#Nix Updates

[spacepuppyart]

I know I only have like 5 followers and havent posted anything since the queue ran out but

Let me just explain:

I do have some more art I could post. The problem is some of it is explicit, and while I have censored versions I worry about this blog being flagged.

As well as that, some of my art is just. Character references. And I'm not sure anyone gives a shit about just character references? (Even if my ocs are pretty cool if i do say so myself) I also have a lot of sketches and unfinished art.

On an aside, I've got a little mini-project I'm working on. Here's a preview

This silly little project has been helping me with the art block I got working on the ask blog. Which, if you're not following, you should

-> @asktotallyhuman

I'll hopefully be back to working on asks here soon. But as for this blog, I'll be posting more art as soon as I can.

[navybrat817]

So, lovelies. Pirate won one of the top spots for my birthday poll. As much as I love pirates, it wasn't resonating with me for some reason.

But SPACE pirate?

Yes. We like this. We like this a lot. Thanks, @nixakimbo . ❤️

[demi-pixellated]

//OC road work ahead

[spirkme915]

...hello?

so, yeah, i just disappeared for a not insignificant amount of time, huh? it's been a tough few months with a partner in an active mental health crisis and me dealing with the effects that had on my own health, but things are getting better. slowly and in fits and starts, but getting better.

for those of you reading slight injuries, drastic measures, i hadn't written one word since the first week of november - until today. since it's been so long since my last update, i've decided to finish the whole thing off before i post anything more. when i update, it will be to finish off that fic. i hope that's okay with y'all.

i'm so so so behind on notifs too, but (for the first time in months) looking forward to being back on here and talking all things spirk again. i hope each and every one of you is able to find your own moments of happiness and peace rn, and if not, i'll try and bring you some joy. take care 💙

[mazegays]

could've followed my fears all the way down

Chapters: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31

Chapter 30

Thomas’s nerves are almost cute, if they weren’t so worrying. He’s more than willing to hold their hands in public, if he doesn’t have the sling on, but he’s clearly fretting over everything else.

“Do you think he knows we want to kiss him?” Gally asks when Thomas is laughing with Sonya across the fire.

“I think that’s the problem.” Minho watches Thomas’s face.

“What, he doesn’t want to kiss us?”

“More like he’s not sure how.” Minho’s pretty sure Thomas kissed Teresa a few times, and maybe Brenda, but he doesn’t know. It’s not exactly the kind of thing Thomas would have told him about. He doesn’t really want Thomas to tell him about it.

“It’s kissing, it’s not that hard.” Gally scoffs a little.

“Just because we had sex in the Glade doesn’t mean he did.” Minho points out, and he can see when that clicks for Gally.

“We have to talk about feelings again, don’t we?”

When did Minho become the one who knows that first?

… Actually, he doesn’t want an answer to that. 

“Yeah.”

“Thomas wants to go into the forest.” Gally changes the subject.

“No.” It hasn’t been that long since he had a panic attack sitting under one tree, he’s not allowed to go into the forest.

finish on ao3 or continue reading - if you like the fic, please reblog!!

“He’s been talking about it all week. He keeps creating signs for it while he’s teaching me. He wants to go together, but not for long.”

This is a fight Minho’s going to lose, he already knows it. Gally looks like he’s ready to say yes, he probably offered to tell him so Thomas wouldn’t have to.

“Why? He can hardly look at it without panicking.”

“He thinks he needs to get over it. I know he’s said something to Sonya. I think he’ll just follow her in if we don’t go.”

“Well, at least he’s not planning on going alone.” 

“So we’re doing it, then?”

“Maybe this is something we should talk to Jamie about— together, not individually.” is what Minho settles on saying, because he really doesn’t know.. He hates the idea, he doesn’t want Thomas anywhere near that forest and he thinks it’s going to end very badly.

But Thomas is a stubborn shank whose two settings of ‘dealing with things’ involve ignoring them or charging into them headfirst.

“Why Jamie?”

“Because she might be able to explain why it would be helpful, or why it’s a really bad idea and we shouldn’t do it. I know he talks to her about it one-on-one, but for something we do together we need to talk to her together.”

“He’s been a lot better lately, Minho. He’s been able to eat more, he’s sitting near the tree right now and not panicking, the sling is just about off for good. If he wants to try this, why wouldn’t we help him?”

“I’m not saying we wouldn’t,” he pauses, trying to get his thoughts together. “I’m worried, Gally. If this is too much, too soon, it could be bad.”

The two weeks of nearly entirely signing after the initial tree panic attack prove that very well. Sure, it’s better now, but only signing all the time and having to rely on Minho and Frypan to translate frustrates Thomas.

He likes to get his point across, and since no one had known about their sign language before, no one had learned it.

“What else are we supposed to do, make him feel like he has to be afraid of the forest for the rest of his life?” Gally’s worried too, he can tell— and not just about Thomas. “Minho, you want to protect him, we both do. He doesn’t want to be protected from this.”

And the little kids don’t want to be protected from running into the fire pits, but that doesn’t mean it should be allowed.

“That’s different, Min. The little kids don’t know better. We’re all nearly adults, might as well be, with what we’ve been through. Thomas has talked to Jamie about this, he’s been thinking about it for a while. He knows it might be a bad idea.”

“I still think it’s a bad idea.” Minho crosses his arms over his chest, but he knows Gally is right. “I still want all three of us to sit down and actually talk about it, with Jamie or not.”

It probably won’t be for a very long time, maybe less than an hour at first, but he wants to be prepared for everything.

Maybe Thomas will step into the forest and realize he’s not scared of it at all now. Great! Probably not going to happen, but great.

Maybe he’ll immediately have a panic attack. Also probably not the most likely option, not now that he’s actually been working though it with Jamie.

No, they’ll go in, fit a spot, sit and talk for a while. Thomas’s anxiety will build to the point where he can’t keep it hidden anymore, and they’ll leave before it gets worse.

Thomas will want to do it again, so they’ll go back until he’s happy with how long it takes for him to reach peak anxiety levels.

Minho doesn’t want him to do that to himself.

“Gally, this is going to take forever.” Minho realizes. “He’s going to want to keep going back until he can be in there for hours, if not days, without panicking.”

“So we’ll go with him, every time.” Gally says, like it’s as easy as that. “Until he’s okay with it.”

They can do that. Even though Minho’s going to hate every minute of it.

They can’t do this.

They’ve been taking it very slowly with the exposure therapy, as Jamie calls it. Once a week at most, for a few minutes at a time, a little longer each week.

Minho really wishes Thomas would wait.

This is the fifth week, and it’s been twenty minutes. Thomas is shaking already, but he doesn’t want to leave.

He never wants to leave.

“Minho, if he thinks he can handle it, let him.” Gally pulls him back a little. “He wants to try. We have to let him.”

“He’s shaking, Gally.”

“It’s cold. He’s a dumbass wearing shorts and a t-shirt.” Gally raises his voice a little, so Thomas can hear him teasing. Thomas glances back at them and rolls his eyes.

He looks… okay. He’s shaking, but his face is relaxed, not like he’s scared at all.

Maybe it’s not that bad.

“Who do you think is out hunting today?”

“It’s Rosa’s group’s turn!” Thomas calls back. He moves back to stand by them, leaning into Gally’s side.

Gally is kind of their personal space heater sometimes. He complains about it, but Minho knows he doesn’t really care.

“What do you think they’ll find?”

“I don’t know. I saw a moose.”

They’ve heard that a million times. Thomas wants to take them out to see it, but even Jamie, as encouraging as she is about him wanting to learn how to not be afraid of the forest anymore, has nipped that in the bud.

No week-long trips into the forest for a long time for them.

Minho’s okay with that. He doesn’t really like it here either, what with the tree falling on them and everything.

Wait, is Thomas trying to get them over their lingering fears of the forest too?

Damn.

That’s more tricky than he thought Thomas would pull on them.

(Other people, absolutely. Them? Thomas isn’t supposed to do it to them. But that’s Thomas for you. )

“Minho, you’re the one overthinking things now.” Thomas pokes him lightly. He’s smiling faintly when Minho looks over at him.

“So what if I am, shuckface? You don’t have a monopoly on overthinking things.”

“No, but it’s a little weird to watch someone else do it.”

“Then don’t look at me, I guess.”

“Where’s the fun in not looking at you?” Thomas pouts, exaggerated. “Gally, can I share your jacket?”

“I should tell you no, because you’re the dumbass here. But yes.” Minho can’t help but laugh at them as they try to figure out how to get arranged so Thomas will actually be warm without smothering him.

“Are you sure you don’t want help?”

“We’ll figure it out, thanks though, Minho.” Thomas answers, focused on the task at hand.

It’s hard not to laugh a little at Thomas as he tries to squeeze into Gally’s jacket. He’s biting his lip, completely focused, and he’s not thinking about being in the forest at all.

Minho’s laughing too, and his shoulders have dropped a little. He won’t say anything, but he doesn’t like the forest too much either.

If Gally could freeze time, this is one of the spots he’d do it in. Just linger here, in this moment, where they’re all laughing and joking around, despite everything. 

Despite the fact that he knows Thomas chose this spot because it’s not far from where Harriet found him.

He doesn’t want to be anywhere where they’re not happy, not again. They don’t need more sadness in their lives.

“Gally, you’re not even trying to help!” Thomas complains, pouting at him.

“I think it’s hopeless, Thomas. You can have my jacket instead.” Minho throws an arm around Thomas’s shoulders.

“But Gally’s already warm.” 

“And I’m not?” Thomas pulls away a little, just enough to put Minho’s jacket on. Gally’s not expecting him to grab his hand as he steps back.

“Okay, I think that’s enough for the day.” Thomas says.

“You’re feeling okay?” Minho asks, dropping the smile.

“I feel fine, but I’m cold. I want to bully you two into building a fire in the cabin and sit in bed all day and read.”

“Just for that, you can bring in all the wood from outside in your shorts and t-shirt.” he threatens, but he already knows he won’t go through it.

“And maybe I wanted to sit in bed and read. What are you going to do then?” Minho’s hand brushes his arm lightly. Gally can’t tell if it’s intentional or not.

“Read things out loud to you? Then you’ll fall asleep and I can read whatever I want.” Thomas raises his eyebrows at Minho, like it should be obvious.

“What if I want to read something, Thomas?”

“You don’t care what I read, as long as I read it out loud.” Thomas squeezes his hand softly, and. Yeah. It’s true. He doesn’t care.

He’s not much of a reader on his own, anyway. It’s just better when Thomas reads to him. Or Minho, on the rare occasion he decides that it’s his turn.

“So, a fire, reading, and cuddles? Sounds like a good day to me.”

“We can’t forget lunch.”

“I guess you can go and get it for us then, Minho. Thanks for offering!” Thomas manages to say it with a straight face, like Gally’s not cracking up next to him.

“That was not an offer, shuckface. That was a reminder that we need to eat.”

“Sounded like an offer to me, Minho.” Gally’s still grinning, which ruins the effect a little.

“The both of you? Really? I guess if all I’m good for is getting lunch I might as well leave you both!” Minho plays into the part, hand on his chest and everything.

“You’re the one who’s not letting go of me, so if you want to do that, then you can.”

“Yeah, Minho, if you’re really going to leave you have to let go of Thomas first.”

“He’s got my jacket!”

“You can let go of me and get your jacket back.”

“Well, maybe I will!”

He doesn’t, though, and Gally knows he never even considered it.

“Or maybe I’ll just get my jacket back later.”

“You can’t get it back if you can’t find it.” Thomas teases, smiling properly now. “Hey, Gally, cover me?”

“Yeah, of course.” He grabs Minho’s arm where it’s around Thomas’s shoulders, holding him just tightly enough that he can’t get away easily, while Thomas jogs ahead, eventually turning backwards to face them.

“Even if you hide it, I’ll still find it, Thomas!” Minho calls. “Gally, let go of my arm.”

“Are you going to chase him? Because I told him I wouldn’t let you do that.”

“No, but can’t I hold your hand instead, shank?”

“Oh.” Gally slides his hand down Minho’s arm, lacing their fingers together. Thomas has stopped ahead of them, kneeling to look at some plants.

“What are those, Thomas?” he asks when they get a little closer.

“Berries. I don’t think they’re edible though, we don’t have any in the greenhouse.” Thomas shakes his head a little.

His hair’s getting long. Maybe Gally should offer to cut it.

Or not. It might be a nice change.

Gally has to fight to keep his face straight, but Minho’s nudge tells him that he’s not entirely successful on that front.

<- 29 31 ->

[majicmarker]

been debating whether or not to remove my eddissy sex shop fic from ao3 (i have actual reasons, not just like… on a whim), but then oof, ppl are really into that one 🫣

[onyourstageleft]

I'm working on a baby quilt that I've been hexagon paper piecing so far, but I realized how much of a time drain doing the background with paper piecing would be. I've decided to do a jelly roll race style quilt for the background and applique my main hexagon design onto it, and because I can't find a premade jelly roll that I like, I'll be buying some fabric and cutting my own jelly roll strips. I'm planning to do 40 strips, either 10 strips each of 4 fabrics or 8 strips each of 5 fabrics. here's the 6 fabrics I'm thinking about, all from Joanne's (screenshots from the website)

and here's the design I'm working on (a d20), with the fabrics I'm using. the light blue is the inner part of the die, and the dark blue is the outer edge and lines across

if there's one overwhelming loser I'll buy the other 5 fabrics, but if two are about evenly vetoed, I'll do 4 fabrics. you're also welcome to reply or rb with your top choices out of these or other nominations for this project! the poll will run for a week, since I still need to finish piecing the outer blue on and make/attach the bias tape for the lines on my main design

this will also be my first jelly roll quilt and first time doing an applique, so even though I'll be doing an applique test run, I'd appreciate any advice on the process! I plan to do a needle turn applique, so I'm looking forward to learning that skill in practice

[thaliaisalesbian]

i get myself twisted in threads

Chapters: 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30

Chapter 31: could it be easy this once?

“Jon, come on, it’ll be fun.”

“Working at the mall together?”

“Yeah! Nancy said she might if her internship at the paper falls through.” Why Steve is looking at those applications this early, Jonathan’s not sure. The internships are different; everyone knows the mall is going to be desperately hiring when it opens.

“I’ll think about it.” He’s working on getting an internship at the paper, too, though Steve might be right. Don’t malls sometimes have photo stations? He’ll have to look into it. Maybe he’ll find a record shop or something, that might work too.

He and Nancy were really looking forward to working together, though.

They’ve still got time, anyway.

“Are you doing anything for your classes over the summer?”

“No, I don’t think so. I don’t know that it would be a good idea, anyway. Probably better to work and get something saved up.”

For what? As far as Jonathan knows, Steve’s parents aren’t going to kick him out or stop paying on the utilities when he turns eighteen, though honestly it wouldn’t be too surprising if they did.

“My mom called. She talked my dad around, apparently. He’s still upset that I didn’t get into any colleges.”

“Talked him around from what?” Nancy doesn’t even bother knocking anymore; Mom had somehow gotten Steve’s house key and made copies at the same time she made copies of their house key. Jonathan is not going to ask questions.

“He wanted to send me to a military school, though I’m not sure how that would have worked for him after I turned eighteen. After that, the plan was for me to pay the property taxes and utilities.”

“What are you actually going to have to pay for to stay there?” Steve doesn’t even seem upset about this. He must have been expecting worse news.

“Just groceries and gas for my car, still. At least until I graduate high school. Mom’s convinced him to start up my allowance again because ‘at least I’m trying to graduate’. It’s a lower amount, though.”

“How much do you have saved already?”

“I’ve got cash hidden in three spots in my room.” Steve says. “They’re still on my back account, I can’t take them off until I’m eighteen, so if they wanted to shut it down they could. Probably about two grand, total. I don’t know how long it would last me if I needed it. I’d rather have the extra, just in case. If something happens and I have to leave, my dad will shut down my accounts and I’d have nothing.”

Jonathan hasn’t even looked at his bank account in at least a year. He cashes his checks in sometimes, but mostly Mom just takes his to the banks with hers and puts them all in at once.

Though she hasn’t really been doing that for the past year or so; he’ll have to ask why.

“What about the money from Owens?” Nancy paces for a minute. “Where’s that? Mike and I both have some; we can’t access the full amount until we’re twenty-one, but there’s a monthly allowance put into an account our parents don’t know about for us.” When neither of them say anything, she continues. “Jonathan, your mom would probably have yours, because she’s in the know, Steve, you should have at least some of yours.”

“No one ever said anything to me about that.” 

“Really? They talked to Mike and I when we signed the NDAs. I’m planning on using it for college.”

“I’ll have to check with Mom.” Jonathan says slowly. She has been really insistent lately that he doesn’t need to work, but she’s always done that. And there have been some repairs done on the house, but he’d figured some of that was paid for by Owens, after everything. “She hasn’t said anything to me, if that’s the case.”

But then he thinks about some of the art supplies Will has now; how Mom had brought him new film rolls for his camera; they have a new stove, even.

“You should. Steve, you might want to talk to Hopper.” Nancy’s got a plan going already, grabbing paper off of Steve’s desk and writing out the details.

If they have this money, then he can go to college without having to take out loans, probably. Especially if he gets a scholarship.

But then, if they have all of this money, why haven’t they moved? Gotten a bigger house, or added onto it or something?

Mom has to have a reason for that.

He wants to call her right away, but she’s at work, so it’ll have to wait. Jonathan doesn’t want to get her in trouble with her boss.

“What do you want for dinner?” Steve leans into him so that he can whisper and not interrupt Nancy’s muttered calculations and planning.

“How about that pasta bake you were telling me about the other day?”

“Yeah, I can do that. Chicken or ham? We’d have to throw the chicken on the grill, but the ham could just go right in.”

“Ham.” Sounds easier than chicken.

“Nance, you can plot your world domination in the kitchen, we’re making dinner.” Steve pulls her up smoothly, then does the same for Jonathan—only he sends them both to the floor instead.

“Really, Steve?” He kisses Steve’s cheek anyway.

“What, I’m not allowed to help you up now?”

“Not if we both end up on the floor. Did you hit your head?” When Owens and Irene had come by for a check-up last week, they’d told them about the concussion and bruising.

Now, they just have to convince Steve to go in for a bunch of scans to make sure he's okay. Owens said it’d be covered, so he won’t have to worry about his parents finding out through insurance or something.

“Wait, what are you making?” Nancy holds one of Steve’s crutches out to him, looking a little startled when he actually takes it.

“It’s a surprise.” Steve tells her. “You just worry about world domination. Jonathan and I will take care of everything else.”

“Everything else?”

“Yep. Your wish is our command.”

“Just name the time and place.” Jonathan adds. “If you’re going to take over the world, you need minions, right?”

“That’s what the kids are for.” Nancy’s mouth turns up at the corners. “You two wouldn’t be mere minions.”

“Then what would we be, my lady?” Steve asks, more dramatic with every word. “Your harem, kept up in a room for you to admire as you wish? Your enforcers? Arm candy?”

“I’ve heard that you can be quite threatening with that nail bat, Steve.” Nancy muses. “But we can’t have you getting any more injured, so publicly you’ll be arm candy. You’ll be in charge of the kitchen for the appearance of keeping you busy when you’re not with me, and you’ll make me any dessert I request. Jonathan, you’ll be in charge of making sure most of the place looks like it came right out of a photograph, and of course you two will have to switch off on your arm candy duties.”

She pauses at the bottom of the stairs, turning to grin up at them. “And secretly, you’ll be my most trusted advisors.”

“Why secretly?” Jonathan asks. Not that he minds; he doesn’t know of many people who would call him arm candy, especially next to Steve, and, well, he really likes that Nancy does.

“Well, if no one knows you’re my advisors, then why would they target you for anything? You’d just be my pretty boys.”

Steve stumbles a little, but Jonathan can’t tell if it’s because of what Nancy said or if it’s because his crutch slipped; he grabs his arm either way.

“You’ll have to tell us more while I—” Jonathan tightens his grip a little as Steve falters again, “while we make dinner. What would you make your little minions do? I can think of a few things for the shitheads.”

“I’m sure we all can think of more than a few. But that’s not the important part… yet. We have to get there first.”

“Whatever you say, High Lady.”

“No, that’s not going to work as a title.”

Their world domination chatter slows as their dinner bakes, and by the time they’re done eating and cleaning up, Nancy and Jonathan have to go home.

It’s a shame, really. Jonathan was looking forward to seeing how many times he and Steve could make Nancy blush with different titles for her new-found position.

finish on ao3 or continue reading

Once she’s safely in her room, Nancy lets herself think a little more about this world domination plan.

Mostly, she lets herself think how Steve had reacted when she’d called them ‘pretty boys’, and although Jonathan had been better at hiding it, she thinks he liked it too.

That just means she’s going to have to use it more often.

“Nancy! Joyce Byers is on the phone for you!” Mom must still be by the phone downstairs. She checks the clock; it hasn’t quite been long enough for Jonathan to make it back home yet, if that’s what Joyce is calling about.

“Hey, Joyce.” She hears her mom get off the line on the other phone.

“Hi, Nancy.” For a minute, she can forget that she’s talking to her boyfriend’s mom. It feels like Barb one of her friends has called and they’re about to talk about their plans. “It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen you, I just wanted to check in.”

“Oh. You’re—you’re not calling about Jonathan?”

“No, he just pulled in, he’s fine. I know things have gotten busier, and it’s different now that Steve’s not staying with us or with Jim—” She always forgets that Joyce calls Hopper Jim. It is his name, and they’re both adults, so it makes sense, but it still feels so weird to think of him as ‘Jim’. “But we’ve had some good conversations, when we get the chance.”

Most of those are just Joyce giving her advice. Usually about dating her boys.

She hasn’t been wrong yet. Nancy wants to know how Joyce figured all of this out.

“We do.” Nancy agrees. “I miss talking to you, too.” She doesn’t realize how true it is until she says it.

“Well, I have the day off tomorrow—how about a girls’ lunch, and if we feel like it, we can invite the boys for dinner.”

“Girls’ lunch meaning just us…?”

“Max and Jane are included in that.” Jane. Right. That’s the name they’re using for El when they’re not supposed to be talking about her.

Nancy hasn’t found out why; she’ll have to ask. “Just tell me when and where.”

“Jim is dropping Max and Jane off at noon, but you can come by before that if you want. Eleven, maybe?”

“If you’re hoping I can help cook, Jonathan can tell you that I’m hopeless.”

“I’m sure you’re not as bad as I am.” Muffled, she hears, “I’m talking to Nancy, honey.”

“I’m worse, ask him.” Nancy says.

“She is!” Jonathan’s further away, and she just saw him, but hearing his voice makes her smile anyway.

“What do you say, Nancy?”

“Sounds like fun. I’ll bring my nail polish and some dress-up clothes. Max might not be into it, but E-Jane might find something she likes.”

“You’re a good one, Nancy.” She can hear Joyce’s smile in her voice. “Jonathan’s taking the boys to the arcade for most of the day; I think Jim wants to check in with Steve. And then we can have a family dinner afterward.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that sounds nice.” Mom’s probably not going to be too happy, but Nancy doesn’t care. Mike won’t be home for dinner either.

“I’ll let you go, then. Don’t stay up too late!”

“I won’t.” She promises. “Have a nice night, Joyce.” Is it wrong that sometimes she wishes Joyce was her mom?

Predictably, her mom comes up to ask what the call was about.

If she was just going to ask anyway, she might as well have stayed on the line.

“Joyce just wanted to know if I wanted to have a girls’ day with her and the girls in Mike’s friend group tomorrow. I’ll be going over around eleven.”

“That’s sweet of her, to give them a break from all those boys.” Nancy wonders if one of them requested it. El might have, but given how attached she is to Steve, it seems more likely that she would have wanted a day with him.

Max… she doesn’t really know Max all that well. She doesn’t know if Max would have wanted a day away from the boys or not. Maybe she’d rather be beating them at arcade games.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun. I’m going to bring some of my old clothes for them to try on. They’ll be out of style by the time Holly is big enough to wear them, Mom.” She rolls her eyes when her mom tries to protest.

“Who are those girls? The redhead and who else? Someone at school?”

Fuck. What is she supposed to say about El?

“No, she doesn’t go to school yet. She’s staying with Chief Hopper for now, she was in a bad situation and school would probably be a little too overwhelming for her yet.”

“Oh, I see.” Her mom doesn’t step into the room, just stays in the doorway. How long is this going to go on? Normally she would have shut the door by now. “Well, you have a good time. Mike’s going to the arcade, and then he’s eating dinner at the Byers’.”

“I’ve been invited to dinner too, if I’m still there.”

“Of course you have. I’ll have to see if there are any movies Holly might like, then, and take her out. Just… you and Mike both be back before nine. Tomorrow’s a school night.”

“I’ll make sure we are, Mom.” She can’t tell what her mom’s thinking. It’s not like she told them she had anything planned for tomorrow; if she had, then Nancy would have declined the dinner invite. Mike would grumble about it a lot, but he’d make sure he was home for dinner, too. “I’m sure you and Holly will find a movie. Or you could bake something together, I remember we did that when I was little. It was always fun.”

That was before Mike was around, and when he was a baby. She and Mom had their special baking time when he was down for his naps, because Nancy had been ‘too big’ for naps.

By the time Mike was three, they’d become a monthly event instead of a weekly event. She’d been in school by then, so that limited their time, but they’d had weekends.

And when her mom found out she was pregnant with Holly, it seemed like the world had stopped. It’d only gotten worse after Holly was born.

It’s like her mom lost a part of herself, or something, and she didn’t know how to get it back but now she’s trying.

But she can’t make up for the years she’d missed, even when she’d been physically present.

Nancy hasn’t thought about baking with her mom like this in a while. She hadn’t realized how much she’d missed it.

“I’ll see if she’d like that.” Nancy has to restrain herself from saying ‘she will.’ Holly had been so happy when they’d made cookies with her. “If you want to, Nancy, we could try something a little more complicated now that you’re older. Just you and me, like we used to.”

“Yeah, I would like that. But I’m not very good at baking. Or cooking. Or anything other than mixing.”

“I remember your salty cookies.” Her mom smiles. “It was nice of you to try. I can teach you, you just need practice. I’ll go shopping this week and if you don’t have plans next Saturday, we can do it then.”

She’d been hoping to see Steve and Jonathan next Saturday, but given that she wants to spend pretty much all of her time with them, she’s going to have to disregard that thought for now.

“Next Saturday sounds good, Mom.”

“Good. I’ll set up a play-date for Holly, and talk to Mike about what he’d like to do so we can have the house to ourselves.”

As rough as things have been lately, Nancy’s just glad that her mom is at least trying now.

<- 30 32 ->

[monodramatic-cannibal]

Just a little update post about 2 of my ocs.

Just added some more info to Nix-Ceto's and Tanue's ref posts. Will link them under the cut if anyone is interested in reading it lol. I mainly make these posts for myself so I can document when I make a change to a post lol

No obligation to read their info, it was mainly Tanue who got the most out of this update I feel. Since Tanue barely had any notes, even though I feel Nix got the most words put into his info, it's mainly just more random info. For Tanue it's more of a feel for his personality and stuff, and other interesting things about him.

[kerberosstyxnixcharonandhydra]

Hehe its a height lineup :3

These bitches tested my skill and patience ngl. Im not a fan of how wobbly some of the lineart came out, but fuck it we ball.

Joey belongs to my friend @idiotv2 and hes silly and hes awesome and i can never explain how much i love him btw

*also sadly styx's forearm crutches look weird since medibang kept crashing when I did the lineart so I ended up kinda having to half-ass some of the lines so I could save before it all shut down. sad.

[ryogai]

"Cu~! Cu, it's you! I wondered where you went!" Sure, a fight might've just happened but she's busy hugging her spirit brother now. She was used to his surprise tests via fighting and so was fine with how things went. This was likely the happiest she had been in a while.

Meanwhile, Gaheris was sweating bullets as he looked at the Caster.. He knew Cu would notice Nix had gotten hurt on the shoulder and it would be his ass on fire.

@corrchoigilt

[ludrii]

Oc Masterpost

Links to their ref sheets, pictures, moodboards, etc + short desc

Will update it with new ocs and their info

Ocs:

(unless specified differently, they're all lowkey cryptids)

Mia (Melancholia) [pic/low poly ref sheet] - demon; changes colours based on emotions, literal goop - uses tight clothes to keep humanoid shape

Stella [pic] - stellar being; a real star; (fr she's a fallen star)

Zirra [ref sheet] [moodboard] - mute, tired 25/8, tons of hobbies, introverted thru the roof

Zyamm [ref sheet] [moodboard] - Zirra's adoptive brother; pyromaniac with anger issues, loud, wants to be popular, absolute dumbass

Tako Blade [ref sheet] [pic1] [pic2] [moodboard] - pole dancer, known for her pink moving hair, Feelings(tm)

Goldberg [pic] [moodboard] - rich af mechanic and robotics specialist, works for enjoyment not for money (anymore), confident, cocky

Sterlyn [pic] [moodboard] - trans fella, soft, gentle, addicted to sugar and pastel colours

6 [technical ref sheet] - killer robot with a god complex, fashionable, slays figuratively AND literally

Tenebris Lou Cipher [pic] [moodboard]- human(?); goth lady, gentle but also ruthless, rogue, secretive

Fe Nix [pic] [moodboard] - winged guy, burned his wings, Tenebris got him new pair (mechanical); whimsical, kinda insecure

Henry Levi Athan [pic] [moodboard] - human; trans nerdy marine biologist, finds deep sea creatures cute, quite into mythology - fan of "monsters"

"Fin Fatale" [pic] [moodboard] - deep sea merfolk; feral, wanted to kill said marine biologist, but couldn't handle the fact he thinks she's cute

Cervus [pic] [moodboard] - carnivore deer creature, sarcastic, sassy, cryptid hunt related Trauma and unhealthy coping mechanisms that may or may not include bloodshed

[flame-x]

Crime Baby = Rumpleteazer Madam Perfect = Victoria electricity = Electra squee queen = Cettie The Chosen One = Jemima bbygirl = Sillabub

cool girls :D

4:08pm

Madam Perfect: Has anyone seen Alonzo? I can’t find him anywhere, it’s unlike him.

bbygirl: I saw him in the junkyard with dad and admetus earlier

bbygirl: talking all hush-hush like

electricity: that’s a regular thing now, huh

Madam Perfect: Always was. You guys just didn’t notice, cos you’re all that bit younger :p

Madam Perfect: Where is he now, though?

electricity: idk but it sounds like you should go look for him

Madam Perfect: Probably

Crime Baby: speaking of the oh-so-mighty adults…

electricity: we weren’t

electricity: it was literally just alonzo, rumple

Crime Baby: do u think they have gcs?

Meanwhile…

Very Responsible People

4:11pm

Munkboi: WHAT THE FUCK, TUGGER

Munkboi: WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU “MIGHT HAVE” ACCIDENTALLY BROKEN THE MOST VALUABLE PIECE OF FURNITURE IN YOUR HUMAN’S HOUSE THAT IS WORTH THOUSANDS 

Rock tip topper: IN MY DEFENCE—

cool girls :D

4:11pm

The Chosen One: yeah they do

The Chosen One: they have a few different ones actually

electricity: misto is in some of them 

Madam Perfect: …

electricity: someone’s jealous

Madam Perfect: I am not

Madam Perfect: Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go find Alonzo

bbygirl: bet she has a new thing to say to him too

[nix-writes-mcyt]

wait can you tell me what happened to blooming mushroom, I just came back and I can't find them ;-;

Hey friend,

So.. we don't know. We have no idea where Bloom went.

Me and a couple others noticed back in November 2022 that Bloom had just.. disappeared. The entire account gone. I asked around with my mutuals and with those in Shep's discord server but no one seemed to know anything.

I also couldn't find any of Bloom's mutuals to ask as their accounts were either abandoned or they must have changed urls, meaning I couldn't find them. I also tried to wayback machine it.. nothing.

So long story short, I'm not sure if anyone knows for sure. I do know I miss having Bloom around, the interactions and the fics. If anyone does and has any information that would help many of us understand

Bloom, if you see this, I hope you're okay.

[mazegays]

could've followed my fears all the way down

Chapter 29

Chapters: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30

Thomas manages the walk back, but he’s leaning so heavily on Minho that it might have been better if they’d just carried him.

He’s still only signing.

Gally doesn’t know where that comes from— he hadn’t known Thomas and Minho could sign.

Where would they have learned? Why would they have needed it?

Thomas sits in a chair, eyes never straying from them as they move the two mattresses together.

He still won’t look either of them in the eye, and Gally doesn’t know if that has something to do with the lingering effects of the panic attack or if it’s part of why he’s signing.

Gally knows he doesn’t have the same history with Thomas that Minho does, but he’s never felt it quite this acutely.

Minho seems to know exactly what to do.

He feels… a little useless, to be honest.

Normally any touch during a panic attack will result in someone getting hit.

Minho seems to know how to touch Thomas when things are bad. Gally wishes he knew, too, wishes he could stop feeling like he’s only orbiting around them.

“Thomas,” Minho kneels in front of the chair, making it easier for Thomas to look at his face, “Is it okay if I explain the signing to Gally, or do you want to do that later?”

Thomas goes to raise both hands to sign, only to clearly become frustrated when his bad arm doesn’t cooperate. He signs some letters individually, but Gally’s not sure what they are, and gestures to finish whatever he’s saying.

“Okay, I’ll tell him. Do you want to change?” Thomas nods at that, and Gally would laugh if it weren’t so serious. Thomas almost always wants to wear one of their shirts after a panic attack.

Today, he picks one of Gally’s shirts and a pair of Minho’s pants.

Honestly, he’s not sure Thomas ever really wears his own clothes anymore.

(Not that Gally can blame him. Thomas’s shirts are too tight on him, but Minho’s shirts fit him fine, if a little snug. It’s a nice feeling, and the looks Minho and Thomas give him when he’s wearing one don’t go unnoticed.)

They settle into the bed, Thomas flat on his back in the middle. He usually lays on one side, but that hasn’t been an option recently.

“Gally,” Minho starts, when Thomas’s breathing has mostly evened out. His eyes are closed, but he’s still awake and listening. “The sign language first. I’ve told you a little about the lightning storm, but not everything. Thomas pulled me up, got me out of the storm. He’s the only reason I lived through it.”

Shit.

Gally hadn’t known that.

finish on ao3 or continue reading

If he didn’t know that his role in the Right Arm is one of the biggest reasons they got through all this, one of the reasons they were able to get this far, he’d go back in time and change all his decisions.

“The storm did damage to his ears, too. He didn’t even mention it. Newt had to point out that his ear was bleeding.”

That sounds like something Thomas would do.

“I don’t know how bad the hearing loss was, he never told us if it was all the sound in his left ear or if it was just muffled. He was having trouble with it, though, and he didn’t like being left out of conversations for our next moves. So he and I— and Newt, when he caught on— made up a sign language. Thomas didn’t want anyone to know how bad it was, so Frypan was the only other one who knew any of it, as far as I know.”

“He doesn’t seem to have any trouble now.” Gally runs a hand through Thomas’s hair once, testing the waters. Thomas relaxes a little more, so he keeps doing it.

“WCKD fixed it. He was shot in the Scorch.” Minho taps his own shoulder to indicate where, and Gally thinks about the scar he’d seen on Thomas there. It hadn’t seemed like a big deal at the time. 

“It was right before Group B came and took him, actually. They took him in what must have been a Berg and removed the bullet. It was some of the longest days of my life, because I didn’t know where he was or what they were doing to him.”

“They just… fixed it?”

“Yeah. He doesn’t remember anything from up there, they had him drugged the whole time; he was pretty out of it when they brought him back.”

“He really was their main hope, wasn’t he?” Gally whispers, staring at him.

“After a while, yeah. That’s why Janson wanted to cut his shucking brain out.” Minho’s face tightens with anger, though he’s careful to keep too much of it from being in his voice— he’s trying not to scare Thomas.

“Thomas,” Gally murmurs, knowing he’ll hear him, “You can fall asleep. If you have a nightmare, we’ll wake you up.” Thomas shakes his head.

Sometimes, after panic attacks, Thomas won’t sleep for days, because he doesn’t want to get trapped in his mind again.

He doesn’t want to know how long Thomas will try to stay awake after this one.

“The first panic attack I ever saw Thomas have, he passed out.” Minho says, tone way too light to be talking about this. “I didn’t know what to do, and his breathing got like it was tonight. Worse, eventually. He woke up screaming that night and couldn’t talk the next day.”

“This is the only one I’ve seen that was worse than that one.”

And suddenly, Gally understands.

He’d thought, in the midst of things, that maybe it would be kinder of them to let Thomas pass out. Then he wouldn’t be having a panic attack, because he wouldn’t be able to.

He hadn’t been thinking about the aftermath.

“How long will he be trying to stay awake for?”

“At least three days.”

Gally’s had his own share of panic attacks— less so now, because he’s gotten better at catching them before they start or heading them off early— but he never wants to do anything for hours after. He can’t. He’s exhausted.

He’s never understood why Thomas wants to stay awake after. Recently, he’s learned more about the nightmares, but they don’t come every time.

Thomas signs something to Minho, then twists his head to look at Gally.

“He wants to thank you for helping, and for the water.” Minho explains. “And he says if you want to learn, he can teach you something tomorrow.”

“Yeah, Thomas, of course I’d like to learn.”

Why wouldn’t he? He’s still not sure where they stand, dating-wise; they’re certainly not together in the way Sonya and Harriet are together, but they are together. They’re just taking their time in getting there.

“Thomas, I’m not going to tell Gally you’ll be fine without sleep, because you won’t. Gally and I are probably going to talk quietly for a while anyway, if you fall asleep now we’ll definitely be up to wake you from nightmares.”

Gally nods when Thomas looks at him again.

“You can’t stay awake forever, Thomas.”

He signs something, a little more slowly, and Gally focuses on trying to figure out what it is.

“No, Thomas, we’re not going to let you try.” Minho answers.

…He was nowhere close. Maybe next time.

“You can’t teach me sign language if you’re tired, Thomas.” He whispers, and Thomas looks like he’s thinking about this.

After a moment that’s far too long, he nods slowly.

Then he signs out ‘O’ and ‘K’ so Gally can understand him. He pulls Gally’s arm around his waist, over top of his stomach. Minho takes his cue from that and slides his under Thomas.

Minho’s free hand takes the one laying on Thomas, and Gally tries to ignore that it’s only the dim light that keeps Minho from seeing the flush on his face.

He’s had sex with Minho before. Hand-holding shouldn’t make him turn red, dammit!

But this— this is different.

Laying in bed with Thomas, whom he and Minho are both falling in love with, and being tucked close to each other, making sure Thomas feels safe enough to go to sleep, it’s different.

More intimate than sex in the Deadheads, or the map room. 

It’s different, because this isn’t just two boys who don’t even really like each other just having sex to have sex.

They trust each other now. They work together, they lead together. 

They’ve both been through different hells and come back through it. Maybe they shouldn’t like each other. In the Glade, they hadn’t. In the Glade, they’d never stayed the night.

They’ve slept in the same room (though not usually the same bed) for months.

Gally sometimes misses that, while he’s working, because he got used to talking to Minho everyday, laughing at his stupid jokes and trading stories about their dead friends.

Watching Minho smile, and the way his eyes look when they talk about Thomas (he knows he’s just as bad), or sometimes just whatever was for lunch that day.

Gally knows they’re not at love yet, he and Minho.

But there’s room.

There’s room, and he’s finding it fuller every day.

They think they’re being sneaky, but Thomas is slightly sleep-deprived, not unobservant.

(Okay, maybe he is a little unobservant today, but Minho and Gally have been taking turns finding reasons to check up on him almost every hour. It’s not hard to figure out.)

He’s still not back to speaking the way he normally does, but Frypan is talking enough for the both of them.

Frypan’s good at noticing the little things like that.

“So, Thomas, are your overprotective boyfriends going to actually come talk to you today, or just stare at you and whisper?”

Thomas goes to sign, but the sling stops him, and he sighs.

He keeps forgetting he has it on.

“I mean, I didn’t really ask them to.”

“Yeah, I know, I just think it’s funny.”

“They’re doing it to each other, too.”

“Are they?”

“They don’t realize it, but whoever is checking on me is getting checked on by the other one, a little farther away.”

Frypan laughs, loud enough that Minho and Gally— who are, indeed, whispering together not too far away— look over at them.

Thomas waves and then taps the counter to get Frypan’s attention again. Fry’s name sign— something Frypan had come up with himself, when he found out that they were making themselves a sign language—is distinctive even from far away, and even one-handed he knows they’ll catch at least part of what he means.

“Oh, you did not, Thomas.” Frypan signs back at him, abandoning what’s left of his clean-up work. “I can’t have them starting rumors about me.”

“Well, they’re not going to. They only saw your name sign. But they are either going to leave off or finally come over here.”

“Missing your daily dose of kisses?” Frypan teases, but his expression falters at whatever’s on Thomas’s face. He shrugs it off.

“I don’t know if I’m dating them separately or if we’re all dating each other. We haven’t even talked about dating yet.”

“Shit, Thomas.” That’s a sign Frypan just made up, but Thomas thinks he’s got the meaning right. “And Minho would have to translate almost everything right now?”

Gally’s a quick learner, but with Thomas only speaking when he absolutely has to, he hasn’t had a lot of time to work on signing alone with him. Minho helps, and Gally’s got the basics down now, but they can’t have a conversation the way they need to yet.

Thomas doesn’t really want to, anyway. Not right now. He hasn’t told Gally and Minho, but he thinks they know anyway.

The nightmares and waking up screaming are kind of hard to miss when you’re sharing a bed.

He’s still shaky, the thoughts of the panic attack and the tree and the forest and the almost-dying echoing through his mind, and the lack of sleep isn’t helping with any of that.

“Thomas, do you want to stay and help clean up, or do you feel like going with them right away?” Frypan asks, out loud this time.

When he looks at him, he’s standing right in front of him.

Oh. He zoned out again. Frypan’s probably been trying to get his attention for a few minutes.

“I— ” He looks around. He doesn’t want to leave this whole mess to Fry, but he knows that if he says he wants to go, then Frypan won’t blame him. “I’ll help with what I can.”

“Thanks, Thomas.” He gets his area straightened up— it doesn’t take long, he can’t use most of it with only one arm, and he hasn’t reached his six hours of wearing the sling for the day yet.

“You can go, Thomas.” Frypan tells him, when Minho and Gally finally reach the kitchen. He hasn’t been paying attention to them, but he thinks they might have visited the greenhouse first. He nods, but takes a damp rag to wipe the counter down.

“Oh, do you come here often, Thomas?” Minho’s being a shank again, as usual.

“I work here, asshole!” He drops the rag to sign, laughing a little. “Let me finish up quick.” He finishes up the counter, throwing the rag in the bin.

Thomas signs his goodbye to Frypan, adding a joke they’ve been making all day, and takes Minho’s offered hand as they leave.

To his surprise, he’s not in the middle. Minho is.

Gally’s holding his other hand. Elbow, really, carefully bracing the sling.

Oh.

From the look Frypan sends his way as they pass by the counter, he’s noticed, too.

“Feeling up for lunch with Harriet and Sonya?”

Thomas nods; he can’t answer without letting go of Minho’s hand, and he doesn’t want to do that right now.

Minho solves the problem for him by pulling him closer and wrapping his arm around his waist.

“They plan on eating by the fire pits.” He can feel their eyes on him, watching for his reaction.

It will be the first time he’s seen the tree since his panic attack.

He wants to try.

He wants to see if it’s better, with more people around. More distraction.

He can’t just avoid the tree for the rest of his life.

“Hey, you three!” Sonya waves them down; she’s sitting on Harriet’s lap again. “So, Thomas, you know these sticks were stalking you all morning, right? Want me to take care of that for you?”

Thomas laughs and shakes his head.

“Well, if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” In the greenhouse, as always. 

He glances at the tree as they sit down, but he doesn’t have time to think about it at all as Harriet jumps in on the teasing.

Despite the fact that he only actually speaks a few sentences aloud the whole time, he’s never cut out of the conversation. He’s shown Sonya and Harriet a few signs before, but not enough to be able to work with for an hour.

They still try, and that’s good enough for him. They’re trying, and they’re learning.

He thinks Frypan might have something to do with that, or maybe Minho is teaching them, but no one will confirm that.

After lunch, he tags along with Sonya. The greenhouse is a different kind of calming than the kitchen is, and while both are good, he just… he needs the greenhouse more right now.

Especially since he can’t go talk to Jamie, because she doesn’t sign.

There are some things Thomas doesn’t think he has words for yet, not in sign.

Things he and Minho haven’t talked about, that they haven’t needed yet but will, eventually.

They skip the fire that night; an hour a day by the tree is good enough for now.

“We need to talk. About…” He doesn’t have a sign for ‘relationship’. The closest he has is dating. “About dating. All of us.”

“Yeah, we do.” Minho signs as he speaks, more slowly so Gally can follow. Thomas knows without looking that he’s copying the signs, trying to get a feel for them.

“I can— ” Thomas swallows, then tries again. “I think I can do this verbally.” His voice is scratchy, rough; it’s better than when he woke up this morning but it’s still not great.

“Not if you don’t want to, Thomas. You don’t have to. Gally’s learned a lot, and we can manage with the signs we have.” Minho tells him.

“I’ll switch back if I need to, but we should have all the words we can for this.” 

“Do we want to take the chairs or the bed for this?” Gally asks.

“Bed.” Thomas decides. 

The chairs have too much separation.

Minho helps Thomas take the sling off, but he doesn’t lean against him like he normally would when they sit in bed.

He wants to watch both of them, figure out what they’re thinking if he can.

“Thomas, you know we both like you.” Gally starts, sitting across from him.

“I know.” He answers. He hasn’t said it back yet. “And I like both of you. But are you both just dating me, or are you dating each other, too?”

“I want to try dating both of you.” Minho says. “We’re going to have to figure things out, and talk a lot more, but I want to try it.” Gally nods his agreement.

Was it really this easy all along? Is this the talk he’d run away from?

“Thomas,” When he looks at Minho, he’s laughing a little. “I think you’re overthinking this, shank. Gally and I have been talking, trying to work though what we want to be.”

They’ve just been waiting for him to get on board, then. He feels the flush rising and ducks his head before either of them can point it out.

“Minho and I have had more time to talk it out, Greenie.” Gally points out. “We lived in a small room together for a few weeks, remember? It’s nothing against you.”

Still, he wishes he hadn’t been so afraid earlier.

But then they might not be here, Minho and Gally laying down on either side of him, holding hands across his body.

They don’t have a sign for ‘I love you’ yet, but he thinks Minho and Gally understand what he means anyway.

<- 28 30 ->

[felicityphoenix5]

Sup folks hello and welcome to my blog i am Nix or Felix and i post things (shockingly, yes, i know /sar)

[My Tagging "System"] [Ao3]

hi. I'm Canadian, a minor, adhd, and i use xe/xem/xyr pronouns.

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you are legally required by law to follow loki @spacedykez if u are following me (and even if you're not following me). we are PARTNERS and a package deal as evidenced by these images <33333

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fandoms:

former mcyt blog, will still reblog stuff from there

band stuff (idkhow, the narcissist cookbook, ajr, noah kahan)

been gettin really into sherlock holmes stuff and im tryin to post more of that CRINGE IS DEAD I AM FREE

tasm (as soon as i find some good posts about it it is OVER for yall)

really anything funny + cool, if i see it ill reblog it idc

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i run @lifesteal-headcanons !! I'm the (currently) singular mod over there, send in your headcanons!! I promise that everyone there is really really normal and totally didn't start a three-season roleplay accidentally.

speaking of roleplay-

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THE OTTERVERSE!!!

What is it? Why should you care? Why are me and my friends so obsessed with it?

The Otterverse is a currently three-season roleplay story that i do with @spacedykez, @mushroompoisoning @bugsinthebayou, @wisp-exe, @gumy-shark, @cats-thoughts and a bunch of other anons! each of us has our own character(s), and the majority of it is acted out in Loki's inbox (yet another reason to follow it). For better explanations, go here (s1 + s2 recap), here and here, (general overviews),

You should care about it because it's cool. Hmm? that answer not good enough for you? fine, how about this one then.

*ahem* *commercial narrator voice*

Do YOU like LESBIANS? Shakesperian tragedy? Hamilton? The Apocalypse? Literally Every Character Is Queer And No I'm Not Exaggerating? More Lesbians? Angst? WELL, DO I HAVE THE STORY FOR YOU!!

And the moots are Still Insane over it because we're the ccs of this stupid little story, we were there for it, we experienced it in real-time, and we love our little fucked up ocs <33333

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