#but just know there is a version of it where that occurs

[tallerthantale]

Yes, the "curse of knowledge" very good example. The neurotypical autopilot filters primarily on what a typical person they would typically interact with would typically know/think/believe. The "curse of knowledge" is at its worst when the speaker mostly interacts with peers and occasionally lectures.

In a lot of ways the autistic version of theory of mind makes it easier to break out of that curse, because consciously modeling what a person in a different situation would know is something we generally have to learn how to do to survive. It just won't show up instinctively if we aren't putting focus onto that work in that moment. A lot of neurotypicals don't ever learn how to do that conscious modeling because they usually don't need to.

The version of neurotypical systemic "theory of mind" errors I run into most is in political discussions. When people are in ideological bubbles they tend to accumulate a large pile of assumptions and premises about demographics, policies, events, party platforms, ect... that become "facts" within that bubble. From there those all get processed into the 'assumed universal shared reality' folder in their brain.

Unfortunately, that process happens with little regard to primary sources. If everyone around us treats something as fact, it unconsciously becomes neurologically a fact that is so assumed it wouldn't occur to us to fact check it. Autistic people can be resistant to this, but we are not immune.

When people leave their bubble and try to have debates with people who have a completely different 'assumed universal shared reality' folder they end up talking passed each other, and almost never check if they are starting from the same premises because they aren't consciously aware that an assumption was made. They will have heated flame wars over a policy, without realising that they have two completely different understandings of what the policy actually is.

I think a lot of online discourse would be a lot more productive if people leaned harder into asking questions about where others are coming from. What do you think happened in the underlying event? When you use this term, what do you mean by that? What is your understanding of this policy, and what effects to you expect it will have? What do you think is happening now?

A fairly straight forward example of this is with income/wealth inequality. Most people are a few good infographics away from 'eat the rich,' (if you can get them to trust the data) because they have no idea how bad wealth inequality currently is. When you ask people how they think wealth ought to be divided, people are broadly pretty reasonable about it. The problem is a looooot of people think that the reasonable distribution is what we basically have now. (That perception is a broad centrist thing, not a right wing thing, btw.) So when they hear 'eat the rich' they think people want to guillotine the doctor with the nice house down the road and react accordingly. And then the people on the 'eat the rich' side think those taking the message badly are all wannabe billionaires who think the poor deserve to die in the street.

I think most of the time the differences are in our premises not in our values. Not all the time though. Sometimes people really do just have shit values, but it's often worth checking first.

Raising my kid (who is autistic) has made me realise as an autistic person that a surprising amount of communication failure in, at least these, autistic people is forgetting that other people are like separate people who don't share a hive mind with you

Some examples:

- not bothering to give verbal signals of what you're doing when others can't see your actions in a conversation: ie nodding when they have their back to you instead of saying yes or saying "coming" instead of "coming right after I shut down the computer" when you're called into another room

- assuming everyone thinks the same way as you do about a particular aspect of life and being repeatedly shocked, over and over in your life, to find that's not the case

- getting frustrated that you have to actually explain your thoughts processes and context of what you're trying to explain when they should just understand

And I do understand that everyone is a separate person living their own unique lives with many different ways of looking at and experiencing the world...

but also what do you mean you don't understand things that I haven't explained!?!? We share a psyche! What do you mean romance isn't a bit!?!

It's like we have a bit of programming that lets us connect to the hive mind but there is no actual hive mind and we're a little bit disgruntled by that

Now there are probably going to be autistic people who disagree but the people I know personally who are autistic understand these moments. I knew I did it but I didn't contextualise it in my issues with communication until I was a parent and had a kid doing the same shit to me

[afreakingdork]

Soft Spot - Chapter 27

RotTMNT Donatello x Reader

Everyone knows I will preach @garbagemilkshake 's talent until the end of time, but DAMN did she outdo herself this week!! Wah!

Rated: Explicit

Warnings/Tags: Romance, Established Relationship, Married Couple, Married Life, Aged-Up Mutant Ninja Turtles, Villain Donatello (TMNT), Love, POV Second Person, Babies, Pregnancy, AFAB reader, Vaginal Sex, Rough Sex, Penis In Vagina Sex, Creampie, Breeding Kink, Multiple Orgasms, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Fertility Issues, Pregnant Sex, Pregnancy Kink, Reader-Insert, Cunnilingus, Fellatio, Cum Eating, Turtle Noises (TMNT), I have a Biology Degree and I’m Using it, Menstruation, There WILL NOT be any Miscarriages

Synopsis: First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes the next step about as smooth as the others arrived. The baby-oriented sequel to Weak Spot.

Also available on Ao3

First 💜 Previous

You were exhausted. The rapid contraction of muscles associated with shivering was wearing away your very being. From around you, S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. pulled you closer to the dying flame of his warmth. In a gentle rev, he conjured up more of his heat, but it was an energy transfer. His lights became dimmer and his expression thinned out to its barest lines. You felt the dire forewarning of his weakening being and searched Donnie.

Your mate was only a few steps away and a shell of himself. Amongst the dark, his visage began to bleed where he was losing color. He tried in vain based on the pinched lines of his face to conjure his ninpo again, but it was just as depleted. He came out of the summoning with swirling pupils that he had to squeeze into line. He fluttered his lids open for consciousness and, without the metaphysical, he tried to reignite the tangible generator that had long run out of fuel.

Donnie could only muster enough energy to thump his hand against it. 

It was a far cry from banging an appliance in hopes of getting it running again. 

The machine stayed dormant. 

“D-D-D-D-Don?” You despised the chatting of your teeth.

“Dad…” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. added. “I’m sorry. I only have 15 minutes left at this rate.”

Since you were pressed to him, you felt something in your son power down.

Your shuddering attention turned to him. “S-S-Shell-ly…!”

“Scanning…” A synthetic version of his voice came out.

“No evacuation.” Donnie took his coat off.

Your protest warbled on cracked lips.

He draped it around you. “State of emergency. Shelters’ full. Turning away all else. Hospital running out of back-up power…”

You shook your head as it was within a withered movement.

“This blizzard...” Donnie murmured and glanced to where your kitchen window was frosted shut.

You reached for your husband despite the cocoon you were entrenched in. Donnie leaned into you and, through the many layers, his skin felt iced. You knew exactly how you got here, but the cold was freezing your neurons. You closed your eyes and Donnie added his warmth to the pile.

The weather had been average just a few days ago. On Tuesday, you were thriving in the late October temperatures. They were just cool enough that they helped soothe your all too warm body. Donnie still fussed about you taking a jacket, but you liked to lean against the kitchen window sill with the pane hiked up. It was positioned so you could perfectly enjoy the evening chill that occurred when the sun dipped out of sight. You had done your routine as usual and there was no sense of what was impending.

You had gone to bed, spent hours getting comfortable, slept, and were woken up in the wee hours of the morning with the ability to see your breath. Donnie was already sitting up beside you and looking out at the steam pouring from his nostrils. He moved immediately to the thermostat and you watched him try to activate it to no avail. You pulled your phone and saw the blackout alerts littering your screen. Over the course of three days, the city fell apart. Disinformation spread as the burroughs shut down. Trapped in a veritable snow globe, a trapped blizzard wreaked havoc, and took with it all power, safety, and transportation.

You hunkered down and were alright at first. Donnie made a few generators from what he had around the apartment. He fussed about emissions, but negating them helped to pass the time. You were both of the mindset that this freak storm would pass. It was on the second day that Donnie managed to conjure a fuel with his ninpo. He became the safest power source and easily fed the machines. The churning of fuchsia lights continued to make your apartment a safe haven.

After that, you invited any neighbors still in the building to join you. Food was communally shared and the others prided Donnie on his good work. Mrs. Kaczmarek had a slew of anecdotes to bend your ear until her grandson came by to get her. Emergency services came in waves. The first shelters that were temporarily set up failed in one way or another, but need meant restructuring birthed new ones. Millions of city residents poured into these buildings or found other ways to maintain themselves amidst the bizarre storm.

Your son showed up around the time your home was thinned out to its usual tenants. He had tried to come as fast as he could via his drone form, but the winds proved impossible. He was stuck on foot and the trip had taken him through a series of adventures. He stopped again and again to save those in need and used his sturdy body to help. He dug people out of where they were trapped and aided rescue efforts until he finally made it to you.

Donnie was growing weak. He found a new limit to his ninpo by constantly using it. The 24/7 brunt burned some metaphorical mystic candle at both ends until this very morning the generators sputtered and died out. He had almost collapsed in the process, but his drive to protect you superseded all else. You weren’t sure he had slept, as he had to be awake to fuel the generators. It just happened to be a terrible coincidence that he had hit his wall around the same time S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s battery was at its limit.

“No change.” Your son spoke with that voice that wasn’t quite him.

Donnie clicked his tongue. “Scan for suitable burnables.”

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. didn’t waste energy responding and must have done so because he went back to barely whirling.

“Our home is no longer suitable. Our first priority is warmth.” He adjusted your bundle. “We could start a fire here, but to what end? Destroy our home and others while risking smoke inhalation?”

You tucked your burning nose into a scarf.

He pulled your hood a little tighter. “All adjacent buildings are the same. Fires outside in barrels are infeasible with the winds. Trying to travel…”

His inhale quaked with the cold and you knew he was horrified by the thought of you slipping on the ice.

“The pipes have already burst and frozen.” He looked out weakly. “S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N., we require that update.”

“Dad…” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s eyes suddenly brightened to their usual hue.

Donnie looked at him.

“I’m noticing something… There’s this account called SHERLOCK_CORN. They’re flooding the area with this message. It’s going up over and over to every available board or public service account. I think… it’s for us.”

Donnie’s brow lowered.

“The account… There’s no data. I can’t trace it…” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s eyes dimmed and he shook his head a little. “So tired… I think it’s her. That quick lady… Encoded message… with coordinates…”

Your son’s arm limply rooted against you. You couldn’t see, but he dug against your layers to find the hem of your sleeve. With a few twitchy wipes, you felt something small and sharpened prick out of one of his finger tips. It was quickly followed by the gentle flow of what you identified as a pen. He quickly scrawled out a short message that you bet was the coordinates he spoke of.

“That’s… Go…” His head started to loll.

“Sh-Shelly?!” You tried to turn to him.

You watched him go limp.

It was a waste of your energy, but you shook him as best as you could.

He was a lifeless metal shell.

You sent a weepy gaze to Donnie.

He stared with a shuddering breath.

You scrambled to pull your arm free. “H-h-he…!”

Donnie tried to stop you.

“N-n-no!” You pushed back and he didn’t have the strength to fight it.

You pulled back your sleeve and showed him the scrawl.

Donnie stared at it for a moment before he moved.

You could feel how it was a last ditch effort. In stumbling desperation, he got your go-bag and tossed more into it. You heard a rustle from the bathroom of what you assumed was your vitamins, among other things. A few drawers opened and he appeared to you while zipping your bag shut. He paused only for one thoughtful moment before he dropped down and activated the mechanism for where his villain suit was hidden away.

You knew the secret drawer it was hidden in had some sort of electrical quality to it and you were surprised when it split open with its purple lights just how you remembered. You squirmed in the cocoon of blankets you were tucked in and watched Donnie pull the case out. Whatever hesitance he had, he left during his pause because he immediately cracked the lid to the case and dove into the fabric. With a speed that kicked in like muscle memory, he was zipping up the panel in seconds. He swapped out his current boots for the heavy lace up ones and he unceremoniously shoved each hand into their gloves. His only pause came when he stared at the mask, which he closed his eyes for before he put it on.

The final flick was putting his hood up into place and you knew the second his lids lifted because that fuchsia light broke into the room.

“Y/N.” His voice sounded like his own.

“Y-y-yeah?”

“We’re going.”

You tried to say ‘okay,’ but the word wouldn’t solidify so you shook into a nod.

Donnie came with tenderness and dimmed lights as he readjusted your bundle. You felt a little like an overdressed kid from a movie as you got onto your feet. You had to stand a certain width not just because of your pelvis, but because of the layers. It matched the way your arms stuck out to a certain degree and your husband checked you over before darting away one last time. While his body moved one direction, the mechanicals arms sprouted to do their own work. You watched one limb pick up your go-bag and tuck it safely into Donnie’s person for storage. It melded somewhere between where the arms sprang forth from the battle shell and you lost track of it when he returned to offer you some safety goggles.

You put them on and gave him the sturdiest look you could.

He nodded appropriately and one of the arms wrapped tightly around S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’S lifeless form before he picked you up. You knew he didn’t want you in the cold long and his hold made for the quickest travel. You both burst out into the hallway where the temperature dropped significantly. You thought your apartment had lost all heat, but the little hall in your building was a stark reminder that the two men in your life were trying to preserve your comfort. In increasing bounds, you flew down the stairs before hitting the ice of the lobby. The cold took your breath away and you hid into Donnie. He squeezed you with reassurance before you heard his boots crunch snow.

It made little sense as he hadn’t used the door, but you knew you were outside from the sudden blinding whites that seemed to pour from every angle.

“The storm stopped.” He spoke.

Against the scream of your body, you peeked over his shoulder.

Everything you could see was white.

There were barely shapes amongst the void. You had to squint against the fog in your goggles, but it was true that you couldn’t see any snow coming down. There was also an absence of that wind that seemed to always be howling. There was no sound at all outside your clothes brushing your mate’s. Donnie shook his head slightly before he moved.

He trudged forward first a few readying steps before the mechanical arms kicked in. They took you leagues above the many feet of snow and into the air. They felt no effects of the ice and moved with a steady crunch. Those razor tips dug in to grab whatever was necessary and you swung forward a few blocks before you reached the arch of what remained of a subway station sign. It barely peaked out from the packed snow and it was there that Donnie swept his body. It rocked you a little like a chilly breeze and you heard falling snow before you were set on your feet.

The moment you were sturdy, he let go. You took a shy moment, just in case, before you looked up. Buildings clipped the similarly white sky and continued that edgeless façade. You had heard the phrase ‘the calm before the storm,’ but there was something far more ominous about the silence after. It spoke of how gutted the blizzard had left the earth and you wished you could hear the endless dripping that accompanied melting snow. You sank down into your multiple coats and were about to wonder what came next when you saw a rush of black movement.

It was Donnie flinging his arms out to steady against a guardrail that appeared. In a thunderous roar, the mechanical arms had broken through some ice layer and revealed the tunnel down into the subway. They halted in a screeching swipe and the only one among the four that was still was the one that held S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. Your vibrant son was strung up limply like some sort of doll. It ached deep in your chest even though you knew he just needed a charge. You wondered about the uranium in his core. You bet some part of him might still be conscious, but it looked like a moot point.

Donnie tested how slippery the stairs were before he returned to you.  

“D-down t-there?”

He nodded.

You wanted to ask him if he could speak, but snow was clawing into the crevices of his suit. You had little dexterity under two layers of gloves, but still tried to swipe it away before it sank into his zipper. You saw it as a flaw in his suit and he waited until you were satisfied in your dusting before he scooped you up. You settled into his arms and he didn’t bother with walking himself. The mechanical arms traversed the icy cavern and you felt a little like descending into a cave.

Donnie’s light led the way and, down past where the storm could reach, the station was all but preserved. Darkness reached out, but otherwise this space was exactly how you expected. The arms stretched long to lift you over the turnstile and you approached the platform. Donnie scanned the ground with swipes of his light before he set you both down. You felt no ice underfoot and clung to your husband as he was the only source of light.

He looked down one tunnel before he turned toward the other. It was odd to see just the limit of his beams because they seemed unable to permeate the inky blackness. As if waiting would thaw the solid wall of darkness, Donnie continued to stare with intense focus. You blinked into him before following suit and the quiet thundered in your ears until you heard a soft sneeze.

You twitched and Donnie held you close. His head didn’t budge, but he clearly moved the light just enough to scan as far down the tunnel as he could. When no further sound leaked out, you saw fuchsia light reflect off one of the mechanical arms as it covertly slipped down to the tracks.

“Ahh….” You heard a weary groan.

Donnie reared slightly.

You turned your head to listen.

“Don’t know if they got the message. Can’t get a response... How long to wait…? How long…?”

“Mikey…?” You found yourself croaking.

The silence was oppressive.

Donnie shifted to push you behind him.

You held onto him and wove a hand into one of the loose straps of his suit.

“Hello…?” The voice sounded very much like Mikey.

Donnie squeezed you with the intention of keeping you quiet.

You checked with him once before looking back out.

You weren’t completely sure, but you were pretty confident that was Michelangelo.

“And I’m hearing things…” That had to be Mikey.

“Mikey!” You tried again against the tug of your mate.

“Wait…” There were a few clattered footsteps. “Y/N?!”

A walk turned into a run that echoed with a sinister edge in the tunnel. It thundered toward the platform and Donnie coiled around you. You had your own grip on him and it impeded this curl. It caused him to look away and toward you. You turned away from the light. He immediately looked back and, in a crack of your lids, you saw the beam shine up Mikey’s beaten form.

You and Donnie stalled out.

That cloak you had only seen Mikey in one other time was torn up around him. As he stood like a deer caught in purple headlights, you identified that this outfit wasn’t quite the same. Tufts of fleece flecked out around the hood of the cloak. The neckline sat far higher in what was probably an attempt to protect his face from the cold. It currently acted to further accentuate the pair of exhausted eyes that were underlined in bags so deep that they looked like they were stolen from your mate’s face.

Mikey animated with a shudder and the swish showed that the bottom of his cloak was in shreds. “Donatello, can you… not…? You’re here… so… you got the message…?”

You now knew why your mate had been suspicious.

While it was clear Mikey was in some sort of skirmish, he also wasn’t acting at all like you had ever seen him. He was a shell of himself and all playfulness was devoid of his tone. He appeared like a sort of shaved down version of the joyous man you knew. All delight had been surgically removed and what was left was a body snatched person of Michelangelo.

“Explain the contact.” Donnie eventually spoke.

“Turn down the lights.” Mikey spoke flatly.

There was a quiet stand off the likes of which you only ever saw reserved for Leo and Donnie.

Donnie waited out a moment before the lights from his gaze switched out for the glow of the inner part of his hood.

It shined softer, but carved out how weak Mikey looked.

“You’re okay…” Mikey saw you with the first bit of warmth you had seen from the man.

“C-cold…” You admitted.

“Right…” A wave of memories seemed to crash over him before he sent a plea toward Donnie. “We have power. Please come to the lair. I know you don’t like us helping, but…”

The mechanical arm down amongst the tracks shifted and you were brought closer.

“You have heat?” Donnie wondered simply.

Mikey nodded.

It moved his hair.

You saw a bandage tucked up underneath.

“You will take Y/N…?” Your husband asked in a quieter voice.

“Both of you.” Mikey tried taking a step closer.

Donnie didn’t flee or budge.

“It’s chaos, but we noticed you weren’t in any of the shelters. It didn’t seem like you evacuated and every second Raph wasn’t fighting, he was worried. He couldn’t reach you on the phone… but there was… There is still so much to do, but we’re…” Mikey’s steps loosened as he got closer.

More damage to his body became visible.

Angry red scratches weeped across his dark green skin.

A strange blue hue took his elbows in a way that spoke of frostbite.

The same color dripped down his knees where it disappeared into strangely shaped boots that carved out space between his two toes.

His eyes reminded you of the power-saving mode color that S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. had taken on right before he shut off.

“I got just enough juice to get you guys there. Ready?”

Donnie inhaled sharply. “Leonardo-”

“Portals are maxed out. We don’t even have the pin drops left. Long story. He’s not back yet. He’s still out there…” You watched a crack form and it split in Mikey’s pupil.

It looked to be anguish that dotted the corners of his eyes.

You pulled free from Donnie to reach out to him.

Mikey didn’t do the same.

It struck you with fear-induced adrenaline and you got hold of his cloak before you could think better of the move.

You yanked one side of it back and revealed one arm of his arms was crossed to hold the other which hung limply at his side.

It looked broken and you sent as much horror as you could up through your layers.

Mikey gave his weakest smile. “We need to hurry.”

“I’ll set that.” Donnie suddenly spoke.

It was a rushed response that reminded you of someone in some kind of debt.

Mikey managed a puff of laughter. “Who’da thought?”

“Don’t-!”

“I’d see the day…” Mikey swayed.

You immediately pushed up into him and Donnie appeared right behind you.

“You… bandaging… me… up…” Mikey’s eyes closed as his weight fell into you.

Orange fire engulfed you the moment his head hit your shoulder.

Donnie’s mechanical arms snapped around you like a cocoon and all gravity disappeared.

You were momentarily weightless in an orange bathed void before all weight doubled.

You collapsed in a heap with one man under you and one man on top.

Donnie’s mechanical arms immediately went into action and Mikey’s unconscious body was lifted away.

Another coiled around to help you sit on the floor and you stared out at the blurry glimpse of the lair.

Your hands shot to your face to pull your goggles off.

The moment they left your skin, you felt the testing lick of heat.

Of hot air blowing.

You searched the ceiling until you found the vent and crawled the few inches over so it was blowing directly on you.

You melted on the spot.

“He got them!” Splinter’s voice burst forth. “They’re here!”

You heard him stumble down the stairs before he appeared in the portal room.

He took one watery look at you both. “Donatello! Y/N!”

His eyes fell on his son and he scrambled forward on his hands and knees.

“He fainted.” Donnie supplied and brought the mechanical arm holding Mikey around to show Splinter.

“They have been fighting non-stop for days now…” Splinter’s hands hovered.

“Your medbay?” Donnie asked.

“Don’t bring him there! We’ve converted the living room! We have a fire! Come, come!” Splinter waved you all and headed back to the stairs.

You checked the vent one last time before you heaved your weight up to follow.

Donnie hovered just behind you and toted two lifeless bodies.

You emerged in the TV room and found the entire space changed. The only mainstay was Splinter’s recliner and almost everything else was a mountain of blankets. The projector had been replaced with a roaring fire that crackled in a huge bowl-like pit that was barely suspended off the ground. A safe distance away from it sat a collapsed pile of logs and a bucket that you guessed was the Hamato’s greatest form of safety. Another scan found Raph half reclined amongst one the linens. He had a few bandages littering him, but he looked peacefully asleep. You hobbled over to him to double check and watched the slow rise and fall of his huge chest.

“They’re all at their limits. I should have been out there helping…” Splinter moved some blankets. “Bring orange here!”

Donnie laid Mikey’s body down in the divot Splinter created and the man’s father tucked him in.

Once he was satisfied, Splinter turned to you. “Y/N, you next! You are wet. We have warm blankets. Come! The baby!”

You checked with Donnie and he nodded once.

It felt strange that he didn’t hesitate and you tried to reach any button on your outermost jacket, but couldn’t. Splinter softly offered to help and you agreed with slight embarrassment. He scoffed the sound away and freed up your hands. Shedding the many layers you had been wrapped in went on for what seemed like an eternity, but it was worth it. Eventually, you felt the lick of the fire. It pleasantly coated your back and soon your front after Splinter spun you around so he could throw a heavy robe over your shoulders. You bet this was the one he had once mentioned before and you shoved your arms through the bulky sleeves before you sank down in cozy bliss. 

 You should have been more worried about Raph.

You should have mentioned Mikey’s arm.

You should have made sure Splinter was okay.

Instead, for the first time in over 24 hours, you felt a taste of warmth and bent completely to its will.

“Donatello!” Splinter laid a blanket over your lap and folded it so it was doubled over your belly. “Take that off! There are dry clothes you can use!”

“My suit is resistant to all inclement weather.” Your husband responded. 

“I see the zipper!” Splinter huffed. 

“Purposeful. Interior storm guard.” 

Your head tipped and the flames tickled the ice on your cheeks.

“You’re dripping.” Splinter changed his tactic.

“Do you have an outlet?” Donnie asked without interest.

You heard Splinter grunt. “Yes. Over there.”

Donnie walked over and a clunk of metal moved.

He was just outside your periphery and it took a slight tilt of your head to see him propping up S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.

He clicked through a few panels on your son’s body and pulled out a plug, which he plugged in.

Your husband sat back on his haunches and waited.

A small battery icon appeared in S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s eyes and you watched your mate exhale some relief.

You smiled to yourself and let your lids fall shut.

“The storm…” Donnie spoke softly from that same spot. “The cause was yokai-related?”

“Not exactly.” Splinter sounded like he was behind you and fussing with Mikey’s form.

You heard Donnie turn and look.

“We do not know what activated it, but a mystic artifact was unleashed. The name roughly translates to ‘The Heart of Winter.’  Legends says it was created by the power of the ice dragon clan’s chiefs. It is meant to maintain their kingdom, but it showed up here and boom.” Splinter went on.

“The usual players…?” Donnie’s voice led for whatever person he was implying.

“No. Its container was opened somewhere in Manhattan. We believe it was a rich human collector. Maybe won in an auction. That is still being researched.”

Donnie made a noise and you heard him approach.

You spared him a sleepy look.

He softened as he leaned down to you.

“No!” Splinter intercepted with a towel that he shoved into Donnie. “You are cold and wet! You will not get them sick!!”

“You-!” Donnie snapped and yanked the towel away.

Splinter appeared on your other side and tucked your blanket under your legs. “You are warm? Do you feel sick? How long were you outside? Cold? I will make tea!”

He hopped away.

“Don’t get Y/N wet!!” He called as he disappeared.

Donnie exhaled with the wheeze of irritation.

You could feel your hands again and got his zipper for him.

He sighed softly as you undid his top down to his battle shell belt.

You reached up with care and removed his mask.

He appeared to you looking like a shriveled version of himself.

“Rest with me?” You asked, wanting to curl up with him in front of the fire.

“I need to examine Michelangelo.”

Little bubbles of worry surfaced. “His arm…”

“Broken.” Donnie said.

“How do you know?”

He took off his mask just enough that you could glimpse his expression. 

You knew it had an x-ray mode, so that made sense.

He gave you a quick chilly kiss before he put the mask back on and moved to said man. Your front was feeling particularly warm, so you rotated on the spit. It allowed you to watch as Donnie prepared by selecting a small blanket from the pile. He ripped and tied it off into a form of a sling before he freed Mikey’s injured arm. Your mate looked over him in slow study before he dug into his suit. A knife emerged which he used to cut the wraps on Mikey’s arm.

Donnie carefully laid Mikey’s limb down as he removed his glove. Reaching into his baggy sleeve, he removed one of his own wraps before he pulled his glove back on with a snap. He then double checked Mikey’s form before getting a firm grip on his elbow. His other hand caught the orange man’s wrist and he rotated it a few times before he snapped to pull both pieces.

Mikey screamed awake and his sclera oozed orange sparks.

Donnie stiffened in preparation.

Mikey’s gaze swirled, the orange fizzled out like a dying flashlight in blinks before he shut down and collapsed again. Donnie waited a few seconds before resuming his work. Whenever he had presumably set Mikey’s bones, he used his own bandages to wrap up the other’s arm. He then slipped the blanket sling around him and pressed Mikey’s limb akimbo across his body before he sat back.

Splinter returned with a tray full of cups and a teapot. “What was that?”

“Donnie fixed Mikey’s arm.” You spoke and readied yourself to get up.

“Please!” Splinter ushered and headed over. “What was it?”

“Broken ulna and radius fracture.” Donnie offered.

Splinter was oddly quiet as he set the tray beside you.

“You okay…?” You finally asked.

“We…” He got a cup ready and poured some tea to steady himself. “We have not had broken bones in this house for years.”

“Mikey does good bone work…”

Splinter gave you a wry glance and passed you a cup.

It stung your fingers, but you cradled it close.

“Donatello.” Splinter didn’t gesture as he poured another cup.

Donnie approached while removing his mask.

Instead of giving the cup to him, Splinter left it to pour another.

Donnie took the tea.

“Green tea, my favorite blend.” Splinter clarified before taking his own and a sip.

You joined him.

Donnie watched on and eventually brought the cup to his lips.

“The Heart of Winter is a force. When open, only those of the ice dragon clan are said to have the power to stand in its presence. All else will freeze within seconds.”

Donnie swirled the liquid he had.

“Not to mention the guardian deities housed within! Spirits to protect the immense power! The ice dragons have always been show-offs!” Splinter snorted.

You stifled a giggle.

“The cold allows the spirits to reform their bodies over and over.” Splinter looked at his two sleeping sons. “They fought with all they had. Saved everyone they could. The Heart of Winter was finally closed again as of last night. Instead of taking a moment of rest, my boys continued to help.”

Donnie turned his head to keep from rolling his eyes.

“Leonardo has not yet returned. Their powers are weak. Donatello, you…” Splinter eyed him.

Donnie snapped back to attention and his lips twitched around his teeth. “Don’t presume I would have aided your cause.”

Splinter blinked wide before he lowered his gaze to his cup. “I do not. Your power is similarly drained. I only wonder-”

“Used to protect my own.” Donnie spoke with a low pitched threat that dared Splinter to complain.

Splinter allowed a moment to pass and took another drink before he spoke again. “If I was in your place, I believe I would have done the same.”

Donnie stewed before something occurred to him. “You haven’t opened your doors to the masses.”

Splinter’s eyes narrowed with some guilt.

You drank more tea and felt it trickle internally to where your baby seemed to stretch and languish under the warmth.

You placed a hand on your stomach.

With all your shivering it had been hard to do any sort of kick count lately.

Donnie’s head pressed into yours before you realized he had moved.

Splinter’s ear flicked, but his mouth stayed a steady line.

“Why do you have electricity?” Donnie barely pulled away from you.

“I’m told we pull from a source other than the city.”

“Mystic in nature?”

“Both?” Splinter didn’t seem to know, but his eyes pivoted as if there was something else that he did.

Donnie saw it too, but dropped it. “I dislike debt. How are Raphael’s injuries?”

“You don’t-”

Donnie was up before Splinter could move.

He used his villain mask to examine the largest brother.

“His external temperature is reading below average. Dehydration?” Donnie surmised. “He has the same signs of frostbite. What sort of equipment do you have available? Where is the medbay proper?”

“Yes, well-!” Splinter hesitated.

“A bulb is out.” Donnie spied a lamp across the room and headed there.

Splinter looked furious for a moment before he breathed in deep as if to settle this was how it was going to be and stood. “Okay.”

Donnie had already extracted the light bulb.

“Drink up. Stay warm.” Splinter told you before chasing after Donnie.

You watched on as the two bickered. Donnie was staunch in needing to keep himself busy and, without the other Hamato to keep him in line, he shifted his attention to working with his hands. That meant repairing whatever was broken in his eyes and Splinter followed him with complaints. The older man didn’t dare protest outright for fear of putting off the younger that he saw with hope as his own. This was only offset by how possessive Splinter was of his belongings. He snatched things from Donnie and declared them well-loved instead of broken and Donnie had sharp words for the garbage.

Eventually the conversation veered to Splinter pleading with Donnie about how helping one another was not about paying debts or obligation. Donnie scoffed verbally at the insinuation and harshly spoke about how the double standard laced under their catchall well of family. Splinter did his best to explain otherwise, but the moment he brought up your baby, Donnie checked out. Your husband clung to the lamp, one that had a history of electrical shorts and one of the few objects Splinter allowed him, and set up on the other side of the room near S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. to toy with it.

Splinter stood sadly with a few old rusted things in his arms before he moved to put them back on shelves.

You watched, having finished your second cup of tea and your lids threatened to swallow up your vision.

You heard Donnie get closer.

You felt yourself only blink before he was around you and whispering in your ear. “Rest, my heart.”

“You need to too…” You slurred softly.

“Not here.”

“Donnie…”

He shushed you and scooped up the bundle of blankets with you in it.

You tried to complain but it came out as sleepy sounds as you were nestled into all the blankets.

The moment you touched down you smelled the faint scent of fire that had baked into them and cuddled up to the roast.

“Good.” Donnie churred into your ear before he kissed the side of your head. “I’ll be a step away.”

“M’kay…” Your lids refused to lift.

You felt Donnie press a few more kisses into you before you drifted off.

-

Your flickers of consciousness came with a squeeze to warm metal. You had drifted in and out with your son as a personal heater, so you were used to the feeling. How he was able to modulate his temperature  always astounded you. You held his hand tight and felt the shifting click of him returning the pressure. It was another of his wonderful marvels and you blinked away the last memory you had of watching your son disappear in real time.

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. appeared across from you with a big fat smile projected across his beak.

The crescent of his eyes turned up before they switched over to an emoji of a small face holding a finger to their lips.

Be quiet.

You blinked at him a few times and let the memories flood you.

The storm.

The lair.

The Heart of Winter.

You sat up and tried to mitigate your groan the best you could.

Your baby seemed to sense the moment you were awake and was restless.

You had been so busy keeping warm, you hadn’t had much to eat.

You needed to get something.

That and your vitamins.

Donnie had brought a bag.

You meant to look for it, but the crevasse left from Raph distracted you.

He was no longer laying in the pile.

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. rolled over to look where you were.

You rotated around because you knew Donnie had placed you between Mikey and Raph.

The youngest wasn’t in his spot either, but the remnants of where he had been were also carved out.

You studied the scene closely and felt your son sit up behind you.

There were dragged blankets, as if Mikey had been taken by his ankles and pulled.

You trailed them and found one of Mikey’s boots.

You hefted up your stomach, but weren’t able to lift, so you had to crawl over to get upright. It got you up on your knees where your lifting head made a large structure appear in your eyeline. On the far side of the room, near where a cable trailed from where S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. was plugged into the wall, was what you could describe as a giant lamp.

It looked exactly like the small one Donnie had last been seen with, only it was now a hundred times its original size. It bent over on an adjustable hinge and its base had been widened out to that of the platform. A warm beam of honey light poured out of it and perfectly covered the space. It drenched its occupants, which you counted as exactly Raph, Mikey, and your husband.

You drifted to your feet.

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. came with and draped a Sherpa blanket over your shoulders.

You held it closed to your chest and kept moving.

Raph had collapsed on his plastron as the largest mass in the dead center of the circle. His tail curled up around the edge of the platform and that’s where your mate was. Donnie was sitting within the groove created by Raph’s tail. His head lolled back where he was soaking up the rays. Mikey was less ceremoniously placed and indeed appeared to have been dragged over. You wondered by whom because Raph had an arm secured tightly around the youngest as a child might squeeze a teddy bear. If he were any other person, they might have been crushed, but Mikey was adjusted just so his injured arm was still in a safe position to heal.

Donnie built the contraption and you had a sense of how the events played out.

You vaguely remembered him saying something about body temperature. This whole lamp looked like something for heating reptiles in a pet store, but on an absurd scale. You bet Donnie roused Raph to get him under it for his health. Raph must have made the journey, but demanded Mikey join. You could see the larger man grabbing his brother like a blanket and letting him limply drag on the floor as he took him with him. Donnie was less inclined to help the youngest, but attended to his injury after Raph settled in. When both men fell asleep, your husband felt that same reptilian pull and found a spot where he could easily flee if necessary.

The perfect space for innocent culpability.

Your heart tugged and you turned watery eyes on S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.

Your son beamed in a way that said everything you thought was right.

You hugged him.

He smiled and had to rotate to show you he was still charging.

You minded his cord, but pulled it to accentuate how there was obviously a bunch of connected extension cords added to it.

He shrugged playfully and threw a thumb backwards.

Tucked into his chair, with his mouth open, and a fire poker loosely leaned beside him was a snoring Splinter.

You wished you could have seen their meeting and squeezed S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. tighter.

Your son bobbed with obvious, but silent laughter.

Your stomach growled and you were thankful it wasn’t very loud.

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. generated a hologram of the time, along with your medication intake.

You nodded to him and signed about the bag Donnie had brought.

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s head swiveled side to side in search before he pointed behind you.

The backpack was set by the mouth of the stairwell you had come up and you gestured for him to come with you as you went to get it. You crept as a comical pair with your waddling and his overplayed footsteps. You made it to the bag and S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. bent over to scoop it up before he froze mid-motion. You glanced at him once before turning your head to look into the stairwell where his gaze was trained.

Leo looked up at you where he was clearly ascending the steps.

Like the others, his entire being was creased with exhaustion, but he was a little different.

Instead of evidence of having been in a battle or out in the snow, he was wearing a pair of worn scrubs.

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. was slow and methodical as he moved to block you with an arm.

Leo glanced at him with little energy before his pupils darted to take in the scene.

You watched him bounce from your bag, to your son, and then beyond where he spied some part of the giant lamp. It took all his attention and he went incredulous. He walked sideways up the stairs with an opening jaw. As soon as he got a glimpse of the whole unit, its occupants, and his dad beyond by the fire, his vision went completely dull.

He threw you and S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. an emotionally absent glance and gestured for you to follow.

You checked with your son who shrugged as you both followed after Leo, who moved silently. He led you to the kitchen where he immediately went to wash his hands. He hissed at what you presumed was the icy temperature and leaned against the sink while the water ran to warm up. “You got my message. Good.”

He hadn’t left you space to respond.

“Bring food or need it?” He managed.

You checked with S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. and your son seemed to remember that had been your goal.

He set the bag on the counter and opened it up. “Inventory: wholegrain crackers, lentils, couscous, rice cakes, and trail mix.”

“Not enough protein…” Leo finally washed his hands, but was straining to look over his shoulder at the options. 

You nabbed the crackers and pulled one out to nibble on.

Leo eventually wandered over while drying his hands with a paper towel. “Let’s see… a warm veggie couscous salad could be…?” He deviated in his path to check the fridge. “Tinned fish is… safe…? Was that right…?”

You and S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. both stared at his carapace.

“Ah, we have that good Greek yogurt…” Leo reached in and pulled out a tub. “This’ll work.”

Without saying anything more, he grabbed a few more items until his arms were full. He laid a medley of vegetables for you to review and got a pot of water boiling. He dozed where he stood after he had the pot in place and shook himself awake.

“Gonna shower.”

He was in motion and walked away before anyone could say otherwise.

“Uh…” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. drawled before he immediately went for a knife block and yanked out a knife. “What was that!?”

You were reaching for another cracker and popped up. “Right?!”

“He did not insinuate that he was SHERLOCK_CORN!” He turned and acquired a cutting board with alarming accuracy considering he had never been in this kitchen before.

“How is that even possible?”

“It’s not!” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. huffed and grabbed some veggies to cut up. “I don’t know, know, but I know that SHERLOCK_CORN is that lady! She’s my arch nemesis.”

“What?! You can’t just say something like that after Leo is also being insane!”

“It has to be her!” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. cut with a blurring speed and at a pace that made his chops almost silent. “This is the first time I’ve ever gotten a screen name. There’s no other way to explain it.”

“Shelly…!”

“The lady!” He gestured up toward the ceiling.

You stared at where he pointed for a long moment before it hit you.

April.

That’s why he had said ‘fast.’

You hadn’t shared her name with him or Donnie.

She had unplugged when S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. had taken over the lair’s system all those years ago.

He said he never got a read on her.

“Here’s my conspiracy theory: she’s their ‘guy in the chair!’” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. went back to cutting vegetables. “I don’t have any evidence because gah, but it’s like her residue is sprinkled over everything. She’s a ghost in the Hidden City and up here! I think she’s the reason they have all those mystical wall bearings up. I voided the data-”

He shot you a sharp glance and it conjured guilt that you munched away in a cracker.

“-but I feel like I remember the ruins. The Hamato dummies don’t need to write spells. Who else would? Why would she know how to run by unplugging? You gotta know tech to know tech! The only people who need to write spells are those without inherent mysticism. That totally explains it. If she is combining mystic and tech, she’s the reason I’ve never been able to get dad down here or crack these guys’ network. It never made sense that they were able to keep me and dad out. They were not and are not that tech savvy.”

“Okay…” You shook your head as it was a lot to process. “That’s… something, but what’s with Leo?”

“He musta asked her to send it.” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. pouted and finished cutting to pour over the board. “This meal…”

You were back on a track you recognized. “It’s totally balanced, right!? It sounds like something Donnie’s algorithm would come up with! And the thing he said about tinned fish?! Is he reading up on pregnancy stuff?!”

“Yeah!!” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. came up to share your frustrations once again. “Why!? He was totally scary from what you told me about when he found out you were preggers!”

“Don’t!” You laughed. “Say it like that!”

“Pragnent!” He snickered.

You flicked cracker dust at him.

He pretended to protect the veggies.

“And the scrubs!” You gave him mercy.

“I mean, he has a medical degree.”

“He, what?!”

“Yeah, he’s registered with the state. Leonardo Hamato, he can add MD to his title… or doctor to the front duh, pfft. General practice, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. I think that’s why he wanted you to go to a Sinai hospital when you got hurt.”

You balked.

You also felt a weird sense of déjà vu.

It wasn’t exact, but you had an inkling you sort of knew this.

Like Leo had mentioned medical training, but not that he was a registered doctor.

“Does he have a practice?!”

“Not one that’s legit!” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. shrugged as to him it was as simple as a fact.

You continued to stare.

“He’s probably helping out at the hospitals.” He looked at you earnestly.

“Y-yeah…” You wilted. “I guess…?”

“It’s still weird, for sure.” He glanced off to the side.

“Yeah…”

You scrubbed your face.

Leo being up to things was never new, but you wished he would stop being bizarre. He had all the room in the world to go back to being a mystery. You hadn’t needed to see him or talk to him in a long time. Maybe the status quo would return if you pretended all of his sleepy revelations hadn’t happened. You doubted he would have been so obvious if he wasn’t at the end of his rope. It was odd to think he seemingly had the most stamina outside of even Donnie.

You hoped your husband was still peacefully snoozing.

“The water’s about to boil. Where is he?” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. wondered.

“He did say he was going to shower…”

“Average length of dad’s showers are six minutes…” Your son’s head tipped. “Oh… Eugh… What if he fell asleep?”

“He wouldn’t-” The response was automatic, but the dull look on S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s face made you pause. “Seriously…?”

“With him?” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N.’s digital tongue stuck out.

“Who’s gonna check?” You sighed.

“Rock, paper, scissors!” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. cheered.

“No! I’m not falling for that again! You can read micro movements faster than me!”

S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. snapped his ‘drat.’

“You know how to cook this?” You gestured around the kitchen.

“Yeah! I scanned the room for inventory and looked up a recipe based on what Leo said. I think the yogurt is supposed to be the sauce! There’s tinned mackerel in that cabinet over there!” S.H.E.L.L.D.O.N. pointed.

“I’ll pull his head out of the water so he doesn’t drown and come get you if we need to move him.” You shook your head.

“Sounds like a plan!” He got the yogurt and shook it.

You waved as you turned and headed back to the TV room. You had a vague idea of how to get to the closest bathroom from there and headed down the stairs. You clung to the wall since there wasn’t a railing and took the steps with care. Once you were flat on the next level, you took a breath for having made the journey and patted your belly before looking out and stopping.

Very clearly having jumped onto the top of the pile, was Leo sticking out like a sore thumb.

He was laying the opposite of Raph and had all his limbs spread out to get as much light as possible.

He was also clearly unconscious by the way a drip of drool hung down and threatened to go into his eye where his head was nearly upside-down.

You softened at him and the others.

You wanted to take a picture, but was sure it would wake them.

For this moment of peace, you decided to preserve it and turned to head back up the stairs to tell S.H.E.L.D.O.N. that everything was alright.

For once, Leo was far from drowning.

(Check out behind the scenes for this fic and more on my Patreon. You can follow me there, here, or the tag #softspotfic for updates)

I will also thank my betas @tmntxthingstmntxthings and @unrestrainedhotsoup until my dying breath!

[tinkerbitch69]

So just replayed the deep roads/primeval thaig section of da2 while pondering the implications the new veilguard titan/dwarves/blight lore has to *vaguely gestures at the weirdness* all of it and it’s got me absolutely gnawing on my keyboard so I gotta talk about it.

So ok, easy one, sandal’s got stone magic! The same Harding has. Now we know that’s a possibility it’s the only explanation that makes sense for finding him next to a petrified ogre and his ‘NOT enchantment!’ answer. It just fits too perfectly to not be true. But then that means SANDAL HAS AN OPEN CONNECTION TO THE TITANS!!! This explains how his diary ended up in the fade in tresspasser, if he is connected to an awakened titan, he’s probably had a connection to the fade as well this entire time. Probably even able to enter it at will like a mage but also like…are the titans speaking to him? are they influencing him? are they up to something that sandal is helping them with? Aaaaaaaa I need them to bring sandal back and reveal these things *gnaws*

Next point of order, the profane. Aah the profane… what the fuck ARE the profane????!!!! Like I have some theories thanks to the new lore but I’m still not certain. Anyway, one of them is seemingly a demon in disguise and when you fight him, he dies and an abomination, standard old abomination, no rock wraith shit or anything, rises out of him. Now a DEMON rising out of a possessed vessel, we’ve seen before, but an abomination? A person possessed by a demon? How does that work? What about the giant ancient profane with a skull that seemed to control the others? What the fuck is going on? How does this all tie into red lyrium and the blight and the dreams of the titans and the ancient elves’ sundering of the titans from their dreams???

Well…

*carefully places tinfoil hat on head*

Well…

So we know the place is old right? Like stupid old. Literally called primeval, that’s like the oldest you could possibly be, so what if this thaig is not just older than the first blight, like Bartrand said, but also older than the veil, older than arlathan, older than the blight itself???? 👀👀👀

What if the primeval thaig was where the dwarves once lived when they were still connected to the titans? When both the titans and the dwarves themselves could dream and thus access the fade and magic. This lines up with lore around the thaig mentioning it seems to have been shaped by magic, which should be impossible since dwarves can’t do magic right? WRONG! and we know that now!

But if this was a relic from a time when the dwarves still had their magic and their connection to the titans, what would happen to those dwarven mages when the titans were effectively tranquilized by solas? What happens to dwarven mages that are turned into rock golems or whatever the fuck happened to branka after the descent?

Well what if the profane ARE those dwarven mages? What if the titans pain and anguish and rage, the blight itself, transformed them into something PROFANE! *roll snare drum* this makes sense as to why there are so many shades and demons in the thaig and why one of the profane is possessed. perhaps the demonic possession even occurred long before the profane were transformed and the abomination that resulted from said possession was just already hiding amongst the dwarves that got transformed too! what if the giant ancient profane is just their version of Branka, a dwarf closer to the titans that became something more than a dwarf or a golem *gnaws*

Finally, the idol, what the fuck is up with the idol??? How did it get there??? How did it get blighted in the first place???

Well, we know what the idol is now. Solas’ lyrium dagger. The one he used to create the veil, but more importantly, this was not its original purpose! Solas regrets reveal he originally crafted a lyrium dagger to sunder the titans from their dreams, (which I’m presuming is the same one even if it does introduce some problems later on) the thing that created the blight in the first place, soooooo…

WHAT IF THE PRIMEVAL THAIG WAS WHERE HE DID IT? 👀 THE PLACE WHERE THE TITANS WERE TRANQUILIZED 👀 THE PLACE WHERE THE BLIGHT WAS BORN👀👀👀

This would explain how the dagger got there because ofc the dagger would still be in the entry wound essentially, it would explain how it got blighted as it is essentially both the bomb and ground zero, it would explain why the profane occur here and and only here (as far as we know) as they were at the epicentre of the blast, it would explain why they turned it into an idol, as being born of the blight (aka the titans rage and pain and suffering) the dagger is a very symbol of all the things that the blight is made of!!! it would be a reminder to never forget the atrocities committed to them and also a source of power for their blight magic. Finally it would also explain the name of sundermount, a region on the surface we know to be somewhere nearby the primeval thaig that the ancient elves very much had a presence in as (presumably many centuries/millenia after their war with the titans) a battle was fought there but the elven empire and the tevinter imperium. The only wrench in this is how solas got the dagger and took it all the way to skyhold to create the veil only for it to end up back in the thaig? Maybe the one used in the veil ritual was a replica dagger since several key plot points of veilguard involve replicas of this dagger. maybe solas took it back there and sealed it back up so it wouldn’t be a danger, maybe it was reclaimed by the profane and taken back to serve as their idol once more, idk but all the rest fits too perfectly to be coincidence and holy shit holy shit holy shit

*gnaws gnaws gnaws*

[lokisprettygirl]

Come As You Are (Eric Draven! Bill Skarsgard's Version x Female Reader) (18+) (Slight Au)

Chapter 1

Summary : You meet the meanest, the rudest, the sexiest man of your life who seems to hate your guts.

Warning: 18+, smut later, Eric is a past drug addict with suicidal tendencies, use of cuss words, description of claustrophobia, reader is in her early thirties.

Note: Watch the movie if you haven't for his origin story to get a better idea. Shelly doesn't exist in this Au but someone does, i changed the name because people take fanfiction seriously sometimes and crap on your parade. This is going to be an angsty, smutty ride

“Be careful” you heard Laura’s sweet voice in your direction while you were putting on your jacket before stepping out of the restaurant. She was an amazingly beautiful woman in her early forties, almost motherly to you, even though she wasn't that older to you.

You liked the care and concern she offered you because it was something you never really had from your own mother, she didn't have time for you, she was too busy with her own life. Your shift had just ended and all you wanted to do was go to your apartment in downtown Chicago and lie down on your bed.

It wasn't exactly a posh neighbourhood that you lived in, if you could afford something better with your waitress job you'd have but you couldn't, you had debts and bills to pay. An unfortunate incident occurred a few nights ago, that's why you had changed your 8 hours shift from afternoons that ended around 10 at night to the morning one, now you were able to get back home by 6 when it was still bright outside.

You put your headphones in as you began to walk to your building, it was just twenty minutes from the diner so you didn't really feel the need to waste money on public transport everyday.

Besides it helped you keep in shape, well you deluded yourself into believing that it was enough of an exercise for an adult woman.

It was starting to rain so you quickly ran inside the building, some gentleman had just closed the metal grill of the elevator so you yelled at him.

“Wait for me”

Well it wasn't some Gentleman, It was your neighbour Eric Draven, he lived in the apartment right in front of you. He had moved in like a few days ago and you never really had a proper conversation with him as he kept to himself, often rolling his eyes at people around him, chewing gum all the time.

Mrs. Bonnie on the third floor, a sweet old lady has warned you to keep your door locked all the time as he was supposedly dangerous, that he was involved in violent shit and had been a drug addict in the past. You didn't know where she was getting her information from but then she knew a lot about a lot of residents in this building. She was the gossip girl of the building.

“Getting in or what?” His rude snappy voice made you run into the elevator. Clutching onto your bag you turned your head to the side to look at him but the intense glare he threw your way made you look away immediately. His green eyes were often covered in black smudge. You would never find out whether he used eyeliner, kohl or just plain old black eyeshadow. Maybe Mrs Bonnie knew.

Now you weren't the type to get obsessed with men often, you really wanted to put that thought out in the universe before anyone would judge you, perhaps you had a problem of sorts but you never really liked men around you or men who often bumped into you, it was always someone unreachable that you wanted and desired. Like Hugh Jackman, yeah, very realistic and very approachable to find and fall in love with.

But the man next to you was..ahhhh well to put it plainly and modestly, he was sexy. He looked like those edgy supermodel from those high end magazines. He was 6’4, you had never met anyone so tall before, he was built well, you could just tell by the way his trench coat hung around his broad shoulders, pale smooth skin, perfectly pointed nose, full plump lips, you couldn't find a flaw in his features and that pissed you off.

Well except that haircut, at first you found it ridiculous, not understanding why he'd do that to his raven hair, you couldn't really tell what it was, the shaved sides and the mullet seemed very punk but the more you looked at him, you found yourself thinking that it did suit his aesthetic.

He had several small tattoos on the side of his face, not enough to make him look like a creep but enough to attract attention, you'd never find out what that question mark on the side of his temple meant to him or the number 99 behind his ear, or the word lullaby tatted over his brow. He also smelled like bergamot and tonka beans so he was attacking all your senses at once.

You both lived on the last floor, and you were the only ones on that floor, the rest of the apartments were still vacant, one of them was haunted or shit, you didn't care to learn more, you were content in the information that it wasn't the one you had rented.

Your floor was about to arrive when the power went out. Again, that was one of the disadvantages of living in a rundown building. It often took five minutes for the backup generator to turn on so you knew you were in for a long awkward ride filled with silence and -

“Fucking fucktards” he mumbled under his breath as he pressed the buttons on the elevator, that didn't work obviously. Power was gone.

“It comes back in five minutes”

He turned to you as he heard your voice, his jaw clenched, nose flaring as he took deep breaths. Was he panicking? You couldn't tell. He often seemed agitated for no reason so this seemed like a perfectly valid reason for his sudden anger, however he also seemed as if he was going to freak out.

You didn't know how much he despised being stuck in compact spaces, he felt his lungs closing up immediately, his knees felt weak, head became dizzier. That's how he was murdered, with a plastic bag wrapped around his head until his lungs gave out on him. That's how they were both killed. Him and Melody. The love of his life, the girl he had gone to hell and back for literally, he fought to bring her back only for her to leave him when he got hard to deal with.

As his breathing became heavier you finally brought your hand up to place it on his shoulder.

“Hey are you okay?” you asked him but he stepped away immediately.

“Don't fucking touch me..keep your hands off lady” You immediately did that as he glared at you. You were going to say something but you decided against it. Why was he so fucking rude?

He leaned against the wall of the elevator and placed his head under his palms to calm down. Five minutes had never felt so long before.

You didn't realise you were holding your own breath too so when you finally inhaled you were able to hear the sound of your own shuddering breaths in the dark silent elevator.

As the generator finally turned on the elevator began moving up and you couldn't have been more thankful, you never wanted to get stuck in an elevator with him again or anywhere else for that matter, sure you were attracted to him in a weird way but that was because you knew you weren't supposed to be attracted to him, he seemed dangerous and unstable, that's what made him so desirable, he was unrealistic and unreachable. Just like Hugh Jackman.

You quickly opened the metal door as you stepped out, he followed after you and closed the grill behind him before he reached into his pocket to take out his key. He turned around to look at you, you were struggling to find your keys in that mess of a purse you had on your shoulder.

“You shouldn't touch people without asking” you heard his gruff voice so you huffed and turned around,the urge to smack him was real.

“I was just making sure you weren't having a panic attack.. okay? I have no interest in touching you or being touched by you”

Lies. Lies. Such lies.

He puckered his lips for a moment before he turned around and faced you.

“Whatever your excuse is sweetheart, don't fucking touch me again alright?” He said as he walked closer to you, he was almost in your personal space, towering over you with his skyscraper stature.

“Fuck you.. really” you said to him as you turned around to end the conversation. Why couldn't you find your keys when you needed it the most in this moment. He sniffed once at the curt response before he chuckled.

“Is that what you want? Hmm? Want to get fucked? Is that why you're being so touchy with me?” He said to you, his voice was low and husky, any other man would have been slapped by now but truth to be told he terrified you, and that turned you on in ways you had never been turned on before.

“Oh my god you're insufferable..how does that feel? Being so insufferable?” you said to assert dominance over this conversation that you were losing miserably.

Keys, you finally found them so before he could say something else you quickly opened your door and got in.

You had never met someone so brazenly rude to your face like this before, not a man at least, they often were nice to you because they wanted to get in your pants.

From that moment forward whenever you saw him you ignored him, didn't even look at his stupid gorgeous face, no matter how good he looked and smelled. He wasn't surprised, he didn't think you'd share pleasantries with him again after how he had behaved that night and that's exactly how he wanted to keep it.

He knew your type, he knew what kind of woman you were.

A few days later as you returned from your shift you sighed as you saw him enter the elevator, as he glanced in your direction he kept the door open but you stood outside the door with your arms crossed and nose pointed towards the ceiling.

“Getting in or what?” He asked you in his usual no nonsense tone so you looked at him.

“Feel free to go up, I can wait here for it to come back down” you said as you gave him a tight lipped fake smile.

“Suit yourself” he said before he closed the grill, as the elevator began to go up he pursed his lips and threw a mock kiss your way as if he was speaking to a dog.

Your jaw clenched in anger and something else you were trying hard to deny but you kept your mouth shut instead of engaging with him further. What was his actual problem with you?

As the elevator came down again you stepped in and pressed the button to the eleventh floor. You could hear his voice speaking to someone, perhaps the woman you had seen in his apartment this morning before you left for work.

“I told you to leave before I'd be back..didn't i? I was very clear about it” he said to her, she was standing against his door, wearing what seemed like his shirt. You stared at them for a moment before you walked towards your door and looked for your keys in your purse.

“Well I'm still here so how about we go out again?” the nameless woman said to him as she dragged her finger nails over his face, she was pretty and hot and she was using an overly seductive voice. Eric chuckled once before his expression turned serious, eyes blazing with fire. He hated doing this but it was a necessary evil.

“Awn really? That's so sweet. Well It's such a shame I don't fuck with whores like you twice in a row”

Your eyes widened as he said that to her, she didn't seem like someone he paid to have in his bed so that was clearly an insult thrown just to hurt her. What the hell was wrong with this man? Who hurt him?

You couldn't help but turn around and watch as the woman spat right in his face before cursing the hell out of him, she then walked into his apartment to grab her stuff and get out of his clothes.

He stood next to his door, leaning against the wall as he waited for her to leave, his palm came to wipe the violent drool she had left on his face.

“Enjoying the show?” He asked you so you smiled in a mocking manner.

“Very much so, best entertainment i have had in a while” He smiled back but then his expression turned serious before he mouthed a slow and silent fuck you.

“Awn, is that what you want honey? Is that what this is about?”

You said to him what he had said to you the last time but before he could retort the woman came out of his apartment.

“Rot in hell you deranged jerk”

She cursed before she walked the narrow hallway to take the elevator.

You quickly opened the door and got inside as well to not engage with him further, the ball was in your court now, you were the last one to insult him in that conversation. Right?

Later that night he got in his bed to get a few hours of sleep, he was given an assignment by Kronos that he had to finish tomorrow, it was going to be a long, violent and exhausting day. Sleep never really came easy to him, especially now, even when he did he often had nightmares that left him soaking drenched in sweat and fear but he was about to drift away when he heard the loud music coming from the apartment in front of him. He lifted his head up in annoyance as he heard..what the hell was that? Why did women have such awful taste in music?

When he couldn't take it anymore he got up and put on his sweatpants to go give you a piece of his mind.

“Goddamn this fucking woman is out here to ruin my life” he murmured under his mouth as he banged his fist on her door so hard that he could hear it cracking slightly.

You quickly opened the door and sighed as you put your hand on your waist. He was taken aback by your appearance, you had a floral dress on with your hair done and light makeup. He had never seen you so dolled up before, It caught him off guard for a moment, he was used to seeing you in old ragged clothes, not that it changed how he looked at you.

“Guys turn it down” you turned around to tell your friends to lower the volume. “Sorry i almost forgot you were living here now, I had gotten so used to being alone on this floor”

“You forgot? You forgot to be a decent human being who shouldn't be playing loud music at night? Especially when you have such a bad taste in music” he said to you, you weren't even looking at his face, he was too tall and you were in no mood to crane your neck up, he was shirtless, that's where your eyes were. On his chest and those eight packs and that huge eye tattoo right in the middle of his sternum.

“Hey no need to go there, my music in taste is very tasteful”

Taste in music. It was so easy to not mess up but you had to make a fool of yourself.

Before you'd hear a mocking remark you decided to cut him off.

“Look it's my birthday and I'm trying to have fun ..I'm only getting older and grainier every day so might as well enjoy it..you won't hear the music anymore okay?” You said to him as you finally looked up, making him purse his lips together.

It was your birthday and he was being a complete jackass to you. He remembered not being like this, with Melody he was gentle, he never spoke rudely with her or any woman for that matter, he was reserved, an introvert but he wasn't an asshole for no reason, though he definitely had his reasons with you. It was the way you used to look at him before he ruined it by being rude, with such warmth and acceptance in your eyes, he had to ruin it because he wasn't able to digest it.

He ran his hand through his hair, his bicep flexing at the gesture.

“Happy birthday I guess” he said to you so you stared at him because you couldn't believe he wasn't hurling insults your way and was actually saying something normal for once.

“Well ummm thanks ..I guess”

He nodded as you said that. He felt like an idiot standing on your doorway, not knowing what to say.

“Have fun” he said as he turned around to leave but your voice stopped him in his track.

“Hey..listen!! Umm Do you want to come inside? There's beer and cake” You asked him, as opposed to your better judgement and his as well. He turned to look at you, his eyes flickering constantly with emotions you couldn't really figure out, he wasn't exactly an easy person to read.

It would have been so easy to say no, to reject the invitation, turn around and get back to having a restless sleep like he always did, in a perfect world that's what he would have done, he should have kept his distance like he had been doing all this time. That's what he should have done for his own sake but instead of all that he dug a hole for himself and jumped in it knowing too well he won't survive this again.

“Sure..I'll come inside and eat your cake if you want me to”

😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏😏

Taglist: @m-riaa @erebus-et-eigengrau

[allylikethecat]

ally! i have just read the update and have to tell you this might be one of my fave chapters yet!!!!! i love the friendship between taylor & matty - the way you portray their dynamic is so fun to read !!! fictional!matty in this fic just makes me want to sit him down and bundle him up in blankets & fictional!taylor seems like she might need a hug as well..!

i am beyond excited to see where the rest of this fic goes and also cannot wait to see matty & george reunited (as well as the rest of band??) and to see how taylor views their relationship/interactions (…this is me not so discreetly begging for some cute matty & george content if u didn’t get that)

anyways i apologise for the essay i have left in ur inbox but this chapter was so good and i eagerly (but also v patiently - pls do not rush urself!!!!!) await any new content from you and your brain

your devoted letter anon

💌💌💌💌

AHHH Hello Dearest 💌 Anon!

Thank you so much for reading! I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed the chapter!! I'm so glad that we're on the same page about bundling Fictional!Matty up in a blanket and also potentially feeding him some soup? He needs some nutritional content! Fictional!Taylor very much needs a hug as well she just does not realize it yet 😬

I'm very excited about the next few chapters - Fictional!Taylor and Fictional!George will get their official introduction in Chapter 13... but we might be seeing a little bit of Fictional!George before that even if Fictional!George and Fictional!Matty's relationship might not be what is expected 👀

Also NEVER apologize for writing an essay in the in box, I apologize that my response isn't as long as you deserve! I have absolutely no timeline on when the next chapter will be up, I gotta get through these holiday fics first lol but I hope that you enjoy it when it is finished! I am excited for some of the real ~drama~ and ~conflict~ to start! Thank you so much for saying all these kind words about my writing, and for being so lovely to take the time to not only read my work but reach out about it! I hope you are having the best night and I look forward to your thoughts on future works!

❤️Ally

[sieglinde-freud]

ok i think im done i think ive finally done it. i have completed the awakening ship chart with the second gen. except for nah sorry nah. yes i do love rarepair hell thanks for asking im never leaving

[micamone]

Actually another one of the funniest thing to me so far in SG1 is Sam being the token heart throb. Like, instead of the main guy (jack) or prettyboy (daniel) on the team, she's the the one consistently pulling. Men on every single planet are falling for her left and right.

I mean though it does happen to the boys a little, but it's always more ''let me keep you as a pet'' than ''my love at first sight i want you by my side but more than that everything best for you" like it seems to keep fuckin happening to her.

If the writers weren't cowards (the show wasn't so old or something i guess) then woman would have been all over her too (like cassandra had in The Librarians)

[gilbertscarrot]

I try my best to keep things positive on here, but the hate comments for TLM '23 are ridiculous lol

[ratcandy]

(nobody knows i've been playing with a warrior cats clan generator for a while now and getting attached to silly pixel cats to an unhealthy degree)

[neonacidtrip]

I’ve been making memes for friends for years and decided I should share the ones I could easily find

[starlightkun]

🎶🛌

[fierykitten2]

For no reason whatsoever, here’s what Pokémon I think the Proto Beasts and Neo Swords would gravitate towards if they were in UNITE (based entirely on my headcanons for the Proto Beasts, Neo Swords and UNITE Pokémon. Also assuming each of them is the first one of these six to join because otherwise they’d gravitate towards each other). Also what room they’d sleep in (because I headcanon there are dorm rooms for each type and each Pokémon chooses one of their types to use as their dorm room):

Walking Wake: pretty much any Water-type but especially Blastoise (I just think they’d be friends), Inteleon (I’ve seen people compare it to Quaquaval and in Scarlet I have both a Quaquaval and a Walking Wake and I love them both) and Slowpoke (comically-stupid Water-types). It also quickly befriends Zeraora (you may start to notice a pattern), Mew, Hoopa and Darkrai because they’re the Mythicals and it’s functionally-Mythical. Wake sleeps in the Water room because it has lots of Water-type friends and few if any Dragon-type friends

Iron Leaves: there aren’t many Pokémon that can keep up with its energy. Cinderace is one of the few that can. The two of them may end up being running partners or something. It also befriends the Mythicals for the same reason as Wake. As a bonus, Mew and Zeraora have a lot of energy too. As Leaves has more Psychic-type friends than Grass-type friends, it sleeps in the Psychic room

Gouging Fire: somehow it manages to get into an argument immediately with Zeraora over whose paws can be called “Paws of Doom”. This results in them becoming rivals. Meowscarada takes this opportunity to befriend Fire. Fire finds the Fire room more interesting than the Dragon room and probably uses this as an opportunity to befriend as many Fire-types as possible

Iron Boulder (no reason for it to befriend Zeraora this time): Crustle no question. I don’t actually know why I think it would befriend Crustle I just do. As a result it sleeps in the Rock room. It also befriends any Pokémon whose moveset involves at least one explosion (Fire probably does the same thing to be fair). It also befriends most if not all of the Speedsters for being in the awkward position where no one complains they don’t have enough reps but no one complains that they’re a waste of a slot that should’ve gone to a Pokémon specialising in doing as little damage as possible when they are added (anyone else notice no one ever seems to complain about the number of Speedsters? All-Rounders and Attackers are always “this should’ve been a Supporter/Defender” and Supporters and Defenders are always “we don’t have enough pls give more idc these guys are so predictable you know whether a Pokémon would have to be a Supporter or occasionally Defender and chances are they’re not that popular in the core series so a lot of people would complain it could’ve been a cooler Pokémon when in reality that Pokémon would’ve been more suited for an Attacker/All-Rounder” but no one seems to comment when a Speedster shows up. Admittedly apart from Dodrio I think all Speedsters are quite popular Pokémon in general so maybe that’s why no one complains). *realises Boulder befriending other Speedsters means it would also befriend Zeraora* there’s always some recurring theme when I do posts listing random stuff based on headcanons

Raging Bolt: doesn’t really get on well with anyone. It reluctantly uses the Electric dorm room (when it doesn’t fall asleep in a random spot) and probably accidentally got befriended by some of the other Electric-types *thinks about Pikachu and Zeraora. Somehow forgets about Miraidon*

Iron Crown (I swear no Zeraora this time): again doesn’t really rely on being friends with anyone. It ends up hanging out frequently with Armarouge and as a result also Ceruledge, Meowscarada and Delphox. Armarouge invited it to sleep in the Psychic dorm and it just agreed and stayed there

[thistlecrimes]

Things I've learned from getting covid for the first time in 2023

I wear an N95 in public spaces and I've managed to dodge it for a long time, but I finally got covid for the first time (to my knowledge) in mid-late November 2023. It was a weird experience especially because I feel like it used to be something everyone was talking about and sharing info on, so getting it for the first time now (when people generally seem averse to talking about covid) I found I needed to seek out a lot of info because I wasn't sure what to do. I put so much effort into prevention, I knew less about what to do when you have it. I'm experiencing a rebound right now so I'm currently isolating. So, I'm making a post in the hopes that if you get covid (it's pretty goddamn hard to avoid right now) this info will be helpful for you. It's a couple things I already knew and several things I learned. One part of it is based on my experience in Minnesota but some other states may have similar programs.

--------

The World Health Organization states you should isolate for 10 days from first having symptoms plus 3 days after the end of symptoms.

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At the time of my writing this post, in Minnesota, we have a test to treat program where you can call, report the result of your rapid test (no photo necessary) and be prescribed paxlovid over the phone to pick up from your pharmacy or have delivered to you. It is free and you do not need to have insurance. I found it by googling "Minnesota Test to Treat Covid"

--------

Paxlovid decreases the risk of hospitalization and death, but it's also been shown to decrease the risk of Long Covid. Long Covid can occur even from mild or asymptomatic infections.

--------

Covid rebound commonly occurs 2-8 days after apparent recovery. While many people associate Paxlovid with covid rebound, researchers say there is no strong evidence that Paxlovid causes covid rebound, and rebounds occur in infections that were not treated with Paxlovid as well. I knew rebounds could happen but did not know it could take 8 days. I had mine on day 7 and was completely surprised by it.

--------

If you start experiencing new symptoms or test positive again, the CDC states that you should start your isolation period again at day zero. Covid rebound is still contagious. Personally I'd suggest wearing a high quality respirator around folks for an additional 8-9 days after you start to test negative in case of a rebound.

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Positive results on a rapid test can be very faint, but even a very faint line is positive result. Make sure to look at your rapid test result under strong lighting. Also, false negatives are not uncommon. If you have symptoms but test negative taking multiple tests and trying different brands if you have them are not bad ideas. My ihealth tests picked up my covid, my binax now tests did not.

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EDIT: I'd highly suggest spending time with friends online if you can, I previously had a link to the NAMI warmline directory in this post but I've since been informed that NAMI is very much funded by pharmaceutical companies and lobbies for policies that take autonomy away from disabled folks, so I've taken that off of here! Sorry, I had no idea, the People's CDC listed them as a resource so I just assumed they were legit! Feel free to reply/reblog this with other warmlines/support resources if you know of them! And please reblog this version!

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I know that there is so much we can't control as individuals right now, and that's frightening. All we can do is try our best to reduce harm and to care for each other. I hope this info will be able to help folks.

[icecream4starscream]

Spoiler Warning for Transformers One. Please go see the film, it's great.

Something occurred to me when rewatching Elita-1's firing scene:

Right off the bat, she's presented as an absolute unit in the mines. We see her being a very by-the-book character. She's incredibly competent, strong, serious, focused, and an effective leader.

Maybe a little too effective.

We learn that Sentinel goes out of his way to personally take care of any "anomalies" in his system and does so in a way where the blame always gets shifted away from him.

It's why he personally went to see Pax and D-16 after the Iacon 5000 race. He makes himself out to be the open-minded, compassionate leader he's been parading as.

When Darkwing throws Orion and D-16 into sub-level 50, neither bot suspects Sentinel for their demotion. In fact, they beg Darkwing to talk to Sentinel so he can sort out the "misunderstanding".

It's later confirmed that Sentinel never had any intention of talking with Orion or D-16 after their first meeting. When Orion reunites with his fellow miners later in the film, they mention that Sentinel put out a statement saying that they both died from "racing injuries".

Sentinel might've not even openly ordered Darkwing to dispose of them. Darkwing might've been manipulated into thinking everyone was mocking him for losing the race (thanks to lowly miners) making him want to get rid of them.

Subconsciously manipulating someone like Darkwing would've been easy for Sentinel.

Sentinel clearly does not tolerate anyone rising above the station he imposes on them.

So what does this have to do with Elita-1 being fired?

We see her rigidly following the rules, meeting all quotas, running a tight and efficient crew. She's doing her job as a miner, a role unknowingly forced upon her by Sentinel, perfectly.

Shouldn't Sentinel be happy about that?

Well sure...

If Elita wasn't actively trying to get promoted.

We don't get a lot of information about how promotion works in TFOne's mining system, but we do know that in other iterations of pre-war Cybertron, one of the only ways miners could rise out of the mines was by participating in ridiculously difficult gladiatorial fights in Kaon's pits.

In other iterations, this was how D-16/Megatron was able to escape his station and how he grew to be so strong.

So basically, whatever version you look at, the miners are told "if you work really, reeeeally hard, and do your job perfectly, and don't die in the process (which, odds are, you will) you might, MIGHT get a chance to get out of the caste you were born into."

It's BS.

It's an impossible feat. No one is actually supposed to be able to achieve that goal, but it's the metaphorical carrot dangling in front of the work mules so they don't notice the ever-tightening rope around their necks.

But every so often there's someone extraordinary, like Elita, who actually manages to meet this impossible standard and with whom it becomes increasingly difficult to deny this coveted promotion.

So what can Sentinel do about bots like Elita-1?

Simple.

Wait for a screw-up.

It must happen eventually.

A member of Elita's team, Orion Pax, in clear violation of evacuation protocol, goes back into the mines to save Jazz from getting crushed to death.

Despite managing to escape, the closing mine causes a tunnel support to be flung into nearby machinery (which doesn't look critical and could probably be easily fixed).

Then, right the heck outta nowhere, Darkwing drops in, SECONDS AFTER THE INCIDENT JUST HAPPENED, and immediately fires Elita.

No "What happened?" or "Who's responsible?" or "The supervisor wants to see you", he just pops into the scene and demotes Elita, arguably one of the best workers in the mine, to a bottom-tier waste management position.

As if he'd been on standby, actively waiting for a reason to fire her.

"But Elita herself wasn't the one who screwed up!"

Doesn't matter.

"But she told them to follow protocol!"

Doesn't matter.

"But Orion admitted he was the one at fault!"

Doesn't matter.

"But a bot was saved! Jazz would've died!"

Does. Not. MATTER.

Her firing is presented as the typical "one character says thing won't happen then thing immediately happens" joke, but given how so much thought went into so much of TFOne's background details, I can't help but wonder if this was a hint to how broken the system was and how it was always rigged in a way that ensures the miners will never get out.

Not to mention, once Orion, D-16, and Jazz safely escape, she chews Orion out by saying, "If I get fired for this..." meaning this abrupt, out-of-nowhere, baseless firing is absolutely typical.

That's what makes Elita's "I'm better than you" speech to Orion that much more meaningful, because in many ways, she is better than him.

She's a better worker, better fighter, better at completing the task at hand, better at making sure things run smoothly. She is, ironically enough, an efficient and perfectly-running machine.

But had Orion not dragged Elita to the surface, she probably would've spent her whole life obediently following the rules, never questioning why things were the way they were. She was so focused on rising up within the system that she could never look beyond it.

Elita might be the cog by which other cogs turn.

But Orion is the spark that shows them a better way.

That's why he was given the Matrix.

[logaenhowlett]

NO END TO THIS ROAD - L.H.

Summary: Desperate and on edge after escaping from Alkali Lake, Logan seeks shelter in your barn, fighting to repress his primal urges. [Set during X-Men Origins: Wolverine]

Pairing: Logan Howlett x Female Reader

Warnings: Smut 18+ only, Angst, Feral Logan

A/N: I love all versions of this man equally, but Origins!Logan just triggers something special within me. Also, it’s my first time writing smut, please be nice!

MASTERLIST

Crimson seeps out between his knuckles. The once-untarnished skin now pried open by silver metal. For a brief second, he catches his reflection on the claws and fear tears through his body. He's unsure how his legs had been carrying him all this while, pain ripping into his flesh with each stride. His muscles seethe in agony, aching to bear the pressure of his newly-dense skeleton.

He's never been a stranger to suffering or trauma. There were several times in his endless, Herculean life where his own fists struck down countless others, ones that deserved his wrath. But this, he would never wish upon anyone.

The neurons in his brain seem to be on fire, every tendril underneath his skin shooting a flood of sensations through his veins. In this moment, he's no longer Logan. Instead, a man surviving on pure instincts.

Despite the warmth of sunlight caressing him, every breath leaves him trembling as he's exposed to nature's unwavering forces. Across the miles and miles he'd sprinted, there was nothing but mountains of lush forest overlooking glades. He had no destination in particular. Just somewhere far, far away from the horrors of what he'd endured.

His lungs feel like deadweight, crumbling within as he pushes his body to extremes never been explored. The thudding beat of his heart doesn't slow him down either, inching ever so close to a state he'd probably never recover from.

He prays for the first time in a century. An unspoken plea to whoever was unfortunate enough to witness such dread. He doesn't even register it at first - everything being a blur for so long. Soon enough, he locates a barn in the distance.

The thought of being discreet doesn't cross his mind when he slams the wooden door behind him. He staggers onto a pile of sacks, calves burning in relief as his chest heaves. There's no chance for him to process the events that occurred earlier, the whole world closing in on him. God, he just wants it all to stop.

“Fuck! What the hell are you doing?”

Lost in all that noise inside his head, he doesn't notice you creep into the barn, inspecting the sudden commotion. Light-headed is what he feels, vision clouding, meeting your fearful stance. The sledgehammer you're tightly clutching would've painted a threatening image to anyone else, yet it's the last thing on his mind.

“It’s cold.” He stammers out, resting his hands on the ground to find some semblance of reality.

“You’re naked.”

He grumbles in response, spitting out something close to a yes. The energy in the air shifts a little, and past your barrier of adrenaline and unease, he catches an inkling of arousal fighting to peek through. All his senses drift to one idea. He curses under his breath.

“Are you on drugs?” The tone of your voice strays from alarm to one of well-earned skepticism.

“No,” He groans, shutting his eyes as his body reacts to your subconscious desire, “I’m sorry... I just had to find a place.”

At that moment, he doesn't know if it's a good thing you're warming up to his being here. Though, he appreciates you lowering the sledgehammer, wincing at the thought of his bones ringing at any contact with the tool.

“Looks like you had a shitty night.”

“Something like that."

All the blood within him rushes down. He drowns the urge to unsheathe the claws, diverting his instincts to focus on anything but your sweet, sweet pheromones tainting the air around him. And as if it's deathly poison, he stops breathing, unwilling to let such a venom infect his very being. Fuck, he wants to taste your cunt so bad.

A rag hits him in the chest and he's thankful for the short-lived interruption. He immediately drapes it over his throbbing cock, his posture only doing so much to help all this time.

“I made dinner and - " He finds your eyes as they study him, "You look like you could use a shower.”

When you lead him to the cabin, he tries to maintain a respectable distance, trailing behind as if the ground beneath is a minefield yearning to explode. At least, the confines of the bathroom provide some solace - far from your radiating presence that teases him in all the right ways. Jesus, get a fucking grip.

Scalding hot water hits his body, easing his tightly-wound muscles. As he lathers himself, he's reminded of a faint whiff of the very same body wash he noted on you, now soaking into his own skin. His scent entangles with yours. And he makes the mistake of entertaining that thought. Steadying himself, he releases a shuddering breath, the hairs on his arms mimicking the movement of his cock. After a while, he's not sure if it's the steam or the result of his actions that fog up the room.

Fastening the buttons of the flannel you'd generously given him, he stares at himself in the mirror. The remnants of your touch linger on the soft fabric and he wants to smash his face against the wall when his dick impulsively twitches. Instead, the claws fly out, slicing the porcelain sink in half. He mumbles a string of curses, jerking his head to snap out of whatever hold you seem to have on him.

He enters the kitchen warily, clutching the remainder of the sink and what would normally require the combined strength of his pinkie feels like a meteor between his hands. He thinks of Atlas, condemned to carry the sheer burden of heaven on his bare shoulders. The energy around you once again gleams at his entrance, your attraction to him not a secret. Yet, he refuses to desecrate an innocent soul with whatever ferocity he's got boiling within.

“I swear I’m gonna pay for this.” He grumbles out, placing it on the countertop.

Your expression contorts to one of confusion and speechlessness as he takes a seat at the table. Despite unsuccessfully quelling the thirst within him, the sign of delicious food overtakes his needs.

“Thank you for everything.” A genuine manifestation of gratitude spills out of him. The polite smile you return doing a funny thing to his heart.

“Well, I’m glad you weren’t a coyote or something.”

The conversation lulls into short, simple exchanges, delving into nothing below surface-level. Rather than following the rational part of his brain, he insists on washing the dishes, having to brave the dangers of being in close proximity to you. Only shallow exhales and the racing beat of your heart reach his ears as he ponders the pros and cons of the ability to read minds.

He glances at the dusty frames loosely hanging near the kitchen shelves, “That your family?”

“Yeah… This was my grandparents’ cabin. I’ve been here since they -” As you trail off, grabbing the clean plate, his fingertips brush against yours.

He clears his throat, “And the chopper in the barn?”

“Grandpa’s - He used to take me along for rides when I was young. It was our favourite thing to do together… Nothing ever came close to that feeling.”

“I know what you mean.”

He clenches his jaw, the tension in the room obvious to anyone with eyes. Honing onto the growing pool of heat barrelling down to your core, he swallows harshly. He can't seem to tear his eyes off you, hands quivering at a frequency that should surely shatter the glass he's holding onto for dear life.

When the last of the dishes are put away, you sheepishly guide him to the couch. His gaze drops to your ass, shamelessly peering as you retreat to your bedroom and return moments later with a heap of blankets, muttering about how he must be sensitive to the cold.

Moonlight weaves through the swaying curtains, it glistens against the stainless steel of his dog tags, drawing your attention to his only belonging. The space between you disappears, your fingers gently reaching for the chain.

“Are you in the army?”

Now that you're this close, every little sensation is amplified in his perspective. He calms himself, begging whatever deity that's responsible for his decaying resolve. It works in his favour until he clocks the wetness of your pussy. Dripping pretty all just for him.

“No.” He says, imperceptibly quiet. The tempting mix of hunger and desire in your eyes pushes him closer to the brink, the rapid beat of your heart mirrors his own and it only rouses the flame scorching the walls within him.

He growls, lips smashing against yours in a possessive, ravenous kiss. Breath hot on your skin, grabbing your hips and pressing his body firmly to yours. It's your whimpers, your honeyed admissions of pleasure that send a burning need through him. As you tilt your neck, offering him more access, his teeth sink into the supple flesh that holds your life, nipping and sucking to a rhythm he carelessly demands. Your fingers curl around the loops of his jeans, tugging him even closer. He grunts, hands roaming all over your body.

Biting your lower lip, he draws his head back lightly. "Feel what you do to me, pretty girl," He murmurs, thrusting his hips to press his obvious bulge against you.

A low moan escapes you, your nails digging into his shoulders to release some of the rising pressure, an anchor to this untamed craving simmering inside. His eyes darken at the sound, jolts of pure, uninterrupted rapture travelling straight to his core.

He lifts you effortlessly, hands squeezing your fleshy thighs when your legs wrap around his waist. The promise of you bending so easily to his will sets off a wildfire underneath his skin. Without breaking any contact with your lips, he strides to the bedroom, roughly shoving your body onto the mattress. He drinks in the sight of you, splayed out all needy in front of him, and it drives him to near madness. The flannel and jeans are ripped off his aching body in fluid motions, leaving him in all his glory - one step towards finally satiating these sinful urges.

He lowers himself down, arms caging you beneath him. It's torturous - excruciating even - when the weight of his body crushing yours ignites a fiery heat within you, tingling his limits. While you nip his jaw, he lets out a deep, appreciative growl, toes curling in anticipation as if every fragment of the adamantium infused to his bones has been electrified by your touch.

Pupils blown wide with lust, he curses, breathing ragged against your skin. His hand rakes up your shirt and gently kneads your breast, his thumb teasing your nipple. Your body immediately reacts to the sensation, arching towards him with an intensity that nearly sends him over the edge. "So fuckin' needy for me, princess?"

His teeth graze your damp flesh, lips trailing a path down your body. He thinks he's finally defeated death when your fingers grasp his hair, drawing him on a ride to ecstasy he never wants to escape. The shiver, the burning wave of passion coursing through your veins make his claws twitch within, desperate to emerge.

A feral grin flashes on his face as you whine, growing more restless the longer he takes. His hands dig mercilessly into your hips, the faint markings of bruises colouring your skin. He rumbles a muffled noise, lips tenderly pressing against your inner thigh, dangerously close to your slick entrance. It triggers something animalistic he's been trying so hard to overpower. In one quick motion, he rips your panties with his teeth.

"Look at you... Already a fuckin' mess and I haven't even fucked you." He rasps, positioning himself, the tip of his cock barely brushing against your soaking cunt.

In any other situation, he would've taken his time worshipping your body, preparing you to take him with a delicacy you would never associate with a man like him. Right now, his thoughts are filthy and downright profane. And not a single shred of his being cares about how painful this might be for you.

His hips ram forward, filling your warm insides with his length. A growl rolls through him, the sound dripping with pleasure as your walls tighten around his dick. His mouth finds your nipple, dragging his tongue impatiently over the soft skin before he begins to suck. Every thrust elicits gasps from you, moans that spur him on even more. "Fuck, sweet girl, can smell how badly you want me."

His cock grinds against the golden spot inside you, your head digging into the mattress with each push. He senses your longing to chase those highs, to control the movement of your bodies. A devilish snarl leaves him at that realisation, "I'm in charge here, princess. Wanted to ruin that pretty pussy since I saw you." He spits out, fingers pressing against your chin, forcing you to make eye contact.

As the climax approaches for both of you, he throws one of your legs over his shoulder, angling his body to thrust into you even further. He wonders whether you're the one with claws when your scratches tear into his back as you release that sugary ambrosia he'd grown an appetite for. Moves becoming sloppy, the unbearable threat of his cum spilling out sends his mind reeling. He shifts to pull out when your hand darts forward, stilling him.

"Inside, please."

The whispered plea makes his body strain with thrill. His load drips out your cunt, soaking the already-sullied sheets. Neither of you seem to mind the mess as he falls onto his back, out of breath and soothed to a state of newfound bliss.

As you rest softly against his chest, he allows himself the privilege to revel in your comforting presence. All the energy and adrenaline he'd built up comes crashing down. And he doesn't have the power to fight against his instincts, the ones that were screaming at him to run away. Soon enough, he succumbs to the enchanting spell of slumber.

He wakes up abruptly a couple hours later, momentarily startled by the warmth radiating from your body on his. The moonlight seems to fondly embrace your features, echoing his own expression. The feeling of guilt begins to rise within. He knows he has to leave, for your own sake, because those monsters will find him sooner or later. And he doesn't know what terrors he might commit if your blood is on his hands. He slips out of your grasp, refusing to glance at your relaxed form, feet transforming into cinder blocks as he walks towards the door.

“Where’re you going?”

His breath hitches, head ducking into his chest. “Listen... I can't thank you enough, but -" And despite every part of him indicating otherwise, he turns around. "You don’t want me here. It’s not safe for you... Trust me.”

Your sympathetic gaze almost shatters his resolve, he clenches his fist as your soft whisper reaches his ears, "Will you stay a little longer?"

Seconds later, he finds himself back in your arms, unable to deny the influence you have over him. He caves into your wish, savouring every last taste of the tenderness you carry just for him. By the time you stir awake, sunshine blinding your sight, the side of the bed he'd occupied is cold beneath your fingertips.

[sanjisblackasswife]

𝕊𝕖𝕩 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞 (Geto and Gojo)

Ft. Geto and Gojo (Separate)

Blk!Fem Reader in Mind

CW: TWT LINKS,Not just SEX, but making love, kissing, touching, oral, established relationships, Gojo is warning of himself, Dom(?)Reader

Bad Summary: My opinion, I try not to include any FANON versions of them either. I want them both bad what can I say.

Gojo

It’s hesitant yet, intense.

A man like Gojo isn’t an easy person to be vulnerable with, but Satoru is different .

He makes light jokes to mask his internal feelings.

“Touchy, huh? You must have wanted me soooo bad.”

However your touches on his arms make his breath Hasen.

He’s a flirt, but somehow you managed to catch him at his quietest when you rub your fingers against his undercut, kissing his earlobe so gently and light he almost thought he had on infinity.

Satoru doesn’t have sex consistently. He can’t even remember the last time he had a moment of pleasure like this, so he’s eager, but catches himself not able to move the way he wants since his body betrays him every-time you land your lips on his.

Sex with Satoru is unbearable in the best way. Probably a night you’ll never forget, due to his ability of being talented in every aspect you can think of. His tongue knows exactly where to land. He has a slight obsession over your little clit as well. Soft and cold pink lips capturing it to suckle. If you mask your own moans for a second you can hear his moans of approval and smacks against your lower lips to taste more of you.

His noises are pornographic. Shameless as he pushes your knees to hit your chest while his huge warm hands to cup under your ass and use his thumbs to spread your lips apart and push his mouth further inside you.

He has an oral fixation only you (and candy) can accommodate so sex with him can be relentless. He doesn’t apologize for it either, regardless of the “M’sorry, baby.” He tend to mutter against your panting mouth once you’ve came twice.

Sex with Satoru is needy and close. Satoru has an additive personality. If he likes something he wears it out completely. He doesn’t know when to quit. Overstimulating himself and you in the process, without a care in the world, because he always gets what he wants. And if you’re what he wants. He’s going to keep you under him until he can’t anymore. It’s all about you for him right now and he needs you to know that while he’s speaking to you in your ear

Sex with Satoru is funny. Once he gets comfortable enough he uses his slick mouth not just to make you cum, but you make you giggle and blush . A few jokes about how much of a mess he made on your new sheets because you tasted too good. How your tits shake so cutely when you’re orgasming. He is just so vulgar.

He praises you. Almost to the point you want to tell him to shut the fuck up but you can’t get yourself to do so because that moment where he moans out your name when you clench down on him, sounds like music to your ears. It’s rasped and dragged out. He is so loud you can barely hear the bed creaking below you both.

His eye contact is intense. Satoru can’t stop himself from looking at you, and he doesn’t wanna creep you out by saying look at me so he keeps his eyes on your mouth and eyes until you realize what he is non verbally asking for while he is on top and inside you.

His slow kisses are what gets you yearning for more. The way how silky slick and smooth his tongue collides with yours, make you whimper every once in a while, and the beautiful noises go straight to his dick (un)fortunately.

Sex with him ends with you both in the bath giggling and smacking on something sweet while he hand feeds you. You feel a few kisses on your forehead and a couple “Felt so good.” Under his breath. Hes stroking your ego without even realizing it.

Sex ends with you holding him. It kind of occurs when he places you on the bed (naked) and fake yawns to lay all over your body, saying he’s your blanket for the night.

You could complain but why would you? He looked finally at peace laid in between you breast.

Geto

Sex with Suguru is memorable and exciting.

He is so careful with his touches, he tends to laugh when you scoff to rush him to move faster, but it’s all apart of his plan to break you down (lovingly ofc)

Foreplay with Suguru isn’t just that night. It’s in the morning when he kisses you slow and caresses your ass against the kitchen counter before he heads out

It’s in the afternoon when he sends you post workout pictures with his pants DANGEROUSLY low to his hips.

It’s that evening when he cooks for you with sweats and his hair down just how you like. Licking his lips as you taste test the food he made on his finger.

Sex with Suguru is full of embarrassment. The man is very big. His cocky smirk looking down at you while he pinches your nipples. Pointing out how hard they’ve gotten after just kissing them.

Sex with Suguru is, overwhelming, his natural scent is intoxicating, his silky hair dragging all over your torso while he licks you down from your neck to your clit makes your spine shiver. He always manages to savor and take his time with you. Fingering you with straight eye contact and words of affirmation of how well you’re behaving for him before he sucks on your pussy.

Suguru knows what he’s doing, he knows what makes you needy, irritable, and even more horny to his liking and silly you, don’t even have a clue(?).

His whole body is so surprisingly soft and yet hard. His chest so squeezable that when you take the chance to actually suck his nipple he lets out the prettiest noise you ever heard. Who knew he was so sensitive there?

Sex with Suguru is messy. The spit, sweat, and cum sprayed all over your both. You don’t even bat an eye after he cums inside you just to go back down on you to taste himself between your legs. All you’re doing is admiring how pretty he is. Cheeks pink, eyes low lidded. You bite your lips when he catches you staring and winks at you while he holds your legs back

Kisses kisses and more kisses. All you need to do in the bed with Suguru is lay back, moan his name, and kiss him. Even if you’re breathless he will be the one to take the wind away from your lungs if needed be.

Sex with Suguru is reassuring.He doesn’t allow you to ever feel anything, but loved and secured that he only and ever wants you. Not just in sex, but his life. His purple eyes stare you lovingly when you cum for him. You’re the most beautiful being in the world and he’ll remind you of it every chance he gets.

Sex with Suguru is so teasing. Allowing all that pressure build up just for him to stop and wonder his attention to another part of your body. About to cum on his finger? Can’t. He wants to suck on your breast. About to cum on his dick? Well now he wants to slow down and give you a kiss knowing he can just do both. Little do you know he’s edging himself more than you.

After sex with Suguru is like a slip of the switch. Brushing ur hair back and telling you to match his breathing style to calm down.

“There you go baby just like that breathe in and out..good girl.”

After Sex with Suguru leads to more pleasure for you. He just can’t quit. He isn’t sorry for it either. Just lay on your belly and let him do what he calls “cleaning you up.

After sex with him is like being turned into a princess. A carry to the toilet while he wipes your face with a cool damp towel. You don’t need to lift a finger and if you don’t tell him no already he’d wipe your ass for you.

After a shared shower He holds you in bed while giving your back a small rub. You feels so safe in his large arms. Hearing his heart beat in your ear was its own white noise that lead you to fall asleep. And you can, because he isn’t going anywhere in the morning.