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MOSTLY UNUSEFUL SEARCHES
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i just spent the last like hour going through all the lights out au stuff and im OBSESSED rn PLEASE
i'm not sure how to help you! enjoy the brainrot
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gremlingottoosilly · 6 months
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What would monster Konig do with a little harpy reader? Like an exotic type or even just common little dove, maybe she works in coms and information and the big boi catches sight of her fluffy feathers >///<
Imagine working as one of the scouts, mostly because your smaller size allowed you to fly undetected and get into tight spaces...and your first meeting with Konig was literally because you made a small nest in one of the unused vents of the base. You weren't aware that it was a vent with one end ending up near the colonel's quarters...and you didn't know that your soft moans and mumbling in your sleep were keeping him up at night. He was so freaking horny, endlessly searching for the source of the sound and wonderful smell - he just wasn't aware that a perfect mate can be so close. You're his direct opposite - he is the sea monster, you belong to the skies. You don't know how to swim, you hate getting your wings wet - still, you are trying your best to be respectful towards the colonel, understanding exactly how hard his work is. You're respectful, you're undetectable, you're flying under the radar...and yet, somehow, he manages to get you. Konig often uses your wings and your fluffy, feathery tail to overstimulate you - he knows how sensitive it is, how even the slightest touch to your feathers will somehow make you tremble, even though it doesn't really make sense...and he can drive you crazy from just biting on the hard part of your wings, making you scared that he will rip them away. It would be so easy, too - chain his little birdie down in their gilded cage, only allow her to go out if she promises to never go away...he won't be like this, of course...or you hope so, at least. Konig makes you the prettiest nest with the shiniest trinkets - he especially dives to the deepest part of the nearest seas so he can give you some shiny pearls and little shells, smiling as you parade your trophies around and display them in your nest. At least your harpy nature made it easier for you to carry his eggs...although your protective nesting behavior is far more adorable when you're a bit dizzy.
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makoodles · 1 year
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ミdaddy issues
part one | part two
🍓pairing: recom!miles quaritch x human fem reader
🍓tags: nsfw, interspecies relationship, jealousy, some mild unwanted touching (not quaritch) second-hand embarrassment, rough face-sitting, p in v sex, size kink
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For several days after your little rendezvous with Quaritch, you’re practically walking on air. You may be walking with a slight limp, but still – you’ve never been so satisfied in your whole life. 
Not only have you just had very good sex with the man you’ve been crushing on for months, but the science guys that have been snickering over your embarrassing interest in Quaritch have been rather remarkably silent since. You’re not even as embarrassed as you think you should be, considering all of your co-workers overheard you getting absolutely pounded into the floor by the Colonel; and you know you weren’t quiet about it, either.
You’ve even been able to cover significant ground with your dissertation – thanks to the sample that Quaritch had so generously provided you with, you’ve been able to run tests that you’ve dreaming of for weeks now. The data generated meant that you were able to nearly finish your dissertation.
Things are good. At least, mostly.
That one steamy encounter in your lab certainly isn’t the only one you end up having with Quaritch. In the weeks that follow, you boldly search him out several times during the breaks you take from your research. Once or twice, he’s even come looking for you in the lab. But most often, you find him and he ends up in your quarters – there’s something so thrilling about having him there, so big and exotically alien with all of his intense focus on you. You get so delightfully familiar with his mouth, his rough textured tongue, his enormous ridged cock, his large, thick-fingered hands. 
You could never have dreamed of your silly crush blooming into this with him, soft touches in the privacy of your quarters as he holds you to his big chest after fucking you so good that you practically go cross-eyed. You love having him in your quarters; it’s always a little comical to see his enormous body all curled up on your little human-sized bed, after all. In those quiet moments after sex, you’re able to delight in sharing skin to skin contact with him as he strokes over your much smaller body. It’s peaceful.
The only thing is, other than your little encounters, you hardly see Quaritch at all.
The recoms are busy, you know that, and often they’re sent out into the wilds of Pandora for days or even weeks at a time. Quaritch is an important man, and he’s got a lot on his plate. So for the most part, you only really see him from a distance. 
And it’s fine, really. It’s not like you had really expected things to change dramatically between you. He had told you very clearly that he wasn’t looking for anything romantic or anything like that; besides, he doesn’t exactly strike you as the romantic type. 
It’s silly to be disappointed. And yet, you are. You’re not even really sure what you had been expecting after that first time, but you suppose you had just been hoping for something a little more after crushing on him for so long. But you don’t want to be pushy or needy – you’re grateful for what he’s giving you, after all, and you don’t want to ruin the tentative little arrangement between you just because your crush has gotten a little out of hand.
It takes weeks before Geiszler manages to work up the courage to return to your little work room. It’s really just a little storage room filled with unused desks and old lab equipment, but you still feel much more comfortable in that room than in the main lab filled with scientists that side-eye you and openly snicker at you over your involvement with Quaritch. You’d prefer not to face that judgement, especially since those bastards had humiliated you with the dildo stunt already.
The sound of the door sliding open has your head snapping up from your research – you’ve started to associate that door sliding open with Quaritch’s arrival, and you find your stomach dropping a little in disappointment when you realise that it’s Geiszler rather than the Colonel’s familiar big blue body.
“Hey.” He says, shuffling his feet against the linoleum floor. He looks terribly uncomfortable, and pushes his wire-framed glasses up on his nose when they slip down.
You blink at him. Truthfully, you’re a little bewildered to see him. Ever since Quaritch had ordered him out of this same room before he had fucked you right into the floor, Geiszler had been avoiding you. In fairness, you hadn’t made much of an effort to seek him out either, but usually you didn’t have to. He was a pretty constant presence around the lab, and he usually sat with you at mealtimes too; his absence has been obvious.
“Hi.” You say, blinking stupidly at him.
Geiszler clears his throat and steps around some of the unused desks, approaching you where you sit. 
“I, uh…” He trails off for a second, before he seems to rally himself. “I thought I’d check in on you. See how you were doing.”
That throws you, and all you can do is stare at him in bewilderment. “Oh. Um… That’s nice of you. Yeah, I’m doing good.”
You’re not altogether certain of where you stand with Geiszler, either. Before the dildo incident, you think that you would call yourselves tentative friends. But now, things are undeniably awkward.
“Good. That’s good.” Geiszler is nodding. He leans his hip against your desk, but he can’t quite seem to meet your eyes. “Listen… I wanted to apologise.”
That makes you pause, and you squint at him.
“For what? The dildo thing? You already apologised for that.”
He laughs, but it’s high-pitched and obviously nervous. “Right, yeah. Um… it turned out pretty good for you though, I guess. So no harm done, right?”
“Other than my dignity being irreparably damaged?” You ask drily.
“Well,” Geiszler’s awkward smile melts into a cheeky grin – it’s a look that’s much more familiar to you than the oddly contrite expression he had been wearing before. “I don’t think the dildo did any more damage to your dignity than the fact that everyone could hear you encounter the real thing.”
Your mouth drops open. It’s not that the words themselves have shocked you (you knew that they had heard, on some level), it’s the fact that Geiszler is bold enough to actually say it to your face after so much awkwardness. Still, you can’t help but laugh.
“Okay,” You giggle, returning his grin. “Fair enough.”
Geiszler’s whole face seems to relax at that, as though he’s impossibly relieved that you’re able to laugh over it now. Some of the awkwardness seems to leak out of his demeanour too, which is a relief. The atmosphere is a little more natural between you now, like it was before the whole dildo incident.
Tentatively, he reaches for a chair and drags it over so that he can sit next to you at your desk. He’s a little closer than usual, but you don’t pay him much mind. It’s a bit of a relief, actually – you don’t have any real friends, and most of the science guys don’t take you seriously at all. It’s nice to have someone to talk to, even if he is a bit of a dick.
“Am I forgiven?” He asks, his eyebrows raising hopefully. “Friends again?”
You roll your eyes, but you’ve softened already. You can’t even be all that annoyed considering that his stupid stunt had ended up with you getting dicked down by the finest man you’ve ever met in your whole life. Besides, friends are in short supply here – you don’t want to alienate the only one you actually have.
“Yeah.” You grumble, though your mouth is quirked up in a little grin. “Fine. Friends.”
Geiszler brightens up, before running a hand through his hair in a nervous sort of gesture. Despite the fact that much of the awkwardness has dissipated, Geiszler still looks oddly jittery.
“So,” He says in a would-be casual tone. “You and Quaritch, huh?”
Heat rushes to your cheeks, and you turn hastily back to your research in an attempt to look busy. You flounder for a moment, clumsily attempting to reorganise your papers.
“Hm?” You ask, trying to pretend like you hadn’t heard him in the hopes that he’ll drop the subject.
“Oh, don’t give me that,” Geiszler laughs. His chair squeaks against the floor as he shuffles forward, even closer to you. “Come on! I was practically the matchmaker, right? You gotta give me some details, here.”
Your skin is prickling with mortification now, though you try to swallow it down and act unaffected. It’s only Geiszler asking, after all. 
“Um…” You clear your throat, flustered. “There’s really not that much to say.”
“How accurate was the dildo?”
“Geiszler!” You deliver a sharp stinging smack to his shoulder and he yelps, jolting away from you. “You absolute pervert-”
“I thought we were friends-!” He yells back, but he’s visibly laughing. “Come on, it stays between us! You can tell me!”
He’s so stupid. And yet, you’re hesitating a little. Being one of the very few women on the team of xenobotanists can be tough, even more so when you’re also one of the youngest and you haven’t even gotten your doctoral qualification yet. It can be lonely, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t terribly eager for somebody to talk to about things.
“It-” You begin, flushed hot with embarrassment. “He- I mean, um. It was pretty accurate. There were some things you missed, though.”
Geiszler pulls a funny sort of face, before his expression settles into one of mock thoughtfulness. “I see. So… you did end up using that dildo then?”
You choke, turning on him again. He dodges back before you can slap at his shoulder again, but his grin has gotten impossibly wider.
“Don’t be fucking weird about it.” You complain, turning your face away from him so he can’t see your face. “Miles has already given me enough shit about it-”
“Oh, Miles, huh?” Geiszler is still grinning, and he shuffles closer again now that he’s no longer in danger of being smacked. “Damn, you’re calling the Colonel Miles now?”
You breathe out a nervous laugh, flustered and embarrassed. “I guess. Not in public, obviously.”
“Why not?” Geiszler asks immediately, leaning forward over your desk and leaning his elbow on the tabletop so he can rest his chin in his palm. “He doesn’t want to show you off? He certainly wasn’t trying to hide it when he was in here before-”
“Jesus, stop fucking talking about that,” You hiss, scowling at him. “It was like one time-”
“You know, the walls in this room are pretty thin, and everyone in the main lab can hear when he-”
“Okay, okay,” You say quickly. “So it was a couple of times! Whatever!”
Geiszler giggles. His fingers are tapping repeatedly against the desktop as though he’s nervous, though his grin is still bright as ever. 
“So…” He says slowly, “What’s up with you guys, then? Are you, like, together now?”
You bite at your lower lip as you consider his question, pushing your research to the side so that you can rest your elbows on the desk. That really was the million dollar question, wasn’t it?
“Nah,” You murmur, fingers picking absently at a stray bit of paper. “Don’t think he wants anything serious.”
“But you do?”
“Fucking hell,” You turn to give him a side eye, but soften it with a little smile. “What’s with the third degree, huh? You’re worse than the RDA-mandated therapists.”
Geiszler laughs, but obediently backs off. “Sorry, sorry. Can’t blame me for being curious, can you?”
You suppose you can’t, so you just hum non-committedly. It is a strange situation, you suppose.
“Whatever,” You say with a sigh, before waving your hands in a shooing motion. “Go on, get out of here. I have work to do.”
Geiszler does as he’s told, pushing himself away from the desk as his gaze darts over the structured mess of your desk.
“Sure, sure.” He says good-naturedly. “Still working on the dissertation? You nearly done?”
“Yeah.” You beam reflexively, impossibly proud of all your hard work. “The sample that the recoms brought me has been such a lifesaver! I’ll be able to submit everything this week, I think!”
“Hey, that’s amazing!” Geiszler says, reaching out to clap you cheerfully on the shoulder. “Really awesome! You deserve it. We should celebrate after!”
You hesitate for a split-second, a little bewildered about the way his hand is lingering a little oddly on your back. But then he pulls away, and you decide you were probably imagining it.
“Right!” You say, smiling. “Sure.” 
Geiszler shoots you a blinding grin along with some finger guns, which is a gesture that’s so cheesy that you have to fight not to visibly cringe. With that he leaves you alone once more, so that you can return to burying your head in your research, forcing all thoughts of your relationship (or lack of it) with Quaritch out of your mind for good.
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Friday evening marks a full week since you’ve seen Quaritch.
It’s not unusual, exactly, considering his work and yours usually keep you occupied in different sections of the base entirely, but still. You’d be lying to yourself if you said you hadn’t been hoping that he would come and see you at some point during the week. You’re overly aware of the fact that it’s almost always you seeking him out, and so rarely the other way around.
You’re even more aware of this after your conversation with Geiszler – it’s not that he had said anything surprising, but just talking about it had highlighted the fact that you really weren’t sure where you stood with Quaritch at all. Now that you’ve started thinking about it, you just can’t stop. 
Would it be selfish to ask for more? Is it presumptuous to hope that he might be willing to offer more? What would you do if he turned you down? Fuck, how would you recover from that?
In the end, you decide to leave the matter for now. It can be a topic of discussion for another time.
But then Friday afternoon rolls around, and you hit a milestone. After three long years of arduous research, your doctoral thesis has been submitted. It’s a momentous occasion, and yet you find yourself alone in your lab with no one to celebrate with.
The sensible thing would probably be to go and find Geiszler. He’s a co-worker, and a tentative friend, and he has experience with the very same process you’ve just gone through – plus, he’s already made you a promise to celebrate with you! 
It would probably be a better idea to stick to building upon the budding friendships in the science department – but instead you find yourself slipping out of the lab and wandering down the halls, your mind set on finding one person in particular.
Despite how little you’ve seen of him recently, Quaritch isn’t actually a difficult man to find. 
Bridgehead City may be an enormous, sprawling structure, but the recoms are encouraged to stay close to the medical and science wings just in case something goes wrong. Many of the facilities in this part of the base have been built to accommodate their much larger Na’vi bodies; the gym being one of them.
Like most of the facilities, a separate section has been built in the gym containing appropriate equipment for the recoms. You need to strap an exo-pack mask over your face so that you can breathe the air in there, but then you slip into the room with no problem. You’re not even particularly out of place in the enormous gym; there are several other human scientists milling around with datapads, though they’re clearly observing and taking notes on the recoms’ athletic performance.
You spot Quaritch near the back of the gym. He’s impossible to miss, really. Even if he weren’t nine-feet-tall and bright blue, you’re certain you’d be able to locate him based on the sheer amount of overwhelmingly commanding energy that pours off him at any given moment – his presence fills the room.
You pick your way around the enormous gym equipment, trying not to feel like a child in a playground. Overall, you do a pretty good job at not being noticed. You don’t think you could handle another encounter with his squad; you’ve done your absolute utmost to avoid all of them ever since the dildo fiasco.
As you approach Quaritch, you begin to falter. He’s lifting weights, all stretched out across the bench press with his thin vest clinging to his chest. Though a single barbell probably outweighs you, the motion looks effortless. There’s the faintest glimmer of sweat across his brow, but otherwise he hardly seems to be affected by the exertion at all other than the occasional grunt he lets out. You get a little distracted by the way his biceps flex and bunch with every curl of his arms.
Fuck, what are you even doing here? Why would he even care about your stupid dissertation? What are you hoping to achieve with this?
Your steps falter, and then movement out of the corner of your eye catches your attention. It’s one of the recoms – Lopez, you think – watching you with curious eyes. He turns and murmurs something to Z-dog beside him, who turns to look at you too before nudging him with a grin. 
Your face grows hot, mortified; you’re unwillingly reminded of the way Wainfleet and Fike had snickered at you that day in your little workroom.
Embarrassed, you force yourself to close the last bit of remaining distance between you and the Colonel. You’ve come this far anyway, and you can’t face the thought of his squad watching you chicken out.
He looks up as you approach, and you can see surprise register on his face as his ears press back against the sides of his head. With one last heave, he sets his weights back on the bar before pushing himself up into a sitting position on the bench press.
“Hey, kid,” He greets, his elbows resting on his thighs as he watches you approach. “What’re you doing here?”
You step up to the bench press, close enough that you can admire the way a couple beads of sweat glisten on his smooth, muscled chest. Even after all the times you’ve seen him completely naked, you still get flustered when you’re faced with how impossibly attractive he is.
“I finished it,” You murmur to him quietly, hyper-aware of the stares your appearance in the gym has started to garner from the members of his team that are training at various points around the room. “My dissertation, I mean.”
You’re expecting a dismissal, or a half-hearted congratulations maybe. You’re not expecting Quaritch’s face to relax into a genuine little grin, the skin around his eyes crinkling as he tilts his head to look at you. 
“Yeah? Nice job, princess.”
You flush, growing warm and flustered from the praise. “Well, I’ve only just submitted it. I’ll have to go through the thesis defence, but hopefully they’ll be able to speed that process up.”
Quaritch is watching your face, his big golden eyes assessing as he evaluates every little expression of yours. It’s always intimidating to be under his scrutiny like this, but a little part of you is flattered to be the sole recipient of his attention like this every time.
“Smart girl.” He murmurs at last, mouth quirking. “This mean you can stop spending so much time in that dirty little room?”
You snort, amused despite yourself. “No. That dirty little room is my space. It’s easier to work there by myself than with the other guys in the main lab.”
Quaritch’s eyes narrow, and he leans forward a little. “Those little pubes still bothering you?”
You think back to your conversation with Geiszler from earlier that week – it had gone well, and you’ve seen him almost every day this week. He’s hardly teased you at all about Quaritch, in fact, which is the opposite of what you had expected. He’s been very respectful and very work-appropriate.
“No, actually.” You say with a satisfied sort of smile. “Everything is good.”
Quaritch grunts softly in acknowledgement, before sitting up a little straighter. “Why don’t I drop by the lab later? I’ve got a few things to finish up here.”
You can’t help the way your stomach wobbles, butterflies fluttering wildly in your belly. You’re almost embarrassed about the effect he has on you, but not embarrassed enough considering you’re still smiling dopily up at him.
“Yeah,” You breathe. “Yeah, that sounds great.”
Quaritch’s smile turns cocky, his mouth curving up as he watches your reaction. “Yeah?”
You grin back, and try not to nod too eagerly. You can still feel the eyes of Quaritch’s squad on you, watching intently as you converse quietly with their superior office. Curiosity is practically radiating off them, and you’re sure there are more than one pair of twitching ears trying to listen in on your conversation.
“Was that all?” Quaritch asks, “Or did you just come here to see me?”
Ah, busted. Your grin turns a little bashful, and you scratch absently at your elbow.
“I just wanted to tell someone about my dissertation, I guess.” You say with a little shrug.
Quaritch hums, amused, before pushing himself up from the bench to his full, impressive height. Suddenly, you find yourself eye level with his belt, and you have to tilt your head all the way back to be able to look him in the eye.
“You did good, girl.” He says, reaching out to pat you on the shoulder. “Well done.”
His hand lingers, his long fingers curling around your shoulder and resting along the back of your neck. It’s the kind of touch that makes you shiver a little, and you lean into his hand just to feel the heat of his skin against yours. It puts you in mind of the back pat Geiszler had given you earlier; you wonder how it’s possible for the same gesture to feel so unbelievably different from two different people.
You smile, bright and joyful. His praise settles low and warm in your belly, making you feel weightless and airy. The effect he has on you is a little embarrassing, but you don’t even care. You’re lost in the moment, staring up at his sharp-boned, handsome face as you revel in his approval. 
You clear your throat. “I’ll, um.. I’ll see you later, then?”
“Yeah,” Quaritch removes his hand from your shoulder, to your dismay. “See you then, kid.”
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Despite the fact that you’ve already seen him, you take a little time to fix yourself up that evening as you await Quaritch’s arrival. You’ve changed into one of your cute little dresses under your lab coat, and you add a little bit of makeup and fix your hair. You just want to look pretty for him.
You’re just adjusting some of the gloss at the corner of your lips when the doors to your little work room slide open. You hurriedly put down your lipgloss and turn to the door with a smile on your face; it falters when you see that it’s Geiszler who has just stepped in.
“Oh,” You say, surprised. “Hey.”
Geiszler smiles back at you as he saunters his way into the room; bizarrely, he looks nervous.
“Hey!” He greets, a little more upbeat than usual. “Congratulations on the thesis!”
“Oh, thank you!” You relax, realising now why he’s here. “God, it hardly even feels real, you know.”
Geiszler just chuckles; just like last time, he grabs a chair and drags it over so that he can sit close to you. His eyes are darting over your face, and you try not to get self-conscious about it; you can only guess that he’s eyeing the way you’ve prettied yourself up with makeup.
“I brought you this,” He clears his throat, and brings his arm out from behind his back. You hadn’t even noticed that he was attempting to hide a large bottle in his hands. “Uh… Steiner from exobiology has been brewing his own vodka with some of the freeze-dried potatoes we brought from Earth. Here – it’s a congratulations present.”
When he places the bottle on the table, you accept it with a gracious if not surprised smile. It’s a rarity to get something like this, and the idea of being gifted vodka on an alien planet is a total novelty. You grin as you peer at the clear liquid inside the glass bottle.
“Damn, thank you!” You say with a short little chuckle. “This was a lovely thought.”
Geiszler seems pleased with your reaction, though he just shrugs his shoulders as though it’s no big deal. “Yeah, well, I figured I owed you something nice after being a dick to you before.”
You try not to sigh. It seems like he’s just going to keep bringing that up, no matter how many times you try to get him to drop it. 
“Well, thanks.”
Geiszler leans forward, planting his elbows on the desk beside you. He’s very close to you now, close enough for you to start side-eyeing him but not close enough for you to really justify pulling away. 
“You look nice.” He says simply, offering you another little smile. “I’m guessing you have plans for the evening?”
You clear your throat, but you can’t help the little smile that’s starting to creep over your face. “Yeah. I’m just waiting-”
“For Quaritch?” Geiszler interrupts you, though his voice is still casual and his expression doesn’t change. “Well, he’s a lucky man. Is it date night? He taking you somewhere nice?”
Your smile falters a little. No, it’s not date night. Quaritch has been clear from the start that he doesn’t want anything like a relationship, and he’s been true to his word this whole time. He comes around for sex, and it’s very good sex, but sex is all it ever is. And that’s fine! You’re fine with just the sex! But you have to admit, some part of you yearns for a little more than that.
“Um, no.” You say at last, swallowing and hitching your smile back up. “No, nothing like that. Just a quiet night in, probably.”
Judging by the eyebrow raise, Geiszler is perfectly capable of translating between the lines. He gives you a sympathetic look, the type that makes irritation prickle all up the back of your neck, before leaning in just a little closer as he drops his voice.
“I know you like him,” He begins, his voice lowering to a murmur despite the fact that the two of you are alone in your little work room. “But is this really what you want? Someone that won’t even take you on dates? That only uses you as something to fuck?”
Your spine stiffens, your eyes growing wide. What the fuck? The sheer boldness of his words takes you by surprise, and all you can do for a long moment is stare at him. 
He doesn’t know what he’s talking about, is the first thing that crosses your mind, irritated and dismissive. But then you pause, and bite at your lip. It’s not something you want to admit to yourself, but he does have somewhat of a point. 
Is it unreasonable to hope for more from the Colonel? He had told you straight out that he didn’t want anything from you the day of the dildo incident, but then he had contradicted himself when he had returned to your lab barely a week later with a brand new sample of panopyra fluid before promptly fucking you stupid right there on the workroom floor. He had never brought up your relationship status (or lack thereof) again, though you felt like his silence on the matter spoke volumes.
It’s not selfish to wish quietly for a deeper level of intimacy with the man you’re so damn infatuated with, is it? You want to be able to hold his big hands, to comfort him when he’s stressed, to tell him about your day, to share a bed and just sleep, to go on dates. They’re thoughts that you’ve been trying hard to keep stifled for the past several weeks for exactly this reason – you just knew that if you allowed yourself to think them, they would consume you.
Now that Geiszler has opened this can of worms, you end up shifting uncomfortably on your stool. As if he can see your doubt, he leans in yet again.
“Don’t you think you’ve gotten him out of your system by now?” He asks, so quietly that you almost have to strain to hear him. 
You open your mouth hesitantly, but you never get to make a reply. The sound of the door sliding open behind causes you to jolt in surprise; for the first time you realise just how close Geiszler has gotten to you, and you lean hastily away.
You shove yourself off the stool you’ve been sitting on, and whirl around to find that Quaritch has finally shown up.
“Miles,” You breathe, reaching to smooth down your dress. “Hey.”
Quaritch steps inside your dingy little workroom, ducking down so that he can fit through the doorway. You can see him physically pause when he catches sight of Geiszler. It seems to take a moment for him to actually place him, but when he does recognition settles darkly over his face.
“Hey, kid.” He greets, though he doesn’t look away from Geiszler. “What are you up to?”
You clear your throat again, and fight not to fidget with your fingers. You feel bizarrely guilty, which is stupid. There’s nothing wrong with talking to Geiszler, and there’s nothing wrong with questioning where you stand with Quaritch. 
“Nothing!” You say, but it comes out much too quickly to be entirely believable. 
His big golden eyes flick in your direction, and you find yourself struggling to meet his stare. He’s so good at reading your thoughts by your expression alone, and you’re embarrassed about this. 
There’s a brief silence, and then Quaritch steps forward again. He has to walk with his head ducked and shoulders hunched in order to avoid hitting the ceiling; this room is much smaller than the main lab, and was never intended for bodies as large as his. You watch him approach, your stomach tightening in the same anticipatory knot you always get when he’s close. You’re only distantly aware of the way that Geiszler shuffles to the left, adding about an inch of distance between you.
You’re still a little flustered from your conversation with Geiszler, and you find yourself scrambling a little bit as Quaritch comes closer. You reach out and grab at the bottle Geiszler had gifted you and hold it up.
“Look, Geiszler brought a gift! Isn’t this cool?” You babble. “It’s vodka! Made from- uh, potatoes!”
Quaritch has grown accustomed enough to your mannerisms in the past couple of weeks that your nervous babbling doesn’t phase him in the slightest. He drops into a crouch next to you, his movements as quick and graceful as a cat, before reaching out to grasp your wrist so he can get a better look at what you’re holding.
“Well, would ya look at that.” He says. His tone is perfectly mild, yet when his eyes slide over to Geiszler they flash a little darker. “He certainly does like bringing you presents, don’t he?”
Geiszler has grown a little pale, and he shoots a quick glance your way. You just smile at him – Quaritch can be a little scary, sure, but you know that Geiszler doesn’t really have anything to worry about. Most likely, he’s just a little irritated still about the whole dildo situation.
“It was a lovely thought.” You say, placing the bottle back on the tabletop. “I haven’t had alcohol since I came to Pandora.”
Geiszler visibly brightens. “Nah, it was nothing. You’ve been working so hard, you deserve some kind of reward.”
You beam, delighted. It feels great to have your hard work recognised, especially after so long working with much older scientists that have treated you like nothing more than an intern. 
Beside you, Quaritch shifts, and you startle a little when his arm comes around your back as a warm weight plants itself on your ass. You can feel the heat of his palm and fingers through the fabric of your lab coat and dress, and you struggle to stifle the physical shiver that runs through you when he squeezes a little.
You glance up at him, but he’s not even looking at you; his eyes are still fixed on Geiszler, hardly even blinking. He reminds you a little of a jungle predator, the line of his body taut with barely restrained danger.
Your face grows hot, but you don’t move away from him. His hand remains firmly planted on your asscheek. It doesn’t feel like he has any plans to move it. 
You clear your throat a little as you attempt to continue the conversation as though Quaritch isn’t currently unashamedly groping you.
“Well, thank you.” You murmur, hoping that your smile doesn’t seem too strained. “I still can’t believe I’m gonna get my doctorate.”
“It’s well-deserved.” Geiszler’s voice is oddly soft, almost uncharacteristically so. “You’ll be the sweetest botanist we have, I think.”
That seems like a bizarrely condescending thing to say, and your brow pinches a little. You think he means it as a compliment, but it’s yet another reminder that the other scientists don’t really seem to see you as being on the same level as them.
Quaritch has been strangely quiet up until this point, content to simply stare Geiszler down with his big yellow eyes, but that comment makes him snort.
“Oh, don’t let the sweetness fool ya,” He drawls, his upper lip peeling up in a smirk to reveal sharp teeth. “Girl’s a brat.”
You jolt, swinging your head around to stare up at him in disbelief. For a moment, you wonder if you had misheard him, but his smirk is unmistakably challenging as he watches Geiszler for a reaction.
“Miles!” You hiss, mortified.
Quaritch finally looks away from Geiszler, just so he can roll his head around and blink down at you. He doesn’t look sorry in the least; in fact, he just grins at you.
“What’s wrong, darlin’?” He asks, his tone falsely sugar-sweet. “You’re not usually so embarrassed.”
You stare at him, wide-eyed and bewildered. Your cheeks are still hot, and bizarrely you find yourself growing a little hyper-aware of how attractive he is. Your eyes dart over his high cheekbones and big eyes, the deep blue of his skin and the pretty white bioluminescent dots freckled across his nose. His big hand flexes, encompassing the whole swell of your ass, and you take a breath.
You look away hastily, having lost the thread of your thoughts, and your eyes find Geiszler once more. The look he’s giving you is significant, his eyebrows raised behind his large wide glasses, and you’re struck again by what he had said earlier.
‘Is this really what you want? Someone that won’t even take you on dates? That only uses you as something to fuck?’
Flushed, you look down at your feet. God, you really can’t help yourself, can you?
“Alright, why don’t you head out now?” Quaritch says above you, tossing a quick look Geiszler’s way.
His glower is unmistakable, and Geiszler flinches a little under the heavy weight of it. He takes a step back as though he can’t help himself, before darting a glance in your direction.
“Right. Yeah. Um,” Despite the way he’s visibly cowering slightly in Quaritch’s presence, Geiszler still manages to gather enough courage to shoot you a smile. “Congratulations again. We’ll celebrate another time, right?”
“Yeah.” You nod, offering him a tight smile. “Sure.”
Geiszler’s smile turns more genuine as he walks backwards towards the door, as though putting additional space between him and Quaritch is making him a little braver. 
“Hey, think about what I said!” He calls once he’s at the door, just before he ducks out of the room. “See you tomorrow!”
There’s a long moment of silence as the door slides shut behind him. You’re biting at your lip, brow furrowed – as much as you’d like to put his words firmly out of your head, you know that it’s going to stick with you for the foreseeable future.
Movement at your side pulls you out of your thoughts, and you glance up to find Quaritch scowling at the door that Geiszler has disappeared out of.
“I do not like that guy.” He grumbles, nose twitching. 
You laugh a little breathlessly, unable to help yourself. “He’s not so bad.”
Quaritch turns his head to look at you, his expression one of firm disbelief. “What? Is he not the slimy little creep that gave you that sex toy you were all upset over?”
The memory makes your skin prickle with remembered humiliation, and you roll your eyes in an attempt to appear casual.
“I was upset because you and your squad of morons ruined my research, not over the dildo.” You mumble, finally stepping away from him. “Besides, I thought you liked that dildo – it helped me get ready for you, didn’t it?”
Usually that would be enough to distract him, but it seems like Geiszler’s presence has gotten under his skin more than you realised. You had forgotten that Quaritch had such a dislike for the scientists that work around Bridgehead; his remarks about your research and your interest in xenobotany has always been mostly teasing, after all.
“I seem to remember you throwing things, kid.” He reminds you, lowering himself a little further so he’s at eye-level with you. “You tellin’ me that was just for me?”
You breathe a short laugh, glancing away. As much as you love looking at his big handsome face, you find it difficult sometimes to maintain eye contact with him. He’s just so intense about everything, and you feel as though you’re being examined.
“Well, maybe you push my buttons more than he does.”
Quaritch makes an odd little grunting sound, his eyes still flicking over your face. He’s sat back on his hunkers in front of you, though he reaches out and places a large hand against your waist. You lean into his touch on reflex, enjoying the pleasant heat of his palm through your clothes.
“What was that he was saying?” He asks, his voice low. “Was he bothering you before I arrived?”
“No,” You say quickly, averting your eyes. “No, that was nothing.”
There’s a brief pause. You can feel him studying you, that pretty golden gaze boring into the side of your face. You half expect him to keep pushing, to demand a proper response from you, and you’re a little surprised when no such demand comes. Instead, his long fingers curl into your clothes, bunching it up a little bit in his hand.
“You tellin’ me the truth, sweetheart?” He murmurs. His tone makes it clear that he already knows the answer to his own question.
“Yeah,” You keep your smile hitched up on your face, though it takes a little effort. “Of course. Will we head out, then?”
Another pause, this one longer than the last. 
“Alright.” He drawls at last, pulling hand away from you as he stands. “Let’s go then.”
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The tiny seed of doubt in your mind starts to bloom into full blown apprehension over the following days. 
The evening you had with Quaritch had been lovely – it still amazes you how he can be so charming one moment and then the next moment have you all tied up in knots around his cock as he pounds you stupid into your own standard-issue lumpy mattress.
In some ways, your crush was easier to handle before you started hooking up with Quaritch. At least back then you weren’t ever really concerned about rejection – you had never expected to get far enough with him that rejection might be a reality, after all! Now, you find yourself perturbed at the thought that he could lose interest at any moment; and that’s assuming he had any interest in the first place. You were the one who had been throwing yourself at him, after all.
Maybe, you think to yourself, it’s best to give him some space.
For the first time in months, you stop seeking Quaritch out. You don’t go looking for him in the gym so you can watch him work out, you don’t try to grab seats close to the Recom area in the cafeteria so you can watch him during mealtimes, you don’t go searching for him in the evening times so you can coyly invite him back to your quarters, you don’t stand waiting in the hangars when the Recom squad are returning from their scouting missions on Pandora in the hopes of catching sight of him. 
You had been aware on some level that it had mainly been you seeking him out, but now that you’ve stopped you’re disheartened to find that Geiszler had been right. Quaritch doesn’t come looking for you at all – maybe it’s true that he was only interested in you on a sexual basis. And even then, it’s only because you offer yourself to him. Does he think you’re easy? God, you probably come across as so desperate. Does he think you’re pathetic?
Either way, it’s a little disheartening. But whatever. It’s fine. You’re fine.
A week and a half after you first started to keep to yourself, Geiszler starts lingering around your workroom. At first, it’s kind of nice to have a bit of company as you work. He asks questions about your research, which you answer eagerly and with great enthusiasm, and even helps you to prepare for your thesis defence.
But by the end of that week, his presence starts to grate on your nerves a little. He babbles constantly, and no matter how hard you try to tune him out it’s like having nonstop noise playing in the background.
“Hey, how come you don’t join the rest of us back in the main lab?” He asks one afternoon. 
He’s lounging on one of the spare chairs, his feet thrown up on a disused desk. He looks very at ease, and you try not to allow your irritation to show; this is your space, and it’s difficult not to grow disgruntled at the constant invasion.
It takes a moment for you to answer.
“Because,” You murmur slowly, scratching out a quick memo in your notes. “You guys are assholes. You laugh at me all the time, and I know that you all think I’m not as smart as you.”
“Oh, come on.” Geiszler says with a short laugh, leaning his chin into his hands. “You know we don’t mean anything by it-”
“Yes, you do.” You mumble without looking up. “It’s obvious. I have to work so much harder than any of you, but it hardly ever matters. It doesn’t matter how many hours I put in, or how good my research is. I know you guys just see me as a silly little girl that doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”
Geiszler just blinks at you for a moment. Maybe he expects you to be angrier than you are; but you’ve already experienced years of this. More than anything, you’re just tired of it.
“Come on,” He says at last, leaning forward with an ingratiating little smile. “I don’t think that’s fair.”
“No?” You murmur absently, flipping a page. “Then why is it that you guys never ask me about my work? My research? My interests? My experiences? The only thing you guys ever talk about when I’m around is how silly I am for crushing on the Colonel. First you laughed about me because you thought I was pathetic, and now you laugh at me because you think it’s weird.”
There’s a brief pause where Geiszler visibly fumbles for a response. His brow furrows, his mouth pursing, as he attempts to gather his thoughts. You don’t look up from your work, but you can practically feel antsy shifting from beside you.
“Oh, that’s not fair.” He says finally, a little weakly. “I mean- okay, so maybe we thought it was a little funny that-” He cuts himself off with a shake of his head, and then changes tactics. “What, are you telling me Quaritch thinks you’re smart?”
That makes you pause, your own brow puckering into a frown. He says it as though it’s a difficult thing to believe, but you’ve never really thought about it. You may have made a fool of yourself in front of Quaritch on several occasions, but he’s never actually made you feel stupid about it. He’s rolled his eyes at you plenty of times, maybe laughed at you a little, but you’ve never gotten the impression that he’s actually questioning your intelligence.
“I think he does.” You murmur, still not looking up. You think of how he had grinned at you when you had shared the news that you had finished your dissertation; he didn’t seem as though he thought you were stupid then.
“It’s Quaritch.” Geiszler points out, his voice thick with disbelief. “Come on! He thinks everyone is stupid! You hardly think you’re the exception?”
You turn to him sharply, eyes narrowing. Your irritation is flaring now, and you find yourself completely unable to hide it.
“Do you seriously think this is helping your point?” You snap. “Like, really?”
Geiszler goes quietly instantly, the picture of guilt. The silence that follows is a little awkward; you turn back to your work, glaring fixedly at your research. You’ve been on Pandora for almost a full year now, and over that time you’ve grown used to the attitude of the guys in the lab. It’s not unusual, after all. You’ve been met with the same kind of derision in plenty of the male dominated work and study spaces you’ve experienced back on Earth. But even though you’ve grown used to being smirked at and talked down to, it really gets on your nerves sometimes.
After several long moments of thick, tense silence only broken by the scritching of your pen on paper and the jittery fidgeting of Geiszler’s hands against the tabletop, he speaks again.
“Sorry.” He says, quietly. “I didn’t mean anything by it. I know you’re upset about him recently.”
You clench your jaw irritably. You don’t like that it’s so obvious how you feel about him, and you like it even less that Geiszler seems to be so interested in it.
“Whatever.” You mumble, turning your face away with a quiet sigh. “It doesn’t really matter, anyway.”
The next silence doesn’t last quite so long, because Geiszler ends up shuffling his chair even closer to you. Your shoulders tense, but you simply watch him out of the corner of your eye. Your friendship with him is somewhat odd; most of the time you think he’s just good company, but sometimes his boldness takes you aback.
“Look, I’m just worried about you,” He says, his voice quiet and urgent. “You keep yourself so isolated here, it can’t be healthy. When’s the last time you socialised with the rest of the xenobotanist team?” 
You hum in false thought. “Think it might have been three weeks ago? When you guys had a conversation for nearly half an hour about the physics of me and Miles fucking as if I wasn’t even there. You know, when Boyd asked if I’d write a report on human/Na’vi sexual compatibility?”
Geiszler winces in acknowledgement. “Yeah, that might’ve been a bit inappropriate.”
You just shoot him a look before returning your attention to your work. It’s not even a conversation worth having, in your eyes. But despite your obvious dismissal, Geiszler doesn’t seem ready to give up.
“You’re not interested in coming to drink with the team, then?” He asks in a wheedling tone, as though he’s talking to a pouting child.
“No.” You say. Your tone is blunt to the point of rudeness, but you’re past caring.
“Well, what about having a drink with me?”
That makes you pause, and you raise your head once more just so you can blink at him. His expression is open and guileless, unchanging even as you blink suspiciously at him. He seems earnest, and for a moment you feel a little guilty. 
Maybe Geiszler does have a point. Shutting yourself up in your makeshift lab away from everyone else certainly hasn’t done you any favours in the friendship department; if anything, it’s done even more damage to the possibility of building up genuine relationships with your co-workers. And Geiszler has been genuinely nice to you, even if he has acted like a total dick on occasion. 
“A drink?” You ask cautiously.
“Yeah,” Geiszler leans forward, clearly seeing your hesitance as an opportunity. “Why not? I can come back this evening with another bottle of moonshine – we can drink it here! We don’t even have to leave the room. It’ll just be a casual hang-out, me and you. You could use a distraction, don’t you think?”
You chew at your lip, thinking. Maybe he’s right – maybe you could use a distraction.
“Yeah. Okay, sure.” You say, trying to muster up some degree of enthusiasm.
Your attempt at levity falls completely flat. Geiszler, bless his heart, doesn’t even seem to notice.
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The alcohol that’s available in Bridgehead is expensive considering it’s usually brewed secretly and against regulations, but it makes up for the price by being so strong that it could damn near blow your head right off.
After only a single drink, you start to feel a little light-headed and giggly. It’s nicer than you had expected. Your dissertation and all of your uncertainty surrounding the Quaritch situation was more stressful than you had fully realised, and the opportunity to relax like this is even nicer than you had expected.
Your legs are thrown up on one of the spare desks as you lounge back in an office chair, laughing openly at the way Geiszler is slurring his words. You may be a little tipsy, but Geiszler is well on his way to being wasted. 
It’s probably inevitable that the conversation turns back to you and Quaritch’s odd little arrangement. You can’t even be irritated about it; your mood is cushioned by the alcohol now, making you a little bit more agreeable to discussing things. Besides, complaining about it is kind of cathartic.
“I just don’t get it, man.” Geiszler is saying, his chin cradled in his hands as he stares at you with wide eyes. He’s clearly had too much of the very strong moonshine; he can hardly sit up straight. “Like… why him?”
You just sigh, tilting your head back so you can stare at the panelled ceiling way above your head. “I don’t know. Would it be very shallow to point out the fact that he’s literally beautiful?”
Geiszler snorts a little drunken laugh, before inclining his head in acknowledgement. “No, that’s fair actually.”
You laugh with him, but only for a moment. Maybe the small glass of moonshine has rotted your brain, because you end up softening as you think of Quaritch and all the illicit little encounters you’ve stolen away with him so far. 
“The Na’vi as a whole are physically attractive,” Geiszler notes, reaching up to push his glasses clumsily up the bridge of his nose. “But why are you so fixated on him? He mostly just ignores you when he’s not trying to screw you.”
You flush at that, a little humiliated. You know he’s likely just protective of you like a good friend should be, but you don’t like how that paints you as some kind of pathetic little idiot that’s just desperate for attention.
“Other than the fact that he’s biologically and physically perfect-” You soldier on even as Geiszler snorts at your words, “He’s gentle with me. I don’t necessarily think I’d call him sweet, but… I think he could be, if he wanted to.”
There’s a brief silence. Geiszler nods, lips pursed in an expression of exaggerated drunken thoughtfulness as he seems to mull this information over. After a long moment, he starts to snicker.
“I can’t lie, man, that’s not very cool. You’re clinging onto this guy because he could be sweet if he wanted to? Damn.” He drawls. “I mean, it’s Quaritch. I don’t think sweet is in his vocabulary, unless he’s making fun of you.”
It seems like the moonshine has gotten rid of the last remnants of Geiszler’s filter. You’re in a difficult position to argue, too, because he’s sort of right.
You just sigh. “Yeah. Maybe you’re right.”
That seems to encourage him. He takes another deep gulp of his drink, wincing at the taste, before shuffling a little closer to where you’re sitting.
“I do have another question,” He says slowly, a tiny grin beginning to grow across his face. “How did it… you know… Fit?”
You nearly choke at that question, a horrified laugh bubbling out of your mouth. 
“Oh my god, don’t ask me questions like that, you little creep!” You slap at his shoulder, hard.
He yelps and pulls away, but now he’s laughing too. “Alright, alright! Can’t blame a man for being a little curious!”
Despite the topic of conversation, you find yourself feeling at ease. It’s comfortable sitting here and sharing a drink in your little lab like this; it’s the first time since you’ve arrived on Pandora that you’ve really felt like you have a friend. It’s nice.
Geiszler is still smiling, but his eyes have a somewhat serious gleam to them when he turns to you again. There’s a beat of silence, during which the easy and comfortable atmosphere seems to shift a little. The air turns a little more intense, and all of a sudden you find yourself growing somewhat uncomfortably aware of how close he’s actually sitting to you.
“Hey,” He murmurs with a soft sigh. “I know we’re joking about it, but you really do deserve better. You know that, right?”
You glance down at your hands, fidgeting with your fingers. You guess you do know that, on some level, but you’ve never truly had a crush this intense on anyone before — and you’ve certainly never actually had anyone on his level interested in you before, even if that interest only extends so far as taking what he wants from your body.
“Maybe.” You mumble non-committedly, setting your glass back on the table. It’s almost full still; you don’t particularly want to drink anymore.
Geiszler shuffles in his seat, before reaching out and placing his hand cautiously but firmly across your thigh.
The touch has your back stiffening, your posture going ram-rod straight in your chair as you turn to look at him in disbelief. It’s an unusually intimate touch from him, one that has connotations that are more than friendly. But then he leans in, and ends up practically hanging off your shoulder in an effort to keep his balance.
You relax, if only slightly. Is he so drunk that he hasn’t even noticed where his hand has fallen?
But then Geiszler speaks again, and any thoughts that his hand placement may have been accidental are dashed. “Listen, I’ve… I’ve liked you for a while now. And it’s been kinda tough to see you mooning over Quaritch — I could treat you so much better. I would treat you so much better.”
Your stomach sinks, dread weighing it down heavily until it feels as though it's sitting on the floor. “Oh. Geiszler, I don’t-”
But Geiszler just keeps ploughing ahead.
“The dildo thing was a joke, but I also thought that– well, that maybe you just needed to get that curiosity out of your system. And then you actually got with him, which is fine by the way! I don’t mind! But now I’m thinking that surely you’ve worked out all your curiosity about how Na’vi sex works-”
Your mouth falls open, horrified. Is that what he thought was happening? That you were just ‘working out your curiosity’? Did he really think that your feelings were so inconsequential that they could be gotten over so easily?
“-I thought that, well, since it’s so obvious that Quaritch isn’t interested in you in the same way you are him, that maybe you’d realise it was time to move on. And I know that you’re upset, but I’m right here. And I swear I’d be good to you-”
“Jesus,” You blurt, rearing back.
To your horror, Geiszler just shuffles closer yet again. Maybe the alcohol has given him delusional levels of self-confidence, because he doesn’t even seem to notice how you’re attempting to pull away from him.
“The guys in the lab still laugh over how moony-eyed you get over him, you know,” He says, as though to compound your embarrassment. “Especially considering all he really does is ignore you. I would never do that. I’d never leave lonely like that. I’d– I’d sleep with you every night — And I don't just mean sex! Sex would be great too, obviously, amazing even, but I want you in my bed every night, just sleeping. I want to be able to curl up behind you and hold you close, and I could keep you warm under all the blankets-"
“Fucking hell, Geiszler-” You blurt, attempting to slap his hand away from your thigh. It stays firmly planted, and he just keeps leaning in as he babbles away.
It’s like he’s taken the few minor complaints you had made about your little thing with Quaritch (details that you had only shared because you thought you had been gossiping with a friend!) and used it to fuel his confidence in coming onto you. You can’t even escape because he’s right in front of you; he’s not a particularly large man, but he’s drunk and heavy and leaning on you in such a way that you’re struggling to get out from beneath his weight.
“Stop,” You order firmly, trying to push at his shoulder as gently as you can manage. It seems to have no effect; he just keeps ploughing ahead as though you hadn’t spoken at all.
“I know that it’s not going to be the same as when you’re with Quaritch, obviously,” He says, speaking even quicker now as if he knows you’re going to try and interrupt, “There are some pretty obvious physical differences, but I would make you feel good — I know I would-”
“Geiszler,” You attempt a reasoning sort of tone, but you’re too impatient for it to sound convincing. “Seriously. I– I consider you a friend, but I don’t see you like–”
He doesn’t even let you finish. His face contorts in a frown, cheeks all flushed from the alcohol. Honestly, he looks a little pathetic like this.
“But I’d treat you better than he does.” He says, leaning forward insistently as though he just can’t understand what the problem is. “I actually like you. If it’s– if it’s sexual compatibility you’re worried about-”
“It’s not!”
“I don’t think it’d be a problem! I'd take you gentle and slow and give you everything you deserve. Or I could pull your hair and take you hard if that's what you wanted, either! I’ll do anything you want, honestly.”
You recoil at that, your face scrunching up in distaste. The thought alone makes your body tense; you can’t think of anything less arousing.
Your attention is momentarily pulled away from Geiszler’s pitiful grovelling by a quiet scuffling sound by the door. You glance over, distracted, before doing a goddamn double take. You think for a moment you’re hallucinating, shock and dread pooling in your stomach at the sight of a familiar tall blue figure standing in the doorway.
The sight of Quaritch leaning lazily against the doorframe with his arms crossed nearly makes you scream. You have no idea how long he’s been standing there, but his expression is decidedly unimpressed. 
“Oh.” You blurt, staring at him wide-eyed.
Quaritch doesn’t even say anything. One of his eyebrows just creeps higher, before his eyes wander down over your body and land on Geiszler’s hand clasped around your thigh. His glare hardens, his mouth firming into a thin line.
Embarrassment floods you with prickly heat, and you take a deep, somewhat panicked breath. He has no reason to be angry with you, you tell yourself frantically. This is the first time he’s bothered to come looking for you in weeks!
Besides, you’re not actually doing anything wrong! Quartich had told you clearly that he wasn’t looking for anything serious and had never made any kind of attempt at discussing just what the hell you two were doing together, so it’s not as though he can be surprised that you’ve maybe decided to spend time with someone else. It’s unfortunate that he’s arrived to hear Geiszler’s gross drunken confession, but what can you do?
Geiszler, distressingly, doesn’t even seem to notice that you’re looking over his shoulder with a distinctly horrified expression.
“I just want you to feel good. You can sit on my face – I don’t even care if I can’t breathe-” He rambles his fingers squeezing hopefully around your thigh even as you try to pry his hand off.
Your expression drops, your eyes squeezing shut. The humiliation swells, thick and choking. You feel utterly pinned down and trapped by the combination of Quaritch’s big yellow eyes and the feeling of Geiszler’s sweaty palm clutching at your bare thigh. 
Before you can shut Geiszler down or even point out that you’re not alone anymore, Quaritch pushes himself off the doorframe and steps into the room properly.
“Nice offer,” He drawls, his eyes sharp and bright as he watches Geiszler like a cat stalking a mouse. “But she won’t be needing that.”
The sound of Quaritch’s voice is more effective in getting Geiszler’s hands off you than any of your own protests or pushing, because he whips his hands back and whirls. His movements are sloppy from the alcohol and he nearly overbalances off his chair when he spins around to get a look at who has just walked in.
The blood visibly drains out of Geiszler’s face as he tilts his head back to stare up at the towering form of Quaritch as he steps closer. You can’t blame him; Quaritch looks scary right now, all clench-jawed and sharp-eyed as he stalks forward with curiously animal grace.
And yet, Geiszler seems gripped by what is either drunken bravery or sheer stupidity, because he squares his shoulders and sets his jaw as he stares up at Quaritch.
“Why are you here?” He demands belligerently. “Leave her alone!”
Quaritch tilts his head, before his mouth widens into a mean smile. “I’m not the one sexually harassing her, puke. Why don’t you beat it now, hm?”
You groan quietly, burying your face in your hands. How could things have developed like this? You find yourself burning with humiliation, wishing that the ground would just open up and swallow you whole.
Geiszler doesn’t seem to be getting the message at all. He grabs at your waist possessively, heedless of the way you jolt and hiss at him, or the way you try slapping his hands away.
“She doesn’t even want you!” Geiszler declares stupidly, slurring a little.
That declaration doesn’t garner the reaction that Geiszler had been expecting. Quaritch’s expression turns unmistakably amused, his lips tilting up into a smug kind of smirk. He doesn’t even bother arguing back; instead, he reaches forward and takes a hold of the back of Geiszler’s shirt with a single, enormous hand.
It’s almost comical how easily Quaritch is able to lift Geiszler, using his grip on the back of his shirt to haul him into the air like a bold puppy even as he kicks and flails. It doesn’t even seem to take any effort on his part; Quaritch looks bored as he turns and marches Geiszler to the door, before tossing him through the entryway without fanfare.
The door slides shut, and then suddenly you and Quaritch are alone together. His big hand slaps at the button to lock the door, and the hydraulics hiss as the locking mechanisms engage.
Panic seizes you. Fuck. This is what you’ve been hoping to avoid! 
When Quaritch turns back to face you, you blurt out, “What the fuck was that?”
Quaritch pauses. It’s clear that this isn’t the reaction he had been expecting of you, because he sends you a look of pure disbelief, raising his eyebrows so high that his brow wrinkles from the effort of it.
“You better be joking, darlin’.” He says, an edge of warning in his voice as he steps back over to you.
That little hint of danger in his tone is enough to send a shiver down your spine, but you keep your shoulders back and your chin jutted out stubbornly.
“I was handling it.” You say simply, folding your arms across your chest and scowling at him. “He was just drunk and stupid, he didn’t-”
Quaritch snorts, then swiftly closes the distance between you. You hardly even get a chance to react before he’s right in front of you, crouching down so he can talk to you at eye level.
“Don’t tell me he didn’t mean it,” He says, his voice low and full of warning. “I'm surprised he didn't come in his pants the second he touched you. The only thing he's wanted for months now is to get in between your legs.”
He sounds… jealous? It’s almost hard to believe. Only a short time ago, you would have been delighted at the thought. But now, you feel your impatience bubbling up, close to overflowing. He has no right to jealousy!
“What happens between my legs is none of your business,” You snap, your arms tightening defensively over your chest. “I can’t see why the fuck it would matter to you whether he touches me or not.”
Quaritch’s eyes flare wide for a moment, his lips pressed together tight as he watches you intently.
“Don’t take that fucking tone with me,” He warns quietly, his voice low and even and sort of terrifying. “You telling me you let all those cockless little losers touch up on you like that? You telling me that's not my business?”
You almost choke, shocked by the sheer audacity of the man. Though his eyes are still flashing from the warning over your tone, he’s obviously amused by you, as though he thinks this whole conversation is just a little joke.
You narrow your eyes and tilt your chin up boldly as you scowl up at him. “Yes. I could let the whole fucking science department in between my legs, and it still wouldn't be any of your business."
Infuriatingly, that just makes Quaritch laugh. He shuffles closer to you, leaning his head down so close to you that you’re practically breathing each other’s air. One of his hands reaches out and clasps you by your hip, so big and hot as it pins you in place.
“You’re mouthy today,” He murmurs, fangs gleaming as he grins. “Does arguing like this get you wet, kid? You need to work off some steam?” 
Your face floods with heat as embarrassment burns through you. It's crass, but there's no denying that somewhere deep down you sort of do enjoy arguing with him. He never seems to have much patience for folly usually, and yet he meets your slightly bratty behaviour with amusement and a condescending grin. 
Quaritch is watching your expression carefully, and that smug grin only grows at whatever he sees there.
“Oh, you do like it.” He crows softly. “You want me angry, honey? You want to be put in your place?”
His hand drifts lower, coasting over the swell of your ass, and your breath catches in your throat — you nearly choke on it. Under your burning indignation, you feel heat coiling between your legs and you hate it.
“No,” You wheeze out, squirming as he leans in. You’ve ended up trapped between him and the desk behind you, pressed right up against it as he looms closer. “No. I’m angry at you.”
That makes him pause, the progress of his hand sliding down your ass halting. He leans back so that he can look at you properly, and squints at you. His expression is reminiscent of an old man peering at a piece of technology that he can’t work, and that thought has you forcibly biting down a hysterical giggle. The reminder that he’s so much older than you, even in this body, always sends an exciting sort of thrill running through you.
“You’re angry with me.” Quaritch repeats slowly, as though tasting how the words sound in his mouth. He doesn’t appear impressed. “And is this the same reason that you’ve suddenly been avoiding me?”
Ah. So he had noticed your absence. 
You keep your jaw set stubbornly, refusing to be cowed by his big intense eyes and overwhelming presence as he looms over you.
“Maybe.” You say shortly. “I don’t see why it matters.”
Quaritch damn near does a double take at that. He leans back, his brows drawing into a frustrated frown as he peers down at you. His reaction would be comical if you weren’t so busy trying to maintain your own composure.
“The hell..?” He mutters, before leaning back in with a scowl. “What the hell’s the matter with you, huh? For the past few months you’ve been everywhere, watching me every time I turned around, and then all of a sudden you just disappear the last few days and start acting all pissy. What the fuck happened, huh?”
You keep your arms crossed defensively over your chest as you glare at him, growing angry and defensive. He’s still got his hand spread across your ass, which makes it difficult to effectively scowl at him, but you manage all the same.
“You don’t have to act like you care. I get that I’ve been annoying and desperate and pathetic chasing after you, and I get that you’ve been fucking me out of- I don’t know, convenience or pity or whatever-”
“What–”
You plough on before Quaritch can interrupt you. “-But that doesn’t mean that it’s okay to treat me like shit, or to laugh at me–”
“When the fuck have I laughed at you?” Quaritch is clearly struggling to stay calm, but he’s never been a patient person and irritation is creeping very obviously into his demeanour. His shoulders are tense and his mouth is tight, his hand clenching in the back of your dress and scrunching it up against your ass.
“You think I’m stupid!” You burst out, that one stupid conversation with Geiszler still sitting at the forefront of your mind.
Quaritch just stares at you with the blankest expression you’ve ever seen. He doesn’t even look annoyed anymore, he just looks fed up.
“No,” He rumbles, using his grip on your ass to pull you closer to where he’s crouching on his haunches. “I don’t think you’re stupid. I do think you’re acting like a goddamn brat right now though, and I’m still waiting for an explanation.”
You swallow, some of the fight draining out of you. He’s not reacting like you had expected him to; you had thought he would scoff at you, or maybe even get angry at you for your unreasonable behaviour. But instead, you’ve got him looking at you with mildly irritated confusion, and he’s actually trying to get you to explain your feelings to him. It’s not how you thought this would go, and now you’re feeling a little wrong-footed.
You glance to the side, unable to meet his gaze. 
“I haven’t seen you in weeks,” You mumble trying not to sound petulant. “It was always me who came looking for you, and everyone has been laughing at me for ages now about how pathetic I am for mooning after you like I have been. I mean– fuck! Even now, the only times you’ve ever come to see me is after I’ve ignored you! It’s like you only want me when you think I won’t have you–”
Quaritch makes a soft scoffing noise in the back of his throat before reaching out and grabbing you by the wrist in an effort to stop you talking. It doesn’t work; you just get upset, and reach up to smack him on the chest. He doesn’t even blink as the blow glances off his chest, as though your fists are of no more consequence than a mildly irritating fly.
“Stop that.” He orders, sharp as ever. “Jesus, kid. Where’s all this coming from, huh? I leave for two weeks and you have a breakdown?”
That makes you pause, chest still heaving, just so you can stare blankly at him. The arms that you had crossed so defensively over your chest loosen just a little.
“You left?” You repeat, frowning.
That makes Quaritch snort, his eyes rolling. “All this cryin’ and you didn’t even notice? What’re you so upset over, then?”
“I-” You fumble, blinking wildly. You had been upset because you had been thinking that your relationship with Quaritch was entirely one-sided, all because Geiszler had suggested that he was using you for just sex. “I just– Geiszler said that–”
Quaritch’s expression darkens, his eyes narrowing. He doesn’t even let you finish, leaning in so that his face is pressed right up close to yours. For a moment, he says nothing; just watches you as you stutter and slowly trail off into silence.
You swallow, then try again. “He said that everyone was laughing at me. Because I like you a lot, and you’ve been ignoring me the best you can. So I stopped going looking for you or asking about you, for weeks, to see if you’d come to me and you didn’t–”
“Because I wasn’t here, kid.” Quaritch snaps, before taking a deep breath. It seems like him snapping at you was accidental, because he then makes a concentrated effort to keep his tone level. “The team was sent out on recon two weeks ago into the lowlands. You’ve been getting all twisted up in knots over nothing.”
Your mouth drops open, and you’re left gaping up at him like a total moron. Hot, thick embarrassment is beginning to curl in your stomach; Geiszler had never thought to mention that Quaritch wasn’t even in Bridgehead when you were all upset about him ignoring you, and that bastard definitely knew considering how close he was with the xeno guys that worked with the recoms. Fuck, you’ve just made a total fool of yourself.
“Oh.” You whisper, blinking at him as you stare back into his unwavering amber eyes. “I– I didn’t know.”
But Quaritch isn’t about to accept that as an answer so easily. His lips curl into a dangerous sort of grin, his eyelids sliding half-closed as he watches you, his face still so close to yours that your gaze keeps darting nervously down towards his mouth. He still hasn’t moved the hand on your ass, and you let out a startled little exhale when he flexes his grip to get a better handle on you.
“I only got back two days ago. I did come looking for you, but some of the guys out in the main lab said you weren’t in.” He says, speaking slowly and purposefully as though he thinks you’re not listening. “So I came today instead. Now, are you finished acting like a fucking lunatic?”
He had come looking for you? No one had ever mentioned that, you think wildly. And the guys in the main lab told him you weren’t in? That didn’t even make any sense – you were always in. You think back to Geiszler, and of his gentle insistence that Quaritch was uninterested, and feel your stomach sink slowly. You had thought he was your friend; your brain rebels at the idea that he was possibly planting doubts in your head just so he could worm his way closer and confess like that to you.
“So,” You say, frowning as your lower lip wobbles a little. “Geiszler was lying to me?”
Quaritch just tilts his head back and sighs through his nose, as though praying for patience. He’s usually such a foul-mouthed hard-ass that seeing him actually make an attempt to regulate himself when you’re upset is a little heart-warming, though you still feel stupid for allowing yourself to be pulled in by him.
“Why would you trust the little creep that’s been sending you sex toys and asking you questions about your sex life, huh?” He asks, his voice a little strained as though he’s forcing patience.
You just purse your lips, still frowning. “I thought we were friends.”
Quaritch just takes a breath and decides not to respond to that. Instead, the hand that’s not still holding you by the ass reaching back around to his back pocket, and he grapples with something there for a moment.
“Here, I got something for you. So no more sulking, got it?”
He doesn’t even give you any time to make any promises before he pulls something out from behind his back. It takes a moment to recognise it as a sample container, and it takes an even longer moment to recognise the pale pink tissue that’s curled up on the inside.
When recognition finally clicks, you let out a squealing gasp before you reach up to grab it.
“Holy shit! Holy shit, you got a biological specimen of the panopyra?”
Quaritch just grunts, but his tail curls in the air behind him. He’s clearly smug about his little gift to you, though his expression is still curiously hard to read. He stays quiet for a few moments as you study the sample in the plastic container, eagerly oohing and ahhhing in regular intervals.
You let out a soft, excited squeal again, beyond excited. You may have finished your dissertation, but you’re already eagerly planning your next research project and this sample will be perfect for that. You raise your head to look at him, directing your bright, sunny grin in his direction.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you-”
Quaritch just snorts, though his ears twitch in obvious satisfaction. “Yeah, yeah. You’re an easy little thing to please, ain’tcha?”
You don’t take offence to that; this is the second time that Quaritch has delivered panopyra samples to you in order to calm you down, and it’s been embarrassingly effective each time.
“I’ve been wanting to get my hands on a sample like this for months-!” You gush, clutching it tight to your chest as you bounce on your toes.
Quaritch just hums. He seems content enough to watch you giggle over the sample, but when you move to walk towards the sample fridge his hand tightens around your ass and keeps you still and pinned by his body.
“Where’re you going?”
“I need to put this in the fridge-”
“Nuh uh,” He murmurs, reaching out to take the container off of you and setting it firmly to the side on the desktop. “You ain’t going near that damn fridge. You telling me you’ve forgotten that little reward you promised me?”
That makes your breath catch in your throat, surprised anticipation bubbling in your belly. You had forgotten that particular promise, but now you find an excited smile growing on your face. And yet, even now, you feel a little hesitant.
“No,” You murmur, suddenly feeling a little shy. “I remember.”
His enormous blue hands coast up along your sides, ruffling the skirt of your dress and dragging it up slightly to expose more of your thighs. You let him, even leaning eagerly into his touch.
“You’ve been feeling neglected, huh?” He asks, his voice dropping into a low rumble that vibrates right into your chest. “That’s why you’re all pissy, right? You’ve been wanting more attention?”
“Yes,” You whisper stupidly, pressing into his hands as his palms glide along your lower back to rest on your ass again. “Yes.”
That makes him laugh, all deep and a little condescending as he leans in towards you. He takes a slow, deep inhale, his big flat nose pressed near your neck as he lets out a soft little groan of satisfaction.
“Fuck,” He rumbles. “I can smell you, kid. Arguing really does get you wet, doesn’t it?”
You flush with embarrassed heat, closing your eyes so that you don’t have to see him looking at you like that. It wasn’t the arguing that had affected you as much as the closeness and the overwhelming presence of Miles as he leaned in over you, impossibly big as he dealt with you with all the patience he could muster even when you were admittedly being a bit of a brat.
When you don’t answer, he sticks a hand under your dress and drags his fingers experimentally along the damp cotton of your underwear. You let out a sharp noise of surprise, but you can’t stop yourself from pressing down into his hand all the same.
“Oh yeah,” He grunts, sounding ridiculously pleased. “Needy little thing. I bet that pathetic little science bitch could just smell it off you – no wonder he was sniffin’ around you like that.”
“Miles,” You breathe, reaching out to hold onto his shoulders as he pulls you closer so that he can dip his fingers into your panties. “Please-”
He chuckles, and tucks his head into your neck before delivering a stinging little warning bite to your shoulder that has your knees weakening. “I know what I want for my reward.”
“Yeah?” You ask, starting to grin.
Your stomach twitches in anticipation, and you cling to him all the harder. You can only imagine what he’s going to ask for; your mind conjures images of you on your knees, the hot thickness of his cock heavy on your tongue as he moans over your head. You press your thighs together eagerly as you watch him, waiting for him to make another move.
But Quaritch doesn’t answer immediately. He just pulls back a little, ignoring your soft noise of complaint, before nosing his way down your torso. He stops when he gets to your navel and takes a deep breath, huffing quietly as he smells you. You can’t even be self-conscious about it, because judging by the pleased grunt he lets out he likes what he’s smelling.
“Drivin’ me crazy here,” He mumbles into your belly, hiking your dress up higher around your waist. “I’ve been thinking about this all week.”
You take a breath, your hands clenching around the thin fabric of his wifebeater. The knowledge that he’s been thinking of you is heady, especially since you had pretty much convinced yourself that he didn’t want you anywhere near him.
“Miles,” You whisper, reaching for his belt. “Do you want me to-”
But to your surprise, he pushes your hand away.
“Nah, honey,” He murmurs, his head dipping lower until that flat nose is pressed right up against the seat of your cotton panties. “Let me do my thing.”
You don’t think you could ever muster up the self-discipline to refuse him that, so all you can do is nod dumbly as he nuzzles his face into your clothed pussy. 
He inhales deeply into the crease of your thigh, before letting out a quiet little grunt. “You smell like strawberries. What is that?”
“My- my body lotion.” You wheeze, shivering against his face as you tilt your hips eagerly towards him.
“Yeah? Fuck, that’s good.” He breathes you in, before licking you through the fabric of your panties.
You jolt a little, and then one of Quaritch’s big hands closes around your thigh and pulls your leg up and over his shoulder. You abandon your hold on his shoulders in favour of grabbing at his head, your fingers scrabbling uselessly over his short hair.
The position opens you up to his hungry mouth, but it also leaves you a little unsteady on your feet; you’re only standing on one leg, the other thrown over his shoulder as he knees between your thighs, all hunched over so that he can fit his head between your legs. You’re still pressed up against the desk, which is probably the only reason you haven’t overbalanced and fallen on your ass.
“Miles-” You start to protest, muscles in your thighs already burning, but he cuts you off with a swift, stinging slap to your ass. There’s hardly any strength behind it, but it’s enough to warn you off complaining. 
The message is clear; this is his reward, and you’re to let him take it. Truthfully, you’re only happy to, and you press your hips towards his face eagerly as he licks insistently at your clit through the damp cloth barrier of your panties.
“You taste so good, kid.” He grunts against your cunt, pulling you against his face so that his words come out muffled and distorted.
“Pervert.” You say, your voice low and ragged as if you hadn’t been the one humping your cunt up against his face.
Quaritch just laughs, his grip on your thighs tightening. God, he’s so patient with you. It just makes you wetter.
When he pulls away, you almost whine. He looks amused at your reaction, though you don’t think he has much room to laugh at you; his own pupils are blown wide, the gold around his iris only a thin line around the edge as his ears twitch eagerly.
“Come on,” He grunts, his strong fingers squeezing at your ass as he hauls you forward so that you’re all pressed up against his body. “Come here to me, darlin’-”
You yelp a little, surprised when he uses his leverage on you to hold you tight as he rolls back on his heels. In a movement that’s almost too quick for you to follow, Quaritch leans back so that he’s laying on the ground all spread out beneath you. You end up straddling his chest, your knees all splayed out on either side of his waist with your dress all rucked up around your hips.
“Ain’t that a pretty sight,” Quaritch coos, reaching out to run his hands all over your thighs, pushing your dress up even higher. “Fuck, mama, just look at you. Take this off, c’mon.”
You don’t even hesitate. His gaze is searing, and you feel hot and overwhelmed under his attention – you just want to please him, to make him happy, and so you reach for your dress and pull it off eagerly.
When you’re left sitting on his chest in nothing but your underwear, Quaritch lets out a soft huff of appreciation. His eyes dart rapidly over your body, before reaching up and wrapping his thick fingers into the fabric of your panties. He tears them like paper, ripping them right off you with ease before doing the same to your bra, ignoring your shout of indignation.
“Oh, you bastard, why would you do that? I don’t have unlimited underwear on this fucking planet-!” You start to complain, but Quaritch obviously isn’t listening to a damn word you’re saying.
“Still so fucking mouthy,” He rumbles though he doesn’t really sound annoyed about it. If anything, he sounds amused.
When his hands grab at your hips, his long fingers squeezing at the plush softness of your thighs as he pulls you up further on his chest, you start to grin. This position feels familiar, and when you glance over your shoulder you can see the prominent bulge in his camo trousers.
You think of the reward he’s requested, and butterflies erupt in your tummy at the thought – you had initially guessed that he might want a blowjob, but now you’re guessing he wants something else based on this position you’re in.
“Want me to ride you?” You ask, biting at your lip as you grin at him coyly. The idea is exciting, and you try not to look too eager for it.
Quaritch just grins back at you, his sharp teeth on full display as his nose crinkles a little. He manages to make what should be an innocuous expression look intimidatingly cheeky, and he watches you with great interest as you grind lightly against his muscled chest.
“Yeah,” He says, his grin turning wicked. “Something like that.”
But then his hands land firmly on your ass and push you up his chest, away from his dick. You go with great confusion, your expression all scrunched up as he pushes you toward his face.
“Sit on my face, honey. Come on.”
You nearly jolt, staring at him in disbelief. “I– wait, what? I can’t do that-”
Quaritch makes an impatient noise in the back of his throat, and doesn’t stop his tugging at you. He’s strong too, so he’s able to pull you right up to his head with minimal effort.
“I had to listen to your creepy little friend talk about every wet dream he’s about you,” He points out, his lip curling as he stares up at you. “And now you’re refusing me this? Come on, mama, let me get my mouth on you.”
His hands are strong and persistent, and you end up with your knees splayed out around Quaritch’s head, hovering nervously above his face. It’s an embarrassingly exposed position to be in, and you take a shaky breath as you stare down at him between your legs. When his tongue pokes out to lick at his lips, you feel your stomach tighten in eager anticipation.
“I-” You flounder, mortified. “I’ll crush you.”
That makes him laugh, teeth flashing.
“You can try, kid.” He says, his smile so sharp that it nearly takes your breath away. “You can try.”
Maybe it’s the fact that he appears genuinely eager about getting his mouth on your pussy, or maybe it’s the fact that he’s still so obviously irritated by what he had overheard when Geiszler was running his mouth earlier, but you find yourself willing to give it a chance. You’ve never tried anything like this before, but Quaritch clearly feels as though he has something to prove – who are you to deny him the chance to show off that he’s so obviously craving?
The next time his hands come to rest over your hips, you allow him to slowly lower you down until his mouth is laid over your cunt. When he opens wide, the hot wet roughness of his tongue sliding over the swollen heat of your clit, you grab at the short bristly hair at the top of his head and jerk your hips away from him.
“Oh!” You blurt, startled at the sensation. It’s so much more intense than you had been expecting – Quaritch has eaten your pussy before, many times, but it’s different being on the receiving end of it when your whole weight is leaning down on him like this.
Quaritch laughs again, low enough that it rumbles up your spine and between your legs. He tilts his head, obviously testing your grip on his hair, and grins wickedly up at you.
“Got a good grip, mama?” He asks in a tone that suggests you’ll need it.
“I– oh!” You wheeze a shocked breath when he pulls your hips back down, so firmly that you can’t even think of lifting away from him as he opens his mouth wide to welcome your cunt.
Even sitting on top of his face with a hand clenched in his hair, you don’t have much control over this. You gasp, trailing off into a moan as Quaritch’s tongue works its way inside you. He's meaner with it now, never staying where you want him, riling you up and then pulling away, placing warning bites on your thighs or your clit when you complain or whine too much.
Embarrassingly, you do need that grip on his hair. Your fingers clench tight in the short but soft bristles of his hair, rolling your hips up, trying to get Quaritch where you want him. His big hands curl around your thighs and keep you pinned to his face, relentless with his tongue.
You direct his mouth to the best of your ability, with words and the occasional tug on his hair, moans falling from your lips as he licks and sucks at your pussy. Quaritch mostly ignores your tugging, pulling at your hips in turn to keep you where he wants you; mindless, you go where you’re told, move where you’re pushed, each small groan and whimper that falls from your lips just spurring him on more.
It feels so much better than you had expected. Your previous hesitancy has completely vanished, and you find yourself grinding your pussy down against his mouth hard as you chase his tongue. He’s so big, so strong, you’re not worried about hurting him like you would be if he was human. The thought of you being enough to crush him is almost laughable.
The rough texture of his tongue rasps over your clit and you shiver hard, a soft cry ripped from your throat. You feel animal, mindless, and you clutch at his hair tight as you hold his head still, your hips bucking wildly against him as you grind your clit into his tongue. 
The pleasure of it nearly steals your breath away, air catching in your chest as you rut your hips into his mouth messily, clumsily. It must be difficult for him to breathe, and yet he doesn’t complain. He doesn’t even make any attempt to slow you down, or to tell you to go easy; he just groans into you, his grip on your hips tightening as his hips hump the air behind you.
You wonder if he was this fucking eager when he was human, or if it’s his new Na’vi senses that makes him so fucking horny for this. His sense of smell is superior now, as is his sense of taste, and his sensitive ears means that he is hyper-aware of every twitch, every moan, every minor reaction. It seems like he’s determined to use his new senses to absolutely devour you.
You’re humping your cunt into his wide, eager mouth hard enough that you probably would have caused a pretty serious neck injury if he were human, but he’s just grunting eagerly into you, his little noises vibrating right up into your clit as his hands on your ass encourage you to ride his face harder. Who are you to deny him what he wants? You fuck your pussy into his mouth just as he wants you to, unrestrained in a way you could never be with a human partner.
That tight coil of pleasured heat trembles deep in your belly, your breaths coming hard and fast as you wheeze. Your orgasm is creeping up on you shamefully quickly; you’re shocked by the sheer speed of it.
“Oh god,” you moan stupidly. “Wait. Wait, wait, wait!”
With an embarrassing squelching sort of noise, Quaritch’s mouth finally detaches from your pussy. He pulls back, already frowning. 
“What?”
His voice is gravelly enough to have you shivering with the sound of it alone, and you gasp, lungs burning as your chest heaves for air.
“I’m gonna come,” You squeal, your hips still twitching. The air in the lab is cold against your sweat-slick skin, and you’re already desperate to feel his mouth on you again. “Fuck! I was- I was gonna come.”
Quaritch just grunts, clearly displeased that you had interrupted his efforts just to make an announcement like that. “Then come.”
He moves to lean back in, but a swift jab to his head has him pausing with a scowl. He’s breathing hard, his eyes a little hazy and unfocused, his mouth slick and shining. There’s a glimmer of sweat along his brow and his chest, his little bioluminescent dots glowing brightly. He’s so pretty – you want to sit on his face again just so you can stop looking at it, overwhelmed by how handsome he is.
“Are you-” You shiver, trying to lean away from the heat of his breath as it ghosts over your slick skin. “Are you gonna fuck me?”
“Maybe later,” He grunts, taking the opportunity to clumsily lift up his CO2 respirator to take a sip of air. “C’mon, sit back down.”
“I wanna come with you inside me,” You say. You’re trying not to sound whiny, but you’re pretty sure you miss the mark. 
“Greedy,” Quaritch grunts. He bites at your thigh, a little harshly. “This ain’t for you. This is my reward, remember?”
The whimper you let out is a little embarrassing, but you nod all the same, unable to resist him. He seems satisfied with that all the same, and lays his head back down against the floor. He shifts a little as though getting comfortable, before gesturing at you with his chin.
“C’mon, princess, let’s go. Keep grinding on me like that – I liked it.”
“Okay,” You breathe, allowing your hips to be guided back down onto his open mouth. 
His tongue moves eagerly and with purpose, tracing a slick path up and around your clit and making you writhe against his mouth as his hands keep you pinned to his face. His tongue keeps working you until you’re beyond slick, dripping and trembling all over his mouth and chin. The palm of his hand is laid flat against your ass, and he uses it to push at you gently, trying to coax you into moving against him like before.
Your thighs are shaking a little, but you still push yourself to move. Your fingers clench and unclench in his hair, knuckles burning from the force of your grip, before you start to move your hips insistently against his mouth again.
“Oh, god.” You sigh, closing your eyes against the force of the heat coiling in your belly. “Oh fuck, Miles, please keep doing that-”
He sucks at your clit hard, thrusts his large tongue inside of you. Licks at you hard and flat before suckling at you with vigour as you grind and rock like a mad thing against his face. You feel like you’re losing your mind, as though his tongue is actually fucking you stupid.
You can’t help it; when his tongue is laid flat against your whole cunt, dripping drool between your legs, you start grinding against his mouth desperately. It feels unbelievably good, and you let out pathetic little mewling moans as you hump your pussy against his face. He holds out his tongue for you to use, and you use it eagerly.
When you finally come, you nearly cry with the relief of it. Pleasure fizzes up your spine, emanating from where you’re rubbing your clit frantically against the mind-blowing texture of Quaritch’s tongue, and you throw your head back as your hips spasm. Your mouth opens wide as you gasp for breath, but you can’t even find the air to make a sound as you shake apart on Quaritch’s tongue.
But it’s only a short-term relief, because Quaritch doesn’t let up. His tongue just keeps going, and soon you’re crying out and trying to squirm desperately away, but you're unable to go far as his hands are like iron bars around your thighs keeping you in place. It's like he’s using his goddamn mouth as a weapon, and you’re soon over-sensitive and teary-eyed.
“Miles,” You gasp, wheezing as a few overwhelmed tears spill over onto your cheeks. “Miles, it’s too much, too much-”
“You can take it.” He grunts, and you can feel him grinning into your pussy.
You shudder, clutching his hair tight as you jerk your hips against his mouth. “Fuck,” You wail, long and drawn out, “I can’t, I can’t-”
He laughs, so mean, the sound rumbling into your cunt and making you whine. He doesn’t let up for a second, and soon you go from twitching away from his mouth to pressing eagerly back down against his tongue. His ears twitch where they’re pressed up tight against your thighs, no doubt eagerly taking in all the pitiful little gasps and whines spilling from your lips.
“Miles, Miles, oh, fuck, Miles-” You babble senselessly, your eyes squeezing shut tight as you rock mindlessly against his face. 
“Whiny bitch,” He says, turning his head to bite at the soft pudge of your thigh. He sounds fond. “All that cryin’ about not being able to take it, but look at you go.”
And with that, he buries his face firmly back into your cunt.
A second orgasm is creeping up on you so quickly that you can hardly believe it, your whole body slick from sweat and trembling from the sheer strain rocking your body. Quaritch’s tongue is absolutely relentless, his mouth sealing over your clit as his hand coasts over your ass. 
Two of his big fingers prod at your entrance before sliding inside of you, the stretch made easy from how slick and wet you are. You cry out hoarsely, head tilting back toward the ceiling; one of his fingers alone is enough to have your head spinning as it nudges insistently at the soft spongey spot deep inside you that makes your legs tremble, but two feel so satisfying.
You cry out again as you writhe on his face, humping into his mouth and grinding back on his fingers, but no matter where you squirm you can't get away from Quaritch’s vicious mouth and probing fingers – you don’t even know if you want to. 
There's no relief; your first orgasm has barely abated before you can feel another one building, as Quaritch forcibly and relentlessly pushes you back to the edge. 
It's so much. It’s too much. You’re sobbing and begging, although for what you’re not sure, since you’re asking Quaritch for more just as often as you’re asking him to stop. He’s added another finger by now, sucking hard on your clit as he fingers you until your eyes are rolling.
You don’t even know half of the shit that’s coming out of your mouth right now; it’s a frantic mix of Miles and please and oh god more and oh my god I'm gonna-!, and then an embarrassing amount of incoherent sobbing. Something big is building inside of you, and you writhe above Quaritch as it builds up bigger and bigger until you’re sure you’re going to explode.
And then you do.
Your orgasm hits you like a goddamn train, crashing over you as your back arches and your muscles tense so tight that you nearly pull something.
Quaritch finally pulls his mouth back, but his fingers don’t stop; you come so hard that it practically bursts out of you, squirting all over his fingers and his chest.
“Holy fuck,” Quaritch says, surprised for a moment before he melts into a laugh. “Oh, fuck, look at you go, kid, Jesus Christ–”
You’re still shaking through the aftershocks of it, and it sounds as though his voice is coming from a very long way away. Even through the haze, when you look down between your legs you’re able to recognise the hungry, awestruck look on his face.
“Oh, god,” You choke out hoarsely, your words coming out on a wheeze. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry, I didn’t– I’ve never–”
Quaritch doesn’t even let you finish. He just grabs at your ass and sits up, holding you as if you weigh nothing before practically tossing you onto your back on the cold linoleum floor of the lab. Within the same second he’s crawling over you, big and imposing as his broad shoulders and muscular chest loom over you.
“The fuck are you apologising for?” He grunts, knocking your thighs aside so he can settle the bulk of his body into the cradle between your legs. “Jesus– c’mere, can you take me?”
You blink hazily, glancing down to see that he’s shoving his pants harshly down his legs and letting them pool around his knees. His cock is as impressive as ever, big and flushed pretty purple as it strains against his lower stomach.
You clench around nothing, feeling so miserably empty now that his fingers are no longer filling you up. You’ve gotten so used to taking the girth of him that now you find yourself craving that beautiful sensation of fullness he always gives you.
“Yes,” You gasp, spreading your thighs wider. “Yes, I can take you.”
That’s all he needs to hear. He pushes his cock inside of your soaking cunt with minimal difficulty despite the ridiculous size of him, though your eyes roll back in your head as you feel the burning pain of him stretching you before he slides deep enough inside that you just feel full.
“Atta girl,” He snarls, pushing his face into your throat and grunting as he grabs at one of your legs so he can pull your thigh up over his hip. “Fuck, you’ve gotten so good at this.”
It’s true – you have gotten good at this. Your body opens up around the thickness of his cock with relative ease now after the initial pain of his entry and all you can do is sigh dreamily at the sensation of being stuffed so full, tightening eagerly around him as he goes to pull out so he can push in again.
When Quaritch starts moving, he uses you like a goddamn sex toy, and you play the part so well. You’re still so fucked out and loose from the two intense orgasms he'd given you, your head still spinning as you gasp your heaving breaths every time he fucks into you. It feels like his cock is in your goddamn lungs, driving the breath out of you every time he humps into you.
His grip on your hips is bruising, every thrust sending your head lolling limply on your shoulders. You’ve already been immensely satisfied by your own orgasms; this is all about Quaritch. He lifts your hips to a better angle, your upper body all splayed out on the floor as he ruts into you sloppily.
“Shit, mama,” He groans, baring his teeth against your shoulder. “Fuck, that’s it. Oh, you’d be fucking wasted on one of those dickless little science majors, you know that? That little shit wouldn’t have the first idea how to handle you. You think you’d be satisfied with him?”
“No!” You sob, clenching up around Quaritch’s cock hard.
You hardly know which way is up, never mind who he’s talking about, as he uses his grip on your hips to pull you back and forth over his dick like you’re a goddamn doll. Being used like this, as though you weigh nothing, is so much hotter than you ever could have imagined. If you weren’t so fucked out, you think you probably would have appreciated this a lot more.
You can hardly even speak, unable to muster up the brainpower required to form words when you’re being fucked like this. You know that soft, breathy sort of moans are being driven out of you with every roll of Quaritch’s hips, soft little uh uh uh uh's, but you don’t have the presence of mind to regulate yourself.
Quaritch doesn’t last as long as usual; it seems like having you riding his face had worked him up far more than you had expected, because soon he’s coming with a snarled roar. To your surprise, he doesn’t come inside like he usually does.
Instead he pulls out, fists his cock, and spills his load all over your bare stomach. There’s a truly ridiculous amount of it considering his size, and it drips all over your belly, your hips, and even spills down over your pussy. You don’t complain; you can barely even form a coherent thought other than the quiet complaint you murmur because you feel so empty now.
There’s a beat of silence, and then Quaritch lowers himself down so that his chest is pressed to your naked breasts. He’s careful not to crush you, pushing his face into your throat and inhaling deeply before pressing a clumsy kiss to your temple. 
You’re still reeling, eyes unfocused and mind hazy and stupid as you turn your head and push your face into his chest. He’s so warm, and you shiver against him as he gathers you into his arms. As good as his fucking you is, having him cradle you like this in the aftermath is almost better. You relish the skin to skin contact, the way his thick fingers coast over your sweaty bare back.
You think you could probably lay there against his massive chest, floating in the aftermath, forever. You’re so comfortable, all loose and floaty and so, so satisfied, the thought of moving doesn’t even cross your mind.
So naturally, Quaritch decides to sit up with a grunt. You whine, reaching up to slap at his chest without opening your eyes. He pays you no mind, reaching to tuck himself away with one hand, using the other arm to hold you still against his chest.
“Fuck,” He grunts as he buttons up his trousers single-handedly. “I needed that. Missed you when I was out there in the jungle. Been thinking about that for weeks now.”
You let out an absentminded grunt, just to show you're listening. You’re still laying limp against his chest, turning your face into cushions of his pecs.
Quaritch laughs, clearly pleased with the job he’s done on you. You feel his nose nudge at the top of your head, and sigh contentedly, enjoying the intimacy of him holding you tight. But then his hand comes down to lay an open-palmed slap against your ass, and you jolt with a startled squawk at the sting.
“C’mon,” He grunts, pushing himself up. His grip on you loosens, and you slip bonelessly down to the floor. “Up and at ‘em.”
“What?” You mumble blearily, rolling your head around limply on your neck. You feel completely boneless, as though Quaritch has managed to fuck every bit of rigidity out of you.
To your bewilderment, Quaritch heaves himself to his feet. While you’ve been fucked dumb, Quaritch seems to have been energised by it. He rotates his waist, stretching his arms over his head with a wide-mouthed yawn that displays his sharp teeth, before rolling his shoulders in quick, sharp circles.
“Let's go get you some dinner.” He says, stretching his back. Something cracks in his spine and he moans in satisfaction. “You’ve been feeling neglected, yeah? I’ll get you some food.”
That’s not what you had meant by feeling neglected, and you roll your eyes and huff. You’re still laying completely nude on the floor, and you turn your face away from him. He’s still standing over you, hands on his hips as he waits for you to stand. When it becomes clear that you’re not going to be  getting up any time soon, he clicks his tongue impatiently. 
You yelp, startled, when his big hands fold around your waist and lift you right up off the floor. Your knees buckle under you when he sets you on your feet, and you stumble for a moment on wobbly legs like a newborn calf.
Quaritch doesn’t immediately move to steady you – when you glance up, you find him watching you with a poorly hidden smirk, clearly pleased with himself.
“Why can’t we rest for a damn minute?” You complain, reaching to hold tight to his arm as your legs tremble. “Fuck.”
Quaritch just snorts, watching you intently as your knees shake. “Quit the whining, princess. I’m doing something nice. There ain’t no fancy restaurants around here, in case you haven’t noticed. I’ll bring you to the commissary and get you food on my meal ticket – next best thing.”
There must be something seriously wrong with you, because you find yourself blushing over that.
“I have come all over me.” You complain, as he picks up your dress and tosses it to you. It hits your head and tangles you in it, and you attempt to wrangle your way out of it blindly.
“Mm.” He hums, rolling his shoulders as his eyes rove over your naked body. “So? I’ve got your squirt all over my face.”
You shoot him a dirty look, cheeks flooding with heat when you realise that he certainly does, because his face is still dripping with it. He’s a master of missing the point, and you suspect that he does it on purpose.
“We have to clean up before we go anywhere. I need a shower.” You sigh, reaching for a collection of tissues. You wipe at your belly, cleaning up the worst of the cum, before grabbing another handful and gesturing at him to lean down.
You’re somewhat surprised when he does as you ask, bending down and watching you with obvious amusement as you wipe the evidence of your release off his face. As you clean him he leans in, nostrils flaring as he sniffs. His eyes flutter half-shut, before he blinks them back open again.
“Nah,” He murmurs, his expression relaxing in a smirk of pure self-satisfaction. “You can take a shower later. C’mon – let’s get you that food.”
You’re still flushed and embarrassed as you wriggle your way back into your dress. You already know that you’re going to give in and do whatever he wants, but you’re still feeling argumentative and you don’t want to relent so easily.
“I don’t have any underwear.” You complain, tilting your head back to look at him. “You tore mine up-”
“You don’t need them,” He grunts dismissively, leaning against your desk as he watches you pull your dress into place. “No one else is gonna be looking up your skirt, anyway.”
You keep arguing anyway, even as he attempts to herd you towards the laboratory door. “Can’t we wait a little longer? I don’t wanna have to walk through the main lab and make eye contact with all the guys who know that I just got bent over in here–”
“They’ll know whether you wait a few minutes or not,” Quaritch says bluntly. “Besides, some of them probably need to learn by seeing.”
“Learn what–” You start to complain, before cutting yourself off.
You blink once, then twice, then turn your head to stare up at Quaritch. You only reach his navel, so you have to tilt your head right back.
“Oh my god,” You whisper, your tone nothing short of revelatory. “You want them to see me like this. You want Geiszler to see me like this.”
He just grunts as though he’s not listening, but you can see the way his ears are swivelled towards you. When you just keep staring up at him, unmoving, he clearly realises that you’re not going to let it go because he sighs through his nose and turns his amber eyes back on you.
“So?” He challenges, his eyebrows raising. “He tried to get you drunk and worm his head between your legs. If the little bastard needs to see you covered in my cum in order to back off, fine.”
“Oh my god,” You complain, but you’re flushed hot and embarrassed. “You’re disgusting.”
He just grunts, and makes no attempt to argue. In fact he seems to agree judging by the stupid smirk on his face.
“Come on,” He says simply, “After food, you can curl up in your bed and vegetate for as long as you like, how ‘bout that?”
You squint up at him. “With you?”
Quaritch rolls his eyes as though exasperated with your clinginess, but you’re not blind – you can see the way the tips of his pointed ears have flushed darker and feel the way his tail coils around your leg as he ushers you toward the door.
He bends over at the waist and drops a quick kiss on your forehead. It’s the gentlest thing he’s done all evening, and you’re left mollified and silent as he smooths back some of your hair that had been messed up during your activities.
“Yeah, kid,” He mutters, “With me, if you want.”
A stupid, dopey smile breaks out on your face, impossible to repress. 
“You’re so stupid.” You sigh, though your silly grin softens the sting of your words. “I just squirted all over your face — of course I wanna cuddle with you later.”
“Watch that mouth.” Quaritch warns, but his ears twitch and you can tell that he’s pleased.
You just giggle, still beaming as you finally allow him to herd you towards the door to the main lab.  Co-workers be damned, you think smugly as he punches the command to open the door. You haven't missed the way he's been sniffing at you; if Quaritch wants to walk you all around the base while you smell like each other, then that's what you'll do.
3K notes · View notes
copepods · 5 months
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so, there's no official place im aware of that's compiled the names of every music track in rain world which includes DLC, unused tracks, alpha tracks, and includes every location those tracks can be found, so! i made one :) mostly just for my own fun bc i love cataloguing things.
sadly i cant include links bc there's a limit on tumblr, but these should all be pretty easy to find with a quick google search. to find the rooms listed here, since room names aren't necessarily very descriptive, you can use the interactive map!
black text = track plays in vanilla game (these songs may appear additional times with blue text in other sections)
purple text = track is unique to the downpour ost
orange text= unused vanilla track, from the files or james' soundtrack albums, which was added in-game in downpour
blue text= track used for a new location in downpour, but also appears somewhere in vanilla (these songs also appear with black text in their original vanilla locations)
all in-game tracks are sorted by the regions they appear in. some tracks play in multiple regions- these will appear on the list multiple times, sorted into each region they play in.
Trailer and promotional music (Can all be found on Youtube)
RW dayns: promotional material (Remix of Sundown)
Threat - Superstructure (Trailer Remix): Switch trailer
What Fate A Slugcat: Release trailer (Alt version of Urban Jungle)
Together: Co-op trailer
Overskog: Downpour launch trailer, creatures teaser
Downpour: Downpour teaser trailer
Triptrap: Downpour regions teaser
Landmarks: Downpour lizards teaser
Task: Challenge mode teaser
Unused threat layers (can be found on Music page of RW Wiki)
Threat - Outskirts: with unused layer SU_4
Threat - Farm Arrays: with unused layer TH_LF - CHORDS
(note: listed on the wiki are two additional unused layers for Threat - Garbage Wastes and Threat - Heavy Industrial, but listening to them I can find literally zero difference from the original release. maybe it's just my ears idk)
Alpha tracks (from the original Alpha release of the game, called Alpha_8, later added to Alphas, Gems and Junk)
RW_2: Alpha_8
RW_3: Alpha_8
RW_4: Alpha_8, Alpha Trailer Music
RW_5: Alpha_8
RW_6: Alpha_8 (titled Deathpit in James Primate's Soundcloud)
RW_11: Alpha_8
Album Exclusives
RW_12: Alphas, Gems and Junk (titled 3 Moon Sunset on James' Soundcloud)
Illegible Neon Signs (RW_17): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Beat (RW_21): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Beat (RW_22): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Beat (RW_23): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Sky Islands (RW_24): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Night City (RW_25): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Free Mind Loop (RW_30): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Sub Sub Sub (RW_31): Alphas, Gems and Junk
Frost Reaper (RW_98): Downpour OST album
Threat - Rubicon (TH_HR): Downpour OST album
Arena music
Noisy (RW_10): Arena
Action Scene (RW_13): Arena (titled Breakbeat Bonebreak on James' Soundcloud)
Weyuon (RW_33): Arena
Slaughter (RW_34): Arena
Wired (RW_68): Arena
GREY CLOUD (RW_32): Arena
Rooftops (RW_7): Arena (titled Skyline in James' Soundcloud)
Menu and cutscene
Sundown (Theme I) (RW_8): Main menu and credits (Technically combination of Sundown (no rain) and TitleRollRain) [titled Adagio for Rain World on James' Soundcloud]
Pictures of the past (RW_Intro_Theme): Survivor and Monk intro cutscene
Passages: passage screen
Reclaiming Entropy (RW_92): Saint end cutscene and credits (Was formerly named Theme V - Credits pre-Downpour)
Outro Theme (RW_Outro_Theme_B): Survivor, Monk, and Gourmand end cutscenes
Satellite (RW_72): SI_A07 (Spearmaster end cutscene)
BM_SS_DOOR: Saint intro cutscene
Train Tunnels (RW_27): Expedition menu
Garden (RW_65): Expedition loss screen
Halcyon Memories (NA_19): CL_AI, RM_AI (Music pearl), Rivulet end cutscene and credits (Spelled Halcon Memories in OST album)
BM_CC_CANOPY: Artificer end cutscene
Deep Light (Theme IV): Ascension end cutscenes (Technically combination of Deep Ghosts/VS_E_DEEP_GHOSTS, The Core/VS_F_THE_CORE and Outro Theme/RW_Outro_Theme)
Game Music
Outskirts (SU)
Threat - Outskirts (TH_SU)
Unseen Lands (NA_40): SU_A53
Urban Jungle (RW_1): SU_B04
Proxima (NA_01): SU_A07
Frosted Festival (RW_80): SU_A53 (Saint only)
Distance (NA_30): SU_PUMP03
Drainage System (DS)
Mud Pits (RW_09): DS_B02
The Wet Moist (RW_38): DS_B04
Old Growth (RW_15): DS_B01
Swaying Fronds (RW_51): DS_A26
Breathing Hyometer (RW_81): DS_GUTTER01
Industrial Complex (HI)
Threat - Heavy Industrial (TH_HI)
BM_HI_GATE: HI_B04
Bio-Engineering (RW_43): HI_B04, HI_A07
Mist Engine (RW_50): HI_A18
Sheer Ice Torrent (RW_91): HI_A07 (Saint only), HI_B04 (Saint only)
Garbage Wastes (GW)
Threat - Garbage Wastes (TH_GW)
Garbage Worms (RW_52): GW_B01, GW_TOWER02, GW_TOWER03
Lack of Comfort (RW_39): GW_D02, GW_B09_PAST
Garbage City Shuffle (RW_37): GW_C02, GW_C04, GW_TOWER15
Albino (RW_43): GW_E01
Stone Heads (RW_19): GW_C03
Overcast (RW_79): GW_A25
Accidented Condition (RW_83): GW_E01 (Saint only)
Eyes of Iron (RW_90): GW_C03 (Saint only)
Shoreline (SL)
Threat - Shoreline (TH_SL)
BM_SL_SHORE: SL_B02, SL_D05, SL_F01
Lonesound (RW_46): SL_D06
New Terra (NA_21): SL_A06
The Captain (RW_18): SL_A05
Moondown (Theme II) (NA_11): SL_AI, SL_WALL06 (also called Digital Sundown)
Vast Unlife (RW_89): SL_D05 (Saint only), SL_F01 (Saint only), SL_TUNNELA (Saint only)
New Else VIII (NA_42): SL_WALL06 (ECHO) (Saint only)
Veiled Northstar (RW_93): SL_TUNNELA
Shaded Citadel (SH)
Black Moonlight (RW_26): SH_D01
Demonic Riser (NA_25): SH_B17
Dripping Time (NA_17): SH_A05
Lantern Mice (RW_58): SH_C10, SH_A21
Floes (RW_40): SH_E05
ELSE III (NA_34): SH_A08 (ECHO)
Dark Sus (NA_08): SH_B05, SH_A24
BM_SH_CRYPTS: SH_B12 (Vanilla, patched out)
The Exterior (UW)
White Lizard (RW_55): UW_D02
Underhang (BM_UW_UNDERHANG): UW_C03
BM_UW_WALL: UW_D07
ELSE IV (NA_35): UW_A14 (ECHO)
Stargazer (NA_28): UW_H01
Pictures of the Past (RW_Intro_Theme): UW_J01 (Inv only)
Passages: UW_A14 (Inv only)
Five Pebbles (SS)
Threat - Superstructure (TH_SS)
BM_DS_GATE: SS_B01
Interest Pad (NA_09): SS_A09
Drastic FM (NA_16): SS_F03
Energy Circuit (NA_26): SS_D03
Random Gods (Theme III) (NA_41): SS_E07, SS_L01, SS_E06
Chimney Canopy (CC)
Threat - Chimney Canopy (TH_CC)
Threat - Chimney Canopy (The Gutter variant)
BM_CC_CANOPY: CC_A02, CC_H01 (Saint only)
Wind Chimes (RW_48): CC_B06
Sky Sprite (RW_55): CC_C11
ELSE I (NA_32): CC_C12 (ECHO), SB_A14
Cracked Earth (NA_39): CC_OUTPUT
Sky Islands (SI)
Threat - Sky Islands (TH_SI)
Lovely Arps (RW_29): SI_D03
Kayava (RW_42): SI_D01
Speaking Systems (NA_23): SI_C06
Crystalline (NA_20): SI_B11, SI_D05
ELSE VII (NA_38): SI_B11 (ECHO)
Silicon (NA_04): SI_B12
BM_SI_STRUT: SI_B13, SI_F01
Chillblain Grace (RW_84): SI_C02 (Saint only)
Farm Arrays (LF)
Threat - Farm Arrays (TH_LF)
All Thats Left (RW_14): LF_A14
ELSE V (NA_36): LF_B01 (ECHO)
Distance (NA_30): LF_D01
Nest in Metal (RW_49): LF_A01
Maze of Soil (RW_47): LF_D08
Raindeer Ride (RW_54): LF_H01
Emotion Thread (NA_24): LF_J01
Subterranean (SB)
Ferrous Forest (RW_28): SB_G02, SB_G03
Leviathan Cave (RW_53): SB_J02
Grumblebum (RW_41): SB_A03, SB_H02
Deep Energy (RW_45): SB_F03
ELSE II (NA_33): SB_A10 (ECHO)
Silent Construct (NA_27): SB_D04, SB_F02, SB_I01, SB_B04, SB_E07
Gold Swim (VS_A_GOLD_SWIM): Upper void sea
Big Open (VS_B_BIG_OPEN): Central void sea
Worm Inferno (VS_C_WORM_INFERNO): Central void sea
The Ride (VS_D_THE_RIDE): Void sea
Deep Light (Theme IV): Bottom void sea (Technically combination of Deep Ghosts/VS_E_DEEP_GHOSTS, The Core/VS_F_THE_CORE and Outro Theme/RW_Outro_Theme)
BM_SB_FILTER: SB_J03
BM_SB_SUBWAY: SB_C10, SB_F01, SB_H03
Orange Lizard (RW_62): SB_TESTB, SB_TESTC
BM_SH_CRYPTS: SB_D04
Else I (NA_32): SB_A14, SB_D03
ELSE VII (NA_38): SB_D01
Pipeyard (VS)
Rooftops (RW_7): VS_A01
Rain (RW_61): VS_B02, VS_B10, VS_C13
Veiled Northstar (RW_93): VS_A09
Fragments (RW_96): VS_F01
Threat - Pipe Yard (TH_VS)
Metropolis (LC)
GREY CLOUD (RW_32): LC_GIRDERWALK
ELSE VI (NA_37): LC_highestpoint (ECHO)
Dustcloud (NA_02): LC_TEMPLEENTRANCE
Phasing (NA_06): LC_C08
Lost City (RW_59): LC_ENTRANCEZONE
Threat - Metropolis (Day) (TH_LC)
Threat - Metropolis (Night)
Train Tunnels (RW_27): Can play when cycle ends
Outer Expanse (OE)
Sparkles (NA_05): OE_RAIL01, OE_TOWER09
Reminiscence (NA_11): OE_TREETOP
Bloom (RW_60): OE_JUNGLE05
Wandering Cut (RW_63): OE_RAIL02
Daze (RW_64): OE_RUIN14
Ancient (RW_69): OE_RUIN02
Open Skies (RW_97): OE_RUINBACKHALL
Threat - Outer Expanse (TH_OE)
Threat - Outer Expanse (Night)
Pictures of the Past (RW_Intro_Theme): OE_CAVE02
Waterfront Facility (LF)
The Coast (RW_16): LM_D06 (also called Shoreline)
BM_UW_UPPERWALL: LM_WALL01, LM_WALL02
Metal Canopy (RW_66): LM_TOWER09
Trusted Component (RW_82): LM_BRIDGE02, LM_BRIDGE03
Threat - Waterfront Facility (TH_LM)
BM_SL_SHORE: LM_D05, LM_F01
New Terra (NA_21): LM_A06
Veiled Northstar (RW_93): LM_TUNNELA
The Rot (RM)
Wormpad (NA_03): RM_GSB1
Qanda (NA_07): RM_D02
Sparkling Pendulum (RW_71): RM_B04
Flicker (RW_73): RM_I03
Not Your Rain (RW_76): RM_ROT01
Threat - Superstructure (TH_SS)
BM_DS_GATE: RM_B01
Interest Pad (NA_09): RM_A09
Energy Circuit (NA_26): RM_D03
Looks to the Moon (DM)
Glass Arcs (NA_18): DM_I02, DM_I05
Flutter (NA_29): DM_WALL06
Scapeless Doubt (RW_70): DM_LEG01
Obverse of the Old Wind (RW_78): DM_ROOF01
Reflection of the Moon (RW_95): DM_ROOF04, DM_MOONCHAMBER
Threat - Looks to the Moon (TH_DM)
Underhang (BM_UW_Underhang): DM_LEG07, DM_U09
Silicon (NA_04): DM_VISTA
Silent Construct (NA_27): DM_CROSSOVER02
Random Fate (RW_67) DM_I11
Undergrowth (UG)
Past Echoes (NA_06): UG_C02 (ECHO)
They Say (NA_22): UG_B02, UG_B10
Breathing Hyometer (RW_81): UG_GUTTER01
Weathered Steps (RW_94): UG_A05
Swaying Fronds (RW_51): UG_A26
Submerged Superstructure (MS)
Garden (RW_65): MS_BITTERENTRANCE, MS_SPLITSEWERS
Random Fate (RW_67): MS_LAB14
Aquaphobia (RW_74): MS_I06
Onto A New Dawn (RW_75): MS_FARSIDE
Fragile (RW_77): MS_BITTERAERIE2
Ascent (RW_85): MS_ENTRANCE
Flux (RW_88): MS_I02, MS_I03
ELSE IV (NA_35): MS_COMMS (ECHO, Saint only)
Silent Construct (CL)
Fading Light (RW_87): CL_D01
Demonic Riser (NA_25): CL_B17
Dark Sus (NA_08): CL_A24
ELSE IV (NA_35): CL_D05
Rubicon (HR)
Pulse (NA_31): Saint ending
The Cycle (RW_86): HR_M01, HR_M02, HR_M03, HR_M04, HR_FINAL
ELSE II (NA_33): HR_C01
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the-fiction-witch · 10 months
Text
Bump
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Media The Artful Dodger
Character Jack Dawkins
Couple Jack X Reader
Rating Sweet AF
I continued on my rounds checking my paperwork, as and when required popping in to anyone who wasn't urgent enough to come into the hospital. I checked on my way to the last house for the day, so I put my paperwork away and carried my bag with me, to the familiar deep blue front door, I fixed my jacket a little and swung the silver knocker a few times. The door swung open revealing young Elis Mayflower in her usual dress, "Ohh 'ello Dr Dawkins, we were expectin' you" She nodded and opened the door to let me in "Thank you, Elis," I nodded and took off my hat and jacket which Elis happily took "Where is she?" "Upstairs Doctor" She nodded I nodded and made my way up the stairs bag in hand. I headed down the hall past the paintings and small mostly unused rooms, until I stopped just before the last door.
The door was open a crack, light cascading from within, the sweet gentle sounds barely audible. I pushed open the door enough my body could slip inside, the well-polished wooden floor covered in dancing shadows from the fire, the flames in the fireplace danced and flickered sending the smell of oak wood and tyme across the room, the sound of the wood cracking and popping, the dark purple walls littered with almost too many paintings to even see the walls any longer, the window to the side shuttered up and then a curtain over it letting not a single bit of the harsh light from outside find its way, The various furniture littered the room.
The Main feature of the room, of course, the large wooden bed. With four tall wooden posts and a railing that normally hung purple curtains but they were missing today, the bed sheets were tossed into one corner of the bed, and sitting in it was the most perfect of sights.
Y/n sat in the bed, her back sat up but she had so many pillows between her and the headboard she must have been six inches from it if not more, her legs our straight, her hair free from any braids, and twisted, plaits or anything else, allowed to hang completely free with a slight kink to the hair where it so often lived plaided up and hidden below her hat. Her hair slightly in her face hiding it from me, she wore only a cotton shirt with long billowing sleeves that stopped just below her thigh, I thought for a moment I recognised it, as well as a pair of purple woollen socks that reached her knees with one white stripe around the top, her toes wiggling as they where warmed by the fire, her hands stroking her stomach, as she looked as if she was hiding a small barrel under her dress.
The small wooden and silver box on her table, the small silver ballerina twirling slowly as it paid her the music box song, the slight clicking and tinniness to the song as the music was plaid. And she sang with it, her voice gliding along the notes not loud enough for anyone beyond the door could hear her, as her hands stroked her stomach, tenderly, carefully, almost like she was afraid but loved all the same, her eyes on her enlarged belly and nothing else as if it and she were all that existed.
I couldn't hold back a smile, I must have looked an absolute picture, smiling so widely my cheeks hurt, red with blush to see her this way. I softly closed the door and took soft steps to lean my shoulder on the bedpost not enough to draw her attention, so I stood and watched for what could have been a thousand years, until her music box stopped and thus her song ended. "You're glowing," I spoke up, She jumped a little at my sudden words but she looked up with a sweet innocent smile, "Ohh, Hello Doctor Dawkins," She smiled, "I didn't hear you come in," "I didn't want to disturb your sweet song," I cooed unable to drag my eyes away from her just wanting to look at her a little while longer. She smiled "Aren't you going to examine me, doctor?" "Alright," I smiled moving to sit on her bed, I set my bag on the bed and opened it up to search through for what I needed. "How are you feeling?" "Much the same," She nodded leaning on her arms so I could touch her stomach, I checked her over as we spoke making sure everything was as it should be asking her short questions about how things were going and much of it was the same as last I saw her "So, When will it be?" She asked excitedly,
"Well, that's the question isn't it," I chuckled "I wish I could tell you, but unfortunately children are sort of a law unto themselves, when baby decides its time, then baby will come." I explained "You, I or anyone else doesn't have much of a say in it. But baby will let you know when it's time" I told her stroking her sweet cheek "Alright?" "Alright," she nodded, "I admit I am half tempted to get you a room at the hospital, just so you're close by," I told her, "I want to be here, where I'm comfortable." She said stroking her bump "Are you sure you don't want to be at the hospital?" "I'm sure," She nodded "Alright, as soon as you feel a contraction I want to know" I warn her, "I'll run all the way here if I have to." I winked "Can I? Please?" She pleads I smiled and got my stethoscope from my bag I gave the end a little warm with my hand before I tugged up her shirt just far enough to see her bare stomach, I put the other end to my ear and listened as I rested it on her skin, I shifted it across her skin until I found the best place to hear the rhythmic beating, for a moment I was frozen as I heard the gentle beats, each caused my own heart to swell and I had to fight back the tears "Here," I smiled and handed her the listening end and she happily put it to her ear and listened with the most excited smile I had ever seen a girl have,
She sniffled, tears slowly falling staring at her stomach as she listened "Hi Darling," She cooed and you could see the movement as the baby kicked, "You think he can hear me?" "Of course, he can, He can hear you talk to him, hear you sing to him, You're his mother, he loves you more than anyone will ever understand," I told her kissing her forehead, "Can he hear his daddy?" She asked as she took my hand and settled it on her stomach so I could feel him kick, "Of course, He can." I smiled giving her bump a sweet kiss "Hi little guy," I smiled as I rubbed my nose on her stomach and I gave her bump and our baby kisses. "It won't be long now, I'm sure of it." "Good, I don't want to be pregnant anymore Jack" She laughs returning my stethoscope to my bag,
"No?" "No. My feet are so swollen I can't wear shoes, I don't fit in any of my dresses anymore, I leak everywhere, I'm throwing up all the time, He's kicking me like I'm a football," She explained "It's not fun being pregnant Jack." "You said you liked it?" "I did when I was a couple of months and I had a cute little bump I could stroke as we walked through town." "You were adorable." I smiled thinking back to when she was newly pregnant, wandering around town with her little bump in her dress, I admit it made me feel very proud of myself. "And still are." "I'm as big as a ship Jack." she pouted, "They'll try to hollow me out and sail me to Africa," "You're a ship?" I chuckled, "ummmm" She nodded, "Well then, Permission to come aboard?" I smirked climbing over her to start kissing all over her face and neck which caused her giggle "Ohh yes a very beautiful ship, the most beautiful ship in the world, I shall have to steal her and sail the world single-handedly with her!" "Jack!" she laughed as she pushed me off her, "What's this anyway?" I glared tugging on her shirt, "I borrowed it," She giggled, "Borrowed?" "Well you've been working so much," she innocently smiled "We missed you." "I've missed you both too." I smiled, "But I need to do all this extra work, so I have lots of time off for when baby comes. I don't wanna be stuck up the hospital and leave you here with our little one, I wanna be here to help, and cuddle, and watch him grow. I don't wanna miss anything."
"Good, You can stay up all night when he cries then." "Ohh I know I will, I know what a trial it is trying to get you out of bed when you don't want to." "I don't like to be awoken," She pouts, "I just want this to be over." "Over?" I asked a little worried, "You know what I mean, I'm just… It's been a long nine months Jack, I'm tired." "I know you are," I smiled and kissed her lips "It won't be too much longer sweetheart."
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sweetvoidstuff · 8 months
Text
Share your pain II Cha Hyun Su x Reader
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Cha Hyun Su x Reader
Summary: Amidst tears and a revelation of homesickness, Hyun Su offers comfort, leading to an unexpected, comforting connection between you two in the post-apocalyptic world.
the first part, kinda ~~~~~ the next part, kinda
Masterlist
~~~~~
At the quiet corner of the shelter, Hyun Su sat with Pyeon Sang-Wook and Mister An, sharing a meal and exchanging light banter about their scars. While Mister An regaled them with tales of his past, the atmosphere turned somewhat lively until you walked past, a cloud of distress hanging over you. Tears welled in your eyes, making it evident that something heavy weighed on your shoulders. Without the usual exchange of greetings or even a nod in Hyun Su's direction, you hurriedly made your way past them to an empty corner on the first floor.
Concern etched on his face, Hyun Su watched you go, his meal forgotten. Mister An, observing the situation, turned to Hyun Su and said, "Whatever you did wrong, fix it. Apologize. It's easier that way." Hyun Su, genuinely puzzled, mumbled, "I don't even know if I did anything."
Mister An sighed, making himself clear. "Well, figure it out. Your task is to help her this time." Hyun Su hesitated, unsure if intruding on your space was the right course of action. Mister An, not one to tolerate indecision, forced him to "be a man and help his lady."
As Hyun Su got up, a heavy blush on his cheeks, and began searching for you, he tried to think about what he would say. However, all his prepared words vanished when he found you quietly sobbing in one of the mostly unused rooms. Frozen in the doorway, he watched the tears fall, his heart breaking at the sight. You were normally so independent, strong, and reliable; seeing you so small and broken hurt him more than he realized.
Unable to say anything, it was you who broke the silence first. Sniffling and attempting to cover your tears, you mustered the courage to speak, though your voice wavered. "If it's not something important, just leave me alone, please."
Hyun Su, genuine concern etched on his face, took a few careful steps toward you. "Is everything okay? Are you hurt?" he asked, reaching out to comfort you.
Your response was sharp, your emotions spilling over. "Does it look like everything is fine? It's perfect!" The frustration and sadness in your voice struck Hyun Su deeply, and he felt a pang of guilt, realizing that he needed to find a way to make things right, even if he didn't understand what had gone wrong in the first place.
"I'm sorry," were his unsure words, bowing deep and hoping he could fix whatever he did. He knew he shouldn't have relied on you so heavily. You came to his aid every time he needed you. You must hate him for it, you must resent helping him. Those were his thoughts, but as you watched him puzzled and annoyed, he looked at you puzzled as well. Trying to find the right words, he expressed, "I don't know what I did, but I am sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry!"
Instead of accepting his apology, you looked downright angry now. With a growl that made him look between a mix of fear and confusion at you, you said, fighting the tears out of your voice but failing miserably, "It's not you, you dummy! You didn't do anything! I'm… fuck… I just… I miss home."
Angryly, wiping your tears away but failing, Hyun Su relieved he wasn't to reason for your distress asked quietly. „Home?“ Your anger turning into raw saddnes. Your voice a mere whisper „Yes, home“ looking at your knees that you had pressed before you, you took some deep breaths. While Hyun Su took the liberty to come even closer to you. It didnt feel right to stand over you while you cried so he sat himself next to you. Waiting for you to continue. Laying your head on your knees you looked at him debating what to say, you continued, "I am not from Seoul. Hell, I am not even from Korea. I came here to study for a while and then go back to my annoying-as-heck family, telling them about all the amazing food I had, all the friends I made," chuckling entertaining your own thoughts and studing Hyun Su's face, "describing the boy I fell in love with. Something like that. I shouldn't be here all alone, fighting, surviving a human turning into a monster end of the world scenario. I will never see them again." During the end of your speach your voice got softer. Closing your eyes, letting the sadness wash over you.
Hyun Su was at a loss for words. You were right and also so very wrong. He couldn’t entirely empathize with you. He had already lost his family. But was this worse than not knowing if they turned into a monster or if they were still alive. Not sure if this was the right thing to say or do, Hyun Su held his hand out to you. "You are wrong!"
"You think I can make it to the airport, hop into a plane, and get home?" you asked sarcastically, looking at his hand confused.
Hyun Su wiggled his hand, and a blush appeared on his face. He hadn't thought making you grip his hand would be so nerve-racking. It looked easier if you did it. After a moment of hesitation, looking between his hand and his eyes, you let go of your knees and took his hand. Looking straight ahead now because he couldn't look at you anymore out of fear of blushing too much, he quietly said, "That maybe not, but you aren't alone. I am also here."
A sob ran through your body, a whimper escaping you while a new wave of tears shook you. Hyun Su was shocked and started to panic. He wanted to make you feel better, not worse. He jumbled over his words, not knowing now what to say to make you stop crying. But soon your soft whispers reached his ear while you gripped his hand tightly. "Thank you."
Hyun Su sat beside you, still holding your hand, his gaze focused on the floor. The weight of your sorrow hung in the air, and he struggled to find the right words to offer you comfort. As your tears continued to fall, he hesitated, unsure of how to navigate the delicate balance between consoling you and respecting your pain.
Finally, after a moment of silent contemplation, Hyun Su spoke softly, "I may not fully understand what you're going through, but you're not alone in this."
Your grip on his hand tightened, appreciating the sincerity in his voice. The shelter, once filled with the distant sounds of survivors and occasional conversations, now held a quiet intimacy between the two of you. Hyun Su continued, "You're stronger than you think. And even though it might not replace what you've lost, I'm not going anywhere."
The warmth of his words began to thaw the icy grip of sadness that had taken hold of you. You glanced at him, eyes still misty but a glimmer of gratitude shining through. "Thank you, Hyun Su," you whispered, your voice carrying a mix of vulnerability and strength.
He offered a gentle smile, "No need to thank me" Hyun Su's thumb traced soothing circles on the back of your hand, a silent reassurance that he was there for you.
As the quiet moments unfolded, Hyun Su's presence became a source of solace. The weight on your shoulders seemed a bit lighter,as you laid your head on his, knowing that you weren't navigating this challenging journey alone.
After a while, Hyun Su spoke again, "So what Korean food is your favorie till now?"
A soft smile gracing your lips. The two of you sat there, hand in hand, finding solace telling Hyun Su about the nice Tteokbokki shop you had been to. The world outside the shelter may have been fraught with uncertainty, but in that moment, you took refuge in the connection you had forged with Hyun Su.
As time passed, the tears subsided, leaving a sense of calm in their wake. The atmosphere in the room shifted from one of sorrow to one of quiet companionship. Together, you faced the challenges of the post-apocalyptic world, drawing strength from the unexpected bond that had formed in the midst of hardship.
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heavenlyysstuff · 9 months
Note
hi i have a request!!
lo’ak or neteyam taking care of sick human reader, and maybe they’re just like shocked at how easily humans can get sick, fussing over reader a little.
lmk what u think !
first request!!
Sick.
NETEYAM.s x gn!human!reader
LO’AK.s x gn!human!reader
summary , how the sully brothers would react to sick human reader.
a/n , idk why my layout is so messed up ughhh
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You counted down the minutes you had been staying in the lab. Not only had you been sick for the third time this month, you’d also been made to stay in the lab with mostly avatars, and other human scientists of course.
As much as you appreciate their care, you can’t help but feel bored. With the absence of your friends and even anyone remotely your age, you sit aside in an unused room, not exactly sure on what it’s for, some scientists simply just left you there to quarantine for awhile.
You slump in the office chair, getting bored of rolling around back and forth across the room. And then, a voice sticks out to you and differentiates itself from the background noise.
“Where is she?”
“Neteyam?” That’s Norm, why’s Neteyam here though? You assumed he would be busy with training, and if not, why would he be thinking about you?
“Uh, they’re sick.” You missed a little bit of the conversation.
“Again?”
You strain your neck trying to get a glimpse of their figures, they both stand a few metres away, but still close enough for you to hear the conversation.
“Yea. Nothing too serious, but she’s just been tired, Jake figured she’d be more comfortable here.”
“Where are they?” Neteyams eyes wander the room filled of avatars. Norm looks towards your room, eyes locking to yours.
You squeak, immediately turning away at the thought of being caught eavesdropping, but you still pick up on the next few words.
“Over there, take your time.”
The footsteps coming towards you are immediately familiar. “You’re here again?”
With a turn of your office chair you face him. “Yea, almost a second home at this point.”
He sighs, and scans the room before sitting himself on a table close to you. “Why are you always so sick?”
You giggle. “Low immune system I guess.”
He gives you a look of confusion.
“Nevermind.” You continue. “Don’t think about it too much, I’m used to it now.”
“You shouldn’t have to be.”
Smiling at him, you slowly spin in your chair.
Neteyam watches you assumed, and suddenly brings the spinning to a stop once the chair is faced towards him, his hand resting above your head on the top of the chair.
Your face drops as he halts your movements. But with a quick look into his eyes you can tell he’s just being playfull.
Giggles fill the room, and later that day neteyam never left, opting to stay with you until you recovered.
And when your sickness finally ended, it was your turn to look after him in his marui.
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Lo’ak sits beside you filled with boredom, a huff leaves his lips as he try’s to get some entertainment from the views outside the marui.
Because you were feeling unwell you weren’t exactly fit for Lo’aks adventures today.
You shuffle to turn around in the hammock. “Why don’t you just go out with Spider?”
He turns to look at you as his head tilts to rest on his knee, “Because.”
“…because?” You repeat, searching for an answer.
He huffs again, and you just smile, waiting for his answer teasingly. “Just because.” He sasses.
You groan, irritated you won’t get the satisfaction of a reply that would surely boost your ego.
“Stop getting sick all the time.” He continues to change the subject.
“I can’t help it.” You reply and raise your eyebrow as if it was obvious.
“It sucks when you’re sick, going out is never the same.” He complains.
“Aw.”
“Yea, I don’t have anyone to make fun of.” He teases.
“Oh wow, ruined the moment.” You sarcastically reply.
He groans, and melts to lay down on the floor beside your hammock, he stares at the ceiling of the marui as you turn more in your hammock to look down at him. “You shouldn’t stay here too long, I might get you sick.”
“That’s fine. Not gonna stop me from hanging out with you.”
“Nothing stops you.”
“Uh huh.” He smirks, shifting his gaze to you.
You can’t help but notice his tail beside his swaying happily. Despite his constant teasing towards you, it’s obvious he does enjoy being around you.
“Are humans always this sick, all the time?”
You think for a moment, “I think it’s just me, low immune system- that means I get sick a lot.”
“That sucks.” He groans, obviously irritated by your proneness to get sick.
“If I could, I’d be outside. Climbing a tree with you probably.” You comment.
“You know you can’t climb, you can’t even keep up with me on foot, small feet.” He chuckles at his own tease for you.
“Okay- uncalled for. So much for caring about the sick human here.” You sassily reply.
“Hey, I am caring for the sick human. You need your emotional support, right?”
“Ha ha, funny.” You roll your eyes, smirking and roll onto your back in your hammock.
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noblesixjm04 · 1 year
Text
Comfort characters gonna comfort
Reader: *Rambling about their favorite hobby/interests. Hands moving wildly as they speak. Their eyes bright and a blinding smile on their face as they talk to John.*
John: *Thinks it's sweet and kind of adorable. He's mostly just comforted by the fact that you feel comfortable enough with him to talk like this.* *It's nice for him to just. Feel normal once in awhile outside of blue team.*
John: *Is also confused on how you just as quickly stopped as soon as you started. Falling in on yourself as you ring your hands together.*
Reader: *Embarrassed that they had managed to talk for so long and John hasn't gotten to say anything yet.* *A lingering voice hissing at them that he doesn't care. That they've made a fool of themselves yet again.*
Reader: "I'm. I'm sorry."
John: *Is now both confused and concerned.* "Sorry for what?" *Doesn't like the fact that you're no longer holding eye contact. A sure fire way to tell that you're nervous or embarrassed over something. If anything he could almost hear your pounding heart.*
Reader: *Swallows thickly. Nervous by the stare that John is giving them. They consider lying or brushing it off but they knew better than to do that. John is capable of sniffing out a lie like a bloodhound.* "For talking so much?"
Reader: *Shrugging their shoulders. Trying to get rid of the tension there.* "I know it's not something you care about and I've probably taken up your time when you could have been doing something else." *They are rambling now.* "And I know that what I've got to say isn't all that important."
Reader:*Nearly jumps a mile high when John lays a hand on their shoulder.*
John-117: *Low-key pissed. Not at you but at whoever made you believe such nonsense.* "Who said that?" *His voice is low and even. Face void of emotion save for the muscles clenching in his jaw.*
Reader: *Squirming in their seat. Still unused to John's intense way of caring even after having known him for a while.* "Who said what?"
John-117: *Leaning forward in his chair so that he can be more on your level.* "That what you have to say isn't important." *He pauses. Eyes searching over your face.* "Who y/n." *He's using what you jokingly call the 'master chief voice '. The one that leaves no room for question. The one you hate to be on the receiving end of cause it means that you have to learn that you are cared for.*
Reader: *Wants to look away but can't. Both comforted by the fact that John cares but worried about what he might do.* "It's nothing Chief. Really."
Oh now you've done it.
John-117: *Nothing?* *Slides the hand on your shoulder down your arm until your hand is in his.* "It is never nothing when someone makes you feel this way y/n."
John: "No one deserves to be demeaned like that. You should have never been made to feel that way." *His knees bump into yours as he moves closer.* "Never will I take anything you say as "not important." You are allowed to be heard. Be seen."
John: *His hand squeezes yours. A calloused thumb soothing over your knuckles.* "You're allowed to be yourself with me. Always."
John-117: *He pulls away although he does not want to. Reaching for his helmet he had taken off to better hear you with. Wanting to hear your voice without it's audio filters.* "Now. Who?"
Reader: *Watches as Master Chief stands up. Golden visor looking at them.* "An. An old friend I'm no longer friends with. David Hawthorne."
Reader: " Chief I haven't talked to him in years. Why does it matter.... Who...."
Master Chief has left the chat.
A few days later
Reader: *Is humming along to Welcome to the Jungle as they clean their gun. * *Startles when they feel a hand on their shoulder. Really they should be used to it by now from how often people do it while they're lost in their own little world.* "Sorry about that! I had my earbuds... In."
Reader: *Immediately frowns when they see who it is. Almost putting the earbuds back in so they wouldn't have to listen to him.*
Reader: *Now standing with their hand on the back of their chair. On guard as they speak.* "Hawthorne."
David H: *He looks. Well scared as he shuffles from foot to foot. Brow glistening with sweat. He keeps glancing to the right.* "M'sorry."
There's a noise in the back.
David H: *Louder now. His face is paler than snow.* "I'm sorry." *You see his adams apple bob up and down as he swallows.*
Reader:*Confused.* "Sorry for what? What are you even doing here? Last time I checked you were on some distant colony planet."
David H: *Glances to the right again.* "For the way I treated all those years ago. For what I told you. I'm sorry. I know I can't make up for it but I'm sorry."
Reader: *Everything clicking into place as they remember their conversation with John.* "I. Okay then." *Honestly they didn't know how to respond. Never expecting an apology from the man that made them feel like the worst human In history.*
David H: *Curtly nods. Glances to the right. If anything he lost more color in his face from that last glance before he took off out the door.*
Reader: "Okay then..." *They look to where David had been and almost cry as a warmth bloomed in their chest. From happiness, from knowing that they were cared for. They don't know.*
All of Blue team is standing there. Leaning against the walls or in the Chief case against the back of a bench. Arms crossed as he, and them, kept a watchfully eye on reader as David gave what they thought was a less than ok apology.
Reader:"Thank you."
Master Chief: *Nods then motions for blue team to follow after David.*
John: *As he walks past reader. Lays a hand on their shoulder, squeezes, then leaves to follow after his team.*
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dullgecko · 29 days
Note
Riz has a “den” in all of the bad kids houses. Goblin dens are usually caves so it’s usually the darkest and most ridden spots. There his little hiddy holes for when his social battery is drained.
In Mordred Manor he has 2, one in Adaine’s bedroom (Sometimes Adaine and him go under there to study) Also one in one of the hidden rooms. Jawbone gave him a little do not disturb sign for it.
Under Fabian’s bed in Seacasted manor, Fabian’s tried to get him to make one anywhere else because he has so many spare rooms, but Riz always moves his stuff back.
The Thistlesprings house isn’t one of the main hangout spots, but Riz himself fits nicely there. There aren’t that many little nooks and crannies that don’t have some kind of trinkets. But he somehow made a den underneath a tarp (Wilma and Digby didn’t have a heart to move it.)
(Back when they lived in the Stronghold Luxury Apartments he also had one in both Gilear and Jawbone’s apartments)
Adaine isn't sure when Riz made the little den in her room because it was in a spot she would never have looked. He apparently found it when he went looking for something in her room and noticed a wallpapered over door in the wall beside her bed (high investigation strikes gold again, because he'd had to crawl under the bed to even access it). It was just an unused storage space, but the door was tiny (any of the other kids would have to crawl to get through) and his head brushed the ceiling when he stood so it was perfect. It even had a little light in there he could use if he wanted to read.
He'd stolen one of the guest blankets and pillows from the linnen cupboard downstairs to make it comfy and tended to sneak inside whenever they had a sleepover and he wanted to work without waking anyone up.
The other kids only found it when one of them woke up and noticed Riz was gone. The only problem was his crystal, briefcase and weapons were all still in the room where they'd been left before they all bedded down to sleep. Fabian had tried calling him when he didnt come back straight away and had followed the sound of the ringtone to Riz's crystal lying suspiciously in the middle of the floor in Adaines room having fallen out of his pocket unnoticed. The rest of his party had promptly paniced thinking something had happened to him and had spent two hours searching the manor top to bottom before realising they could probably cast locate object on something he was wearing.
They found him totally passed out asleep once they finally located the hidden door, glasses nearly falling off the top of his head with his notebook covering his face. The floor of the tiny room absoloutly littered with paperwork for his rogue classes he'd been working on before zonking out.
The second little room he discovered was downstairs, where they usually hung out during the day time. He'd clamber in there to do his work for the Lower Planar Reconaisance Taskforce because most of that was extremely classified. The little sign Jawbone gave him was mostly to make it easier to locate the door again (since when it was shut it was almost impossible to see the seam of the doorframe) but it served the duel purpose of making sure people stayed away while he was busy.
---------------------------
The one in Fabians house was made when, during a party, he found himself getting so overstimulated from all the people and noise that it was giving him a pounding headache and making him snap at everything. He didnt want to jepordise Kristens whole campaign by putting a dent in his party's popularity, so he'd disappeared at some point to go find somewhere to calm down right around the point where his vision started getting spots.
The fighters room was usually locked so no one could get in there during a house party but Riz had simply used his claws to pick the door open. He'd pulled the covers off Fabians bed and clambered underneath where it was cramped and quiet and stuffed himself into the far corner against the wall. It was comfy down there and quiet and dark (and also smelled nice because of the stolen blankets) so he'd stayed there for hours while he waited for the migraine to go away.
He was discovered when Fabian tried to go to bed that night and found his sheets conspiciously missing with no other signs of intrusion. Now its the first place he looks whenever Riz disappears when at the manor. (He offered to set aside a different room for if Riz needed to get away for a bit but the goblin insisted this worked better)
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Gorgug has to be careful when sitting at his workbench or his legs will cause the tarp set up underneath to push inwards. If Riz is hanging out with the half-orc at his house its often to help him with his artificer homework, so at some point Riz had set himself up down there and they didnt have the heart to dismantle the little cave.
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Behind couches is almost always the best spot to hide when you're only three feet tall. Especially if its couches belonging to people twice your size, in an appartment that was probably just a little too small for anyone. Lots of great unused real estate back there, perfect for goblins.
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jazztag · 2 months
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An Encounter in the Snow X
Hero steps inside Weapon’s cell twice that day. The second time, however, he’s carrying a bunch of items. Weapon greets him with his trademark grin, remaining silent as usual. He traces circles on the cold concrete floor with his index finger, a habitual motion.
"Okay," Hero states, kneeling in front of his prisoner and placing the items beside him on the floor. Weapon glances at the pile, but Hero quickly refocuses his attention. "Vicci," He says, clasping two fingers together. Weapon meets his gaze, his eyes as dead and cold as ever. The Captain can’t help but feel a sense of dread, almost as if he’s being devoured by the monster’s gray eyes. Trying to maintain his usual calm and firm demeanor, Hero crosses his arms to keep himself from instinctively reaching for his gun. At least the dog responds to his name — that’s a good sign.
"I guess I’ve proven that weapons like you can stay fully functional even after three days without food or water," Hero observes, studying his prisoner. "A normal soldier would have perished by the fourth day, but you look like you could walk out of here just fine."
Weapon doesn’t seem to understand a word Hero is saying, but the Captain doesn’t care. Talking to this beast as if it were human makes him feel less afraid. Vicci has a habit, it seems, of smiling wider when he doesn’t understand something. At least he appears curious and responsive.
"I was going to test my theory by waiting a full week, but that seems counterproductive now," Hero continues, rummaging through the pile of items he brought. He finally finds a small paper-wrapped thing-y and hands it to Vicci, who sniffs it cautiously. Hero then places a bottle of water in front of his prisoner and points to the two items, saying simply, "Food."
Weapon sniffs the sandwich again, warily.
"It’s not poisoned, come on," Hero says, unwrapping the sandwich for him. As he does so, his hand brushes against Weapon’s, causing Hero to recoil slightly, unnerved by the contact. Vicci, on the other hand, smiles at the unwrapped bread. "Food. It’s food. Eat," Hero instructs.
Weapon looks from the sandwich to Hero. "E-ats," he repeats, then looks back at the food. "Fo-ood."
Hero crosses his arms again, watching closely. Weapon takes a careful bite, seeming to enjoy it. He repeats the word "Food, food," before saying, "Menja"
Hero observes him until he finishes, then gestures for him to drink the water as well. Weapon consumes both the food and water quickly, as if afraid they will vanish if he takes too long. He starts chewing on his fingers, and Hero watches him for a moment longer before crouching down to search through the pile again.
Vicci looks up as Hero hands him a set of clothes. Weapon sniffs the air, smiling, and slowly gets to his feet. The Captain, still holding the clean clothes, flinches slightly when he finds himself eye to eye with his prisoner. They are about the same height. Weapon smiles, his trembling hand gently caressing his coat, now free from mud and leaves, washed and neatly folded.
"Underneath are your pants and shirt," Hero explains, handing him the pile. He watches as Weapon inspects his clothes, clearly unused to having them cleaned. Hero has soaked the dirty garments in water and soap for two days straight, hoping to wash away the grime. On the third day, they had been dried in the sun. Vicci absentmindedly caresses the familiar fabric with his calloused fingers.
"It’s strange," Hero remarks, mostly to himself. The fact that Vicci doesn’t understand him doesn’t bother him. "There’s nothing on these clothes that indicates you work for the enemy. No marks, no flags, no identification... Only the number... six? What does that mean?"
Weapon, meanwhile, has begun dressing himself, struggling a bit with the unbuttoned shirt and the chain around his neck. He doesn’t bother to button it before slipping into the pants. His wounds, still uncleaned and scattered across his torso, are finally hidden beneath the black cotton fabric.
"Your boots and cap will be provided if you ever leave this cell. For now, I didn’t want you sitting around in your underwear the whole time," Hero comments, rolling his eyes. He turns away, unsure whether to give Weapon some privacy. He takes a few steps toward the door, but when he turns back, he once again sees the monster that has haunted him for months in the trenches, now standing in the middle of the cell, still chained by the neck. Vicci stands with his back slightly hunched, his chin almost resting on his chest. His right hand moves frantically over the thick coat, which now smells fresh and clean. His right foot taps lightly on the floor, like a nervous rabbit, and with his other hand, he scratches at his hair, a self-soothing gesture. He looks... complete again. Dressed and in character. Vicci looks up at Hero and smiles, as he always does. This time, though, Hero doesn’t find the smile frightening. Perhaps it’s more content, more genuine.
With that in mind, the Captain cautiously approaches Weapon again. He focuses his gaze on his prisoner’s chest, still a little bloody. He’s decided not to do anything about it, fearing he might lose a hand or two, but he’s not a monster either. He points to what’s left in the pile—some clean bandages and a plate with water and a wet cloth. "I’m not even going to try this time. I don’t want you biting me again," Hero murmurs, still remembering how the animal bit his arm two days ago. Not that it hurts, but.
The Captain backs away toward the shadows near the cell door. Before leaving, he takes one last look at the tool he now calls Vicci. The Weapon stands under the light, hunched, still caressing his clothes. His bare feet are partly hidden under the baggy pants. His silhouette is now covered in gray and black fabric, standing there like a powerful yet restrained shadow. Perhaps it’s because of the heavy chain that still deprives him of freedom. Like a powerful dog lying in the cold field, waiting for its master to bring him food, always on alert.
Vicci’s silhouette is still very slim, moving carelessly as if following his own sense of gravity. His bare feet drag along the concrete, and his bony hands move in strange patterns—sometimes scratching his hair, sometimes his arms or back scars. But he’s relentless, always in motion, even if just a little. The chains jingle softly in the cell. Hero looks at the dog he’s caged, and despite everything, he can’t help but feel a growing sense of pity for his prisoner.
Taglist: @whump-blog @bitchaknso @pumpkinsncoffee @scrumpledumple (comment to get added/removed from the list!)
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aitchhdee · 1 year
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You knew you shouldn't have checked your phone while you were out with your friends partying. Your mood has quickly tumbled down from happy to upset pretty quickly and you needed space from the people who were busy enjoying their time, dancing, drinking and talking with each other. You did not want to be the one to ruin the mood of the party. While everyone was occupied, you quickly slipped out of the room unnoticed and searched for a spot to be alone.
After awhile you settled down in the attic, leaning against the wall. The attics mostly filled with unused furnitures and decorations covered by coverings to prevent it from dusting. Feeling overwhelmed by the bad news, you clutched the flashlight tightly, which you found in this attic, and played with it as your tears were threatening to spill.
You could hear the dull sounds coming from below, reminding you that you should be partying along with your friends. The room you were in is filled with a heavy silence, broken only by the soft click and the hum of the flashlight, whenever you turned it on and then off.
Suddenly, the door creaks open and Bakugou appears, standing at the doorway. His usually stern expression softened by concern. You didn't bother to look up and see who it was as you were trying to distract yourself by playing with the flashlight to not cry.
The dark attic was filled with footsteps as Bakugou takes a few slow steps towards you and sat down besides you quietly, uncertainty evident in his eyes as he looks at you. The room, filled with the click sound, got illuminated by the flashlight once again, before it got turned off. His eye lids dropping down to your hand playing with the flashlight and not saying anything to him at all. Despite not being one for hugs or openly showing affection, Bakugou senses your distress and knows that words alone won't be enough.
Click, the flashlight illuminates the attic again. With out a word, he reaches out and pulls you into a tight embrace. Your body tenses up at the pull. For a moment, time stands still as you feel the strength and warmth of Bakugou's arms around you. Your arms now hanging limply besides you, holding the flashlight tightly as you had a blank expression, staring at the ground that was illuminated by the flashlight.
It's an unexpected gesture, one that speaks volumes about his care and support. On other days you would have been stubborn and fight it off, but at the moment you had no strength to fight him off. You can sense the genuine concern in his hold, as if he's trying to convey through the hug that you're not alone in this difficult moment. You weakly hit his shoulder with the flashlight before burying your face onto his shoulder.
And in that quiet attic, illuminated by the soft glow of the flashlight, you find peace in the presence of Bakugou, knowing that even in your own unique way, you have each other's backs.
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pilot-boi · 11 months
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With Raven acting so awkward around Jaune post-V9 in the Twins AU, my mind immediately went to her hovering near Jaune, clumsily searching for an opening to reconnect in the aftermath. Either that or going full wild-raven and leaving trinkets for him to find.
Definitely the latter. Mostly because it’s funny, but also because ironically because of the Ever After it’s actually more effective than trying to connect in a human way
Boy is so UNUSED to human interaction that actually just leaving shiny rocks around for him to find is a much better way to interact with him right now
The only down side is Jaune legit doesn’t know Raven is doing it lol
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bomberqueen17 · 8 months
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switchplate covers update/tutorial
So the thing to keep in mind with this is that we gotta see how well the wear. A switchplate cover is a pretty high-traffic thing, and subject to a lot of wear. If these get too dingy I'm absolutely going to have to go buy fancy ceramic ones or something.
But. That said. Here is my final result, and below the cut is how I did this, partly because I want to remember how it worked LOL.
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[Image description: A combo lightswitch/outlet with a black three-prong plug plugged into it, set into a white subway tile wall with a wooden breadboard leaned against it. The plate cover is painted with a mottled effect to look like a turquoise gemstone, complete with inset glitter to mimic the pyrite inclusions found in some raw turquoise.]
A better view of the glitter:
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[Image description: Another turquoise-painted outlet faceplate on the background of a rumpled white dropcloth, my fingers visible tilting it toward the light so the flake glitter catches the light from the window.]
So I searched up for tutorials and found a few, each of which was like "can't believe nobody else has done this"; I'm sharing the most helpful one here. What was thee very most helpful thing, though, was the writer's pointing out that many different configurations of turquoise exist, so you can just pick a reference image and build off that. I did not in the end come very close to my reference, but decided instead to make it look sick as hell. LOL. I was just having too much fun doing whatever I wanted. So these are not super realistic! But then you wouldn't... make an outlet faceplate out of real turquoise, so I felt like I wasn't fooling anyone. Anyway--
How To Paint Faux Turquoise.
So the first thing I did was find some very fine-grit sandpaper (I think I got 320? I found a mostly used-up sheet of it in the basement and just used the unused edge from where it had been fastened around a block, LOL) and went over the whole front surface of each plate I was going to paint, and then I washed them with dishsoap and hot water and dried them with a dish towel, because I figured finger grease, hand dirt, and sanding dust would keep the paint from sticking. I started with white plastic ones, the kind you get for up to a dollar at the hardware store.
Then I got a plastic container lid, put dollops of various of my paint samples in it, dug out the craft paints I got cleaning out Auntie's basement and the sole tube of acrylics (Mars black) I could still find from the last time I did any painting, and went to town. The first couple, I did the pale shades and let them dry and came back to add the darker marbling. But then I was like, these are latex/acrylic, you don't have to build them in layers? So I just did the rest of them with all the shading in more or less one pass.
Acrylic art paint and latex housepaint are both water-based, so there's no conflict with using them intermingled. I've combined them before, I used to do a lot of sign painting and it works fine. Housepaint's runnier, idk. Don't mix oils and latex, is the thing to keep in mind; they just don't stick to each other real well.
I went to the art supply store to get some water-based varnish, because all i had was polyurethane and that's oil-based. It'd probably work as a topcoat but I was worried and the internet's advice conflicted. I wanted to go get better glitter anyway, so I did. I happen to live near Hyatt's All Things Creative, so I take every excuse I can get to go there.
I bought some sick-ass glitter (over in the resin pouring section, hell yes), and puzzled thru the various offerings. (@sassaffrassa's advice proved invaluable on this thank u.) I got just-- "Gloss varnish acrylic medium", the Hyatt's brand, for four dollars and sixty-nine (nice) cents, and then because I was feeling spendy, I also bought Krylon spray-on glossy varnish. Belt and suspenders, y'know? Also to make the brush strokes less obvious.
The critical thing, though, about the gloss varnish, is that it says right on the bottle that you can either incorporate it into the paint as a medium to enhance the sheen, OR brush it over the finished work as a protective coating. Dries absolutely clear. So I knew, THIS is how I'm attaching the glitter. I'd been thinking like, mod podge? elmer's glue? mix it into the paint? No.
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[image description: the gloss varnish bottle. It is this product. The relevant text says "can be used either as a medium to enhance the sheen levels of acrylic paint or as an over-varnish on finished artwork to provide a non-tacky, protective gloss coating".]
So I carefully got open the little bottle of glitter (no sneezing! it was "white gold flake" style and cost eight bucks for like half a gram. to my knowledge it's not actually made of gold but it was priced like it was) and painted little fine patches of gloss varnish onto the spots I wanted glittered, and then used tweezers to apply glitter just in those spots, and mooshed them around with the little varnish-covered brush until they stuck where I wanted them. (I put them on the darkest bits of the veining, because that was what my source image looked like, mostly. I wanted to be really liberal but then I thought, no, a little pop of glitter is more exciting actually. Still not sure, but it does look good so. They say measure that shit with your heart but I went light because I figured I could add more later, and then I didn't.)
Then I came back at the end and painted more gloss varnish just over the glitter, just to make sure it was all really stuck down and wouldn't flake off with wear.
Let that dry for a couple hours, then used a larger brush to spread gloss varnish as evenly as possible over the entirety of each plate. It did leave visible brush strokes, which I didn't mind. The art shop guy suggested using a really soft brush to minimize that, and I was like "yah sure ok" but then, well, I didn't, I just used the brush I had.)
But then I let that dry overnight, and in the morning I put the plates all in my giant overspray cardboard box, and gave them each a liberal coating of the spray varnish. (Yes of course I have a giant cardboard box I keep in my basement to spray paint things in. I know it says use in a well-ventilated space but what I do, see, is I do that and then I leave the room, which is almost as good. LOL it's 24F and snowing I'm not doing it outside.)
That bottle says two hours until handling on it, so I left it two hours, and then I put up the plates that were in spots where the painting was done or wasn't happening, hence my example image being against a tiled wall.
The screwdriver immediately scratched the first one a little bit, but not super obviously. But I kind of would expect a screwdriver to scratch just about anything, so that doesn't mean much.
I won't guarantee how well these'll hold up but if you were interested in doing something like that, there's how it worked. (Hi, future me, you're welcome for writing it down lol.)
I'm sort of sorry for no more process pictures but honestly most of it was following whimsy and doing what I felt like and kind of drawing on what I hadn't realized was a lot lot lot of hours of past paint-handling in my life, so pictures wouldn't help anyone else recreate this. But it did remind me that I love to paint and should do that more. So, I'll try, I guess.
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shuttershocky · 1 year
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hi shutters. im gonna start arknights. do you have any guide/tips for new players? what to do, what to not do, what to save, what to discard, where to find community resources(if they exist). stuff like that. thanks in advance!
Most new player guides will tell you all you need to know about getting started in the game, so I'll list down 5 things about the experience of /learning/ the game instead.
You don't have to play - Before we start, it must be said that Arknights is still a gacha game, an inherently predatory monetization scheme no matter how generous the in-game system is. If you feel like you may be vulnerable to FOMO and spending real money, I don't recommend you play at all. If you're here for the world and characters, Arknights has excellent comics available for free on their website, while players upload most event stories on Youtube for you to read through without having to touch the game. With that said, let's continue.
Take your time - Raising units and generally progressing in Arknights takes a lot longer than in other mobage. Don't worry about things like "catching up". Limited time events that have already had their rerun get added as a part of the main menu permanently, and eventually they even include the free units you get per event. You're generally not going to be missing out on any content (except for 3rd party collabs like the upcoming Monster Hunter event, but that's because they don't own Monster Hunter), so don't feel like you have to rush through the game. It won't work, and you'll get easily frustrated. Think of it more like a puzzle game with updates. You don't rush through puzzle games, the point is to enjoy the puzzle.
Don't spend - This goes for all mobile games in general, but especially Arknights. The money to in-game currency conversion rate is godawful, but the actual flow of the gacha currency (called Orundrum) given to you by just playing the game normally is rather generous. Combined with a few other features that don't need to be discussed here and even a F2P player's account looks like a whale after enough time, because you eventually just get most of the units from how often you're given free rolls. Take it from me, you don't need to buy anything to get gigastacked, it will happen to you over time.
Ask for Help - Arknights is a puzzle game, and that means even with some of the best units in the game, you can find yourself stuck on stages if you have no idea how to approach strategy. If you're ever stuck, Youtube is filled with various clear guides made by the community, targeting everything from lazy clears (often called AFK) by super strong Doctors that don't want to think, to low rarity clears targeted towards new players who are mostly using the 3 star characters (as they are much quicker to raise). Just take a look at the codename of the stage you are stuck on (for example: "WD-EX-8"), and type that into the Youtube search bar. You'll find a ton of different guides from various creators. You can even shoot an Ask to this blog if you want more personalized help, though of course I can only answer those in my free time.
Take reviews with a grain of salt - Probably the biggest source of FOMO pressure in Arknights is the community itself, what with how much content creators love to use clickbait videos telling you a certain unit is a godtier must-have and if you don't have them you WILL be unable to keep up so roll for them NOW or a certain unit is fucking dogshit unusable and if you have them they're a waste of space. No in-betweens. Of course, when you actually get to try these characters for yourself you're going to realize even the absurdly powerful units aren't going to be autowinning stages by themselves (usually), nor are even the most despised, godawful units completely worthless strategically. It's a puzzle game, ultimately a lot more is going to depend on your ability to problem solve. My general rule of thumb when it comes to seeing community reactions to new operators is if everyone says they're good, they're almost certainly very good, but if everyone says a new unit is trash, it's a cointoss as to how bad they actually are. Probably the best recent example is the 6 star Mystic Caster Ebenholz, who was derided as being awkward to use and generally awful in most stages. His stock eventually rose and rose as people discovered that while Ebenholz struggled in most stages, he was incredibly good at taking on stages with very difficult, powerful enemies, flattening most of these elite enemies and bosses in an instant and trivializing the stages meant to be challenging. If you look up Ebenholz online you're mostly going to find people reacting to his initial appearance and calling him bad, but you're not going to see how he's carved out an extremely valuable strategic niche for himself. You never know who's going to end up useful, so don't be afraid to play around with your favorite units.
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hmshermitcraft · 11 months
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Can you tell us a little more about what happened when the hermits first discovered a little feral grian in a forest? (And how he became less feral)
related ask
Their first meeting could have gone better, to say the least.
Grian nearly killed Mumbo. Though terrifying at the time, and a messy start to their relationship, it's now something Mumbo loves to tease Grian about whilst Grian groans and flushes with embarrassment.
Mumbo had been searching for gravel. An annoying task, which had led him deeper into the forest than anticipated. He walked into a cave entrance hoping for better luck and discovered the dragon hybrid that was hiding out there. Grian panicked, Mumbo panicked, the whole situation was a disaster.
Mumbo barely escaped to alert the other hermits, and a now strategic encounter was set up. It was mostly led by Doc, who had the most experience with feral mobs (considering himself.)
They started by leaving offerings outside the cave. Mostly food, as it was obvious the hybrid was malnourished and perhaps unused to fending for himself. With time, they gradually moved those offerings closer to the cave entrance, and watched from closer distances.
They continued with that until they could step inside the entrance to place food down, and Grian would chirp as he ran over to accept it. From there, they started eating with Grian in an attempt to show him they weren't a threat. It was mostly Xisuma, Doc or Iskall - since they were either most protected or had the most experience. That didn't stop Stress from tagging along with Iskall occasionally, though.
It took some time, but one day, after Iskall and Stress finished eating, Grian followed them out of the cave. He continued chirping at them, striding on all fours alongside them. Stress immediately decided they'd give him a tour, and no objection from Iskall would convince her otherwise.
Somehow, this ends up with Grian taking one look at Stress's empty castle and moving in. And, to everybody's surprise, decorating. Stress doesn't even mind that he's using her blocks (though she wishes he'd keep her chests more organised.)
It's around this point that the hermits decide they're 100% keeping him. Even Mumbo, though wary at first, accepts Grian's apologies (that Stress tells him to give) of climbing all over him and rubbing his nose through Mumbo's hair.
It's... An experience. To say the least.
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