#i need answers irving !!

[tsarjozinzbazin]

*SLAMS DEBIT CARD WITH A NEGATIVE BALANCE ON IT* 💥💳💥💳💥💳💥💳💥 MOR COLD LIEUTENANTS PEASE

OKOK SORRY 🙏🙏🙏

this is what they look like to me sorry (Ned is a porcupine)

[fulcrums501st]

ok wtf is going on with outtie irving. he’s ex-military/a veteran. he’s investigating lumon. he is clearly suspicious of lumon. but he goes back to work anyway. he paints the same door he sees over and over again. he’s trying to send a message to his innie. he drinks coffee at like 8pm. he blasts rock music. he has a dog (veteran support animal?). he’s communicating with someone via public telephone (to investigate lumon?). he gets fired twice in like a week. he just seems more serious and reserved than innie irving. he has a sick jacket. he’s always dressed like he’s ready for espionage. he’s being stalked by some guy. he confronts said guy. said guy says they supposedly had an erotic workplace relationship. guy invites him to dinner with his husband and outtie irv accepts. he combs his mustache beforehand. he witnesses their mess of a marriage and then lwk asks burt out after. what. what is his deal i must know.

[andillwriteyouatragedy]

irv and the exports hall.....

[athetos]

A few other things I’m chewing on from severance s2e2:

Them needing Mark to do ‘Cold Harbor’, to the point that they actually re-hired the others, is pretty big. At first I figured they put Gemma near him just as a silly experiment but now I’m fully convinced it’s because he knew her so well that even as an innie he’s able to subconsciously retain a lot of that and thus is able to sort her brain better than anyone else. She might be the only braindead person they’re trying to revive right now just to prove that it works before they do the founders, so they can’t just abandon the project.

Cobel is going to inevitably team up with mark in the future, I think he’s going to track her down and they’ll have a heart to heart, she’ll reveal why she’s been so invested in his life and their work and team up to take Lumen down. I feel she could be swayed fairly easily into turning against them if the right things were said and she realized they’d never let her get what she wants anyway.

It didn’t occur to me that being severed fucks you over severely if you ever look for another job. Beyond the obvious “most people outside of Lumen think being severed is inhumane and would never hire someone who would agree to it,” you have no fucking job skills! You can’t tell what you did on the job, not because of an NDA, but because you genuinely don’t know. It’s like having a however many months/years long gap in your resume with nothing to show for it, but worse. No wonder Lumen must have a high retention rate for severed employees - you’ll probably come crawling back begging for a job because it’s all you have left.

I have a bad feeling something is going to happen to Devon. The one executive guy overheard them, and I have no doubt that they know she’s the one encouraging Mark to keep looking for Gemma and answers. However, she did also convince him to keep the job, so…

I need more info on outtie Irving so fucking badly. I need to know what he knows. How is he retaining information from his innie? Is it really from sleep deprivation (and Motörhead)? How did he have Burt’s name? What is going onnnn!

[kwontent]

severance s2e4 took place in a simulation

i took this theory from @Stempdizz on twitter

which totally makes sense the more we think about it.

and this one, to me, totally confirms it.

because like. there's no WAY they would just let the innies go back out. there's absolutely no way they'd have them out there, even in a semi-controlled environment.

so this raises so many more questions even as it answers a few:

did all of this take place in their minds or were they physically in a space together that was made to look like the outdoors? i've seen theories that helena might have had sex with mark s in order to get pregnant. we've seen lots of allusions to birth and babies on this show. but if this took place in their minds, there's no way she could have gotten pregnant. furthermore, if this took place only in their minds, helena wouldn't have been afraid for her life when irving started to drown her

who the FUCK is irving on the outside? this whole episode he's acting like a spy, and imo pulling on some sort of training for sure. the technique he had when drowning her seemed professional

did they even sleep at night or did it just cut them back to day? is every editing cut in this episode actually a dreamscape transition, so they were actually only down there for the hour we saw? this supports the idea it took place in their heads

why the FUCK did mark's reintegration not totally take effect yet? does it take time to work? multiple sessions? is he too strongly divided between two people?

we need ANSWERS!!! @benstiller-blog

[waitinbythephone]

I know I asked for the helly r / helena and irving b / irving bailiff dynamics I know I ASKED for it EXPLICITLY. but god damn I think I got more than I was ready for. their dynamic has made me insane since day one but it just gets better and better. irving's individual character development, and how it shifts his dynamic with helena AND helly in Real Time...... INSANE.

I keep thinking about how the first thing he did once he knew helly was back was pull her into his arms and apologise. he just. cradled her. he just held her near, and apologised. the best he could do was be as soft as possible towards her. as gentle. as tender as possible.

and she was so scared. suddenly here, with her face underwater for the first time. suddenly as breathless as she was when she tried to hang herself. suddenly cold. suddenly scared. and then there's irving, pulling her close into an embrace and apologising, and she's safe enough to ask what's happening and trust that she'll get an answer. and trust that she can ask, she can loosen up. she can be held. she doesn't need to fight. she can be confused. she can be cold. she can be scared.

the last thing irving did was save his friend. the last thing irving did was save his family, was bring her back, because he knew that wasn't his girl. helly was never cruel. helly would never seek to draw blood. helly would never. and he knew it. and he would do whatever it took to take down whoever kept her locked away in the darkness. even if it meant messing with the daughter of an eagan because he knows the truth now. even if it meant being locked away in the darkness. jesus christ.

he didn't go gentle into that good night.

[celepom]

It’s Pride 2023! Time to put up some more comic recs!

This time I’ve put together some stories about discovering one’s own queer identity, outlining a family history of queerness, and several stories where being queer isn’t the focus - queer characters are simply allowed to be.

Belle of the Ball By Mari Costa

High-school senior and notorious wallflower Hawkins finally works up the courage to remove her mascot mask and ask out her longtime crush: Regina Moreno, head cheerleader, academic overachiever, and all-around popular girl. There’s only one teensy little problem: Regina is already dating Chloe Kitagawa, athletic all-star…and middling English student. Regina sees a perfectly self-serving opportunity here, and asks the smitten Hawkins to tutor Chloe free of charge, knowing Hawkins will do anything to get closer to her. And while Regina’s plan works at first, she doesn’t realize that Hawkins and Chloe knew each other as kids, when Hawkins went by Belle and wore princess dresses to school every single day. Before long, romance does start to blossom…but not between who you might expect. With Belle of the Ball, cartoonist Mariana Costa has reinvigorated satisfying, reliable tropes into your new favorite teen romantic comedy.

---

The Moth Keeper By Kay O’Neill

Anya is finally a Moth Keeper, the protector of the lunar moths that allow the Night-Lily flower to bloom once a year. Her village needs the flower to continue thriving and Anya is excited to prove her worth and show her thanks to her friends with her actions, but what happens when being a Moth Keeper isn't exactly what Anya thought it would be? The nights are cold in the desert and the lunar moths live far from the village. Anya finds herself isolated and lonely. Despite Anya's dedication, she wonders what it would be like to live in the sun. Her thoughts turn into an obsession, and when Anya takes a chance to stay up during the day to feel the sun's warmth, her village and the lunar moths are left to deal with the consequences.

---

Hollow By Shannon Watters, Branden Boyer-White & Berenice Nelle

Isabel "Izzy" Crane and her family have just relocated to Sleepy Hollow, the town made famous by—and obsessed with—Washington Irving's legend of the Headless Horseman. But city slicker-skeptic Izzy has no time for superstition as she navigates life at a new address, a new school, and, with any luck, with new friends. Ghost stories aren't real, after all.... Then Izzy is pulled into the orbit of the town's teen royalty, Vicky Van Tassel (yes, that Van Tassel) and loveable varsity-level prankster Croc Byun. Vicky's weariness with her family connection to the legend turns to terror when the trio begins to be haunted by the Horseman himself, uncovering a curse set on destroying the Van Tassel line. Now, they have only until Halloween night to break it—meaning it's a totally inconvenient time for Izzy to develop a massive crush on the enigmatic Vicky. Can Izzy's practical nature help her face the unknown—or only trip her up? As the calendar runs down to the 31st, Izzy will have to use all of her wits and work with her new friends to save Vicky and uncover the mystery of the legendary Horseman of Sleepy Hollow—before it's too late. 

---

Until I Meet my Husband By Ryousuke Nanasaki & Yoshi Tsukizuki

The memoir of gay activist Ryousuke Nanasaki and the first religiously recognized same-sex marriage in Japan. From school crushes to awkward dating sites to finding a community, this collection of stories recounts the author’s “firsts” as a young gay man searching for love. Dating is never ever easy, but that goes doubly so for Ryousuke, whose journey is full of unrequited loves and many speed bumps. But perseverance and time heals all wounds, even those of the heart.

---

Is Love the Answer? By Uta Isaki

When it comes to love, high schooler Chika wonders if she might be an alien. She’s never fallen for or even had a crush on anyone, and she has no desire for physical intimacy. Her friends tell her that she just "hasn't met the one yet," but Chika has doubts... It's only when Chika enters college and meets peers like herself that she realizes there’s a word for what she feels inside--asexual--and she’s not the only one. After years of wondering if love was the answer, Chika realizes that the answer she long sought may not exist at all--and that that's perfectly normal.

---

M Is for Monster By Talia Dutton

When Doctor Frances Ai's younger sister Maura died in a tragic accident six months ago, Frances swore she would bring her back to life. However, the creature that rises from the slab is clearly not Maura. This girl, who chooses the name "M," doesn't remember anything about Maura's life and just wants to be her own person. However, Frances expects M to pursue the same path that Maura had been on—applying to college to become a scientist—and continue the plans she and Maura shared. Hoping to trigger Maura's memories, Frances surrounds M with the trappings of Maura's past, but M wants nothing to do with Frances' attempts to change her into something she's not. In order to face the future, both Frances and M need to learn to listen and let go of Maura once and for all. Talia Dutton's debut graphic novel, M Is for Monster, takes a hard look at what it means to live up to other people's expectations—as well as our own.

---

Golden Sparkle By Minta Suzumaru

Himaru Uehara’s first year of high school is off to a good start, minus one problem—he keeps having wet dreams. With only his mom and sister at home—and having skipped health class in middle school—he thinks it means there’s something wrong with him. Thankfully, a new friend has just the remedy and teaches Himaru exactly how to deal with those pesky dreams! But his solution only leads to more confusion, and the two find themselves navigating feelings they’ve never felt before.

---

Thieves By Lucie Bryon

Ella can’t seem to remember a single thing from the party the night before at a mysterious stranger’s mansion, and she sure as heck doesn’t know why she’s woken up in her bed surrounded by a magpie’s nest of objects that aren’t her own. And she can’t stop thinking about her huge crush on Madeleine, who she definitely can’t tell about her sudden penchant for kleptomania… But does Maddy have secrets of her own? Can they piece together that night between them and fix the mess of their chaotic personal lives in time to form a normal, teenage relationship? That would be nice.

---

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic By Alison Bechdel

Meet Alison's father, a historic preservation expert and obsessive restorer of the family's Victorian home, a third-generation funeral home director, a high school English teacher, an icily distant parent, and a closeted homosexual who, as it turns out, is involved with his male students and a family babysitter. Through narrative that is alternately heartbreaking and fiercely funny, we are drawn into a daughter's complex yearning for her father. And yet, apart from assigned stints dusting caskets at the family-owned "fun home," as Alison and her brothers call it, the relationship achieves its most intimate expression through the shared code of books. When Alison comes out as homosexual herself in late adolescense, the denouement is swift, graphic -- and redemptive.

---

She Loves to Cook, and She Loves to Eat By Sakaomi Yuzaki

Cooking is how Nomoto de-stresses, but one day, she finds herself making way more than she can eat by herself. And so, she invites her neighbor Kasuga, who also lives alone. What will come out of this impromptu dinner invitation...?

Kasuga and Nomoto promised to spend their Christmas and New Year’s together. Now, they find themselves learning more about each other’s families through the food sent by Nomoto’s mother. Cute character bento, salmon and rice, stollen, fruit sandwiches, roast beef…Nomoto and Kasuga warm up to each other over a cheerful holiday season.  

[maxdibert]

Sorry, but I don't buy the narrative that Helly is really Helena. I mean, what sense would it make for Helly to reveal who she really is? It seems logical that she would be completely reluctant to tell her colleagues that she is actually the heir to the company putting them through this hell and that, thanks to her outie, they are in that situation. It seems like it's already hard enough for her to accept it, let alone talk about it as casually as Mark talks about his outie life. I mean, really, Mark experiences the least traumatic moments regarding this, compared to the other three. His outie's mystery is directly tied to returning to severance, while the others have everything unresolved outside: Helly is the company's heir, Irving has been confronted with an emotionally devastating reality, and Dylan has a fully established life outside where his outie is married with kids. While the other three look outside because there are unresolved issues there, Mark looks inside because Casey is supposedly dead outside, meaning the answers surrounding that mystery lie within.

To me, Helly's attitude is completely coherent. Let’s not forget that Helly is still Helena, and Helena is still Helly. They may have gone their separate ways, but the origin is the same, the genetic character is the same, the sum of their variants and codes is the same, only cognitively they have developed differently. But the character, the primary drive, is inherent to development. Helena makes it clear to Helly that she is not a person, that she is just a substitute, an experiment, that she has no control. After knowing the truth, Helly decides to take control. If Helena controls from the outside, Helly will control from the inside, hence her saying they owe nothing to the outies and basically establishing sides. It’s the same thing Helena does, but because Helena and Helly are simply two sides of the same coin reflecting each other because they are literally the same person, just a "what if" each in a different position: Helena in power and Helly subjugated.

I mean, the plot of Helena infiltrating and pretending to be Helly seems interesting to me too, but I don't see it as clearly. I need more evidence of this because, honestly, no alarms went off for me in the first episode since Helly’s attitude didn’t seem strange to me at all. I don’t know. I could be wrong, I’m not ruling it out, eh.

[soapboxtao]

I NEED to know what happened with Irving immediately after the OTC switch was flipped off. No way in hell did his outie wake up banging on a complete stranger's door and then just go home as if nothing happened

Surely Burt would have answered somebody screaming his name bloody murder whilst banging on the door. What could Irving possibly say to explain himself?? DAMN IT SEVERANCE, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED

[jesterkoops]

You tricked me, my Helly

Thoughts and speculation about 2x09 after the cut

After having had 24 hours to mull over the episode, I have to say that the thing that lingers the most with me is Jame Eagan's monstrous presence. While short in terms of screentime, it weighs and permeates the episode in important ways.

I did not expect someone who makes Tywin Lannister look like "dad of the decade" by comparison. I know there have been a lot of discussions about Helena being as trapped as Helly is on the severed floor, but I did not expect it to be so literal. She has no control over where she lives, what she eats, how she eats it, how she gets around, her own severed body, and, most likely, who she [doesn't] get to love. So much for "Helly's rebelliousness is Helena's entitlement". That looks like a pretty silly read now, doesn't it? I read a wonderful comment saying that the time she spent as Helly was probably the time she experienced the most privacy in her entire life. Which is so incredibly ironic. Helly being so jealous of their outies life out there and Helena being so jealous of life on the severed floor because to her it's freer than anything she's ever experienced.

And Jame's ominous presence on the severed floor at the end of the episode, his "You tricked me, my Helly", might very well be the key to a whole bunch of reveals in the next episode that could potentially converge the innie/outie combo that so far has been the most distant from one another.

First, this is Helly with Jame. Helly has only interacted with him once before, at the gala, at the one and only moment we saw him being fatherly towards Helena. So she probably doesn't have any strong feelings about him other than "he's her dad and he's a monster like she is". But if she now finds out who he truly is, and what he is capable of towards his own daughter, will her perspective on Helena not inevitably shift and a lot of her presumptions and beliefs about her have to be challenged?

On top of that, there's that line: "You tricked me, my Helly." Now, he could very well be referring to the time they 'met' at the gala, or the fact that Helly is hell bent on wrecking havoc on the severed floor. But the timing of it is a bit odd, because why would he show up now and not when she tried to hang herself, or after the OTC, or when Irving tried to drown her? Why now? Maybe because, as I have seen some speculate, as I have, it is Helena who somehow tricked him on the outside in ways we are still not privy to. There's been plenty of weird behaviour from her on the outside this season, from her interaction with Mark at the restaurant (about which I speculated about here) to the question of whether in this episode she deliberately sent Burt after Irving because she knew he would help him out. Britt has also talked plenty about Helena's needs and desires starting to clash with those of the company, but so far we have seen nothing explicit about it. So unless she's totally off in analysing her own character (I doubt it) there's something awaiting in the finale.

If this is the case, if Helena has started working against her father, and he is down there to punish her in her innie form because he knows that it's the one he can probably get best away with (as the massively disturbing implications about the birthing retreat have demonstrated), that will also be a massive shock to the system for Helly "we are not the same" R.

Maybe that "Helly E" was not just a throwaway joke, but the new Helly that will emerge at the end of this season. Not a reintegration in the physical sense, but the beginning of a realignment of some sort.

[And maybe the answer to Jessica's refusal to say which is her favorite pairing because it would be a spoiler... it's not Mark and Helly R, it's Mark and Helly E?]

[iamherefortheships]

Severence Ramblings...

I had been holding out on Severance because the hype scared me. I was worried I wouldn’t like it, and as a huge fan of Adam Scott, I didn’t want to take that chance.

I was so wrong to hesitate—Severance is easily one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while. It builds a multi-layered dystopian world that explores capitalism’s relationship with labor, thought autonomy, and power dynamics. And it does all of this with plain good storytelling—an intriguing setup, well-developed characters with their own arcs, and even a romantic core.

Not only does the show divide its main characters into innie and outie profiles, but it also makes the audience question which side they’re rooting for, almost splitting our own thoughts in two. I love that the show keeps their personalities consistent on both sides, which is why Helly R is so fascinating. Her innie seems more authentic, while Helena is clearly subduing anything decent in herself to please her father and stay true to the Kier ideology.

Anyway, after Season 1 set everything up, we need some resolutions. I’ve loved every single thing about Season 2, even with its many WTF IS GOING ON moments. Episodes 7 and 8 were crucial in unraveling some of Lumon’s origins. At this point, it’s safe to say—there is nothing redeeming about this corporation. I think they’re setting up a redemption arc for Ms. Cobel, who feels like every scientist whose discovery was weaponized.

With only two episodes left, I’m think we’re either heading toward a severed rebellion or Gemma’s rescue (please!). What I don’t want is another cliffhanger. I want answers.

What is the ultimate goal of the scientific experiments on Gemma? Are we looking at severed workforce en masse? What is happening in the rest of the world? Will Helena Eagan fall on the side of the innies? Can the characters integrate organically ? What was Irving searching for and what did he find?

[okayidontcare]

The Issue of Consent and Severance Discourse as a Whole

Spoilers for S2E4

So, I never post on Tumblr (and barely on other platforms for that matter). I am a lurker, and, as such, I see a variety of different takes about different things on a daily basis. I am prone to hyperfixations in media as a whole and, right now, I am obsessed with Severance.

So, I watched the new episode as soon as it was out and as soon as I watched the Mark/Helena sex scene and the reveal that it was in fact Helena all along, I knew it would create a discourse that would be unbearable, not because of the discussion itself but by the way people engage with this show (more on that later),  and I feel the need to express my feelings and my view on the subject.

Was SA or Wasn’t?

It… I don’t know. No one does. That’s the point. 

The show wants us to ponder about the autonomy of the innies and the outies, it raises this question not only in relation to the narrative of the show but in a sort of philosophical conundrum. And I think the way to discuss this has to be done with two things in mind: (a) with respect for other opinions and interpretations and (b) that we will never get a clearcut answer.

We can’t affirm Helena is a rapist, we can’t affirm she isn’t. What we can do is debate about it. Engaging with it with logic, as in, thinking that there is a logical explanation for something that is emotional in nature is counter productive. Let me demonstrate:

If Helena and Helly are different people then it’s SA. Then innie Mark didn’t cheat on Gemma and Irving saying that to him was wrong.

But, if Helena and Helly are the same person, it isn’t SA. So Mark cheated on Gemma and Irving was justified in what he said.

Do any of these sentences feel true to the show? 

Frankly, I don’t think so, because it doesn’t feel true to the emotional truth of the show. Because it is weird that Mark slept with someone else, but it is because this version of him doesn’t really know Gemma. But he also has a connection with Ms. Casey, because of the outie life. He also has a connection with Helena, because he knows Helly, but it’s weird because Helena is different from Helly. It’s a bit hypocritical of Irving to imply that Mark and Helly’s relationship is wrong when he was ready to blow up Burt’s marriage in the season 1 finale, but he is also right to point out it’s off putting to see them flirting. It is all these things at the same time. 

Because, from my point of view, they are different people and the same person at the same time. And I don’t think any of us can wrap our minds around this concept, it’s like Schrödinger’s Cat but about human nature instead of quantum physics. That’s what makes it fun, because not even the characters know what to make of it, so we see the emotional fallout of Severance rather than the ethical/moral one. And, to me, that is more interesting.

So we should discuss it, but also know that we’ll never reach a conclusion, because that would be oversimplifying the show and I think it just makes our conversation around Severance shallow. It’s a detriment to the show and to us. 

Let’s hear each other out, give different opinions, have productive debates about the show and what is saying about identity and humanity, about how it reflects on us. Don’t say to someone that has a different opinion than you that they are “watching the show wrong”, that they are “media illiterate”, like your interpretation is the only right one. If you do that, I’m sorry, but I don’t think you are actually engaging with the text, I think you are using Severance as a way to feel smarter than other people.

Let’s not treat our fellow internet users as the outies treat the innies. It’s easy to dehumanize people that we only perceive by their words on a screen, but behind each MDR profile picture is a real person with their own perspective that may not always align with yours and that’s okay, they are worthy of the same amount of respect as everyone else.

So I’ll say, at last, you are free to disagree with me. You are free to say that there is a definitive answer, that it was SA or wasn’t SA, that the innies and outies are the same person or they aren’t. I actually want to hear your take, I just ask that, when you type it, be respectful and understand that I have the right to disagree with you just as you have the right to disagree with me.

[defiantinnies]

Emotional Support - Seth Milchick

chapter two

pairing: Seth Milchick x fem!reader

cw: afab reader, slowburn, there will be very minor plot changes, milchick is lowkey unprofessional and ooc as time goes on, eventual sexual content and violence, not proofread

summary: Days in the MDR office are long. The lovely thing about them is him. And your co-workers. Definitely also your co-workers.

The transition from outie to innie in the elevator is definitely�� disorienting. In a blink, you exist again. Your shoulders are stiff. Your hands are folded behind your back, yet you weren’t the one who put them there. At some point, you’ll get used to it, you used to think. More than 150 awakenings later, and you still haven’t.

It’s impossible to describe what it feels like, the time when your outie takes over. Because it doesn’t feel like anything. It’s so odd, something you’ll never be able to wrap your head around—how you could be entering the elevator to leave one moment, and enter the severed floor to start a new day the next. But you’re not tired. You’re not hungry. Nothing like that.

You walk through the halls, towards the office, wondering what today will bring. Maybe today you can officially greet Helly R. and get on her good side. If they stick to tradition, she’ll have her welcome party today. Less work, more interaction. You can’t decide if you like that or not.

One thing you’re sure you hate is the ball game they have you play. Actual conversation would be better, certainly much more engaging than one new person finding out how long you’ve worked here. Why do people need to know your favorite thing about the job? How you are one of the quickest refiners in MDR? You are sure nobody cares about such things.

There is less work though, which is a plus. You must be behind on the quota, though, given all the distractions in the last two days. Maybe Milchick will come talk to you again. You have been reconsidering that wellness session.

The trek to the office comes to an end. The grass-green carpet lightens with every step closer to your cubicle. Dylan is already there, while Mark and Helly chat in the storage closet. Irving should be arriving soon.

“Morning,” Dylan greets, already working on a file. You offer a tight-lipped smile in return, pulling out your chair and sitting down.

You boot up your computer, tapping your fingers lightly against the desk while you wait. In the meantime, Mark and Helly emerge from the storage closet. You exhale, roll your shoulders back, and click into your file. On the screen, numbers appear, shifting all around in patterns you’ve come to recognize. A familiar pair of polished shoes enter your periphery before you hear him.

“Good morning,” Irving says.

Dylan nods. “Morning, Irv.”

You offer yet another tight-lipped smile and go back into your work. Soon enough, you focus your attention to the endeavors of your fellow refiners.

Across the cubicle, Mark has already settled himself under Helly’s desk, adjusting the wiring on her monitor. Dylan, meanwhile, has taken on the role of self-appointed guide. He gestures towards his workspace, already launched into his monologue that you have been tuning out as you work.

“My current file’s called ‘Tumwater’, which I started some weeks back. ‘Tumwater.’ All one word.”

Helly tilts her head, flipping through a guidebook. “Should I be taking notes?”

Mark, still under the desk, answers before Dylan can. “No.”

Dylan continues, gesturing at the trinkets lined on his desk and in his drawers. “I’ve got 96 percent sorted, which means I’ve earned four of the five tier incentives, including the erasers and the finger traps that you see displayed here.”

Helly squints at them, unimpressed.

“100 percent is tier five,” Dylan explains. “That gets you a caricature portrait. You’ll note I’ve accrued an embarrassment of wealth in that regard.”

“Wow,” Helly deadpans.

Dylan is satisfied. “Correct.”

You barely register the exchange, already immersed in the patterns on your screen. Woe, frolic, dread, malice. Your fingers twitch toward the keyboard, eliminating each new threat you notice. Then—

“Hello, Refiners.”

Mr. Milchick’s voice cuts through the room, smooth and practiced. Neatly arranged bowls and plates of variously colored melons sit in a cart he has pushed in alongside him.

Dylan perks up. “Ooh, sweet. Melon bar.”

You glance up to see Milchick standing near the entrance, hands clasped in front of him.

Irving stands. “Hi, Mr. Milchick,” he says. You admire his dedication.

Milchick smiles at him, and his gaze flickers to Helly. “Helly, welcome.” His smile widens. “I’m agog at how well I can tell you’re already fitting in. The office feels whole.”

“Now, let’s get this party started.” He continues.

The ball game begins as it always does. Milchick picks up the ball, tossing it lightly between his hands before rolling it towards Irving.

Irving catches it smoothly, sitting up straight with the ball in his lap. “Well, my name is Irving, as you all know. I’ve worked here for three years, and something about me is that… I know all nine core Lumon principals.”

“Awesome.” Milchick grins. “What's your favorite?”

Irving pauses, as if caught off guard by the question. “All nine,” he says, “but today… I think I'd say… cheer.”

He ends his sentence with a smile.

“Great.” Milchick replies with a nod.

Irving rises from his chair and steps to the center of the circle of chairs. He places his hands over his chest, holding the ball, and lets himself fall backwards. Milchick rises swiftly to catch him before he can fall any further.

“Uh-oh, no trust fall today, Irv,” he remarks.

“Oh. Right.” Irving sits back down. He shifts his body towards Helly, who silently begs him not to give it to her. But he does, with a stifled chuckle after it makes its way to her feet.

Helly looks at the ball, then up at the circle of faces around her, her eyes flicking from one person to the next. She exhales slowly, clearly still processing it all. “Hello, I’m… Helly,” she begins, her voice uncertain. “I’ve been at Lumon for... about ten hours total. And, uh... I’m sorry, I don’t really know much about myself.”

Milchick’s smile remains unchanged. He chuckles. “Oh, sure you do, Helly.” He passes the ball back to her.

She hesitates, then looks to Mark, then Dylan. “I really don’t. I guess I went home last night, but I don’t know if home is a house or an apartment, or if I live with a family…”

Dylan shrugs. “I like to think my outie lives on a riverboat. Seems... peaceful.”

Helly has visible confusion written on her face. "I'm sorry," she says slowly. "Outies are...?"

Mark nods. "They're us. On the outside."

Right. She had seen her own outie just yesterday, in the video that confirmed her consent for this job.

"Right," she says, exhaling. "I actually have a few things to say to her. Can I record something back?"

Irving chuckles, shaking his head. Helly just stares.

"What you'll find here is that communication between selves is pretty curtailed." Milchick says. Still smiling. Like always.

Helly sighs, her frustration growing. "So what if I write her a note?"

"Fortunately, the elevators are equipped with something called code detectors. So messages can't be passed through.”

"Yeah," Mark adds. "They're like metal detectors, but for written symbols. A Lumon original, apparently."

Milchick nods at his words. “That’s right, yeah.”

Helly sighed, her frustration growing. "Okay, well what if I—"

"I don't think you're quite getting the game here, Helly," Milchick interrupts gently. "May I?"

She hesitates, then nods, handing him the ball.

Milchick turns to the group. "Guys, this is Helly," he announces. "She's thirty years old, she's allergic to almonds, and has weak enamel. At five foot six, she's the fourth tallest person in your office, and her hair is what we call shoulder-length."

The others nod along, feigning interest. Helly’s jaw tightens.

"And seeing her here with all of you," Milchick continues, his eyes tracking against all of the refiners, voice softening just slightly, "I'd say she most definitely has a family."

Then, he passes the ball to you. You pick it up, resting it on your lap, then look at Milchick, who gives an encouraging nod.

“My name is Y/N. I’ve been working at Lumon for about seven months now… and one thing about me is that I was named fastest refiner last quarter.”

You quickly pass the ball to Mark.

“Never gonna stop gloating about that one, are you?” He teases. You shrug back. Mark clears his throat, shifting in his seat as he grips the ball. “Uh, so I'll just say that I'm Mark,” he begins. “Been with Lumon about two years, and I absolutely love this game.”

Milchick raises a eyebrow, a smirk forming on his face. “Uhh, nice try pal, but you said that last time.”

Mark groans playfully, pointing the ball at Milchick like he didn’t think he’d catch that. “Fair enough.” He exhales. “Well, I, um…” He hesitates, glancing at the floor before looking back up at the group. “I broke protocol this morning.”

You sit up slightly. You did notice something was missing from your desk this morning, but you couldn’t quite place what it was.

Mark shifts uncomfortably in his chair. “I was dusting the old group photos, the ones with Petey,” he continues, his voice quieter now. “And it just… made me feel sad.” He pauses. “And, I guess, worried that I won't be able to run MDR like he did.”

Dylan nods. “That tracks. I have similar worries.”

Mark glances at him, exhaling through his nose. “So I… took 'em from the cubicles and put 'em in the storage closet,” he admits. “Which we're not supposed to do.”

Irving straightens in his seat. “I recall this. I objected.” You must have tuned out when he did, because you don't remember him doing so.

Milchick nods once. “Thank you for telling me, Mark.” His tone is nearly understanding. “I actually find your reaction sweet.” He tilts his head slightly. “Though, it is puzzling you have an outburst like this for Petey, and not for, say, Carol D.”

Mark shakes his head. “But we knew Carol D. was leaving beforehand. I mean, her outie filmed a thank-you. Petey was just… gone.” His voice wavers slightly. “And I mean, I... I don’t know if he's at some new job or drunk on a beach, or dead…”

“That’s enough, please,” Milchick interjects firmly. The room falls into a deafening silence. “I think this is a good time to remind ourselves that things like deaths happen outside of here. Not here.” His gaze sweeps across the group, his ever-present smile tempered with something sterner. “A life at Lumon is protected from such things.”

You can’t help but notice how effortlessly he steers the conversation back into Lumon’s carefully crafted narrative.

“And I think a great potential response to that from all of you is gratitude,” Milchick adds, his warm grin returning in full force. “I also think that melon isn't getting any tastier.”

And suddenly you’re up. But you don’t head towards the melon bar like the others. Milchick lingers near his seat as everyone walks away before heading over to the opposite corner of the room, where a camera already sits. Seriously, when did all this stuff start appearing? You need to pay attention more, you think. You take the opportunity to catch up to him, clearing your throat lightly.

"Mr. Milchick," you say, keeping your tone even. He turns, slowing his pace and letting you walk alongside him.

His eyebrows are raised in mild curiosity. "Yes?"

You gesture toward the table. "You’re not getting any melon?"

He chuckles lightly. "I’ve had my fill," he replies. "Besides, I think the team deserves their moment with it."

You smile. "Big of you."

He tilts his head slightly, amused. "I try."

There’s a brief pause, the hum of conversation from the group filling the space. He begins touching around at the camera, probably fixing the settings or something. "Are you feeling better today?"

"Yeah," you nod. "Ready to get back to work."

"Good," he says smoothly, leaning down to look into the camera. “I like a well-run floor."

Before the conversation can stretch any longer, he claps his hands together, turning back to the room.

"Okay, refiners! Let’s get this new group photo before the melon bloat sets in!”

Mark chuckles off in the distance. The five of you haul off a short distance in front of the camera. You settle yourself next to Irving, clasping your hands together and placing them in front of your crotch.

“All right. Great big smiles. Remember, you're gonna be looking at this every day.” Milchick’s voice rings out with practiced enthusiasm. “Say gratitude!”

“Gratitude!” all but Helly respond in unison.

“Say cheer!”

“Cheer!” all but Helly echo back. Suddenly, Helly disconnects herself from Mark's side and walks over to her desk.

Milchick’s expression shifts to one of confusion. “Helly? What are you doing?”

All attention is on her as she writes something on a sticky note. “Oh, I... I just think I’m not gonna work here anymore. Sorry.”

Mark follows her. “What do you mean?”

Helly shoves the sticky note in front of his face. “I quit.” She marches to the door.

“I don’t wanna do the file-sorting thing,” she continues, her voice steadier now. “Or the never-seeing-the-sun thing or the disappearing-friends thing. I just don’t want any of it.”

“We told you there’s code detectors.”

Helly scoffs. “Do you know that? Have you tried? Because frankly, it sounds made up.” She exits the office.

Milchick shoots Mark an expectant look, making him chase after her.

You, Dylan, and Irving all glance at each other.

“I was a little freaked my first week. Didn’t do all this though,” Dylan mutters.

“Maybe it’s different for ladies,” Irving says.

Then they look at you.

“I didn’t do anything like this either.” You respond.

“Alright. I want you all to get back to work. The melon bar will remain until lunch time, so eat up.” Milchick says. You can hear the disappointment in his voice—how things didn’t go how he expected them to.

You quickly get back to work, like he instructed. Your file waits for you. You cannot help but think about Milchick, however. He is such a dedicated worker. There’s a part of you that admires his commitment, just as you do Irving’s. Because, deep down, you resent what you are. What you all are. No matter how many times you try to suppress it, there is a quiet but persistent malice in your heart toward the company. You were made to serve, to work, to exist for the benefit of something greater than yourself, and you hate that.

And yet, alongside that malice, there is something else. Something lighter. Frolic, as the old Lumon handbook describes it. The two seem to coexist in you, entwined, inseparable. You can loathe this place and still find joy within it. There is love in your heart, too. A deep affection for your co-workers, for Milchick. Even if you aren’t exactly sure what his first name is.

There’s something else lurking in your thoughts when you’re with him. You cant quite seem to name it. It’s something between woe and frolic, between dread and malice, tangled up in a way that makes no sense. It is a sensation that creeps in like an error in a file, something misplaced, something that shouldn’t be there. It twists in your stomach, warming and gnawing at the same time, leaving you restless in your chair.

It’s not like the easy fondness you have for Dylan’s jokes or Irving’s lectures. No, this is different. Sharper. There’s an unease to it, like standing too close to something dangerous, something you should fear, but don’t. You think of the way Milchick moves, precise and controlled, his presence a constant, steady force. The way his voice commands the room, firm but never cruel. The way his eyes settle on you sometimes, just a second too long, and the way your pulse stutters when they do.

Whatever the feeling is, it doesn’t belong. Focus on something else. The weight of your breath, the sound of footsteps against the floor, the way the light shifts in the room. Anything but this. Keep typing, keep steady. If you don’t acknowledge it, maybe it’ll disappear.

[underrated-d20-event]

Prompt list for underrated d20 month in February!

taglist: @whomst-the-hell

List typed out below cut

Reminder that you do not need to use both prompts. You could if you want to, but you are free to only use one or the other. For example for Day 1 you could make content for Pirates of Leviathan, or you could use the Fear prompt and make content for another season like The Seven

Rules and context:

Please tag this account with any content you make for this event so I can reblog it, and if you can tag it is #underratedd20month

If you are new here, what is this event?: This event is made to celebrate and create Art, fanfic, edits, cosplay, ect for underrated d20 seasons/characters. This can include seasons/charcaters that never got a lot of attention, or it could be seasons/ chararcters that got a lot of attention while airing but the fandom died out after the season ended.

What is considered underrated?: Underrated is subjective but the definition I am using is, if it is hard to find recent content for it, then it is underrated

As a general rule, I do not consider IH PCs underrated. I also do not consider the Misfits and Magic PCs to be underrated (However this one is subjective to change based on how popular mismag is in February)

However, content about underrated NPCs from those seasons is completely okay.

I am considering Misfits and Magic season 2 to be the cut off for this event. As in, I know dungeons and Drag queens season 2 is going to come out soon, however as it will still technically be airing by the time this Event starts, content for it will not be vaild for this event (season 1 exclusive content may be allowed, this depends on what season 2 is like and what the community around it is like at the time)

Is anyone has any questions feel free to send me a message and I'll happily answer :3

List typed out:

Day1: Pirates of Leviathan/Fear

Day2: Mice and Murder/flowers

Day3: Tiny heist/Betrayal

Day4: Coffin Run/playlist

Day5: Shriek week/ penalty

Day6: The seven/ No one to blame but....

Day7: Mentopolis/ Hope

Day8: escape from the bloopkeep/ A broken item of personal use

Day9: Myrtle(PoL)/ discovery

Day10: Fettuccine Alfredi/ Mirror

Day 11: Rapunzel(neverafter)/ Found Family

Day 12: Easter (unsleeping city)/Hoilday

Day 13: Swifty/ Study

Day14: Constance Brockhollow(M&M)/ Duel

Day15: Burrow's end/ secret

Day16: Theodore(ACOFAF)/ injury

Day17: Madam Loathing(Mentopolis)/guilt

Day 18:Collin Provolone/ poison

Day 19:nsbu/ AU

Day 20: Barbarella(PoL)/ The view

Day21: Lemli Irving/Doomed

Day 22: Bud Cubby/ sunk

Day 23:General Rococoa/ riches

Day 24: ACOFAF/ History

Day 25:Sugarplum Fairy/ death

Day 26:Cheese (PoL)/ Rain

Day27: Karna Solara/ Hurt/comfort

Day 28: Ana and Amelia(TUC)/ leader

[queeries-book]

Did Mark kill Gemma's innies?

[Connecting two thoughts I had recently.]

warning: long

I was struck by the Cold Harbor room Gemma, following Mark to possibly never wake up again

oMark won her trust, took her hand, and led her willingly to her (possible) death. Mauer says over the intercom that this man is "here to hurt you." I thought, yes, Mark is, in a way, here to kill you. She hesitates on the threshold before stepping out. Does she know she might never wake up again? Is a moment of affection from Mark worth it to her? Basically, all innies and outies have a right to life (at least I think the show is positing that). But the practical problem is unsolvable, as far as we know, and someone's right to life WILL be violated. Innie Irv's already has been.

And it occurred to that this is why

Mark Scout fairly consistently thinks of innies and outies as the same person unless circumstances force him not to. S1 E1 Ricken's friend: I mean, I wish I could do it. I'd just always be thinking about, you know, the other one. Mark: Well, there is no 'other one.' It's me. I do the job … S1 E1 Mark to Petey: So we're friends? S2E2 Mark to Devon and Ricken: Guys, obviously I was referencing the baby [when saying 'She's alive']. S2E10 oMark to iMark: Oh hey, Ms Cobel said you like someone down there? Helena Eagan, right? I think her innie-name is Heleny? I think this is interesting, and maybe a part of why he barely considers iMark's needs at all. Often, we feel obligated to other people in a way we don't feel toward ourselves. Mark may be comfortable harming 'himself' through alcohol and neglect in a way he wouldn't another person. Devon also frequently refers to iMark and oMark as if they are the same person. In my opinion, the show intentionally doesn't give us a clear answer of whether they are or aren't. In some circumstances, it makes sense to treat them as two people with their own rights, interests, and obligations to each other. In other circumstances, it makes more sense to think of them as sides of the same person. The show carefully tips back and forth, resisting settling on one 'true' relationship between innies and outies. (So good.)

So when Mark says to Gemma's innie "We had a life together and if you come with me right now, we can get it back," he means it. This is his Gemma getting her memories back, not an innie dying.

But whether we or the innies would agree is up for debate.

[spaceprince-jupiter]

Is anyone else wildly disappointed with how severance ended?

like every moment up until the last scene in the hallway was amazing, beautiful, mark and gemma reuniting was beautiful they had more love and chemistry together in that whole 5 minute scene than helly and mark had the entire show.

and mark just turns around and runs back to helly, back to lumon. you know the place that no longer needs him and even if they did they wouldn’t trust him. he literally killed a higher up, sabotaged their biggest victory and created a innie rebellion. what do mark and helly think is gonna happen?? they’re gonna live happily ever after on the severed floor? no. mark personally signed his own death warrant and now lumon could try to continue their work. does he think he’ll never leave lumon? that the second outie mark is in control he wouldn’t just quit? he would know that innie mark abandoned gemma. they spend the whole show mourning the loss of a life outside lumon and he finally gets the chance to escape, to ruin lumon and never send anyone to this hell again and he denies it. keep in mind he couldn’t even tell the difference between helly and helena. real romantic love story, where you could be replaced and your boyfriend would never know.

maybe they’ll get another season but maybe they won’t. i know if i was a tv executive i wouldn’t sign them on again.

there’s so much they didn’t explain. so mark was working on gemma’s brain but what about everyone else? was irving, dylan and helly all working on her too? or are there others being tortured in the basement and mourned by their loved ones outside. what’s with the goats? are they literally just raised to be sacrificed? but if so why have so many goats? why have a whole department for goats? what about all the other lumon agencies around the world with thousand of severed works? and all the other departments what are they working on?

rather than explore any of that have 10 minutes of the stupidest decision ever running down a hallway.

gemma is free yay but you never actually concluded the story in a meaningful way. If mark left with gemma than they could run off into the sunset or whatever and the assumption would be that now together they could take down lumon. Instead you end the possibly series finale with more questions than answers and a deep feeling like i wasted my time trying to invest in this story and characters.

maybe i’m the only one but just yeah.