#i think once i can Actually get my brain focused long enough to draw

[erythristicbones]

i don't feel like copying what i wrote, so take some screenshots of me having brainworms for the JDK villains again. primarily spurred by me going "hey wouldn't Nisha and Artemis and Apollo make cool rockstars instead"

[stromuprisahat]

I love your takes on the grishaverse so I was wondering what you thoughts was on the theory/headcanon that Alina didn’t really lose her powers but unknowingly locked them as she did before the books’ beginning? Maybe there was a period where she couldn’t summon light bcs she was too exhausted and stressed out by the whole ‘final battle’ thing – banishing thee Fold, Mal’s ‘death’, Darkling’s death – so she assumed she had lost it. And then it was easier to unknowingly continue like that bcs it allowed her to remove herself from ruling and making any decisions and just have her simple co-depended life with Mal as she always wanted.

Personally, I don’t think that’s what happened in canon (certainly not what Bardugo meant) but I find it feasible as fanon interpretation, considering how depressed and deluded Alina appears post-RAR.

I'm more leaning into the explanation, that she intentionally, yet subconsciously rid herself of them (and maybe revived Malyen, when we're at it, since the second life bullshit is just that- bullshit that doesn't make sense, since no other amplifier's running around the same way. But then again- I'm very skeptical, when it comes to Malyen actually being one- he has no properties others do.).

Alina recognizes that as long as she's Grisha, she won't be able to be only with Malyen, and she already admitted she's trying to mould herself into whatever he seems to want from her.

Merzost doesn't seem to be random- it's driven by intention. Ilya "upgraded" mythical animals to have certain properties, Aleksander fucked up first, but then managed to find a way to actively protect his people, when in situation his powers weren't enough. Alina lost what made her special, but since her goal wasn't finished yet, other Sun Summoners sprang into existence and fucked up destruction of the Fold, because it's merzost-made, therefore logic tells us ordinary Small Science shouldn't be enough to vanquish it.

It's true the previous time Alina worked with merzost, her powers "disappeared" for a while, but the "magic" also isn't working from nothing. No matter what we're told, there is a cost, some input. It's not "pure creation". We can see it, when Sasha makes nichevo'ya- he's using his own essence, his life force or whatever want you to call it, to draw them into existence, so Alina would need ~something~ to distribute her powers among others, and the amplifiers are just that- they amplify, wider one's range, not give a new ability.

Besides- there's the question of what grandpa Ilya wanted. If he aimed at Grisha being accepted, instead of othered, why would he take away from one the give to more. It might look pragmatic, but the range is too limited and even if he created such "tools" over and over- he'd only make a new caste of "once-Grisha", instead of levelling the playing field.

One of my fellow fans also pointed out that if merzost is magic, perhaps Alina used it to become an ordinary otkazat'sya. I don't believe so. She might've made herself to appear as one, but after all those books spent reading how is being Grisha integral part of their being, something that makes them themselves... looking at post R&R Chapter 17 Alina isn't looking at slightly more traumatized Alina that can't summon the Light because it's not a part of her. It's looking at a husk of the girl, just like the ends of previous books, when she was suffering due to missing her powers on physical level.

And her lack of skill, when using merzost previous time would support it. She locked away her powers and her hair went white the first time. She got rid of her Light, but her body "remembers" it's missing something.

edit: Also- thank you for (positive) feedback, I'm not being rude, I'm just an social idiot with totally not ADHD, so I get focused on "the point", and forget the social stuff like greeting and replying to nice words, which ARE very motivating for me, but HERE'S THE STUFF I'm thinking about and my brain's coming up with coherent answers- LOOK!

[slimeology]

finally a time to create! today i put Charleston into another world, this time of cassette beasts because the game rocks and i had to.

I made a image of him in my best attempt of the style in the game as well! I will ramble of him below with an extra image.

I have been thinking on how his story would work in the context of the game. First thing is that he is no replacement of the main character, he is simply also there and had the misfortune of ending up in the marshes when he first appeared.

He likely appears somewhat after the player, not entirely sure what to do with himself as he's a scientist but lacks any and all equipment and generally struggles with his own use, let alone in another world. He's not very built for survival in the wilderness.

Generally I suppose he would somewhat be like a partner character though i go between him just being out there and such an idea. Either way he's support focused, as he doesn't believe in violence solving things, though between animals and such he understands, he prefers not to.

I doodled him as what would very likely be what he uses! or well one version, as it would start as a jumpkin.

Maybe it wouldn't just be a regular jumpkin, I do not know! A bootleg version would fit him as it isn't typical and coming from a different world he doesn't know what a pumpkin actually looks like. [he does not come from earth! earth is out there but he is not on it.]

Anyways, anyways, as many somewhat important characters have, his theoretical story line would end with an Archangel fight. Maybe I will try to recreate my idea but it would take some concepts and look from my own world, while playing by the rules of the game.

It would be the incarnation of something relating to isolation, perhaps just isolation itself. Charleston in his own story is very very isolated, and coming to a new world is even more so.

The Archangel would be ancient in lifespan, with humanity being a social species the idea would've existed for ages, but it's form is long since broken up and weakened. I see it only appearing pretty late, considering I have in mind it takes one of the Landkeepers as they are vessels already and in their existence are very isolated, especially if they were human once.

It does not fit inside the vessel though, so it has burst forth. Similar to some kind of parasite perhaps, as isolation can consume the mind if left long enough. I guess the look would be a mishmash of the pixel art and something else, to look more alien and seperate from the game world.

I realise at this point my words have stopped being about Charleston whoops- the ideas have just been in my brain! I hope to when I get a chance i can draw more from the game yes!

He is silly in my mind at least, likely taking time to study the rogue fusions after a while to do something, though at some point he would help with making jellyton fertiliser functional [basically not poison, which i assume would limit it especially as it makes the jumpkins , i think??] to aid the community.

I hope one day I may get him a green jellyton as that would fit him greatly, but the chances are slim since I have ended up with moth and allseer collection instead-

If you have read all this, i do not know why but have a good day despite it! I will make more content for cassette beasts when I get a chance! hopefully anyways, there is so little out there it is making me want to try my hand at writing again. I must assist in making more! it deserves some recognition for sure :]

[sga-owns-my-soul]

Loved your meta on Ronon and Sateda 💜💜💜

What are your thoughts on Athos' old city and their level of technology before they went more nomadic? Like Teyla's crazy lighter we never saw again, or the drawings of their old cities. Were they more advanced when that one Wraith started experimenting on them genetically or had their cities already fallen? Has their art and culture changed? Or stayed traditional)?

Anything you can think of would be awesome to read about 💜😍🥰

first of all thank you i'm glad you enjoyed them!! i love any and all excuses to talk about stargate characters so i'm glad y'all enjoy it so much!

okay so i have been rotating this in my brain since last night so sorry for the delayed response but i actually have not put much thought into this before and i love the idea so i've been thinking a lot

first, i think the athosian's were INCREDIBLY technologically advanced. like, insane medical technology, incredibly fast vehicles (you just KNOW they would've had an amazing train system of my god it would've been everything) and i think the average person was INCREDIBLY smart, like i think the athosians had incredibly high iqs compared to the rest of pegasus (this is because despite living most of her life as a nomad, teyla picks up everything rodney teaches her SO FAST like he says it once and she knows and understand it's perfectly you cannot tell me that girl is not a fucking genius there's nothing she can't do)

also i think them being so advanced is why that wraith chose them for experimentation, but i think it was specifically because of their medical technology. i think the athosians had some of, if not the best medical technology in pegasus and the wraith knew this so that one wraith started using their medical knowledge of humans to do the genetic experimentation (bc let's be honest i doubt the wraith cared enough to do research into human genetics but i'm guessing you need to have a base understanding of human genetics to alter human genetics)

i think the experiments are also probably at least partially responsible for the downfall of the athosians. we know the wraith will seek out and destroy any groups that even have a possibility of advancing too far, and if you take the level of technological advancement they were at and combine that with the powers the humans were getting after being experimented on, you're left with what could be a pretty big threat towards the wraith. i can definitely see the wraith realizing what's going on and destroying everything so that no other human (or wraith) could continue with those experiments.

anyways back to the athosians and their culture, i think because of the result of their medical advancements and how it lead to their downfall, i think after the destruction of their city, the athosians kinda swore off science? and i think they would start prioritizing spirituality/religion and focusing on community and relationships with other people and that's why the athosians have such a big network of trade partners

okay this has gotten super long so i'm gonna stop it here but thank you so much for this ask bc this is such an incredible thing to think about and i do not go insane about teyla enough which is frankly criminal of me so thank you for the excuse to think about her non-stop 🙏🏼

[cozza-frenzy]

can you do some doodles of your inner world and maybe describe it? Also what do all the details in your guy's outfits mean.

Terry: Anon you have no idea how long I've waited for someone to ask this question. I already have a few drawings prepared, so let's start with where I'm currently standing - the fronting room! Our inner world is surprisingly complex, and our home is on a dragon-shaped airship - soon to be re-christened The Spirit Of Highwind - and the room we're in while fronting is in the head.

The black circle on the floor is the "fronting circle"; if someone's standing within that area, they're actively in control of all or part of the body. The red couch is where we can sit if we want to when using the "fronting desk" and its floating screens, though we can also stand up or even lay down. We're on the upper deck, and on the lower deck (not pictured here) is a spiral staircase leading upstairs (on the left) and a second couch with a fireplace (on the right). If the doors to the left and the right look out of place - that's because they kind of are. They're not part of the airship but are actually a part of The Distortion - a normally-invisible "layer" of the word that connects all other areas together via doors, controlled by Chaos, our gatekeeper. It put them there as permanent doors so folks in other areas don't have to ask for one every time they want to front. Up ahead of us where we're "parked" right now is the Everfree Forest (the normal-looking trees) and the Deep Woods. The Deep Woods creates its own eternal night under the giant tree; growing in various places up the trunk and in the canopy are Stars Of Hope, a glowing flower that you see almost everywhere in the Inner World.

The glowing stuff below is the Agua Vida; water that spills from Soda Lake, up in the caldera of Mount Discovery. Hope takes many physical forms in our inner world, and the Agua Vida is a potent source of it, having been recently adopted by the rest of the system as a daily supplement. Like a psychosomatic vitamin, adding it to a drink helps restore our energy, keeping us focused on healing. We want to try and use it on the vegetables in the Community Garden (just outside where the ship is "parked") one of these days.

Here's a view of Soda Lake and Mount Discovery from above - based on an in-system pencil sketch I made. Following our mass fusion the inner world changed a lot, so this area (and the internal part of the Deep Woods) are "cut off" from Chaos' Distortion until they're "re-discovered". From what i could tell from flying the airship over it, there's a solidified lava floe down the east side, and water is flowing out of the lake towards the south. We'll get there eventually; for now, most of us are content to stay closer to home as we recover. I just hope the plants and animals native to those areas have survived. That's the main part of our inner world covered at least - while most of us have "domains" of our own that we control access to, after the recent mass fusion, a lot of us aren't able to let other alters in or simply can't remember what the places look like once we leave. Given enough time, this stuff should come "back online" much like our broken fast-travel system. As for the "details on our outfits" - not everything in our PFPs necessarily means something, and we can change outfits in system. I like my hat and I like loud shirts, Vivien's shirt is the CMYK colors used in printing, Roses and Thirteen have each other's colors on their pictures because they're in a Queerplatonic relationship.

But I guess one thing that has been appearing a lot in system after our mass fusion is the Compass Rose. You can see it on the floor of the fronting room, on Dagwood's bowtie and Taffy's cape - Roses has it as part of a tattoo on her arm, and I have it as a marking on my back between my wings. I'm not sure why our brain has such an attachment to the symbol, but I like to think it's something to do with moving forward and being pointed in the right direction.

...Or maybe it's just a SAVE point. Knowing that Undertale left such a huge impression on our system fills you with Determination.

[moon-spirit-yue]

Fought for Me

Chapter 6: Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want

(Man I haven’t posted an actual fic in forever my apologies guys. College has 100% been dragging me by my hair. I start again next week but I should have better balance next semester. Have a good one guys!)

“So. This is a fun little ride isn’t it?” Sisu awkwardly laughed as they were being carried away by the Spine warrior that was certainly thinking of several fun ways to slaughter them both. 

“One more word and our kidnapper will be the least of your problems,” Raya quietly seethed. 

“Right, sorry,” Sisu meekly whispered.

After what felt like forever, the girls were unceremoniously dumped on the ground and were tied up. The bag was still covering their heads so neither of them had any idea what was going on. 

Eventually, the two girls were tossed unceremoniously on the ground. Raya felt strong hands tying them up and suspending them slightly off the ground. Shit, this is not good. If they manage to get out of here alive, Sisu is going to have hell to pay.

Soon enough, the sack that once covered their heads was yanked off them which allowed Raya to take in her surroundings. 

“Now where on earth are we?” Raya mumbled to herself as she craned her neck to get a better view of the place behind her. 

It seemed like your average hut in the middle of Spine. A place to eat, a bed, a few things lying around to give the place some personality, nothing unusual. Then a large silhouette entered through the doorway. The man that entered the room was big. And muscular. And very clearly an alpha, she can smell it all over him. It would kind of funny that he fits the stereotype of a Spine rage-head perfectly if she weren’t in restraints. 

“You must be dung of brain to think you could steal Spine’s dragon gem,” his rough voice voice growled. 

“Gems? Who said anything about gems? Not us, that’s for sure!” Raya laughed nervously. 

The man gave her a “do you think I’m a binturi” expression before turning the bag upside down. And there go all the gem pieces, tumbling out one after another. That’s awkward.  

“Okay, so I totally get how that makes me seem like a liar,” the princess began.

“Actually I’m pretty sure it was the lying that made you look like a liar,” Sisu told her honestly. Too honestly. 

“Sisu, I swear to the heavens above if you don’t shut up-” Raya hissed. Sisu squeaked and quickly turned her head away from Raya’s. That’s right, she better be scared.

The alpha began laughing, and at that point Raya admittedly spaced out of the conversation as she wanted to try and find a way to make it out of here alive. 

Nothing sharp was in her reach for obvious reasons, so trying to get out of these ropes was gonna be a challenge. The princess of Heart is stumped. She can’t see herself making it out of here. But then she heard the sadness in the man’s voice when she focused back in on the conversation.

“Where has the time gone? It’s been so long,” the man mumbled to himself. 

He began hanging his head in despair and Raya couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him. Even Spine rage heads had a life the Druun ruined.

“He seems lonely,” Sisu whispered to Raya. The omega had to agree with Sisu on this one.

First time for everything. 

“I’m not lonely,” the alpha snapped, quickly becoming defensive at the accusation. “I was born to do one thing. To invoke fear and crush skulls of enemies!”

“That’s two things,” the dragon girl corrected. 

Okay, Raya seriously needs to join this conversation because at this rate Sisu is going to get them both killed.  

“Hey, what do you plan on doing with us?” Raya asked, thankfully drawing his attention away from Sisu.  

“Oh, it’s going to be bad. It’ll take two weeks to clean up!” the man exclaimed rather unsurely. That’s when Raya finally understood. This guy didn’t actually want to hurt them, he just wanted human interaction.

“You don’t have a clue what you’re going to do to us, do you?” Raya asked, but it was more rhetorical than anything as she already knew the answer.

“Yes I do! I’m formulating a gruesome plan as we speak! But until then, just hang around!” he grinned.

Raya knows a terrible dad joke when she hears one. 

“Was that a pun-” the princess asked with narrowed eyes.

Before Raya could even hope to get a response, the door of the hut slammed open. And there was her heroes, a ten year old boy, a baby, and three ongis riding her beloved Tuk Tuk. 

The ongis wasted absolutely no time in taking the man down and typing him up. The baby and Tuk Tuk proceeded to growl at the same time to intimidate her captor. Boun made haste with untying Raya and Sisu.

“Good work, Captain Boun,” Raya sighed in utter relief. She shook her hand around to get back some feeling in them and heard the man say something she couldn’t quite make out.

Though Raya was thrilled about Boun’s actions, she was much less happy about the next two words that left his mouth.

“Fang’s here,” the young beta whispered hurriedly. 

“Oh you have got to be kidding me,” the Heart omega scowled as she marched up to the doorframe. 

“People of Spine! We are hunting Raya, fugitive from Heart! Send her out, or we’re coming in!” Namaari’s voice boomed from beyond Spine’s gate.

Well fuck.

Raya’s panic worsened when she got a good look at her surroundings. Beyond this hut, the entire land was decorated with stone people. No wonder the guy was so damn lonely.

“Please don’t tell me you’re the last one left,” Raya begged as she turned back to face the Spine alpha.

His pained look at the floor told Raya the answer before he even said a word. 

“My people battled the Druun with much valor, but lost,” he chocked out.

The scene broke Raya’s heart. Reminds her too much of how her own land was lead to devastation. Well she has worked too damn hard to be stopped now. Everyone needs to get the hell out of here. 

“Alright the Fang gang is here for me, and no one else apparently. If I can distract them, you guys can make a run for it,” Raya decided before turning to face everyone.

“You’re gonna fight a whole army?” Sisu whispered, clearly horrified at the thought. 

“No, I just want to stall. I know how to push Namaari’s buttons, trust me. The second you guys are clear I’m making a break for it,” the Heart woman reassured her. Sisu seemed like she felt a bit better because of that fact, but not by a lot.

She glanced at the man sitting quietly on the floor, then at Sisu, and back at the man. Raya feels so stupid for even considering asking for his help. Unfortunately, she’s out of options and needs a tiny miracle.

Then, she saw the empty crib in the corner of the room. A heavy weight sat on her chest at the reminder of her own child, but it all clicked for Raya in that moment. 

This man is a father. At least, he used to be. That just might be how she convinces him to help. Mustering up all her courage, the Heart princess kneeled to look the gigantic Spine warrior directly in his eyes.

“What’s your name?” Raya asked him 

“The moniker given to me is Tong,” he responded with much less resistance than Raya thought.

“Okay, look. You don’t know me and I don’t know you. But, I know you have child,” Raya began, gesturing to the crib.

Tong nodded with a great sadness in his eyes to confirm her statement. Right, time to be bit a too honest here.

“I do too. She’s a few months old now and I am so worried about her. I don’t know how she’s doing or where she is, all I know is that if I don’t make it out of here, she’s got no chance of a normal life. I don’t want her living in a world where she has to watch her back at every turn. Please, you have to know a back door or a way out of here. Will you help us?” Raya questioned, putting her whole heart and soul into this mini speech.

Tong stared into her eyes for a few long seconds before nodding. Raya’s entire body slouched from relief. They were actually going to get out of here! 

“Woah woah woah, I’m sorry, you have a child?!” Sisu exclaimed. Boun and the Talon baby were looking a tad starstruck at the news too. 

“Sorry, gotta go antagonize Namaari, later!” the Heart omega yelled as she practically sprinted out of the hut. 

She’s definitely getting interrogated when she makes it back. Then she remembers what’s waiting for her on the other side of the door and wonders whether she’s making it back at all. 

******************************

The Heart woman marched up to the big double doors while trying to think of even half a plan. All she had so far was to continue to breathe. Raya’s not too sure that’s enough to get her out of this.

“Okay note to self, don’t die,” Raya muttered to herself. 

Almost two seconds later she heard Namaari say “burn them out”. That’s not very encouraging now is it?

The Heart princess made her grand entrance by swinging the doors open. The sight the greeted her made her want to flee with her tail between her legs.

When Namaari brought an army, she brought an army. There was at least twenty people surrounding her with fucking flaming crossbows! What the hell is wrong with her?! Raya honestly thought Namaari was just going to bring in a couple pals or something! Shit! 

“Hey there, Undercut. Fancy meeting you here,” Raya grinned in order to hide how freaked out she really felt. 

The scent blockers better be doing their damn job right now or else.

“You and the gem pieces are coming with me,” Namaari declared as she sauntered up to her.

“Am I though? Am I really?” the Heart woman smiled. Alright she’s starting to panic a little more right now. Just keep calm, Raya. Just gotta breathe. “My sword here says we’re not.”

At the signal of Namaari’s hand, all the members of Fang’s army aimed their crossbows right at her. See, this is why is she doesn’t like being the center of attention. Time to get under this binturi’s skin.

“I knew you couldn’t handle riding solo, you’re nothing without your band,” Raya mocked.

She honestly doesn’t know if that particular taunt is going to stick. It is pretty obvious Raya is baiting her...

Just when she thought all hope was lost, Namaari waved off her army.

“Stand down, this shouldn’t take long,” The Fang alpha grinned with a slight smirk. This would be very attractive if Raya didn’t fear for her life. 

That doesn’t matter. What does matter is that Namaari took the bait, thank the stars. Their swords were out, Raya’s cloak had already blown off, and they two princesses were now slowly beginning to circle each other. Raya spared a quick glance to the side to check on the others. Once she saw them begin to scramble, the battle begun.

They lunged at each other at around the same time. Raya had to remember that the goal was not to defeat, just distract. Seeing Namaari’s smug little face made it hard to remember that. 

The Heart princess managed to yank Namaari’s sword away from her. A small win feels nice in these trying times.

“Did you need that, Dep la?” Raya laughed as she got back into the fight.

Her laughter quickly died off at a rather painful hit to the gut. The rude ass binturi. Namaari then yanked the sword out of Raya’s hands and tossed it to the side.

“Nah,” the Fang warrior smirked to answer her previous question. 

“Looks like someone’s been taking classes,” Raya grinned.  

She quickly got back to her feet and once more there herself into the chaos. Raya managed to get a quick glance back at the group to see them running around behind Namaari. The Heart omega quietly prayed none of the other warriors noticed before landing a punch right in that stupid binturi face.

Raya felt quite satisfied after landing the hit. The satisfaction tragically faded away when she noticed the other woman’s smirk. From that point on, the battle took a turn for the worst.

Namaari’s (rather unnecessary in Raya’s opinion) aggression kicked in to the point where Raya was just dodging blows.

“Why are you stealing gem pieces?” the Fang alpha demanded.

“I mean, is it really stealing if it was Heart’s first?” Raya asked.

Unfortunately, the Heart princess wasn’t fast enough in dodging the fist that came flying towards her. The hit was a pretty good considering the fact that she was knocked to the ground.

Raya groaned and looked up at Namaari who was getting a little blurry. That’s a problem. It’s a perfect time for some comedic relief.

“You didn’t happen to bring Fang’s gem, did you?” the Heart princess asked hopefully.

Apparently Namaari really wasn’t interested in talking because Raya only got to stand up for like three seconds before she was kicked to the ground. Her head is pounding, her breathing is heavy, and she feels blood slowly trickling down her nose. Sisu and the others need to pick up the pace because Raya really doesn’t know how much longer she can do this.

“That’s cool, I’ll just come by and grab it later,” Raya groaned while trying to stand up.

She didn’t get the chance as Namaari grabbed the front of her shirt to lift her up. Wait, she can lift Raya’s entire body weight with one arm? That’s kinda...focus damn it! 

 “I’m going to enjoy this,” Namaari smirked. Then she raised her fist and all Raya could do was stare in her eyes and brace herself for the hit that would probably knock her unconscious.

But she hesitated. The warrior princess of Fang hesitated for one moment. Why? Raya’s not entirely sure. She couldn’t dwell on it because Sisu jumped into the clearing and let out a mighty roar that caused her arms to flare up with goose bumps. 

Fog surrounded them and Raya was finally able to make her escape once Namaari dropped her from pure shock. The Heart princess desperately scrambled to her feet and managed to get behind Sisu. 

The fog was so thick none of the Fang warriors could navigate through it. Sisu and Raya were able to find the others and sail away from the hell zone that was Spine. 

******************************

The little menace threw a shrimp at Raya. Who the hell throws a shrimp? 

“What was that for?” Raya frowned. Both the Talon baby and Boun were looking at her with pouts and crossed arms. Dare she say, it was kind of cute. 

“When were you gonna tell us she was Sisu?!” Boun cried out, gesturing to the bright blue dragon lounging on the boat.

“I mean technically speaking, you always knew her name was Sisu,” Raya smiled.

The smile diminished as yet another shrimp was thrown at her.

“Would you stop that?” the Heart omega hissed. 

“And while we’re on secrets, when were you gonna tell us you had a kid?!” Boun continued.

“Okay, that was on a need to know basis, and you just didn’t need to know. And I’ll have you know I didn’t even lie about that either! You never asked if I had a child so I never denied it!” Raya said, trying to defend herslef.

The omega baby wasn’t buying it and threw yet another shrimp at her, but this time Raya was ready. She opened her mouth and leaned her head in a bit to catch the shrimp right in her mouth.

“Oh this seasoning is amazing,” Raya mumbled once she finished chewing on the shrimp. 

“Why are you here, divine water dragon?” Tong asked, thankfully changing the subject.

“To save the world! We’re going to bring everyone back,” Sisu said with such confidence that Raya was inclined to believe her.

“Well I want to help,” the little Tail boy said

Man, these kids were seriously stressing her out.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that. I just told you I have a kid, so you have to understand why I don’t want people around the same age as her fighting Fang,” Raya frowned.

“You’re not the only one that’s lost people to the Druun,” the kid said with a somber look on his face.

Raya’s heart is squeezing a little. She remembers being close to his age and losing the person that mattered most to her. 

The baby babbled something incomprehensible, yet she somehow made it clear that she too, wanted to help. Even her ongis looked ready for a fight.

“I also wish to partake in this Druun butt kickery,” the Spine alpha declared. 

Well, it looks like Raya’s outnumbered on this one. She may as well accept her fate.

Sisu took the gem piece from Tong’s hands to uncover which ability it holds. To Raya’s delight, it started raining.

“This is my brother’s Pengu’s magic,” Sisu smiled. 

Raya looked up at the sky in awe as the divine water dragon began actually stepping on the water droplets climbing higher and higher in the sky. Aulia would have the time of her little life with this rain, Raya couldn’t help but think.

“So! I think I have a plan to get that gem piece!” Boun smiled.

Raya had a feeling that this plan of his would be questionable at best. And she was right, as per usual.

“Yeah, we’re not doing that. Anybody else?” Raya sighed after Boun finished explaining his thought process. 

“Okay, this plan is going to blow your mind,” Sisu said excitedly.

Now Raya had a feeling that this plan would be even worse than Boun’s. And what do you know? She was right yet again. Man, she’s good. Looking around at the other’s baffled faces confirmed to Raya that they weren’t into Sisu’s plan either.

“Not gonna lie, I think I’d rather take my chances with Boun’s plan. A gift is not the answer to our problems, and I say that with complete confidence,” the Heart woman stated.

“Um, that was an excellent plan. Why you gotta hate on my plan?” Sisu frowned. 

“Because it’s Fang. I feel like I don’t need to elaborate given their history,” Raya answered.

“Their blades are specifically designed for the stabbings of backs,” Tong growled while balling his hand in a fist.

“The man’s got a point,” Raya agreed. It does make her wonder what exactly Fang did to him. 

“If it weren’t for them, none of this would have happened! They’re the worst,” Boun huffed. The baby babbled loudly which could really only mean she agreed with the young beta.

Eh, that last comment Raya can’t fully agree with. Looking back on it now as a much wiser adult, that gem was getting shattered no matter what. It just happened to be Fang that made the first move. That doesn’t change the fact that they’re a gang of heartless binturis, though, so the main point still stands.

“I just have a feeling that deep down, Namaari wants to fix this as much as we do,” Sisu said. The Heart omega couldn’t resist the urge to roll her eyes.

“You weren’t there when Namaari betrayed me. I’m sorry Sisu, but I’m not willing to bet everything on a feeling,” Raya told her while crossing her arms.

The water dragon grunted in displeasure and at once the rain began hitting much harder than before. Raya huffed and stood up as the water droplets began practically slapping her in the face.

“Sisu, what’s with the downpour?” the princess snapped. She already felt her clothes morphing to her body. 

Then, Sisu snatched Raya and flew up into the sky. Raya screeched at the sudden loss of a flat surface under her feet and clung to the dragon.

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” Raya screamed.

“SHUT UP WE’RE GOING ON AN ADVENTURE-”

******************************

“So. What do we do now?” Boun asked when the duo left their sights.

“I’m...I’m not entirely sure,” Tong told him honestly.

“We can all agree that Namaari and Raya were totally going to kiss at the end of that fight in Spine though, right?” Boun said after a beat of silence.

“Oh, without a doubt.”

******************************

“Mark my words, you naive gecko, I will get you back for this,” Raya scowled.

“Call me a type of reptile again and I will drop you,” Sisu deadpanned. “Besides, this is important.”

Raya sighed loudly to express her utter displeasure but decided against saying anything more than that. No matter how many times the Heart woman asked where they were going, Sisu wouldn’t respond.

Once they got through the fog, Raya could see the unmistakable landscape of her home. The beautiful and enchanted land of Heart. 

It was so stunning and so tragic to look at her homeland from a bird’s eye view. She looked down to see her father’s stone statue, firmly placed where the Druun got him six years ago. Raya saw several more familiar faces until she managed to spot Charanya’s mother and grandmother’s statues barely out of the castle. It left a bitter taste in her mouth knowing they were some of the first people to turn to stone.

She tried spotting Charanya and Aulia somewhere in Heart, but they were no where to be found. Even passing over the boat, there’s no sign of them and Raya couldn’t shake off the disappointment. It would have been so nice just to see them, alive and well. Those binturis were probably out conning people.

Soon enough, the water dragon dropped Raya at the former holding place for the dragon gem.

“Sisu, why did you bring me here?” Raya asked, trying really hard not to get chocked up. There was too many memories associated with this cave, both good and bad.

“Because this where it all started,” Sisu said, though it didn’t explain much.

“Yeah, I was there,” Raya sighed.

“No, this is where it all happened five hundred years ago,” Sisu elaborated.

To Raya’s great surprise, Sisu moved some vines around to reveal the stone statue of a mighty dragon. Her gasp was audible as she stared at the sculpture in awe. She never once noticed the presence of Sisu’s siblings in the cave before. 

The water dragon began telling Raya the story of how Sisu ended up as the last dragon standing. Despite how amazing it all sounded, the Heart woman still had her reservations.

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea. I wish I could, but I don’t,” Raya sighed.

“Trusting Namaari is going to be hard, but I know it can help us bring everyone back,” the dragon insisted.

“You have no idea how badly I want to believe you. You know, Namaari actually once told me we could have been friends in another world. I think that would have been nice,” Raya frowned.

“So help create a new world! Without the Druun,” Sisu said.

“How on earth am I supposed to trust her?” the omega whimpered. She knew Sisu was wearing her down. She can practically feel her resolved crumbling.

“If you could, you wouldn’t just bring your Ba back, you’d be bring all of Kumandra into existence,” Sisu smiled.

Raya was silent as Sisu flew them back down. She grabbed three lotus flowers and gave one to both of Charanya’s family members before standing in front of her father on the bridge.

She gently placed the lotus flower in the puddle her ba was holding from the rain and used the gem symbol to greet him despite the fact that he was unable to return it.

“Do you think he would even recognize me? I’ve changed. A lot. Hell, I have an actual baby. Oh, he’s gonna freak out,” Raya worriedly mumbled to herself.

“He’ll know who you are. Parents always know. And your daughter is an extension of you. I don’t see how he could ever not love her,” Sisu said with full confidence. 

“You are just like him, I swear,” Raya said, unable to hold back a smile.

“Oh yeah? Is it because we’re strong? Incredibly good looking with impeccable hair?” the dragon grinned. Raya laughed and shook her head.

“Hopeful,” the Heart woman answered. 

“How would I even approach her? After everything that’s happened?” Raya asked. 

“Sometimes you just have to take the first step, even before you’re ready,” Sisu wisely answered.

Well. It’s official. The dragon wore her down.  

“Alright, you win. We’re going with your plan,” Raya relented.

“Oh no way! My plan? You really want to do my plan?” Sisu squealed, very excited at her decision.

“Yeah, that’s the one,” the omega laughed.

“You won’t regret this, Raya! Oh but this gift is going to need to be top tier! What do you think she likes? Cats? Knives? Knives with little cats on them? Oh! Cats with collars that have knives on them!” Sisu said giddily.

“Actually, I think I know exactly what to give her,” Raya said, coming to a small revelation. It’d be the perfect gift to try expressing her goodwill, Raya’s sure of it.

******************************

The moment of truth had arrived. It was dark, Raya sent the terrorizing quartet to the Fang palace. All they could do was wait and hope Namaari wouldn’t ruin them all.

“If she refuses to help us, we’ve flushed our tactical advantage down the dung pot,” the Spine alpha scowled. 

“I know,” Raya frowned while pursing her lips.

“She’s really got no reason to help us,” Boun added on, rather unhelpfully in Raya’s opinion. 

“I know,” Raya repeated. Her nerves are starting to make her stomach turn queasy. 

“This jerky is terrible,” Sisu hissed as she spat out the omega’s last batch.

“I know!” Raya whimpered. The stress is really getting to her. 

“Are you sure those four miniature menaces will be successful?” Tong asked.

Raya let out a hopeless puff of air and shook her head. “I...I don’t know.”

******************************

“That’s too much spice!” Tong snapped, effectively pulling the Heart woman from her worries about every possible thing that could go wrong. 

“No, there’s too much bamboo!” Boun sassily argued. Raya bit her lip to keep herself from laughing.

“What do you know? You have the tastebuds of a tall baby,” the Spine man huffed.

“Well you dress like a tall baby,” Boun spat back. 

Admittedly, Raya couldn’t stop the giggle that left her mouth once she approached them.The two proceeded to argue over who got to hold the spoon until Raya interjected. 

“May I?” she grinned as she sprinkled in a little sugar from her pouch.

Boun gave her a suspicious glance but tried the soup anyways. As Raya expected, his face immediately lit up with glee.

“Wow, this is delicious!” the young boy gasped.

“My ba taught me that one,” the Heart woman smiled.

“Awwwww! Did he also teach you how to make that delectable jerky you got going on?” Sisu asked smugly.

“No, no that was all me,” Raya sighed causing everyone in the boat to laugh. “Ah, well, it’ll be nice to share a meal with him again, should this terrible plan work.”

“I know what you mean. I have this really obnoxious sister who always tussles my hair. I can’t wait to see her the most,” Boun smiled, reminiscing on his memories.

“Once we win, I will be thrilled to fill my eyeball with the joyous scene of my village full,” Tong said excitedly. He turned to the baby and told her, “And you will be reunited with your family, Noi.”

“Sorry, what did you just call her?” Raya asked, incredibly confused.

“Noi. It’s her name! It’s written on her collar. Have none of you ever checked?” Tong questioned in uttered disbelief.

Raya, Boun, and Sisu all shot each rather awkward looks. None of them ever thought to check her collar.

“And the call me the ruffian,” the man scoffed while Noi giggled.

They were interrupted when fireworks boomed into the sky. Well now Raya is definitely back on edge. 

“Well, it’s party time people. Sisu, I want you to stay out of sight until we know Namaari is actually on our side,” Raya told the dragon sternly. 

“You got it, bestie! I will blend in so hard, even you will forget I’m there!” Sisu said with determination shining in her voice. 

“Wonderful. Let’s do this,” Raya whispered.

As Raya walked up to the place she decided to meet with Namaari at, she couldn’t help but think of all the things that could go wrong. She gasped when she smelt her own scent and rummaged around in her bag for the scent blocking salve. 

“What’s that stuff for?” Sisu asked quietly when Raya started frantically rubbing the salve all over her.

“Makes it so that you can’t smell me as good. Scent is a pretty big tell on how you’re feeling. And right now, I feel like throwing up,” the omega briefly explained. This better work because she’s officially out of the stuff.

“Seems kind of restrictive, don’t you think? Hiding a part of yourself?” Sisu pressed.

“I’m not exactly a fan of it either, but it’s the only reason I haven’t gotten caught all these years. Scent is a totally warning signal that I’m present wherever I go. With enough luck, this will be the last time I actually need it. Now, stay back here. I smell her binturi scent all the way from over here. See? Warning signal,” Raya huffed.

“Well alphas use them too, right?” Sisu asked.

“Sometimes, I guess. Why?” Raya frowned.

“She could be hiding her scent from you, but she isn’t. She wants you to find her. I think she really trusts you right now,” the dragon pointed out.

Huh. She never would have thought of it that way. It does put her a bit at ease. Maybe this will actually work.

“I really hoped you’re right. Remember what I said about staying out of sight,” Raya firmly stated. Sisu nodded.

The Heart omega breathed in deeply and walked out into the clearing where Namaari was standing before her. Her hand was itching to grab her sword and it took everything in her not to.

The Fang woman perked up at the sight of Raya, becoming much more tense when they made eye contact. Namaari was standing there with a small bag and no weapon in sight, so the Heart girl supposed it would be fine to not attack her. 

For now.

“Hey. I uh, see you got my gift,” Raya began, awkward as she was. 

“You know, I never thought I’d see this again,” Namaari mumbled while holding the pendant.

“I tried to take good care of it. You’re not the only dragon nerd here,” Raya smiled.

To her immense relief, the Fang alpha managed to give her the tiniest smile back. It wasn’t much, but it was immense progress. 

Raya stepped forward but stumbled a bit, which resulted in a the small stuffed bunny she almost forgot about tumble right out of her bag. She huffed and shoved it back in her bag.

“I need to find a better place for that,” the Heart princess sighed.

“I didn’t know you were a stuffed animal fan, dep la. It’s almost charming,” Namaari smiled.

Raya nearly let out a gasp. Was the ever so stoic Fang princess having a light conversation with her? Damn, Sisu might actually be right about her.

“Ah, well to be completely honest it’s not mine. It’s actually my daughter’s,” Raya responded.

“You-you’re daughter? You have a daughter?” Namaari managed to stammer out.

“I do. She’s very small and very happy which is why I really need this to work. I want her to stay small and happy,” the omega sincerely told her.

See, Raya had already thought this through. Thanks to the many idle conversations from Charanya that Raya has no choice but to be a part of, she learned that alphas are genetically wired to be protective of children. The hope was that once Raya told Namaari she had kid, she’d be more inclined to help her. It’s a ballsy attempt to appeal to Namaari’s emotions, but Raya has high hopes for it. After all, it seemed to work with Tong. 

“Wow. That..must have been a surprise,” she decided on saying. 

“It definitely was. But hey, I like her. She’s pretty cool,” Raya grinned. “She packs a real punch too. The baby strength is no joke.”

“What’s her name?” Namaari asked, trying to wipe the shocked look from her face.

The Heart woman is pretty relieved to know she’s taking even the slightest interest in her kid. The emotional appeal is definitely working.

“Aulia,” Raya answered proudly.

“It’s a pretty name,” the Fang woman smiled. 

“It took a while to pick, but it suits hrt,” Raya said while smiling back. 

Then, Namaari finally pulled out the last gem piece from her bag and placed it on the rock between them. Oh yeah, it’s all coming together. 

Raya gave Sisu the signal to come out of hiding. The water dragon slowly came to stand by her side in the clearing. Namaari immediately went into a bow with the gem circle formed above her head then stuttered out something about it being an honor to be near Sisu. 

“She’s pretty incredible, isn’t she?” Raya laughed. She had much similar reaction to meeting Sisu. It was kind of funny watching it play out in front of her. 

“So you’re the girl Raya keeps talking about! I’m Sisu, super great to meet you! It just feels like I kind of already know you with how much Raya-” Sisu rambled on before Raya jabbed her elbow into the dragon’s side. 

“Really, she’s not as great as she seems. She’s the reason why we got caught by a trap in Spine,” Raya told the Fang princess while blushing.

“Okay it was one time-” Sisu began when Namaari laughed. Like, she actually laughed. Raya’s never heard that before. It was strangely pretty. Just like her. 

“I just can’t believe this. A real dragon. That’s kind of amazing,” Namaari said once she finished her laughter. 

“Please don’t start, her ego is already growing,” Raya hissed.

“You are by far my biggest hater, Raya. I am expecting a sincere apology once the world is saved,” Sisu huffed as she reached for the last gem shard.

It was all going so well. They almost won the war. Until a bow was raised to Raya’s chest. 

“Sisu and the gem pieces are coming with me.”

[anemia-rp]

I do believe there a quite a few things that can mess with how your brain is wired and I also do believe the damage and severity of it differs from person to person. What will break one person might barely scratch the surface of another. Who knows maybe day goblins lose their soul too once they turn into one. I also have no idea how souls work and if there really do exist. Strangely enough I think they do and everyone has them. There surely is something that gets us to like and dislikes things. And there surely are more things in the mix than we might imagine.

I think having your own ideas for what to sew makes it a more interesting hobby. And I don't doubt it does take skills. I imagine you can be either fully focused on this task so no other thoughts have room or your hands are on autopilot so you can think about everything and nothing. It is like this for me if it comes to drawing. Maybe at some point you can show me some of the things you made. I'm simply curious what ideas your mind comes up with if it comes to fashion.

It's true that most people hope that they villain will treat them differently of all people. Some of them may hope they can change the villains ways and others might hope to use them to get revenge on people that wronged them. Feeling special certainly is something people long for. A tiny part of me wonders what it might feel like, but I don't have high hopes I will get to experience feeling special or make someone feel special.

I have some lose wires and I enjoy simply not thinking now and then. But in fights and games in the other world I like to calculate too and make plans. I know how to use my brain and I enjoy using it. I personally feel there are times where using your brain is required and times when you can let loose. The same goes for bedroom activates, huh? So you plan out what you will do or do you mean you plan when you want to start such fun?

I think there is truth in what you say about dominants being the best submissives you get them to submit that is. They surely will keep having their own will in some way even though you can make them bend to your will so to speak. Loving someone requires to take some risks so to speak. You can't know how long it will take someone to show you all their sides. Humans can't wait years and years to decide whether they like all of the sides of someone. But maybe if you really get lucky that person will show you all their sides naturally and rather quickly so you can feel this is a deep and real love.

I enjoy technology, but I will admit that I dislike the idea that only robots and artificial intelligence will stick around. Supernatural beings on the other hand doesn't make me feel that way. And humankind surely overestimates itself, but technology is still pretty flawed in certain ways.

I came to learn that a lot of people just fight for themselves in extreme situations. It's strange to see what things you are capable of you feel like you have no other choice. And yes you can win a lot of them games if you use your brain and sometimes it also requires to work in a team. Other times strength will help.

Pretty sure there's some scientific explanation for why we like and dislike other things. Some is certainly caused by influences, but dunno. Having a soul sounds nicer actually. I like to imagine there's some core inside you which roots can't be changed.

It's like that for me to some amount when I'm standing behind my DJ kit. It's a great feeling to have power over people just through some beats and basslines, to make them dance and let them have a good time. I love it, otherwise I couldn't do it almost every night. The music is my number one. My clothes are pretty gloomy, and my label is called Seen Better Days 666 so guess that already tells about the vibe.

Guess I'm something special for lots of people, but everything starts with finding yourself special. I agree with them, yeah, however there are situations when I don't wanna feel like standing alone on a pedestral because I'm so fucking special and no one can reach me. It's about some weird kind of balance.

Nope, I don't plan bedroom stuff. It becomes shitty if I do. Some people, especially when it comes to BDSM stuff, have something like a choreography in mind I guess. It would feel too much like a performance for me when dominating someone. I just do what I want and feel like doing at the moment.

And once I read somewhere the best dominant is a submissive. Anyway, who knows if everyone even /has/ the abilities to love someone truly? Or themselves? Guess at first one gotta has to open up to themselves about the things they really crave, even if it's embarrassing at first.

Would you prefer to be around all kinds of supernaturals or rather humans?

Guess lots of people would grow on the challenge while others would break. And maybe that's something the soul determines, too. How much it can endure and so on.

[cassandrasimplex]

This would have changed so much for me in grade school.

I have what was initially diagnosed as a "math-related learning disability" and would later be known as dyscalculia. It has several symptoms, like difficulty estimating distances and amounts, not understanding how long it takes to do things or how much time is passing, and other things that basically come down to "the brain keeping track of quantities", but the primary symptom is that I can't. fucking. do. arithmetic.

My father fought for years to keep me from saying, "I hate math." Sure, I'd sit down at the kitchen table, look at my math homework, break into tears, and often throw up from stress. (This is "math anxiety", which is its own separate thing anyone can develop if they experience enough trauma related to doing math, but whoo boy is dyscalculia one very certain way to develop it!) Dad insisted that I hate arithmetic, not "math", and would only allow me to complain if I were specific about that.

We'd also play math games for fun, except Dad called them "logic games" and would try to hide the math from me until the very end. Weekend mornings, he'd crack open a Martin Gardner or Douglas Hofstadter book and pick a "puzzle" for us to work together. We'd talk it over a bit, identify important parts of the puzzle, and then he'd have me draw a picture to represent the logic I was applying.

What Dad didn't tell me was that he, someone whose job regularly required him to do things like calculate orbital mechanics, had grown up with the same problem I was struggling with. He kept promising me that all the hard part came first, and that if I could just make it to higher forms of mathematics, I'd discover there was less and less arithmetic and more and more "logic puzzles". He'd replace all the numbers in my math homework with letters for me, then walk me through "putting the numbers back in" one at a time when there was nothing else left to do.

So even in very early grades, if I saw a problem like

6 ÷ 3

We'd first sign a letter to the answer:

6 ÷ 3 = y

Dad would have me ask, "is 6 even or odd"? It's even, so my problem would change to

2x ÷ 3 = y

Then he'd ask me for 6 ÷ 2 and we'd make a note off to the side that x = 3.

You might think this is where we'd put the 3 in for x in "2x", but Dad was focused on using fewer numbers, not more. So we'd end up with

2x ÷ x = y

since if x = 3, all xs are 3s and all 3s can be replaced with xs.

"But if you're multiplying by something, and then you divide by the same thing, all you've got is what you started with before you multiplied!"

That's right, Dad would say, and he'd cross out both xs to leave us with

2 = y

"...and there's your answer."

This meant writing approximately three billion and twelve (but I'm bad at estimating) steps nobody else in second grade had to write down -- but it also meant I made fewer mistakes and passed my math tests.

It also gave me a way to start engaged with the logic behind mathematics when the symbolic notation was working hard to "hide" the part I was good at and force me to confront, first thing, only the parts I'm neurologically unfit for.

Symbolic notation is great, don't misunderstand me. It's a fantastic kind of lossless compression, a shorthand in which everything has a highly specific, precise meaning. It's SO much more difficult to write everything out in words instead. Ask me how I know.

Don't bother; I'll tell you anyway. I know because that's how Dad would have me write down how I was working the math pr- uh, logic puzzles we did together. And a decade plus later, when I was volunteering as a math tutor at community college to work with other students who had math learning disabilities, I'd ask them to do the same thing.

Sure, it takes six hundred and fifty-two times as long (curse you, estimation!) as just doing the problem once. But it actually doesn't take longer than doing the problem WRONG twelve times, getting twelve different answers, not knowing whether the right answer is among them at all (let alone which one it might be), getting frustrated, taking "a break" and getting up to do something else, coming back to it e next morning and trying again only to get a thirteenth answer of unknown quality, throwing the whole paper into the trash (and considering setting it on fire), and then nothing else because you can't bring yourself to prioritize that task again until class time, when you try to "just quickly do it to have something to turn in" and making a zero for something you handed in instead of something you didn't, further permanently centering your belief that you're "just bad at math".

So eventually, I learned I could go the long route, get an answer I could trust, actually learn whatever skill the homework was trying to teach, and get credit for my work... or I could spin my wheels in the mud for roughly equal hours producing nothing, learning nothing, and failing the class by way of failing every single assignment I was given. While crying and throwing up.

And the other students I tutored in college learned the same thing. (They all passed. They ALL passed. You have NO IDEA how proud I am of that, for myself and for them!)

Turns out, "math" is just a way of taking about logic in shorthand. But it's the logic that counts most, not the shorthand! And when there's a complete disconnect between the symbolic notation and the logic it represents, some people who have no trouble at all with mathematical logic are going to fail because their brains get lost in the symbols. When your brain gets left behind by the symbols, you can't learn the logic.

I have yet to meet anyone who's just innately "bad at math". Y'all. I need you to read that again. Three times. Four times, if your reflexive response is "Bullshit, I'M bad at math." I have yet to meet anyone who is innately bad at math, and I say that as someone who is neurologically incapable of adding one and one reliably. I've met people with math anxiety (SO MANY people with math anxiety) and people with low frustration tolerance and lots of other people with dyscalculia. I've met people bad at memorizing and people with less-common learning styles whose brains can't handle learning something intimidating at the same time they're struggling to translate from, say, spoken information to a visual or tactile-kinesthetic leaning style.

But "bad at math"? Nope. Never yet. Not even me.

So why am I going off about dyscalculia on a post about Inuit numerals?

Because this is symbolic notation with the logic baked right in.

This is symbolic notation that TEACHES the logic of arithmetic rather than serving to obscure it.

This is notation that represents the logic clearly to both visual and tactile-kinesthetic learners.

Look at that long division. LOOK AT IT.

Actually, look at the subtraction and addition examples first. Then look at the long division. If the first two examples make great sense, but the long division makes your head swim, I'm going to ask you to consider something: that you don't really understand the logic behind long division as well as you think you do. Not as well as you understand the logic behind addition and subtraction.

I mean, you understand it will enough to perform it. Probably. Although lbr, when was the last time you had to write out a long division problem and work it by hand? You probably learned to manipulate the symbols, passed that grade, and have used a calculator for anything remotely like long division ever since the school system decided you no longer needed "practice" at it.

But you might not have learned it DEEPLY. You might not have learned all it has to say about the way we count, about the way the decimal system works and about how other systems of counting could work instead. Which is fine, in a way, for adults; we get very entrenched in our hatred for math and our resentment that it can benefit us to learn more about it, to truly understand it. We have other tools we rely on and maybe the idea of going back and re-learning how to do long division makes our teeth grind. Because long division sucks, right?

Most of us hate long division, if we're honest.

Unless we had fathers, teachers, tutors, mentors, or friends who wouldn't take "I hate math" for an answer and demanded we separate hatred of calculation from hatred of logic. Or just being bad at calculation from being "bad at math".

But the thing I learned as a tutor is that everyone who hates math, everyone who believes they're bad at math, they got left behind at some point. They missed one day of class when the logic of something like long division was being taught, and when they got back, they memorized how to go through the steps, but they stopped really grokking the logic in fullness. And after that, anything else that built on that skill that got left behind will also be something they have to just memorize, not understand.

More than half my job as a tutor was "rewinding" to whatever early skill I could find that the student couldn't explain and re-teaching that -- and then just getting the hell out of their way as everything else they'd memorized that built on that fell into place as true understanding. So fast. SO FAST. It's like watching a video of a jigsaw puzzle assembling itself at triple speed.

I had to pause up there at "more than half my job" to reconsider the phrase, because more than half my job was also rebuilding lost confidence to battle math anxiety, but you know... in reality, fixing those left-behind points was a huge part of that confidence-building, because that's the point when the student fully realizes that HOW THEY WERE TAUGHT had more to do with their poor performance in math classes than anything else, including dyscalculia. So no, it stands -- even if fixing the left-behind points was less than half the job directly, it's also a critical step in doing the other major task of restoring confidence.

And ever since then, I get SO angry about math education sometimes, because I know from my own experiences that even a "hey presto, you're permanently Bad At Arithmetic Forever!" learning durability that can't be changed isn't enough to make anyone actually, permanently and forever bad-at-math. And I know from my father's experience that even that kind of leaning disability isn't, all on its own, enough to keep someone from being very successful in an EXTREMELY math-centric career for fifty years. And loving it! Truly enjoying it! And I know from the experiences of students I've tutored, as well as my own, that the logic of math is one long, unbroken chain (well, actually it branches into several later on) where any one link being weak, especially an early one, can completely wreck a person's ability to enjoy or succeed at math for multiple decades afterward, and that it's very easy for one link of that logic to just kind of fail to form in a way that goes unnoticed, again for multiple decades.

Some of the people I tutored were retirees. Some of them were great-grandparents. You get lots of older people returning to community colleges after decades of believing themselves "bad at math". I saw how angry THEY got when they realized that something like learning how to cancel fractions without understanding WHY to cancel fractions had been not just holding them back in all math that followed but wrecking their self-image and giving them panic attacks for longer than I, at that point, had been alive. Their rage became mine.

So when I say that this is important. When I say that this visual representation of arithmetic is important.

I wouldn't want to try to do calculus in this system. It's not going to mesh well with established notation. I definitely wouldn't want to use it in any algebra that uses x, y, m, n, w, and v as common variables. I wouldn't want to try to use it in exponential notation. Writing something like "10^5" would be a nightmare to keep legible with numerals based in part on "^" as a number instead of an operand! But for teaching arithmetic itself? This isn't just alternate notation for numbers, it's a METHOD. Just like the sign you use for long division. Just like using sigma for sums. It's numeric representation that also encapsulates logic like an operand does. Squeeze this in between "counting on the number line" (already a visual representation of logic that students discard as soon as they've mastered it) and solving expressions like "7 + 3” and fewer students get left behind so early they never recover from it.

So like. It's important. It's important for reasons already stated, like its cultural significance. It's important because it contains a lesson about how cultures oppressed nearly to extinction matter and have ideas of value, ones they came up with long ago, that are still useful but end up ignored thanks to racism and xenophobia.

But like also. Get this the fuck into classrooms, I beg us all. THIS IS A GIFT. Billions, literally billions, of people could benefit from this. It isn't just a cultural curiosity -- and I feel like there's still some lingering patronizing going on here: aw, isn't it cute what these Inuit kids came up with, see how smart other cultures can STOP THAT. This is vital, it is modern, IT. IS. NEEDED. This is research into the advancement of mathematics as a field that must be taught before it can be practiced.

In the remote Arctic almost 30 years ago, a group of Inuit middle school students and their teacher invented the Western Hemisphere’s first new number system in more than a century. The “Kaktovik numerals,” named after the Alaskan village where they were created, looked utterly different from decimal system numerals and functioned differently, too. But they were uniquely suited for quick, visual arithmetic using the traditional Inuit oral counting system, and they swiftly spread throughout the region. Now, with support from Silicon Valley, they will soon be available on smartphones and computers—creating a bridge for the Kaktovik numerals to cross into the digital realm.

Today’s numerical world is dominated by the Hindu-Arabic decimal system. This system, adopted by almost every society, is what many people think of as “numbers”—values expressed in a written form using the digits 0 through 9. But meaningful alternatives exist, and they are as varied as the cultures they belong to.

Continue Reading

[sluttywonwoo]

Imagine Felix just guiding and talking you through your first time with him

Stuck in my head all week man, i'm begging you to write about it

okay this was supposed to be more dommy i swear but it turned out really soft ;-; sorry lol

word count: 1.3k

warnings: smut (18+), protected sex, crying

“that’s it, baby, just like that,” felix mumbles into your neck, pushing his hips forward bit by bit until his body is flush with yours. he stills once he’s bottomed out inside of you and presses a kiss to your temple.

he hopes you can’t feel how he’s trembling as he holds himself above you, hopes that if you can, you won’t attribute it to him being weak—because it’s not that.

he already embarrassed himself when he tried rolling the condom on and the elastic snapped him in the thigh, leaving a noticeable red mark behind. the last thing he needs is for you to think that he can’t even keep himself in position long enough to fuck you.

it’s just… he didn’t expect you to feel this good with the condom on and he’s losing all semblance of control. it’s your first time, so he’s trying to take it slow, but you’re just so goddamn warm and tight and perfect that he can’t seem to think straight.

“you okay?” he manages to ask, needing to make sure you’re not in any pain.

“great,” you hum and smile fondly up at him.

“it doesn’t hurt?”

“no, you made me cum earlier, remember?”

as if he could forget. the sounds you made as you fell apart underneath him were now forever imprinted in his brain. it would have been enough to make him cum untouched if he wasn’t focusing on not doing exactly that.

“yeah, but a couple of fingers isn’t as big as… you know.” he cuts himself off. he doesn’t want to imply that he’s big, doesn’t want you to think that he’s complimenting himself when all he’s trying to say is that there’s a distinct difference between the two.

“you’re sweet,” you say, squeezing his bicep with one of your hands. “and you can move now, by the way.”

“sure?”

“mhm.”

felix gathers up his strength and draws his hips back just slightly, wanting to start with shallow thrusts before jumping right in to deep strokes. you whine, eyebrows pinching together, but urge him to keep going.

“how’s that feel?”

“s-sooo good,” you sigh, hiking your knees up to your chest so that he can drive his cock even deeper.

felix can’t help but chuckle, stroking your cheek fondly.

“look so pretty, angel,” he compliments. “‘m gonna get such a big ego if you keep moaning like that, though.”

“you… deserve… it.”

felix seriously doubts that, but you don’t know any different, any better, so he doesn’t let himself get too carried away.

“cross your ankles behind my back if you’re able to,” he instructs, “that way you won’t strain yourself holding your legs up on your own.”

“like this?”

felix groans as you do what he suggested, feeling your walls squeeze even tighter around him. your thighs are hugging him like this too, soft yet strong. he feels completely surrounded by you, by your body, your scent. it’s all too much and not enough at the same time. he wants to fuck you properly— slam into you over and over until you can’t even remember what day it is. he wants to show you what he’s actually capable of, prove to you that he can show you a good time. ruin you for everyone else but him… but he’s almost already cum like. three times now. so that’s off the table, at least for today.

instead, felix focuses on what he’s doing now, which is thrusting into you at a moderate pace, and talking you through it.

“yep, perfect,” he chokes out.

he fucks you in that position for a while, basking in the pleasant sounds of you panting beneath him. you seem to like it, if your whimpers of his name are anything to go by.

he can tell when you start to feel sore, though. your frown of pleasure begins to turn into one of discomfort but you’re trying not to let it show. but felix has been dating you long enough to read you like an open book so he stops what he’s doing and checks in again.

“does it hurt, baby?”

you start to shake your head. “na- a little.”

“let’s stop here for today then.”

he goes to pull out but you stop him, keeping your ankles locked behind his frame.

“i want you to cum though!” you protest.

“tonight’s not about me, silly, remember?”

“but i got to cum it’s not fair!”

“again, it doesn’t really work like that. sex isn’t a transaction. you don’t have to ‘pay me back’ for making you finish.”

you pout silently and begin to blink rapidly. it takes felix a second to realize you’re trying not to cry.

oh, he’s really done it now.

frantically, your boyfriend cups your face with his free hand and pleads for you to look at him.

“baby? what is it? what’s wrong— what did i do?”

you sniffle. “nothing, it’s… it’s stupid.”

“no, it’s not, i promise. nothing you could be thinking right now is stupid. it’s okay to feel overwhelmed or upset or whatever it is you’re feeling… it’s your first time after all, and i’m sorry i couldn’t make it perfect—”

“that’s exactly it, lix!” you lament, wiping your tears with your free hand. “it’s my first time and, and i couldn’t even make you cum. everyone says it’s supposed to be a lot easier for boys to cum but we’ve been going at it for so long now and you’re not even close.”

felix genuinely has to keep his jaw from dropping in shock because that is not the reaction you need right now. he wants to tell you how wrong you are but you’re still talking and he doesn’t want to interrupt and risk making you even more upset so he keeps his mouth shut.

you pause, hiccuping and desperately trying to catch your breath. “i guess, i don’t know i feel like my vagina must be broken or something. is it not good? is there something i could be doing better? you can be honest.”

“baby, no! it’s not you at all! your v- you’re perfect! to be honest, i’ve been fighting an orgasm this entire time. i didn’t want to cum too soon and ruin it for you, that’s the only reason i haven’t. i promise.”

“pinky promise?” you hold your pinky out for felix to loop his own around, which he does, sealing the promise with a kiss to your knuckle.

“pinky promise.”

“so do you want to?” you ask.

“do i want to what?”

“cum, do you want to cum?”

“no, babe, you’re sore already i don’t want to hurt you.”

“but i want you to!”

felix sighs. “baby…”

“what if you cum in my mouth?”

“what?”

you prop yourself up on your elbows and raise an eyebrow.

“let me suck you off?”

“are you sure?”

“yeah, i’ve been practicing!”

you’ve been what now? this is news to felix, and the very idea of you on your knees, training yourself to take him down your throat is enough to make him feel like he’s cumming.

he is, he realizes, when he feels his cock twitching inside of you, feels his cum fill the condom.

“fu-uck, i’m s-sorry, baby…” he gasps out, doubling over back on top of you, feeling like he’s just been punched in the stomach. “i didn’t… should’ve warned you.”

when felix opens his eyes again, you’re beaming.

“this is the best possible outcome,” you tell him as he rolls off of you.

“huh?” he asks, blinking hazily at you.

“you came and i didn’t even do anything!”

“oh, yeah… see, i told you! you drive me crazy.”

you pat him on the shoulder like you’d just played a friendly game of kickball and grin.

“feeling’s mutual.”

[sunder-soul]

As requested, a Part II to the prompt from @riddles-wifey​​ about jealous Tom!

PART I HERE! 💖

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Jealousy

Summary: Reader tries to avoid Tom following their strange confrontation, fails miserable, a very different kind of confrontation ensues.

Word count: 1.5k Content warning: making out, nothing too serious.

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

“Something weird happened,” you say bluntly, falling into the seat next to Margot in Transfiguration the next morning.

She immediately looks up from her textbook.

“With Riddle,” you add quietly, glancing around the classroom to check for onlookers and potential eavesdroppers.

Margot’s brows shoot up and a wide grin splits her face. “Are you serious?” she whispers excitedly, leaning in.

“Yeah,” you mutter, pulling out your Transfiguration textbook and some parchment. “I think he thought that me and Varrowe were dating…”

“And?” Margot says immediately, so focused on you that she doesn’t notice Dumbledore stride into the room (which is rather impressive considering he’s dressed in vibrant lime green robes with glittering gold fastenings.)

“He got all mad last night when he saw us together, but then when I told him that I was Varrowe’s tutor, he…” You trail off, twirling your quill in your fingers, very unsure how to even describe what had happened.

“Yes?” Margot prompts, still grinning.

“He got all up close and… intense,” you mumble with a wave of your hand, feeling your cheeks grow warm.

Margot looks delighted. “And?”

“And nothing,” you shrug, dejectedly writing the date at the top of your parchment. “After that he just… left.”

“Sweet Snidgets above,” Margot says, shaking her head with a wry smile on her face. “You snagged Riddle.”

“I haven’t snagged anyone!” you whisper hastily, glancing around again. “And keep your voice down!”

“I’m so proud of you,” she says theatrically, completely ignoring your panic. “Merlin’s beard, wait until poor Olive Hornby finds out, she’s been planning their wedding since first year –”

“She’s not going to find out anything,” you say pointedly, narrowing your eyes, “because there’s nothing to find out!”

“Sure, sure,” Margot winks, “so what are you going to do?”

“Dunno,” you mutter, “I guess just avoid him for the rest of time.”

“Avoid him?” she repeats, looking scandalised. “Are you completely stupid? Why would you –”

“My deepest apologies, Miss Droope,” Dumbledore calls from the front of the room, making the both of you jump and wheel around in your seats as the entire class turns to look at you. “I’m afraid I must interrupt your conversation with the minor inconvenience of today’s lesson,” he continues with a sparkle in his eye. “Perhaps you two might find a time outside of class to continue your discussion.”

“Sorry Professor,” you both mutter, hastily bending over your notes.

Dumbledore resumes the class, but the side-eye grin that Margot shoots you assures you that you are most definitely not off the hook yet.

･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ.

Your plan to avoid Riddle works right up until the exact moment that it doesn’t.

It’s a rainy Monday night about a week after the strange conversation with Riddle and you’re holed up in the library with the most gruelling History of Magic assignment you’ve ever had – a sixty inch dissertation on the contributing factors of the Giant Wars.

You throw your quill down and sigh, staring up at the droplets trickling down the dark window and listening to the relentless thrum of the rain. Your eyes are aching and your brain feels like fuzz – it’s definitely time for a break.

You get up and wander down the nearby shelves, vaguely searching for a particular text and fully intending on taking as long as possible to find it, when just like that you round the corner and see Riddle standing in the middle of the aisle.

You freeze.

He hasn’t seen you yet, peering attentively at a text open in one hand as the other traces down its table of contents. You take a slow step back, and right as you think you might get away without drawing his attention, his head swivels around and his eyes flash to yours.

There’s a very loaded pause in which you must look a lot like a deer caught in headlights.

“Evening,” Riddle says smoothly, snapping his book shut with one hand and sliding it back onto the shelf.

“Hi,” you say awkwardly.

“I haven’t seen you around very much lately,” Riddle says casually, leaning against the bookshelf beside him.

“I’ve been busy,” you mutter, avoiding his even gaze as you scan the shelves for the book you’re looking for.

“Oh I’m sure,” he says softly.

You grit your teeth and squint at the books in front of you, determined to ignore him.

“What are you looking for?” Riddle asks.

“Modern Gigantomachy,” you say reluctantly.

“Which edition?”

You glance around at him. He’s still leaning against the bookshelf, looking annoyingly attractive, the waves of his black hair contrasting with his skin, the fine angles of his brows above his dark eyes, the knowing curl on his lips as he watches you –

“Fourth,” you say quickly before you can get too distracted.

Riddle pushes off the bookshelf and is suddenly mere inches in front of you. Your heart immediately lurches as you take an instinctive step away and your back hits the shelf behind you. Riddle delicately arches a brow at your reaction, his eyes fixed on yours as he slowly reaches up to a shelf far above you and slides a book off of it. He hands it to you and you take it automatically.

“Thanks,” you breathe, staring at him wide-eyed.

“Of course,” Riddle says softly.

There’s another silence. Neither of you have moved an inch, and you begin to wonder exactly how many times you’re going to end a hair’s breadth away Riddle before one of you finally caves –

“You’ve been avoiding me,” he murmurs, a smirk building on his lips.

Your heart stops for a second. “You were jealous of Varrowe,” you blurt out.

Riddle’s smirk falls. He lifts a hand to rest on the shelf above your head, leaning over you very unnervingly. “Jealous?” he repeats sharply

“Yeah,” you breathe, slightly horrified that you’d actually said it out loud. “You were.”

Something works in Riddle’s jaw as he glares down at you, and you hug the book he gave you closer to your chest.

“And why would I be jealous of Varrowe?” he whispers.

You blink at him. Riddle is close, too close, his eyes raking across your face as he looms over you, something almost possessive about his hand above your head. There’s no mistaking the sudden shift in the air between you.

You’re leaning up onto the balls of your feet without thinking twice.

Your lips brush against his, so softly that the kiss is barely there, but enough to send your heart hammering as you pull back just far enough to check his reaction. Your cheeks are aflame and your lips are tingling, unable to believe what you’ve just done as the silence stretches on and on, as Riddle stares back at you, frozen in place with something you can’t recognise burning in his dark eyes.

The faintest frown appears between Riddle’s brow, and then slowly, very slowly, he’s leaning down towards you. Your breath hitches. His lips meet yours at the exact same moment that he steps in closer, crowding you back against the shelf, soft and warm, kissing you with a smooth, relentless pressure and you’re leaning up into it without even realising what you’re doing, thoughts swirling, heat on your skin, stomach twisting –

Riddle is pulling the book from your hands and carelessly dropping it to the floor, taking you by the waist and lifting you up as he steps in again, pinning you to against the bookshelf without breaking the kiss. Your hands card into the soft waves of his hair and his grip on your waist tightens as you wrap your legs around him. The first touch of his tongue makes you gasp against his lips, and Riddle’s fingers immediately tangle in your hair to pull you harder against him. Riddle’s mouth is moving against yours, hungry and unyielding, and you’re getting dizzy as heat curls in your stomach –

He pulls away very suddenly. You stare at him in surprise, breathing hard. Riddle’s lips are slick and his eyes have gone black, one of his hands still buried in your hair and the other gripping your hip so tightly that you’re sure that you’ll have bruises in the pattern of his fingers tomorrow.

“We are in the middle of the library,” he murmurs against your lips. It takes a lot to resist shivering at the sound of his voice.

“We… could… go somewhere else…” you manage to say, your heart racing so hard that he can surely hear it.

A small smirk builds on his face. “What about your essay?” he says smoothly, so close that your lips start aching to close the scant distance between you –

“I think technically I just had my textbook confiscated by a prefect,” you whisper with a flicker of a smile, “so there’s my alibi.”

Riddle breathes a laugh, and then his lips are on yours once more.

Thanks for asking for a sequel @bluehydrangea-cherry​ and @the-almond-dinger 💖

[danses-with-dogmeat]

Romanced companions react to an autistic!Sole having a meltdown because of sensory overload?

Romanced!Companions React to Autistic!Sole with Sensory Overload Anxiety

This was a great prompt! I hope I was able to do it justice, I wanted to get it posted, but I also desperately need sleep 😅 But thank you so much for the ask, Anon! I might expand on this more at a later date as well, when my brain decides to function again. 

This prompt with FO3 and FONV

Cait:

She understood Sole's reaction more than the specific cause of the overload. It seems like all Cait has ever been around are stressful and overstimulating situations, so it’s difficult for her to differentiate occurrences that will cause Sole distress and those that wont. Once Sole was able to specify what it was that was bothering them, Cait would put an end to it. Preventing whatever it may be from doing her partner any more harm. She’s not a particularly soft person, everyone knows that, but she can’t stand seeing Sole like this. She may not know a whole lot of fancy breathing exercises that are medical journal standard, but she knows enough from her own experience to be able to improvise something in the way of support for her partner. 

Curie:

She would be an absolute pro. Like, the perfect combo between health professional, and understanding romantic partner. If their surroundings were secure, she would focus all her energy on helping Sole, doing breathing and grounding exercises to help them through their breakdown in a clinical way. In the aftermath of Sole's overload, Curie would turn back to doting girlfriend as she looks after her love, helping them to come down from their nerves and maybe being just a tad too touchy feely for them in this instance. But she means well!

Danse:

If this were to happen in the midst of combat, Danse would instantly take a more defensive position, and would root himself firmly between Sole and any enemies they may be facing. In other instances, he would use what he had learned in the Brotherhood when it came to PTSD episodes that he would experience for himself. He would remove them from the pressured conditions they found themselves in, taking them for a walk to calm their nerves, engaging in breathing exercises with them, and encouraging speech when it seemed possible. He would try to be supportive in every way he could, but Sole would have to be patient with their partner when it came to more intimate forms of comfort, as Danse tends to turn back to soldier-type tendencies in these situations. As a more preventative measure, Danse would attempt to craft a power armor helmet modification that could aid in depleting noise during combat, and otherwise try and dull the senses to make the outside environment more bearable for Sole.

Deacon:

He would actually be really good at dealing with this situation? Given his own experiences in life, and the many interactions he's had with a variety of types of people (and synths) in stressful situations, he would be able to sympathize with Sole, trying to draw any attention away from them, knowing that'll only make it worse, and helping them recover afterwards. He wouldn't be phased at all by their outburst and would try to help calm them down by making a few jokes here and there, if only to let them know that it wasn't a big deal to him.

Hancock:

His mostly chill demeanor would work wonders on Sole's nerves when they were around him. He was just so easy going, and non-judgmental and he seemed to never strip their energy from them when they spent time with him. Should they get themselves into a situation where sensory overload does occur, he'd do his best to guide Sole to a safe place where they can unwind and focus on returning their breathing to normal. If they think chems will help, he'll be more than happy to oblige, even going so far as to specifically scavenge whatever type of treatment chem that Sole had in mind for these overwhelming instances and would always keep it on his person.

MacCready: 

He’s a little panicked himself in these types of situations, but he makes an effort to be the calm one of the two. He finds his way to Sole in whatever way he can, looking into their eyes and trying to ground them with his voice as he desperately tries to keep it from shaking. He’s never had any formal training or anything like that, but when his PTSD episodes flare up, he has a few tricks that he uses to get back to reality; identifying objects around him, breathing in through his nose, sitting down with his head between his knees. He’ll try and suggest a few ways Sole can deal with their overload, going through the motions himself as well, since his partner’s anxiety tends to somehow inject itself into him whenever these meltdowns occur.   

Nick:

He’s calm, collected, and used to dealing with people in distress. It’s like he was built for this. Though he isn’t as familiar first-hand with the reactions that the human body has in these types of situations, he knows how to help. He’ll quickly try and get them out of the environment that is causing their meltdown, or eliminate the person or thing responsible for causing their anxiety. Afterwards he will try to help them come out of it easily and on their own terms, trying not to pressure them, but acting as a source of unwavering support for however long it takes for them to settle down. 

Piper: 

The woman truly tries her best, but it always frightens her when Sole is panicked in this way. She’s just too damn empathetic when it comes to Sole, that she can’t help but dissolve into the same state of discomfort and panic that her partner finds themself in. She would try anything to calm herself down and would frantically gesture for Sole to join her as she works on her breathing, counting, and amateur grounding exercises. As the pair come out of their shared panic, she’ll try to return to her normal self as soon as possible. Once her breathing returned to normal and Sole calmed down as well, she would offer her companion some much needed verbal and physical support, as well as some snack material to replenish their strength in the aftermath of their overload. 

Preston: 

The man is the definition of “works well under pressure;” he knows what it feels like to let people down, to lose people because of his mistakes, and he doesn’t intend for that to happen again. Ever. Especially when it comes to Sole. When his partner is in a compromised position, feels uncomfortable, or looks like they're about to have a meltdown, Preston is immediately at their side, putting himself in harm's way in order to ensure their safety and comfortability. He tries to use his voice, which for some reason he can keep totally calm even when he's under great stress, to keep them grounded. Counting along with them as they try to stay focused and keep from becoming completely overwhelmed. He is usually able to calm them down before their discomfort can escalate to the point of a meltdown, but if for whatever reason he can’t, he’ll be there to support them through the entire ordeal. Afterwards, he’ll speak softly to them, taking them far away from whatever situation was the cause of their stress, and ask if there was anything more he could have done to help. 

X6-88: 

X6 tends to notice when Sole is becoming uncomfortable even before they themself know. He’s memorized the types of environments that tend to set them off, and if it’s possible, he tries to usher them away from the cause of their anxiety before it can become an issue. If he is unable to do so, X6 will then take control of the situation as best as he can, eliminating points of stress almost to the point of overdoing it. There may be instances where Sole has to pull him out of his protective frenzy as he relentlessly removes anything that could be causing Sole's distress. In that case, X6 tends to provide enough of a distraction himself to be able to help Sole focus and stay grounded as they try to aid him. Does he do it intentionally? If they ask, he'll insist he doesn't know what they're talking about. He’ll just thank them calmly for assisting him, and begin to tend to their needs in the aftermath of their distress, assessing their physicality and mental state before allowing them to continue their travels. 

[seriouslysnape]

To the Limit

__

Severus Snape x Fem. Reader

Warnings: Slight smut. Use of safeword. Language.

Request: Hi! Can u make Severus × Reader when the reader use the safe words for the first time because idk maybe it's too much for the reader that day or smth else you like..Thankyouu 💕💕 love ur writings btw ❤❤

A/N: Here we gooooooo. Reminder, everything is consensual.

Word Count: 2,947

“Okay, darling. Whatever you want.”

__

Severus has always been flexible in the bedroom. Yes, Severus Snape is versatile in the sheets and has more love making skills than you originally would’ve given him credit for. Sex with Severus can range anywhere from slow and careful where praising your body is his main objective, to fucking you so mercilessly that stars are dotting the back of your eyelids with each hard thrust.

Sometimes, you don’t have to establish what kind of theme your sessions will take on. If Severus comes home angry from a long, obnoxious day then you very well know that a rough fucking will get it out of his system. When you’ve just watched one of your favorite romantic drama Muggle movies that have sent you into tears, he knows that something more unhurried is in order so you are reminded of how much he loves you.

Other times though, there isn’t really anything that determines the kind of sex you’ll be having. If the mood is right for both of you, then you often will just figure it out from there. 

Severus’ return on Friday night from a long week of classes was coated with his desire for you. You could practically feel the hard sexual tension radiating off of his whole being. From the moment he walked in the door, you knew what tonight would hold for the both of you. More than likely, it’d be a whole lot of rutted fucking and orgasms until neither of you had any stamina left to give. Normally, a seed of excitement would be planted and begin to grow in your core at the thought of being touched by him, but you didn’t feel it this time. 

It had been a bad week to put it simply. Work was weighing you down and you had taken more hits than you were used to in a five day time period. Exhaustion had riddled you, and stress has gotten the best of you. Emotional breakdown was the only way you could describe how you were feeling. You really weren’t feeling up to what Severus wanted to do. However, you couldn’t bring yourself to deny him when his hands and lips were on you, moving to all his favorite places on you.

His voice was silky smooth in your ears as he uplifted you with how he had been thinking about you all day, and how he wanted to be with you when you weren’t around. It wasn’t Severus’ fault that you had a bad week, and it surely wasn’t all his fault that he was this turned on. The way he gripped your legs with his strong hands was an indicator that he wanted to go well into the night, which your tired state wasn’t a fan of. But you loved Severus, and you always wanted him to be happy and well pleased. So you figured you could handle a couple of coarse rounds to satisfy him.

Oh, how wrong you were.

Once access was granted, Severus leapt onto you without hesitation. A tornado of clothes being removed whirled around the room, your shirt and pants ended up on complete opposite sides of the room. Hot and unruly kisses were shared, marks were left on your necks, and no part of you went unattended. 

Admittedly, the first orgasm was actually enjoyable. Severus’ fingers were knuckle deep in your needy cunt and pumping vigorously as he found all the best spots. The strenuous activity melted some of the week’s stress from your conscience, your mind being stripped of all your worry as it clouded with ecstasy. Severus thrived off of the moans and noises of delight that he was drawing out of your throat, perfecting his movements to give you an even stronger release. Severus worked you to your finish as you came around his fingers, slicking them with arousal and relief. 

He left lazy kisses over your breasts while you took a moment to recover, preparing yourself for the next round that was undoubtedly on its way. Tiredness had plagued you long before Severus had even walked through the door, and you had suddenly been robbed of even more energy, so you were confident that you might not get a proper orgasm this second time. But the moment Severus slid you onto his dick and stretched your walls the way only he knew how to, you knew that you were going to cum whether you felt like you could handle it or not.

It wasn’t that you didn’t want to. You loved seeing Severus so enraptured in waves of pleasure and gratification, but you were beyond fatigued. Still, you bounced up and down on his lap over and over again, your already sensitive clit throbbing with each rub of his fingers. Severus’ other hand guided your hip movements to meet the way he thrusted up into you, hitting your g-spot just right.

When you came this time, your sound of release was more of a strained cry than a content sound. Severus didn’t seem to notice, since he was too focused on the intoxicating feeling of filling you with his own finish. You popped off of him before he was even emptied out, the rest of his fluids landing on your inner thighs. You fell onto the bed next to him, your breathing much heavier than usual. 

You were totally tuckered out with absolutely no hope of another round. Your muscles ached and your bones were wiped out. Although, you felt a queasy feeling of despair when you saw that familiar look of lust in Severus’ eyes. He spoke lowly, his voice echoing in your ringing ears.

“I’m not through with you yet, love.” He purred.

Usually that would’ve sent a whole mess of arousal through you, but you were too worn out. But Severus usually didn’t last more than three rounds, so this would for sure be the last one. You thought you could push through so he could at least get his release, but this third go round wasn’t a good feeling for you at all.

With your arms above your head and the pillowcase below your head in your fingers’ death grip, you turned your head to the side to fight through his persistent hard fucking into you. On a better day, you’d be all over this and relishing every moment. But now your eyes were screwed tightly shut in discomfort, for each time you opened them Severus would only be able to see the whites of your eyes. The thumping heartbeat in your ears was deafening and your entire body was stiff and rigid, but not in a good way. You wanted to tough it out so at least Severus could finish, but it was just too much for you tonight. 

You had to tap out.

“Polyjuice!” You squeaked out, your voice raspy.

In an instant, you saw any expression of lust wiped straight from his face. He pulled out the millisecond that the word registered in his head, his face stricken with worry and concern at the first time use of your agreed safe word. Severus’ heart dropped at your whimpers of displeasure, his brain reeling and raking over what had gone wrong. 

“[Y/N], what’s wrong? What happened?” He asked frantically.

“I-I just...”

Shaky breaths and uncomfortable whines were the only noises you could seem to make. You sat up from where you were laying down, bringing your knees to your chest and hiding your face as you began to cry. Your emotions were all over the place, and it didn’t help that you were overstimulated and overworked. Severus went to pull you to him, but withdrew his hand. Upsetting you further would absolutely crush him, but he needed to know that you were okay.

“Can I touch you, darling?” He whispered out.

The yowl of approval was enough for him to feel fine with carefully wrapping his hand under your arm and dragging you across the mattress to where he was kneeling on the middle of the bed. He pulled the covers over your skin to keep you from getting cold from the loss of heat from being active. You buried your head into his bare chest, your tears leaking and falling down his skin. 

“I’m sorry, Sev. I’m really sorry.” You sobbed, your hair sticking to your sweaty skin.

“No, no, no. Don’t ever be sorry for telling me to stop when you’re not comfortable,” He reassured; “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” 

The shake of your head brought relief upon him, but he was still worried. He rocked you in his arms until your sobs died down enough to where you were coherent. Severus was getting ready to ask you once more what was wrong, shifting you so he could see your face. When moving you, his hand accidentally brushed against your swollen, sensitive clit and you wailed out pathetically. Severus’ pale face went even whiter.

“Oh, my love...I worked you too hard, didn’t I?” He queried.

Severus would always admit that sometimes he’d get into the zone and completely drown everything else out. He wouldn’t really be able to tell how hard he was pulling in and out. It was rare, but from time to time you’d have to ask him to soften his thrusts or slow his pace when he got too rowdy. But you had never asked him to stop completely until now. He feared that he had seriously pushed you over the edge this time.

“It’s not just that.” You confessed with a sniff.

Severus had drawn your head back to gaze into your bleary eyes. The tear tracks being swiped away with his thumbs as he cradled your face. 

“What is it then, sweetheart?” He asked with wonder.

A fresh set of salty tears pooled and fell down your cheeks, but for a different reason.

“I’ve had a horrible week. Nothing has gone right,” You explained croakily; “I wanted to make you feel good and I thought it might make me feel better...but I’m just exhausted and I couldn’t handle it tonight.”

You fell apart into another set of choking sobs and gut wrenching cries, prompting Severus to bring you back into his chest. He stroked your skin and left kisses so light that they were ghostly. 

“It’s alright, angel. I wish you had told me before that you weren’t feeling up to it,” He consoled; “You’re worth so much more than sex. I want you to tell me sooner next time if you’re uncomfortable.”

Your nod of understanding offered a wash of comfort over him that you were calming down steadily. He hated that this happened. He knew that was the whole reason for your established safe word for when things went south or things got dicey. He just never thought you’d ever have to use it. He felt absolutely terrible. 

“I’m sorry, Sevvy. I really wanted you to get off, I just-”

“Please don’t apologize for this. This is my fault. I should’ve seen how tired you were and how I was being overly hard,” He said; “I’m the one that should be sorry.”

The sniffles from your nose had increased as you tried to flush down all the drainage from your crying. Your tears had stopped as you sat up from his body, wiping at your cheeks with the back of your hand. The red blotches in your puffy eyes were pinging at Severus’ already guilty conscience. He saw the littered hickeys across your neck and breasts, and how your lips were swollen from his severe kisses. He had rocked your burnt out body to the max.

“I’ll tell you what. How about we go get cleaned up, and then we can get into bed. Then you can tell me about your week if so wish.” He suggested, cautiously guiding you off of the bed.

“I think I just want to get a bath and get some sleep.” You said, barely able to stand on your wobbly legs.

“Okay, darling. Whatever you want.” He smiled softly, hoping it’d offer you some kind of solace. 

Severus ran you a hot bath, filling it with all of your favorite scents and smells. Your stance was still despite your shaking legs, and you seemed to be staring off into an endless trance. You slipped into the tub when it was ready, sinking down just below your nose under the bubbles. Normally, Severus would be sitting across from you or you’d be snuggled up on his lap, but he wanted you to have some space for a bit. You were honestly too tired to object. 

He simply casted a charm to freshen himself up, finding and selecting his favorite pair of sweatpants and soft shirt for you to change into. Your eyes were closed, and you had just begun to drift off to sleep when he re-entered the bathroom, changed into some casual day time wear, despite how late it was.

“Here are some clean clothes for you, pretty girl.” He remarked, setting the folded sweats and shirt on the end of the tub for you to get when you got out.

You only gave a light nod as a response, your eyes following him as he stood awkwardly. He was unsure of what to do for you now. He thought that you might want the bedroom to yourself for the night, which was fine because he wouldn’t be able to sleep knowing he had pushed you so hard anyway. He placed himself on the floor by the tub, sitting with his legs criss crossed over one another. It was quiet in the room, the only sounds were the occasional gentle splash when you moved your leg or arm. His eyes were still full of worry, and he was kicking himself big time now.

“I’m so sorry...” He breathed out, running his fingertips dragging leisurely your damp arm that you had resting on the ledge of the bathtub; “I never meant to hurt you.”

“You didn’t hurt me, Sev. I promise.” You responded, wishing he wouldn’t take this so hard.

When it came to you, Severus took everything to heart. There weren’t many things in the world that made his heart beat with a purpose. You were the single person that allowed him to want to get up in the mornings. The thought of hurting you was enough to break him down. If he could have it his way, you would be indescribably happy with every passing moment of every day. He never wanted you to feel anything other than joy. 

But he knew that life would never allow it.

Your eyebrows dipped when you noticed his attire, wondering why he wasn’t in his own sleepwear. It was much too late for him to go anywhere.

“Where are you going?” You questioned, your voice thick with weary.

“I’m going to go back to the school. I have some grading to do.” He half-lied.

It was true that he did indeed have a stack of papers to be assessed, but that wasn’t the real reason why he felt like he wanted to leave. Severus Snape grading on a Friday night when he had the opportunity to be cuddled up with his lover? He’d choose you every time.

Now you felt bad for causing him to scurry off. You wanted him there with you regardless of what had happened.

“Severus,” You called out tenderly, reaching for his face; “I don’t want you to leave.” 

A genuine look of doubt flashed over his features as his head lulled into your hand.

“I think it would be best if you got some good sleep tonight. I’ll just be in my office so if-”

“Stay with me. Please?” You requested, the thought of sleeping without him was disheartening.

A sigh of awe expelled from his chest. He couldn’t say no to your puppy eyes and slightly pouting lower lip.

“Okay, okay.” He agreed.

“I think that some boyfriend snuggles will make me feel a whole lot better.” You spoke rather cheekily.

He hummed affirmatively. The sound of nestling up with you was impossible to turn down. He took your hand from his face and kissed your palm gingerly, holding the warm skin to his lips for a brief moment. He eventually stood from the floor, but stopped when you held your arms up.

“Help me up?” You asked with the first genuine smile of the evening.

He chuckled, obliging and lifting you effortlessly from the tub. The warm towel was heavenly as you dried off, changing into the clothes that Severus had left for you. Severus went and changed as well, laughing to himself when he exited the closet to see you already curled up. 

The sheets draped over him easily when he laid next to you, waiting for you to nuzzle up to him. He held you close and flush to him, thanking his lucky stars that you were okay.

“My sweet girl...” He hushed out, noting that you were just seconds away from falling asleep; “I love you.” 

You mumbled out a sleepy “I love you” in return before drifting into a deep slumber to snooze off the night’s drama. Severus, as expected, didn’t sleep much that night to ensure that you were sleeping soundly and comfortably. He still felt dreadful, even after you had told him over and over that he didn’t hurt you. The weekend to follow was filled with Severus doting and cherishing over you every chance that he had, trying to make up for what had happened. You were the light of his life after all.

And he prayed that he’d never see that flame go out.

[glowingbadger]

Hi it’s me, crawling through the window. Would it be possible to get a crumb of arranged marriage w/ Hubert? His line w/ Dorothea about being willing to get married for politics sake has fueled my brain rot for him.

Good God I need to secure my windows-

I mean HELLO FRIEND ANON YES IT WOULD BE MY PLEASURE

Lol actually though, I have been thinking about this for Hubie since we all started chatting about that arranged marriage stuff! I think it's a perfect concept for him~

This like... got weird while I was writing it though?? Idk man hahaha it ended up on the less-spicy side of what I usually write, and with some very weird dialogue in places... Idk, I hope y'all like it. Maybe if there's interest, I'll follow this up eventually with a more smut-focused piece?

I've been traveling and working so much lately that I just don't even know what writing is anymore or how it works hahaha

TW: A brief mention of non-con

Hubert (FE3H) x Reader ("wife," neutral pronouns)

Arranged Marriage - semi spicy i guess?

"Frankly, he's a pain," Linhardt must be able to see your surprise and confusion written across your face. He goes on, "He's reliable and capable, of course, but also the most persistent nag you'll ever meet. Actually, no-" he glances upward as though to cross reference his own thoughts, "No, her Majesty is worse. But Hubert is a close second to be sure. Always on and on about sleep schedules and proper nutrition and etiquette..." He sighs and closes the massive tome on his lap, as though to close the conversation with it, "frankly, he's an insufferable mother hen. Does that help?"

"Well, it's... Not what I expected," you admit with a shrug, "but thank you all the same."

~

It's been several weeks since the papers binding you in marriage to Hubert Von Vestra had been signed- and this alone had sufficed. No ceremony, no grand ball, just paperwork and a handshake with your father. A handshake that ensured that, even under the Empire's unification, he would maintain nominal control over his considerable portion of land, and in return, would swear absolute loyalty to her Majesty. It was a beneficial arrangement for all parties, and you were not ignorant to the part you played. You were hardly even a bargaining chip- moreso, a hostage.

Your new husband had made no secret of what manner of harm may befall you if your family were to renege on their deal. Fortunately, you know your father to be a reliable coward, so you have no reason to believe he would be bold enough to step out of line.

Hubert Von Vestra is a terrifying man. A zealously loyal man of storied cruelty and a frigid disposition. His frame looms over you whenever he's near, and though he's hardly placed a finger on you since you'd been given over to him, his mere presence is... arresting. There's a sort of charisma to him that's equal parts frightening and fascinating. Perhaps it's madness brought on by your circumstances, but you can't help wanting to glimpse just the slightest bit into that brilliant, ever churning mind.

Unsurprisingly, he has been resistant to your attempts to understand him. He hardly indulges you in small talk, and if you were the paranoid sort, you'd think he intentionally makes himself busy when you're around. Eventually, perhaps out of sheer stubbornness, you'd settled on a routine of bringing coffee to his study adjoined to your bedroom in the evenings. He'd been visibly surprised the first time. It wasn't until the fourth night that he'd given a curt "thank you." About two weeks in, he'd actually sat back in his chair and laid down his quill pen to receive the cup from your hands. After a month, he'd leveled his narrow gaze at you and said,

"I cannot begin to fathom what satisfaction you glean from playing 'maid' to me."

"Well, I, uhm," you hadn't expected him to address you so directly, but you managed to say, "You... work so hard, I wanted to do something for you, I suppose."

His expression is inscrutable as he replies,

"You are aware that my work was much the same before you arrived."

"I am," you say softly, "But- all the same..." you trail off, and Hubert seems content to let the matter rest. And so you leave him be amidst his reports and correspondence, coffee at his side on the desk. Yet for as unproductive as your exchange might have seemed, it does leave you with an idea. The thought to learn about the man from those who knew him long before your arrival at the capitol.

~

Your investigation into the true character of your husband does not stop with Linhardt. In fact, his testimony only leaves you with further questions. But perhaps the others would say otherwise; perhaps the United Empire's most up and coming crest scholar simply inspires maternal behavior. This has to be the case- you simply can't imagine that the notoriously ruthless heir of the even more notorious Vestra lineage would be so... Doting.

And yet the more you learn of him, the more contradictory he seems.

Caspar's take is much like Linhardt's- a picture of a man far closer to a school marm than any assassin or master of torture. Ferdinand seems both smitten and incensed by him, oscillating wildly between the two. Then eventually, to your shock, Bernadetta takes the initiative to speak to you about Hubert of her own accord.

"I'm, uh, really so-sorry to bother you!" she approaches with arms drawn close to her chest and eyes resolutely avoiding yours, "I- I just heard that you were... asking about Hubert, so, I, uh..."

It takes some time to prompt her further. You assure her again and again- no, this isn't intrusive at all- yes, you'd very much like to hear her perspective- no, you're not mad at her. In truth, you're endlessly intrigued about what a gentle soul like Bernadetta would have to say about a man feared across the continent. Finally, she manages,

"He's... actually really kind!" she blurts out, as though the words would abandon her if she gave them the window of opportunity. Your eyebrows raise slightly.

"You think so..?"

"Yes, completely-!" she stammers, "I know he's super, super scary, and powerful and spooky and cold and, uh, all of that. But still," her voice falters as she continues, "He only scolds people when they do something dangerous. And he only hurts people to protect others. I... I know he's done some te-terrible things. But... he's always been nice to Bernie," finally, she meets your eyes with an imploring look in hers, "So, uh, I'm really grateful to him. And I think it would be really nice for someone to reach out to him. If... if that's not too weird or anything. For you."

You smile warmly and nod,

"Thank you, Bernadetta. I know it can't be easy for you to come to me with all of this, but... I'd like to try, if I can."

The opportunity doesn't come in the way you expect.

At first, it seems the night will proceed like many others before. You bring a cup of coffee to your husband's desk, setting it down quietly so as to not disturb him. He's silent, but this is common enough, so you head back to the bedroom to undress for the evening. All nights prior, he would lay beside you long after you'd settled in, then rise to resume work in the morning before you woke up- all the while never allowing your bodies to interact in any way.

Tonight, just as you're about to close the door to Hubert's study behind you, long fingers catch around your wrist, visibly startling you.

It's the most physical contact you've had to-date, but he only says,

"One moment."

You whip around to face him, a touch of anxiety evident in your eyes. It's clear in his own that he notices, but if anything, he only seems amused. He steps forward, his taller frame menacing you as he speaks,

"I understand that you have been busying yourself with some manner of investigation as of late."

It takes a moment for his meaning to reach you. When it does, your face burns and you can't bring yourself to meet his scrutinizing gaze,

"Oh, uhm..."

"I assure you, my dearest wife," he says with barely concealed venom, "anything that I do not wish for you to know will be kept from you. Aside from which, your efforts thus far have proven amateurish at best."

Something seems off about his tone. You could understand if he felt uncomfortable or hesitant about your efforts to learn about him, but this seems far more grave, more... business-like. He steps towards you once more, and you step back in turn. Yet before long, you feel your legs bump the edge of the bed. A gloved hand trails a fingertip down your jawline to your chin, then urges you to look up at him.

"Whatever you are planning, my dear, I promise it will be fruitless. You had best rethink how you spend your days before your actions bring you to harm."

"No, I-" your brow creases deeply, your face burns, your body burns hotter and you don't want to consider why, "I've just been trying to learn about you as a person, nothing else. We're- we're married, after all, so..."

He gives an abrupt, dry laugh.

"Ah, so I am to believe that you've been interrogating my allies out of some misguided affection, is that it?"

"Hubert, just listen to me!" for a moment, you feel bolstered, defiant, and you straighten your posture, "You won't tell me the first thing about you- the only way to learn so much as your favorite color is to ask someone who's known you for a decade!"

Briefly, he does seem to consider your words. But his eventual reply is as aloof as any prior,

"If you're no spy or politician, then you're worse- a fool." he says, and before you can respond, he's seized both of your wrists and pushed you back onto the bed. For a moment, the room spins and your voice leaves you. A shrewd eye watches you with cruel condescension as he pins you against the sheets.

"I should think that you'd be well aware what I'm capable of," he nearly whispers, "I personally ensured that the rumors spread through your father's territory and further still. Do you think that anyone would even dare lift a finger to help you if I chose to seek retribution for this recent behavior?" He draws nearer, his grip tighter at your wrists, "Perhaps as punishment, I'll simply take my pleasure from you by force."

Your lips tighten, you take a breath. Then, meeting his gaze directly, you reply,

"You won't."

His visible eye narrows.

"And what evidence do you have to prompt such unfounded confidence? Perhaps you have crafted a flattering falsehood of me in your mind," a mocking smirk curls his lips, "Am I a misunderstood sentimental sort to you, then? A sad, lonely man for you to save?"

You scowl, though you suspect it looks more like a pout to him.

"I don't know what I think of you yet- not completely. But I don't pity you like that, and I don't think you're sad or lonely. I know you're not."

For the first time, it seems that you've caught him off guard. That frigid mask falters for just a moment, and you go on before he can replace it,

"You're surrounded by people who care about you. I've seen it for myself. Whatever you've had to do in the service of your ideals- it hasn't kept the people around you from wanting to know and understand you, even if it's despite you."

Hubert is silent for a moment. His gaze bores into you like he thinks he'll discover some hidden layer if he can just keep digging. Then, he sighs,

"How did I ever become bound to such a troublesome spouse..."

When you wrest your arms from his grasp, his hands fall away with little resistance, and you think that perhaps he had never truly intended to keep you in place by force to begin with. He moves to leave the bed, but your fists find the front of his clothing and tug him back down to you.

You press your lips to his without hesitation, and you can feel him inhale sharply, his entire body rigid above you. His lips are surprisingly soft, his scent like coffee and old parchment, and though your heart threatens to burst from your chest, you hold firmly to him by his clothes. Near imperceptibly, he leans down against you, and your fear, along with any remaining doubts, begin to dissolve. Knowing he won't pull away, you let your hands relax against him, running up his chest where you can feel his own pulse pounding. It's so human, so entirely reasonable and normal. Now, at last, Hubert Von Vestra is merely a man of flesh and bone.

Your tongue meets his naturally, your lips parting in time with his as your kiss deepens to a fevered pace. One hand reaches that sharp, handsome jawline, reveling in the erotic sensation of his mouth moving against yours. And yet, all the while, his hands remain staunchly on the bed beside you. He doesn't touch you- doesn't even let his body meet yours.

It's impossible to tell whether passion or madness drives you to bring your teeth to his lower lip, a single insistent bite communicating desire mounting faster than you can contain. And for a moment, you sense something new; a sound catches in Hubert's throat, a reaction he fights to stifle. Then, he pulls away. His pale skin is tinted a rare shade of pink, and his hair is ruffled out of place enough to reveal both narrowed eyes. His cloak has spilled around his frame to surround you both, and somewhere in your frazzled mind, you imagine that you're caught in some beautiful, velvet-lined trap.

"I- must... return to my work." Hubert says stiffly. He pushes up from you and turns away, leaving you still flustered on the bed behind him. You sit upright, holding your arms tight around your body as you watch him straighten his hair and clothes.

"You, uhm..." your face reddens still as you search for the right words, "you could... join me in bed, if you liked."

Hubert turns to the door of his study, speaking without daring to even glance your way,

"Anything that you offer to me now will be born from the impulse to survive. I have been bargained with before." His shoulders slack just slightly, his voice low and sober, "The proudest nobleman will even sell off his own child to a monster if he feels it will spare him its teeth."

You open your mouth to protest, then shut it without a word. You feel that you know your mind and heart, even in this moment, but you lack the words to convince a man like this. In a feeble attempt, you murmur,

"You don't frighten me, Hubert. Not anymore."

He half turns toward you, though his hand remains on the handle of his study door.

"You yourself said that you do not know what you think of me," he says, "As such, I will not lay a hand on you until the day that you do."

You stare down at your hands in your lap, barely registering the sound of the door clicking shut as he leaves you in the bedroom. No matter how you try to sort out your tangled thoughts, the memory of his lips on yours won't leave them. If anything, it eclipses any sense of reason, standing resolutely in the way of your path to clarity. Letting out a groaning sigh, you fall onto your back on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as if it could offer you any advice.

What do I think about my own husband? You wonder, the thought nearly enough to make you laugh. Well for one, he's a pain.

[undertale-data]

[Image Description: An Undertale chat box that has “WHY FANS LOVE UNDERTALE” at its center. Next to it are a line chart and an Egg from the Dating Hub on its left, and a CRIME measurer (also from the Dating Hub) on its right. End I.D.]

[Image Description: a pie chart titled, “LEVEL OF LOVE FOR UNDERTALE.” The textbox on the top right reads, “On a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being the least and 10 being the highest, how much do fans enjoy Undertale?” From the top going clockwise, 12 or 0% chose 5 and below; 23 or 1% chose 6; 98, or 4%, chose 7; 325, or 12%, chose 8; 529, or 20%, chose 9; and 1664, or 63%, chose 10. End I.D.]

It’s clear from all of the data analyzed so far that fans who took the time to answer our survey love Undertale. It is unlikely that they would have taken the time to answer so many questions if they had not, and even less likely that they would have come across our survey in the first place. Naturally, it comes as no surprise that 63% of our responders gave their love for Undertale a score of ten out of ten. 95% gave their love for Undertale a score of eight or higher, and only 12 responders responded with five or below, a number so small that their responses had to be lumped together to be visible on the pie chart. Of those, only 3 responders gave their love for Undertale a score of 1, and based on those responders’ other answers, it is likely that they were only intending to troll. We are very fortunate that the vast majority of responders took the survey seriously, enough so that responses like this are barely a blip in the data.

Now, for our final analysis post of the event, we will delve into the reasons that fans love Undertale so dearly.

(Essay and highlights under the cut.)

There have been countless essays on the impact that Undertale has had on people’s lives. I can hardly add more on the subject than what has already been said, but I hope this summary can provide a brief overview of what stood out among the over two thousand answers given in response to this survey. That said, due to the sheer volume of answers, I could not read every single one in depth—however, I did skim all of them, and some that stood out or were representative of several responses have been highlighted below. If you would like to see what every fan who consented to share their response had to say, you may view the full list of responses here. Note that these responses have not been edited in any way. This document may take a long time to load, as it is over 100 pages long.

(Warnings for mentions of suicidal thoughts in the following essay.)

Several responders loved the theme of choices mattering in Undertale. Whether people played the pacifist, merciless, or neutral routes, they enjoyed how the game reacted to their actions. For some, it even made them consider their own morality. One touching response explained the impact that the theme of mercy made on them. “I realized that Mercy isn't something that's given to those who deserve it. Flowey didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it myself. Shoot, we ALL need Mercy in our lives.” Many fans left similar comments about how the themes of Undertale made them better people.

Undertale changed how its fans treat others, and it also changed how fans treat themselves. The theme of staying determined and the messages of hope in the game were a light to a very large portion of fans. I cannot list all of the fans who said that Undertale helped them out of a dark place, or that they would not be alive if not for Undertale. “DETERMINATION became a metaphor for not killing myself at a really rough time in my life and I’ll always cherish that. Undertale isn’t afraid to go to really dark places but at the same time holds on so tight to its hope.”

Undertale brought fans together in unexpected ways. Some said they met friends or significant others through the fandom. “I wouldn't have met my now husband without Undertale,” one fan said. A different fan who is non-native English speaking mentioned that the game and the fan community helped them to learn English.

It would be impossible to discuss Undertale without mentioning the fan community. Whether for good or bad, many responders mentioned the fandom in their responses. Overall the feelings towards the fandom seem positive, though many made references to “toxic” parts of the fandom without specifying which parts they consider toxic. Others rejected the idea of toxicity in fandom. One response said: “[SLAMS FIST ON DESK] I KNOW MOST PEOPLE SAY THE FANDOM IS TOXIC AND CRINGE OR WHATEVER BUT OH MY GOD. The Undertale fandom, both the UTMV and the actual UT fandom, has been so much fun to be a part of. I've met countless friends because of our shared interest in something related to the game! The art people create can be breathtaking and so inspirational, and the fanfics are so so good!! I've seen people write incredible things for this fandom and it's what made me continue writing!”

One thing that makes the Undertale fandom unique is the way it embraces various AUs. Some fans are tired of AU content, but the majority of responses show a love for the creativity behind AUs. “Roll your eyes at the 50th AU Sans all you want, it's encouraging people to step outside the boundaries of fanart and pushing people to make their own ideas! I mean, hell, it was how I gained the confidence to start making my own original content.” The lack of a judgemental atmosphere seems present in the AU community, according to the responses we saw. There is an interesting balance between AU and canon (sometimes referred to as “classic”) content that another responder pointed out: “The fandom helped keep the game alive all these years, with all of its AUs. Although personally, I always enjoyed AUs that kept characters as close to the classic material as possible (dancetale, outertale) I do appreciate the creativity of the fandom. They almost created entirely new stories with new characters of their own! If it weren't for those people, the Undertale fandom would have probably not been as active as it is now. I do feel like we're getting a resurgence of classic content now too! (In 2021)”

Regardless of the many AUs the fandom has created over the years, the original game of Undertale still feels like home for many fans. They wished they could reclaim the feeling of playing the game again for the first time, but even though we can’t reset time in real life, there is still a special feeling for fans each time they play Undertale. One fan said, “Even the best fics I've read can't capture that feeling of nostalgia/almost-"coming home" that comes with hearing the music and talking to the characters.” This feeling is one that can be cherished time and time again. In the words of another responder: “It always feels welcoming like home or like comfort food that I never grow tired of no matter how many times I go to it.” Others pointed out the strength of the found family trope in Undertale, which likely contributes to this feeling of “home” as well.

As mentioned briefly earlier, the music is part of what makes Undertale feel like home for fans. Even when responses focused on other aspects of the game, many would throw in a comment about the soundtrack at the end. One comment focused on the music said “IT'S SO GOOD like I will literally go through the entire thing over and over and not be bored with it. It makes my monkey brain so happy you have no idea.” Like with the game itself, the music has incredible replay value, an amazing feat considering most of the tracks use the same few motifs. “I think what I like the most about Undertale is how the music attaches you to the story,” another responder said. “They're simple melodies that stick with you throughout the whole game, and they can remind you of both good and bad times.”

If the music sticks with fans in their hearts, then the game’s lore sticks with fans in their minds. Even six years after the release of Undertale, fans are still creating new theories and digging up new secrets. The way the game breaks the fourth wall in particular intrigued many fans and has stuck out through all these years. The awareness that the game shows for the RPG genre makes it memorable. The game plays with the player’s expectations and turns them on their heads, all while reminding the player that they’re in a game. There are few other games that do this on such a large scale, so it’s no surprise that fans cite this as one of their favorite things about Undertale.

Lastly, the LGBT+ representation in Undertale has been a huge draw for fans. Especially in 2015, the sheer volume of non-cishet characters was unprecedented, as one fan pointed out: “It's practically unheard of to see so MANY from just one source, especially during its heyday in 2015-16. Hell, you can't even GET the true pacifist ending without helping two gay couples hook up. It's really nice to see all of them being accepted for who they are and not judged for their sexuality or gender, at least in-canon.” The LGBT+ cast including Frisk, Chara, Napstablook, Monster Kid, Mettaton, Alphys, and Undyne each connected with fans in unique ways. It’s clear how important this is from responses such as: “There are canon nonbinary characters 🥺. i have never seen representation of myself before.” “It made me gay and trans so thanks for that.”

Once again I am overwhelmed with just how much there is to say about Undertale. One responder really understood when they compared Undertale to an iceberg, explaining that there are so many layers to the game that there is something for everyone: “everyone can find something to enjoy in the lore/game regardless of what kind of fan they are! Being able to appeal to various types of fans—from simple happy shipper people to deep dive lorediggers—is the mark of the coolest games!” I would have to agree with them.

It’s been six years, and despite everything, it’s still you. Thank you for reading, participating in this survey, and above all, staying determined.

Highlights:

DETERMINATION became a metaphor for not killing myself at a really rough time in my life and I’ll always cherish that. Undertale isn’t afraid to go to really dark places but at the same time holds on so tight to its hope.

I think the coolest thing was having the opportunity to watch the AU community grow from its bare roots. It's nearly insane how big and complex it's gotten, unlike anything I'd ever seen before. Roll your eyes at the 50th AU Sans all you want, it's encouraging people to step outside the boundaries of fanart and pushing people to make their own ideas! I mean, hell, it was how I gained the confidence to start making my own original content.

i love how the lgbt rep is so naturalized... there are just gay people! and its nobodys business!

The music is my go to answer, but what I really really REALLY love is how the minor characters have so much personality to them when you talk to them. They aren't incredibly important to the overall story, but they're all so likeable and diverse that you just can't help but like them immediately!

I think it was the first videogame I have played that broke the fourth wall that much. Of course there has been other videogames that broke it but just for one or two tongue-in-cheek jokes. The guilt of killing mama goat was also something intense as well that I appreciated as an experience and that I didn't think a videogame could cause on someone.

I love how no character can be seen as completely bad! Everyone builds up Asgore as some horrible villain, but he turns out to be a 'fuzzy pushover' who's broken and just wants his family back by the time you meet him. Then you think Flowey's an irredeemable killer who engineered the suffering of the monsters across many timelines, and he is... but he also used to be the kind and beloved Prince Asriel Dreemurr, traumatized by his death and subsequent rebirth, projecting his best friend onto you.

The fact that choices matter in the game. Your first playthrough and getting the golden ending for the first time. I can never replicate those feelings again, wish I could erase my memories and replay the game from the start.

I wouldn't have met my now husband without Undertale.

(Toxic parts of the fandom aside) The community is possibly one of the kindest I've ever met. Cringe culture is completely dead, and I feel like I can be myself. I felt a very close connection to many of the characters, and I loved consuming content about them when I was in a rough patch in my life.

just everything, the whole game has just impacted my life so much. i know it sounds really lame, but when the game first came out, i would purposely put my hands in my pockets and sway slightly, like sans' idle animation. of course i dont do that anymore haha, but undertale still really impacts me to this day, and i wouldnt have it any other way :)

it made me gay and trans so thanks for that

I realized that Mercy isn't something that's given to those who deserve it. Flowey didn't deserve it. I don't deserve it myself. Shoot, we ALL need Mercy in our lives.

The thing I love most about Undertale is no matter how many times I play or watch a playthrough it always makes me genuinely happy. It always feels welcoming like home or like comfort food that I never grow tired of no matter how many times I go to it. Toriel still makes me feel all warm and cozy in her home, the Skelebros always make me laugh, and I still cry on the inside watching Frisk comforting Asriel. And on the flip side the No Mercy run still invokes the negative emotions in me as well. In short Undertale just feels like a second home to me and I always wish I could stay.

The reader inserts are my favorite way to decompress after a hard day

I think Undertale helped me discover my love for 8-bit games, and made me realize how IMPORTANT music is in video games.

the worldbuilding and character design are my favorite parts of the main game apart from the music! I’m also a huge fan of the random AU music- not for like underswap or underfell i like the stuff where someone makes a megalovania for a random au where gru from despicable me replaces sans as the character. i think its funny

Just... the vibe, honestly? Even the best fics I've read can't capture that feeling of nostalgia/almost-"coming home" that comes with hearing the music and talking to the characters.

there are canon nonbinary characters 🥺. i have never seen representation of myself before.

[SLAMS FIST ON DESK] I KNOW MOST PEOPLE SAY THE FANDOM IS TOXIC AND CRINGE OR WHATEVER BUT OH MY GOD. The Undertale fandom, both the UTMV and the actual UT fandom, has been so much fun to be a part of. I've met countless friends because of our shared interest in something related to the game! The art people create can be breathtaking and so inspirational, and the fanfics are so so good!! I've seen people write incredible things for this fandom and it's what made me continue writing!

There's a scene where Frisk (the player) is going towards what is presumably going to be their death. They will fight Asgore and he will use their human soul to break the barrier and free his people. The music, despite the player's impending doom, is... triumphant. You are not the triumphant one here, and yet, the score invites you to experience the monsters' joy and happiness as they tell you the tale of their subjugation. The monsters are going to be free. This is their victory, but they don't hate you or want you to die. They're just... happy. That scene has always struck me very deeply. I feel it represents the best parts of Undertale.

I loved how well thought out the Geno route was. It really made me feel like I was doing something horrible, and the characters were very obviously reacting to dire circumstances.

I dunno? I like Undertale for it's characters, story, music, secrets and many more. I am not good with Headcanons but I also like the neutral endings and how different they can depending on who you spare and kill

I was very bad at english before, i thought i couldn't progress because i was very shy and not confident. But my sibling and i wanted to have the best experience with this game so we wanted to play it in english. It's this game and the fandom which helped me to make huge progress in english !

THE SOUNDTRACK. IT'S SO GOOD like I will literally go through the entire thing over and over and not be bored with it. It makes my monkey brain so happy you have no idea.

to avoid writing an essay i will say one word. Mettaton

It is like Toby specifically made the games to fit the iceberg meme and it's awesome, everyone can find something to enjoy in the lore/game regardless of what kind of fan they are! Being able to appeal to various types of fans - from simple happy shipper people to deep dive lorediggers is the mark of the coolest games!

I love almost everything about Undertale as a game on its own. The music, the art and especially the characters and how they interact. They made me feel at home. Undertale means a huge amount to me. (I even got a tattoo of the castle when you and MK walk together!) The fandom helped keep the game alive all these years, with all of its AUs. Although personally, I always enjoyed AUs that kept characters as close to the classic material as possible (dancetale, outertale) I do appreciate the creativity of the fandom. They almost created entirely new stories with new characters of their own! If it weren't for those people, the Undertake fandom would have probably not been as active as it is now. I do feel like we're getting a resurgence of classic content now too! (In 2021)

the mystery. toby fox refused to give answers to anything and i think thats very sexy of him.

I just feel guilty for liking it so much when I'm in my 30's. But I recently got diagnosed with ASD, so I guess it explains things a bit. Many ppl consider Papyrus to be neurodivergent, and some adult fans are too, so seeing that makes me feel a bit better.

i think about "Despite everything, it's still you" everyday of my life.

I like how it's just as funny as it can be serious. All routes are this way. I laughed as much as I cried when I played the Pacifist route and then once I opened the game again and Flowey was telling me to let them be happy, I immediately turned off the game. I somehow felt bad.

The Found Family Trope

The True Pacifist Ending is just...man. And the fanworks about saving everyone even when the game doesn't let you? MANNNNNN

I think what I like the most about Undertale is how the music attaches you to the story. They're simple melodies that stick with you throughout the whole game, and they can remind you of both good and bad times.

there's honestly a LOT to love about this game, but i think one of my favorite things about it is just how many lgbt+ characters there are??? i can think of alphys, undyne, frisk, chara, mettaton, napstablook, monster kid, asgore, mad mew mew, the dress lion, the royal guards, and arguably even papyrus off of the top of my head, but im sure i'm forgetting a few from just undertale alone (there's even MORE in deltarune)!! it's practically unheard of to see so MANY from just one source, especially during its heyday in 2015-16. hell, you can't even GET the true pacifist ending without helping two gay couples hook up. it's really nice to see all of them being accepted for who they are and not judged for their sexuality or gender, at least in-canon.

[Image description: A wordcloud in the shape of the capitalized word UNDERTALE. The text is white on a black background, and uses the font found in the game. Some of the most visible words are: Game, Love, Music, Life, AU, Store, Friend, and Feel, which represent the most common words in the essays people wrote about their love for the game. End of ID]

[hollandsmushroom]

Lost In My Brain

Hello everyone, so this concept came from the very very depths of my brain as I went into a deep dissociative episode and I wrote this to pull myself out by imagining semi mob tom comforting me. 

REBLOGS AND COMMENTS MUCHLY APPRECIATED 

Tom Holland x Reader

Summary: You aren’t replying to Tom’s texts so he is really worried, he finds you in a state of trauma and unable to really communicate. 

Warnings: Please read this at your own comfort, I wrote this to help me cope and I thought someone else might want to read it. I have written about extremely personal topics in this and I am not talking about stuff that I don’t know anything about, I suffer from dissociative PTSD. So warnings really include mentions of an unidentified trauma, Dissociation, Dissociative PTSD, Loss of recognition of faces, mentions of Mob Tom, missing person?, Trauma that happened at night, intrusive thoughts, thoughts that you are actually dead. 

Masterlist

Request Here

Word Count: 1577

Tom’s meetings had run late, he had messaged you throughout the discussions to keep you updated and so you wouldn’t worry but it was him who worried as his phone remained void of any response from you. He began to grow antsy as the conversations just dragged on. He gave his input whenever he had to but most of his time was spent trying his hardest to seem as if he was paying attention and then checking his phone to see if you had responded, and every time his phone screen was blank. His worry was beginning to overtake his body, he worked in a dangerous profession and people knew that the best way to get to him was through loved ones, you being the main one. The thought of something bad having happened to you made his heart break, the thought of someone hurting you added to that made his blood boil. It wasn’t like he was overreacting, you were always very attentive to responding to him when he was in meetings, you knew that under his hard mobster outside he worried about you a great deal and if you could do anything to ease that, you would, and that is why he was freaking out to this extent. As soon as the meeting came to a close he left immediately, ignoring the people who tried to catch his attention on his way out, focused only on getting home to you. 

  Tom walked into the house, calling out your name and receiving no response in turn his heart beginning to pound as the silence reverberated in his ears. With an urgency he began making his way through the rooms of your shared house. He started in your bedroom, eyes landing on the perfectly made bed, signalling to him that you never went to bed, he made his way through the guest rooms, your office, the living room, by the time he reached the kitchen he was on the verge of tears. Hands grabbing on to the counter as he faced the empty living room, retrieving his phone from his slacks pocket and quickly dialing up his mate Harrison. 

“Mate?” Tom asked as he heard the phone be answered on the other end of the line. 

“Yeah?” His friends tired voice answered, clearly having been woken up by Tom’s call

“I can’t find Y/n, I don’t know where she is” At this point Tom felt like he was on the verge of breaking down, the idea that something had happened to you and he wasn’t there to protect you made him see red.

“Wait? You can’t find her?” there was a rustle from the other line, Harrison having sat straight up in bed, shock over taking him. 

“Yeah, mate and I am kind of starting to freak-” Tom spun around, leaning his back against the cool marble countertop when his eyes caught on the open sliding glass door leading to your backyard, a dark figure sitting on the cement ground rocking slightly. 

“Mate, I'm gonna have to call you back” he ignored his friend's words of worry as he hung up, placing the glowing screen face down on the counter and making his way outside. As soon as he passed the threshold of the door sniffles reached his ears. The weather wasn’t freezing but it definitely wasn’t warm enough for you to be sitting there in nothing but one of Tom’s shirts, bare thighs on the cool ground. 

“Love?” Tom called as he made his way to your quivering figure, shoulders throwing themselves back and forth as you attempted to rock yourself in comfort. He reached a hand out to your shoulder, but you flinched away from his touch causing his heart to shatter. With the jerk of your movement his eyes caught your face, tears staining your cheeks. 

“Love it's me” Tom assured, once again reaching his hand out to you, and this time you let him, his hand soothing over your shoulder causing it to cease its shaking as you eased into his touch. He did this gradually, progressively enveloping you further into his hold, a protective embrace, your face tucked into his chest as his hand rubbed up and down your back, trying to warm your body as you began to shiver from the night air. 

“Let's get you inside, darling” Tom’s soothing touch helping you off the ground. He grabbed your hand, gently moving you into the house, and led you to the bathroom. His hands grabbed your hips, placing you onto the bathroom counter, you sat there, eyes trained on the wall ahead as Tom dampened a washcloth, moving back to you to wipe the snot and tears off of your cheeks, he stood in your view for the first time, his hands reaching towards you as you examined his face, causing you quickly push him away, hurt flashing across his unknown feature as you distanced yourself from him, scooting back on the counter curling further into your own body. 

“Y/n?” His voice sounded defeated, reaching out again only for you to have the same reaction. His voice, you knew his voice, and his face didn’t seem completely unknown, something about him was familiar. It was so close to the face you loved so much but your eyes were distorting his features.

“I...I don’t know who you are?” He could have sworn he broke when you said that. 

“Baby, it’s me, it’s Tom” he cooed, trying to understand what was happening, fear bruning through his chest and all the way down to his gut, feeling as if his world was slipping from under his feet. 

“No, I-I know it’s you but..but I look at your face I don’t recognize it, it’s off, it’s not quite right and I don’t know who you are, you look like I stared at you for too long and you lost all feature, Tommy, I don’t know who you are and I don’t know who I am” your tears began to flow again as you looked in the mirror, your face was just a little bit off till it wasn’t your face anymore. You closed your eyes and shook your head violently causing Tom to gasp, reaching out and grabbing your shoulders to halt your movements. 

“Stop, baby, please stop, it’s me, it’s Tommy, I’m right here” his voice soothed you, peeling your eyes back open, you saw his face, it was right, it was your Tommy. 

“Tom?” His name but a question on your tongue as he cupped your cheek. 

“Yes it’s me,” the pad of his thumb brushed away tear streaks. “What’s happening, sweets, talk to me please” he pleaded, eyes begging you to let him know what was happening. 

“I’m dead Tommy” you explained but it only made it worse, yes widening comically as fear shot through his body. 

“W-what do you mean you’re dead?” His mind was racing, had someone put a hit on you? Did you need to go into hiding? He felt like he was falling into every possible issue that you could be having but he was cut off by your voice again. 

“I was thinking earlier and what if I died that night? What if I didn’t get out of the way? This is the after life” you mumbled, fully convinced that you had lost your mind. 

“You are not dead” Tom demanded 

“How do you know that” you whispered 

“Because I’m here, dusting with you, I can touch you and trace every mark in your body, I have my own life, I would have that if you were dead, and if you were why would it just be a continuation of your day to day, why are you freaking out if this is heaven” he tried to explain and something must have worked because your body eased, eyes drawing from your hands to his face. 

“This is real?” your voice sounded weak, so lost in your mind as your eyes seemed to glaze over. 

“Yes,  love this is real” he hummed, finally being able to wipe the tears from your face, his touch drawing you back from the farthest depths of your brain that you kept spiraling into “Now let’s get you to bed” Reaching past you he grabbed your toothbrush and toothpaste, preparing it for you to brush your teeth. You took your toothbrush from his hand as he leaned in and kissed your forehead lovingly, a tear slipping from his eye as he took in your defeated state, brushing it away before you could see and brushing his teeth as well. 

Moments later you fell into your bed, Tom’s arms wrapped securely around you as your back curved into his chest, you shook your head as you closed your eyes seeing everything you wished you could forget. 

“Tommy, I feel so lost in my brain, its like its yelling and every new thought just adds to the noise, continuing to bounce around with everyone else” You whispered as you shuttered. 

“I know it's not okay, my love, but I am here and I will be here, I will help you come back” he kissed your temple and held you as you fell asleep. He vowed to himself that he would be there for you, he would never let you go, give you a life that distanced yourself from that pain that haunted you. He would remind you everyday that you are alive. 

[crybabykiko]

could you do the nsfw alphabet for atsumu please? thank you :)

Aw shit, here we go again...

NSFW Alphabet: Miya Atsumu

gn!reader focused

A/N: She hasn’t written in awhile but you know what I’m proud of it- lol be nice to me or I’ll leave forever jk I won’t but still be nice to me ily 💕 Atsumu is a menace I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Obviously nasty below the cut so if you’re a kid fuck off

𝕬 - 𝕬𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖗𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖊

He’s not the best, but certainly not the worst. He will take care of you, but… only after he takes care of himself first. Usually that just means he needs to take a shower. Once he does, he’s free to supply cuddles until you both fall asleep.

𝕭 - 𝕭𝖔𝖉𝖞 𝕻𝖆𝖗𝖙

He has abs so solid you could make a sharkcoochie board on them. That’s all I’m going to say about that.

𝕮 - 𝕮𝖚𝖒

When Atsumu cums… he cums hard. It’s like having an out of body experience- every nerve cell in his body is firing off as he tenses up, digging his nails into whatever flesh he can grab, and grinding his heels into the surface supporting him. He bites down so hard his teeth grind involuntarily as his face contorts in a strained statuesque vision. One low growl from deep in his chest comes out through gritted teeth as he sputters out mixtures of “that’s it,” and “don’t you dare fucking stop.”

The orgasm face of Atsumu Miya is one of the 7 wonders of the world.

𝕯 - 𝕯𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞 𝕾𝖊𝖈𝖗𝖊𝖙

It’s not a secret per se, but he’s been exposed and clowned for eating ass… so he doesn’t wanna talk about it.

𝕰 - 𝕰𝖝𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊

So contrary to popular belief, I don’t think he’s that experienced... he’s just lucky! (Lmaoooo all of his experience is based on like 2 actual people that he maybe got to second base with (he says third but come on we know he’s lying) and then a litany of porn. Poor thing just wants some coochie I AM HERE KING and he has no trouble finding it, he just never seals the deal. He’s someone who just kind of, knows what to do naturally. He’s able to read someone’s body by touch alone, and so he knows what you like right off the bat based on how you react. He might try a couple of things at the start to see what really makes you squirm, but once he’s got it... holy hell has he ever got it.

𝕱 - 𝕱𝖆𝖛𝖔𝖗𝖎𝖙𝖊 𝕻𝖔𝖘𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

I hate to say how easy this was- but I KNOW Atsumu is a guy who prefers doggy. I see him as a hair puller, so this is perfect for him. I also could see him being into mirrors, and this is the perfect position to make you look at what he’s doing to you, especially while he’s pulling your head back by your hair. He especially likes gripping his thumbs into the smalls of your back (he crosses his arms bc saw it in a porn once and he thinks it makes him look cool), and when he’s INTO it, he likes to smack your ass to encourage you.

𝕲 - 𝕲𝖔𝖔𝖋𝖞

Is goofy by accident. Like will sometimes try throwing in something new with his normal dirty talk that completely throws you off. He hates when you laugh at him for it, but you find it endearing.

𝕳 - 𝕳𝖆𝖎𝖗

I’m gonna… say something so controversial yet so bold:

What hair?

And yes I mean that. Smooth. He waxes. Monthly. No hair. (Besides like… legs and armpits… yah he doesn’t touch those) Naked mole rat dick but fuck it he’s Atsumu motherfucking Miya he can do what he wants.

𝕴 - 𝕴𝖓𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖆𝖈𝖞

While he’s not the most... romantic in general per se, he does want to make you feel appreciated. He’s very eager to get his, but he won’t allow himself to unless you have already. It takes restraint, but he cools himself down by having you get on top, or by leaving lingering kisses anywhere he can, saying you’re the most beautiful thing he’s ever laid eyes on.

𝕵 - 𝕵𝖆𝖈𝖐 𝕺𝖋𝖋

When he’s away from you he loves to send you videos of himself or FaceTime you. He gets you worked up enough to join him no matter where you are. He just needs to see you, he needs you to see him stroking his cock to the thought of you- he can’t cum without you telling him to.

𝕶 - 𝕶𝖎𝖓𝖐

I have to get this out but I KNOW he’s nasty. I imagine Atsumu as a huge dirty talker and also someone who’s into spitting. Both of those are just clear in my brain... like he would be pundinng you from behind, spit on your back, and then call you a slut all in 3 seconds flat but the way that you would cream? Ugh insanity he needs to be arrested he needs to be stopped

𝕷 - 𝕷𝖔𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

Since he’s got money now- he’s a big fan of ordering Uber XLs or even just hiring a driver for a night on the town as a flex. But he especially loves telling his driver to put up the window partition while he annihilates you in the backseat. I just think he’s a fan of car sex in general- it just does it for him.

𝕸 - 𝕸𝖔𝖙𝖎𝖛𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓

Loves to hear his name. Whether you’re moaning it or screaming it like it’s the only word you know, he’s always going to ask you who you belong to, and the answer is always Atsumu.

𝕹 - 𝕹𝖔!

He totally eats ass. He’s just not gonna tell anyone bc he told Osamu ONCE and now his contact name is ASStumu and he lives in fear of that getting out.

𝕺 - 𝕺𝖗𝖆𝖑

Sloppppppyyyyyy. Loves giving ~slightly~ more than receiving, simply bc he loves the sight of seeing his spit dripping down your thighs while he goes down on you. Loves eye contact when you’re going down on him.

𝕻 - 𝕻𝖆𝖈𝖊

Though I wouldn’t say he’s super experienced, I know he’s relentless. He fucks. Literally just fucks. Not in the sense that he only treats you like a hole bc yikes, but in the sense that he just goes the speeds of fast or faster. There’s no slow with him.

𝕼 - 𝕼𝖚𝖎𝖈𝖐𝖎𝖊

Yeah. Lots of them. Anywhere, anytime. Particularly for him, a lot of them end up being in his car, simply because you’ll be out somewhere and the mood strikes. He’ll quickly take you out to the car for a few minutes, slut you out, and then return to the function like nothing happened. You’ve had many a quickie in a bathroom or closet in a party as well. When he wants you, he wants you, so he’s not afraid to take you.

𝕽 - 𝕽𝖎𝖘𝖐

Not as much of a risk-taker as people think. Mostly because he wants to protect you. He would hate for someone to see you in such a compromising position… but also, you’ve had your fair share of quickies in the bathrooms of various wedding receptions, so he’s lying.

𝕾 - 𝕾𝖙𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖓𝖆

Can last a decent amount of time, if he spreads it out over multiple rounds. I’m general, he can probably go about 2 or 3 rounds without needing a break. More if you draw out foreplay with him. He’s a pleaser, so really how long he lasts is up to you. He’s got the power and control to hold off on is own release until he’s certain you absolutely can’t take anymore.

𝕿 - 𝕿𝖔𝖞

One of those mfs who gets you the mold of his dick as a toy for your birthday for when he’s away because according to him “you’ll be so needy while I’m gone”

I hate him so much but I would use that shit every day he knows what he’s doing I’m so upset

𝖀 - 𝖀𝖓𝖋𝖆𝖎𝖗

Speaking of being needy- he loves to egg you on when you are. He knows all the buttons to push, but he’ll never actually make the move until you’re begging. And of course he loves to turn that around in you, hitting you with that “god, ya just can’t get enough of me, can ya?”

𝖁 - 𝖁𝖔𝖑𝖚𝖒𝖊

He’s more of a talker than a moaner. Not necessarily loud in bed- but very, very vocal. Commanding of you in a good way, and will definitely show his appreciation through praise.

𝖂 - 𝖂𝖎𝖑𝖉𝖈𝖆𝖗𝖉

Actually has a Cosmo subscription bc he likes trying all the strange and obscure sex positions in the articles. Also likes taking the quizzes, and will casually have you do them with him at breakfast.

𝖃 - 𝖃-𝕽𝖆𝖞

he’s a little on the thicker side. Its probably a good 7 inches, so it’s enough to fill you, add in the stretch of his girth and it’s a good, mild burn when he first goes in, but he fills you just enough without it being way too much. He’s a shower, so he doesn’t get much longer, but you have a lot to work with. He also has a cute freckle on his left inner thigh.

𝖄 - 𝖄𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌

His sex drive is on the higher end, but really only when he’s in his off season. When he’s actively playing in games, he tries to curb his appetite a bit because he believes in the superstition that sex messes with players’ stamina on the court.

𝖅 - 𝖅𝖟𝖟

He’s gonna knock out, but not until he showers. He ALWAYS showers after. The water soothes his muscles and by the time he’s done it’s lights out.

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