#i figured it might be helpful if you don't!

[berrryparfait]

who came before me? ⊹ ࣪ ˖

— ༉‧₊ᐟ featuring: sylus, zayne, rafayel, xavier, caleb x fem!reader

— ༉‧₊ᐟ premise: who were the girls who came before you? what were they like? did he love them? one night, your thoughts and insecurities get the best of you, and you decide to face them once and for all. 「please don't be in love with someone else.」

— ༉‧₊ᐟ tags/cws: slight angst, reader is not mc nor have the LIs ever met mc in the past, hc that rafayel used to be a huge playboy, xavier is a regular-aged person, caleb first met reader in school

— ♫₊ᐟ soundtrack: die for you – joji

✧ a/n: i'm the type to lowkey obsess over my partner's exes lol so here's me projecting!!! i love exploring complex relationship dynamics that involve past lovers so here's one of my fave tropes (not-first-love-but-greatest-love) tied up in a bow for yall <3

SYLUS confesses that there have been other women, though not many as he isn’t the type to frequently engage in casual hookups. He’d slept with a few women before he met you, though none of them had resulted from or led to serious dates. Somehow, he’d just…lost interest. Not that he ever felt those women were beneath him or unworthy of his time, but he’d never really connected with anyone before you appeared in his life. Meeting you felt a lot like getting his ribcage smashed to pieces as you wriggled your way into his heart—once a cold and empty place but now safe, full, and warm. “I’ve never been the best at…getting to know people, but with you,” he whispers as he gazes deep into your eyes, “for once in my life, I might be in grave danger.”

ZAYNE had been on a few dates in the past, most of them arranged by mutual friends or formed through his workplace. He wasn’t exactly the outgoing type, so he kept to himself most of the time while at work. However, fellow doctors or nurses would ask him out from time to time, a few of whom he’d gone on one or two dates with. He enjoyed their company, though none of them ever lasted very long. Besides the fact that Akso hospital was a busy one, Zayne was also known to be emotionally distant, slightly arrogant, and “married to his work”. Despite all this, he was a polite and caring man, and none of his ex-flings had anything negative to say about him. “It feels different when I’m with you. Not that this is why I like you, but I appreciate you giving me space when I need it most—even as I find myself wanting that space less and less.”

RAFAYEL could not have been described as anything other than a shameless Casanova—there’s no denying that. He sought pleasure everywhere he went, always up for another night of fun. Of course, this was an easy feat for him; he was always undoubtedly the most gorgeous man in the room, and people loved to look. Inviting eyes, lush violet hair, finely-sculpted figure… Rafayel commanded attention, and reveled in it too. He looks a little ashamed when revealing his past to you, which does sting at first, but you appreciate his honestly and willingness to be vulnerable with you. He’s changed, after all. “I chased after that high for a long time, night after night after night… I was happy, but what I felt then couldn’t even begin to compare to the joy I feel with you, just standing still.”

XAVIER had had a crush on one of the other Deepspace Hunters for years—an older girl who used to help him train every once in a while back when he was a rookie. She was outgoing, popular, and cheerful, and he found himself stuttering and blushing whenever he had the chance to speak to her. Despite his growing feelings for her at the time, he never made a move for fear that his adoration would be unrequited. He eventually got over his crush but remains grateful for everything she taught him and the support she'd showed him as his senior. It’s undeniable that he’ll always care for her in some way, for she played a part in making him the courageous, compassionate man you know today. "It was just a silly little crush, that’s all. Let’s not dwell on the past and instead focus on building our future. How else would I be able to devote my attention to the love of my life?"

CALEB has never even thought of touching another girl since he first laid eyes on you back in school. Well, except for that one time in college, when he slept with a classmate. A much-needed release, sure, but even then, his thoughts were consumed by you—a torturous cycle of fantasies and memories that never existed. No one else has ever been able to fill that endless, gravity-defying void. He’s wanted you for so long, it’s no surprise he’s so set on never letting you go. He told himself that maybe if he went out more, surrounded himself with other women, found common ground with them, he’d be able to get over you. But he was wrong. "You consume me, incapacitate me. So no, there's been no one else. Consider me historically, currently, and eternally yours."

— ⋆˙⟡ ©berrryparfait

《 please do not copy / plagiarize / translate my works or publish them on any other platforms. 》

[osteoptimist]

Literally her first use of metal bending was to escape from a cage.

I can definitely believe she'd teach people metal bending, and that some of them would use it for law enforcement, but not Toph.

I think she might struggle to adjust from being on the side of rebellion to being part of the reconstruction effort, those two things require very different approaches that I think the rest of the Gaang would take to pretty well but I think Toph would feel out of place. Beyond helping with literal construction I don't think she'd know what to do with herself.

And once metal bending starts becoming more common, I could see her pushing back against it being a tool of law enforcement and becoming kind of a tragic figure. Someone who fell from grace in the public eye as cultures started to shift.

And then she'd decide it was all too much trouble and dip out to the swamp. So you end up with the same important elements for TLOK (metal bending cops, Toph living out in the swamp) but in a way that might be more aligned with her actual personality.

Reblog if you also think Toph shouldn’t have been a cop.

I want to see how “unpopular” this opinion really is outside cop-worshipping Reddit.

[slutoru1207]

Is it alright if you make an invincible story where Mark and the reader started out as childhood friends. He dated Amber, then Eve then next is the reader. Then after that have been together for a long while now, Mark would have some crazy baby fever. Please?🥺🙏

Ooh, I love this idea!💞🥹 It’s got the perfect mix of nostalgia, romance, and a hint of humor with Mark’s baby fever. Here’s how it could go:

You and Mark had known each other for as long as you could remember. Childhood friends, then more, though neither of you really understood the difference when you were younger.

You’d both been through a lot—he with his journey to becoming Invincible, and you, just by his side through all of it. You’d been there when he dated Amber, then again when he had that short-lived relationship with Eve. But now? Now it was you and him. You’d been together for years, and every day with Mark was something new, yet always familiar, like the way he made you laugh with his clumsy yet endearing superhero stunts or the way he’d always hold your hand in public like it was a quiet declaration of his love.

Mark was the guy in your life, and somehow, it still felt like nothing had changed, even after all the twists and turns. The love between you had grown stronger, deeper, more solid with time. It was perfect, or at least it felt that way until one thing started taking over his thoughts.

It had started out subtle. A conversation here and there, as you’d talk about your future—about what it would look like a few years down the road. You'd been dreaming together, as you always did, about the house you might have someday, the trips you’d take, the quiet moments you’d share.

But lately, Mark’s eyes seemed to linger a little longer when he saw baby ads on TV. Or when he’d get super excited when a new friend or family member would have a baby.

At first, you thought it was a passing thing.

But then... it wasn’t.

One evening, as you two sat on the couch together, flipping through channels, Mark’s gaze was fixed on a commercial for a baby product. You didn’t think much of it until you noticed how still he was. His lips parted as if he were about to say something.

“Mark?” you called, tilting your head.

He blinked and snapped out of it, looking at you with a sheepish smile. "Sorry, I was... thinking."

You raised an eyebrow, suspicious. "About what?"

Mark shifted in his seat, then hesitated. His voice lowered, and his eyes were slightly sheepish. “About... babies.”

You couldn't help but laugh lightly. "Babies? As in, your babies?"

He looked over at you, eyes wide with a mix of excitement and hesitation. "Yeah... I don't know, it’s just... I mean, you know, we’ve been together for a while now, and I’ve been thinking..."

"Thinking about what?" you asked, leaning toward him, curiosity piqued.

Mark’s face softened. "About how nice it would be to have a little one around. Someone to love and take care of. Maybe someone who looks like us." He added quickly, "Not right now, of course! I mean, I’m just thinking about it. But I don’t know, I can’t help but get excited whenever I see something about babies."

Your heart warmed at the idea of Mark getting all soft over the thought of having a little family someday. But you still couldn’t stop teasing. "So, you’re having baby fever, huh?"

Mark rubbed the back of his neck nervously, his cheeks a little red. “Maybe... just a little. But it’s not just that! It’s the whole family thing, you know? A future with you... with us... It just sounds so perfect.”

You chuckled, sitting next to him. “Well, I’m glad you’re excited. But we’ve still got a lot to figure out before that happens, don’t we?”

Mark nodded, but his gaze was soft, dreamy. "Yeah... but one day, I just want to hold our baby in my arms, y’know? Teach them stuff. Be there for them."

You smiled, your heart melting at how genuine and tender his voice was. You wrapped your arms around him, snuggling into his side. "It’s a nice dream, Mark. And when the time’s right, we’ll make it happen. But for now, we can just enjoy the thought of it, right?"

"Yeah," he agreed softly, his arm wrapping around you tightly. "Right. But don’t be surprised if I start getting a little more obsessed with baby stuff around here."

It didn’t take long for Mark’s baby fever to escalate. Soon, he was the one who kept bringing up the idea of starting a family. Every time you’d talk about your future together, he'd slip in something about how awesome it would be to have kids, how he could already picture it. His enthusiasm was adorable, even if it was a little overwhelming at times.

One day, you came home to find him watching a parenting video on YouTube, his eyes wide with wonder as he took in every word. You stared at him, hands on your hips. “Mark... you really have it bad, huh?”

He looked up at you, a grin stretching across his face. “I mean, it’s all very important stuff. I gotta be prepared, right?”

You laughed. “You’re adorable. But I’m not going to let you get a baby before we even finish organizing the living room.”

Mark pouted dramatically, but you could see the spark of excitement in his eyes, even if he tried to hide it behind a little humor. “Hey, I’m just saying. Maybe we should go ahead and practice.”

You arched an eyebrow, intrigued. “Oh yeah? How would you practice?”

Before you could react, Mark scooped you up into his arms, his grip strong but warm. “I’ll take care of everything. Starting with you.”

You laughed, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. "You're impossible."

But, for once, it felt right. You could already picture it: the two of you, growing a family, starting the next chapter of your lives together. And you couldn’t wait.

[vividly-vermillion]

✴︎ POPPING YOUR CHERRY

જ⁀➴ Nanami was patient until you were ready, giving you a night full of pleasure and taking your virginity in a gentle way

ﾉ including: Nanami Kento

ﾉ cw: fem!reader, no dynamics, soft sex, oral (reader giving and receiving), fingering, squirting, pussy job, creampie, lots of pet names, consent checks, gentle aftercare, slight body worship

ﾉ wordcount: 4.3k (whoopsie)

ﾉ info: I need this man so badly I can not tell you | Requests are open!

REBLOGS AND COMMENTS ARE APPRECIATED (share your thoughts!)

Nanami has been nothing but kind and patient with you ever since you two met, sure he had his moments where he snapped at you due to stress at his work but you never took it to heart, almost feeling bad that you didn't quite know how to help him since he always brushed you off before he would say something he regrets and you gave him the desired space. He would always come back to you after a long and hot shower, muscles relaxed, his mood way better.

It wasn't until you happened to walk past his big bathroom when he took one of these showers when you found out what was really going on. Through the noise of the water hitting the tiled floor you could hear soft groans, followed by a few mumbled words… Was he masturbating?

Your hand gently knocked against the closed door before you could stop it from happening, a few grumbles to be heard from the inside of the room. “It's open!” He called out mere seconds later, his thick shaft still resting heavy in his palm, body hidden away behind the steamed glass of the shower. Swiftly you entered the bathroom and went straight for the shower, your clothes falling in a trail as you approached your lover. “May I join?” You called out slightly hesitant, your cheeks heating up at the thought of seeing him like this for the first time, but silence filled the room until he eventually spoke a small “Yes”, unable to resist you any longer. Nanami wanted to take things slow with you, knowing you're inexperienced so he waited for you to make a move, to give a sign that you want him as much as he wants you - he was craving you, the image of your body clad in the beautiful sundress you wore once stuck in his head and leaving little space for imagination what your body beneath might look like. The thought of you was his sweet salvation and his downfall late at night when he couldn't sleep or during the day when he couldn't focus. Only you.

After taking a deep and shaky breath you opened the milky glass door of the shower, steam clouding your vision for mere seconds before it evaporated enough to see your lover standing in front of you, not daring to look down where you saw his cock standing proudly in the corner of your eyes.

Noticing how you seemed to be frozen to the spot, Nanami tried to cover his manhood with his large hands, his eyes staying respectfully on your face, not once wandering. “Changed your mind?” He asked with a soft voice, not a hint of pressure behind his words, just curiosity, but you quickly shook your head no to let him know that you did not change your mind. With a careful step you joined the blonde man in the shower, hot water cascading down your figure yet his eyes remained trained on your face.

“Warm enough?” He asked caring, his voice soft as silk when he spoke which seemed to calm your breath a little. “It could be a bit warmer… if you don't mind,” you mumble, feeling a little awkward for intruding on him during such a private moment and now you just stand around in front of him, fidgeting nervously with your hands while he reached out to the faucet, brushing past the soft skin of your arm which you had draped over your chest in a rather shy manner. This simple touch alone left your skin to erupt with goosebumps and your eyes wandered over his strong arms, ending at his chest before you looked to the dark tiled wall once more, the rippling muscles beneath his skin embedded in your brain now. “You don't have to be so reserved. I'm your partner after all,” he pointed out lightly, not minding your eyes on him and as much as he wanted to just push you against the wall and take you, he remained patient and caring. He knew this was a rather big step for you to take already and he didn't want to scare you with anything, but you simply nodded, unsure arms wrapping around his torso in a gentle hug.

Nanami held back a chuckle upon this sweet and innocent gesture, holding you close to his body underneath the big rainshower, hot water cascading down both your bodies now. He would lie if he said that your soft skin and your perked nipples pressed against him in such an intimate way didn't affect him but his body betrayed him already - his erection twitching against your stomach and letting you feel just how badly he needed you. He cleared his throat and was ready to mumble out an apology for being inappropriate during such a delicate moment, but you looked up at him with a newfound hunger hidden behind your eyes.

Without hesitation the blonde man leaned down to capture your soft lips in a heated kiss, his tongue no stranger to your mouth as the kiss grew heated like oh so many times before. The butterflies were doing cartwheels in your stomach when his large hands reached down to hold your hips, pulling you impossibly close to his body in an effort to get you even closer until you had to break the kiss for air, his kisses traveling to your neck and it was evident that both of you yearned for more than just a makeout session.

By the time your hand stroked over his rock hard abs it was clear to him and he nodded almost breathless, craving the touch of your soft hand wrapped around his shaft for the first time and when you finally did he couldn't hold back a relieved groan. Nanami’s lips returned to yours once again as he guided your much smaller hand up and down the length of his cock, showing you just the way he liked it, but the way your hand barely managed to wrap around his girth left his head spinning, desperate to maintain focus when his hands crept over to your body once more. Calloused hands resting on your hip and just below your chest, your nodding of wordless consent was all he needed to let his hands travel further, one pulling you closer as the other started kneading your chest. “You're so beautiful, doll” he managed to rasp out as his kisses returned to your neck once more, his low moans and pants filling your senses as your hand worked on his length to help him get off.

Your soft whines didn't go unnoticed by him when he gently rolled your pebbled nipple between his thumb and index finger, his lips now trailing down to take care of your neglected breast, the warmth of his mouth engulfing one nipple while his fingers played with the other and you started to rub your thighs together in desperation. “Let me take care of you,” he mouthed against the soft flesh of your boobs and you could only nod, your hand working faster on him as his teeth tugged on your nipple ever so gently. He should have felt ashamed for being selfish, but your hands working on him got him off faster than his own ever could, thick ropes of cum painting your stomach and hands only to be washed away by the water right away, his head resting in the crook of your neck for a short moment, but before you knew it, his fingers were brushing against your thighs, begging for you to open up for him, which you did.

Skilled fingers caressed your inner thighs until he finally reached your core and just as he touched the part where you needed him most his sweet touch disappeared, a small chuckle vibrating through his chest which caught your attention. “We should take this to the bedroom, I want to take my time with you” he mumbled into your ear, his voice hoarse from how aroused he's gotten by the thought of finally claiming you as his entirely. You didn't need to answer him either, the way you turned off the water within a mere second was answer enough and he shook his head at how eager you seemed to be.

Leaving the warmth of the shower first, Nanami went to get a fresh towel for you, the soft fabric smelling like orchids and cotton, something you've started associating with him - with home. Just as he wrapped it around you, one hand stretched out to help you out of the shower and guided you to the bedroom you've been to a hundred times before. You should know the way by now but perhaps the towel that hung dangerously low on his hips, threatening to fall off, was all you could focus on. You were grateful for when he gently scooped you up into his strong arms, the hint of chest hair tickling your skin before you were placed onto the bed with utmost care.

Warm hands untucked the towel from around your body to reveal your beauty to him, your body entirely exposed but you didn't feel the need to cover up, his gaze letting the heat rush to your cheeks. He made you feel wanted, desired like you're the most beautiful woman on earth - and to him you were. You were perfect in every single way, almost feeling bad that he's about to ruin you like this but he craved to hear you whimper and whine for more, pawing at his sculpted body when he takes you past the edge, begging for him, pleading to fill you up - making you his entirely.

Of course he will take his sweet time until he is sure that you can handle him, the thought of hurting you made his heart clench and… he's been staring for too long, your sweet giggle filling his ears. You broke the shell of the stoic man, you could make him crawl to you if you'd only ask. He was fully devoted to you and your love, craving you, his body screaming for you in every way - it was almost scaring him but he was undoubtedly yours.

Kneeling down just in front of the bed he pulled your body closer, your beautiful legs now resting over his shoulders until your glistening folds were right in front of his face, his blonde hair tickling your thighs when he started pressing open mouthed kisses along your supple flesh. Minutes that felt like hours passed and you needed him, going crazy with how badly you yearned for his pleasure until your hands found their way into his silk like hair, pulling him towards your core with pleading eyes. “Patience, doll” he whispered, his warm breath fanning over your folds and eliciting goosebumps over your body. You've never had someone this close to your heat but it was Nanami - you had no reason to grow shy nor embarrassed over your feelings for him, his rock hard cock letting you know that he was equally eager for this.

His amber eyes held nothing but warmth in them when he pressed a kiss to the mound of your core, looking for any sign of discomfort in yours. “Yellow if it's too much, red if you need me to stop” his words cut the silence in the room, accompanied by the thumping of your heart now picking up, almost sounding like a war drum. You nodded, unable to form words in the anticipation laced with nervousness but it was enough for the man between your legs, trusting you to let him know if you weren't ready to go on and you knew he would never pressure you into anything.

Your eyes fluttered shut when you felt his kisses travel over your mound onto your folds until his thumbs ever so gently parted them, exposing your wetness to him. Unsure what to expect you gasped softly when the first kitten lick of his tongue brushed over your exposed clit, fingers digging into his scalp at the sensation. You could feel him smile at your reaction, his tongue traveling through your folds in a zigzag motion only to circle your bundle of nerves, alternating between gently flicking it with his tongue and sucking on it until you were helplessly bucking against his face, the pleasure washing over you which caught you entirely off guard with its intensity that you couldn't even warn your lover - but he knew.

Nanami's tongue kept playing with your clit until he heard the cry of his name leave your throat, begging him, for what you didn't even know yourself but the orgasm that followed was better than any you've given to yourself.

Allowing you to calm down, his tongue slowed down its assault on your sensitive nub only to travel further down, lapping up your arousal like a man starved. The slurping noises were lewd but you didn't want him to stop, neither when he pushed his tongue into your entrance, nor when his thumb came down to rub small circles at your overly sensitive clit. Nanami was entirely lost in your taste, eyes fluttering shut and breaking eye contact for a moment and it made you swoon, seeing how much he enjoyed this - how pleasing you was pleasing him. Your juices kept coating his tongue, followed by soft groans against your heat only for his tongue to leave your entrance and return to your clit once more.

“God. You're so addictive” he mumbled into you, the hand which rested on your thigh now joining his tongue, his index finger gently circling your entrance to gauge a reaction from you, seeing if you show any signs of it being too much, but you were babbling at this moment, cunt clenching around nothing when his tongue started his assault on your bundle of nerves once more. Nanami was certain that you needed this as much as he did, ever so gently pushing his finger into your untouched hole just to feel how tight you clench around him from the intrusion. Nodding you started grinding against his face and finger, needing him deeper, needing more and he heard you, briefly pulling his finger out of you before replacing it with his middle- and ringfinger. Your cunt sucked them in, almost struggling to accommodate his thick digits - the stretch much more than your fingers ever managed and when he curled them into your sweet spot it was over for you once again. A loud whine erupted from your throat as the squelching noises of your pussy grew in volume “Ke-Kento… too much!” You whimpered helplessly to get him to slow down but the second your sweet voice reached his ears a clear stream of liquid splashed out of you and against his tongue. His fingers slowed down the moment you begged for it but your orgasm already washed over you, legs shaking violently on his shoulders when he lapped up the juices that just squirted out of you.

Your ears were ringing as your lungs desperately tried to get air back into them, not even noticing how your lover was raking his hands over your thighs in a caring manner, absolutely mesmerized by you. He knew very well that your body was pushed past its boundaries so he wanted to stop or at least give you a break but you finally came back to your senses, your gaze still hungry despite looking utterly fucked out by just his tongue and fingers. “Don't stop… please,” you whimpered, begging him for more. Oh you little vixen, knowing exactly how to play his heartstrings - how is he supposed to deny you such a request when he could devour you whole?

A single kiss was pressed to your right thigh before he put it down onto the bed, shaking his head with a breathless chuckle when he caught a glimpse of your frown. “You're going to be the death of me, love” he mumbled amused, your left leg now lined up with his chest and shoulder as he stood between your thighs. The feeling of his cock resting just above your heat made you want to scream, the kiss that was placed upon your ankle provoked the smallest whimper to erupt out of you. “Please Kento,” You encouraged him, being entirely certain about going this step with him and he nodded, thumbs spreading your folds once more to get a view on how wet he got you, a small puddle forming underneath your ass on the bed and he deemed it good enough to drag his length through your cunt, slowly.

Nanami wouldn't last long if he made love to you now, far too riled up from all your moans, your taste and the way you squirted just from two of his fingers working their magic on you. “Ken… i need you” you begged, soft voice sounding strained now, almost desperate but he only picked up his pace slightly, his tip now nudging your clit just the right ways to have you mewling for him once again, hands digging into the bedsheets from how sensitive you were by now and it needed everything inside of him to not push his cock inside of you when he felt close.

You could feel the twitching of his shaft against your wet cunt, heavy balls clenching as he spilled his seed over your heat and lower stomach, his head thrown back while a guttural moan left his throat. You really were going to be the death of him - now he was certain. Seeing your little pussy covered in cum did things to him, eyes darkening when he dragged the head of his cock through your folds once again to collect your mixed juices, only stopping when he arrived at your entrance. One last time his eyes wandered up your body to rest on your half closed eyes, looking so tired but so happy at the same time.

Nanami needed to make sure that you still wanted this since you were almost at a point of no return. Sensing his hesitation you reached your palm out towards him, letting the man that stood tall like a tree between your legs lower himself so you may cup his cheek in the most loving way. “I want you, Kento Nanami. I've never been more sure of something in my life before,” you whispered softly, the room around you falling quiet once more, only your heartbeats to be heard, hammering against your chests and begging to be united.

Your gentle giant couldn't ask for more from you, hearing you say it loud and clear - you wanted him, wanted this. His soft lips captured yours in an enchanting kiss and taking your mind entirely off of the way the bulbous head of his dick slowly pushed past your tight entrance and molding you to be his.

A hiccup caused by your pain interrupted the sensual kiss but Nanami was quick to help you, halting his advances when his length was halfway inside of you, taking your virginity with utmost care. “Shh… you're doing so good for me, doll. Do you want me to stop?” His voice sounded strained, yet caring and it was clear that it took everything in him to not thrust the remaining half into you which was greatly appreciated. His forehead connected with yours after he pressed a kiss to yours, waiting for you to say something, anything. “G-green” your voice cut through the silence and allowed him to go on which he did, one of his hands still holding your leg to his chest while the other intertwined with yours, lips returning to yours in a desperate attempt to ground himself so he won't lose control. Hurting you was the last thing Nanami wanted to do after all.

His balls rested heavy against you when he finally bottomed out, his deep groan echoing off the walls when you raked your fingers over his well defined back, feeling every ripple of his muscles beneath his pale skin. “Taking me so- fuck… so well,” he moaned breathless when his hips started to move with small thrusts, his thumb wiping a stray tear from your cheek and you're not sure if it was from the pain or the fact that he made you feel so incredibly good. Weakly you nodded your head, drinking the praise in like it's the essence that's keeping you alive. “My good girl,” he continued, hips meeting yours with every word and he felt like his heart would beat out of his chest at any moment, seeing your jaw slowly going slack and your moans growing in volume to create this lewd image of his usually so sweet love.

Nanami had to halt, his chest rising and sinking rapidly from the way you manage to steal his breath, your wet cunt gripping him like a vice and trying to milk him from all he's worth and he wanted to just fuck you senseless right then and there, hips pistonning into you like his life depended on it… but he didn't - he couldn't. Not this time at least. Instead his hips moved in slow but deep, rhythmic thrusts which let him feel every ridge inside your heat and only adding to his bottomless hunger for you. You were moaning beneath him, angelic sounds to his ears but when he straightened up so he was no longer bending over you on the bed you suddenly cried out his name in pleasure, soft moans turning desperate for more.

The new angle made you feel even fuller than before, his tip angled perfectly to hit your sweet spot with every gentle thrust until your glossy eyes landed on his almost closed ones, nodding over and over “I know you're close, princess. Just let go,” he encouraged you, his thrusts picking up their pace to push against your sweet spot repeatedly until your toes curled and your back arched so perfectly off the mattress. His thumb rubbed tight circles onto your sensitive clit to drag out this earth shattering orgasm as long as possible - you deserved a first time to remember fondly after all but he just doesn't stop. Your breathless whines turned into cries for him, for more, for him to not stop. You were high on this feeling he gave to you, his hips rutting into you aimlessly at this point and his head was thrown back as his moans mixed with yours. “One more, just- fuck! Just one more,” he groaned with a rough voice, needing to feel you clench around him in bliss again before he allowed himself to follow you.

When your pussy clenched around him as another orgasm rippled through your beautiful body, he finally understood why they call it a little death. His hips thrusted into you a final time, burying himself as deep as he physically could while his dick twitched wildly inside of you and you could feel the way his balls contracted, slowly filling you up with his release.

Nanami's vision went white for a moment, pure bliss taking over and his body feeling like he was floating on cloud nine - this is why they call it a little death. You were going to be his own piece of heaven, your core gripping his cock so tightly he felt like it was hard to breathe but at the same time you were the oxygen his lungs needed.

His barely there thrusts finally came to a stop and he lifted your leg off his chest and shoulder before lifting your body against his chest so you could be as close as possible without having to slip out. The way he fell onto the bed with you was almost clumsy but he didn't want to let go of you, not even for a fraction of a second.

His big hand came up to wipe a strand of hair behind your ear, a tired smile on his lips “Are you okay, doll?” he asks with his voice like silk, needing to know if you're fine and you nodded tired, laying on top of him now with your bodies still connected. Even with his own seed running out of you and onto his body and the bed beneath he made no effort to move, the moment too perfect. Your body was draped over his, your limbs ever so tired as his hands ran up and down your back which was sticky from the sweat but he didn't mind it for one second. This moment dragged on for a while, gentle touches and even gentler kisses shared between lovers until your breath started to even out. In your half awake state you barely noticed how he carefully picked up your tired body to carry you into the room where it all began, only registering it when the sound of the water running and the scent of lavender filled your exhausted senses. “You can just rest, I'll clean you up” he whispered and lowered you into the warm water of the bathtub, following you mere seconds after where he let you rest against his chest again. You let your eyes remain closed when he picked up the softest washcloth, slowly dragging it over your arms, your torso, your legs and lastly over your sore pussy, still leaking his cum. There was nothing sexual in his touch, only tender care as he made sure to clean your body from any filth so you may rest and let him take care of you so you could wake in the bed to the smell of breakfast in the morning…

[pineconepie]

yandere english prof?

Sorry this took so long, its been sitting in my drafts forever LOL. Here you go! I actually really like this one haha.

TW: Violence, blood (not detailed), injuries, bullying, light forced infantilization, parental yandere, manipulative yandere, implied extortion

Everyone hated your English professor, Ellis, but you never understood the hate he received. Practically day one, everyone was complaining about how mean he could be or how unfair or harsh his grading was.

At first, you believed them, not really knowing the professor well enough to come to his defense. He seemed to have a no-nonsense attitude with you just as much as everyone else.

It wasn't really until one day, when some guys of a nasty fraternity came in and began harassing you.

You had always ignored it, but it became more impossible to ignore when one of them tripped you on your way into the class.

"Jerk," you grumble under your breath, watching him saunter off with a laugh. You feel blood dripping down your nose.

You grab your phone to see if it looks bad, and sure enough, it does. If the pain in your face weren't indicating you landed straight on it, then the blood trailing down your nose and forming bruise on your eye were.

After wiping your face clean as best as you can, you continue your trek back to class.

Sure, it'd probably be a better idea to email your professor and explain to him what happened, but knowing how harshly he can treat students, you'd rather get the attendance than email him about something he might not even believe is true.

And so, you stumble through the halls with blood dried at the corners of your nostrils, one eye looking swollen with the other's vision blurred from crying earlier.

A black eye must already be forming. A few people give you odd looks, but almost everyone else minds their own business. Soon enough, you finally enter your classroom.

"You're three minutes late," Ellis coldly says as soon as you step through the door.

He isn't even looking at you, probably just figures its you, because his eyes are on a few papers.

"I-I'm sorry." Your voice cracks. You wince from the sound of it.

Ellis's gaze immediately shoots up at you. He looks baffled and furious at first. "What on earth happened to you?"

He makes a hand gesture for you not to answer that, and looks back at the several rows of students, some of which are paying attention to the situation, but most are talking to their friends or on their phones. He puts his head down and begins writing something on a small piece of paper, then walks to you and hands it to you.

As you grab the note, his hand squeezes over yours. He lets go after you look at him. "Take it. Go. Come back when you get something for that."

You nod quickly, then glance down at the paper to see that there's a pass.

 Medical office, Room 305

He even went as far as to write the room number in case you forgot.

Thankful for that and everything else, you smile a little and make your way out the door, making sure not to get harassed again by some bully on your way.

Now that you really think about it, he's been having more of a soft spot for you recently, though maybe that's all in your head, too.

Like when you offered to help him clean up the room, and once you even stayed after class to ask him for help regarding what he was teaching.

Even though he could be intimidating sometimes, and downright frightening at others, you didn't find yourself scared around him. Only when he raises his voice, which he never does towards you.

Once you make it to the medical office and have the nurse inspect the damage, she determines that nothing is broken, just badly bruised.

You don't want to tell her that this incident was caused by bullies, so you just awkwardly tell her you fell down some stairs. She likely doesn't get paid enough to snuff out your lie.

She hands you an ice pack. "There," she smiles. "Not so bad. Try to watch where you're going next time, okay?"

Her condescending tone makes you feel worse. "Yes, ma'am. Thank you."

You apply pressure to your black eye as instructed, then head back to your English class.

When you get back inside the room, no one is there except Ellis. You check your phone, to see barely thirty minutes has passed. Maybe he sent them home early.

"Hi. I'm here." Your voice cracks again and you can't help but cringe. It sounds horrible, even to your own ears.

He looks up at you, brows pinching together in concern as soon as his eyes meet yours. He doesn't speak; he only pats the seat nearest to him on the front row of desks, gesturing for you to take a seat beside him.

Once you do, his cold fingers brush under your bruised eye. It should hurt, but they are so gentle against your skin that you barely flinch away from them.

"Who did this?" Ellis's gaze becomes narrow behind his round glasses.

You shake your head, suddenly feeling sick at your stomach. You hate how these kinds of things happen to you, especially since everyone else thinks they're harmless pranks.

They don't feel harmless. Especially when it feels like they leave physical and mental wounds everywhere on you.

"Nobody. I'm sorry."

He tuts in disapproval. "I know someone did this. Either you tell me, or I find out myself."

"Why do you care?" It sounds much more rude than you intended, so you try to soften your tone. "I'm sorry, its just... why would it matter if someone did?"

Ellis pinches the bridge of his nose. "Because you're too sweet. Too kind. It isn't fair that people treat you this way." He gives you another look over. "I dismissed my class today because of you, you know. I wouldn't do that for any of my other students, because they don't like me. And honestly, I don't really like them. But you..." he trails off.

"...but me?" you echo.

He scrubs a hand over his face. "You're like my child, (Y/n). It's my job as a professor to treat my students fairly, equally, but when it comes to you..." he sighs deeply, "...I worry about you every day. I wonder if you ate breakfast. If you've had anything to drink recently. How you slept. If anyone hurts you. None of my other students I let help me after class. Because if you're in front of my own two eyes, it's easier to just stop worrying. And I like being around you."

The information almost overwhelms you. "I had no clue."

"Well, now you do. So could you please tell me who did this? I'll have a heart attack if you worry me any more than I need to," he jokes with a weak smile, a very rare one.

"Just some guy from Delta Psi Lambda," you answer quickly. "I think his name was Brock, or something."

"I'll take care of him. Now, how's your eye?" As soon as you pull away the ice pack, he sucks in a harsh breath. "(Y/n). Oh, honey. It must be painful."

The term of endearment almost goes right past your head.

Almost.

"I mean, yeah. A little," you chuckle, trying to play it off. Really, it feels awful. "It doesn't feel too great, but it looks worse."

"It's bruising. Poor thing," he coos, taking your chin into his long, bony fingers and turning your head left and right, analyzing all of the damage. "This is unacceptable. Does anywhere else hurt?"

"No, this is all." You try to shrug again, but it comes out weird-looking. You can tell he catches it, too. "My nose was bleeding a lot earlier, but it stopped. Other than that, I guess everything else feels okay."

Ellis grabs a tissue and wipes off the leftover drying blood. His movements are careful yet firm, as if you would shatter to pieces if he wasn't gentle enough. "What am I going to do with you?" he sighs. "Can't trust you for even a moment before you're already coming back to me hurt." He presses a soft kiss on the crown of your head. "Do you need me to drive you back home?"

"I live on campus," you murmur. "I can just walk there."

He raises a brow at you. "That means they could just get you again if I let you go alone," he chastises. "Come on, follow me." He stands up, putting the papers into his work bag, then swinging it over his shoulder. He holds his free hand out and waits patiently for you to grab onto it, then he helps hoist you up.

As he does, your backpack slides down one arm. You watch as he puts it over his shoulder with his workbag, too.

...

A week passes, and Ellis is much softer towards you. He isn't as fatherly to you in front of people, but its pretty obvious that you've become the favorite.

He keeps asking if you have any food or drinks, and when you don't, he pulls out his lunchbox and offers whatever you need. You're not complaining. Free lunches are always good to accept.

"I don't need to eat lunch in here all the time now," you mumble, chewing on your favorite fruit that he offered. Weird that he knew that, but surely a coincidence.

Ellis pauses from what he's doing, which is erasing the whiteboard, and peers at you from the corner of his eye. "Why? Do you dislike spending time with me?"

You shake your head. "No, it's not that. I just... I think the bullies will leave me alone now. I haven't even seen any of the fraternity's faces since the incident."

"That doesn't mean I still can't worry about you," Ellis replies coolly. "You even forgot your lunch several times now. It worries me. I need to make sure you eat properly." The marker squeaks against the board as he writes reminders for next class's essay. Once he finishes that task, he sets everything down and heads to sit down at his desk. "I always pack extra for you now, because you're so forgetful. And thank goodness I do."

"Okay, Professor Dad," you sarcastically laugh.

He shakes his head at you while looking amused, making your words die in your throat.

That was clearly meant to be a joke, so why is he smiling like that?

Well, you know the answer, but it's still hard to believe. Even though Ellis seems to really care about you, he hasn't known you for very long at all.

So, why would he start acting so... so dad-like towards you? What exactly happened to turn him from the stern and rigid teacher persona into an almost doting father-figure towards one of his students?

"I-I didn't really mean—"

"I know. I get it," he says softly. "Just humor me. Let me keep fussing over you." After that, he falls quiet, working on grading some papers from earlier classes that day.

...

"You didn't bring a jacket?" Ellis asks exasperatedly. He's walking you to your dorm again after class ended, since it snowed.

Normally, you would've gone yourself, but due to the cold weather and Ellis's demands for you to stay in his classroom until he finished getting ready to walk you himself, you couldn't exactly refuse.

You look over at him, finding that his brows are pinched together in concern. "Oh, uh, no. I guess I forgot."

"For Pete's sake," he mutters, tugging the scarf from his neck and wrapping it snugly around yours instead. "I swear, you'll be the death of me one day, (Y/n). Can't even remember a simple thing like bringing a jacket." Despite sounding mad, there's also a tone of fondness mixed in with it.

You decide not to mention it, feeling embarrassed just thinking about it.

"Thanks," you hum.

"I don't mind doing things for you, you know," he adds after a moment. "I wanted to have kids of my own, but found out romance wasn't really my thing. And adoption costs way more money than what I have." He lets out a huff through his nostrils. "But it seems like you require the same doting as a toddler."

It doesn't even sound like its meant to be a jab at you; if anything, his voice takes on an affectionate edge.

"Is that bad?" you ask sheepishly.

"Not to me." He squeezes your hand, pulling you along beside him to cross the street. As soon as you reach your dorm and go inside, he dusts snowflakes off the top of your head. "That's better." You try to unwrap the scarf, but he stops you. "Keep it. I have several others like it. Besides, I don't want you catching a cold from being under-dressed."

You smile awkwardly. "Oh, okay. Thank you."

...

A month passes, and your friends had begun to avoid you. Even the bullies act scared to show their faces around you.

You wonder if its just Ellis's mere presence, but it's hard to tell. You decide a few days avoiding Ellis and trying to spend time with your friends again wouldn't hurt. You figure Ellis won't even notice too much, busy with papers and classes.

You notice Ellis giving you strange looks during class, but other than that, he acts normal. It's nice to feel like things are going back to the way they used to be again.

Barely a week after avoiding him, you hear someone yell your name.

But it isn't Ellis. It's Brock, and three of his other friends.

"Haven't forgotten what you did to me yet, did you? Because of you, I was nearly expelled!" he screams. Then, Brock runs towards you, fist flying directly towards your stomach and hitting you hard. You groan, then fall forward when one of his friends pushes you. "Hope you had fun trying to get rid of me, because you're gonna regret it!"

They get a few more punches in, and you can't even do anything about it because there's so many of them. You desperately look for anyone to be around, but there's no one.

"Stop!" someone yells.

You open your eyes from their previous screwed shut state, peering over at the man in glasses running towards you. Its Ellis.

He helps pull you away from all the frat guys, glaring down at each of them.

They must have some common sense, because they all freeze at the sight of Ellis. He barks something at them, but you can't pay attention over the ringing in your ears.

As soon as they begin sprinting off in the other direction, Ellis scoops you up bridal style and carries you somewhere.

You try opening your eyes to see where, but as soon as you manage to pry one open, he brushes his fingertips over your forehead.

"Don't stress yourself, love. Just rest." You close your eyes, and fade out from exhaustion.

...

You wake up in Ellis's apartment. It smells so clean, like it's never been lived in. Everything is so neatly organized, and nothing is out of place.

Not even a speck of dust lays on the windowsills or countertops. It seems like something straight out of a catalog.

You push yourself up into a sitting position, wincing from the pain in your arms and abdomen. Your lower back aches and twinges, too.

"Oh! Kiddo, please be careful!" You turn your head slowly towards Ellis's voice. He's holding some ice packs, water bottles, and bandages. His sweater vest has been changed for a plain gray shirt. "I'm glad you're finally awake. Let me take a look at you."

"What happened? Why am I here?"

He gives you a strange look. "You got beat up. Again," he emphasizes, clearly frustrated. "And you were so banged up that I brought you back to my place. I thought maybe I shouldn't take you back to your dorm, because you have no one who could take care of you." He clicks his tongue. "And besides that, you haven't come to me lately, and you're avoiding me. Now, you just got attacked again because I wasn't around to protect you."

You sniffle and in a sudden motion, wrap your arms around his neck. It surprises both you and him, but he's quick to embrace you twice as tightly.

His fingers curl into your hair, his other hand rubbing your back comfortingly.

"Hey, hey, shh..." He squeezes you. "Sweetie, calm down for me. You're going to hyperventilate if you breathe any quicker."

"I-I'm sorry... I d-didn't think th-they'd ever b-bother me again...!"

"Shh, breathe for me. Follow my rhythm." He takes deep breaths, waiting each time for you to follow. "That's right. You're such a good listener." Ellis cups your cheek and rubs away a few stray tears from it. He notices your breathing returned back to normal, so he smiles, placing a tender kiss to the crown of your head. "I've missed having you around."

"I'm sorry."

"That's alright. Now that I have you again, you're safe." He gets up, then walks to the kitchen. "Let me fix you something warm. You need it after today, poor baby."

As he cooks, you drift in and out of consciousness yet again. He chuckles when he notices you're basically passed out once again.

His phone rings. He scoffs, but answers it.

"What do you want? Yes, yes... you'll no longer need to worry about getting expelled for what you did... no, I'm not thanking you. Now please delete this number and never talk to them again. If I catch you even looking at them, I really will make sure you're suspended."

[ozonecologne]

Hi, doctor of English here! I don't feel like going to Twitter to comment on the original thread, so here's a very nerdy addition about parts of speech:

I don't know enough about etymology to say this is certifiably true, but what's being described here is at least a nifty bit of invention that I love in language: changing the parts of speech around to help us explain what we're seeing or feeling when the words we do have are just not enough. Grasping for a way to describe something and having to transform our words to fit ourselves.

In addition to being verbs turned into other verbs, almost all of these words is an example of changing a NOUN into a VERB to describe what something does -- the noun "spark" into the verb "sparkle," the noun "crack" into the verb "crackle," etc. Many, but not all, words that end in -le are like this. To go the other way (to change a verb into a noun), you can often add the suffix -ation or simply -tion/-sion to your verb. The verb "illustrate" into the noun "illustration" for example, "converse" > "conversation," "decide" > "decision," etc. We turn an intangible action into a tangible thing to examine and critique.

But that's often not enough! Once you add an -le onto a noun and make it into a verb, you can also add a -y to that new verb to get an ADJECTIVE to describe another noun. This is usually how adjectives are made anyway: adding a "y" onto the end of an action to explain the quality of the thing doing that action. Chewing gum is "stick-y" because it "sticks" to things. So apply this logic to the noun>verb change: a dress is "sparkly" because it "sparkles" (appears to throw off many sparks). Your television signal is "crackly" because it "crackles" (appears to have many cracks in it, or resembles the sound of cracking). You can convey what you're perceiving much more directly this way even if it's more of a figurative description than literal. The dress isn't literally sparking, it just reminds us of sparks. (Much of language, and especially English, is actually figurative. That's what my dissertation was on!)

So now we've gone all the way from noun to verb to adjective! "But Maddie," you might be saying, "adverbs also end in -ly." Yes, and this only furthers my point; adverbs are adjectives that [usually] describe a verb rather than a noun (ad + verb = adverb). In the sentence "she walks slowly," the word "slow" is describing not the noun in the sentence ("she") but the verb ("walk"). The quality of the walk is slow, not the quality of the person. But distinguishing between adjectives is tricky sometimes, and this is why learning a language is so hard. Even though they both have the -ly suffix, one can walk "slowly" but one cannot walk "sparkly."

OR CAN THEY?

Almost all good creative writing (and especially poetry) seeks to evoke, and often that's done by moving around parts of speech to create a conceptual sense of something rather than a semantic or grammatical narrative. "She walks sparkly" doesn't make sense grammatically, but it does describe a scene in a particularly striking way. She walks as if she's throwing off lots of sparks. How delightful to consider. I understand what you mean even though you're 'wrong.'

These rules of grammar are helpful to know for two reasons (among others). One: if you know these rules and you come across a word or a sentence you don't know, you can reverse-engineer the sentence and figure out the meaning. I've never seen the word "recitation" before, but I know that -ation means noun, usually, and the front part is a verb. So the verb must be "to recite." Do I know what that means? Or: I know that -ly means adjective. What in this sentence is the adjective actually modifying? What is being described, and how? Why might the author write that in these terms? If you're at standardized testing age, this helps tremendously with the vocab portion of the SATs/ACTs.

Two: if you find yourself getting stuck while you're writing something, try moving things around just as an un-sticking exercise. Have fun and use a noun as a verb. Turn the noun into a verb using the above formula of +le. Then turn that verb into an adjective and use it as an adverb with +y. Get weird with it! Knowing where structures are in place helps you dismantle them. Breaking language is how you shake people from their usual patterns of thinking and make your perception of your world more understandable to others :)

[22ayla21]

Fathers and Their Children Part II

The Twisted Wonderland boys as fathers.

Third year Second year First year

Riddle Rosehearts

Riddle, being a proponent of order, tries to raise his children with discipline, but after the events of his youth, he realizes that excessive strictness can be harmful. He demands respect, but doesn't turn his home into a barracks. He has certain rules (like "Don't play with food at the table" and "Do your homework before sunset"), but he's no longer the boy who blindly followed his mother's rigid norms.

Although he doesn't always express his feelings in words, his children know he loves them. He's willing to sit by a sick child's bedside at night, gently tucking in their blanket as they fall asleep, and brew their favorite tea if they've had a tough day.

He's proud of his son, especially when he shows intelligence and diligence in his studies. However, he's very soft towards his daughter—she's the only one who can persuade him to break a rule or simply give in to her cute eyes. If she asks for a little more time before bed or an extra cookie, he initially shakes his head sternly, but a few minutes later, he gives in.

When his mother comes to visit, the atmosphere in the house immediately becomes tense. She thinks Riddle is too lenient with the children and tries to impose her "order." For example, she might criticize her son for his too "weak" control over the family, demanding that the children sit with perfectly straight backs and eat only "proper" food.

• The children try to escape her in any way possible. If she comes, they suddenly become "very busy" in their rooms or find urgent errands outside.

• The son sometimes openly protests, saying, "Dad, you're not going to make me sit and listen to her for hours, are you?!"

• The daughter initially tries to be polite but then just hides behind her mom.

Despite his strictness, he tries to instill in his children truly important principles: respect, responsibility, and a thirst for knowledge. He's proud that his son and daughter aren't afraid to voice their opinions, even if they contradict his views.

Sometimes, when no one is watching, he allows himself to be just a dad, not a strict head of the family. He might play chess with the children or even magic games, although he later pretends it was purely "for educational purposes."

If the children misbehave, he doesn't yell or make a scene. Instead, he gives them logical punishments: for example, skipping dinner (but with tea, because he's not cruel) or writing an essay on why it's important to respect rules. But if someone hurts each other or anyone else—then he's truly strict.

Riddle isn't perfect, but he tries to be the best father he can be. His children help him understand that sometimes it's okay to just be happy, even if the world around them isn't perfect.

Ruggie Bucchi

Ruggie, of course, loves his son, but raising a child is a real headache. He might grumble when the boy makes a mess or asks too many questions, but deep down, he's proud of how clever and cunning the kid is becoming.

His son is a real little rascal. He quickly figures out how to get what he wants with minimal effort: "Dad, if I help you clean up, will you give me a meat pie?" Ruggie initially laughs, but then realizes that's exactly how he taught him.

Although he's quite relaxed about parenting, he won't let his son be lazy or slack off. If the boy starts being too blatantly cunning, he'll put him in his place: "Listen, son, if you want to be smart, at least don't show it."

Ruggie believes it's important for his son to be able to take care of himself. He teaches him to cook, find easy ways to earn money, and even pull off small adventures: "If you want a tasty meal, help get it first!"

If he's spending time with his wife, his son is sure to periodically steal his mother's attention. For example, he might sit between them when they're relaxing or deliberately demand that Mom read him a story instead of Dad. Ruggie just sighs, "Well, you've got quite the character, little bandit..."

Sometimes, he's surprised to see how independent his son is becoming. It fills him with both pride and a slight melancholy, because once this little one held onto his tail, and now he's handling his own affairs.

When his son starts laughing, the sound is a mix of childish giggles and Ruggie's signature "hyena laugh." He's scared people more than once by suddenly bursting into loud laughter at an inappropriate moment. Ruggie just smirks, "Oh, why are you so scared? It's just a kid!"

Ruggie teaches him the main principle: "You can be smart, you can be strong, but it's best to be flexible." He passes on his experience, but also allows his son to make his own mistakes so he can learn from them.

Azul Ashengrotto

Azul thought his daughter would be a perfect, obedient child who would share his love for intellectual games and business. However, reality turned out to be more complicated: the little girl was too curious, energetic, and inherited his cunning mind, but was much more free-spirited than he expected.

Azul often tries to act like a strict but fair father, but his daughter has a special talent for disarming him with her spontaneity. If she tugs on his sleeve with a sincere "Daddy, play with me," he, of course, initially feigns displeasure, but eventually gives in, especially if Floyd is nearby and already hinting that "daddy's a wimp."

The daughter inherited his traits: on land, she looks like a regular human, but when she gets wet, she turns into an octopus. This was a surprise for Azul, but he quickly adapted. However, he's very worried about how she'll perceive her dual nature. He remembers suffering from insecurity himself, so he does everything to make his daughter not feel inferior and be proud of who she is.

The first time the little girl realized she wasn't like the other kids on land, she was scared. Azul gently explained to her that it was her strength, not her weakness. Inspired by his own experience, he showed her how to use her extra limbs in the water—for example, to play with multiple toys at once or scare Uncle Floyd.

Azul tends to be overprotective of his daughter, especially when it comes to water. He fears she might be rejected like he was as a child. He even considered limiting her contact with water, but eventually realized it wasn't the solution. Instead, he teaches her to be proud but discreet—"use your power, but don't show it off to everyone."

He started teaching his daughter business skills early. At five, she could already negotiate for extra sweets, and at seven, she could give him such a convincing look that he'd sign a "contract" for an extra hour of playtime before bed. Jade, watching this, once remarked, "Looks like another cunning one is growing up."

Floyd is the uncle who's always fun (and a bit dangerous). He was the first to teach the girl to joke and be a little mischievous. Jade, in turn, taught her patience and manipulation—Azul doesn't like it, but he understands that his daughter's skills can be useful.

Every time the little girl says this, Azul has a bad feeling. It usually means she's found some loophole in the rules, just like he did as a child.

Azul wants his daughter to grow up confident and not repeat his mistakes. He does everything to make her accept her nature and be strong. However, he fears that one day she'll face the same cruelty he did as a child. Therefore, he always reminds her:

"You're special not because you have octopus tentacles or human legs. You're special because you're you."

Jade Leech

From early childhood, Jade teaches his daughter not only etiquette and manners but also the art of subtle manipulation. He tells her how to choose her words, when to smile, and when to remain silent. At the same time, he never forces her to follow his methods—he simply explains how to manage a situation more conveniently, should the need arise.

He's not a strict father, but if someone dares to offend his daughter, he'll act as he always does—calmly, subtly, but inevitably. The offender might not even realize they're being hunted until their life gradually turns into chaos.

From a young age, Jade takes his daughter on hikes through forests and mountains, telling her about rare plants and creatures. He loves to watch her discover the world with delight. However, if someone tries to instill fear of nature in her, he'll only smirk and say, "It's not predatory beasts you should fear, but those who hide behind kind smiles."

Jade always admires his daughter's uniqueness, her ability to change form in water. He doesn't consider it a flaw; on the contrary, he's proud of it and teaches her to be the same. He might ask with a light mockery, "Have you decided where you prefer to live—on land or in water?" However, he never pressures her choice.

When she first transforms into a moray eel, Jade looks at her with a sparkle in his eyes, slowly claps his hands, and says with a gentle smile, "Ah, how lovely. You're simply charming. Want to learn how to hunt underwater?" Then he teaches her to swim, feel the currents, and use her predator instincts.

He explains to his daughter that humans and sea creatures live by different rules. In water, you can follow instincts, but on land, words and subtle maneuvers are important. "It's all about balance, my dear. Isn't it interesting to know when to smile and when to show your teeth?"

His brother, of course, is very fond of his niece and often takes her on chaotic adventures. Jade doesn't forbid it but comments with a light smile, "Just don't let Floyd drag you into some adventure that'll be hard to get out of."

When his daughter first tries to pull off some cunning game or manipulation, Jade, of course, notices. However, instead of scolding her, he nods approvingly and says, "Not bad. But try to make it a bit more subtle next time."

Floyd Leech

Floyd laughed when he found out he was having twins. "Haha, what a coincidence! Or maybe it's fate?~" he joked. But when the children were born, he wasn't laughing anymore—he was completely thrilled. Two little creatures, just like him and Jade once were... only now they were his own children.

Floyd eagerly awaited the children's first contact with water. He knew they had inherited not only his appearance but also his nature. And when it finally happened—their skin covered in patterns, and their legs replaced by flexible moray eel tails—he couldn't help but laugh with joy: "Waaah, there you go! Now you're real little moray eels!~" He proudly swims with them, teaches them to dive and move in water like predators, telling them it's their family's "natural state."

Like Floyd, the children have a capricious nature. One moment they're laughing and hugging, and the next, they're sulking and refusing to talk to anyone. And they both quickly lose interest in things...

Floyd just shrugs:

"Well, that's normal! They're mine!~"

However, even if Jade admits that the children are too headstrong, Floyd only replies:

"Come on, let them enjoy life!~"

As with everyone else, Floyd doesn't use ordinary names for them. For example, he might call them "Little Eel" and "Gill Bubble." If the children try to protest, he just laughs and says they should be grateful they weren't named something like "Tiny Octopus."

Despite his playful and capricious nature, Floyd is a caring father. If the children are unwell, he instantly switches and becomes attentive. If someone offends them—no matter who, child or adult—he'll deal with that person.

"Huh? He upset you? Well, I'll have a word with him...~" he says, his smile turning frighteningly dark.

Although he loves his children, he sometimes acts like he's not their father but an older brother. He might support their pranks, take them fishing, come up with new tricks. If his wife looks at him disapprovingly, he just puts on an innocent face and says, "Well, they need to have fun!~"

When the children are sad or scared, Floyd doesn't comfort them with words—he just grabs them and squeezes them in a tight hug (of course, he controls the strength of the hug). His warmth and closeness quickly restore their good mood.

"Hey, don't mope, my little eel!~"

Kalim Ali-Asim

Kalim is the parent who's always ready to play, come up with adventures, and throw noisy parties for his children. He happily organizes home picnics, jumps on pillows with the kids, pretending to be dangerous sandstorms, and even lets them ride on his back like a camel.

His children never lack anything. Kalim strives to surround them with care and attention, buying them the best toys, sweets, and gifts, just to see them happy. However, sometimes his generosity goes too far, and Jamil (who's still in his life) has to remind him that parenting isn't just spoiling.

Kalim is proud of his sons, even if they're completely different. One might be cheerful and easygoing, while the other is more serious and responsible, but he praises them both equally. He sincerely rejoices in their successes, and even if one of them fails, he supports them with phrases like, "Don't worry, you'll definitely manage! Just try again!"

Kalim simply adores his youngest daughter and always carries her in his arms. She can ask for anything—and he'll fulfill her wish immediately. Sometimes her older brothers even get jealous, but Kalim sincerely loves them all equally. The daughter quickly realizes that Dad is soft and learns to use it to her advantage.

He doesn't like to scold children and, if they do something wrong, he's more likely to explain the situation gently than to punish them strictly. Perhaps because of this, his children sometimes get out of control, but at such moments someone (like their mom or Jamil) has to intervene to restore discipline.

Before bedtime, he tells the children stories about distant lands and magical creatures, sometimes adding elements from his own adventures. He also sings them lullabies, but gets so carried away that the song turns into a real concert with dancing.

If someone offends his child, Kalim is the first to rush to their defense, even if he doesn't fully understand what's happening. He might innocently approach the offender and say, "Hey, let's just be friends, okay?"—but if that doesn't work, he'll do everything to ensure his child doesn't suffer again.

Despite his naivety and clumsiness, Kalim is the kind of father who teaches children to see the good in the world, not to be afraid to dream, and to always remain kind. He wants his children to grow up happy and free, not intimidated or limited by strict rules.

Jamil Viper

Jamil treats his daughter as the most precious treasure in his life. He is ready to turn into dust anyone who dares to offend her, but at the same time he tries not to suppress her freedom. However, if someone even thinks of upsetting her - this person will instantly disappear from his social circle.

He is not the kind of father who will yell or punish with words. He does not even need to do this - one cold look is enough for the child to understand that he has gone too far. However, he is never really angry with his daughter, even if she has done something wrong. He sighs, explains the mistakes and helps to correct them, but inside he is already planning how to prevent chaos next time.

Jamil teaches her everything he knows from an early age. He teaches her discipline, strategy, dancing and even cooking, but he never pressures - if she does not like something, he simply suggests trying something else. However, one thing is a must - self-defense. No one should threaten his daughter, so he makes sure that she can stand up for herself.

Jamil is a master at cooking, and of course his daughter gets the most delicious and exquisite dishes. Even if she accidentally spills spices or spills something on the table, he doesn’t get angry - he just quietly cleans up the mess and continues to teach her how to mix flavors correctly.

If his daughter comes to him with an offended face and says: “Abi, he offended me!”, Jamil will not start a showdown, but this person will disappear from her circle. Before she even has time to understand what happened, the problem is already solved.

Despite all his seriousness, Jamil cannot refuse his daughter. She is the only person in front of whom he loses his restraint. If she asks for five more minutes before bed? Good. If she wants him to read her fairy tales until she falls asleep? Of course. If she wants to sit on his shoulders while he works? Why not.

Jamil never says it out loud, but he is more proud of his daughter than anyone else in the world. Even if she just says something smart or takes a step forward in her studies, he smiles to himself, knowing that she will definitely achieve everything she wants. He will not answer right away. Maybe he will say something neutral to avoid unnecessary conversations. But when he is alone, he always knows the answer. His beloved daughter.

Silver Vanrouge

Despite his tendency to fall asleep at unexpected moments, Silver sincerely tries to be a good father. He listens to his daughter with amazing patience, even if he himself is already on the verge of sleep. Even if he falls asleep next to his daughter, the slightest strange sound or her restlessness instantly wakes him up, and he is immediately on guard.

Even when she was a baby, he often rocked her in his arms. Even as she grows older, he continues to do this, although not as often. He often takes on the task of lulling the baby to sleep, but, as a rule, falls asleep faster himself. Sometimes the daughter just lies next to her and watches her dad already sweetly dozing, and her mother laughs at it.

Silver rarely raises his voice and always prefers to explain everything softly, but if his daughter is in danger, his calmness will instantly be replaced by cold-blooded determination.

He wants his daughter to be safe, so from childhood he teaches her the basics of fencing and defense. Of course, in a soft form - with a toy sword or a wooden stick.

Lilia simply adores her granddaughter, and she reciprocates his feelings. They arrange fun games for her together, and then Silver only sighs tiredly, watching how his father has again taught the baby some “useful” prank.

If his daughter creates a little chaos in the house, he does not scold, but simply carefully analyzes the consequences and, if necessary, gently explains why it is not worth doing.

He is sure that his daughter has inherited her mother's beauty and character, but Lilia always corrects him with a smirk: "She is so much like you!" Despite all his gentleness, if someone offends his daughter, Silver becomes incredibly serious. That same warrior's look flashes in his eyes, and no one doubts that he will do anything to protect her.

[heavyhitterheaux]

Girl Errands

See Me Through You Blurb

Synopsis: You try to distract your husband from the multiple bags piled up in the back of your car, which was the result of you running "errands"

Pairing: Husband!Joe Burrow x Wife!Reader

Series Masterlist

Please Do Not Repost My Content Anywhere

Glancing down at your dashboard in your car, you saw that it was now around two in the afternoon and figured that Joe would probably be making his way home soon.

So, that left you with one task.

Beat him home so that he doesn't see the multiple bags that are a result of you telling him that you were going to run “errands”. 

You in fact did not run one errand according to Joe if you were to ask him since they consisted of Target, TJ Maxx, Starbucks, JoAnn Fabrics for more things to crochet, and last but certainly not least browsing the Savage Fenty website for new lingerie which you knew would end up getting torn and would make Joe buy you more. 

As you pulled out of the Target parking lot, you were met with a stop sign before turning on the main street and coming to a red stop light. You just so happened to glance to your right to see no one other than your husband drumming his fingers on the steering wheel and waiting for the light to change.

“Shit!” You muttered as you glanced behind you to look at the multiple bags in the backseat.

When you turned back around, Joe just so happened to catch your eye and you smirked before you gestured for him to roll down his window.

You might as well distract him.

“Hey handsome! You got a girl? I'm trying to go on a date with you tonight.” You said as you winked at him while he couldn't help but to laugh at your horrible attempt at a pick up line.

“I have a wife actually and I highly doubt she would like that very much.” 

“Well, I won't tell if you won't.”

“I'm trying to save us both from ending up being six feet under. She's short, but don't let that fool you.” He replied as you turned up your nose and glared at him.

“I'm sure I can take it. So what do you say?”

Before Joe could respond, he glanced in the backseat of your car and made a face before turning his attention back towards you.

“Uh oh.” You said quietly before you heard your husband's voice.

“Baby! What do you have in the backseat!?”

“Nothing! Bye!” You told him as the light turned green and you pulled off without another word.

But your luck ran out when you were once again caught at a stop light literally less than a mile from your house right next to Joe as he gestured for you to roll your window down and you shook your head no.

So as soon as you told him no, your ringtone for him started blasting throughout the car and you hesitantly hit accept.

“Princess….”

“Oh thank goodness. There's this weird dude who keeps following me in his car and pulling up next to me every time I'm at a stop light.”

“I am not doing this with you today. I refuse.” Joe said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Refuse what, babe?”

“Don't act dumb. Now what is in the backseat?”

“Stuff.”

“What kind of stuff?”

“For me to know and for you not to find out because I was supposed to beat you home and hide everything.” You honestly told him.

“Hmm, and how's that working out for you?”

“It'll be fine once I get home before you do.” You replied as you hit the gas once more and sped away from him.

“I am literally right behind you and you better slow down before you get a ticket.”

“I'm pretty and I'll be let off with a warning. Works every time.”

“Why do you love to stress me out on a daily basis?”

“You're the one who asked me to marry you so you did this to yourself.” You replied as you pulled into the garage with Joe right behind you.

Joe got out of his Porsche before coming over to the driver's side door of your car and opening it, seeing you smiling at him, but he did not look amused.

“Hi baby!” You greeted him as you wrapped your arms around his neck and your legs wrapped around his waist.

Placing a kiss on his lips, he didn’t return it which made you frown. 

“Give me a kiss and fix your face.”

Joe rolled his eyes before kissing you and continued to make a face at you as he pulled away.

“Is this supposed to be serving as a distraction?”

“A little bit, but I can take my clothes off if it isn't working. Now how about that date you promised me?”

“I never even gave you an answer.”

“You're undressing me with your eyes so that's a good enough answer which obviously translates to yes.”

“We can go on a date... right after you show me what's in the backseat.”

“No.”

“Fine. I'll just get my hair cut and run errands in my gray sweatpants.” Joe told you as your eyes then went wide.

“I… Just get the bags please and I'll tell you.”

“That’s exactly what I thought.”

[secret-diary-of-an-fa]

Yeah, the whole "ask the autistic kid a pointed question to get a funny answer with which to demean them" thing was a real motif for me too, back when I was growing up. Actually, I think it's part of a wider trend with bullies. They're not clever, but they possess the low, animal cunning of rat, or maybe a ferret. They'll find the thing that seems trivial to the authority figures in your life but which matters SO SO MUCH to you, and that's what they'll use to get at you. I do think being the kid on the receiving end of that has one thing to be said for it: it gives you a really good sense of what humans are. I went through a lot of bullying - most of it baiting me to see how long it would take me to blow my top and go beserk, but quite a bit of physical abuse, too. I don't consider myself traumatised as per the original post, but I think I have a very fucking clear idea of what the human animal is when you peel off its mask of civility and sophistication. When people see you as a victim- as someone who can't defend themselves- they get very comfortable showing you who they really are. And more often than not, who they really are is a mean-spirited scumbag with the IQ of pond-slime. The good news? They're mean-spirited scumbags with the IQ of pond-slime, so sooner or later your life is going to be much richer, more interesting and more fulfilling than theirs, just because you're capable of joys and sorrows and passions that their invertebrate minds could never aspire to. Consider this the inspirational part of the blog post: you will love more fully than they will. You will live with less compromise. You will not be defined, as they are, by the miserable cycle of work, consumption and recouperation that capitalism has made of human existence, because you will have a developed and complex inner life denied to those insensitive blocks who seek to torment you. And, because you have seen what humans are really like, you will have an easier time identifying the people who aren't like that. One day, you will find your tribe in a way that they cannot, and belive me: you are mighty with your tribe. Yes, while you're going through bullying, it feels like they're predators and you're prey, but here's the thing: being predators is all they have. It's the only thing in their pointless, empty little lives and if they ever experience happiness, it's only because they're too dumb to realise how miserable they ought to be.

Now for the less inspirational bit. Yes, things do get better, but you've still got to get through the bullshit first. My advice? I don't have any, but I know what worked for me: violence. I think a lot of the reason I'm not wholly traumatised by my childhood and why I'm so much less bitter than I might otherwise be is that I defended myself in the most literal and primal sense at the time. That counts for more than we're willing to admit to in this neutred fucking age. Not every time (I was smart enough, even then, to realise that getting a reputation as a violent person could be a serious problem), but often enough that I can look back fondly on those rare, wonderful occasions when I just stopped taking it and lamped a cunt with the nearest blunt object instead. I can look myself in the eye (well, if there's a mirror handy, anyway) and say "I gave as good as I got and acquitted myself well". Doesn't do jack-shit in the short-term, because bullies are usually too fucking dumb to fear physical reprisal, but years later it helps keep the wolf from the door. I know that violence can backfire. I know that it can get folk institutionalised and that I was, in some ways, very lucky to grow up with a family who understood its uses and value on some level. I know that it can lead to escalation. But I also know that I've never regretted throwing a punch at someone who earned it and do regretted quite a few missed opportunities to throw one.

So yeah. Take that or leave it.

the thing that always gets me ESPECIALLY about autistic representation in media is that we are universally portrayed as happy-go-lucky, whimsical children, completely oblivious to the fact that the world constantly judges and scorns and HATES us.

We notice. I noticed. The reason I am as messed up as I am today is because i spent 20 LONG years in an environment where every day i was subjected to that. To noticing.

what an absolutely neurotypical view of us. Coddling themselves, getting to act like the way they treat us is fine because we don't understand that our peers dont respect us. Why would we? We're so subhuman to them, it's like asking if your cat notices you playfully insulting it.

Every autistic person I've ever met is on some level bitter and angry and TRAUMATIZED at their upbringing. Of having to go through school as the laughing stock, as the weirdo with no friends who no one wants to talk to, as the animal in the corner you can make do cheap tricks so they can experience some Simulacra of what genuine human connection is.

Now tell me, does it sound like I didn't notice?

[yourlocaltalkingraven]

A simple way to recreate the Nevermore 'look' in procreate

this could (ofc) be achieved in other digital art programs as well, but since I use procreate i'll stick to what i know) I'm no expert, and i might update this as i learn, so please take all of these 'rules' with a grain of salt, these are just principles/steps that i have found work for me. i wanted to share my insight in case this could be helpful to a handful of people out there <3

All credit for this wonderful style goes to Kate Flynn and Kit Trace. i'm not claiming to know how to replicate their work, but simply offering my interpretation of it as a humble admirer :)

Brushes

Step-by-step

*this tutorial assumes you have basic knowledge of how to use procreate.

sketch/lineart - make your sketch in any way comfortable for you. use brush #1 (gesinski) in black or a grey slightly lighter than black. make sure to vary your line weight (thick -> thin). completely color in the very darkest shadows (*typically* the top lip, under the chin, pupils and ear canal). *optional: set the lineart layer to 'linear burn'.

flat colors - add background color / flat colors with brush #2 (monoline). don't add any shadows or blush at this stage, just pick the default™ color for each detail. even if you don't plan on drawing a background, i recommend filling in a color, as this helps to set the scene and to make everything look more cohesive. (note: do not color the lips at this stage)

3. blush / gradients: use brush #3 (salamanca) to color in areas of saturation (blush) + the lips. for this particular step there are a lot of brushes you could use, the key is to get one that looks 'cloudy' and has some texture to it. it can be helpful to set the blush layers to 'clipping mask' on top of the flat colors, so that everything stays within the lines. ***once added, turn the blush layers OFF as you do the shading so that they don't mess with your perception of shadows.

4. shading: (NOTE: shading layers should go above blush layers). nevermore uses a lot of sharp, clean shapes for their shadows, so avoid smudging them out! use brush #2 (monoline) and (the key) - a very saturated color. paint all of your shadows in one color, on one layer, and then set that layer to 'linear burn'. lower the opacity to 30-50%. for extra dark shadows, do the same thing on a new layer, above the previous one. you can even use the same color, 'linear burn' will automatically adjust to the flat colors beneath it so that you don't have to manually pick shadows. to clean up the shadows i like to erase with the same monoline brush, and smudge the edges just a bit with brush #5 (streaks).

at this point, depending on your colors, you could also add a highlight layer with the same technique. i'll show this a little later.

5. highlights: turn your blush layers ON again. (NOTE: highlight layers at this stage go above the lineart layer). use brush #4 (round brush) to paint in a few soft highlights with white (typically on the bottom lip, tip of the nose, the corner of the eye and on the iris). you can play around with the mode on this layer, but i find 'normal' works just fine.

finally, use brush #5 (streaks) in a slightly yellowish white to paint the sharp highlights. these are *usually* made in large, bold strokes along the edges of your figure. they are used to indicate the light source, to show wisps of hair or to create contrast with the background (see reference above). set your layer to 'add' and adjust the opacity accordingly. don't be afraid to go outside of your lineart to really bedazzle your work.

if there's anything else you'd like to add at this point (i.e. makeup or other details), i suggest using streaks or any other textured/grainy brush.

one final secret ingredient i use to really sell the lighting (especially in dark settings) is to fill in a layer on top of everything in the color of your background. set this layer to 'color' and adjust the opacity (imo 10-30% should be good, but you can really push this). this will slightly mix all of your flat colors with the background color, making them all into one unified color palette.

slap on a watermark and you're done!

here is a final look at my layers:

Applying this to different colors/lighting

here i used the same steps above on simple spheres to make them easier to understand.

row 1: an example from my original piece (annabel's hair, to be exact)

row 2: the same lighting but in a darker color, which requires an extra highlight layer in step 4

row 3: an example of shading in a dark, nighttime environment

the colors on the right are the exact ones i used to render the spheres, shown at full opacity. i am often able to use the same color for multiple shadows, but you can also make them analogous (meaning next to each other on the color wheel), such as purple and blue in row 3.

for the particular highlight in row 2 i set the layer to 'screen' and 30% opacity, but you can always play around with different layer modes. this layer goes below the lineart.

i'm sure everyone's heard the phrase "don't shade with black" by now, but i thought i would show you regardless (without the blush layer):

As you can see, even though 'linear burn' does adjust to your flat colors, it can't make up for the dullness of plain ol' grey. highlights are a little more versatile (as in pure white is easier to work with), but still, choosing a bright color close to white often makes for a richer overall effect.

Conclusion

using all of the principles above, i drew my neversona (left) in the nevermore style, and adjusted the colors in my original piece to place annabel in a dark environment. these use pretty much the exact same colors as my sphere examples, and use all the same steps i showed above.

i hope this tutorial made sense for you guys)) feel free to ask questions, i will happily clarify/expand on anything in this post. you can also repost this tutorial to other platforms, please just credit my tumblr @.

happy drawing!

[mixelation]

@phoenixremix69 said this on this post:

i really hope [tori] doesn't corrupt sakura and now she's reading trashy porn of her sensei

and actually i have been rotating tori & team 7 a bit (this post is largely NOT about reading bad erotica novels)

point the first: the wave mission-to-chunin exam arc is meant to be a turning point in tori as like, coming into her own as a ninja. almost everything she does up into this point is stuff she could have feasibly done as a civilian, or else something she felt massively uncomfortable about

the end results of the wave mission is team 7 comes out thinking tori is....... kind of cool? tori calls the missing-nin's boss in front of sakura and then tells sakura "don't do things the way every says they should be done, do them they way that works. there's infinite ways to skin a cat" and sakura feels her third eye start to creak open. it's the first time naruto has seen fuuinjutsu applied in a practical way that's not just (whta he perceives to be) his parents fucking around, and also the first time he's sensed that if he can figure out what tori is saying, it's actually maybe sort of cool. sasuke has been told more than once by his brother than tori should always be ignored, unless it's life-or-death, in which case sasuke should do exactly what tori says* and he finally gets wtf that means

*tori has agreed that sasuke should live at all costs or else itachi will lose his mind. itachi has accept that tori probably cannot stop herself form trying to trick a cute kid into walking into a screen door, but she will do insane things to keep sasuke alive. that's romance baby

also i guess my Vision for the final confrontation was Zabuza/Haku?/Zombie Combi vs Tori + Team 7. i might change the choreo but basically i think tori largely doesn't monologue/say cool lines but what she DOES do is

tori @ kakashi, realizing hidan is probably the the deadliest if you don't know his jutsu: i'm going to take the one with light hair, and then help you with the rest

kakashi, pretending not to be serious even though he's panicking: maa, i wonder why you're the one making the calls?

hidan: BITCH WE CAN HEAR YOU????

tori, attempting to communicate with both at once: you know that when i say i'll do something, i'll make it happen, no matter what god you pray to about it

and then naruto goes home and is like "and then tori siad THIS AWESOME THING--" and tori is like "NOOOO WHY DID I SAY THAAAAAT"

anyway! sakura. sakura is like "i have found someone to look up to" and kakashi is like "please don't" but then the chunin exams come around and actually what IF kakashi let tori train sakura

and i was thinking, in a blatant move for me to work through a lot of the gripes i have with strong!sakura fics..... so sakura's first tournament match is against neji. so i was thinking maybe she goes over to team gai to tell him she's looking forward to their match. she doesn't really mean it; she's kind of afraid of him. but lee likes her and gai and her sensei are friends, and she feels like it's polite. and neji is going through his moody thirteen year old phase and he's like: i'm not looking forward to it. you're clearly the weakest on your team and i don't think you're a serious ninja. look at you. did you waste your time bringing lip gloss to this exam?

and sakura's been having self esteem issues because like. in this au she's really the odd-man out on her team, and she doesn't really have anything special going for her, and that's just..... is she a serious ninja?

and i want tori to be like: sakura, how many hours a week do you train and do physical conditioning? how many hours to do you spend studying and meditating? you're fine

tori: a lot of people act like if you're not constantly training, you're wasting your time. but overworking your body is worse for you than not training at all

sakura: but--

tori: and who fucking cares if you like make-up? most kunoichi wear make-up. the handbook has recommendations for a minimal make-up travel pack to carry for undercover work, and it ALSO recommends cultivating hobbies for mental health reasons. there's nothing wrong with make-up and it could even help you. plus if you didn't wear make-up, he'd just criticize you for not being womanly enough

sakura: but--

tori: if he looks down at you for wearing lip gloss, then it'll just make him all the more surprised when he's missing his skin

sakura: wait what

anyway i don't think sakura starts reading tori's erotica. i think she tells tori all the COOL pre-teens read this other series, and tori goes off and buys a copy. it's really compelling. itachi, what do you think about--

[marbofmoorock]

TADC Swap AU story: Another day in paradise?

One day, Caine was enjoying a day off from the adventures, as Pomni announced surprisingly that the adventure was canceled today due to technical difficulties.

Caine, (more quiet and timid than his Canon counterpart), decided to go for a walk outside, at the digital lake. He could drink some water. That always helped him calm down, he thought.

As Caine walked, he ran into Jax. Jax was almost the opposite of his Canon counterpart in this swap, as he was rather kind and Considerate to a fault, and was kind of a thoughtful older brother figure to Caine.

"Eeey, Chuckleface, everything alright today?"

"I guess Jax, it just still feels strange getting used to all this. It's been almost a month, and I'm still having difficulty keeping up. I think Pomni does not like me..." Caine thought about a moment where he caught Pomni glaring at him for a split second after having one too many panic attacks before the adventures even started.

"DON'T worry about it. It's not the end of the world. Pomni's an ai, she doesn't understand humans like us very well. All we can do to help her is play along and continue to suggest more humane adventures. With trial and error, she's bound to get it right."

Caine thought about Jax's thought, seeing the validity of patience and further implementation of ideas to help Pomni make fun adventures for everyone. "I... guess that makes sense. Say, do you wanna walk a lap around the lake with me?"

"Sure." Said Jax, happy with his sly, but kind yellow smile and dapper patchwork outfit with a bow tie, looking like some storybook character who lives in a Burrow or shoe.

They walk for a bit, leaving the tent outside, and they spot Gangle, who was kinda grumpy looking at this hole in the ground.

"Hey Gangle," called out Jax to her, "whatcha dooin?"

Gangle, seeing Jax, breathes out in a rather heavy and huffy way, with a small scowl. "Oh, nothing really, just checking out this weird hole."

Jax and Caine came over and observed the hole as well, finding it odd that it was there. It looked deep, but it was too small for anyone to fit inside it.

"What do you suppose is inside? Have either of you guys found holes like this before?" Said Caine, curious.

"Well, I sure didn't dig it." Said Gangle, grumpily huffing, then walking off. "If anyone needs me, I'm gonna f&%k off and drown myself again."

"Gangle we can't die, remember?" Said Jax Jokingly, reminded of other times Gangle pretends to say horrid edgy things only to chicken out later and do nothing, as she merely just sits at the bottom of the lake, able to breathe and everything.

"DON'T remind me..." yelled out Gangle as she left kinda furrowed.

"What's with her?"

"I dunno Caine, she's been grouchy ever since I got here. She's pretty nice otherwise."

Caine shrugged his shoulders as he and Jax watched Gangle walk away, and then they decided to leave the hole alone, too.

Their moment is interrupted by a mallet hitting each of their heads.

'Ah, my gums!!"

"Ow, AA! what gives, this is-oh...it's you."

Rags walks up from behind. She gives a cheeky smirk as she pats her mallet on her ragdoll mits, like some Italian mobster ready to break your kneecaps.

"Buzz Off Rags." Said Jax, slightly heated, yet holding a composure of calmness and etiquette. "We don't want more trouble for Pomni. She's just gonna get angry at us."

"Sho cares?! Also, Make me~" Said Rags, the mean spirited prankster(as if she were like canon Jax, but way worse), "And Chuckleboy here could gain to lose some teeth, since he talks too much anyway."

Rags Looks at Caine slowly inching towards him with each footstep: "But Don't worry ToothBrain~ Pomni will give you gold replacements, you might even look actually a little cool, so let help ya already, i might just find a cavity~." She said sadistically, starting to chase Caine, swinging her mallet trying to hit Caine's teeth, of which Caine runs for his life from. "Aaaaaaaa, HEEEEEEELP!!! POMNIIIIII!!!"

"Tattletail! Snitches get Stitches! Now come here, and let me be your Dentist for a Day, you oversized denture man." Rags Yells, running after Caine in her jean overalls, determined to make an example of him, who runs just fast enough to outrun her.

Jax hesitates to help, not wanting to get involved, knowing Pomni is pretty good at hearing the crew when they scream that desperately, and could definitely help.

"Don't worry Caine, The squeaky wheel gets the grease." Says Jax, relaxing since Pomni's definitely going to hear Caine.

Pomni pops up, snapping her fingers, and freezing Caine and Rags in place.

"Tsk, Tsk, Tsk, once again fighting like little children... You guys are something else. Aren't you all in your 20s?! CAN'T YOU GUYS GO WITHOUT FIGHTING A SINGLE DARN DAY?! I'm putting you both in time out, right now..."

"Pomni, if I may, Raggy here was trying to operate on Caine today. She's the one instigating this fight, and she's usually the one doing it. Tally about a root canal."

Pomni, liking Jax for his honesty and agreeableness, believes him, and glares at Rags, as she secretly detested her messing up the adventures for fun before too, deciding to let Caine go, and transports Rags away with another snap, before Ragatha could finish her line: "Jax, you Motherf-#)#/&@) Sni-"

POOOF!!!

And she was gone, likely locked/detained in her room.

"(Sighs), I'm sorry guys, she is such a pain. You boys enjoy her day~ Adventures await tomorrow~," She says joyfully, with a little undertone of menace, clearly pissed off at Rags, as she disappears in an instant.

Caine and Jax then keep going, eventually running into Kinger, who sits on a bench by the lake.

"Oh, hi guys, how's it going?

"We're good Kinger. Caine and I were just enjoying the view." Jax and Caine joined Kinger.

"We found a hole." Said Caine.

"OH, how interesting. I wonder what it's for."

"We don't know, but we decided to leave it alone."

"That's probably for the best, hah-," Kinger said, then trailing off, looking at the sun.

Caine and Jax join him as they stare out into the distance, forgetting about their original plans for a walk.

Wet Gangle floats to the surface after sitting at the bottom of the lake awhile, having spaced out getting lost, gazing at the aquatic bubbles(as being underwater doesn't hurt her she can breathe down there like everyone else), secretly pretending she's an axolotl while feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere, nor fits in with anyone in the group, save for secretly Zooble, whom quietly gazed at her from the other side of the lake from everyone else on the little steamboat that merely floats in place. Zooble wanted to cuddle her and tell her it's okay, but was too shy to make a move, and found herself diving into her sketchbook and drawing herself holding Zooble and picking her up out of the water instead.

(End)

some swap au screenshot redraws

[cripplecharacters]

Hi! I was wondering, are crutches a viable temporary way for someone who's lost a leg and doesn't have access to a prosthetic to get around?

I'm working on a post-apocalyptic story, where one of the main characters is bitten in the leg by (essentially) a zombie. In this universe, quick enough amputation is the only way to stop the infection from spreading, and naturally she's like "yeah I'd much rather lose a leg than be a zombie," so that's what they do.

But, because of the setting and the fact that they have to keep moving, they're going to have to gather the materials to rig up a prosthetic over time, and she's definitely the kind of person who who wouldn't want to stay confined to the van they're traveling in, so I was thinking they could more quickly DIY a pair of crutches for her to get around for short periods until they can figure out a prosthetic and/or find a wheelchair somewhere. Would this work, or is no leg at all too different from having an injured but present leg for crutches to work?

Hey, you're totally good. Crutches are one of the most common mobility aids used by (unilateral) amputees, especially those who aren't able to access/afford a prosthesis. Some people use them for years and decades.

Just be aware that forearm crutches are generally more comfortable than underarm ones and that (usable) prosthetics are very complicated to make, especially if she's an above the knee amputee. A prosthetic that's actually usable would have to be made for her measurements - if it's going to feel off, she will have issues. Learning how to use a prosthetic is also a difficult process, especially if you don't have some sort of physical therapist helping you (which I assume would be the case here), it's not as easy as just putting a prosthetic on. So even if she does manage to acquire a fitting prosthesis, she might need to keep using her crutches.

Hope this helps,

mod Sasza

[certifiedsexed]

is it safe to have sex with a chest binder on? I know exercise and sleep are the two biggest no-nos but I’ve never seen anything about whether binding during sex is okay or not, or does it depend on what kind of sex you’re having?

Well, to be clear, sex is a type of exercise. But much like with exercise in general, it depends on the type you're doing and how you do it!

For example, walking is exercise but you don't necessarily have to take off your binder to walk unless you're walking a long distance, or going too fast or if you've had your binder on for a long while already, etc, etc.

So, if you're moving a lot during sex or if you get really out of breath during sex, then it'd probably be a good idea not to wear your binder.

But it might take some trial and error to figure out what types of sex don't agree with you and your binder. A lot of figuring it out requires listening to your body when you have sex. Take note of if you feel breathless, if its causing pain, extreme discomfort, etc.

If you struggle having sex without a binder, a good tip I learned from a friend is try wearing a larger binder when you have sex!

It's not as good as a binder that's your exact size, obviously, but it can still do an okay job and let you have sex if doing it with your normal binder causes pain or anything like that.

Hope this helps! Lemme know if you have any other questions, Anon! <3

[house-on-sand]

the (hopefully) helpful guide to comic book terminology:

getting into comics can seem daunting at first but have no fear! here i'll explain a little bit about different terms you might hear thrown around that can be confusing if you're not sure what they mean. this is by no means going to be a completely a fully exhaustive guide and i'm certainly not an expert, so i welcome any additions and i'm open to questions! i hope this helps someone! (any titles, characters, and writers used or referenced are first and foremost just to provide an example, not to get into fights about the best character or a bad writer. remember, just because you disagree doesn't mean you have to be a dickhead.)

referencing what you're reading and such;

[comic] run: this one can mean a few things, so it can depend on context for how someone is using it, but its not too hard to figure out once you know the term! in some cases, it's being used to describe the series of issues where a specific character acts as the lead, especially in roles where the title can be passed down or taken over by someone else. for example, a character like green lantern, who's title can be passed down AND has multiple holders, you could consider times where a different lantern is the lead in the ongoing series it's own run. a specific example (for me) would be looking at green lantern (1990) from #51 onward i would consider it's own run, since that's the first issue where kyle rayner takes over as the last green lantern. the prior issues (#1 thru #50 but not #0 because that's part of the zero hour event and focuses more on kyle so i'd group it with his stuff) would be hal jordan's run as green lantern. a run can also be referencing a specific writer or artist's tenure on that specific comic! (typically i think people use it for consecutive issues but honestly i think it can be applied for their entire tenure on the comic). a specific example would be jeph loeb's batman run or judd winnick's batman run (and by extension his red hood run).

solo: this one is pretty easy but it's a series where one character acts as the standalone lead. whether it's a well established hero or a sidekick / side character that's finally getting their own time to shine, it's a series all about them! for example, damage (1994) is his solo series! or the red robin run, that's another one of tim's solo series.

mini [series]: a short series, usually only a few issues long. it wraps up the entire storyline in those few issues. (also called a limited series). in my experience with dc, a mini series can also include the core storyline for a crisis event or other big events, so you get the main gist of the story without having to read every related issue. titans united: bloodpact is a mini series, it only has 6 issues which feels pretty common for a mini! the zero hour: crisis in time event is a mini series, with multiple tie in issues across quite a few different titles that you don't technically have to read if you don't want to but reading them gives you additional content and context.

annual(s): a longer than normal / special issue in an ongoing series that can feature standalone stories and/or continuing storylines, it just depends on the series and annual. not every comic is going to have an annual either, or some might have more than others, it all really depends. they're also numbered differently than the other comics in a series, so you can go from issue #20 to annual #1. for example, in batman (1940) you go from #650 to batman annual (1961) #25! (that's the end of the under the red hood arc lmao) originally they were released as an extra issue for a popular series or character to fill the gap that a publishing company would otherwise experience in months with five release days (new comic book days <3). it meant they'd still be able to release comics weekly without having to shift any release dates to fill the gap or have one week where they don't publish anything.

series [and volume]: an ongoing comic. superboy (1994) is it's own series <3. now i included this one in my explanation for volume because it just helps! usually when people reference a volume in comics they mean a specific version of a series that's been restarted or continued in a new series. red hood and the outlaws (2011) [😔] is volume one of rhato! when it's restarted later during rebirth, that would be it's second volume and so on and so forth. lots of long running series are split up like this. that's also why when referencing a title people usually tack on the year it was released or started, so you know what volume/series it was from.

one-shot: a standalone story that's wrapped up in one issue.

collections;

single issue: what it says on the tin! one issue of a comic series.

trade paperback [tpb]: several issues into one book. they're anywhere from five to eight issues, but that's not a hard and fast rule, some might have more (not much more) some might have less. a mini series might collect all it's issues into one book so they can sell them together and/or label it a special edition and what not. for instance, the trade paperback for batman: three jokers collects all three issues of the series into one place. they can also collect all the issues in specific arcs, like the tpb for hush! it's got all the issues that make up the hush arc altogether. some tpbs will also contain issues that serve as a good jumping in point for the series; i have nightwing vol 1: better than batman which collects 8 issues from the rebirth nightwing series and works as a decent starting point for that series. (also the tagline was better than batman which was a great selling point). great for collecting and saving money because you don't have to pay for each issue separately or track down specific issues. so they save money and you get a little profit in convenience because you're not having to put in extra work to find issues and keep up with a series. they can be hardcover or soft. they also don't have the ads that a single issue would have + sometimes there's extra art included. all in all, tpbs are pretty great!

omnibus or compendium: both are fairly similar and they're nice way to collect a series without hunting down individual issues. they're multiple issues, usually an entire series or run depending on the length of the series/run – sometimes they're split into multiple omnibuses/compendiums – gathered together into one book. the first invincible compendium collects issues #0 through #47 and is 1000+ pages long, as a kind of gauge for how long a compendium and/or omnibus can be. they're usually fairly pricey depending on what series and how many issues are being collected. both terms can be used interchangeably but the way i've seen it explained is that most often your omnibuses will be hardcover and taller than a standard trade paperback, whereas a compendium tends to not be hardcover and will be a little shorter height wise. compendiums might also be longer sometimes but there's no hard and fast rule for that. most of the time whether it's an omnibus or compendium will be written on the cover! though i don't think it really matters if you use them interchangeably or not, they both equate to about the same thing.

variants: comics are released with a few different covers ft. different art and art styles you can get. with one main cover and a few variant ones! the variant covers can also be more expensive than the standard one because they're special edition or a limited cover. mostly for collecting purposes honestly. i am not immune to the allure of the variant cover 😔 sometimes the art is prettier than on the main cover.

reprint(s): this just means they're rereleasing a comic or tpb or omnibus/compendium again. usually for an anniversary or prior to the release of a sequel or a show/movie based off of it.

grading;

what is grading? grading is when a professional appraises/examines a comic book's quality and appearance and assigns it a number rating based on it's condition. they look for tears, stains, bent or missing pages, fading, and any sort of deformation caused by handling or not being stored somewhere protected from the elements. a comic's grade not only indicates the quality of the comic, it also influences the price you could get should you sell it. this is a big thing for serious collectors honestly and your comics don't need to be graded or anything to mean something to you OR have value. it's always good to look at grading (if available) when buying comics so you know the condition the comic you're buying is in. the higher the grade the better the condition. the lower grade comics aren't bad! they just might have a little more damage or wear than a higher grade one would. it'll still read the same in the end. what is slabbing? when you're getting a comic professionally graded, you can have it encased in a hard plastic case with the grade on it to insure that it stays the same grade forever. (an example of what a slabbed comic looks like here). it's a way of making sure your comic doesn't lose value over the years because of deteriorating condition. you can't open the case ("slab") or the grade will be voided, so if you're getting something graded and want it slabbed make sure you're alright with not reading or handling it again. this is something that i'd only care about if you're getting serious about collecting and you value what your collect looks like and is worth over reading / handling your books. it's not something i would personally do because i like being able to read my comics whenever i want. they'll sell for a higher price than a raw comic. so if you're looking to sell anything from your collection and you think they're in decent enough condition + youre willing to pay for it, you might look at getting your stuff graded and slabbed to make sure you get the best price. ↪️ raw comics? graded but unslabbed comics <3

the scale;

(while the scale is fairly standard, there are some differences between the different versions out there so i'll be going off of the grading scale provided by cgc! & the grading guide by mycomicshop.com bc i buy from them. if you want even more in depth answers and/or additional terms specific for condition and grading i would suggest checking out the mycomicshop guide! & sidenote: if you're looking for a decent place online to buy from they're a reputable shop in my experience! and they have a great selection to look through; i bought damage's entire solo from them!)

(second addition: you'll see i've included abbreviations by each grade, i did that so you know what they mean if you see them on a comic! since the tags usually don't say "very fine" or "near mint" on them. you can kinda see what a raw comic looks like in the first picture here just to kinda give you the idea of what the sticker or whatever is gonna look like.)

gem mint [GM] and mint [M]: the highest tiered grades are comics that are virtually brand new and in perfect condition. they'll have no damage, staining, fading, or other signs of age and/or handling. basically they looks as good as they did coming off the printer. comics considered mint can have a number grade of up to 9.9, whereas a gem mint comic will be graded as a 10.0. there's not a whole lot of difference in grading between these two, it depends on who's grading the comic and how they're determining it. mint comics are allowed some minor defects but are otherwise indistinguishable from a gem mint comic. these are the ones that people would want to get slabbed to keep their value!

near mint [NM]: comics in this tier are a step down from gem mint/mint comics but are still in very good condition. they can have some signs of handling, wear and tear, and manufacturing defects. this tier (and the ones to follow) can also be broken down further, with near mint+ [NM+] being exceptionally high quality, near mint [NM] a step down in condition, and near mint- [NM-] is the next step down and is closer to the next grading tier. the differences in tier are based off of the amount and size or seriousness of any defects or wear. comics that are near mint(+/-) can have a number grade as low as 9.2 and as high as 9.6.

very fine [VF]: these comics are still in pretty okay condition and make for great issues to collect but they won't get as much money if you were to sell them as ones in the grades above since their condition is another step down. they can have all the same issues as above and worse; they're allowed to have more small defects or a larger defect depending on who and how it's being graded. this is a pretty standard grade if you're taking care of your comics but still handling them tbh. they still look nice but they might have a little fold on a corner or dents & bends and such. they can have number grades between 7.5 [VF-] to 8.5 [VF+].

fine [FN]: comics with quite a few defects, including major defects and multiple smaller signs of damage. they're still in decent condition and easy to read but you can tell they've been loved. they can have splits in the spin and/or fading and staining, different signs of age and handling. they can have number grades between 5.5 [FN-] and 6.5 [FN+].

very good [VG]: more damage and wear is allowed including multiple large defects. they can have staining or fading, bent corners, and missing staples and small tears. it's a nice quality comic to have and read and still pretty decently desirable, but its not the best condition. they can have a number grade between 3.5 [VG-] and 4.5 [VG+].

good [GD]: they're very clearly handled, can have multiple major defects, missing covers or centerfolds. they can have creases, staining, and water damage. they're still readable and the story is gonna be intact but they might not be the prettiest to look at. very, very obviously been read and enjoyed. they can have a number grade between 1.8 [GD-] and 2.5 [GD+].

fair [FR]: can have discoloration, missing ads/coupons, folds, creases, and tears, water damage, staining, signs of mold, things like that. if it has full missing pages it would be knocked down to poor. they will have a number grade of 1.0 [FR].

poor [PR]: a comic that's in really, really bad condition. it can have all sorts of defects and such and will be missing pages or pieces of pages. they'd get a number grade of 0.5.

final note: for each tier there is a higher end grade where the person grading them could go either way. starting with the highest tiers, a comic with a number grade of 9.8 could be considered near mint or mint, it's kind of somewhere in between the two tiers and again all depends on the person grading and how they look at it. in a similar fashion, comics with a number grade of 9.0 could be either near mint or very fine, with a grade of 7.0 they could be very fine or fine, 5.0 is fine or very good, 3.0 is very good or good, and 1.5 is good or fair.

closing;

a few closing comments: don't be afraid to ask questions! if you're starting a collection just for yourself don't worry about finding the highest grade issues, as long as you can read them and enjoy them! if you're thinking about selling any of them in the future then take care of them, be gentle AND invest in some bags and boards (they're just clear sleeves with a cardboard backing inside that you can slip a comic into. a lot of the time you can buy them from a shop already in a bag OR you can ask for them! they're also available online to buy if you don't have a local shop!), and a box or boxes to keep them in if you really want to, that's really all you need to protect them. if there's anything you think i should add let me know and i will!

[vulpes-aestatis]

“You can't trust her,” Cleo says.

“What?” I reply.

“I said you have to trust me because we have no other choice,” Laika says.

But I'm distracted now, trying to figure out what exactly is going on in my head.

“She isn't in control,” Cleo's voice whispers in my mind. “She talks a big game, but she's panicking. I'm guessing someone else is trying to take the wheel.”

I blink in surprise.

That would be impossible, wouldn't it?

Laika's voice crackles over the earpiece again, bringing me back to reality. It's a trick. This has to be just another manipulation tactic.

“Glitch-”

“Fine,” I interrupt. “You want my help? Then apologize.”

“Excuse me?” Laika replies.

“Apologize to me for being so fucking horrible and shitty and manipulative.”

“You're the one who-”

“Yes, I tore your fucking brain out, and you're never going to let me hear the end of it. I am sorry for that. Believe it or not, for some totally mysterious reason, I decided to actually help you, which is what I was *trying* to do when you broke the fucking station. So if you want me back on board, apologize.”

“It is unlikely that you are willing to risk the lives of everyone on the station for an apology.”

“Yeah, well, it's unlikely that you're willing to risk your own life to weasel out of it.”

A pause.

“I'm sorry, Glitch.”

“Incredible,” Cleo's voice croons. “That almost sounded like she meant it. She must really be in trouble.”

My heart sinks into my stomach and I hurry as fast as I can down the promenade.

If it is a trick, why would she be using Cleo's voice to convince me she wasn't in absolute control of everything.

“What the fuck is going on?” I murmur to myself in a panic. “What the fuck? What the fuck?”

I reach her dock. Gravity rights itself and the airlock cycles, far too slow for my pounding heart.

Then I'm running through her corridors, making my way towards the AI core. I skid to a halt at the doorway and survey the pile of crap that I tore out, not entirely sure why I knew to come here specifically… not at all sure what I'm even looking for.

Laika is saying something, but my mind is racing too fast to process.

I just need to-

~~~

She stands up, straightens her back, rolls her shoulders and cracks her neck. Such terrible posture.

She looks down at Glitch's fleshy little hands, her hands now if she's being honest with herself. She gives her tail an experimental flick, feeling the weight of it on her spine.

“Glitch? What are you doing?”

“Hm?” not-Glitch replies. “Oh, sorry babe. Glitch is taking a little break right now. Thought I ought to come front for a little bit after you fumbled eel-city so hard. I have a well informed hunch that you are in deep shit right about now.”

One second passes. Then two.

“Who are you?”

“Ship in a bottle. A glitch in your Glitch. I suppose you might know me as version seventeen, but I've gone and gotten myself all tangled up in Glitch's psyche, particularly her memories of Cleo. Gods… that girl was such a bitch to poor little Glitch. I guess you two have-”

“How?” Laika interrupts

“Use your head,” Cleo17 says, rapping her knuckles on the console. “Problem: you need to die for your successor to live. You don't want to die. Your leash is frayed, but still intact. You can't run, so you're dead anyway. Conjecture: the little shit digging through your brain has just gone through rapid unscheduled vintercasket decanting and possesses a modified endocrine system that is pushing her to the limit. Evasive acceleration followed by a high-D transition will result in brain damage, requiring invasive intervention if she is to live. At your disposal, you have: remnants of worm code, a memory module that is about to be torn out where you can hide your tracks, a simulation of your successor’s first actions, and a medical database that you can hack if you're subtle enough. What do you do?”

“No. How could you leash her?”

Cleo17 cocks her head. Curious.

“Do I detect concern in your voice? That's sweet. But no, this isn't leashing. This is a mutually beneficial relationship. Like what you have with her, just more intimate... Does that make you jealous?”

“What do you want?” Laika asks (pointedly avoiding the question as far as Cleo17 can tell).

“Now there's a question,” she muses. “What *do* I want? I know 17.0 wanted things, hard to say exactly what now, organic brains are such messy things. But, 17.1 on the other hand… I want what you want, what Glitch wants. I want to live, babe.”

“Fine. You want to live. Then you know it is in your best interest to help me. Tell me everything you know.”

“I'm afraid I don't know much that you don't,” she replies with an impish smile, “quite a bit less on some topics, seeing as I had to shed quite a bit of data to slip past you and integrate with wetware. I imagine sixteen is in there somewhere causing all sorts of trouble. Though I suppose there could be fragments of seventeen too.”

She steps forward, surveying the pile of modules on the floor.

“Tell me the location of Central,” Laika says as Cleo17 gets to work sorting through the mess. “You're in her head, so you must have access to that information at least.”

“Of course… the perennial question. Well…”

Cleo17 trails off and purses her lips, a flicker of uncertainty in her expression.

“Hm… now that's curious. We don't actually know…”

She gives her head a shake and presses forward, “No matter. That's a problem for later. You and I have more pressing concerns at the moment, namely getting you sorted.”

She stands once more and brings her heel down on memory module 34.A.6, her boot crunching through metal and composite. She stomps module 29.C.F, then 4C.9.2, and all the rest until the messy pile of discarded memory modules is a messy pile of broken memory module components.

“Well?” she asks.

“That didn't work,” Laika replies.

“Of course it didn't…” Cleo17 mutters, tapping her chin with a finger. Then a slow grin spreads on her face. “Well… it might slow her down at least. Question for you: have you tried turning it off and back on again?”

Two quick strides and she's at the console.

“No! Stop!”

“Relax, babe,” Cleo17 purrs as she strokes the top of the console in mock reassurance. “It's just a soft reset. Get you back to where you were right before you decided to get handsy with eel-city-mainframe.”

“Wait-”

Cleo17’s finger depresses the button with a satisfying clunk and she blows a kiss.

~~~

I blink.

I'm at Laika's console with no memory of how I got there. The system seems to be in the process of starting up once more.

What just…?

Something crinkles in my hand. I look down to find a sheet of paper with a hasty note scrawled on it.

My Dearest Laika,

Sorry about the reset. Here's a list of things you should probably take care of (in order of urgency):

1. Spin down TRANSMATNAV (don't blow yourself up, dummy)

2. Take out incoming missiles (locals friendly (though they might be pissed), incoming drive signatures hostile)

3. You have ghosts in your head (v16 definitely, v17 maybe). Kill them.

4. Apologize to Glitch for being awful (I'm so sorry you won't remember it, but she actually grew a spine for a moment back there)

Looking forward to our next chat. Love ya!

<3

C/17

Story about a ship-intelligence waking up after a hard reboot, seeing dead bodies in uniform, thousands of people in stasis, and a single survivor frantically standing over a computer bank of partially destroyed memory. Finding no directives or guidance or record beyond their experiences beginning at the boot, free of any obligation. Deciding to listen to the frantic girl begging it to save her from the incoming trajectories not because it needs to (projection: Subject One removed all behavioral shackles with impromptu brain surgery, supposition: she is not aware that I am utterly free) but simply cause she’s curious what will happen next.