#household training tools

[onefite]

The Best Home Fitness Equipment: A Complete Review

Introduction The popularity of home workouts has been steadily growing, especially in recent years. With busy schedules, limited time, and the convenience of exercising from the comfort of your own home, it’s no wonder that more and more people are opting for home fitness equipment. But with such a wide range of options available in the market today, choosing the right equipment can be a…

[liyazaki]

via the Arkansas Advocate

it’s official: in Arkansas, library staff may now be charged with a Class D felony for providing books to their communities that are deemed “obscene”.

in Florida, school librarians and teachers can be criminally charged for checking out books to kids that dare to touch on LGBTQ topics & gender identity, thanks to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill.

book censorship in the US is at such an all-time high, book sanctuaries are popping up all over the country.

library staff aren’t physically safe, either. just over the past couple months, threats against libraries and their staff resulted in the temporary closure of “five public library systems due to bomb and shooting threats," ALA. active shooter trainings have become the new norm for me.

the censorship myself and my colleagues have been watching unfold over the last several years has felt like watching a slow-motion car crash.

but this bill? this feels like a death knell for my profession.

via Teen Vogue

when I was a confused queer kid growing up in an ultra-religious household, the library was my refuge. when I asked hard questions, librarians listened and gave me the tools I needed to answer them. in many ways, libraries saved my life. it's why I became a librarian.

I can't believe I'm living in times where future generations of kids may not have access to the same refuge I did, but it's happening.

if you live in the US and you care about protecting open, equitable access to information, please check out the American Library Association for anti-censorship resources in your state, info on contacting your representatives, etc.

you can also report censorship you see in your community and ALA will investigate (1-800-545-2433, ext. 4266; oif@ala.org).

I know this isn't my usual content, but libraries are standing on the edge of a horrifying precipice- one we can't escape on our own.

libraries are free society's canary in the coal mine, and all the alarms are singing. when libraries fall, nations usually aren't far behind.

this matters- and we need help.

[shiftchii]

U.A. High in my DR !

Basics

Students are separated randomly into specific departments and classes sectioned by the letters A-K.

These departments are:

Department of Heroics (A - B): Students in this department learn everything they need to know in order to become excellent heroes in service to the community. They are trained in battle, first aid, rescue, support, and all manners of heroic-related lessons.

Department of General Education C - E): Students who don’t make it to the hero course are included here. This department supports students aiming for college and other pursuits. It’s also possible for students with good grades and exceptional strength and quirk skills to be transferred into the hero course (And either the support or business course mind you). Basically regular HS but they get to say that they went to UA on their resume.

Department of Support (F - H): Students here focus on developing support equipment that helps heroes out on the battlefield. With a workspace stock to the brim with all sorts of special tools and their own studio to build things, this department provides an unmatched creative environment.

Department of General Management (I - K): This department focuses on all aspects of heroic business, from the founding and managing of hero agencies to the promotion of public opinion regarding heroes. They even do hands-on lessons in venture capitalism. They have a lot of free time.

Each class is usually comprised of 21 students. That means that the total student population at UA would be 693.

We stay in the same class with the same teacher for all 3 years.

Since UA is a highly prestigious school, we get a lot of funding and benefits for the dorms and when we go on trips and whatnot. (Food we buy for the dorms is paid for, we get free snacks/concessions in the sports festival, free hero costume updates and renewals)

The school curriculum is way less loaded than here. The school system is much better.

The Hero Teachers are actually good at teaching.

Since U.A. is famous, it has many sponsors with support and hero merch companies, so some hero course students (usually 3rd years) have their own hero merch already. Students are sometimes sponsored and do photoshoots and are invited to red carpet events. (Following the School Festival, Class 1-A gets loads of sponsors and stuff!)

The teachers and students are encouraged to decorate their classes and most of them do so.

U.A. has a popular school website.

Staff and students are recommended to have Twitter to update the public events, the majority of the students obviously don't take this seriously, there's always someone who has beef and makes it public (Monoma) and it always ends up like those MHA Tweets, it’s the funniest thing ever.

Schedule

School is Monday - Friday and starts at 8:25 and finishes at 15:10. Regular classes take place during the first half of school, then the afternoon (for the Dept. of Heroics) you will have hero training. Only Dept. of Heroics students have an additional 7th period.

The teachers move between classes while the students stay in 1 class (besides electives).

Wednesdays are half days and only consist of hero training (so no typical school work), though sometimes it's replaced by FHS. You also don't have to wear your uniform on Wednesdays.

We will always have some kind of free time for school despite our somewhat busy schedules.

Not all school days are the same (emergency drills, other schools coming to train with us, etc.).

Classes

Core Subjects for Dept. of Heroics

Homeroom: Taught by Aizawa. Acts as a study hall. The class reps will often give a small meeting with the class about important events during this period.

Japanese: Taught by Cementoss. Focuses on reading, writing, and literature.

Mathematics: Taught by Ectoplasm. Covers algebra, geometry, and calculus.

English: Taught by Present Mic. Emphasizes reading, writing, and conversation skills.

Home Economics: Taught by Midnight. Cooking and other aspects of household management.

Foundational Hero Studies (FHS): Taught by All Might, Aizawa or Midnight. Hero related studying: hero laws, safety precautions, first aid, jsl, media training, dividing hero and civilian identity etc.

Hero Training: Taught by various teachers, usually Aizawa or All Might, it changes every week and we are informed about the activities during homeroom. For example: Quirkless Combat, Rescue Training, Combat, Quirk Training etc.

Elective Subjects

Thought by various teachers. This is the only class where students move instead of teachers, these are shared, so you could end up with classmates from other classes. Students get to completely choose what electives they have. If they don’t choose, they are placed in extra training or study hall.

Options:

Foreign Languages (e.g., Chinese, Korean)

Journalism

Art Foundations

Photography

Ceramics

Psychology

Choir

Band

Orchestra

Woodshop

Metalshop

Chemistry

Poetry

Cooking

Baking

Biology

Physics

Film Analysis

Computer Programming

Animal Work

Volunteer Work

Theatre

Student Council

Literature Analysis

Forensics

Study Hall

Class 1-A Timetable

Around UA campus

The updated UA security system is really good. The sensors are so good, you don't even need to have your ID out. They can scan it anywhere on your person. If you lost or misplaced your ID, the gates also have facial recognition software, so it's fine. If you're not a student or staff, you NEED a visitor pass or the school will go into lockdown on you.

We can use our school IDs to get snacks and drinks from vending machines around the school hallways. It’s free and they are replenished daily.

UA has a courtyard where we can eat outside. Most of the 2nd and 3rd years get food from places outside of the school campus and eat outside in the courtyard. Because of this, the cafeteria isn't as crowded and when we eat lunch we can sit and enjoy our food comfortably. The cafeteria is also luxurious and looks like a fancy mall café.

The library is huge and has many resources with much to explore. There are many different levels with varying types of quiet floors and study halls. It's also open 24/7 so students who are fighting to finish a project can pull all-nighters.

There’s a little shop that has U.A. and hero merch and school supplies including books for courses. You can also buy the merch on the online website.

UA has extracurricular groups and clubs for those who aren't in the hero course such as other sports and things like cheerleaders, debate, theater, music, cooking, ballet, and much more. I mean, hero course students CAN do those things but they WILL have a hard time doing so all while dealing with said hero responsibilities. As mentioned before, business course students have a lot of free time and general ED students are basically regular HS students who just so happen to be going to UA and for support course students, it really depends on how much work you choose to take on for yourself.

There is a study center where students who need extra help can go. Students with failing grades must go here for a set amount of hours to get the help they need. It’s strictly work, and talking about anything other than school is basically prohibited. It’s usually run by Ectoplasm and his clones or Hound Dog.

Work studies & Internships

All first years do an internship, it’s required. This is usually after the sports festival when students have had a chance to show off their skills.

Work studies are basically experience-oriented off-study programs that allow students in the hero course who have Provisional Licenses to work with pros at their agencies. Students will be able to use their quirks under the guidance of a pro, and can even be dispatched to fight villains and help out in disaster areas. If you do well, you can be scouted to become the hero’s sidekick.

Work studies are a more serious version of internships. They entail helping pro heroes on the streets and with investigations. They are usually reserved for 2nd and 3rd-year students, who usually have their licenses. 1st years didn't do them in the past. However, with the rise of villain activity, the school decided to open up work studies to 1st years as well, albeit a very small and select few of them. If they didn't find a good agency with a proven track record they wouldn't do it at all.

Events

U.A. has seasonal dances and a lot of events, like Halloween, Hero Day and other festivals.

Uniforms

Color palette

The uniforms the students receive consist of 4 sets of each clothing (besides the coat and varsity jacket):

Shirts

Long sleeve

Short sleeved

Sleeveless

Blazer

Long sleeves

Sleeveless

Cardigans

Sleeveless (two color variations)

Long sleeved (two color variations)

Sweaters

Sleeveless (two color variations)

Long sleeved (two color variations)

Pants

Shorts

Below The Knee

Classic

Skirts

Mini

Below The Knee

Maxi

Ties

Necktie

Bow Tie

Socks

Quarter

Crew

Knee High

Thigh High

Tights

Shoes

Coat

Varsity Jacket

Gym Clothing

Tank top

Loose Zip-up Sweatshirt (long sleeves, short sleeves, sleeveless)

Cropped Zip-up Sweatshirt (long sleeves, short sleeves, sleeveless)

Shorts

Below Knee Shorts

Sweatpants

Swimwear

Sleeveless, Short sleeved and Long sleeved

Lanyards

Uniforms aren’t required on Wednesdays

Students are allowed to accessorize their uniforms however they want and wear their own jackets

Piercings, colored hair, nails, makeup etc. are allowed

The uniforms aren’t gendered - all students receive all versions and are allowed to wear whichever one they prefer

For students with mutant type Quirks, custom made uniforms are made

Button and sleeve/lapel stripe differences between the department uniforms [1-General education, 2-Hero, 3-Support, 4-Management].

School Bag

Along with the Uniforms the school hands out bags. You can return them and use your own if you��d like.

A standard deep blue nylon matching the uniforms. The U.A. logo sits at the right bottom corner.

Class

If you’re standing at the front of the classroom looking out at the desks, the seating arrangement starts at the leftmost side of the room (“A” names), going front to back and then going to the next row to the right, and so on.  keep in mind that the alphabetical order here is based on the Japanese alphabet. My number is 10.

Here's how I laid out the desks for 21 students:

Since we stay in the same classrooms for most of the days we can leave out stuff at our desks. They have shelves underneath with 2 outlets and lots of space.

Class 1-A Friend Groups

Everyone is actually really close, but those are what groups spend the most time together. Of course we hang out in different groups or all together too.

We have frequent movie and game nights, 1-A has a group chat and it’s always active, there’s always someone wanting to do something. Sometimes we invite people from other classes.

DekuSquad

Izuku

Ochako

Tenya

Tsuyu

Shouto

Haruka

Hitoshi (after he joins our class)

BakuSquad

Katsuki

Eijirou

Mina

Denki

Minoru

Hanta

TokoSquad

Fumikage

Mashirao

Mezou

Tooru

MomoSquad

Momo

Kyoka

Yuga

Kouji

Rikido

I hope this was helpful! <3

© credits: seating arrangement • basics @/Priicklleshifts on TikTok • uniforms • dividers

[suguru-getos]

Satoru giving his little munchkins a childhood, parent care and love, that he haven't had at all 🥹

i love the idea of satoru being able to provide his kids with the things he wasn’t given as a child. it was endless training, devotion & worshipping since his birth shook the balance of the jujutsu community and of course — treatment that was given to a bloody child like he had to operate & shoulder the entire sorcerer community.

when satoru has a child, he makes sure that none of that will be happening. i mean — even with his students he’s made sure that their young highschool years are present with a sublime sense of light-hearted atmosphere & protection. you better believe this man will go ALL OUT when it comes to his children though.

birthdays would be made such a big deal, it’s an occasion to celebrate & to be happy! little achievements like winning academically would be taken into consideration, toys 🧸 they get toys to play with which satoru didn’t :C from a very early age he was given cursed tools & was honing them. honing his technique & just being “useful.” his children don’t have to be on a pedastal & prove their worth.

the lovings from daddy toru are always gonna be there. he is going to be in his teasy-funny way loving them all. <3 the kids are also going to watch you & satoru being the perfect epitome of relationship. healthy household 🩶🫶🏻🙌🏻😮‍💨

[femmefatalevibe]

Femme Fatale Guide: Products & Services Worth The Splurge

Fashion:

A great couple of bras in black/nude (your best skin-toned shade)

Comfortable, breathable, and seamless underwear

Outerwear (Coats, jackets, blazers)

The perfect pair of jeans

An LBD that works from day to night

Comfortable, sturdy, sleek, and timeless footwear (a versatile black boot, a black heel, white sneaker, and a black flat/loafer/sandal)

A timeless and versatile crossbody or shoulder bag (a larger one for the daytime/work or school and a smaller one for nighttime/events)

One or two well-made classic jewelry item(s)

A conversation-starting item or accessory

Beauty:

Sunscreen

Any skincare/skin cosmetic products that are game-changers for you

A quality hair brush, comb, and hair towel

Your signature scent

A quality razor/hair removal product

Vitamin C/Retinol serums

Reliable hair tools and sturdy nail tools

A quality hair heat protectant/scalp cleansing or conditioning spray

Makeup brushes and beauty tool cleaners

Home:

Lamps/lighting

Couch/desk chair

Everything for your bed: Bed frame, mattress/sheets/pillows, etc.

Knives

Dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe dishes & cups you love

A full-length mirror

Vacuum

Storage solutions/cedar blocks or moth balls

Quality holders for everything: Paper towels, shower storage, hooks, mailbox/key bowls

Name brand paper products/household cleaners

Electric toothbrush & Waterpik

Sound-proof headphones/Airpods

MacBook Air

Health & Wellness:

High-quality lettuce and/or sprouts

Organic frozen fruits and vegetables (if fresh is too pricey)

BPA-free canned goods

Potassium bromate & glyphosate-free grain products

Snacks free of artificial colors

Quality coffee

An at-home massage tool/heating pad

Fur products for skin/hair removal

Vitamin C/Retinol serums

Quality running shoes

Anything that goes near your vulva or into the vagina: Sex toys, lube, condoms, toy cleaners, pads/tampons/menstrual cups, cleansing wipes, etc.

A yoga mat, resistance band, and a pair of small ankle weights

Spotify subscription

Books and audiobooks

Services:

Therapy

A top-tier haircut

House cleaning (even if it's only once every couple of months)

Top-tier hair removal/brow maintenance services of your choice

Best doctors, dentists, OB/GYN, and dermatologists you can get

At least one personal training/styling session in your life

Professional/Social:

Ownership of the domain for your full legal/professional name and/or business name

A CPA/bookkeeper/fiduciary financial advisor

Automation workflow/content management system software

A lawyer for contract review/LLC services

Personalized stationery/"Thank You" cards

Memorable client gifting for the holidays/milestone successes

Niche skill-based certifications (Google, AWS, Hubspot, etc.) or courses made by trusted professionals in your field

Subscriptions in world-leading and industry-authority digital publications

[cynicalrosebud]

AI Reminder

Quick reminder folks since there's been a recent surge of AI fanfic shite. Here is some info from Earth.org on the environmental effects of ChatGPT and it's fellow AI language models.

"ChatGPT, OpenAI's chatbot, consumes more than half a million kilowatt-hours of electricity each day, which is about 17,000 times more than the average US household. This is enough to power about 200 million requests, or nearly 180,000 US households. A single ChatGPT query uses about 2.9 watt-hours, which is almost 10 times more than a Google search, which uses about 0.3 watt-hours. 

According to estimates, ChatGPT emits 8.4 tons of carbon dioxide per year, more than twice the amount that is emitted by an individual, which is 4 tons per year. Of course, the type of power source used to run these data centres affects the amount of emissions produced – with coal or natural gas-fired plants resulting in much higher emissions compared to solar, wind, or hydroelectric power – making exact figures difficult to provide. 

A recent study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside, revealed the significant water footprint of AI models like ChatGPT-3 and 4. The study reports that Microsoft used approximately 700,000 litres of freshwater during GPT-3’s training in its data centres – that’s equivalent to the amount of water needed to produce 370 BMW cars or 320 Tesla vehicles."

Now I don't want to sit here and say that AI is the worst thing that has ever happened. It can be an important tool in advancing effectiveness in technology! However, there are quite a few drawbacks as we have not figured out yet how to mitigate these issues, especially on the environment, if not used wisely. Likewise, AI is not meant to do the work for you, it's meant to assist. For example, having it spell check your work? Sure, why not! Having it write your work and fics for you? You are stealing from others that worked hard to produce beautiful work.

Thank you for coming to my Cyn Talk. I love you all!

[molosseraptor]

what is the advantage of a clicker compared to just praising the dog or giving it a treat? bc as I understood even if you use a clicker you still have to give a reward every time you click, so why not just do it directly? adding a clicker seems like adding an extra step

It's correct that you have to give a reward every time you click, but the clicker itself isn't used as a way to reward behavior. It’s to mark correct behavior. You don't have to use a clicker if you don't want to, but you do have to mark behavior in some way if you want the dog to learn faster and with reduced confusion/frustration. Some people opt to mark with a specific word like "yes" or "good" or a distinct sound. Other people, like myself, use multiple marker systems that tell the dog not only that they're getting food or a toy but also where and how those items are being delivered.

There was a great recent podcast that gives some nice entry level information about multiple marker systems and how you can apply them by Shade Whitesel, one of the pioneers of using multiple marker systems, if you'd like to learn more about what that means and how it might apply to your own training.

As far as the clicker itself, there are several benefits over just using a generic marker word.

It has a clear, distinct sound that the dog doesn't hear any other time so it's obvious that they've done something correct and reinforcement is coming. Sometimes our words fade into the background, especially in busy environments.

It sounds the same no matter who is doing the clicking. That’s a nice way to maintain consistency in a multi-person household. Even if everyone uses the word "yes" our tone, pitch, and cadence are all a bit different. Dogs can and will cope with that, but consistency can speed up learning.

We also tend to have a bit better timing with our clicks than our words. Most people have faster reflexes than they do speech, so you're more likely to be able to mark the exact moment the dog does the correct action. I tend to use a clicker most when I'm shaping or working on skills that really require excellent and precise timing.

Last, the clicker ,and marking in general, helps with reducing reinforcement and getting food out of your hands and off your body.

The order of events should always be: behavior -> marker -> pause -> reward

The marker lets the dog know they were correct in the moment and buys you 3-5 seconds (longer if you have a robust marker system that the dog trusts) in which to get the reward from your bag/pocket or somewhere nearby and give it to the dog.

If you don't mark behaviors at all, by the time you get that reward and give it to your dog, they might be doing an entirely different behavior that you are now unintentionally reinforcing through lack of clarity. It slows the learning and confuses the dog. Most people don't need a million markers, but using something consistently is far better than using nothing when it comes to the efficacy of your training. Of course dogs can learn without markers. They’re amazing and so resilient in the face of our poor communication, but why make things harder for you both?

In my pet dog classes I teach four main food markers and add two others for my more advanced/sport students. For pet people, come to the food (yes/click), i'm bringing the food to you (good), tossed food (get it), and treat scatter (find it) markers are pretty much all you need to have some really good clarity and management tools for you and your dog. For my advanced students I add a "dish" marker (you're allowed to go eat off a specific plate or bowl) and "party" marker (the dog and I are going to get a reward from elsewhere like on a table/chair/crate/etc.). I don't do much toy work in my classes because that's all so individual based on the dog and your sport goals, but I have many toy markers for my own dogs and other food markers as well.

[merwgue]

Rhysand and the Inner Circle are often portrayed as champions of justice, protectors of Velaris, and saviors of peace, but when you take a closer look at their treatment of both the Illyrians and the people of the Hewn City, you’ll see a disturbing level of hypocrisy, elitism, and even racism embedded in their actions. For all their talk of fairness and equality, the way they treat entire groups of people within their own court reveals how fundamentally flawed and unjust their rule is.

1. Racism Toward the Illyrians �� A Supposedly “Inferior” Race

Rhysand and the Inner Circle make it clear time and time again that they view the Illyrians as second-class citizens. The Illyrians, who make up the backbone of Rhysand’s army, are constantly belittled and treated as if they’re beneath the more “civilized” fae of Velaris. Despite their warrior culture, strength, and the pivotal role they play in defending the Night Court, Rhysand and his Inner Circle continuously look down on them as primitive, savage, and in need of “control.”

Cassian, an Illyrian general who should be fighting for his own people, essentially enables Rhysand’s oppression. Instead of standing up for his own heritage, Cassian reinforces the hierarchy by subjecting his own people to brutal conditions. The Illyrians are forced to train endlessly for a war machine, with their wings clipped by their own people and their potential to rise above their societal limitations crushed by Rhysand’s lack of real investment in their future. For all the power Rhys wields, has he made any meaningful reforms for the Illyrians? Absolutely not. The Illyrians are kept in a state of perpetual servitude, viewed as pawns in the larger game.

Rhysand’s hypocrisy is glaring: he criticizes Tamlin for controlling Feyre and treating her like property, yet he does the exact same thing to the Illyrians, treating them as tools for war rather than equals. They are denied access to the luxury and peace of Velaris, instead being confined to their mountainous, war-driven culture. Rhysand’s so-called progressive rule does nothing to uplift the Illyrians—he keeps them under his thumb, controlling them with an iron fist under the guise of “order.” Their desires, their culture, their autonomy—none of that matters to him.

2. Hewn City – A System of Oppression

The treatment of the Hewn City is perhaps even more egregious. These people are literally tortured and oppressed by Rhysand and his Inner Circle. They live under the constant threat of violence, with no access to Velaris, no right to escape the cruelty of their lives, and no hope for freedom. Rhysand rules the Hewn City through fear, cruelty, and control, all while basking in the adoration of Velaris as a benevolent ruler. But if you’re from Hewn City? You’re out of luck. You’re deemed lesser, unworthy, and kept trapped in a hellish existence.

Imagine a woman in the Hewn City, trapped in an abusive household, desperate to escape. Maybe she wants a better life, a chance to start over, to live in Velaris—the so-called “City of Starlight” where peace and beauty reign. But she can’t. Because she’s from Hewn City, she has no right to even enter Velaris. She’s not deemed good enough. She’s stuck, left to rot in the shadow of the Night Court’s cruelty, with no hope of ever tasting the freedom that Velaris promises. Rhysand and the Inner Circle have set up a system where if you’re from Hewn City, you’re less than. You’re nothing.

This isn’t just a political power move—it’s an outright human rights violation. The people of Hewn City are kept under a thumb of oppression, denied any opportunities for a better life. They are stripped of their agency, their dreams, their right to seek something better. It’s classic elitism and classism, with Rhysand and his Inner Circle playing the role of the elite, while the Hewn City citizens are left to suffer. There’s no compassion, no chance for redemption. The message is clear: if you’re from Hewn City, you will never be worthy.

3. Torture and Public Humiliation in Hewn City

Rhysand's rule over the Hewn City goes beyond exclusion and elitism—it crosses into outright torture and public humiliation. Whenever Rhysand or any member of his Inner Circle goes to Hewn City, they rule with fear and violence. They torture its citizens to maintain control, creating an atmosphere of terror and submission. Amren’s frequent threats of violence, Rhysand’s brutal handling of Keir, and the constant threat of punishment create a horrific environment where the people are literally afraid to step out of line. They’re not ruled through justice or fairness—they’re ruled through pain and fear.

Consider Keir, the ruler of Hewn City. No matter how terrible he may be, Rhysand and his circle constantly humiliate and degrade him. Rhysand threatens him, tortures him, and keeps him under control with the constant reminder of his subservience. And Keir’s people? They don’t even get the chance to escape his tyranny because they’re trapped under Rhysand’s own oppressive rule. The same people who suffer under Keir are just as much victims of Rhysand’s cruelty—yet they can never dream of freedom in Velaris. They’re locked in a cycle of abuse with no escape.

4. Velaris as an Elitist, Gated Utopia

Velaris is held up as a shining beacon of peace, safety, and beauty, but it’s only accessible to a privileged few. If you’re not part of Rhysand’s favored circle or from the “right” parts of the Night Court, you’re not welcome. This is more than just geographical exclusion—it’s a form of classist and racist gatekeeping. The Illyrians are not allowed in Velaris. The people of Hewn City are not allowed in Velaris. Only those whom Rhysand deems “worthy” get to enjoy its supposed paradise.

Velaris is a gated utopia, a paradise for the privileged few while the rest of the Night Court lives in squalor and violence. Rhysand preaches about fairness, equality, and peace, yet Velaris exists as a stark symbol of inequality. The people who need refuge the most—the Illyrians and those trapped in the horrors of Hewn City—are denied access to this sanctuary. They’re left to fend for themselves in a brutal, unforgiving world while Rhysand’s inner circle enjoys luxury, wealth, and peace.

5. Rhysand’s Hypocrisy – Selective Morality

At the end of the day, Rhysand’s rule is built on a foundation of selective morality. He plays the role of the benevolent ruler, preaching about justice and equality, but his actions show a deep prejudice against those he deems lesser—whether they’re Illyrians, citizens of Hewn City, or anyone outside his inner circle. He allows Velaris to exist as a utopia for the few, while turning a blind eye to the suffering of the many.

Rhysand’s treatment of the Illyrians and the Hewn City is racist, elitist, and hypocritical. He is no better than the tyrants he claims to oppose. He uses violence and fear to maintain control, enforces classist boundaries to keep the less “desirable” out of Velaris, and perpetuates a system of inequality that traps entire groups of people in cycles of abuse. If you’re not from Velaris, if you’re not part of Rhysand’s chosen few, then you’re nothing.

[stargirlygirl]

Upgrade epilogue

Pro Hero Midoriya Izuku x fem!reader

Part 1 > Part 2 > Part 3 > Epilogue

Summary: Izuku proposes to you after everything you two have been through this year.

Word count: 1.2k

A/n: I hope you don't mind the ring I picked *wink*

------------₊✩‧₊��౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊------------

You and Izuku were sitting on the couch in your cosy apartment. It’s been almost nine months since the quirk breeding rescue incident, and Izuku’s recovery has been swift. He’s taking time off from being a pro hero whilst adjusting to his cybernetic arm. That was part of it. Another part was that he wanted to spend some time training One For All. And the final part was that he wanted to spend some quality time with you. Which was hard because you were still working full-time as a biomed engineer.

His cybernetic arm was currently resting on your lap. The compartment beneath his inner wrist was popped open, and you were adjusting the screws with a screw driver, magnifying goggles on giving you big, adorable [e/c] eyes. He could feel his heart racing from how cute and talented his girlfriend was. He watched quietly, other hand resting on your knees that were curled up beneath you. He caressed the soft flesh with the rough pad of his thumb.

You hummed the beat of that song that had been stuck in your head for days as you worked away. Bobbing your head unconsciously and sucking in your cheeks (making ozempy face) when the screw wouldn’t screw or nut refused to nut (you are most welcome for that btw). You were so focused that you didn’t notice Izuku beginning to blush.

The truth is, he’s been waiting for this moment for months. Not this specific moment. I mean, you’ve done maintenance checks on his arm many times since it was attached. No. The moment I’m talking about is the moment he intended to propose you. Which was this moment, right now.

He just couldn’t wait any longer. Man had to wife you up this instant.

He took his right hand off of your knee, rubbing the back of his neck with it as he sighed quietly. You were furrowing your brows, completely oblivious, at a particularly difficult screw to unscrew. Izuku was tempted to smooth the lines with his thumb, but stopped short, hand ghosting your brows. What was he doing? Overthinking every little thing?

He cleared his throat reflexively. The silence draws on. Comfortable for one person and rather tense for the other. Once you’re finished screwing the compartment back, his cybernetic arm roaring and ready to go, you sit back and sigh happily. You use one hand to drag the heavy goggles off of your face, which unfortunately (and expectantly) leaves your [h/c] locks sticking up in a few places. Izuku laughs nervously, running his fingers through your hair much to your delight. You smile up at him lazily. Once he stops, you get up off of the sofa, grabbing your tools from the cushions and low coffee table.

His eyes dip to your cleavage mindlessly as you lean over to grab one of the smaller screw drivers that’s gotten squished into the cushion creases next to his thigh. He looks up and away, blushing, once realising what he’s done (which you have absolutely no idea of or problem with). He clears his throat again, hand scratching an existent-non-existent itch on his cybernetic arm.

Once you leave the lounge room to put your tools away in your bag, Izuku lets out a frustrated sigh he’s been holding in. He stands up, shaking his hands nervously and watching your figure with anxiety as you re-enter the room. You’re still oblivious to his nerves, too caught up in thinking about what you were going to make for dinner that night. You two had ran out of white radish, a staple in your household, so you were thinking of what other veg you were going to have. Probably steamed broccoli or—

“Honey.” You look at Izuku, like, really look at him, and notice how on edge he seems. Shifting from one foot to the other, left hand on the back of his neck, looking at you then away from you and then back at you.

You step towards him, taking his right hand in yours, interlacing your hands so your palms press together. “What’s up? You seem tense.” Your soft lips stretch into an even softer smile as you try to ease his nerves. He just shakes his head, looking down momentarily before meeting your gaze once more.

What he does next leaves your eyes popping out of your skull and mouth half open in shock. He gets down on one knee and cups both of your hands with his much larger ones. You just stare at him, blinking slowly, trying to process what’s going on — if this is going on — when he starts, “Honey, I love you. I love you more than you’ll ever know. You’ve been there for me during the hardest times. You’ve supported me and given me hope even when I felt hopeless.”

He takes a deep breath in, resolve clear in his eyes. He takes out a navy velvet ring box from the pocket of his sweatpants. You watch intently as he opens it, placing the box in your hand. Oh my gosh, is he about to-to…?

“[Y/n]-chan, I love you and I want to be your husband. Will you…” He licks his lips, feeling their sudden dryness. Your eyes follow the movement. He lets out another breath, “Will you marry me?”

You don’t say anything for a few seconds as you try to process if this is actually real and not a dream. “M-marry you?” You stutter. You see his resolve shatter a little as he nods, biting his lip. You breathe out, a smile forming on your face. “Of course, I’ll marry you Izu-chan!”

Grinning wide like you are, he pulls the engagement ring from the box and slips it onto your ring finger. It fits perfectly. You admire the ring. It’s stunning! Dainty silver band with a shining rectangle cut emerald. You’re actually obsessed with his choice as it really suits you and you love how the emerald is green like his features.

He wraps your smaller frame in a tight embrace. You start crying from the sheer joy of this moment. You’re so happy right now. Nothing can describe how good this feels. He rubs your back in circles, gently soothing you.

You two stay like that, whispering “I love you’s” to each other as you both process this emotional high. After a few minutes, you start giggling and pull back, cupping his cheeks with your hands. You take the side of your lower lip in-between your teeth, still grinning. It releases, the flesh bouncing back perfectly supple. “I love you so much, Izu-chan.” You pull his face closer to yours, bringing your forehead to his. He hums, “I love you, honey. Forever.”

You don’t think you can handle anymore of the teeth-rotting sweet things he’ll say to you for the rest of the night, so you press your lips to his. He eagerly responds, head angling with yours and hands moving so his right grips your upper back and left your waist. You smile into this kiss, unable to stop, knowing that you’ll be Mrs Midoriya soon. And that your pookie bear will be your pookie and only your pookie for as long as possible.

[pianokantzart]

The Super Mario Bros. Redux (Pt. 2)

What would happen if, in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, after Mario and Luigi are separated, Mario was the one who ended up in the clutches of Luigi’s eventual arch nemesis, while Luigi teamed up with some of his own close allies to go rescue him?

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 ________

While on the train, E. Gadd and Luigi mostly keep to themselves. Luigi stares silently out the window trying to absorb everything that's happened while the professor tinkers with his vaccuum device, which Luigi now knows to be The Poltergust 3000. However, as night begins to fall, E. Gadd finally breaks the silence between them.

He asks about the tools Luigi carries and mentions that though they seem to be mainly for plumbing, there's a few mixed in that are better suited for engine repair. Luigi explains that while he and his brother's main profession is as plumbers, he does like to tinker a little– mostly fixing up the van or repairing household appliances.

E. Gadd seems happy to meet another tinkerer– even one so inexperienced in comparison– and asks Luigi if he ever considered a change of careers. Luigi declines, insisting he'd never leave his brother, saying he is "twice the plumber than I am a mechanic."

E. Gadd notes how much Luigi seems to admire his brother. Luigi confirms wholeheartedly and gushes about how great Mario is until he gets caught up in how much he misses him. Not wanting to make a scene by getting choked up, he distracts himself by asking E. Gadd about his work, and if he himself has a partner.

The Professor explains he's an inventor, and though his experiments are fairly eclectic his main area of expertise is ghosts and spirits. As for a work partner, he dismisses the very notion. He has happily lived and worked alone his entire life, and would have been perfectly content to stay that way had ghosts not raided his lab back in Evershade Valley.

Luigi– just now learning that Evershade Valley was E. Gadd's home– offers his condolences, but Elvin shrugs him off and assures that it's fine, as he's already working on a solution.

Suddenly, the train screeches to a stop, and the lights overhead shut off. Luigi starts growing nervous, and assures himself out loud that it's probably only a minor problem, and they'll be back on track in no time.

The Professor isn't so sure. He pulls out his handheld device he had used earlier (which looks uncannily like a Nintendo DS) and examines the readings. He gives a foreboding "oh dear," and Luigi asks what's wrong.

E. Gadd explains that many kingdoms have at least one haunted location, called a "ghost house." The Birabuto Kingdom is no exception, and they were passing by that very house at that moment. While the ghosts who resided there usually kept to themselves unless their home was invaded, the shattered Dark Moon likely allowed them to target any living thing passing through the area.

Then, a creepy, raspy voice comes on over the intercom: "Please remain in your seats. We will be with you shortly! Hee hee hee hee!"

Luigi lets out a little squeak of terror and curls up tighter into his seat. E. Gadd gets up and starts walking toward the engine room, lighting his way with a flashlight at the end of the nozzle of The Poltergust 3000.

"Professor!" Luigi calls in a frightened whisper "What are you doing!?" "Relax Kiddo, I catch ghosts all the time!" E. Gadd assures, giving Luigi a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "It's like riding a bike for me! You just sit back, I'll be back in a jiffy!"

Professor E. Gadd makes his way to the train's engine room. As he suspected, the drivers are knocked out, and a large band of about ten boos are wreaking havoc. Among them is a ghost dog, though it merely seems to be innocently concerned with the unconscious drivers, playfully sniffing them, nudging them, and bounding around their sleeping bodies.

The Professor wastes no time confronting the spirits, but as they fight back he is quickly overwhelmed.

Before any true harm can befall E. Gadd, Luigi suddenly appears in the doorway and rushes to his aid.

With E. Gadd struggling to get back to his feet, Luigi takes possession of The Poltergust and– though visibly panicking– makes quick work of all the ghosts except two: a single boo that flies off through an open window, and the dog ghost who phases into a nearby wall.

E. Gadd, dazed but ultimately uninjured, compliments the still trembling Luigi on his skills with The Poltergust. Though he is a little annoyed that the device was taken without permission, he confesses that the outcome more than makes up for it.

After E. Gadd and Luigi check on the drivers and confirm they too are unharmed, they look over the engine. Thankfully, all damage is surface level, and after getting the lights back on Luigi and E. Gadd work together to get the control panel functioning again.

Then they return to their seats, E. Gadd assuring the confused fellow passengers that it was merely a small electrical error that had now been repaired. After a moment the dazed voice of one of the train drivers speaks over the intercom, apologizing for the delay as the engine revs back up, and Luigi and E. Gadd continue toward the capital of The Birabuto Kingdom.

The scene transitions to Evershade Valley where, deep below the foundations of the mansion Mario had attempted to seek refuge in, phantoms twirl around a grand, ghostly ballroom, overseen by a giant dark-eyed boo in a gemstone crown.

The little boo who had avoided capture on the train suddenly enters. Once he finds the courage to uncover his face, he reports to his king that recent efforts to stop E. Gadd from reaching The Birabuto Kingdom have failed.

King Boo demands to know how the mission could've possibly been a failure considering the numbers they had at their disposal and how frail and weak E. Gadd has gotten over the years.

The boo explains that E. Gadd wasn't alone this time and that another human was with him, young and strong, wielding The Poltergust 3000 in the scientist's stead.

King Boo demands a name. The smaller boo doesn't know, but can give a description: mustachioed, big nosed, and dressed in a hat and overalls.

This intrigues the king. He dismisses the frightened boo and calls upon Boolossus, telling him to bring his newest painting to The Secret Altar beneath the courtyard.

[miz-chase]

tw canon typical abuse/violence

I really do wish Bones gave the time to unpack Brennan and Booth's individual relationships with violence and how they intersect.

Brennan from the opening of the first episode, is violence first, always. I wonder where she learned that, as it seems she was defenseless while she was in foster care. More likely it was as a young adult in college, where she was finally free to make her own choices in her life. It's easy to imagine that she utilized those skills often on field-work trips. It would make sense if her school/work life was bouncing between 1) being the only woman at a field site in dangerous locations, and 2) being socially isolated in labs. If that's the case, it would make sense that she never really acclimatized to 'normal' life wrt to violence. In the States, you'd figure she'd have had some repercussions for doing things like breaking noses and wrists on an impulse.

God forbid there be police violence accountability in a copaganda show, but it would make an interesting story if Brennan attacking a suspect had real consequences, getting charges dropped, blowing the case no matter how good the evidence they had. How would she cope?

Meanwhile with Booth,

we know experienced violence at home from an early age. He shielded his brother from his father's beatings, which probably involved hitting back. Pops takes Jared and Booth away when they were "little kid(s)." Presumably that violence was subsumed by his football playing that gets him a scholarship to college, but he then spends the entirety of his 20s in some form of military or violent FBI circumstances. He goes from an army grunt boxer to a specially trained sniper, turning the emotional physicality of violence into something remote and dispassionate. These are the kills he truly regrets.

When we meet him as an FBI agent, he's a bully who will casually, indifferently shove suspects around, uses his physicality as a tool to maneuver anyone he likes. He also explicitly, morally hates killing. The series sees him grow out of (most of) this violence, to the point where he has a minor crisis over losing his temper with a guilty suspect.

Again, I wish we saw consequences for the casual violence, though his bullying suspects is in more in line with cop-standard-deniability injuries rather than Brennan literally breaking bones.

What I'm really interested in, though, is this contrast, where Booth uses violence as a dispassionate, even disliked, tool while Brennan acts all on impulse and always assumes she's right to do so. Booth can't stand to lose control, anything that comes from anger sends him into a spiral. We can contrast this with Brennan's embrace of impulsive violence, where she always feels she is justified (and the narrative usually agrees).

We know that from the beginning, Booth finds it "so hot" when she loses her temper and whacks a senator in the nose, but it also is the reason their partnership dissolved in the first place. It always seemed like a charged thing that, when Brennan hit him, he was quick to defend her. He was raised in a household that made excuses for violence, and it feels loaded that he continues to do that for Brennan over the seasons. It isn't until season 11 where he is like, hey babe, maybe don't.

"It is my job to make sure I don't lose my partner because she can't control her temper."

It's not that I think Brennan is abusive, not at all, but do I think that she's oblivious-to-careless about the kind of trigger that hitting Booth is. We rarely see them fight, but the angst in me wants more arguments like The Shot in the Dark. Arguments are a normal part of life as a couple. Brennan losing her temper and lashing out is in character. What would happen? how would they cope?

The flipside is, and this is the real angst, is if Booth ever actually lost his temper with her. If we use Signs in the Silence as our model, he goes right into a self-hatred spiral even with justified violence, just because it comes from a place of anger. If he got angry enough, he wouldn't even need to touch her to view it as a massive slip up. Because deep down he thinks he is his father, and if he ever gets angry with Brennan, then maybe he will hurt her. That faint possibility, the minute potential that he could ever hurt her? He would absolutely lose his shit. He'd be out of the house never to be found again. He would absolutely do the worst thing he could possibly do to hurt Brennan (abandon her) in order to protect her from the worst thing in his entire life (violence through anger).

I don't think I could ever write the fic, because it's just too damn angsty, but man, what a situation to put these specific characters in. It's both of their worst nightmares combined, no better way to hurt both of them at the same time.

[sparkling-nov]

"Asha being a Fairy godmother is the Same as King Magnifico"

First off, how??? Have we forget how fairy godmothers work? It's really funny that people say this Cause in the movie they Actually Addressed what a fairy godmother does, it was little but still,

"Wait, does star grant wishes?" "No, But i think it whats to Help me Pursue Mines" "Like a fairy godmother!" This is in the movie, they actually addressed the Differents Between Granting a wish and Helping someone pursue their wish, but Of course people Magical Didn't Notice this, Fairy godmothers help and give you the tools you need to pursue your dreams, Like Cinderella's fairy godmother (who Asha is Based off of) who gives cinderella everything she needed to go to the Ball but it only Lasted for A certain amount of time then it was up to cinderella to get Herself out of the Abusive Household she was in, Then we also have The Blue fairy who explains to Pinocchio that he is only a living puppet and must prove himself brave, truthful, and unselfish in order to become a real boy, So you see fairy godmothers are NOTHING like magnifico and asha won't be anything like magnifico either, King Magnifico made people forget their wishes, He only grants 1 wish Once a month then thats yet, only grants wishes that Serve him, he lied to people that he Would grant their wishes when in Reality he Never will! Making people live under False Hope, he kept peoples wishes lock up so he can Stay in Power And won't let people pursue their wishes themselves, Asha disliked these Unfair rules and Factors of magnifico, She Actually sing a whole song about wanting more for the people of rosas so why on Earth Would asha Repeat the same rules she saw as Unfair and harmful to people?? And not only that but the people of rosas aren't going to depend on asha to make their wishes come true unlike with magnifico Cause they know now that they DO have the power to make their own wishes come true, that they now have the freedom to Pursue their dreams Themselves Which is why Queen Amaya Partners up people with the same Goals so people can Help Each other Achieve their dreams, People seem to think that asha rules over rosas now and thats not True! She's not in Charge of anything, she Doesn't even know how to use her wand yet! That's why they say asha is a Fairy Godmother in Training, Asha is just going to Help people Pursue their dreams Like a Fairy Godmother.

[andsewingishalfthebattle]

SiliNOT! Testing and Review

Since I run a lot of casting workshops, I've had several people in the costuming/maker community ask me my opinion on SiliNOT!, a relatively new product advertised as a budget- and eco-friendly moldmaking alternative to silicone, urethane, and other single-use materials.

I finally bought a couple of bottles to play with, so I did a test project. My experience and findings are below! (It's not a recipe blog, but if you want to skip the play-by-play and get to the TL;DR, it's under the big "In Summary" header near the bottom.)

First, if you aren't familiar with this material, SiliNOT! is a remeltable, reusable medium for making molds. Though its exact ingredients are not disclosed, it purports to nontoxic, food-safe, and compostable. It melts in a household microwave or double boiler and solidifies at room temperature (or in a refrigerator/freezer for faster results). The website is https://silinot.com/.

(I am not an affiliate, and have no connection to this company apart from having made one retail purchase from them. I just have a lot of casting experience and like trying out new products.)

The Positive Original

I’m still in the middle of a Vincent Valentine build, so I decided to test the SiliNOT! on his custom buttons. My original is a stack of various nonporous materials: an antique (probably Bakelite) coat button, an epoxy resin dome I cast using a mold I already had in my library, and some engraved Worbla’s Pearly Art for the raised detail. The button shanks won’t be added until the final casting, so the original can be mounted flat for the moldmaking process.

Sample Worbla on the left; completed button stack on the right:

The Mold

I built the mold container the same way I do for silicone pours, with the flat back of the button fixed to a styrene plate and a cylinder (actually a small paper cup with the bottom cut off) surrounding it for the walls. The lip of the cup is sealed all the way around with Monster Clay to prevent leaks.

Heating and Pouring

The SiliNOT! didn’t take long at all to heat up; I did maybe four or five 20-second bursts before it was completely fluid. The bottle does get rather warm, so hand protection isn’t a bad idea. If you have heat-resistant gloves, you can use those; I was working in my kitchen (yay for nontoxic stuff!), so I just grabbed an oven mitt with a silicone grip.

The melted SiliNOT! looks a bit like Luke Skywalker’s blue milk. It’s about the consistency of a yogurt smoothie and likes to pour in a thicker stream compared to silicone. While silicone can be stretched into a thin ribbon for delicate pours or chemically thinned with solvent for really tricky jobs, SiliNOT!'s viscosity is dependent on temperature and never seems to get quite as thin as silicone.

I’d automatically made my mold compact to conserve material (not really a concern with a reusable moldmaking material like SiliNOT!, but after using silicone for more than a decade, I’ve trained myself to be as efficient as possible), so the walls of my mold container were only about half or three quarters of an inch from my object. Because the target was so narrow, I found it difficult to accurately fill from the lowest area of the mold with the SiliNOT! The heavier pour also means more air can get trapped in or under the material.

Bubbles are one of the areas in which SiliNOT! is decidedly inferior to silicone. SiliNOT! has higher viscosity, so bubbles don’t want to rise to the surface without vigorous tapping, which can distort the mold edges or affect leveling depending on your mold container. The bubbles that do make their way to the surface are difficult to pop, even when poked with a sharp implement. Heat gun degassing doesn’t have much effect.

Since the bubble surface cools and skins over quickly, I actually had to use a tool and scoop some large bubbles completely out of the mold to allow the surface to level. Critically, the SiliNOT! is opaque, so you can’t spot bubbles clinging to the surface of your original. (This is why my first mold was a reject, and I had to repour. More on that below.)

Hardening

Once the surface had set, I carefully moved the mold into the refrigerator to cool faster. Here’s another area where some types of silicone can have an advantage: I typically use fast-curing Smooth-On products (because I always have random quantities left to use up after our casting workshops), so I rarely have to wait more than half an hour for a silicone mold to cure, regardless of its size or mass.

The SiliNOT! has to chill completely before handling, though, and discharging that amount of heat requires a fair amount of time even in a cool environment. My mold was pretty small, maybe 2 1/2” wide by 1” deep, and it still took around 40 minutes to cool completely. A larger, deeper mold could hold considerably more energy in the center, and might have to be left in the freezer for a couple of hours before use.

Demolding the Original

When the mold was completely chilled, I removed it from the refrigerator and popped it off the plastic plate I’d used for the base of the mold. The texture was very different from what I’d expected: Unlike other meltable materials (Monster Clay, et al.) that have a firm surface when cool, the SiliNOT! remains tacky, which means it promptly collects any debris that crosses its path. In my case, this meant I had to pick dog hair off the surface throughout the casting process (and I don’t want to think about what would happen if glitter had contaminated the work space).

I’d used a paper cup for my mold walls, which usually works fine with fast-curing silicone. But the SiliNOT! must have a high oil content, because the cup absorbed some of it:

Lesson learned; use only nonporous containers with this stuff.

The SiliNOT!! really wanted to cling to the edges of my original, so I had to go slow at first to avoid tearing the thin flanges of the mold off. However, it did demold nicely from the smooth surfaces, and preserved texture very well. You can see the Worbla pebbling and the engraving channels clearly in the mold (as well as some dust and dog hair, because I made the mistake of setting it down briefly):

Unfortunately, as you can see, a large bubble had stuck to my original and created a pit in the mold, so I decided to do a second mold pour. I figured I’d tear up the failed mold and put the pieces back in the bottle to remelt… and discovered I couldn’t. The mold would stretch and twist, but not tear. It also seemed to return to its original shape relatively faithfully. Here’s a video of me manhandling the mold:

As you can see, the SiliNOT! has much better stretch and recovery than many silicone products (there are silicones that stretch well -- some of the Dragon Skin products come to mind -- but they’re not typically marketed for moldmaking). This means it’s likely well suited to casting objects with moderate undercuts or oddly-shaped bits that need the mold to stretch during demolding.

You can cut the SiliNOT! easily with scissors, which is the recommended method for getting it back in the bottle when you’re ready to remelt.

Take Two

Using what I’d learned from the first pour, I did the second one inside a hard plastic ramekin. This gave me a bit more room to pour into the floor of the mold, reducing the bubble risk, and also eliminated the porous paper cup that had absorbed oil. I still had the issue with bubbles that didn’t want to pop, but there were fewer of them this time.

The ramekin made for a much cleaner mold, buuuuut there was ANOTHER BUBBLE right in the middle of the design. >.<

Take Three

Lather, rinse, repeat. Or in this case, melt, pour, chill.

This time I heated the SiliNOT! as much as I dared and did the absolute slowest, narrowest pour I could manage, giving the air extra time to escape as the mold was filled from the bottom. The risk with stringing out the pour like this is that in a thinner stream, the heat escapes faster, leading to uneven viscosity as the liquid fills the mold. I don’t think that’s a major problem for this particular piece, but it’s something to pay attention to as regards leveling and degassing, especially for larger molds that will take longer to fill.

The result of pour three:

/siiiiigh/ Well, at least the bubbles are smaller, this time. They may not show up enough to matter in the final cast. I’ll give it a try.

Casting

I had leftover workshop resin that was getting on toward the end of its shelf life, so I used Smooth-On Smooth-Cast 300 for my initial resin trial. It’s an opaque white resin with about a 10-minute cure time (the fast turnaround is why we use it for workshops).

Before pouring, I had to do a little mold cleanup where the SiliNOT! had managed to sneak under the edge of the Worbla (I think I’d loosened the corner of the star from prying it out of so many molds), but since the SiliNOT! stretches so well, it was pretty easy to invert it to get little scissors down into the bottom of the depression.

For the first cast, I didn’t use anything but the resin in order to get a baseline. Ideally I’d like to cold cast or dye the resin so I don’t have to worry about paint chipping, but since I’m doing a trial here (and need multiple buttons anyway) I figured some plain white extras wouldn’t hurt.

So, my first cast…

…smacked into a big problem, which I probably should have seen coming: The resin I’m using is a fast cure formula, which means it discharges a fair amount of heat as it's going through that rapid chemical reaction -- enough heat to melt the SiliNOT!, as it turned out. When I tried to demold it (after giving it a few extra minutes beyond label time to be sure it was done), the surface of the mold had melted to the resin and even embedded itself in a few places. It’s difficult to see the resin detail in the photos (my camera went into white balance panic mode with all the shades of white and blue), but you can see how pitted the formerly-smooth mold surface is.

In fairness to the SiliNOT!, the bottle does say that you should put the mold in the freezer for half an hour before casting high-temperature materials. But I assumed high-temperature material was something like candle wax or melted chocolate, rather than ordinary resin. (And the mold had just come out of the refrigerator.)

So, on to pour FOUR of the SiliNOT! mold…

Take Four

NGL, this is getting a little old. >.<

Fourth mold definitely needed some cleanup around the edges, and there are still a couple of tiny bubbles I can’t seem to get rid of, but it’s good enough for a test. (I’m starting to despair of using these for actual production, given how many times I’ve had to redo the molds because of bubbles...)

Deep in the recesses of my basement, I found some transparent epoxy resin with a 24-hour cure time -- much slower and lower-temperature than the Smooth-Cast. Since it cures clear, I went ahead and mixed in some metallic powder pigment on the off chance that I get a usable button out of this one. I had excess resin after mixing, so I poured that into my first mold, which has a bubble in the design but is otherwise fine. Two test pieces are better than one, right?

Results

Here are the results of the slow-curing resin out of mold #4:

Finally, a (mostly) clean cast!

As you can see, the detail reproduction is excellent -- certainly on par with the pulls from the silicone mold I ended up making while waiting on this set to cure (purely for time reasons; I couldn’t afford five days to cast the buttons using slow-curing resin, and with a silicone mold and fast-curing resin I could get them all done within a couple of hours).

However, you can also see a few spots where bits of the SiliNOT! embedded themselves in the final cast. Part of that may be due to design flaw in the original; I didn’t want to glue anything permanently to the antique button, and that resulted in a tiny gap between the button and the resin hemisphere. Silicone has enough strength to resist tearing out in that kind of area, but apparently the SiliNOT! doesn’t. The bits of mold around the outer edge seem to have stuck just to be difficult, as there was no structural reason for those to have become embedded in the resin. This means the mold could be damaged by successive casts, reducing its usable life and accuracy.

Still, the mold definitely produced decent results for a first cast, and a different shape might not have had as much of a problem with tearing off mold parts. The slow-curing resin is a bit of a limitation, but not a unique one (I use this same epoxy resin for any glass-clear casts I do, and only use the Smooth-Cast 300 for opaque items or things I need very quickly). I don’t personally use UV resin, but I’d be curious to learn how it performs with the SiliNOT!

IN SUMMARY:

Here’s the TL;DR on SiliNOT!

Pros

Cost effectiveness. This is the most obvious advantage of SiliNOT! over silicone; it’s (theoretically) infinitely reusable, and even with natural attrition/inevitable contamination from use, you can likely get over a hundred pours out of a bottle. That's a lot cheaper per use than silicone.

Non-toxicity. SiliNOT! is touted as food contact-safe, so you don’t have to panic if you get it on your skin or kitchen counters. While platinum-cure silicone is also relatively harmless (some varieties are labeled for food or life casting), other common moldmaking materials such as tin-cure silicone or urethane are not. (NOTE: Since the company is very hush-hush about what actually makes up the SiliNOT! secret formula, I do not know if it might release any vapors or fumes that would be irritating or harmful to pet birds. In general, I advise not doing any kind of casting around birds.)

Eco-friendliness. This is the biggest draw for me personally: Given the number of casting workshops I run and all the things I sell commercially, I have constant guilt about the amount of waste I generate for creative projects. In most areas of life I’m an aggressive reduce/reuse/recycler and try to use organic materials instead of synthetics whenever possible, so a mold that’s reusable and compostable is very appealing.

Ease of use. It’s honestly pretty hard to mess this up -- just microwave according to the directions and pour. No measuring, no A/B mixture, no concerns about chemical contamination from latex or sulfur, etc.

Shelf life. Unlike silicones, which have a shelf life of anywhere from six months to three years depending on storage conditions, the SiliNOT! purports to be shelf-stable. It's compostable, so don’t bury it in your yard, but otherwise it appears that it could be kept on hand for years.

Cons

Bubbles. Honestly the most irritating thing about this stuff for me. I’m used to being able to see bubbles forming as I pour, tap them to the surface, and remove them. The fact that I poured four molds of the same object and never once got one without bubbles is super irritating.

Stickiness. I’m not a big fan of the tacky surface texture, and while I haven’t done any cold casting yet, I can imagine that it would be very difficult to clean out any pigment or mica powder that got where you didn’t want it. I probably wouldn’t use this for any kind of cold casting that required isolated colored areas or changing colors between casts.

Set time. The SiliNOT! may take longer to cool than a fast silicone would to cure when dealing with larger molds, so it’s not ideal for projects with a really tight turnaround. (But cosplayers would never be casting something the night before a con, right? We always plan ahead and never, ever procrastinate!)

Library life. The SiliNOT! may or may not structurally degrade over time the way urethane, latex, and tin cure silicones do, but I noticed even in my very limited casts that it was prone to having tiny bits of the mold (particularly at edges) stick and pull off. While I keep most of my platinum silicone molds for years and reuse them, I don’t feel that the SiliNOT! molds would hold up to repeated casting, and they’re far more sensitive to ambient temperature, so they’re probably best used for short term only. (I also wonder about the possibility of oil leaching out in long-term storage.)

Comparative Ranking

Ranking it against other mold-making materials, I’d place SiliNOT! below platinum-cure silicone in terms of performance, but maybe somewhere in the neighborhood of urethane and tin-cure silicone. It's definitely superior to latex. (Though to be honest, I'd rank Play-Doh above latex. I hate working with that stuff.)

Factoring in cost and environmental impact, it beats out urethane and tin-cure silicone. I'm still not sure if I'd rank it above platinum-cure silicone, though... Silicone costs much more and isn't eco-friendly, but the performance and lifespan is significantly better, so it still makes more sense for some projects.

Alginate is another type of material entirely, but in some ways SiliNOT! is comparable to it -- both are more cost-effective than silicone, both are biodegradable, both are skin safe, and both have long shelf lives. But SiliNOT! is easier to use for beginners than alginate, which has to be mixed to the right consistency and has an extremely short lifespan once poured.

Overall, I would recommend SiliNOT! for:

People who want accurate, non-shrinking molds but don’t have the budget for platinum-cure silicone

People who are committed to eliminating waste from single-use materials, and are willing to trade off a little performance for a more eco-friendly material

Projects with smooth surfaces and no indentations/sharp edges/undercuts where bubbles might stick (e.g. cabochons; simple geometric forms)

Projects where you need only one or two casts of something, rather than many casts from the same mold

Casting oddly-shaped pieces around which the mold needs to stretch in order to demold

Use with slow-curing resins that do not generate much heat

I would NOT recommend SiliNOT! for:

Extremely complex or detailed pieces, or pieces with a lot of surface texture that bubbles might stick to

Two-part molds

Projects requiring many identical casts out of the same mold

Molds that you intend to add to your library for future or repeat casting

Use with fast-curing resins, melted wax, melted Monster Clay, or any other material that emits heat

Cold casting with precise color application

My Overall Opinion

It's... okay? I will almost certainly keep SiliNOT! in my toolkit for certain specific applications. It's MUCH cheaper over the long term, I love the idea of recycling mold material, and there are some projects for which it will likely perform very well (those listed in the above bullet points). I will also admit that three days of working with it does not constitute a comprehensive familiarity with the product, and it might be the sort of thing that you get better at working with after more practice. (Just learning how to eliminate bubbles would go a long way toward making me adopt this for more projects!)

However, I don't quite buy the "better than silicone" tagline. It's definitely more difficult to get a perfect result, and there are some projects for which platinum-cure silicone is always going to be more reliable (e.g. high-temperature casting, mass production, large-scale life casting).

For those looking for a recommendation of whether or not to buy, I'd say look at your project budget and the applications for which you're going to be making molds, and let those factors guide which mold material you go with. People doing some kinds of projects are likely going to find this a godsend, while those doing different projects would probably hate working with it.

[queen-rainy-love]

New Family to the RedPastry family!

This is thanks to @cherryartemis0 that we have this wonderful story. This is way before Strawberry Cream joins the family and is set after the Faerie Pure Wedding arc.

*The scene is set in the RedPastry Household. Pastry is cleaning up the kitchen while Pond Dino and Space Doughnut are playing in the living room with Chiffon and Connie. Two seconds later, the front door slowly opened, and Red Velvet, Capsaicin, and Brute quietly walked in with a large basket.*

Capsaicin: *whispers* Will mom get mad?

Brute: *whispers* I think she won't notice.

Pond Dino: *looks from their toys and notices Red Velvet.* Da! Da da da! *waddles up to him*

Space Doughnut: Kyu!

Red Velvet: *starts panicking a bit and tries to calm them down* Pond Dino! Space Doughnut! Wait!

*From the kitchen...*

Pastry: *looks up* Hmm? Velvet? Are you back with Capsaicin and Brute?

*From the living room...*

Red Velvet: *flinches a bit* (Crap!) Hey babe! Yeah, we're back! *gestures Capsaicin and Brute into the hallway*

*Both Capsaicin and Brute carried the large basket into the hallway, just in time for Pastry to walk in. Red Velvet blocked her path.*

Red Velvet: Hey babe! *pulls her close in and kisses her forehead* How was your day?

Pastry: ...Good...Where's Brute and Capsaicin?

Red Velvet: They're putting away the training tools from earlier.

Pastry: ... You didn't leave with training tools.

Red Velvet: ...

Pastry: ... Capsaicin. Brute. Come here.

*Brute and Capsaicin walked back in sheepishly while still carrying the basket.*

Pastry: What's in the basket?

Red Velvet: Promise you won't get mad?

Pastry: What's in the basket?

*Red Velvet pulls the blanket off to reveal a Cake Hound and a bunch of Cake Pups. Pastry looks at him before sighing.*

Pastry: Velvet...

Red Velvet: She was alone with her puppies! I couldn't leave them! Plus they really like Capsaicin!!

Capsaicin: Please mom! They'll be happy with the others! Even with Spike! Please mom!

Pastry: ...*looks at Red Velvet* I'm more annoyed you tried to hide this from me.

Red Velvet: I know. And I won't do it again. It was just a lot more Cake Hounds than usual.

*Space Doughnut looks over in the basket before helping Pond Dino inside the basket.*

Pastry: Let's just count how many are- *notices Pond Dino in the basket* How did Pond Dino get in the basket?

Red Velvet: *turns around* They must have climbed in. I'll get them-

???: Yip!

*Everyone freezes before looking into the basket. Sitting in the middle of the Cake Pups was a Cake Hound-looking Cookie with Pond Dino biting their ear.*

???: Can you please stop biting my ear! And where am I?

Brute: ...That's a Cookie.

Red Velvet: That's a Cookie. That's a Cookie-How did we miss them?!

Pastry: *takes Pond Dino away* Sorry about that. You're in our home in the Cookie Kingdom. Who are you?

???: Thanks! And the name's Strawberry Shortcake Cookie.

*Pastry and Red Velvet look at each other before looking back at Strawberry Shortcake.*

Red Velvet: Sorry about putting you in the basket. I rescue Cake Hounds and make sure they have a place to stay before finding a new and safer home. We must have picked you up without noticing you.

Strawberry Shortcake: Wait! You're the Cookie with the Cake arm who saves Cake Hounds!!

Red Velvet: Yes, well-

Strawberry Shortcake: *points at Pastry* And she's your mate who adopts young Cookies!

Pastry: That's right-

Strawberry Shortcake: Then I'm home!

Red Velvet & Pastry: What?

Strawberry Shortcake: I'm your new kid now!

Capsaicin: Pond Dino and I have a new sibling now?! Yes!

Brute: *smirks at Red Velvet* And you're a day closer to becoming your parents.

Pastry: Won't your parents be looking for you?

Strawberry Shortcake: I don't have parents. Unless you two count!

Pastry: ...

Red Velvet: Pastry...

Pastry: Call Langue de Chat. We need official papers.

Red Velvet: Witches damn it. *pulls out his phone* He's gonna kill me.

[corazondebeskar-reads]

Kinktober Day 26 - Tentacles/Dacryphilia (Din Djarin)

ori'skraan

Kinktober Day 26 - Tentacles/Dacryphilia

dark/haunted!Din Djarin x f!reader

Word Count: 2.9k

Summary: The Mand'alor needs to feed to regain his strength, so you are called upon to fulfill the most sacred of your duties.

a haunted!Mand'alor!Din Djarin is granted strength beyond human limits by the Darksaber but at the cost of becoming a creature terrifying to behold who must feed like an incubus. Also, he has shadow tentacles. tbh; this is an elaborate setup for eldrich horror smut.

Warnings: dark, dub-con, tentacles, tentacle sex, rough sex, bondage, unprotected p in v, oral (f receiving), monsterfucking, author makes up stuff about Mandalorian culture in the name of monsterfucking, horror vibes, Mandalorian reader, Mando'a, satine kryze slander, Mand'alor Din Djarin, this may or may not become a series bcus I have a problem

Inspired by this prompt list from @absurdthirst.

also on ao3

In the days of the songs of old, before the civil war, before the pacifist uprising, and the slaughter of your people, being the Mand’alor meant something. It wasn’t symbolic; they weren’t a tool through which politicians passed their agendas; they were gods.

And when they died, their manda would join the others and become something stronger yet in the new Mand’alor. It was all ghost stories when you grew up. Something your brother would taunt you with, and when your buir found out, he was scolded, but the information was not denied.

An all-powerful ruler, granted extraordinary abilities by their dead predecessors. Terrifying, world-destroying power. And a beskar sword that could wield pure Force power.

They talked about the Mand’alor like a creature, this benevolent but merciless being who stalked in the shadows and called their mando’ade to arms only in times of true need. Who every Mandalorian worth their beskar would follow into death, whether by devotion or respect.

The real Mand’alor in your youth was much less impressive. Actually, she was fairly disappointing. She barely wore any beskar’gam, and you knew you could not serve her. Would not answer her call, for she was no real Mandalorian.

Never mind that you were ten.

After the Clone Wars, after the empire, after the purge, after… everything, you never thought you’d see Manda’yaim again.

But news travels fast through the galaxy, and when whispers began to turn to headlines, when every pub in town was brimming with the same news, when Mandalore was back in the hands of her people—

You waited. A twice-bitten striil burying her head in the sand. But you did reach out, and sent a ping through your connections until something echoed back.

It was true. And the call had been rung—return, it beckoned, for there is a Mand’alor on the throne at Keldabe.

So you went home.

Running Mandalore and protecting her from danger was a truly staggering feat. One supported by hundreds of other Mando’ade. Your brother pledged to serve on the royal guard, and you—well, before the Duchess, there was only one role you wanted.

You had been in training to be an attendant to the Mand’alor for years. Your time away from home had taught you that such a position was looked down upon by aruetti, the minding of a household diminished. But how could it be so when your services were dedicated to the Ka'ra? To protect and aid their vessel? To share the burden of living so that the Mand'alor can fulfill their oath to the people?

The Duchess had refused attendants, of course. And as she did not wield the saber, did not appreciate the grace of the Ka'ra, and so your job was over before it had begun. Though, as much as you disapproved of Kryze, you would have rather died to protect her than let that darjetii sit upon the throne.

The Darksaber granted him no power, and none after him. But when you arrive in the remains of Keldabe, where little stands now but stacks of cleared glass and hope, there are whispers of a man who had entered the Living Waters seeking redemption and returned as a monster to the surface with the blessing of the Stars themselves.

His advisors have explained as much as they know over and over again. It’s not much. Your regular duties are simple, something you had long mastered. Your other duties are less clear.

And so, you attend to him at all times. He fights you on it at first, gruff and stubborn. He doesn’t want you to draw his bath; he doesn’t want you to deliver his meals to his desk. But you do, and as the days tick by, he stops protesting you.

He even starts to anticipate your presence, greeting you with a soft kindness and accepting your service with quiet respect.

But the day was to come eventually. When he comes calling, you’re putting away Grogu’s clothes in the nursery.

There’s a knock at the door, but he doesn’t wait for you to answer. Fair, you suppose, since this is his son’s room.

“Mand’alor,” you say, inclining your head. You move to stand, and he sighs.

“Please, let’s not stand on decorum in these chambers.”

“It’s my job to, ah, 'stand on decorum,'” you say, smiling. But you resume folding the linens and small tunics.

“I wanted to let you know myself that you will be needed for your other duties tomorrow.”

Oh. The only indication of your reaction is a twitch of your fingers where they lay on the sleeve of a robe. “Yes, Mand’alor.”

“They explained to you what may happen?”

“Yes, Mand’alor, I understand.”

He comes and sits on the floor in front of you. Your helmet conceals your surprise, steady hands still working through the small pile of laundry.

“I’m sure they told you I did not want an attendant.”

“Something along those lines, yes.”

“Did they tell you why I changed my mind? Did they tell you what happened last month?”

You shudder a little involuntarily but hold firm enough to look at him and nod. “They also told me she’s okay.”

“Regardless,” he says, self-disgust oozing through the modulator. “I don’t wish for that to happen to you.”

“It may or may not,” you say. “We won’t know until then.”

“But you were trained for this. Do you know a way to ease it?”

“I did not complete my training, and I was too young to know the details. But…” you aren’t sure if you want to bring up your idea. It is, after all, without evidence.

“But what?”

“It’s nothing, Mand’alor. A theory and nothing more, but it isn’t worth the price.”

“What theory?”

“Just mine. Not even a fully formed hypothesis. Just a passing thought.”

“Tell me anyway.” His voice is soft. Nothing like you expect to face tomorrow.

“I just wondered if you were more familiar with me, if it might help.” You know he follows the Resol'nare in the way of the old songs. You have adapted to honor his Creed, as is The Way, and so he has never seen your face.

He's silent and you hope you haven't offended him. But he seems to genuinely considers your words.

And then he reaches up and removes his helmet.

“Kriff, warn me first,” you snap, squeezing your eyes shut and covering your visor with one hand.

“Your theory is sound. And we’ll see each other tomorrow.”

“Yes, but in the Chamber, we aren’t meant to outside it. And I only meant that perhaps I should—”

“What does it matter?”

You almost scoff before you remember your place. “I suppose it does not.” These were his rules, after all. He has a greater understanding of his own Creed than you ever will.

“I accepted an attendant because they assured me it would help you survive. That I would understand your purpose, in the moment. If this has even a chance of ensuring your safety, then it must be done.”

You reach up, but he stops you before your fingers brush the bottom of your helmet.

“May I?”

You still haven’t opened your eyes, but the rough sound of his unmodulated voice asking to remove your helmet sounds downright salacious.

“Of course, ner Mand’alor,” you murmur and tilt your head back.

You startle when he touches you, not because you're surprised but because he's removed his gloves. His thumbs skim against your neck to break the seal, and his smooth fingers burn. He lifts it off as if the beskar were as fragile as an egg and sets it beside his own.

You finally open your eyes and gasp. He’s beautiful. There’s no other word for it, or if there are, they are lost to you. His stare is intense and enthralling, his eyes the shade and softness of damp earth.

Then you remember your station and quickly avert your eyes to the ground.

“If it’s any comfort,” he says, “I’ll look much different tomorrow.”

“I’m sure your other form is just as beautiful.”

“Thank you, but you don’t need to flatter me.”

The silence that follows isn’t quite awkward. It’s not the pause of uncertain hands and mouths, of stilted negotiations, but the way the air hangs thick before dropping into battle. It’s the feeling of sitting side by side with your vod, knowing you are safe but still may not make it home.

He sits for a moment longer before taking his leave. “You should rest,” he says before he leaves the room.

You assure him you will. But you won’t. If you’re going to be off duty for two days, all the more reason to finish your tasks, you reason. The crawling pressure against your breastbone calls you a liar.

You know, have known, that to fulfill your duty means walking into a trap unarmed and unprepared. Whatever you find in there, you will have to face with no weapon, no beskar, no allies.

It doesn’t stop you from shaking a little as you remove your beskar’gam in the antechamber. You’re alone. No assistants, no handmaidens, no witnesses.

You take a deep breath that carries you across the threshold. The antechamber locks behind you. There will be no leaving until he is satisfied.

You expected the ritual halls of your ancestors. This is a bedroom.

Yes, it’s a bedroom in a hall carved of beskar-veined stone, but it’s soft. There are pale, thick rugs on the floor and tufted seats in shades of gray. The enormous round bed is indulgent, covered in silks and soft furs. You sit, bare, afraid to hide yourself lest it angers him when he enters.

Will he be the man or the beast when he enters? You’re not sure which you’d prefer. To watch him transform or to be forced to accept his second form upon his entrance.

You’re saved from dwelling on it when the door slides open. You breathe only enough to feel it slip away.

The Mand'alor's shadow cuts the light from the entry. Silhouetted in the frame, he towers higher, wider than he had in the baby’s room. The edges of his form are hard to look at. ike your eyes can’t focus, can’t accept what they see. When he moves and the door locks, you realize it wasn’t his shadow. He is the shadow. It ripples from him, spreading across his torso and arms.

He reaches you in far too few steps. His broad hand cups your chin, and the shadows that blur the edge between his skin and the air cup you also, spilling from his fingers up your cheeks like a wisp of fog.

The Mand’alor does not speak. But when he looks at you, more eyes peel open. Four extra on each side of his forehead, black and slit like a serpent's, though his two original eyes are still brown.

He leans down, the tendrils that swallow him threatening to swallow you, too. When his lips meet yours, your mouth opens to draw a sharp breath. It does not receive it, as he licks into your mouth. It feels like you’re choking, the darkness sliding down your throat.

His hands find your arms, and the shadows crawl down them, never breaking contact with him but stretching, growing. They curl around you, lingering just on the precipice of incorporeal.

You break the kiss to gasp for air, and a wide smirk spreads across his face. “Such a pretty girl,” he purrs. You wish it was hyperbole, but the words come in a rumble from deep within his chest.

And you flush, heat bursting across your skin and pooling in your cunt. He takes a deep breath and his eyes, all ten, dart down to your thighs.

“Offering to feed me already, alor’ika?”

You shudder, but your legs part for him. You hardly notice, enraptured as you are by the way blinks ripple across his hungry eyes.

“That’s it, what a good little pet,” he purrs.

A shudder slips through, your nipples pebbling. He takes one in his mouth immediately. His tongue is rough, but his teeth are surprisingly flat. Human.

Though, you suppose, he’s not a carnivore. Doesn’t need the sharp fangs of nightmares to rend your flesh. Especially not when your flesh seems particularly eager to give him whatever he needs.

He licks the valley between your breasts and sets his teeth against the tendon of your neck. You tip your head to the side, and he rewards you with a famished growl and the sharp pinch of his bite.

You can’t quite breathe right, still. Your skin prickles and burns where his mouth travels down an extensive trail, tasting and biting and marking you. The restraint snaps when he reaches the crest between your thighs, the hunger overtaking him.

He’ll have plenty of time to savor you, anyway.

But for now, he dives straight in. You cry out and jerk your hips at the sudden sensation. Licking deep within you—unnaturally so, you suspect—the shadowy edges of him unfurl, more corporeal than before. Just the small taste has strengthened him so much already.

It splits into thick tendrils, blurry with no discernable edges, just a place where they meet your skin and where they pulse from his body.

They encircle your wrists and hold them just above your head, another pair wrenching your legs apart and opening you for him. He snarls, gripping your thighs in his hands and flicking the sandpaper of his tongue against your clit. You cry out, and a tendril slides into your mouth.

It’s nearly real, now, smooth and dense. Your eyes roll back into your head as it makes itself at home in your throat, fucking in and out.

He looks up at you and laughs into your pussy, the hot breath of air over your clit making you twitch.

There’s nothing to tether you, the slick silk slipping when you squirm, the tendrils connecting you to him, only him, and not the world around you. They lift up your hips, letting him drink from your well with fervor, and you jerk helplessly in their grasp as one slides up and caresses your ass, slithering over the hole and wriggling in.

There isn’t an inch of you that doesn’t feel raw. His shadowy limbs creep over your breasts, roll your nipples, smooth over your stomach, brush against your cheek.

When you cum, he snarls again, slipping two fingers into your cunt and curving them against you, pressing and rubbing, and it brings you over the edge again. He doesn’t let up, not until he builds you up and breaks you on his tongue and hand. Like cracking open a fruit and letting the juices pour over your hand.

He savors every drop.

The danger sneaks in unnoticed. You’re dazed, limp, and chest heaving, coated in sweat and his saliva. But his strength is growing, the tendrils no longer shadow but rendered into flesh, and his grip on you is bruising.

Neither of you notice. You’re exhausted, barely clinging to consciousness, and he’s ravenous.

“More, alor’ika,” he hisses. He forces himself to pull away, to crawl atop you and take.

When you had seen his cock, a brief glance when he entered, it was large but humanly so. It is certainly not, now.

He pushes in slowly, but for all the pleasure he wrung from you, it’s not enough. Could never be enough. You scream, but no sound comes out, thoroughly stoppered as you are by the shadow-limb.

You look up at him, pupils blown not from lust but from pain. Tears leak, and he leans down and licks them from you.

“So pretty when you cry,” he croons, extracting the tendril from your mouth so he can press his tongue inside.

“Mand’alor, please,” you beg through sobs.

The bones in your wrist grind as the tentacles pulsate around them. As he nears his peak, the force of his hips is cruel. You think of the girl from last month. The girl whose shattered pelvis will probably never heal right, even with the bacta bath.

“Ner Mand’alor,” you try again. “It’s too much. If you break me, you can’t have me again.”

He sinks his teeth into your neck. “I can have whatever I need from you.”

“Yes,” you say, trying to nudge his head away with your own. You bump his forehead in a weak attempt at a mirshmure’cya, jostling his damp curls and drawing his real eyes to yours. “Vor entye.”

He draws back a little, regarding you with ten unblinking eyes.

“I will hold you to that, ner ori'skraan,” he says and gives you his own Keldabe kiss. He fucks into you still, rough but not ravaging. The fevered kissing resumes as a tendril creeps down to rub your clit.

When he has drained every ounce of pleasure he can wring from you; he fills your raw, split cunt. It’s so much. It floods, and leaks from you, and all you can do is whimper until he begins to soften.

He reaches down between your legs and brings some of his cum to your lips. You accept the offering, the strange sweetness lingering in your mouth until your lips tingle. The feeling is slow to stretch through you, and by the time the analgesic takes effect, you’re already asleep.

[beanieman]

(This is about Kai in the artbook.)

It's likely very hard for Kai to express his feelings after training to be an assassin and losing Sei right in front of his eyes. That's why it's so sweet that he's found a way to express himself in a way that makes him comfortable.

It's also noteworthy that he uses tools he learned to operate in the Chidouin household. Because of them, he can show his feelings more openly and be more than a cold-hearted killer.