#nonbinary main character

[finngreyswan]

Working on an outline for November! It's a queer magical girl novella about a nonbinary person, a butch lesbian, and a gay boy teaming up to save Ishtar, the goddess of love and war. I'm working on the outline as fast as I can so I won't be lost during my November challenge.

It's based on the story of Innua getting herself caught by her sister in the underworld. She's rescued by a person that's "both man and woman." Unfortunately, the ancient version of a nonbinary person d!es in the versions I could find. I don't plan on anyone dying, so don't worry, lol.

[hopelessgingerbread]

I might start posting book reviews

A positive vision of a future where humans can actually learn from their mistakes.

I loved this book! The worldbuilding is robust enough to engage and give you a sense of what this world is like, yet it's not confusing. The main character Dex (a nonbinary overachiever just like me) takes you on their journey to find... something. Because something is missing, and they have no idea what it is. Maybe it's crickets? A new job? Maybe if they go far into the woods where humans hadn't roamed for centuries, they'll know the answer? It wouldn't be a major spoiler to say that life, this book, and even robots leave you with more questions than answers where the meaning of existing is concerned. Maybe, just maybe, finding nothing at the end of your journey is finding something. And perhaps the journey never ends? In the case of this book, it hasn't yet, because there's a sequel that I'm very excited to read. I ate the book up in a couple of days, and its philosophical meanderings and lovely atmosphere was exactly what I needed to soothe my soul.

[writingstarter]

Baldur's Gate Fanfiction

When I was younger I used to write all the time (not necessarily well, but it was a passion) and one day I just kind of lost motivation and stopped. I have wanted to get back into it, and just posted a new fanfiction after 10 years.

It is a self-insert, and my character is non-binary and named Parker. Overall, I am just excited to be writing again, and to finally get to contribute more to a fandom I absolutely adore!!

Descent into Baldur's Gate (1503 words) by Starlight_Rogue Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Baldur's Gate (Video Games) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Characters: Astarion (Baldur's Gate), Karlach (Baldur's Gate), Shadowheart (Baldur's Gate), Original Characters, Original Non-Binary Character, Wyll (Baldur's Gate), Gale (Baldur's Gate), Lae'zel (Baldur's Gate), Tav (Baldur's Gate) Additional Tags: Self-Insert, Self-Indulgent, Flirting, neurodivergent, My First Fanfic, Illithids | Mind Flayers (Dungeons & Dragons), Tadpole | Illithid Parasite Powers (Baldur's Gate), Barbarian Tav (Baldur's Gate), Tiefling Tav (Baldur's Gate), Astarion - Freeform, Shadowheart - Freeform, Lae'zel - Freeform, Wyll - Freeform, karlach - Freeform, Tav - Freeform Summary: One of the main joys in Parker's life was Baldur's Gate 3. With over 400 hours of gameplay, and it still was not enough. Imagine their surprise, joy, and fear as they realize they woke up on the Nautiloid at the beginning of their favorite game.

[citizen-khen]

Sleeper, wake up.

Summary:

Sleeper — you have been so focused on surviving for just over a dozen cycles, and yet it has felt like your whole life. But Sleeper — there is more to life than surviving. This form feels pain and hunger and indignance and rage… so why not trust and love as well? The life of a Sleeper on the run is a cruel one, but past the inevitable betrayal and loss, your kindness shines through — for better, or for worse.

A story of the bonds Sleeper creates — and loses — throughout their time on The Eye. Mostly will be filling in the gaps between scenes that exist in game rather than reiterating any dialogue, but may end up taking some creative liberties with timing, characters' storylines and relationships, and the setting of The Eye.

Rating: Mature Length: 148K+ words; Chapters 59/??

[goreyskeleton]

okay so I’m reading this manga called ‘love me for who I am’ online and it’s about being trans and the main character is nonbinary and it’s very very queer and I’m only a few pages in and AUGHHHH I FELT THAT

here’s the link because this is too good to not read: https://dynasty-scans.com/series/fukakai_na_boku_no_subete_o

I don’t even like anime or mangas because I think the art style sucks but I’m starting to change my mind a little

[loreleysparrow]

JUNO is…

FLIRTING?!?!

7h 40 min

[yunessa]

I'm Yunessa and I write my own WOTR story. Here's my links! Asks open to anyone.

Character Art (All NSFW art will always be below a cut)

Memes

A03

Bluesky

Kofi

Fanfic summary below the cut.

Jamais Vu:

Travel to the fortified city of Kenabres, the heroic city of crusaders and the start of this Commander’s story. A cursed elf and bard by trade, Yunessa had just been thrust into the center of a mystery far greater than they know. When they are appointed as the Commander for the Fifth crusade they are forced to handle unfamiliar faces, terrifying horrors, and all the mysteries that surround the World Wound. Accompanied by their companions, Yunessa must adapt and confront it, rising to meet impossible odds or fail and lose everything.

While Yunessa acts with the best intentions, mysteriously blessed with gifts from the Gods, the mysteries that surround them threaten not only their life, but the lives that Yunessa comes to hold dear. Can Yunessa manage to save themselves, their companions, and successfully take the fifth crusade to victory- or is Yunessa and the crusade doomed to a fate worse than death?

[blam-marie]

Time travel, save the world... and fall in love.

Oasis has been the superhero SwordBright for longer than anyone might expect. All went well for a while, and then the world got destroyed. So now, back in time in their 20 years old body, they need the help of their local super villain if they want to prevent all this from happening again.

Karry is technically an eldrich god-monster trapped in a human body, but she’s been pretending to be the super villain «The Vampire Queen» for decades now. It’s fine; people fear her and her nemesis is an idiot child with a sword, which makes her job quite easy. But then Oasis shows up at her door, asking her help with preventing a tyrant from rising to power, and all her carefully laid plans start to crumble.

Time moves ever onward, and sometimes, there’s nothing but a blurry line separating heroes from monsters.

Hey all! Do you like free books? Do you like time travel fix-its? Vampires? Nonbinary Canadian superheroes?! Then you might like SwordBright!

Read it for free now on Tapas! More than 50k words already (that’s the lenght of a small novel!) and more coming soon.

[frogmanfae]

I BOUGHT A BOOK TODAY BECAUSE IT HAD A FLUFFY BOY WITH BLUE HAIR LOOKING LOVINGLY AT A MERMAN ON THE COVER AND WITHIN THE FIRST LINE OF THE SUMMARY I FOUND OUT THAT THE MERMAN USES THEY/THEM PRONOUNS (I didn't research this book beforehand, I just picked it up, so obviously it was fate and I couldn't just ignore fate so I legally had to buy it) AND I JUST READ THE FULL SUMMARY AND IT'S ABOUT FAKE DATING I'M KSBAHQVAJSBSJW

(It's called Out of the Blue by Jason June btw if you were wondering)

((I'm going to post whenever something big happens in this book just so you know))

(((I'll use spoiler warnings if I post about anything that would need them)))

[floatingmochi]

Thalassa

TW: Child abuse, Domestic Violence, Murder, Violence, Sexual Content

Thalassa (/θəˈlæsə/; Greek: Θάλασσα, translit. Thálassa, lit. "sea"; Attic Greek: Θάλαττα, Thálatta) was the general word for 'sea' and for its divine female personification in Greek mythology.

Eavinary is a continent in the world of Vesela. Vesela is a realm where gods walk freely in different parts of the world. Most of them are found in Eavinary. These gods aren't a lot like you're used to seeing. These gods, while they are immortal, can die just like any other mortal when it comes to being mortally wounded. They can only die from unnatural causes. Among these gods are the more well known ones. Life, Death, Sun, Moon, War, and Disease. They're the most known and the most feared.

The moon goddess is all six year old Aurora looks up to. She's read stories about this goddess, has heard how kind she is and how she could never hurt a soul. It's a good escape when you have a drunkard dad that comes home every night and beats your mother while you hide under your bed. And it goes on like that for the next ten years of their life. But everything changes when they turn fifteen and tragedy like never expected hits. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Being a little girl in a world full of gods and goddesses was certainly a difficult concept for a six year old to handle, especially when you were surrounded by nothing but bad things and evil people. 

When Aurora was six years old, her mother meant the world to her, she was her knight in shining armor and no one else could convince her otherwise. Her family lived in a relatively small village on the coast of the continent Taemora. Taemora is a sprawling landmass, characterized by its breathtaking diversity of landscapes. Towering mountain ranges, crowned with snow-capped peaks, stretch like the spine of a slumbering giant along the northern border. These mountains are rumored to hide secret valleys, where ancient tribes guard long-lost treasures. Or that's what her mother told her stories about. 

To the west, a vast, untamed wilderness unfolds, a realm of dense forests where colossal trees seem to touch the heavens. Deep within these woods, whispers of sentient flora and elusive forest spirits capture the imagination of daring adventurers.

As you venture eastward, the terrain transforms into a vast expanse of rolling, emerald-green hills, reminiscent of an artist's masterpiece. The plains were home to nomadic tribes who had mastered the art of horsemanship and whose grand caravans traversed the land in an endless dance of life and tradition.  Towards the south, the continent meets the sea with dramatic coastal cliffs that plunge into a crystalline, bioluminescent ocean. Here, hidden coves harbor pirate legends and rare, elusive sea creatures, while vibrant underwater cities of merfolk thrive in harmony with the tides.

Her mother told her all kinds of stories about the gods and where they came from, that no one quite knew, but that she did. "The Aurora Borealis, which dances in the northern skies, is believed to be a bridge between the mortal realm and the land of the gods, where the divine and the earthly converge." The soft voice of her mother echoed in her head, reminding her of how her name came to be. She'd go on and on about how the gods had blessed her mother with her existence, which is how she got her name, that she was the mortal who would unite god and man as one.

As her childhood continued, she lost faith in the gods, each new day a new bruise and the same grumpy brunette man screaming at her mother. The few times she spoke up, she shared a similar bruise to her mothers the next day. It got progressively worse into her preteen years when she started going by the name 'Rory', their mother adored their name and thought it fit them well. Their father was livid, they convinced themselves that he just didn't understand and tried to give him time. But it failed every time. Everyday, one new bruise.

Eventually, they stopped speaking all together to avoid any conflict. From ages eleven to thirteen they were silent, hardly ever spoke unless Arthur wasn't home. Arthur is what they started referring to their father as, they'd referred to him as such since they were ten.

Manipulators often exhibit a range of common signs and behaviors that can help you identify their attempts to control or deceive others.

 There were days where he was okay, the days when he was sober, the days he didn't recall any of his horrible actions and actually acted like a proper dad. One of those days, he tied a piece of pink twine into their hair and braided it down their back. 

Charm and Flattery: Manipulators often begin by showering their targets with excessive charm, compliments, and flattery. They aim to create a sense of trust and admiration.

He'd compliment it, say it was a nice color and that they should change it to look like that some day. That they'd be such a good and strong person one day and even that he was proud of them. It gave them hope.

  "..Dad?" Rory asked, glancing over their shoulder at Arthur as he braided their hair. "Yes sunshine?" He asked, a light hum in his voice. "...Why do you hurt mom?" They asked, bracing themselves for any form of violent action.

Gaslighting: Gaslighting is a form of manipulation where the person tries to make you doubt your own perception of reality. They may deny things they've said or done, making you question your memory or sanity.

  "I don't know what you're talking about, I'd never hurt you or your mother sweetheart" He said, his voice light, almost innocent sounding. "You know that don't you? why don't I make you something to eat, what would you like?" He asked. Rory paused, turning and facing him again. "My friends say that their moms talk about how you hit her with a lot of things because you drink too much" They said.

Isolation: They may try to isolate you from friends and family, making you more dependent on them for emotional support and validation. This isolation can make it easier for them to manipulate you.

    "I don't think these are good friends for you to be hanging around, they're putting this false information in your head, how about I get you more books and you can spend more time reading than trusting liars" Arthur said, going to the kitchen and starting on food, humming as he did so. "..But you hit me too, this bruise is from last week" They said quietly after having followed him into the kitchen, watching him turn to face them and come closer, kneeling in front of them. Manipulative Pity: They might pretend to be in a constant state of distress or crisis, using your sympathy to manipulate you into doing what they want.    "Oh Sunshine, I'm so sorry, I've just been under so much stress recently with trying to get a new job....I don't mean to hurt you" Arthur said, tears forming in his eyes as he started to hug Rory. "I'm so sorry baby, I really didn't mean to, I'm just so stressed and I need to be able to get a job so I can give you and your mother a better life" He said.

And they believed it.

The hope disappeared slowly overtime, disappearing entirely on the evening of their fifteenth birthday.

Rory never got much on their past birthdays, a book here and there, they were always happy with what they got. But every year their mother, Eve, never failed to get them a new birthday outfit. This year it was a pretty knee length powder blue dress with ruffles towards the bottom and they wore their pair of black dress shoes. She did their hair up in a fishtail braid and added a blush pink bow to the end of the braid.

   "Look at you, absolutely gorgeous" Eve spoke, giving their child a kiss on the cheek. The faint purple of a bruise could slightly be seen through the makeup on her face, her ash blonde colored hair draped over her shoulders covering the bruises on her collarbone and neck. Her brown eyes withholding tears in them, breathing out she put a necklace around their neck, a pink seashell with beads on each side on a leather cord. "Perfect, now you're ready" She said. Rory stood from their place at the vanity, following their mother out to the dimly lit living area, seeing a table with a small cake with a singular candle wick in it. It burned brightly, and there was a gift on the table wrapped in paper.

They sat at the table, smiling at their mother as they unwrapped their gift, letting out a soft gasp when it was unwrapped. It was a leather bound book, upon opening it the pages were blank, it was a diary. "Oh...it's beautiful" They said softly. "Thank you mom-" They started, the door slamming open seconds later. The wind from outside blowing out the candle wick on the cake. It was Arthur standing in the doorway, very clearly intoxicated, it very quickly went quiet. 

Abusers may overreact for several reasons, and it's important to note that their behavior is not justified or acceptable. Overreactions are often a manipulation tactic and a form of control. 

    "Did I miss you singing happy birthday?" He asked, his words slurring from the content of alcohol in his body. "No, I was just about to sing" Eve spoke up timidly. Arthur nodded towards her, motioning for her to start before pausing. "Wait, the candle isn't lit, can't you do a single damn thing woman? its a fucking candle for a cake and you can't even light the fucking candle, what the hell is wrong with you? useless bitch" He said. 

"There's no need to overreact Arthur, it's Rory's birthday, I think you need to tell them something" Eve said. "I can react however I damn well please, and I don't need to tell her shit, I created her if anything I should be celebrated" He said. "Them, we talked about this, they don't like us using she or her, please don't disrespect their wishes Arthur...they're fifteen" She said. "Good! then I can go ahead and marry her off so she can stop wasting my time" He scowled. "Over my dead body you will" Eve said, gaining a bit of a back bone for once during the past fifteen years of her marriage. "She's my baby and you are not getting rid of her" She said.

Arthur went silent, sitting on the chair, avoiding eye contact. Eve cut him a piece of cake, bringing over a plate and handing it to him. "You know Eve, you really should be careful with the phrasing of your sentences" He said, grabbing the hand of hers that held the knife and twisting her wrist and grabbing it and stabbing her in the abdomen. After that first motion, he couldn't stop, he had dropped the plate and started stabbing erratically, all over here body. The blood soaking into the wood floor and her struggling to try and crawl away and failing as Arthur stabbed into her spine, stopping her ability to move her legs and she just let out weak cries and screams while reaching for Rory. Her child that stood only a few feet away, eyes wide in shock and unable to make a single noise or move a single inch as they watched their mother being butchered by the man who they used to call their father.

Control and Power: Abusers often seek to maintain control and dominance in their relationships. In some cases, killing or threatening to kill their victims can be seen as the ultimate way to exert power and instill fear.

Running was all they could do. Their heart was pounding loudly in their ears, feeling like it was about to jump out of their chest. Their breathing became shallow and rapid, it began to feel difficult to get air into their lungs, they collapsed to the floor behind their locked bedroom door. The faded echoing of slamming on the door. They felt hot and cold at the same time, and their chest felt like it was squeezing itself harshly, their hands were shaking. They felt nauseous and dizzy. They needed to move, they knew they needed to get out. They needed to run. They didn't know where to go, but they needed to run.

 Panic is often accompanied by an intense and irrational fear that can be triggered by a specific situation, object, thought, or physical sensation. This fear is out of proportion to the actual threat, and the individual may have difficulty explaining or rationalizing it.

They set their sights on the window in their room, they blinked but suddenly they thudded to the grass outside their bedroom window and then they were running. They spread their wings out of their back and tried taking off the ground, jumping, crying, unable to catch their breath. They heard a crash from inside the house and gave up and started running and didn't look back. They couldn't turn back, not now, not ever. Their mother was dead. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Please stay tuned for new chapters every other Sunday on Wattpad. This is a story based on my minecraft lore based SMP called Wisper SMP, streamed on twitch every other week, told from the perspective of the water goddex Rory and things that have happened in their life.

[tjalexandernyc]

Currently Reading:

If you've ever wondered what audiobook you should be listening to when you're home alone in the middle of a thunderstorm with gothic horror vibes and plenty of Gender, boy do I have a rec for you!!!!

What Moves the Dead is an adult horror...speculative? Story? It's got some speculation. But England still exists. And America. And science!

T. Kingfisher literally never misses. I'm scared. I'm grossed out. I'm turning on every light in my house. AND it's kind of hilarious?? Sorry but this is how I want all my spooky reads to be for the foreseeable future.

[racoon-lesbian]

~Currently reading~

I wish you all the best - Mason Deaver

Description; TW- Unaccepting parents

When Ben De Backer comes out as nonbinary, it doesn't go down as planned; they are thrown out of their house and forced to move in with their estranged older sister.

All Ben can do is try to keep a low-profile in a new school.

But Ben's attempts to go unnoticed are thwarted when Nathan Allen, a funny and charismatic student, decides to take Ben under his wing. As Ben and Nathan's friendship grows, their feelings begin to change, and what started as a disastrous turn of events could just be a chance to start a happier, new life.

[thewitchoftherock]

Synth- Episode 310: Tea

TO, I know you have this deep desire to know things-especially things about your loved ones- but you really want to lay off on this topic, ok? Sigh they never learn.

[citizen-khen]

Sleeper, wake up.

Chapter 61 - Home

Chapter Summary: Lem and Sleeper have a long-overdue talk. While they have only just accepted the inevitability of their death, Sleeper finds themselves considering the long-term future once more — and what to do next.

Rating: Mature Length: 158K+ words; Chapters 61/??

Excerpt below:

That following cycle, Lem’s back at your door. His previous visit was cut short by Bliss pinging him with a sudden rush job, and your friend had apologetically promised to return with Mina before running off to catch the Ascender Car.

He didn’t have time to say whether or not he forgave you. You doubt he has, and yet why was he here?

...and why does he come back?

You’re surprised to see that it’s again just him, this time. 

“Where’s Mina?” you ask, motioning him inside. 

“She’s having a girls’ day with Esther,” he says, easily. “I told her we were going to catch up.”

You smile, uncertain. 

“Yeah?” you say. 

“Yeah,” Lem grins, the smile lines around his eyes wrinkling as he approaches you.

“Well, in that case…” you move to the kitchen, opening up a cabinet that holds what little consumables you have. You hold a bottle of Tala’s girolle up to Lem with a smile. 

“It’s from our first batch,” you explain. “Might be a little…” you pull out the stopper and you both reel a little at the burn in your respective senses. 

“Wow,” Lem laughs after a moment. “Maybe just a little.” 

You pour a finger of girolle into two glasses, doing your best not to shake as you do so. 

Lem didn’t just come by here. 

Lem came back here. 

You pass him his glass and he takes it carefully, making the mistake of sniffing it and coughing in his regret. 

“Reflex,” he clears his throat. “I bet it’ll be great.” 

You both take a sip, and Lem’s eyes widen in surprise. 

“Oh,” he says. “That’s… actually pleasant. ” 

You laugh. 

“Good to hear you have faith in our skills,” you tease him. He hums enigmatically at that as he looks for a spot to sit. 

“The couch! You got it together,” he says approvingly. 

“I did, and the Stray immediately decided to sharpen her claws on it,” you grouse. 

The two of you sit on opposite ends of the couch. Despite the affable welcome and the comforting warmth of the girolle, you feel the tension filling the air once more. As much as you can make an educated guess about where you and Lem both stand, you’re as afraid to be correct as you are to be incorrect. Either way, you know that he’s certainly still hurt. 

You wouldn’t blame him for that.

Still, you keep conversation light, chatting about work, about Mina. You go on a tangent about the girolle-making process that would have made Tala proud, but you start to notice Lem’s eyes starting to glaze over in a way that can’t simply be blamed on the drink. 

“Sorry,” you apologize sheepishly. “I got carried away.” 

Lem shakes his head, smiling into his glass. 

“Don’t apologize, it’s nice seeing you happy like this,” he says. You think about that. You don’t feel especially happy these days. There’s so much clawing at your brain in the wake of the Yatagan mess — Rabiah and Sabine; Ethan and Maywick; Yannick and all of it... not to mention your limited vials of stabilizer. 

But right at this moment, on this couch with Lem… 

...yeah. 

You’re happy. 

“I just can’t believe you’re here,” you admit. “You look well.”

Lem smiles. It’s true — there’s a healthy color and softness to his cheeks, his eyes are bright with the bags beneath them somewhat faded, and his hair is combed and neat. He moves easier, too, no longer wincing as he stands or favoring his right shoulder as you have seen many times before. 

“Well, I don’t know if you’ve heard,” he sets a conspiratorial gaze at you. “But I started a crazy, amazing job up in the Hub. Pay is honestly still shit, but I get to fix up ships without the weight of it on my back.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Word has it that I was recommended by a prominent figure, here on the Eye.” 

You feign a curious hum at that, but then you freeze at the sad smile twisting upon his lips. Lem finally moves down the length of the couch to sit beside you. 

“Listen,” he says softly. “I know it was you. I knew it as soon as I walked — floated — into that bay.” He chuckles, eyes shining at you. “Who else would have oddball friends like those in such high places?”

You smile back ruefully, taking another bracing sip of girolle. “I thought I might have overstepped.”

Lem sighs. “I won’t lie — I did think so at first. But at the time I had the shittiest work week, and I couldn’t afford to ignore a new lead for something different.

“The commute was a bit crazy, but I only needed to take one trial shift with Bliss before I knew it was worth making it work. So did Bliss, I guess. She hired me for real before the end of the cycle,” he recalls wryly. “She never said your name, but she couldn’t help but talk about you, you know? Especially with Moritz. They would go quiet whenever I was within earshot.”

“I’m glad it worked out,” you manage to say. You take in the sight of his face, his presence, his weary smile. 

“Me too,” he whispers. You pull your eyes away, moving to refill both your glasses. When you settle back down, you realize sheepishly how much closer you are to him. Warmth radiates off his body and the arm draped across the back of the couch, and you want nothing more than to lean into it in a way that was once so familiar… 

“Can…” Lem looks down at his glass, smile fading. “Can we talk about the Sidereal?” 

You knew this was coming. Your heart falls, but you nod, draining your girolle and pouring another for yourself. Lem takes a sip before setting his glass down. 

“You didn’t have to tell me about the deal,” he says softly. “You could have just let it be. Let things go as they would’ve anyway, since I already knew we weren’t picked for the drawing. Maybe I could’ve lived with that. But just… it hurt worse knowing we did have a chance.”

“I shouldn’t have decided for you,” you assert. “Even if I still had to beg on my knees for you to stay… I should have given you that choice.” 

Lem purses his lips, but nods. 

“That just about sums it up,” he admits. “It… it means a lot that you’ve been thinking about this too.” He looks away from you, out the window. “Do you think you were right?” 

You were so happy to have Lem near you again. But now you want to be anywhere but here. 

“Not about deciding for you. But if you’re talking about the whole program as a whole… I don’t know,” you whisper. “The person who made the deal for us wanted to track the ship by using me as surveillance. I like to think that gave me a hunch about what I’d be enabling, but… on top of that I think I was already scared.”

“Of what?” Lem asks, but not as a challenge. 

“Of being trapped,” you say. “I was afraid you or Mina might never see the outside of a ship again. You might not ever get a chance to feel rain after all. And I was scared… because if you and Mina had gone ahead into the ship, I don’t actually know for certain if I would have followed. Maybe I could have. But I don’t know if that would be me being brave or me running away from my responsibilities here. I didn’t want to be used as someone’s tool, yes, but… maybe I’m also afraid of change. I have so much yet to do here — people who rely on me. I was afraid I’d run out of stabilizer just a couple months into the journey and leave you both alone.”

Lem looks at his hands. 

“Stabilizer… right,” he grimaces. “How are you doing on that?”

You think about those five precious vials, clinking gently inside of that box small enough to fit in your pocket. At the time you received them you kept a brave face, rationalizing to yourself you could stretch it for months, but that would only be if you stayed in your apartment; half-aware in stasis, waiting for the end.

And that’s not how you’ve been living. That’s not how you ever wanted to live.

“My cycles are ticking down,” you admit. “But it should be time enough to find a solution. Sabine — the doctor — they gave me some leads on where to look.” You take a preoccupied sip of your girolle. “Although… I have a sneaking feeling they were just trying to give me hope. So until then, I can patch myself up with scrap to help the stabilizer last longer.”

Lem eyes you dubiously. “You don’t seem upset about that. Aren’t you?”

“I’m… not. And I don’t know why,” you huff a laugh. “Maybe after everything that’s happened something is broken in me; keeping me from panicking like before. But I like to think that maybe… maybe…” 

You swallow, realizing you haven’t said this aloud to anyone else, or fully admitted it to yourself. 

“...maybe I’ve accepted that the end will come soon. And if it does, I have people who won’t let me be alone. A hug from Tala, a hot meal from Emphis, some good laughs from Bliss and Moritz…”

You trail off, avoiding Lem’s eyes as the obvious omission goes unsaid.

“It sounds like you’re giving up,” he says quietly.

“Maybe I am,” you shrug. “But I got what I needed — freedom, purpose, friends… some answers.” You sigh, taking another sip. “I’m honestly afraid to expect or ask for much more, so I’ll treasure what I have while I have it.”

Lem seems to mull that over, his brow furrowing unhappily. And then, after some hesitation, he takes your hand, squeezing it gently between both of his own.

“Listen, Sleeper. This whole time we’ve been here, I thought that all Mina and I had was each other,” he says softly. “I had no other connection to this place. I hated it. I felt trapped here and worse that Mina would be trapped here too. But then I met you.” His smile is wistful. “You were a true friend. Mina loved you. I didn’t even consider that you wouldn’t come with us. I didn’t consider you had your own universe too.

“Sleeper, I grieved for that future. But now I realize I haven’t lost anything at all. We have all we had before. We have more, now. I’ve got a sweet gig, Mina just loves her school. I guess the only thing certain in this life is uncertainty. If here is where you want to be, then here is where we’ll be too.”

Why? You want to ask in disbelief. He can't have possibly forgiven you...

As if in reply, Lem's thumb strokes briefly over your hand. “You ever heard of the three-body problem?”

[finngreyswan]

I did it! I wrote another book! Come read The Unicorns: Saving Ishtar now for $2! It's an all ages, LGBTQ+ novella. Only 9k words long. Inspired by Sailor Moon, Magic Knights, and Mesopotamian mythology.

https://finn-g-swan.itch.io/the-unicorns-saving-ishtar

[bunnyvrigo20]

I wrote something on Wattpad and I hope everyone who sees this will like it