. for a moment, you let yourself appreciate the surreal beauty of it, even as caleb’s brisk pace pulled you back into the present.

as you approached the center of the base, the architecture shifted subtly, becoming even more advanced. panels of polished black metal lined the walls, embedded with glowing data streams that flickered in shades of blue and green. interactive holographic displays projected tactical maps, fleet status reports, and complex equations, their light casting faint patterns across the gleaming floor.

caleb led you through a security checkpoint, where biometric scanners and advanced surveillance systems verified your presence. the guards at the station snapped to attention at his approach, their expressions taut with respect. beyond the checkpoint, the central operations hub opened up—a sprawling room filled with tiered workstations and holo-screens that hovered mid-air.

in the heart of the hub stood a group that was unmistakably different. clad in black tactical uniforms, their gear adorned with the subtle insignia of ever, this was the special force. they didn’t salute caleb as the others had; their deference was more subtle, marked by a slight inclination of their heads and a sharp, assessing glance in your direction.

you felt your blood boil as your gaze landed on the emblem stitched into their uniforms—the unmistakable insignia of ever. the sight of it twisted your stomach, bringing back every sleepless night, every unanswered question that had haunted you since josephine’s death. zayne’s reluctant handoff of those cryptic documents had started it all, but it was the whispers of ever that had lingered at the edges of your stay at the N109 zone and your time at the nest that really troubled you.

and now, here they were, not just a name on a paper or a faint memory on onychinus’ air, but living, breathing soldiers standing right in front of you. their presence was as real as the knot forming in your chest. 

one of them stepped forward, a woman with sharp features and piercing eyes that seemed to miss nothing. her voice was calm but firm. “colonel,” she said, her gaze briefly flicking to you. “the team is ready for the briefing. we’ve set up in conference room XO2.”

your gaze darted to caleb, who was speaking with the woman at the forefront of ever’s team. his tone was steady, his expression calm, but to you, it was infuriatingly unreadable. how could he be so composed? how could he stand there, shoulder to shoulder with the people who might have made you both into weapons? your mind raced with fragments of memory and half-formed theories.

caleb’s words echoed in your mind: “we’re human weapons, made to destroy each other.” it was a concept you’d rejected at first, clinging to the idea that you were still whole, just a hunter with a weird heart. but the cracks had started to show. the unnatural resilience, the strange flashes of memory that felt both foreign and familiar, the way caleb’s presence had always felt like a tether. had josephine known? had she always known what you were? was that why she left you those documents, why she’d placed zayne in your path?. 

as you walked toward the mentioned room, the sound of your boots echoed faintly in the metallic corridor, mingling with the synchronized footsteps of the armed guards flanking you. their presence was suffocating, a living barricade of authority around you. their weapons were sleek and unrelenting.

the corridor opened up into a larger chamber, the entrance marked by a reinforced door flanked by additional guards. their posture was identical to the others, their faces emotionless masks as they stepped aside to let you pass. the door hissed open with a low, mechanical groan, revealing a room that was as starkly advanced as the rest of skyhaven.

as you waited for caleb to acknowledge you, suddenly all of the guards left, leaving only caleb, you and the lady in the room.

caleb gestured for you to take a seat, his voice low but firm. “sit,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. you hesitated for a fraction of a second, your gaze flicking to him before complying. the grey-haired woman took a seat across from you, her sharp eyes meeting yours with an intensity that made your pulse quicken.

caleb remained standing, his hands resting on the back of the chair beside you. his presence was steady, but you could feel the tension radiating from him. he leaned down, close enough that you could feel the warmth of his breath against your ear.

"do as you’re told and don’t cause any trouble," he whispered, his voice low and edged with an authority that sent a shiver down your spine. "you won’t get hurt, then."

your body stiffened at his words, your fists curling slightly against the cool surface of the table. despite the sharpness in his tone, there was an undercurrent of something else—something almost protective.

the grey-haired woman—you still didn’t know her name—exchanged a few words with caleb and then rose from her seat completely ignoring you. her heels clicked against the floor as she strode toward the door, her sharp gaze lingering on you for a moment before she exited. you caught the faintest glint of approval in her eyes as she passed. the door hissed shut behind her, leaving you and caleb alone in the room… or so it seemed. you glanced to the side, catching sight of the conference window. she was still there, standing with her arms crossed, her sharp silhouette illuminated by the sterile glow of the room beyond. a microphone sat near her hand, her presence palpable even in her absence.

"if you’re understanding the situation, then let’s go ahead and have a nice chat, right, pipsqueak?” caleb said, straightening and placing his hands on the table. “there’s more than one pair of eyes observing you in this room and it will be over before you know it". if he was trying to console you, he was doing a terrible job.

the investigation started with stupid questions like what was your name, age and evol. questions about the chronorift catastrophe resurfaced and time dragged slow by the time caleb got to the more specific questions. your patience were running thin, asking yourself why was the need of all this bullshit if they wouldn’t explain things to you at the end of the day.

caleb’s monotone tone annoyed you more than anything, but the eyes observing you in this room stopped you from starting a childish banter with the colonel. speaking of eyes, the grey-haired-scary woman kept hers on you the whole time. you could feel her obsession over this ever entity all the way from fucking linkon city. you hated it.

as time passed by, you started to grow restless when he got to ask the questions about granny. it was infuriating the way he was speaking like he wasn’t there the whole time—like he wasn’t the other child that josephine took under her wing. 

your anger faltered when caleb reached into his jacket and pulled out a stack of papers. the documents slid across the table with a deliberate motion, their edges crisp and yellowed with age. the faint scent of old paper mixed with the sterile tang of the room. “these,” he said, tapping the top of the stack with two fingers, “are her personnel files from ever.”

his words hit like a punch to the gut. for a moment, all you could do was stare at him, your mind struggling to process what he’d just said. the room seemed to tilt, and you gripped the edge of the chair to steady yourself.

“what?”, your throat was hoarse from answering all of the stupid questions previously, leaving you with a sense of laziness.

“this is what we were capable of gathering from the ever base, turns out they didn’t questioned why we needed it at all”. his words hung in the air as if taunting you.

“what are you on about, caleb?” the words escaped your lips, hollow and trembling. the honorifics were gone now, discarded the second his eyes shifted toward the grey-haired woman observing from the other room. 

“would you at least look at the files?”, his annoyed tone made your blood boil.

“not if you’re going to keep playing me, this is not funny.” even after you said that, his lips quirked into a milimetrical smirk.

“i’m not asking you to jump from the observation deck, pipsqueak, i’m asking you to read our granny’s documents”.

you wanted to laugh—this was absurd. it had to be.

“i don’t have a reason to lie to you, do i?” he replied, his voice maddeningly calm. that infuriating tone of his—it made you want to reach across the table and slap the smugness off his face. how dare he accuse the woman who had raised you, who had raised both of you, of being involved in something as insidious as this entity?

“shut up and stop running in circles!” you shoved the chair back as you stood, the legs screeching against the floor. you leaned forward, eyes locked on his with a fire that demanded answers. “is this a game to you? did i come all the way from linkon city for nothing? you said you would help me.”

“and i am helping you.” caleb’s reply was calm, as if he weren’t phased by your outburst. “this is the truth, princess.”

princess. there it was again—that nickname, so casual and so utterly out of place in a room filled with cold, calculated tension. did no one else find it strange that the colonel of the daa was speaking to you like this? a glance at the observation window confirmed that the grey-haired woman hadn’t moved an inch. her gaze remained fixed, expression unreadable.

what had caleb told her about you? about this? and why in god’s name had you agreed to any of it in the first place?

“Y/N.” his voice snapped through the air, sharp and commanding. he saw the way your legs shifted toward the door, the way your hands twitched with the urge to leave. before you could move, his hand shot out, wrapping around your wrist. the contact wasn’t rough, but the authority in his grip held you in place. his eyes met yours, and for a second, you froze under the weight of that gaze. it was as if the word “behave” was scrawled across his face, an order you couldn’t defy.

why did he need you to believe in things that felt so unexplainable? what was he trying so hard to convince you?

“she was recruited at thirty-one,” caleb continued, as if you weren’t about to leave this place for good instants ago. “straight out of her postdoctoral research in applied quantum mechanics and energy manipulation. she was already making waves in the scientific community, so ever snapped her up for their advanced energy division.”

“you don’t even know what you’re talking about”. you defended, freeing your hand from his grip and crossing your arms with anger painting your eyes red.

“have you never asked yourself why granny didn’t move houses?”, his eyes were fixed on you, the moment charged with unexplained betrayal. still, he didn’t stop there. “she hated that neighborhood and always complained about the kids leaving trash on the sidewalks. still, she never moved. have you never thought about how she was always alone, didn’t had friends, no one visited? how she was able to afford your college? she never spoke about having children and her family never called.”

the rage that had fueled you moments ago was now dulled by confusion. the image of her—your grandmother, your rock—shifted in your mind, colliding with the version caleb was painting. a version you couldn’t reconcile with the woman who used to hum lullabies while baking or press a kiss to your forehead after long days.

but the conviction in caleb’s tone was undeniable, and the papers lying between you were a damning testament to something you weren’t ready to face.

hesitant, you reached for the documents, your fingers trembling. the top page bore a formal header: EVER CORPORATION - PERSONNEL DOSSIER: DR. JOSEPHINE. below it, a photograph of your grandmother stared back at you, her sharp features framed by neatly pinned hair and a lab coat adorned with various badges of rank.

you scanned the documents, words like chief research officer and project architect leaping out at you. “she was the head scientist?” you asked, your voice barely audible.

fucking hell. this was impossible.

“not just head scientist,” caleb said. “she was promoted to director of advanced energy systems by thirty-five. she oversaw the development of key protocore technologies before spearheading project aether. these reports,” he gestured to the papers, “detail her work in bioenergetics, quantum harmonics, and adaptive energy matrices. she didn’t just design the aether core—she built the framework that made it possible.”

he made a pause to glance at you. you felt his eyes on you, heavy with meaning, but you couldn’t bring yourself to stop reading the details in front of you. every line on the page chipped away at the foundation of what you thought you knew.

“i know this because we used to work together.” the words sliced through the sterile air, shattering the fragile barrier between your disbelief and the truth he was forcing on you. there it was again—an unexplainable revelation that felt shattering and wrong.

what was that again?

your hands froze, trembling slightly as the paper slipped from your grasp. your eyes lifted to meet his, and for a moment, the rest of the room faded into nothing. the hat was off his head now, his fluffy hair slightly mussed as if this moment required something more personal, more vulnerable. it didn’t match the clinical coldness of the room or the gaze of the grey-haired woman observing from the corner. it felt intimate, despite the invasive presence lurking just behind the glass.

“what is that supposed to mean?”, your heart was beating like crazy, you could feel the vibrations thrumming on your ears. “i don’t… i don’t believe you”.

“she recruited me to take care of you.” his voice was quieter now, and for the first time, you saw a flicker of something raw in his expression. empathy, maybe. or guilt. it was enough to make him look away, his gaze dropping to the papers spread between you. “as an experiment.”

his words hung in the air like a loaded weapon. the tingling sensation that ran down your spine turned into a full-body shiver. your breath hitched, and tears stung at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over. your throat tightened as the weight of what he was saying settled in, suffocating and relentless.

“impossible. granny wasn’t a woman on a mission, she was…”, you gulped, “she was intelligent and kind.”

the room spinned, your breath hitched. again, the situation was sadly laughable. were those times you dreamed about blood, about a life that didn’t seem to belong to you all real? were they fragments of your memory? weren’t they just coincidences?

gods, how were you so stupid? how did you never think about this?

“was all of this ever all along?” you muttered, the words tasting bitter on your tongue. the room felt too small, the air too stifling. your hands clenched into fists at your sides, and for a fleeting moment, you wanted to punch something, anything. it felt childish, but the frustration boiling in your chest demanded release.

“why would she hide this?” your voice cracked as you spoke, trembling with the weight of everything you were trying to hold back. “why wouldn’t she tell me?”

you didn’t see a reason to keep this from you. from your life. would you even know about this if you never blindly agreed to show your face in the nest that day? how could something so enormous not make itself accidentally aware throughout one’s whole life?

and how could you be so stupidly blind? what were you, a child?

caleb’s gaze softened slightly. “because she knew what ever would do if they thought you were a threat at that time. she hid the truth to protect you, but in doing so, she left you vulnerable. and now, we’re all paying the price.”

“protecting me?” you echoed, your voice laced with disbelief. “how is lying to me, hiding everything, supposed to protect me? she left me completely blind!”

you were so angry. angry at yourself, angry at the woman who raised you, angry at caleb for not telling you, angry even at fucking zayne for handling you those documents from you. he probably also had secrets about your heart’s condition.

how could anyone possibly hide something like this from you? weren’t they your friends?

“you were a kid, Y/N,” caleb said, his voice calm but laced with an edge of frustration, as though he were trying to reason with a storm.

“so were you!” you snapped, the words sharp and cutting. the knot of anger and betrayal in your chest tightened, spreading like fire through your veins. “you never… did you never think about how i would feel? god, caleb.”

caleb leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, his fingers interlocking as he spoke. “she left you blind because she knew they were watching. she couldn’t risk them finding out how much she cared about you, how far she was willing to go to shield you. the second they saw you as a threat—or as leverage—everything she’d done would have been for nothing.”

his words settled over you like a heavy fog, dense and suffocating. you wanted to reject them, to push back against the idea that your grandmother—the woman who had been your everything—had willingly kept you in the dark about a past so entwined with danger. 

“did she fucking planned her death as well? did she know about the explosion that day?”. you were practically raging now, venom laced with hurt spitting from your mouth as your body leaned over the table trying to make caleb snap you back into reality. why was he telling you this things?

“she asked me to end her the moment she posed a threat to you. she didn’t know about the explosion, i didn’t tell her.” his low tone showed a masked hurt that almost offended you.

oh, you were so pissed.

“so, what?” you said. “she let them turn me into this… thing? this experiment? and then she just… left?”

“she didn’t just leave. she stayed in their system as long as she could, long enough to set things in motion for you to have a chance of surviving. she made choices that no one should ever have to make, and she paid for them.” your eyes watered and your chest tightened. 

“do i really have a chance?” you asked, your voice trembling as you pointed toward the grey-haired woman standing beyond the glass. “isn’t she from ever? what are you doing with these people, caleb? heavens, i can’t even understand you anymore.”

his face didn’t change immediately, but his shoulders seemed to tense, the weight of your words pressing down on him. when he spoke, his voice was low, steady. “josephine told me everything,” he began, his gaze dropping to the table for just a moment. “right after i turned old enough to understand what it all meant. she didn’t just tell me—she made me promise.”

“promise what?” your voice cracked, and the anger that had been simmering inside you surged again, fueled by the sharp sting of betrayal.

“to protect you,” he said, his words slow and deliberate, as though each one was a confession. “she used me, Y/N. she knew what was going to happen. she knew what they’d try to do to you, what they’d use you for. and she… she made me a part of her plan.”

“her plan?” you echoed, the bitterness in your voice cutting through the air. “what plan, caleb? because from where i’m standing, all i see is a mess she left for me to clean up.”

his jaw tightened, and he finally looked back at you, his amethyst eyes sharp but filled with something raw and unspoken. “it wasn’t just her plan. it became mine too. i let her use me, Y/N, because i thought—i hoped—it would mean you’d never have to deal with this. i thought i could handle it for both of us.”

“and what?” you snapped, leaning forward as your frustration boiled over. “you just decided for me? you and her both?”

“i didn’t decide for you,” he shot back, his voice rising for the first time, though his control quickly reined it in. “i decided to protect you. there’s a difference.”

“is there?” you said, your voice quieter now but no less cutting. “because it feels like all both of you did was trap me in this endless nightmare.”

caleb’s patience snapped. you saw the moment it happened—something dark flickered behind his eyes, replacing the calm exterior he’d been holding onto. without warning, he rose from his chair, the scrape of metal against the floor echoing through the room. before you could react, his hands slammed down on the table on either side of you, caging you in with his sheer presence.

he leaned over you, his frame engulfing yours entirely. his proximity forced you backward, the cool surface of the table pressing against your spine as you arched slightly to meet his gaze. the shift in his demeanor sent a shiver down your spine—not fear, but something far more complicated. his presence was suffocating, his intensity overwhelming, and yet you couldn’t look away.

if anyone entered the room now, they wouldn’t even know you were there, hidden entirely behind his broad frame. he was close—too close—and every inch of him radiated authority and tension. 

you still felt anger pulse inside you. even with his figure towering over you, you stared right back into his eyes, daring him to explain. but caleb wasn’t waiting for your permission to speak—his words spilled out, sharp and unrelenting, as though he’d been holding them in for far too long.

“you can scream all you want, princess,” he began, his voice dangerously low but cutting, “but i’m not letting you blame the woman who gave me a chance of loving you for something she regretted every day of her life until the day she died.” his eyes burned into yours, daring you to interrupt, but you stayed silent, your breath caught in your throat.

“she designed the aether core,” he continued, the words bitter, as if they left a bad taste in his mouth, “but she didn’t know it was going to be put in a fucking child. she told me that. she swore it to me.” his voice cracked slightly, a rare vulnerability slipping through before he pressed on.

“she would never partake in something so inhuman and cruel if she’d known about it,” he said, his tone hardening again. “when she realized what they were doing—what you were—she made a choice. she could’ve run and left us behind, but she didn’t do that.” his gaze softened for a brief moment before his jaw tightened. “she took us with her.”

his next words struck you like a blow. “ever knew the potential the aether core had. they created an antidote. me.”

the silence that followed was deafening, his confession hanging heavy in the air between you. your heart raced, but you couldn’t bring yourself to respond—not yet. 

“before i even knew you, princess, our destinies were bound,” he said, his voice quieter now, but no less intense. “we were never meant to be anything else—two halves of a cruel design, bound together by ruthless people driven by intense power.”

he leaned in slightly, his presence overwhelming. “when she told me everything, when i finally understood, i made a choice. i sacrificed myself to continue the fucking experiments ever wanted me to participate, so no one else in this world would have the capacity to destroy you other than me.” he straightened, his tone heavy with finality. “only me.”

you heard your own hiccup as if it were from somene else.

"kirsten was her colleague," caleb said, his voice steady but carrying an edge of urgency. "she also left the project behind when things got heated. since then, they’ve been trying to capture you. she was the one who handed me these documents." he gestured toward the stack of papers, his gaze flicking briefly to the woman observing you from beyond the glass. "grandma trusted her."

your surprise was impossible to hide. your eyes darted to the woman, her stoic presence now layered with a significance you hadn’t grasped until this moment.

"we both are trying to find a way to protect you," caleb continued, his tone firm. "and infiltrating ever is the first step to do that. we need to gather as much information we can and gain their trust so we can take them down and their fucking crazy plan of interstellar domination."

oh fuck, they wanted the aether core for that?

he leaned closer, his eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your breath catch. "do you understand it now, pipsqueak?" his voice softened at the nickname, but the weight of his words lingered, pressing into the space between you.

the room seemed to shrink as the truth settled over you like a heavy cloak, suffocating and cold. your chest tightened, and before you realized it, tears began streaming down your face, silent but relentless. you hadn’t even noticed them falling until caleb stepped closer, his expression softening in a way that made your heart ache even more.

his hands cupped your cheeks, the calloused pads of his fingers brushing against your skin as he tried to wipe the tears away. 

“do you understand how i need you to live, princess?” caleb’s voice cracked, raw with emotion, tugging at strings in your heart you didn’t even realize were there. “i love you so much, you have no idea the limits i’d go to prove it to you.”

his words settled over you like a tempest, leaving you breathless and trembling. it wasn’t just what he said—it was the way he said it, every syllable laced with unrelenting devotion and a darkness that both frightened and comforted you. you felt so dangerously cherished, as though his love could burn the world down if it meant keeping you safe.

the worst part? you loved every second of it.

his grip on your face tightened, not painfully but with a firm desperation, his calloused thumbs brushing away the lingering wetness on your cheeks. his eyes softened as they held yours, the fierceness in them giving way to something almost pleading.

“if you want me to beg, i’ll fucking beg you, princess. if you want me on my knees, i’ll do it. just stay here with me where i can see you.” he whispered, his voice barely audible but impossibly steady, his tone dropped so low it was almost a growl, the sound vibrating through the air and sinking deep into your chest. his jaw tightened, the sharp angles of his face accentuated by the tension coiling in his body. 

why did his love felt so crushing? and why did you liked it so much?

his hands stayed on your face, grounding you, but his grip was firm, as if he was afraid you might disappear if he let go. his eyes, dark and stormy, searched yours, waiting for an answer you weren’t sure you could give.

“why are you doing this to me?” you finally whispered, your voice trembling under the weight of his confession. “why do you care so much?” the question felt sacred, as if it wasn’t meant to be spoken aloud, but you couldn’t keep it inside any longer.

his jaw tightened, his hands still cupping your face as his eyes locked onto yours. for a moment, he didn’t speak, as though the answer was too heavy, too raw to give voice to.

“did they hurt you, caleb?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper. “in those experiments?”

your clenched fists, tight with anger and frustration, slowly dissolved into something softer. the tension in your body ebbed away, leaving only the raw ache in your chest. before you could second-guess yourself, your hands moved on their own, rising to his face. your fingertips brushed against his jaw, tentative at first, before settling into a gentle caress.

“they can hurt me all they want,” caleb said, his voice low and raw, each word cutting through the air like a blade. “as long as they keep their distance from you, i’ll endure it. i’d end myself if it meant that you would never be hurt again.”

his gaze bore into yours, fierce and unrelenting, yet there was a softness in his eyes that made your chest ache. it wasn’t just desperation—it was devotion, the kind that threatened to drown you in its intensity.

“they can’t control my evol anymore, their plan of the antidote backfired” caleb said, his voice vulnerable as if only talking about that chamber already caused him agony. “that’s why they’re scared. the last neural control experiment—the zero gravity chamber was destroyed because the machines couldn’t handle it. they wanted to transform me into a robot, somehow my mind never cooperated”. his gaze averted to the emblem on your chest.

you swallowed hard, his words sinking into your brain like lead. “aren’t we a danger to each other, caleb?” you asked, your voice trembling, hiccups breaking through as tears streaked your face. you were scared. “am i capable of hurting you? do i… isn’t it dangerous if we stay together?”

he stared at you for a long moment, his gaze unwavering and intense. “if there’s anyone in this world i’d let hurt me, it’s you, princess,” he said, planting a kiss on your forehead as he did when you were both kids. and then his tone shifted into something darker, almost obsessive. “i don’t fucking care what you do to me, you can hurt me all you want if that makes you fucking happy. don’t you understand?”

“don’t say that…” you murmured, trying to avert your gaze, your cheeks burning hot with embarrassment and suffocation.

he smirked, a sharp, knowing curve of his lips as his thumb brushed another tear from your cheek. “i want to create a world where it’s just the two of us,” he said, his voice dropping to a low whisper that sent shivers racing down your spine.

his bionic hand gripped your waist, pulling you flush against him, the unyielding strength of his hold making your breath hitch. he leaned in closer, so close his lips nearly brushed your ear. “just say the word, and i’ll do it,” he murmured, the heat of his breath against your skin sending your mind spinning. “i’ll end everything. you know that.”

“caleb…” you murmured, your palms pressing gently against his chest, trying to create even the smallest bit of distance between you. “i thought you had gone crazy.” your voice trembled as you looked up at him, the weight of his intensity still bearing down on you. “i’m sorry you had to endure that… because of me.” your breaths came quickly, your words tumbling out before you could stop them. “i… i still think you’re crazy, though.”

a flicker of amusement crossed his face, but you didn’t give him a chance to reply.

“but… what do we do now?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper, your thoughts spinning wildly. “do they know you brought me here?”.

“all of the personnel outside is from ever, they think i’m convincing you to willingly participate in the project. have you turning into some kind of sacrifice for humanity.” just saying it out loud seemed painful for him, and hearing it sounded even more crazy.

“they wanted to start everything straight away, test the energy of the aether core inside of you before we could even talk. i convinced them to let me handle you, that’s why i can’t let you leave skyhaven for now.” he sounded almost guilty when saying those words, waiting patiently for your reaction so he could be deemed innocent.

“so i am your hostage, basically?”, something akin to amusement surged in your face, dried tears staining your rosy cheeks.

“that depends if you are willing to cooperate, just say the word and i’ll fly us across west coast immediately.” why did he sound so hot saying that? “i don’t plan to stay here forever”.

“what about kirst—” your words stopped abruptly as realization struck you like a lightning bolt. your eyes widened as your breath hitched in your throat. “oh my fucking god, caleb, kirsten!”

panic surged through you, and you shoved him back with far more force than you intended, as if he were suddenly contagious. your cheeks burned hot as your gaze darted toward the observation room. you could feel every beat of your heart hammering against your ribs.

from where you stood, the glass gave an impeccable view of everything that had transpired. your stomach churned as you imagined what she might have seen, what conclusions she might have drawn. but as your eyes landed on the empty chair, your confusion deepened. kirsten wasn’t there.

“where… where did she go?” you stammered, your embarrassment morphing into unease. “wasn’t she just—she was right there!” you pointed toward the glass, your voice climbing an octave.

“jesus, when did you become so strong, pipsqueak?” caleb muttered, his tone equal parts stunned and impressed as he steadied himself. the few inches you’d managed to push him away seemed to amuse him more than anything else, his eyes glinting with an undeniable sense of pride.

“caleb, kirsten!” you exclaimed, pointing toward the observation room with wide, exasperated eyes. “did she see us? oh my god, she might think i’m a whore!”

he raised an eyebrow, clearly trying to suppress a laugh. “c’mon, pipsqueak, don’t push it,” he said, his voice calm and teasing as he stepped forward. “i bet she understands. we were made for each other, after all.” his tone turned deliberately corny, and you could feel your cheeks burning like they were on fire again.

“don’t say that!” you snapped, mortified, as he tried to close the gap you’d created between you. you quickly put a hand on his chest to stop him, your glare sharp. “don’t touch me, you perv!”

caleb smirked, his amusement only growing at your reaction. “are you seriously worried about an 70-year-old woman judging you right now,” he asked, his tone dripping with disbelief, “after the life or death situation i just told you about?”

“you can’t keep saying these things to a woman…” you muttered, your voice trailing off as you stubbornly ignored the look caleb was giving you. you kept the distance between you, maintaining the few inches of air.

“things? what things?” he teased, his tone light and playful, though his eyes held that familiar mischievous glint.

you groaned, feeling the heat creep back up your neck. “like… like you’re going to die for me! you asked for a custom-made uniform for me just like yours, do you know what this looks like for other people? and that thing you said about being on your knees? jesus…” you stammered, your words tangling over each other as your embarrassment grew. “you shouldn’t say those things in moments like this!”

caleb’s lips curved into a slow smirk, clearly enjoying how flustered you were. “i want them to look at you and remember who you’re with,” he murmured. “do you want me to prove it?”

your eyes widened in horror as you saw him begin to shift, his knees bending slightly as though he were actually going to kneel in front of you.

“oh my god, caleb. get up! my god!” you hissed, your hands flying out to stop him before he could make good on his teasing. your gaze darted toward the window and the door, nerves prickling at the thought of someone walking in and witnessing this absurd scene.

caleb, meanwhile, was practically doubled over in laughter, clearly finding your panic far too amusing. “i’ll keep that in mind,” he said between chuckles, his tone teasing as ever. “you don’t like things in public, princess. noted.”

“what the hell is that supposed to mean?!” you snapped, your voice climbing a few octaves in your exasperation. your hands flew up to cover your face, both to hide your flaming cheeks and to block out the infuriating sight of his grin. “oh my god…”

caleb’s laughter only grew louder at your reaction, his shoulders shaking with the force of it. “relax, pipsqueak,” he said, his voice still laced with amusement. “i’m just saying I’ll keep it private next time.”

next time? sweet heavens.

you glared at him, your cheeks burning hotter than ever. “you still haven’t told me your plan, it’s time we get out of here, they will start getting suspicious,” you said, your voice firm despite the lingering embarrassment. 

“oh, don’t worry, baby. they know they’re dead if they interrupt us”.

despite his infuriating smirks and relentless teasing, you couldn’t deny the way caleb’s presence steadied something deep within you—a part of yourself that had always felt untethered, incomplete. there was a gravity to him—oh the irony of it all—, an unshakable certainty in his actions, even when everything else around you felt like chaos. the pieces of your past, fragmented and jagged, were beginning to fall into place. 

you stared at his grin now and asked yourself if it would be the right time to confess. he knew you loved him, but you still wanted to say those three little words.

you hated how much you didn’t want to believe him, but there was no escaping the truth: caleb had always been there, weaving himself into the fabric of your life in ways you hadn’t fully understood until now. 

“i trust you, caleb. with my life.”

the words felt heavier than you’d anticipated, and for a moment, the air between you shifted. you watched as his expression changed, his playful smirk fading into something darker, more serious. his gaze locked onto yours, and you could see the way your confession hit him, sharp and profound, like it was a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.

but how could you not? how could you not trust the man when just being near him brought a peace that felt almost childlike—a fleeting memory of safety you hadn’t realized you’d lost? when every sacrifice he made screamed of a love so consuming it defied logic, a love that compelled him to climb through military ranks with a single-minded determination, as if his very existence depended on it? he spent his days training, his nights planning, and his rare moments of respite killing parts of himself, carving away his own humanity, all to try and make you feel whole.

your life had been in his hands from the very beginning, cradled by the will of a man whose obsession burned brighter than any protocore, whose evol bent not to power but to the unrelenting need to love you.

caleb’s love was a force of nature, raw and unyielding, and even if it frightened you, even if it left you reeling, you couldn’t deny the truth of it: it was the only constant in a world that had always sought to tear you apart.

caleb’s love made you shiver. and for some reason, you didn’t mind that.

“me and kirsten already have a plan,” he said finally, his voice quieter but laced with determination, glancing at the watch displayed in the hologram behind you. “i’ll tell you everything when we’re completely alone. i promise.”

honestly? right now you just wanted to kiss him stupid and spill all your love on the man in front of you. the love you have felt since playing kitty cards with him and kissing each other’s cheeks as kids.

but you were quickly reminded of where you were when you glanced at the door and stared at the daa emblem painted on it. you felt like a wreck of emotions.

the change in scenery left you gasping for air as caleb slowly guided you towards the door. the ever personnel not even blinking as you and the colonel passed through them.

your eyes darted around, searching for something familiar, something real to ground you amidst the mess of revelations swimming in your mind. part of you hoped to see kirsten, her sharp eyes and scary aura a strange kind of reassurance in the chaos. but when the grey-haired woman was nowhere to be seen, a small, unexpected wave of relief washed over you.

maybe it was better this way. maybe you weren’t ready to face her yet—not after everything caleb had told you, not when the weight of your own memories, or lack thereof, felt like an anchor dragging you down.

you stared at linkon city sprawling below skyhaven, the glittering lights painting an intricate mosaic against the inky darkness of night. from the observation decks you walked over, the city looked almost surreal, a world that felt both achingly familiar and impossibly distant. something tugged at your chest—a dull ache of nostalgia—at the thought of your childhood home hidden somewhere within those shimmering lights.

the tech center that skyhaven was, with its seamless blend of towering glass structures and advanced machinery humming quietly around you, filled you with a strange sense of innocence. as though everything you’d endured until this day could be set aside as a different life of yours.

wasn’t this exactly what the core inside of you was? so powerful it could transcend planets, weaving its influence across time and space—capable of creating not just miracles but catastrophes?

your thoughts were interrupted by caleb gesturing toward his room, his tone calm as he said he’d finish up and spend the rest of the day with you. you barely registered the words, too lost in the whirlwind of your mind to notice how the two of you had already made your way back to his quarters.

just as he turned to leave, you reached out, grabbing his hand instinctively. the touch froze him in place, his eyes immediately locking onto yours. you wanted to say something, anything, but the words caught in your throat. would it sound strange to admit you didn’t want to be alone? to confess that you were scared?

caleb stepped closer, his presence grounding you like a warm tether against the cold, sterile hallway outside his room. “you’ve been thinking about it, haven’t you?” he asked, his voice quiet, gentle. it wasn’t a question so much as an acknowledgment of the weight you carried.

you nodded, your grip tightening slightly on his hand. “it’s just… too much,” you admitted, your voice trembling. “to think something so small—something inside me—has the power to destroy so much. reshape worlds. ruin lives. it terrifies me, caleb.”

he didn’t answer right away, but his silence felt steady, unhurried. his thumb brushed lightly against the back of your hand, a simple gesture, but one that somehow made it easier to breathe.

“listen to me,” he said, his voice low, steady. “you’re allowed to be scared. no one’s asking you to shoulder this alone. not me, not anyone.”

you nodded, your throat tight with emotion, as he squeezed your hand gently. “i’ll just go fix some things, and i’ll be right back, okay? i’m not leaving you alone anymore.”

his words struck something deep within you, a vulnerability you’d tried so hard to keep buried. you blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill wondering why you were so emotional today.

“promise me,” you said, your voice barely above a whisper. was it selfish? probably. but at this point, you didn’t care. caleb cared about you—loved you, even—and you were done pretending you didn’t need him.

his lips curved into a soft smile, one that held more warmth than his usual teasing grins. he leaned in slightly, his gaze steady and full of affection. “i promise,” he said, the words carrying a weight that made your heart stutter.

you watched his back turn to you after he left another kiss on your forehead, the warmth of it lingering long after he stepped away. 

maybe the betrayal would fade someday, its sharp edges dulled by time and the quiet moments like this that he gifted you. or maybe it wouldn’t. maybe the wound would remain, a reminder of everything he had done to you—and for you.

but even now, as you stood there watching him walk away, you couldn’t deny the part of yourself that clung to what he had done. the part of you that loved him for it, no matter how much you tried to resist.

after all, you were his since the beginning.

author's notes: tell me i didn't ruined this halfway bc that is what i felt when i was finishing it. the next chapter they will be doing the woompakoompa so buckle up (i just hope it doesn't turn out a 20k smut scene) lord help me. i'll cry if nobody comments below because my week's sanity was poured into this work. just kidding (i'm not), i love you freaky caleb girlies, see you next time, xo.

[mj-iza-writer]

Sp Special Containment part 20

"Come in", the Director looked up from the notes on his desk.

"Hey, good morning", Caretaker stepped in.

"Good morning", the Director nodded, "how are you doing?"

"Doing alright. I was outside for a cup of coffee before I went to check on Whumpee. You know it snowed a lot last night."

"I know, it's freezing out there", the Director leaned back in their chair, "is there a reason you're telling me about the snow?"

"Can we take the three of them outside. They haven't been out in months. I bet they all would like it if they could see the snow", Caretaker smiled, "Whumpee said they would like to see it in person. We should grant that wish for them."

"That's unfortunately a security risk", the Director frowned, "the guards won't be able to secure an outside perimeter for them."

"So we just keep them in their chairs. The guards stand ready just in case", Caretaker couldn't help but get excited, "I really want to do this. Cass is helping Mcgee today. So they can help out too."

"Caretaker, I know you have this big goal to get them outside. I agree with you, it would be nice to do this for them. But, we have to consider everything. We are still building our weapons unit. Maybe at some time we can think about giving them more activities. I would love to give Jaimie a gym and do a porch for them. That would give them a better quality of life. I want that for them. They can't even shower yet. I heard about Jaimie yesterday."

"Can we try please", Caretaker pleaded, "I'll take the blame if anything happens. It's just us and the guards. No one else will be outside."

The Director finally sighed after thinking for a few minutes, "they will need warm clothes."

"Really?", Caretaker smiled excitedly.

"Yes", the Director nodded with a sheepish grin, "help Andy and Mcgee with getting warmer clothes. You should show Cass how to do it as well. I'll meet with everyone by the cafeteria, and I'll alert the guards and have them get ready."

"Do they know what to do in this type of situation?", Caretaker questioned.

"They do. I did have them train for outside instances. Just in case there was an escape attempt or if someone pulled my arm enough. The things I've allowed for these weapons."

Caretaker excitedly opened Whumpee's door after the buzzer.

Whumpee looked up from a bag of cookies.

"Hey, get changed into these. I need to get you in your wheel chair", Caretaker laughed.

"What's going on? Is everything okay?", Whumpee looked at them worriedly.

"I promise you'll love this. Get changed, I'll be right back", Caretaker smiled.

Andy grinned as they carried the warm clothes into Aramais's room.

Aramais looked up, then eyed the clothes.

"Will you allow me to surprise you. The Director is allowing us to do something special for you guys", Andy set the clothes down, "I can't tell you though. You'll have to trust me."

Aramais frowned but nodded, "I hate surprises, but I'm curious now."

"Great, I'm going to get your chair. Go ahead and get changed. I'll be right back", Andy opened the door, and left a confused Aramais.

Jaimie was also confused but was excited to get new clothes to wear.

"These are so cute", she exclaimed while looking at the sweater and coat.

Aramais showed up at the meeting place first.

The Director grinned.

"Andy says you guys are surprising us. I'm not the greatest with surprises", Aramais grinned.

"I know, the weapons don't respond well to unscheduled things. That one said he was taking the blame for this", the Director pointed.

Aramais turned and saw Caretaker who had a giant grin on his face.

"Well, I haven't seen Whumpee since they were rushed past me. How are you feeling?", Aramais smiled.

"I'm not sick anymore thankfully. I'm just weak now, and my stomach is still a little queasy", Whumpee explained, "it hurts to throw up so much."

Aramais nodded, "yeah, I bet."

"There is Jaimie", the Director looked up.

"She looks better than when I saw her last as well", Aramais commented.

"Mcgee did my nails for me", Jaimie wiggled her fingers, "it made me feel better last night."

"They uh, look good" Aramais awkwardly commented, "sparkly."

"So we are all here. What's the surprise?", Aramais looked back at the Director.

"Guards, project snow is a go", the Director announced.

Several guards stepped forward.

The weapons were being pushed before they could react.

"Wait... are we going outside?", Whumpee looked up at Caretaker.

Caretaker reached over the chair and pulled Whumpee's hood up for them.

Andy and Mcgee did the same for Aramais and Jaimie.

"Outside?", Jaimie looked up excitedly, "look it's snowing again."

Aramais laughed, "it's been a while since I've been out there."

"You have no idea how much begging I had to do to get you guys outside", Caretaker laughed, "I know Whumpee was excited when they heard it snowed. I thought this would be a fun activity."

Cass watched excitedly as everyone was taken into different directions.

The guards stood in a perimeter around the area. No one was allowed past them.

Caretaker was placing snowballs in Whumpee's hand.

Whumpee giggled excitedly as Caretaker would then break the snow ball over their head and let it fall on them.

Andy hung back with Aramais. They both watched everyone playing.

Mcgee was pushing Jaimie through the snow as fast as they could.

Aramais laughed at everyone's happiness.

The Director couldn't help himself. He knelt down and made a snowball. He looked around and lightly tossed it at Aramais.

Aramais jumped, and looked up in the direction it came from.

"Sorry, I had too", the Director laughed.

Aramais grinned, "sure, target the one who can't fight back."

Andy reached over and brushed the snow away from Aramais.

"Do you want to do anything out here?", Andy laughed.

"I would love to throw a snowball back at the Director", Aramais whispered, "I'm enjoying this though. I've missed being outside."

"I'll throw one", Andy knelt down and started to pack the snow, "dare me to do it."

Aramais grinned and nodded.

The Director happened to turn away to see what Whumpee was doing when the snow hit them in the back.

"Bullseye", Aramais yelled excitedly.

The Director looked at both of them.

Andy quickly pointed at Aramais.

"You got a good arm on you Andy", the Director chuckled.

Jaimie screamed as she and Mcgee ran past the group.

"How does Mcgee have so much energy", Cass stood next to the Director.

"Agent Mcgee use to be a field agent. She would go out and protect researchers on the field. When the three weapons came here Jaimie requested to have a female help her. She had some issues in the past with males. I started to work on finding a female as I didn't have one readily available. I wanted to give Jaimie what she needed, though, so she could be comfortable. I asked Mcgee if she would be willing to help take care of Jaimie until I could find a replacement. Mcgee is honestly a very powerful agent, very strong and courageous. I know Jaimie likes that about her. Mcgee asked me a while back if she could be moved to doing this job permanently. She loves taking care of Jaimie. She's almost like a mom to Jaimie."

Cass watched Jaimie and Mcgee pause to look at a small snowman Caretaker had built on Whumpee's lap. Aramais also asked to get closer to see.

"The weapons we house here. All four of them have gone through so much. This place is their home now. All of them deserve some normalcy. I hope to be able to do things like this more often. I want to return to them what they may have lost when they were turned into weapons."

Aramais looked up and smiled.

"They deserve it. That's why I'm hoping Mitch will come around for us", the Director smiled back at Aramais, "I know he was hurt just as much as these three. He deserves to find happiness too."

Sp Special Containment tags

@written-by-jayy @snakebites-and-ink

@makemake22 @gr33nhour

Taglist. As always please let me know if you want to be added or taken off of the list. It's not a problem at all.

@the-beasts-have-arrived @sacredwrath

@porschethemermaid @monarchthefirst

@generic-whumperz @bloodyandfrightened

@freefallingup13 @cyborg0109

@idontreallyexistyet @painfulplots

@whumpbump @everythingsscary

@skittles-the-whumpee

@expressionless-fr @theforeverdyingperson

@legendarydelusiongoatee @candleshopmenace

@whumpanthems @lavndvrr

@ivymyers @starfields08000

@a-living-canvas @lumpofsand

@watermeezer @indigoviolet311

@whumpy-mountains @risk606

@electrons2006 @paperprinxe

@whumprince @kaz-of-crows @mis-graves

@decaffeinatedtimetraveler94 @sausages-things

@isikedmyself878 @daffyduckcommittedtaxfraud

@valravnthefrenchie @glennemerald

@jasperthecapser @does-directions

@deafeninglittlecrown @jumpywhumpywriter

@blackbirdsinatrenchcoat

@mylifeisonthebookshelf @thenormalestever

@whatwhump @galatic-worm

@starmoon-constellation @bacillusinfection

@whumpsandbumps @tobiasbones

@octopus-reactivated @string-of-broken-hearts

@weirdthingweee

[webco-dawnn]

Panic Attack.

HELLO!! I want to take a moment to apologize for my absence !! I got caught up in Christmas and New Years that I just didn't have enough time to get on here and write something good. But, with all the holdiays and special days out of the way, I'm free to write to my hearts content!! :)

Also, before you read this, I just want to let you know that the reason I wrote this was because I suffer from frequent anxiety/panic attacks and I guess I just wanted to feel a little reassurance through it. I also hope to bring you guys some comfort reading this. Also, this is a little bit different from my usual posts. they're usually lists of different hcs or just little scenarios. instead, this is kind of like a headcanon/fic in itself. so I hope you enjoy :)

(also this includes M!user since this is a boys volleyball team)

The sounds of volleyballs smacking against the floor echoed throughout the gym as the Inarizaki boys practiced their spikes. they were filed into two lines along with two letters to the side who would set the ball up high as the person next in line would run and spike it. then the next person would, and so on. It was their usual warm ups. stretching, practicing spikes, serves, sets, hits, etc. etc. But the captain of the volleyball team noticed something was wrong. different. missing.

"has anyone seen y/n?" kita called out to his teammates. He looked at each of them, waiting for a response. instead, every single one of them either replied with a short, "no, haven't seen him," "no," "nah," or just a shake of the head.

being the team captain, he kept his eye on his teammates. it was partially his job to count attendance. (only partially because that was the coach's job, but their coach wasn't here since this was a Saturday morning practice, which the team's coach doesn't usually attend.)

"He might've skipped," Suna suggested with a shrug.

Kita thought about it for a moment, but eventually decided on the fact that, no, you wouldn't do that.

"No, y/n's pretty passionate about volleyball. I doubt he'd skip a practice without at least messaging one of us to tell us why."

kita stared at the floor for a minute, internally debating whether he should go to the clubroom to grab his phone from his bag and either message or call y/n to ask where he was. well, that was until Osamu spoke up.

"Well, I saw 'em earl'r this mornin'," he said, his words laced with his thick accent. "Iunno where he went though." Osamu shrugged and looked up at Kita.

well, great. that didn't help one bit

"no one saw him walk away or something?" kita asked, looking around again at the boys. he was met with, yet another, disappointing shake of heads.

the captain let out a frustrated sigh. he truly cared about you. hell, he might as well have had a crush on you. he would never admit it out loud though. but he did care about you and was concerned about your absence.

"right, well, get back to practice, I'm gonna go search around and see if I can find him," he instructed his team, before turning around on his heel to go search for his missing teammate.

he immediately went to the supply closet at the corner of the gym. he felt it was the most obvious place to hide or be in if you were trying to avoid someone. he didn't know exactly if y/n was trying to avoid anyone, but he decided to check anyway. Kita opened the door to the supply closet with a short creaking noise. Light poured into the dark closet as a result of opening the door and Kita could see y/n sitting down near the corner of the closet. A soft, confused frown made its way to Kita's face at the sight. He cautiously walked over, not wanting to alarm you or scare you in any way. "Are you alright?" Kita whispered in a soft, quiet tone. The sudden voice was enough to make you flinch, immediately whipping your head up to look at the source of the noise. When you realized it was Kita, your captain, you somewhat relaxed, body less tense now. Kita kneeled down next to you, trying to get a good look at your face. He could see the tear stains runnning down your cheeks, the way your eyes were red and the skin around it puffy and raw from wiping your eyes. You soon realized you hadn't given Kita an answer to his question before, so you murmur out an, "not really." Kit anods at the answer, not really knowing how else to react. He takes a minute to fully sit down next to you. He isn't sure what's wrong, but from the tears and the quiet, but heavy breathing, he couldn't help but to put two and two together and figure out you were currently experiencing a panic attack. Kita himself has had panic attacks in the past and he knows what works for him, but everyone's different. What usually works for him might not work for you. So he decides to stay cautious. He hesitantly places a hand on your shoulder, scanning your face or body language to see if you were uncomfortable or not. You weren't uncomfortable. Far from it, actually. So he took it as a sign to go a bit further by gently rubbing the palm of his hand up and down your back. "it's gonna be okay," he murmured quietly. He carefully squeezed your shoulder and flashed a warm smile at you. Kita was always optimistic. He was always looking at the bright side. You couldn't help yourself and let a small smile lay on your lips at his reassurance. "We can stay in here for as long as you want." Kita had no idea if isolating yourself into a small, dark supply closet usually helped with your panic attacks, or if you were just hiding away from everyone because you didn't want anyone to see you in this state, but he still offered to stay in there with you because he thought it might be a little more comfortable for you.

[bubblespink43]

Dear diary

I had to break my fast on this date because I had breakfast with my dad and other things too, I ate normal today which I didn't expect but I lasted long I'm going again on a week fast and this time my cal intake is around 100/300 I'll let you know if I get away with it while my dad is around probably going to break my fast when Wednesday/Thursday hits because afterwards I want to fast as much as possible, probably the food from today is going to balance it out tomorrow since I'm not having anything at all just a pink tea and my liquid diet I haven't checked my weight yet until my weigh day which I moved it on Sunday, hopefully this doesn't effect my efforts and I've finally fulfilled the promise to myself to be under control and I was! for this whole week

Pink bubble is out!

I'm going on a✨16h/92h/151 fast✨

( I had to start all over again but for the first time I'm going on a 92h fast which means 4 days with no food

Im used to going 3 days but this is a big hit for me wish me good luck because I need it)

(using my fasting ticket 🤞🎟️)

[forgotn1]

I ordered my very first Gundam model. Just a basic $15 one to see if it's something I want to try more of. I like the concept, I just don't know if I vibe with it yet.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Congratulations to TEAM CHEESE for winning the popular vote on the Charcuterie poll!

[clubsmarties]

"I can't hurt her if I'm not around," came his solemn voice. The sarcasm drained from their previous encounter. "It's me she wants to hurt. If I am not around then she can't hurt her." Her being his niece. Karina had given him a blow. He could withstand torture, injuries, even words but his one Achilles heel was going after someone he loved. The pain of watching someone he loved suffering was just too much.

As he shifted his blanket he didn't truly meet his eyes. This was a Wally no one really saw. He was still that broken little boy who just wanted to be a child. He supposed those who were broken were always the ones who wanted to repair others. "I know why my sister," he assumed it was his sister. Meli understood the meaning of no. But lucie. She truly didn't and never let him drown no matter how much he wanted to push her back. "Seeked you out. I haven't really been home since last year. New Years Eve actually." It was the day Karina texted him a picture of Annie's bracelet that clearly identified her as someone who was related to Wally. He had stuck to the shadows. Seeing that his family was still trucking along. Taking himself out of the equation was better for them. He couldn't let Karina actually know more than she already did. He had texted Liz here and then. Some stupid joke to let her know he was fine. Luckily for him she was out to New York spending time with Charlie and his family.

"We're twins. Fraternal. It's silly but she's always known when there's been a disturbance to the force." Another dumb joke. He and Luce saw themselves in Leia and Luke from Star Wars. "I know she means well but she shouldn't have involved you. This was my mess and now I don't know where to go from here. Karina has killed for less than this. Not confirmed."

He looked around himself and chuckled. "I'd offer you a seat but this is a space for just one." Gesturing to his "living space" currently. "Why are you not home yet?" He boomeranged his own question back to Issac.

—

The more Eli scrolled through the file the more heartbroken he felt. After a few beats he rubbed his wife's knuckles and sighed. "He was going to be a foster kid. If it weren't for his mother's quick thinking. I know Isa can't leave this case. Look at this," he pointed to something underneath the Quantico time. "A training exercise went awry when he was nearly killed. Check who was the overseeing officer." Karina's husband. "This went on for three more years until his graduation. How do training exercises keep going awry if the officers in charge supposedly have a handle on it. This guy has been tortured like they wanted to break his spirit. Did they succeed? I'm not too sure."

"It could be. I mean, an FBI director being at the center of this is already unnerving enough. If the operation is as expansive as it's looking, then yeah we can assume other agencies might be compromised. We might just not know it yet, maybe something else you and your in-house agent can look at."

Isaac chuckled into the phone, shaking his head. "Fair enough, we taught each other a lot about that guard, finding that balance." Isaac reminded him to bring his guard down, let people in, and then Eli (thankfully) taught him to be less trusting and bring his guard up every now and again. "I'd pay to see that," he said completely amused. "I am glad to hear you have my back though. I can always count on that. I do forget that she has that psychology degree. Probably because you both are like mini psychologists. Just a tad bit scary."

"I don't like to think of that." Jazz, that time in his life - where he almost lost everything, but it was a eerily similar to the situation Wally and his sister described. Isaac almost did dispute that he was the bigger agent. He did outrank Wally, but kept his mouth shut when he gathered that that wasn't the point of the conversation. "That does seem like a good starting point. I wasn't sure about sharing about our family. Trusting a complete stranger with our life." Then again, isn't that what he was asking of Wally?

Laurel had found it odd that Eli hadn't come to bed yet, and Rosebud was sound asleep in her nursery, so she checked the next best place - their office. She remained silent when she caught on to the fact that he was on the phone with Isa, but followed his gesture and moved to sit with him. A smile drew on her lips at the mention of a keychain for Isa's tiny best friend. More amusement followed when he asked for her credentials, accessing files they didn't have any involvement in. Lucky for them, her recent shift to more work at home and less field missions, led to more access to files without as many questions.

"Okay fine, yeah. No more grumpiness. Or I'll keep it at a minimum. No way I’m forgetting the keychain for her. Goodnight man."

—

Now, confirming he had hung up the phone, he looked out from his car, just to confirm that Wally was still there. Isaac had spent a good amount of time on the phone with his brother, he didn’t really see why Wally would stick around. He didn’t leave his car yet, instead taking a moment to let out a heavy breath he had been holding in. His brother was right. Isaac hadn’t made much of an attempt to connect with him, and just took Wally’s refusal for help at face value. What was he doing here if he was just going to give in as soon as someone said no?

He stepped out of the car, and dropped his phone in his back pocket before he made his way back down to the alley. Looking at him from afar, and without all the sarcasm, he looked…sad. Defeated, maybe? Rough, for sure. Isaac remembered what he mentioned about sneaking up on him, and he called out to him to get his attention before he approached. “Thought you’d be halfway home by now. Catching me off guard knock you out that badly?” Clearly Isaac still had his banter at the ready, side effect of talking to his brother earlier. “What are you still doing here? Answers to this situation are, unfortunately, not in this alley.”