#because River is a Danger magnet
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Note
For the whump dialogue writes: maybe 23? For any fandom you like!!
Because I am on a roll with Slow Horses, that's the one I picked - and I'm trying to lay the groundwork for Whumpuary prompts ahead of time (for once) so this could either be 25, 19, or 11.
âIâm okay. You donât need to worry about me.â
Louisa glared down at River, eyes narrowed and he fought the urge to flinch. âI know you did not just say that to me.â
âItâs fine.â
Louisa knelt in front of him, held out her mobile, and, bizarrely enough, took a photo of Riverâs face before holding the phone out to him. She shook it gently when he didnât immediately reach for it. âGo on.â
He cautiously took it from her, and froze when he saw the photo.
âIf I looked like that â would you believe me if I said I was fine?â
#games we play#slow horses#asks answered#river cartwright#louisa guy#someone once described in their fic that Louisa was River's babysitter#and that is not wrong#Louisa is just annoyed about it#because River is a Danger magnet
16 notes
¡
View notes
Text
I do kinda feel bad for Lamb. While that whole spiel he gave Standish at the end of season one was mainly to stop her from asking questions about Partner's death, I do honestly believe he was telling the truth about why he was at Slough House. He really did choose to work at Slough House because he couldn't be a civilian but he also couldn't be out in the field anymore. He wanted to work at a place where nothing really mattered, where he could run out the clock (and part of me thinks the whole being a slob and not caring at all for his physical health is his way of trying to run that clock out a little faster), where he didn't have to worry about killing anyone, or worry about any of his people getting killed or hurt, and at first it was fine, it was just what he wanted
And then comes River Cartwright.
Lamb went to Slough House to be as far away from people like David Cartwright as possible and then here comes his freaking grandson. His grandson who is now one of his Joes, so he has to care, but it's fine, because he doesn't really, because this is Slough House and they don't do anything even remotely dangerous. He gets to sit around and insult River all day. It's perfect. Except that River Cartwright is a danger magnet, who's going to charge headfirst into danger, who's not going to listen, no matter what Lamb says. Lamb tells him to just drop the file off at the Park, don't do anything else, but no, River sticks his nose right into that mess and now Lamb has to get up and go break him out of the hospital closet and get him away from the Dogs. Lamb doesn't involve him in figuring out what happened to Dickie, but River goes off on his own and pieces everything together and plans to go to Cotswold even before Lamb tells him to. Lamb tells him to stay at Slough House to sort out the files, but no, River decides to try to save Standish himself and now Lamb has to get him out of the Park and away from the Dogs again.
The man just wanted a break. He just wanted to live the last few of his years not caring about anything, and then he gets dragged back into the life he tried to leave by the grandson of the very man who caused him to leave in the first place. He just wanted to get as close to retiring as he possibly could, and instead ended up in charge of disaster spy
#slow horses#jackson lamb#river cartwright#though honestly#I think he missed being out in the field#there is something to be said though#about how much lamb cares#for someone who is very adamant about not caring#he remembers ever death#even from the beginning of his career and he was so worn down by that#by what he was forced to do that he tried his best to never be put in a position like that again#but of course ends up caring anyway#because he just#can't not care
190 notes
¡
View notes
Text
high for this - mv1 fluff + smut (part two of i wanna be yours)
pairing: max verstappen x fem!reader
a/n: im so proud to finallyyy post this and im so sorry to everyone who had to wait months and months for this but it's finally out and I hope you enjoy it���
requests that came together and inspired this series:
⢠nsfw prompts 9-13 (in pt. 2)
⢠'listen up. Obsessive possessive crazy max for sweet innocent reader smut.'
⢠'ok so we need dark FICS of any driver of your choice but make him very obsessive and possessive and don't forget the smut. Keep it up girlllll!!!'
taglist<3: @flucffyseven @avg-golden-retriever @pxppeypianotme@annewithaneofthegreengable @herefortheteadandthed @ananyasr1bughead @sp1cycurry @rhey-007 @larastark3107 @sarahedwards16 @bbeeth @lpab @yourneighbourhoodfriendlywitch @alwaysboredsworld @lexiecamposv @vellicora @depressedriches @snugbug@omgsuperstarg
summary: a date with max + smut <3 (part 2)
warnings: fluff, smut, choking, loss of virginity, unprotected sex, fingering, oral (f receiving), penetration, edging, overstimulation, begging, dirty talk, obsessive max, degradation and praise at the same timeđ¤¨
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
you and max's steps were perfectly in sync as you made your way down the streetlight lit sidewalk. the rest of the world fell away behind you as he captured all your attention.
you'd managed to let go of some of the nervousness that previously flooded your mind. the quietness of the night and the magnetic aura of the man beside you was calming.
you're holding his hand a little tighter than necessary, but you cant help it. your hand in his just felt so nice, so right.
you'd never felt that anyone had touched you with true passion. no one had touched you in the way that made you feel like your souls were colliding. and the feeling of max's hand left you craving more, made your legs weak.
"max," you look up at him.
"yeah?" he answers, meeting your gaze.
"when you driveâ" you pause, wondering how to word the question youd been longing to ask. "âare you ever...scared?"
he raises his eyebrows, smiling a little.
"no, never."
"so, dying, it never crossed your mind while you're in the car?"
he presses his tongue to the inside of his cheek, considering your words.
"no, it doesn't. why?" he looks at you expectantly.
"i just, i dont know. i always think about that. it seems terrifying to me but it just doesn't seem to affect you." you fidget with your necklace.
"i guess... you just get used to it. i know its dangerous but, it doesnt really bother me because i know that im in control."
control was apparently something max liked quite a lot. you were slowly beginning to realize that.
"we're almost there" he says, something in his voice makes you shiver.
he tugs on your hand, leading you around a sharp corner.
you catch your breath, gasping softly. in front of you was a steep drop off that led to the river below. the glimmering lights of downtown stretched out ahead of you.
the sight was so breathtaking beautiful you couldnt tear your eyes away.
max however, wasn't interested in any of it. he had a much more interesting view right in beside of him.
your eyes were big and shining in awe, stray strands of hair littering your face. your mouth slightly open, your breathing deep and slow. the grip you had on maxs loosened slightly. you looked angelic, fragile.
if max could have his way he would have fucked you right there until you screamed so loud the others back at the restaurant would've heard.
but he supposed he could wait alittle longer before he pulled something like that.
"iâ" you truly cant find the words. you slowly turn to look at max. you're struck by how handsome he looks in the dim light of the street lamps " thank you for..." your eyes flicker over his features "bringing me here."
you wished he would've kissed you, in fact you were desperate for it. but he didn't.
"anytime," he smiles, looking to at the sky, letting go of your hand and sitting down on the grass.
you sit next to him, leaning into him a little, you realized how tired you were. you rest your head on his shoulder.
the scent of your shampoo, your perfume, messed with his head.Â
sitting there, with the moon and city lights brightening the night and stars twinkling over head, you would have fallen asleep. but at some point, max had started absent mindedly tracing patterns on your thigh.
the slow, careful motions of his fingers made you dizzy.
finally, after over an hour of you wrapped in maxs arms, sitting under the night sky, he nudged you softly.
"come on y/n," his voice is gentle as he tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. you were grateful the dim lighting hid your blush. "i'll take you home."
you nod sleepily. "ok," you sigh as he helps you stand up. he puts his arm around you once again as you make your way to his car, his bodyheat the perfect contrast to the night breeze that swirled around you.
"thanks again max, that was fun". you mumble. hearing you say his name like that, and while you were in such a vulnerable state made him swallow the emotions that simmered within him.
"im happy you liked it y/n,"
 °~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
it's just before 9 in the morning as you make your way into hq. he's beside you before you even make it to the building. max seemed to have a knack for finding you.
you two being seen together had become a regular occurence. rumours were beginning to spark in the red bull team.
over the last few days, people had certainly began to notice that max had a special soft spot just for you.
it was impossible not to pick up on the way he looked at you, the way his gaze lingered. the way he found any excuse to talk to you, to touch you, to be around you.
he was constantly distracted by you. his demeanor always changing when you were around. you were the sun and he was captured in your orbit.
"hey mooi (beautiful)"
you recognize his voice immediately.
you laugh a little at the unfamiliar word. "what does that mean?"
max only smiles and shakes his head, chuckling to himself.
"nothing" he says, you brush the comment off.
"i was thinking, tonight i signed us up for a pottery class. i just remembered you saying something about it the other day."
you stop walking, turning to face him. he smiles when he sees the admiration and surprise that's written all over your face.
"it's at seven, if you're not busy."
it was so thoughtful, so sweet, so astonishing. max verstappen wanted to take you on a date. to a pottery class, because he heard you 'saying something about it the other day'. feelings wash over you. you're speechless.
you smile, warmth spreading across your body. "yes of course." you bite your lip. "that's so sweet of you max."
"well, i'll see you tonight then." his voice resonates across your whole body.
 °~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
you spent the whole evening getting ready. you were too anxious to do anything else. the idea of going on a date with max verstappen had you jittery.
you wanted everything to be perfect. you relished the time you spent showering, doing your nails and your hair. putting on your makeup and your white dress.
you're ready early and you can't stand having nothing to do other than sit and wait, staring out the window expectantly.
finally, you see him pull up. the car is sexy but you know its not his nicest.
you rush out the door and down the stairs. you leave the building and meet him at the door.
"hey" he says, looking a bit surprised "i thought I had toâ" gesturing to the doorbell. you smile looking away.
"i saw your car" you say, casually waving his concerns away.
"oh," the implication that you had been waiting for him fueled his confidence.
you make the short walk to the car together, the sun already low in the sky.
nerves twisted inside of you so tightly that you were surprised you could even walk. despite your nervousness, you could hardly hold back your smile.
you were so excited, there was no other way to put it.
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
you didn't know someone could look so good driving until you were in the passenger seat next to max. one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the glove box.
the rev of the engine, his natural tendency to drive aggressively, to drive fast.
something about it. how controlling the car was so effortless for him, had you pressing your knees together.
"what made you want to do pottery?" he asks, bringing you back to the present.
you look at him. "i don't know," you admit "it seems relaxing, and i've been wanting to try something new."
"relaxing? it's always seemed stressful to me, having to shape the clay and everything," he glances at you, "messy too."
you both smile.
"yeah but that's part of it, and you get to wear an apron so it's no big deal."
it's not a long drive, and soon the little pottery place comes into view as he pulls into the mostly empty parking lot. the pottery studio is nestled between a coffee shop and a little book store. it seems like something you'd find in a tv show.
you take a deep breath, letting excitment replace your tense nerves.
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
focusing on your own pottery proved to be extremely difficult. your eyes kept wandering over to max's hands.
he worked the clay with such careful precision and looked so goddamn good doing it. the fluid mouvments of his fingers, the concentration in his eyes.
it was sexy, and it was building that familiar tension and heat in your stomach that you always felt when you were around him.
even though it was his first time doing this, he looked confident, sure of himself.
as the class progressed, and handling the clay became more and more delicate, you were able to find some concentration.
your brows furrowing slightly, eyes narrow as you stared down at your pottery. suddenly, you feel max's knee bump against yours, your hand slips, messing up your work.
you turn to stare at him, mouth open and eyes wide in shock. he's staring back, eyes full of mischief and a smile plastered on his face.
"max!" you hiss, bumping his knee back.
"what?" he laughed, it was impossible to stay mad though and you found yourself laughing along with him.
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
it was the last class of the day and the parking lot was amlost empty, the sun was barely clinging to the horizon. the two of you left the class together, you walk slowly next to him, talking about the class.
"i didn't expect there to me so many steps. i mean first we got the clay ready then hand to wet our hands and start the spinning thing and the technique i had to use to get it just right..."
you stared at him, smiling a little to yourself as he continued talking.
he was explaining more with his hands than his words. you'd heard jokes about this around the paddock and hq before: he was maxplaining.
but you didn't mind. you liked hearing him talk, the sound of his voice, the many emotions in his eyes.
you get to the car, but max isn't quite done talking. you wait patiently, smiling at him, listening to everything he has to say about the class until, "...so yeah, that's it." he shrugs.
"yeah i agree," you say, looking up at him, you're back towards the car. "it seems like you liked it."
"i loved it."
"then we should go again sometime," you suggest.
he nods, "we should."
his eyes flicker to your lips. it was so brief, so quick, you think that maybe you had imagined it.
"im so lucky i got to take you out," he says. your eyes widen. the sweetness of his words catches you off guard.
your heart beat faster and faster as max began to lean just a little closer to you.
you knew that once he kissed you that would be it, you would be his. that the visions of him wouldn't stop after that. that there would be no room in your emotions for anything but him.
blood rushed to your head, his blue eyes so close to yours.
and then he did it. he kissed you. you felt weak as his lips touched yours, reaching your hand out to touch him. your eyes were already firmly shut and you blossomed beneath his touch like a flower.
the feeling of his mouth against yours, warm and soft, sent once again a rush of helplessness and the familiar surge of heat which left you limp and leaning into his embrace.Â
his insistent mouth was parting your hesitant lips, sending shivers through you.Â
your only thought was him. max. you were acutely aware of every detail. his hand brushing over your hair, his other lightly cupping your cheek. his body pressing you gently against the car. the taste of his lips.
all of it swirled together in your mind like a dizzying haze.
finally, after what was a lifetime to you, he gently pulled away from you. as soon as he did so you felt something missing. to put it simply, his body against yours felt so right.
"come back with me." he says in a low voice.
you hesitate, carefully choosing what to do, what to say.
"iâ yes," you nod. that's all you had to say and he was helping you into the car and pulling out if the parking lot.
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
time passed in a strange way as you drove to the hotel. the seconds passed slowly but the minutes flew by.
the anticipation building in your stomach was making it difficult to maintain normal conversation with max. the tension was thick in the air, you tried to concentrate on the city lights whizzing by through the window.
'are you coming to the next race?'
his voice cuts through the silence and eases your nerves somewhat, but there's still a tight knot in your stomach.
'yeah i am, i can't wait.' he glances at you 'i mean i've heard so many good things about silverstone.'
'yeah the crowds are insane, the fans are so passionate you know?' he speaks in that voice he always has when he talks about racing, his words sound smooth and warm. 'even if they aren't too passionate about me.'
you both laugh, smiling at eachother.
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
your legs are shaking slightly by the time you get to the hotel, anxious thoughts flooding your mind.
you fumble with your seat belt and the door for a minute before he helps you out, taking your hand and leading you up to his hotel room.
he pushes open the door. your jaw drops.
the hotel room is almost bigger than your apartment. it's so luxurious, you can't imagine max finding a use for all this space.
for a second, as you admire the room around you, you think maybe you could get used to this.
before you can continue the thought, you feel his hands on your hips, turning you around to face him. you reach your arms up, around his shoulders. you relish the butterflies in your stomach.
"that pottery class was perfect max." you say in a hushed voice "i really loved it."
he smiles softly, not breaking eye contact.
"im glad you had a good time."
he slowly brings his mouth to yours once again. he kisses you tenderly. softer then last time, more careful.
gradually, without taking his lips off yours he pushed you backwards, guiding you towards the bed and carefully pressing you into the matress.
his lips brush over your jaw, placing soft pecks along your jawline, teasing you with light touches of his lips to your skin.
the tension grows as he keeps marking g your neck with hickeys that will surely embarrass you tommorrow. but now, all you felt was restlessness. heâs so warm, so close to you.
his lips are hot again your skin. you squirm a little as his lips started to trial down to your exposed collarbone.
when he touched you like this it felt demanding, controlling, like you had no choice but to listen and do what he asked.
you were already becoming such a mess. the way you were so quick to melt in his hands made you feel a little embarrassed.
he continues to place his kisses, listening to your breathing, enjoying the sound of your heartbeat, the soft exhales and hums of satisfaction. he takes his time decorating your neck and chest as his own.
an involuntary gasp escaped you once he found that spot between your collar bone and your throat that had you squirming beneath him.
his mouth worked hickeys across your sensitive skin. he was everywhere and made you feel vulnerable.
he slowly made his way downwards to spread light kisses across your chest, brushing his lips softly over your breasts, making you shiver.
you bite your lip trying to hold back your moans, hands slightly tightening in his hair, barely resisting the immense urge to arch your back off the matress.
"let it out y/n," the sound of his voice clouded your mind. his words were a little deeper than usual, his accent thicker and incredibly hot. "let everyone hear you, let's make sure they know you're mine, yeah?" his words sent a rush of heat through you, all you could to was nod.
he continues working his way down your body, his fingers tracing down your stomach. his touch so feathery, so careful.
his hands fluttered over your stomach, tracing soft patterns across your skin.you shutter, your breathing shaky.
his fingers trailed up your thighs, barely even touching you, making anticipation curl in your stomach. a breathy moan escapes your lips.
his touch came closer and closer to your core, his pupils dilating as he took in the view right in front of him. you were dripping wetness, legs tensing slightly.
his fingers trace ever so lightly around the edges of your pussy. you couldnt take it any longer.
"maxâ" you moan softly, shutting your eyes momentarily. he smirks, looking up at you from between your legs.
"such pretty sounds, makes me want to wreck you."Â
without hesitation he pushes your thighs apart a little further and licked a long stripe over your folds.
the unexpected stimulation makes you squirm, one of his hands finds your wrists and holds them above your head, forcing you to be still.
his tongue swirled over your clit, you had to shut your eyes. your fingers tighten in his hair, pulling his closer to your cunt as your head fell back.
"fuck," you whisper, max hums underneath you; the vibration makes you squirm. he rips another moan from your throat as his tongue rubs tight circles around your clit.
his forced your thighs apart even wider as his mouth continued to work.
max was impatient by this point, he just wanted his fingers inside of you. to feel your hot cunt clenching around him.
while you're writhing in pleasure underneath him all he can think about is taking advantage of your lovely body, taking control of your mind, ruining you for anyone else.
your fingers knot in his hair as his fingers rub over your g-spot, pulling him in and pushing him out at the same time.
every sweet moan from your lips inflating his ego as his fingers dig into you deeply and unforgivingly.
you let your back arch, moving your hips, desperately wanting to grind down onto his fingers as your orgasm built in your stomach. but his hand hands your hip and presses you back into the matress. he feels your pussy shudder around his fingers and he has to use all his strength to not pull his fingers out of you.
he would love nothing more than to see the look of desperation on your face, to hear you beg and plead for him to let you come. but he thought better of it, he decided that tonight was for you.
he shifts so that he's back on top of you, his thumb replacing his tongue on your clit and his mouth back on your neck.
"you wanna come don't you?"
you open your mouth to respond but before you can get the words out he curls his fingers inside of you, making you hiss, your fingers twist and grip the sheets.
"maxâ" you moan as he curls his fingers and scissors them, stretching you and making your eyes roll back.
"please" you whimpered.
you were so dangerously close to the edge, every thrust of his fingers nudging you closer to the tipping point.
finally, max let you come. one last impossibly deep thrust of his fingers and you were coming. moans falling from your lips, shutting your eyes in ecstasy.
his fingers gradually slowed as bliss rippled over you and your body trembled beneath his.
the sound of your heavy breathing filled the room as he gently pulled his fingers out of you, they're soaked in your cum.
without any thought or hesitation, he licks his fingers clean. the action was so casual, as if he'd done it a hundred times before, but it made your cunt ache for more of him.
you can't help but push your hips forwards a little and grind up and down the length of his cock.
he groans, his head falling and his hands once again coming to your hips to stop your mouvments.
"patience," he breathes, as his mouth once again finds your neck, his hands running across your body.
just as your breathing was beginning to steady, he runs the head of his cock over your folds, your cunt clenched around nothing, a million thoughts flood your mind.
he was so close to you in so many ways, almost inside you. his closeness helped your body relax, the warm tingling of your orgasm still lingering.
but the relaxation was short-lived as you realized: he doesn't know.
"max...?" your voice is bearly audible.
"mm hmm" max murmurs. he feels your body freeze up beneath him. he pulls away from your neck slightly to look at you.
you're blushing immensely and can't even meet his eyes. he's hit with realization before you even say anything.
"i've neverâ" you can barely get the words out, your voice a shy whisper. "i mean...it's my first time."
those four little words fuzzied his mind with a cloud of lust.
the fact that you were offering him something so precious, the fact that you were so pure, so untouched, that he would be the one to take your virginity affected every inch of him.
he brushed a strand of hair out of your eyes, his hand resting on your cheek. "dont worry, i'll take care of you" he says in a hushed voice.
his soft words were a stark contrast to his thoughts, all he could think about in that moment was fucking you stupid and corrupting your innocence.
but he didn't let it show. instead, he leaned down to kiss you.
âdo you trust me?â his voice almost a whisper. his hands hold you by your waist, his eyes staring into yours.
you nod, eyes stinging with tears that threaten to spill over. emotions swirl inside you, you're unsure what you should be feeling. you swallow, trying to compose yourself.
"just... please be gentle" you murmur. max's lips press against your neck, you feel the vibration from a low sound in the back of his throat.
you sounded so painfully innocent, like you didn't really know what was going on.
he doesn't think you even know how your voice sounds. so soft, so sweet like your words are dipped in honey. everything about you was tearing him apart.
"breathe," he says.
you let out the breath you didn't realize you'd been holding. you moan instinctively at the stretch as you feel his cock entered you.
it was undescribable. you shut your eyes, tears running down your cheeks as the two of you slowly became one. it made your heart pound and your stomach twist, knowing that you couldn't be any closer than this, to know that he was inside of you.
max's groans set all of your sense on fire while he continues carefully pushing between your tight walls.
his head falls to your neck. your core is so hot, already pulsing with stimulation.
you shut your eyes, tears running down your cheeks, eyes stinging from the mix of emotions.
your tears only made max thrust into you deeper, struggling to keep his pace slow.
you were aware of every inch of his cock inside you, filling you up perfectly. you dug your nails into his arms as you adjusted to him.
you open your eyes, looking up at him. his usually blue eyes were consumed with darkness.
his slow but deep thrusts envoked sensations you never knew you were capable of feeling, making you moan softly.
he was the ocean, and you were drowning happily in him. you let his waves wash over you.
once he felt like you were ready for more he pulled away from you and without saying a word he guided your legs gently upwards so that you knees were by your head.
you don't protest, only whine at the lack of contact.
he continues to thrust into you, his pace faster than before. it takes everything you have not to scream.
you pushed your legs further apart, spreading yourself for max even more so that he could thrust into you so deeply that the head of his cock hit your cervix.
your nails dug into his back.
the sounds coming from your lips could only be describes as pornographic. skin slapping against skin was all you could hear.
his name was the only word you knew and it tumbled from your lips over and over. your eyes rolling back with each of his ruthless thrusts.
he pounded into you so hard the bed shook. your nails now scraping down his arms as you clung to him.
a new type pleasure bloomed in your stomach, different than anything you'd ever experienced.
"i feel...max...i think i'm gonnaâ"
as max looked down at your face, all the thoughts that ran through his head were how ruined you looked, corrupted, your innocence gone and all because of him.
how many nights had he lay awake thinking about how you sounded? how you looked when you came? countless.
he thought this must be what heaven was like, his fantasy finally coming true and unfolding before him. as you came, he's taking in your features like it was the first time he'd ever truly seen you.
your walls pulsate and clench around his cock mercilessly, your scream-like moans filling the room.
"fuck y/n" his voice is rough, his breathe heavy.
your body shook beneath him as he kept thrusting into you. the overstimulation was close to becoming painful.
finally, with one last deep thrust, he came inside you. his hands held onto you so tightly there would surely be bruises.
you squirmed as the primal pleasure of him filling you up completely clouded your brain.
after a minute of stillness, of comfortable silence, he pulled out of you. but of course, he wasn't done with you just yet.
you feel him start slowly fucking his cum back into you with him fingers, causing you to writhe in pain from the complete overstimulation.
"max, no no please i cant it's too much," you beg, trying to push his hand away, eyes tearing up.
despite the urges he had to keep fingering you, to hear more of your pretty pleads, he can tell your fucked out. that your body is completely spent. and so, seeing the desperate tears in your eyes, he lets you push him away.
instead, he pulls you to him and kisses you. his lips feel hot, and his mouth tells you everything he's feeling. he holds you, his arms shielding you from the world. there's nothing to say, so you say nothing.
after a minute he sits up, kisses you one last time, and gets dressed.
"i'll be right back," he says before walling into the bathroom.
you sit up, pulling the covers around you, your legs trembling. your body feels exhausted.
you hear the bath begin running. at first, you're confused, shocked even. max didnt strike you as the kind of guy who ran baths for you. but after a moment, contentment settles over you.
you swing your legs over the edge of the bed, and try to stand. but your legs are still shaking, your entire body worn out.
"max!" you call, holding yourself up by the bed, legs already threatening to give out.
"yeah?" he says, walking back into the bedroom.
"i can't walk." you say, looking away, embarrassed by your awkward position.
max smiles, and gently helps you stand up, before scooping you into his arms and taking you to the bathroom.
maybe you could get used to this.
°~â˘ââ˘âĄâ˘ââ˘~°
a/n: AHHH i worked on this for so long i hope you enjoyed <33333 do you guys want a part 3? đđ
#f1#f1 imagines#f1 x reader#smut#prompts#smut request#max verstappen#request#max verstappen x you#max verstappen x reader#max verstappen smut#mv1#max verstappen imagine#max verstappen fanfic#formula 1#max verstappen fluff#fluff#fanfic#verstappen#max#verstappen smut
488 notes
¡
View notes
Text
In Purgatory
The mind is its own place and, in itself can make a Heaven of Hell or a Hell of Heaven.
â Paradise Lost, John Milton â
Purgatory was no place for humans. Nor was it meant for angels. It was a repository for the souls of demons, vampires, Leviathans, and other monstrous beings who were fit for neither Heaven nor Hell. But here Castiel was, an angel trapped in a place he had no right to be. What was worse, Dean was here too.
Purgatory was even less of a place for a human in an angelâs company. Castiel was a beacon of light, drawing monsters to him as nectar draws a bee. He knew this. Dean knew this. But Dean had spent the better part of a year searching for Castiel after the angel had fled upon their arrival in Purgatory, vainly hoping to draw danger away from Dean. Now that he had finally found Castiel, Dean was adamant that they stay together and make their way home. It was useless to protest, futile to try and explain that he had to atone for the sins he had committed. Castiel told himself that he would comply simply to ensure Dean had not misplaced his trust in his vampire companion. But the truth ran deeper than that. Castiel had no real desire to distance himself from Dean. He had missed the hunter terribly in the time theyâd been apart. It was an ache that had crept deep into his bones. A temporary salve to such a spiritual wound was worth the risk... or so he hoped. After all, it would only be until he saw Dean safely though the portal.
Of course, his worst fears were soon realized. His presence drew a horde of Leviathans. The ensuing battle was brutal, intense and damnably prolonged. Even the vampire was tired by the time the last Leviathan lay lifeless on the ground.
Breathing heavily, Benny surveyed the gory remains, his eyes widening in dismay. âWhereâs Dean?â he said.
~~~*~~~
They decided to split up, the better to cover more territory. Benny chose to retrace the route the Leviathans had taken to find them. Castiel headed in the opposite direction, towards the river, fear lending wings to his heels. Brambles tore at his clothing and branches slapped his face as he ran, heart pounding with the fear that heâd be too late. That Dean was already dead... or, worse, that heâd been carried off to face a slow, torturous death.
He almost ran straight into the river before catching himself on its brink. He stood staring blankly at a decapitated Leviathan whose head had rolled into the water. Two other bodies lay nearby in the tall grass. Yet a fourth was sprawled under a tree, several yards downstream.
âCas,â Dean said, stepping out of the shadow the old tree cast. Weary. Bloodied. But alive.
Castiel froze, rooted in place for the count of one heartbeat... two... And then he was again in motion, running, running not in fear this time, but with a swell of emotion that drew him forward like a magnet. Running to Dean. Folding him into his arms. Holding him as if heâd never let him go.
âDean,â he sighed, pouring all the relief and love in his heart into the utterance of the name.
âItâs okay, Cas,â Dean murmured, his arms coming up to return the angelâs embrace. âIâm okay. Itâs all right. We won.â
âDean,â Castiel repeated helplessly. And kissed him.
So entranced was the angel by the taste of Dean on his tongue, by his joy at savouring the very essence of the man, that he failed to notice Deanâs hands had dropped down to his sides; that the pliant body in his arms had stiffened in shock, in surprise... god forbid, in horror. But as his mind caught up to his runaway body, trepidation replaced rapture. Castiel stepped back, ashamed of his impetuous behaviour; ready to recant, to somehow try and make amends for his audacity. Conciliatory words trembled on his lips, words he never had the chance to say. Because suddenly he was the one who was shocked into immobility. Because Dean Winchesterâs heart had finally kickstarted his brain. And it was Deanâs turn now to draw Castiel in, to fold him back into a tight embrace and return his kiss with unbridled enthusiasm.
Not that it took the angel long to respond...
They drank each other in as if they were dying men who, parched by the desert sun, had finally found a source of water. Their lips parted only when Dean had to draw a much needed breath. Their eyes locked, then; their fingers read the Braille of each otherâs face, until neither could stand another second without the taste of the other and they fell together once more. Time and place ceased to have any meaning. They were lost, lost to the wonder of finally, finally coming together.
Who knows how far passion might have carried them had not Bennyâs increasingly anxious cries of âCas! Dean!â interrupted the moment.
âHave I ever mentioned how much I detest that vampire?â Castiel said, resting his forehead against Deanâs.
âA time or two.â
âAnd have I ever said how much I love you?â
âEvery day. With every look you give me, with everything you do. But itâs nice to hear the words.â Dean placed a tender kiss on the angelâs nose and reluctantly stepped away, moments before Benny pushed his way through the last of the tangled vegetation and joined them at the waterâs edge.
The vampire stared at them suspiciously. âYou could have answered,â he grumbled. âI thought you both were dead.â
âStill alive and kicking,â Dean replied. âUnlike my friends over there, who thought theyâd captured a prize. Guess the jokeâs on them.â
âThen may I suggest we get a move on. The sounds of battle carry, and the stench of death will draw more unwelcome attention.â Benny tilted his head and narrowed his gaze. âIf youâre quite done here, that is.â
âAre we?â Castiel inquired, also tilting his head.
âFor now,â Dean said, and smiled. âLetâs go home.â
âAmen to that, brother.â Benny turned and walked away. âItâs not far now. A day or two at most before we reach the portal.â
Castielâs answering smile faded.
âItâs mutual, you know,â Dean said, casually continuing their earlier, interrupted conversation. The back of his hand brushed against the angelâs, deliberate, lingering, and the fire the simple touch ignited in his veins made Castiel want to turn his hand and lace their fingers together.
But he didnât, of course. Instead, he let Dean go, trailing along behind as the human followed after the vampire, his heart a leaden weight in his chest. Castiel understood this was but a small foreshadowing of the pain heâd feel when Dean was truly gone, safely back on Earth where he belonged, and he would be left alone in this nightmarish place, with only the memory of their kisses to sustain him.
âI didnât know,â he murmured softly to himself. "But now I do. And thatâs what makes it so hard to honour my resolution."
Knowing he was loved; knowing he didnât deserve that love; knowing he couldnât keep it, but wanting to with all his heart... He was being pulled in two directions at once, torn between elation and despair.
It was its own special kind of Purgatory.
And he knew there was no hope of escape.
Originally posted to AO3 on 2022-08-14. Just thought it might be fun to post some old stories here. :)
21 notes
¡
View notes
Text
ME WHEN I'M FINALLY DONE WITH MY ARKNIGHTS OC
my god it took too long for literally just a fullbody. usually i do them so fast but i guess here i was lazy. anyway information and stuff and story and whatever below!!
Real name Fortuna, code name Kochosen, is a Liberi (azure-winged magpie) born in Laterano. She had been growing up and thriving to become a doctor. However, after contracting Oripathy in an accident, she has been forced to leave Laterano. Surviving in the wastelands on her own, she discovered her Originium Arts, to manipulate water, which greatly helped her in her journey. She finally joined Yan, where she was able to find some help for her cause, then later, joined Higashi, after helping a whole village from a Catastrophe.
She later accepted to help Rhodes Island as a Medic operator, precisely an Incantation Medic.
Fortuna is what can be said a bad omen... And also a good omen. Back in Laterano, due to her clumsiness, she quickly won the reputation of bringing bad luck around. Her Infection is what truly made her the nemesis of the Leterans, and due to the rules in the city, has been seen as an occasion to get rid of a bad luck bringer. This convinced her that she was indeed one who only cause suffering around, bringing her morale and self confidence to the lowest as she barely managed to survive in the wilderness.
However, when she arrived in Higashi, after catching the first signs of an incoming Catastrophe and having alerted the nearby village, she has been seen as a savior and a good omen. Her help and contribution to the village as a doctor also contribued to this good reputation, and the villagers quickly started to appreciate her presence. After this event, and seeing that her powers and own hands were able to save lives and not hurt them, she questioned herself.
But she doesn't remain less clumsy. It seems all the worst happen to her, like a bad luck magnet. But it seems like it happens to her and only her, and nobody around, quite the opposite even - people around her seem to live rather fortunate events. Maybe by attracting the bad luck to her, the other persons around are left with only good luck...
It's because of her clumsiness that her body is rather... In a bad state. Under the layers of clothes she wears is a wounded, bandaged body, covered in minor scars, bruises, and of Originum crystals. She seems to be used to this however, her only complains are about how her sleep is uncomfortable.
Despite her serious and calm personality, she's not one to be on the smarter side. She still struggles a lot with Yanese for example, and the culture of Higashi. After all, as a Lateran, she finds the food of Higashi "dull", and would much prefer their sweetest snacks instead.
As well, it seems that her Oripathy has caused kleptomania, as she was often caught taking on objects of her interest for no other reason that she felt the urge to take them.
___________
i love birds, i love magpies, i love arknights, boom
here she is
The main ideas for her design and story is... Well, about how Magpies are absolutely dual?? in occidental cultures, they are seen as bringer of death, bad luck, nasty, quite like crows. but in oriental cultures, it's the total opposite, they're seen as a symbol of luck, of love, of balance and such! that's why i wanted to make her being so contradictory. she seems serious but is dumb. she came laterano where she was seen as bad luck, she moved to higashi where she is seen as good luck. her outfit is quite literally a mix of lateran and higashi culture
as for water arts, it's a reference to how luck and fate are like a river, but also to how water arts are both very dangerous and benefic, and also it's a reference to the magpie bridge in chinese culture
anyway, she tries her best, and that she's clumsy and a bit strange doesn't change that she has a very kind heart
74 notes
¡
View notes
Text
The pain of love - Aemond Targaryen x Fem!reader (oc)
characters: Aemond targaryenxOc, past!Aemond Targaryenx Alys River, Future!HelaenaTargaryen xAemondTargaryen, Visenya Targaryen, Oc!Targaryen
Warnings: cheating, sad story with a hopeful ending, this is really angsty. Also I want you to know that HelaenaxAemond is for Helaena's safety, but Aemond never slept with her or anything, he just wanted her as a sister, it was more a way to keep his sister alive since the greens were losing. Visenya lives and is queen which means all of Rhaenyra and Daemon's children as lo Strong died in the war. After what Aemond did, he practically lived in selibate.The only living greens left were Helaena and her children who gave up their claim to the throne, and Aemond who became black. Lucerys died at the hands of Aegon II because I want it to be so.
Note:This is the first time I write about The Dragon House, so I'm sorry if there are any mistakes or errors. I hope you like it and if you want me to keep writing about this fandom or tag me in my next ones please share and give it a heart. It would help me to reblog and comment thank you! English is not my first language, sorry for the mistakes.
_____________________________________________
In the dark days of the Kingdom of the Seven Kingdoms, when the shadow of the dragon loomed over the land, Prince Aemond Targaryen was in his prime. A brave and reckless knight, with silver hair and purple eyes, Aemond was a man whose destiny was intertwined with fire and honor.
Prince Aemond was married to the beautiful Lady Miriam, a lady of noble birth. With her golden hair and porcelain skin, she radiated incomparable sweetness and grace. However, although Aemond had pledged eternal fidelity to his wife, human passions are a wild torrent that sometimes sweep away even the strongest.
On a cold and dreary night, Aemond encountered the witch Alys Rivers, whose black hair and dark eyes reflected her unsettling power. Alys had a gift for mysteries and the forbidden arts. Her enigmatic figure attracted the prince like an irresistible magnet.
"Prince Aemond, you have awakened my darkest desires," Alys whispered with a captivating smile. "I know you have sworn allegiance to Lady Miriam, but love can be a dangerous maze."
Aemond, in his pride and weakness, fell to Alys' temptation. Together, they indulged in a forbidden passion and their secret encounters multiplied. But, like flames burning in fire, deception can never be hidden for long.
Time passed and Aemond began to realize the darkness that surrounded him. His love for Miriam had faded into the shadows of betrayal, and guilt weighed on his soul like a crown of thorns.
One day, when Aemond finally decided to end his infidelity and confess his sins to his wife, tragedy struck mercilessly. Lady Miriam gave birth to her son, but her life faded away along with the last breath of life she gave to her child.
Agony filled Aemond's heart as he held his son in his arms, a child destined to grow up without his mother's sweet guidance. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he cried out to heaven, begging for a second chance to make amends for his mistakes.
"Forgive me, Miriam. My greed and selfishness have torn us from your arms," Aemond whispered, his voice cracking with regret. "I swear by the gods old and new that I will protect our son and raise him with love and honor."
The death of Lady Miriam was the bitter price Aemond paid for his selfish acts. But from that day on, the prince redeemed himself and became a dedicated father and an exemplary knight.
Years later, Aemond and Miriam's son, Prince Rhaegon, grew up under his father's care and love. Aemond taught him the values of loyalty, sacrifice and righteousness. Together, father and son became a unifying force, restoring hope to a kingdom that had been devastated by treachery and war.
_____________________________
Prince Aemond Targaryen learned that true love is not just a fleeting feeling, but an unwavering commitment. Though he had fallen into the clutches of temptation, he found redemption and built a legacy based on truth and loyalty. Aemond would never forget the price he paid for his deception, but his pain became an eternal flame that drove him to be a better man and an exemplary father.
The days after Lady Miriam's tragic death were somber and filled with grief for Prince Aemond Targaryen. Grief and remorse coiled in his heart, while the flames of guilt consumed his dreams each night. On one particular night, Aemond was plunged into a deep and vivid sleep, where he was transported to an ethereal and mystical realm. There, in a landscape bathed in a heavenly light, he found lady Miriam, radiant and wrapped in a soft white robe.
"I know the truth, Aemond," whispered lady Miriam, her voice echoing in the air like a sweet and distant melody. "I know of your treacherous acts, but I also know of your sincere repentance."
Tears welled up in the prince's eyes as he knelt before her. "My beloved Miriam, my heart is full of remorse and pain. I can never forgive myself for the harm I have caused you."
Miriam's smile was compassionate and full of love. "Aemond, although my life was taken from me too soon, the time we shared together was filled with happiness and joy. The love I felt for you transcends even death."
Aemond looked up, his eyes red and swollen from crying, searching for answers. "Do you forgive me, Miriam, despite all I have done?"
An aura of peace and forgiveness surrounded Miriam as she extended her hand toward him. "My dear husband, life is a road full of mistakes and learning. We all make mistakes and what matters is how we pick ourselves up and redeem ourselves. I forgive you, Aemond. Allow me to carry that weight of your actions and leave in peace."
Miriam's words resonated deep within Aemond's being, filling him with a mixture of gratitude and sadness. He took Miriam's hand, feeling its soft, comforting warmth.
"I promise you, Miriam, that I will dedicate the rest of my life to honoring your memory and raising our son with love and righteousness," Aemond whispered with determination.
Miriam nodded with a smile filled with pride and tenderness. "I know you will keep that promise, Aemond. The future of our house depends on you."
The dream slowly began to fade, and Aemond clung desperately to the image of Lady Miriam. He knew he had to face reality and assume his new role as father and leader.
Upon awakening, Aemond found himself with a new sense of purpose. He remembered Miriam's words in his dream and found comfort in her forgiveness. He vowed to honor her every day of his life and become the man she always knew he could be.
From that day forward, Prince Aemond Targaryen carried Miriam's memory with him every step he took. With a heart full of love and gratitude, he vowed to be a beacon of hope and righteousness in a kingdom ravaged by darkness.
As the years passed, Prince Rhaegon Targaryen, son of Aemond, grew into a brave and handsome knight. His heart, however, belonged to Princess Visenya, daughter of his uncle Daemon Targaryen and his sister Rhaenyra Targaryen. From the moment they met, the spark of love ignited between them, like a fire burning unchecked.
Aemond watched intently the blossoming of love between his son and Visenya. He saw in Rhaegon's eyes the same passion and devotion he had felt for Lady Miriam. His heart was filled with joy and at the same time with concern, for he knew all too well the complications that could arise from a love entangled in the tangle of his family's history.
When Rhaegon decided to court Visenya, Aemond offered his advice and support. He knew that his son was brave and wise, capable of making decisions that would lead to a prosperous future for both of them. Thus, Rhaegon and Visenya met secretly, under the blanket of the starry night, swearing eternal love to each other at every encounter.
Finally, the day came when Rhaegon and Visenya decided to unite their destinies in marriage. It was a time of celebration and hope, but also of trepidation, for the shadow of the Dance of Dragons still lurked in the kingdom.
Aemond made sure that his son's wedding was splendorous and memorable. The seven kingdoms gathered to witness the union of two powerful lineages, and promises of eternal love were sealed with oaths and blessings.
As the war between Queen Rhaenyra and her uncle Aegon progressed, Aemond found himself at a crossroads. His loyalty to his sister and his family was strong, but he also recognized that he could not betray the sacred vows he had made to Lady Miriam.
He decided to protect and respect his sister Helaena Targaryen, though he knew he could never love her the way he had loved Miriam. He took her hand in marriage, sealing a pact of loyalty and care, but in his heart, the memory of Lady Miriam still burned like an eternal candle.
The war came to an end with the death of Aegon and Rhaenyra, and peace settled over the Seven Kingdoms once more. Aemond, however, knew that his time was running out. As he grew older, he felt the weight of his promise to Miriam grow stronger, and his desire to join her in the afterlife grew stronger every day.
Finally, the time came for his departure. With his heart filled with honor and faithfulness to Miriam, Aemond said goodbye to his loved ones and closed his eyes for the last time.
The entire kingdom mourned the loss of a noble prince and a brave knight. His legacy was marked by his dedication to the memory of Lady Miriam and his unconditional love for his son and sister.
In the annals of history, the name of Aemond Targaryen was remembered as a man who sacrificed his own happiness for the welfare of his family. His life was a testament to honor and loyalty, and his death was the ultimate act of love for his beloved Miriam, joining her in eternity.
Visenya's coronation as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms marked a new chapter in the history of House Targaryen. Alongside her, Rhaegon assumed his role as king consort, ready to support his beloved in all her decisions.
With the coronation of Visenya as queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Rhaegon as king consort, hope and love bloomed once again in the land. The years passed and the fruits of their love materialized in two children: Aemond II and Miriam II.
Fate, with its curious irony, intertwined the paths of Aemond II and Miriam II in an unexpected way. From a young age, the two royal heirs met and discovered a deep and special bond that transcended kinship. In their hearts, a pure and genuine love began to grow, defying the rumors and shadows of the past.
The people, captivated by the history that seemed to be repeating itself, watched the relationship between the two young heirs with suspicion and hope. Some feared that tragedy might repeat itself, while others were confident that this time fate would grant them a lasting and happy love story.
Finally, Aemond II and Miriam II decided to marry, defying the doubts and fears that surrounded them. United by love and determination to build a better future, they vowed to rule the Seven Kingdoms in love and harmony, following the legacy of their ancestors.
Under their reign, the Seven Kingdoms flourished in an era of peace and prosperity. Aemond II and Miriam II ruled with wisdom, justice and compassion, guided by the love they shared and the lesson of their predecessors. The townspeople found hope in their union and saw in them a symbol of hope and redemption.
The story of Aemond II and Miriam II became a legend in the Seven Kingdoms. Their unwavering love and dedication to their people were admired and remembered for generations. Their reign marked a new chapter in history, where love and commitment became the pillars of a unified kingdom.
And so, in the heart of the Seven Kingdoms, Aemond II and Miriam II ruled together, building a legacy of love and harmony. Their story proved that, despite adversity, true love can prevail and that even in the darkest of times, there is hope for a bright and promising future.
And so, their love endured through time, uniting the Seven Kingdoms under their reign and leaving a legacy of everlasting love.
--------------------
Tags:
#fanfiction#hotd headcanon#original character#fic#aemond targaryen#aemond fanfiction#aemond x original character#aemond the kinslayer#aemond x you#aemond fic#aemond x helaena#alys rivers#daemon targeryan#hotd aemond#daemon x rhaenyra#house of the dragon#aemond x reader#aemond targaryen x female reader#aemond imagine#aemond targaryen smut
96 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Melody is extremely iron-rich and (historically) volcanically active, which means it also has an OUTRAGEOUSLY strong magnetic field. The planet is famous throughout the magic dimension for its beauty, resources, and strangeness.
Huge mountain ranges follow the planets latitudes, cut through with rivers and floating islands. Auroras are so intense, huge, and frequent that they are the primary power source near the planets poles. A skinny ring of iron circles the planet, and it brilliantly reflects light.
At the south pole there is an especially huge floating island, dish-shaped, suspended over the sea. Small bits of iron are frequently ejected from the edges of the island, and depending on the size and conditions, they might become incredibly dangerous slag missiles, OR natural fireworks as they liquify in the atmosphere! The lost mass is replaced by material being pushed up from the sea underneath, but not all of that material makes it to the island- much of it finds stasis underneath, suspended delicately in the air or water.
The magnetic field in this sea is so intense that it causes hallucinations, particularly flashes of light. Because the safe outskirts of the island have frequent auroras and fireworks, this is an especially dangerous illusion that can lead sailors deeper into the field. The floating debris is in tenuous balance, so bumping into it can cause it to accelerate and run into other debris- again, extremely dangerous.
Melodites are more resilient to electromagnetism than any other ethnicity in the magic dimension, but even they avoid the center under the island. Offworld visitors are strictly forbidden from navigating the sea for their own safety- even as passengers, they pose a risk to themselves and the crew. High-profile research expeditions are the only exception.
These conditions mean Melody is famous for its architecture, which boasts some of the most outstanding masonry and carpentry in the known realms, and for its fireworks
#winx club#winx#lost planet au#I worked backward from trying to justify floating islands#and realized by pure luck I had given the east-Asia-inspired-planet#SUPER strong motivations to have fireworks and nailless woodworking!#what a fortuitous coincidence
114 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Tatacoa Desert Tour
After the boat ride and algae swamp visit, we hopped back in the van with Carlos to drive another 30 minutes or so until we reached Tatacoa Desert, the main attraction! It was hot, and also pretty humid because itâs not a real desert. Tatacoa is a formation of sandstone that used to be underwater millions of years ago. The area has a lack of rain due to its location where the rain flows mostly into a river and is carried downstream rather than reaching the âdesertâ so itâs uninhabitable to most trees and plants except cactus that can survive the dry conditions. All of us applied more sunscreen, put on hats and followed Carlos down into the crater of the 'Sand Zoo' or the red desert. It was hot immediately, and poor Alejandro was wearing black trackpants and a black long sleeve shirt. We ambled on slowly behind Carlos, who had let me borrow his umbrella when I felt like I was going to get super sunburnt despite all the sunscreen I was wearing! We stopped a few times for little shade breaks, and to look at the cactus or other little plants like the one that looks like a dragonfruit. The soil was like clay in parts because it had rained a few days ago and some moisture was still there - any worse and we wouldn't have been able to walk around because people destroy it walking in there when it's wet. It was super impressive as expected, and worth the 7 hour bus ride to get down there though! There was an other-worldly look to the desert, dry and barren with huge cliffs of sandstone climbing into the sky topped with cactus. At the end of our hour long walk around in the red desert we stopped to get a drink and a souvenir magnet at a little shop while we waited for our driver to pick us up. He drove us back to a farm where our lunch would be prepared for us. More drinks, soup, and a plate of chicken, rice, vegetables, and plantain was served to us as we watched the storm roll in outside. There was a bit of rain to refresh us from the heat and then we arrived at our next stop, the El Manantial Natural Pool, where we could all go swimming. I wasn't planning to swim but had brought my swimwear just in case - and at 34 degrees it was the case! Carlos napped while the three of us swam and awkwardly tried to make conversation in my broken Spanish and their broken English. I think I actually knew more Spanish than they knew English which is not a lot... We swam for about 45 minutes or so and then got ready to sit back in the van to go back for our second hike around the Valley of the XilĂłpalos or the 'grey desert'. As we arrived the storm was rolling in again and we hurried down into the grey desert momentarily before Carlos determined that the lightning was too dangerous and we needed to turn back. I was happy to see even just this small glimpse of the grey desert but also relieved to be out of the heat again! It poured rain for about 30 minutes as we drove back, passing two Western girls walking on the side of the road completely saturated. Mildreth had us stop a few times for photos of the rainbow on the way back, and then in Villavieja to buy some special local cookies or something. I decided I'd request a drop off at the mall again so I could buy some food there for dinner and ended up with a big plate of loaded taco fries that was pretty good! I tried to get to sleep early but there was a group of about 10 Israelis outside cooking and talking and shrieking. When I couldn't tolerate it anymore by about 11pm I went out into the common area and said
×´××ר×× ×פ׊ר ק׌ת ×Š×§× ×˘×׊×× ××ק׊××´ which translates to something like âFriends, can we have a little quiet now please?" and they all went white and silent which was a satisfying way to fall asleep!
2 notes
¡
View notes
Note
đđ will you tell me about the lizard story and also the pangzi cancer story? The first one intrigues me and the second sounds like it might be right up my angsty ally đ
đ
AHHH.
So the lizard story is a snake monster Pangzi fic that I started for the exchange but quickly grew too large and too involved for me to finish in time so I shelved it to finish later. The basic premise is that Pangzi is some sort of snake beast and after a negative experience with Xiaoge and Wu Xie reacting to other monsters, Pangzi doesn't feel safe telling his friends what he is, fearing their reaction, and the rest is just him hiding it and living his monster life in secret, but almost getting caught repeatedly, until it comes out quite spectacularly in a moment of danger. The title is from a scene where Pangzi likes to bask in the sun and Wu Xie calls him a lizard, which is honestly rude and offensive Tianzhen! But he can't say as much.
But from the larger AU, here is a section set in UN:
Pangzi is standing with Panzi, talking idly, when it happens. First, it's just whispers. They've been ever present this entire job, the soft, pitchy, hissing words are boring into his skull, and he can't even acknowledge it's happening for fear of looking as insane as he currently feels. He's been hearing hissing whispers from the jungle this entire time. From within it, the voices are nearly deafening, an excited cacophony when they pick up the scent of human followed by their quick retreat when they catch Pangzi's. The team is all gathered around at the shore of a small river, resting and cleaning up before they are forced to trek back for their packs (which Pangzi still thinks it a terrible idea, for the record), a moments reprieve, when he hears it. He's gotten better at ignoring them throughout the years. There seem to always be snakes when he goes on jobs with Wu Xie, the man seemingly a magnet for the entire species (he managed to attract at least one, Pangzi thinks in amusement when he catches himself staring at Wu Xie in adoration yet again). But this time they're just so fucking loud.
The pangzi cancer story is where, well, Pangzi gets cancer. (Treatable cancer!!! We don't do unhappy endings here.) But he struggles to tell the others and to process it.
He doesn't tell his partners. Not right away, at least. He figures, until they run the tests, there's nothing to tell. This isn't like before, with Wu Xie, because that fucker knew what was wrong. Pangzi doesn't even know if there is anything wrong or if he would be worrying them for nothing.
Somehow, he never considered cancer.
Because why on Earth would he consider cancer? He's Wang Pangzi. He doesn't get cancer. He gets taken out in some dramatic, ridiculous fashion in a tomb somewhere. He doesn't get something as trivial as cancer
ty for the ask!!!
#the monster au was actually supposed to be my fill for the exchange but got out of hand#and i'm STUCK on some xiaoge characterization for the cancer one so it has been sitting staring at me for months#wips
3 notes
¡
View notes
Note
haku from spirit away being a dad headcanons?
Somehow this was really hard to process because reasonably I know Haku is an adult because he's literally an old ass river but he looks so little and baby shaped sometimes lmao
I do love him though he's a big puppy
First of all I think the only way he'd be a "dad" is in the sense that rivers can have these little branches that form into smaller rivers? And even though his river was filled in maybe one of those little branches lives on and that rivers spirit would by extension be his son/daughter?
In which case at that point he's throwing his hands up like "welcome to the family we are extremely dysfunctional you get used to it."
Like he's trying so hard to make sure this kid doesn't forget who they are somehow and has to keep guiding them AWAY from the dangers
Because let's be real his kid would be a danger magnet
Hes also trying desperately to make sure this kid doesn't somehow get lost because the area around the bathhouse is huge???
Plus he has to keep them fed which God forbid, have we ever even seen this man eat besides being like forced to or being unconscious?
Like yeah let's let him be responsible for another living creature when he can't care for himself (me fr though)
He would at least try though honestly, he's trying to be a good dad.
9 notes
¡
View notes
Text
Short little fic that I wrote irresponsibility (chose to write this instead of the million other things I needed to): Part 10/12 + 11/12 (OOPS added a part ;])
Fake dating :}
Caitlyn: LET ME PROTECT YOU!!!, Vi: SCREW OFF, them: oops *falls in love* (a consistent theme in my writing and literally just their storyline) <3
Sad ending :(
They get to be cute tho ;>]
Starts off corny :/
Wrote in my notes app so take a wild guess how at edited it is :]
Implied homophobia and prejudice + non graphic fights and bullying :0
Modern AU :^|
âYouâve become so distracted.â
Caitlyn sits at dinner with her mother and father, picking at the remaining bits and pieces of her meal.
âPardon?â
âIs it the Vi girl?â
âI donât know what youâre asking, mother.â
Tobias shakes his head, standing up to gather their used dishes. âItâs simply that you seem to be in your own world as of recent. More so than usual.â
The mixing of their questions set Caitlyn at the edge of her seat.
Caitlyn in her own world and Viâs whatâs there.
Caitlyn remains silent, not knowing how to just say âno, I havenâtâ or âsorryâ or âIâll try not toâ because every single one of those statements would be a lie.
âItâs just that thereâs no time to be daydreaming, Caitlyn. Especially about someone like her. You will be out of school in no time.â
Caitlyn almost sighs in relief. Prior to this, Cassandra only gave looks and off comments. Asking if Caitlyn was going out again and with who (as if the answer wasnât the same every time now that Jayce has gotten so busy). Shaking her head disappointedly whenever she gives her the answer she doesnât want.
Tobias is already leaving the room and Caitlyn follows, not needing the hear the rest when sheâs heard it so many times about others sheâs fancied before. Vi doesnât deserve that.
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Caitlyn and Vi both find themselves laying in bed again, no longer side by side but on each otherâs minds anyway.
The strong magnetic force between them that is so prevalent even when theyâre in two different cities, a bridge and a river and their running minds separating them, pushing them farther and farther apart.
Caitlyn spins the gun on her finger idly, the smooth motion of pushing and stopping and pushing and stopping not doing much to ease the tension on her heart.
She canât help but wonder what Vi would say if she saw her doing this.
Probably something crass about how dangerous it is and how irresponsible Caitlyn is, even if the safety is on.
Sheâd worry, but she wouldnât stop Caitlyn from fidgeting, gradually becoming more and more at ease as time passes and the only noise filling the space around them is their rambling and the whistling of the wind flowing in from the open window.
Sheâd eventually have to head back home as the sun set and sheâs reminded of the family and sister she needs to take care of, drifting away at the memory of them, and Caitlyn would wave with a smile no matter how much she wanted to beg Vi to stay just a little longer.
Vi would want to say yes. Vi wants to say yes to Caitlyn every day at every minute at every second, even to the most dangerous questions.
Even as theyâre apart, Vi wonders whatâs on Caitlynâs mind just so she can say yes to it, even if she wasnât asking anything.
If it wasnât so late and Vi didnât have shit to do in the morning, sheâd be in the gym, beating up a bag until the word âyesâ wasnât even on her mind.
But it would take infinitely longer to have the name âCaitlynâ taken off of it as well.
She doesnât even know if she wants it off of her mind in the first place.
If Caitlyn were here, sheâd fill the silence and make Vi forget anything and everything that was worrying her in that moment.
Maybe sheâd even play with Viâs hand and trace all the marks that adorned it, sending those tingles all through Viâs body.
Vi hates how desperate she is for them.
She just wishes those tingles were as fake as she and Caitlyn were.
#take a shot every time I say tingles#itâs a cringe and corny word but it works plus CONSISTENCY#anywayâŚ. last part comes out tomorrow đ˘đ˘đ˘#arcane#caitvi#vi arcane#vi#caitlyn kiramman#caitlyn arcane#caitlyn#violyn#piltoverâs finest#piltover's gayest#Vicait#slay writes#11 Part Fake Dating#thatâs no longer 11#the extra part was part 11 btw
2 notes
¡
View notes
Note
Tell me about your childhood Milo!
"M-My childhood? Well, uh.....it wasn't what you probably think. I didn't spend it studying and doing school type stuff. Grandpa wouldn't have allowed that. He.....he always said things like 'even a genius kid like you should still be a kid.' He didn't try to force me on other kids, thankfully. But he did strongly encourage me playing and having an imagination. Which.....I did. By myself, usually. Other kids.....weren't exactly good to me. I was smaller than other boys my age, for one thing. Plus, my glasses, and being the 'smart kid'...... I was pretty much a bully magnet. Can't tell you how many pairs of glasses I went through, though they weren't really stopped until their actions put me in danger. Like, there were several times some kid broke my glasses after taking them from me, and I wandered out into the street because I couldn't see it. Everything was just blurs of colors. I heard cars and horses, but I couldn't see them. Imagine being four years old and in the middle of traffic you can't see that's trying not to hit you and people angry and yelling at you and you don't know why. Grandpa was furious and actually went straight to that kid's parents. I didn't understand at the time what it meant, but he said he would take them to court if it happened again." He took a breath and hugged himself as he continued,
"There was also the time a different kid, bigger kid, hit me and broke them...and then pushed me into a river. I was five or six at the time and it was the scariest thing that ever happened to me, except for the accident that killed my parents. Grandpa did take that one to court, since I almost drowned and I was sick afterward. That one made the local newspaper.....So, I kinda was a little scared of other kids, though some were grateful and nice when I helped them in school."
0 notes
Text
[RR-042] Research done for character's backstory and world building
After analysing what research I need to look into, I looked into some important research relating to the backstory of the character and the world situation.
I looked at the subjects that links to volcanoes and volcanologists:
'Scientists of many disciplines study volcanoes. Physical volcanologists study the processes and deposits of volcanic eruptions. Geophysicists study seismology (the study of earthquakes - very useful in volcano monitoring), gravity, magnetics, and other geophysical measurements.'
https://www.usgs.gov/observatories/cascades-volcano-observatory/information-about-volcanologists#:~:text=Scientists%20of%20many%20disciplines%20study,magnetics%2C%20and%20other%20geophysical%20measurements.
I was curious to know if volcanoes are still a threat even if they don't erupt?:
"Definitely. Many stratovolcanoes have a plumbing system of hot acid water that progressively breaks down hard rock to soft, clay-rich material. The volcano is gradually weakened, and large parts may suddenly fail. Resulting water-rich landslides are especially dangerous because they can occur without any volcanic or seismic warning.
The risk of mudflows [lahars] formed this way is especially high along rivers downstream from Mount Rainier, because of the large population on floodplains, the huge weakened edifice of the volcano, and a long history of large flows that occurred when the volcano was otherwise dormant."
What is it called when a volcano doesn't erupt?
Dormant â Dormant volcanoes are volcanoes that have not erupted in a long time but are expected to erupt again in the future. Examples of dormant volcanoes are Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, Africa and Mount Fuji in Japan. IMAGE. Extinct â Extinct volcanoes are those which have not erupted in human history.
I searched for 'stratovolcanoes volcanoes in china':
Tianchi Volcano is the most dangerous and active stratovolcano in China. Tianchi has a Holocene record of high intensity explosive eruptions. Historical records of the Li Dynasty, Korea (the Lichaoshilu series of books) and other documents show that Tianchi Volcano erupted in 1668, 1702 and 1903 ad (Cui et al., 1995).
'What are 3 characteristics of stratovolcanoes?'
Stratovolcano. Stratovolcanoes have relatively steep sides and are more cone-shaped than shield volcanoes. They are formed from viscous, sticky lava that does not flow easily. The lava therefore builds up around the vent forming a volcano with steep sides.
l was more interested to look at volcanoes in China, so I found this volcano names Changbaishan:
How to activate a volcano?:
'Typically, for an eruption to occur, enough magma must accumulate in the chamber under the volcano. Then something needs to trigger the eruption. That could be an injection of new magma into the chamber, a buildup of gases within the volcano, or a landslide that removes material from the top of a volcano.'
How are volcanoes useful to earth?:
'Volcanic materials ultimately break down and weather to form some of the most fertile soils on Earth, cultivation of which has produced abundant food and fostered civilizations. The internal heat associated with young volcanic systems has been harnessed to produce geothermal energy.'
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-are-some-benefits-volcanic-eruptions#:~:text=Volcanic%20materials%20ultimately%20break%20down,harnessed%20to%20produce%20geothermal%20energy.
How are volcanoes useful to humans?:
'Volcanic deposits are enriched in elements such as magnesium and potassium. When volcanic rock and ash weathers, these elements are released, producing extremely fertile soils. Thin layers of ash can act as natural fertilisers, producing increased harvests in years following an eruption.'
I was also curios the read briefly about the incident that took place in Pompeii:
But in the summer of A.D. 79, the nearby Mount Vesuvius volcano erupted. It spewed smoke and toxic gas 20 miles into the air, which soon spread to the town. Almost overnight, Pompeiiâand many of its 10,000 residentsâvanished under a blanket of ash.
what gas does volcanoes release?:
'Ninety-nine percent of the gas molecules emitted during a volcanic eruption are water vapor (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2), and sulfur dioxide (SO2). The remaining one percent is comprised of small amounts of hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, and other minor gas species.'
https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-gases-are-emitted-kilauea-and-other-active-volcanoes#:~:text=Ninety%2Dnine%20percent%20of%20the,and%20other%20minor%20gas%20species.
Local towns in California, home town location for the character:
For the native place for the character, I chose a small town called Avalon in Catalina Island situated in California.
0 notes
Video
youtube
Epic roadtrip on the East of the Island of Mauritius.
Grand River South East (GRSE) is this incredible village in the southeast of Mauritius, right by the Indian Ocean. Back in the 17th century, the Dutch named it Groote River (Great River) because they used it to stock and ship ebony wood. Nowadays, the people in GRSE mostly make a living by fishing, and the village has cool local groups and things to check out. There's even a waterfall, and it's super popular with both tourists and locals.
Allow me to quote YAGNISHSING DAWOOR.
Now, there's this jungle, right? And these fancy villas pop up from it, all cool and covered in stucco. They kind of take up a bunch of space, especially the rich folks' part. A bit of where I'm from got covered up when they built these fancy houses and their even fancier twin, the Anahita. I got worried once during this big tide day when there was a massive earthquake in Sumatra in 2004. I thought the village might get washed away, and bits of our lives might end up in Africa, where most of our people are from. It felt like this weird reverse middle passage. Little did I know then that there are other ways places can disappear, like humans messing things up or making deals that change how a place looks or lives.
What I'm telling you about this place comes from a mix of real moments, things I've felt, stories I half-heard while half-asleep, and maybe some stuff I made up. I found old photos from ages ago, all sepia-toned and mysterious, hiding in drawers that lost their keys.
So, this fishing village is a big deal for me, especially because of my late grandmother, Devi Sri Manti. Imagine her porch with stone steps, and she's there, crouching and weeding with her hair all oily. You can see the sea from her yard, and it's like this ghost moving away with a huge, blue sheet between its strides. The Bambou Range and Mont Villars in the distance, with smoky shadows coming down at sundown. Lights from far-away houses. Some days, it still feels exactly like that.
Even though trees block the view of our house from the main road, it's just a short walk from the village milestone and not far from where we grab groceries. The house is a bit crumbly, but it's got this timeless sea-feel to it. My uncle's always in the backyard with his boat, fixing it up to keep the seawater out. He's got cool stories from the edges of unknown waters. "We come from India and Africa," he'd say, "we're all their sons and daughters." Sometimes, he talks about our memories scattered at sea, lost and unclaimed.
Past the street with speedboats and food vans, there's this sludgy strip where the Grand River meets the sea. Sadly, it took lives last year, including a two-year-old and a woman trying to save him. This old river mouth is magnetic, dangerous, and without its challenges, it might just disappear. It's like the heart of the place, you know? If it goes away, the village might lose its essence and vanish.
The fishermen of the east coast of Mauritius play a vital role in the local economy and culture. Fishing has been a traditional way of life in Mauritius for centuries, and the east coast, with its abundant marine resources, has a thriving community of fishermen. Here are some aspects of the fisherman's life on the east coast:
Lifestyle:
Fishing is not just an occupation; it's a way of life for many families on the east coast. The fishermen often follow a daily routine dictated by the tides, weather conditions, and the seasonal migration of fish.
Traditional Techniques:
Many fishermen on the east coast use traditional fishing techniques that have been passed down through generations. This includes using handcrafted wooden boats, nets, and lines. Traditional pirogues, a type of small canoe, are still commonly used for nearshore fishing.
Variety of Fish:
The east coast of Mauritius is known for its rich marine biodiversity. Fishermen here catch a variety of fish, including tuna, dorado, kingfish, grouper, and snapper. The abundance of fish contributes to the livelihoods of the fishing communities.
Fishing Villages:
The east coast is dotted with fishing villages where you can find colorful boats lined up along the shores. These villages often have a close-knit community, and fishing is not just a profession but a shared identity.
Fish Markets:
The catch from the east coast makes its way to local fish markets, providing fresh seafood to both locals and visitors. Markets in towns like Mahebourg and Flacq are vibrant places where you can experience the bustling trade of freshly caught fish.
Challenges:
Like fishermen worldwide, those on the east coast face challenges such as changing weather patterns, overfishing concerns, and environmental issues. They are also adapting to modern technology to enhance their fishing methods while maintaining a balance with sustainable practices.
Cultural Heritage:
Fishing on the east coast is not just an economic activity; it's deeply intertwined with the cultural heritage of the region. Many cultural events and festivals celebrate the fishing traditions, and the knowledge of the sea is passed down from one generation to the next.
Community Spirit:
The sense of community among the fishermen is strong. They often collaborate to share knowledge, resources, and assistance when needed. Community-based initiatives for sustainable fishing practices are also gaining traction.
Tourism and Fishing:
With the growth of tourism in Mauritius, some fishermen on the east coast may also engage in providing fishing experiences for tourists. This allows visitors to learn about traditional fishing methods and experience the daily life of a fisherman.
The fishermen of the east coast of Mauritius contribute not only to the local economy but also to the cultural richness of the region. Their way of life reflects a harmonious relationship with the sea and the traditions that have sustained communities for generations.
The roads on the east coast of Mauritius are pretty good â all smooth and well-kept. But, you know, there are some things you should watch out for when you're driving:
Traffic: Sometimes, the road can get pretty busy, especially during rush hours and holidays. You might find slow drivers, big buses, trucks, and people walking around. Just be patient and careful.
Road closures: Every now and then, a part of the road might be closed for fixing stuff or building things. It could mess up your plans, so it's a good idea to check if everything's clear before you head out.
Road signs: Most of the signs are easy to understand, but they might not always show the names of places in English. Some places have different names in English and French, so keep an eye out for both. Like Trou dâEau Douce is also called Deux Frères, and Poste La Fayette is also called Poste de Flacq.
Road conditions: The road is usually smooth, but it can change depending on the weather. Sometimes it gets narrow, twisty, or hilly, so take it slow. Watch out for potholes, speed bumps, and maybe even some animals on the road.
Fort Hendrik was a small fort built by the Dutch in 1638 on the southeast coast of Mauritius, near the village of Vieux Grand Port. It was named after Frederik Hendrik, the stadtholder of the Netherlands and the brother of Prince Maurice, after whom Mauritius was named. The fort was destroyed by fire in 1695 and later rebuilt by the French, who also established a settlement around it. The site is now a historical museum that displays artifacts and ruins from the colonial era.
The first place where the Dutch landed in Mauritius was Grand Port. The Dutch were the first Europeans to arrive on the island in 1598. They named the island "Mauritius" in honor of Prince Maurice of Nassau, who was a key figure in the Dutch Republic.
Here are some key points about the Dutch landing in Grand Port:
Historical Context:
The Dutch East India Company, led by Admiral Wybrand Van Warwijck, made the first recorded landing on the island in 1598 during an expedition to the East Indies. However, their initial attempt to establish a settlement was not successful.
Abandonment and Rediscovery:
The Dutch abandoned Mauritius after their first attempt, and the island remained uninhabited by Europeans for several decades. It was later rediscovered by the Dutch in 1638 when they established a more permanent presence.
Grand Port:
Grand Port, located on the southeast coast of the island, played a significant role in the early Dutch exploration and colonization efforts. The natural harbor at Grand Port provided a strategic location for ships to anchor and replenish supplies.
Ebony Exploitation:
One of the primary reasons for the Dutch interest in Mauritius was the abundance of ebony trees. The Dutch exploited these ebony forests for their valuable wood, which was highly sought after in European markets.
Limited Settlement:
While the Dutch had a presence in Mauritius, their attempts at establishing a permanent settlement were limited. The harsh conditions, including cyclones and a lack of freshwater sources, made sustained colonization challenging.
Abandonment and Arrival of Other Colonizers:
The Dutch ultimately abandoned their efforts in Mauritius in the mid-17th century. Subsequently, the French and later the British arrived on the island, each leaving their mark on its history and culture.
Legacy:
Despite the relatively brief Dutch presence, their initial exploration and exploitation of resources, especially ebony, left a lasting impact on Mauritius. The island's history is a complex tapestry woven by various colonial powers.
While Grand Port was the first landing site for the Dutch in Mauritius, subsequent colonial powers contributed significantly to the island's development and cultural heritage. Today, Grand Port is known not only for its historical significance but also for its picturesque landscapes and rich marine life.
0 notes
Text
Just Getting by in Purgatory
Just Getting by in Purgatory
Youâre not hitting bottom, youâre more failing sidewaysâŚ
        I canât ever say that I had a time in my life where things were just working out.  Itâs been a steady drag along the bottom with a jump here and there or a sudden dip that eventually evens out.  In the absence of success many are quick to say there is only failure, however where is the actual base line of failure?  Is there a kind of purgatory for when you arenât quite making it, but you havenât biffed it hard yet?  Like failure adjacent?
        I feel like I have been walking along the trail of suck for so long that there should be a win here somewhere, but what if there isnât.  What if Iâm just supposed to spend my time failing sideways?  Is that a thing?  Just kind of drifting like a ghost along in the stream of almost? Seems a little nihilist to me⌠And here I am thinking that the whole edgy feeling was supposed to die in my early 30âs.  Isnât that when we all spring forth trying to take care of ourselves and have a sense of purpose? Maybe not⌠ Still, it canât always be treading water on our drift to the middle, no matter how small thereâs bound to be a small step up.
        When I think of purgatory, I think of indecisive, I think of a lifetime of safe and reasonable choices, charted accountancy, miserable khaki shorts, hesitation.  Thatâs how you get here, in a realm defined by radio static, by just accepting the cosmic flow of absolute shit.  You arenât diving lower with each bummer, more just using failure as a people mover pushing you through life.  Itâs a lazy river of unyielding tedium circling the drain of a dystopian un-amusement park. But itâs also comfortable, Itâs the space that doesnât push you.  Purgatory has no expectation other than existence, and while there is no reward you also lack consequence.  Here your âC qualityâ English paper makes it onto the refrigerator, you donât get the cool magnet but hey, youâre here.  This is the participation trophy for walking the rat race.  Thatâs what makes it so enticing, and dangerous.
        All of us want to get by, we want to have the bare minimum when we lay down at the end of each day.  Getting by takes off that yolk of responsibility, we allow it to loosen the binds of accountability as we surrender to the âknown.â  We switch off and sign into the auto pilot to coast along while we simultaneously agree to drag the anchor of mediocrity.  We float, bobbing along, âIâm fine, this is fineâŚâ
        Itâs time to try, because even if its down, any direction has got to be better than sideways⌠Â
 *- Iâm stressed, Iâm a mess, and Iâm doing my best -*
1 note
¡
View note
Text
THE BIG VULCAN BIOLOGY POST (aka Vulcan is a Hell Planet)
DISCLAIMER: I am not a biologist, astrophysicist, neurologist, animal psychologist or literally anything that would qualify me to talk about this with 100% confidence. This is the result of dozens of headcanons and obsessive deep dive research. I donât want this post to be three miles long, so after I address the planetary stuff I will oblige yâall with a Read More.
Adsfasdkfjhaslkdfh Iâve been working on this post for almost a month SO HERE WE GO!
First of all, Vulcan (aka TâKhasi) is a HELL PLANET, which is part of the reason theyâre so badass, I say this for the following reasons:
No moon(s) (natural satellites)
Sodium (Salt) is so rare on the planet that Vulcanâs oceans are freshwater
Itâs a âSuper-Earthâ (as in big chonkinâ planet of similar composition to earth in the âgoldilocks regionâ)
Letâs do this.
âVulcan has no moon Ms. Uhura.â
-Spock, The Man Trap
Tons of things change about our planet if there was no moon:
Much darker nights (no moonlight)
Much lower sea levels since there is no gravity from the moon to pull it upward.
Lower and weaker tides because the water is pulled by the sun instead of the moon, and it depends on how large the Vulcan solar systemâs sun is for how big the waves are.
Stronger winds from faster planet rotation.
Depending on whether the axis of the planet would straighten or tilt further without the moonâs pull, combined with the faster rotation would lead to more severe seasons (strong tilt) or no seasons at all (no tilt)
The first factor may lead to Vulcan eyes being very catlike even if they arenât nocturnal (I think theyâre crepesucular but weâll get into that later). Which given the likely nature of their blood and their herbivorous eating habits they probably arenât. The sky would still be so dark that our human eyes couldnât even see our hands in front of us, being blind when the sun goes down could be a death sentence. Alternatively, if they didnât develop strong night vision that may be one of the reasons why they have such strong senses of hearing.
The stronger winds, faster rotation, and stronger (or nonexistent) seasons come from the lack of resistance and friction that stronger tides and the moonâs pull create on our planet. I suspect that Vulcan is larger, or at least denser than Earth, but Iâve been informed that according to the TMP novelization that it does rotate faster. I also think that Vulcanâs tilt is on the more extreme end to get the hostile extremes like storms and heat that we see on Vulcan.
If you look at this image of Vulcan, water covers way less of the planetâs surface than Earth. I donât think this is necessarily because Vulcan has less water, but that it isnât spread as far because of the lack of moon, and the fact that the oceans are freshwater, Iâll get into that shortly.
âMy ancestors spawned from a different ocean than yours.â
-Spock, The Man Trap
In the Star Trek: The Original Series (third) pilot The Man Trap, there is a creature that kills its victims by draining their bodies completely of salt. Spock encounters the creature but does not die, implying his (and Vulcans overall) body contains little to no salt. His justification is that his species did not evolve from a salinized ocean.
What does it mean to have oceans with no salt?
This has to mean that sodium is a very rare mineral on Vulcan, as the reason our oceans are so salinized is due to erosion of minerals by rainfall, carried from river to ocean. Salt in the ocean is also generated by submarine volcanic activity, which means either that the volcanoes on Vulcan (which we definitely know exist) somehow donât produce salt, or the vast majority of the submarine volcanoes have been inactive for millions if not billions of years. The active volcanoes on Vulcan must be very far inland and/or Vulcan has almost no rivers, which given how hot the planet is, wouldnât actually be too much of a stretch of the imagination.
Which means every single lifeform on TâKhasi, including Vulcans, evolved biosystems that exist without (or with very little) salt content. Any salt that exists would likely be deep beneath the planetâs surface, and within volcanoes.
No saltwater has a ton of consequences:
Plants (like underwater algae) are rarer and may not photosynthesize the same way Earth plants do, meaning less oxygen and more carbon dioxide, which means more greenhouse effect, which means higher temperatures.
The lack of salt would also mean less diverse plant life (at least as humans know it) and given the lack of visible rivers and vast swaths of desert on Vulcan, we can safely say vegetation must be hardier and infrequent.
Lower sea levels as the oceans would have lower density due to lack of salt.
Little to no water convection, which salt is crucial for on Earth. Which means warm ocean water doesnât move to cold regions and vice versa. Creating extremes, the equator being obscenely hot, and polar waters freezing at the poles more extensively.
Lack of convection means more frequent and stronger storms like hurricanes.
If you thought the lack of a moon made Vulcan inhospitable, compound it with the low sodium factor and youâve got a planet of even more severe extremes than before. The heat, and the decrease of plant diversity definitely explain why the vast majority of Vulcan is rocky desert, even being near the water poses more extreme dangers than it would on earth due to the increased frequency of hurricanes.
âMr. Spock is much stronger than an ordinary human being.â
-Kirk, This Side of Paradise
I am almost 100% sure that Vulcan is either bigger or denser than Earth. Which would explain why Vulcans are so much stronger than Humans and other species that exist on similar gravity worlds.
Effects of a high-gravity planet or âSuper-Earthâ include:
Everything is shorter or has very strong foundations, plants, animals, structures, and people.
More âArmageddonâ class asteroids would hit the planet (like the one that killed the dinosaurs and created the Gulf of Mexico)
Larger liquid mantle under the planetâs surface, higher pressure under the surface as well.
Weaker magnetic field due to lack of convection in the planetâs core (not to be confused with the mantle interacting with the planetâs crust). Which means a weaker atmosphere, lower magnetism in surface metals, and increased vulnerability to solar flares.
More volcanically and seismically active due the the increase in the mantleâs size and generated heat, more earthquakes, and more volcanic eruptions.
Would have to have a smaller sun but be closer in orbit to it than earth.
Extremely deep oceans, potentially with water under so much pressure at the bottom that it becomes solid like ice. Luckily Vulcan is not an ocean world, because the pressure would block the planetâs core from interacting with the atmosphere, which would prevent life as we know it from happening.
There is plenty of evidence for this on so many levels. We never see any plant life similar to trees on Vulcan. Nor animals significantly larger than Vulcans, the ones that are bigger are much more muscular. Vulcanâs sky is more red than blue because of the lack of oxygen molecules for the light from the sun to filter as blue. I actually headcanon that Spock is unusually tall for a Vulcan because of his human heritage (Leonard Nimoy was around 6ft tall) , and may have had heart and muscle problems in his teens and early adulthood while on Vulcan.
Perhaps Vulcans are the result of many more extinction level events than we are, contributing to their hardiness. Perhaps they are, evolutionarily, not too much older than we are, and had more incentive to develop extraterrestrial technology than we have, so that they could repel Armageddon Class meteors and defend their planet against Solar Flares? Space travel being born out of self-preservation rather than curiosity. Which would absolutely account for their attitudes in the beginning of Star Trek: Enterprise.
It could be that Vulcans still maintain a semi-nomadic lifestyle even today because their planet is so incredibly volatile. Unsentimental and utilitarian in anything less than the most sacred of architecture long before they adopted the teachings of Surak. Their own survival more valuable than any structure that would inevitably be damaged or destroyed by their planetâs harsh environment.
In summary, Vulcan is a Nightmare Planet because:
So, so many much natural disasters, like, so many, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, hurricanes, twisters, just, so many more than Earth.
Water is relegated to specific locations in the world rather than spread across it due to lack of flow and lower sea levels.
Extreme temperature changes, intense heat, intense cold, hard to breathe, stronger gravity.
Due to the planetâs hostility, there is a smaller diversity of life than we have here on earth, which means fewer and hardier food sources that, like Vulcans, are very difficult to kill.
So⌠How do they handle it? What features have they developed to adapt and thrive in such an inhospitable place?
First thing is first, lets talk about
BLOOD
âMy hemoglobin is based on copper, not iron.â
-Spock, Obsession
Funny thing is Spock, itâs not hemoglobin at all! Itâs hemocyanin! In fact, there are earth animals that have it, among them Horseshoe Crabs, crustaceans, mollusks and spiders!
Hemocyanin is blue when it hasnât been exposed to oxygen, and blue-green when it has, according to some sources on Vulcans their blood is orangey red when unexposed to air and thatâs why they have pink lips and so on, but we can brush that off as chemical variation within their hemocyanin. Better yet, maybe itâs trendy for Vulcans to wear pink lipstick nowadays, âcause Surak knows how horny Humans and Vulcans are for each other XD! Anyway!
Hemocyanin does quite a few things that our blood canât, itâs uniquely built for high pressure, low oxygen environments, as well as endure temperature extremes like cold (not unlike nights on their planet). Not only that, but it coagulates and clots WAY faster than our blood. Which means wounds seal themselves off from harmful bacteria and stop bleeding much faster than hemoglobin. Pair that with the Vulcan ability to enter a healing torpor, no wonder Spock keeps surviving environments and wounds that would definitely have killed a human.
Now, the animals I listed donât have veins, which for us carry oxygen around via hemoglobin, so itâs possible that the same difference that causes Vulcan blood to be a coppery orange-red beneath the skin, is the same reason they have veins. Allowing them to look more like us and lack the exoskeletons and deep ocean delving that their earth blood cousins have.
âThe shipâs temperature is increasingly uncomfortable for me. Iâve adjusted the environment in my quarters to 125 degrees.â
-(Elderly) Spock, The Deadly Years
Oh goodie, the Vulcan blood temperature discourse has arrived, the age old question, are Vulcans warm-blooded or cold-blooded? The answer to this question is
YES
I am firmly in the small (but hopefully growing) camp Vulcans Are Heterothermic. Among the earth animals we know to be heterothermic are bumblebees, several species of bats, the opah fish, and the arctic ground squirrel. Of all these animals, despite the opposite temperature intensity of Vulcanâs environment, Iâm basing how Vulcans function on the last one, the arctic squirrel.
Which means they can deliberately control their body temperature in accordance to the needs of their survival. I imagine, just as arctic ground squirrels can drop their body below zero as needed (entering what is called a âdaily torporâ) Vulcans can do the same. In turn, they could possibly skyrocket their bodies to temperatures that would be a lethal fever for humans. Which makes both McCoyâs ânonexistent Vulcan metabolismâ comments in various episodes, as well as describing his blood as âice waterâ make sense. As well as Spock being able to handle the heightened body temperature caused by Henoch in âReturn to Tomorrowâ. It also explains why Spock was in far better shape than Bones in the freezing temperatures of the planet from âAll Our Yesterdaysâ.
However, like arctic squirrel newborns, they start out as ectothermic (cold-blooded) which lends itself to the Vulcan infants needing even more skin to skin to survive than humans theory by @acesexualspock. Being born cold blooded would prevent them from immediately dying the second they were exposed to the dangerous extremes of Vulcanâs heat. I also think they slowly lose the ability to control their metabolic rate as they grow older, slowing down dramatically as they age, which is why Spock gets increasingly colder as he ages rapidly in âThe Deadly Yearsâ.
âThe brightness of the Vulcan sun has caused the development of an inner eyelid.â
-Spock, Operation: Annihilate
I wanna thank @tribbleland for inspiring this part in particular.
I want to offer a special congratulations to furries people who let their love for anthro-cats bleed into their love for Vulcans, turns out Vulcans are very catlike! Like our feline Terran friends, Vulcans have what is called a Nicitating Membrane. Itâs functions that would serve Vulcans well in their desert home include spreading moisture across the eye, protect the eye from small water and small debris (like sand for example), as well as protecting the eye from ultraviolet radiation, which is more or less what Spock said in that episode. Other animals that have Nicitating Membranes aside from felines is actually the majority of the animal kingdom, and primates (like us) are the exception and not the rule. I also subscribe to the idea that Vulcans have other desert dweller features like thick hair and eyelashes, sealable nostrils, big feet, a crepuscular sleep cycle (avoiding extreme midnight and midday temperatures), and a tough as nails digestive system!
As an added bonus fact since this section is pretty short: It makes purrfect sense for Vulcans to purr! In cats purring is an emotional regulator when they are angry or scared (Vulcans are ALL about regulating their emotions) as well as purring when they are happy. It is also a mechanism for healing themselves, their kittens, and their owners, the frequency at which cats purr (25-140 Hz) cover the same frequencies that are therapeutic for bone growth and fracture healing, pain relief, swelling reduction, wound healing, muscle growth and repair, tendon repair, and mobility of joints. Iâm over here getting emotional about the mental image of like, Spock or Tuvok or smth sitting next to a wounded crewmember and just like, purring with a completely straight face and that is soft and just a little funny and I am emotionally compromised.
âAnd are itâs natives predatory?â âNot generally, but there have been exceptions.â
-Spock to Trelaine, The Squire of Gothos
Surprise! This isnât just going to be about Vulcan dietary needs, itâs gonna be about animal behaviors and self-domestication as well! I was trying to think of herbivores that are capable of eating meat, and then this idea hit me like a bomb going of in my head-
Vulcans are like Hippos!
I donât mean I think they used to be hippo-like (visually anyway) somewhere along the evolutionary line. I mean that they were probably big, extremely aggressive, pack roaming herbivores that are able to eat carrion when food is scarce. Have you ever seen a video of a group of Hippos smashing an alligator to smithereens? They kill more humans than any solitary predator on the African continent! What about a murder of crows killing a cat that injured one of them, or a group of bison saving a calf from a lion?! Herbivores can be insanely aggressive while still being social, plant-eating animals.
With that in mind, letâs talk about self-domestication! This is something that we humans (and to an extent, cats too) did way back in our biology according to some studies, we bred out aggression and bred in cooperativeness and curiosity. Cats, while partially domesticated by us, started looking for mates that were more sociable so that their offspring could exist closer to humans (and their food) as well as to tolerate other cats. While I do think Vulcans self-domesticated to a degree, I do not think they were able to do so nearly to the same extent as humans or our deliberately domesticated companions. Vulcan is a harsh, violent, and unforgiving planet, even more so than Earth, if Vulcans were naturally as friendly and curious as we Humans are now, they would not have survived as a species.
I believe this is why their emotions are so primal and strong, and things like Pon Farr and their unusually high wariness of the new and unexpected still exist so strongly. How do they live together in such high numbers and develop a functional society? They developed other means of coping as a work-around the impracticality of decreasing aggression!
âCall it a deep understanding of the way things happen to Vulcans.â
-Spock, The Immunity Syndrome
So, how do you have a species as aggressive, unforgiving, and frighteningly strong as Vulcans keep from completely destroying itself (aside from Surakâs teachings)? You take the empathy that humans already have, turn it up to 11, and tack on every evolutionary possibility to increase it. We already know how the Earth comparisons for Vulcan empathy: the extreme vitality of touch for the survival and emotional stability, cats purring to heal each other and themselves (and regulate emotions), nonverbal communication, the ancestral instincts of an infant animal being able to walk days after its born. What if we had all of these traits in remarkable spades, Vulcans certainly seem to! (Be prepared, the science starts getting a little squidgy because there are no real world comparisons and neurology research is very jargon heavy)
Electricity is a fundamental part of the biology of nearly all living things, it allows synapses to fire, regulates our internal organs, and gives us our senses of touch and movement. Skin to skin is so incredibly vital to the survival of infants, and the emotional stability for adults, that needing any more touch could be impractical and counterintuitive. So what if we got more from less? What if our sense of touch, and the acuteness of being able to read the emotions of others from body language and touch manifested as a form of what looks like from an outsiderâs perspective, telepathy!
Now what if the radius of the sensation of touch could be extended much farther, say being able to sense someone to the same intensity I described in the last paragraph, like, through a wall or from across a room? What if you could connect to other lifeforms with the same ability like a chain circuit that could connect a whole species together in one giant circuitboard? I just described what Vulcans call the kwarâmaâkhon, the telepathic energy that connects all Vulcans to each other!
Imagine having this same intense telepathic connection to someone for an extended period of time, like a tâhyâla or Bond Mate. What if you had a relatively easy to master non-lethal attack against other members of your species, that comes to you easily due to your intrinsic understanding of nerves and touch, like the Vulcan Nerve Pinch. In turn, what if, through the intensity of this connection you could transfer everything you knew and saw and felt to another person in the event of your death. That way, if you survived the harshness of your world without dying violently or unexpectedly, you could deliberately pass on that knowledge and those instincts to your next of kin, like the Katra. (thanks @distractedducky @spacedancer1701 & @find-me-in-outer-space)
Now, thatâs A LOT of empathy on top of A LOT of aggression, if you donât have a work around for any of these, as a species youâd be rendered a complete emotional wreck pretty much 24/7 (or whatever the time cycles for Vulcan are). Which is where @ineffablebuddies theory that Vulcans can control, or at least mitigate their incredibly strong emotional reactions the same way they control their nervous system and metabolic rate. Which is how they are able to be touch telepathic, able to enter a torpor at will, and be heterothermic in the first place. The only reason Vulcans come off as unemotional to us is because we simply do not see and feel the way that they can. Unlike us, because of their ability to control their own internal chemistry, if they follow Surakâs teachings and/or Syrranite ideology, they can take that emotional regulation to the extreme.
(BIG EXHALE) Congratulations on getting through this insanely long post! I hope you enjoyed it, if you want sources on any of my non-tumblr post research just let me know in the notes. LLAP! đđđťđ
#Vulcan biology#*emphatically* vulcan biology#VULCAN BIOLOGYYYYY#AHHHHHHHH#vulcan has no moon#big gravity#big disaster#vulcantology#a post 3 weeks in the making#yes I know itâs 1am EST what about it?!#vulcans#vulcan Vulcans Vulcans#return to tomorrow#the man trap#the deadly years#obsession#operation: annihilate!#hemocyanin#heterothermic#aggressive herbivores#touch telepathy#Pon Farr#self-domestication#nicitating membrane#vulcan infants#neuroelectricity#xenobiology#xenobiologist#the immunity syndrome#the squire of gothos
3K notes
¡
View notes