#UNBURROWABLE !!!!!!!!!

[pigengy]

whose excited for 2v8 mode bc ik Kelvin and Arlo sure aren't !! 🥰

[palestaticexchange]

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

"What's that?"

Your brother holds something small and shiny. His eyes glint like the thing in his hand does when he looks at you. "Go inside!" He says. The other one giggles.

"Show me! You have something!" You stumble to where they're crouched in the sand.

"Go away, Lily!" He's pouting now.

"This is our thing," the other one says. "We found it out there!" A wild finger swings towards the mound out in the sea.

The waves push back and forth over the sand. It's like a game: they want to pull you close then shove you away again. You shiver every time you look over them. "You can't go there..."

"W- Why did you tell her?"

You stamp a foot to catch the boys' attention. "You can't go out there! It's dangerous! Mom said!"

"Go away, Lily!" Your brother who holds the shiny thing stamps back. "This is why you can't play with us! You ruin everything!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"N- No I don't!" Your lip wobbles, nose already growing thick with snot.

You other brother giggles as he replies in perfect chorus with his twin; "Yes! You! *DO*!"

It's too much. You squeal once then run crying back home. Your wails bob in pitch each time your little feet pound against the sand.

"Oh?" You can't see through your tears but hear the old lady call out to you as you pass her. "What's wrong, dear? Come talk to Isobel!"

You don't stop, just pound up the wooden slats and into your home. Your little paws grip the edge of the sofa and hoist you up. Then you curl up in the corner and wipe your snotty face against the woollen throw. Crying, wailing, wiping. You blow thick sneezes against the ratty blanket that smells of the sea and wood smoke. 

Outside you hear the rumbling of adult voices, a moment later the door creaks open once again. "-Don't know, she just ran right past me."

"Right," Mom's voice. "What's all this crying for, girl?"

You raise your wobbly face from the blanket. Through your tears you spot the blue and yellow form of your mother and reach out for her. The sofa sinks next to you, sending your little body into her as she scoops you onto her lap.

"Hmm? Are we being silly?" 

You wail against her chest as she cuddles you, one hand stroking through your hair. "T- they, w- why?" Your little fists twist into the front of her coat, the nylon making sweet swishes against your short nails. "W- why w- won't they l- let me p- p- pla- pluh- *PLAY* w- w- with t- theee~!" It's too much again. You grind your snotty face against your mother as she coos softly.

"Ah. This is about the twins again." 

You nod, sniffing. 

"Hmm," The hand on your back starts petting it affectionately. "Boys are like this I'm afraid, little one. By the time they'll *want* to play with you the game won't be in your favour." 

You sniffle. You're not sure what mom means, but it doesn't sound fair. "But I want to play! I want to g- go on ah- ahd- ahd-ven-tures too!"

As you squeak out your new favourite *big* word your mom pauses in her stroking. She never shouts, or leaves you on your own for more than half a day, but she can get quiet. Then she runs her hand down your back again- slower this time. "Is that what you want? Or do you just want to be included?"

You unburrow your face from her chest and look up at her. She stops petting your hair and lifts the blanket, dabbing at your eyes then closing it around your nose. You blow into it.

"My special girl." As she pulls the wool away from your face you can see she's smiling down at you. "Do you want something all of your own?"

You gawk up at your mother before nodding quick. 

You feel a puff of air hit your face as she laughs through her nose. Then she's lifting you off her lap and placing you on the sofa. "Let the boys keep their silly games." She stands and walks to the high shelves above the fireplace, standing tall and lifting a paper box down. "Mom's going to introduce you to a very special old friend of hers." You see a flash of something white, then she's holding it behind her back with one hand and replacing the box with her other. She walks back to the sofa and drops to a crouch in front of you. "He's been *my* friend since I was your age... But I think you need him more than I do now, pet." 

You gasp as she pulls the doll from behind her back. "Woah~!" You forget your brothers and their adventures and their games. In front of you is the scrappy off-white body of a toy, an animal you recognise from one of your worn picture books. "A baa-lamb!" 

Your mother's face scrunches as she smiles. "Well done little one." She turns the old thing over, she seems suddenly... Not sure. "I called him 'Lamby' but I suppose you could call him something else if you liked..." The smile returns as if nothing had happened, then she's holding him out to you. 

You draw in breath and take the toy, his black button eyes already filled with love for you. "Lamby..." You whisper, stroking along his wool.

As you stroke your new friend you feel your mother's hand return to your hair, stroking you in time. "I just know you'll take *good* care of each other. Like he took good care of me." 

You will take good care of me, won't you Little Lily? He says. I've had a long life, but I will be your friend for as long as you'll be mine. 

You release a peel of giggles and kick your little legs. You pull the toy tight against your chest, liking the soft scratch of his wool against your still-damp cheek. Like the rest of the house he smells of salt, smoke, and seaweed. A moment later, you hear the creek of the door.

"Here comes trouble," your mother sighs. 

From just outside you hear the old lady urging the boys up the steps. Then one of the twins comes into view with eyes like saucers. 

Elder by 36 minutes. He plucked the metal shell from the sand. You look down at Lamby, not understanding what he means, then up again as your brother starts to talk.

"M'sorry Lily..." He mutters, shuffling awkwardly. 

"Now your turn," Isobel urges from the doorway. Her hand rests on your other twin's shoulder as he turns shyly against her side. 

"M'sorry..." He says quietly.

Mom gives the old lady a quick smile, then bends down to level with your brothers. "I have told you before to be kind to your sister-"

"Whas that!" The older one hops, pointing at Lamby." 

You're a big girl. The stitching of Lamby's mouth is faded but you can tell it used to be pink. Let it go. You need them and they need you. You *all* need each other.

You take a deep breath and puff out your chest, holding Lamby in your lap. "His name is Lamby and he is my friend. You can k- keep your games and metal shells." You lift your chin like a big girl would.

Your older twin cocks his head, the one in the doorway pulls his fingers from his mouth to smile. 

"There's my good girl," your mom says with a smile. 

[crevicedwelling]

Any advice for getting rid of fungus gnats in isopod enclosures?

I have never once had to deal with them due to my overabundance of springtails and predatory mites! I also don’t keep my enclosures sopping wet, or even damp, and the soil I use is largely clay and therefore completely inedible and unburrowable. nowhere for gnats to breed, nothing to feed them, many competitors for fungal particles, and a host of hungry predators always on the hunt.

[at-liberty-news]

Galactic War Status: Day 16

This is Michael Adams, closing out the day with one more segment.

First up, armed forces have utterly stomped out the Terminids invading Heeth. Now secured, troopers fighting there have moved on to assist in the destruction of Meridia.

Progress has been difficult, but results are beginning to show. Terminid resistance has dropped by an estimated 13% since the campaign's launch! Let's hope this trend continues.

Helldivers on the surface have run into a major roadblock to their operations, however, in the form of the sheer pervasiveness of Terminid tunnels perforating the planet's crust. It is so pervasive, in fact, that the flimsy tectonic drills provided by Super Earth are at constant risk of swarms unburrowing all around them at any given moment! Protection of the drills is seemingly impossible for many troopers, but the best among them have still found solutions. 

While most explosives are out of the question for use near the drills, EMS effects have become increasingly popular as a means of subduing waves of bugs before they can harm the drills. The only flaw in this strategy is the Bile Titan. The largest living Terminid we've yet seen in this war, Bile Titans had shown evolution of their own some weeks back when they developed an immunity to the disorienting effects of EMS strikes. A shining beacon of hope against them, however, has been the ever-reliable EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank. Due to the abnormally high casualty rates of these operations, Helldivers have flocked to using the EAT over other Anti-Tank options. Many squad leaders reason that the alternatives would simply be lost in the chaos of battle once their operator falls. Even still, the odds are overwhelmingly against our forces, and the fate of Meridia is still uncertain.

Let us all pray that SEAF can pull through, for Liberty's sake. That's all we have for now, but stay tuned for the next set of personal orders in a few hours. Give 'em Hell, Divers!

[viscerawizard]

I blink away the sleep that fogs my brain as my patrons' messages crowd my vision - blurred already by the rays of the morning sun and the fact that the cart is definitely still rolling over pathless hillocks - and say my catchphrase, as I always do. No one wants to miss it. I'm one of the best scrys out there, I hear. Not that it gets to my head. No.

"Goodmorrow, patrons! Who hast the strength to rove with me today?"

I am met near instantaneously with a crowd of m-m-m's - mental magus messages - most of which say something of the sort that one would say to a dog. "Heel!" says one. I find this unamusing. For the last few days, I explain to my newest scryers, I have been eating table scraps and bones. I am hungry - I chortle a bit - but I haven't lost my nerve just yet.

My party members are still asleep, but that's just as well. I can walk my scryers through preparing the healing potion that's been brewing for the last month, and show them the beautiful, beautiful hillocks that sometimes try to eat what rolls o'er them.

For this is not a path, no. This is a hemb's nest. I am in a hemb's nest. And I must be very very quiet, for I'm hunting their eggs.

The potion is a nice reddish-gold color by now, and one particular scryer says it looks very edible. I reassure her that it tastes revolting. The stoke-dragon under it nods. It is made with phoenix's droppings, which not only give a boost to regeneration, but smell and taste like a burnt raccoon who roll'd in giants' dung since it was a wee baby. The scryers laugh, reassuring me. I'm settling into the groove again, and as my party members wake up, they are introduced to my scryers too. Imoln has his own scryers to sate, Miya and Eyraz carry magical items which power them, and Ophelia - bless her - has trained her skills to the point that she doesn't need outside magicks for help. I'm a bit envious of her, but that's beside the point.

The point is the hembs. Big, rockish things. They bury themselves in the ground for months on end after breeding season and look like fields of stones. Hides thicker than your arm. And they're remarkably easy to train, if given time, attention, and generous helpings of mountain goat.

We'll be to the nest soon. It's at the heart of the hembfield. See, every spring, I explain to my scryers, all the hembs in a certain area go down from the mountains they live in and collect in valleys to mate. After that lot is done the eggs are laid at the center of the valley and all them hembs sleep around them to protect them - and whatever unlucky hemb is closest to a hemb egg when it hatches has to parent the thing till it's old enough to go off by itself and its hide has hardened.

Imoln gestures to me at the surroundings, then at his head.

"Ah."

I smile, then slink towards the back of the cart. He's going to show his scryers the view. I did that already, so now- ah! My spellbox! Drat. I didn't check my spellbox all morning.

I open my rucksack, and sure enough, it's spitting out magic parchment with this morning's donations on them already. Line by line, I watch a fireball spell materialize. It's fairly short, so I rip it off once it's done and roll it into a tube so it can go in one of my arm bags.

Miya whistles, perched on the wingless cliffwyrm that's pulling the cart. She sounds impressed, so I whip around and put the rest of the new spells in my leather arm bags as well.

"Hemb eggs!" I exclaim, perhaps a bit too loud, for the rest of my party now looks at me in mild contempt.

Immediately my head fills with "omlette" "hard boiled hemb?" "wee BABYS!!" and the like. Ah, good old scry-spam.

Ophelia, mute as ever, signs "right, left, wake." Oh, no. I was too loud. rats. On the bright side, though, the cart is squarely in the clearing and not on any hembs anymore. Hembs who now are unburrowing themselves and rising to glare at us with their beady eyes. Now I see why some call them armadillo-bears, even though they're completely gray and covered in stony hide. Not to mention the tails, wide and flat and long.

The one to the right of our cart is waking up faster, shaking its head free of the dust and grime. We all rush into formation, with me to the right flank, Miya and Imoln to the left flank, and Ophelia and Eyraz more to the center. Now's the time, I tell my scryers, to donate if they want to watch me more, through the shakes of the hemb's paws hitting the ground in warning.

Miya, all the way at the left of the hemb, nods, and we fly into battle. Eyraz and Ophelia taunt the hemb by baring their teeth, and Miya, Imoln and I prepare fireball spells. "Thank you, DragonDongus69" I whisper as I read the parchment and it disappears, readied. The spell donator is now booyah-ing in my mental chat, but I don't particularly mind.

Snap with my first and third fingers, blow into my first and second, I run through my head. I need to do it right or the fireball's going to come out more of a flaccid firefart.

Eyraz has now moved onto their most effective silent taunting technique, the jump-around-and-wave-obscene-signs. It works splendidly, as the hemb opens its mouth. Before it can roar and wake up the whole hembfield, though, Miya, Imoln, and I strike.

Snap. Blow. Boom.

The hemb's softest weak point is its mouth, which has been hit by a three-way fireball, killing and cooking it instantly. No more scraps for dinner. Roasted hemb, a delicacy for some, will now be our next few meals.

The hemb to the left of us, upon seeing the silent takedown of its neighbor, has wisely decided to leave us the hell alone and burrows itself back down into the dirt.

I think I'll name the egg Hemrietta.

You're a Warlock. But instead of drawing power from a higher being, people can choose to donate a portion of their magical power to you. In exchange, they can scry on your adventures and can send telepathic messages to you, as well as make requests. It can get annoying, but you make it work.

[hannahsmusings]

Renee

That is very true. America is just a giant trash can. You lot are way classier. And I’m saying that as a proud American! *I smile, nuzzling my nose against Tom’s neck as he continues making the tea, knowing I should’ve been paying attention to how he made it but his scent was so distracting and intoxicating, along with the warmth of his body, I could’ve curled up against him and went to sleep* I could never be Benny’s favorite… he is a daddy’s boy through and through. He just liked me in the moment because I had a gift, but you’ll always be his number one. *Benny really was a mini Tom, he looked just like him with the wild curly hair and big brown eyes, and he had the same mannerisms, it was honestly one of the cutest things that I had ever seen, watching Benny do something the exact same way that Tom did, unable to stop myself from thinking about the future when I have children, wondering if they’d look just like me or like Tom, my cheeks flushing as I realize that I was thinking about him as the father of my children, knowing I needed to slow my roll there, just because we kissed and were cuddly now did not mean that he was going to be the father of my children, he already had two of his own children, he probably didn’t even want anymore* *him mentioning Benny and Maddie’s mom was just a further reminder, he already had a wife and he already went through two different labors, he wasn’t going to replace her with his nanny who was also younger than him* *my thoughts fade away at his whispered words, I unburrow my face from his neck so I could look up at him, giving him a softly fond look, squeezing my arms around his middle* I’m grateful too.. I love them. *I smile softly, reluctantly unwrapping myself from him so I could take my cup of tea as he hands it to me, bringing the cup up to my nose and sniffing it, scrunching my nose a bit before looking up at him* You’re lucky you’re so cute… I’d never drink tea with anyone else. 

____________________________________________

*smiles fondly at you, a twinkle in my eye as I let out a soft chuckle* You said it, not me. *grins teasingly before my face softens as you nuzzle my neck, shivers racing down my spine and my chest tugging with want, now that I’d had you close I couldn’t stop thinking about more, holding you, kissing you, waking up next to you, knowing my thoughts were racing quickly but I couldn’t help it, I’d never felt so excited about someone before* Hmm, I don’t know. I still won’t ever forget that first night where he offered you his bunny. Something about you he loved immediately. *smiles softly, kissing your temple and pausing a second* I think I felt the same. *murmurs softly, it just tumbling out and not really recognising the heaviness of the words, just caught up in the feelings of it all* *smiles gently as you say you love them, it only making my affection for you swell in my chest, eyes soft and fond as I turn to properly look at you when you pull away, admiring the slope of your nose and your natural curls, feeling so lucky that you were here with me* They love you too. *whispers, reaching over with one hand and tucking a curl behind your ear as you reach for your mug, grinning a little wiggling my brow* You think I’m cute? *smirks, taking my mug and humming as I hold it with both hands* Just try it, see what you think. I made it sweet, normally people like it sweet..*murmurs as I take a sip of mine and hum at the warmth, tea always being so comforting for me as I look at you over the rim of my mug, cocking a brow as I wait for your reaction, secretly hoping you loved it*

[hellcatxd-posts]

We Require More Vespene Gas

Will a keettee expand to another base as he expands his brain yet again? Time for some Brood War, oh boi! Will the loaves unburrow or keep loafing underground? https://www.twitch.tv/redacted_cat

[jrueships]

your mind ... impenetrable

no further comment

;))

i Know . * makes a This (that^^^) Face

[smckehour]

darren should've known the lucrative hobbies he tried to keep tucked neatly underneath his belt would strike a curious pang. it's why calls sometimes go unanswered, or why he doesn't return them until hours later. his frustration is fleeting, dissipated at the sight of how uneasy miles' hands unburrow. darren cares for him too much to watch him worry over something that'll be swept under the rug by the end of the week. "you won't be fixing anything. leave it to me... and if you don't hear from me after tomorrow night, make sure the feds use my latest instagram picture." it's an attempt to alleviate nerves, could be poor timing on his end though. he closes the distance between them with a single pace, tone shifting more warm. "i'm kidding. those asshats would just ban me. why'd you show up, anyway?"

he's too sensitive for his own good and he knows it— he's always known it. words cut deeper than they should, guilt doubling, tripling. conflict is something he's never done well with, no matter how big or small. it made him want to curl up, get away. it's visible too, he's sure. evident in the way he begins to fidget, the way he chews on his lower lip as he tries to shift through his mind and find a solution. but this isn't his forte. " there won't be a next time, just— just tell me what i can do to fix it this time. "

[candyredterezii]

literally saw a snail today. had a real fucking edward cullen moment

[ryan1014n2]

Sick PS again - 09/24/2022

(I say “again” without having posted the first one lol)

Kind of similar to the last story I shared about Peter Sam, Sir Handel, and Duke. Peter Sam isn’t feeling well, so Sir Handel gets some help from “Granpuff” to help him feel better and get some rest. Some vague human au.

<><><><><><><> 

It was no secret that Peter Sam hadn't been sleeping well for quite some time.

On this particular day, he had accidentally fallen asleep in a rather uncomfortable position on the couch, and when he woke up, his head was terribly stuffy.

At some point while Peter Sam was asleep, Sir Handel had come and settled down next to him, both to watch the television and to keep an eye on his adoptive baby brother.

The aspirin and water that Sir Handel had fetched for him did little to make Peter Sam feel better, and when Peter Sam all but fell into him with a worried declaration of "I'm going to throw up," Sir Handel knew it was time to call it a day.

Sir Handel quickly ushered him into his bedroom, had him change into comfortable pajamas, and went to alert Duke.

Sir Handel returned soon enough to find Peter Sam curled up in the bed and facing the wall. Thinking he was at last getting some restful sleep, Sir Handel gingerly made his way over to sit beside him.

He was quite surprised when Peter Sam, who hadn't been asleep at all, quickly repositioned himself. He wrapped both arms rather tightly around Sir Handel and buried his face into the crook of his neck.

Sir Handel, taken aback, just awkwardly patted him on the back. "Hey, hey, shhh. You're okay, buddy. You just need some rest."

Duke came in soon after. "Well, he’s just a clingy little thing, isn’t he, Falcon?”

“You could certainly say that, yes.”

Upon hearing Duke’s voice, Peter Sam, without lifting his head, reached an arm out towards him and made a grabby motion with his hand, and Duke heard him say a muffed “Granpuff. . .” into Sir Handel’s shoulder.

Duke, coming closer to the pair, took Peter Sam’s hand in his and gently ran his thumb over the back of Peter Sam’s. Peter Sam unburrowed himself just enough to look up at Duke with a pitiful look in his eyes.

Despite feeling sympathetic for Peter Sam, Duke couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “It’s okay, young’un.”

“You haven’t been sleeping, have you, Peter Sam?” Sir Handel asked—more for Duke’s sake than his own, as he already knew the answer was “no.” He very gently pulled Peter Sam’s hair free from its ponytail and combed his fingers through it, causing Peter Sam to relax and loosen his hold on him. “There you go,” Sir Handel soothed.

“Sir Handel is right, Stuart. You do need to get some rest.”

“I’m not tired.” Peter Sam said wearily.

Duke laughed. “You were never good at lying. Sleep.” He gently ran a finger from Peter Sam’s forehead down to the tip of his nose a few times, and his eyes fluttered shut as his breathing evened and slowed, and he was asleep in almost no time at all.

Duke was a bit surprised that his little forehead-to-nose trick had worked; he would often use it to get the boys to relax when they were both still very young, and it seemed like it still worked on at least one of them.

“How far did you think that one through, Granpuff? Now I’m stuck here.” Sir Handel quietly huffed. Peter Sam had fallen asleep almost completely on top of him, and it didn’t look like Sir Handel could get out from under him without waking him up again.

“I didn’t think it would work, to be honest. Keep an eye on him, Falcon,” Duke said, and paused to think for a second. “Actually, you should be getting to sleep, too, with how late it is.” Duke helped to draw the covers up over the two of them and then ruffled Sir Handel’s hair—who quickly smoothed it out again. “I’ll check on you both in the morning, alright? If you need anything you can come and get me.”

Sir Handel got as comfortable as he could without disturbing his sleeping sibling, and settled down to sleep, but before he did, he addressed Duke, “Thanks for the help, Granpuff. Peter Sam can be . . . difficult . . . to calm down sometimes.”

“Ah, well. We can’t have him running himself down any more than he already has, can we?” Duke softly chucked and turned out the light as he left. “Goodnight, Falcon.”

“Goodnight, Granpuff.”

[pridepoisoned]

Got you.

As soon as Hau seems to settle back down, Eris decides to make her move. She just can't wait any longer. One concealed hand snakes into her coat to retrieve a Pokemon capsule, and the other hand closes around a well-worn notebook hidden within her other pocket. Getting ready for observation.

And yet, the comforting smile remains on her lips as she reveals a lone Net Ball to her guest. "No, I appreciate your company, Hau," she replies graciously, amethyst eyes glimmering as she clicks the release button on the Pokeball. "So I'm happy to show you my newest friend that I met right here in Alola. Perhaps you can tell me more about her...?"

There's a flash of red light, and Eris's freshly-caught Toxapex suddenly unfurls on the sand in front of Hau. The deadly urchin rises to her full height, baring poison spines as she lets out a complex-sounding hiss. A call. And upon hearing the sound, the sand around Eris and Hau seems to shift as an entire ring of previously-concealed Mareanie respond to the summons by unburrowing themselves, completely, hungrily surrounding the pair. Slowly closing the circle.

"They seem to be so hungry lately, but I don't know what to feed them. I've been having such a difficult time satisfying their appetites..." Eris frets with fake worry, firmly grasping Hau's wrist with shaking hands as the toxic Pokemon and their ringleader advance with cackling hisses and snarls. "Will you please help me, Hau? They're starting to scare me...."

The desperation in the researcher's eyes, the way she grabs their wrist with fright...it all seems so genuine. As if Eris hasn't planned this trap from the start. As if her grabbing Hau's wrist isn't just to keep them in place until the Toxapex and her Mareanie squad cut off any escape. As if she's not just waiting for Hau to display those powers again, an excited hunger behind that expertly crafted mask of helplessness.

Show me how you save yourself.

Walking home alone… Hau tenses up slightly, not sure what to say. They wanted to flee, but… They didn’t want to be rude either.

So despite every fiber of their being yelling at them to run, they simply nod, trying their best to smile.

“O-oh! Uh, yeah, sure… A little bit more can’t hurt, I suppose.” This might be a mistake… “I’m almost all gathered up, though! Heh… I appreciate it.” They did, and yet… Something felt weird. Maybe changing the subject would help?

“Do you have Pokémon? I’d love to meet some of them!”

[sett-sparkclaw]

1325

"I'm sorry...you want me to do what?"

"You heard me lieutenant. I want you to take these cubs under your wing for a few days. They could learn a thing or two from you." Kurr scoffed at the stern look on Sett's face. "Don't worry. They won't be as much of pawful as you were. They're among the best in the fahrar. Yvera here shot down 24 markers yesterday in rifle training."

"I'd like to see her do it without a sight!" The other cub protested.

"You were the one stupid enough not to use one Cartcus," Yvera rejected.

"Well had I used one I'd easily have shot 30!"

"Do me a favor and cry more about it."

"You'd know a thing or-"

"Cubs!" Kurr Sparbreaker's tired old eyes lit up with refilled primal youth, his stare locking them in place. The hair stood on the back of their necks and that old feeling of getting on Sparbreaker's bad side gently lifted Sett's as well. His next words rang in Sett's mind before he even spoke. "That is no way to present before your Primus!"

After a quick salute they just as quickly rehearsed their proper lines, "Yes Primus Kurr, we apologize."

"Now get out of my sight. Take your groveling elsewhere."

They knew they were off easy and bolted straight out of Kurr's sight, their arguments echoing down the halls.

"Not a pawful you say?"

"They know better. You've handled worse. Or so I've heard."

Kurr resigned to his chair, not at all caring that Sett stood near him in silence, observing him as eyed the paperwork on his desk and the mess the cubs had left the quarters in.

"Who rewarded you with that?"

"Oh, this?" Sett rolled his chainmail sleeve to reveal the remains of a deep cut that scaled the length of his left arm. "Just a missed parry. You'd tire too fighting awakened brutes hours on end."

The answer didn't satisfy Kurr. In fact, it all but enraged him.

"I ought to give Mallik a piece of my mind! Not even preparing you enough for human skirmishes and here we are talking the undead," he slammed his paw into the desk, burying his claws deep into the wood. "Who's tail was pinched to send you away like this?"

"With respect Primus," As Sett responded uneasily, "Zhaitan is dead, we... the Pact... killed him," he tripped over his words to extinguish his old mentor's ire, "it ought to worth losing an arm for that, right? ...it was Rytlock by the way," he finally surrendered.

"Hard to believe anyone trusts the runt after all these years." His anger subsided and he let his claws unburrow themselves from his desk as he relaxed.

"Still need me to see after the cubs?"

"Still a weasel too, trying to get out of this conversation." He glared at Sett partially annoyed. "Yes," he answered after a moment, "but there's something I've needed to tell you. I've never told this too anyone and..." he stopped himself before getting out of his chair walking over to Sett, meeting his towering gaze with his own subtle ferocity before he continued, pointing a claw for good measure, "if word gets out about this I will wear your hide. Understand me?"

He'd heard the threat before, and the rumors. So Sett nodded and allowed him trundle around his desk as he collected his thoughts. After a moment he spoke.

"The Priory. As annoying as the bastards are with their questions and their paperwork," he eyed the handsome pile on his desk with a dreaded look, "I found they have some use in their endeavors. Every single one of us that falls, they document it. Every single one. I couldn't help but be curious."

"I've never thought of you as the attachment type Primus."

"We all think about it Sett. Some are just better at hiding it."

"I hope you aren't implying anything."

"No!" He snapped. "Of course not. I taught you well enough. But believe me I know you feel it too, I recognize the look. That's why you need to know. You are..." He nearly choked on his words but composed himself. "You are the last one. The last of your fahrar."

Sett was disturbed by how little this news bothered him, at least in the moment. Rather than exposing any emotions, he simply observed his old primus, concerned as he struggled to string together any more thoughts. He thought to meet him and reassure him of... something, but Kurr signaled him to stop his advances. Not that he felt he had anything of value to add.

"I'm fine. I want you to sit with that though."

"I will."

"Bangar is right...you don't look right. You need a break. Take the cubs, then come back to me when you are ready to talk."

"And what do you suggest we do?"

"Try fishing. Clears the head a bit."

[yandere-society]

A Separate Journal

Synopsis: Playing games were your favorite. Although the first 20 years of your life wasn’t all that interesting, right now was going to be the peak. When you thought you finally had a direction to follow after your graduation, life, of course, decided for you to play its game. Do you accept?

Pairing: Namjoon x fem!reader 

Word Count: 2.1k

Headline: 2 Month Search Of Missing Woman Ongoing

Admin: @nomnomsik​

Trigger warnings: yandere-themes, unhealthy obsession and relationships, mentions of manipulation

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Spring. 

People always said spring was the time to freshen up, get outside, and enjoy the slow but upcoming warm weather. It was time to unburrow now that the cold was gone. 

And you had to agree, it was quite nice to not be always shivering in your dinky apartment. Even though the inside was old, indicated by the chipping paint peeling off the walls or the small cracks in the ceiling, it was a safe haven that you had. 

Not to mention that you were not the neatest person in the world. Books of your studies were spread all across your desk, post-its barely hanging onto the side of the table. You thought about “spring-cleaning” your apartment, but you couldn’t find it in your body to finish it through. 

Given the fact that you forget where you place your things, cup and books being the main culprit, you sometimes spend an entire day trying to find them without any luck. But then, like an idiot, you roll your eyes when you find it hiding underneath your papers.

Maybe you should study a little less. 

When you finally sit down at your desk, you flip open to your personal journal, recounting about the day. You continued further by noting about the aspirations you had for the future. You blocked a section of time out each day to jot down a bit, just to record a moment in time during your life. It helped you escape reality, as life continuously put its pressure on your shoulders. 

Paying bills, covering your expenses, working… All while maintaining social relationships with others. You sighed. Sometimes, it would be nice if life was easier. 

The night was still young, your body shaking off the cold air that seeped through the thin walls, as you finally began to write. 

May 12th, 2020

The smell of coffee.

You happened to get your special spot at your favorite coffee shop, resting your laptop against the table that you had all to yourself. Even though you probably should’ve drank caffeine, when Jungkook recommended you to try their newest hot chocolate, you couldn’t pass up the offer.

A cute boy giving you a golden smile? 

You were weak. 

Whenever you took a sip, you looked up to take a glance at the cute barista boy. You happened to figure out quickly that he worked every Thursday evening, fitting perfectly into your schedule. Every Thursday had your body filled with a giddy sensation. 

You stayed late in the shop, enjoying the atmosphere and mood by yourself, finding that you were always more productive in it. It felt nice being able to wish Jungkook a good night whenever his shift was over. 

He would send you a smile and a wave as he walked out the door. But, the feelings of loneliness would seep through as you packed up your things several minutes later, leaving the shop late at night. 

When you walked, you could hear your own footsteps against the sidewalk. The only lights came from the street or the flickering signs of closed shops. 

You were all alone. 

But, sometimes, you would find an unsettling feeling inside you. 

You imagined that were being watched. It was fleeting, then it disappeared and you decided to no longer think about it. 

Because, nobody would care about you in that kind of way. 

»»————-　✼　————-««

It was winter. 

He could see and feel it. The sky was bright white outside, but there was a linger of pale blue. His breath created white puffs of heat that floated in the dry air. His fingertips were tinted a light red as he pressed them into the glass windows. They left his fingerprints as he looked outside in the living room in his apartment. 

When Namjoon turned around, he threw his body lazily on the plush sofa, feeling his body mold into the softness. He stretched his arm to the nearby coffee table, picking up the journal that he had stopped reading for a bit. 

When he looked over, he saw Rapmon running towards him, giving him a few licks on the face then jumping up with him. Cozily snuggled up together, he flips open to his bookmark, barely noticing how his eyes were falling asleep. 

May 19th, 2020

A sigh. 

You stumbled back into your cheap apartment, letting your bag down in a huff. 

Finally. 

You were finally going to be free from this hell-hole. Graduation was approaching, and once you had that diploma in hand, you were running with it. It didn’t matter where, as long as you were far away from here. 

But, of course, today you had to do something embarrassing. You just keep making a fool of yourself everyday. All you wanted to do was enjoy your quiet time in the coffee shop with a drink in hand, but instead, you had to bump into someone else and spill it all over them. 

He was a really good looking guy too, and that just made you even more embarrassed. The guy was so nice about it, cute even, especially when he stumbled his way through the process giving you his number. Normally, you would’ve rejected that kind of advance, but Namjoon, he said his name was, was so kind about your accident. It made your heart weak in the moment when all he did was just smile and reassure you that everything was fine. 

Your face grew hot as you threw your body against your bed. With your head cooling down and lying against the comforter, you turned to stare at the side of your desk. The fluffy scent of softener filled the room as you melted into the plushness. Another sigh escaped your lips as you stood back up. It was already dark outside, your throat was parched and there was nothing in your refrigerator. Why hadn’t you just remembered to go to the store before coming back home?

You scolded yourself mentally as you declared a short shopping expedition. All you were going to get was a 6-pack of water, maybe a midnight snack, popcorn was always your favorite, and come back home. Plus, where even was your cup? You swear you had it this morning. 

You shake your head, overwhelmed by too many problems at once. There was a lot of job searching to be done when you came back, so you didn’t want to waste any time. 

Namjoon closed the book shut, placing it back on the coffee table. When he stood up, Rapmon perked up, a soft swish of his tail knocking into Namjoon’s ankle in a repetitive rhythm. When he walked over to the kitchen cabinets, Rapmon followed behind him, almost as if wondering if it was dinner time yet. But Namjoon just opened each cabinet one by one, scanning the shelves. 

“Nothing, huh…” He murmured. 

Namjoon suddenly chuckled. You always lost your things, but Namjoon always brought them back for you. His favorite parts were reading about how you found something you were looking for, blaming yourself for how forgetful you were. Although, he wished that you somewhat thanked him for helping you those months ago. 

Namjoon walked over to his room, placing the book into a locked cabinet and sealing it with a key. 

He glanced at his watch, grabbing his coat from the closet and slipping both arms through. When Rapmon tried following him out the door, Namjoon chuckled, petting his head. 

“You can’t follow me, silly. Don’t worry, I’ll be back really soon.” 

Then, Namjoon left his building complex, glancing at his phone and following the directions to a nearby coffee shop. He hid his hands into his pockets to keep them warm, humming to himself as he turned the corner. 

When he finally arrived, a bell on the door signaled his arrival as he slipped through. The inside of the shop was warm, the heaters and the roast of coffee adding to the comfy atmosphere. After he got his drink, he took a seat in your spot, remembering the first time he had met you. 

You had no idea of his existence, but it didn’t matter. 

He spotted you so easily like he always did, somewhat irritated this time as he watched you talk with Jungkook like you were having the time of your life. Namjoon brushed it off though. Afterall, he read how much you liked people who were mature, and if there was something Namjoon was confident in, it was his ability to learn. 

Just as you were about to turn around, he had walked forward, ultimately leading to the two of you colliding into one another. Your drink tipped over, spilling slightly over his jacket. As you realized what had happened, you began to apologize profusely, only for Namjoon to charm you and give you his number. 

He’s still proud of that today. The two of you got together a while after that and he stole you away from everyone else. Even if the news flashed of a missing person, Namjoon knows not to delude himself with the “horrors” of the event. You were perfectly safe with him. 

»»————-　✼　————-««

December 1st, 2020

You did it. You made it. 

Everything you could ever want, you had it. 

You scribbled hastily into your journal as Namjoon went out for his weekly stroll. He didn’t know of the existence of this one, but he knew of the others. You knew that he had read them, that he had sneaked his way through your cheap apartment doors and took one, returning it in the morning.

And so, you fed him lies. You never actually held a conversation with the barista in your life, the exception being the day you saw him. You remembered only writing it down because you knew how his feelings would flare when he read it. 

Namjoon didn't know everything about you… You knew everything about him.. You wrote of your type, your feelings, “secrets” that weren’t really true. 

You fed Namjoon so many lies through these journals because all you wanted was the perfect one. After realizing Namjoon was just like you, the excitement in your body almost exploded. 

When you first noticed how his figure followed you on Thursday nights, you started to properly keep your journals. And once one of your journals went missing, you wrote about how clumsy and silly you were once you found it again. 

All of it was a perfectly laid out trap. 

When you realized another went missing and showed up the next day, you barely even mentioned it in writing. Afterall, you were building up an image of how messy you were. Perhaps, Namjoon thought of you as a cute idiot. 

But it didn’t matter now because Namjoon finally became the perfect partner for you. And only you.

Maybe you were a little messed up in the head, but you weren’t that crazy, right? You weren’t hurting him and he too, wanted to be with you. So, why not tell him all the things you liked in a person? He didn’t have to change who he was, but he did it just for you.

If that wasn’t love, love didn’t exist. 

You wrote your final sentence, sealing the book shut and tucking it far back into the darkest corner of your bedroom’s closet. Boxes piled on top of it, and as you shut the door closed, you heard the front door open up. 

He was home. Home to you. 

“Namjoon~” You called, walking over and spotting a plastic bag hanging from his wrist. You peered over it, curiously. “What’s in there?” 

“Oh,” He starts, smiling mischievously. “Take a guess.” 

“No clue.” 

“Just guess,” He laughs, bending down to pat a happy Rapmon to the side. 

“Ice cream.” You state as a matter of factly.

“Popcorn.” He corrects, watching as your eyes lit up and sparkled. 

“Thanks, Joon!” 

You give him a hug as you take the bag with you into your small room, closing the door softly. A hum escapes your lips as you smile to yourself, feeling your face heat up. Perhaps one day Namjoon will discover your ploy, but you remind yourself, does it truly matter when you both feel the same way for each other? 

A grin forms on your lips at the thought of your ambiguous disappearance. You didn’t have to work a day of your life anymore. And a pleasing feeling falls over you as your eyes grow heavy and a small nap takes over. 

You played the game to win the game. 

[commander-orca]

SPOILERS COTW VOL 18, skip this post if you mind them (#2)

Next!!! I want to talk about Orca and Itia's talk. I expected some kind of scene like this, where both would try to talk it out and comfort the other but I didn't expect it to turn out so sweet. I loved Itia's little confession and I respect her for trying to remember and making her old memories coincide with the present ones although it must have been a unpleasant process. I think this little intervention was really needed because in this part of the story, Orca is at a low point and Itia sharing this little bit of information so that they both can relate to each other was considerate and tender. They already shared quite a few things like their social backgrounds and hatred towards the Empire but this experience being shared can bring them together even more and have them open up. It was heartwarming to see them also talk about what their trauma means to them and at what stage of processing it they are, especially as they mentionned, if they want to forget about it and if they are in capacity to do so. This is a small note but to me Orca really did look like his old self in this scene, with his eyes wide open, his frown unburrowed and an air of innocence on his face as though he didn't fear showing it all now. It's a nice development for him since it seems to be hinted at that he is on his way to become more and more vulnerable again.

[bridgyrose]

With the recent hound reveal, what if a different silver eyed Faunus went through something like that. A silver eyed chameleon Faunus perhaps?

Blake sighed as she walked through the Vacuo desert, wiping the sweat off her brow. “How much longer until we get to the settlement?” 

“Not long.” Ruby looked at the map, and then at the clans’ migration patterns. “Should be coming up fairly quick-” 

Blake had no time to warn Ruby about the grimm that was rushing them until it was too late. A large, lizard like grimm rushed to them, burrowing into the sand below them. Blake took a step back, watching as the sand started to move around the grimm. “...we need to get out of here.” 

Ruby nodded and started sprinting, watching the sand ripple next to her. Her eyes widened as she watched two large, bone like horns shoot out from the ground, nearly piercing her. She grabbed her scythe and used it to push herself off the ground for a moment. And then she saw it. The grimm reminded her of the Hound she fought in Atlas as she watched the lizard transform slightly, it’s tail growing longer and starting to look like a snake’s while wings like a manticore’s burst from it’s back, spewing black goop around the desert. 

The grimm looked up to the sky, spotting Ruby before speaking in a hoarse voice. “Take… the girl.” 

Ruby wasted no time, her eyes filling the desert with a silver light. She was not going to let another Hound rampage around. Then, she heard Blake scream. Once her vision cleared she looked up at the grimm, eyes wide in horror as she saw exactly what Blake was screaming at .

The grimm reeled itself back, black goop trying to bring it’s form back around a familiar face. The chameleon faunus stared back at Ruby the same way the “host” of the other Hound had. She reached out towards Ruby, the grimm portion moving forward. “Take… the girl. B-bring… Ruby…” 

Blake took a step back as she watched her friend move closer to Ruby. Ilia’s eyes seemed blinded, empty, muscle showing through gaps of skin as the grimm ichor seemed to corrode the girl’s body. Blake held Gambol Shroud out in front of her, her voice shaking. “I-Ilia! You have to stop this! This isnt you!” 

“I dont think she can hear you now!” Ruby rushed in to strike at the grimm narrowly missing as it rushed around to avoid her. “All we can do now is stop-” her words were cut off as she felt electricity shoot through her body, the grimm’s tail piercing her shoulder. 

Blake rushed forward swinging her weapon at the grimm. “Leave her alone!” 

It didnt take long for the grimm to fully reform its body, throwing Ruby up into the air and using a long tongue to pull the young huntress into it. 

Blake growled in anger and stabbed the grimm where it’s eye would be. “Ilia! Please! You have to stop this!” 

The grimm screeched in anger, a few deathstalkers starting to unburrow from the sand and ravagers filling the sky. It swung it’s head to the side, tossing Blake off like a ragdoll and slamming her into a rock before retreating into the sand and rushing off. 

Blake slowly got up, her aura breaking as she watched the grimm start to converge on her. All she could do was blame herself for the loss of two of her friends.