#Until it's too late

[threepandas]

Bad End: No Good Turn

I rushed to catch up, as I saw the party leaving. Advisor Leukippos was a hopelessly busy man after all. Seeming to drift, with elegant unhurried steps, from appointment to appointment at a somehow impossible speed. It was near impossible to actually catch him NOT in the middle of something. And believe me, I'd been TRYING!

"Advisor! Respected One! Please wait!" I did not so much... shout (as that would be RUDE. One must NEVER be RUDE around the Yanderians. They take GREAT exception. I've looked them up. Have even started taking classes on the subject.) as sorta? Pitched my voice to carry? Kinda the verbal equivalent of that awkward half jog, not run, people do.

My Yanderian pronunciation is god awful. Probably butchering the words, since I can't, you know, actually HEAR any of the nuanced under or over tones. The slight inflections. Yanderian is a language of SONG. Poetry. Composing some of the most beautiful audible art in the known universe. Some of the pieces I've heard? Are like whale song made of starlight. Birdsong made of thunder.

And that's the RECORDINGS! Which are said to miss SO MUCH of the in person nuances, due to technological limitations!

I, being a human, literally don't have the philosophy to even speak the language properly. Never will.

Not the voice box, not the HEARING, and certainly not the lung capacity. But I wanted to at least try, you know? If nothing else, maybe learn the language. There WERE after all, auditory aids for Yanderians with ear injuries. And! I theoretically? Could contact the company? To see if they would be willing to design a set of nuance readers for a human sized head! Adjusted for human hearing and visual ranges!

To be honest? I just was waiting to be able to send my message in Yanderian first. To prove that it wouldn't be a waste of time. Nuance readers were a time consuming project after all! Had to be customized to the life form wearing them.

Leukippos and his entourage had stopped, turned. Some fully, some only half way, to glance in bemused and startled confusion at the (no doubt strange) little creature trying to hacksaw her way through a sentence in their language. None the less, they DID stop for me, for which I was grateful. Their people were fuckin TALL, man. Long legs. Holy SHIT long legs. G-gimme a second! Gotta...! Breathe...!

I could practically feel their amusement from behind the assorted fans. Eyes curving up to match hidden grins.

"No drink to spill upon me, little one? How shall I recognize you now?" Comes teasing song speech from the man I've been trying, for DAYS, to catch outside of any one of his many responsibilities. I think? That particular rumbling quality? Means "playfully said, not insulting you?"

His body language certainly suggests it.

The laugh that forces its way out of my body? Is the sort that you make, while contemplating throwing yourself into the fucking SEA or a bottomless pit, after dumping your breakfast on like... a world leader.

Because I Basically DID.

Which? Ha ha... oh god, kill me. They wear FUCKING WHITE. The higher the rank? The MORE WHITE! (It's the color of Divinity and Honor! Which DOESNT FUCKING HELP! Oh GOD, does this mean what I did was SACRILEGIOUS TOO?!) Nothing but pale, easily and irreversibly stain-able colors, as far as the eye can see! And I accidentally? Dumped my shitty break room "whatever has caffeine and is still in stock" on him!

FIVE TIMES.

I've literally GIVEN UP open air caffeinated drinks because of this! They are the devil! Evil! Trying to ruin both my sanity AND my life! I don't CARE if canned coffee is more expensive! At least I can't DUMP IT ON A DIGNITARY.

The worst part? The ABSOLUTE WORST? Was how understanding and calm Leukippos was, while I lost my shit. It wasn't even MY outfit. He was the one covered in probably still burning coffee! As I hyperventilated and blubbered apologies and cried at him. Hair a mess! Sleep deprived as FUCK because my boss is an asshole. Well... WAS an asshole.

He came over to yell at me.

Did not go well for him. What with that being Rude™ and me having already spilled the beans that the whole incident was CAUSED by me being overworked. Sleep deprivation slows reaction times, you know?

But then... but THEN! It? Kept?? HAPPENING!!!

Turn a corner? Bump! Right down his front. Leaving a lift? Bump! Splash! There goes my cup! Oh but what about a SAFETY cup? I, like FOOL, naively think! Ha ha...

I nearly concuss him! Somehow! Right over the edge of some railing! Slams into the ground at his feet. Nearly hitting him from THREE STORIES UP, right on the head! Pretty sure the sound I made? Was just as painful to HEAR as it was to rip out of my own throat in panic.

No More Cups! Cups are BAD. This? Anti-cup having household.

We'll drink from fucking SPOONS if we have too! Bowls!

NO CUPS!

And every? Single?? Time??? Leukippos not only stops, in the middle of his unspeakably busy schedule, to calm down and reassure this random ass low ranking alien, who's dumped potentially toxic or dangerous unknown alien foodstuffs, just ALL over his incredibly expensive clothes? He's KIND about it! Polite! Makes light hearted little jokes and says not to worry!

It would be one thing, if he was an asshole about it? But!? He's so politely understanding instead? You just end up standing there. Staring in HORROR. At the slowly spreading stains, on that beautiful, delicate, lovely embroidered white fabric. Clothes that are HAND CRAFTED. Take months if not YEARS to make!!! And you just? Feel your soul... die inside.

Kill me. Fucking END me. I deserve it.

Oh my god.... What Have I Done?

But, hey! If he wants to turn my Horrifying Drink Based Trauma Crimes into a cute friendship meet cute? I'm so unbelievably down for that. Literally ANYTHING so I stop feeling like I'm constantly setting this man's ceremonial robes on fire in front of him, then having him ask if I'M okay or need anything.

Speaking of which? Excitedly I reach into my messages bag, asking if he remembers the over robe he lent me. Another victim to our coffee attacks, the over robe was of a style that traditionally hung open, so it only slightly got hit. His main robe suffering the worst of it. Most importantly, though? The over robe is the main decorative one! Heavy on the subtle off white on white embroidery.

It creates a kind of magical looking effect as the light hits it, it's hard to explain.

But! I got coffee'd too, right? Right down my front! So what does he do? Leukippos slides off his over robe and puts it on me. So I won't be walking around in state that would get me socially embarrassed. Cause a scandal. Still not sure if it's a Yanderian or a "their region of the galaxy" thing.

However, that? Left me with a beautiful, BEAUTIFUL and quickly staining white over robe. Not Today, Satan! So I looked up how to save it. Rushed it to a professional cleaners. They kept it from getting worse but couldn't help me, due to the unique fibers the robe was made off, but knew who COULD and sent me on my way.

I ended up in a breathing mask in little Kkbrixxtttishky. And I know, okay? It's mostly oxygen in that dome. Yeah, it IS, but there are enough fatally toxic trace elements in the atmosphere that unless you have a REALLY good filter mask? It's just safer to go full breathing mask. It's not fucking "paranoid" or "racist" or whatever garbage they'll tell you.

Half those fuckers saying that? Wouldn't even TRAVEL there if their LIVES depended on it! For ALL sorts of VERY reasonable excuses, I'm SURE. Bastards. One breathing mask and an uncomfortable decontamination shower between domes is all it takes! It's barely a few minutes delay between domes. Then you're in!

And? The whole area is beautiful. Everyone is super nice, deeply kind (especially when you get lost... like... A LOT). And oh my god? Do you know how badly I wish I could eat the food without, you know, dying? (God those little pie thingies looked so fucking GOOD...)

Anyway! Long and short of it? The Kkbrixxtttishky cleaner knew how to clean the robe! Even stored it in an air tight container so it could be decontaminated for my safe handling. They? Were so sympathetic? Shared my absolute horror at the situation. We're and ARE an absolute gem. Swear to God I plan to recommend them to anyone who can breathe that grade of atmosphere.

It was worth every unit.

Pulling out a clean, neatly folded robe to return? Feels like a triumph.

"The robe of which I gave you, clean once more." He says, recognizing it on sight. The smile behind his fan seems to grow, from what charmed expression I can see of his face, as he steps closer. "Such care, in trusted hands, this robe has found. Little one, you have gone to great lengths. No easy thing, the cleansing of such cloth. And to return it? None would think you less, should you have kept a gift..."

The songspeech has a distinctly warm tone to it, more then the already fond tone that had been there before. Heck yeah~ Knew it! I KNEW I did the right thing! And besides, it WAS the right thing. I tell him as much. He didn't really GIVE me his robe, he leant me it to help me save face.

The Galactic Senate is unspeakably vast. He was running the risk of never seeing it again but did it ANYWAY. Just so I wouldn't be seen walking around covered in a mess. I was just sorry I couldn't fix the OTHER robes my clumsiness had ruined.

"Virtuous little one~" Leukippos says sings, the nuanced tones, which I could only barely hear, suggesting his words were meant to be both teasing and praise. He driftes closer. His other hand elegantly raising to join the first. Both gripping his fan in an... almost coy sort of way? Ah, I'm probably reading that one wrong. Still learning, after all...

"Won't you join me? A walk with good company, is a pleasant one indeed. I have not had chance to speech casually with you before. We would have sent you correspondence; In accordance with tradition and regard, however..."

Leukippos trailed off. Politely not saying the obvious. Which was that it was fuckin impossible to find me in the G.S. directory, since I was effectively a Nobody, and you'd have to know Going IN which Embassy I worked for. Even then, it'd be rough as hell, dragging me name out of that thing. I was the afterthought of an afterthought, that the forgettable once might of had.

But hey, it pays the bills.

I grin. Of course, I'd love to join him. If I'm not getting in the way! The robe is handed off to one of the smiling members of the entourage. Tucked away somewhere. And I am swallowed into the center of the group. Holy SHIT, they are tall. Like? I knew that. On average? Yanderians were about a foot and a half taller then humans... but STILL? I think these guys might be tall for Yanderians? I feel dainty. Wild.

Leukippos helps with my pronunciation, as we walk. Recommends a few new up and coming artists who's works sound fascinating. Distracted by it all, I don't notice our path meandering away from what I know is his next appointment, and towards his office. At least, I don't until we're alone.

His fan lower gently from his face, revealing handsome features.

I startle, don't know where to look. Uuuuuuuh?! No, wait, what!? No. See, I REMEMBER my basics of Yanderian etiquette block, from the sociology lessons I'm taking. He's not allowed to DO that! He can't DO THAT! Illegal! Naked! Why is he FACE NAKED!? That's like taking your SHIRT OFF! Fine around close friends and family. But JUST around them! ONLY them.

Going 0 to 150 REAL FAST, my guy!

Sputtering, I spin around. I saw NOTHING. Sexy lil fangs WHOMS'T? Ha ha! Jawline whaaaat? No, no! I'm actually BLIND. As of just a bit ago! Terrible, really. Should probably see a doctor! Now actually! Yeah. Now sounds good. I'm just gonna-!!

Softly, elegantly, like a dancer's pose, an arm in billowing white reaches over my should to delicately press against the door. It's the old fashioned kind. Swinging, not slide, made of wood. Must of cost more then I make in a year. The hand presses one finger at a time, a precise little sequence of tap tap tap.

Each finger accompanied by the softest sound of sharp nail tips.

I am suddenly hyperaware. H..How did he move that-?

The friendly atmosphere, the comfort, seems to have been sucked out of the room as thoroughly as an open airlock straight to the void. I am alone with a man I do not... now that I think about it... actually know. I FELT like I knew him. We keep meeting. I've been learning about his people. But do I know HIM? Personally? The nature of HIS character?

I... I do not.

And he is a very, VERY powerful man.

My eyes are locked on the hand, gently holding the door shut. I haven't tried my strength against his. Yet. But the numbers are in my head. The odds. Cold sweat prickles and beads along my skin, my breathe shallow, as I stand utterly frozen. It's a beautifully manicured hand, I note. Strong wrist, there a hint of true muscle, under all those robes.

He smells of trees and musk, spices and flowers not native to earth. The sleeve flowing over my shoulder is dangerously soft. His existence a pillar of heat, right behind me, not touching... but close enough. He seems perfectly content to wait me out. My mind is static.

"We fall in love quite easily, did you know? Oh little one..." His words are sighed confession, sung like falling leaves. Another hand comes up, on the other side of me. "My people greatest folly. Our weakness, our despair. Oh little one, we love too much. It frightens people. How quickly and deeply we fall..."

Why was he telling me that? I... I know the most obvious reason why he MIGHT be. B-but surely not! Ha ha. No way. C-can't be! So Why Is He TELLING ME THAT?!

"Courtship requires planning of course. Research. 'Meet-Cutes' I believe they are titled? Did you enjoy them? Were they proper? I'm to take you on outings next, yes? Flowers and material goods. To prove I can provide and know you well, and ah~"

There was mouth pressed to the nape of my neck, breathing deep against my skin. I could feel the almost lazy hunter's grin, splitting those lips into a smirk. Sharp teeth and hot breathe, dangerously close and already lusting to leave behind marks.

"And I DO know you so well. I have made certain of that, my little one. Dearest little one. Jewel of my heart, soon to be keeper of my name. I will court you in your ways, then I will court you in mine. Our wedding will be beautiful."

My heart was racing. I had to get out of here. Go and never, EVER come back. Oh god, at this distance? There was no WAY he couldn't hear everything. I had to lie! Do something! Anything! Just get out of this room. Back to Earth's embassy!

I... I couldn't move. Afraid. I was afraid.

He's so big. So much stronger then me. I have to get out.

"You shall such peace and love on Yanderia, darling. The other partners will rejoice for a new friend and you will be welcomed. Isn't that lovely? There is so much we do not show outsiders. But you, little one?"

"You will have the rest of your life to learn it ALL~"

[jamieedlund]

Merry New Year! ✨🎇🎆

As you can tell this comic was meant for Christmas but I got sick and I couldn't finish the last few pages in time. I do think the sketchiness of the line makes the expressions more lively ;w; It's been 2 years since Callum and Aaravos were together on my blog for (as far as anyone who doesn't stalk my blog since it's dark ages can tell) no clear reason. I hope I can finally hand over the reason in 2024 on a silver platter for you all. In the mean time-

I am thankful and I swear I'll reply to the stack of dms i got piled up in my inbox with proper illustrations as soon as I finish my thesis 🙇‍♂️

[monstersandmaw]

Damn, Withers. Don't hold back or anything...

[vethbrenatto]

I am so much more than “a dude.”

[d4nny-z0la]

Being an undiagnosed neurodivergent kid in a black household is not for the weak

[theprettiesttstar]

James feels a hundred of things about Regulus, all at a time. And he never knows how to express it. He actually can't express it because Regulus is Sirius' little brother and there would never be anything between the two. The brothers have been through enough and Regulus surely didn't want a partner while Sirius would skin him, knowing he fancies the younger boy. So all these things James kept to himself, they bottled up, but never spilled. They couldn't spill. James would rather die.

But, surprisingly, he lets them spill and he doesn't die.

"Stop staring at me all the time. It's weird." Regulus said, when they were left alone in the Potter's house because his parents were out to dinner and Sirius was snogging Remus, most likely, so Regulus and James were watching a movie. Well, Regulus was watching a movie and James was stargazing.

"Yeah, sorry. I- You're beautiful, though. I'm sorry." he brushed it off and pretended to watch the film they'd picked out and ignored the fact that Regulus was now staring at him. James stared back. He realised Regulus wanted something else. "You're extremely pretty. I don't realise I'm actually staring until I- Sorry. I won't do it again."

"Is that all?" What?

"Excuse me?" James replied, leaning a bit closer, in case he's missed something Regulus had said in a hushed tone. Except that couldn't be it because he would have seen Regulus' lips move, which he didn't. So in reality, he wanted an excuse to watch him from a better angle.

"I'm just.. pretty?" he continued, frowning and his lips curling into a pout. James wanted to wipe it right off his face, straighten the wrinkles in between his eyebrows with his thumb, or his lips.

"No. No, Regulus." You're brilliant. And you're kind, lovely, sweet, cunning. You're everything I would ever want— because James is in love, and he's realising it. "You're-" my brightest star, "breathtaking." Regulus did not seem to like that one bit.

He sat up from the couch, setting the half empty mug on the coffee table and threw James a dirty look, "I didn't realise you're that into looks." he hissed as he walked back upstairs. But that was not the way James had meant it.

His feelings spilled, but Regulus didn't want to clean up.

[a-beneficial-union]

I've written myself into a bot of a corner here. As it stands, Vulp-ens have two sets of most vital organs (lungs, heart valves, etctera) but drastically different immuno responses. Or rather, different severities of responses.

When a human's body tries to remove and kill off a contaminant, it raises its internal temperature above what viruses and bacteria can withstand. It also reduces overall system functions to divert resources and mass produces mucous to trap invaders and protect areas which might be otherwise exposed to external substances (such as the air in our esophaguses).

Midland Vulps do all of those, but their fevers reach higher temperatures (as fungi are a much bigger problem on Vulpin) and their mucous contains toxins intended to (1) more quickly kill off contagions (2) dissuade other organisms from trying to take a bite of them while ill. (Imagine if trees could snap you up if they thought you were easy pickin's; that's about what we're dealing with here.)

The problem is that those aforesaid temperatures would exceed human limits, with 103 degrees Fahrenheit being the average for a fever. If the Vulp systems catch a low grade fever, would this serve as a high grade infection for the rest of the body?

In the fic I've been tinkering with on-and-off, Work's In Progress, a combination of stress, willful sleep deprivation, mild malnutrition, menstruation, and consistent overworking causes Ren to get sick mid-fic, as it was originally supposed to be a slice of life story wherein Ren copes while being systemically disallowed from proper recovery (the Plumbers weren’t designed to accommodate chronic fatigue and Ren's learned to just fix things themself).

I do not know how sickness would work for them. I do not know if I should give them a high grade fever (by human terms); a lopsided sickness effecting their Vulp systems directly and the rest inadvertently; or if they should have some method to manage the extreme departures such that it doesn’t damage their human systems. Each would be portrayed very differently, especially since spoiler spoiler spoiler.

(Just kidding, Ren was volunteered for medical/psycnological observation by the Saturdays before they get sick, it was one of the things that was stressing them out. The Saturdays are well intentioned but wholly unprepared for the inner workings of the Plumbers, assuming instead that the leader with the supernaturally powerful offspring (grandchild) would behave similarly to themselves (familial/supportive rather than exploitative).)

(Ren is compliant with the Saturdays because they know it wouldn’t end well if they declined after having been volunteered by Max. For the Saturdays, this was originally a matter of networking; trying to get some business relationships in with the Alien departments given that their jobs occasionally overlaps. For the Plumbers and Galvans, this is part of a continuing political stunt on several fronts. (1) It reinforces that they have control over their potentially temperamental bioweapon (Ren/Omnitrix), (2) it signals that they surely care about this living person whom they certainly don't exploit as a scapegoat/lab rat, and (3) it functions as legal protection regarding Ren's functionality (healthy human versus machine versus dysfunctional animal).)

[cyarsk52-20]

I guess that revenge vote against VP Harris, who has no power to help then yet, isn’t working out for them.

I guess that revenge vote against VP Harris, who had no power to help you yet, isn’t working out for you. Isreal now owns your land, and Netanyahu is going to let Trump and Jared build on your land. You dumb Muthafuquers, all these Palestine people are going to be killed because you wanted revenge. Cutting off your nose to spite your face!

[mopotatoes]

Unsealed after a millenia

[agentark]

some dude I went to high school with (TEN years ago and NEVER spoke to) is in my insta DMs calling me "darling"

the audacity of men never ceases to amaze me

[pokecatt]

Tornados at NIGHT!

[cherry-vennom]

If I loved him any less, I'd make him stay

[yllowpages]

john has never been a fully good person. but i do kind of love how, by the end of the fourth movie, he'd really become the villain of his own story. he had no one to blame but himself. even the marquis didn't really go chasing after john. john kept chasing him. john tried to run in parabellum and, when that didn't work, he decided he would just burn it all down, no matter the consequences (until he had no choice but to face it). he was the villain.

[renthewerecatboi]

the unmatched horror of hearing a de-cloak but being unable to locate the spy

[carry-on-my-wayward-butt]

having a child has taught me that every toddler is completely justified in their frustrations and tantrums because learning how to do something you have literally never encountered or heard of before is insane. and being expected to be completely calm in the face of this constant barrage of overwhelming information is doubly insane.

i got charlie a sticker activity book and it occurred to me i have to TEACH someone how to unpeel stickers. it's SKILL that requires DEXTERITY and FINE MOTOR ABILITY. i thought it was obvious that you have to curl the page a little bit to create a break in the cut so the sticker comes up.

obviously a fucking BABY wouldn't know that because they have no background experience to inform their thought process. OBVIOUSLY. and OBVIOUSLY the LITERAL BABY wouldn't get it right the first few times. it would OBVIOUSLY take practice. lots of it.

i hate this feeling. it's so obvious. why are children treated so badly when they're learning everything for the first fucking time. why do people treat children so horribly and expect so much. they're brand new. why didn't i get the same grace i give to my child? why did no one have patience for me? why, when it's this easy?

it's so easy. it's so fucking easy.

[bi-lil-guy]

It Is 12 Am And I Have The Urge To Be A Cretin