#guess which venture concept i like the most

[tadaoren]

semi realism mummy venture coming up, get ur forks and knives ready babes.

[doumadono]

Synopsis: in a surprising twist orchestrated by Toga Himiko, two antisocial League of Villains members, Dabi and you, find an unexpected connection during an awkward blind date

MY HERO ACADEMIA MASTERLIST - PART II

You’ve never been one for socializing. The whole concept of small talk, mingling, and putting yourself out there has always felt foreign to you. After all, socializing was never your strong suit, and you were quite content with your single status. You’ve always preferred the comfort of a good book or the solitude of your thoughts. 

But that’s exactly why Toga took it upon herself to organize a blind date for you. She’s always been a bit of a meddler, and apparently, your perpetual singleness was too tempting a problem for her to ignore. “Come on, it’ll be fun!” she had chirped with her usual manic enthusiasm. "Trust me, you'll love him!" Toga had chirped with a mischievous grin. "He's just like you - hates socializing, too!"

And you had no choice but to go along with it, if only to get her to stop pestering you. 

Toga had transformed one of the dingy rooms into something that vaguely resembled a romantic setting. There were candles (probably stolen), a table (slightly wobbly), and two chairs (one missing a leg but propped up with a stack of books). It was sweet in its own chaotic way, very much in line with Toga’s personality.

You sat down, fidgeting with the edge of the tablecloth, wondering who in the world Toga could have set you up with. She had been annoyingly secretive about the whole thing, dropping hints that only served to confuse you more. For a moment, you wondered if Himiko might have set you up with no one else but Shigaraki himself. The boss was the most antisocial person you’d ever met, which could mean this date would be an absolute nightmare. But there was no backing out now. 

The door creaked open, and Dabi walked in. 

Your eyes widened in surprise. 

Dabi? Of all people? 

The blue-flamed villain looked as disinterested as ever, hands in his pockets, eyes half-lidded with boredom. “Great,” he muttered, not even trying to hide his lack of enthusiasm. “Toga’s matchmaking now.”

You offered a small, awkward smile. “Looks like it.”

Dabi slouched into the chair across from you, and for a moment, the two of you just stared at each other in uncomfortable silence. Finally, he spoke. “So, how did Toga rope you into this?” he asked, his tone as dry as sandpaper.

You shrugged. “She didn’t really give me a choice. And you?”

He smirked, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “Pretty much the same. I guess she thinks we’re both too antisocial for our own good.”

You couldn’t help but laugh a little. “She might be right about that.”

Dabi chuckled, a low, almost menacing sound. “Sounds like her. She loves meddling in other people’s business.”

You nodded, grateful for the small talk. “Yeah, she’s something else.”

Another awkward silence fell over you. You glanced around the room, trying to think of something to say. Your eyes landed on a small stack of books in the corner, and an idea popped into your head. “You like reading?” you asked, nodding towards the books.

Dabi followed your gaze and scoffed. “Not really. I only read articles about how great heroes are supposed to be.”

You blinked in surprise. “Why’s that?”

He smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “So I can read between the lines and find their weak spots. It’s more fun tearing them down when you know their flaws.”

"I saw you reading something about Endeavor earlier," you ventured, trying to sound nonchalant. You were still new, still trying to weave yourself into the fabric of the League without causing too much disruption.

Dabi’s smirk faltered slightly, and his eyes narrowed. “Oh, did ya?”

“Yeah,” you continued, curious. “You were pretty engrossed in it. Do you like Endeavor?”

His eyelid gave a slight twitch, a nearly imperceptible movement, but it was the blue flames dancing over his knuckles that caught your attention. They flickered menacingly as he slowly clenched his hands into fists. "He’s just my main interest," Dabi replied, his voice dripping with a wry amusement that did not reach his eyes. There was something ominously calm about the way he spoke, a laid-back tone that contrasted sharply with the dangerous glint in his gaze.

Looking to shift the heavy atmosphere that his words had conjured, you ventured to a lighter topic, one that might catch him off-guard in a humorous way. “So, you’ve read everything about him, huh? What about fanfiction? Ever dive into that rabbit hole?”

Dabi made a scoffing sound, a dismissive and sharp exhalation that cut through the levity like a knife. His gaze hardened, the blue flames flickering dangerously as if they were an extension of his simmering rage. “I don’t give a fuck about what people write about that scumbag,” he said, his voice cold and scornful. “How they idolize him in the creations of their sick minds,” he continued, his lips twisting into a derisive sneer. “But I’m sure they’re as sick as Todoroki Enji himself. One day, I’m going to destroy that fucker,” Dabi declared, his words not just a promise but a vow, laden with all the intensity of his deep-seated hatred. 

After a moment, his fire faded out, and Dabi leaned back in his chair, looking you over. “So, I assume you read when you’re not being forced into awkward dates?”

You hesitated for a moment, then decided to go with honesty. “I read a lot. Mostly horror novels. And I like to cook. It’s calming.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Cool, I guess.”

The conversation continued like that, awkward and stilted at first, but slowly easing into something more comfortable. You talked about books and movies, some random stuff like your favorite food types, your mutual disdain for social gatherings, and the absurdity of Toga’s matchmaking efforts. 

At one point, Himiko burst into the room with a tray of hastily made snacks, beaming with pride. “How’s it going, lovebirds?”

Dabi shot her a withering look, slowly cocking his eyebrow. “We’re not lovebirds, Toga.”

You couldn’t help but smile. “But it’s going surprisingly well. As you can see, I’m still alive.”

Toga clapped her hands together. “I knew it! You two are perfect for each other. I’m a genius!”

She scampered off, leaving you and Dabi to your conversation. 

Despite the unusual setting and the odd circumstances, you found yourself actually enjoying the evening. 

Dabi’s dry wit and cynical outlook somehow meshed well with your own reserved nature. Dabi might not be the most conventional date, but there was something about him that intrigued you. And for someone who had always avoided socializing, that was saying something.

“So, how did you end up joining the League?” you asked, munching a jelly bean.

Dabi leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly. “Wanted to burn the world down, found like-minded people. What about you?”

You shrugged, not wanting to delve too deeply into your past just yet. “Wanted to make a difference in my own way. The heroes… they never really helped people like me.”

Dabi’s eyes glinted with a hint of understanding. “Yeah, they’re all hypocrites.” He leaned back, crossing his arms. “What about you, rookie? What do you think of the League so far?”

You hesitated, choosing your words carefully. “It’s different. I mean, it’s not what I expected, but in a good way. Everyone’s really passionate about what they believe in.”

Dabi’s gaze softened slightly as he scoffed. “Yeah, we’re a pretty dysfunctional family. But it works somehow.”

“Have you ever thought about what you’ll do after all this?” you asked, genuinely curious.

Dabi shrugged. “No. And I don’t really care. Guess I’m more of a ‘live in the moment’ kind of guy. What about you?”

You took a moment to think. “I’m not sure. I just want to find a place where I belong. Somewhere I can be myself without having to pretend.”

Dabi’s smirk returned. “Sounds like the League’s not a bad fit for you, then.”

"What do you think of Shigaraki as a leader?"

Dabi smirked, slowly stretching his fingers. "He's got vision, I'll give him that. We might be a bunch of misfits, but he’s the glue that holds us together. For now."

"Do you think he’ll succeed?" you tilted your head to the side.

As long as he keeps his head on straight and doesn’t get too ambitious too fast, maybe. But I have my own plans, too, and I rather focus on them.”

Curious to learn more about him, you asked, “What were you like before joining the League?”

Dabi’s expression darkened momentarily. “Let’s just say, I’ve had my fair share of shitty experiences. But that’s the past, and the past never fucking dies.”

You sensed his reluctance to dive deeper, so you shared a bit about yourself instead. “I was a loner. Never really fit in anywhere.”

He taunted, “Yeah, I get that. We’re all here because we don’t fit in out there.” Eventually, Dabi leaned forward after lazily chewing a cracker, his expression serious for once. “This evening wasn’t as terrible as I thought it’d be. And you weren't that bad either. Maybe we could do it again sometime. Without Toga’s interference, of course. I know a few nice places, far enough from these crazy maniacs.”

You felt a warmth spread through your chest as you giggled, “I’d like that, Dabi.”

He nodded, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah, me too, actually.”

Perhaps there was something to be said for this whole notion of socializing after all. Maybe it could bring a little light into the shadows.

[merrysithmas]

re: nursing & Nurse Chapel in SNW @ Paramount/the fandom

new trekkies have begun to notice that Nurse Chapel eventually becomes a doctor in TOS canon. i'd like to challenge the stale (and rife with outdated sexism) misconception of that event with a more modern lens that hopefully SNW can retcon...

Christine does not stop becoming a nurse to become a doctor. She can be a doctor AND a nurse.

A DNP (clincial doctor of nursing practice) or nurse phd (researcher) or nurse educator/researcher (phd). One of my main issues with TOS canon is how they made Chapel "upgrade" from a nurse to a doctor which is extremely outdated and inherently insults the field of nursing (implying medicine is a hierarchy which it isnt - and SNW does a good job showing the partnership btwn mbenga &her). Most nurses never venture into physicianship but instead pursue doctorates in their chosen field: nursing. Because they want to be nurses.

I hope this is one thing they retcon and make clear she is a clinical doc of nursing (who have all the same diagnostic/prescriptionist responsibilites as a doctor of medicine) or some other variant of doctor of nursing.

Christine likely became a nurse because nurses have diff freedoms (and a closer patient relationship) and can expand to work in innumerable specialities - as nurses are trained as multi-specialty healthcare providers - whereas doctors are more limited and stick to their specialty. She chose to be a nurse because she wanted to be a nurse.

People choose nursing over becoming a physician for MANY reasons - and let me tell you, it's absolutely 100% not because the doctors are more intelligent lol. Nursing is a multifaceted field which consists of myriad opportunities, learning experiences, specialities, 1:1 patient connections, and freedoms that a physician will never have. Nurses can work in an ER, OR, Labor and Delivery, community health center, an herbalist shop, someone's home at their bedside, and research lab all in the same week. Physicians cannot do that - they have various legal and technical limitations (still a great field, but different).

Nurses are a medical jack of all trades - that is what Christine is.

An accurate portrayal of nursing is hardly ever shown in modern media which either erases nurses entirely (see House or ER or any other medical show), or sexistly mischaracterizes the field and ignores that nurses are hard scientists who partake in research, war, and can attend up to 10 yrs of schooling in their specialities (more than an MD). Not to mention that it is nurses who train in and learn the practical knowledge of medicine (injections, sterilization, IV admin, patient positioning for expelling mucuous, suctioning sputum, etc - doctors do not train in practical medicine and if they do they do not practice it).

If you are at the hospital and you have a head nurse and a physician resident making a call - guess who is going to have the last word. It isn't the doctor. And that is a respected norm.

It is thrilling to watch as Christine participated in research, engages in community outreach, joins fellowships, continues her education, assists surgery, diagnoses patients, engages in war and Starfleet, and cares at the bedside.

The old fashioned notion of "just a nurse for now" is about as stale as some of the sexist/misogynist concepts in TOS - and Christine is a GREAT example of a modern nurse character, highly accurate, and SNW would do well to correct further misconceptions of the field by making her an example of a Doctor of Nursing.

As far as I know, being a trekkie forever, they never stated what kind of doctor Chapel was - perfect opportunity.

[raphsmuneca]

𝓔𝓮𝓷𝔂, 𝓜𝓮𝓮𝓷𝔂, 𝓜𝓲𝓷𝔂, 𝓜𝓸𝓮

[Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe] The Introduction

NSFW/18+/suspense/romance/softsmut/agedturtles

Yes, I’m back! 💕

The Introduction

𓆉✩.･*:｡≻───── ⋆♡⋆ ─────.•*:｡✩

‘It’s been 5 years now?! Well damn.’

For five unbearable years you’ve had to put a clutch on your womanhood because of the world’s most dominant MAJOR DICKS! Their names? Jerk, Asshole, Pansy, and Half-Wit!

Jerk, aka Leo, ughhh…. What is it with his monarch-like superiority? Given your exceptional teamwork, he’s never satisfied. If his balls were cowbells the resonant clanks would create structural damage to the roads that kept Manhattan’s traffic flowing. You’ve never seen a whiner less creative than he. When you first met him he was vehemently constructing new schemes for the new world of criminals, but now? He is just as boring as his daily cup of tea: green, no milk, no sugar, no steam, just cool green tea. Bleh!

And what of the orifice of all arses, you ask? Care to venture a guess? No need! He’s the one caricature in your mini series of sketches that remains as solid as his “musk-les.” Parodying his temper should make him easier to describe, yet he remains the same insufferable individual. No imaginary weapon or wily tool could crack through that thick skull. He was like that hidden underwater kingdom Aquaman was reaching for; except you lacked Atlantean armor and power. ‘Damn you, Raph!’

Then there’s America’s unrevealed gifted scientist and mathematician, “Dr. Pansy, MD.” He’s Mozilla’s next Firefox “X.” You’ve been treated like nothing but a demi-decade, shrinking violet by this blind scholar. He’s a walking firewall! You speak, he hums. You cry, he hums. You laugh, he hums. The same bland expression on his face makes you question both your humanity and belonging. His focus is strong, but it’s never on you. There was a time Donnie would join conversations to be heard, but now he's as unresponsive as a deaf mule.

And then there's the “half-wit” - I'm not mincing words!! He's obsolete and shows poor judgment, failing to consider the consequences for the rest of us. Are you all emotions and no substance, Mikey? He’s 25 and still can’t grasp the concept of responsibility! I know he means well, and his heart will forever be in the right place, but we don't need a showman; we need someone to hold down this fort since it's falling apart. And, as crazy as it sounds, he's the only one who can wake the rest up. Let's be honest, Mikey's the bass of this beat, and without him, there's no sound.

……

Here we are, after one of our misadventures led us to a faraway planet, at an unknown time, arranging our pre-planned escape, but I must choose to wed one of the four aforementioned idiots. However, with a twist of their own alien-like minds, they have decided that before my chosen one and I can marry, we must first make amends and recreate a romance for their benefit. They possess the technology to alter the ending, yet they permit the victim to select an ending of their liking before taking the next step, which, under my circumstance, means we are trapped in this hell. For their honeymoon, the newlyweds are allowed to travel anywhere in time only this once. That's our one gate! We've been stranded here for three weeks, with all escape attempts unsuccessful.

This is it! I have to choose one of these duds and pretend to care in order for us to make an escape; the problem is, which one do I choose, and how does that story play out?

I managed to convince them to let me tell all four untold stories before making a decision to improve our chances, but, why is it so difficult to go through with this? Because in the last year my bond with any of the turtles has declined. I struggle to hold conversations with them, let alone pretend romantic interest, even if our lives are at stake!

I’ve got quite the parody in my sketchbook, but they lit a candlestick to my ass with this one!

Here we go…

(Part 2 Leo’s Version <-)

Parts 3, 4 & 5 will be added accordingly… DO NOT REPOST!

@thelaundrybitch @eveandtheturtles @margoteve @m1dnyt3-w0lf @raphslovemuffin80 @leosgirl82 @happymoonangel @replicasey @inspiredwriter @fyreball66 @dressycobra7 @avery73 @raphaelsrightarm @android-cap-007 @moonlightflower21 @waterstar2016 @iheartchv @foxflamewarrior

[yinses]

all and half pt. i

in which your fate intended is the one person you can achieve true pleasure from 

pairing: modern au! alhaitham x fem! reader, minor kaveh wc: 10k+ (i wrote over 70k+ words for genshin alone last year, that's crazy talk) rating: mature 18+

a/n: so we have two people to thank for this. 1. @mystic-sky rescued my sanity with this fic. i always worry about characterization and plot sense. she's actually the culprit who got me into genshin so really it all started with her. and she made me tear up a bit so here we are. 2. you guessed it, @mediocrityexpert who never failed to mention this man at all opportunities with pictures included until i became the simp you see now. this fic is meant to be her wish banner charm! hope this story brings as much joy as his homecoming

you had a plan. 

a simple and easy one-step outline that was meant to be fool-proof for a lifetime.

avoid your fate intended and you wouldn’t have any problems 

the idea of connecting with another living being on a level of complexity assisted by the archons would be thought to be a spiritual venture. except the very gods who wrote the lining principals found more value in physical compatibility rather than soul binding merit.

it was proclaimed, since what is thought to be the beginning of teyvet, that an individual's soul would be tied to another through the carnal utopia found at the peak of an orgasm. scholars liked to believe that it was a forethought with intention to cultivate the proliferation of humanity; but you like some just inhaled a little too much meditation incense.

if you never reached true nirvana then there was nothing for you to compare it to. thus, you could go about enjoying the frivolousness of life and it's untethered freedom. 

there was something to say about 'true love' when your soulmate could only be found at the peak of an orgasm. they say for those who have had sex in the past that nothing is commensurable beyond that. you don’t even have to love the person. the sex is just that good. 

apparently it’s the worst for virgins—never knowing what came before and rarely having the courage to experience anything less. 

the idea of soulmates was a broken concept of love. ruining stable relationships for the desire of an infallible sexual experience. to think fates were willing to reduce passion down to its most carnal physical form and bind people to it. 

it was the forbidden fruit for some. 

or what was left after it fell from the hands of celestia.

you weren’t in a relationship; had nothing to tie you down. but you refused to have your body hijacked by one person who could only rock your world because of erotic devine intervention. 

it didn’t make you easy by any terms, just determined to always have a taste for what else the world had to offer. 

there was good sex out there.

mind blowing, leg numbing sex.

and not everyone needed the most expensive cake in the shop to achieve satisfaction. 

and that had been the testament of your life thus far, until today.

you were there, edging over the line you’d come to know like a second home, when it all just stopped.

the sheets shifted as the figure hovering above used his hold against your headboard to halt the progression of his hips.

“sorry, i just can’t.”

and the dessert began to crumble.

his face pinched in a way that was far from sexy, “it’s not you.”

of all the times. 

“i just thought it was all myth and legend you know. it wasn’t possible for one person to hold the key to your sexual awakening, right?”

and now he was pulling out. no, no, no. you head hit the stale fluff of your pillow with a thump. 

“or maybe it’s just you-.

you found flimsy satisfaction thump in the sound that came from knocking the second pillow into the blonde head of hair.

“okay, okay. not you. it was great before. but now it’s just—“

archons.

groaning into the mattress, you accepted that the mood was beyond repairable, left to simmer in the rustled sheets and sticky wetness connecting your thighs. honestly what was fate thinking ruining a perfectly good thing. 

“you don’t even love them, kaveh.” you grumbled out crassly. maybe it was a little insensitive. but it was true.  

he’d run into them on a whim, no more bound to you than you were him. it had only taken one night and and a short consideration to make a difference it seemed.  kaveh had once he was a pessimist like you; willing to stick a middle finger to fate and find your own asylum without discovering the road paved out for you. 

the two of you shared stories, marking your own sexual discoveries while exploring ones of your own. you could have married him. 

maybe. 

eventually, possibly, after accepting that you had unearthed all you could from your back- and other various positions.

were you selfish to deem it unfair ?

you’d taken a chance. you filtered through all the variables in an attempt to beat the odds. only to have it slapped in your face. and they even took away your orgasm with a last hoorah. 

“it’s fine.”

it wasn’t. 

well, you would move on. he was the best so far but there were plenty of fish in the sea it seemed as if he caught a bigger one, so to say. it wasn’t the least bit awkward as the two of you gathered your clothing, less of you as in the comfort of your own home you were comfortable in just a shirt and panties. 

an old shirt of his in fact. 

the last of your collection. 

he has the nerve to actually look guilty at the door and you can’t bring yourself to weigh him down any further. 

“hey, we were in a mission to find all the wonders of sex. be happy you get to clock out before your dick fell off.” the pat on the shoulder you give him feels lacking, but you had to stretch to get there so it wasn’t without effort. 

his lips split into a small cautionary smile. 

“hey, maybe yours is—“

no. nope. no evil spirits in your house. 

all hospitality leaves you as you press and prod him through the door. just because he was content didn’t mean you were ready to accept the deal. 

“don’t let your next orgasm send you into a coma. baby steps, kaveh.” 

he laughs like you expect him too, waving you off with a wider grin as he departs, likely to slip into the bed of his dreams. 

and now you were left with an absent orgasm and one less reliable partner. 

great.

                                                 |     ⚘⚘⚘      |

it’s funny how something so soul binding can’t even be properly taught in school. it's wholeness left for young people to discover on their own experience and limited research on the subject available to the general public. teachers spoke lightly on the topic of becoming one with another through body and soul.

the only interesting thing to come from joining the akademiya was dissertations being written as close to erotic novels. 

you convinced yourself to take it easy-ier over the last few weeks since kaveh's unforeseen retreat. you were not that desperate for a good lay and fate would end up handing you want you didn’t desire if you weren’t careful. so instead of your usual nightclubs and after hour ventures, you found yourself wasting hours in lighter pubs. 

maybe not completely losing time. a decent drink and sound music was as good a stress reliever as any. 

relaxing into the bar seat, you manage to keep from losing your balance. the lack of back support seemed like a latent encouragement of chances of falling to the floor, but you were only two glasses in at the moment. as your fingers traced the edge of the glass in languid circles, you wonder if you should just call it a night. 

it had been quite awhile since you’d let yourself wander into bars. back in your early undergrad days, it had been in the accompaniment of friends to alleviate any stress built up over the semester. it was safe to say you’d matured a little since then; or at least discover an alternative that was just as satisfying. 

but then kaveh had to go and ruin that. 

it was as equally frustrating to admit you were both dissatisfied with the abrupt departure as you were pleased it ended before it festered into something too entangled for you both to escape. though 'finding your soulmate ‘ route was still well outside your expectations.

nearly a year ago, your introduction to kaveh had been fortuitous. he was a graduate, senior to your status, but a frequent of the akademiya due to renovation projects. he had been a pretty face, an easy distraction when his latest construction was near the vahumana school grounds. 

all it took was a pair of wandering eyes and a few smiles to strike up a conversation. after a cursory drink here and there and a night out of fun, the kindling chemistry began. 

it had never been an intention for either party to make it more than that. one shot too many had kaveh confessing about his mountains of debt that put him in direct servitude to the akademiya. 

and you had no desire to date either, at least not while the sages were still prickling your nerves about research. but you also were willing to admit that you were getting a little too old to be bar hopping for a night out.

kaveh fit comfortably in the midst of both criteria. 

he was a reliable lay and it helped that lately it took effort to run into one another. he was always focused on a new project and you spent more time in the library than your own apartment. which was ironic, because the majority of your ‘meetings’ occurred at your place rather than his. 

something about a belligerent roommate. 

now he was out gallivanting in the desert in the pursuit of creative inspiration; an interesting metaphor when he was towing his newest obsession along for the ride.

but apparently that was a thing of the past as you found yourself in an establishment that was better referred to as a tavern than a bar, or at least one less frequented by akademiya students. the campus bars were always full and bursting with a cocktail of students and occasional faculty members. it was a dangerous mix of egos and alcohol. 

it was why you found it worth it to venture to port ortmos on occasion to the habour tavern. the lack of boisterous music was nice, but the atmosphere was empty of intrigue. not to mention the place hardly offered a promising selection. not a favorable gift of wine, and top shelf liquor was hardly in their vocabulary, let alone supply list. you decided eventually not to waste time trying to explain the ingredient of a zaytum sunrise. 

a sigh tickled you lips and your shoulders sagged an inch lower. really there were more pressing issues than laminating over bed partners. you were rapidly approaching the end of your scholarship, making you one step closer to your dissertation. which was still a prospective theory with no hardened evidence worth presenting. 

it took something akin to guts to challenge the age old belief of soulmates. in sumeru, it was the equivalent of a religion and you stood as the outsider throwing rocks at the stained glass chapel.

what you believed wasn't meant to be interpurted as hate, but clashing ideology tended to paint one side as the villain in order to raise the value of the rest. 

you didn’t want to topple the pedagogy, but be given the opportunity to confront it fairly. but with a theory so widely supported in droves, it was no surprise that no one took it seriously. the akademiya hadn’t even blinked when you had proposed it, not threatened in the slightest. 

nor had you wanted them to be. all you wanted was to be heard and given the chance to provide a new perspective. 

your mentor had been rather agreable about the matter, offering encouragement and diffusing tension in equal bouts. but they also had their concerns, more so for your future than the present. 

though not insistent on deterring you, they often hinted at your growing fascination in conservation and rejuvenation of old practices to save the future. the histories of the past often held secrets for the future, they liked to say. vahumana was as proud as any house, determined to make their mark on the world and the research that gave it life.

but you liked to argue that the past also had plenty of mistakes as well, a shaky ground to dispute your soulmate theory on but one worth grasping all the same. 

“maybe i should just summerise my conservation efforts,” you grumbled audibly, reluctantly tipping the ice-melted drink down the back of your throat. it was the easy way out.  the more practical route with postgraduate application as well. 

discussing soulmates with anyone felt too much like a religious sermon. the emotional process was part of the passion needed to drive the evidence behind the dissertation. half of the presentation was to comfort the audience of your opinion and you had plenty to say on the matter. 

cutting your gaze back over your shoulder, you gradually took in the atmosphere of the tavern. it was small, likely a family owned heirloom passed down generations, a homey style that you’d seen quite a few bars back in the city try to replicate. frankly, it was dusty, cracked and you missed the appeal but it seemed popular with the quieter population. perhaps not as full tonight, but most tables were occupied by one or two patrons. sensibility correcting your wandering gaze, you reluctantly trained your eyes back forward. no need to garner anyones attention, there was hardly anyone here for that kind of late night ventures. mature men were a stark difference from akademiya students. you shudder off the imaginary thought of a stranger’s touch. 

eventually you set your glass down for the last time, signalling the bartender without a word as he rounded back to check on you. in their approach you considered balancing one more round on your psyche. it’d been only been your second glass, watered down at that. you’d linger longer if need be to sober up. but archons, did you just want a glass of wine.

you parted your lips to initiate the order, the bartender not far away to request, but then his gaze was snapping beyond you. a slow tilt of familiarity formed his lips, followed by a polite wave. mannerisms encouraged you not to turn your head, but curiosity was a painful pinch. it was almost too difficult to resist. you were grateful when the bartender moved for you, not even perturbed when he bypassed you for a few seats down. 

the quiet bustle was still too heavy for the distant conversation to carry. idly you twist at the mini straw floating along the melting ice as you way.  

it took a few more moments for the bartender to return to you, an apology muted at his lips but you shrugged it off, sliding the glass closer. “just one more. no ice.” he gave his affirmation, the soft smile still lingering. you weren’t piqued by his brightened service. he’d been nothing but amicable to you, but it was something to take notice of. 

the moment his back turned, the burning itch came back. just a peek. everyone got first looks, it wouldn't put you on the spot. you was sure it was nothing you hadn’t seen before but now you had to be certain of it, the tethers of inquisitiveness pulling at your gaze. 

okay, well you definitely hadn’t seen that. 

he was certainly something to observe. the first thing that caught your attention was his musculature, mainly the girth of his arms that were propped against the bar as unaware of the potential interest they could draw.  not to say it was the first time you had been impressed, but he was filled out in a way that tore a page out of a different volume. you had grown use to the leaner builds at the akademiya. 

but it wasn’t just his build, his presence alone took up so much space it was already hard enough to miss him without that silver threaded hair. he held an air of authority that felt strangely familiar yet foreign in the port. 

the click of glass against the counter brought heat to your cheeks as you were caught, your head whipping back to attention. “thank you,” but he was already gone, moving on to the next attendant. 

you filtered through a quiet breath, pretending to be engaged by your phone with spotty service. at this point you were nearing an issue you weren’t ready to admit to at such an early stage. while you were comfortable in saying you could go quite a while without kaveh, the eccentric architecture; kavrh jr’s absence was starting to have some drawbacks. 

to think the bastard was possibly warming someone else’s bed while you refrained from tempting your own. what you refused to believe was that it was the best time of his life. you brought that man closet to the archons than anyone could. 

yet here you were siting alone in a tavern nearly undressing a stranger after hardly a few weeks of no intimacy. what were you thinking even considering the idea? the bartender floated neatly around him but aside from that he hardly gave the impression of being approachable. 

archons ... and weren’t you just imagining how uncomfortable it would be to be approached by someone from this bar. but technically weren’t you one encroaching now? had this been just another city establishment, for one you’d have some proper wine. but at the very least you’d usually just talk. if the receiving end didn’t like it, then oh well, you weren’t circling them like they were the sun.

so he wouldn’t be any different.

besides, if you didn't say anything now you’d be running scenarios of this moment until you really did go insane. you dreaded the thought already. 

you were slightly attracted to him- okay, pretty attracted. and you were still a young adult, it was the season of flings and one offs. surviving your final year at the akademiya thrived a little excitement. cutting your eyes sideways, you recalculated your chances. maybe he-

“if you have something to say, say it. your flittering is just as distracting.”

if warmth described you before, flames were dancing beneath your skin now. the man wasn’t discreet in the slightest, not caring who listen to the exchange. or maybe he was speaking to someone else- oh no, he was looking at you and he was not very intrigued. for a pause you were caught by a churring sea of turquoise. 

you stumbled over deliberation shortly before a new emotion countered the transition. weren’t you just accepting cutting losses? if he was lacking interest then what was the point. 

against your internal will, your lips pulled into a scowl at the potent irritated disinterest in his voice.  “yes, because i’m sure it’s me that’s distracting” 

well, that was not exactly how you intended to start this whole scenerio. playing hard to get was already a slippery slope and your face of indifference was faltering. you could see it mirroring back from the look of reflection on his face. or maybe that was just him contemplating the consequences of just leaving. or maybe he was truly in with the owner enough to kick you out. 

for another moment it looked like he might just, and then something shifted. he reached for his glass again, the amber colour much like your own but in a higher volume. the amount of his intake challenged yours as well, or so you would have noticed if you hadn’t been so entranced by the movement of his adam’s apple. 

“-students.”

what?

you caught the tail end of fostering chagrin but you knew you were rapidly eating up his reserves for patience. really, he could have just been here to relax, not get harassed by some akademiya scholar. 

the man stared at you for a second longer, then scoffed. “apparently the standards have dropped. what school are you from?”

“i…” you trail off, feeling a little nonplussed by the implied merit. “vahumana.”

he hums, a sound audibly dry with scrutiny. “the study of history and the past of our predecessors. fitting to dig into the business of others as you cant seem to mind your own.”

you narrowed your eyes at him,” and you must have been haravatat.”

he huffed in amusement and reached for his glass, the rim tips against the tilt of his lips. he didn't diffuse your assumption. “why's that?”

“because only you would be so far up our asses to know what business we were sticking into.”

there was a smile, but the tone was serious. “cute. what year?”

“final.”

“good. any longer and you might have become unbearable.”

you shot him a look of rebuke,”those same standards would imply that you got kicked out.”

“aw, its adorable that you think we’re held at the same degree,” he said. “i’m afraid i simply out grew their expectations.”

you scoffed. he was so stupidly cocky. “uh huh.” you prepared to turn away when he chirped back, amusement bleeding into the heart of his motive.

“done biting already? didn’t think you would bend to authority so quickly. but i suppose akademiya students know when to fall in line.”

you shot him a chiding look. he came across as tall but the way his torso seemed to stretch even seated. it would have been impressive enough without the additional bulk that added an unfair amount of definition to his clothing—attire that had speckles of familiarity in both its design and colour scheme. 

“you work for the akedmiya.”

he watches you silently. allowing you to work through the calculations. he obviously wasn't a teacher, you would have at the very least heard of him by now especially since he was confirmed haravatat. he had maybe a year or two on you,  just enough to be an established graduate.

looking back now, he did look a bit distinguished. the fine details of his clothing hinted equally at quality and prestige. though the material was tighter to form than usual robes, but you would admit it had it's own unique sense of flair. still it didn't give the full answer you were looking for.

“that’s all you can differ? disappointing.”

“if i’m so unsatisfying, why bother holding a conversation?”

he gives you a look over and you realise you weren't the only one noticing a few things. he was just more subtle.

“with your mouth closed, you’re mildly appealing.”

you could barely resist the roll of your eyes. “funny, most men would say they might prefer it wide open.”

“you must have a lot of soulmates with that kind of confidence.”

this time the effort was for naught as you turn away. 

“oh, sore topic?”

his voice carried despite the action, a touch more smug. 

“well i’m assuming your odds of not finding your true partner are promising enough.”

surprised into reacting, you twist your body in his direction. it was an odd choice of words given the subject. it almost felt as though he were implying something.

“i have your interest then?” 

the intrigued man angled his body towards you leaving you no room to misinterpret his attention. “we both agree that there is physical attraction. and though i doubt i need more points, the likelihood of us discovering the epitome of pleasure is a low possibility.” the offer  is so blunt as he roves you over with calculating appreciation, but those eyes… that blue-green fire-

don’t find that arousing. he’s being a dick.

feeling a bit unsettled by your desire, you averted your eyes briefly before raising them back to his handsome face. you had never once considered yourself weak, the spirit alone strong enough to challenge the akademiya worth its weight in mora. 

pure stubbornness was your greatest defence against a lot of things. 

but temptation was a trial fought time and time again. 

he read your resolve like an open book and finished his drink in an impressive swallow before rising to his feet. he waved down the bartender with a quick hand and then put down a few notes of mora with the other. he walked with intent, hardly harbouring an inch of reprieve in any direction. whatever he was, this was his hunting grounds and he set his sights on you. 

your mouth was dry, glass still untouched as you visibly shuddered under his shadow, “i’m not some easy student-”

archon be willed, you denied yourself the privilege of running your sight down the length of his arm as it benched securely between you body and the bar. there was a smart smirk on his face that you hadn’t witnessed yet, a challenge that you’d be dragged through whether you wanted to or not. “no, you’re just spun too tight and could benefit from new lesson.” 

you parted your lips to rebuttal but he silenced you with a hum. “i’m not going to play the role of some authoritative figure you desperately need. you can either come along or play games with someone else.”

a streak of heat crackled along your nerves at the rawness of his words. to be honest, he looked absolutely done with your presence but there was a primal edge of something you couldn’t place rooting him there. whatever drug him down to this bar was still devouring away at him, tightening his defences to the peak of stress. 

yeah, you bet he could use a stress reliever alight. 

your eyes slipped close as a low groan escaped you.

                                                 |     ⚘⚘⚘      |

it had taken you an embarrassingly small amount of seconds to fork over common sense as you hastily scrambled to procure payment, only to have your attempts overrun by another careless slip of a few bills to cover much more than you had spent that night. it was no wonder he was so popular here.

he didn’t just walk like he owned the place, it certainly seemed like it as he guided you out of the door with a firm hand at the small of your back. not one pair of eyes crossed your paths and from the corner of your own you witnessed the bartender already moving to clear your spot. 

a minute later, you were outside in the slight chill of the nighttime air. but where you were expecting the man to hail a car, instead urged you along the cobble-stone path.

“you live in port ortmos?”

“is that a problem?”

“i just …”

he lifted his chin slightly, “expected me to live in sumeru city? no, i stay there enough for work.”

you hum thoughtfully at the new information,“so that’s why the bartender was so familiar.”

“or maybe he just likes me.”

“or maybe he just likes your money.”

“why are you so sure that i have money?”

it takes effort not to mention the cash he’d tossed so carelessly onto the table top. there could have been one too many stuck to gether, but he had not even paused to check. instead you gesture marginally to the fine clothing stretching over the girth of his arm.

“well at least i know you're only after my body.”

“it's certainly not your personality,” you respond flatly. 

“you would prefer the bigger of the two.”

you click your tongue and look away, determined not to snort at the smooth jest.

the short trip ends when he taps his key fob against the entrance of a modestly built apartment complex overlooking the port. 

“anyone you need to inform of your nightly ventures?" he breaks the silence as he hits the bottom for the elevator to jerk into motion.

it occurs to you with no great pleasure that he was indeed right. you had followed the man with only the speculation that he was part of the akademiya in some capacity. at least you had confidence that he hadn't drug you to some seedy part of town and as long as the bartender didn't sell you out, there would be an evidence trail. 

still you shot off a quick text to a friend, letting them know of your location in the port.

“good girl.”

you scowled to which he returned the gesture with a broad smile.

fortunately, the elevator door opened before anything more could spark. he stepped out first, leading you four doors down before unlocking it and flickering on the first light available. he waved you in with a nod of the head. 

if he was a secret murderer, he was one with good tastes. from the entrance, the home opened up into a modern looking living room with panel windows hanging high above the quiet streets. to the right, an impressive kitchen held more appliances than you even knew what to do with. you assumed the final hallways led down towards the bedroom and other accessory rooms. overall, it was quality living. something to dream of after finally graduating from the akademiya. yet it still did not offer anything more of his position. 

overly curious, you ask, “what is it you do again?”

he smiles, all mischief, “i’m just a feeble scholar.”

the man expects your scoff, lip curling higher as he vaguely gestures to the darkened kitchen,“i’d offer you a drink, but then i’d have to cut the night short. i don't sleep with drunks.”

you shrugged off your jacket, folding it over before lying it on the couch. “i’m not a lightweight.”

he tucked his free hand into his pocket, “but you’re in my home. house rules for guests i’m afraid.”

his shoes echo off the floors as he walked towards you, teasing closeness until you stepped back in turn. a second later, you were backed against the wall connecting the kitchen to the hall.

you swallowed hard to control the nerves flaring under your skin. it was infectious with the way his eyes travelled slowly from your eyes to your lips. he was shameless, continuing down past your collor bone to the subtle swell of your breast until the weight of his gaze dampened your breaths. 

eagerly, you arched your spine,” how else do you treat your guests?”

his eyes retuned to your face,” i suppose you’ve earned that much.” he shuffled closer and trailed his thumb along your jawline, then leaned in and kissed you. his other hand came up to cradle the other side of your face as his lips tugged gently at yours before coaxing them apart. 

then his tongue slips into your mouth and you whimper. its an embarrassing sound that pulls a reaction from him as he breaks the kiss. 

he’d never been close enough before to take in the spicy smell of his person, an additional spritz of expense. something about it burned your nose from this proximity, like he was activating too many of your other senses to not notice. his hands were hot and heavy as they groped at your body, following the curve of your hips and testing the weight of your breast. 

his tongue lapped at your neck, each action only a span of minutes already accumulating a pool at your core. 

you just wanted to kiss him again but he seemed to conveniently remain out of reach. to test it, you craned your neck again only to have him counter by nipping at your ear. 

“did you come to that place just to get laid, sweetness?”

you were beginning to edge away from the dry tone of his voice but he had yet to be proven innocent from the other assumptions. blood finally returned to your hands, rendering you with the ability to move as you grappled at his own body, lavishing in the not so hidden display of muscle. “did it look like it?,” you eventually responded back. 

that earned you another nip, obviously not the answer he was looking for. it wasn’t a gentle one either. the sharp bite of it was still echoing through your nerves and ripping a yelp of arousal from your lips. 

“i just wanted a drink.”

he bit you again. 

you quickly wailed out the truth of the matter, a short sentence about your growing frustration before waiting for another reprimand but the firm pressure of lips responded instead and you sagged into the warmth of it. you dared to ask the same of him but you doubt you had enough strength behind your teeth to get him to comply. 

his pace was ruthlessly, hands sliding and discarding clothing, certainly not interested in prolonging the moment. 

“you’re going to miss that attitude when i’m done with you.” 

the weight of his words should not have produced the reaction that it did. but god did it make you so wet. this man would probably fuck anything. and everything would let him fuck them. 

you’re grappling on to his bicep, meaty muscle probably tenderised from long hours at a pricey gym. he loops one of your legs around his waist, leaving the other standing to allow more room for himself. his fingers are dry when they first touch you, though not for long as they absorb the slickness your body throws at him wantonly. a thumb tweaks your numb and your breath hitches into a pant as he curls two thick fingers into you without warning. 

his face remains refined but his touch is explorative, teasing the spongy walls as he stretches them to their limitations. “unexpected debut but not a bad way to end the night.”

you wished his words would have less of an effect on you, the dichotomy of them and his touch making you out to be a blushing virgin. 

and he keeps talking. 

“akademiya girl, huh? bet you think you’re so smart. “

you keen lowly as he introduces a third fingering, forgoing rudimentary scissoring to just plunge them into your depths. you arch against his hold bucking with no ground to stand on. his hitches your leg higher as a reminder, threatening your barely there balance. 

“look at you, all spread out for me. i said what five words to you? did they not teach you manners? a lot has changed.” he presses with the intent of stretching limitations, and you’re grateful for the debauched ministrations. science and biology taught you more than enough about anatomical proportionality. 

“no resistance. you’d let me fuck you for less wouldn’t you? ” but with the way words just kept off his tongue without preamble, you were nearing certainty that he’d ride the glide of your channel without much resistance. 

he works a hand up the loose material of your shirt, sending your bra into disarray as he tweaks a nipple sharply. the pain is acute, shuddering through your body like a ripple. your groan rolls into a soft hiss as he does it again, enunciating  the action with words. 

“i asked you a question.”

the pressure returns and your body squirms. it's enough to plunk the strings of obediency as your mouth is quick to answer.

“yes!”

his fingers rip from you, cutting the strings of your impending release and you hear the tell tale signs of a belt jingle. the material of his pants shifts, but unlike you they never leave his hips. 

“fuck.” he frees himself, af the musk of him permeates the air. it’s almost intoxicating, urging you too look but you fight the urge. “i knew it. you came to that tavern looking for someone to bit that edge off.”

 you don’t have to, because he’s pressing into you thick and hard and your walls flutter around him. with efficiency, he hitched your last standing leg up as well, leaving you suspended at his mercy. “good thing i came in, i bet you were getting unbearable to your little friends.”

the wall reverberates against the knocking of your body, the offbeat staccato telling any nosey neighbours all they need to know. that's if they weren’t already use to the frequency of overnight guests.

“just needed a few pumps to set you right. “

you tilt your head back and his immediate reaction is to latch back onto your neck, no doubt intending to bruise you both physically and mentally. he’s not immune to his own sounds, grunting through explications with each thrust. archons, it’s so hot, feeling the weight of him dragging over the wet hole, soon to be coined as a delicious ache before the night’s end. 

it’s uncertain if he drew blood, the sticky wetness of your throat a toss up between the possibility and perspiration. 

his name. you need to know his name. desperate to whine it, cry for it, tattoo it onto your tongue. you ask as much of it without realising. 

-haitham. 

you’re supposed to learn of it so soon but don’t disappoint the expectation following the admission. 

“my name is alhaitham.” his name rolls off fluidly and you bite down to savour it before it’s gone.

your head rolls back against the wall, mouth parted for air as your eyes squeeze shut. your breast rise and fall with each hurried breath as alhaitham pins his focus on the thrum and the heat of your clit. 

he’s back at your throat, nosing against the constrictions as your voice strains high and desperate.it was dominating, overwhelming, and even though you could accept that you enjoyed it, you still couldn’t understand why. domineering had it’s attractive qualities, sure, but it was arguably a delicate matter. one that took a fine tuned perspective to account for any aversions and hone in on the pointes of gratification.    

and he knew.

“you looked so pretty at the bar. i’m almost grateful you were so nosy. now you look even more gorgeous. pinned against my wall like a painting.”

a shower of sparks rain down over you and cracks open the door to the flash of lights stippling the dark behind your eyes. you rock yourself forward until it becomes clear that you’re fucking yourself on his fingers until theirs both slick and resplendent with your essence. 

it should be the end, the cut off of your journey but the trip feels like it's leagues long until the horizon breaks and you’re no longer anchored to the terrestrial spear but floating within the realm of celestia. 

he removes his fingers slowly, excruciatingly so, and smears your release over your clit and skin. your nerves feel as delicate as your bones feel weightless. 

you're fortunate that alhaitham is close enough to catch you as you all but collapse against the wall, feeling like someone—no your fate intended—removed all the bones in your body. cheek pressed against his chest, you inhale the scent of his skin while wondering if this was the exact feeling kaveh had. it was indescribable. like you were racing toward the end of days, on the verge of expiring by your own inability to call back the breath that alhaitham had stolen from your lungs. it's a dichotomy of wonder and fear as you come to terms with a terrifying realisation. 

you want more. 

alhaitham lets out a throaty hoarse sound when you bury your hands in his hair and tug at the thick base. he presses his lips harder against yours, determinedly set on devouring you with teeth and tongue if he can get away with it. in turn, you wrap your legs back around the already familiar notch at his hips and squeeze, drawing your front flush against his. 

his erection remains hard and insistent. it’s enough to make you sigh happily against his mouth, arousal blooming above her navel at the promising orgasm it will provide. 

“i want you,” you gasp between kisses, cupping his cheek with one hand while the other continues to pull at his hair. 

alhaitham grunts again at the action and sneaks a hand down between you two to cup your wet mound. two fingers press up, spreading your spend and is immediately reward with another sweet hasp from your lips as he teases the sensitive nub. 

archons, just the faintest touch of his fingers against you is enough to drag back the reminder of the shattering kaleidoscope until the only thing you can think of is him—alhaitham— with either his soul-binding fingers or his cock buried inside. you don't care if it's a repeat performance or something new, as long as you come. 

the truth is so palpable between you but alhaitham has sense enough not to mention it. instead he dips as his arm slips under your knee to pull you into his arms. he walks you towards the darkened hallway where the door at the end opens into his bedroom.

alhaitham pulls at your clothes and you let him, sliding them down until you’re left with nothing and reaching for his. he follows you onto the bed, bracing himself over you. he lowered his head to kiss you, holding you still as he ravishes your mouth until you’re forced to break apart, breath haggard from the effort. 

you blink blearily up at the broad shoulder hovering just by your nose as you resist the itch to squirm. the grip holding you down had lessened dramatically in the last few minutes, the weight of trust holding you still. a soft sigh tickles your lip as his forehead rolls against yours, light and nuzzling.

“you’ve finally lost some of that attitude. that is good. you’re doing so good,” his voice is less dry, holding warmth and reverence for compliance. your head tilts up to seek his lips again, craving the gentle touch and the taste of exhalation.the sharp edges of thoughts fade away, leaving only room to consume and receive. a reward comes in the tweak of thick fingers returning to your apex, twisted deep within you and curling for purchase. in return, you sigh into his mouth, pleased, as you rock into the affection.

“think you can return the favour? let me see what all the fuss is about?” his smile savours the flavour of saccharine, both appealing and intoxicating and you find yourself nodding in acceptance without cause. alhaitham knows he has you anyway- always had- you’d crawl for his mercy if just to have a a taste of the nirvana only he could give you.

he feels the motion of your nod, pressed so close,” i’d like to know what it’s like. feeling your open mouth, the sounds of your gasp as you choke on my cock. ”

his hand remains low, twisting within you as your own rides the length of his body. it’s a stretch, but you manage to brush against the underside of his cock, tracing the thick vein protruding against the surface. your heart thrums, seeking his praise even as his hand leaving you and his thighs shift upward until he hovers at your face.

the heat of him bobs from the movement, tapping your lip and smearing its tackiness. his hand cards through your hair, rumbling veneration as you lick it away then open your mouth to stretch around him.

alhaitham’s hand, girthy and wide, teases the nap of your neck, forming a brace without asking. the rhythm of your tongue is met with a heavy groan of approval, the volume increasing as you swallow around him. the coordination of suction is breathing is an erratic dichotomy but you managed- for him. your mouth continues to caress him as he grows, hips beginning to undulate in aid.

“you’re going to swallow it all, aren’t you, sweetness? for me?” he’s curled over you, blowing through harsh pants as he coaxes another inch down your throat. it still lacked the depth that he would have wanted, but you would still make it good for him.

tears bubble behind your eyes, though not from pain, from sacrifice as you nod once more. it’s still an impossibility to take him to the hilt, but with passion you come close. swallowing the bitter taste of him until the taste of it is tattooed on your tongue. it’s a musky bitterness, thick with salt.

his voice is but a whisper, rolling against your ears. “yes, sweetheart. make me proud.”

you splayed your hands against his thoughts, fingernails digging a little into the skin there but alhaitham could care less. in fact, you dared to say he enjoyed the pinch of pain. it most noticeably shattered his ability to prologe his release as his eyes closed and he allowed the orgasm to surge through him. 

this close, it was impossible not the notice the intense ripple of sensations as his nerve endings sparked with a powerful wave that had his knees trembling above you. just when you feared he might topple, he leaned back, rolling to the side and combing a haggard hand through his hair. 

then your eyes connected and the truth you’d damned up inside, burst forward, barrelling through your defences and overwhelming you. 

this man. alhaitham was your soulmate. this stranger whom you’d let take you home, ravish you beyond your wildest dreams and given you an core shattering orgasm that you were still reeling from. alhaitham who had come to lean in closer than you realised, must have come to the same conclusion as his mouth sealed over yours. 

the featherlight caress of your lips to his made your body yearn for something more than one-sided release, the promise of coming together as one—

a sudden feeling of panic gripped your gut as the final dreads of your euphoria dripped away. scrabbling for your bearings, you nudged at him until he had no choice but to pull away, leaving you more exposed than ever. 

alhaitham’s face was flush with exertion, eyes to feverish but his face was unguarded with uncertainty. 

“are you alright?”

no, you definitely were not and you wouldn't be until you got home. even then you likely wouldn't be okay. you never would be the same after tonight.

“i should go—i shouldn’t have—i just need to leave.”

your heart seized with the sudden ache as realisation weighed down on you. this was not how this was supposed to go. not at all. you pushed yourself off his bed and onto your feet, hastily scrabbling for your clothing. 

alhaitham picked his movements carefully as he straightened up on the bed,” it’s fine if you need space. i know this is a lot but it’s late. you should stay the night.” he gestures out out the door,” my roommate is gone for the weekend, you should take his room.”

but you were hardly listening as you pulled your top over head and headed for the door while working your arms through the sleeves. despite his offer, you continued past the adjacent door until you neared the entrance. 

alhaitham’s steps were heavy as you followed behind. his hand came to your back to steady you as you hoped from one shoe to the other until they fit snug. 

“you are overwhelmed and it's too late. you're not thinking clearly. i don't want you out in the city like this.”

you turned on him before he could finish, “you don't know me. just because were—you—,” you guested widely between the both of you. “this doesn't change anything. “

reading the room, the man carefully held up his hands in surrender. it should have been a commercial sight for a man of his stature given his still nude state. 

“okay, okay. just wait, please.”

it’s the agreeableness that gives you pause. its give him just enough time to round the counter of the kitchen and rummage through one of the doors.  he spares the time to bring a pen to it. when he returns, its with a small card.

“i’m not asking for anything. but if you want to reach me, here. i wont seek you out. but you know where to find me.”

whether he was referring to the tavern or his home was vague. but the look in his gaze wasn’t. no matter how much he tried to hide it, it was there … the expectation. 

you turned away and opened the door, clutched the cardstock in your hand as you hurried to the elevate and punched the downward key until it blinked and the doors opened. you threw yourself inside, not looking back not when the doors closed but until you were free of the building and ducking into the hailed car. 

fucking kaveh, it should have never ended this way.

it had been quite a long time since you’d felt anything remotely shameful after a night in bed with someone new. with kaveh it had never been an issue as he’d wormed his way into a positon of comfort before he’d ever reached your bed. 

the both of you had decided that you enjoyed the fragile lining between friendship and something more, confident that neither would seek out the unknown. he was focused on his growing list of projects to offset his student debt and you were still trying to make the most of your own expenses into your education. 

it had been a simple arrangement that you had been forlorn to see it unravel. but you couldn't put stocks into blaming kaveh forever. he certainly had not led you to the bar housing your soul mate and had no ploy in getting you into their bed. 

no the blame had been solely yours. 

you had barely been able to look at your reflection in the mirror, finding it all the more damning to written the swollen redness of your lips and early signs of hickeys dotting your throat. there had been no point in examining the rest of your body as you slipped into the shower to wash away what you could. however the ache of his presence remained seeped into your bones even as you fell into your blankets.

there had been one too many unsuccessful attempts to silence your mind, your more reasonable half having a field day over-analyzing your choices. 

eventually you'd given up on sleep altogether in favour of squinting against the glare of your phone. if you were going to be riddled by guilt, the best thing to do was to spin it into a web of evidence. for months, you had been trapped trying to craft a damning theory to challenge the damn-near will of the gods. 

and in return they made you into your own attestation. 

in your initial presentation, the sages had challenged your theory as one-sided, some even edging to accuse you of envy. at their age, it was difficult for you to speculate if one or any of them had found their soulmate. there was no rhyme or rhythm to discovering your fated partner. 

some discovered them early, others had to wait until their last breath. 

but in the city of sumeru, where the god’s will was paramount to divine expectation.

if anything the only thing worth of your envy was the free state of mondstat where the country had thrived under their archon’s guidance to seek out their own fate.

it was a plausible dream but sumeru was your home.

closing your eyes, you leaned back against the flatness of your pillow. but behind your eyelids, however, were the lingering traces of last night’s memories etched there. it began with those blue-green eyes, then the image panned out to reveal the entirety of alhaitham, broad and defined in ways built from a fantasy. 

hissing out a sharp curse, your eyes snapped open to shatter the visage. 

it was starting to feel like a never-ending joke. why could it not be as simple as falling in bed with an attractive man. 

you’d barely typed out a sentence before you eventually gave up, signalling defeat with the snap of the device closing. rubbing your eyes, you kicked the device to the edge of the bed and sprawled back against the bed. 

hopefully tomorrow would bring forth a more concise mindset.

|     ⚘⚘⚘      |

you woke several hours later tangled under a sea of blankets and the lingering taste of zaytum peaches. the faint glow of sunlight coming through the window indicated that it was sometime in the afternoon. instinctively, you rolled over to reached for your phone, heart stuttering at the feeling of hard cardstock against your fingertips. 

there had been no effort made to forget about what had transpired less than twelve hours ago, nor was it meant to be a rude awakening. those thoughts were better suited after a shower and something to eat. 

for now you roll out of bed in pursuit of the bathroom, mint taste and burn of mouthwash would help restart your day on a better note. you considered a second shower as well. the heat and steam was always a nice balm on a clogged brain, always helping to clear your head and think. 

the promise of peace lasted about as long foam forming from the slow drag of your toothbrush against your teeth. it didn't take very long at all for your mind to sink into reality; the fog dissipating somewhat as you realised with dread that this would not be something you could avoid without some confrontation. 

alhaitham

the name did not come without an overhanging cloud of density. it was a weighted thing, something of a reminder but you could not figure out the source beyond the stranger you’d met at the tavern bar. 

it was fairly customary name in sumeru though your tallied occurrences were low. perhaps a stray soul at the market in passing but nothing of significance. it had been an akademiya joke to place him in harvata without truly knowing, purely inspired by the natural flow of banter. 

but there wasn’t an alhaitham currently part of the darshan that you knew of. to be frank, when the name alhaitham came to mind it was only accompanied by occasional whispers in the absence of a highly regarded graduate and now scr—

your brows rose with each fragment of proof as realisation dawns with nauseating clarity. the soothing shower quickly becomes a brisk wash as you will your mind to calm. 

you were so stupid. so so stupid.   

spitting carelessly into the sink , you stagger through your strewn clothes as you return back to your bedroom with renewed vigour. the card you had tried to forget was quickly snatched up.

alhaitham kaysani 

grand scribe 

he was that alhaitham. the name bringing forth sobering clarity that had evaded you while post-orgasm. you had only known him in name, never having the opportunity to meet him. he wasn’t just faculty, he was damn near a sage after his achievements and one of the youngest to get so close. 

and he was your soulmate. 

snarky

callous 

rational

these were all phantom rumours stitched into the reality of the man you’d come to witness. 

but he was also dominating

attentive 

and responsible when baring you to the world and unravelling you at the seems. there could be little fault in you for not recognizing him at first given the circumstances. you had never met the man before yesterday.

now, in the safety of your own home, you can admit to yourself that deep down, twisting your perceptions, you'd be a little relieved to have found him. yes, you were scared— worried that fate might have skipped you in your doubt— but the fated milestone was reached. and he had wanted you, albeit sexually, the setting had made you desirable enough to bring you home. even after discovering the truth, he’d reached for more. 

in the end, you liked it; the weightlessness of floating above yourself for a moment; the rush of endorphins that seeped into the still waters. just the memory of it all has you tingling all over, hairs rising in protest. 

despite your misgivings, the reality of it was, what you’d left behind was unfinished business. there was no plausible way for you to just go about your lives without addressing what was discovered. you knew your stance on the matter, but it was equally as important to understand his so that there would be no confusion in the future. 

you were both scholars, but he was more welcoming to the present evidence than you were. though given the abrupt shift in your reality, a bit of additional clarity felt like a needed kindness. 

tossing the card back down, you returned to the bathroom with the first spark of determination kindling. if your thoughts were going to be set aflame, you knew who to invite to the bonfire.

                                                 |     ⚘⚘⚘      |

“i thought you said you and kaveh were through?”

finding a friendship with dehya had been an unexpected but appreciative experience. sumeru city was built by and for the cultivation of scholars under the aged guidance of late archon of sumeru. the akedemiya prided itself on its accumulation of knowledge, though it had yet overcame its ostracism of the children of the desert. 

it boiled down to conflicting views of the source of knowledge and whom it ultimately belonged too, but those like dehya hardly cared little of the dispute. it was old news kept relevant but elders who needed to let the new generation decide the future.

ultimately, she found interest in your defiance. shared stories among drinks and good company overwriting centuries of bad blood.

you drew the steaming cup warming your palm closer, finding solace in the simple smell of caffeine rather than the taste of it. dehya kept her inquiries limited when you had first requested her company at the portside coffee shop but now her curiosity was brimming as she scrutinized you from across the table.

“we are.”

“so this has something to do with the random quality of life text i got last night?”

the curl of her lips hinted that she already knew the answer, the slow grin widening further when you tossed her a less than impressed scowl. 

“i found someone new.”

the sharp red of her freshly pained nails drummed patiently against the table top as her raised brow encouraged you to get on with it. 

with a huff, you opted to just get it all out. 

“i met a guy at a bar who ended up being my soulmate.”

the woman had the courtesy not to laugh outright in your face, but the quiet snicker that escaped through the side of her mouth couldn't hide her amusement. 

“you know i was rooting for you. i thought if anyone could defy the odds it would be you.”

her support, while generous, was one-sided towards your benefit. dehya had her restraints when it came to the exaggerated nonsense spewed by the akademiya on the subject. but she couldn't deny it’s biological merits after discovering her other half in the form of her childhood friend and now girlfriend. 

dunyarzad believed in a more muted rendition of the historic value of soul mates, a hopeless romantic that thrived on the magic of dreams. in a way you both humored the young woman, if only to be plagued with her infectious smile and outlook on life. 

dehya smirked, leaning forward on her elbows. the flaky croissant you had purchased as a show of gratitude forgotten. “so you go out with a stranger and they rock your world … and now you’re in the same boat as the rest of us."

you stare at her blankly, “it’s not that simple.’’

“it is if you stick by the facts,” she answers smoothly. “so you had one good night, you’re not obligated to marry him. if anything, you're the one hung up over it. why not just leave it as that and move on?”

your body jolts with the instinct to protest, but the weighted gaze she holds over you keeps you rooted until the words seep in. you had hardly delved into the details of the night, but she was reading you like an open book. 

society’s expectations weren't your reality. nor had alhaitham’s surmise given his perplexed but visible patience during your hasty escape. he had made the same discovery as you but didn’t hold you accountable for an explanation. 

instead he gave you the option. 

seek him out or leave it as it was. 

knowing him would be an emotional burden but you had lived this long without encountering him and would eventually outlive the physical reminder. 

dehya drew your attention back by the soft sound of her spoon clinking against the side of her mug.

“you’re my friend, but sometimes you scholars are all the same.”

setting the spoon aside, she leveled you with a look. “once you get a theory planted in your head, anyone outside of it is well out of reason. you all forget that the world is full of theories and opinions and there is so much more to explore if you would be more wiling to accept ones that aren't your own.”

her face softens as she reaches out to fold her palm over yours. 

“you came to me for advice at least, so let me give it. everyone's soulmate situation is unique. your parents for example.” you flinch at the mention, years of memories solidifying the reason you sought out the akademiya. 

dehya's fingers squeeze in reassurance as she continues. “at least hear him out. maybe their theory will compliment yours. and if not, well next time call me to a fight rather than a cup of coffee.”

the thinly veiled joke pulled a tight smile from your lips. 

she was right though. as a scholar you had encouraged a new experience and were left to analyze the variables. the night had been an unexpected outcome but not a failure.

in the end, you liked it; the weightlessness of floating above yourself for a moment; the rush of endorphins that seeped into the still waters. just the memory of it all has you tingling all over, hairs rising in protest. 

despite your misgivings, the reality of it was, what you’d left behind was unfinished business. there was no plausible way for you to just go about your lives without addressing what was discovered. you knew your stance on the matter, but it was equally as important to understand his so that there would be no confusion in the future. 

you managed to finish your coffee before dehya eventually coaxed you out of the shop, muttering about a fresh text from dunyarzad as you parted ways at the entrance. 

the warmth of her encouraging hug still lingered as you plucked the contact card from its perch on your nightstand.

flipping the card, you found a neat scrawl of additional numbers, the intention clear. 

with that in mind, you reached for your phone and typed out a message. 

‘i’d like to talk.’

your thumbs tap against the screen idly, hoping he was awake and wouldn’t keep you waiting. it was a safe assumption that the man was a morning person when the reply was sent a few minutes later. 

‘fine. would you like me to come to you?.’

you thought about alhaitham coming to your flat. 

grand scribe alhaitham who was hardly as inconspicuous in sumeru city. 

soulmate alhaitham who had yet to have his way with you in your bed-

the last thing you needed to think about was either of you coming.

‘no, will you be home in the evening? i can be there.’

his reply was simple.

‘4pm.’

you stared at the text with a writhing feeling in your gut. it definitely needed to happen, a talk like this was better addressed soon than later. but maybe this was too soon. there was no taking the words back now but how hard would it be to just delete them? a simple swipe and tap and they’d be gone. 

you’d avoided alhaitham this long. and if you stayed away from a certain tavern you could continue to do so. he didn’t seem like a man who would put effort into something that lacked fruition. 

exhaling slowly, you tossed the phone away before you made another rash decision. confronting it now would be the smart thing to do. it was the best way to keep yourself from spiralling down a path of the unknown. just because you discovered your soulmate, nothing had changed. 

granted he gave you the best orgasm you’d had so far in your life, it was just that. a night of carnage that had you waking up with nothing but regret. how could anyone chase something so recklessly because they felt that the archons put their stars too close together?

yes, tackling this now would let you set the record straight. you didn't want a marriage proposal but that didn't mean— no, you wouldn't speculate or conjure up anything until you got on the same page. alhaitham seemed like a rational person, he likely didn’t believe in soulmates either. a good night in bed got the best of everyone. 

for a long moment, you stood in the noon shadow of your bedroom before eventually returning to the bathroom to finish your routine. as you brushed your teeth and washed your face, you tried hard not to look too close at your reflection again.

picking back up the phone, you craft and send a quick message to kaveh.

‘hope you haven’t fallen into a coma.’

and you hoped you aren't falling into a deeper mess. 

continued in part ii

[dokidokitsuna]

A Girl and her Faerie

Gonna expand on this universe character by character, I guess. ^^; But before I begin, I'd just like to thank everyone for all their interest in the project so far. I really didn't expect many people to look at that Chapter 1 Preview, let alone 'like' it...my takeaway is, magical girls are the universal language~

So anyway, this is actually old artwork, the first 'official illustration' I did for this concept back before I re-designed Anno's Dream Dress (more on that later). As much as I loved that giant butterfly-bow and the winged gloves, they just kept getting in the way when I started drafting the comic...which may explain why it took me so long to do those first two pages. ^^; Nevertheless, I kinda like the drawing itself, so I decided to use it here.

Armitage Age: ??? Species: Faerie Likes: Money, Alcohol, Bribery Dislikes: The consequences of his actions

Faeries are a special type of magical creature that specializes in dealings with human beings-- these days, they're most famous for acting as 'handlers' for magical girls, helping them use their powers to protect their worlds...most of the time. Armitage sought out Anno not to help her fulfill her destiny, but primarily to line his pockets with the fruits of her labor-- the magical currency known as Heart Mints. With these, he (allegedly) pays for all her magical dresses and tools, and puts the remainder towards the astronomical debt she owes him, as outlined in the contract she signed at the beginning of their 'partnership'. Despite being a self-proclaimed "businessman", Armitage doesn't seem to have any other ventures-- he spends most of his time lounging around Anno's house, eating her food and driving her crazy. He's not entirely useless, however, and will take steps to 'protect his investment' if the situation calls for it.

Anno sees Armitage as a heartless ball of greed, who seems to take pleasure in feeding her transparent lies and whittling away at her self-esteem...unfortunately, if she wants to continue as a magical girl, she'll just have to put up with him. Later on, however, when she and her 'partner' are finally separated, she'll have to decide for herself what her job really means to her without his influence...and also whether she really wants him back...

Anno Age: 15 Species: Magical Girl Likes: PC gaming, Protecting the hearts of humanity Dislikes: Armitage's constant lies

In the greater community of magic creatures, Magical Girls are considered separate from normal human beings, due to their connection to a special power called the Heart of the Universe. This is the emotional center of all living beings in their universe, enshrined within their atomic makeup...unless they are told of this power and trained to use it, the average magical girl will live and die without ever knowing it exists. Anno is unfortunately somewhere in the middle-- because Armitage himself is uneducated on the subject, she was never taught about the Heart of the Universe, or the greater power she might hold. All she knows of magical-girlhood is switching between her two Concept Dresses-- the Dream Dress and Darkness Dress-- depending on her state of mind, and using their powers to destroy her foes. She takes her work very seriously...but also finds it genuinely fulfilling, even if it doesn't always show on her face. ^^; Her main job is to rescue Heart Concepts, the lost feelings and dreams of humanity, from creatures called Heart Weevils, while extracting Heart Mints from the shells they leave behind to pay off her debt. At the start of her story, she's also working hard to save up for a Love Dress, hoping to use its unrivaled power for a special side mission.

Armitage appreciates that Anno always seems to have her mind on her work (when she's not playing video games), despite rarely passing up an opportunity to mock her for not having a life outside of it. To him she's a walking contradiction-- at once a valuable employee and a fungible asset; a gullible mark and a dependable ally. It's unclear where his recognition of her usefulness ends and any concern for her as an actual friend begins...even he himself isn't sure, until much, much later...

[spell-of-the-rain]

okay with Logan now on the same platform with the app/website as Alex, I did some digging and found some interesting (neutral) things. Maybe all this was already known but hey it was new to me so here we go under the cut

The host platform is called Fan Capital, it comes from the "dynamic collaboration of Dorilton Capital and Williams Racing," and they focus on fan monetization, digital engagement, and fan activations. Alex is actually an Advisory Board Member! (which makes a lot of sense) The platform launched in November of 2023, and currently Williams Racing, Alex, and Logan are the only customers (perhaps unsurprisingly). Their CEO spent three years as Williams's Chief Growth Officer before being appointed to CEO of Fan Capital (and he comes with past experience with the NFL).

One of my first thoughts was whether they'd integrate with the Williams Fan Zones, but a peak at their LinkedIn says that they've been the ones putting on the Fan Zones this year.

Fan Capital also seem to be the ones behind the Williams Garage AR thing that launched a little bit ago, as well as the Williams Gaming Club that launched at the beginning of the year.

Fun fact! Apparently 56% of their team are women (I think there's 9 women?). Yay I guess?

Logan was announced as their third client on January 23, 2024. The post included the line "his decision to join FanCapital supports his forward-thinking approach to building his digital presence." and all I could think of was "is that digital presence in the room with us?" LOL

Thoughts:

I would be the most interested to see if/when they add other drivers/athletes in other sports (would be surprised to see any non-Williams F1 drivers added though). It seems like Fan Capital are running ALL of Williams's fan engagement stuff, except for maybe social media admining (even then that's just a guess), so when they add non-Williams people it could be interesting to see how the close connection to Williams Racing plays out. Or if there won't be any real impact.

Could this mean we will get some new Logan merch? Part of me says no, since art/design does not seem to be one of Logan's interests (see: him saying doesn't even have the energy to design his own helmets) but ig he could always hire people to do it and have as little input as possible. But if that's how he's handling his social media then.....

Now for my tin foil hat thought: using Logan as a test/proof of concept for non-Williams customers? not in a this-was-their-plan-all-along-since-january type way but more in a taking advantage of the opportunity way. start working with him now and launch his website/app, then when he goes elsewhere (wherever that may be) bam they still have a link.

Anyway, this seems like a cool venture, and I do wish them success. From what I've heard the Fan Zones have been well-received, and I definitely have noticed an uptick in fan engagement beyond just social media from Williams. Hopefully this can also help bring people to the sport!

[doubledyke]

How do you believe Eds' childhood was like? Like since the moment toddler Edd meet Ed and Eddy until the events showed on the show? I guess the first half of their childhood were more peaceful and softer, where they were mostly playing games, they were less hated in previous years, and Edd and Eddy's relationship was better (they were certainly less hormonal and confrontational in that time).

i'm not sure how long ed and eddy were friends before edd arrived, but they probably became friends after eddy tried to bully ed and was taken aback by ed's response. i'm picturing their first interaction being something along the lines of "nice pamper there, stretch!" and ed takes it as a genuine compliment and offers to let eddy try it on but only if he can wear eddy's "dress". eddy's embarrassed and is about to run home to mommy but then ed eats a rock or a shoe or something and eddy gets an idea for his first(?) money making venture, bottomless ed.

as far as what they'd get up to before edd comes along i imagine it being pretty similar to stuff we see the two do in the show. roughhousing, gross pranks, eating junk food, watching movies, and eddy making ed do weird stuff for his own entertainment.

at home idk, i mean given the fact that not only is ed still wearing a diaper at such a late stage, but that he's allowed to leave the house without pants kinda tells me all i need to know and confirms that his parents just don't care. i generally think that baths are a sensory nightmare for ed (and that he's probably unknowingly allergic to whatever soap his family uses) and that his parents just gave up trying after a while. it could be the same with clothing for him at that age? regardless, its still a dereliction of duty on their part not to address those things.

eddy's still under bro's thumb whether literally or proverbially. i could be wrong but it seems like bro would either be just about to leave or would have recently left by the time the eds meet. i tend to think he'd still be there but the theoretical timeline is a bit confusing to me. anyway, eddy's home life is the most outwardly normal of the three and i'm not sure i have much to say about them at that time that wouldn't send me into a 3 page nonsensical ramble about eddy and my weirdly specific ideas about his family. suffice to say, he's repressing a lot and has zero insight about what happened to him (he's like 5). he's probably still physically healing from the last game of 'uncle'.

edd's family comes along and no one even knows the new couple on the block has a kid till someone notices a strange little child peeking out the upstairs window from time to time. anyway, i guess it's canon that edd meets the other two when he ends up being a mark for the bottomless ed thing. when i think of tiny edd i imagine the opening for matilda (1996) where matilda basically caring for herself and is already going out on her own, like to the library. that's what edd is up to before he meets ed and eddy. going back and forth to the library and occasionally venturing outside to catch butterflies and look at rocks and stuff. he just happens to cross paths with tweedledee and tweedledum one day and being that he's freshly traumatized (dodgeball incident) and naturally shy and anxious, he's easily swayed by someone like eddy who's always had a strong personality. edd's also likely intrigued and even charmed by his and ed's irreverence and their unabashed childishness. both of which are foreign concepts to him, even at that age. i picture him just sort of tagging along with them for a while in the beginning, hiding behind a tree or something when things get a little too rambunctious. but with the help of eddy's constant ribbing and ed's frequent comparisons of him to some kind of alien species he saw in a movie, edd slowly learns to let loose a little. hanging out with edd and eddy gives him a weird sense of rebellion since the pair are certainly not the upstanding fellows his parents would prefer he spend time around. alright alright i'm cutting myself off here.

as far as any activities the tiny eds do together, like i said they're pretty much doing the same stuff but spending more time playing rather than looking for ways to make money. sadly i think eddy didn't get much of a chance to play with other kids when bro was around since he'd either be too busy placating bro and/or other kids were too scared to come around. so he might take the opportunity to do more kid stuff once bro is gone and now that he has a couple of pals. ed's just happy to be out of the house where his parents are constantly bickering and his baby sister is constantly crying and already wreaking havoc.

edd and eddy's relationship (and ed and edd's for that matter) takes a while to develop because eddy is low-key weirded out by edd, but can tell he's smart so wants to keep him around. like i mentioned, edd is very reserved around the eds early on and doesn't really know how long he's even going to be allowed to spend time with them. luckily for him, his parents are never home and are none the wiser to some of the trio's more hazardous escapades. if anything he'd just deceptively plead amnesia in the event that he was confronted.

i will say i think the eds would still already be ostracized by that point. eddy for his relation to bro, ed and edd for their association with eddy. i do like the idea of eddy and kevin being friends at some point early on, but i haven't given much thought to what that would look like. so for the purpose of this goofy post, we'll assume that was not the case.

[florsial]

mhmm i’m obsessed with the visions i’m receiving from the xeno reblogs…pretty please share some more thoughts about him? love!

<3333!!

Xeno is honestly a character that i kind of always loved from afar? Like I never ventured further than their name but I built a type of vibe with them.

-One thing I always saw was him being Lucius' brother. It was the very first thing I saw when I started Harry Potter in like elementary and it stuck ever since I joined the Marauders.

-He's younger by 4 years than Lucius and about 3 years older than Pandora. His full name is Xenophillius Silas Malfoy. He's the second son and his mother's favorite because he was her son, not the Malfoys'. So she packed up and took him elsewhere for most of his life until Hogwarts where the Malfoy parents lived civilized. He officially meets his older brother when he's 11 and Lucius, a 15-year-old social climber.

-His relationship with Lucius is distant. Lucius is treated like the heir, his childhood is spent inside, lesson after lesson, pandering to the upper class, flattery, etc etc. But Xeno never had that, he lived in the English countryside, he was allowed outside whenever he pleased, he skipped etiquette lessons but was never punished, his curiosity was mostly about biology (which was how he developed a love for writing), and no one could or would tell him no. So there was a huge difference in their relationship. Lucius was appalled and Xeno was curious. There was also a sense of disappointment and jealousy on Lucius' part, he wanted someone who would understand the stress of being heir, or at least be brought up similarly to him, but Xeno was the complete opposite. Xeno was curious but quickly grew bored with the traditional Pureblood ways that Lucius kept trying to fit in his head. I think deep down, they really love each other, but they are just too different without any ties, no emotional ones that were formed when they should've, so that love really doesn't go beyond blood obligation. Not to mention their parents.

-Something fun is his gender. The only way I can describe it is that they're everything, but also nothing at the same time (technically they are genderqueer but I like that description better honestly). Gender doesn't exist to them. She thinks it's a constricting concept. Very pretty honestly. They are like weird, but in the prettiest way when they were with the Malfoys, but as they got older and further from their family, they kinda didn't give a fuck.

-They love white! It's their main color throughout most of his life. He thinks that it shows the process of thinking. Like a bare canvas. A lot of their formal robes were white and she's probably the brightest wizard (literally) that anyone could point out at a pureblood ball.

-I think he's a lot like how people imagine Pandora to be. While she's purposely eccentric because she loves it, Xeno is eccentric in a way he doesn't even realize it. Like he's talking about an obscure creature (that probably doesn't exist) and being hella judgy when you say you have no idea what he's saying. Pandora is intentionally cruel and cold, but Xeno isn't. I guess you could say he's a bit tone-deaf as well. Pandora is purposeful, Xeno is not.

-Definitely isolated. The moment he's shoved into the pureblood society, he cannot fit in. People think he's weird, he thinks they're boring. He is stubborn and doesn't agree with the high-class purebloods. He chills and writes by himself until Pandora comes around.

-Pandora "She asked for no pickles >:(" Rosier and Xenophillius "didn't want to say anything because it didn't matter :/" Malfoy <3

-Neutral during the war and ran away with Pandora, they created the last name, "Lovegood" while high off their ass in Xeno's last year at Hogwarts.

-REAL BUG ENTHUSIAST, he would take Luna out and hunt for bugs! I like to think Luna has one of those glass cases of preserved butterflies somewhere from when she was a kid. Xeno would have jars and jars of live bugs in his rooms at the Mafloy manner, all hidden and tucked under his bed. He refuses to allow anyone inside and "cleans" his room himself. All the jars are labeled neatly with stickers and names from fairytales.

-"Cleans": puts everything in a stack in the corner, a scatterbrain <3

-the Quibbler was made as a way to preserve Pandora's memory. They would write unpublished articles back at Hogwarts and Xeno would publish them and more when she died.

[butchsophiewalten]

Findjackwalten 07/14/23 Update Walkthrough

Last night Findjackwalten updated! We've got one page update and two new pages. Let's start:

Findjackwalten.com

Our main page has updated! Jack and Rose's pictures are gone, and the whole page is greyed out now as opposed to being red. The shutdown text has changed to read "You just couldn't stay home, could you?". The play button here still works, with all new audio. It's a car radio, first it's an afternoon weather report, then just some talk radio intermission, and then it's music. There's also car noise, tires on asphalt, chair squeaks, turn signal, and general Car Creaking.

I've already seen some people theorize that this is audio from Felix's drive home after the crash, but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me since that's already what Guilty is. Feels redundant, as much as I love the idea of Felix driving home listening to Yummy Yummy Yummy by Ohio Express.

Findjackwalten.com/martinguaridasecretanoentrar

This page's URL and title is in Spanish. It just means "Martin secret lair do not enter" and the title "q pasa tia" in this context is like, "whats up, girl?". Kinda gossipy. Meant to invoke a vibe that you're being let in on a secret.

The top of this page reads "92%", referring probably to the percentage of TWF4 that is completed. The rest of the page contains "3 funny walten facts" Which are:

"Bon the rabbit was originally called Bon the Dancing Hare by Jack, ultimately Felix vouched against that because Rabbit sounds friendlier."

This is so fun to me! I did always think Bon was pretty hare-like. Funny that Jack wanted Bon to be a Jackrabbit. Also I can't believe "Bon The Dancing Rabbit" is still real. It's been so long since I've heard anybody call him that I kinda figured it was retconned.

"During the late 70s, BSI expanded further than restaurant chains, the showstoppers became famous for way different products such as random merch, plushies, furniture, toys, watches, bed sheets, lanterns, masks, lamps, toilet seats. BSI most succesful product was "Showstopper's Comedy Extravaganza", a 1977 animated TV show that ran for 3 seasons and was cancelled in the 1979's to make room for a "bigger project". it is unknown what was the cause for BSI to milk the showstopper franchise to that extent, what was the money for?"

This is something we sorta already knew? Relocate Project implied this sort of thing But I guess we didn't really know how successful their merch ventures were until now. Turns out, they were pretty successful! The "Showstopper's Comedy Extravaganza" thing is crazy to me though, three seasons? That 'what was the money for?' comment is also very ominous. It makes me think of the planned relaunch of Bon's Burgers but considering how vague the comment is and how the Bon's Burgers relaunch was something we already knew about, I'm wondering if it's something else.

"Sophie lived on the back of a meat store for the better part of 3 years, she managed."

How do I even comment on this. This is just so fucked. It makes me sick to my stomach. She was homeless for three years? Homeless? For three years? As a teenager? I feel like i'm undergoing hitherto unexperienced Sophie Emotions. What the hell do I even say.

Findjackwalten.com/btscene

Just a whole page of behind the scenes stuff! This is also hard to comment on, really. It'd be easiest if you just went and looked at everything yourself.

There's a little play button here with Anything Goes by Cole Porter, but I think it's been edited to sound more echo-y. Like it's being played in a big empty room, but also like the next room over? I've listened to a few versions of this song before but none that sound quite like this. This is also the song that's referenced lyrically in the new years 2022 version of /investigation1, with this bit of writing:

A decent bit of the stuff on this page is from the old Patreon, but not all of it, or even like, half of it. And some stuff (like the blue and purple Felix drawing) is old concept art that had been shared in the Discord server before.

[popculturebuffet]

Next batch of Adult Swim shows from 2007-11 (notable their live action stuff increased around this time) with favorite character from: Xavier: Renegade Angel, Delocated, The Rising Son, Titan Maximum, Mary Shelley's Frankenhole, Check It Out! with Dr. Steve Brule, Childrens Hospital, God, the Devil and Bob, Your Pretty Face Is Going to Hell, and Mongo Wrestling Alliance? Off the Air being skipped for lacking a recurring character.

Never seen The Rising Son, your pretty face is going to hell or any of the off the air stuff. Yup this was the live action era alright.

Xavier: Renegade Angel: I didn't get this one when it was out but should revisit it. I hear it's good. Delocated: I'll note a faviorit eif I have one as for a lot of these I really don't or don't remember it well enough to have one. That said Delcoated is .. eh. I like the basic concept, jon himself is hilarous, but it soon devolves into one man being a giant jackass for far too many seasons. I watched way more of it than I care to Titan Maximum: I loved this one at the time but nowadays it's.. eh. Not bad, beautifully animated and it still deserved better.. but the comedy dosen't hit as well as it used to though the concept, a reckless idiot has to get his team back together to fight an old teamate they abused is great.

Mary Shelly's Frankenhole: Another one to revisit and one I genuinely like a lot. It was Dino Stamatopous' follow up to Morel orel and sadly one of his last cartoons, the last being high school us which

But Frankenhole is one I wouldn't mind revisiting and has a simple premise: Celebrties visit dr frankenstine for help. Frank here is a cynical pompous asshat and the style here is a beautiful sor tof pupetry that looks like papercraft. The show is criminally underated and I'm ashsamed I haven't thought of it in so long.

Check It Out! With Dr Steve Brule: This one was okay, haven't watched much of it. But John C Reily is as great in the role as ever and it was a briliant idea fo ra spinoff, I just never vibed with it like I did with tim and eric. This is also as you can probably guess around the time I sorta checked out of adult swim. Still a few shows I watched on and off and obviously I returned for ventures bros and I watch it more NOW, via hbo max, but most of these shows really didn't do it for me and I mostly watchede because it was on the same block as other things I watched.

Children's Hospital: Okay while this era is a bit eh for me, this show is solid. It never fully did it for me but I respect it's stacked cast, goofy parody and accuracey to how these types of shows, paticuarlly greys anatomy which I have watched every episode of.

Mongo Wrestling Alliance; I didn't think much of this one but being way more into wrestling these days, i'd gladly revisit it. I"ve also grown to appreciate metalocalypse more so being from one of the same creators, that'd probably also help.

God the Devil and Bob: I need ot rewatch more of this one. As a kid I saw bits and piece sof i'ts an original run but the concept is great, and I like kit's characterizations: the devil as genuinely good at his job but badly wanting his absientee father figure to notice him and god being laid back, a mild prick, but ultimately well meaning.

[haze-of-hyperfixations]

🍄, 🦴, and 🧩 for the writers ask game

🍄 ⇢ share a head canon for one of your favourite ships or pairings

(i have so many headcanons about every dynamic ever, and they all conveniently vanish the moment i am asked to name one, ha.)

hmm....for Perimedes and Elpenor from Epic the Musical, i have a headcanon that they're in a qpr. and yeah, i know that's modern terminology and they are from ancient greece. (i did a research paper about qprs once, fun fact.) but also: a. you don't need a modern explanation of a concept for that concept to exist in a historical context. b. Perimedes uses the word "yeet" in his cut song, rendering any arguments about historical accuracy invalid. c. i'm having fun and no one can stop me. :)

i also think the idea of Perimedes sometimes calling Elpenor "El" is cute. <3

🦴 ⇢ is there a piece of media that inspires your writing?

oh, there's a lot. my writing in general is inspired by a lot of media. but my venture into the world of ao3 in the first place was because of this series:

and, if i remember correctly, it really inspired me to start getting more into fic writing. it probably also influenced the way i write, since i read it at around the time i was kind of figuring all that out. incredibly good series! <3

as for specific fics, i have so many playlists for inspiration. one of the fics i'm currently working on was completely inspired by the song Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol. (it's a Parallels fic still in my drafts, but if i ever finish it, it's gonna have so much found family trope and it's gonna be great)

oh, and my most recent fic, this one:

you know what inspired it? i was on pinterest, and i saw this photo of eggs:

and i got kinda emotional about how much i liked that photo. idk, i was already in a vaguely-sentimental-fic-writer mood, and that photo somehow just opened the floodgates of ideas in my head. the actual fic is only vaguely related to the photo through the fact that both involve cooking eggs, but nevertheless, some photographer out there is directly responsible for the existence of my current most comforting oneshot for me to reread. and i think that's really neat. i love humanity and art and connection and inspiration. <3

🧩 ⇢ what will make you click away from a fanfiction immediately?

okay, so i tried to think of a new answer to this question, but i couldn't think of one, so i'll just copy-paste my answer from three days ago:

okay, with every answer i try to think of for this one, i immediately think of exceptions. because i have a long track record of being in microscopically small fandoms, and if one of those fandoms got a new fic, there is very, very little that would stop me from reading it to the end. i guess if the entire fic was untagged, very explicit smut, then i would click away immediately. (although most authors i've seen do tag well. so i would probably know without clicking that it's something i won't be really comfortable reading. everyone say thank you for the tag system <3)

yeah, i never really have an interesting answer for this one, ha. i have exactly 2 authors muted on ao3. one was because they had hundreds of fics in many fandom tags that i searched a lot, all of which were exclusively a specific trope that made me really uncomfortable. the other one, i don't remember; no works are showing on the account anymore, but it was probably a similar situation if i felt the need to mute them. other than that, i haven't really been let down by the tag system yet, which i guess is a pretty good thing. :)

thanks for the ask!! :)

[slash-aaa]

a drabble for @giallifilm.

they say you can find some kind of solace in the matching of darkness in others. parker can't say for sure if that's true, or if he's felt what he'd call comfort in the issues he seems to share with lara. but he did find himself pulled toward her. something gravitational and addictive. having always struggled with enjoying things in moderation, there was a full send moment parker experienced after the rocky start he'd had with lara. she either made him feel less alone, or joined him in his loneliness, he couldn't tell which, but didn't mind either way. regardless, lara had been more than willing to indulge his habits, as just much as he was willing to encourage hers.

as fucked up as it was to voluntarily get an alcoholic drunk, who was parker to point out the immorality of it all? pot calling the kettle. instead, the partners found their way to a dingy bar on a dirty street corner ( leaving work at nearly midnight left them with limited options ). it's a familiar place, one parker and lara had ventured to on previous evenings, nights when they both knew sleep would evade them. parker follows behind lara as they enter the dim bar. he focused on the scent of lara's hair rather than the mix of piss and cheap tequila that wafted through the pub. one finger attaches to her belt loop so that he wouldn't lose her, despite how small the bar was. they sit down at their usual table in their usual sport with their usual order: two shots of whiskey and a pitcher of beer, to start.

parker pulls out a cigarette, offers one to lara, and lights them both, blowing smoke into an already smog like atmosphere. around them sit large bikers in leather vests ; men shrouded in darkness at the back tables, presumably waiting for their next coke sale ( parker's nose twitches at the sight ) ; women who bend over pool tables or dance to off beat music to seduce their scumbag boyfriends.

'all this shit makes me feel old,' parker says as he shoots back his whiskey. he's thirsty five, but feels like he's eighty - all aching bones and exhaustion. parker had felt tired for most of his life, and the concept of aging never sat well with him.

'what shit? drinking at a rundown bar, or watching every couple in here decide how illegal it actually is for them to fuck each other in public?'

words cause parker's eyes to snap towards lara, the man taking a moment to process what she's said before he begins to laugh, shaking his head with the effort. the way lara spoke amused parker at times - a feat which was unachievable by most others. he takes a swig of his first pint of beer, swallowing before filling the glass back to the brim.

'both, i guess. all of it,'

as he sucks on the filter of his cigarette, he glances back up at lara, seeing her through the easing haze that came with the consumption of alcohol. he always thought she was pretty, in a morbid way ; like her beauty was given to her in exchange for the thing that was supposed to make her human - her soul, her morals, or whatever the fuck they're supposed to have. parker felt at home in the way lara dealt with their world, something all too recognizable in her approach. she seems to catch him starting, but parker doesn't look away. any other woman would playfully ask why he was looking at her like that. lara already knows why, which is why she holds parker's gaze as she downs her shot of bourbon.

the night consists of a very large tab, and the partners stumbling out of the bar together after last call. parker sees the city in blurred lights and muffled sounds, the two of them holding each other up as they passed parker's car - the one he would take a taxi back here in the morning to pick up. they come to the mutual conclusion that lara's apartment was closer, and so they walked in that direction, muttering about anything that came to their drunk minds. parker wouldn't remember any specific words shared between the two, but he would remember the feeling ; the understanding. he doesn't think he could ever forget that.

upon arrival at lara's place, lara pulls her keys from her pocket, dropping them twice before parker wraps a hand around hers to keep it steady. the two all but tumble inside, barely remembering to close and lock the door behind them. even in his drunken state - the man sloppily removing layers of clothes from sweat sheened body - parker appreciates how familiar lara's space is. it felt safer than his own apartment. though that sentiment made him wonder if it was the place he was in, or the person he often shared it with.

once he was free from his confines, parker spun around to find lara, only for her to be standing right behind me.

'creeps me the fuck out when you do that,' parker slurs playfully.

palms moved up to press into either side of lara's face. they stay like that for either hours or seconds - in this intoxicated moment, parker can't tell. he also can't say the way in which she's specifically staring back at him, he just understands that he likes it. even if it's with disgust, confusion, disappointment - or something more intimate that neither of them would be able to say aloud. at least she was looking at him like she knew him. no one else had ever had the guts to really see him that way she does.

when her lids begin to droop, parker all but carries her to bed, ensuring the small frame of her body was covered completely by her blanket.

'you're not leaving,'

it's not question - lara isn't asking whether he was staying or not - it was a demand. parker thinks an unnecessary one.

'where would i go?'

rhetorical, words he left hanging in the air as parker watched lara's eyes close, only stumbling back into the living room when he thought she had fallen asleep. parker falls onto the sofa, bare belly down, cheek pressed so hard against the cushion that he'd surly wake up with its woven pattern on his cheek. in a few hours, they'd have to go back to work, look through gory images, run themselves to death trying to find a shred of evidence for their case. but that's tomorrow. tonight, parker passes out with the knowledge that he had found someone to share in his darkness with, uncaring of how unhealthy that may be for either of them.

[ntaras]

oh you definitely summed it up nicely! it's true that these characters are no longer the same, but i feel like they haven't been the same for a few games now since the reboots started, so i guess as someone who just came in i can just shrug and say it is what it is. strangely enough, the classic games were the most pleasant to me? maybe because they had an actual clear continuity. the midway era was so.... messy, ideas introduced and tossed aside, characters dying and then being back in the next game like it's nothing. there was a charm to the experimental vibes to it tho, unlike the nrs era games where monotony started to set in. mk12 isn't any better, it was definitely more entertaining than mk11 for me, but it was still... shallow. i'm giving it the benefit of the doubt that it's the start of a new continuity and unlike mk9, this is an entirely different world, but yeah, these characters are very unlikeable or are just whatever. it's weird that it's the case with how much care is put into the presentation and scripting?? like other fighting games don't have this much writing in them but i still enjoyed marathoning them rather than mk...

unfortunately the characters are always just getting some details changed about them so yeah it’s just about the norm. nothing about mk is stable except that everything will always be at best mediocre lol

the classic games have the benefit of being written by john tobias compared to the games when he left which is when everything went a bit haywire. the midway era is definitely messy but also kept most of its stability with the characters!!! nrs era deals with repetition yeah, like repeated stories with unresolved endings and mk12 just abandons that and gives in to repetition again (but also worse repetition in my opinion). but i also must agree i do find some of mk12 a lot more entertaining than all of mk11’s story up to a certain point.

i don’t pay much attention to other fighting games’ stories/not as invested in them as mk so i can’t comment much on that. i just have always found mk’s appeal to be in the lost potential cause mk has A LOT of potential if the story had a bit more care put into them and characters were respected a little more. i guess mk’s repetitiveness can be what makes you enjoy the other games’ story? i think snow blind is a really good example of mk venturing out of the norm and actually exploring a concept that’s already been there (giving kano the role as the main antagonist rather than a big bad we’ve already seen a lot of). idk mk just in general has a lot about it that can make it frustrating to engage with as a story

[sburbian-sage]

Okay, dreamselves are really pissing me off.

When I started playing the game, The concept made sense to me. A version of yourself that's a little more honest to who you are inside, and maybe has some minor anatomical differences, like a trans player having a dream body that matches their gender instead of sex.

Even this kind of annoyed me. There were all kinds of tweaks I wanted to my body that I would call similarly minor, but that didn't show up. But whatever, I guess.

But I have this one lady this session. A Witch of Hope. She has this really complicated instrument that's basically a hunk of junk when she's awake, but she can play it perfectly when she's asleep.

Why?

Because she can apparently just decide to temporarily GROW EXTRA ARMS AS HER DREAMSELF.

What. The. Fuck. WHY is my dreamself not my fursona then, if the changes can be so major? I sure as fuck don't want my current body, I feel at peace when I look at art of how I want to be, I feel like I've imagined the differences in how my muscles would work and so on such that it wouldn't render me useless with dysmorphia...

So why? And for that matter, I can't even replicate the extra arms trick, and apparently it's so easy for her that she can't advise me, she doesn't know how she's doing it.

I checked the glitch FAQ, and it mentions the extra arm thing. Says it's related to your class, and that there's a list of class dreamself differences in chapter 26. There isn't.

I'm a Maid of Heart this session. Is there anything cool my dreamself CAN do? If I roll Witch, will I be able to edit my dream-body freely? Do you happen to have a list like the FAQ implied should exist?

Yeah, the Sburb Glitch FAQ is pretty comprehensive, but between the data errors and GG getting into edit wars with himself, sometimes information gets scrambled. No offense to the guy but I still have the "Title Gender ratios" article archived because it was really fucking funny watching him earnestly trying to dive into the game's math and then it accidentally devolves into like, gender phrenology.

I can't help you with the body image/dysmorphia stuff. Or wanting to become a furry, or whatever it is that's going on here. So I'll just move on to the parts I can help you with.

On the topic of the Witch, first of all you're kind of goofy for asking the Witch to explain how she did something. "Doing weird shit and not explaining how it works" is literally her job. Second of all, if there would be any class particularly adept in doing weird stuff with their dreamself, it would be the cryptical classes. Dreamselves are mildly mutable, and prone to flights of fancy, which gels well with the imperative to complexify and interact with weird, unclear things. In any case, Witches growing extra arms is pretty consistently reported, so that's one mystery solved.

As far as Maids of Heart go, I can't say that I immediately know what "Maid" or "Heart" means for dreamselves (then again, "multiple arms" doesn't exactly scream "this is intuitively a Witch thing" either). But putting that aside, you have the ability to edit your own Heart Thing/Soul/some people call it the "Shine" or "Shiny" but I don't do that. That's literally your sense of self, and while most Heart abilities are turning the Soul into an attack, or applying a temporary effect to it, you can also edit that. Since the Dreamself is a lightly idealized version of yourself, you could try directly editing your own self-image to be closer to what you want to look like. Not a dog, but something else. Of course, that is if you think "plunging my own hand into my chest and doing psychic self-surgery to induce dysmorphia so my dreamself responds to it" is a good idea. Which it probably isn't, but nothing ventured nothing gained.

The dreamself abilities are fundamentally gimmicks though. Walking through walls (pretty sure this is a Void thing even though my first thought is that if anything this should be Space) is a more useful gimmick, but despite every Witch being able to start cosplaying as Asura's Wrath, I haven't seen any Witches incorporate this into their Sick Strats. I imagine either because it's situational (it only works if you need more arms), or because dreamselves act kind of stupid if you don't have a high sleep ratio. Speaking of which, you might unlock or notice any abilities your dreamself has if you improve your sleep ratio, which you can do by improving your sleeping skills, which you can do by, essentially, properly tiring yourself out so you want to get a restful sleep. I'm just frontloading the "it's all gimmicks" statement because you seem weirdly upset about a feature I've never really noticed. I can get the wish fulfillment of your dreamself making you look like The Man Your Man Could Look Like, but temporary extra arms sounds kind of lame.

Oh, and speaking of being upset, if you really want your day ruined, try grabbing a pencil as your dreamself and writing or drawing something. Your dominant hand flips when you're dreaming. Pretty weird, huh?

[alicethemasked]

Alice’s adventures on Cheshire farm. entry 3

hi, it’s been a bit, I stopped hype focusing on Stardew for a bit, but then I saw that a new yandere mod had come out so I decided to continue again, forgot how fun it was.

as always MDI cuz this deals with yandere concepts and while it’s safe for now things are getting well spicy

Spring 8 - year 1

Monday time! A lot has happened since my last entry which is astounding, but I’ve officially lived here for a week! So first thing first, I think I have some character profiles to go through, though really they’re less profiles and me judging them after a week.

Let's start with… Harvey… he hasn’t stopped, it’s unsettling, he talks about our so called passed life all the time, I have decided to just let my sickness fade at the farm because I can not deal with him, the other towns folk have taken notice and agreed to help me avoid him as much as possible, especially Elliot. Speaking of he is an interesting fellow, I often catch him near my farm. I ask him why and he says he’s just enjoying the view. Given that the area around my farm is beautiful I just assume he’s taking a morning walk when he does. 

Ok, now I just feel like a gossip, but to be fair those two are a bit weird. I’ve been trying to make friends, the depressed man is called Shane and he seems prickly, I talked to him once and he just assumed that it was a prank! What has this man gone through to think that, he is also at the saloon drinking every night which worries me… but maybe he just needs a good friend!

Unrelated but there is a notice board that I well… noticed (I’m hilarious I know) and what is asked for on there is usually easy for me to find, so I’ve been helping around and getting small money here and there which is fun because that means I’m not fucking starving. 

Also! First harvest! I never thought Parsnips could taste so good but I guess hard work makes your food taste better, I had some Fish with Parsnips and wild leeks the other day and it is shockingly good. This week has taught me that taking a break from the horrid capitalist dystopia that is Zuzu city was a good idea. I even got to take care of most of the rocks on my farm, still need to deal with weeds and trees but I figured that taking care of the rocks was a good first step, one thing at a time. Also want to save the weeds for if I get animals at some point, might see if Robin can make a silo or something. 

I’ve noticed something a bit uncomfortable, a few of my hoodies have gone missing which I’m not happy with, especially given how Harvey has been acting… but I can hope for now that I just misplaced them somewhere…

Speaking of making me uncomfortable, the shy girl uhm… Penny seems to be more pushy about spending time with me, waxing poetic about the unity of the small town life. I was expecting her to be a lot more shy after our first meeting, but it seems that she’s not a fan of respecting my personal space…

Also? Monsters exist? Like I heard about the dwarves and shadow people war and all that, but you don’t really see them in Zuzu, but the mines opened up and I decided to try my hand I mean I’ve been taking care of the stones on my farm after all, got a few gemstones and some ore, but I’m not going to lie, fighting the slimes and giant bugs in the mines was both exciting and terrifying, I guess I will be venturing more in the future.

Signing out ~ Alice