#fauna virale

[kafsho]

[openvimark]

(vía Camiseta clásica con la obra «Exploring the Depths: A Diver Among Tropical Fish» de 0penvimark)

Discover our digital art and explore our products.

Descubre nuestro arte digital y explora nuestros productos.

Design/Diseño.

https://www.redbubble.com/es/shop/ap/162567119

Stores/Tiendas.

https://www.redbubble.com/es/people/0penvimark/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent

[doctorroadsafety]

Sand Animal Fence design art

product to prevent animals from crawling on highways

[queer-goldcrest-of-the-void]

Did I mention I moved?

I don't usually talk about myself here. It's sort of my dumping ground for the random bits and pieces I like but haven't got a home for.

For Transformers, you want @king-starscreams-fics and maybe @ask-a-bot.

For Good Omens (sorry, it's not as active as it was) you want @mygoodomensfaves.

For the random stuff, my main (this blog) is the place. I'm good at random, me.

So, anyway, I'm not in Bristol anymore. No more moans about humidity or complaints about how the place is managed from me!

I've relocated to North Yorkshire. I'm in a semi-rural (certainly more rural than my old Bristolian suburb) market town. I've been here for two years (aren't I good at updates?), having moved in July '22.

A lot has happened. First of all, I found out that working life here is busy. You start at 8am, not 9am. You finish at 5.30pm if you're lucky. Yeah, that's probably why I haven't been great with updates.

I fell ill last year and then things got difficult. I've got post-viral fatigue now. Symptoms are mostly weak muscles and exhaustion. I can make myself do stuff, but if I do too much I pay for it (I am a spoonie now) and I'm not good at understanding when my body is telling me it's had enough.

Basically, I see myself as lazy if I struggle and push myself until I persevere or collapse – it's a coin toss between the two outcomes. When I was first unwell, I knew that I couldn't stand without passing out, yet I still washed up and cooked and only narrowly avoided fainting onto the lit gas hob. That's just the way I am. I'm still here and at least I can't do that again because the place I'm at now has an induction hob (much safer).

If you've been wondering why I've not been very talkative... now you know. I hope to get better at checking in but I can't really promise. I'll do my best.

If you've read this garbled outpouring, thank you.

Fauna (AKA the Queerest Goldcrest)

[sandhya17]

Sambar Reaction To Intruders

[dangaetta]

Koki 💜 #animal #animals #animales #wildlife #fyp #viral #bio #nature #naturaleza #zoo #zoologico #pet #pets #mascota #mascotas #cute #puppy #petlover #fauna #flore #dog #doglover #dogs #perro #perros #perrito #doggy #shnocker #puddle #kokiknino https://www.instagram.com/p/ColbRRSL2lN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[sonicasura]

Every time I remember an Autobot or Decepticon bitch about being stuck on Earth, Animated and Prime are the most frequent, it makes me laugh thinking how easy they got it. Imagine any iteration ending up on a version that is much more chaotic than the norm. Especially if the dangers are hidden or completely normal to humans.

We got JoJo's Bizarre Adventure where you literally can't trust even a simple POWER OUTLET. From stone masks that could turn people into eldritch vampire, pieces of Jesus Christ could give people powers, and martial arts which either turn the circulatory system into a sunlight generator (Hamon) or using the Golden Ratio to shred even dimensions (Spin).

I'm not forgetting about Stand Users either. Every sentient creature could become a Stand User, someone who can project a psychic manifestation of their fighting spirits that could look like anything with abilities that range from giving positive encouragement to stopping time. That weird individual on the street could dissect Megatron into pieces with fucking zippers through their Stand.

How about Resident Evil where the constant threat is viral infections? I'm not talking about the standard zombie virus either. We got mutant undead creating ones, parasitic worms/insects, to fucking hivemind mold. All guaranteed to least spawn mutants like giant man eating salamanders, evolving fanged blobs and even an eldritch dinosaur.

They have to constantly decontaminate base than just troops as a simple small strain could turn a rat into a dog sized menace. Plus all those zombies guts and blood they have to clean up if an infected did get inside. I'm pretty damn sure humans are no longer the gross squishies compared to that.

Last best addition to add is the 'Kaiju Series' i.e Kaiju No. 8, Godzilla/King Kong Monsterverse, and Pacific Rim. Normal Earth fauna doesn't cause much compared to this as kaiju practically made themselves home here. The bots aren't exactly prepared for megafauna being a constant presence and frequent threat.

Kaiju are territorial so their respective ships will get attacked if spotted too close to the creatures' home. Some may also feed on metal and think either faction are potential food. The humans here could potentially kick their afts like Kaiju No 8's Defense Force or Pacific Rim's Jaeger Pilots.

Never take what you have for granted. In the Autobots and Decepticons cases, that is a normal simple Earth. The other possibilities could be much worse.

[bogleech]

I never like the “humans are just an everyman” thing in sci fi or fantasy settings where every other sapient species is famous for some special physical characteristic or specialty so I think there should be more sci fi settings where it turns out one very useful thing about humans is special; something we consider really normal. Like maybe we’re somehow by far the fastest runners among most alien worlds, who also think we’re lying when we say a lot of our planet’s fauna can run faster. Note that I’m talking about us having ONE famous gimmick that puts us on more or less “equal” footing though. The first time I shared this opinion on tumblr it spiraled out of control into a huge viral “humans are terrifying space orcs” thread and that was SO not my point :(

[bunnybird-afk]

i actually have a few ideas in mind for a modern au for the graveborns :D

Niru

• A military doctor (based on his lore) that constantly works day in and day out, becoming the dad who went to get the milk (body counts) to the point where he just sleeps at the hospital if so desired.

• He's also obsessed with the anatomies of a human body to the point where he had intrusive thoughts of wanting to.. 'inspect' on it more

Viperian

• Goes by Victor in this AU, a college professor who teaches biology/chemistry for foundation students, you could say that he's very great at explaining the concepts as he goes VERY into details, which makes him one of the profs that the students go for if they have any questions, despite his creepy appearance

• Little did they know that he has been having a secret past time of kidnapping people and experiments on them at midnight... (He also does this with Niru when they got the time, theyre practically besties)

Cecia

• An opera singer (based on her beta lore) that went viral on socials due to her beautiful voice and pretty appearance, guys and gals would be head over heels for her, if she were to be in any opera stages, tickets would sold out quickly

• Though, she's kinda a brat, she's too arrogant to the point where she would mistreat her butler, Mr. Carlyle (not that he mind, he's devoted to her) and takes her fans for granted

Ludovic

• Rich man in Whiteridge, holding a high title as he owns the place, fancy clothed, looks very serious and stern, with a hint of sadness in his eyes

• Though that sadness goes away when you see him painting a very beautiful landscape or portrait based on his self-grown flower field and his family... He looks the happiest in there. He would also give flowers occasionally to his people! Ah, such a great heart at a young age

(Also he's the type of person to watch a streamer/hear music while painting I don't make the rules)

Igor

• Works as a daycare attendant (and a good one at that) since he likes to play with children, the other workers there said that he has a himbo energy when they met him, his mind may be empty but his care for the children is very devoted. Their first impression of him is quite different though,,, (they crapped themselves seeing him because of how ridiculously tall he is + he has a menacing look)

• At night I'd imagine he'd become a faceless streamer (based on Ranboo), where he'd engage in horror content and silly goofy games, might also chat about funny things that happened during his life. (And yes his Vtuber is a zombie knight like in AFKJ. Again i dont make the rules)

Yeah that's all I could think off atm, i'll write the other characters if I got time

I love the idea of the graveborn nobles lowkey being from like, old money families. Especially Cecia, Thoran and Ludovic.

Also, if this was a mystery thriller/dating sim like the arcana, bodies going missing from morgues and hospitals would be one hell of a plot point. Especially if we work with @twilight-melodys lore about Hogan being a former FBI agent and Valen being his subordinate. Like imagine Hogan asking his old friend (former work partner?) for help investigating a case because he can't actually get involved in an official capacity but he trusts their abilities.

Cue Merlin and Valen investigating and realizing that this conspiracy goes way deeper than they initially thought. The local Forestry Department (the Wilders) reporting weird things happening to the local fauna, some Maulers going missing inexplicably, the local gang boss (Sonja) coming forward about what happened to her sister, and realizing the corruption that runs deep in the towns upper-class socialite society. You could go absolutely insane with this idea. At that point a romance sub-plot is probably the least of Merlin's worries (though personally I'm going a little feral over the idea of Valen in an FBI uniform).

Also, love the idea of Igor just minding his own damn business and not getting involved with all the drama. Hydrated (he's a gamer so probably not) , staying in his lane and thriving, as it should be.

[kafsho]

[openvimark]

(vía Bolsa de tela con la obra «Chameleons in their Habitat» de 0penvimark)

Chameleons in their Habitat Camaleones en su Hábitat Description: Two chameleons perfectly camouflaged among the leaves, capturing the essence of wildlife. Descripción: Dos camaleones perfectamente camuflados entre las hojas, capturando la esencia de la vida salvaje. Design/Diseño. https://www.redbubble.com/es/shop/ap/163216687 Store/Tienda. https://www.redbubble.com/es/people/0penvimark/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent

[xclowniex]

I think that the current trope that is going around of "Jews steal food (recipes)" is absoltely bonkers.

Like don't get me wrong, food can be colonized. Like do y'all remember that viral recipe that went around last year where a white women called Oi Kimchi "spicy pickled cucumbers" and that she invented it when it was actually invented in Korea before her grandparents were even a thought?

That is an example of food colonization/stealing recipes.

What is not food colonization or stealing recipes is jews consuming food that is also eaten in palestine.

There are 3 foods which I hear this about the most. Falafel, Shashuka and Donar Kebabs. The thing is, none of those dishes are uniquely Palestinian.

Most theories place Falafel as originating in Egypt. Donor Kebabs comes from Bursa (modern day city in Turkye) under Ottoman rule Shashuka comes from Tusnia.

None of those countries are Palestine.

Below are two less common foods that Israeli chefs get accused of stealing recipes from Palestine for making or using.

Hummus - First recorded in Syria Sumac - Native to Iran but used in the middle east and northern africa.

If other arab countries can cook food and use ingrediants from other arab countries, why are Israeli's and Jews not allowed to?

Southern Levant was occupied by Jewish nations from 1047 BC until 587 BC. No one singular Jewish nation occipied the whole of Southern Levant for the entirety of that as at one point there were multiple Jewish nations in Southern Levant. However for that time period, either one or more Jewish nations occupied the land. Do you expect that jews never used the native flora and fauna in their cooking?

Another thing is that arab jews exist. They have brought their cusine to Israel as well. Are Iranian Jews who are ethnically Iranian from Iran stealing recipes from Iran?

If Palestinians can lay claim to those foods being Palestinian cusine instead of the countries of their respective origins, why can't Israel?

The matter of the fact is, by anti-zionists defitions of stealing food/recipes, most arab countries have stolen food from other countries. Most countries across the globe have done that.

The idea that Israel is the only country in the middle east which steals food and recipes, is antisemetic. Either all countries in Levant can lay claim to recipes orignates in the Levant region, or only the countries where food originated from can lay claim. There cannot be an execption for only jews.

Claiming that jews cannot make certain food was a tactic used in our oppression. Thats how bagels exist. In Poland, for a period of time jews were not allowed to bake raw bread as it was seen as appropriating Christianity and Jews baking bread was unholy. Bagels were boiled first and then baked to get around that.

It is bonkers that we are starting to see old antisemetic tactics starting to resurface and become popularized

Ps: If you want to make a recipe that originated in Palestine, I reccomend Musakhan as it is very delicious. Recipe from a Palestinian cook here

[hopeforbountifulasks]

hi hope!!! if you don't mind, could you tell us about some of the interesting flora and fauna around your superstructure? maybe a favourite little creature or two of yours hanging around.. aside from envoy i guess, but you could tell us more about them too if you want! anyways i love u have a good day🫶

[HBH: I am still unsure what exactly causes it, if i had to guess i would say it begins in the very womb, but why ? A viral infection ? Trauma caused during development ? Or a hidden gene passed on from generation to generation ?... Makes you think doesn't it.]

[playstation7voguemagazine]

Backstory of Vampire Hollie (Rosé from BLACKPINK)

Chapter 1: The Mission Begins

Rosé, once a top-tier Black Ops agent known only by her codename "Hollie," was a master of infiltration, espionage, and close-quarters combat. Her latest mission was unlike any before — to rescue Blue, the baby velociraptor from Jurassic Park, who had been captured by the clandestine biotech group Fisk Barricks, known for weaponizing rare fauna. Hollie wasn’t alone; her unlikely partner on this mission was Polly Pocket, a pint-sized powerhouse with the ability to shift her size at will. Together, the two devised a plan to infiltrate the heavily guarded barracks.

Using Polly's miniature form to slip into the ventilation system, they disabled security from within. Hollie moved with precision, her shadowy figure a blur through the facility's dimly lit halls. The alarm was eventually triggered when Polly accidentally enlarged herself too early, causing an explosion of candy-colored debris. The Fisk guards swarmed, but Hollie, ever resourceful, used stealth tactics and hand-to-hand combat to take them down.

Chapter 2: The Arrival of enXantingLalaLisa

Just as they reached the containment unit holding Blue, the security system activated its final defense — an impenetrable titanium containment box. Time was running out. Enter enXantingLalaLisa, an elite mutant with an X-Gene that allowed her to phase-shift through solid matter. With a sly grin and glowing eyes, Lisa walked through the walls like a ghost. Her hands lit with energy as she traced the edges of the box, severing it with a glowing X-shaped mark.

"Need a hand, Unnie?" Lisa smirked, helping Hollie and Polly lift Blue from the wreckage.

The trio, now together, had to make a hasty escape. Lisa, always prepared for a stylish getaway, called in her customized Mattel Hot Wheels Ride, a flame-painted supercar with turbo jets. As guards swarmed behind them, Lisa flipped a switch, and the car's engine roared with neon fire. The trio — Hollie, Polly, and Lisa — sped off, leaving the Fisk Barricks in flames behind them.

Chapter 3: The Bite of Fate

With Blue safe, the team celebrated in a quiet safe house. Hollie, feeling a rare moment of peace, sat on the balcony overlooking the cityscape. But something felt… off. She noticed a small nick on her arm from the mission — a cut she hadn't paid attention to. Her veins pulsed with a glowing violet hue, her heart racing. Sweat beaded on her porcelain skin, her vision sharpened unnaturally, and an insatiable hunger gnawed at her core.

Unknown to her, Fisk Barricks had been experimenting with "Hemoglitch," a viral serum derived from vampire bat DNA mixed with experimental X-Gene enhancers. The tiniest exposure could trigger a full transformation. Hollie’s body convulsed as her senses heightened. Her nails elongated into sharp points, her fangs sprouted, and her eyes shifted to a striking, hypnotic yellow glow. The chemical bite had awakened something ancient within her, and the once-human operative was no more.

Chapter 4: Becoming Vampire Hollie

The transformation was terrifying but empowering. Her soft blush and porcelain complexion became more pronounced, her piercing yellow eyes glowing with a supernatural intensity. Her hair, once golden brown, now shimmered with pastel snow powder blue and hot pink ombre highlights, symbolizing her duality as predator and protector. Her style evolved too, embracing the timeless elegance of YSL aesthetics, with sleek vampire-chic couture accentuating her newfound mystique.

At first, she feared losing control, but Lisa and Polly helped her master her powers. No longer just an agent, she had become something far more dangerous — a living legend known as "Vampire Hollie." Her wings, once hidden, emerged in moments of battle, casting her silhouette as a dark angel against the twilight sky. Her mission wasn’t over. Now, she had to stop Fisk Barricks from unleashing "Hemoglitch" on the world — but she would do it her way, fangs bared and claws sharp.

Thus, the legend of Vampire Hollie was born — a hunter, a hero, and a haunting beauty with an unquenchable thirst for justice.

As of December 2024, there is no official announcement or release of a PlayStation 7 console. The latest consoles from Sony are the PlayStation 5 and the PlayStation 5 Pro, which launched in November 2024. Any references to a PlayStation 7 are purely speculative or conceptual.

For instance, there are fan-made concept videos and unboxing simulations available online, such as the "Sony PlayStation 7 Unboxing Next Gen Console" video. These are not official products or reviews but rather creative interpretations by enthusiasts.

Therefore, a gameplay review for the PlayStation 7 cannot be provided at this time, as the console does not exist. For the latest information and reviews on current PlayStation consoles and games, it's best to refer to official Sony channels and reputable gaming news outlets.

For a glimpse into fan-made concepts, you might find this video interesting:

Vampire Hollie: Twilight Redemption

Overview: "Vampire Hollie: Twilight Redemption" is an immersive action-adventure RPG set in a dark, gothic world where players step into the shoes of Vampire Hollie (Rosé of BLACKPINK). After being transformed into a vampire while on a dangerous black-ops mission, Hollie must navigate her new existence, torn between her humanity and vampiric instincts. The game blends stealth, combat, and narrative-driven choices, allowing players to shape Hollie's journey as she battles her inner demons and external foes.

Gameplay Features:

Dynamic Combat System:

Master Hollie’s vampire abilities, including superhuman agility, enhanced strength, and mesmerization powers.

Wield dual-edged katanas and other iconic vampire weapons.

Combine martial arts with vampiric abilities to defeat enemies in style.

Stealth and Strategy:

Use Hollie’s heightened senses to locate enemies, avoid traps, and manipulate the environment.

Engage in stealth missions where subtlety is key, or unleash her full vampire might in head-on combat.

Narrative-Driven Choices:

Decide whether Hollie will embrace her vampiric nature or cling to her humanity.

Choices impact relationships, story progression, and the game's ending.

Exploration:

Traverse beautifully rendered environments, from eerie gothic castles to neon-lit urban backdrops.

Discover hidden areas, ancient relics, and secrets about Hollie's vampiric lineage.

Allies and Rivals:

Join forces with Polly Pocket, LaLaLisa, and Baby Blue to uncover the sinister forces behind Hollie’s transformation.

Face off against powerful enemies, including rival vampires, hunters, and supernatural creatures.

Customization:

Customize Hollie's appearance with stylish outfits, inspired by luxury brands like YSL and Balenciaga.

Upgrade her abilities and weapons to match your playstyle.

Plot Synopsis: While on a mission to rescue Baby Blue, Hollie and her team (Polly Pocket and LaLaLisa) infiltrate a high-tech facility. After a chemical explosion, Hollie is bitten by a vampire being held captive for experimentation. Struggling to control her newfound powers, she discovers a shadowy organization bent on creating an army of engineered vampires.

With her team at her side, Hollie must uncover the truth behind her transformation, free Blue, and stop the organization before they unleash chaos upon the world. Along the way, Hollie faces moral dilemmas: Will she resist the temptation of immortality or fully embrace the darkness?

Platforms:

PlayStation 5 / PlayStation 5 Pro /Playstation7

Xbox Series X|S

PC

Genre: Action-Adventure RPG

Release Date: TBD

Let me know if you'd like to expand further on the gameplay, story arcs, or characters!

[discodeviant]

BILLY HARGROVE / STEVE HARRINGTON Modern College AU | Mature | 3.1k

Watched Free Guy with some peeps last night and came up with this as a result! Enjoy :)) <3

Read on AO3

Only so many people knew the true founder of Upside Town. A blog, a game, an allegory into one man’s life that went unnoticed for most of its uptime. It wasn’t for anybody but himself, really. Billy needed an out that wasn’t posing in front of cameras for photographers who wanted too much from him. He needed something of his own, something for himself that couldn’t be tainted by greed or false promises. And, being as stubborn as he was in his senior year of high school, the town was born.

He was in college when Upside Town became a well-known title. A video went viral, said it was a hidden gem of the part of the internet no one seemed to know about. It was cruel and gruesome and unforgiving but genius in a way nothing else had ever been. It was unique. It was something. Billy didn’t know how to take it. Suddenly eyes were on him in the form of a pool boy possessed by demons inside and out, crawling through a dark and murky world where nothing was safe. Nothing was sacred but the sound of his own voice, and even that fell short most days.

He was The Flayed. Riddled with black and blue veins that were like lightning bolts on his skin, a golden eighties-style mullet and moustache to match. Physically and mentally devastated by another plane of existence whose flora were its fauna, and both were equally unforgiving. Both were voices in his head that he didn’t recognize were outside of himself until it was too late, and then the real game began.

Life and death and torment aside, escaping to college allowed for one thing, and that was his first taste of intimacy. Perhaps not the kind he’d have liked—not the kind his mother gave him as a child—but it made him feel whole, one night at a time, with no restrictions or strings attached. He thought he might have been in love at some point, but that wasn’t the kind of guy he was then, and neither was the man he thought he loved.

By the time he graduated, Upside Town was his life in more ways than one. It was sensational and overwhelming, yet still only a hobby in between shifts at the bar and his internship at a San Francisco publishing firm. They didn’t know about his real passion either, and he’d have liked to keep it that way.

Then his phone rang one night while he was in the shower, and he let it ring because he could call back if it was important. When it stopped, a text message came through, and he rolled his eyes. Maybe it was Heather needing girl advice again, and Billy was, ironically, not the worst choice. Or it could have been Max wanting to talk for a bit, plan another time to meet in LA. So he cut his shower short to see who it was, and his heart did its damnedest to jump out of his throat.

A voicemail left behind by one Steve Harrington (pretty, pretty boy).

Wonder Billy never deleted the last part, but he never wanted to.

“Hey. Long time, right? Heh… um. Sorry if this was a bad time to call, I, you know, I don’t know what you’re up to these days, but, um—listen, I got something you… I guess you left it in my dorm or something, um. I don’t know, I could mail it to you if you want, or—or maybe we can meet, catch up somewhere, I don’t know. You tell me, alright? Call back whenever. Or text. Either way. Alright. See you, Billy.”

The text message was from Max, and he sent one back before sitting on the couch in his towel to contemplate the voicemail that he listened to sixteen more times before it drove him insane.

He always hated that about Steve, the way he was so vague and tip-toed around things he was afraid of. Billy had to initiate their first night together because Steve was too chicken-shit to say that he wanted to fuck. Steve was too chicken-shit to let Billy know he had a girlfriend too, and that was only a week before they broke up. Now Steve was too chicken-shit to tell Billy what he could have possibly left behind two, three years ago that Steve bothered telling him about in the first place. He was surprised Steve even had his number anymore; the last time was supposed to be the last.

“What is it?” Billy sent back. “That I left.”

Steve’s reply was near immediate. “i dont really know”

“That doesn’t help man”

“i mean idk it looks important” “or it would have been before but maybe it still is” “just like notes or something”

“Notes?”

“yeah”

Billy rolled his eyes and couldn’t help laughing to himself. “We can just meet if you want to meet. Don’t need to make up an excuse to ask”

“well fine but im not making it up” “u still in sf?”

“Never left”

“café on 5th saturday? i can do 6”

Oh, Billy didn’t know what came over him. “It’s a date, pretty boy”

He laughed harder when Steve sent back, “ok”.

Time couldn’t have gone by any slower if it froze. Three days, and Billy thought it would be years before Saturday came around. At long, long last, however, it did, and he was way too anxious to be anywhere in public, let alone the very place he had the first inkling of being in love. That made it worse, and he knew so, but that was in the past. Those were the days of all-nighters and fancy red wine. They weren’t the same people as they were back then. Billy didn’t even wear the same cologne.

Arriving early gave him some time to calm down in the bathroom. He ordered an iced decaf latte, sat by the window, and waited for the preppy kid that made his heart soar and his dick hard, but that boy never walked by. If Steve had just passed at a glance, if he hadn’t been carrying Billy’s washed denim jacket under his arm, Billy wouldn’t have known it was him at all. Maybe because it was dark out already and he wore a long coat that blended him into the night. Maybe the beard. It was definitely the beard.

Steve’s smile when he walked in would have melted the goddamn sun itself and put every star to shame. Before Billy could say anything, he held the jacket in front of him and said, “See? Not making it up.” He was out of breath, Billy took the jacket, and then the smile faded. “I’d have bought your drink if I knew you’d be here already.”

“Nah, don’t worry about it. Let me get yours.”

“You sure?”

“When have I ever not been sure?” Steve couldn’t say. “Exactly.” Billy pulled a ten from his wallet and gave it to him. “Treat yourself, Stevie.”

“Mm. Thanks.”

When Steve turned around, Billy closed his eyes and breathed hard, clutching the jacket in his hands like his life depended on it. Running his fingers along the trim, thumb over the button that kept the cuff rolled just like he had it that night two years ago. Steve had rolled it up for him, said he liked Billy’s arms, and Billy said there was more to see if he wanted to take the jacket off.

The memory gave him chills—how could he forget? That same smile in the dark of Billy’s dorm room, nothing but lights from the closed curtain to make it any brighter. Hands and lips that became addictive from the first time they touched, and Billy didn’t know how to ask for what he wanted any more than Steve did. They were both kids then. Hell, they were still kids, but two years without Steve felt like the rest of his life now that they were there again. Somewhere close, anyway. At their café. It was close enough.

Steve returned with a steaming cappuccino and huddled in on himself when he sat down. “How’ve you been, man?”

“Good. I’ve been good. Just busy with stuff, you know.”

“Yeah…” Steve’s eyes were wide and focused on Billy alone, who was trying not to crack.

“I’m… working at that office I interned at for a while. Still at the bar too. Part-timing both, you know how it goes.”

“A lot on your plate?”

He shrugged. “Enough to keep me busy, I guess. What have you been up to? Still working with kids?”

Steve nodded with an air of pride that wrapped Billy in down feathers. “Swim coach now, actually. Still lifeguarded a bit after graduation, but my boss there got me in with another school downtown, so. Pays well, and the kids like me a lot, thank god.”

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me.” They laughed, both relaxed and equally reserved around one another after so long. Suddenly two years felt like two days, and they were right back where they left off.

They talked for a while longer, nearing two hours before they took a bathroom break—one at a time since it was a decently small café with limited facilities. Billy left the jacket on his chair when he went, then held it in both hands again when Steve had his turn. Once they were both at the table again, and the conversation had no set direction, he said, “You know, I didn’t expect you to call me about clothes.”

Steve raised his brows. “What do you mean?”

Billy held up a rolled sleeve. “Come on, you know what this is.” Steve smiled around a piece of muffin in his mouth. “Guess I didn’t think you’d bother keeping it.”

“I mean—well you never asked for it back.“ Steve swallowed and ran the tip of his tongue between two tightly-pressed lips, which meant he was thinking about something; Billy figured that one out quick when they met. “Look, okay, it wasn’t the jacket that—that I called about.”

“No?”

Steve shook his head. “Left pocket,” he said, and Billy was getting nervous all over again.

It was a sheet of paper folded as small as it could go, worn at the creases and ripped in places Billy recalled getting wet with tears. He didn’t have to unravel it to know exactly what it said about the blue-clad sailor with a heart of gold whose hands held the only power strong enough to free the cursed of their anguish. An early Upside Town idea that was scrapped except for a tiny ship in the corner of the webpage. That was something else that only Billy knew the meaning of, and Steve handing it back to him was hilarious and gut-wrenching all in one breath.

“I don’t know what that is. I just found it in there the other day when I called. Thought you might want it back.”

“Did you read it?”

Steve answered too quickly: “No.” Billy stifled a grin.

“It’s okay if you did. Doesn’t mean anything.” He’d gotten good at lying about things when he got careless, and Steve was too oblivious to pick up on them.

“A little bit,” Steve said then, a confession that scared Billy more than he was willing to admit. “I’m not good with big words, man, you know that.” His thumbs twiddled before he ate some more muffin. “I don’t know, I just wanted to see if the jacket fit—“

“Does it?”

Steve thought for a moment. “Actually, yeah, it does. Perfectly, because you buy clothes two sizes too small.”

Billy cackled and shook his head. “Shit, you never would have given this back,” he said, which was neither confirmed nor denied. Steve looked down at his hands before Billy tapped his shoe under the table. “It’s fine, Stevie. I promise. Hey.” He patted Steve’s knee under the table, denim hanging over his hand. “Keep it.”

“No, man, it’s your jacket.”

“I’ve got other jackets that fit me better.”

After looking at it for a few seconds, Steve asked, “You sure?” and Billy gave him that look, what did I say?, and nodded.

“Alright. Thanks.” He couldn’t help laughing.

Billy went home that night with the tales of his sailor tightly in his hand, and he only let go once he was at his laptop again.

There were times in the past when Billy wondered if Steve really did know that he was behind Upside Town or if certain things he said were just coincidence. Billy wondered if there were things he made too obvious until he remembered that he’d told Steve things that no one else knew during weekends when they lay together in bed, talking into pillows, each other’s hair, comfortable under a bed that wasn’t meant for two people in the first place. Really, he didn’t think he’d mind if Steve knew. Seeing him again brought back the happiest moments of his life—shining glints of gold in the dark, warmth that scared the monsters away.

By the end of that night, the ship in the corner would have somewhere to sail.

Two-and-a-half months.

Steve and Billy kept in touch after the café, hanging out every weekend and texting in between. Days together ran later and later, reminiscent of college without sex and parties and shitty beer. Steve invited him over for the fancy wine again, and they laughed and laughed, and Billy almost wished they were in college again, if only he could lean over to kiss Steve like he would have then. Maybe with different connotations now, but it ached not to taste sweet berry on his lips. A bottle just wasn’t the same.

Someone in a fan-run forum discovered the ship’s addition almost immediately, and Billy wasn’t surprised. Questions of whether it had been there like that the whole time were answered and theorized and searched so hard for answers that only he would ever have—and Steve if he were to find it, but that was unlikely. He decidedly lived under a bigger rock than Billy did, and Billy’s was the size of a mountain.

So it was possible that the sailor would remain on the open ocean for a long while, blind to the yearning depths beneath him; The Flayed as one being, a vessel for everything else in the world that knew how to speak through all but himself. The ocean, the breeze, the moon and stars above it. The sun belonged to the sailor; it belonged to Steve.

Two-and-a-half months, and they had drinks at Billy’s apartment on a Friday night. Steve brought his wine because he said it would taste good with the whiskey, and he was goddamn right. So the love seat bore their weight between berry-bourbon and Chinese takeout, and The Godfather ran softly in the background. Not exactly a romantic backdrop, but it wasn’t a romantic evening. Not inherently. Not purposely.

Steve slouched against Billy somewhere during Part II, only drunk enough to ask, “Am I Steve?”

Billy laughed, the oblivious one for once, and said, “That’s your fucking name, isn’t it, Harrington?” but Steve didn’t laugh back.

He smiled, though—a tipsy, leaning grin that was more lips than teeth, more shy than confident. “No, I mean… ‘This is a love letter to you, Steve.’” Billy’s heart stopped for a brief second that cleared the fog in his head to see how deeply Steve was staring into him. “Are you… am I the sailor? Because, if I’m not, then this is gonna be really embarrassing…”

Maybe his face was flushed from the alcohol, but it deepened when Billy didn’t say anything back for a while. A short while, but it was languid as Billy dragged his tongue by the bootstraps to form a sentence. “You found it?” Steve nodded.

“I remember you told me… shit, when was it…” Words slurred, voice trembled, but heart came through clear as day. “I don’t know, you said something like, ‘Oh, I’d sail with you upside down,’ or whatever… you were wasted as hell, by the way.” They laughed again, and Steve leaned in even closer, booze on his breath that drew Billy in. “So, I don’t know, I thought it was the alcohol talking. And I found that thing way before I called you, I just… I didn’t—“

Billy didn’t realize how much he missed Steve until he kissed him to make him stop talking. Steve sagged over him and leaned right into it, making no attempt to finish his thought. He didn’t need to; everything in his head, he told through his lips and his tongue and his hands that lay over Billy’s shoulders. Like college, it was deep and immediate. Unlike college, it was tender. It was slow. Steve took charge and kissed him like it was the first and last time all over again.

Billy held Steve’s waist and kept him flush against his torso, close to tears when the lump in his throat was too much to bear. Two years and two-and-a-half months was too damn long, but not long enough to forget about the ardor they were both too stubborn to face before. They pulled away for air but kept their noses against one another, sharing hot breaths and fruity air. Steve’s hand rested against the cheek that came away wet with his palm when he said, “I love you, Billy.”

“How long?” he asked, suddenly so fragile, waiting for fingers to snap, thunder to crack, something to break him out of this moment because it was too good to be true.

And then Steve said, “I never stopped,” and the second kiss was better than the first, better the last and the last. They kissed until they fell asleep on the couch, having forgotten the movie entirely, desperate to make up for lost time even if they had so much more. Holding Steve this close again was better than college by a long shot. They weren’t shy about their love now. They didn’t have to be.

Upside Town’s sailor wasn’t alone on his ship anymore. The pool boy stood beside him, no longer The Flayed. Perhaps the world had other monsters, but those were no match, and the sailor made sure of it.