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artdecosupernova-writing · 1 year ago

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Small Stories Hour: Darkspace Portent

Meet The Cougars or A Perfect Timeline in Practically Every Way

↳ "How am I more anxious about this than you?"

Warren and Thrive had borrowed a silhou dweller from gracious C'o—a smooth and sleek starship to not startle any human who sees it despite it being in stealth and the mirror shields raised once in Earth's orbit. It felt comfortable, the dweller, like the standard of intergalactic living since it was the first vessel Warren had ever set foot within, and the more comfortable he felt about this trip, the better.

Thrive tipped his face in Warren's direction though he couldn't peel his eyes from the navigation portion of the viewscreen telling him their estimated arrival date. "It's the anxiety," he said flatly.

Warren pushed a breath through tight lips and smoothed his palms up his forehead in an effort to soothe himself as he paced the bridge. "I'm only concerned that by going back, we're putting them in danger somehow."

"It's a valid concern. I've considered that possibility myself." Thrive did turn to him then, watching him outlet his nerves with interest. "I wouldn't let danger befall them so carelessly."

"I know." Warren slowed to a stop by Thrive's chair. "It's just…I've had close calls with them before and if I had my way I wouldn't want to ever know what it'd be like to lose them."

Thrive nodded. "They deserve to see you. It's been months."

Taking a seat beside him, Warren exhaled some more anxiety from his body. It didn't work as well as he'd hoped, however. "I am excited to surprise them. Mom's gonna freak and I don't even know how Dad's gonna react. I hope I don't send them into some sort of paralysis."

"The last time they saw you was when you departed from Earth with myself and Sussa, so I definitely suspect your sudden appearance will be a shock at the very least. A pleasant one nonetheless."

"Should I record the reunion somehow?" Warren started to smile at the thought of having footage of his parents uproariously celebrating his unexpected visit. "Do we have a tablet or something I can take with me?"

Thrive opened a small drawer in the console beside him, revealing a stack of handheld devices that looked like small panes of glass with metal caging surrounding the individual units. "One of these should suffice. I'll capture the footage, if you'd prefer."

Warren could hardly sleep that night, his heightened emotions winning out over his exhaustion, which he knew would put a slight damper on his mood later. Even Thrive sending placating feelings through the hand stroking his forehead and hair as they rested wasn't enough.

They made it to Earth's orbit and into the capsule, prepared to make their planetside landing when Warren gripped Thrive's shoulder hard enough to bruise were he anyone else.

"I can't do this," he exclaimed.

"Are you afraid of what they'll think of me?" Thrive asked, turning from the capsule controls to aim a patient expression at Warren. He quirked an eyebrow and gestured to his clothes—jeans and oversized gray hoodie, a major departure from the norm but the only clothes Warren had in his bag that could fit him at all. "Wearing whatever you call this, I'm afraid of what you'll think of me."

Warren blinked at the outfit as if he'd only just realized what it was. "I…I can't formulate the words necessary to describe how I feel about you wearing a hoodie. But, no…" He closed the top of the capsule over their heads. "I know they'll love you. They've been so supportive about my coming out, and they were fine with Brayden…"

"You're not sure what they'll think about you being involved with an alien to the degree that you are."

Warren's face scrunched in worry. "They've had to deal with people making fun of me and saying things like I would be the kid that would enjoy an ass-probing from an alien, and here I am coming home with an alien I enjoy getting an ass-probing from. If they put two and two together—"

The bewildered look from Thrive was only overshadowed by his need to shut him up. "Point made. The solution to that would be to refrain from casually discussing with your parents what you and I do in complete privacy."

"You're right. You're right! It's not their business. They're not even gonna mention it. Why would they? It would be weird and icky and I'd wanna leave immediately."

Thrive flew the capsule into Alaska, farther then into Somerwilde, taking directional cues from Warren pressing his face into the glass to determine where they were in relation to his childhood home. After a half hour of careful yet somewhat discombobulated navigation, Warren pointed ahead.

"Curious," Thrive said, noting the location of the single-level house as he passed over it to stay within cloud cover and to find a secluded place nearby to land. "Farther away from the cabin than I expected."

"Not by choice. If it had been up to Mom and Dad they would've lived as close to Grandma and Grandpa Cougar as they could."

The capsule nestled snugly within a snowy underbrush in the woods about a quarter of a mile away from the house. Warren braced himself for the cold before letting Thrive help him out, and the second his boot crunched against virgin snow, he took a final deep breath to ease his nerves.

Thrive squeezed his hand before pulling away to initiate their trek in the direction of the house. "I have a confession to make."

Warren ducked a tree branch. "You're not really an alien, just a guy impressively skilled in the art of illusion."

"No." Thrive paused, twigs snapping beneath his footfalls. "Your responses are cause for mild alarm today, but that's for later. My confession is that I, too, am anxious about this meeting."

"Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out."

"You're an adult, and you have agency over your life…though hearing about the close relationship you have with your parents is daunting. There may be a part of me that fears what would happen if they do decide that I'm not…"

They emerged from the woods onto the sidewalk of a suburban street very familiar to Warren. Other than a couple of cars going in opposite directions, traffic didn't exist. A few kids played in the snow in front of their houses, building snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other to raucous laughter.

Warren lifted his gaze to Thrive. "I love my parents, and I respect them. But their opinion of you couldn't sway me. I've seen more of your heart and soul than I've ever seen of anyone else. If anything, they'll probably discover at the end of all this that I'm not worthy of you."

Thrive's brow furrowed but he remained silent for the rest of the walk.

—

They stood in front of the 70s-built house and Warren felt an odd wash of peace. Thrive held the silhou device in a hand, awkwardly peering at the front door while Warren glanced up and down the street to determine if any of his mother's neighbor friends had decided to peek out to see what was going on.

Stillness. He almost wished the neighbors were out gossiping.

"Here goes nothing," he sighed. He tapped the silhou device. "I guess you can get this going now."

Thrive raised it, pointing the subtle lens at Warren and pressing a finger to the screen. "Anything you'd like to say for posterity before we face uncertainty?"

Warren sniffed. "It's really not a big deal. It's not like they don't know I went off to live my life with an obhelian. They watched me go."

"I brought an extra comm device for them so you can talk whenever and wherever you are in the galaxy."

Warren's jaw dropped. "I…really?"

"Yes." Thrive met his eyes over the top of the device. "The frequency and connection number are listed on the dweller. All they would have to do is set it somewhere with a good vantage."

The wild thought briefly crossed Warren's mind to delay the visit in order to properly thank Thrive under the tarp of a neighbor's boat parked in a driveway. He looked away and cleared his throat. "That's…awesome. I'm so glad you did that."

"Perhaps it's time," Thrive said gently.

A final nod and a confident stride to the door. Warren knocked on it five times. A stretch of nothing accompanied shortly after by a shuffling within the house until…

A pair of eyes identical to Warren's widened as soon as the door opened. A huge smile, a jovial shout, and large arms clamping around him in a hug so strong it lifted him off of his feet.

"My favorite son!" Argus boomed into the side of Warren's head. "I can't believe it—Hawk! Warren's home!"

"My Bear?!" Hawk shuffled into view, draping a gorgeous hand-woven shawl around her shoulders. She'd been interrupted while brushing her hair, and it hung loose, silver wisps highlighting the rich brown tresses. She stood at the door, dwarfed by both husband and son, yet she drew Warren into a tight embrace as soon as Argus released him. "I didn't think you'd come home! And it's your birthday soon, my boy!"

"C'mon, Mom," Warren said, already home within the scent of his mother's hair. "I'd never leave without coming back. Ever. I promised. Mom, Dad really cannot keep calling me his favorite son. We've been over this."

"I don't know what you're talking about. He didn't say anything like that."

"Mom."

"No, no. It's okay, Baby Bear. My beautiful, quiet Bear."

Argus noticed Thrive at that moment, and he cast a cautiously optimistic smile in his direction. "Hello, welcome," he said. His eyes crinkled at the corners and he beckoned with a hand. "Please, come inside."

Thrive lowered the silhou device and looked at Warren, and a strange emotion passed over his face that Warren found he couldn't decipher. It felt…melancholic. Surprised. Unsure.

"Yeah," Warren said, heart rising into his throat. "I…I've got something to explain to you guys. This is…really gonna rock your shit, I think."

"Please, call me Hawk," she told Thrive as soon as he approached the house. "My husband is Argus. I'm sorry, I don't remember your name."

Warren squeezed into the house along with his father, and Thrive pocketed the device to give Hawk his attention.

"Orthrive'poliea."

"Orthrive'poliea," she echoed slowly, making sure to enunciate every syllable as best she could. "That is beautiful." She ushered him into the living room, where Argus had already settled his massive frame on the couch. "Argus, his name is Orthrive'poliea."

They passed the name back and forth until Argus got it right, and Hawk took a seat next to him, resting a hand on his knee and beaming up at Warren. Warren, on the other hand, turned to Thrive with his hands jammed into the pockets of his coat.

Thrive, previously stuck in an uncharacteristic daze, snapped completely out of it to take control of the situation. "Would you prefer I tell them," he asked.

Warren shook his head. "It's…gotta come from me. I should just say it. I'm just gonna say it." He whirled back around to his parents. "Hey, so. I'm in love with Thrive. I'm way in love with him. We've been in a serious relationship since we left. He's an alien, and I know that's weird to you, probably, but…I don't know. It's happening. This is reality. I'm sorry."

The following silence didn't last as long as Warren thought it would. Argus looked at Hawk, Hawk looked at Argus. They looked at Thrive, then Warren.

"You're…in love with someone from another planet," Hawk asked.

"I appreciate the tact," Thrive said sincerely.

Warren's shoulders sagged as if finally revealing it dropped a physical weight. "I don't think I've ever loved someone more."

Argus draped an arm over the back of the couch behind Hawk. "Right. Are you still gay, then?"

"Considering Thrive's the one who made me realize I'm gay, yeah, I'd say I'm still pretty fucking gay, Dad."

"You had me fooled with the way you'd go on about your colleague…what was his name? Freddy?"

"I'm gonna actually pass away right here on your living room floor," Warren exclaimed.

"I'm almost done with dinner," Hawk said suddenly, springing from the couch. "There's enough to feed the both of you as well! Your father brought home a really nice goose—"

"Mom," Warren interrupted. "Can you address this, please?"

Hawk stopped in front of the doorway into the kitchen. She hesitated, her hand on the wall. "I'd like to discuss this in private for a moment, Bear."

Warren followed her into the kitchen, uneasy within the heat emanating from the oven. He watched her take a sponge from the sink and wipe down the counters, busywork intended to absorb her own emotions until she could verbalize them.

"You know I love and support you no matter what. You're my son, and I can't lose you along with your brother and sister. I support you. I accept you happily." She looked into Warren's eyes. "I just want to know if you feel that you're strong enough for this. I want to know from you that you're not second-guessing yourself."

Warren felt a surge of emotion sting his chest and he set his jaw. When he spoke, his voice wavered. "Thrive makes me strong."

"You are strong." Hawk threw the sponge back into the sink, but the gesture didn't carry anger or even disappointment with it. Frustration, possibly. Long-suffering and loving. "Damn it, Warren Levi. You are the strongest man I've ever known. Act like it. Own yourself."

That command punched Warren in the sternum and he found he'd gripped the edge of the counter in a knuckle-breaking grip. "I wanna spend the rest of my life with him."

"Mean it."

Conviction seized Warren's throat. "I wanna spend the rest of my life with him, Mom."

Hawk took his face in her hands, breaking into a wide, teary smile. Her sepia eyes sparkled with mirth. "There he is. There's my Bear." She wrapped her arms around him again. "I love you so much."

Warren let her hold him until the oven timer went off, after which they parted to wipe their eyes and finish making dinner. Argus joined Hawk in the kitchen out of sight and Thrive sent Warren a questioning tilt of the head as soon as he caught his reddened eyes.

"Nothing," Warren said, grinning. "She was threatening to show you my embarrassing childhood pictures."

Thrive observed his face as he moved closer. "I don't think that's entirely true, but I won't push for now."

"It's alright." Warren pressed his fingers into the back of Thrive's neck. "It's good. I'm okay."

Thrive felt the relief and happiness Warren broadcasted through their touch and allowed the subject to rest.

After dinner, during which Argus kept shifting his eyes Thrive's way and asking relentless but inoffensive questions, and Hawk harangued Warren for information about how much he ate on any given day, Thrive presented the Cougars with the small tablet from his pocket.

"Warren can call you from anywhere in the Milky Way," he explained, leaning across the kitchen table to show Argus and Hawk the device. "You don't have to worry about anything. The call will come through, and all you have to do is tap here to establish the connection."

Argus took the tablet, peering at it through the lenses of the glasses he perched on the bridge of his nose as Hawk placed a hand on Thrive's arm.

"Warren is the only child that still talks to me," she said. "Other than my husband, he's all I have left. You must keep him safe."

Thrive rested his hand on top of hers and gathered his thoughts. He grew somber, honest. "I've…lost children. I understand your concern. Warren's safe with me. I've sworn myself to an oath so I could protect him at all costs."

Hawk seemed satisfied with those words. "I will hold you to that."

They arranged to stay the night and Warren stepped outside to get some air before he had to return to help clean up. He watched the sky, the vapor of his breath leaving his lungs and fading into the freezing breeze, and snickered to himself as he heard the door open and close again behind him before Thrive stepped into his periphery.

"This must be wildly uncomfortable for you," Warren said.

"I've gone through much worse." Thrive handed him a wrapped gift, silvery paper reflecting the dying sunlight. "Your parents got this for you. They apparently wanted to hold onto it in case you never returned."

Warren took the rectangular box and tore the paper off, lifted the top to reveal a beautiful baleen and turquoise ring. He removed it from the box, turning it, admiring the blue-green band around the middle.

"Give me your hand," he said. Thrive held out a hand to him, and he sized it against each finger before slipping it onto the ring finger. "If it doesn't feel right, you can take it off. I know you like having your hands free at all times."

Thrive stared at it for a while. Lifted it to his face, inspected every inch of it. The corner of his mouth turned upward. "Is this a proposal?"

Warren laughed. Then he stopped laughing. He faced Thrive, eyebrows creeping toward his hairline. "…Yeah."

Thrive didn't appear to be blown away by that revelation. "Twist my arm," he murmured.

"I don't really think I have to."

With a smile like he knew something Warren didn't, Thrive exhaled and gazed onto the horizon. "No, you don't. You have me wrapped around your little finger, th'saiya, and you take fewer pleasures in life than reminding me of this fact at every waking moment."

"If it makes you feel any better, I can show you those childhood pictures. I think there's a few of my DIY haircut and snipped ear."

They stood in silence. Then, his words buried inside a deep chuckle, Thrive broke the peace.

"Your father showed me when you were in the kitchen."

#small stories hour #Darkspace Portent #pair: Sun & Moon #repost

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thespianwordnerd · 3 years ago

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No but it still blows my mind that Star Trek TOS predicted so many types of technology that we actually use now. Communicators are basically flip phones, and they were futuristic in TOS but now they're already old fashioned. Viewscreens are just like facetime, and newer series like discovery use holograms because they feel more futuristic than facetime to us now. Uhura wears an earpiece something like Bluetooth headphones. Padds are the kind of handheld devices that all of us use and take for granted now. They talk to the ship's computer the same way we can talk to Siri, Google or Alexa..... sometimes I watch TOS or TNG and realise how easy it is to forget this stuff used to be theoretical when you've grown up with parts of it being everyday reality. And I bet in 50 years the new technology will be outdated again. Anyway this is why watching old sci fi that has to keep up with advances in science and technology to be futuristic is fun idk

#star trek tos #star trek #james kirk #spock #tos spock #science fiction #technology #to steal Spock's word #it's fascinating #and kinda unnerving but progress i guess #can we get holodecks next please

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spacetimewraithwrites-archive · 3 years ago

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Meet the Cougars

or A Perfect Timeline in Practically Every Way

Happy birthday, Warren (6.1.2016)!

***

“How am I more anxious about this than you?”

Warren and Thrive had borrowed a silhou dweller from gracious C’o—a smooth and sleek starship to not startle any human who sees it despite it being in stealth and the mirror shields raised once in Earth’s orbit. It felt comfortable, the dweller, like the standard of intergalactic living since it was the first vessel Warren had ever set foot within, and the more comfortable he felt about this trip, the better.

Thrive tipped his face in Warren’s direction though he couldn’t peel his eyes from the navigation portion of the viewscreen telling him their estimated arrival date. “It’s the anxiety,” he said flatly.

Warren pushed a breath through tight lips and smoothed his palms up his forehead in an effort to soothe himself as he paced the bridge. “I’m only concerned that by going back, we’re putting them in danger somehow.”

“It’s a valid concern. I’ve considered that possibility myself.” Thrive did turn to him then, watching him outlet his nerves with interest. “I wouldn’t let danger befall them so carelessly.”

“I know.” Warren slowed to a stop by Thrive’s chair. “It’s just...I’ve had close calls with them before and if I had my way I wouldn’t want to ever know what it’d be like to lose them.”

Thrive nodded. “They deserve to see you. It’s been months.”

Taking a seat beside him, Warren exhaled some more anxiety from his body. It didn’t work as well as he’d hoped, however. “I am excited to surprise them. Mom’s gonna freak and I don’t even know how Dad’s gonna react. I hope I don’t send them into some sort of paralysis.”

“The last time they saw you was when you departed from Earth with myself and Sussa, so I definitely suspect your sudden appearance will be a shock at the very least. A pleasant one nonetheless.”

“Should I record the reunion somehow?” Warren started to smile at the thought of having footage of his parents uproariously celebrating his unexpected visit. “Do we have a tablet or something I can take with me?”

Thrive opened a small drawer in the console beside him, revealing a stack of handheld devices that looked like small panes of glass with metal caging surrounding the individual units. “One of these should suffice. I’ll capture the footage, if you’d prefer.”

They made it to Earth’s orbit and into the capsule, prepared to make their planetside landing when Warren gripped Thrive’s shoulder hard enough to bruise were he anyone else.

“I can’t do this,” he exclaimed.

“Are you afraid of what they’ll think of me?” Thrive asked, turning from the capsule controls to aim a patient expression at Warren. He quirked an eyebrow and gestured to his clothes—jeans and oversized gray hoodie, a major departure from the norm but the only clothes Warren had in his bag that could fit him at all. “Wearing whatever you call this, I’m afraid of what you’ll think of me.”

Warren blinked at the outfit as if he’d only just realized what it was. “I...I can’t formulate the words necessary to describe how I feel about you wearing a hoodie. But, no....” He closed the top of the capsule over their heads. “I know they’ll love you. They’ve been so supportive about my coming out, and they were fine with Brayden....”

“You’re not sure what they’ll think about you being involved with an alien to the degree that you are.”

Warren’s face scrunched in worry. “They’ve had to deal with people making fun of me and saying things like I would be the kid that would enjoy an ass-probing from an alien, and here I am coming home with an alien I enjoy getting an ass-probing from. If they put two and two together—”

The bewildered look from Thrive was only overshadowed by his need to shut him up. “Point made. The solution to that would be to refrain from casually discussing with your parents what you and I do in complete privacy.”

“You’re right. You’re right! It’s not their business. They’re not even gonna mention it. Why would they? It would be weird and icky and I’d wanna leave immediately.”

“Curious,” Thrive said, noting the location of the single-level house as he passed over it to stay within cloud cover and to find a secluded place nearby to land. “Farther away from the cabin than I expected.”

“Not by choice. If it had been up to Mom and Dad they would’ve lived as close to Grandma and Grandpa Cougar as they could.”

The capsule nestled snug within snowy underbrush in the woods about a quarter of a mile away from the house. Warren braced himself for the cold before letting Thrive help him out, and the second his boot crunched against virgin snow, he took a final deep breath to ease his nerves.

Thrive squeezed his hand before pulling away to initiate their trek in the direction of the house. “I have a confession to make.”

Warren ducked a tree branch. “You’re not really an alien, just a guy impressively skilled in the art of illusion.”

“No.” Thrive paused, twigs snapping beneath his footfalls. “Your responses are cause for mild alarm today, but that’s for later. My confession is that I, too, am anxious about this meeting.”

“Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”

“You’re an adult, and you have agency over your life...though hearing about the close relationship you have with your parents is daunting. There may be a part of me that fears what would happen if they do decide that I’m not....”

They emerged from the woods onto the sidewalk of a suburban street very familiar to Warren. Other than a couple of cars going in opposite directions, traffic didn’t exist. A few kids played in the snow in front of their houses, building snowmen and throwing snowballs at each other to raucous laughter.

Warren lifted his gaze to Thrive. “I love my parents, and I respect them. But their opinion of you couldn’t sway me. I’ve seen more of your heart and soul than I’ve ever seen of anyone else. If anything, they’ll probably discover at the end of all this that I’m not worthy of you.”

Thrive’s brow furrowed but he remained silent for the rest of the walk.

***

They stood in front of the 70s-built house and Warren felt an odd wash of peace. Thrive held the silhou device in a hand, awkwardly peering at the front door while Warren glanced up and down the street to determine if any of his mother’s neighbor friends had decided to peek out to see what was going on.

Stillness. He almost wished the neighbors were out gossiping.

“Here goes nothing,” he sighed. He tapped the silhou device. “I guess you can get this going now.”

Thrive raised it, pointing the subtle lens at Warren and pressing a finger to the screen. “Anything you’d like to say for posterity before we face uncertainty?”

Warren sniffed. “It’s really not a big deal. It’s not like they don’t know I went off to live my life with an obhelian. They watched me go.”

“I brought an extra comm device for them so you can talk whenever and wherever you are in the galaxy.”

Warren’s jaw dropped. “I...really?”

“Yes.” Thrive met his eyes over the top of the device. “The frequency and connection number are listed on the dweller. All they would have to do is set it somewhere with a good vantage.”

The wild thought briefly crossed Warren’s mind to delay the visit in order to properly thank Thrive under the tarp of a neighbor’s boat parked in a driveway. He looked away and cleared his throat. “That’s...awesome. I’m so glad you did that.”

“Perhaps it’s time,” Thrive said gently.

A final nod and a confident stride to the door. Warren knocked on it five times. A stretch of nothing accompanied shortly after by a shuffling within the house until....

A pair of eyes identical to Warren’s widened as soon as the door opened. A huge smile, a jovial shout, and large arms clamping around him in a hug so strong it lifted him off of his feet.

“My favorite son!” Argus boomed into the side of Warren’s head. “I can’t believe it—Hawk! Warren’s home!”

“My Bear?!” Hawk shuffled into view, draping a gorgeous hand-woven shawl around her shoulders. She’d been interrupted while brushing her hair, and it hung loose, silver wisps highlighting the rich brown tresses. She stood at the door, dwarfed by both husband and son, yet she drew Warren into a tight embrace as soon as Argus released him. “I didn’t think you’d come home! And it’s your birthday soon, my boy!”

“C’mon, Mom,” Warren said, already home within the scent of his mother’s hair. “I’d never leave without coming back. Ever. I promised. Mom, Dad really cannot keep calling me his favorite son. We’ve been over this.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. He didn’t say anything like that.”

“Mom.”

“No, no. It’s okay, Baby Bear. My beautiful, quiet Bear.”

Argus noticed Thrive at that moment, and he cast a cautiously optimistic smile in his direction. “Hello, welcome,” he said. His eyes crinkled at the corners and he beckoned with a hand. “Please, come inside.”

Thrive lowered the silhou device and looked at Warren, and a strange emotion passed over his face that Warren found he couldn’t decipher. It felt...melancholic. Surprised. Unsure.

“Yeah,” Warren said, heart rising into his throat. “I...I’ve got something to explain to you guys. This is...really gonna rock your shit, I think.”

“Please, call me Hawk,” she told Thrive as soon as he approached the house. “My husband is Argus. I’m sorry, I don’t remember your name.”

Warren squeezed into the house along with his father, and Thrive pocketed the device to give Hawk his attention.

“Orthrive’poliea.”

“Orthrive’poliea,” she said slowly, making sure to enunciate every syllable as best she could. “That is beautiful.” She ushered him into the living room, where Argus had already settled his massive frame on the couch. “Argus, his name is Orthrive’poliea.”

Thrive, previously stuck in an uncharacteristic daze, snapped completely out of it to take control of the situation. “Would you prefer I tell them,” he asked.

Warren shook his head. “It’s...gotta come from me. I should just say it. I’m just gonna say it.” He whirled back around to his parents. “Hey, so. I’m in love with Thrive. I’m way in love with him. We’ve been in a serious relationship since we left. He’s an alien, and I know that’s weird to you, probably, but...I don’t know. It’s happening. This is reality. I’m sorry.”

The following silence didn’t last as long as Warren thought it would. Argus looked at Hawk, Hawk looked at Argus. They looked at Thrive, then Warren.

“You’re...in love with someone from another planet,” Hawk asked.

“I appreciate the tact,” Thrive said sincerely.

Warren’s shoulders sagged as if finally revealing it dropped a physical weight. “I don’t think I’ve ever loved someone more.”

Argus draped an arm over the back of the couch behind Hawk. “Right. Are you still gay, then?”

“That’s not really...I mean, it’s...yeah, Dad. Yeah, still gay as hell.”

“I’m not familiar with things like this. I don’t know how it works when someone’s with someone from another gender, let alone another planet.”

“I’m almost done with dinner,” Hawk said suddenly, springing from the couch. “There’s enough to feed the both of you as well! Your father brought home a really nice goose—”

“Mom,” Warren interrupted. “Can you address this, please?”

Hawk stopped in front of the doorway into the kitchen and regarded Warren. She hesitated, her hand on the wall. “I’d like to discuss this in private for a moment, Bear.”

Warren followed her into the kitchen, uneasy under the heat emanating from the oven. He watched her take a sponge from the sink and wipe down the counters, busywork intended to absorb her own emotions until she could verbalize them.

“You know I love and support you no matter what. You’re my son, and I can’t lose you along with your brother and sister. I support you. I accept you happily.” She looked into Warren’s eyes. “I just want to know if you feel that you’re strong enough for this. I want to know from you that you’re not second-guessing yourself.”

Warren felt a surge of emotion sting his chest and he set his jaw. When he spoke, his voice wavered. “Thrive makes me strong.”

“You are strong.” Hawk threw the sponge back into the sink, but the gesture didn’t carry anger or even disappointment with it. Frustration, possibly. Long-suffering and loving. “Damn it, Warren Levi. You are the strongest man I’ve ever known. Act like it. Own yourself.”

That command punched Warren in the sternum and he found he’d gripped the edge of the counter in a knuckle-breaking grip. “I wanna spend the rest of my life with him.”

“Mean it.”

Conviction seized Warren’s throat. “I wanna spend the rest of my life with him, Mom.”

Hawk took his face in her hands, breaking into a wide, teary smile. Her sepia eyes sparkled with mirth. “There he is. There’s my Bear.” She wrapped her arms around him again. “I love you so much.”

“Nothing,” Warren said, grinning. “She was threatening to show you my embarrassing childhood pictures.”

Thrive observed his face as he moved closer. “I don’t think that’s entirely true, but I won’t push for now.”

“It’s alright.” Warren pressed his fingers into the back of Thrive’s neck. “It’s good. I’m okay.”

Thrive felt the relief and happiness Warren broadcasted through their touch and allowed the subject to rest.

After dinner, during which Argus kept shifting his eyes Thrive’s way and asking relentless but inoffensive questions, and Hawk harangued Warren for information about how much he ate on any given day, Thrive presented the Cougars with the small tablet from his pocket.

“Warren can call you from anywhere in the Milky Way,” he explained, leaning across the kitchen table to show Argus and Hawk the device. “You don’t have to worry about anything. The call will come through, and all you have to do is tap here to establish the connection.”

Argus took the tablet, peering at it through the lenses of the glasses he perched on the bridge of his nose as Hawk placed a hand on Thrive’s arm.

“Warren is the only child that still talks to me,” she said. “Other than my husband, he’s all I have left. You must keep him safe.”

Thrive rested his hand on top of hers and gathered his thoughts. He grew somber, honest. “I’ve...lost children. I understand your concern. Warren’s safe with me. I’ve sworn myself to an oath so I could protect him at all costs.”

Hawk seemed satisfied at those words. “I will hold you to that.”

“This must be wildly uncomfortable for you,” Warren said.

“I’ve gone through much worse.” Thrive handed him a wrapped gift, silvery paper reflecting the dying sunlight. “Your parents got this for you. They apparently wanted to hold onto it in case you never returned.”

“Give me your hand,” he said. Thrive held out a hand to him, and he sized it against each finger before slipping it onto the ring finger. “If it doesn’t feel right, you can take it off. I know you like having your hands free at all times.”

Thrive stared at it for a while. Lifted it to his face, inspected every inch of it. The corner of his mouth turned upward. “Is this a proposal?”

Warren laughed. Then he stopped laughing. He faced Thrive, eyebrows creeping toward his hairline. “...Yeah.”

Thrive didn’t appear to be blown away by that revelation. “Twist my arm,” he murmured.

“I don’t really think I have to.”

With a smile like he knew something Warren didn’t, Thrive exhaled and gazed onto the horizon. “No, you don’t. You have me wrapped around your little finger, th’saiya, and you take fewer pleasures in life than reminding me of this fact at every waking moment.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I can show you those childhood pictures. I think there’s a few of my DIY haircut and snipped ear.”

They stood in silence. Then, his words buried inside a deep chuckle, Thrive broke the peace.

“Your father showed me when you were in the kitchen.”

#WLC Birthday 2021 #WLC Birthday #profile: Warren #I know this timeline wouldn't work for a few reasons #but it's fun to write so I'm allowing some creative liberties here lmao #also it's kinda rushed so it's not as good as it could be I think

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nshoward-blog · 5 years ago

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Praxton 3, The Proposal

Praxton 3 The Proposal Jennifer isn’t sure what to do of a proposal from an old boyfriend, living on a distant world. To accept it would mean living on another world and wearing a collar.

Melange Books: http://www.melange-books.com/authors/nshoward/nshowardpraxton3.html

Amazon.com https://www.amazon.com/Proposal-Praxton-Book-3-ebook/dp/B004W8E8WC

Melvin Taylor crossed the living room and into the kitchen, yawning. He still needed to finish dressing, wearing only a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, but needed a coffee before he did much more to get ready for the day. Helena looked at him as he grunted, “Good morning,” and quickly moved to pour him a cup of coffee. “Good morning, Master Melvin. How are you today?” She gazed at him with a small smile. Unlike him, she was wide-awake and fully dressed in her black dress uniform. While her uniform wasn’t as revealing as most Praxton dresses, it was still short. In keeping with Praxton customs, she was also braless and wore high heels. Although she was employed as a housekeeper, her collar indicated she had Melvin as a guardian. Helena looked thirty by using therapy drugs, but she was almost twice that age and had decided she would rather do housekeeping duties than be a Master’s female. “Tired...” He realized the smile may be due to his lack of underwear and the partially open fly of Praxton style pants. He took the cup of coffee from her and looked at the kitchen table and chairs. He heard her give the slightest clearing of her throat and walked out to the dining room with his coffee to sit. Melvin was still learning how to act on Praxton and Helena gave him the hint he needed that the Master did not normally sit in the kitchen. When he became a Praxton citizen, he selected two females to live with him, believing they could take care of his home while he was away and provide companionship when he was home. He quickly learned it was more complicated than that. He followed the advice of his friends and hired a housekeeper who had taught him what he should and should not be doing as a Master. A minute later Helena brought him toast. “The females should be getting up soon, Master Melvin. Would you like me to set out some clothes for you to wear before they come downstairs?” Melvin gave a grin. “In other words, I better be suitably dressed before they see me.” “It is the Praxton way.” He nodded. “Thanks for your help.” He recalled some of her other advice that she had quietly given him over the past few months, and some of the more direct advice she had told him. “The females need discipline, Master Melvin. They must have boundaries and know there are consequences of not behaving.” Later she insisted he set up a discipline room, and though it was rarely used, it had stopped much of their poor behaviour. Helena had asked permission to administer discipline as she saw fit. After he granted her that additional responsibility, he saw a marked improvement in the household. He finished his toast, and after Helena refilled his coffee, headed upstairs to his room to get dressed, passing the glass-walled shower room for the females. He looked in and saw Celestia. The tall blonde was slowly massaging soap over her body. Melvin watched as she slowly turned to face him. She gave him a smile as the soap dripped off her medium-sized breasts. Melvin raised his eyebrows and continued on to his room. He sighed and wondered if leaving today was such a good idea after all. He opened the door to the master bedroom and saw Aatun sitting up in his bed, the bed covers concealing her to her knees. The brunette was shorter than Celestia, but still had a curvy body with slightly larger breasts. “Hi, Aatun.” “Good morning, Master Melvin.” “I guess I better let you get up.” He reached the foot of the bed and unlatched the chain to her ankle cuff holding her captive to the bed. “Thank you. I want to look good before you leave.” She gave him a kiss and walked slowly out of the room, her hips gently swaying. He looked at the door several seconds after she had left and began to get ready. Melvin had been born on Earth; was average in height but muscular, partly due to his work as a geologist. His friends nicknamed him Hairy Hercules. He walked to his bathroom and stood in front of the viewscreen, dragging a comb through his black hair. “Last shave for a few days.” He picked up the electric razor, mentally listing the things he had to do today, knowing he wouldn’t have a second chance to do things out in the Keswick region of Praxton. After he finished dressing he headed downstairs, satisfied he hadn’t forgotten anything. * * * * Melvin relaxed in the living room, checking the latest weather reports on his handheld when first Aatun, and then Celestia came to him after walking downstairs. Aatun was wearing a skirt and an open cloth vest. A chain dangled in the opening that Melvin surmised was attached to a pair of nipple jewellery. Celestia was wearing a dress made of a soft white material that made it obvious she was not wearing anything else. Both women wore a collar that matched their ankle and wrist cuffs, although Aatun left her black metal restraints unattached. Celestia wore blue faux-leather restraints, plus a waist chain where five gold chains went to each cuff and the collar. “Hello, Celestia, Aatun.” “Hello, Master Melvin,” they replied in unison. They approached him slowly and knelt in front of him. Melvin looked at them and then at Helena and raised his eyebrows. “I’m going to miss you two.”

#books and libraries #science fiction #Praxton collared slaves romance

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2nd-rate-film-school · 7 years ago

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Hi! I'm a high schooler with a passion for film who hasn't actually filmed anything yet. I'm planning to get started by just filming stuff and gaining experience over time. I want to buy gear (camera, lights, etc) so I can get started but it's an expensive investment and I'm unsure what I should get. Do you have any ways to figure out which gear is good for me?

Hello @jeffreydahmerofficial

There are lots of options when it comes to gear and it can be a bit of an investment. So I have put together a starter kit with some gear breakdowns, recommendations, and prices. The prices listed are if you are purchasing brand new equipment. You can most likely find used equipment or older models that work just as well for a lower price. In addition, some miscellaneous gear you can make yourself (dollies, steadicams, light bars…), if you are willing and able to put in the time and effort.

Film Gear Starter Kit

Cameras

DSLR - digital cameras are great starter cameras because they are cheaper, small, maneuverable, and produce good quality videos. You can even buy older models to reduce the price and still get good quality (You can also buy used.) Canon and Nikon are good cameras as are some Sonys, but I am partial to Canons. When purchasing, pay special attention to if you are purchasing the camera with or without a lens and what type of lens (I recommend a zoom to start out.)

Some good DSLRs:

Nikon D3300 ($350-500) - great quality image for a relatively low price. A lens is included, so you don’t have to worry about finding one separately.

Canon EOS Rebel T5 ($350-450) - any of the rebel cameras are good, but being newer (but not the newest model) the T5 is a great choice. It has decent low-light capabilities and comes with a zoom lens.

Nikon D5300 ($400-500) - with a better sensor, and a bit more customization opions, this Nikon is a step up from the D3300 with very little change in price.

Canon EOS 6D ($1,200-1,600) - a good substitute for the more expensive 5D Mark III. For the price jump, you get much higher image processing quality and great low-light capabilities.

Canon EOS 80D ($750-1,000) - much like the 6D, it has great low-light capabilities and great image quality, plus a maneuverable viewscreen

Camcorder - In terms of video quality, DSLRs can offer the same image quality as a camcorder at a much lower price. However, camcorders have a lot to offer as well. They have much longer recording time andare built for video, so it is much easier to hold one for long periods of time, despite DSLRs being lighter. They also have built in XLR inputs and neutral density filters, which means camcorder will automatically properly expose your footage without changing the frame rate. (Bonus: They look professional, which is helpful when working freelance.)

Some good camcorders:

Canon XA30 ($1,300-2,000) - a professional/semi-professional camcorder that is easy to use, has good low-light capabilities, a touch screen, and is relatively inexpensive for a camcorder.

Sony HXR NX100 ($1,500-2,000) - an entry-level professional camcorder that has HD quality video, good low-light capabilities, 2 XLR inputs, and 3 focus rings. It’s comparable to the more expensive Canon XF200.

Canon VIXIA GX10 ($2,500-3,000) - a “consumer” camera with professional video quality, this camcorder shoots in 4K. While it lacks some pro features, such as the XLR port, it is very portable and has optical zoom, a touch screen, (You can also get a nice kit that includes a mic, cables, backpack case, LED lights, memory card, and more for under $2,700.)

Canon XF300 ($3,000-4,000) - a professional camcorder great for run-and-gun as well as on a shoulder mount. It has a slightly larger, rotating viewscreen, 2 XLR ports, full manual and full auto modes, built in ND filters, and more.

Misc. Camera Gear

Tripod ($20-200) - a staple for any filmmaker. You can get cheap, lightweight ones for about $20. I recommend investing in something sturdier, so you don’t risk having your camera fall over because of a flimsy tripod.

This a vanguard tripod that is good for DSLRs. It’s lightweight and small, which is great for traveling, but it also can’t support heavier cameras, so when purchasing, look at the load to see if it can support the weight of your camera. You can find Vanguard tripods and similar brands for under $50, but some run a little higher.

This is an example of a heavy duty tripod with a fluid head for easy maneuvering. These tripods are extremely sturdy and can easily support the weight of camcorders and higher-end cameras. You can get a good one of these for around $150-$200.

Cases/Bags ($30-60) - get cases for everything: cameras, microphones, lighting, tripods, etc. You invested a lot into your gear. It is worth it to spend a little more to protect it and keep everything in good condition.

SD cards ($25-50) - I recommend 32GB or higher and make sure they are higher class cards. Otherwise, some cards may stop recording automatically with DSLRs because they can’t keep up with the writing speed.

Steadicam ($30-150) - professional steadicams are much more expensive, but you can find cheap and effective ones for DSLRs relatively easily. They give a cleaner handheld look that improves the look of your film immensely. They even have steadicams for smartphones!

Pictured Above: Roxant Pro Steadicam

Pictured Above: Ceari VILTROX WD-Z Steadicam

Microphones

Shotgun mic - a staple of you want good (or even decent) sound for your film. Unfortunately, a good mic is easily as expensive as a DSLR and requires more gear. With a shotgun mic, you need to also purchase an XLR cable, shockmount, and windscreen. Often it’s cheaper to purchase a kit rather than buy these separately.

Some recommended shotgun mics:

Rode VideoMic ($100-200) - A lower-end shotgun mic meant to be mounted directly onto a DSLR. It has decent quality sound, doesn’t need an XLR cable, has a built in shockmount, and is relatively cheap.

Audio-Technica AT875R ($150-200) - a cheaper semi-pro microphone that requires an XLR cable and phantom power. It’s smaller and has a wider pickup range, making it a good on-camera solution. It can also be mounted on a boom pole or stand. It is better for studio and indoor recording. Although it’s much cheaper, it holds its own against the Sennheiser MKE 600.

Sennheiser MKE 600 ($300-400) - powered by battery or phantom power, this is a good, well-rounded mic.

Rode NTG3 or NTG4 ($350-550) - the NTG series is very popular in the filmmaking world. While NTG3 is arguably better, the NTG4 is cheaper and still produces very good quality sound.

Lav mics - great for wide shots, interviews, outdoor audio and as second audio source. You can hide these guys relatively easily when booming is not an option. The great thing about lavalier microphones is they are relatively inexpensive and you can get good sound with a really cheap lav.

Some recommended lav mics:

Neewer 3.5mm ($5-10) - a super cheap lav that’s great for buying in bulk. It’s a bit harder to hide, but works great for interview videos.

Sony ECMCS3 ($15-30) - this is a sensitive, durable, and inexpensive lav that picks up sound from both sides.

Rode Smartlav+ ($50-70) - this practical, high quality lav hooks up directly to your smartphone, external recorder, or camera.

Sennheiser EW 100 ENG G3 ($700-800) - if you are willing to spend more, these are some of the best wireless lavaliers. They have great quality and can be easily hidden.

External Sound Recorders - crucial if you plan on moving your microphone far away from the camera. Booming is usually done using external sound, meaning the mic is hooked up to an external recorder rather than the actual camera. The sound is synced in post. (That’s why we have a clapper!)

Some recommended Sound Recorders:

Zoom H1 ($50-100) - One of the first Zoom recorders, this is one of the cheapest and most basic options. It’s compatible with micro SD cards, battery operated and has a built-in omni-directional mic.

Zoom H4N Pro ($150-200) - one of the most popular and highest rated external recorders, it’s well worth the investment. It has 4-channel recording, a larger screen, easy navigation, 4 hour battery life, and a built-in omni-directional mic. (I personally recommend this one.)

Tascam DR-40 ($150-200) - with a 15 hour battery life, this 4-channel recorder is a good rival to the Zoom H4N, but it’s extra features make it slightly more expensive.

Misc. Sound Gear

Boom pole ($100-300)- sound quality improves immensely when you are able to put the mic closer to the subject rather than mounting in on the camera. You can get a pole with the cord built in or without, which is slightly cheaper. (Full disclosure: I’ve used a monopod as a mini boom pole before. Not great, but it got the job done. This guy even turned a light stand into a boom pole.)

Headphones ($100-200) - specialized or noise-cancelling headphones so you can clearly hear the audio you are capturing on set and while editing. Earbuds work, but they are far from ideal.

Deadcat ($20-30) - minimizes wind noise, very helpful for outdoor shoots. Available for both shotgun mics and lavs. You can easily get this used for under $15, but new ones are more expensive.

Lighting

Lighting is necessary on bigger shoots, but for freelance and beginners, you rarely have your own lighting outside of a studio. Lights are expensive and most of the time, you won’t be able to use them without a crew (especially outdoors). When you do use them, you will most likely be much more experienced and either working for a company with lighting equipment, or running your own company.

I recommend purchasing a cheap photography lighting set to have some lights, but wait to invest in higher end lighting. A cheap lighting + green screen kit can cost around $100-200(I personally have 2 cheap umbrella lights and while I like them, I rarely use them.) That being said, below are some common types of lights and their general price ranges. Professional brands include: Arri, Lowel, KinoFlo, Limelite, and Ikan.

Softbox/Umbrella Lights ($200-550) - used mostly in studios and photography, they give off, you guessed it, soft light and have florescent bulbs. These are great when you need a quick light source, they are lightweight, and don’t easily overheat.

Can Lights ($500-1,000) - these are the classic lights you see on film sets. They can get very hot, but they are small, lightweight, bright, easy to assemble, and you can use diffusers, filters, and gels to customize the light.

LEDs ($1,000-2,000) - LED lights are the most expensive but also the most useful. They allow you to easily dim the light and change the temperature and they don’t overheat or use as much power.

Misc. Lighting Gear

Gloves ($30-40) - lights get hot and when you need to maneuver them up close, it’s safe to have heat-resistant gloves. Set-specific gloves are more expensive, but you can find cheaper options elsewhere that work just as well.

Bounce board ($5-10) - these can replace a fill light and help add a little more light to your scene without purchasing an expensive and bulky light. You can get collapsible reflector disc with white, silver, and/or gold for the price listed. Poster-board is another cheap alternative.

Gels, diffusers, and dimmers ($20-30) - If you don’t have an LED light, you can modify the color of a light source with gels. They work on any light source from industrial lights to household lamps and are very handy and inexpensive. (The price listed is for a kit of all of these products, but you can buy sheets of any of these for just a few dollars.)

Gaffers Tape ($5-10) - heat resistant and doesn’t leave residue. Gaff tape is used for just about everything on set from lighting, to setting marks, to taping down cords, to labeling.

I hope this helped and didn’t overwhelm you too much! Just a reminder: these are just some options based on what I see used in the industry. There is plenty of gear out there and plenty of cheaper solutions and substitutes for some gear. As always, it’s the filmmaker, not the gear that makes a good movie (but getting good gear is always nice!)

Best,

Jules

#ask box #my filmmaking tips #film gear #film equipment #cameras #microphones #lighting #lights #production #camera department #sound department #g&e

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