#i have no opinions either way on if deep cut are a polycule or a friend group

[sick-ada]

i have no ideas as to Why they would be sleeping over at maries place but ive had this brain worm for like the past month

i was gonna do something for splatfest but i forgor and it starts in like twenty minutes LMAO

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

What was the prime tails polycule first kiss like?

Oooh ooooh I know this one!

Now I can't tell you which exact order all these happen in, but here are some first kiss ideas I have between each individual pairing within the polycule

(But under the cut because this ended up longer than I expected to answer haha)

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Tails/Nine

I definitely don't think this pairing would come first if I were forced to come up with which individual pairings within the polycule shared their first kiss first to be honest 😂. Why? Well, while Nine does have some issues over not being the "only him" so to speak, I personally think canon Nine doesn't have nearly as many issues with Mangey and Sails as he does with Prime!Tails, and that some of his issues with Mangey and Sails really began with Tails. I think before actually meeting him Nine would have this idea of Tails as Sonic's "perfect little buddy". In this case, he would assume that Tails is nice and sweet and always does whatever Sonic wants and is Sonic's perfect little supporter that always helps Sonic but never has opinions of his own or opposes Sonic in any way. Essentially, I think to him Tails is everything he is not, the "perfect" partner in Sonic's eyes, and also a doormat. Tails is both the fox he can never be (jealous) and the fox he can never be (derogatory, "I'm better than you"). Prime!Tails, meanwhile, knows everything he knows initially from Sonic most likely, and after everything...I think Sonic would have a lot to say about Nine. That's all to say that Tails would get that Sonic cares about him a lot, would get that Nine probably liked Sonic a lot, would probably see him in a similar light to Shadow, and may see some of Nine's actions as "over the top" due to only knowing as much as Sonic knows or actually says. So initially I think Nine would be jealous of Tails while holding onto some of that strong dislike, and Tails would be secretly jealous of Nine, but ultimately seeing him as a guy who is rough around the edges, intelligent, and perhaps a bit unstable.

That also being said, I think it would do the two of them good to actually talk about themselves and open up to their insecurities/pasts to each other. I think becoming more open and talking about those things would allow the two to understand each other (and exactly what makes them so different and similar) much better, but I also recognize that something like that's going to take a long time and is probably not going to happen all at once. Realistically, unless he specifically feels like doing it at one point or another, getting Nine to explain himself and his story is going to be like pulling teeth for the most part, and I can see Tails being the type to try to relate to him while straying away from using specific examples (since Tails isn't the type of guy to me that goes around talking about what happened to him either). I think that what's revealed will probably happen over time in bits and pieces, and maybe at some point someone will manage to work one or the other into feeling comfortable enough to vent a bit.

With that in mind, I think that when the two properly meet, it'll surprise them just how far off they were in their characterizations of each other (mostly Nine, but you get it). So I think their first learning curve would be dealing with any jealousy between them + any identity crisis + Nine instinctively not wanting to let go of that version of Tails he made up in his head easily + learning who the other *actually* is.

So...their first kiss. I can't see it being at any other point than a bonding moment between them—something that combines the vulnerability of opening up (which can bring hearts closer) and the ongoing jealousy causing tention to snap. Tails has learned bits and pieces about Nine by now about him being "picked on" as a kid and being tormented until he eventually created a way to fight back (no deep details), or what it was like living in the place he grew up in. Likewise, I think Nine would also know very little about how Tails was also picked on, about how he used to follow Sonic around, etc. Aside from that, I think they'd start to gather more about each other's true personalities by actually hanging around each other or by both happening to be on missions with Sonic at the same time. I think Nine would come to realize that Tails has no problem meeting Sonic sass to sass or telling him that he's being an idiot (mind you, depending on the situation Tails is likely to be softer about it in the way where he explains what he's thinking and asks Sonic what he thinks without specifically saying Sonic's idea is stupid), and that when Sonic isn't rushing in without a plan he's looking to Tails for direction and advice. Likewise, I think Tails would start to realize that Nine is a bit deeper than he assumed and wonder more about what exactly happened to him.

But, of course, the question is how they actually start opening up, and to that I say: Sonic? Sonic. To me, Sonic is both the elephant in the room to them and a shared interest. So...I can see the two hanging alone. Maybe Tails and Nine were both on an adventure with at least them and Sonic going to stop Prime!Eggman's plans, and maybe Sonic is seemingly fast asleep at their camp on the way home. Sitting by the fire with Tails, having just finished eating, Nine can't help but think back to his first meeting with Sonic (when Sonic was explaining how there's nothing like eating a chilli dog with your best pal when everything's said and done). Then, he thinks about Sonic, conked out in the tent and patched up. Sonic's lucky he has such a good natural healing factor, otherwise he wouldn't be able to be as reckless as he is, Nine thinks. Sure, his actions earlier stood the best chance of defeating Prime!Eggman so he didn't have much choice, but still it shouldn't have had to come to it.

And yeah, Sonic being reckless or self sacrificial isn't a foreign concept to Nine. It's just that now...after everything...he can’t help but be afraid of what will happen if something actually does Sonic in one day. So, he asks Tails aloud, "How... How do you deal with him like this?"

"Sonic?"

"He's always so... He doesn't always listen, he's reckless, he's always pulling those dangerous stunts right at the last second. Even I think it's a miracle he hasn't–" Nine cuts off, and the two sit in silence for a moment.

"Sonic is...like that, you know? Frustrating at times? Yes. Stubborn? Absolutely. Even now that he's...changed a bit, he still pulls off those grand stunts and brushes off my advice sometimes while practically begging me to tell him what to do others. He's much better at the whole teamwork thing than he used to be, but he's still Sonic."

"I know all that. I know all that stuff about how he's stubborn and frustrating but always comes through when it counts and turns things around, but that...that wasn't the question."

"You deal with him, don't you?"

"It doesn't mean I can't be– Doesn't mean I don't...worry sometimes." Then, Nine adds, "And don't tell me you don't."

Then one thing leads to another in the back and forth and Nine is like, "When I met him...I thought I'd found the exception. Everyone else only thought about themselves, about living day to day and taking everything out on those smaller or weaker to feel powerful about themselves. But Sonic... He almost made– makes you believe in hope. And then... Then I found out that he was as stubborn and selfish as anyone else."

Tails chuckles a little at that.

"Not that any of that matters now," Nine adds.

After a few moments, Tails opens his mouth. "You know, I thought the world of him too, once."

Huh, is all Nine thinks.

"Of course, I still think he's cool now. But back then I remember... He used to run away when he noticed me following him, so I had to do whatever I could to catch up. And for a while...nothing mattered. He was my hero. That was all."

"So...he's not now?"

"Well, I suppose he always will be it's just... Well, I only wanted to be around him, so how he acted didn't matter."

"So you thought the world of him, but you were let down, and you decided to stick with him anyways?"

"I mean, well. It's more complicated than that, but... Isn't it the same with you?"

Nine sighs, looking down at his shoes. "I...suppose."

Tails shoots a look at the tent before casting his gaze down at his own shoes.

"The point is...I get it. I don't like worrying about him either, but...I've made peace with it." Then, Tails adds with a chuckle, "As well as I can, anyways."

"...Not as if there's anything else you can do," Nine agrees.

There's a moment of silence, then, before Tails smiles. "Well I'm sure we could try, but nothing stops Sonic the Hedgehog from doing anything—not when he sets his sights on it."

Nine chuckles weakly, remembering bitter and fond bits of memories alike. He can concede that this is true. After all, back then, as the universe was falling apart, Sonic would never give up on the universe's inhabitants just as he never gave up on him.

"One time, there was this hot pepper eating contest in Station Square. It was a promotional thing for a new restaurant or something. And the moment someone mentioned that the prize could involve chili dogs..." Tails shakes his head.

"Like a lifetime supply?"

"No, I think it was... Ah... I don't exactly remember. It was probably a gift card or something. Those people were probably just saying the restaurant had chili dogs—which turned out to be true. But you know Sonic!" He laughs. "Didn't read the terms. Just entered as fast as he could. I tried to tell him that we had to meet up with the Chaotix on business, but..."

"So...let me guess. He made a remark about how it'd be over fast because speed is his thing, implied the contest would be easy as cake, and overestimated his ability."

Tails looks to Nine. "Yeah, heh. You've pretty much got it. The whole time, though, I couldn't convince him to quit."

Nine nods, still facing forward. "The trademark stubbornness. Good at times, not so good other times."

"Heh, yeah. I'm pretty sure he thought it was one of those contests where you try to eat the most, because his impatience was palpable. The contestants would eat a pepper one at a time in rotation, and they all took their time."

"And you were late to your 'meeting'?" There's a bit of an edge to Nine’s words, but it’s a genuine question nonetheless. He doesn't fully understand the point Tails is trying to make by telling this story, but, eh... Talking to Tails so far is...better than sitting in silence. At least, that's how Nine feels about it.

Tails laughs, and Nine turns to him at the sound.

"No, not just late! He was sweating, nearly about to pass out. I had to rush him to the agency, Vector put him on the desk, Charmy pulled a leaf from somewhere to fan him with, and all the while Espio was off getting a 'traditional shinobi remedy' or something. All of that for a prize he didn't even win."

"Pffft. Sounds like him."

And so eventually the two end up trading stories of Sonic and his stubbornness (some funny and others concerning), Nine ends up smiling a little, and the two don't realize how close they are until everything stops. The only light illuminating their faces is from the fire, and neither of the two can see the stars, too focused on the others' face. And, perhaps, one of them decides to take that step on a whim. The kiss is chaste, but reciprocated (much to the surprise of them both).

And that night, as the two lay in the tent, Tails is surprised. When he first met Nine he hadn't thought things would progress like this, and yet...it's something Tails doesn't mind. To him Nine has become fascinating (both in his familiarity and in his alienness), and he's begun to suspect something with the way his heart warms at the prospect of simple things—Nine's happiness, his laughter, his enjoyment. In fact, I think it's possible for Tails to have (in hindsight) been waiting for this to happen. I think it's hard for Tails to balance mild jealousy and his growing interest in both Nine and making sure he (and the other variants) have a chance to coexist in this wide universe without becoming even a bit attached or starting to care more genuinely. So (especially if he's kissed the other variants before now), finding out he likes kissing Nine wouldn't really bother him. If anything, he's likely to be...pleasantly surprised it happened. He'd be a bit pained if Nine rejected him, but he'd be happy if things...continued as they are now (just with some added traditionally romantic stuff).

Meanwhile, I think Tails would be Nine's first kiss out of all his first kisses with the variants. Why? Well, I think if Tails is Nine's first, then it makes everything else a bit easier. Resolving his hangup on Tails (by learning about his true self and having him kiss Tails about those feelings) is something I think that could allow him to feel more comfortable in accepting any feelings for the other two. So I'd like to think that Nine's head races while he lies in the tent. He has to grapple with the fact that he liked that kiss, and it shakes him a bit that it was with someone he'd once held resentment towards. But I'd like to think that he ultimately doesn't reject the kiss or those feelings, not after all the time he's been spending getting to know Tails.

Maybe Nine moves on, thinks about that kiss every once in a while, and their relationship just eventually progresses at a natural pace. One day they're making out in Nine's lab in The Grim or Tails makes him breakfast in the morning (causing Nine's heart to squeeze) and Nine doesn't know how they got here.

So uhhh yeah anyways. Tldr; no matter what I think Nine and Tails have this slow burn relationship, so it takes a while before they kiss. I think they kiss over the usual getting closer to someone/caring for them stuff + their shared Sonic interest. I think their first kiss is on a whim, after they bare their hearts to each other a bit, and I think it's a gateway to future kisses.

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Tails/Sails

Hmmm you know... I think these two shared their first kiss cause they decided they wanted to see what it would be like. Either it's the first kiss out of the entire group because they decided to try it for science (because neither is holding out for anyone else to kiss them (specifically non-tails variants)), or it's not the first, but it’s "for science" (aka, an excuse to kiss each other to see if they like it).

If it's in a situation in which they kiss because they've never been kissed before and aren't holding out for it to ever happen (in what one might consider a traditionally romantic way anyways), then I envision this happening well into the sort of mentorship Tails ends up starting with Sails. By that point I can see them becoming friends after sort of bonding over what makes them similar (and I think Tails would research pirate culture just to understand Sails better).

If it's a situation in which they kiss "for science" as a clear excuse, well. That one's a bit self explanatory. They're kind of grappling with the confusing not exactly clear platonic or romantic nature of their feelings, and they both hope a kiss will clear things up and want to use it as a safe excuse to kiss the other without it necessarily having to be serious if the other doesn't like it (essentially, at least if they enjoy it and the other doesn't, they can pretend it doesn't mean anything).

With that all being said, to me they're the type to be more casual about the affection and the kisses most of the time, but once in a while they get in the mood to participate in...less casual kissing.

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Tails/Mangey

I've said once before in a previous Tailscest post that I feel Tails would be the jealous type deep down (the kind of guy who's jealous and possessive, but also has learned to keep it under wraps for the sake of his image and for not tying Sonic down). Specifically, I also mentioned a theoretical happening in which Mangey hides behind Sonic on instinct when scared, Sonic comforts him, and Tails can't help but see himself in Mangey (because that's what Sonic used to do for him when he and Sonic were both younger).

I think, at first, Tails would be...baseline nice to Mangey. He's another version of him, so he has no reason to be mean or anything outright. At first, though, he's not sure what to think of Mangey I think, so I think his gateway to understanding him is relating to him. This means that, early on, I think Tails kind of thinks of Mangey akin to a largely nonverbal, younger version of himself—an opinion that will shift and change as Tails properly gets to know Mangey better.

As for Mangey, he has no reason to dislike Tails. Sonic has only good things to say about him, and Tails being nice off the bat gives Mangey a good impression. So I think Mangey would start to learn more about Tails by following him around, tasting the food he likes to eat (could this mean that he may eat off the guy's plate, lick the plate later, or out of the trash? ...maybe), sitting in while Tails is working in his lab, etc.

I envision their first kiss going...like this more or less. Either Tails is on a solo mission and Mangey decided to follow him, or Mangey is sitting in on one of Tails' late nights. And then...thunder strikes, scaring them both. Before Tails knows it, Mangey is curled around his legs, shaking.

Thunder strikes again, Tails tenses up, and Mangey yelps. Tails is scared, he can't deny that, but he can't help but be conscious of Mangey. So, practically running on instinct, he sinks to the ground slowly, whispering to Mangey about how "it'll all be okay soon" and if he could "please let go for a second" so Tails can kneel down. Tails wraps his arms and tails around Mangey, pulling him closer, just before the two hear thunder again.

Mangey all but throws his arms around Tails, whimpering, as Tails tries his best to keep his cool (this long running fear of his has never failed to make him feel...a bit dumb for it). And then, as Mangey is whimpering and Tails is trying not to tremble or cry, his thoughts drift to where they always do when he's afraid or hopelessly alone.

I wish Sonic was here.

And then...a moment of clarity. Despite the fear, despite how his brain is just barely affording him the braincells to act rationally, he remembers how Sonic has always calmed him down (ever since they were younger). Still holding onto Mangey, Tails slides a hand up Mangey's back and kneck, resting it around the top of his head. He begins to scratch Mangey just begind the ears, ever so gently.

"I-I'm here. It's... It's going to be okay." In an attempt to calm himself down further, Tails takes deep breaths. "You're not alone. Y...You have me, okay?"

It takes a little while of this, but soon Tails is able to tune the sound of the thunder out a bit better, and Mangey stops whimpering. The two are still afraid, but each other's presence (and Tails' attempts at comfort) manage to make them both feel more comfortable.

And then, once the thunderstorm has passed, there's a moment of utter silence. Tails shifts his hands to Mangey's shoulders, and he lifts up just high enough on his knees to press a kiss to his forehead. At that, Mangey makes a sound—a barely audible purr. Tails strains his ears just a little to hear it, but it causes him to smile nonetheless.

Soon enough, Mangey unwinds his arms and tails from Tails. Though he had already grown interested in Tails, this event serves the purpose of allowing him to grow closer to Tails emotionally too. To me, this event in particular takes place after the Mangey/Sails first kiss. So, Mangey sits on his knees, mirroring Tails.

Tails pulls his hands to his sides, only watching as Mangey settles his hands on his (Tails') shoulders. He assumes Mangey is just repeating his actions from earlier, but, to his surprise, Mangey leans forward, pressing his lips to Tails' own instead.

Mangey lingers at Tails' lips for a second or two, but he doesn't pull back before swiping his tongue across Tails' lips.

An act as bold as this causes Tails' face to heat up, and he can't help but cover it in embarrassment (especially once Mangey begins to giggle).

Now, while I don't think Mangey would be as clingy with Tails as he is with Sails, I think the two would be able to hang out more casually than before (whether this means Mangey curled up across Tails' lap, or the two engaging in parallel play in the same room), and I think Tails has an easier time becoming accustomed to Mangey's presence from this point forward. In addition, I think that while Tails still can't help that jealousy, he kind of adopts a more protective stance when it comes to Mangey (which is to say that he can't help but relate to Sonic and the kind of fondness Sonic must have for him as well), where he knows Mangey can take care of himself but perhaps...takes care of him or begins to spoil him a little more than the other variants (if not because Mangey is cute and Tails is both heavily relating to him now and sort of projecting himself in Sonic's role of the "person and their little buddy duo" phenomenon).

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Nine/Sails

Okay so I'll be real with you. My immediate brain thought is telling me that it would be really funny if Sails kept debating Nine over stuff like "Is water wet?" or "Is a sea dog a sandwich?" and they kissed to break the tension or something.

But, for you anon, I will cook up more of a serious answer 😂

Now, aside from culture differences (and of course, uh, after resolving what Nine tried to do to Sails), I think they would come to be like colleagues. To me, they'd have scientific discussions (over different subjects, though, because, despite the shared prowess with technology, the two would be obsessed with different fields of study in my opinion), Sails would share a bunch of riddles with Nine, Nine would show off some of his technology and give Sails some advice for his own contraptions, and Sails would ask questions like "is water wet?" just to argue with Nine about it. I think that Sails would consider Nine as fun to mess with, but also as someone he ultimately likes hanging out with (if not for keeping his mind sharp). Likewise, I think Nine would consider Sails annoying, but hold respect for him deep down and would consider working on inventions *with* Sails once Sails improves a bit. And I'll be real with you, anon. I think that just like how getting closer to Sails and Mangey would assist Nine in getting close and vulnerable enough with Tails to share a kiss, he allows himself to open himself up a little bit more (both emotionally and with uh the idea of kissing other versions of himself) to Sails and Mangey.

With that in mind. If Nine finally kissed Tails as interest and jealousy intertwined, then I think Sails and Nine would kiss...more out of self interest. Sure, Nine deals with the jealousy involving Sonic, same as Tails, but he and Sails are (more or less) friends despite their shared interest in one hedgehog. This means that they do start to spend time together outside of him probably even sooner than Nine does with Tails. So if I had to imagine their first kiss...

I can imagine the two out on an island on a beach in No Place, both chilling under artificial shade. Out of nowhere, Sails decides to start up one of his "discussions" to annoy Nine a bit for fun. So, he makes a blanket statement of something he believes—something he's sure Nine will oppose him on—but Nine doesn't.

Rather, to Sails' surprise, he keeps agreeing. But it's not ingenuine either. If anything, it’s probably a coincidence.

Nonetheless, Sails' repeated attempts to say something annoying taper off as the two enter genuine discussions about the topics (why they each think what they do/agree, their experiences, the history of the thing, etc).

And it's moments like these that they both remember why they enjoy each other's company.

So they talk and info dump and become enamored with the other's knowledge and all of that, until finally, as one is looking at the other (listening intently), the other turns at the right moment.

Actually, perhaps Nine is info dumping before just so happening to look at Sails, and Nine...tapers off. Something pulses in Nine's heart as the two lock eyes, and Sails leans in, sliding a hand up to cup Nine's cheek.

Sails moves slowly, as if giving Nine every chance to refuse this, and Nine...never does. So Sails presses his lips to Nine's, squeezes his eyes shut. Nine allows his own eyes to fall closed, relaxing into the kiss. Most likely, these feelings between them have been building for a little while, so Sails steals a few more before pulling back, opening his eyes to look at Nine as if he's waiting to see his reaction.

But to Sails' surprise, Nine only smiles before leaning back in the chair he brought with him.

There's something about the kiss that makes them both feel a little giddy, and yet...it feels normal. Maybe, as they spend their last moments they can alone (devoid of responsibility), the two interlace their fingers, relaxing.

Quite easily (although Nine perhaps keeps it as secret as he can for a while), I think they'd fall into kissing casually or making out while alone. Depends on the mood.

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Nine/Mangey

Now, in terms of relationship, while I think Sails giving Nine a chance (and of course Nine being apologetic) definitely made things easier than they could have been, I don't think Mangey is as initially comfortable with Nine as he was with Sails and Tails. So I think more often than not (in the beginning) Mangey sticks to watching Nine from afar or being cautious around him.

As for Nine, post Sonic Prime canon I think he holds some genuine respect for Mangey and does recognize him as a capable and formidable adversary (even if Nine thinks himself to be better than him). After everything too, he's a bit apologetic (as I said earlier) and can’t really blame Mangey from being cautious (although he probably finds the spying annoying. Nine is the kind of guy who wants to let someone in on their own terms rather than just deal with them staring over his shoulder or intruding in his space). If anything, he's grateful (and surprised) that Mangey and Sails decided to give him a chance and form some kind of relationship with him despite everything he (Nine) did.

In this case, I think Nine and Mangey are able to grow closer (and Mangey grows to trust him more) just by the proximity, how well Nine and Sails' relationship progresses (starting with the friendship aspect of it), and just by the fact that Nine (despite still being "rough around the edges" so to speak) isn't actively betraying anyone.

Now for their first kiss...

I'd like to think that Mangey (when he feels like it) gets in one of those "if I do this will you reward me?" moods sometimes. And sometimes that means he's asking for berries or snacks, and sometimes it means he's asking for something special, and sometimes it means he wants a little kiss as a prize. I also think that Mangey started the "kiss as a prize" thing after his first kiss with Sails.

So while it's not uncommon for Sails and Mangey to be working on a project as partners, it's also not uncommon for Mangey to play assistant on some of Sails' solo projects. Likewise, I think Sails and Nine grow accustomed to working on separate projects in the same lab (or partnering on one) eventually. So, imagine

Imagine Nine, Sails, and Mangey in Nine's lab in The Grim. Sails has grown much more proficient with technology and inventing since being mentored by Tails—enough now that Nine feels comfortable trying to build something with him. Mangey is playing "lab assistant", so Sails plays along, asking for Mangey to fetch things for him, and then giving him a berry when Mangey inevitably holds his hands out for his reward.

Now, Nine generally prefers to fetch things on his own, but he's worked in the same room with Sails and Mangey enough now that he isn't as afraid to trust Mangey when he needs to. So, Nine asks Mangey to fetch something for him.

Of course, to his mild annoyance (since he's used to this now) Mangey points to himself as if to say "What will I get it if I do it?" Then, Mangey pulls his hands behind his back.

"Kiss?"

It's not the first time Mangey's asked, and it won't be the last. By now Nine's learned that if you don't give Mangey a reward while he's in this mood, he won't do the thing, and trying to make him only makes things worse. So, usually, he just sort of brushes the kiss offer off and figures out some way—any way—to fetch the thing on his own (in which his last resort is calling Alpha Grim Sonic to his location and asking him to help).

This time though (for the record, this would occur both after the Tails/Nine and Nine/Sails first kiss), he decides to just do it. So Nine gives Mangey a forehead kiss.

Mangey (although he does clearly enjoy this, given the fact he's got a smug smile on his face now) shakes his head.

"What?" is the first thing out of Nine's mouth. "I gave you a kiss."

Mangey shakes his head again, and points to himself.

And after a bit of back and forth, Sails shakes his head, and informs Nine that Mangey will only do it with a kiss on the lips.

Nine rolls his eyes, he procrastinates, he sighs, he stares, but eventually...he beckons Mangey closer and slowly (and a bit embarrassed, though he wouldn't admit it) presses a kiss to his lips. Nine turns away after that, face warm, and neglects to turn to look at Mangey when Mangey gives him whatever it is he asked for.

Sails probably teases Nine about it later😂

Nine is largely touch adverse, but he's generally okay with it if he's the one who starts the physical touch or if someone asks first, and if he's used to someone he can handle their sudden touch a bit better. With this in mind, I think out of the three Mangey would be least clingy to Nine, but, as they grow closer and more used to each other, Nine starts to become more comfortable with Mangey snuggling up to him (both if he wakes up and Mangey is suddenly there, or in the case Nine offers for Mangey to chill with him). This, I think, also leads Nine to being a bit more proactive in going on solo journies with Mangey or hanging out with him alone in Boscage Maze.

With that all being said, though, I think for a long while Mangey has to trick/convince Nine into giving him kisses (and has fun doing it) until Nine becomes more used to the casual intimacy and accepting of his own feelings.

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Sails/Mangey

For these two (especially after the s3 interactions) I can see their first kiss being a more sweet and casual endeavor. Like...I can imagine Mangey at Sails' side, assisting on one of Sails' projects. They're up fairly late, and Sails has just decided to take a short break and put it all down while Mangey's sitting nearby. After Sails puts it all down and turns around, Mangey runs over and winds his arms around him. On a whim, he brings their faces closer, swipes his tonge across Sails' lips, and buries his face in Sails' chest. Sails, although a bit surprised, wraps his arms around Mangey in turn. He supposes if he thinks about this a bit it could be a little weird, but it feels...normal. Honestly, what's more pressing to him is that that's Mangey's idea of a kiss. So Sails chuckles softly, presses his lips to the top of Mangey's head. And perhaps, next time he gets the chance, Sails shows Mangey what a "real" kiss looks like (even though Sails barely knows better than Mangey does).

With everything they've been through together, I can imagine Mangey as a little clingy when he's with Sails. Likewise, I think Sails comes to enjoy just chilling with Mangey. I can imagine them as a pair that just sort of clicked with ease, so while their first kiss isn't at all planned, it opens them up to more kissing as a form of casual intimacy (and possible participating in "practice kissing"). Compared to the Tails/Mangey relationship, I feel as if Sails and Mangey consider each other more of equals and are a bit equally protective over the other and their well-being.

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Thank you so much for the ask, anon! I really love talking about the Tails variants and my Tails/Tails variant ships, so I enjoyed answering this question quite a lot😊💖

If you'd like to know any other thoughts/headcanons I may have on the prime!polycule or its individual members/pairing combinations feel free to shoot me another ask

[kakusu-shipping]

YOOOO NEW EMILES JUST DROPPED!! Okay okay, so what are the individual ships for your new Pokemon s/is??? And also what are their origins? Is it like a same backstory, different timelines kinda deal or completely different backstories??

Thankyou Devin for being excited for the New Mes I create like monthly kjgksjgk Always a joy.

All 3 of these S/Is are completly separate persons that I had to do some MAJOR fanagling of story to keep from Interacting because I agree with you, writing yourself interacting with yourself is. Weird. And hard. fdkgjfdkj

The main Story S/I doesn't have a major romantic ship, he's more about the Platonics with Arven, Penny, Nemona, and Team Star. Though I do have a crush on my Armarouge Charlos, so I imagine post story they eventually get together.

My Teacher's Pet S/I was originally a NSFW X Reader I'd drafted up for a School Staff polycule concept I had that... Just kind of developed into more of an S/I as I made myself fall in love with the teachers... I could never write NSFW fic anyway so it's better this way in my opinion.

The DLC S/I is self shipped with Kieran and eventually Drayton and I talk about his backstory Here (No DLC spoilers)

I actually made my Main Story Self Insert LAST year around this same time, that post can be found Here, and nothing major has really changed about him I don't think, but I like his story so I'll tell it again in further detail under the cut!

Emile is the grandson of Director Clavell, and as a child spent all his time either in the lighthouse lab watching his grandfather and Sada work, or scrounging around outside with his brother (not biologically) Arven for any item they could sell for change.

Emile's first Pokemon was a wandering Gimmighoul he had befriended on top of the lighthouse. He was determined to give his Pokemon a chest full of treasure he could be proud of, and put a lot of work into collecting all sorts of coins for his Gimmighoul. He even hand made him a chest to put it all in!

Eventually, Sada and Clavell's research took them into the Great Crater, which meant Emile and Arven weren't allowed to visit them as often. To keep the two out of trouble (following them into the crater unsupervised), the two were enrolled in Naranja Academy, and everything was fine.. for a while.

Emile was Arven's rock when the older realized his mom cared more about her research than him, when he noticed Clavell came out of the crater to visit Emile much more often than his mom did for him, when they went into the crater and it was only Clavell there to greet them, to escort them lower, to take a break from work to make sure the strong Pokemon in the crater didn't hurt them.

This made Emile a lot more protective over Arven. So when he got called into the Director's Office and scolded for how long his hair was by the new Student Council President, Emile didn't hesitate to retaliate.

At first, he was just petty. He grew his hair longer, dyed it bright pinks and oranges and blues, switching it up every day. He'd step on the back of Giacomo's shoes at he walked to class, or shoulder check him just hard enough to make him drop his books. He didn't hurt him physically, just defied him and pushed him around a bit.

Then other students got involved. Suddenly there was a whole group of guys around Emile with long deep purple hair and their uniform shirts unbuttoned. When he shoved Giacomo, someone else was there to shove him the other way, passing him around like a game of catch.

Anyone who stood up for Giacomo became a target, tripped in the halls, missing gym clothes, spilled lunches, and eventually.. stolen money.

That pompous president deserved it anyway, Emile had convinced himself as he filled his Gimmighoul chest with more coins than he ever could have gotten on his own. He'd convinced himself he was in the right, that that guy's rules were unfair. He didn't even notice when Arven stopped coming to school, or the looks his Gimmighoul gave him sat upon a throne of thievery

On the day of operation star, Emile's Gimmighoul left him, taking the first coin Emile had even given him, and vanishing overnight. Emile had no Pokemon to battle back against Team Star with. He was one of the first to retreat.

For a full year Emile didn't go back to school. He didn't talk to Arven. He didn't visit his grandfather. He just laid in his room with an empty Gimmighoul chest...

Until Clavell became the new Director.

He urged Emile to come back to school, even going so far as to get him a new Pokemon Partner, a noble loyal knight who wouldn't leave him. Charlos, the Charcadet.

Against his better judgement Emile returned to school with the plan to go as under the radar as possible, and stay out of the way of all the kids he's wronged.. Until Charlos dragged him into Operation Starfall.

And that's about it outside of canon events, which unfold about the same just with a little more resistance by the protagonist. It was hard to work with an S/I who wouldn't wanna play along with the story as is, so I gave him 3 Pokemon that'd drag him along the plot.

Charlos for Starfall Street, Koriadon for Path of Legends, and a Rotom Phone that REALLY loves to fight for Victory Road. He should probably have more teammates but I like these three.

[sinsbymanka]

Writing Tag Game

Okay listen I’m on vacation XD hence why I’m ignoring everyone’s tags/taking forever to respond. But I’ve been tagged in this A LOT and I really liked it/wanted to do it so thank you to everyone who tagged me (oh my god I’m so sorry if I missed one of you there were SO MANY): @noire-pandora, @in-arlathan, @thevikingwoman, @morganlefaye79, @elveny, @kunstpause, @pikapeppa

I’m not tagging anyone because I’m tagging everyone since I’m too lazy to find my tag list (I’m on VACATION). If you’ve not gotten tagged and wanted to do this, say I tagged you. 

How many works do you have on Ao3?

147 - I have 145 linked to my profile and two in the anonymous collection. 

What's your total Ao3 wordcount?

1,468,248. Almost 1.5 million!! 

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Of Miracles and Heroes (FenHawke, Cadash/Varric, Varania/Blackwall): 269

Interspecies Relationships Have Their Ups and Downs (Shakarian): 145

Don’t Make it Hawkeward (Varric/Hawke): 135

The Ambassador’s Vices (Josephine/Adaar): 111

The Girl with the Arrow Tattoo (Cadash/Varric): 101

Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I do (but - to be honest - it takes me FOREVER). I love comments. It’s so much easier to not leave comments than leave comments, so every time someone leaves one I’m blown away. I feel like - for leaving me a comment - you’re definitely owed an answer! I do apologize that it takes me awhile though - I am very bad at answering because they mean a lot to me and I get easily overwhelmed by the AO3 inbox I don’t know why. Blame anxiety. 

What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

I’ll be honest, I don’t like angsty endings so I don’t have many of them. By far the angstiest ending I have is Flowers, Lies, and Forgiveness. This is a Bianca Davri/Varric Tethras fic set during the final act of DA2. I wrote it from Bianca’s POV - showing Varric unraveling under the pressure of Kirkwall and Bianca’s complicated feelings about infidelity to her husband who clearly cares about her as well. I wrote it for @hollyand-writes who always lets me lean into the tragic “fucked upness” of the pairing when I’m feeling like making Varric suffer.  

What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending

I prefer happy endings so almost EVERYTHING has a happy ending. My favorite endings, so far, are for Cheating the Dread Wolf, which is my Varric/Cadash/Solas polycule (or as I like to refer to it - Solas has a dwarf kink) and The Viscount’s Mistress which is my Hurt/Comfort Cadash/Varric Trespasser bullshit. 

Do you write crossovers? If so, what is the craziest one you've written?

I have not written crossovers - but I am very into AUs in another setting that belongs to a different fictional universe. Most recently I got back into my Downton Abbey bullshit and wrote Flappers for Fen’harel which is basically a Downton Abbey AU Solas/Cadash and I’m not taking comments about the outrageousness of it. 

Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yep. Honestly though? Over the two years I’ve been active in Fandom, the shitty comments can be counted on one hand and usually came from the same people over and over again, who are easily blocked, and should stop seeking out clearly labeled content they don’t like. Me and my work are not for everyone - that’s REALLY okay. I’ve blocked people for no other reason than making things I don’t like - that doesn’t mean they’re bad people. 

Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

GOD DO I.

I am extremely sex and kink positive. Because of this - a lot of my work involves sex in some way or another. I think sex is a beautiful part of many (although not all) relationships, and that it’s frequently glossed over in mainstream media (particularly queer, kinky, and polyam sex). 

This ranges from sort of vanilla slow burns (My Cole/Bea fic, Compassion for an Assassin, has smut which hasn’t been posted yet. It’s Cole’s first time and is fairly vanilla and romantic, and occurs approximately 40k into the fic) to some pretty dubious consent near 24/7 dom/sub dynamics with BDSM kinks (I’ve written JUST as much of the Sereda/Gorim problematic smut as @jarakrisafis has in our series Forced Moves). 

There’s very few kinks I’m not willing to touch at least to try out - even if I end up not liking them. And the ones that aren’t for me are 100% allowed to exist and I will fight for them to the bloody end. My only recommendation is CLEARLY labeling your shit and not being afraid to add a tag if someone asks you to. 

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I’m aware of? I’ve seen ideas I’ve tried on picked up by other people - but I don’t consider that stealing and it’s hard to trace “who has been inspired by who” because we ALL have been inspired by thousands of other people and frankly more stuff for me when I pull you over to my weird AUs and rarepairs. 

I also think that’s a huge part of not getting stolen - I’ve got so much weird niche shit that only a couple people read that stealing from me is going to most likely be caught IMMEDIATELY the audience is so small. 

Have you ever had a fic translated?

I don’t believe so!

Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Yes! I’ve got some co-written secret smut with @blarfkey which almost nobody has seen, I’ve borrowed @tightassets Hawke, Lavellan, and Shepard for fics that she has illustrated, borrowed @tuffypelly‘s Adaars for some great fics, and my most ambitious project - the Forced Moves series with @jarakrisafis. It started out as us just exchanging gifts back and forth but we’ve wrangled it into Gambits and Countergambits, an Aeducan-origin prequel, that I’m VERY proud of. 

I love co-writing very much, but it’s very important to find the right partner and for it to be someone you trust completely. 

What's your all time favourite ship?

This is a stupidly hard question because I am, at heart, a multi-shipper. 

I love Varric/Hawke and Varric/Cadash. I’m also a sucker for Solas/Cadash. My fandom pool noodle is Varric/Cadash/Solas which I adore, and I’m very fond of Cole/Cadash. 

Most recently I’ve been DEEP in Aeducan/Gorim Saelac, Bhelen/Rica/Vartag, and Aeducan/Brosca feels. Dwarf origins are the best origins in my opinion and those characters are PERFECT. 

What's a WIP you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

I fully plan on finishing everything. My writing style changed a lot, for the better, in a short period of time. I need to integrate my old style/new style and had to get a pep talk about how to do that. Now I’m ready to try as soon as I finish Compassion for an Assassin. 

What are your writing strengths? 

I write very sexy, hot smut. I also really like playing with character voice and making sure I get them “right” so I do a lot of experimenting before publishing a new character for the first time. 

I struggle to write action scenes - it’s like pulling fucking teeth - but people really LOVE my action scenes and they read well. So that’s something I’m proud of even if it feels like doing fucking pull ups. 

What are your writing weaknesses?

I never learned anything. My experiences with English and writing teachers were overwhelmingly negative. I’m unsure if I’m just not cut out for classes or if they were that bad, but I always left feeling like there was one “right” way to do it, and everything I liked was “bad”, so what was the point of “learning” anything? 

It turns out there’s this very pompous, pretentious thought process in writing where people “assume” things must be done, but GOOD writing teachers teach you the rules and then how to break them. I either never had a good writing teacher or got too intimidated to give them a chance before bouncing. 

So I’m exceedingly self-taught. I lack the vocabulary to discuss plot structure, characterization, grammar, etc. I instinctively know most of these things based on trial and error and reading, but I didn’t learn them and I miss a lot of nuance in the rules, but until recently I was still too intimidated and unsure of myself to admit that or take it seriously. 

So - my defense mechanism is NOT taking ANYTHING seriously. If my writing is a joke to me, it’s gotta be a joke to everyone else, but that’s been a shield to hide behind instead of being thoughtful about things. I’m here to have fun, yes, but there’s nothing wrong with learning a technique to the art. 

I’ve learned - mostly thanks to @blarfkey who is an amazing person and a wonderful teacher - that I am a good writer based on my self-teaching. And being intimidated of people who throw around impressive sounding words is a weakness that I am working on. 

What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic? 

Use sparingly and with good reason. It should be short and explained later or clear from context. 

What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Harry Potter on message boards back in the fucking day. Thankfully none of it exists anywhere anymore. 

What's your favourite fic you've written?

This is such a sappy answer and I’m so sorry. My favorite things have been written for and because of people I love and care about. When I read them, I’m not just reading the story, but remembering the relationships I’ve made and how important they are. 

So, my top three fics for THAT reason: 

1. Cheating the Dread Wolf - written for @blarfkey who inspired the idea and ruthlessly encouraged me to make it happen. This fic was so healing for me because it heavily features Fatherhood within it - and I lost my father in June 2020. I don’t know if I’d have been able to do it without her and it was so important for me to do. 

2. Gambits and Countergambits - written with @jarakrisafis and the culmination of a years worth of gifting shit back and forth and crafting a shared universe. The worldbuilding, smut, relationships, EVERYTHING about this fic is so deeply and passionately cared about by both of us and to our knowledge it is completely, totally unique.  

3. Relentless, Ridiculous, and Rakish - one of my only primarily gen-fics focusing on a forming brother/sister relationship between Maria Cadash and @tuffypelly‘s Otsar Adaar. I very much enjoyed writing it for her <3 

And then my overall favorite fic: 

The Viscount’s Mistress: I have a lot of opinions about how fanfiction treats the anchor’s meltdown and the aftermath. It’s one of the things in DAI that resonated with me SO much as someone who lives with chronic pain and a disability. I loved the fact my OC was in the same shoes and STILL saving the world. This is very much a fic that explores all the dark sides of trauma, pain, and the mental health effects of it. But it ends on a happy and hopeful note.