#i'm a bio student but i would love to hear from people who already have their phd !

[a-random-fandom-friend]

hi I just saw your offer on the infodump blog about anatomy and biology

do you know anything about reptiles? I want to write a fantasy novel about dragons and I would like some fun facts about real-life reptiles to sprinkle in my writing. thanks a lot, have a good day!

Hello ! Sorry for the time it took to answer, I just moved city ^^

I ended up talking a LOT, so feel free to ask me about a specific subject I mentioned ! I started with the Bird Problem, then spoke about scales, shedding, courtship, reproduction and egg laying! Hope this helps you !

So ! First fun thing about Reptile : The term "Reptile" actually doesn't exist in science ! Because to have the group X, we need to say "Every specie of X is part of X group because it descends from one common ancestor". At some point there was One Wolf, grandpa of all wolves. There was One Whale. There was One Spider. There was One Mammal. But there never was One Reptile that was the grandparent of every reptile and only the reptile, and that is because the grandparent of lizards and snakes and dinosaurs and crocodiles and turtles... is also the grandpa of birds. So either "reptile" doesn't exist or... birds are reptiles ! They have the same bones and also have scales on their legs ! I much prefer the second way of looking at things : birds are just just... weird reptiles. So if you want some dragons species to have wings or even just decorative feathers, that's scientifically correct ! (many dino also had feathers ; feathers are actually suuuper modified scales) (and they're made of keratin)

Speaking of : There are species of reptiles that have no scales ! There are snake breeders that have engineered, through selective breeding, scale-less snakes - like ball python (T. It's a mutation that occurs in the wild too (Tho there is a big controversy around the practice of breeding for it, because the scales protect the snake and allow him to move more easily, so that's engineering snakes that would not survive well in the wild, and maybe have a reduced quality of life, even in captivity, because of their impeached movements ). Also by checking this info I just learned that snakes have overlapping scales formed on top of their skin, while crocodiles and turtles have scutes that ARE their skin and they do not overlap. You can decide how your dragons are !

Still scale/scute related : a lot of reptiles shed, or moult. It works by creating a new layer of scales under the current one, and once it's complete, the old one -which usually became too small for the reptile and is already stretched- detaches itself when the snake rubs on things. Some species, mostly snakes and some lizards and geckos, shed in big pieces, while in most reptiles it falls in flakes. Some species eat their shred to consume the keratin in it ! I know that humidity tends to help with shedding, and also getting stuck in a shed is very bad for reptiles : there is a scute over the eyes to protect it and if it doesn't fall, the reptile will not see much, plus if a reptile is caught up in its shed it could cut off circulation of the blood, since, well, it moults for a reason and its old shed is too small. Domestic reptiles tend to shed when they are well fed and comfortable, so not in a stress situation !

Some rapid fire informations that I don't know much about, but is common in most reptiles : slow metabolism (need long rest after eating, so tend to eat proportionally big things), cannot control their own body temperature (so they love to rest on hot, warm spots, like stones heated by the sun, or their enclosure's UV light), either predators or herbivores with a gastrolith (a stone in their stomach to crush the leaves that their lack of teeth left intact), and they have one single orifice for pee, poop and egg laying, which is called Cloaca. Oh and last fact : When a crocodilian is propped on it hands, head tilted upward, eyes closed and mouth open in a smile... They are actually SUPER STRESSED. They are being super tense and showing off their teeth. A relaxed crocodilian will look like Flat Fuck Friday : not a single tense muscle in that body.

Now, my favourite part : How they reproduce :D

For, almost all species, the reproductive organs are internal and come out only in period of reproduction (the exception is the tuarara, the Aotearoa/ New Zealand lizard, who doesn't have any organ at all). So it can be hard to determine in an individual is male or female, if there aren't any other physical differences (change in size, or colour, or even body form between the two sexes). Crocodiles and turtles have one penis, while snake and geckos have two (called hemipenes). The penis hole is hidden between two scales when the penis doesn't come out ! (the male tuarara just presses its hole to the female's hole)

Really cool fact : Aspidoscelis neomexicanus is a specie of lizard that is EXCLUSIVELY FEMALE and only reproduce by... basically cloning the mom's DNA and using that to create an egg ! It is called Parthenogenesis, and a lot of other animals can do it (an unfertilized egg give birth to an individual) : reptiles like the Komodo dragon, insects, fishes, birds... Tho it has its cost : there is a very reduced genetic diversity which means they are less resistant to environmental change. Which is why, to most species that are able to do it, it is more of a last resort than the main way their reproduce. But there are 25 lizards species and one of snake which are uni-sexual ! There is just no male in the specie ! Isn't that incredible ?

Above : a female A. neomexicanus ! (picture by Kit Bezy) But yeah most reptiles still need to be 2 to reproduce. One get on top of the other, or on the side of the other, and boom boom boom boom. To do that they need to attract a mate, however, and reptiles have SO MANY different way of doing it. Some snake get like 50 males in a big ball around a female when she's receptive (up to 30 000 for the Red Sided Garther Snake, which is a bit excessive if you ask me), some chameleon change colours, some have horns that grow, turtles need to shake their head or flutter their fingers, the draco (flying lizards) have brightly coloured throat fans, crocodiles make a lot of sound (and in 2010, some responded to noises made by sonic planes !), the Gharial make ultrasounds so the water along its back will dance, the Eastern Fence Lizard contorts itself to really really show that it has a blue belly, that's not even talking about the birds who can literally decorate a nest with objet of one colour, pick flowers, let themselves free fall several dozens of meters, dance, sing, offer food... They also tend to use pheromones, either to attract a mate (the female in those big balls of snakes, for example) or to stimulate the good reception of the sperm. In some species the males can fight for the right to access the female, like turtle headbutting each other, or male sea-turtle trying to bite the male mid-reproduction. In garther snakes, the male deposit a plug at the end of the fuck so that no other man can access it. So, honestly do whatever you like with the courtship of your dragons.

Reptiles can lay eggs OR give live birth : Boas and most vipers give birth to younglings, and so does a specie of chameleon, lizard called skinks, and at least one aquatic dinosaur. Tho (at least for the non-dinosaurs) they still lay eggs : they are ovoviviparous, meaning they lay egg inside of a special cavity inside of them, and they keep the laid eggs inside until they hatch, and at this point the hatched babies exit their mom. So it looks like they give birth to live younglings when in reality they produce eggs! Most reptiles lay eggs directly, meaning it's an egg that leaves the mom. Some with hard shells, most soft shells, and some snake emit a kind of glue that binds all the eggs together in a little mountain. I know that for snakes you must NOT turn an egg once it's been laid ! Because the development of the correct body parts in the correct order depends on the egg orientation. To exit the eggs, the youngs have a little tooth on the front of their mouth, which is really cute ! it falls later in life.

(Picture by Twin City Reptiles)

For some reptiles, the sex of the youngling is not dependent on their genetic, but on their environment ! For example, in some turtles if the egg is incubated above a certain temperature, it will be female, but under that temperature it will be male ! Another form of temperature dependent sex determination is : "There is a reduced range of temperatures at which male will hatch, and any higher or lower that this range, females will hatch" (that's the case in all crocodiles, and some lizards and geckos, and even other turtles). For both methods, if the egg is incubated at the middle temperature, it can hatch as either one or the other, and very rarely as intersex. To achieve different temperatures the parents can, for example, bury the eggs in the sand (near the surface it's hot but deep down it's colder), or bury them in some leaves (near the top it's cold but closer to the earth and surrounded by the other eggs it's warmer). Of course, this isn't the case for all reptiles, but it is a pretty cool fact ! (and it was discovered by a woman in 1966, so that's cool too)

More rapid fire that i did not know where to put : Crocodilians have a lot of strength to close their mouth, the most powerful bite of the animal kingdom, but not a lot of strength to open it. So to prevent biting, animal rescuers duck tape their mouth shut and it's enough! You decide if the bite of your dragons are especially strong. Also a lot of species or reptiles are venomous but most rent, and some are even more dangerous, like the boa that constrict around its pray and crushes it. Snake exit their tongues to "taste" the air (well, collect the chemical around them, then bring them in the mouth where the taste organs are) but rapid tongue flips means stress ! And finally, the study of reptiles is called Herpetology.

I apologize if I made a lot of errors (english isn't my first language) and don't hesitate to come ask me to elaborate on a particular subject ! Have a good day !

[musings-of-a-rose]

What the Hell Are Fancams?

Pairing: Teacher Ben (SNL) x f!reader

Word Count: 2500+

Rating: Mature - 18+ ONLY!

Warnings: Just like ao3, “creator chooses not to use warnings.” If you click Keep Reading, that means you agree that you’re the age to handle mature themes. Also by clicking Keep Reading, you understand warnings may not be complete in order to avoid spoilers for the story. 

Notes: Absolutely felt called out during the SNL sketch with Teacher Ben but I knew I had to write a little something for him. I'm pulling from my own experience as an ASL interpreter in the school system (glad I finally can incorporate it!). Thanks to @vanemando15 for her help in this and for being a beta!

**If you want to be added to the taglist, join here or let me know!

Main Masterlist

Teacher Ben Masterlist

What the Hell Are Fancams? PART 2

New year, new school, new student. Such is the life of an American Sign Language interpreter when you work in schools. 

My last student moved out of the district so I was assigned a different one. This student's interpreter wanted to go back to work with the little ones and while I loved my time with them, it was time to swap grades. 

My student is amazing and comes from a rare family, in that she is the only member that is Deaf but everyone in her life learned ASL from the moment she failed her hearing test. In most families it's the complete opposite, causing significant language delays and isolation. It never fails to blow my mind how many people won't learn a language for their child, especially when they'd both be starting from the beginning. 

This student, Chelsea, I had worked with from her time in pre-k to 5th grade. It was great already having an established repertoire with a student and we easily fell back into our normal chatter, her filling me in on anything I missed for the few years I was back in Pre-K.

So how's this school? I ask, as she's been here 2 years already.

Not bad. Teachers are mostly ok. Too much homework though.

That's usually the case with high school. Any favorite classes?

I like acting class, but my favorite teacher is Mr. Ben. He teaches marine biology.  She gives me a look I can't discern at this.

Oh? 

Yeah you know, like about the whales you like and other ocean stuff. 

You're in marine bio 2 and you're calling it ocean stuff? Sounds like a great ocean stuff teacher.

She rolls her eyes at me. You know what I mean. Plus he's…

He's..what?

She smirks her mischievous smile that I know can only mean trouble. Nothing. Don't worry about it. 

Chelsea-

Oh look we're at math class.

Saved by the bell, indeed. 

After math was lunch, followed by marine biology. Since it was the first day, I decided to eat quickly and get to the next class a little early so I can start on my "who I am and where I and my student need to be placed" speel. Although he may not need it since Chelsea was in his class before. Still, you never know what a previous interpreter did. 

I knock softly on the door and male voice tells me to come in. I push the door open and see that the teacher has his back to me, bent over his desk grabbing something. His very broad back. 

"Uh hi. I'm the interpreter for your Deaf student for next period and I'm here to answer any questions-"

He turns around and I forget what I'm saying. Bright, brown eyes focus on mine, brown hair that looks so soft with greys starting to creep in, matching the patchy facial hair he has. His nose? Don't get me started on the thoughts I'm having about that nose. He's wearing a blue plaid shirt tucked into black pants, and a tie with tropical fish on it. 

A faint pink dusts his cheeks when he looks at me. "H-hi. I'm Ben Morales. The kids call me Mr. Ben." 

He holds out his hand and I shake it, willing my nerves to not come through it. God he's hot. I wonder if this is what Chelsea was talking about. In fact, I'm sure it is.

I launch into my speel, albeit a little faster than I normally would, but Ben just nods along and does whatever I ask of him. 

"Do you have any questions?" I ask.

"Um… not right now. You're a little different than the last interpreter." He coughs and takes a sip from his water bottle.

"Ah yeah we all do things a little different. Is there anything that worked well for the student and you that I can accommodate?"

He chokes on his water, coughing violently. I move quickly, thumping him on the back but his face keeps getting redder. 

"You-" He coughs "-want to go on-" He coughs more "- a date?"

It's my turn to have my cheeks heat up. "I- what? No I said accommodate… are you ok?"

He nods, muttering something like "Oh shit" under his breath as he turns away from me, his coughs dying down. But before we can talk more, the bell rings and students start moving about the halls. 

"Well let me know if there's anything I can do to date you, Mr. Ben. ACCOMMODATE! Accommodate you!"

Fuck. Me. 

A tap on my shoulder and I turn to see Chelsea, lips upturned in that mischievous smirk. 

I see you've met Mr. Ben.

I have. He's…nice.

Yeah, nice. Is that why your face is all sweaty and warm?

What? 

She laughs and takes her seat, eyes flicking between me and Mr. Ben as the bell rings and he starts his lecture. 

—----

I find myself making it to that class a few minutes before the bell rings just to have a moment to talk to him. When I can talk, that is. I've never met someone who makes me trip over my words as much as he does. But soon, we settle into a routine, after bonding over our mutual love of orca whales. A couple weeks in, I bought him a brightly colored tie with orcas swimming on it. The smile he had could be seen from space. 

Chelsea can't seem to wipe the smirk from her face whenever she sees us talking. 

He likes you. Chelsea signs, giving me a wink.

Focus on your test, Chelsea. 

It's hard to when you guys are up there yelling your love for each other. You should ask him out. 

This has nothing to do with your classwork. And this is highly inappropriate. 

She scoffs. You've known me forever. 

Yes but you're not an adult. 

I'll be 16 soon. And I'm not an idiot. Everyone knows you guys like each other. 

What do you mean "everyone"?

She gestures around the room. Everyone. It's in the fancams too.

The..what? 

F-A-N-C-A-M-S. She repeats the sign. 

Thanks but I have no clue what that is. 

She laughs and Mr. Ben walks over. 

"Everything ok? Any questions?" He's talking directly to Chelsea and not addressing me, which is exactly what I told him to do on day one.

"No, I'm good Mr. Ben. I was just telling my interpreter about fancams." I voice for her, trying to keep my cool.

His face goes blank. "The what?"

She laughs. "You don't know?"

Before he can answer the bell rings and we head off to next period. 

At the end of the day, Chelsea takes my phone and pulls up one of these fancams and wow. It's basically a Mashup of hidden video and photos taken of Mr. Ben that have been heavily edited and music added, making him look hot. How is this appro-

Oh shit I'm in this one. Apparently Chelsea is not the only one to try and push us together. 

Shit. 

The next day, I make it to his class early as usual. He walks from around his desk to lean sit in front of it.

"Hey Mr. Ben."

"How many times do I have to tell you to call me Ben?"

I smile. "Sorry. Habit."

"Hey…so what was that fancam business from yesterday?"

Oh. 

"I uh.."

"Please tell me. These kids all talk about them and I have no clue what they are."

"I don't-"

"Please?"

Oh God his eyes are all big and brown and just like a damn puppy. 

I sigh, shaking my head when I realize that was audible and I'm staring too long into his eyes. I could get lost in those eyes. 

I pull my phone out and walk over to him, leaning my butt against the desk next to him. 

"Ok, so please remember that I was shown these and am in no way affiliated with the creation of the fancams."

He chuckles, leaning in closer to me. He smells good, like fresh parchment and aftershave. 

"Are you ok?" He asks me.

"What? Oh yeah. Uh the fan cams."

I scroll through and pull one up, handing him my phone as it plays. His face becomes redder as it plays on. 

"I uh..who…who made these?"

"I'm not sure. Chelsea said a bunch of the students did-"

"There's more than one??"

"Y-yeah. Look." I swipe through a few more until it settles on the one that puts us together. I try to swipe past it but he catches sight of it before I can.

"What was that one?"

"Oh nothing. It's nothing."

"But it had my face-"

"Just another fancam."

"And yours."

"Kids these days. They will make any-anything."

"I can't see it?"

"Uh nah you don't want to-"

"Oh I think I need to see it."

He's not pressuring me at all, more like flirting, but…that's not possible. There's no way he holds the same crush for me as I do for him, right? 

My boldness coming from some tucked away insanity, I reach over and swipe the video back up, letting him watch it in its entirety. 

"The kids…want us to go on a date?"

"Apparently so. C-crazy, right?" I swallow hard, hoping he can't hear the way my heart is pounding though my chest, his scent filling my head and making it very hard to focus. 

"I don't think it's crazy."

RIIIIING!

That fucking bell ruins everything. 

At the staff meeting the next morning, they ask for chaperones to the homecoming dance. Teachers groan but a few hands automatically go up, volunteering their evening. I raise mine too, Chelsea already telling me she had been asked to go by the person she'd been crushing on since last school year. They had spent the entire summer learning as much ASL as they could in order to talk to her, which was too touching for words and I know it meant the world to Chelsea. I won't have to follow her around but I'll be there in case of emergencies. 

To my surprise, Ben raises his hand shortly after watching me raise mine. The admin takes down names and the meeting concludes, Ben catching up with me as I start to head out to homeroom. 

"You're volunteering too?" He asks. 

"Yeah. Chelsea is already going and while she doesn't necessarily need me, she asked me to come in case she does. I think she's nervous."

"That kid learned asl for her, right?"

I nod. "Yeah. She's super excited although she'll deny it."

"Sounds like her." 

"Mmmhmm."

We walk together for a hall or two. 

"I gotta go this way to homeroom."

"Oh. Right. Um, see you soon?"

"Yup. See you!"

—----

When I make it to his class at my usual time, I can see he's nervous about something, his eyes extra wide and small beads of sweat accumulating at his hairline. 

"HI, Ben."

"H-hi."

Silence as I unpack, but then he's standing near me and all I smell is him. 

"Can I ask you something?" He asks.

"Yeah of course."

"I…uh did.. um… would you-"

A student pops their head in, asking for clarification on the homework and he shakes his head, turning to help them.

—----

Homecoming arrives and I pick out a simple dress to wear. Not quite prom dress but definitely nicer than school attire. I head into the dance and get my assigned area and head there, milling about as people and students start to file in. Music blares as the dance starts andI  feel a tap on my shoulder. Turning, Ben is standing there, a navy built suit, dark button up shirt and - the whale tie I had given him shortly after we met. His mouth is agape as he takes me in. 

"You…you look…"

"Is that the tie I got you?

He picks up the end and looks at it. "Yeah. I thought it would go good with my outfit."

"Brings out your eyes."

"What?'

"What?"

Just then the music stops and switches to a slow dance, the DJ insisting that teachers should join in on this flashback. "True" by Spandau Ballet starts to play and a few staff members laugh and pull each other to the dance floor. 

"D-doyouwanttodance?" Ben speaks so quickly that I can't understand him.

"What?"

He sighs, gathering up…courage?

"Do you want to dance?"

Oh.

"With…you?"

"Yes. But you don't have to if you don't want to-"

"No! I want to!" Shit, was that too enthusiastic? 

He smiles, wiping his sweaty palms on his pants before offering me his hand. I take it, the warmth from his hand spreading into mine. He guides me to the dance floor and spins me to him, his hand hesitating over my hip. Gently, I place my hand over his and guide it to my hip, encouraging him to grip me with his fingers. 

His eyes find mine as he leads, neither of us saying anything, just staring into each other's eyes. My stomach is in my chest and I swear he can feel my heart pumping out of my chest. He's wearing cologne tonight, but underneath it I can smell that familiar smell of him that makes me forget words. A minute passes before he leans in and speaks in my ear. 

"You know we're going to be in another fancam because of this, right?"

I laugh. "You're probably right. But it's worth it."

He pulls back and looks at me again, his brown eyes sparkling as he stares deep into my eyes. The song ends but Ben doesn't drop my hand or my hip. 

"Will you come with me for a second?" He asks. 

"Of course."

Removing his hand from my hip, he winds his fingers through mine and pulls me through the crowd of students and out of the side door, turning down the hallway and moving away from the cafeteria doors. 

"Ben, what-"

He spins me around and pulls me tight to his body. His eyes flicker between mine and I can feel the nervous tension bubble between us threatening to pop. 

And then it does. 

His hands come up and cup my face, bringing his lips to mine as he places the softest kiss to my lips. He pulls back and I follow him, unwilling to let him go. 

"Was that ok? I should have asked before-"

I grip the tie around his neck and pull him to me, deepening the kiss. His lips are warm and inviting, better than anything I could imagine. His hands are gentle, one sliding around to the back of my head and the other settling on my hip, pulling me in closer. A slight moan from him goes straight through me and I can feel myself getting warm. 

The doors bang open and we fly apart, laughing nervously when the students that had come through the doors disappear down the hall to the bathroom without even spotting us. 

"Dinner?"

"Are you asking me on a date, Ben?"

He pushes his body back against mine, having felt my tug on his belt. 

"I am." His voice is somehow deeper and it goes straight between my thighs. 

"I'd love to."

He kisses me again and starts to put away, but I grip his tie tighter and pull him back down. His eyebrows scrunch together in a question. 

"Let's go check if your classroom is empty."

The question drops, lips hitching up in a knowing smile as he slides his fingers between mine, pulling me down the hall to his room. 

—----

What the Hell Are Fancams? Part 2>>

General Taglist:

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[luoism]

gooooooooooooooood morning !! i got an iced coffee by my side n i'm ready 2 go !! it's nice to meet all of u ^^b my name is sen (they/them) n i am the writer behind LUO: a little guy who happens to also be a ghost whisperer, with a talent to cause chaos wherever he goes !! (honourary mention to @huitians 's mun for making me that header >< i literally owe u my life)

tracker !!

replies status: - nayeon :: owed, drafted, in progress - ryder / there's a crowd :: owed, drafted, in progress - huitian / second meeting :: owed, drafted, in progress - yuhui :: owed

did you hear the latest scoop ? we’ve got a new student joining us ! a little birdie told me that they’re called XU LUO, but they kinda remind me of LIU YANGYANG — don’t ‘cha think ? you’re probably thinkin’ they’re just another 23 year old in their THIRD year of some BACHELOR’S DEGREE IN ANTHROPOLOGY, but wait ‘till you hear about their MEDIUMSHIP! nifty, huh ? probably good to know, especially ‘cause i heard they’re THE CURIOUS CURRENT’s new PODCASTER! they’re pretty OPTIMISTIC on nullivi, but you should watch out for their RECKLESSNESS just in case ! anyway — if you wanna check them out, i heard they’re staying at the YELLOW HALL. oops ! you didn’t hear that one from me ! ༊*·˚

-- #BASICS !! STATS . ANOMALY . BIOGRAPHY !!

he literally only is here for a fun time (not a long one!)

grew up an orphan in venice, italy: lost his parents in an accident - he isn't really sure ?! he was way too young to remember, and if that's what the people from the orphanage told him, that's what he'll believe !!

speaking of, that orphanage was BUTT CHEEKS!

. . . it was also haunted. . .

the second people there figured out that he was an anomaly, they moved his room to the attic, where luo was destined to spend most of his time.

he would essentially stay in there all day, and only be allowed down once everyone was asleep (which meant that he would have teachers who taught him at night)

so luo made friends with the ghosts of the orphanage.

he could already see them and hear them anyways, so! it's not like he had a choice!

while his stay at the orphanage was designed for him to have the worst time possible, these years were the happiest years of his life

(it's also kiiiiinda all he has)

more info on his stay can be found on his bio page (though it's still under co!!!!)

his uncle is the one who was able to legally adopt him and bring him to seoul, south korea.

his uncle owns an antique shop where luo works during the weekend. it also doubles as a shop for anomalies (it's hidden in the basement).

luo loves and would die for his uncle. they have the best relationship!!!!!!!!! he is happy :)

because of his upbringing, he can be very: naive, gullible, sooo eager to please. like you could tell him that you like that one snack only available at the other side of the city during a very specific time frame of the day.

and he would show up the next day with it for you.

"did you seriously go all the way there just for a snack?!"

"oh, it was nothing!" (it took him three hours, he got lost twice.)

because of his upbringing, he can be very: blunt, honest to a fault, terrible at picking up social cues. he doesn't do it to be mean, if anything, he will say it how it is with a big smile and such cheerful energy, it often confuses a lot of people

he isn't particularly liked by the common crowd. labeled as the weird kid his whole life, he finds that it's a status that seems to follow him everywhere.

his main friend right now is @seriphic , though he has been recently introduced to @ofmays and @huitians.

he already met tian beforehand, but that's a story for another day. maybe he's crushing a little.

he wants more friends so PLZZZZZZZZ plzpzlpzlpzlzplzpzlplz hit me up

curious by nature, it's only fair that he is a PODCASTER!!! for the curious currents, which actually does redeem his reputation a little bit...!!

until he starts talking about ghosts. he loses everyone, then.

his main hobbies include ghost hunting and tarot reading.

he does both for free, so if you're in need of his service, you know where to find him!!

he also has a youtube channel where he posts his ghost hunting vlogs.

speaking of ghosts, here is a full summary of his anomaly !!

he doesn't really talk about his ghost stuff, but he isn't ashamed of it either. based on his upbringing, he simply learned that this isn't a normal topic of conversation. to have

i think i'm gonna shut up before i write more...!! his plot page is still under construction, but please don't hesitate to reach out to me until i post it! like this post and i'll reach out... ^_^b please also take my discord because plotting on tumblr is soooo buttcheeks....

[ivyblossom]

I have some additions and corrections to add to this.

First off:

"Tell me about yourself."

This is a terrible interview question and I am side-eyeing any hiring manager who asks it. If the hiring manager is a dick, it might be a way to get you to disclose things they can't legally ask you.

Things to never disclose:

your age

your religion (or lack thereof)

your marital status or partner (straight people talk about their spouses at great length and detail in interviews, in my experience)

your living arrangements

your family relationships

Debt or financial situation generally (including student loans)

Your sexuality (sorry, as a lesbian I empathize and see the need for openness and freedom, but if they're asking this question they might be dicks, don't risk it)

whether or not you have children

whether or not you are pregnant, or are trying to get pregnant

any disabilities, health issues, or mental health issues

whether or not you own a car or know how to drive a car, if not relevant to the job

If they aren't assholes trying to get you to disclose information they aren't entitled to and they're asking this question thoughtlessly, what they're doing is trying to break the ice and give you a warm up question, but the answer doesn't really count unless you say something disqualifying, like "I like to edit video from my hidden staff bathroom cams".

Don't reiterate what's on your resume. They have your resume in front of them. If that makes you nervous, say upfront that you're not going to reiterate your resume since they have that already. This question is a request for information about you that makes them feel like they're getting to know you. Like a bio on a social media profile.

They aren't entitled to information about you personally, so I would turn to the non-relevant parts of your history that don't make it to your resume but highlight your skills and qualities, and adds personality to you as a candidate. Stuff like "I'm from X city (only if this isn't a nightmare minefield, it sometimes is), I used to be a competitive diver, I taught myself Python for fun, I have a degree in X, I focused on Xa sub-topic, I volunteer at X Film Festival and I love cinema, I worked at a Starbucks in high school and find that experience surprisingly relevant in almost every job I've had since, and I'm happy to meet you today."

I'd write notes for this kind of mini bio ahead, frankly. That's always going to come in handy for the rest of your life. Mainly what results of these kinds of answers is that you demonstrate that you can manage small talk. It's a stupid question, I wouldn't ask it.

As with an exam, when you get asked a question, answer the question. They want to know about you? Tell them about yourself. On your terms. Just keep it short.

"Why are you interested in this company/position"

The reason they're asking this question is that they want to see if you understand where you are and what the job is. Did you read the job description? Do you look at their website? Did you prepare for this interview?

I can't tell you how many times a candidate will fail to answer this question and will just default to talking how they think they're a good fit for the role without ever giving any indication that they know what the role actually is. I've seen people do this when their skills and experience aren't even close to a match. That might feel safe, but it doesn't help you. They're not asking why they should be interested in you: they want to know what you are interested in this role. So answer that question.

People often think this is a good place to say something like "I hear this is a great workplace!" If it's actually true certainly say so with a specific example of how you've heard it's great, but saying it to sound flattering just lands like a lie. It's enough to say that this kind of work is what you want to do next, and some part of the role is an area you want to grow in. You are demonstrating that you understand what the role is and you know which org you're interviewing with.

I have seen candidates say that they applied for a role because they really want to do X when there is no X in the job whatsoever. Doing X in the job would be not doing the job. This is why this question exists: show the committee that you understand what the job is.

I would always default to talking about what interests in you that particular role rather than the org. It's specific, and it doesn't telegraph that you intend to get into the org and then move around to a different position as soon as you can.

If the role is exactly the same as one you've done before, in the same industry and unit but with a different company, you're going to have to explain why the move. It could just be "ready to try something new/meet new people", but most roles have something different you can point to, so lean on that. You can say that tasks a, b, and c are areas of strength for you with these novel differences (a, b, c). "This is a lot closer to where I live and I'd like to be able to come into the office regularly" is a damn fine reason to jump orgs, and I think most employers would be thrilled to hear if someone is willing to be on site.

If there are brand new tasks in the job description, that's easy: point to those and say, "these are areas I've had limited opportunities with so far, but I've enjoyed this kind of work in the past, and I want to do more of it." These all answer the why question specifically without making you perform a fake dedication to their mission statement.

"What are you looking for in a new position"

I disagree with the advice to answer with what they brag about. This is another attempt to see whether you actually read the job description, and whether you understand the differences between this job and your past experience: presumably you applied for this job because there's something in it you're willing to do for money, so tell them what that is.

Pinpoint pieces of the job description and talk about how that work in particular is something you want to continue to develop your skills in. Is there some supervisory work there? Great: I want to get more supervisory experience. Project management? Working with the public? Or something like, "in my current role I'm limited to working within my own unit, but I can see in this role that there's a requirement to reach beyond that and collaborate with a lot of other units regularly, and I really like that, it sounds it a lot more varied." It's specific, not blowing smoke, and it say something positive about you.

"Tell me about a time when you had a problem with a co-worker"

I could not disagree more with the answer suggested here: "tell me about a time when there was a minor, non-offensive disagreement with co-worker that you resolved quickly in a positive way".

If you answer like that, what I will glean from your answer is that you lack experience facing genuine workplace conflict, or you aren't comfortable acknowledging your mistakes, both of which are red flags.

I saw a candidate once describe a conflict between other staff members where it was pretty clear that the candidate had actually caused the conflict. It would have been a perfect example to share, an A+ answer if she had pointed out that her actions had inadvertently created the conflict, how she stepped in and acknowledged that, apologized, and worked with them to resolve it. But she thought she was just an observer, demonstrating that her judgement and self-awareness were poor.

Stories where someone else is being dick and you were just standing there putting up with it make you look like an asshole and a bad colleague, because you are characterizing a co-worker as an objective dick, demonstrating zero empathy or curiosity for their motives or context. Objective dicks definitely exist, but they aren't great examples for answers like this. Pick something where you thought you were doing something helpful for colleagues you respect, but then your actions had side effects you didn't see coming and caused conflict, and talk about how you how took responsibility for your contribution to the conflict and learned from it.

It might seem counterintuitive, but one of the fastest ways to get people to trust you is to tell them you fucked up. They don't think, "oh, no, here's a person who fucks up!" Everyone fucks up. What they actually think is, "oh, here's a person who recognizes when they fuck up, will tell me about it, and takes responsibility for fixing it. Cool."

"Tell me about the latest project you worked on"

This is a silly question too. I'd offer a short description the latest project and if it's not relevant enough, I'd offer another one to tell them about and let them choose. but that's a good opportunity to talk about a project and point out a thing you learned that you're taking with you. Like, "latest project is X, we learned halfway through that we left out a relevant partner who gave us some feedback that completely changed the project for the better, that was a good reminder to make sure we know who all the relevant partners are and consult thoroughly before getting started on building." "Tell me about a project" is not good interview question guidance, but you can shape it to share that you're a person who is curious, intelligent, and that you are always learning and growing.

Always come prepared with 3 questions for them. Not having questions is a red flag. My personal favourite is confrontational, so use it at your own risk: I ask where they think I would struggle in this role. It gives me an opportunity to address any concerns they have directly. I agree that "what does a typical day look like" is a great question. Common is "what do you like best about working here?" which is non-threatening most of the time.

Go get that job!

[autisticlancemcclain]

What are your thoughts on autistic Lance and adhd Keith? I’m neurotypical so I don’t have a lot of knowledge on these things, but I think I understand some reasons why u have those headcanons. I’d love to hear a more in depth explanation though!

Alrighty, so disclaimer: I am an English major. Not a doctor. I’m not diagnosing anybody, and I'm basing my thoughts on my own experiences, opinions, and this one dope venn diagram I found from a bio-psychology student (@tfw-adhd ). So take that as you will.

When you think of ADHD, most people think of two traits: impulsivity and hyperactivity. That’s of course not all there is to ADHD, but they’re pretty major parts! And most people in the fandom consider Lance to be the poster boy of ADHD. But when I asked you guys who the most impulsive character of VLD was, only one person said Lance. Every other person said Pidge or Keith.

And I have to agree.

In a lot of our fics, we associate the ‘fiery red paladin’ with Keith, in his split-second decisions and crazy things he pulls off mid-battle that always work out for him and terrify everyone else. When I asked you guys for your input, many of you said that while Keith and Lance are both impulsive, Lance is only really impulsive when he’s competing, or trying to prove a point — like when he and Keith drove their lions into the ground trying to race blindfolded. Keith, though, is impulsive a lot, and either doesn’t assess the risks when making a decision or has a tendency to take very big risks without question (like Naxzela, or when he left the team to chase after Lotor).

As for hyperactivity, each an every single one of you told me the same thing: Keith has allotted a certain amount of activity for himself for stress release, and if he fails to meet this quota he struggles to regulate his emotions. He trains regularly because he needs it to feel healthy and happy. Lance, on the other hand, is prone to more stim-like activity (like the GIF that goes around every couple of months where he’s lying on the ground and doing that bicycle thing with his legs).

So impulse and hyperactivity, the most well-known pillars of ADHD — so far we have Keith as the poster boy for both, and Lance for one.

The other most popular sign of ADHD, I would say, is disorganization. That’s definitely a mixed bag — organization is really subjective. But when I asked you guys which of the two had the most disorganised fighting style — something you do with very little preparation, when you have to make split-second decisions with the information that you have and the habits you’ve already formed — most of you said Keith. A fair argument was that Keith has such a disorganized or chaotic fighting style because he has a sword, and that’s inherently kind of messy, whereas Lance’s sniping/shooting requires a specific sort of particularity that requires him to be organized and steady.

I would like to argue that that’s the whole point. The bayards are a reflection of the paladins. They summoned these weapons because that is what they use best, that is what suits their fighting style best. Keith gets the sword because although he has some training, his thoughts are all over the place — he’s picking up on a hundred little details at once, thinking not only about the fight he’s currently having but about the fight that’s going to be next. The sword suits him best because it allowed for his natural disorder to be a huge advantage, rather than a hindrance. Whereas Lance consistently summons a long-distance weapon, and even a sniper rifle — a weapon that requires you to focus on one thing at a time, intensely, until the threat is eliminated and you can move on to the next thing. I have no doubts that Lance is constantly hitting targets and noticing new ones as fast as he can, but the whole point of a sniper is that you are lying in wait and hidden because you’re so focused on your one target that you can’t be in the open because you can’t defend yourself.

This level to detail translates outside of battle as well, for both of them. When I asked you guys who was more analytical, 33% (ish) more people said Lance than Keith. The general consensus was that they both have analytical skills, but Lance is better with small and fleeting details (especially when looking at common behaviour — think of the Rover incident, where he was the only one to recognise the dupe for what it was, or even how he was the first to see that Shiro wasn’t quite right). Keith is better at choosing certain goals and trying everything he can to get those goals — like with his quest to find out about his past; he had several different plans that lead to different outcomes (finding the energy in the desert to matching the symbols on his knife to pushing the Blades for answers), and used the information he got to think and overthink about what he was going to do next. While Lance tends to wait for as long as possible with his information until he can come up with the best possible solution (hence why he didn’t act immediately on his suspicions for Shiro and instead made separate note of all the different oddities), Keith tends to use his information immediately and then use the reactions he gets to piece together more answers (the knife incident at the space mall is a pretty good indicator of this specific process).

Okay. So far we’ve outlined a few specific behaviours for the paladins: Keith tends to be really impulsive, with chaotic decision-making skills and an ability to read the room very quickly and notice small, fleeting details. This is reflected in his bayard choice and the way he seeks out and analyses information. He doesn’t plan things out for the long term, and instead acts immediately on the information he has and forms conclusions that way. He has difficult assessing risk (or doesn’t take risk very seriously), is very focused on things he cares about, and when he’s understimulated or doesn’t make time for vigorous physical activity he becomes unregulated and emotional.

I would call that pretty textbook ADHD, although he certainly also has traits for ASD, and I wouldn’t write that off. But when I think of the more autistic of the two of them, I think of Lance, and I don’t think I’m alone in that.

Like ADHD, autism has some traits that are common in reputation: logic and routine. I went over analysis already with you guys, with the conclusion that Lance is better with small details. Not only is that a common finding among people with ASD, but I also think that Lance’s ability to read people and identify when their behaviour is off is a very autistic thing to do. I know that people think that people with ASD can’t read social cues or human behaviour, and in my experience, I find that it just doesn’t come naturally. I do often miss social cues that some people find inherent — like knowing when someone is bored/annoyed with me and when to stop talking — that lead to ostracization (something Lance also faces frequently and has anxiety about, as I’m sure you’re all familiar with in regards to the ‘7th wheel’ debacle). But it was because of this frequent problem that I learnt to categorize micro-expressions and really small changes in behaviour. I had to learn them, because I didn’t recognise them intrinsically. Like you guys pointed out, and like canon has made clear, Lance is very good at identifying these behaviours. He knows when people are acting differently, based on details that may be unnoticed to someone who doesn’t struggle to read social cues and as such doesn’t frequently analyse behaviour. Also, I think Lance may also use obnoxiousness as a defense mechanism — unlike Keith, who gets defensive about his struggles to appear ‘normal’, Lance tends to butt in and annoy people on purpose (like when he interrupted Allura when she was about to list the common traits of a blue paladin) so that he has more control of people’s perception of him. If he grew up struggling to understand why people found him weird or annoying, it would make sense that he would be annoying on purpose so at least he understands why people think of him the way they do.

Going off that — Lance frequently needs justification for things. He needs there to be a reason, he needs to explain things that may not be explainable. I didn’t pose this question to you guys, because I forgot, but I think Keith is more emotional and Lance is more logical, in only that Keith seems to allow himself to feel his emotions (he is the one to tell the other paladins that he is honoured to have served with them, he is the one to frequently and plainly express his anger or frustration, he is the one to outline to Shiro in no uncertain terms that he does not want to be leader because he doesn’t feel ready, etc. Keith is very in tune with his emotions and feelings, he just is also very uncomfortable with people and isn’t sure if he can trust them enough to express himself). Lance, on the other hand, frequently has to explain away his emotions. He feels strongly towards Keith and has a common urge to be near him or talking to him? It must be a rivalry, and he must do everything he can to keep this rivalry going so he can continue to justify his desires. He feels left out and abandoned? He must count himself as a seventh wheel and assign each paladin to a lion and a value in Voltron so that he has a reason to feel left out. He’s jealous of Lotor? He has to convince himself that Lotor is all, 100% evil, so that jealousy doesn’t come from nowhere. Lance does not allow himself to do anything without explanation. He has to have a reason for everything. Everything has to make sense. Everything has to be logical.

His struggle with his own emotional response to things mixed with his intense need to be loved and be social also leads to a lot of misunderstanding and mistakes within his relationships. When I asked you guys whether Keith or Lance is more likely to make a social blunder, most of you said that both of them are socially awkward but Lance puts himself in more social situations and so he makes more mistakes by volume. I’m of the same opinion. Lance wants to be social and understand people and fit in with people, he’s just not very…good at it.

One thing Lance is good at, though, is routine, and about half of you agreed with me on that. Both Keith and Lance have several rituals/routines that are important to them (as previously mentioned, Keith’s training schedule is important for him to help regulate his emotions and keep himself stimulated), but Lance has more routines, and seems more particular about them. The best example would be his skincare routine, which he mentions more than once and expressed agitation when the routine was disrupted. Also, in the few canon shots we have of him sleeping, he has a very specific set of mannerisms (music, eye mask, sleep mask, pajamas, slippers, robe, must sleep for a certain amount of time for said 'beauty sleep') and complains both in the show and in other canon materials (like the Voltron handbook or the comics) when this doesn’t go as planned. Whereas Keith literally sleeps in his boots and seems to be fine dropping wherever.

ASD and ADHD are very similar. They share more symptoms/behaviours than they oppose, so you can certainly choose whatever feels right for you. But I do find it strange that Lance is almost always the one with ADHD and Keith is almost always the one with ASD, when in both fanon and canon (Keith is the impulsive one with poor planning skills, reliant on physical activity for regulation, low sense of danger and high tendency towards risk, low motivation for tasks he doesn’t care about; Lance is the one with all the wacky plans, who reads behaviour exceptionally well but makes frequent social blunders, specific about several rituals and routines, takes people at their word), their characters show the exact opposite. I just think that somehow in the start of the fandom, we switched them around and just rolled with it. But I love subverting fanon expectations, and I am happy to die on the ASD Lance and ADHD Keith hill!

[makeitblue]

Here to bug you again, but I'm giving you liberty of who you want to add to this one because I think it'll be fun no matter who is in it. Crowley is making the students put on a play/musical with reader being the lead now the boys are low-key fighting to be the love interest. This is 100% a reference to KnA. You totally can ignore this, but if you do it I hope you have fun writing it. Than you much 💙

Originally, I was going to write with a classic Romeo and Juliet type play in mind, but while I was at work it popped into my head, and I couldn't resist writing the boys putting on a shitty solar system musical. I'm writing this with the assumption their solar system is similar to ours since in their bios they use the same zodiac as we do. I'll only be doing the inner ring of planets for this ask, but if y’all want a part two for some ungodly reason, just hit up my inbox with that request.

Edit: Part 2 is right here! --> (x)

Crowley had somehow gotten the idea of having the students perform a solar system play, and was being unreasonably stubborn about it. Of course, you, as the lovely prefect of the Ramshackle Dorm, was chosen to be one of the two leads in this play looking to make a home on a planet with your significant other. Obviously most students weren’t too pleased or excited about creating a production with a permise that usually wasn’t seen outside elementary schools, but most of them perked up at the prospect of possibly starring alongside you.

Kalim

He got cast as the sun. Honestly, are we even surprised? While he would have liked the second lead role, he’s still super excited to be cast in the play, and eagerly attends rehearsals.

Originally, he wanted to float down onto the stage dramatically on his magic carpet, but Jamil managed to talk him out of it after telling him how dangerous it would be to be flying around in a giant, spherical sun costume. He was a big disappointed his suggestion was shot down, but he bounces back pretty quickly.

He’s one of the few people at NRC that don’t think even for a second that this idea is ridiculous, and because of that, he’s also one of the few people that completely throw themselves into the role. He doesn’t really need to put much effort in, considering his personality is already very sunny, but the extra vigor really helps sell it to the audience. 

The sun actually wasn’t originally part of the script, but thanks to a donation that his family made towards the production of the entire play, Crowley graciously wrote him in.

Riddle

He practiced meticulously for the audition. He needed to set a good example for his dormmates, after all. It definitely wasn’t because he was hoping to star alongside you in the second lead role. Alas, despite all his efforts, he was given the role of Mercury.

You can practically hear Floyd’s cackling from across the campus when he found out that Riddle was playing Mercury. Of course Kingyo-chan would be assigned the small, bright red star that zoomed across the night sky.

Floyd’s teasing aside, although he’s a bit disappointed, he allots the necessary time to practicing his lines with you and the other cast members. He’s never late for, never skips, and never leaves early from rehearsal sessions.

Although at first he’s always quick to stop point out when another member has flubbed their lines, he quickly learns its better to just let them continue their line with the small alteration rather than to completely stop the scene.

He’s surprisingly eager, but it makes sense considering he was home schooled as a child. He never got a chance to participate in school productions like this with classmates, so its a new experience for him. A part of him feels a bit childish for being so excited over a silly solar system play, but he convinces himself to push down the feelings of shame and allow himself to enjoy the whole thing.

Vil

He was pretty much expecting that he would be given the second lead. He’s a famous actor, after all. He’s been acting since he was a child, so he’s probably been cast in at least one or two professional productions with a similar premise. All in all, though, he’s still satisfied with being given the role of Venus.

It’s the brightest star in the sky, so obviously, he doesn’t have much to complain about upon receiving his copy of the script.

As expected he takes his casting very seriously. Even if it’s a silly solar system musical, you’re not going to catch him slipping in his performance.

He’s still mildly upset that he didn’t get a lead role, but just as it is in the industry, actors often don’t get to choose the role they play. This does not stop him from voicing his displeasure during rehearsals, but he keeps it to a minimum for the most part, preferring to focus on assisting the other actors so that the production goes smoothly.

Trey

Again, none of us are surprised that one of the most homely boy at NRC ended up being given the role of, Earth (or the Twisted Wonderland equivalent of Earth), the home planet.

The dad/big brother mindset will never turn off for him, so he’s take care of a lot of the other actors between his scene rehearsals. He’s making sure the actors have snacks occasionally and that everyone stays hydrated.

While he’s disappointed he didn’t get to star beside you the entire production, he still puts in a genuine effort for his role. He doesn’t want to let down anyone else after they’ve all worked so hard to practice.

The fact that this is a musical is something that he was a bit nervous about. While he’s a bit stiff, and he’s definitely not the best singer, Vil manages to help him get his performance to at least a presentable level. 

Ruggie

He’s honestly a bit surprised he even got a role. Sure its not the lead like he was hoping, but he’s not gonna pass up the chance to screw around a bit and have fun. While he was also hoping to get a lead role, he’s fine with being assigned Mars.

Unlike everyone else on the list, he actually doesn’t put as much effort in as a lot of the other actors would like at first. He has to be reminded that while this is a solar system play, they’re still performing it as representatives of a prestigious school, so there will probably be at least a few important people in the crowd. They can’t afford to have him be so lax in his rehearsals.

Ruggie can’t help laughing when things go wrong during practice, though. He doesn’t really do anything to make it worse, but he’s definitely not doing anything to help either. Can you really blame him, though? Watching Kalim and Riddle chase after Ortho, who somehow lost footing and was now rolling down one of the theater’s ramps is pretty hilarious.

In the end though, when everything comes together, he puts on an adequate performance. It’s not stellar, but he’s at least pleased he managed to get the audience laughing with his scene.

[boldlyvoid]

Intro to Criminal Minds: Why They Did It

Criminal Minds x MINDHUNTER AU

Spencer Reid x Margaret Carr (OC)

Part 1: Ed Kemper.

Summary: Spencer is teaching a 7-week seminar on the most interesting criminal cases, explaining their actions to understand why they took place. Only, not everyone in the audience is a student.

warnings: graphic details of a real rape and murder case, like every trigger in the book, applies to this fic so read with caution (if you watch either show you're used to it, however), it's all real and did actually happen and I don't support any of it. strangers to lovers, mutual pining, flirting, fluff, eventual smut, idiots in love, OC is Wendy Carr's daughter, her bio father is Jason Gideon

word count: 3.9K

He'd be lying if he said he wasn't having fun teaching.

He started with guest speaking, moving to special seminars a few times a year. But he wanted something more, settling for a 7-week criminal justice elective of his choosing.

Intro to Criminal Minds: why they did it. Giving Spencer an excuse to share the most intimate facts about serial offenders in a setting where no one could tell him to shut up.

14 students total signed up for the two-hour Seminar, taking place every Thursday at 11 am from September until Halloween. Over the 7 weeks, he would explain the fascinating insights of the most successful killers in the United States. Only asking that his students write about a prolific crime they find interesting by the end of term, for their full grade.

All he wanted was to read about obscure killers from around the world, from the perspective of aspiring profilers.

The first Thursday, he came prepared with his coffee a half hour before the class. He wanted to write the main points on the whiteboard in advance, nice and neatly.

To his surprise, a student was already there waiting for him. "Oh, hello,” he smiled softly.

She was sitting with a book in her hands, she pushed her glasses up her nose to look at him as he walked in. She was older than his typical student, around 35. Probably finishing up a degree or adding something to what she already had.

"Hi," she smiled at him. “Sorry, I’m early, I was visiting my mom at Quantico earlier.” She explained. "I'm not a teacher's pet or anything. Promise, I’m not even a student.”

It made him laugh slightly, correcting him like she read his mind. "It's okay, I'm Doctor Reid," he introduced himself softly.

“Margaret Carr, Peggy is also fine.”

"Pleasure to meet you," he said quickly before focusing his attention on the whiteboard.

He could feel her eyes on him the whole time he wrote, not wanting to turn around and catch her. "That's so interesting," he heard her mumble under her breath.

"Hmm?" He turned around.

"It's just that, everyday occurrences that never phase the regular person somehow cause psychopaths to kill," she read the board back to him.

"I was reading a study a while back about how psycho killers medulla oblongata is approximately 19% smaller than the average human’s. Based on the way they're nurtured as children affects if they grow up to kill. The ones that don't often end up in law enforcement and other positions of power where their psychopathic tendencies can come to play."

He was taken aback for a moment. He had never experienced a student who was like him before. Someone who just pulled facts into conversations like it was nothing.

"I read that as well," he smiled. "It is fascinating. The smallest amount of bullying and abuse from a mother or disappearance of a father figure can set them off."

"Or, on the other hand, there are people like Ted Bundy," she added. "He was well-loved and taken care of, but it went to his head. His god complex and affinity for lying led him to be incredibly charismatic and enabled his killing."

"You're very educated on this already; are you just interested in hearing me speak today?" He asked, not wanting her to leave, finding it interesting that she was there.

"Oh," she blushed. "I was going to talk to you more about it after the seminar actually."

“Okay, I’ll be waiting for you,” he felt a little giddy at the prospect.

"Thanks," she laughed. "Seriously though, I'm a big fan of your teaching style, I saw a few of your classes when my dad was teaching at the academy in 2005. It's a lot easier to remember facts if the lecturer genuinely loves what they're talking about."

"You're going to like this Seminar then. It’s basically just a way for me to get paid while unloading all the random facts I have,” he warned her with a smile.

"I know." She smiled back at him.

The rest of his students filed in slowly. By 11 am, 14 faces were staring back at him.

"Hello," he waved awkwardly. "I'm dr. Spencer Reid. For the last 12 years, I've worked with the FBI's Behavioural Analysis Unit. Catching serial offenders across the country."

He took a deep breath, letting the nerves find their way out of him. "I've been asked time and time again who my favourite serial killer is, which is a peculiar way to phrase the question. It feels morally wrong to have a favourite in the way people do with baseball players.

"I am, however, fascinated with several serial offenders' reasoning and explanation for why they did what they did. Every single killer is different, but it all comes back to 1 thing. Do you know what that is?"

They all shook their heads. “What is your relationship with your parents like?" He asked. 

Everyone in the room reacted; some students sighed, some rolled their eyes as they recalled their parents and childhoods to memory.

"When a person decides to kill, it's often never in the moment. It's in childhood. The majority of serial offender's stories start the same; their mother didn't love them, their father left. Someone at home abused them or put them down repeatedly."

"Thus, causing a hatred so primal to bubble. No matter how hard they try and fight it, the bubble always bursts. They go from fantasizing to killing in retaliation for their abuse, taking the anger out in stages."

He referred to the board. "Every killer has a stressor and a trigger—something that causes the urge to bubble and the event that causes the bubble to rupture.”

"Edmund Kemper is a fascinating example of this. He grew up with a family for the first few years of his life before his father fully abandoned them. His mother handled the situation by turning her anger onto her son; it was his fault his father left, he looked just like him, Ed was just another useless man who would never amount to anything," he emphasized the words. Hoping the class sees the effects words have on children.

"He started by cutting up dolls, stealing his sister's barbies and cutting their heads off. In his mind, he was getting out his anger and hatred for how his mother saw him. She hated men, causing him to mature with a warped idea of what women are truly like."

"His attraction to killing worsened his mother's hatred; she could tell something was wrong with him, that he didn't react to everyday situations the way he should. By the time he was ten, she was locking him in the basement for days on end, telling him he was a monster and her biggest regret."

"The change in her rage amplified his own. He hated hearing her speak. He hated the way she walked around, thinking she was better than him. That just because she was a mother and a working woman, she deserved respect and submissive’s. All he could see was a woman with a big head who needed to be humbled. This is the moment when the psychotic side of his brain blended his hatred of his mother with how good it felt to kill."

"Is that why he, you know?" Peggy cut in, running her finger along her neck as she pretended to cut her head off.

He pressed his lips together in an awkward smile, nodding. "His signature, as it's called, was decapitation. But more specifically necrophiling the severed head of his victims."

The whole class let out a disgusted noise, Peggy and Spencer making eye contact while they shrugged, it wasn't news to them.

"At age ten, he moved from barbies to cats and dogs, never leaving them around for his mother to see. While he hated her, he was also absolutely terrified of her. Breading a special type of killer. When you think of school shooters or preferential predators, what do they have in common?" He asked.

He pointed at a student in the back. "They have a specific type of victim they’re after?"

"Exactly. Most serial offenders want to go after the cause of their pain or attraction. However, Ed wasn't able to kill the source of his rage for a long time. His mother mentally abused him so intensely that he believed she was in control of him and that her opinion of him mattered. He saw her as his God, he loved her, but he also knew that he disappointed her.

"He ran away soon after to find his father. Travelling to California, only to be told he was unwanted there as well. It wasn't just his mother that his father was escaping; it was the fundamental aspect of family that he didn't want. Ed defiantly didn't want to go back to his mother after that, so he moved in with his paternal grandparents."

He kept catching the looks on Peggy's face. She knew the story already, waiting patiently to hear the words he chose to make the horrific acts seem a little more conversational.

"His grandmother was exactly like his mother. If I had to guess, his father most likely had a distaste for his own mother and thus divorced Ed's mom. Only he never grew up to be a killer, just an absent father—his absence doing to Ed what never happened to him."

"Ed killed his grandparents when he was 15. Telling the police and his therapists that they had beaten him constantly, they refused to feed him and called him names. He said he snapped from the trauma; it was self-defence."

Peggy laughed to herself, making him smile softly. "Sending him to a mental hospital instead of a juvenile facility was the worst thing they could've done for him," Spencer added.

"Why?" A student asked.

"Ed is a psychopath." He reminded them. "He doesn't feel empathy the way we do. You can admit that you feel bad for him, yes? If you understand why he killed people, it doesn't make you sick, like him, it makes you human. You see a hurt person hurting others; Ed Kemper sees himself as a new sort of God, choosing who dies, how and when."

"He was brilliant, having the exact IQ as I do," just a humblebrag, "the staff trusted him. He looked like an innocent boy, smart enough to take matters into his own hands for the betterment of his life. They gave him computer privileges, they let him work the front desk and file patient information. Giving him all the resources to learn about who he was inside and how to get away with it perfectly."

"Damn," another kid added. "When did he get out?"

"At 21.” He answered the student quickly. “Ed was interviewed by my mentor Jason Gideon, in the 70s. Where he explained that being locked up during his sexual prime, as well as the access to information, is what truly set him off more than his mother.

"He moved back in with her and his sister when he came out of the institution, immediately returning to the constant ridicule. He went from being told all the time that he was a smart and charming young man, capable of rehabilitation to a useless, no-good son, who would have been better off collecting in a condom or running down her leg."

The whole class laughed, shocked at his repetition of Ed's mother's words.

"He got his licence when he was released. And remember, this was prime time for hitchhiking in California; everyone and their mother walked the roads with a thumb in the air. It was the birth of free love and recreational marijuana usage. It was also the best hunting ground for a learning serial killer."

"He was able to pick women up, but like I said, missing his sexual prime while in an institution made him almost impotent. He didn't know how to speak to women; he had to create a fantasy in his mind every time, one that involved killing, before he could look at a woman."

"How did he get them in his car then?" A voice asked from the back.

"He was 6'9, 300lbs; he looked like a big teddy bear. And his mother was the local college administrative assistant, so the whole town knew him anyway. If Ed offered to give them a ride, it wouldn't be that bad, right?" Peggy turned around to face the class as she explained for Spencer, who just shook his head.

"He only wanted to rape the victims, originally," Spencer added. "But he couldn't. There was no release of the tension. The bubble that had been growing inside him was at its breaking point; he needed to just do it. Get it over with and move on."

"He killed 6 women in succession after that. Gaining the name "The Co-Ed Killer," well before anyone even suspected Ed Kemper," Spencer took a sip of coffee, feeling his throat start to dry as they reached the insane part.

"He was overly friendly with the cops; he wanted to get his record expunged and join the force.” Spencer finally continued. “Being told, "don't worry about your record, worry about your weight.""

"Most killers enjoy wearing a uniform for the power and talking to the police about their cases, in the hopes of gauging how smart they really are—taking pride in the fact that they are getting away with it for so long."

"He watched all the cop shows, and he read all the books. He knew that in order to get away with it, he had to do it where no one could trace it back to him. He knew he had to keep his cool and avoid looking obsessed with the case, but just curious enough to gain insight into how they thought he was doing it. It went on for years, and they had absolutely zero leads, finding headless bodies every few months before they finally received a call." He left them hanging, walking over to his sheet of paper and pretending to read it while they anticipated the catch.

"Ed always knew that he wanted to kill his mother. He just never knew when,” Spencer teased the story along. Noticing as the students fidgeted in their seats as they wondered what happened next.

“In his interview with Gideon, Ed said that he knew she would die 7 days before he killed her. He walked into her room that night to find her reading, with the audacity to ask if he wanted to come in and chat all night. Teasing him for the way he rambled to her. It was the last time she ever did that."

"It's hard to imagine his signature with the fact his second last victim was his mother," Peggy added, cringing at the thought.

"Wait," another student interjected. "Who was his last kill then if he only really wanted to kill her?"

"Remember how I said he lacked empathy?" Spencer asked. "He loved his mother in the same way a prisoner can end up loving their captor."

Peggy nods at the comparison, looking like she's never thought of it that way before, then smiling at him.

"You grow a bond through the trauma and when the only thing you've ever known is violence and hate, you don't know what to do when that's gone, it's hard to cope."

"He said he killed his mother so that she never had to know what he did. She'd never have to sit at his court hearings or be able to tell the media that she always knew he was a killer."

"His last kill was his mother's best friend," He finally answered the question.

"He didn't want his mother to be even more disappointed in him, but he also didn't want his mother's best friend to find her like that and be upset. So the obvious answer to him was to kill her too."

"What the fuck?" He heard a couple of kids say under their breath.

"Yeah," he agreed with an almost chuckle. "This is what I mean by their answers are fascinating. It makes so much sense to them; clearly, if I kill my mother, her friend will be upset, so the best answer would be to put her out of her misery as well. He sees them as objects, like a matching set. One would lose value without the other."

Everyone was silent then. The students took in all the information they had just received, staring up at him with a look of disgust mixed with wonder.

"Any questions?"

Peggy raised her hand for a change; he pointed towards her in approval. "You missed the part where he specifically took the heads from the three women before his mother and brought them back home with him. He buried them in the yard outside her bedroom window, making sure they were always looking up to her."

Spencer was amazed that she knew the details. "Yes, I guess I did."

"I always found that part particularly interesting in this case," Peggy added. "Her opinion mattered so much to him. He knew how much she loved her co-ed's and how they looked up to her so much. They'd be exactly like her. He felt trapped in a town of women who were exactly like his nightmare, and his response was to make them physically look up to her for the rest of her life."

"Exactly." Spencer smiled. "understanding how he sees the situation and how the events played out in his mind is the key in figuring out who he is."

"If you were on the case in '72 when the first victims were discovered, how would you have handled it, Dr. Reid?" A male student in the back asked in the silence between answers, taking his shot before Peggy and Spencer went any further in their discussion.

“That's a hard thing to answer, connecting evidence back then was a lot harder than it is today, if it wasn’t for men like Ed there wouldn’t really be this many answers,” Spencer said honestly.

Another student put her hand up, “what’s the worst thing he did in your opinion?”

That racked his brain, there was a handful of horrific things he did that were particularly horrific, “probably his mother's entire murder.”

“What did he do?”

Before Spencer could answer he saw Peggy open her mouth and start explaining. “He not only cut off her head and fucked her neck, but he also took her vocal cords out and shoved them down the garbage disposal. And before he called the cops, he cleaned everything up and made her look presentable because he said his mother wouldn’t want guests to see the mess.”

The class all cringed, sinking into their seats with disgust. But that didn’t stop Peggy from explaining it all further.

“He used to go to a bar all the cops went to and he would talk about his case. They would always one-up themselves and say they were close which gave him this false idea that they were on his tail and they’d find his mother soon. But when they didn’t, he called it in from a payphone and said he’d come over and explain it all. And boy did he ever, the cops said he wouldn’t shut up. And then when they put him in the cop car finally, a woman walked past him and he threw up.”

Spencer watched her with awe, the way she could call information to memory like that was beautiful. He listened to her like he’s never heard a fact before, she was so intriguing.

“Thank you for the detail,” he teased her lightly. “Sometimes I get so caught up that the really gross parts get swept aside.”

The class smiled at him, he had gained their trust and attention within only 1 hour of class.

“I know you said you don’t have a favourite,” another student asked from the back. “I agree it’s weird, but who is the one you gravitate towards the most?”

“I’ve met hundreds of serial killers, I’ve read about thousands,” he explained. “I think Ed Kemper is the one I gravitate the most around because he was so willing and open to explaining why he is the way he is. Going as far as to say that the only way they could keep women safe is to give him a lobotomy. He didn’t believe there was any correcting to be done, only removal of the evil within him.”

He heard slight mumbles as everyone took in what he said. “Does anyone here have a killer or a case that interested them in learning more, or just introduced you to the chase of justice?”

Peggy put her hand up, “I personally think BTK is the scariest, most tactical, and just downright evil man to ever exist. He scares me to no end but he’s so interesting to learn about.”

“Ahh,” Spencer agreed. “Too bad you won't be here for week 3. But with that I think I’ll end the class, next week we’ll be discussing the difference between Ted Bundy and Richard Speck.” He nodded lightly, watching the majority of them close their books and had on out.

“I really enjoyed the class,” she said softly. Holding her purse in one hand, a collection of files in the other.

Spencer turned to look at her then, smiling right back. “It was a pleasure to teach alongside you.”

“What do you mean?” She teased, “it’s not like my mom and dad were the ones who did all the interviews."

“Carr,” he repeats her last name. The gears turning in his mind as he brings all the information forth.

“Your mother is Wendy Carr, she was recruited after the BTK case with Bill Tench, she’s who was behind that study you mentioned.”

“I know,” she smiled.

“Who’s your father?”

“Guess,” she looked at him with an unimpressed look on her face, pushing her glasses up slightly.

“You’re kidding? Gideon never said he had a daughter let alone a,” he stops himself before he can embarrass himself any further.

She smiled at the implication of his words, “but he’s told me all about you Dr. Reid, that’s why I'm here.”

“You need help with a case and I’m the only agent in Virginia currently,” he pressed his lips together awkwardly. Knowing it was too good to be true that she would have any interest in him in the slightest.

“No actually, I have a case I’ve been working on privately and I need some help. I asked my dad but he said you’d be able to help me the best. I agree,” she corrected him softly. “I wasn’t kidding when I said I was a big fan of yours. When I would sit in and watch his lectures, before he knew I was his kid, you would always step in at the best parts, adding the smallest details to the story that the average person would forget. It’s magnificent.”

He laughed slightly, tugging at his collar as she complimented him. “Thank you, you’re quite magnificent as well,” he replied with a blush and a smile

She didn’t look like Gideon, probably because she smiled so much. Like sunshine on legs, she beamed, all but blinding him with her smile as she stared at him, “do you want to get lunch and go over this case with me?”

“I’d love to.”

taglist: (message me if you want to be added or removed)

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[createdbyinvisibles]

The Chronicles of a bookworm ninja

Word count:  2829

An episodic series of chapters telling the odd tale of Rin Kikumoto, the last political book carrier and her misadventures in becoming a ninja.

If you’re curious about what the Kikumoto clan is exactly then this bio here should explain everything.

    Rin Kikumoto lived an utterly peculiar existence, she was the type of person to spontaneously do things for the sake of quick and short excitement. As well as the kind of person to just always be around asking questions, a kid, nine years old to be exact, should never be wondering. Living on the only standing house in the crumbled compound of the now-disbanded Kikumoto clan, you could say it was an odd house for an odd girl. But now this odd girl would be attending her first day at the ninja academy, something her older brother was solemnly against. He simply hated the mere thought of having his sister be a part of what he thought to be "another pawn of the military complex." 

But it would get her out of the house, and she argued it would do her more good than the negatives that came with it. She'd have to start late, however, since she was already nine and the rest of the classmates have been at the academy since age six, but she was a fast learner, well... She had to be. The reason being was the very same reason she was well odd, she was what the village called a political book carrier. The position was one of knowledgeable importance, as it was an old position, and it even went back to the first Hokage, this position was one of four now-disbanded positions the Kikumoto clan occupied. 

A position that detailed the tasks of carrying knowledge, secret knowledge, the kind of knowledge that was best left to be forgotten. And Rin had to carry all of it, libraries worth of secrets and information of all types to be stored away within the depths of a large sketchbook. To be sealed by the strength of her soul, to be remembered but never talked about again. For even if she wished to forget the village needed someone to remember, for what if the Hokage required information? If she never remembered then, the Hokage surely wouldn't, and the village would suffer. So cursed with the seal mark of the black chrysanthemum, she for the rest of her life would bear the knowledge of the village by sealing it in the book that was her soul. 

But it didn't matter now, for, with jello-like legs, she stared at the oddly shaped building looming in front of her. As she felt her muscles tense up, it made her realize that she was about to enter an environment in which she could socialize with others. Other people who weren't her brother and other people who all had differing opinions, opinions as well as feelings different from her own, something her brother said was the bane of their existence. But if she was to learn how to understand others and become friends with any of them well, she'd have to try. So with reluctant steps, she walked forward into the building that would become the start of a life she couldn't even begin to think, she'd have. 

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"Alright class, today we have a new student who will be joining us..." Iruka Sensei now told the class, to the response of nods and a couple murmurs for who this newcomer could possibly be.

"Excuse me, but you're going to have to enter the classroom first," Iruka Sensei said gently motioning for her to step through the door, so lost in her thought that she forgot to enter the classroom entirely. But with cold feet, she stepped into the classroom, there were a lot of people, too many people. All of which stared down to her on high wooden benches that made everything seem so much more intimidating. "Alright, why don't you tell the class your name?" Iruka Sensei suggested with a smile, and with a nod, Rin complied.

I could walk into that classroom with an identity entirely different to my own, and no one could tell, I'll just say I'm so-so, and everyone will just believe me, and I'll have to live a lie for the rest of my life. Rin gripped her book, a book she should have kept in her back pocket, for the book not only carried libraries of information but her soul as well. But at times like these, it always seemed to calm her down when she held her book close.

"Is there anything you would like to say about yourself? A favourite colour perhaps?" Iruka Sensei suggested yet again breaking her train of thought, for little did she know as all this thinking was going on, she merely stood statue-like.

"Greetings or salutations, my name is Rin Kikumoto…" Rin said with her voice surprisingly steady. Look at the faces, study each one, remember what brother said, everyone feels something and all of it can be displayed on their faces. Perhaps someone is just as nervous as me? I know practically every dark secret in this village, something like this shouldn't scare me at all! It shouldn't scare me at all… Even if everything about this is new and new is a change and change is well, uncomfortable. Rin's obsidian coloured eyes darted back and forth, it made her eyes look like two little kaleidoscopes that seemed to draw you in by pure curiosity. She didn't find anyone, in particular, that was nervous, all except one girl, and she looked plain antsy with her blank pupilless purple eyes, eyes that were the mark of the Hyuga clan. 

Ironically she would have preferred world stumping mind bogglers, she was used to those, her brother would always give her one every week, and at the end of the week, they'd have a debate over it. Those questions were easier in a way since they were always open-ended and allowed room for an answer longer than a sentence. How was she supposed to form a meaningful opinion with a sentence? 

Favourite colour? Well, white reflects the sun and looks really lovely but it also stains easily, black is beautiful but plain dreadful in the summer, purple is majestic, but it's too expensive. Blue is so basic and red is far too strong, green is different enough to make me seem unusual, but the colour itself reminds me of puke. Grey is dull and brown feels like cheating because it's all the colours just mixed together, orange never looks good on me, and yellow makes my eyes hurt. Pink is sweet, but everyone is probably expecting me to say it and big brother always talks about how we have to break the "stereotypes' ', so it's out of the question. And what if someone in the class is colourblind, then I'll just sound like a jerk regardless! Rin was yet again looking towards the floor, typical softball questions that anyone could try and answer seemed like world stumping mind bogglers for her. 

It was only now that she realized she never answered Iruka Sensei, nor did she say anything at all, the realization of which made her sink slightly into herself. "Can I sit at my desk please," Rin asked awkwardly, re-evaluating my life is more like it.

It was then that she noticed the Uchiha insignia on his back, so he's Sasuke Uchiha the lone survivor of the Uchiha clan, well the personality checks out at least… Peas and carrots. Rin felt bad, Even if his personality made her think less of him. Being a book carrier meant she had to know a lot about this village, even tragedies he'd never know, but it weirdly comforted her. It's easy to understand someone she had records on, easier than having to get the information herself anyway. 

"Of course, there is an empty seat near the back where you can sit," Iruka said motioning towards the only free desk available. I guess I'm already the problem child or at least a timid emo kid, please believe me when I say I'm an entertaining and chill person! Wait, they can't hear me. Rin made her way to the back, it wasn't as bad as she thought it was, just well, really far away from the front. Sitting by the window in the seat next to her, was a cantankerous looking boy with short jet black hair in the shape of a duck's butt. "Guess we'll be desk buddies then," Rin joked offering her hand to shake, and telling by the irritated glare he shot her the joke didn't land.

With the proper information, she could empathize and formulate the best way to converse with the person for the best outcome. Even if in the process of knowing their records and files, it had the potential of making Rin feel guilty. But at the end of the day, she didn't know Sasuke, not enough to really care about him anyway. And by the looks of it, Sasuke would rather the world burn then talk to her, so as long as it stayed that way, Rin would never even worry about the potential guilt she might feel.

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The rest of the school day wasn't much of note, she tried to talk to people during the break period, but with everyone in their own cliques, it was a pointless endeavour. She couldn't even sulk on the swingset because some other kid was using it, and she couldn't talk to Sasuke because he was being... Well, a total dill weed. She tried to find the antsy girl she noticed previously, but she looked busy as well, for that same girl was staring at the kid on the swingset. Rin believed it was because she wanted a turn on the swingset as well, but she didn't ask. So she spent her break sitting in the shade sketching the other kids in a smaller plain white sketchbook different to her large floral decorated sketchbook. Her goal was to have drawn and made a personal file for every student in her class since baby steps were required if no one wanted to talk to you.

"Um, excuse me," A shy voice called, and as Rin looked over to see who it is, she was surprised to find the same antsy girl who was watching the swingset from before.

"Yes?" Rin called a little louder than expected, happy that someone approached her at all.

"Well um, I don't mean to be rude or forward or anything, but I couldn't help but ask… You just seem really invested in that drawing and well..." The girl fumbled around with her words, in fact, she fumbled so much you might as well call it a literary train wreck. Wait she's really not making any sense, so that means she's nervous… I was nervous earlier today, and it caused me to be embarrassed… Wait is this empathy? Well, sweet dango on a stick, I'm empathizing! God, empathy feels fantastic! Rin was correct, she really was empathizing, but in the process it caused her to stare at the girl. Which caused the girl to become so nervous she simply excused herself and left, leaving Rin alone yet again. 

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Before she knew it, it was the end of the day, so with her book in hand, she left to go home skipping as she went, only stopping when she reached a small ridge to the side of the sidewalk, green grass and little white clovers painting a scene of contentment. Taking a slight detour, Rin began to pick the white clovers, tying them into a crown as she went scrutinizing the ridge for more of the prettiest and most delicate of clovers. "Well don't you have great eyes for flower picking?" A rather confident sounding voice called, Rin looked up from her flowers to find a girl with platinum blonde hair tied into a short ponytail. "I'm Ino by the way, and you must be Rin, right?" Ino said, offering her hand to shake.

"Oh, hello Ino… Wait doesn't your family run the flower shop?" Rin asked excitedly, shaking her hand back, she loved to go there and get flowers every Sunday. 

"That's right, my family runs the Yamanaka flower shop, but enough about me, you were recently given a seat next to Sasuke, right?" Ino asked to which Rin nodded.

"Well you don't really seem to like Sasuke, so I was wondering if you'd want to change seats with me?" Ino asked Rin's confusion.

"Wait, do you like Sasuke?!" Rin exclaimed, surprised to which Ino laughed.

"Yeah, and who doesn't?" Ino asked, and when Rin pointed to herself, Ino laughed "And I'm taller than most of the girls in our class."

"Still it doesn't make sense though, I tried talking to him, and he's well very distant, to say the least," Rin responded, confused to Ino squealing.

"But that's what makes him so cool," Ino gushed.

"Cold is more like it," Rin responded, still confused and even more confused to find Ino irritated.

"Well you're still new, so maybe you just don't understand Sasuke at all," Ino huffed, turning around to leave, forgetting about what she was going to ask Rin in the first place. Rin was still confused, what was there to understand about Sasuke, even without records Rin could feel the hatred steaming off the boy. He was rather one-note in that regard, to curse at the rest of the world is to ignore everything else about it, including the complications that make life a greyish mix of exoticness. But she wasn't one to judge, she didn't have the best first impression either, and telling by everyone's reaction to her, she probably wasn't liked either. So for all, she knew he too had socialization problems and wasn't that why she was here in the first place, to understand others? And how could she understand others by writing them off?

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Maybe I don't really know Sasuke all that well either, I mean Ino has been in that class since she was little and I've only just joined... Wait, that's it! To properly understand someone I have to befriend them, I mean to call someone a friend is to understand them. That's what I'll do! And with that, Rin got up determined and marched on with a flower crown in hand.

"I'm home!" Rin called as she took off her shoes to find her brother on a chair near the door. "I made this on my way back home," Rin said, giving him the flower crown she made previously.

"Well, doesn't this look nice on me," Her brother said, gently placing the crown on his head as if it was his own personal coronation and with a thumbs up from Rin he ruffled her hair.

“It was…” Rin trailed off, how was her day? She couldn't really put a finger on how she felt about it. It was different to say the least, but it wasn’t a bad difference going there made her feel like a scientist sent to study a different land from her own. “I’m not sure, but I think I want to go tomorrow,” she did want to go back, even if it was odd but where there was oddity, there was a way to understand it. And that’s what she was here to do.

"Maybe one day, you could come with me to pick the flowers?" Rin suggested, trying her best to ignore the slight grimace in his eyes, her brother hated leaving the house. Something he hadn't done since she was six, after that he just came home one day and never left. 

“When the flowers grow in the backyard, we can pick them together,” He suggested a small smile on his face, that was enough for Rin, it was her first day of school and she was simply too tired to get into yet another argument. “How was your day at school?” He asked carefully, Rin found him studying her face, a habit her brother always had when he felt Rin wouldn't tell him the whole story.

[undeservedfavor]

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The Bucketlist

Mini-Series of Short Stories

SILK-Should I Let him Know[EN]:Chapter 2

Phoebe entered the door of the school.

Her heart was pounding...

She doesn't know what to expect today.

Ever since the accident...

First day of school was always a nightmare for her.

Not because she's mistreated...

But because people only see what she cannot do with her condition.

They do not recognize what she can do anymore.

People looked at her very differently because of her leg.

She saw a guy standing at the hallway and went to her.

"Do you need help miss?" The guy asked.

Phoebe nodded.

The guy was about to lift her books but...

She protested.

"You didn't even ask me what I need help with. I actually just need help in finding the Biology Lab... I appreciate it though. This would do." Phoebe said smiling to the guy.

The guy smiled back as he continued to carry her things.

"There you go. This the Bio-Lab. Anything else Miss?" The guy said returning the books carefully to Phoebe.

"Phoebe. Major in Biology. Thank you sir..." The name rang the guys ears.

"Joshua. Communication Arts Student." They both almost laughed at being too formal.

"See you around then..." Phoebe said.

"Just a tip. Ignore their weird stares, that won't kill you. Ciao." Joshua said.

With that...

He already left.

Phoebe was already preparing her things on top of her desk when she realizes that she was too early for class.

"Well... I appreciate early birds around here. I usually got tardy students... But never this early. In fact... You're earlier than me."A praise from a woman who just came in.

"Uhm... Thanks? I guess." Phoebe said.

"Oh pardon me... Sorry for not introducing myself. I'm Mrs. Freeman. I'm your Biology 101 professor." Said the woman.

"Nice meeting you Mrs. Freeman." She answered.

Later, the class started.

Mrs. Freeman told them to buddy up but there is not one single sould who wanted to sit beside and partner up with Phoebe.

The seat next to her is empty too.

"Phoebe, I guess it's you and me again..." Phoebe said mocking herself for fun.

The class turned their heads to the newly opened door as another student just arrived.

"Sorry I'm late." Said the familiar voice.

Phoebe was shocked.

She was overwhelmed by the presence of the man.

She cannot be mistaken.

He's still the same guy he met way back in middle school.

The guy who became his friend once.

This guy who never considered anyone's existence except for Zoriah's...

Is gonna sit beside her again...

"Hi. It's been a while... Phoebs." The man turned to her.

"Z-zack... Yeah. What a coincidence." Phoebe answered with a nervous laughter.

"G-guys? OMG. I can't believe I'm seeing the both of you here again!" A woman almost screamed behind them.

"Zoriah?" Phobe was shocked.

Oh, boy.

Is this a reunion or what?

"I-it's nice to see you again Zoriah... You looked prettier..." Phoebe saw it again...

The look that Zack gave Zoriah back then...

Is the same look that Zack has on his face right now.

"And hotter... Right Zack?" Phoebe said in addition.

Zack just nodded mindlessly.

He was still at awe when he saw his first crush...

No!

Let's rephrase that...

His 'first love'...

Since Zack is passed and got into the football team...

He missed almost everything about Zoriah...

He did not have enough time to hang out...

It was just Phoebe and Zoriah getting close to each other for the passed two years...

One day, after class, Phobe was left alone in the room since she's not like the normal students who can just barge out of the classroom when the class is over.

"Phoebs!" She heard a familiar voice call her out.

"Oh Zack, Zoriah did not attend the class, she said she's sick. What brings you here?" Phoebe said.

"Oh, I'll tell you later but... Why are you still her-?" He stopped as he realized why Phoebe cannot go home as fast as the others...

"Y-your leg... Does it still hurt?" Phoebe just nodded and sighed.

"I miss being normal like anyone else... You were about to tell me something..." She said.

"I have a favor to ask... Since you're so close with Zoriah..." Zack was hesitant.

"What is it?" She asked.

Zack held his nape nervously and spoke...

"Can you be my 'Wing-woman'?" He asked.

While he was talking Phoebe got pre-occupied again.

For her, it's like history repeated itself.

Then, the question popped out of nowhere...

Or did it come from the back of her mind?

Should I let him know?

Where ever it came from, she doesn't know and she doesn't care...

She cannot even pay attention to the man speaking in front of him for she asked herself again...

While Phoebe was on her way home, she can't help but think about what Zack asked.

The guy she likes...

No.

The man she loves, just asked if she can give him a leverage since he's planning to court her bestfriend.

Cruel and mean?

For Phoebe, it is.

For Zack, nah...

He doesn't know Phoebe's feelings anyway...

"Thank goodness, you're home Phobe, you should have called us that you need a ride home. Sweetie, would you like some Bacon and Eggs?" Phoebe's mom's asked her when she arrived and opened the door.

"I'll pass." She answered as she goes up the stairs.

Who eats Bacon and Eggs for Dinner?

They're weird, maybe that's the reason I'm weird too...

"Ugh! I can't believe I said 'yes' to him!" Phoebe said as she plopped down her bed.

She covered her face with both of her hands...

Almost two years has almost gone by...

Phoebe did everything in her power to be Zack's Wing-woman, giving Zack a boost by telling Zoriah good things about Zack, telling Zack what Phoebe likes and being there for him to pin-point what went wrong when Zoriah's getting annoyed of the courtship.

"Who will you date at the Graduation Ball Z?" Phoebe asked Zoriah.

They're at the girl locker-room changing for Gym class.

"Shhh... I know what you're trying to do Phoebe. Zack is not more than a friend and that's it." Zoriah said.

"I'm not doing anything..." Phoebe said innocently.

"Whatever Phoebs... Don't you think I'm getting fatter?" Zoriah siad as she drank one of her diet pills... The question she always asked Phoebe which confused her.

"If you're fat... I'd probably be kicked out by your mom everytime I go to your house, for unintenstionally breaking your room's floor and your house's ceiling downstairs using my weight." Phoebe joked.

Actually, Zoriah's pretty...

But she's a bit skinny, like a model.

Not that it's a bad thing, Phoebe even admired how Zoriah takes care of her figure and her weight.

She has a super metabolism that everything she eats flushes away that easily without even exercising.

But her weight loss is getting drastic as time goes by which worries her family and friends...

"Excuse me Phoebs, I'll go out. Coach is waiting outside." When Zoriah got up, she did not noticed that she dropped the bottle of her diet pills.

"Z, you dropped something..." She called but Zoriah did not hear it.

Then she went to pick up the bottle, she did not mean to but she saw the name of the drug...

"Fluoxetine - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)." Phoebe read the label.

She searched it online but...

It turned out to be confusing.

It was a type of anti-depressant.

Not a diet pill.

"Ahhh!!! Zoriah!!!" Someone screamed outside.

When Phoebe went outside she saw Zack carrying the unconscious Zoriah.

The look of worry etched on his face.

The look that he did not even feign for her when she got her leg injured.

When they got to the hospital. Zack was there too.

The doctors told them about Zoriah's medical history and background. She's Bullimic.

"Z, don't do that to yourself again... You look perfect in anyway possible. I love you." Zack held and kissed Zoriah's hand.

"Zack... I love you too..." Zoriah said holding Zack's cheek.

"I-I have to go..." Phoebe left them alone. She couldn't stand to be there with them.

She went outside to get some fresh air but how unfortunate... It rained.

She did not go back inside and let the rain pour into her head.

The tears would not be so obvious with water anyway. She thought.

Then, the rain really struck some sense into her head. A sudden realization came...

It's time to let him go... Zoriah needs him.

A month after, they all went to the graduation ball. Zack and Zoriah went together... Well, Phoebe does not have a date. The night was going well. She watched Zoriah and Zack danced all night. They looked so good together. Zoriah was resting her head at Zack's chest while the man, holding the small of her back. It really hurts but she just smiled with content.

[imagine-this-imagine-fanfiction]

Cannonball~Malia Tate/Hale

A/N: So this is something I wrote on Wattpad, it’s a Malia Tate love story. With my main character Lemony Stilinski, obviously Stiles twin sister. I thought I would put up my prologue on Tumblr in case people are looking for a Malia x OC girlfriend story, because I love Malia. If you like it I’ll put the link below. Or I’ll try. If I can’t my Wattpad user is in my bio.

~~~

It was a quite night over Beacon Hills memorial hospital. The death of a teenage girl had just hit the news, stabbed in the chest. The hallway of the hospital's second floor echoed with a single pair of footsteps, they belonged to a seventeen year old boy, long, fluffy, almost black hair with dark eyes filled with loss.

His hand reached out to a closed door, the sign read: 'Stilinski' it had been scribbled in by a nurse that was in a rush and didn't seem to care who's room it was. Underneath that name read: 'Emily' the writing was almost impossible to make out, like you had to know who was in there to be able to read it. And this boy certainly knew who was in there.

The boy wandered aimlessly into the room, he looked over to the bed which was filled by a tall girl the same age as the boy. Twins. The boy was older and he would never let her forget it. That is if she would ever wake up. The boy grabbed a plastic chair and placed it next to the head of the bed where the girl laid.

It had become a monthly thing for the boy, to come to the hospital in his spare time, to talk to the girl, to read to her (always her favourite books: Percy Jackson, The Maze Runner, Harry Potter anything really), anything that could spark something in the girl.

Lifeless. Pale. Almost dead. That's what ran through the boy's mind when he saw her. He wanted to say something to her but nothing came to mind. His mind was blank, empty, he was lost without his sister. He knew he had to say something, so he cleared his throat and started.

"Lemony. It's me. Again. Listen. I don't know if you can hear me, I hope you can cause that means all these visits will have paid off, it's Allison. I know you two were close, along with Lydia before this." He said gesturing to the girl in a coma. "She died. Lemony she's dead. I'm sorry. If it makes you feel any better she died saving us all. You're right it doesn't help. So now is the time for you to wake up. Lemony please wake up, I know I've said this a hundred times since the incident but I mean it now." The boy took a deep breath, looking at his shaky hand holding her cold still one. "I need you Lemony."

Around a year ago on the last day Lemony had seen awake, she was stood by the bleachers watching her brother and his friends sitting on the bench by the pitch. They were watching for the boy with the number thirty seven and waiting for someone to die. Lemony had no clue what was going on with her brother so she walked over to the three boys.

"Hey bro." She smiled, taking a seat next to her brother. "And brother's friends." She looked at the two on the other side of him. "Why was we staring all gog-eyed at Jackson?" The girl asked looking over at number thirty-seven.

"Lemony. Listen. We're not staring okay?" Her brother started getting defensive. "We're just keeping an eye on him."

"Oh Stiles seriously I've never heard so much rubbish. Especially coming from you." She retorted with a heavy laugh.

"Just leave okay. I don't want you here." Stiles snapped at her. He had his reasons but Lemony didn't know those reasons.

"Fine. I hope you lose Stiles." She stood up and confronted him. "I wanted to come and support you but no. I hope you enjoy the bench." She turned to walk away.

As she did so, the entire pitch went black, joining the darkness of the night surrounding them. The crowd began to shout and panic. Those in Beacon Hills had a reputation for it, considering what happens in the town.

The lights were back on almost as soon as they went out, everyone was panicking. A crowd had formed on the lacrosse pitch. The three boys ran to join the crowd. To find Jackson in the centre on the floor, his stomach was bleeding.

"Stiles you need to get your sister out of here." Scott turned to his friend, who was already looking around for the brunette girl who looked like him.

That was when he noticed another crowd of people, they were circling around a girl, this got Stiles worried.

"Lemony?" He asked, Scott and Isaac followed his gaze to the smaller crowd.

Stiles ran faster than he ever remembered running until he reached the slowly growing crowd. Shoving his way through the crowd, yelling "Excuse me"'s and "Move"'s until he reached the centre of the circle.

His heart stopped when he saw it. Lemony unconscious, her eyes open but rolled to the back of her head. There was a student performing CPR as a precaution. He was lost, and before he knew it he was knelt beside his sister screaming, crying, yelling her name.

Scott grabbed Stiles by the arms trying to pull him away to focus on the task at hand, but with all of Scott's attempts failing and Stiles yelling his sister's name, nothing would wake her.

"Lemony. Please wake up. It's been a year." Stiles looked at the closed eyes of his sister, she reminded him of their mum. "The doctors are surprised you've held on this long, they don't know why you're in a coma at all. They say you wouldn't be, that you should be walking around, perfectly fine, and healthy. Why aren't you Lemony?" He continued playing with her hand. "Dad's given up on you. He's begun packing all of your belongings thinking that you'll soon be joining mum. But you won't Lemony, I won't let you. Show him how strong you are. Please."

It had gotten to the point where Stiles had asked for the help of Deaton, a Druid, but he had no clue either. While in the coma, Stiles would tell Lemony everything, from what they learnt in econ that week to Scott becoming a werewolf. He knew it was a long shot of her hearing and/or remembering all these one sided conversations he would have with her.

"Wake up!" He yelled, he knew he wouldn't get a response but he had no filter, no fuse, nothing stopping him. He place his hands on her shoulders. "I know you can hear me Lemony." He sighed before yelling again. "Wake up!" He shook her ever so slightly. "Please! Lemony! Wake up!"

That's when the door swung open, to reveal the sheriff, their dad. He looked at the image in front of him. His son shaking and yelling at his comatose daughter. But Stiles didn't stop when the door opened, he didn't even look. He just yelled again. "Wake up!"

"Stiles!" Their dad shouted running toward his son pulling him off his daughter. "That's not going to work. Let's go home."

"No dad. Just 'cause you've given up on her doesn't mean you can stop me from seeing her!" Stiles shouted, he was still distraught about Allison, and that didn't help his mood now. "I've tried everything except this, I even asked a freaking Druid for help. That was a dead end. I'm out of options, I don't want to lose her. I don't want her to die." He began to cry.

"I know Stiles. Say goodbye. We need to get you home." Their dad sighed holding back his own tears.

The boy turned towards the bed again, looking all over the girl to see if she'd moved, even a toe it didn't matter to him. But nothing. He let out a strong but heavy breath. "Bye." He mumbled before reaching down to kiss her forehead.

As he began to pull away, the heart rate monitor tracking the girl's heart beat began beeping faster and faster. Until a nurse came running in to check what was going on. The nurse was checking the screens, looking concerned.

This was nothing. It was when the girl began convulsing, rolling from side to side, her body was shaking. It was like her subconscious was trying to wake her up while her conscious didn't want to. But the girl's eyes refused to open.

"Stiles what did you do?" The nurse asked, as more doctors entered the room.

"I'm sorry, Melissa. I was upset about Allison. I shouted at her to wake up." Stiles plead to Melissa McCall.

"I think you two should go." Melissa instructed, showing the two the door. "I will call you if anything changes."

Stiles and his dad slowly walked towards the door, well Mr. Stilinski did. He had to walk back to Stiles who was still stood staring at his sister and place a hand on his shoulder to slowly lead him out. While Mr. Stilinski lead his son out the room Stiles felt something, something lingering on his shoulder almost spirit like. It felt like it was trying to tell him something.

Then it did. In a voice he hadn't heard in a year.

"STILES!"