#at least in some small sense? will a plant take what it does not need

[something-wild-calls]

Getting another part out before Christmas, woo! :D

Previous

FIRST

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cody trotted alongside Jordan, who had a rather chunky brilliant red and orange feathered staffwyrm clinging to him. He met its flame-colored eyes, but couldn't guess what it might be thinking.

They passed through clusters of buildings that nestled in patches of greenery and perched atop small hills. Today was the fifth day since his encounter with Jamie in the woods. He'd completely healed, and not for the first time he found himself enamored by the possibilities that came with magical healing.

It was a pleasant town, with folks they met along the way waving good-naturedly. Most had curious glints in their eyes at the sight of the stranger among them, but none held any hostility.

He had to wonder... how long would that last?

He gently wrapped his arm under the tattered bag draped over his shoulder, feeling comforted by the lump that weighed it down. To take his mind off his worries, he asked, “No Jamie today?”

“She might be around somewhere.” The chief shrugged. “She hangs out at the edge of the valley most of the time. Or with the griffins.”

“Griffins?” Cody glanced at the sky, as if the mention of them would summon some of the large winged beasts. He caught sight of some in the distance, but he couldn't make out any details on them. “Are there a lot around here?”

Jordan nodded. “There's a huge colony living in the northern cliffs of the valley. There's something of a long-held agreement between our town and them—We work together to keep the territory safe.”

The blond boy smiled. “Huh. Neat!” At the same time, a chill ran through him as well. He considered asking on a further thought, but decided it would be better to hold off. The need to ask may not even arise, but if it did, it might be better to be in the Chief's good graces than a stranger among his people.

As they continued along in discussion, the houses and buildings began to thin out, with the paths being edged in more and more wild growth.

Soon the path they walked was alone in the wilderness aside from lampposts to light the way come night. A smaller path split right from the larger main road that led out of town, and Jordan took Cody down this way. The trees and plant life filled the boy with a sense of calm. Birdsong filled the air, and the quacking of ducks sounded, rising in volume as they walked.

~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~

Cody stood in the entry way as the door clicked behind him, uncertain where to go from here.

His host, Frenzy, hung his hat on a coat rack nearby and gave Cody a nod. Without saying anything or changing his expression, he strode into the heart of the house. The blond boy noticed his gait was uneven, and the man now gripped a tall cane in his hand that clacked softly on the floor as it matched its owner's footsteps.

The place was cozy, dotted with dressers, bookshelves, and small trinkets. In the living room, a couple of comfortably padded chairs sat invitingly, a coffee table shared between them. Against a wall was a couch with small tables on each end.

Cody turned to Frenzy. "Do you, uh... does someone else here?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Just me." He beckoned. "I'll show you to your room."

With his bag strap in hands tight and slicked with sweat, he followed the man.

"Here y' are."

Frenzy flicked on the light, and Cody scanned the room. It wasn't terribly big, but it still seemed like a nice place to call his own, at least for the time being. As he stepped in, he let out the breath he'd been holding. "It's nice here, Frenzy."

"I like to be open to company. If needed."

Cody looked toward the older man, who stood in the doorway of his new resting place. His hands wringed the bag's strap anxiously. "You, ah, d-don't seem like the type to like company."

For a moment, Frenzy was silent, and his expression shifted, though Cody still couldn't read it. Then, he shrugged. "No. Not really. But I don't hate it."

The boy hesitated, still unsure about his new situation. "Uh, do you mind if I take a moment to get settled?"

Frenzy nodded again, backing away from the door. "Go right ahead." He paused a moment, and Cody caught a flicker of something in his gaze. "My home is your home now... 'Cept my room. Andy my workshop. Stay outta those. Please."

Cody nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Frenzy gently shut the door. Cody listened as the sound of his steps and the tapping of his cane faded away, and once he was alone, he approached the neatly made bed and sat on it with a sigh. A clock ticked on the wall in the silence, and the boy looked around.

A window caught his attention. He set his bag gently on the bed and walked over to it, fiddling with the latch. He was happy to find it slid open smoothly, and no screen barred it. Leaving it open a considerable amount, he returned to the bed. Before sitting, he leaned over to see what kind of space was underneath it.

Plenty.

Good.

Finally he sat back on the bed next to his bag, and, carefully, he unzipped it. The pink head of Pari peeked out at him, the russet mark across her face beaming a false grin while her pale purple eyes shone anxiously.

Still, they exchanged a smile as Cody gently cupped her head in his hand. He leaned in close to her, glancing at the door.

In a whisper, he said, "Guess we're gonna have to be careful again, Pari." He sighed. "Just until I can find a good time and way to tell him about you..."

And what for?

The mental voice growled, low and hopeless.

Just to be back on the road, traveling endlessly to each town that will let you in only long enough to gather your senses.

Cody laid back onto the bed, his legs hanging where he'd sat them.

He tried to tell off the voice of doubt, but it persisted.

We should just thank Frenzy and Jordan for their willingness to help and move on. There's no point in staying.

Pari hopped onto the boy's chest, gazing down at him with concern.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a crouch on top of him, and she nuzzled his chin. A purr rattled in her throat.

At that, Cody couldn't help smiling.

How many people were bold enough to learn that imps could purr?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Introducing a new cast member, ~Frenzy~

Previous

FIRST

[boxheadpaint]

really love all the replies to plant treat post, its interesting to think about and overthink about and also some responses are cute fun. my thing was the 'night' (4 or 5 am lol) before we had landed on the discussion of plants being able to see and mimic other plants and it got me lost in the concept of plants as aware thinking creatures that we can just barely understand 2) somiething fucked up happened to the formatting of this 3) Wghy is g,uten free "bread" literally the most miserablw food imagineable. Jesus fucking christ

[anna-scribbles]

aroace adrien fic chapter 2!!! and we all cheered

summary:

Kagami fixes her eyes intensely on his face, and Adrien smiles. He scoops peas onto his fork nonchalantly, trying to shake the cloud of guilt that always seems to follow him these days. He always feels see-through when Kagami looks at him like that. When she speaks, it’s matter-of-fact. “Something is bothering you.”

excerpt:

Kagami is a good girlfriend. A really, really good girlfriend.

She makes sure that they go on at least 2 dates per week, and schedules them far in advance. She texts him good morning and goodnight like clockwork. She’s even proactive about cute nicknames, sending him vetted lists of options which they can debate the merits of. If dating was a sport, Kagami would be a gold medalist.

And she kisses him. A lot.

“Good morning, sunshine,” she’ll tell him with a peck on the cheek, catching him on the steps before he goes into school. He’ll grin and she’ll tilt his chin closer, planting one right on his lips.

“Come here,” she’ll coax, swiping away their homework with one hand and tugging at his shirt collar with the other. He’ll look up at her through his lashes and part his mouth just so, letting her press their lips together again and again.

“You’re perfect,” she’ll whisper, pulling him close in the locker room after practice. She’ll run her hand through his sweaty hair and lift her face to his until all his senses go dark.

Kagami is great. Kagami is really great.

And Adrien… Adrien is…

He’s curled around a pillow on his bed for the fourth time this week, caught somewhere between nausea and dread. His homework is unfinished, piano pieces unrehearsed. A lock of hair is irritating his eye but he feels too detached from his body to do anything about it. He hates when he gets like this for a multitude of reasons, but mostly because it doesn’t make sense.

He’s been depressed before. He’s been dissociated before.

But this?

He thinks of Kagami’s lips, warm and sticky with lip gloss, moving against his mouth. He feels her mouth open, tilting to meet him at an angle, and her tongue—

Adrien’s whole body shudders involuntarily and he curls up tighter around the pillow, squeezing it for dear life. Awful. Awful. What’s wrong with him? It’s kissing his girlfriend, the most natural thing in the world. Why does it feel like—why does he feel like he’s dying?

When Adrien closes his eyes, he’s right back there again. Kagami’s firm hands on the back of his neck, holding onto him. Her spit warm in his mouth, the small noises in the back of her throat, the pit carved out like a chasm in his stomach—

“You look terrible.”

Plagg’s nasal voice jars him back to the present. When Adrien looks up, bright green eyes are squinting just centimeters from his face.

Plagg frowns. “Are you still sick? Wait, did you eat some of my moldy brie? You know I said not to touch it until May!”

Plagg zips away, into the cabinet under the trophy case. Adrien takes a shaky breath.

“I didn’t touch your cheese, Plagg.” He forces his fingers to unclench from the pillow and stashes the memory of Kagami’s lips under some rug in his brain. He’s fine. Everything’s fine.

Plagg phases back into view, breathing a sigh of relief. “Phew! That could’ve been disastrous!”

“Yeah.” Adrien sits up and clenches his fists hard, enough for his fingernails to dig into the skin of his palms. The pain wakes him up, brings him back. (It’s penance too, maybe. He needs to be better than this.)

“Maybe you really are sick, then.” Plagg flits around him, poking his nose into Adrien’s belly and armpit and hair and even trying to look in his ears. He pulls back and frowns, cocking his little head. “Geez, it’s been on and off like this for, like, a month. Shouldn’t you go to a doctor or something?”

Adrien adverts his eyes. “I don’t think a doctor would help.”

Not with… whatever this is.

“All I’m saying is, you look really bad. Like, really bad—”

“Thank you. Thanks.”

Adrien painstakingly swings his legs over the bed and puts his feet on the ground, manually shifting weight to each leg. Muscle by muscle, reminding his body how to stand. It’s easier once he’s up. Fog filters through his mind, and then he doesn’t think as much.

The sickness burns off in the shower, seared from his skin. Adrien emerges clean and good and normal and he puts on new clothes and blow-dries his hair. Ready for anything. Ready for—

Nathalie knocks twice on his bedroom door before opening it.

“Kagami is here,” she tells him. “Your dinner will be served shortly.”

read on ao3

[0cta9on]

Fluffy though of gidle miyeon being an older girlfriend and introducing her younger boyfriend to her members

Hello yoohyeons-puppy98! I took quite a few creative liberties with this, hope you don't mind :]

You examine the mirror a final time, unsure of what you see in the reflection. “I don’t know. Are you sure I look okay?”

“Of course you do,” Miyeon reassures you, planting a kiss on your cheek. “You look very handsome.”

“These glasses make me look like a nerd.”

“A handsome nerd.” She gathers her purse, heading towards the front door. “Now hurry up, hun, we’re gonna be late.”

You’re getting promoted to the manager of a bowling alley—hardly a means for celebration. Yet, Miyeon always makes a big deal out of these kinds of things, no matter how big or small. Despite your reluctance, she insisted on setting up a picnic with all of your friends to celebrate your new promotion.

Well, her friends at least. Social interaction never came easy to you like it does for Miyeon. Where you would prefer to keep to yourself, she’s the type to go out of her way to make friends with strangers. A sort of black cat and golden retriever dynamic, she never shies away from showering you with affection. It can be a bit troublesome at times, but at the very least, life is much, much more interesting having her as your girlfriend.

“...And then she had the audacity to just walk off like nothing happened!” Miyeon exclaims, complaining about an interaction she had earlier today while on the drive to the park. “Ugh, the nerve of some people!”

“That sucks, baby.” Judging by her story, it seems like she’s the one in the wrong here, but you would never admit that to her, especially when she’s like this.

“Yeah, I don’t wanna talk about it anymore, just thinking about it is pissing me off,” she sighs. The frown on her face instantly fades, replaced by her pretty smile as she turns to look at you. “God, I can’t believe you thought you looked ugly in those glasses. You look so cute.”

You chuckle softly. “You’re just saying that because you bought them for me.”

“I’m saying that because it’s true.” She waits until you stop in front of the red light before grabbing your chin and turning your head towards her. “I picked well though, didn’t I? You’re giving ‘sexy nerd’ vibes, like you’ll explain the Pythragoran theorem to me before taking me to the bedroom and f—”

“OKAY!” you exclaim, cutting her off before she goes into anymore detail. “First of all, it’s pronounced ‘Pythagorean’ theorem—”

“—So hot—”

“Second of all,” you stifle a chuckle at her overexaggerated lip bite, “Are your friends already at the park?”

“Yeah, I think so.” She leans back in her seat to check her phone, the sunlight through the window dancing on her flawless skin. “Yup, they’re all there. Just waiting for us.”

You breathe deeply, trying your best to calm your nerves. Miyeon, sensing something wrong, places a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“Are you alright?” she asks.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine. Just a little nervous, I guess.”

With how often she talks about them, you basically know everything about Miyeon’s friends, maybe more than you should know. However, you’ve never actually met them in person. You know they’re good people (Miyeon wouldn’t constantly sing their praises otherwise), but the thought of making a good first impression still fills your mind with worry. 

“You have nothing to worry about, honey,” she says. “I talk about you so much, they basically like you already.”

“Oh really?” The corner of your lip lifts with curiosity. “What did you tell them about me?”

“Well…” That sly grin growing on her face tells you more than enough about the kind of ramblings that go on in her group chat.

“Christ, Miyeon!” you groan, heat rising to your cheeks. “I don’t need them knowing all about… that!”

She simply shrugs, chuckling at your reaction. “It’s a girl thing, I don’t expect you to understand. Besides, I tell them other things about you too, like how sweet and hardworking and attentive you are…” She leans in close until you can feel her breath tickling your earlobe. “...and how you like to call me ‘noona’ in bed—”

You come to a grinding halt pulling into a parking spot. Your entire face becomes enveloped in a burning heat, while Miyeon breaks down laughing in the passenger seat. If there weren’t so many people around, you would’ve already been pounding your face against the horn until your skin became one with the steering wheel.

“I’m just joking, honey!” she exclaims, clutching her stomach as she comes down from her hysterical high. 

Knowing Miyeon, the possibility that she did tell them is still non-zero. All you can do is hope that none of them mention this damning piece of information during the picnic, otherwise you fall victim to awkward future encounters at worst or a lifetime of teasing at best. In hindsight, maybe it would’ve been easier if you didn’t get the promotion in the first place.

______________________________________________________________

The golden sun hangs overhead, complimenting the aquamarine of the clear skies. A cooling breeze offsets the heat emitting from above to a perfect point. It’s a great day for a picnic, all things considered. Somehow, these kinds of things always work out when Miyeon plans them. Perhaps she’s secretly a goddess, bending the universe at her will whenever she wants, even for something as small and inconsequential as a picnic. Or perhaps you just don't pay enough attention to the weather app these days.

Miyeon skips ahead of you, the grass dancing in the wake of her every step as she makes her way towards the five girls sitting on the picnic blanket in the shade of a large tree. You purposefully slow down, making a small show of the cooler you’re dragging getting stuck on a rock, just so you can control your breathing before meeting them. It didn’t help that you’re still all hot and bothered from Miyeon’s previous teasing. The least you can do is not make a complete fool of yourself from the get go.

“Girls, this is my man, I’m sure you know all about him at this point.” Miyeon clings to your arm, shooting a sneaky wink that does little to calm your nerves.

“Hello,” you say, giving them a polite bow.

The rest of them exchange greetings with you, quickly putting you at ease as you fall into pleasant conversation. Most of your time is spent listening to another one of Miyeon’s rants (They all agree that she was in the wrong, but of course, you take her side anyways), but every once in a while, the others will tell stories about their own personal lives. 

You learn about Soyeon’s budding rap career and Shuhua’s inability to hold a stable job for more than a month at a time (You figure you could mention that your place is hiring, but quietly decide against it after hearing about her work ethic). Minnie tells you about her visit to Thailand last month to see her family, showing the group her many pictures of her adventures, while Soojin and Yuqi vent about the different kinds of customers they meet at the bar they work at. They’re such an eclectic group of interesting people, you almost feel embarrassed that they’re all assembled here to celebrate your promotion at a dingy bowling alley

“Congrats on your promotion!” Soyeon exclaims. “It must be fun working at a bowling alley.”

“Eh, it’s alright,” you say, scratching the back of your head. “Mainly just cleaning and general customer service, I would hardly call it interesting.”

“I think it’s pretty cool,” Miyeon chimes in. “Tell them about what happened last week, with the drunk guy and all that.”

The rest of the group lean in with intrigue, putting a spotlight on you. “Um, it wasn’t anything really—”

“C’mon, tell us!” Shuhua screams. “Don’t be a wuss!”

“Hey, don’t be rude.” Soojin slaps her on the shoulder, scolding her. “But yes, we would like to know what happened.”

“Alright, well…” You take a quick breath, trying to recount everything that happened. “There was this big group of guys that came in, I think it was for some guy’s birthday party or a bachelor party or something. They ordered a bunch of alcohol and started terrorizing the other lanes, just being really rowdy and stuff. My coworker told them to chill out, and one of them started getting physical with her, so I, uh…” You pause, suddenly feeling self conscious about all the attention you’re getting. Miyeon rubs your back, looking at them with a knowing smirk.

“...I slip—”

“He knocked him out!” She exclaims, finishing your sentence.

The girls erupt into a chorus of cheers, patting you on the back and singing your praises about how “cool” you are. In reality, you only knocked the guy out after slipping and accidentally headbutting him in the nose, but it’s already too late to correct them. So you settle for keeping quiet, letting them believe in the facade that Miyeon presented them.

“Wah, that’s so cool!” Yuqi cheers. “No wonder you got promoted to manager!”

“Remind me to hire you as my bodyguard the next time I visit home,” Minnie teases.

In the midst of all the commotion, Miyeon pulls you to the side, gently cupping your chin. “See, I told you they would like you,” she whispers, kissing your cheek.

“They like the lie that you told.”

“I didn’t lie, you did technically knock him out.”

“Yeah, on accident—”

Miyeon shuts you up with a peck to your lips, brief yet sweet enough to leave you wanting more. “I just want them to know how cool my boyfriend is, okay?”

You sigh, sinking your face deeper into her touch. “Okay. Thanks.” You lean in and return the favor, giving her a peck of your own. “Noona~”

Miyeon covers her face with her hands, a light pink hue peaking through the gaps of her fingers. The others exchange weird looks, unsure of what to make of her sudden reaction, but all you can do is shrug. For all the teasing she does, it’s a wonder how easy it is to make her topple.

[lilacskyly]

Honored Ones: Yandere Satoru Gojo x Reader

(This might be bad idk :,> not that proud of it)

Throughout Heaven and the Earth, he  is the honored one. 

Then what does that make you?

“Oh goddess~ You aren’t hiding from me, are you?” you heard Satoru Gojo coo as his steps echoed throughout the abandoned building. You covered your mouth, trying your best to cover your shaky breath. “You can’t hide from me forever~ You know we’re bound… right goddess?” You heard him laugh and then a chain rattled. You froze, staring at your wrist to see the spirit bind chain that was shackled to your wrist. “Stop fighting me. You already know I can sense you… right?” he questioned. Tears fell out of your eyes just as Gojo teleported in front of you. “Found you~”

You jumped before he covered your mouth. He put a finger to his lips, “Sssshhh my dear…. Ssshh… I’m here… those special grade curses are gone… there’s no need to cry!” He smiled for you before planting a small kiss on your forehead. If you didn’t know better, he would’ve just been his normal self. But, after you saw him kill those curses and some of his fellow jujutsu sorcerers for ‘getting in the way’, you knew you couldn’t trust his smile.

“S-satoru…”

His smile only grew upon hearing his name come from your lips. God.. those perfect lips of yours. He was practically salivating.

He snapped himself out of his thoughts. “Yes my goddess?”

“W-where are the others?” you asked.

“The others? Oh… you mean the pests. They're gone now. They can't bother us now~” he whispered in your ear. “You cryin’? It's okay my goddess… you're safe now.” 

He took your hand in his and lifted you off the ground. Despite your fear of him, you hugged him and started crying even more. He engulfed you in a hug as well. “Never do that again.” he said, getting scarily serious for once.

“I-I won’t! I swear I won’t!” you cried. He knew better than to take your word for that.

He sighed, “Let’s go home goddess. You’ve had a long day..”

You couldn’t track how long it took you to get to his place. Time always seemed to mush together when you were with him. You couldn’t tell if that was a good thing or not. Gojo locked the door behind you two when you entered his place. He collapsed on the sofa, pulling on the spirit bind chain to get you to come over. 

“Y’know goddess, I never imagined being this close to you…” he started. “After all, you’re barely a jujutsu sorcerer my dear… it’s a miracle we even met.”

“... y-yeah… I-I’m sorry, I’m really weak..” you said, looking down at his hands. 

He shook his head. “Stop lying to yourself. You may not be as strong as you want… but soon enough you will be.”

“H-how?”

“I’ve been hinting at a surprise haven’t I? I think it’s about time I finally reveal it.” he smiled softly at you.

You tilted your head, confusion spread across your face. “W-what do you mean?”

“You’re almost entirely mine, my precious goddess~ Did you figure out what I’ve been doing yet?” he asked innocently. 

Wait. He didn’t.. He fucking wouldn’t.

He smiled after seeing your expression. “You’ve figured it haven’t you? You’re so smart my goddess! I’ve been putting drops of my blood into your food I’ve prepared for you… and you know how your cursed technique works.. Right?”

Of course you did! You weren’t stupid.. Were you?

“Your cursed technique isn’t very practical… at least for you. You have to quite literally consume a part of a person to gain their strength. But but but! If you ingest too much, your life becomes officially theirs to control. It’s funny really.. You get stronger but you become less and less you the more you do so!”

“G-gojo… w-what..?”

“Look my goddess… I know someone as holy as you could never be mine… so, I’m taking fate into my own hands. We will be together now, forever. No matter what you do, you won’t be able to die as long as I’m alive. You can’t even escape me in death. We’re bound, remember goddess? You’ve sealed your fate the very moment you agreed to this.” He grabbed your wrist, showing the spirit bind you two established. You both had to ingest some of each other's blood to even establish it. You just wanted to be stronger… to be protected by someone…

You should’ve died to those curses in that building earlier.

Before you knew it, Gojo tore at his wrist till it bled heavily. He held it up for you to drink his blood. He chuckled as you looked at him in horror. “H-how… how long have you..”

“Oh, since we made the pact. I’ve had my sight on you for quite a while my dear.” he said nonchalantly. “Now, drink up. Haven’t got all night.”

You shook your head causing him to laugh loudly. “Seriously? You’re still being stubborn? You really don’t get it dear… you’re mine.” His blue eyes pierced your own, seeming to tear into your brain. “Now, drink.”

Your body moved without you as you downed his blood. The taste was repulsive, you hated doing this. Gojo however seemed to be enjoying it as he petted your hair muttering ‘good girl’ every now and again. He pushed you away after some time. “Now now dear, we don’t want to suck me completely dry, do we?” he teased.

“Mhm…” was all you managed to say.

“Y’know… the pact is fully made now, right? Ha! How funny! I can literally control you now!” he laughed lightly. “We can claim this world as ours… and ours alone. After all, we’re gods… together we are the honored one…”

He pulled on the now fully materialized chain around both your wrists and hummed cheerfully. 

“Let’s go have some fun, shall we?” 

[catscidr]

NEED MORE OFFICE DOTTORE PLEAAAAADE HBAUBGUDUHFIBOND

i. note — he’s my guilty pleasure im sry i js CRAVE this mf twenny four/seven ���്ദി ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ ) </3 ii. includes — dottore, afab! reader but no gendered pronouns are used iii. cw — im rambling again heyyy what's new. office setting/modern au, dottore is kinda creepy, implied stalking, obsessive behaviour, their feelings are mutual but dottore comes off too strong and reader is a bit dense, mention of periods, drinking/alcohol, implied drugging (but nothing happens). this sounds bad but its tame he's just a weirdo with a crush and is weird about said crush Trust Me

thinking about office senior! dottore using his status in the company to butt in and work on projects that you’ve been assigned. him slowly but surely worming his way into your life ever since he got a taste of you, unable to let you just be a fling, a one-time thing. he just has to ruin you in every way

he would definitely be sooo aware of your steadily blooming crush on him and would use it against you to then tease you to hell and back. this man knows how to toy with people! he’ll most definitely toy with you!!!

lingering touches bordering on unprofessional but still friendly if you squint, going out of his way to ask your opinion on things during a crowded meeting n putting you on the spot, stepping into the elevator at the same time as you to trap you n initiate small talk……

of course said “small talk” is always… a little weird… when it’s with zandik. he doesn’t talk about the weather, stocks, or whatever mundane task you were working on right before you went on lunch break.

no, he’ll talk about things he shouldn’t know about you, things he’d only know if you told him about them, or things that are just a little too… personal? but maybe you’re being a little uptight. maybe you just… don’t remember telling him some things about yourself. it’s not like he’s talking about anything super outrageous or controversial anyways, it’s fine.

“eating instant noodles every day for dinner isn’t good for you, it’s most likely the reason why you get such bad cramps during your cycle. i would recommend adding some leafy greens to your servings at the very least, or some tofu to help with your iron intake.”

what a weirdo…. but hey, he’s kinda right, maybe you should eat more balanced meals so you don’t keel over anytime soon.

office senior! dottore also often does creepy things but in a nice way? if that makes sense?

for example, when the team is brought out for drinks to celebrate another successful project, he’ll make sure to be the only one sitting next to you. you’ll be squished against the wall and his shoulder, beer in hand, your cheeks burning from the alcohol and the proximity between you two

he’ll keep an eye on you and your alcohol tolerance, but not in the way you think he will. he’ll encourage you to drink more, “you seem tense. here, here’s a refill” he’d say in that smooth voice of his. “oh? you’re stumbling on your words, are your nerves still acting up? have my drink.”

and once you get to the point where you’re leaning over the table, head resting on your arms, only then will he start to actually take care of you.

he’ll place one hand on your back, rubbing soothing circles to help ground you from your dizziness. scold you for drinking so much, all while everyone else at the table glances at you with concern (or as much concern as other drunk and tipsy coworkers can muster)

“you shouldn’t have drank so much if you knew your alcohol tolerance was this poor.”

and the shadow of a smile on his face will turn into something more sinister when you frantically get up to rush to the bathroom. you immediately stumble to the floor, dizzy and disoriented. too dizzy and disoriented.

he’ll catch you before you fall as coworkers express their concern for you, only then noticing how bad your state had gotten now that face-planting directly onto the tatami floor of the bar was a feasible outcome

a chorus of surprised “woah!”’s and “are you okay?” ring out, conversations growing quieter as everyone stares at the stoic, scary superior holding up the rookie that got completely plastered at a work event. some are silently judging, but most are ogling zandik

your cubicle neighbor and work buddy gets up from her seat, stumbling on her way to help you stand up. though she had indulged you in gossip about him before, something about him holding your suspiciously drunk body up made alarm bells ring in her head.

“i’ll take them home,” he declares, voice colder than ice. no one really notices the hostility in his tone, too tipsy themselves to notice zandik’s obvious favouritism towards you. “enjoy the rest of your night.”

...and he diligently brings you to your flat, catching you before you stumble on your feet and trip over nothing. the trip was a struggle for the both of you, though more so for you than for him considering he had anticipated this outcome. maybe next time he should reconsider before giving you so much to drink.

[vickysaurus]

(Image, as well as much of my information, from Carboniferous Giants and Mass Extinction by George R. McGhee Jr.)

Take a look at this tree. On a scale of 1 to 10, how weird do you think it is?

You quite possibly just gave it a 3 or a 4 or something. Sure, it's a little odd, but does look vaguely normal, right? A friend of mine guessed it was some sort of baobab when I showed him the image.

This is, in fact Lepidodendron, an ancient tree from the Carboniferous, and by modern tree standards it is absolutely bizarre. Its closest surviving relatives, quillworts and clubmosses, only grow to a height of a few centimetres, yet Lepidodendron were giants that shot up to 50 metres tall... Briefly, before dispersing their spores and completely dying off.

(Lycopodium and Spinulum, modern relatives of Lepidodendron, photos by Bernd Haynold and Pete Pattavina)

You see, Lepidondron lived like a gigantic dandelion. For most of its life, it was a stumpy little thing that stuck close to the ground. Just an odd scaly green stump with some long leaves poking out. The green scales its bark consisted of were the place it conducted its photosynthesis, and thus basically did the work of leaves. The Lepidodendron would stay like this for a couple years, slowly expanding its roots and getting ready for the next step. But its roots would grow mostly horizontally, down not so much! And part of why is that even they had the scaly leaf-like photosynthetic bark. That's right, even their roots could - and to some extend needed to - photosynthesise!

(Fossil Lepidodendron bark in the National Museum of Brazil, photo by Dornicke; a fossilised relative of Lepidodendron with some of its roots visible, photo by Michael C. Rygel)

So why would you ever try to photosynthesise with your roots of all things as a plant? Surely it would make much more sense to just transport the sugars created in other parts there than to have your roots be so shallow that bits of them can catch a little light and make it in situ? Sure, if you're capable of that! This is what modern trees do, but they have two separate vascular tissues they use for transport: xylem, which moves water from the roots to the rest of the plant, and phloem, which moves sugars and other photosynthetic products from the leaves to the rest of the plant. Unfortunately for Lepidodendron, it only had xylem, no phloem, so its sugars were only ever going to move as far as they could diffuse, so every part of the tree needed to have at least a little photosynthesis happening, even the roots.

This truly gets ridiculous when the Lepidodendron decides after a few years of charging up that it's time to reproduce. That's when the weird green stump we have so far starts shooting up, up, up, very quickly, all the way until an enormous 40 or 50 metres in height. Now, modern trees grow this large by being supported by a sturdy wooden core, but that's not what Lepidodendron did. To hold up the entire tree, it relies entirely on its outer bark thickening as it grows. In mechanical terms, it was little more than a huge hollow pole, probably creaking and swaying terribly in the wind. Although I have not been able to confirm this in the literature so far, I suspect that between the shallow roots and the whole thing being held up by its bark, you could probably total a Lepidodendron with a good kick.

Now remember, all this growth is happening without phloem, so the entire length of that stem has to not just be sturdy enough to keep the tree standing, but it also has to keep doing photosynthesis to feed itself. When it reaches its full height, the top of the tree finally starts sprouting branches and small leaves, leaving it looking like the picture at the start. But those are not what it's all about for the tree: the cones that develop among them are. At a height of 50 metres, the spores produced by the cones can very easily be picked up by the wind and blown far, far away. Being spores, rather than seeds as modern trees have, they have no supplies built in whatsoever, so they need to get lucky to land in a spot that has immediate access to water. Luckily, there are a lot of those in the vast Carboniferous swamps, and with the trees doing so much work to spread the spores very widely, some of them are sure to find good spots. And then, with the spores dispersed, the tree is done for. The entire thing, which has just grown to the skies, dies off and soon comes crashing down.

So how weird is this tree? I'd call it a perfect 10.

[mulders-too-large-shirt]

s5 episode 10 thoughts

after yesterday's trees that ate people, i am curious to see where we are going. however, i have heard that this episode and the 2 after it are very good, so i am excited to see where this takes us.

post-episode review: another contender for my (now crowded) best episodes of all time list! but take us back to yesterday...

let's read the description here... oh! this happens in a coastal town in maine? are we going to see BEACH mulder and scully? oh! this is giving me many ideas!

and yes, the description also mentions a girl and a doll i assume to be evil, but hey! maine! salt water taffy! seashells! lobsters! moose! blueberries! a quaint little motel!

ah, can you picture it? oh, do i need to write some sort of vacation fic? has this seed been planted? and will it continue to grow?

let us find out!

this girl (polly) has a creepy doll. she is glaring at her mother (melissa). she must not want to go shopping. don’t make eye contact, old lady who walks by them. that child has an evil spirit. i can tell. 

“i don’t like this store, mommy” <- so does she like other stores? other grocery stores? can she sense something here that displeases her? her mother clarifies that they will only be a minute 

ohhhh, when she says she wants to go home, the doll’s eyes open. don’t care for that. AND THE DOLL TALKS?? 

poor mom sees visions of the butcher stabbing himself in the eye?? and the cart’s wheels go wild!!!

“please, don’t do this to mommy”, melissa begs her child <- so she KNOWS that her daughter and/or the doll are somehow responsible for all this??? GIRL!!! she just needs to eat!! they haven’t invented doordash yet!! how will polly get her food?? does she have to go to a different, polly and doll approved, grocery store?? or must they simply starve??

ohhh OH THIS WOMAN IS CLAWING OUT HER EYES??? WHAT IS WITH THE EYES!? 

EVERYONE IS CLAWING OUT THEIR EYES!!!! AUGH AUGH AUGH WHAT THE FUCK, POLLY????? 

the butcher (dave) tries to call 911- somehow he is able to resist the call to scratch- but the fucking DOLL IS ON THE OTHER LINE???

girl. that doll needs to be thrown in the ocean NOW. you can’t be doing this to my boy dave. 

NOOOO HE REALLY DOES STAB HIMSELF IN THE EYE 💔

bleurgh. bleeeugh. pour one out for dave.

and to think! i was just pondering saltwater taffy and the dynamics of coastal msr!!

ohhh, but this little town is so cute!!!! is scully on vacation???

OHHH SHE’S GETTING GAS FOR HER FANCY CAR IN A MAINE T SHIRT AND SUNGLASSES <3 ohhh…. ohhhhh… vacation scully… i am holding her so gently

(she must have been so excited to get that silly little souvenir shirt if she had it on before she even got there... and i love that for her)

who calls her at this hour? (as if we need to ask!)

“mulder, i thought we had an agreement. we were both going to take the weekend off” (he is fully in his office playing around with his chair) LMAOOOO

this man physically cannot relax. “right, right, right, i know. but i-i-i just received some information about-about a case” <- at least he seems self-conscious about the fact that he is breaking their agreement

AWW, SHE JUST WANTS TO CHILL 

“you didn’t rent a convertible, did you?” “why?” “are you aware of the statistics of decapitation?” <- grown ass man playing on a chair when he says this, btw. please worry about yourself.

(it is so funny how badly he wanted to hear her voice but cannot bring himself to talk about normal human conversation topics, such as the vacation she is about to embark upon)

LMAO SHE INFORMS HIM THAT SHE IS HANGING UP LIKE HE IS A SMALL CHILD!!! AND HE SEEMS SURPRISED WHEN SHE DOES

aww, the poor man is just a loser!

(reading these notes back for editing purposes and i am STILL laughing. god, he's such a nerd.

he's thinking, "hey, i know we promised to not talk about work for 2 whole days, but i missed you. do you want to talk about work? please don't get decapitated, honey. oh man, she hung up on me :("

meanwhile, she's thinking "for the love of god. just let me have a nice vacation. yes, mulder, you want to solve a mystery, but i need a break. no, i won't get my head cut off. okay, i'm saying goodbye now. GOODBYE.")

she rolls off in her convertible. which is a mustang, btw. serve. and melissa and polly nearly run her over. she looks pissed at their erratic driving.

woah! she is at the store where the eyeball gouging just took place. she finds all of the grocery store customers with blood on their faces!!!! but luckily, most seem to have intact eyeballs.

NOOO, DAVE THE BUTCHER MIGHT BE DEAD and his eyeball is very much not intact

damn. so much for a chill vacation.

(author's note: it's so funny to me how scully was not going to let this stop her from chilling. she was going to get right back to the beach after watching a grocery store full of people claw at their own eyeballs. me, i would have been calling the whole trip off and heading home after seeing such a horrible sight. her need to relax after so many years of alien nonsense is unmatched. not even demon doll could come between this queen and her vacation)

cutscene to mulder in his office, where a distinct moaning noise is coming from his TV. oh god. and he’s sitting there with sunflower seeds. LMAO?? he’s just sitting and watching.... this. not even doing anything but snacking. 

NOOOO SHE CALLS AND HEARS IT 💔 “what are you watching, mulder?” OH GOD WHAT IS HE GONNA SAY?

he claims to be watching “the deadliest swarms” <- utterly gagged at that man watching porn while just sitting in his office. stone-faced. and then lying about it. what does this say about his character?

BUT IT REALLY WAS DEADLIEST SWARMS LMAOOOO THE MAN AND WOMAN MOANING HAVE BEES IN THEIR FUCKING EYES I’M CRYINGGGGG

my asexual king. i should have never doubted you.

(author's note: still losing my mind at this as i edit, btw. i was fully convinced that mulder brought porn to his office to watch at work on the weekend, and i was thinking "well, it's not the STRANGEST thing he's done" but no. he's at work on the weekends to watch bugs sting people in the eyeballs. for research purposes. god. what a guy. i wish i could have a glimpse into if scully believed his statement or not. have they talked about this TV program before? is this what he does with his very limited time off?)

“it sounds to me like that’s witchcraft or maybe some sorcery that you’re looking for there”, he comments. “no, i don’t think it’s witchcraft, mulder, or sorcery” (said while the local policemen look on in shock at her saying those words) LMAOOO

“yeah, well, maybe you don’t know what you’re looking for”

“like evidence of conjury or the black arts, or shamanism, divination, wicca, or any kind of pagan or neo-pagan practice? charms, cards, familiars, bloodstones or hex signs, or any of the ritual tableaux associated with the occult, santeria, vodoun, macumba, or any high or low magic?” <- LMAO she said i’ve been taking notes on your theories, boy

“scully?” “yes?” “marry me” “i was hoping for something a little more helpful” <- LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO GOD. the way her face doesn’t even change while his looks SO FUCKING SERIOUS. he's in awe of her. hold on. i had to rewatch that like three times. i'm absolutely HOWLING over here.

and to be fair, had she said that string of words to me on the phone as well, i would have reacted in the same way! i cannot fault him there.

while watching the footage of what went down at the grocery store, she notices that melissa is the only one who seems unaffected. the police seem to not believe that means anything until she politely points out that maybe they should talk to melissa about the whole situation, and then she tries to get tf out of there LMAOOO she is not going to let ANYTHING interrupt vacation time!!!!

“people here say she’s a witch” “well, that’s not the first time for that accusation in these parts” <- LMAO GET HIM AGAIN FOR ME

ohhhh, the cop says that melissa was “carrying on” with dave the butcher… who is now dead… well! that is deeply suspicious!!!

a policeman named buddy is trying to call melissa while polly and the doll listen to some old timey music. polly COMMANDS her to hang up. i fear the consequences for what will happen if melissa continues her chat.

nooooo :( buddy the cop tells melissa that dave is dead… but the doll is speaking now, because polly is being ignored!!! melissa says he can’t come here, but buddy insists on coming. 

so, again, it seems melissa knows that the doll is committing the crimes….

scully arrives with the other cop, named jack, to melissa and polly's house. scully is in her killer outfit of: blazer, maine t shirt, and sunglasses. looking like a million bucks. she proceeds to do the cop's job better than he does when she notices the backdoor is wide open. 

feels so strange to see scully in jeans. i make note of this special occasion

ohhh, she’s in the little girl’s room which could be sensitive for her... but she seems fine. 

(author's note: i keep getting jarred by how much they are NOT acknowledging the whole emily plotline... here i was thinking that this child's room would bring scully to tears and she's just looking around, observing as always... the writers truly did not give a damn)

lore reveal: melissa’s husband died in a boating accident… or did he…?

allegedly, polly is autistic, and the daycare lady slapped her across the face after a tantrum!!! what!! you can’t do this!! scully seems shocked to hear of the slapping (but she keeps it very professional, as she always does) and then MORE shocked to hear that the daycare lady was knocked on the ground. by the little girl. but the cop said she never touched her.

yes, i am sure that the ghost doll can do impossible things, even attacking old ladies. the daycare lady got fired for the slapping (well, yes!) and the people call melissa a witch as a result (um... not her fault?)

(why are there so many people named melissa in this show? could we not get a little creative? did the writers only know of 3 or 4 names? crack open a yearbook or one of those baby names books that writers use, damn!)

omg, so the tea is that dave had a WIFE, but was still trying to get with melissa!!! but melissa did not want him like that. a queen who stays in her lane.

scully notices that the windows are all nailed shut. maybe melissa nailed the windows in because she was afraid of something getting out…? like an evil ghost doll?

buddy gives the girl polly some ice cream as he tries to question melissa in this restaurant. buddy offers to give melissa some money so she can get away. is this, like, a kindness thing? oh no, he’s in love with her, seems like. says he missed his first chance around. well. i guess we can never have a man doing the right thing out of sheer selflessness. this is TV, after all.

she says she has seen things… meanwhile polly is DEMANDING more cherries from the ice cream lady. (and polly has strange taste. i like those cherries too, but they're very strong; one or two will do the job)

melissa tells buddy that she saw dave dead before he died! and it wasn’t the first time!!! she saw her husband before he died, too! buddy seems to take this news better than expected.

ohhh, this lady at the ice cream counter says polly has to ask her mom for money to buy more cherries… i assume she does not have much longer to live

the doll opens its eyes IN THE RESTAURANT, and melissa says it’s time to go, knowing what is about to go down. buddy tries to give her a key to a place they used to go hunting, but NOOOOOO, the ice cream lady’s head is stuck in the ice cream machine!!!!!!!

melissa takes polly and the doll and they book it.

this is an injustice to food service professionals everywhere.

the other cop guy- the one named named jack- is visiting jane, the old lady from the very beginning of the episode who briefly made eye contact with polly. and scully is here too!!

okay, so jane immediately launches into saying that melissa is from a line of witches. cool, cool. this must be the lady who ran the daycare. scully looks amused as she slams the door in their faces and remarks on “new england hospitality” lmaooo

(she claims she's heard about it all her life, but never experienced it- is this her first journey to new england? like, recreationally, and not for work? omg! the cali girl is being exposed to the northeast! culture shock! she is learning the ways of mulder and his people!)

ah yes, we see as they leave that the sign on the door of jane’s house shows it’s the daycare. well, FORMER daycare.

scully wants to know if this lineage of witches thing is really all talk. and the policeman jack cannot figure out why he would want to bring melissa in. LMAO despite him being entirely incompetent at his job, scully does NOT WANT TO HELP I’M CRYING. she is PROTECTING HER PEACE!!!

melissa and polly pull up to the cabin buddy gave them the key to. ohhh, she doesn’t have any gear… and it’s winter up here. girl! how will they eat!!

polly wants her BED and her RECORDS, and the doll is AWAKE. so now melissa’s racing home after seeing a dead jane in her rear window!!!

back at her home, the records are going off… jane is here, for some reason, perhaps to investigate the loud noises despite there being no one home... and when she takes off the record off the player…. NOOOO, NOT HER STABBING HERSELF WITH THE BROKEN RECORD!!!!!!!!!!!!

scully is taking a nice bubble bath, trying to relax… with some classical music…. but the phone is ringing!!! she slams the door with her foot LMAO and awww she gets out and wraps her hair in a towel <3 i love relaxed scully <3

wait, hold on, what is this book next to the phone…? allow me to pause. “affirmation for women who do too much” by adrianna carrillo… now hold on, i need to look into this… 

okay, so it doesn’t seem to be a real book, but instead a play on “meditations for women who do too much”, which has a very similar book cover and was published in the 90's. huh. the more you know! i wonder if copyright laws prevented the prop team from having the real thing.

we all know that she is, in fact, a woman who does too much. so i am glad she is affirming herself.

anyway, what was going on? yes, evil doll. there's a message on the phone. she does not play it. SHE DOES TOO MUCH ALREADY!!!!

AND the policeman jack is at her door!!! noooooo, she cannot get a break!!

they find jane dead with the record player…. they're investigating at the crime scene when the cop gets a call and says "it's for you"

LMAOOO, HOW DID MULDER FIND THE POLICEMAN’S NUMBER, I’M CRYING???

(AND he says he called the hotel!! how did he find the hotel room's number?? he is a sleuth)

“hey, morning, sunshine!” he says happily (loud thumping over the phone) BAHAHA WHAT IS GOING ONNN?

he was worried about her!!! LMAOOOOO HE SAYS THEY’RE DOING CONSTRUCTION RIGHT OUTSIDE HIS WINDOW, BUT HE WAS REALLY JUST BOUNCING HIS BASKETBALL BAHAHAA

awwww, he really WAS worried... he gets separation anxiety. that damn ball of his gets good use when he is nervous!!

omg… we finally get a decent look at his wall art while he is standing there in his underwear…. it’s just houses. sort of abstract, colorful, houses. with heavy lines. hmm. i will make assumptions on his character based on this.

BAHAHA AND MULDER THINKS THERE’S A SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION FOR HER CASE oh my gosh he thinks it’s dancing sickness KING, SHE KNOWS WHAT THAT IS!!!

why is the only thing this man has in his fridge a bottle of orange juice? and it is presumably expired, because he makes an awful face when he takes a sip, and then we see that it says “oct 97” on the carton, which i take it is not. so is this set in 98? early 98? since we just passed chrismas?

god. how has he stayed alive this long? is there some sort of cafeteria at the FBI he sustains himself with?

LMAO HE SPITS THE JUICE BACK OUT AND SHE HANGS TF UP BAHAHAAA

she has had enough!! she called this guy jack and said maybe we need to keep our minds open to extreme possibilities (gasp!) LMAOOO “okay, but aren’t you on vacation?” <- SHE NEEDS A RAISE!! MAYBE IF YOU COULD DO YOUR JOB, JACK, SHE COULD TAKE A VACATION FOR REAL!!

now polly and the doll are back at home, and OH, the doll is breathing as the two sleep next to each other. this is not something that i care for. melissa is trying to do something to stop the doll's reign of terror, but it opens its eyes and catches her…. so she cries downstairs. NO! not a dead buddy vision!!!!

LMAOOO meanwhile scully is utterly gagged at the size of this lobster she’s splitting with jack: “that looks like something out of jules verne. we’re supposed to eat that?” <- SHE’S SUCH A NERD I’M CRYINGGGG

she really is experiencing new england culture shock and it is hilarious

she’s trying to learn about melissa’s husband’s death as jack manhandles this lobster. the boat he died on is out the window…

this damn doll keeps replaying the hokey pokey over and over again. count your days, demon!!!

ohhh, buddy is here at melissa's place to take her into the station!!! and he sees the doll open her doll eyes….

scully is trying to figure out wtf went down the night melissa’s husband died, as she now talks to this grizzled old sailor who was there with him on that fateful evening

“i told my story to the chief”, he says; “people’s story’s change”, she answers <- ohhhh yeah, she IS a noir detective, yes ma’am!

omg, melissa's husband/polly's dad found that freaky ass doll in the ocean!!! it was the night before polly's birthday, so he thought it was a gift from the sea!! and he heard the doll talking…. and then the old grizzled fisherman found melissa’s husband with the HOOK THROUGH HIS SKULL BLEUGGHHH?

(this episode was funny but the gore was SHEESH)

ohhh, and he put together that the doll was involved when he saw them in the store that morning

(her phone rings) “oh hey, i thought you weren’t answering your cell phone” he’s TWIRLING the literal phone line while he calls her i’m CRYING this man is down TERRIBLE

OHHH HE IS TRYING TO FIND ANOTHER SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION WHEN SHE ASKS IF THERE ARE ANY REFERENCES IN OCCULT LITERATURE TO EVIL DOLLS LMAOOOO

he starts explaining and then she says that she “was just curious”, probably because his heart would be broken if he knew she found a haunted doll without him. turns out there is quite a history of them in new england!

“i would suggest that you check the back of the doll for a-a plastic ring with a string on it” (she rolls her eyes and hangs up) 

LMAOOOOOO STOP my face hurts from smiling at this episode. why is he like that!

poor melissa is crying, making popcorn at the stove for the screaming polly, while BUDDY IS DEAD ON THE FLOOR!!!!!! NO MELISSA!!

she hammers the windows and doors shut even more…. but the doll cannot stand the pounding!!! and melissa sees herself dead in the window!!!! nooo!

scully and jack roll up just in time to either save the day or watch it get much, much worse. 

omfg is melissa gonna set the whole house on fire?????? but she can’t get a match to light!!!! the doll keeps blowing it out!!!

from outside the house, scully sees buddy dead on the floor!!!! and the doll won’t let melissa grab a knife!!!! but the demon doll somehow opens up the locked cabinet and gets the hammer!!!!

scully is absolutely SLAMMING herself into that door to open it, but NOOOO the doll says “i don’t like you anymore” and makes melissa take the hammer and JAM IT IN HER OWN FACE?!?!?!?!?!?

scully and jack finally break in!! scully takes the doll away from polly despite her many refusals and PUTS IT IN THE MICROWAVE?? YAAAS THE DEMON CATCHES FIRE!!!!!!!!! scully is very dramatically watching that doll burn….

(this had me absolutely CRYING. she had no time for science that day. she was on vacation. if there is going to be an evil demon doll while she is off the clock, she is going to throw that mfer in the microwave and watch it go up in flames. extreme possibilities are allowed, but ONLY when it is not her duty to save the world.)

((also laughing that the doll was able to put out matches and throw knives and make people gouge out their eyes, but scully putting her in the microwave was so unpredictable this demon had zero defense against it. that, or her catholic powers simply neutralized the evil presence, rendering the doll immobile in her godly hands. i choose to imagine it is a combination of both))

while mulder is sharpening a ton of pencils and putting them in rows back in the office LMAOOOO

scully finally returns to the basement office! she tells mulder she wants to send his famous wall poster to "some guy named jack"!!! he seems unbothered by this, whereas i was shocked! and then she denies doing any work on the case while up there, saying she was just on vacation. ah, if only we could have seen her frolicking on the beach after those incidents.

what did mulder get up to while she was away? “oh god, i mean, it’s amazing what i can accomplish without incessant meddling or questioning into everything i do” (pencils begin to fall on him from the ceiling, as we pan up and see like, 40 pencils launched up there) LMAOOO

“there’s got to be an explanation” “some things are better left unexplained” fair enough

a cutscene back to maine... NOOOO, another fisherman hauls out the haunted doll while the hokey pokey ominously plays in the background 💔

i hope he promptly tossed her back into the watery grave. let her torment some fish instead.

so, final thoughts: scully putting the doll in the microwave… she really is THE final girl, huh?

this episode was soooo silly. i loved it. mulder had no brain cells. scully took a bath and made a friend who she wants to send a poster to. she is gagged by lobster. lmaoooooooo mulder missed her SO bad, he was trying to do science to impress her, bahaha. and she had her little maine shirt on!!! the role reversal of him being the science-centered one because he wants to talk to her that badly, and her being the one willing to deal with demons for a few days also killed me.

def going on the list of faves.

i think it is so funny that she was so focused on relaxing for once in her life that she truly did not give a single fuck if that doll was possessed or not. normally she would be scrambling for explanations, and today she simply did not have the time. she wanted to take a nice bubble bath, listen to orchestral music, read her little book, and if a demon was going to get in the way of that, then she would simply stop it and move along with her roadtrip. and i think that is beautiful.

and to answer my earlier question: YES, i still want a REAL joint msr vacation fic with REAL relaxation and REAL saltwater taffy and splashing and no murder dolls, but maybe like ONE ghost tour because new england is old and spooky, and then mulder can ask if they want to get married for real and they can go hiking or some other nerd activity and be happy forever and always <3 the end!

[cissa-calls]

Foreword to Agatha All Along

After years of waiting, tomorrow witches, marks the anticipated start to Agatha All Along! But, before the first two episodes stream, it's time to take one last crack at discussing some possible theories (and hopes) for the series:

Akin to how Wandavision was an exploration of American Television sitcoms, this series is partially an exploration of depictions of witchcraft and referential to horror in pop culture (the Witched Witch and Glinda from the Wizard of Oz).

Is Rio dead? How does she seem to emerge from the ground on the side of the witches road? Did she and Agatha try to walk it long ago, and Rio perished, thus she is now trapped there forever?

At some point, Agatha will end up alone. She will be walking alone because either everyone has died, or those remaining leave. This however will not be indefinite.

Conversely, it could also recall the beginning when it was just her and the teen, but just the two of them make it out.

I keep thinking of that scene with her and the teen in the metal room, where they both appear to be in patient gowns. Are they in facilities at S.W.O.R.D.? Is the teen crying because Agatha is making him walk through memories and realize his identity?

Agatha's knowledge of the road is either from the Darkhold or what Evanora taught (or rather tried to keep from her daughter).

As a green witch, Rio is connected to plants. Her costume quite literally looks like vines and roots growing are forming the bodice. Are plants relevant in the sense of bloom and regeneration? Or rather decay and withering?

Using, dismantling, subverting, or cannonizing of symbols or tools of witchcraft. From kitschy to terrifying.

The hooded figures who appear in front of the teen, is there one for each member of the coven? Is it a haunted form of themselves, or a twisted appartion assigned to capture each?

Part of this story is found family, and Agatha's fear of comraderie. Built off a lifetime of distrust, backstabbing, and taking, Agatha has to learn to trust. In a similar vein, Agatha has no sense of comfort or home.

The scene where Agatha's face is covered in small cuts or splatters of blood. Either that is the cataylst to a glorifying rise near the end of the show, or a horrifying turn of seemingly irredemtion.

Rio was once Agatha's companion, her only companion. A betrayal between the two sent Agatha into permanent solitude.

I sincerely hope this show explores horror and gives into the darkness that Multiverse of Madness teased. Comic relief is a needed presence, but the tone is overall geared towards darker themes and storylines

Speaking of darkness - night! The majority of this series will take place at night! At least the juicy and important scenes.

DOES AGATHA POSSESS THE DARKHOLD AGAIN OR WAS ITS APPEARANCE IN A FLASHBACK

When Agatha was young and on the run, she was targeted for possessing the Darkhold.

Rio and Agatha...history may call them the best of friends.

The Ballad of the Witche's Road might be sung in several versions/genre's (we've already heard two)

More lyrics of the ballad will be revealed and sung as the story progresses.

The Witches Road may be terrible, but it is a unifying force as it welcomes everyone. Remember the lyrics: "Seekest thou the road, all that's foul and fair," the road is a living thing, inviting everyone but casting judgement on those who can achieve

I will cry at some point. I am certain this will break me just as Wandavision broke me.

The glowing tree in the middle of the Witch's Road has something hidden beneath and growing within the roots. (Is it the heart of the Road, because it is a living legend?)

Each of the witches will have to confront their greatest fears manifested as scenes, memories, or landscapes of their personal hells. Only when they begin to trust each other or confront/admit their weakness can their proceed. Agatha would obviously have the final and hardest challenge.

Without her magic, such a core tenant of her identity and confidence, Agatha will be even more combatative and threatening (borne entirely out of insecurity).

Agatha's cameo, and the lock of hair in it, is a reminder of her humanity and connection.

At some point, Agatha will break, spilling out centuries worth of every held back, messy emotion (and Kathryn Hahn will SERVE).

Perhaps it is based on the obvious Eve allegory, but there will be more biblical allegories or subversions. Is Agatha being born anew?

Teen and Señor Scratchy bond. It is likely a trauma bond. (The rabbit may also gain a more horrifying form or eat an entire monster/adversary)

Elaborate outfit reveal. ELABORATE FINALE COSTUME OUTFIT REVEAL! AGATHA ACHIEVES ENLIGHTMENT AND HER MOST POWERFUL FORM WHEN SHE FINALLY RECLAIMS HER MAGIC...possibly foiling Wanda when she became the Scarlet Witch.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it will be interesting to compare these ideas to how the show actually plays out. In all of this excitement, there is still a touch of trepidation. After pouring so much love into counting down the days to release and yielding art, writing, research, and costumes for this character, Agatha has remained a fun force of exploration and expression for me. However, the excitement over seeing where Kathryn Hahn takes the character next assuages any and all fears, as we finally will confront who exactly Agatha was all along.

Get ready witches, it's time to walk the road.

[hello-from-nrc-infirmary]

Vern's Ceremonial Robes: Plants need sun

“The nature of your soul is…. Diasomnia”

The dark mirror’s choice seemed to make sense. At least, the other new fae students were also in the same dorm. His talent for defense and healing were probably the biggest contributors to the decision. However, he silently doubts his abilities could match most of the others in his dorm. It soon became clear to him that his own reservations would be the least of his concerns.

-A few months later-

The constant gloom and stormy atmosphere of the dorm made it difficult for Vern to sleep at night. At least, night was what he would call it when the dorm grew darker and the slight chill in the halls started to nip at his skin. He had decided to return to the dorm late that day. It was a small attempt to hopefully enjoy the sunlight before going to his dorm.

The glow of the fireplace caught his eye as he reached the lounge. He was familiar with the blazing anger of forest fires and had painfully danced with them. These flames were… different. Glancing at the time, he picks a spot on the sofa closest to the strange green flames. He only meant to watch them for a few moments. They were oddly calming. Blinking to break the hold they had on him, he opens his textbook, pausing to set the paper inside of it next to him. Vern was a little behind in history and was hoping to do some more catch.

Curfew was a loose term in Diasomnia. A majority of the fae he had met over the past week were mostly nocturnal, including his own roommates. Luckily, the one that was always around the dorm didn’t question Vern’s sleeping habits, or current lack of them. He told himself that it wasn’t his fault. The flashes of lightning through the windows were his silent reminder of the permanent storm.

An abrupt crash of thunder jolted his system. A wave of nausea and panic sent his heart racing as he tried to calm his breathing. The shadows in the room seemed longer and darker than before. His tie suddenly being loosened made him cast for vines to burst from the cracks in the floor.

“Dear me, you have quite the set of thorns on you.”

Vern blinks, trying to focus on who was in front of him.  “O-oh… Lilia? I’m umm… so sorry…”

“Knee hee, it’s quite alright. I must’ve given you quite the fright while you were in such a state.”

“I… um… y-yeah… I suppose you umm… did…”

“Knee hee, no worries. Had I wished, I could have been truly terrifying. But, what was it that caused your hair to gray?”

“M-my hair?! Ummm... h-has it really?!?!”

He frantically reaches up to pull some of his hair into view. Lilia's laughter was filtered to the back of his mind. Had... his magic gotten that low already? He goes quiet as flakes of what appear to be ash fall from a streak of gray.

Lilia calms down after Vern's face drops, “your appearance has only grown more sullen lately. Are a type of sprite?”

“O-oh… umm… y-yes, I’m a Spring Sprite from the Phant- ummmm… I mean, the Paradise Mountains.”

“Ah, yes. Spring Sprites haven’t been seen in Briar Valley for a few hundred years.”

“Yeah…. my mother told me um… stories about the ummm… conflicts that drove her to umm… leave. She settled in the um… Phantasia Montes….”

“Goodness, she sounds like quite the globetrotter. I’d love to hear some of the tales she has.”

“Yeah... she umm… was, “ Vern smiles sadly, “I can umm… do my best to um… recall them for you sometime. I was quite umm… young when I was told about them.”

“That’d be lovely! Ah, right, do you know who this dorm transfer form belongs to?”

Vern’s amber eyes widen at the paper, “o-oh, umm… that’s mine, I guess..”

He gently takes it and looks it over for the thousandth time that week.

“You plan on transferring dorms? May I inquire why?”

“It’s my umm… roommates’ suggestion. You um… mentioned that I appear umm… sullen? It’s from the ummm…. atmosphere here, I think. It’s not um… very nourishing for diurnal fae, especially a Spring Sprite.”

“Ah, that does explain why students have found you nodding off at various times of the day.”

Vern nods, “yes. My only umm.. challenge is that I um… don’t know which dorm to transfer to.”

Lilia crosses an arm across himself while lifting the opposite hand towards his chin.

“Hmmm.... Which ones are you considering?”

“Octavinelle seemed like a ummm… decent option, with the um.. spirit of benevolence but…" Vern shakes his head, "their dorm is ummm… underwater.”

“And plants need sun to flourish. Have you considered Pomefiore? Malleus has mentioned that your knowledge of potions is inimitable.”

Vern blinks at that, his cheeks tinting pink, “o-oh… umm… I appreciate the praise. I… hadn’t um… considered it. I’m ummm… not one for um…. fashion and umm… curses, but… perhaps Pomefiore would...”

He goes quiet for a few minutes before smiling, “your insight is umm… truly helpful. It is um…. A bit late for ummm… me, though.”

“Khee hee hee, yes! Youngsters do need their sleep,” Lilia snickers.

Vern giggles, “yeah… umm…. have a good night.”

He hurries out of the lounge, not wanting to stop until the door of his dorm was shut behind him. His white-haired roommate hadn’t noticed his return thanks to his headphones. Leaning against the sturdy wood, he looks back at the transfer form in his hand.

“Pomefiore…” he mumbles to himself, a small smile tugging at his lips, “I think… yes… that will do nicely”

[ask-elland-n-will]

22) Does your MC have any pets? 😌

I'm excluding owls form this cause obviously everyone has an owl.

☀️ William: a flying horse he used to race on, Granian breed. Never gave them a name! I'm sure there were small pets here and there, like puffskeins, but he was always overenthusiastic about them, resulting in the creatures skattering away. Horses were always fine with him though. I'm sure Papa had a dog or two at some point. But with Will as Hogwarts, there wasn't anything he could bring with him. William will get a dog eventually when he settles down, whatever breed he agrees on with Elland/Monty/other SO (mostly likely something big and fluffy).

🌙 Elland: no pets. His family's horses don't count, it's not the same bond as what Will shares with his Granian, though both Elland and Cyrus know how to take care of horses and frequently ride. Elland might get a dog but depends on AU. In Auror AU it'll only happen if he already has a partner and when he learns to take care of himself and take breaks instead staying at work till midnight. A pet deserves attention, so two people at home at least are a must. He gets the dog sooner in other AUs (mind-healer, professor, or og firework business owner with his brother) because he won't be risking his life and will be with them more often.

🧨 Cyrus is not great with pets, mostly because he is not as attentive as a pet owner should be. He would get lost in his projects, forget to feed the animal or check its water. Not because he doesn't like a pet or wishes it harm but because he is all over the place, doing 1000 things at once. There are always important projects or pranks to attend to, not a quiet slice of life to enjoy.

Elland gifted Cyrus a cactus as a form of a bet at some point: Cyrus has to keep it alive or he loses The Game. Yes, it is that simple to get Cyrus to agree to something he doesn't want to do, just get his sense of pride involved, and Cyrus hates losing bets when it comes to something he can easily do. He just has to water this blasted thing every other week to a month, right?

He certainly forgot about it on a number of occasions. And every time he remembers, he freaks out. Loosing is only part of it, though he would never openly admit it. Most of all he hates the idea of disappointing his brother. The cactus is Elland's gift after all. Every time the plant miraculously survives. But it is not as much about Cyrus being there at the last moment as it is about Elland placing a charm on said cactus. It would survive even without water although it would still be needed for the cactus to actually grow.

Elland is aware of how much Cyrus looks up to him. A little pet project to make his brother more aware of the things that depend on him. Perhaps in the future it will help Cyrus out when it comes to taking care of things that do not bring immediate gratification or aren't there to entertain.

Cyrus ended up slapping googly eyes on it. Sometimes he talks to it about his projects. Sometimes he charms other things onto it to make it less boring. With time he'll come to understand what Elland did, especially when Elland graduates, leaving Cyrus alone in Year 7. And with time, he will also start watering it regularly. He won't ever disappoint his brother!

And then there's a whole situation with pet rocks. He got them as prizes at an Easter event, he was intent on beating Elland at who can collect more Easter Eggs (Elland won). All the rocks he has are special, some are named after his classmates, and one — a reimagining of what de Strontiums would've been like if Elland and Cyrus had a sister.

TLDR: Cyrus cannot have pets, he'll literally just forget.

🌸 Lilith? Does she have a pet? Did she have a pet? Will somebody be her pet? Nobody will ever know but there are rumours she befriended a bear cub in the wild when she was a kid. Or was it a tiger when she was on a trip with her parents that one summer? Who knows.

[electronicclowncollector]

WHY BICKSLOW IS HORRIBLE

In the Fairy Tail Canon, Bickslow Is the clear antagonist, yet people still seem to justify his actions and say that he belongs in the Fairy Tail guild despite this (mostly Macao, but we all know why that is). But in my essay I’m going to explain to you why you should hate bickslow and how he really isnt one of those cool villain characters that people justify because they’re cool (shadow the hedgehog). From his many many crimes to how he’s almost caused the worlds end in the Fairy Tail Canon.

This clearly shows that bickslow STOLE Stings jacket and tore it apart to make some pathetic cloak that doesn’t even go all the way down. He does NOT pull that look as well, making it even more of a crime. Whats WORSE is the fact that THAT JACKET is ROGUES FAVOURITE. Sting wasn’t more then mildly annoyed by the loss of his jacket, but ROGUE LOVED IT. Sting only really wore it because rogue liked it. Even though he’s had it for 10 years and its waay too small for him (sting had the sleeves stretched to fit his arms, he really didn’t want to reveal that much shoulder but it was for rogues sake). If this hasn’t at the very least planted a seed of doubt in your mind, then CLEARLY you need to refer to my stingue essay.

Following this point, we’ve now got our first piece of evidence that Bickslow is evil, we can move onto the next related point. Bickslow HATES STINGUE. It’s not clear for first time viewers but for a veteran and expert like me, it’s very clear to see. In one of the most commonly referred to Stingue panels during the Dark Destiny Arc, (or at least it would have been if bickslow weren’t there), Rogue and Sting are teaming up to fight the morally complex Levia and the other dragon that probably didn’t actually show up to the battle, when BICKSLOW (more like badslow) THIRD WHEELED THEIR DRAGON KILLING DATE.

This is incredibly evil, the two main characters of the series were having an iconic moment when BICKSTUPID came in and RUINED It by trying to finish stings sentence and ending up making absolutely no sense at all. And this was clearly malicious, bickslow could’ve probably smelled the romance in the air and went to RUIN it by third wheeling. This is just the start of his streak of ruining romances.

My next point relates to something that occurred nearly 5 years ago. The C virus epidemic, a very dark time in recent years, where the world was plagued with tragedy. You might think that I’m about to say that bickslow caused this. No. he was stupid. He didn’t understand what the big deal was, he WAS MALICIOUSLY STUPID ABOUT MASKS. See the image below.

He knew full well that neither his nose and mouth were covered when he was in public spaces without a mask, he was actively spreading the virus. Thank goodness karma saved the day by giving him the C virus, which annoyingly he recovered from, out of all people it should have been someone else, but he did, probably from making a deal with the fairy devil satan or whoever it would be that he could make a deal with.

My next point is a big one but not the biggest in this essay. One of Bickslows favourite hobbies is taking innocent towns hostage so that the mayor will pay him off in dragonberry cheese (also who the hell eats dragonberry cheese, he’s the only guy in the franchise who doesn’t eat them raw and cheeseless). He has done this over 20 times throughout the runtime of the manga, anime and games. Here is a map I’ve created where the towns that Bickslow hasn’t taken hostage have been removed.

Most people are only aware of 1 or two, but if you look in the background of certain frames that happen in towns, you’ll see newspapers that if you enhance the quality of, will tell  you all about how bickslow took another town hostage. You may be asking, why does natsu let him stay in the fairy tail guild? Simple. Because A. Macao insists on natsu letting him stay (for obvious reasons), and B. Because Bickslows father, Sir Bobslow the 3rd founded the fairy tail guild (before he went insane, married a long tongued unspeakable creature and had her give birth to bickslow). So if Bickslow was removed there would surely be revolt.

And now for my final point, the most undeniably horrible of them all, and the reason why I made this essay. The straw that broke the camels back so to speak. On @Lilacharbour ‘s tomodachi life island, Bickslow attempted to confess his love to YUKINO OF ALL PEOPLE. Which any follower of this blog should know that canonically to fairy tail she likes me (proof below)

but STUPIDSLOW tried his shot and rightfully got rejected, because nobody could love him solely because of this crime of a confession. Here is some footage I found from the confession (I struggled to copy paste this image as it made my cry almost)

This is a crime against humanity, it doesn’t even rhyme, he has 0 rizz and it shows. Thankfully Yukino put him in his place.

In conclusion, Bicksad is absolutely horrible and I really think he should leave fairy tail, not just the guild, but the franchise, just so I can show him this essay. I hope you enjoyed. If I have yet to convince you, don’t worry, I’m fine with that, I hate only bickslow, not his fans. But just know your opinion is wrong.

[cloudyswritings]

hollow knight biology: Vessels

so I’ve been on a hollow knight kick again and it’s got me thinking about why the vessels grow the way they do. Specifically why THK and the Broken Vessel are much larger than the others we see in game despite being nominally the same age. This really stumped me for a while but the more I thought about their parentage the more it made sense. See we know the vessels hatched in eggs in the abyss, or rather what look like eggs, but the thing is we also know based on the size that it was the White Lady who made them(keep in mind that gender doesn’t matter all that much for gods, look at Loki in Norse mythology for that) . That would mean that the vessels actually came out of seeds of some sort.

Okay, you may be saying but what does that matter for the growth of the vessels? A whole damn lot actually, because knowing that the vessels are at least partially plant and came from seeds mean that we can apply some behaviors related to plant growth to them. A ton of species of plant will grow less, or present a different phenotype if conditions aren’t optimal for growth. Oftentimes this translates to a lack of resources or nutrients and occasionally inadequate lighting. Now, given that we’ve never seen vessels eat in game, and they are mute I’d assume it’s fair to say they have no mouth, leaving us with two resources they could be exposed to. Soul and Light.

If we take a look at THK and BV it becomes clear that THK has been clearly exposed to soul(given their soul magic swords as pure vessel) and Light(both from their Father and Radiance). BV on the other hand was at very least exposed to light through the Radiance, although this appears to have happened after their death and their ghost is still the same size. That leaves soul unaccounted for, but it’s entirely possible that like Little Ghost they could have learned to use soul along the way.

Essentially what I see happening is that vessels start out very small and underdeveloped until they’re exposed to Soul and Light in large enough quantities. A lack of one or both can stunt growth, this is why BV is shorter than THK. As vessels grow their mask functions a bit like the bark of a tree, with each year of growth sitting on top of the last— this translates into the mask mechanic in game and also explains why THK and BV are much more durable than Little Ghost is, they’ve simply had better growing conditions. This would also explain why falling from the climb into the abyss was fatal to the majority of vessels but not little ghost. They actually got close enough to take in some of the Pale kings light before falling, and thus were just durable enough to survive the landing. Additionally the need for light and soul would explain why the vessels were instinctively drawn upwards towards the king when they hatched. Plus the image of little plant babies is very cute to me. In short, vessels are trees and Light + Soul = Growth

[psycheetamore]

So, what about those Giedi Prime parties?

Must be a place for "boundless freedoms, sexual and otherwise"... this is where my true exploration started, so let me take you along for a small tour.

Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen: playboy number 1 from Giedi Prime, perhaps even from the entire known universe (in my head in any case). Tried to do some AI prompts to see how that would look... well, let's agree it does not beat the real thing (we need a Dune prequel - there are so many thingsI want to learn about Feyd), so we need to do some world building.

He deserves a grand party! And the best parties are those where people let loose, are free, protected, follow their instincts. Underground. The harsh sounds from techno. Unforgiving yet embracing. Anonymous yet together. chapter 18 of Choosing to Follow Destiny:

The lord grabbed her hand to draw her into the belly of the building. He had never been as intimate with her like this in the vicinity of others. She whispered in his ear: “lord Harkonnen, what is this place?” He briefly stopped as he held her hand against his chest and said: “on this planet we give no freedom, apart from this place I create every year. This is a sanctuary of boundless liberties and unprecedented equality. Here, people let go. But, as a word of caution: within this freedom lies danger. Having survived this party is a badge of honour.”

Tbh, I was quite inspired by this amazing spotify playlist gem feyd's certified bangers.

So yeah, that is what I wanted to give him. From chapter 18 of Choosing to Follow Destiny:

Surrounded by sweating bodies her body could do nothing but join their worship of the punishing sounds initiated by a person standing behind a controlling device on a podium. Her limbs moved to the heavy, powerful, deep tones that transitioned through and took hold of her. Her motions were as repetitive as the blasts that came out of the audio systems.

Soon, she lost all sense of herself, of her surroundings, of everything that could be distinguished, of time and place. She had become part of the ritual being executed. She was present and absent at the same time. She was engulfed in and oblivious of her surroundings at the same time.

She was free and imprisoned at the same time.

She was everything and nothing.

She understood the appeal of this temporary world.

She had lost herself.

And the club needs to be fierce. The building that had me inspired is below (iykyk...).

From chapter 18 (a tiny piece - I have described this building in waaaaay more detail):

He settled on top of one of the seemingly abandoned factories. He did not offer his hand to allow her to get out of the vehicle, but lifted her out on the roof, getting her to place her hands on his forearms and feel the muscles contract. As always, he knew what he was doing, and his face showed this. He was so pleased with himself.

[...]

As she looked around, she noticed they were standing on a concrete slab with large irregular gullies that could only come from harsh weather conditions, combined with at least decades of abstinence of maintenance. At some places moss and small plants had overtaken the gullies, proving that natural life, however limited and only for the most resilient of plants, was possible on this planet. Beyond this rooftop, many other evicted buildings were located. Some still seemed to be in pretty good shape, while others had seen better times, back when their interior wasn't exposed to the open air with the help of then still present cladding.

[...]

At the bottom of the stairs she placed her entire hand on the cool construction material while stopping the na-Baron before he could open yet another door. She felt she belonged in this place. After a moment of contemplation, she drew him to her, placed her arms over his shoulders and captured his lips. He pinned her against the wall, grabbing one of her legs to place himself against her. He was ready again. But she would not entertain him now, nor here. She got all the information she needed to know, as she pushed him away, forcing him to painfully tear his bottom lip from her teeth, and opened the door to go through first.

[...]

As if it was water, music came flowing from every part of the building to reach her ears and body. This utilitarian building could not have been anything else than be purposely made for this goal. Step by step she started to understand Feyd-Rautha's love for Barony.

And if you have recognised this beauty, then you will also know which way the party will go down and why chapter 19 is called "Boundless freedoms, sexual and otherwise". To give a first glance into the second room our lead lord and lead lady entered:

Sounds seemed to fade away, as she started to notice just how the couches were being used: as a place for exploration and play. For finding new acquaintances and improving relationships. Rhythmic movements, caressing of all different body parts, feet in the air, breasts uncovered, moans, women riding men surrounded by people pleasuring themselves, screeches of climaxes, men holding women’s hips thrusting while being touched by others, women kissing every body part getting near their mouths, screams of pleasure, men licking entire limbs covered by fluids, people tied up, walking on leashes, being spanked. All with masks, nobody recognisable, all hierarchy left at the door.

[...]

Feyd-Rautha had crept up behind her, massaging her shoulders, his sultry voice asked: “do you like what you see?”

[...]

She removed herself from the bed, grabbed the discarded bands and threw them on his chest. Before saying anything, she sat on top of him, with only a few layers of cloths acting as last remaining fort to be concurred between them. While she removed her cape, she said: “you know what to do with those, lord Harkonnen” as she slapped his face with her open palm.

[...]

She did not make it easy for him to put himself in these could-be-cuffs, as she rode on him. Every fibre in him needed to concentrate to do as she wanted. New territories for a man used to being in absolute control.

Once he had completed this task, she connected the carbines to the rings of the cufflinks. He was bound to the bed and subject to her fantasies.

After this it gets NSFW/not suited for minors... the first draft was Berlin underground rave culture inspired smut. Second and third draft: just decided to go overboard. Over 6k words of smut 🫣

[the-starry-seas]

writing a little bit to see if i like whisper's pronoun change

Blue isn't the slightest bit surprised when Whisper takes one look at a pond full of frogs and walks straight into the water. That's the sort of behaviour that he's come to expect of xei since they moved here. Well, since they were cadets, really. He'd lost count of the number of times that xe snuck out of the barracks to feed crumbs to the sea mice that swarmed around the Kaminoan docks.

Got in trouble for it a few times, too. Racer or Fury would take the blame when they went with xei, but Whisper hadn't always allowed them to. The Kaminoans weren't here to scold them, though, so... xe could do whatever xe wanted.

And to nobody's surprise, xe wanted to catch frogs.

"Do you have any idea what you're going to do with those if you get one?" Blue asks.

Xe stops a moment, water rippling around xeim legs, and frowns at him like xe's having some kind of realisation.

"Told Fury to bring me a big plastic box with a lid."

And as long as he listened, there won't be anything to worry about... but he's not always great at listening. Or at not getting distracted. Blue loves all of his batchmates - knows they all love each other, too - but he's also aware of their flaws. Fury's tend to involve details. Doesn't matter what kind.

"Hah," Whisper mutters, and he realises xe actually managed to catch a frog in xeim hands.

Huh.

Not that he'd really doubted xei, because xe was fast and agile, but so were frogs. He was never able to catch any of the creatures that got loose on their ship. Always been small ones, fortunately. Xe has sense. Something he can't say for other clones, like Racer.

"Hold this one," xe instructs him.

"No thank you."

"Hold the karking frog, Blue."

He groans to himself and edges toward the water, frowning the moment it starts seeping through his shoes. The things he does for his squad...

The frog is needlessly large, in his opinion. He needs both hands to take it from Whisper and hold it so it won't escape. Or at least he hopes that's what he's doing.

By the time Fury shows up with the box, Whisper's managed to catch two more. And through some feat that Blue still can't figure out, the second frog was caught with only one hand.

"You take too long," xe informs Fury as he opens the lid of the box. The frogs are gently placed inside, and the lid placed back on top, once Blue deposits his frog as well.

"That's not my fault," he says, rolling his eyes. "Racer wanted to microwave the box to see what happened and I had to find her another one to play with."

"Mm," xe mutters, giving him a disapproving look before turning back to the pond.

Blue has no idea why he hangs around after that. It's not like supervision has ever worked on these people. They do what they want, and he has little affect on their bullshit, when they're not on the battlefield. He's curious about the end goal with the frogs, though.

"Aren't these the poisonous ones?" Fury asks, leaning over the box more so he can get a better look at them.

"Yes. Which is different from venomous, which is what you're thinking of." Xe doesn't even look at him as xe says it, too busy scuffing xeim hands down the front of xeim shirt before getting back in the water.

"You don't know that."

Whisper doesn't seem inclined to dignify that with a response.

Instead xe dives under the surface, and Blue can only gape briefly at xei. Or rather, the water where xe disappeared. Who does that? Well, at least xe's entertaining xeiself. A bored Whisper is restless like a caged animal. Which is in blessed contrast to the dangerously chaotic duo of Racer and Fury, but still, not exactly ideal.

By the time Whisper tires xeiself out, xe's caught upwards of twenty frogs, but xe only keeps four of them in the box. The others are allowed to stampede back toward the water. Blue wisely stays out of their way.

"Do you have... plans for those?" he can't help asking, because he sees mud and water and plants going in the box alongside them, and he can't help but wonder if they're intended to be kept long-term.

"Yes," Whisper says, and shuts the lid.

"Would you like to share your plans?"

"No."

And with that, xe's off, carrying one side of the box as Fury carries the other. Blue can only sigh, and get up to follow them, holding his still-damp socks and shoes in one hand. They really don't listen to him at all. Well, at least Whisper will keep them out of his bed.

(He's blissfully unaware that in the morning, he'll wake up face-to-face with one of them, and his scream will wake up half the village. That will fortunately be the only mishap, once he helps xei fit a better lid on top of the terrarium. He'll still be glad when the frogs are released back to the pond a few weeks later.)

[pomefioredove]

Hello! It's been awhile since I've gotten a matchup done from anyone, and I really like your writing, so I'd thought I'd ask for one!

Congratulations on 500 followers by the way!!

If I were to describe myself and my personality, I think it would overall be "quiet." I very much keep to myself and don't make much of an attempt at talking to other people, but that would be because I have lingering social anxiety from my childhood. I am actually very fond of talking to new people and making conversation, but I much prefer to do that alongside someone I know. I enjoy my space and my time to myself, but I also value anyone I call "my people" (whether it be friends or family) an incredible amount and love to spend time with them.

Another thing about me is the way I love. I, for a lack of a better term, do not love gently. Once I love someone (in any way) I will never, ever, stop. No matter what. This has hurt me before, and because of this, I guard my heart very closely, and it will likely take very clear intentions from someone to convince me to let them in.

As for my interests and hobbies, I can't say that I'm all that exciting, but I do love what I do anyway. I work in a greenhouse, and was raised by a mother who loves to forage plants and mushrooms to make medical and herbal tinctures out of them! (Or just to eat lol) My hobbies include reading, drawing, and a liiiiittle bit of writing (...of any kind, really. Small poems, mini songs, ficlets... the works). Recently I've gotten into sewing as well, and I'm really enjoying it!

My lifestyle is, like me, very quiet. I live in a very small village (yes an actual village) several miles away from any real towns, so not a lot goes on around where I am. Many would consider it rather boring, and I'm probably due for some change someday (I anticipate it, really), but I'm very content with what I have right now.

And last but not least, I'm female, around 5'8"-5'9" (173 to 175 cm), have several moles dotting around here and there, and... I suppose I like to dress rather nicely? It's something I've been doing lately and I'm enjoying it quite a bit haha. If I were to describe my current style it would probably be "elegant and comfortable." Nicknames are basically second nature to me, so I often call people "dear, darling, honey, love," etc. If they're special to me, I'll tag on "my" at the beginning; "my dear, my darling, my love..." You get the idea! A last tidbit is that my love language is primarily physical touch. It's practically the life blood of the way I show affection lol.

Thank you for letting me ramble! I kind of also took this as a chance to figure out how to describe myself again lol. Take your time answering this, since I know I kind of packed a lot in here. As for what kind of matchup I want, romantic would be wonderful, and anyone in your default list will be just fine! (I love the staff, but like, platonically, you know?)

I match you with 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭

The First Impression:

Intentions don't come any clearer than from Rook. Oh, how your beauty makes him weep! Your appreciation of nature! Your love for his favorite arts!

How does he already know all that? ...Better not to question it.

Why He Fell:

Rook has an eye for beauty, which includes both outer and inner. Your elegant sense of style, combined with your natural kindness, you're the best parts of everything he loves all in one!

Perhaps it's your love of writing, or your knowledge around nature, or your shared affinity for terms of endearment, but Rook is simply drawn to you as if you're a part of him. It's a lovely, natural feeling to him, and once he's sure, he's more than clear about his intentions.

The Relationship:

Rook is truly just happy to be with you. He'll accompany you on a foraging trip through the woods, he'll indulge you in as much physical affection as you would enjoy, or he'll give you your much needed alone time when required (he understands that feeling perfectly, after all).

There is a shared sense of devotion between the two of you, one in which you know that he would never cause you any intentional harm. Rook is simply enamored with you, from your quiet disposition to the intense ways in which you feel and express love.