#i Do Not kill any spiders except brown recluses

[0xo]

good golly i just got startled by a fucking nother one and i killed it. i didn't even scream even though i really really really wanted to (my wife is asleep two feet away from where i found it) but i Got It very calmly and didn't even cry.

just got jumpscared by a brown recluse and you best believe i killed that thing immediately

[onenicebugperday]

Have you ever done a post about distinguishing brown recluses from wolf spiders? That's kinda my last major barrier of spider fear bc I have definitely killed wolf spiders on accident confusing them for actually dangerous ones. :'(

It's actually super easy to distinguish the two when you know what to look for!

I'll focus on your location that you shared via IM in terms of wolf species you may encounter, but the following info is true of all wolves within the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) range anyway.

Before I get into that, though, for anyone who may want to know how to ID a brown recluse, make sure you're even in their range. Their range is relatively small:

(map source)

If you're outside of this range, it's very VERY unlikely that any spider you encounter is a brown recluse. There are some other Loxosceles species found in the southwest US and into California, though, and they look similar. As far as I understand, there isn't really enough data on the effects of their venom to say whether or not their bites are medically significant like the brown recluse’s may be, but if anyone's seen any research on that, feel free to tell me how wrong I am.

Anyway, here are a male (top) and female brown recluse:

Photos by eattaway92 and wildcarrot

And for size reference:

Photo by catenatus

So! Some things to note. First, there aren’t really any markings on their body except for the famous dark violin shape on the cephalothorax and sometimes a slightly darkened stripe on the front of the abdomen which is super visible in this photo:

Photo by ryandove

Second, the legs are long and spindly and don’t look hairy unless you’re very close up. The way they hold their legs is often almost crab-spider-like. Third, the eyes! This is, I think, the most obvious way to distinguish them from wolves. Brown recluses have only six eyes, grouped in pairs, so it looks like three black dots if you’re viewing it from a distance. Here’s a close-up:

Photo by salticidude

Wolves will not have the violin shape. Almost all species of wolf you’d encounter will also have other markings on their body, especially dark stripes on the cephalothorax. Some may have an abdominal stripe similar to the recluse, but it’s usually much less subtle.

Here are two of the most common wolves in the southern US, Rabidosa rabida and Tigrosa annexa:

Photos by sambiology and cavemander17

You can see the body and legs are far more robust, more densely haired, and the markings are pretty wildly different than the recluse which is fairly plain. There’s no wolf spider I know of that looks even remotely like a recluse as far as markings go.

The big thing though!! Are the eyes. Wolves have eight eyes, but two are comically large cartoon eyes that face forward. Even on the very tiny ones, you can still see their big eyes. Prepare yourself it’s very cute

Photos by annikaml and feistyone

If I’m ever not weeping about wolf eyes, just assume I am dead. Anyway, beyond all that, size in particular is not a very good indicator when trying to differentiate, because wolves have a huge range from the size of your fingernail to practically the size of a tarantula. Let’s admire this one just for fun

Precious :) Carolina wolf photo by afroherpkeeper

Recluses are a lot more consistently sized as adults, about the size of a quarter.

I would also like to add that while recluse venom can potentially be harmful, most bites do not require medical attention and heal just fine on their own, especially for healthy adults. Serious reactions happen in something like less than 1% of bites.

Also, they’re called recluses for a reason. They’re nocturnal, non-aggressive, and tend to avoid people. Most bites happen because they got caught in bedding or clothing and accidentally pressed against someone’s skin, so they bit as a defensive reaction so they could escape the big scary predator about to smoosh them. If you capture them in a cup (wear gloves if you’re afraid!) and put them outside away from your house, it’s very unlikely you’ll see them again. No need to kill them!

Wolves, of course, are capable of biting, but their bites are not medically significant.

Hope this was helpful!

[aggressive-positivity-network]

I just need anything with the mercs and bugs. Like just arthropods in general. Please just the boys and some bugs, please 🥺

Mercs & Creepy Crawlies

Headcanons

Medic:

“Bug? Vhere?”

He is interested in all living creatures, so of course he would have no qualms with insects. Of course, he would prefer mammals, but whatever.

His favorite to study? Cockroaches!

He likes to use them as mini-science projects. When he gets bored or burnt out, he usually takes to the “Roach-Mobile,” using electronic signals to move the cockroach every which way.

He’s also a big fan of scorpions, millipedes, and the occasional revived fossil.

It’s one of the few things he likes about living in the desert.

Lately, though, since he’s become more and more exhausted, he usually hangs out in his butterfly room. That always seems to relax him.

Heavy:

Heavy usually doesn’t notice insects unless there’s a scorpion in his boot or a fly on his sandwich.

However, he unfortunately has a very rare allergy to ladybugs.

It usually doesn’t flare up unless they go to a campground or a park where there are a lot of ladybugs.

He sneezes something awful.

And when Heavy sneezes, you definitely notice.

It hasn’t gotten very bad over the years, especially because of the arid air around the base.

But one time they had a ladybug infestation after a shipment for Medic went wrong. Until Engineer exterminated them, Heavy was sick as a dog. He even swelled up a bit and ran a low-grade fever.

“Lady is little, but make big man feel sick...”

Any occasional ladybug in the base is practically killed on sight.

Demo:

Since he lived in Scotland, the only bug he is familiar with are worms, so he doesn’t really have much to say about the others.

Except, of course, leeches.

He is deathly afraid of them.

When he was young, he was attacked by a leech swarm in a lake, and he lost a lot of blood. He even had to go to the hospital.

Ever since then, he gets sick even looking at a leech.

Medic is thrilled. He has a nice, healthy, slightly obsessive interest in phobias.

The doctor likes to tease him whenever possible, and will always offer leeches as an option when Demo gets injured.

One time, he even held up one for Demo to see.

Demo proceeded to scream, throw a grenade in Medic’s direction, and run like the devil in the opposite direction. He didn’t even take out the pin, just threw the whole, inactivated explosive.

Medic laughed and put it back in the tank, but hasn’t done it since...he already spends enough on the lab as it is.

Soldier:

He has and takes care of a pet scorpion in his Sniper Square.

Their name is Roman.

They literally have a bow on their tail made out of an old t-shirt.

Soldier feeds Roman insects, small frogs, and other meaty things - he even gave them beef jerky once.

He is pretty much immune to scorpion poison because Roman has stung him so many times.

Other than that, Soldier is pretty chill with every other bug.

Sometimes he’ll just be at the table.

Playing with a brown recluse.

Or even a black widow.

Like man, do you have any self-preservation instincts?

Sniper:

Bugs make his job a lot harder, especially centipedes and Soldier’s pet scorpion.

Sniper’ll be aiming for a shot, then he’ll feel a bunch of legs crawling on him.

Sometimes it’s sweat.

Sometimes bug.

He thinks dragonflies are pretty cool, though.

If one lands on the muzzle of his gun, he won’t take the shot. He considers it bad luck to startle a dragonfly.

Sniper isn’t afraid of any insects - I mean, come on, he lived in Australia - but he doesn’t like most of them because of how small, quick, and usually poisonous they are.

Just dragonflies.

In fact, he secretly likes collecting dragonfly stuff along with apricot stuff.

Pyro once got him a scented sticker with a dragonfly on a peach for Smissmas, and he almost went insane over it. He has stuck it on the wall of the Sniper Square, right next to the slit he shoots out of.

Pyro:

There aren’t many day bugs that Pyro likes.

Miss Pauling doesn’t them keep any, so what’s even the point?

However, fireflies are a different story.

Pyro catches massive amounts of them every night and uses them as a night light until morning.

Engie is in the process of making small “fire-bots” so that the firefly population doesn’t go extinct.

The only other bug Pyro is interested in is butterflies. He spends a lot of time in Medic’s butterfly room as a result.

His favorite is watching them come out of their chrysalis. He’ll just sit in the butterfly nursery and stare at them at they come out.

Pyro is very gentle with them, so Medic trusts her to go fetch all the new butterflies and set them free.

It’s their favorite job ever.

Engineer:

GRASSHOPPERS!

No, I’m serious, he is obsessed with grasshoppers.

When he is feeling burnt out, he can and will build as many tiny, robotic grasshoppers as necessary to feel better.

Sometimes he sets them loose and watches them hop around.

Any merc can walk in and see Engineer cross-legged on the floor, staring at an endless sea of robo-hoppers.

“Should I come back later?”

“Yeah.”

He thought about making robo-birds to catch them, but then thought about how he’d have to make robo-cats to catch the birds, and robo-dogs to catch the cats...he got so overwhelmed that he just put the grasshoppers away and took a well-deserved nap.

Scout:

Messes around with pretty much anything that isn’t poisonous

He was actually once dared to eat worms, succeeded, and then proceeded to eat a few worms whenever he could find them.

??????

Medic thinks it’s because of a vitamin deficiency, but no one really knows for sure.

Scout was also always covered in mosquito bites.

He refused to put on bug spray because of the smell and the fact he can’t stand still long enough for it to be applied.

Finally, out of sheer frustration of Scout’s whining about itching all the time, Engineer “came across” a dog tag necklace that suddenly took care of the bug problem.

Scout wore it proudly, and he hasn’t had a bug bite since.

Medic owes Engineer several favors for that one.

Spy:

He will not tolerate bugs.

He doesn’t like cockroaches, flies, scorpions, ladybugs, butterflies, or mosquitos.

But Spy has a special burning passion for spiders.

He will not visibly freak out, of course - he has too much pride for that.

However, he will take the magazine from under his arm and slam it down on the spider, instantly killing it.

He cracked a wooden table after seeing a black widow.

Medic has tried exposure therapy, but Spy has managed to kill every single one of his specimens.

But hey, it’s free pest control, so no one else is complaining.

I wonder if I should add Ms. Pauling in the future...what do you guys think?

@leepogo

[beware-of-you-98]

OTP Prompts for Jemily

🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺

Who kills the bugs?

JJ (she grew up in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania, she’s not scared of any sort of bug)

Emily doesn’t deal with creatures with more than four legs, so if she sees an insect, or lord forbid, a spider, she’ll immediately climb off the floor and call for her girlfriend

JJ can never find it in herself to purposely kill the insects (she’s also not too keen on having to clean bug guts from her carpet), so she’ll grab a clear plastic cup with whatever book or piece of paper is laying around and use those to put the bug outside

(If it’s a wolf spider, she’ll literally pick it up with her bare hands, much to Emily’s horror)

If the spider is a brown recluse or black widow, she’ll bring the covered arachnid closer and take the time to show her boys and Emily what markings to look out for so that they know to be careful

The only insect she refuses to deal with are stink bugs

When they come around, she and Emily take an emergency trip to the nearby Target and buy enough of the raspberry gel air fresheners for every one of their windows

Yeah, their house smells like a Jolly Rancher for the entire month

But at least they don’t have to deal with the annoying beetles

Who always gets hot? Who always gets cold?

Neither of them gets hot, but Emily is perpetually cold

The rest of the team will be in the field in pants and short sleeves while Emily is bundled in her turtlenecks and jacket

Even in 90°+ weather, Emily can sit comfortably in long sleeve shirts and pants

At first, JJ is surprised by how cold Emily can get

She wakes up one day to find Emily bundled under the covers and shivering

Of course, she’s alarmed and asking what’s wrong, only getting confused when Emily says she’s fine, just cold

“Em, it’s 76° outside.” “That’s practically freezing!”

JJ starts giving Emily her sweaters and sweatshirts for her to wear

Emily loves them so much because they fit her just the way she likes and they smell like her girlfriend

Who’s the big spoon? Who’s the little spoon?

Everyone on the team hands down swears Emily’s the big spoon

It’s not only because she’s taller than JJ, but Penelope says she gives big spoon vibes

(Actually, she says Emily gives huge top vibes and that makes her the big spoon by default)

JJ lets the team think whatever they want because she’s the only one that really knows Emily Prentiss is the ultimate little spoon

She can’t help it!! She loves the feeling of being wrapped up in JJ’s arms

And loves getting her hair played with while she rests her head on JJ’s chest

She’s!! Soft!! When!! It!! Comes!! To!! Jennifer!! Jareau!!

When did they realize they loved each other?

For JJ, she realized in the aftermath of the Tobias Hankel case

She suffered from horrific nightmares for weeks and never got enough sleep

Emily comes over every night for three weeks and holds JJ in her arms and comforts her when she wakes up screaming from her nightmares

JJ realizes she’s in love with Emily one night after she’s calmed down from yet another nightmare

She’s laying there in Emily’s arms, emotionally drained and exhausted and she just peers up at Emily and... knows

No one had ever cared for her like this, no one had ever made her feel so calm, so safe in years.

Emily does.

Emily makes her feel like no one has before, like she’s the only person to ever exist and matter.

JJ feels as if Emily’s arms is where she’s meant to spend her life

She doesn’t know it then, but that was the moment she fell in love with Emily. And she fell hard.

Emily knew almost right away tbh

It’s only a few weeks after she joins the BAU and everyone else had gone home except for herself and JJ

She goes into JJ’s office to keep her company

They spend the next few hours organizing files (Emily insists on helping because JJ looks really stressed and overwhelmed)

They don’t get a lot of work done honestly, they sit and talk with each other over mugs of steaming chamomile tea

Emily looks across the desk at JJ as she finishes a story and is rendered speechless by how beautiful the blonde is and how perfect she is and how everything about her makes Emily feel as if nothing else matters

She’s overwhelmed with her own emtion and just knows, knows, at that moment she’s well and truly fucked because she’s in love

Who said “I love you” first?

Emily does but it’s spontaneous and out of the blue

The whole team is hanging out at Rossi’s house

Everyone is laughing and having a good time

Emily and JJ are attempting to dance to the music playing over the speakers but they’re both hilariously uncoordinated

(They’ve also both had a couple of glasses of wine at this point, making their efforts even more comical)

Spencer and Hotch are playing a game of blackjack

Derek is half paying attention to the game on tv, half swaying to the music and doing weird dances when Penelope looks at him to make her laugh

Penelope is recording different parts of the night for the memories

Rossi sits back and watches over his children with a content smile

JJ stumbles into Emily’s arms with a giggle

Emily laughs and wraps her arms around the her blonde and just goes “God, do I love you.”

You can hear a pin drop with how quiet everyone becomes

Emily opens her mouth to apologize, to weakly defend herself when JJ grins up at her “Do you mean it?”

Emily’s response is a small, shy smile

“Say it again.”

Emily then leans in and gives JJ a light kiss and says more genuinely “I love you.”

JJ beams up at her and repeats the words, wrapping her arms around Emily’s neck and pulls her down for a deep kiss

(The team all give out a celebratory whoop at the couple’s expense and Penelope cries because she’s so happy for her friends)

(She sends the video to the two later on for them to have)

(It’s their most treasured memory)

Who demands cuddles?

When sober? Emily

Emily Prentiss loves a good cuddle

And, hey, after a day of dealing with the horrors they experience daily, a cuddle is what they both need and deserve

Drunk JJ is clingy as hell and will literally pout up at Emily until the older woman cuddles her

It doesn’t matter where they are

If they are in the middle of Wendy’s, drunk JJ will pout to her heart’s desire until she gets her cuddles (and a vanilla frosty, but that’s besides the point)

Drunk JJ actually demands cuddles

Who is more prone to stealing the other’s clothes?

While JJ gives Emily her clothes to wear, she is 100% the one that steals Emily’s clothes

She steals Emily’s hoodies all the time

If she can’t find something to wear for work in her side of the closet, she’ll steal a shirt from Emily’s

She also loves to steal Emily’s pantsuits and wear those to work sometimes

They’re so much more comfortable than skirts

And Emily loves to see her in them, so that’s a bonus

(She also steals Emily’s flannels before they go out for dates)

She just loves wearing Emily’s clothes as much as Emily loves to wear her’s

When do they tell their team/their families about their relationship? What are their reactions?

They decide to tell the team after five months that they’ve been dating

They want them to know because the team is like their secondary family

(And they also want to be able to publically be with each other when the team get together at Rossi’s)

(JJ just wants to hold Emily’s hand and give her girlfriend a kiss whenever she wants god dammit!)

To both of their relief, the team’s response is overwhelmingly positive

No one is surprised when they confirm to the team they’re dating

Hotch and Rossi are just like “we knew it”

Penelope has to remind both of them that she already knew because JJ had given Emily a kiss a few weeks ago during girl’s night (Penelope can keep a secret if she really wants to)

Spencer is confused because “Wait, you mean you guys have only just recently become a thing? You haven’t been dating for the past year and a half?”

Derek is just like “Well it’s about fucking time”

JJ takes Emily with her when she takes a weekend trip to take her boys home to visit her mom

She really wants Emily to formally meet her mom (“I know you already met her, but I want her to meet you as my girlfriend!”)

Though initially slightly surprised by JJ introducing Emily as her girlfriend, the blonde’s mother welcomes Emily with open arms

She’s never seen JJ this happy in years and it warms her heart to see her daughter in good hands

(“And she’s really good with the kids,” JJ’s mother tells her daughter later on in the night as the two watch Emily and the boys out in the backyard)

JJ just smiles warmly in response, relieved by her mother’s response

Ambassador Prentiss comes over to Emily’s apartment unannounced while JJ and the boys are having a family movie night

It’s awkward as hell tbh

Emily’s too formal and on edge

JJ longs to go over and place a hand on Emily’s arm for comfort, but stays put under the Ambassador’s steely gaze

(Michael and Henry are blissfully unaware, sucked too far into the animated universe of Spider-Man)

Finally, the Ambassador turns to Emily and asks if she’s happy

Emily turns back to JJ and the boys with a soft gaze before turning back to her mother and giving a light nod “Yeah. I am.”

“Then that’s all that matters.”

All the tension falls from Emily’s shoulders and the biggest breath of relief leaves her lips at that

It’s the most approval she’s gotten from her mother in a long time but it means so much

What is their favorite way to show affection?

Emily likes to wrap her arms around JJ’s waist from behind

She loves to sneak up behind her when she’s cooking and gently grab her waist and press a light kiss against her neck before laying her chin on the blonde’s shoulder and watching her cook

She’ll slide behind JJ on the couch and kiss her temple before they cuddle and watch tv

She’ll randomly stop by and just wrap JJ in a soft, warm hug, gently swaying her from side to side before letting her go and going about her day like normal

JJ loves giving Emily sweet kisses on her forehead or her cheek

She wakes up before Emily and will sometimes be unable to help herself and just lean down and press a series of light kisses on the brunette’s nose or forehead

She’ll sometimes stop by Emily’s office during work and just plant a kiss on the crown of her head before heading back to her reports

When they go on long trips, who drives?

JJ!!

She loves to drive but hardly ever gets to

At work, Emily or one of the boys are the ones driving the SUVs

(And, yeah, maybe she got to drive the SUV when Kate was on the team, but still)

Even running errands like going to the store or picking up the boys, it’s Emily that drives

But Emily hates to drive long distances and often leaves that task to JJ

JJ loves it

Emily will lean her head on her shoulder or place her hand over the blonde’s on the gear shift

It’s so blissfully domestic and soft and makes the drive that much better

Who shows more affection to the other in public?

JJ easily

Emily is a firm believer that she has a hardass reputation to uphold

It takes all of JJ’s will power not to snort

Because, honestly, Emily is really just a big softie

But she’ll let Emily think what she wants

She’s the one that initiates hand holding on the jet when they’re going to a case and cuddles on the way home from one

She just wants to love her girlfriend anywhere and at anytime!

If she wants to give Emily a kiss in the middle of the bullpen (when it’s slow and the atmosphere isn’t as tense or serious as it normally is, of course), she will god dammit!!

(Emily’s light blush never does any good to help uphold her “hardass reputation” but oh well)

Who gives piggy back rides the most?

JJ gives the piggy back rides, Emily always gets them

JJ holds her as if she weighs nothing and it makes her swoon

JJ’s arms? A definite weakness for Emily

(Plus she never got to have piggy back rides as a child and JJ insists on making up for lost time so how can Emily refuse with an offer like that?)

Who proposes first? How and when?

Okay so I’m a firm believer that they’re both spontaneous as hell when it comes to this kind of thing

It’s literally just a matter of who lets their guard down first and let the question slip out first

If it’s JJ, it’s when she comes down one morning to see Emily and the boys making her breakfast

She just stops and leans in the doorway, smiling to herself as her girlfriend instructs her sons what do do

Emily is so patient with them

She helps Michael crack the eggs into a bowl and then kisses his nose, which makes him squeal in delight and her to grin

Henry stirs the batter for waffles and gets flour on his glasses and face

Emily leans over and gently cleans him off, grinning and laughing in surprise when the young boy gets batter on her nose

The three of them are just laughing and genuinely having a good time and, god, it makes JJ’s heart feel so full

When they finally notice JJ in the doorway, the boys run up and give her good morning kisses before going back to cooking breakfast

When JJ and Emily are alone and cleaning up the kitchen, Emily just wraps her arms around JJ’s waist and gives her the softest of kisses

The “marry me?” slips from JJ’s lips without much thought

And Emily, though initially surprised, just beams in response and gives her girlfriend (fiancé?) a deep, passionate kiss and just goes “just let me know the date to reserve, baby”

If it’s Emily, it happens in a very soft, very intimate moment between the two of them

They’ll be laying in bed at midnight, cuddled naked under the covers with no space between them

Emily leans over and brushes her fingers through JJ’s long hair, her heart fluttering wildly when the blonde looks up at her

Her eyes are full of so much love, her expression so soft and adoring, Emily can’t help but to whisper out “marry me?” into the room

She goes to maybe to start a speech about their relationship, how much it means to her and how much she wants to be a part of JJ’s and the boys’ lives but all that comes out is “I just... I really, really love you and want to be a part of your life permanently.”

Just like the first time they admitted they loved each other, JJ beams and leans in, pressing a chaste kiss to Emily’s lips before telling her to say it again

Emily presses a kiss to JJ’s chin and asks again so softly “marry me?”

JJ pulls her in for a long, deep kiss

“I’d marry you as soon as tomorrow if you wanted me to.”

[boleyn-falcon]

A random list of my phobias,what they mean, and why i have them! because idk I want my followers to know more about me!

I’m also doing this for any writers that can see this and get ideas from it! Because some of these are very specific and would be interesting in a story/fanfic

Arachnophobia - fear of spiders - my brother was once bitten by a brown recluse and his fuckin knee exploded

Photophobia- fear or aversion of loud sounds - my autism + just bad experiences with loud sounds

Astraphobia - fear of thunderstorms- very similar reasons to the last one + my last house was almost lit of fire from a bad storm so me and my older dog both share this

Cynophobia KINDA - fear of dogs - I’m okay with all dogs EXCEPT Hound Dogs because I was attacked by one

Claustrophobia- fear of crowds or confined spaces - this one was kinda learned from my mom because we both have it :/

Agoraphobia - fear of crowds or public spaces - similar to last one + being in public around people just makes me anxious

Atychiphobia - fear of faliure - I mean this is just because my second oldest brother is like the ‘star child’ and I’m pressured to be just like him from my dad :/

Catoptrophobia SLIGHTS - fear if mirrors - this was a lot bigger when I was younger but I still have it because I hallucinate a lot and used to see things in mirrors when I looked at them

Cloulrophobia - fear of clowns - IF I SEE A CLOWN I WILL SCREAM AND KILL

HUGE Dentophobia - fear of dentists - I haven’t been to a dentist since 2016 because I had an emergency surgery done that lasted six hours aND I WAS AWAKE THE WHOLE TIME ; they wouldn’t let my parents see me (I was only 11) and my teeth are really sensitive so now I’m ABSOLUTELY TERRIFED of going to see a dentist (I’m anxious rn just thinking abt it)

Hypochondria - fear of illness - I’m VERY sickly because like my mom wasn’t meant to have kids but then had me (also the cause for most of my mental/physical disabilities) so I get sick A LOT and my grandfather died of like a 11 year lasting heart disease issue and my mom has autoimmune disease

Lockiophobia - fear of childbirth - also for some reason pregnant women make me uncomfortable and honestly I have no idea about why I even have this, it just makes me really uneasy

Nyctophobia - fear of the dark - yea yea laugh it up yea I’m afraid of the dark but it’s because I have really bad hallucinations and they are mostly triggered by the dark (the shit I see is terrrifying)

HUGE Thalassophobia - fear of deep water or the ocean - I’m a REALLY weak swimmer and I’ve almost drowned + been near riptides (but I’m actually not afraid of sharks which I think is funny, I’ve actually swam with some and loved it)

KINDA BAD Typophobia - fear of small holes or bumps - THIS SHIT IS FREAKY AND I WILL LITERALLY VOMIT IF I SEE THIS

Submechanophoba - fear of man-made objects submerged in water - because of a certain writer COUGH @moan-jeutas COUGH tHaNkS I HaTe iT

And I think I’m done! Next I might do just random things I like for some positivity

(I’ll be putting things about myself in the tag #about Liv! so my followers can learn more about me because I see y’all as my friends!)

[lunarity2013]

OC Details: Lucy Stone

So, I figured it was high time I told you guys about my Hogwarts Mystery OC! I got most of these questions on here from @thewasp1995 (Go check out his OC David, btw, it’s super detailed and so cool!) I really hope you guys enjoy!

--------------------------------------------------

Name: Lucille Maria Stone

DOB: October 16, 1972 (turned 12 during her first year)

Parents: Candace and Sean Stone

Siblings: Nathan Samson Stone (oldest, 9-year age difference, Ravenclaw), Casey Andrew Stone (youngest, 6-year age difference, muggle)

Nationality: Irish

Ancestry: Muggleborn

House: Hufflepuff

Height: as of Year 4, she's 5'1". She doesn't get much taller until after graduation, stopping at about 5’3” by age 25

Eyes: large, round, dark brown

Hair: waist length, light brown, wavy

Sexuality: Demisexual, hetero-leaning

Likes: reading, writing, singing, helping others, cheering her friends on, card games, charms, astronomy, ancient runes, nifflers, cats

Dislikes: being the center of attention, hurting people, fighting, doctor’s offices, spiders, clowns, being betrayed, baking (she’s bad at it)

Friends: Rowan (best friend), Ben (best friend), Penny (surrogate sister), Charlie (competitive best friend), Bill (surrogate brother), Tonks (good friend), Barnaby (crush), Tulip (good friend), Andre (friend)

Enemies: Merula (formerly), Ismelda (thinks her constant threats are a big red flag), Rakepick (evil), Snape (his decision), Nathan (depending on the game's ending)

Neutral: Skye (she helps tutor her), Talbott (more Penny’s friend, but she enjoys seeing him), Merula (after finding Nathan), Liz (Barnaby and Charlie's good friend), Murphy (he's cool)

*Badeea, Jae, Diego, and others to be decided at a later date, after I actually meet them in-game*

Love Interest: Barnaby Lee

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Strengths/Weaknesses/Hobbies: 

Positive traits: honest | trustworthy | thoughtful | caring | brave | patient | selfless | ambitious | tolerant | lucky | intelligent | confident | focused  | humble | generous | merciful | observant | wise | clever | charming | cheerful | optimistic | decisive | adaptive | calm | protective | proud | diligent | considerate | compassionate | good sportsmanship | friendly | empathetic | passionate | reliable | resourceful | sensible | sincere | witty |funny

Negative Traits: moody | short-tempered | emotionally unstable | whiny | controlling | conceited | possessive | paranoid | lies | impatient | cowardly | bitter | selfish | power - hungry | greedy | lazy | judgmental | forgetful | impulsive | spiteful | stubborn | sadistic | masochistic | petty | unlucky | absent-minded | abusive | addict | aggressive | childish | callous | clingy | delusional | cocky | competitive | corrupt | cynical | cruel | depressed | deranged | egotistical | envious | insecure | insensitive | lustful | delinquent | guilt complex | reclusive | reckless | nervous | oversensitive | rebellious

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What’s their personal philosophy?  Do they even have one?

For much of the earlier portion of her life, Lucy’s motto would be “do unto others and you would have them do unto you”. Up until about the time Rakepick shows up, and Ben’s secret-keeping, and just the all-around mess that her life becomes when the Vaults come into question, this is what she lives by. After about Year 4? It shifts a bit, focusing her own values and energy towards protecting her loved ones and innocent people from those who would cause harm, and doing whatever necessary to stop them. And after finding Nathan, she begins to include him in the latter.

How do they feel about their status and reputation as the curse-breaker in the school?

Lucy was never one for the spotlight, even as a little kid. She was content for years to simply look up to her older brother in his successes, and then later to help her parents with her baby brother, showering him with love and attention. Actively searching for the Vaults, and subsequently breaking the curses within, was only part of her plan to try and find some closure as to her brother’s disappearance (something she has convinced herself he was merely a victim of and not an active participant, to save herself grief of her brother not being what she thought). She doesn’t like having so many eyes on her, especially for something she knows is dangerous and putting herself and her friends in harm’s way. But every time she tries to back out and leave it be, she gets dragged back in.

Did they get sorted into the Hogwarts House they expected to?  Did the Sorting Hat have any problems sorting them?  Or did it not even have to touch their head?

Before Nathan’s disappearance, she would have loved to consider herself lucky enough to be a witch, let alone be sorted into her brother’s house. After his disappearance, however, she had mixed feelings about the idea of sharing his crest and colors, and possibly having more eyes on her than before. Her values lined up differently than his, however, and the Sorting Hat gave her an out in the form of Hufflepuff house. She was still a little disappointed by being so far from her brother’s life there, but years later, she’d swear up and down that being put in the house of fairness, honesty, and loyalty is where she truly belonged.

What’s their personal style?

Lucy wears a lot of early Autumn colors, usually. Lots of oranges, yellows, browns, and olive greens are kind of signature to her style. She typically wears things that make her feel cute and kind of kid-like, so over-large sweaters with skirts or overall shorts and dresses with print tops (floral or stripes, typically). She usually pairs both with comfortable boots and long socks. She wears her hair down most of the time, except when actively exploring the Vaults and when studying for final exams.When it gets cold, she’ll sometimes “borrow” sweaters from her friends to stay warm (usually Bill and Barnaby).

What are their coping strategies for dealing with everything (the Vaults, Jacob, etc.), if they have any?

Lucy has terrible coping mechanisms for her problems, unfortunately. She convinced herself early on that her brother had probably been killed by the Cursed Vaults while trying to help protect others from the curses, and is thus even more broken up when she eventually does find him and sees what kind of person he’s really become. She tries at the start of every year to ignore the signs of another Vault opening, just trying to live a normal, Hogwarts-student life, only to be dragged into it when people have already been attacked or hurt. After the incident with the dragon and Rakepick, she tries to close herself off, thinking it’s because they’re so close to her that her friends keep getting hurt. It doesn’t work, and her friends end up finding her and hugging her as she cries about everything that seems to go wrong with her life.

What electives do they take throughout their time at Hogwarts?

If she could, she would take every class available because it was so hard to choose just a few! In the end, however, she settled on Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, and Ancient Runes, because Alchemy was only for 7th years, and Arithmancy was “just magic math”. Muggle Studies was almost chosen instead of Divination, but Luc decided she wanted something a little more challenging. (She didn’t realize her patience was what would be tested lol).

Are they in any clubs or extracurricular activities?  What about Quidditch?

It’s really hard to find time to do extracurriculars when you’re trying to protect people from being frozen in ice blocks or sleep-walking into an acromantula nest. She did join the Frog Choir after third year, though unfortunately drops out between 5th-6th year to focus on her studies (and the Vaults). She occasionally goes to the music club, though is not an official member. Unfortunately, Lucy may be a decent flyer, but isn’t quite cut out for Quidditch. Besides, she’d rather be in the stands (huddled and warm) while watching her friends play instead. Sometimes she’ll help Madame Pomfrey with healing students in the Hospital Wing, but the smell of the potions and medicines reminds her of the doctor’s office, so she wouldn’t ever do it for a living.

How studious are they?  What kind of studying strategies do they use?  Do they have any study groups with their friends?

Lucy is a stickler for good note-taking, bringing a bunch of spiral notebooks and colored gel pens and highlighters with her every year to take “proper” notes to share with her friends during their weekly study sessions. She and Rowan usually lead for most classes, though Penny takes charge for Potions, Ben (and Rowan and Bill, sometimes) lead for Charms, and Charlie and Barnaby for Care of Magical Creatures. Lucy, Rowan, and Bill sometimes help some of the younger students set up study groups as well, and often let the younger Weasley siblings and Cedric join their sessions, too. Liz doesn’t always study with them, but will when she needs to, Tulip and Tonks only show up when forced or bribed, and Skye was wrangled into coming once, but got everyone off task getting into a trash-talk showdown with Andre over the Gryffindor v. Ravenclaw game the following day; everyone else either has a different group to study with or refuses to do so entirely.

How willing are they when it comes to breaking school rules?

Lucy hates getting in trouble, since it’s being put under a spotlight in a more negative context for her. The first three years of school, she tries whatever she can to avoid breaking the rules when possible. After the Fear Vault is closed, however, she starts loosening up a little bit. She still doesn’t like to break the rules, but she’ll do it with less coercing, and gets even sneakier to get away with it.

Do they hang out with any of their friends over breaks?  If so, which one(s) and what do they do?

Living all the way out in Ireland, just outside of Dublin, it’s a bit harder to get to visit her friends before she heads into London for her school shopping at the end of summer holiday. Charlie and Bill make use of the fireplace to invite her over for dinner a few times during the break, flooing her there and back without much hassle. She makes time to spend with Rowan specifically during the summer, inviting her over to spend a week or so every year, and Rowan inviting her for the same amount at her house right after. She gets an owl (a cooky brown owl that her little brother named Bernard) for her family to send her mail during the year, and uses him herself to keep in touch with the rest of her friends until September rolls around again.

After they graduate, do they fall off the map and keep a low profile?  Or do they continue to exist in the public eye?

After deciding very early on that she didn’t much care for being the center of attention, once she had the opportunity to fade into obscurity, she took it. She eventually married Barnaby and moved with him to Romania, where he and Charlie work together with dragons. Lucy decides a little later on to document some of her childhood, but feeling awkward about writing her own life story down, changes the names and some of the details to instead create a fictional book series for kids. It later gets published under a pseudonym and achieves moderate success in both the muggle and magical worlds.

How does their career path differ from what they thought they’d be doing?  Or does it differ at all?

It took Lucy her entire life to figure out what she wanted to do. At Hogwarts, when asked what career path she wanted to pursue, she was so shocked that she asked if she could “just go back to bed”. She decided to take whatever classes could be most broadly considered for a number of professions, and even then wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do once she left Hogwarts. She decided to handle her personal life first, cheering her friends on as they found their paths, and then going with Barnaby so he could achieve his dream. It was only later, after beginning to just write things down, that she realized how much she enjoyed doing it.

Do they have any hobbies?  What about any talents or aptitudes?

She loves taking some time to just goof off with her friends, playing Gobstones or getting some Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks. She’ll spend some gloomy weekends curled up in a big armchair in the library, quietly reading to herself (and later, helping Barnaby with his dyslexia). She’s also a major card shark, winning almost every muggle card game she’s ever played and often tricking her friends into playing with her and losing anything from candy to wizard cards to even money, on occasion. She’s particularly good in Charms class, as well as Astronomy and Ancient Runes.

Do they have any favorite spells?

She likes spells that can used to help others, like Episkey or Protego. She has a certain fondness for Expecto Patronum, of course. She also likes using Lumos, to light up her bed behind the curtains after a bad nightmare.

What’s one thing they did or thought as a child that they later look back and cringe about?

Long after she and Barnaby finally get together, they both end up hearing about the bets their friends placed on their relationship and how lovesick they apparently acted before asking each other out. Tonks and Tulip will sometimes act out their mutual pining at lunch or at the Three Broomsticks, leaving both of them flustered and cringing over just how insufferable they must've been before they realized their feelings were returned. If she could go back and do it over, she might almost be tempted to have just kissed Barnaby at the Celestial Ball and avoided the whole mess. Almost.

If they could travel anywhere at all in the world—money, time, and language not being an issue—where would they go and who would they take with them?

It's a tough choice between some very good options, travelling to historical landmarks across the globe with Rowan, getting tasty food in Paris with Penny, or taking her family for a nice, normal vacation to Disney in the States. But eventually, she'd probably decide on travelling the world looking for various beasts and creatures with Barnaby, and writing about their adventures.

If they’re an Animagus, how easy was becoming one for them?  Were they happy with their Animagus form?  Or did they want it to be something different?

Lucy studied up on being an animagus with Talbott while at Hogwarts, but couldn't bring herself to actually become one until after graduation. She remains an unregistered sparrow animagus even after Voldemort is finally defeated. She would've liked to be maybe some kind of cat, but can't deny that being so small and being able to fly are some great advantages when the second war rolls around.

Do they like what they see in the mirror?

Had it not been for her magical abilities making themselves known as she grew up, she might've gone through all of primary school unnoticed. As it was, kids often ostracized and ridiculed her for being weird and different until she finally went to Hogwarts. Between that and the guilt she carries for everyone that gets hurt by the Vaults, it takes her a very long time to come to terms with herself and her self-worth.

How good are they at taking compliments?

Lucy is pretty decent at taking compliments, so long as it's not a bunch all at one time; she gets anxious when too many people try and talk to her at once. When Barnaby compliments her, though, she gets flustered and stumbles over her words while blushing really bright, almost blocking out her freckles.

How much do they trust their friends?

Lucy trusts those she keeps close to an almost impossible degree. It can sometimes lead her to trouble, such as leaving her vulnerable to pranks by Tonks or Tulip.

Are they pretty self-reliant?  Or do they like to go to their friends for help?

At first, she's much more willing to do things as a group, having her friends' backs as much as they have hers. Later on, however, she begins closing herself off, trying to take on everything herself to avoid her friends getting hurt because of her. It doesn't last very long, however, as they all work better as a team.

Who is their favorite Weasley?  Or can they not choose?

Ginny and Ron are just too cute, from what little she's seen of them. Bill is like another older brother, and she loves him dearly. She and Charlie are great friends, but anything and everything becomes a competition with them, starting with a "who knows more about dragons" contest that she actually won in their 2nd year. They could almost have been considered rivals up until later on in Year 4. Percy is alright, she Guesses, but even she thinks he needs to loosen up a bit. And she spends most of her time trying to just keep the twins separated from Tonks and Tulip, if only to avoid the Apocalypse.

What’s the thing they like least about themselves?

She's a little stuffy about rules, she worries too much, her actions and choices keep putting people in danger, and FFS, she faced a DRAGON and still can't kill one measly little spider??

What’s the thing they like most about themselves?

She cares about her friends and family, she would never go out of her way to betray them or to hurt others. She takes pride in the lives she's helped and saved.

How bad is their temper?  Do they tend to lash out at others or themselves?

Her temper only gets really out of hand when someone she cares about gets hurt. She can usually handle someone hurting her with nothing more than a few years, but attack the people she cares about? That'll be the last thing you ever do.

What’s their biggest regret in life, if they have any?

She blames herself for far too many things. She wishes Ben hadn't been hurt and controlled by Rakepick, she thinks she could've done more to help and support him. She feels like if she had been more observant as a kid, she might've seen something going on with Nathan and could've stopped his disappearance. She's terrified about how the two of them being so involved in the Cursed Vaults with effect Casey as he grows up, and if he'll end up inheriting their legacy or not, if it might get him killed.

What kind of first impression do they tend to leave on others?

Lucy is sweet, doe-eyed, and a little naïve. A pretty face, very smart, but very open and trusting. Would apologize to you if you poured soup into her lap. Most would either want to protect the sweet, innocent child or absolutely take advantage of her trusting and kind nature.

What is the achievement they’re most proud of?

She once managed to eat an entire tin of her mom's homemade butter cookies without vomiting (her mom isn't a very good cook, and definitely can't bake). But now she's expected to eat at least some every time her mom bakes them when she's home. (Just another advantage to being away at a boarding school most of the year).

Do they like having photos taken of themselves?

She's a little camera shy, depending on who she's with; any groups larger than maybe 5 and she'll try to duck around and take the picture herself instead. But small groups, she can handle it. And she'll take any photo with Tonks, so long as she changes something about her appearance to take the main attention off of her.

What’s one big way that your MC differs from the in-game canon?

Lucy does not like searching for the Vaults. She would have been content with maybe a few of his journals and an official, personal explanation from Dumbledore. Sh didn't need this. She doesn't want to be the one fixing this, but apparently no one else knows how or cares to try, so she feels responsible. She's also not in the same house as her brother.

If they’re an Animagus, why did you choose the form for them that you did?

Lucy becomes an animagus much later than in canon. She becomes one right before the 2nd war, in order to evade detection. She becomes a little sparrow bird, small and common enough to escape notice. I chose it because of its relation to the second Fable game, whose protagonist is named "Sparrow".

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So, I hope ya’ll enjoyed! Let me know if any of you have any more questions!

(Edit: I am so sorry about the picture formatting, I know its hideous, but I have somehow lost the ability to use my mobile app to fix it (no fucking signal, my ass) but I promise I will try again tomorrow, when I am far away from the lack of signal at my house.)

[whumphoarder]

Arachnids & Phobias

Summary: Peter takes a breath as he steps into the lab. “I, uh… I got bit by a spider.”

Tony snorts out a laugh. “No shit. That was kind of a defining moment in our relationship.”

Peter rolls his eyes. “No, like, another one.”

Word count: 1,398

Warnings: Graphic description of infected wound

Genre: Hurt/comfort, whump, injury

Link to read on Ao3

There are three quick knocks on the workshop door. Tony glances up from the wires he’s been soldering to see Peter awkwardly standing in the doorway. Given it’s a Tuesday, Tony hasn’t been expecting him, but Peter’s been known to occasionally drop by the tower following patrols so it’s not completely without precedent.

“What’s up, kid?” Tony greets.

Peter rubs a hand at the back of his neck. “Uh, Mr. Stark? I think I might need some help.”

Tony shifts his gaze back down to the wires and continues his work. “Got another trig problem you’re stuck on?” he guesses.

“No, not today.” Peter takes a breath as he steps into the lab. “I, uh… I got bit by a spider.”

Tony snorts out a laugh. “No shit. That was kind of a defining moment in our relationship.”

Peter rolls his eyes. “No, like, another one. A few days ago.”

Tony frowns and sets down the tools so he can focus on the kid. “Okay… we’ll just suspend the irony of that for a minute.” He gestures to the stool next to him. “What happened?”

Peter shuffles the rest of the way into the lab and sits down on the stool. “I dunno, I was helping May get some boxes out from the crawl space so she could decorate the apartment and I felt something crawling up my arm so I looked down and there was this little brown spider on me. I tried to shake him off but he bit me. But it didn’t hurt very much or anything so I thought it was fine.”

“I’m guessing it wasn’t fine,” Tony ventures.

Peter shrugs. “I mean, it kinda hurt, but not really, and then it kinda itched and I felt a little sick, but y'know, May had also made her turkey meatloaf for dinner so it was 50-50 on that one”—Tony snorts out a laugh, remembering the walnut date loaf—“and I felt better by the next day so I didn’t say anything. But now…” He starts rolling up his hoodie sleeve.

Tony narrows his eyes and leans forward to watch as the limb is carefully uncovered. But as Peter gets halfway to the elbow and Tony catches a glimpse of what this little meeting is about, he recoils in shock.

There’s a black, nickel-sized wound in the skin of Peter’s forearm, the edges red and weeping pus. It dips into the skin and looks almost like a burn mark except the smell is one of rotting flesh and Tony knows something is very, very wrong.

“Jesus!” Tony exclaims. He immediately squeezes shut his eyes and presses his knuckles to his lips to suppress a gag. “What the hell, kid?!”

“Yeah, so...” Peter mumbles in conclusion, “I think it might be infected or something.”

“There’s a hole in your arm,” Tony states. He opens his eyes again to take another look and immediately has to turn his head away as another gag threatens to bring up his lunch. “Shit…” he breathes out. “Can you cover that back up?”

“Oh. Um, okay.” Peter sounds puzzled at this response, but complies anyway. 

Tony looks back to see the kid has rolled his sleeve back down. A shudder runs through Tony’s body. “FRIDAY have Bruce meet us in medical,” he addresses the AI.

“Affirmative, boss,” she replies.

Tony shudders again before his neck jerks to the side.

Peter seems at a loss. “Uh, Mr. Stark…? Are you okay?”

“Look, we all have our thing, alright?” Tony retorts as he stands up. “You’re not big on needles, Rhodey shits himself when he sees clowns, and I’m not a fan of flesh-eating necrotic skin lesions.” His neck jerks to the side again, like his brain is trying to dislodge the images with some kind of mental Heimlich maneuver.

Peter instantly latches onto the most important part of that comment: “Wait, Colonel Rhodes is afraid of clowns?”

“Forget I said that,” Tony quickly replies. “That’s privileged information. Classified.”

“Said what?” Peter asks innocently.

“Exactly.” Tony nudges Peter to his feet. “Now start walking, kid.” He pokes Peter’s back to get him moving. “Medbay. ASAP.”

X

Fifteen minutes later, Peter is sitting on a bed in the infirmary, his legs swinging nervously. Bruce is carefully analyzing the data from the scans he’s just run on the bite. Tony is standing at the complete other end of the room, arms crossed over his chest, trying to keep his disgust off his face.

“What’s the verdict, doc?” Tony asks as casually as he can manage.

Bruce sets down the Starkpad and peers closer at the wound itself. “Based on Peter’s description, it sounds like a brown recluse, but they’re not too common up in the northeastern states. Could be a yellow sac spider.”

“No, the spider was brown,” Peter argues.

“The name is a misnomer—only a small percentage of them are yellow,” Bruce says. “But then again, they’re not known to cause necrosis like this…” He pauses thoughtfully. “I wonder if this is somehow related to your healing factor.”

Peter looks curious. “How?”

“Well, you heal more quickly than most people because your cells regenerate at an accelerated rate,” he explains. “But if a toxin is introduced to your system that’s killing off cells, maybe that’s being accelerated too.”

“Whoa.” Peter grins. “That’s pretty sick.”

“Yeah, this is all fascinating,” Tony cuts in, “but how about we skip to the part where you fix it? Is there some kind of antivenom we need to get a hold of or what?”

“The venom will have been metabolised already, so that’s not the issue here. We just have to address the necrosis.”

“And how do we do that exactly?” Tony demands.

“We’ll have to remove the affected tissue,” Bruce says simply.

Peter immediately pales. “What do you mean by ‘remove’?”

Bruce gives Peter an apologetic look. “I mean, we have to cut that area of your skin away so that the damage doesn’t spread any further.”

“Jesus,” Tony mutters.

“Uh, Mr. Stark?” Peter says quickly, shooting his mentor a terrified look. “You remember how I don’t like needles? That uh, that extends to scalpels as well.”

Tony sighs and runs a hand over his face—this was not how he’d planned his day to go. “Can we put him under for it?”

Bruce shakes his head solemnly. “We still don’t have a good general anesthesia that will work for his metabolism. I think the best we’re gonna get is local numbing.”

Peter swallows hard. He’s starting to look sick. “What if we just wait and see if my healing factor will kick in and take care of it?”

Bruce gives a sympathetic smile. “I think we’re past that point, Peter.” He pauses for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Though, I suppose there is another option for removing dead tissue from an infected wound which has stood the test of time... Maggots can be—”

“Nope,” Tony declares, cutting Bruce off mid-sentence. “Absolutely not. Maggots in my building is where I draw the line.”

X

They eventually talk Peter into the surgical method, but only after explaining it would take too long to procure medical grade maggots (turns out the kid is enthralled by the idea of larval therapy).

“You’re doing great, Peter—it’ll be over before you know it,” Bruce praises as he cuts the black tissue from the wound.

Peter’s been gritting his teeth and whimpering the entire time, but Tony knows it’s more out of fear than actual pain. The local anesthesia seems to be doing its job.

“Hey, have I ever told you about the time when we were at MIT and Rhodey and I won free tickets to the circus?” Tony asks casually. “And about the wrath of Ringo the clown?”

Despite his situation, Peter lets out a half-laugh. “Don’t think so.”

The whole procedure takes no more than twenty minutes, with Tony animatedly sharing stories to keep Peter’s (and his own, if he’s being honest) mind distracted. It’s not long before the kid is giggling along, the scalpel nearly forgotten.

Once the wound is cleaned and dressed, Peter’s healing factor takes care of the rest. The hole is gone by the next day. There’s a bit of a scar, but no need for skin grafting, which had been one of Bruce’s concerns.

(Rhodey is unclear why pictures of clowns suddenly start appearing around the tower.)

Fic Masterlist

For more doctoring Bruce and Avenger’s whump, try Five Times Bruce is Not That Kind of Doctor™ + One Time He’s Perfect For the Job!

[mj-spooks]

opinions on spiders? any strong opinions on any other bugs?

Okay so. My relationship with spiders is a bit weird. Because I used to be huuuugely arachnophobic. TW because this is gonna get maybe a little gross for some people. I won’t get super graphic or anything but like, just to be safe.

When I was in 7th grade, I suddenly kept coming up with spider bites. Most of them were small and nbd, but I had two on the back of my leg at one point that were very big and very gross. Then, shortly after those were handled and healed up, I got one on my jawline. My dad picked at it, thinking it was a zit, and when I woke up the next morning I had a softball on my face. Dad wouldn’t take me to the doctor, because it was Sunday we had church and yardwork to deal with. So, my mom had to pull me out of school the next day and take me. At the doctor’s office, in an attempt to shame my mother for not being more responsible, as if it were her fault (my dad had neglected to inform her until that morning; he called her as he was driving us to school), the nurse said, very pointedly and loudly, with me, a small just-about-to-hit-puberty cares-about-her-looks-for-the-first-time-in-her-life preteen girl, right there in the room, “You’re lucky you brought her in when you did, her face was about to start rotting off.”

So, I was already kind of theoretically afraid of spiders at that point. Brown Recluses were The Hot New Trend in mass hysteria at the time and I was young and impressionable. I went from an outdoorsy kid who didn’t exactly like spiders but wasn’t overly bothered by them as long as they weren’t crawling on me, to the sort of exaggerated hysterical freakouts at the mere threat of a spider’s existence in my vicinity, basically overnight.

And it took me literal years to recover from that. I always knew spiders were important and all that, but I Did Not Care for a long time. If I saw it, it was dead. Someone was gonna kill it for me. Eventually I was brave enough to kill them myself.

The thing that finally got me over my fear was the fact that, at the time, I was best friends with an attention whore. This is relevant because my attention whore best friend eventually noticed how people coddled me if I had a spider-related panic attack, and decided she wanted in on that action, stat. So she went from someone who was maybe? scared of spiders? but never showed any signs of real arachnophobia that I’d seen, to being as dramatic as she could possibly manage at someone even saying the word spider. And it was fucking annoying. And I thought, wow, I don’t wanna be That Guy.

tl;dr I basically got over my arachnophobia to flex on my ex-best friend. Now I like spiders, just... from a distance. Like, if I see it in my house, I will try to catch it and take it outside. I will probably still freak out and kill it if it climbs on me, though. Aesthetically, I love them, and I admire what they do for our ecosystems. I just... don’t want them touching me, ever.

I also love bees. Bees are the fucking best. I will fucking fight someone over bees. Wasps and other bee-adjacent but scary bugs are the devil on the earthly plane but like, I’m more or less alright with the devil so I give them a pass as long as they stay the fuck away from me.

Other bugs I have strong opinions about are mostly “*insert type of bug* is fucking cool” because bugs are fucking cool.

Except cockroaches. Cockroaches are the fucking worst.

[sassycassie-s-writing]

Brown Recluse vs Silver Star

By: SassyShoulderAngel319

Fandom/Character(s): Avengers - Peter Parker/Spider-Man & Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier (+ 2 OCs)

Rating: PG-11 (for violence)

Original Idea: Just for fun.

Notes: (Masterlist)(About Me) So, Silver Star has made a couple appearances on this blog, and now Brown Recluse has as well. And just to be fun, I made them spar against each other. @moonlight-lyrics for some reason I feel like you’ll like this one.

^^^^^

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Bucky muttered to Peter, watching Brown Recluse and Silver Star in the ring. Peter shrugged.

“They’ll… they’ll be fine,” he decided. “Mattie knows when to pull back and Cass is smart. They shouldn’t have any problems—”

WHOOM!

A wave of heat and silvery light washed over them. Peter and Bucky each took a step back from the force, blinking the residue of the blast out of their vision. Peter recovered first to see Mattie clinging to the ceiling, arms and legs behind her so that she could face Cass.

“Come down here and fight like a woman!” Cass teased.

Mattie scuttled over the concrete just out of reach. “Could I perhaps convince you to come up here and fight like a spider?” she asked, twisting and rolling out of the way as another silver energy ball dissipated against the ceiling. Mattie webbed one of the support pillars to swing down onto the mat in the ring and kick Cass’ legs out from under her. Silver Star shrieked and fell over while Brown Recluse shot to her feet and latched onto the ceiling again. It was a go-to defense for her.

Bucky and Peter watched their… love interests spar for a while. Mostly because they were curious and someone had to be on medic duty when there were fighters in the ring. FRIDAY could call 911 but most of the people on the team knew basic medical procedures in the case of a minor injury. Cass and Mattie could do some serious damage to each other, but weren’t in a real fight.

They were—hopefully—pulling their punches.

Peter’s arms were folded. He tended to focus on Mattie. She had this lithe, agile, swift way of fighting. She tended to dodge more than attack, but she moved like a spider, interestingly enough.

Bucky was watching Cass. She had lots of raw power. The silver energy, the light, was a strange force that no one—not even Dr. Banner—had been able to fully explain. She just seemed to channel it, harness it, and no one knew where from or why she had her powers.

Blast after blast erupted from Cass’ fists and open palms, trying to strike Mattie, who leapt and twisted out of the way. They seemed to be fairly evenly-matched.

Finally a good blow was struck. A ball of silver hit Mattie in the stomach. She fell from the ceiling—nearly landing on her face. She barely avoided it by pulling a flip at the last second. Her back crashed against the mat. There was a grunt as the air was forced from her lungs, but before Cass could strike again, Mattie’s hands were planted on the floor next to her head, and her feet kicked herself up.

She grabbed Cass’ hand. Bright light pulsed at the line where the two sets of skin met.

“I think we’re done for tonight, don’t you?” she asked. Cass stared at her, surprised.

“Y-yeah. I’m tired,” she agreed.

Mattie smirked, webbed the ceiling, and swung over to Peter. “How’d I do?” she asked, webbing her water bottle and yanking it to her hand. She sprayed some into her mouth, swallowed, and sighed before looking at him expectantly.

Peter smiled. “Great! You’ve probably got faster reflexes than I do.”

She snorted. “Doubt that.”

“Alright, kid,” Bucky interrupted. “Rematch from Germany. You and me. Right now. Come on.”

Peter winked at Mattie, stripped off his jacket so he was just in the loose tank top he’d worn to the gym, and did a flip over the triple-roped ring to land in front of Bucky.

“Show off,” Bucky muttered.

Mattie snorted again. She and Cass plopped down next to each other, panting. They gave each other a high-five and a smile. “Nice job,” Cass offered.

“You too,” Mattie agreed. “Not even Peter gives me a workout like that.” She hit the bell as she spoke so the boys could have their little face-off.

“Meh,” Cass remarked with a shrug. “You and Peter fight the same way. I’m not surprised you’re too evenly-matched for a really good fight. I’m different. I have different powers so I make you do different stuff.” Mattie smirked.

“Okay, I’ll give you that,” she commented.

“How did I lose to a kid?” Bucky asked as Peter pulled a Mattie and went straight to the ceiling.

“You weren’t expecting me. Or my skill set,” Peter answered, snagging Bucky’s metal arm with a web and giving it a hard yank so Bucky fell forward into Peter’s waiting kick.

“Foul play!” Mattie and Cass chorused.

“In a real fight, nothing is off-limits!” Peter retorted, dropping to the ground and crouching low. “Except killing. That’s bad.”

Both girls laughed.

Bucky threw an angry, wild haymaker—that Peter wasn’t expecting since he was distracted by the girls—and knocked the kid to the ground.

“Foul play!” Mattie shouted.

“No distractions, kid,” Bucky advised. “You gotta focus.”

“I don’t have my goggles on. Focus is hard for me to come by without them,” Peter retorted, ducking and swinging his leg out to knock Bucky’s feet out from under him. “Too much input,” he added as an afterthought, bounding over the Winter Soldier and clinging to one of the posts of the ring. Bucky got back to his feet and whirled around, waiting for the next attack.

He snatched the web that attached itself to his normal wrist with his left hand, gave it a twist, and pulled Peter to him for a good whack with his flesh elbow. Peter grunted and hit the floor for a brief moment before catapulting back to his feet so forcefully he was able to attach his hands to the ceiling.

Chest heaving, he paused for only a moment before going back to the fight.

He was actually enjoying himself.

“Y’know,” he began, using a web directly next to his hand to swing back down to the ring. “Germany ended in a draw. I guess we’ll see who ends this one as the winner, right?”

“Guess so,” Bucky muttered, throwing a punch that the kid grabbed. Peter was so frustrating to fight. His reflexes were incredibly fast—really impressive. But because of that, it could be hard to land a good blow. Besides the black eye he was already developing from getting hit with Bucky’s elbow. Bucky would have to adjust his strategy somehow to get around those reflexes.

It took him what felt like several minutes, but was probably just one, to finally grab the kid around the waist and slam him into the mat. Peter let out a loud, “Oof!” as the air rushed out of his lungs. Panting, the kid put up his hands.

“Okay, okay,” he breathed. “I’m done. I’m done. You win this time, big guy.”

Bucky smirked and turned to the girls with a smug expression.

Cass was clapping, but Mattie was smirking in amusement, her arms folded.

A web suddenly snatched Bucky’s combat boot and pulled it out from under him. Bucky fell face-first into the ropes around the ring, slid to the mat, and grunted in frustration as his arms were quickly webbed to the ground.

“Or maybe I’m not so done,” Peter joked. He did another flip over the ropes around the ring and landed lightly in front of Mattie.

“You’re a tease,” she told him, kissing his cheek. “Go take a shower you big dork.”

“Yes ma’am,” Peter replied, strolling off for the men’s locker room. Chuckling, Mattie headed for the women’s.

“Sorry, Buck. He likes surprise,” she commented as she slipped inside, leaving Bucky and Cass alone in the gym.

A couple bursts of silver light and the webs melted off Bucky’s hands. “Gotta hand it to the kid,” Cass began conversationally, “he’s got skills.”

“Can’t believe I lost to a teenager,” Bucky grumbled.

Cass helped him to his feet. “You’ll win next time,” she remarked, kissing his cheek. “I’m gonna go take a shower.”

“Okay. See ya later.”

“Bye babe.” She hopped over the ropes, landed with a tuck-and-roll, and strolled to the ladies’ locker room.

As Bucky stretched out his normal arm and ducked between the ropes to exit the ring, the gym door opened. Steve entered with a towel around his shoulders and a water bottle in his hand. He was chuckling. “That was a good fight. Caught it all on the security camera,” he told his best friend. “We’ll beat the kid someday.”

“How infuriating though. I went through decades of advanced training and a child beats me.”

“Eh. Don’t beat yourself up over it. You just weren’t ready for his kind of powers.”

“Stop it, Steve. You’re making me feel worse.”

The captain snorted. “Whatever you say.”

“I’m gonna go shower.”

“You do that.”

Bucky sulked off.

Steve whistled loudly. Natasha peeked her head through the door. “Did the kid really beat him?” she hissed.

“Oh yeah!” Steve replied quietly.

“Wow. That’s a skilled kid.”

“Yeah no kidding.”

[sage-nebula]

lubricantshipping! I did one for this ship but I wanna see your thoughts!

All righty!

Who said “I love you” first

Meyer, although funnily enough it was in a conversation that wasn’t entirely about their relationship, and the context wasn’t really romantic, either. I’ve got a fic in-progress for this, actually, but the context is that Meyer brings up the subject of Sycamore adopting Alan, because he’s conscious of the fact that if he and Sycamore do end up married one day, Clemont and Bonnie are going to see Sycamore as their stepfather. Bonnie in particular, Meyer thinks, would want to call Sycamore “Dad” or something of the sort. And that’s great! That’s fine, except he has noticed that Alan still addresses Sycamore as “Professor,” and he doesn’t want—well, here:

“I don’t want to push either of you to do something you’re not comfortable with as far as adoption goes, if either of you don’t want, but I also don’t want to run the risk of making Alan feel like he’s not—or like he can’t be—part of this family, too.”

(Meyer was just talking to Sycamore about it, there—Alan wasn’t present for this conversation.)

Anyway, back on topic—that was the context, and at the start of the conversation we have this little bit here:

“You didn’t adopt Alan, did you?” Meyer repeated. “Officially, I mean. On record.”

“I—no,” Augustine said, and he glanced away for only a second before he caught himself and looked back to meet Meyer’s eyes again. “I didn’t. Where is this coming from? Why do you ask?”

It was Meyer’s turn to frown. He set the remote back on the armrest, stared at it for a moment, and then transferred it to the coffee table instead. When he finally spoke, it was more slowly than usual—more careful, deliberate.

“Things are getting kind of—well, I’d like to think things are getting pretty serious between us. Between you and me. I like you a lot—love you, actually.” His cheeks flushed red, and Augustine couldn’t help but smile as he took Meyer’s hand in his own. Meyer smiled back, and squeezed Augustine’s hand as he ran his thumb along the side of it. “But the thing is, things are getting serious between us and that’s great—but it’s not just us we have to think about. It’s the kids, too.”

That’s what I imagine to be the first time—what ended up being the first time in my headcanon, anyway, due to how naturally that came out, but Meyer’s own shyness about saying it aloud. It’s not a huge, formal declaration, and it’s not the central topic of the conversation—but it still matters, it’s still important, and I think the fact that it happens in the comfort of the living room and feels natural and easy is perhaps better than a dramatic declaration of love. :)

Who would have the other’s picture as their phone background

Sycamore! But it’s not just Meyer. It’s actually a selfie Sycamore took of the two of them together, quite possibly with Gabrielle (his garchomp) and Toast (Meyer’s blaziken) also crammed into the shot. Meyer would, except his phone background is actually a candid photo of Bonnie stringing lit Festival de la Vie lights around Clemont as if he himself is a tree.

Who leaves notes written in fog on the bathroom mirror

Sycamore starts it, but they both end up doing it every now and then. It’s less “notes” and more pictures/short messages, though. A smiley face here, a “hi :)” there, et cetera.

Who buys the other cheesy gifts

Meyer! He’s pretty big on gift giving and likes to pick up little things whenever he’s out. The thing is, he’s also a practical person at heart, and so even the cheesiest of gifts usually have a practical intent behind them. A box to store things in, or a picture frame—things like that.

Who initiated the first kiss

Sycamore for sure. It was very slow so that Meyer could put the brakes on it at any time if he wanted, but Sycamore definitely made the first move insofar as the kiss goes, just like he made the first move insofar as hitting on Meyer right there on screen for everyone to see in canon.

Who kisses the other awake in the morning

Either-or—it depends on the situation. Sycamore is a sleepyhead for sure, but he’s also used to waking up early due to morning duties around the lab (after all, there are hungry pokémon who need their breakfast), and so there are many mornings where he’ll be awake before Meyer is. But that said, even if he is awake before Meyer is, Sycamore appreciates his own sleep so much that he won’t wake Meyer up unless Meyer has a legitimate reason to be awake (work, et cetera). So if he does have a legitimate reason, then he’ll give him a kiss to wake him up—but if not, he’ll let him sleep.

In the event that the situation is reversed, though, Meyer does inevitably end up kissing Sycamore awake. Sycamore really is a sleepyhead. He’ll sleep ‘til noon if you let him.

Who starts tickle fights

Sycamore might start them, but Meyer finishes them. Sycamore learned not to start them after that.

Who asks who if they can join the other in the shower

Sycamore is totally the type to pull the, “Mind if I join you?” card. That is 100% his M.O.

Who surprises the other in the middle of the day at work with lunch

Meyer! It’s usually something he made himself, too. He’s a fantastic cook.

Who was nervous and shy on the first date

Meyer, because Sycamore knows what he’s about, son. He isn’t really the type to get embarrassed on dates and the like because he knows who he is, knows what he wants, and is at a point in his life where if someone else doesn’t necessarily approve of him, well, oh well. He’s happy and that’s all that matters. Meyer is a bit more self-conscious, though, especially because at the beginning of the relationship he feels like Sycamore is quite a bit “out of his league.” Sycamore does a good job of making sure those insecurities get banished in short order, though.

Who kills/takes out the spiders

We know that the Pokémon universe has at least some normal animals due to things like fish being served in Kalosian restaurants in the XY games, and plankton and coral being mentioned in Sun/Moon, and so I like to think that they have normal insects/arachnids as well (especially since we see normal butterflies in some battle animations in XY, depending on location). So in that case, I like to think that this question can refer to regular spiders rather than pokémon spiders, and if that is the case …

Sycamore has always been one to take spiders outside, because even if they’re not pokémon, he just doesn’t have it in him to kill anything. Meyer, meanwhile, was always an either-or; he has no problem moving insects outside, but at the same time if it’s something like a black widow or brown recluse, and he doesn’t have a cup handy, then he’s less likely to risk a highly venomous spider bite by moving it outside, and more likely to squish the thing before it can bite him or one of his children. (Or, well. he might have Toast kill it. That, too.)

After he and Sycamore get together, though, 99.9% of spiders are moved outside.

Who loudly proclaims their love when they’re drunk

Sycamore, but the thing is that he’s such a lightweight that it really doesn’t take a lot to get him drunk. And he doesn’t even really like alcohol that much, truth be told—most alcoholic drinks have too tart of a taste for him to enjoy—but give him a couple glasses of champagne at a fancy dinner event and wow, he will loudly proclaim his love, and probably a lot of other things. It’s a bit embarrassing, but Meyer is flattered and appreciates it nonetheless.