#operation steak cuts

[hyp3rfixation-h3ll]

Alrighty, it's been a week or so since Chapter 4 was released, so I think I'm well in the clear to post the artwork I made for it!!! Woo-Hoo!

A reminder that you can Only read "OPERATION: Steak Cuts!" on Wattpad, and I will be posting updates as well as announcing stuff related 2 my work here!!! <3 Thank you for the continuous support on my silly little shipfic, it all means lots 2 me :']

[hyp3rfixation-h3ll]

ok im a firealpaca girlie but i do the same thing as op . i have "hyperfixation doodle files" and uhhh

yeah do with this info what you will tbh

WAIT GENUINE QUESTION FOR ARTISTS, DO YOU GUYS NOT USE THE SAME CANVAS FOR MULTIPLE DRAWINGS???? YOU JUST MAKE A NEW ONE EVERYTIME??

[jades-typurriter]

Cache Clearing

A piece I did in a bit of a frenzy after working with (you guessed it) Bowsiosaurus on the design for a new OC: meet Posie!! The thought process here was literally, like, no sooner than we decided on "make a Renamon" i was like "hey what if she ate a bunch of data", so, I hope you enjoy it as much as she seemed to =^w^=

CW: Weight gain, tummy/breast expansion, stern office woman is so full from Information yum

A tall, stately fox moved down the drab, linoleum-and-drop-tile maintenance corridor with the same grace, the same level and unerring gait, that one of her four-legged, flesh-and-bone counterparts might display while stalking prey through the underbrush. Though her feet ended in points, modeled as a smooth taper from her knee to a single vertex apiece, the clack of high heels echoed down the empty hallway with each step. Her purpose was singular, and her focus undivided.

She was a Renamon who had adapted to a digital landscape that was as predictable as it was unforgiving; while her predecessors were more suited to the wild west of the adolescent internet, all the precision and discipline that they dedicated to roughhousing instead allowed her to operate within the razor-thin margins of error of the corporate world. She kept things running, and that was exactly what she made her way to the server room to do now.

She waved a paw over the electronic lock on the door, an uncannily smooth, mechanical motion, made with the other paw primly held behind her ramrod-straight back. It was a far cry from the jerky, stiff displays one might expect from a physical construct, though the knob turned under her touch as though she was solid as steel. As it swung closed behind her, she approached the subject of her attention for her next task: server rack B-0, a cabinet of solid-state drives stacked even higher than she was, each loaded to the brim with trade secrets, proprietary information, logs of confidential exchanges, schematics, financial records. All of it was outdated. She had been sent by the management to ensure that it was properly deleted.

Her lip curled into a sneer at the thought. Data disposal was so… undignified. It was beneath a woman of her stature. She had thoroughly demonstrated her particular capabilities: the multitasking necessary direct intra-system traffic in real time, reducing latency; her knack for optimizing data for the most efficient storage; she had even taken the initiative to create financial projections from the figures under her care. And still they expected her to perform a task so crude that any program picked up on a shovelware site could handle it without complication! She huffed, her eyes narrowed into her typical glare, as though she wished she could melt the damned server with the infrared beams she would otherwise use to communicate with it.

Nonetheless, there was no use putting it off any longer. The 2.6 seconds she had spent ruminating could have been better spent elsewhere, and she would be remiss to waste even more time. She was the Renamon assigned to maintaining the integrity of the company’s data center, and she would not shirk that duty, no matter how uncouth it was. She unlatched the wire-mesh cabinet door, reached into the rack, and removed the first drive in the array with a soft k-chk.

Closing her eyes and bracing herself with a deep breath, she brought the disk to her snout, opened her mouth, and moved as though to take a bite out of it. Her pointed, polygonal teeth passed harmlessly through the metal, phasing as she could through any of the other surfaces in the building (though she made a point of logging her activities by using her credentials at doors, like any other employee). The data on the two plates within, however, were far from unscathed—bits parted like the muscle fibers in a succulent cut of steak, zeroed out as she pulled the drive from between her lips, swallowing the information once contained within.

She let out an almost-gasp—Pahhh!—like she was trying not to gag. It wasn’t that the data were unpalatable. Far from it; she could, begrudgingly, understand why her wild cousins were so apt to chew through any unsecured files they could get their paws on. It was the task itself that was distasteful: this was only the first bite of the first drive in the entire rack! She resented that her superiors seemed to think of her as a bottomless recycle bin. Besides, work of this nature came up rather infrequently. Reacclimating herself to the sensation of eating was always a touch uncomfortable.

She powered through regardless, knowing the feeling would settle as she got further underway. She brought the drive back up to her face, taking another bite further into the plate, as though she was gnawing off segments of a particularly thick chocolate bar; with her other paw, she disengaged another drive from the rack. She nibbled off the last morsel of data from the first drive and brought the second immediately to her maw; it was… more efficient to do it that way. As fast as possible. The sooner she could get all these units formatted, the better, of course.

Replacing the first, now-empty drive, she replaced it in its slot and reached for a third as she chewed on the second. On and on she went, paws working in perfect unison to maintain an unbroken chain of drives to deplete; she might have compared herself to a juggler if her cheeks weren’t already burning from the indignity. Electrons slid down her tongue—her mouth was watering more than she cared to acknowledge—and down the back of her throat. Bite. Swallow. Bite. Swallow. Replace. Switch. Bite. Swallow. Bite.

Her pace only increased as she continued. Of course it would. A computer performs better after it’s had time to warm up, after all. And, of course, she simply wanted this to be done and over with as quickly as possible. It was a mercy that she didn’t need to pay any mind to her volume controls, as far away from any other personnel as the data center was. Not that she was paying attention anyway, fully-focused on completing her task as she was. Nobody—not even herself—would notice the muffled mmphs and nnffs she made as she pressed on.

All the data on the disks had to go somewhere, and it was at this point in the process that that tended to become apparent. Beneath the fur on her chest, meticulously brushed and fastidiously fluffed, her breasts became gradually more prominent. At first, the tuft was enough to mostly obscure them—after all, so what if she seemed slightly fluffier that day?—but was soon outpaced. Electrical charges by the millions, now unmoored from their tidy array inside the drives, now sloshed into her, taking up more and more of her own storage space. In short order, the fluff was scarcely enough to cover just her cleavage.

One third of the way through the server rack, now. Still, her pace only increased, one drive in each paw.

Her thighs were already rather prodigious. They were the majority of her curves, under normal circumstances, and she took some pride in the matronly figure that she cut as a result. Now, they pressed closer and closer together beneath the skirt of fur that she sported, the conical abstractions of her lower extremities widening bite by bite (and byte by byte). They pressed further and further outward, straining the “garment” itself, pushing the hem further and further up along her legs; the circular patterns on her hips, reminiscent of loading symbols, became distorted, stretched. She would have thought it was a crude change, not unlike resizing an image file with improper scaling—if she were capable of focusing on anything other than the gigabytes upon gigabytes she was so doggedly downloading.

Well over halfway now. She was shoving storage into her maw two at a time, with both paws. If she was able to hold more drives at a time, she would have; as a matter of fact, it didn’t stop her from trying.

The largest component of her directory—her midsection—naturally took the brunt of the new load. Slowly, the soft, icy-blue fur of her tummy billowed out, first simply swelling as her stomach filled, then folding onto itself, rolls smushing down on each other under their newfound, still-growing weight. Soon enough, she found herself pressed up against the lower racks of the server, though even in her focused state, she hadn’t realized that she had stepped closer. She hadn’t moved any closer, of course, but she needed to step further back regardless: she found that she was beginning to struggle to bend over, straining against herself to reach the lowest-mounted drives in the array.

Finally, heaving for breath, she extended her paw for another drive and found none remaining that needed to be cleared. She blinked and, once she was more aware of herself, pushed down a sense of disappointment. Instead, she straightened herself (allowing the new mass to settle to a stop after the motion), dusted her skirt, and conjured a good riddance air about herself as she closed the server door once again. She could still find pride in a job well done, even if she was loathe to do the job.

As she stepped out once again into the hallway, ensuring that the door was securely closed—not that there was a single trace remaining of anything sensitive that had been stored there—she folded her hands behind her back and surprised herself with a burp that was most definitely ladylike. One paw flew to her snout as it echoed down the hallway, both in shock and to hide the near-glow of her cheeks. She glanced in either direction: mercifully, still vacant. Her shoulders slumped in relief, one of the rare occasions on which she relaxed her posture. Thankfully, nobody but her would know that she’d had to do one of her dirtier jobs today. She set off back the way she had came, her footsteps now playing at maximum volume—not even a clack anymore as much as a clomp.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it =^w^= If you'd like to see more of my writing, have a look here and here!

[euphoricimagination]

Part 3: The first selection keeps going on after your match with Barou, its time for the match between Team Z vs Team Y

Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 -> Masterlist

You go back to the dorms quite late, already cleaned and changed. Luckily since the sweatshirts were quite oversized you were able to get away with a normal sports bra instead of the binder, so you felt much more comfortable.

When you enter the dorm you saw them all of them sitting, the futons already open, while they talk about their weapons

"Okay, Isagi-kun is thinking, Chigiri?" Kuon says as he writes in his notebook, you sit down next to Chigiri when he answers

"Don't wanna say" says, hugging his knees in a sad manner

"What the hell? Let's just leave the selfish princess alone and move on" says Raichi before looking at you "You, what's your weapon?"

"Eh…I'll say speed and shooting" you say

"Ok, then I'll write you down Yn-kun; anyway, by thinking on our…"

"Oi" you hear Chigiri whisper "What took you so long? I rolled out your futon"

"I stayed a bit longer in the water, it felt good after today. And thanks"

"Did you have dinner?" Chigiri asks again

"Yeah, i did, i wanted to eat al-"

"Well go with ‘Operation: me next 9’" you hear Kuon say out loud, a plan that focuses on all of you changing formations every 10 minutes.

You look at Chigiri confused, nine? If Iemon was going to play goalie again then it would be dangerous to rotate so he gets his time, so it was understable he wasn't counted, but was Chigiri also not counted in it?

"You alright with that?" You ask the red hair boy

"Yeah, I don't want to be at the front anyways. I rather leave that spot to you"

"Why?"

"You're fast and have a lot of good techniques, besides, I get the feeling that you're not taking this seriously yet" he gives you a small smirk, he was partially right, you couldn't stand out much if you wanted to help the others, no matter how much you want to.

"Don't regret it later though" you say as you get ready to sleep, laying down in the futon

"I don't think i will"

The next few days were full of practice, in which everyone was learning how to work as a team. Even though clearly they didn't think of each other as a real team yet, everyone was learning to suck up their pride every once in a while, all because if you lose, everyone's soccer life is over.

As you finish your dinner you see Isagi sitting alone in one table, clearly thinking hard about something

"Oi" you call him, sitting next to him

"Yn-kun"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Eh? No-nothing"

"C'mon, I can practically see the cogs trying to move in your head" you say, making him frown

"What if…if I don't have what it takes to be a striker?" he asks you, the words of Ego quickly replaying in your head: you need to help them figure it out.

"You do, otherwise you wouldn't be here, don't you think?"

"But I don't have a weapon of my own like you do, or like Bachira, or anyone" he says looking down

"You remember the pass that you gave me in that match? Which by the way, thanks for that"

"I do, what about it though?" he asks confused

"You said that it was unconscious, you just felt that i could make that goal at that time. You sensed that it was a perfect timing and a perfect position, not everyone can do that, you know?"

"But how is that going to help me? I didn't even meant to happen"

"That's what you need to figure it out by yourself" you say standing up, going to use the point that you had to take a steak out of the machine

"Steak?!" Says Isagi, his mouth watering. From the corner of your eye you can see Kunigami coming to the table too

"Goal Bonus" you say as you cut a piece for yourself and try it "Isagi, humans can work their unconscious habits to make them conscious. Hey Kunigami"

"Hey Yn-kun, Isagi-kun" says the orange hair as he sits down in front of you, eyeing your steak. Isagi was looking at you still confused "Chigiri was looking for you Yn"

"Okay, I'll go to see him then" you cut the steak in half, moving it to the middle of the two before standing up "here, eat it"

"Eh?! But it's your reward!" Exclaims Isagi as Kunigami also looks at you incredulous

"I wanted to try it, but I'm not a big fan of meat. I rather you two eat it than throwing it away" you say as you start to walk away

"Yn-kun!" Isagi calls you, making you turn around "Why do you play soccer? You're so fast and your shots are really powerful, you have things I don't, so why do you play?"

"Easy, it's fun to challenge myself" you shrugged, waving at them before leaving. It was a true and simple answer, but it was hopefully enough to make him notice that challenging his abilities could be fun; after all, if you could play soccer against these boys while being a girl, he can become aware of his true weapon.

+++

Soon enough it's time for the next match, Team Y versus Team Z.

"Just like us, it's game over for then if they lose" you say adjusting your clothes

"The one to watch out for is the number nine, Hibiki Okawa" says Kuon as you all gather around forming a circle "All we can do is bring out what we practice. We will win even if it kills us, Team Z!!"

"Yeah!"

The first ten minutes belonged to Bachira, however he's unable to do anything, making it time for Kunigami to try to score. Somehow Team Y is able to stop Kunigami not once, but twice and are able to counterattack thanks to their number 7, gaining a goal as well.

You're in the halftime, as usual some of the team is fighting about something dumb like they usually do, something about Chigiri questioning if the plan will really work like that; however, nothing everyone decided to keep the plan as it is otherwise everything will fall apart

"I was just saying…" Chigiri mumbles

"I kind of agree with you" you mumble back to Chigiri "but it's too late to do something now"

"Yeah, I get that"

After that you all go back to the match, and while Team Y is trying to guard the ball by keep passing to each other. As they were passing to each other you decided to just try to gain some control so the rest could at least gain some confidence, so you lunged forward with a higher speed that you haven't shown in any other match. You were able to intercept the ball, but since the other player was near you, you had to flick the ball to the other side as you quickly changed direction, confusing Team Y.

Luckily, you had shown your team some of these plays while training, not at the exact same speed or precision, but enough for them to react in time. That's when you saw Gagamaru, running parallel to where you are, so you pass it to him slightly too far so his weapon could be useful and almost gaining a goal.

"That was amazing Yn!" Bachira comes to you and gives a high five, as he prepares to do the corner shot "wasn't that a bit long though? You never made that mistake before"

"I'm not perfect, Bachira, besides Gagamaru is like a spring, he could get that" you say as Bachira laughs, if he only knew that it was part of your job to make everyone else shine…

You go to gather around with both teams in front of the goal for the corner kick when you notice Isagi was thinking about something, probably their number 7, Niko, who seems to be the one making the big plays. Isagi wasn't going to be useful here if he hesitated, so you did what you thought was best

"Isagi, trust yourself!" you tell him at the same time Bachira kicks, making him nod as he runs away from the group and towards Niko.

Their goalie was able to hit the ball away just in time, sending it towards Niko, however Isagi is able to get in the way and trap the ball. He effectively runs towards the goal again, shooting for a goal when one member of Team Y intercepts him, almost making it go out if it wasn't for Gagamaru, who miraculously hits the ball right on the edge of the court and makes a goal, ending up with Gagamaru hitting the post.

"Damn, that was cool" you mutter to yourself, impressed at the athletic skill that was just displayed.

The minutes keep passing, neither team being able to score a goal, making a tie until the last minute, when all of team Y start a counterattack, everyone running towards our goal. And since our team put too many players on attack, the formation on defense is way too weak. No matter how fast you can run, you were on the other side of the court, so there was no way you could properly be able to reach your own goal on time to stop the ball. Team Y is able to pass everyone in your team, now Niko being face to face to Iemon, a true one to one between them; however, at the last second he changes to a pass to Okawa, a pass that nobody was able to read…except for Isagi

Just when you thought everything was over for you and your team, Isagi is able to catch the ball right before Okawa can touch it. He has started to read the plays of other players and predict where the ball was going to end up. You instinctively start running to the other side, towards the goal of Team Y, you see the ball reaching you soon after by Isagi's pass, so you jump to trap it right before the other team could even reach you. You were able to pass them for a few meters, but since they were down to do everything to try to stop you, you had no other option than to pass it to Kunigami. Kunigami is also able to pass away some other players; however, he's also forced to pass it to Bachira, who dribbles past more players before passing the ball again. At first you thought it was a low pass for Gagamaru, who still tries to reach the ball by jumping towards it, but instead it goes directly to Isagi. You were still running towards the goal just in case something happens, so you were able to see Isagi's form and eyes, almost being able to see a big aura around him as he shoots, making the goal at the last second, Team Z winning 2 - 1.

You see some of the team hug and congratulate Isagi as the speakers officially announce your team victory. You were breathing hard as you high five Kunigami.

"Hey, Yn, good pass, that was an amazing run" Kunigami says to you

"Thanks, I wished I could have done more though"

"Same here, but we did the best we could"

You high five Bachira in the same manner, however this passes his arms around your shoulders

"That was a great trap, Yn-kun!" He says ruffling your hair, a habit he developed ever since you two became close, since you were shorter than him

"Thanks, your dribbling was awesome too, it definitely comes natural to you" you say as you go back to the lockers.

Everyone was hyped up after winning, the lockers becoming a small celebratory place. You were taking your vest off when you noticed a small piece of paper in your bag, a rushed "Ego-san is waiting for you" written on it with a key for the stairs, clearly by Anri considering how well hidden it was. As the excitement calmed down, the team decided to go to take a bath, everyone starting to leave at the same time; you had no option but to follow them for a while, slowly trying to stay behind them without being noticed.

"Yn?" Chigiri calls you as he turns around, so you pretend to look for something in your bag "you coming?"

"Shit, i forgot my towel in the lockers" you say trying to not freak out "go ahead, I'll join later"

"...okay, don't take too long" says Chigiri, looking at you with a confused frown, you could just hope that he wasn't suspecting much.

You pretend to walk towards the lockers as you make sure that Chigiri had enter to the bathroom, soon changing directions to the door that had a 'staff only' written on it, you used the key and find the same stairs Anri had guided you the first time, so you follow them until you arrived to Ego's apartment, knocking as you enter.

"Yn-chan, come in" the man greets you, you bow to Anri as you sit down in front of him "Well done today winning"

"Thanks sir, what did you need me for?"

"I wanted to know if you noticed the same thing I saw"

"The last point by Isagi-kun?" Ego nods, as his grin get wider and wider, looking kind of creepy "I did, he was clearly only thinking of scoring, he also seemed to understand more about his instincts now"

"I'm guessing you gave him the hint?"

"I just tried to give him another perspective, he used to think that that pass was nothing special, I told him that it was. Maybe playing with Niko helped him too"

"Still, well done for that. You also helped Gagamaru show his talent, was it on purpose?"

"I did send it a little long, yes" you answer

"Well, good job on that too" he says, uncharacteristically positive. He then interlocks his fingers, looking at you with a more serious expression than before "However, I hope you remember that you can't shine too brightly, if I didn't know better I would think that you were trying to score yourself"

"I…you don't have to worry, sir" you gulped

"Okay, you can leave now" you stand up, going to the door

"Sir" you call him right before leaving "I have to ask you to stop calling me here after a match, I'll run out of excuses soon"

You leave before hearing his answer, going down the stairs and locking up again. You went to the bathroom area and noticed that luckily it was empty, so you quickly took a shower and changed before going back to the dorms.

"CHEERS!" you hear as you step in, some tables arranged in the middle of the room with a mix of foods on them, including two steaks that you assume were exchange for goal points

"There you are Yn!" Says Bachira coming to hug you, you notice that Chigiri was looking at you, he probably noticed how long it took you to come back here “We’re celebrating! Come eat!”

“Eh? I didn’t brought my food though, sorry”

“It’s okay, we have plenty” Kuon says as he pass you some chopsticks, some of the others were fighting about the steak “If we need more food we’ll send you for yours”

“Oka-”

“Yn-kun, say ahhhhh” Bachira says as his hand reaches out to you, offering you a dumpling. You laugh at him with a raised eyebrow, but still follow his instructions and open your mouth

“I can’t believe how fast your reflexes are Yn” Kunigami starts saying, looking at you both weird “you not only intercept them multiple times today, but you also reacted just on time when Isagi catch the ball and send it to you”

“You also send me a good pass, thanks” adds Gagamaru

“Yn-kun, that trap of the ball at the last minute was amazing too, how you were able to pass between so many players” says Isagi

“Well, that one was mainly because you catch it before the other team, I just ran and hoped you passed it to me” you add quite embarrassed at the amount of compliments they were giving you, you definitely weren't used to that

“Still, without that i don't know if we could have counterattack”

“Thanks, Isagi, you were definitely able to read that play though, well done” you say trying to change the subject, which worked well considering how now everyone was praising Isagi and his ability to ‘smell the goal’. You ate as you watch them talk about the match, Bachira trying to give food to Isagi as well, as you keep thinking; it felt nice playing such a high stake match; it felt nice being the receiver of so many compliments about how good you were, specially considering you were always told that you were too hard to play against and that it wasn’t fun anymore when you tried to play with the girls soccer team at your school; it felt good being recognized by people who were also passionate about the sport, but you couldn’t take it too personal. This wasn’t the reason you were here, you had to help them shine, not shine yourself, but it feels like your own ego was starting to appear.

You stand up and go to sit next to Chigiri, who was alone against a wall, to get away from the loud ones for a while

"You sure took your sweet time coming here" he says looking at the chaos in front

"The water felt nice" you answer back

"I can't blame you, the match was intense" he looks at you and pats your head "you did amazing today"

"Thanks" you say not looking at him, worried that you would blush more than you already were. You're supposed to be a dude, get your act together "I wanted to score once though"

"I bet, everyone here wants to. I will say you were a major part on the two goals though"

"What about you, Chigiri, don't you want to score too?" You ask him, bringing out his potential was part of your job, but you actually cared about him too

"I…don't want to talk about that" he says, looking away

"C'mon, aren't we friends? I won't judge you" you say, making him look at you indecisive

"...fine, but let's go somewhere else" he says standing up, everyone else seems to be getting ready to sleep, arranging their futons accordingly. You two went to the media room, in where you could watch the replays of the matches, and sat in front of the TV, you following him behind. You turn the TV on, the match bringing some light into the room.

"Do you really want to know?" He asks you, focusing on his face on the screen

"Yeah, I can't help you otherwise"

"Why would you want to help me?" He raises his eyebrow, looking at you

"You're my friend, I want you to enjoy this too" he sighs, almost grinning at you

"A year ago I tore my ACL in my right knee, and if i damage it again, i won't be able to play ever again" he looks at the floor "I was fast, faster than you even, but now…now I'm scared to get injured again"

"Then why did you even come here? You knew what you were getting into, right?" You ask, you can see some hurt in his eyes, however, he just chuckles

"You're straightforward, huh? Yes, I knew, I came here to give up my dream. You might be a huge help to do that, same as Isagi after that goal of his"

"Don't say that, don't make ME the reason you want to give up. Tell me, do you really want to give up? Do you like soccer?"

"I do, but there's no point in m-"

"Then keep trying, don't do something you might regret later" you grab him by his shoulders, by the corner of your eyes you can see the door opening slowly, but you decided to ignore it "if you are going to stop playing because of an injury, then at least stop when you get injured again, not just because you're afraid"

"You don't understand Yn, don't get cocky with me" he says angry

"No, i don't understand why you want to give up without even trying again! What? You think you're the only player that has to go through things? The only one that gets injured? No, you aren't, but the others aren't cowards that stop doing something they love just because they're scared" you say angry as well, standing up and leaving the room

Sure, you may have exaggerated a little, but in the heat of the moment all just came out, after all he clearly likes the sport to come to this place in the first place. You close the door behind you, noticing Isagi standing there, hesitating whether entering or not

"Go in" you say simply

"But you and Chigiri…"

"You can talk to him if you're worried" you say passing him "well played today Isagi, your spatial awareness is developing nicely"

"My what..?" You hear him ask, however you were already leaving; maybe you shouldn't have told Isagi so directly, but the sudden weight of the fight was starting to appear in your shoulders, tired of so many boys without proper thinking cells in their bodies. You would think about that tomorrow.

[danthediamondminecart]

Finally posting the references for the revamped RBB / TMA AU, hooray! Its alternate title is the Top Of The Food Chain AU, but that’s subject to change.

The new premise of the AU is this:

Kreek Craft is a budding ghost-busting YouTuber living in a fictional city in the USA (I'm thinking Pennsylvania, but that's still being decided), where the RB Foundation also operates. He and his friends have been trying to make it big for some time now, to no success - everything he tries has already been done before. However, after Kreek has a genuine supernatural encounter with…something, and the video he posts of it goes viral, he starts to sink deeper into the supernatural world…and what comes with it.

…Yeah, I'm aware that premise is toeing the line between character ad creator, but I just really want to create a Hunt-focused story where the hunt is for something metaphorical like fame or information, and the brainworms made me do it here.

Character bios under the cut, and I’ll post more about the AU when I have more to show for it LEL

Main Cast:

Kreek Craft

The main protagonist. An excitable guy with dreams of being a famous YouTuber, and runs/hosts a ghost busting channel under the name KreekCraft - though growth is slow at the moment. However, an encounter with and subsequent murder of a creature of the Dark changes that for him. Due to this dedication to his craft and the chase for views, the Hunt soon claims him, whether he wants it to or not.

Steak Wads

Kreek’s co-host who’s one of Kreek’s best friends. He does all the odd jobs on the channel that Kreek doesn’t do. He’s a little…too upbeat despite some of the crazier circumstances they get into, but I’m sure that won’t lead to any issues. He gains a valuable connection with the Flesh avatar in this story, and later, the Hunt takes him as well. 

Bella Cinder

The camerawoman for the more produced episodes, who also runs her own more casual YouTube channel on the side. She finds herself in possession of a cursed camera, which gives her the attention of the Eye - as well as this, she ends up bringing the Institute’s attention to the goings on of the YouTube channel.  

Lana Raee

A make-up artist hired to cover Kreek’s tracks, she ends up asking to stick around and see more of the supernatural goings on. She ends up drawing in the attention of the Stranger due to her own fears of being replaced and the way she advises the cast. Very much the only sane woman. 

Booshot Mistr

The final member of the crew, and the audio guy for the more produced videos. Booshot is more no-nonsense than the rest of the crew and finds Kreek a little annoying, but he sticks around for Bella’s sake. In the final arc of the story, he is targeted by the Lonely.

Supporting Cast:

Ominous Nebula

Night-Foxx’s younger brother and Pink’s roommate. A musical theatre student that’s always upbeat and ready to do something to help others, but he has a lot of hurt he is hiding. He was adopted into the Nebula family as a sacrificial lamb to the Vast, not that he knows it until later of course. Where Lana is more desensitised but still an outsider, Ominous is the true ‘only sane man’ of the extended cast. 

Night-Foxx Nebula 

Kreek’s other best friend and Ominous’ older brother. He’s in a privileged position, already being the owner of the space travel division of the Nebula Travel Corporation at his relatively young age. Though, that’s most likely because his father passed the role down to him. However, he’s hiding a secret related to his father’s demise, and his connection to the Vast. 

Pink Leaf 

Bella’s childhood friend and one of the first ‘interviewees’ on Kreek’s channel, at Bella’s suggestion to ‘put himself out there!’, talking about an interaction with some creepy mannequins. However, something horrible happens as a result of this choice, leading Pink’s resentment towards Bella and Kreek to grow and for the Lonely to claim him. 

Justin ‘Think’ Noodles

An avatar of the Dark with ties to the Slaughter through his trusty pickaxe, Think was in some way related to the creature that Kreek killed. He tries to get revenge, but realises he could capitalise on it, and offers Kreek a deal - he’ll tell Kreek about other creatures he can make content about, in exchange for Kreek’s life when he retires. Kreek accepts, and Think something of a mentor to Kreek - however, this dooms the both of them. 

RB (Research of the Abnormal) Foundation Archival Employees: 

Russo Talks

The Head Archivist of the RB Foundation, and a 'world-building protagonist', so to speak. Has been at this for a few years, and is doing alright despite what his job really entails - but knows when to get serious. Has a lot of experience dealing with the entities. Is watching the events of Kreek’s life changing from afar, getting statements from those involved, and only getting involved if Kreek wishes he does. 

Deejay Monopoli

Russo’s assistant and Sabrina’s loving husband. A Hunter who became after Sabrina’s initial disappearance. He isn’t technically employed at the RB Institute, instead being a music producer full time, but he helps Russo out with the more…problematic missions. He finds out about Kreek’s predicament and takes it upon himself to ‘help’, becoming Kreek’s second mentor, as well as having a bet going with Think on Kreek’s fate. 

Sabrina Brite

DJ’s loving wife and Russo’s other assistant. She had an encounter with the Not-Them, but was revived by an artefact of the End and a researcher of cursed artefacts. She lived a double life for a while before DJ hunted her down and she returned to her original life. 

Not pictured: Jay Piercer

The head of the RB Foundation, and an avatar of the Eye (with connections to the Web..?). Tried to sacrifice Russo to the Eye. Failed. Not too important to Kreek’s story. 

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy weekend Fandom :) Per usual we have a few high content eps then the next is a little lower. Still a good ep to be had though. Seeing a softer side to Tim for Angela. What a good friendship they have. And the continued reasons to dislike Lucy’s parents so much. I go off on her mom so be prepared. They spend this episode apart which always makes me sad. But it’s a great episode regardless. Let’s get this started.

3x10 Man Of Honor

We start off the ep with some flashbacks to the academy. At first I thought my clip was shaky, then I realized its Nolan's shoddy camera skills not mine LOL This is the one moment I wanted to highlight out of the academy shots. Lucy’s reason for becoming a cop. It’s prominent for later in this episode. Especially with her bloody mom….Her feeling adrift since college and not knowing where she belonged. That when she stepped into the LAPD It finally clicked.

Saying she didn’t feel the time she spent before this was a wasted effort. Which is amazing most people regret the wasted time. To me I agree with her. It’s that time before you find your thing that eventually leads you to it. That need to want to protect others from harm as part of her reason. Fantastic and very Lucy. I do love her finding her place as a cop. It’s why she fights tooth and nail at everything she does with this job. What Tim saw in her from day one. That fire and drive to succeed. Love our girl.

The scene in roll call is hilarious. Jackson’s dad told him when he got P2 he got bottle of whiskey. That he was called up to the front and given this. They are both operating under this assumption when Grey mentions them. It’s too damn funny. I love their friendship so much. It truly one of the best parts of this episode. Jackson gets tongue tied so Lucy steps in for them both. Telling Grey it's their first day as P2's all exicited.

He asks them if they want flowers? Cupcakes? It's why Grey asks Lucy what the reward is for making P2 above. They’re insanely embarrassed by the time Grey is done with them. They get to ride together which is the highlight after all that. It’s so weird to have roll call without Tim there though. I feel his absence but I guess even T.O.’s get days off. Boo.

We catch Jackson and Lucy in their shop. Jackson keeps getting ‘Congratulations’ texts from his family. You can see the slight jealously on Lucy’s face. I totally get it. For the most part I relate to Tim. When it comes to poopy unsupportive parents I'm right there with Lucy. She and I are alike where I too have tried on a lot of hats. Just trying to find myself as well. My parents being judgy unsupportive jerks the entire way.

Lucy has finally found what her calling is and just wants her parents to be proud of her. Makes me wanna cry just writing that out. Because even when you don’t have good relationship, there is still a part of you craves that approval. When really is should be the other way around. They should be vying to be in your life.

Jackson invites her to his family tradition dinner. So sweet he really takes care of her so much. Lucy declines because her parents are supposed to come over for dinner. She thinks they’re finally coming around to her being a cop. Jackson is so excited for her and says that’s great. I love this scene. They’re so excited to be riding together it’s adorable. Getting to use ac and listen to music haha It's precious.

We cut to Tim on his day off. Yelling at Kojo to move when he’s given up on their walk LOL It's the way Tim whines at Kojo that makes me laugh so hard. Kojo refusing to get up even though they are close to the house. That dog clearly runs that relationship and it makes me giddy to no end. I adore any scene we get with Tim and his dog. Ovary explosion for me. I’m a huge animal lover. To have a dog and Tim in a scene? Phew lord. Gimme. Tim gets a text from Angela saying she needs him ASAP. He finally gets Kojo to move by asking him if he wants a steak? Lmao Spoiled Fur-baby.

Tim gets to the address and it’s a wedding dress shop. He enters hesitantly wondering what is going on... He asks the employee where she is? They tell him she is currently in the changing suite. She’s gone through half their tissue supply. Aww poor thing. Tim sighs and makes his way to her. Once inside asks what’s wrong? Is she going into labor? Lmao No love. Nothing like that. He is straight with her when she asks if she looks fat. I love how he tells her like it is while also being sweet about it. The Tim Bradford special. Telling her who cares what her stupid friend thinks. If she's not ashamed of her baby bump then screw everyone else.

Angela is still upset she can’t hide her belly in her dress. Then we get to see protective/supportive Tim come out. Mmm one of my fav flavors. Asking her ’Who said you have to hide your belly?’ Angela tells him her bridesmaids did. The dress she’s in was supposed to camouflage it the best and its not doing that.

I adore him building her up when she’s down. Look at him taking the skills he learned from Lucy. Using them in this scenario. I love it sfm. Tells her to show off her baby belly. To be proud not ashamed. To wear what she feels confident in. Ugh my heart Timothy. He’s doing exactly what she needed. This is why she texted him. To be that emotional support friend. Her face says it all in that gif above.

What I love about this scene we get to see another side of him. Not just work Tim. A supportive and thoughtful friend. If Lucy could see him right now she would be dying haha He asks her what her dream dress is? Angela tells him what she wants. He says he’ll go get the dress lady and they’ll start there.

I love this man so much. It’s insane. She looks so at ease and taken care by the end of their scene. What a good bestie does. Can only hope we can have scenes like this when Tim marries Lucy. Angela helping him out but giving him crap in a loving way baha Good man right here. Already loved him before this but this only adds to it. Like a sundae that was already delicious and adding on more yummy toppings. Only makes it even better.

Angela is trying on more dresses. Tim asking her if she’s doing ok? I’m loving this soft version of Tim. If he’s this sweet and supportive with Angela. Can only imagine how he would be with Lucy and their plans when they get there. Angela says hard to get dress on over her bowling ball. Naww Tim’s face when she finally comes out is so cute. Once again all I can think of is his face when he sees Lucy in hers someday. I'm sorry I can’t help it LOL My brain is wired to go there now with them together.

Tells her ‘Whoa.’ building up her confidence even more. It’s so sweet. Angela agrees it’s perfect and thanks Tim for doing this with her. He does the sweetest smirk and lets her know ‘Of course’. A crash interrupts their little moment. Two ladies are fighting over a dress. Tim and Angela come out to see the fight. The dress lady says she’s called the police. Not to worry. Tim starts to film it in case they need it for evidence.

Then his future wife and her bestie show up on the scene. Tim couldn’t be more delighted to watch her and Jackson handle this. Lucy is distracted the minute they enter the scene. Tim Is in a dress shop for one and two with Angela. Her reaction couldn’t be more pure and adorable. Asking if he’s there to help her pick out a dress? Just the thought of it is making her so happy and proud of him. The immediate joy on her face.

The thought of him doing this makes Lucy so damn giddy. Jackson doesn’t have time for her work flirt and goes after the suspects LOL Tim’s reply is classic Tim. God forbid she get to see another soft side of him. Which is exactly why she’s so giddy BTW. Tim replying to her question 'All he’s doing right now is watching her not do her job.' Ha God Tim you could’ve at least said hello. She gets nervous and side steps before helping Jackson. It's adorable. She's totally lost her place in her excitement and is clearly distracted by it.

The more the situation escalates the more Tim and Angela enjoy themselves. Angela commenting ‘They grow up so fast don’t they?’ One of them tries to take off with the dress. Tim helps Lucy out cause he can’t help himself. Sticks out his leg tripping the suspect. He could not be enjoying himself more if he tried. Just being a proud hubby filming her arrest and making comments along the way hehe Lucy's face while he does this. She is not amused at all. I’m cracking up. God I love these two idiots so much. Act more married please. You are fooling no one.

Her dinner will her parents Or really parent has arrived. Lucy being a wonderful daughter her mother doesn’t deserve. She's made lotus root soup which is her favorite for their evening Trying to curry favor with her before their dinner even begins. I get it. Her mom shows up solo…. Congratulates Jackson before he leaves. She is nicer and more of a supportive parent to Jackson than her own daughter… ugh been there…Lucy asks her where her father is?

Her mom says off handedly like it’s no big deal he’s at his book club. Like this dinner meant nothing to him. Her face kills me. Trying to just shake off the hurt. Melissa crushes this scene btw. My heart breaks for her over and over. Lucy continues to brush it off and say they can have a girls night to celebrate then. Her mom drops the hammer very early. Doesn’t even try to pretend to be happy about her graduating to P2. Says she isn't there to celebrate.

Saying how they need to talk about this whole police thing. Like it’s just been some random hobby the last year or so for her. Even gives a sarcastic 'Brava.' Like she didn’t almost friggin die from this 'hobby' last year. Telling her to do something meaningful with her life. To get a real profession. The emotional abuse happening in this scene hurts to watch. It gets under my skin as the hits keep coming. Basically saying what she’s doing doesn’t mean anything. Once again Melissa is wonderful in this scene. Watching how it slowly escalates and her body language through out. Trying to take what her mother is telling her and not let it affect her. It works for a little bit but not long...

States she wants Lucy to do something she’s proud of. One of the rudest things to tear your child down with. To only think of yourself and how their decisions make YOU look. Pisses me off so much. Just because my parents are the same damn way. To only think of themselves and not of their child. Such a narcissistic way to view Lucy and what she’s done with her life. How her career embarrasses them and they'd prefer her to just leave the last year or so behind. Just because it doesn't puff them up around their friends.

My parent's are obsessed with status as well. If I'm not using my degree (which I only got for them BTW) for a job it's not something to be proud of. Even though the job I currently have gives me independence to live on my own with no roommates (which is not cheap these days), pay all my own bills, and take care of me and my dogs with no help. But since it's not what they consider a profession to be proud of they aren't proud of me. So I relate painfully so to Lucy in this scene. Also the school thing such a boomer answer. My parent's are the same way.

To think school is the only answer to everything. That obsession with status and only wanting your kids to do their approved career choices. What makes them look good and smell good in front their social circle. Instead of thinking hey my kid is happy, they’re providing for themselves, they love what they do. They’re independent. No they only think how it negatively impacts them. I'm so mad for Lucy because I’ve lived this. The heartbreaking way she asks ‘Can’t you just support me?' Thinking why is this such a big ask?

This is why the support she gets from Tim is EVERYTHING to her. Why she lives and breathes for it. When you’re torn down your entire life it’s hard to have self esteem. Hard to believe you’ll ever be good at something. Even if you are you don't truly believe you are until someone tells you repeatedly. Emotional abuse growing up leaves lasting scars. You can see where it all stems from for Lucy in this one scene with her mother.

Her mom goes on to tell her to find a career that really helps people. Like a doctor. Uh she has. You just don’t like it. Says she doesn't mean to be blunt, but really she does. If her mom would take her head out of her ass for two seconds. She would see Lucy already has all the things she’s harping on her to achieve. I want to hug Lucy so much while her mom berates her. Giving me flashbacks to my own mother. The pot shots leave wounds that are hard to heal.

The way she says ‘They'll always love her but’ and there’s the emotional manipulation. Basically saying our love has a price tag and that tag is the job of OUR choice. Not the one that makes you happy but the one that is socially acceptable for them. The way she cringes and moves away from her mother's touch. Knowing it’s manipulative. Hurts my soul to watch. Last thing she wants right now is fake affection.

I do need to commend her for having the backbone to tell her mom to give her space. I've never had the guts to stand up to my mom. I just avoid her like the plague these days. Rarely interact with her. Easy when she lives on the other side of the country. All the way in Alaska and can stay there. So huge props to Lucy for being overwhelmed and setting a boundary in this moment.

That if she’s done expressing what a disappointment she is that she can just leave. Her mom doesn’t fight her in the least really. She does a little stomp trying to exude some power over her. It doesn't work. Then Lucy yells at her to go and she finally takes off. Phew. Hard scene to watch. The shot that pans out of Lucy is a great one but a heartbreaking one. Makes me so emotional to watch this scene. This scene resonates with me so much in the worst way. I wanna hug her so badly in that last gif. Wishing Jackson was there to do it for me.

The cuteness continues for Tim and Angela while they taste test cakes. This is a much needed contrast to Lucy's SL atm. Angela sighs and says this is stupid. That no matter what she picks Patrice will overrule her. Tim is sitting there all arms crossed. Has become one of my fav poses for him. Yum Tum. Says all authoritatively ‘Don’t let her.’

What I’m loving about theses scenes is we’re getting background on Tim. Which I always love getting. Why am I not surprised his dad got drunk and ruined his wedding? That his whole family seems like one giant disaster zone? (Other than Genny) I love him taking his past experience to help guide Angela with her wedding. Such growth. Saying a million things like what his wedding had you can’t control. But this she can. So to pick what she really wants.

Angela says she wants a Tres Leches cake, but Patrice will think it's too ethnic. SMH ..Tim goes into protect mode once again. I love it sfm. Letting her know ‘Screw Patrice. If she has a problem with Tres leches or anything else for that matter she can answer to him.’ Side note anytime Eric says any Spanish word I wanna climb him like a tree. He says it with the right inflection and it’s sexy af. You know he learned all that from his wife and I love it. Feral Caitlin will cool down now but hot damn. Protective Tim and a slight accent with a Spanish word? Lord help me. Also in the black hoodie? He’s trying to kill me.

Angela replies really? Tim nods his head and says 'Hell yeah.' Then proposes to him with a cookie to be her man of honor baha I love this episode for them. He tells man of honor isn’t a thing...She says yes it is. Lets him know he’s only person who’s made her feel sane. That she needs him to get through this wedding. He caves and says fine hehe Angela tells him his first duty is to fire her current made of honor Gretchen LMAO His reply ‘What?! ‘ I’m rolling. I love this man so much.

We catch Lucy and Jackson at the station next day getting their war bags loaded. Lucy saying he got in late must’ve had a good time. He shows her the necklace they gave him. St. Michael. Patron saint of cops. Lucy looks jealous and asks if his parents will adopt her? Jackson immediately sensing something is wrong. He asks if she had trouble with her folks? Picking up on Tim’s habit of being a lying liar who lies. She isn’t truthful with him and he can see right through it. The concern written all over his face.

Angela invites Gretchen to the station to be fired by Tim. It’s too funny. Tim asks why she can’t fire her? She says she’s working a case and has to go. Tim calls her a coward when he see’s Gretchen arrive lol. Another fun piece of history for Tim. He was at Angela’s nieces quinceanera. It’s how he introduces himself to Gretchen seeing as they met there before. Love them being close enough friends for him to attend that.

Gretchen is legit eyeing him the entire scene. Her eyes checking him out up and down. Can’t blame her look at the man. He is a sight to behold. Low key hits on him asking him if wants to make a little extra cash as the stripper? LMAO Too bad Lucy isn’t around to see this interaction. He always gets so flustered when someone does. I swear he doesn’t know the gorgeous creature he is when they do this.

Tim tells her she’s been fired from MOH. His cute little look when he says Angela picked him to be her man of honor. He’s happy to do it for her but doesn’t want anyone to hear it....lol You think she’s gonna be mad. Nope just relieved. Telling Tim it’s been a nightmare. Pulls out this massive book of ‘Patrice’s picks’ and the anti-anxiety meds that come with it. My god. Also the phone just for wedding needs. Tim’s face is hilarious he looks so very overwhelmed.

Lucy and Jackson get to end their day on a high note. They were able to link up with Nolan/Harper on their OP. Rescued a little girl and got her safely back to her mom. This scene is so validating for Lucy. Reminding her despite what her parents think this is her calling. That this is the right path for her and she’s helping people like she wanted to. May not be the way her parents approve but she is. Grey telling them that little girl wouldn't be here without their hard work. They're being put up for an award too from Grey as well. That is the icing on the cake for her in this scene. She needed this after that horrible fight with her mother.

We find Tim and Angela on the rooftop walking toward something. She asks him what he’s doing? He tells her ‘Being your man of honor.’ They walk up to a trashcan that has the 'Patrice picks' book in it. He tells her he has one job. Give her the wedding she wants. He douses it all in the lighter fluid. Hands her the lighter and asks if she cares to do the honors? Then Angela praises him and calls him amazing.

He could not be cuter when she says this to him. Being Tim he deflects it with sarcasm saying ‘All the time.’ Ha! It’s much different than the smile we get out of him in 5x13 when Lucy calls him amazing. But it is different when the love of your life calls you that vs your bestie. Still I love this for him. The Patrice phone rings and Angela tosses it in the fire. Tim has them step back cause the battery in it is gonna explode LOL Such a damn cute episode for Tim I can not stand it.

Best part of the episode for Lucy is this next scene. I love Jackson so very much for his loyal and loving friendship. Also for how he handles this whole thing. Knowing something is off with her. He called her mom and was told what her mom said. Tells Lucy he told her mom if she didn’t apologize to her she wasn’t going to set foot in their apartment again. Such a good friend. That’s a true blue bestie right there.

Then he follows it up with something even sweeter. Handing her a jewelry case saying this was from the West family. To remind her there are people out there who are proud of her. Proud of what she’s accomplished. I’m melting this is so damn sweet. I might get a cavity. He helps her put it on. Then tells her he’s taking her to dinner. For baseball steaks. She asks if they can do sushi instead? LOL Jackson easily concedes and says ‘Deal.’ He'll do whatever she wants.

Jackson takes care of Lucy so well. Filling that role until Tim is ready to step in and take his place. He would’ve been SO SO happy for her and Tim. To see Lucy be taken care of and treated like a Queen. Which she so very much deserves. To see her properly loved and happy. Makes me emotional thinking he’ll never get to see how happy Tim has made her.

Such a good episode even though Chenford were apart their SL’s separately were so good. What makes them so great. Can have amazing SL’s even when apart. Although I prefer them together heh.

Side notes-Non chenford

Getting to see Capt Anderson in their graduation flash back. My heart. I miss her.

The flashbacks to them at school were every cute. Lucy kicking ass in their combat classes. Of course she did. Nolan even commenting 'Think twice before taking on recruit Chen’ Obviously.

Nolan had a SL but I didn’t care about it until it involved Jackson and Lucy 😂

Thank you as always to those to like, comment, reblog and support these reviews. They’ve helped me a lot getting through this extended hiatus. I hope they’ve been helping you all as well. Shall see you in 3x11 :)

[tinyficbot]

The Slient Song. (Side B)

By the time Geralt pulled into the driveway, the day’s chaos had faded into a distant hum. The quiet suburban street, lined with trees turned gold by the autumn chill, was a stark contrast to the bustling precinct he’d left behind. Here, it was calm.

He pushed open the front door, the familiar creak of the hinges welcoming him home. The soft glow of the lamps lit the hallway, casting long shadows on the walls. As Geralt shrugged off his coat and boots, he heard the quiet padding of footsteps approaching from the living room.

Julian appeared in the doorway, cradling Roach lazily in his arms. The cat, a fluffy bundle of contentment, had clearly made Julian her personal resting spot, her loud purring indicating she couldn’t be bothered by Geralt’s arrival.

Julian’s face softened as he saw Geralt, his eyes brightening with a familiar warmth. He leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to Geralt’s lips—a simple gesture, but one full of comfort and affection. Geralt’s hand came up to cradle the back of Julian’s neck, lingering just a moment longer before pulling back.

“How’s the royal treatment going, then?” Geralt asked, nodding toward Roach, who remained settled in Julian’s arms without so much as a twitch.

Julian’s silent laugh shook his shoulders slightly as he signed, She refuses to move. You’ll have to handle her later.

Geralt chuckled, slipping an arm around Julian’s waist as he guided him toward the kitchen. “Guess that’s my job, then.”

Dinner was already prepared—Julian had clearly been busy while Geralt was at work. The table was set with perfectly cooked steaks and mashed potatoes that looked fluffy enough to sink into. There was something about the simple domesticity of it all that made Geralt feel at peace.

As they sat down to eat, Julian signed, How was your day? Did Lambert drive you insane with his ticket obsession?

Geralt laughed softly, cutting into his steak. “He tried. The whole office was talking about you all day. I had to sit there pretending not to know anything while Lambert gave me a crash course on ‘Jaskier 101.’”

Julian’s eyes sparkled with amusement. Did you learn anything?

“Oh, yeah,” Geralt replied, smirking. “Apparently, Jaskier is a legend. And I’m hopelessly uncultured.”

Julian’s silent laugh filled the room again, his fingers moving swiftly to sign, I should give him a backstage pass for educating you so well.

“Don’t you dare,” Geralt replied, shaking his head. “Besides, Lambert has no idea he had dinner with Jaskier last week… or that he spilled beer on your favorite sofa. Just imagine if he found out.”

Julian leaned back in his chair, visibly delighted by the thought. Let’s keep it that way. It’s too much fun watching them freak out.

Geralt raised his glass, smiling. “Cheers to that.”

They ate in companionable silence after that, the kind of silence that didn’t need to be filled. Even without his voice, Julian always made Geralt feel understood. It was in the way he smiled, the way his fingers moved to express himself, and the way he rested his hand on Geralt’s arm, grounding them both in the moment.

Toward the end of the meal, Geralt asked, “How’s the concert prep going?”

Julian’s eyes brightened. He set his utensils down, signed Wait here, and disappeared into the next room. When he returned, he held two masks, each delicately crafted. He signed, Which one do you like?

Geralt took one of the masks, studying it thoughtfully before placing it gently on Julian’s face, his fingers lingering on the edges. “The one that makes you feel safest,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to the bridge of the mask.

Julian’s smile softened as he opened his mouth and said, “This one it is.”

---

After dinner, Geralt cleared the table while Julian and Roach curled up on the couch. When Geralt joined them, Julian shifted, resting his head against Geralt’s chest. It was their favorite way to end the evening—wrapped up together, the soft flicker of the television casting a warm glow in the background.

They were watching some old film, but Geralt wasn’t paying much attention. His focus was on Julian—the way his fingers traced idle patterns on Geralt’s arm, the comforting weight of his body pressed close. This was what Geralt loved most about coming home: the peace, the quiet, the feeling of Julian right here beside him, where everything just felt right.

Julian, too, seemed at ease, though his mind wandered. Curled in Geralt’s arms, he felt safe. But that hadn’t always been the case.

He had been different back then—before the mask, before the silence. His voice had once been his identity, his way of moving through the world. Music had been his refuge, a way to fill the halls of his family’s estate as a child, a way to express the inexpressible as a teenager.

But then came that night. The night that changed everything.

He could still see the shadowy figure of the man who had stalked him, could still feel the sudden, suffocating loss of his freedom. Locked away in that room, his voice had become trapped behind a terror too intense to escape. His confidence, his sense of safety, his voice—it had all been taken in those dark days.

When Geralt found him—stormed in like a savior from a nightmare—Julian had been too broken to speak, the trauma clinging to him, leaving him with what doctors called selective mutism. It didn’t matter how much he wanted to scream; no sound would come.

For months, he clung to the silence, even after he was safe. He feared being seen, being heard, as if his voice itself could betray him.

Then, in the quiet hours, he had started trying to sing again, just for himself. The voice that returned was hesitant, fragile. Essi had been the one to record him that first time, capturing his silhouette in the half-light as he played his guitar in secret. When he saw the recording, something about it—the shadows, the way the light hid him—felt right. Anonymity became his shield, and Jaskier was born.

Jaskier could sing without fear, without recognition. Jaskier could hide.

Julian Alfred Pankratz, the heir weighed down by trauma, had been too exposed, too vulnerable. So he put on a mask and became Jaskier. Jaskier, the masked singer, the one who could perform without fear, without recognition. Jaskier, who could hide.

Julian pressed himself closer to Geralt, feeling the warmth of his chest beneath his cheek. Geralt had been his one constant, the person who had never asked for more than Julian could give. With Geralt, making sound didn’t seem so terrifying. It felt… natural.

He shifted slightly, humming softly—barely audible against the movie’s background noise. It was a sound he made only when he was like this, safe and at ease. Geralt didn’t say anything—he didn’t need to. He simply ran his hand through Julian’s hair, a silent acknowledgment that was more than enough.

Julian’s eyes drifted shut, his body sinking further into the couch. The memories lingered, but here, with Geralt, they didn’t hold the same power. Every day, it got easier. Every day, the chains loosened just a little more.

In the quiet of their home, with only the hum of the television between them, Julian let go, content in the knowledge that here, he could simply be.

And that was enough.

[capt-mactavish]

Teeth

I've been sitting on this messy werewolf!soap ghostsoap drabble for awhile and I'm tired of looking at it in my drafts so I'm just gonna post it.

Something was wrong with Soap.

Well, not exactly. 

Not wrong. 

Off, maybe.

Specifically with his teeth.

It sounds absurd, but really, Ghost is very observant, and there was something peculiar about Soap’s teeth.

Ghost had only seen it a handful of times. But he was sure of what he saw.

Canines that were just a bit too long to be normal. A bit too sharp. Not overtly so, but enough for someone who was paying attention to take notice.

Not that Ghost was paying closer attention to Soap than anyone else, no! 

It was just that…

There was something about the way, that when the Sergeant would smile, lips pulling back to reveal the pointed pearly whites, that Ghost’s heart would thump just a bit harder, fluttering inside his chest. His fists would clench tightly, as if aching to touch, sometimes to the detriment of whatever happened to be in his hand, such as newly wrinkled paperwork. 

It was a curious thing, how something so mundane could pull such a visceral reaction from the hardened soldier. And yet, he found himself enamored by it, seeking it out instead of trying to bury it down like he’d do any other time. 

He’d tell himself it was Soap’s fangs that had him so captivated by the Scottsman, beguiled by their origins and… implications. 

He’d tell himself that, but deep down he knew it wasn’t just his teeth Ghost had taken a fascination to. After all, there were other peculiarities surrounding Soap that Ghost had taken notice of as well. 

Like the fact that he was so much warmer to the touch than anyone else.

Ghost remembers the first time he had experienced it, grabbing Johnny by the forearm to hoist him up after getting knocked down in the field. His skin so hot, feeling it even through his gloves, Ghost had thought the Sergeant had broken out into a fever.

“Christ, Johnny, you’re burning up!” he had said, ready to fall back with Soap in tow and get him to the medic asap.

But Soap had just waved him off, “‘M fine, sah. Really. No need ta worry.” 

And so Ghost had let him go, and Johnny was fine as he had said. No sign of a fever or illness whatsoever as the Sergeant carried on as usual. 

Nothing except for the lingering heat on the Lieutenant's gloved hand. Like a burn, singed into his skin. 

Of course, when they got back to base, Ghost had tried to insist that Johnny be checked out anyway. But the Scot refused, swearing there was nothing to worry about. Even Price had dismissed him, which Ghost thought odd, but eventually he let it go. 

And Johnny was, indeed, just fine.

Another was the sheer amount of meat that Johnny consumed, and his apparent preference for it to be concerningly rare.

Only this time it was Gaz who had noticed first.

Soap had sat down at their table in the mess with his plate, the only contents a thick cut of bleeding steak and nothing else. 

“Where did you get that?” Gaz had exclaimed indignantly. “How come you get steak? I wouldn't mind a steak!” 

But Johnny just winked and replied, “Go’ a special arrangement with the cook.” Before cutting into his meat, so red it was practically still mooing. 

“That’s going to make you sick, Johnny,” Ghost had said, his morbid curiosity making it difficult to look away.

“Stomach o’ steel, L.t. Dinnae you worry,” was the response from Soap.

Gaz grimaced at him, but nothing else was said, and it just became the norm.

And then there was the fact that about once a month, Johnny would simply just disappear for a day or two at a time. 

A solo operation, Price had explained, and that was that on the matter as far as he or anyone else was concerned. 

But Ghost wasn’t so convinced. Especially when Soap would come back looking better than before he left. Practically glowing, like an immense weight had been lifted from his shoulders. And especially since Soap seemed to always be a bit on edge, aggressive, just before leaving on one of these “missions.” 

There was also the fact that the Sergeant possessed a strength Ghost had not imagined the Scot capable of.

The first time they had spared, he had pushed Soap to his limit, testing him. 

He succeeded in that, managing to rile Soap up to the point of fury.

And when Soap had pinned him, slamming Ghost’s wrists into the mat on either side of his head, he was surprised to find that he had been rendered completely immobile. 

Flexing his arms did nothing, there was no budging as Soap held firm. Even the body sitting atop Ghost's chest seemed impossible to move.

The Lieutenant even thought he had heard an inhuman growl come from the man as the back of his head hit the mat, but at the time it had gone unnoticed, too stunned by his immobility and how Soap had gotten the upper hand so quickly. 

“Soap!” Price had shouted, an edge in his tone, sounding much like a warning.

“Sah!” Soap responded, releasing Ghost immediately and letting him up.  

Ghost had stood, rubbing his wrists as he watched Soap and Price speak hushedly to each other for a moment before the Scot returned, looking very much like a scolded pup despite his victory over the Lieutenant.

After that, Soap had not pinned Ghost again. Not even as Ghost did his damndest to provoke him into doing so. 

It frustrated him, his interest piqued and curiosity left unsated, but it was another one of those things he had to just let go. 

Another of Soap’s peculiarities was that Ghost had noticed that the Sergeant had a almost supernatural sense of hearing. 

At first he chalked it up to nerves and Soap’s own imagination, but when Soap’s acute hearing had saved their lives, more than once, he was quick to become convinced of the man’s abilities. Putting absolute faith in him from thereon out when he said he heard something.

With Ghost leading, all Soap had to do was silently take hold on the Lieutenant's shoulder, and he would have Ghost’s undivided attention.

His face would say it all. Eyes unfocused, listening. And Ghost would listen too. But he never heard what Johnny could hear. 

And then the Sergeant would come back to him, signal, and Ghost would nod and let Johnny take point. 

All of those things were extraordinary in their own right, but Ghost kept coming back to Soap’s teeth.

Of all Soap's attributes, they were the only tangible thing Ghost could see and confirm with his own eyes. And he would be lying if he said he wasn't just a bit obsessed with them.

He wondered if they were as sharp as they looked, and how easy it would be to break skin and draw blood. If he’d even feel anything at all or if having Soap close enough to sink his fangs into Ghost’s flesh would numb him to it. 

Or maybe, he might even like the pain.

Ghost sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. The clock on the wall read two in the morning, and the report he’d wanted to finish before lights out lay on his desk before him, unfinished, mocking him, as he had descended into his daydreams.

It was no use, and the Lieutenant was tired. At least in his cot his mind was free to wander before sleep would eventually claim him. 

But now staring up at the ceiling from his cot, fighting to close his eyes and rest, all the thoughts come rushing back to him, and suddenly Ghost is hit by a thought he hadn’t yet considered. 

He can feel his heart rate quicken, a flash of heat running through his body as the realization dawns on him, only now putting all the pieces together.

Soap was something else, in a very literal sense of the term.

He wasn’t human.

So... what was he? 

[unicorncornflakes]

Wedding Dress - Modern AU! | Chapter 3

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Paring: Jacaerys Velaryon x Reader x Aemond Targaryen.

Summary: You have always seemed happy. A perfect life: a good job, a good family… and a good boyfriend. Finally, you are going to marry Jace after three years of dating. Everything seems perfect, but you know it's not.

Everything falters the same night you meet Aemond Targaryen. You are no longer sure of your decisions… let alone about the wedding…

Tags: Alternate Universe – Modern/ Setting Enemies to Friends to Lovers/ Emotional Hurt/ComfortDrama & Romance/ Eventual Smut.

Author´s note: Hi everyone! English is not my first language, sorry for any mistake! All of them are my fault! Pls, enjoy! Feedback, shares and comments are always welcome!

Warnings: 18+ smut below the cut.

Word Count: 5.5K

Tag-List (If you wanna be tagged, let me know): @tssf-imagines @nika-sophie05 @hkmultifandom @thetrueblackheart @chainsawsangel @darkenchantress @afro-hispwriter @itsabby15

“And then she started to scream: ‘This is the dress! This is the dress!” Aegon gossiped. Tyland Lannister was paying attention to him with his face in shock, and Aemond regretted two things: Telling Aegon about what happened in the dress fitting and bringing him to so important lunch. His older brother was about his four glass of wine and they hadn´t even ordered the food. They were at the terrace in the Hightower´s Hotel at King’s Landing. Their grandfather, Otto, was the owner of that luxury hotel chain. If they were going to talk about business, they felt more comfortable in their domains. It was a good sunny day of spring, almost perfect if not for the sun that was bothering Aemond´s eye. Without any single word, one of the waiters went to their table and opened a big parasol to stop the sunlight that was annoying him. He continue reading the menu, however, he knew he would ask the same as usual. Life was easy, at least in that moment, Aemond felt that it was easy. Aegon was still laughing “Tell to him, Aemond” he asked to his younger brother.

The one-eye man just closed the menu with a sigh, leaving the card on the table. A fast waitress approached to them: “Do the gentlemen know what they are going to order for lunch?” She was a young girl, almost pretty. Aegon had to be drunk because he gazed her like if she was the cuttest girl in westeros.

“A beef steak, rare. Bring one salad to accompanied it, and water” Aemond commanded without looking the poor girl. His stoic face scared her as much as the scar did. He looked to his brother who was still gazing to the waitress who was taking note of the rest of the commands on that table.

“You are not in the menu?” Aegon wincked his eye, while the waitress gave a stupid laugh, like if she was enjoying that poor flirt. Aemond raised his eyebrow so tired of him.

“I´m afraid not, sir” she replied him.

“What a pity!” He muttered with a charming smile. The girl has gone when he shouted: “And bring more wine! We are thirsty!”

“Enough wine for today” Aemond replied him.

“Aemond, you didn’t tell Tyland what happened at the dress fitting of Jace´s fiancée” he laughed, visibly drunk. “That girl must be a wild beast” he joked. Tyland looked at Aemond, waiting for the confirmation of his brother´s words.

“It wasn’t as tremendous as Aegon is relating you” Aemond shrugged “She was just upset. She is a regular girl, a pretty one, not a beautiful one” he lied. He had to be cold, stoic and indifferent.

“I'm honestly worried. If a woman like that is going to marry the person who is running the company right now, you will tell me how it can end this” the Lannister replied with a sign of concern in his face “Right now, we are steady over again. After the new contract with The Stark Company, we are not in red numbers again. But you know that this is not going to last forever”

Of course, he knew it. Aemond Targaryen was the Chief Operating Officer of Targaryen Co. He was the company's second in command, second only to Jace. His nephew was the CEO. Aemond was in charge of the company's day-to-day operations. And although he himself had to report to Jace everything that happened, his secretary was in charge of that request. They were dedicated to the transport of merchandise both nationally and internationally, among other activities. They had several fleets of planes, named like the dragons that their ancestors were supposed to have had, and a whole maritime fleet, inherited from the merger with Velarion Inc., after her sister had married the heir of the same and she would have had those "children" so similar to their father.

“We are out of Wine!” Aegon muttered while he served to himself another glass. Aemond ignored him. His older brother was only the “Community Manager Assistant” of the company. He wasn't even the community manager himself, although he was paid more than the other. He went to the meetings because he had to go, but he couldn't care less as long as he didn't lose his luxuries.

“The Stark Company now is one of the most powerful on the market. We are going to take care of the transport of the minerals that are extracted from the north, but the problem is not this” Aemond remarked, taking a little sip of his glass.

“Dragons and Wolfs have never worked well together. It gets too much drama” Tyland said.

“And what we are going to do?” Aegon was wondering, shaking the empty wine bottle, trying to find another drop.

“You are the graduate in business management, so surprise me” Aemond replied terrible upset, taking the bottle from his hands and giving it to the waitress again, without getting up from his seat. Aemond was really tired of him. Aegon had been supposed to have Aemond´s position at the company. He had studied a degree in Philosophy and History, and had dreamed of being a professor at a good university, but had left everything behind for his family and the company. The first thing was the responsibilities and the duty, although now he was not rewarding. “We must to find other opportunities, because this alliance with the Starks is not going to work”.

They continued talking about the situation and having lunch. However, when they were about to finish. Aemond received a message on his phone.  Aegon and Tyland were still talking, and Aemond checked his phone. A message from Alys. He opened it. ‘I'm in town tonight. See you where always?’ she texted him. He thought for a moment if it was correct meeting Alys now you were in his life… But, What? You weren’t his girlfriend nor his lover. He was losing his head for you. Maybe, all that he needed was sleeping with other woman. Alys was after all his friend with benefits. They had great sex together. So, why not? ‘It will be a pleasure’ He replied. ‘At 20:00? :)’ She asked. ‘OK’ he replied. So, he had plans for that night too.

You were looking at the ground. That precious morning seemed anything but precious to you. The night before had not gone as you expected and the last thing you wanted was to go see flowers for the wedding. You were sick of the wedding by now, yet there you were. With Rhaenyra and Jace, and your grandmother of course, because as your boyfriend used to say, how could you leave her out of something so important in your life? Nana, the affectionate nickname you had given her as a child, was clinging to Jace's arm. They both were looking at the flowers enthusiastically. The plant nursery was huge, but you began to feel overwhelmed by the sensation of heat that was in there.

“We have a wide variety of flowers, In what did the couple think?” one of the works of that place was there to help you to find the flowers for that ‘must be’ perfect day. You yawned. You had been up all night without sleep. You couldn't stop thinking. And what were you thinking? It was shorter to ask what you weren't thinking about.Without a doubt, something that did not concern you at all was the subject of the wedding.

“I was thinking in roses. Red roses” your grandmother claimed. And you rolled your eyes. Yeah, sure. She wanted roses… Sometimes, you thought that she was the one that truly was to marry Jace, not you. Jace only smiled at her response. He was the boy which all decent girls dreamt about. You sighed, but only Rhaenyra noticed. She  looked at you, her face full of worry.

“We can take a look to the roses, of course” Jace replied to her, and she squeezed his hand.

“A really truly gentleman” she said, so proud. He was a gentleman, a fucking gentleman who wasn’t able to fuck you as you deserved… Shit. What was happening with you? Before, you would have smiled at the scene. And you would have replied that the roses were a good option.

Rhaenyra seemed to see your mental breakdown and spoke quickly “We are not asking to the bride” she smiled, caressing your shoulder, taking care of you like if you were a little girl. You really appreciated it. If your boyfriend wasn´t there for you, at least you have her. “Which flowers do you like for the bouquet, (Y/N)?” she asked, still caressing your shoulder.

“I´m thinking in… stargaze lilys” you replied. Before the last weekend, those were the flowers that you wanted for your wedding. But, well, you weren’t sure at the moment.

“They are spectacular flowers” Your future mother-in-law replied. You were on the brink of tears. Why was that happening to you? Why did you have to know Aemond? Why did you sleep with him?

“No. You got away with that hideous dress. We are not going to use such ordinary flowers. By the seven!” Your grandmother woke you up from your thoughts. “I´m going to pay the flowers, so I will decide the flowers” she sentenced.

You looked at Jace, seeking his help in this matter. And he only shrugged. ‘She is an old person, we have take care of her, you know how she is’. You could imagined what he was thinking.

“Explain me, then what I´m doing here?” you exploded, all the eyes there looking at you. “I have a lot of work, I have to write… Explain me! Do you need me here?” You crossed your arms in your chest. That was the waiting explosion, like the dam of a river that burst. The last night, you didn’t resolve your inner conflict, the last afternoon you had to met Aemond… and now this…

“Of course, we need you, Honey” Your grandmother replied, without letting go of Jace's arm “You are the bride and you will choose which roses do you want”

“Really?” You snorted. This was so…

“I decided you were going to keep the dress because Alicent's son said you looked very pretty, but I still find it hideous. On the subject of flowers...” Your grandmother started to say, but in that moment, Jace cut out her speech.

“Sorry? I´m lost, Which son of Alicent told what?” Jace asked, looking at you so confused. She just looked at him as well, but you aparted your gaze quickly. You didn’t want to discuss with him.

“Aemond went to the dress fitting, Jace. He picked up Alicent, that’s all” Rhaenyra replied, and her son just looked like devastated, like if the same death would have gone to your dress fitting. Jace didn’t hate Aemond, He wasn’t able to hate nobody, but he really detested him. The only thougth that he could see you in your dress wedding really got him angry. And, what about Aemond saying that you were pretty…

“(Y/N), I asked you about the dress fitting, and you said: ‘Normal’. You didn’t tell me that he was there…” He was so upset. He wasn’t really angry, he knew how to control himself, but you had never seen him like this before “Well, I think that his presence is not just ‘Normal’”

“I didn't even know he existed and now you ask me to inform you that it was there. What did I know, Jace?” You said through your teeth, trying to stay calm. What was happening? You had never discossed with him. Never. The both of you always remained in perfect synchrony. 

“That guy does nothing but piss me off. He's an…” Jace was going to insult him, but he stopped his words. You cognized him, he couldn´t insult nobody. He was too correct for that, perfect. And, in a second, you hated him for being so truly perfect, not like you.

“And is it my fault that you haven't even mentioned him to me? I didn’t even know about his existence” You shouted. Things were getting too much wrong.

“I asked you, and you didn’t even mention him” He repeated again. The situation started to seemed like a broken record. And you started to be tired of everything.

“I need fresh air” You proclaimed. It sounded like a statement.

“Honey, don’t be so silly!” Your grandmother tried to calm you. But, he was part of the problem. You were tired.

“No, I need fresh air” You announced again, and you leave the plant nursery. You needed to remain calm for, at least, one moment.

You were sitting on a bench outside the store for what seemed like an eternity, because it really was. Your grandmother was choosing the flowers for your wedding. It was going to be quite a lady's wedding, at least in her idea of what a lady was. Your disappointment and your feelings seemed to matter rather less. At that moment. For the first time since you'd met Aemond, you stopped to think. Why did you continue with this? I wasn't making you happy. You had never wanted to get married until you met Jace. A sweet boy who had made you change your mind, but now you questioned if you really loved him. Maybe it was...

"Hey," you heard Jace whisper to you. He was sitting next to you on the bench and you hadn't even noticed his presence. You were so deep in thought. You didn't even look at him, perhaps you were looking for the strength to tell him that... "Your grandmother chose red roses, quite pretty, I came to ask you if it was okay with you."

“Does it matter at all what I can or cannot say?” you shrugged, ready to argue again when the time came. You were just tired.

"I think not, you know how it is" she laughed, narrowing her eyes, and for the first time since she had returned from the trip, you laughed with him. How long has it been since you laughed with him? But, at that moment you looked into her eyes. They were lit, like a puppy's gaze. It was so cute to see him like this, so in love even when you were angry.

"This thing about flowers is bullshit" you told him with a sad smile. Your gaze fixed on his. For a moment, you felt like when you started dating him. Totally understood, full…

"I have an idea" he smiled at you and you responded with your gaze fixed on him, attentive to his words "Tonight. You and me alone. At La Chapelle. Table for 2, at 20:00. How about?"

"That's not bad" you replied with a smile, biting your lower lip. Yeah, that was going to be a great night. Things would work out. Something inside you told you.

"Not bad" he said "I know we're stressed, that things are difficult lately" You looked away, but he stroked your chin, forcing you to look at him. Your eyes locked on his. "But huh? We are a team, remember?"

“Jace...” You were going to confess everything, you couldn't take it anymore. He was too nice a guy for you. Deemon was right.

“Just let him get away with it, what does it matter? The important thing is that we're getting married, the rest doesn't matter” He smiled at you and you kissed him again, but no, damn. You wanted those flowers. You wanted that dress. And you were tired of him being such a nice guy, unable to stick up for you over something so silly. You got the impression that he was very accommodating to everyone except you. I only expected you to be as accommodating as he was. And you were tired, but you didn't answer. You just let it go, like with everything. Just letting it go.

“I'm gonna have to start charging you rent” You heard Daemon´s voice after you. You rose your eye from the white document of your computer screen. Maybe, you didn´t expect any type of annoyance in your office desk at the job. You didn’t expect his visit “What are you doing at the office one Saturday afternoon? I know that you are workaholic, but seriously, you need a dog” He joked while he was approaching to his table too. 

“Well, Caraxes is a loyal dog, and you are here as well as me” You returned the joked, and he only laughed at your occurrence. Your stare came again to the screen, while a smile appeared in your lips.

“I guess that the both of us are here for the same reason” he dropped his body into his desk chair. He set his eyes on you, his lips in a mischievous smile. Yeah, he started to catch you after three years working together. 

You looked at him again, without understanding anything I was saying to you. You stopped trying to write. It wouldn't work if Daemon was there.

“The both of us want to escape from our reality” he claimed, leading his body against the chair. The squeezing ball again in his hand. You stared him. Why he had to know you so well, however, you only replied a simply statement.

“I´m trying to write, if not, I wiil not send you nothing tomorrow” you declared with a stressful sigh.

“Yeah, I also told Rhaenyra that I had to work this afternoon. A very important book is what we have in our hands” he stated without looking at you. That devilish smile. You didn’t understand why Rhaenyra still believed him, but maybe that was part of his charming.

“Yes, a great book” You replied, following his game, nodding your head. You both exploded into a complicit laugh. He was really surprise about how much you had changed in the last days. In other times, you had would scolded him, and now you were laughing with him. “I´m not capable of writing, an any single sentence. Nothing” you confessed to him, your cheeks burning.

“The muses are elusive lovers. They will be back” he explained to you. After all, he was a publisher, he understood about what he was talking. “But, you are not here to catch muses”. It wasn’t a question, it was a truth. “I heard about what happened in your dress fitting and about the issue with the flowers” he smiled. Another squeeze. In that moment, you felt like that stupid ball.

“I'm going to explode if someone talks to me again about the wedding” you confessed in a whisper. You had come to the office, looking for being alone. You really need it after the last days.

“Because, you don´t want to marry Jace” he said, his eyes fixed on you again “I must be the only one who realizes this. You are like me. You are like the wind. And the wind cannot be trapped” He defined the situation and you rolled your eyes.

“Daemon, you are married. Someone can caught the wind” you declared, your gaze again in the white document.

“Rhaenyra is a Dragon. I´m a dragon too” he was about to explain you, when you talked again.

“I thought you were wind” you smiled. Not now, please, you needed a friend, not a sermon, but maybe that's what real friends do, give sermons looking for the best for the person they love.

“We are together because she needs me for flying, I need her for remaining on the ground” he analyzed. It wasn’t the first time that he thought about his relationship. “Jace is not wind, he is not going to help you to fly as you deserve and need. He likes simple things: a house, two kids, one dog… a complacent girl” he sighed, like if wanted to speak about that with you, he really needed. “You are not a complacent girl anymore, (Y/N). I don’t know what happened last weekend, I don’t want either, but you have changed”

“Everything is fine” you tried to sound convincing, but you failed. Those days you didn’t sound like your old you.

“No, it´s not” he whispered to you, approaching to you, just to cleaned a tear that was running down your cheek with his thumb.

“I just want the things come back to normal. I really need it” you sobbed “I just want to do what is expecting from me” you remained, crying in silence. Daemon didn´t say another word. He could understand what was happening. He only hopped that you realize too, before it would be too late.

“And this is my uncle Aegon, who is the 'Community Manager Assistant.'” Jace selected another photo from the company's website on his phone. He wanted to introduce you to all the family he hadn't told you about before. It was a way to make amends and prepare you for what awaited you at the next family meal. "He is the oldest of all my uncles"

"And what does a 'Community Manager Assistant' do?" you asked as you looked at the phone screen, sitting next to Jace in that very expensive restaurant. He smiled at your curiosity.

"Well, he does a lot of important things on social media, but in Aegon's case I don't think he makes any of it" he laughed defeated. You smiled at him. It was the closest he was going to get in his life to insulting someone.

"So, you have four uncles you've never told me about before," you sighed. You looked at him with a look that was trying to be complacent. That was what Jace needed, a willing girl. That was what you were going to be.

“If he went for me, you wouldn't know anyone. It's not a part of my family that I feel comfortable with. I understand that my mother and Alicent are trying to fix things with this wedding thing, but it's something we've tried before and it's never worked” I confess, jaded and exhausted by the situation, ashe put away his phone.

"You work with them, so sooner or later I would have to meet them, right?" you shrugged and smiled charmingly at him. That was what you had to be again. Conformist. You were on the right track, was what your head was whispering to you at that moment.

“It's just that I know Aemond. I'm surprised he didn't make fun of you when he saw you in the dress” she cocked her head, trying to figure out what that moment had been like. You felt your cheeks burn slightly.

In that exactly moment, one waiter of the restaurant came with the first dishes that you have already order. For your surprise, it wasn’t the food that you ordered before. Jace realized your discomfort and he whispered to you: “What´s the problem?”

“This is not the dish that I´ve ordened” you replied in a lower tone.

“Oh, don’t you worry. I´m sure that it taste good too” he smiled. And you only sighed in distress. Why would you complain? You weren't going to get anything. You grinned again and began to eat. Jace was talking about his job again when you perceived who was having a date two tables further from where you were. And then, your stomach was closed and you coughed really high.

“I have to go to the bathroom” you muttered, rising really fast from your chair. Jace only looked at you worried.

“And then we will travel to the summer islands” Alys blinked fast at Aemond, looking at him with a sensual smile and a really sparkling eyes. Her red lips drinking through a straw her cocktail. Alys was everything he'd ever wanted, until she married a man richer than him. At that moment, he had realized that perhaps it had been more a feverish desire than a reality. Alys was beautiful, sassy, a couple of years older than him, and his first high school sweetheart. But it was all over the moment she had left him for something better. Yet they were still hooked on each other. They were friends with benefits. When she was in king's landing they would meet and fuck. That was their whole relationship in those days.

“I´m really glad that the things with your husband are working again” he sneered. His disdain for the situation was only increased. He was hoping to finish the dinner as soon as possible to just…  squeeze Alys against the nearest surface and then finishing what they started as usually.

“Oh, Aemond, are you jealous?” she wondering to him, caressing his hand with her long nails, teasing him. That had being her play, to make him jealous and possessive about her. “You know that if he knew how to eat pussy like you, I wouldn't be here”.

“A stunning revelation” he smirked ironicaly. He took a sip from his glass of wine, while Alys was caressing his hand.

“I guess that we will sleep together tonight, no?” she flirted with him, her huge breast in his sight. He curled one corner of his lips.

“Dinner would be very expensive for myself if we weren't going to fuck afterwards” he told her in a suggestive whisper. Like a whore, this was how Alys liked to be treated, and he hadn't known much more ways to flirt than that. She just giggled like a little child, and then Aemond saw a woman shape that he knew perfectly. And then, his mind stopped thinking on Alys.

You refreshed you face at the bathroom. It was okay. Everything was fine. The both of you were adults. It was an only-one night affair, as a lot of people do. Yes that was all. You weren’t jealous because he was with another woman. You weren’t jealous, jealous, jealous… jealousy is for other kind of relationships. You were going to have the best night of your life with Jace, and Aemond would become past. Yeah, that was the attitude. You painted your lips again, you were going to leave the bathroom with a lustful smile for your boyfriend and you would ignore Aemond so hard…

You left the bathroom, and you felt how a man pulled you against the wall of the corridor, far from any look. You recognized his scent, you recognized his grip. Her hands on your hips, caressing them, grabbing them... he really coveted you like no one else in your life would. You felt how the blood rose to your cheeks, and how the heat was concentrated in the least indicated part of your body. His face, with his lips parted, in the shadows of the hallway. His long hair... would never cease to fascinate you. You wanted to see him without that patch, you wanted to feel that lips on your...

“I really wish you have a good night. I hope tonight he would manage to erase me from your mind, hmm” he whispered in your ear. His husky voice. His warm breath against your skin. You heard how his lips were moistened, how he breathed your essence. And you felt that strange feeling in your stomach that Jace didn't give you. At that moment, you wanted him to turn you around and press you against the wall, to pull up your dress and unzip his fly, to show you how guys like him made it.

You pushed him away with what little sanity you had left. You noticed her lips curled into a sneer, smiling at your reaction, as if she knew you were soaked. He literally drove you crazy. That enough smile, that look that devoured you in silence... the place where he had grabbed you by the hips now burned with an indescribable sensation. Aemond Targaryen was simply fire, a passion unleashed that had nothing to do with Jace.

You raised your face and approached him again, in a behavior that you had never had before. You brought your lips closer to his. Your mouth was so close to his that you thought she could kiss you at any moment, but you just opened it defiantly and full of lust and whispered to him as he did to you: "I hope she manages to erase me too out of your head." he simply smiled, showing his teeth. At that moment you thought that he had the most beautiful smile in the world.

"My little slut is now a daring woman" he replied. You looked down and you could see that he had his cock tough. It pressed hard against his pants and you could only let out a daring giggle. "I have to show you your place, Hmm?” he whispered, and in that moment, you realized that if you asked him, he would undoubtedly fuck you against the bathroom wall again.

"Good night, Aemond" you replied pulling away from him, waddling for him. What was happening to you? You weren't like that and you regretted it again the moment you saw Jace. His eyes expectant for you. You felt like a terrible piece of shit.

"Finally home," Jace chuckled softly, "I promise I can't wait for the day we live together and…" You silenced him with a kiss. His innocent lips met yours that devoured him as if they hadn't been together for months. At the end of the kiss, you smiled at him, grabbing his hand, looking at him askance. You directed him towards your bed and he couldn't be more shocked, but happy, by this change.

Alys was directing him towards the room of that expensive hotel. Her fingers entwined with Aemond's, as if they were a newly enamored couple. She glanced at him. Those red lips so pretty between open. Those eyes that devoured him in silence. Aemond was more than willing. A bulge pressing against his pants.

Arriving in the bedroom, Jace kissed you again, sweet, soft, savoring every moment your lips met. You smiled mischievously after each kiss. You were ready to have the best night of your life. You sat him on the bed to his surprise and you knelt in front of him. Jace swallowed, as if this was the last thing he expected. You bit your bottom lip as you slowly unbuttoned his pants. You watched with excitement as he closed his eyes at the same moment that you gently grabbed his cock. “Fuck…” he whispered, and you smiled at yourself. In the end, he did know how to insult. But the greatest spectacle was when your tongue found itself on his glans, licking the precum slowly...  gently...

Aemond slammed the bedroom door shut. He watched as Alys took off her dress, completely, but that wasn't what he wanted at the moment. He unbuckled his belt and dropped his pants. His cock bounced against his stomach in a painful motion, hissing as it met the air. He grabbed Alys by her hair and he made her kneel before him. His mouth did know what to do... and yet, it wasn't her lips they were thinking about while she sucked him off. He didn't stare at Alys, only at the wall in front of him. His scowl completely frowned at her as he set the pace by holding back her hair. He knew how he liked things.

You knocked Jace down on the bed and climbed on top of it. His cock entered easily on top of you, you were drenched just for him. His violet gaze fixed on you. His strong hands pinching your nipples as you ride him in circular motions... you were going to remember this night forever... Aemond and you... alone at last...

Aemond threw Alys against the bed. She gave a gleeful laugh just as he turned her around. He placed her on all fours and entered her. That night he didn't want to see her face. He was being selfish. He ran one of her hands along the line of her back, while the other held her hips... he thought about how beautiful the line of your back was... it truly fascinated him... her hips collided quickly... he wasn't going to last…

Jace couldn't take it anymore and just cumed, eyes closed and holding your hips tight. Your name was whispered with a sweet smile...

A low growl, a name he couldn't remember saying, and Aemond had finally cumed inside Alys. Her pussy tightening around his cock. The breaths of both mismatched. The warmth of their bodies had turned into sticky sweat. The heat of the moment had faded. He felt released, he felt relieved, he felt…empty.

Jace hugged you against his bare chest, and you settled back against him with a smile. "I'm going to have to go on a bussines trip more often" he groaned, gasping for air, trying to recover. you laughed "What has changed?" he whispered with a smile, stroking your hair. And then, you realized you weren't with Aemond. And what had changed? All. Everything had just changed, you hugged Jace's chest. You tried to convince yourself that you had only thought of him.

Alys looked at him with cold eyes, completely taken aback by what had happened: “Who is (Y/N)?” She looked at him accusingly, as if she had never expected Aemond to think of a woman other than her. Aemond didn't answer, just looked away and fell back on the bed, weary. He had made love to you through her.

[hyp3rfixation-h3ll]

[ HONKS HORN ] GET IN LOSERS WE'RE GOING FANFIC READING !!!!!!! " OPERATION: STEAK CUTS ! " CHAPTER 4 IS OUT NOW , and this one is a bit different from the usual happy-go-lucky plots ive shown so far , I hope u all enjoy ^__^

[trivialbob]

For the second night in a row I could not decide what I wanted for dinner. Sheila, on her way out to go play pickleball, said "Why don't you try the bar menu at that new Brazilian place."

This nearby restaurant opened several months ago. It's one where servers prowl the floor, offering diners a big assortment of meats. Available are assorted varieties and cuts of steak, pork, chicken, sausage, and probably two different endangered species. Mmmm, spotted owl.

I wasn't in the mood for pounds of meat, even if it is served in small and multiple portions. Before I left home I read the menu online. The picanha steak burger with chimichurri sounded interesting. It was reasonably priced (by today's standards) and fries were included.

When I arrived I ordered as I removed my jacket. The bartender was working his first shift ever there. He thought I was a regular, because I'd ordered without looking at the menu. We chatted briefly, and I explained I was as new to the place as he was.

While I sipped a Surly beer and waited for my food he came around with a bar cart. On it were two ceramic bulls. One was filled with a pineapple drink, the other contained a strawberry concoction. The liquor in each was cachaça.

"Since you and I are both new here, have a shot for free."

I got to "pour" a pineapple shot myself. The bull's valve is operated by pressing on its testicles, allowing the liquor to dribble into a shot glass. But it was free!

Only one table in the large dining room was occupied during my visit. The entire bar was mine. Employees outnumbered diners. At times I could hear them talking loudly, as if they were cleaning up after closing and having a beer before going home. I worked in a restaurant one year of college and remember doing exactly that, but when the place was actually closed.

I want this place to succeed, but have my doubts. A very unfortunate choice of fluorescent bulbs, or maybe LEDs with "arctic white" hue, didn't convey any sense of warmth. A nearby tavern has a fireplace and soft lighting and every bar stool was occupied.

The burger was... eh. A yardstick I use to measure up restaurant food is "Is this better than something I could have made myself at home?" Frankly, I could have done a little better than this one. Not helping were the Wonder Bread bun and food service fries.

The bartender was super nice. A little chatty, but not too much. Moments after I gave my card for payment my watch buzzed with a message from my bank showing the card usage. The amount was higher than I had mentally calculated.

When I got the paper bill I saw a $5 charge for that free shot and a 3% credit card fee. The beer was at the high end of the price range for similar restaurants. I didn't say anything and tipped based on that full amount.

Looking on the positive side of this, Sheila will be spared from having a similar experience, unless she wants to go there by herself.

[cantsaythisonmain]

A friend of mine asked me to carve a cool scar into their back and I can't stop thinking of gutting them.

I'm thinking of starting small, with little cuts on their back, then licking the blood from the wounds, at last slashing their throat.

Piercing their skin with a heavy knife, right over the sternum, and sinking deep the blade to find the heart to take it into my palm. Like an internal cardiac massage.

I want to feel its last beats on my hand.

Then I would oper up their belly and curl up into them, naked, to feel the warmth of their freshly dead body.

I'm inside them eating their heart, their skin, their ovaries and their lungs. I dream of biting their ears and chew on the cartilage, rip off their lips and crushing their eyes in my mouth. I'd love to eat their spinal cord too (sucking it right from the bone) but I'm afraid of prion disease:(.

I'm thinking about the hard muscles of the heart and the blood gushing from it while I sink my teeth into it, the even stronger aroma of the uncooked liver.

Of course I need to be careful about not damaging the intestines or the bile, I don't want to smell anything awful while eating.

I will then take home some other pieces to eat them cooked like a steak, or in a soup. Butchered meat wrapped in paper, stuffed in my pockets.

I'm imagining myself going home and feeding myself for days with them, even trying new recipies.

I truly love the meat.

[inposterumcumgaudio]

Poedit Cut/Unused Content: Slaughterers_Apprentice

002 WellM Edmund's a good lad. But he's always been a bit … limited. And my work has become so challenging of late.

003 WellM I've had to go to … "extraordinary measures" … to keep this town fed. But we are in an extraordinary situation, aren't we? You were so helpful bringing that package. Now we need to process it.

004 WellM I'm not proposing to hurt anyone, you understand. Just … ignore a silly old taboo.

005 PC_Art You want me to help … process … that package.

006 WellM Just go on through that door, if you're willing to help.

007 PC_Art I can't believe I'm even considering this. Maybe I should just walk out and report him to the police.

008 PC_Art People do have to eat, though.

009 PC_Art It won't be an easy choice to … unchoose.

011 PC_Art It's a very kind offer. I just have so much on my plate… these days. I think I'll just … go.

012 WellM Well, if you ever need V-meat, you can count on me!

013 PC_Art I wonder what I missed. I wonder if I'll ever know. Damn it, now I'm curious.

014 WellM And people say you can't get good help these days.

015 PC_Art Ow.

016 PC_Art Where's my things?

017 PC_Art No windows? That's not ominous at all.

018 PC_Art That looks like a terribly effective cleaver suitable for your more unruly animals.

019 WellM Welcome to Cutty's Mechanical Kitchen! Featuring the very latest in meat packing technology! It used to take days to dismantle a carcass. With my new inventions, one apprentice can reduce a carcass to its edible parts in no time at all.

020 WellM I hope you're as excited as I am. This is the very first time we're running our machines on the real … material.

021 PC_Art What have I got myself into?

022 WellM Now the first thing I need you to do is obtain the package from the upstairs cold storage room. Don't worry, at no point will you have to unwrap the package; the magic all happens through the provided access valve!

022a WellM First, we must exsanguinate the package! Bring it downstairs to the Exsanguinator.

022b WellM Before you mount the package, you'll need to operate each machine once; just to clear out any residue and check its operational soundness. Don't want to contaminate the product, do we?

023 WellM I must ask you to follow the instructions precisely and promptly. I have customers who are waiting for their meat!

024 WellM Don't let me down, lad. I have a very tight schedule and many hungry, hungry mouths to feed.

025 WellM I have so much faith in you! I know you're capable of more.

026 WellM I want you to take this seriously, Arthur.

027 WellM I don't know what your previous jobs were like, but there's no shirking in my kitchen!

028 WellM I can't afford to replace you, my lad. We'll make a good worker of you if it kills both of us.

029 PC_Art I don't recall signing on to be a prisoner!

030 WellM It's just for a little while, Arthur, while you get up to speed. The job we do is so very important to Wellington Wells. The fact is, we've run out of rats and ravens.

031 PC_Art Why don't you tell the Executive Committee? I'm sure they'd give you a medal.

032 WellM That's just it! I don't think they would. People love to think about cows eating grass happy in the fields. And they like to get a steak wrapped up in brown paper.

033 PC_Art So he loves to hear himself talk. Good. Maybe while he's talking I can find something here I can use.

034 WellM But they don't like to think about how the cow gets into the brown paper. How the meat was connected to the bones. They want everything neatly wrapped up in wax paper, so they can keep it out of their minds.

035 WellM We are here to let people deny uncomfortable things. So they can get on with their lives.

036 WellM Once you understand the value of our work, you won't even want to leave.

037 WellM Now: join the package to the Exsanguinator via the provided access valve.

038 WellM All right. The green light indicates that the Exsanguinator is ready for exsanguination.

039 WellM Now, turn the crank until the Exsanguinator determines that the package no longer contains free liquids. We don't want anything to go to waste, do we?

040 PC_Art This is rather more disgusting than I expected.

040a WellM Ah, good! As you can see, each machine will release the package once it has accomplished its purpose. Efficiency is our watchword!

041 WellM The amber light indicates that the exsanguinator has completed its function.

041a WellM Next up, evisceration!

041b PC_Art That would be… the eviscerator?

041c WellM You learn quickly! As before, engage the mechanism briefly to verify mechanical integrity.

042 WellM Please detach the package from the Exsanguinator and attach it to the second machine, which I call the Eviscerator.

043 PC_Art I need to get him talking again. What about?

044 PC_Art You're very good at justifying yourself. I suppose you learned that during the War?

045 WellM What are you talking about?

046 PC_Art I found your letter.

047 WellM You were a child then. You wouldn't understand

048 PC_Art Oh, yes, it was a happy, carefree time for us kids.

049 WellM I loved her. We were just two young people caught up in something bigger than ourselves.

050 PC_Art That doesn't sound like what the Home Army's onto you about.

051 WellM You don't understand. I thought they would stay forever. I had to sell meat. We had to get on.

052 PC_Art I suppose we all made our sacrifices.

053 WellM Have you done nothing you regret? Or is it just that you have all your regrets neatly wrapped up in brown paper, so you can pretend you don't know how they got there? At least I look at the blood, and the flesh, and the bone. At least I remember.

053a PC_Art Was it supposed to do that?

053b WellM Did you not see the blades come out?

053c PC_Art No, just sparks. Also, a metal thing just fell out of the main bit.

054 WellM Dismount the package from the Exsanguinator and attach it to the Eviscerator.

055 WellM The green light indicates that the Eviscerator is ready for evisceration.

056 WellM Pressing the button on the side of the Eviscerator will extend the blades from the nozzle. Try it now.

057 WellM Now press the button again to retract the bladeshaft. You will need to retract the bladeshaft in order to mount the package.

058 PC_Art Um … The, ah, bladeshaft won't retract.

059 WellM Hmmmm. Please open the side panel.

060 PC_Art I can see a lot of wires and gears and … smoke … and sparks.

061 WellM Oh, dear. The commutator has overloaded again. I thought I'd fixed that.

062 PC_Art Maybe you'd better come down here and fix it again.

063 WellM Hah! I'm quite sure you can manage on your own. There's a spare one in the store cupboard downstairs. There's only one way to insert it.

064 PC_Art Damn it, I've got to lure him down here. Maybe figure out how to break one of these machines.

065 WellM Come on, no time to waste. We're behind schedule already.

066 PC_Art It's in.

066a WellM There we go! Try the button again.

066b WellM Good as new! Well, it is actually quite new, so… y'know. Anyway, we're back in action! You can attach the package now.

066c WellM Well mounted, lad. Well mounted!

067 WellM Right! Now retract the bladeshaft and mount the package.

067a WellM Excellent! When the eviscerator is done, the package will be dismounted, ready for another package!

068 WellM Excellent! While the Eviscerator is processing, the green light will stay red. When the light reverts to green, the package is ready to be dismounted and replaced with another package.

069 PC_Art Another package?

070 WellM Once I achieve a steadier stream of raw material, I would hope we can keep these machines running all day. Or at least long enough to take advantage of any surplus … protein that can be obtained in Wellington Wells.

071 PC_Art Yes, I see you've got some very enthusiastic suppliers.

072 WellM You mean Mrs. Crannock.

073 PC_Art What does she mean by "new sources"?

074 WellM My God, man, who do you think I am?

075 PC_Art She thinks you have an ambition to be the "purveyor of the finest, freshest meats."

076 WellM I'll have you know I turned her down! There's such a thing as "too fresh."

077 PC_Art Imagine my relief.

078 WellM Aren't you a chatty Cathy? You must have been such fun around the office Joy dispenser. Well, back to work.

079 WellM Now for the final process. Bring the package to the Exfoliator on the next floor.

080 PC_Art Exfoliator?

081 WellM Yes, it exposes the skin to steam, separating it from the muscle, and then removes the skin, making it available for tanning or other purposes.

082 PC_Art I don't mean to be impertinent but … shouldn't you do that first?

083 WellM Oh, no no. There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers! But that would result in the leakage of liquid. And you wouldn't want to put it second, either, because the package is much easier to manipulate with its skin on.

084 PC_Art I'm so glad I asked.

084a WellM On with the exfoliating. Press the button, check the functional integrity, und so weiter. I mean, and so forth.

085 WellM Now, mount the package on the Exfoliator!

086 WellM Fantastic. Now, assuming the light is green, press the green button.

087 PC_Art The, uh, light is out.

088 WellM Would you check that it's properly powered? There's a good lad.

089 PC_Art The power cells are depleted.

090 WellM Don't tell me I left it running all night again. Well, there's nothing to do but replace the power cells.

091 PC_Art Can you bring me down some?

092 WellM Ho ho ho. No need! You can refill them at the Motilene dispenser I have thoughtfully provided. Come on, hup to!

093 WellM Superb. The package will be released once it's fully exfoliated. Do you think Exfoliator is the right word? I thought about "decorticator," but Exsanguinate, Eviscerate, Exfoliate, has a nice ring to it, doesn't it.

094 PC_Art Definitely Exfoliate.

095 WellM I'm so glad to hear that. I mean, it's a "Scalder/Skinner," but that doesn't sound very official, does it? And the last machine is the Extruder.

096 WellM Once the light turns green, please dismount the package from the Exfoliator and remount it on the Extruder.

096a WellM Oh, that's it! The package is now fully prepared! We're ready for the extruder! Mount the package and let's get cracking! Oh I can barely contain myself!

097 WellM This is really the machine I'm proudest of.

098 WellM It's a combination meat grinder, pulper, and injection mold meat former. You wouldn't believe what I had to go through to get the pieces.

099 PC_Art That's it! If I can break his step-down converter, he'll have to come down here!

100 PC_Art You're a poor man's Dr. Faraday, aren't you?

101 WellM You're flattering me, boy, and I appreciate it.

102 WellM I met him once, you know? Brilliant man. Brilliant man.

103 (PC_Art LINE MISSING)

104 WellM That's an interesting thought, but I think you have it exactly backwards. What we do is a sacred service.

105 WellM Butchers used to be priests, did you know that? We were the ones who sacrificed the bull to the goddess Athena, and offer Her the bones and the fat. And then they got the meat to the people.

106 WellM And among the Hebrews, the butcher is still a holy man. He has to know the Talmudic laws.

107 WellM We're Hierophants. Priests. We deal with the freshly dead, and we expiate the sin of spilling their blood. We are the guardians of the watchtowers between the living and the dead.

108 PC_Art No time to read this now.

109 WellM Are you even listening to me?

110 WellM You know what, just remount the package on the Extruder and stop trying to distract me.

111 WellM Excellent! Now we can fill our orders! You're doing a lovely job, by the way.

112 WellM One nice thing about working for a butcher is, you never starve! You can have as much meat as you like! See? I told you you'd be well compensated.

113 WellM Now, up on my board you'll see a list of orders. I've already filled in the addresses. All you have to do is press the right button. For example, if the order calls for one meat loaf, and one meat bundt cake, then you press the appropriate buttons, and then put the order in the pneumatic tube.

114 WellM All right? I've put the first order up on the board. Make me proud!

115 WellM Good work! Now put the order in the hopper.

116 WellM Off it goes!

117 WellM That's terrific. I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

118 WellM You're doing well. And doing good, too!

119 WellM I'm very impressed.

120 WellM Isn't it an amazing system? I'm quite proud of all the automation.

121 WellM I wish we had more butchers! I could start franchising!

122 WellM No, no, no. That's not what it says on the board! Do it again.

123 WellM That's not what the order is! Try again!

124 WellM All I'm asking is for you to push the buttons that match the order. How hard can that be?

125 WellM Are you messing this up on purpose? Do it again!

126 WellM I need you to do the same order as before, but this time, get it right! Is that too much to ask?

127 WellM Don't you think we have a responsibility to the former owner of the carcass? To not waste the food?

128 WellM Come on, don't dawdle!

129 WellM You're a smart lad, speed it up!

130 WellM I want you focusing on the job. This is no time to daydream!

131 PC_Art Uh -- there's smoke coming out of the extruder!

132 WellM Well fix it! Use a repair kit, or bang on it. Just get it done! I can't figure everything out for you.

133 WellM Come on! Get cracking! You're making us late!

134 PC_Art The extruder's stopped working. All the lights are off.

135 WellM Well put in some new power cells! We can't break the First Law of Thermodynamics, can we?

136 WellM You're doing a lovely job. Why don't you take a short break and get something to eat.

137 WellM And… look at that! I'm all out of orders! I think this new system is working brilliantly.

138 WellM Why don't you get some rest. I bet we'll fill twice as many orders tomorrow!

139 PC_Art I've got to find some way out of here.

140 PC_Art What's behind this parcel?

140a WellM Back to work, nosy parker.

140b PC_Art He clearly wants me to stay away from the cellar. Is that the way out, I wonder?

140c PC_Art Ow. Those bloody spankers. I've got to distract him with something if I'm going to get into the cellar.

141 PC_Art … A door! Thank God!

142 PC_Art It's got a keycard lock. And I suppose Mr. Wizard has the keycard.

143 WellM What do you think you're doing? You can't leave! Where's your dedication? Where's your devotion to our sacred craft?

144 PC_Art I need to read that journal I found.

145 PC_Art "August 30. Have to be more careful. I accidentally put my hat next to the suction coupling, and it went right into the intake canister. Spent an hour pulling felt off the blades in the cyclone mincer. Imagine if that had been a bottle? Or worse, a wrench?"

146 PC_Art "September 9. Problem solved. Added a power cutoff to the suction coupling. Now it won't even start up unless a package is mounted onto it. I'm going to add the same cutoff to all the machines, to minimize accidents. Don't want Edmund's hand ending up in the V-meat!"

146a PC_Art Aha! If I stuff that broken bit of the eviscerator into the package, it ought to clog up the works nicely, shouldn't it!

146b PC_Art Ha. Let's see you extrude that.

147 PC_Art That's it. I can load up yesterday's package with all sorts of junk, and sabotage the Extruder.

148 WellM All right! Are you ready for another day of serving people? I mean, serving the people, of course. Hah hah, my little joke. Never mind.

149 WellM I'm just going to start up the board now.

150 PC_Art That doesn't sound quite right?

151 PC_Art Do you want to come down and see what's going on?

152 WellM No, no, I'm sure it will sort itself.

153 PC_Art Something's gone terribly wrong! There's smoke coming out!

153a PC_Art Oh, it's, er, it's doing that… smoky grindy thing again.

154 WellM That doesn't sound good. I better come down.

155 WellM Don't try anything clever. We have a lot to do today, and it takes so long to recover from the Spanker.

156 PC_Art Maybe if I hide I can catch him off guard.

157 WellM You maniac! You blew it up! Ah, damn you! God damn you to hell!

158 WellM People are starving! Don't you understand? We are witnessing the end!

159 WellM You'll pay for this! I'll never let you out now!

160 WellM I'm almost tempted to turn you into a package. Almost.

161 PC_Art I think I'll just get my things and go.

161a WellM Did I pass out? My neck hurts something terrible! Bloody hell! He choked me unconscious!

161b WellM Where are you, ye little twerp!

161c WellM You insubordinate bastard! You get back to your post!

161d WellM We'll have none of this Bolshevik shirking!

161e WellM Heavens, this is clogged up something proper!

161f WellM Are you skulking about somewhere?

161g WellM Don't wander off, I'll need you here as soon as I have this up and running again!

161h WellM Apprentice to the extruder room please, apprentice to the extruder room!

161i WellM Nnnng… damn thing…

162 PC_Art I don't see anyone else's things here. That's a good sign.

162a WellM You're not in the cellar are you?!

162b WellM You little fucker, you're in the cellar, aren't you?

162c WellM Come now, this is no way for an apprentice to behave!

162d WellM Come now around when there are mouths to feed, there's a good chap.

162e WellM Come now most unbecoming behaviour!

162f WellM Come now your sense of duty?

162g WellM Ah there you are; back to work with you.

163 PC_Art You know, Mr. Cutty? I think the police will not share your enthusiasm for your new product line.

164 Bobby What's going on up there? I heard shouting. Where's Reg?

165 PC_Art Mr. Cutty's turning cadavers into V-meat. I barely escaped becoming V-meat myself! He's got these horrible machines in there that turn people into… meat bundt cake!

166 Bobby Human bundt cake! That's monstrous!

167 Bobby Is he armed?

168 PC_Art He has a rather nasty Spanker, but I think he's a bit trapped in his cellar at the moment.

169 Bobby Right! We'll knock out the power, and go spank him ourselves!

170 Bobby Thank you, citizen! We'll take it from here.

171 WellM You can't do this to me! I'm pillar of the community!

172 WellM It's all lies! I never! Those are perfectly legitimate machines!

173 WellM I'm only trying to feed people! We're letting perfectly good meat go rotten! That's insane!

174 WellM I'll give you free sausages for the rest of your life!

175 PC_Art Perhaps I should give a thought to becoming vegetarian

176 WellM Come on, back to work?

177 WellM Where have you wandered off to? No shirking!

178 WellM The Devil makes plans for idle hands!

There were more points of failure on the machines, including having to charge and replace power cells, and you would have had to sneak up on Reg and choke him out to get into the basement.

Reg had a whole monologue about the place of butchers in historical society. I do really wish Line 103 wasn't missing 'cause it sounds a little more detailed than a lead into that monogue.

Also Arthur calling him a poor man's Dr. Faraday and him taking it as a compliment and assuming you meant the late Dr. Faraday. They used the conceit of Arthur not knowing Faraday was a woman, which is strange given that she's a bit of a local celebrity, but it might have made sense if they played with the past and present more with it, the idea that you couldn't not know of Dr. Faraday, but it could escape one's notice that the former had gone on holiday and the present one is his wife.

[bwabbitv3s]

I am looking into ordering a 1/2 share of a cow. As there are a couple places near me that have small operations that offer this. Would cost around $9.75/lb for about 300lbs live weight, even with the estimate of the low end of hanging weight loss it is over 100lbs of beef.

Add in that I love to cook this might just be my Christmas gift to myself. Well myself and my family. Plus it is one of the only ways I can get certain cuts of meat around me. I am not a big steak person but instead more of the other cuts of meat person for roasts and stews. One of my friends also might be into going half with me. I might have to do this and wait on upgrading my phone.

[stealingyourbones]

In The Adventures of Superman Radio Show (the one on spotify that you & I listened to but I’m lazy so please link it twin if you’d be so kind):

Ep 205 Superman called himself a “nice juicy beefsteak” to taunt timber wolves into biting him.

Ep 207 8:40 Clark uses a gun

Ep 303 5:45 Clark doesn’t believe in ghosts

Oh I fucking gOTCHU homie.

For any of those who are interested in Superman and his history, for the love of god check out this show. This fucker is the epitome of gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. Emphasis on the gatekeep.

Deep in a forest in the frozen north. This arc, The White Plague, a strange legend of the North Woods: The Legend of the White Plague. Intrigues Clark so both him and Jimmy go to the Boffit Logging Camp to investigate this mysterious legend.

Episode 204: a man begs the logging head (Mr. Harmond) to quit and is denied. We learn that a man named Dupree stepped into a bear trap and froze to death. Svenson in a drunken stupor fell into a lake and also froze to death. Suspicion that the white plague may be the cause. Bill Dawson talks to Mr. Harmond and suddenly they hear a scream of a man. A man named Gaston got drunk and wandered off and is now screaming in the woods. Clark and Jimmy are on their way to the camp via dogsled and are suddenly stopped by fifty fucking timberwolves that surround them. Their French-Canadian sled driver pulls out his gun. The wolves close in.

Episode 205: Clark tells Jimmy and the sled driver to scram and he’ll hold off fifty fucking wolves as a civilian ALONE. He actually wasn’t referring to himself as a beefsteak, but an actual steak that Jimmy was planning to give to Mr. Harmond as a thank you gift. None the less hearing Superman shout “Big Juicy Beefsteak” with such slyness that I busted out laughing. It’s one of the funniest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.

Superman then proceeds to beats the shit out of fifty wolves with NO remorse. Cut to Jimmy at the camp with Mr. Harmond’s kid, Nancy, who witnesses Jimmy fully breaking down in tears from the fear that Clark got killed by wolves. It’s really sweet and touching. Clark arrives and gaslights Jimmy into thinking it isn’t crazy that he arrived at the same time as a dogsled as a normal human moving at walking speed in Canadian winter.

Nancy does some exposition: Loggers are superstitious. The White Plague is a legend that punishes men who cut down trees when the roots are covered in snow. They think this is the cause of the mysterious deaths.

Clark dismisses Jimmy’s proposal that the deaths may be because of ghosts. The second that happens, a knock on the door startles the three. Clark opens to door to see Gaston, the man who vanished the day before, fall down dead in the entryway. Reminder that Jimmy is no older than 16 and this is only one of many murders he has witnessed.

Episode 206: Clark teaches Jimmy about the ice age and how trees turn into coal. Mr. Harmond gives Jimmy and Clark some sandwiches. Suddenly a dude just fuckin falls dead eating his food. Assumed to be a heart attack, Clark finds that it was murder from rat poison found in his sandwich.

Episode 207: 8:22. He checks the gun. He doesn’t fire it but it shows that Superman definitely knows how to operate a firearm.

Clark and Jimmy get shot at on the way back to the Boffit Logging Camp in Canada that the two are vacationing at. 4 identical rifles are used at the settlement to protect loggers from wolves. The question is which rifle shot at them? Oh also Jimmy fucking ascends. Him and Nancy get yoinked from the ground and are simply gone. Good to see that Jimmy can finally punch a higher power in the face for getting him kidnapped every other episode he’s in.

Episode 208: Clark and Mr. Dawson (dude who runs the camp) goes out to find Jimmy only to run right back to camp because of shots fired. Mr. Harmond saw a beast. A massive white eagle. Larger than a human. He fired twice. A massive feather on the ground confirms Harmond’s rambles. Superman flies off to investigate and finds a log cabin in the woods, inside Nancy and Jimmy lay on cots. They’re drugged but uninjured. Superman brings them back to camp. They’re still drugged but ok.

Episode 209: a priest is called from the nearby town to check on the kids and he dumps exposition on the Big Bad. The big feather that was meant to be the giant eagle was simply a bleached white turkey feather. Mr. Dawson, Clark, the priest, and a worker named Bill all talk and agree that this was someone in the camp doing systematic murder to break up the camp. Dawson and Clark equally praise lumber workers and insult them for working and also the job being a task that you dont need brains to accomplish. Then suddenly a fire breaks out in a cabin and a man named Travis is trapped inside.

[denvrestequip36]

Denver Restaurant Equipment

Denver Restaurant Equipment: The Essential Guide for Aspiring Restaurateurs

Introduction

Denver, Colorado, known for its vibrant culture, scenic beauty, and booming culinary scene, is an ideal city for aspiring restaurateurs. However, the journey from dream to reality involves many intricate details, one of the most crucial being the acquisition of the right restaurant equipment. Whether you're opening a cozy café, a bustling bistro, or a high-end dining establishment, understanding the landscape of Denver restaurant equipment is vital. This guide delves into the nuances of choosing, purchasing, and maintaining restaurant equipment in Denver, offering insights and tips to help you navigate this essential aspect of your culinary venture.

Understanding the Importance of Quality Restaurant Equipment

Before diving into the specifics, it's important to comprehend why quality equipment is fundamental to any restaurant's success. High-quality restaurant equipment ensures efficiency, consistency, and safety in your kitchen operations. It can significantly affect the speed of service, the quality of food, and overall customer satisfaction. Investing in reliable equipment minimizes downtime due to breakdowns and reduces long-term maintenance costs. Moreover, it adheres to health and safety regulations, which is crucial for maintaining a reputable business.

Types of Essential Restaurant Equipment

Cooking Equipment

Ovens and Ranges: The backbone of any kitchen, ovens and ranges come in various types, including convection ovens, deck ovens, and combi ovens. Each type serves different cooking needs, from baking and roasting to steaming and grilling.

Grills and Griddles: Ideal for preparing a variety of dishes, from steaks to pancakes, grills and griddles are essential for any kitchen aiming to offer a diverse menu.

Fryers: Essential for any establishment that serves fried foods, fryers come in countertop and floor models, with options for gas or electric power.

Refrigeration Equipment

Walk-in Coolers and Freezers: These provide ample storage for perishable items, ensuring they remain fresh and safe to use.

Reach-in Refrigerators and Freezers: Convenient for quick access to frequently used ingredients, these units come in various sizes and configurations.

Undercounter Refrigeration: Perfect for smaller kitchens or specific stations, undercounter units save space and provide efficient cooling right where it's needed.

Food Preparation Equipment

Mixers and Blenders: From dough mixers to high-speed blenders, these tools are vital for preparing a wide range of dishes and beverages.

Food Processors: These versatile machines can chop, slice, and puree ingredients, speeding up prep work and ensuring consistency.

Slicers: Essential for delis and sandwich shops, slicers provide uniform cuts for meats, cheeses, and vegetables.

Storage and Shelving

Dry Storage Shelving: Proper shelving is crucial for keeping dry goods organized and accessible. Stainless steel shelves are durable and easy to clean.

Pantries and Cabinets: Secure storage for utensils, cookware, and ingredients helps maintain an efficient and clutter-free kitchen.

Cleaning and Sanitation

Dishwashers: From undercounter models to large conveyor dishwashers, these machines ensure your dishes, glasses, and utensils are clean and sanitized.

Sinks and Faucets: Multiple compartment sinks and pre-rinse faucets are essential for washing produce, pots, pans, and other kitchen tools.

Sanitizing Stations: Essential for maintaining health standards, these stations include handwashing sinks and sanitizer dispensers.

Smallwares and Utensils

Pots and Pans: A variety of sizes and types, including non-stick, stainless steel, and cast iron, are necessary for different cooking methods.

Cutlery: Quality knives and cutting tools are essential for efficient and safe food preparation.

Utensils and Gadgets: From spatulas and ladles to thermometers and measuring cups, having the right tools can make a significant difference in kitchen operations.

Choosing the Right Equipment Supplier in Denver

Selecting a reliable equipment supplier is crucial for getting quality products and excellent customer service. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a supplier in Denver:

Reputation and Reviews: Look for suppliers with positive reviews and a good reputation in the industry. Word-of-mouth recommendations from fellow restaurateurs can also be valuable.

Product Range: Ensure the supplier offers a wide range of equipment from reputable brands. This variety allows you to compare and choose the best options for your needs.

Service and Support: A good supplier should provide comprehensive support, including delivery, installation, and maintenance services. Check if they offer warranties and after-sales support.

Price and Financing Options: Compare prices from different suppliers to get the best deals. Additionally, inquire about financing options if you need to manage your budget more effectively.

Local Expertise: Suppliers with local knowledge can offer insights into Denver's market trends and regulations, helping you make informed decisions.

Navigating Health and Safety Regulations

Compliance with health and safety regulations is non-negotiable in the restaurant industry. In Denver, the Department of Public Health and Environment oversees these regulations. Key areas to focus on include:

Food Handling and Storage: Ensure your equipment supports proper food handling and storage practices to prevent contamination and spoilage.

Sanitation Standards: Equip your kitchen with the necessary tools for maintaining hygiene, such as commercial dishwashers, handwashing stations, and sanitizers.

Fire Safety: Install fire suppression systems, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers as required by local regulations. Regular maintenance of cooking equipment can also prevent fire hazards.

Ventilation and Air Quality: Proper ventilation systems are essential for maintaining air quality and preventing the buildup of smoke and grease.

Accessibility: Ensure your establishment complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by providing accessible facilities and equipment.

Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Equipment

With increasing awareness of environmental issues, many restaurateurs are opting for sustainable and energy-efficient equipment. Benefits include reduced utility bills, a smaller carbon footprint, and positive customer perception. Here are some tips for choosing eco-friendly equipment:

Energy Star Ratings: Look for equipment with Energy Star certification, which indicates high energy efficiency.

Eco-Friendly Materials: Choose equipment made from sustainable materials, such as stainless steel, which is durable and recyclable.

Water Efficiency: Opt for water-efficient dishwashers and faucets to reduce water consumption and waste.

Waste Management: Implement waste management practices, such as composting and recycling, and choose equipment that supports these efforts.

Local Sourcing: Whenever possible, source equipment and ingredients locally to reduce transportation emissions and support the local economy.

Financing Your Restaurant Equipment

Purchasing restaurant equipment can be a significant investment. Fortunately, several financing options are available to help manage costs:

Leasing: Leasing equipment allows you to conserve capital and upgrade to newer models as needed. It also includes maintenance and repair services.

Loans and Credit Lines: Business loans and lines of credit from banks or other financial institutions can provide the necessary funds for purchasing equipment.

Vendor Financing: Some suppliers offer financing options directly, which can be convenient and tailored to your purchase.

Government Grants and Programs: Explore local and federal programs that offer grants or low-interest loans for small businesses, particularly those promoting sustainability.

Maintaining and Repairing Your Equipment

Proper maintenance is key to extending the lifespan of your equipment and ensuring it operates efficiently. Here are some maintenance tips:

Regular Cleaning: Follow manufacturer guidelines for cleaning and sanitizing equipment. Regular cleaning prevents buildup and reduces wear and tear.

Scheduled Inspections: Conduct routine inspections to identify potential issues before they become major problems. This includes checking for leaks, unusual noises, and performance issues.

Professional Servicing: Hire professional technicians for regular servicing and repairs. They have the expertise to handle complex equipment and ensure it operates safely and efficiently.

Employee Training: Train your staff on the proper use and care of equipment. Misuse can lead to damage and increased maintenance costs.

Record Keeping: Maintain detailed records of maintenance and repairs. This helps track the history of each piece of equipment and plan for future replacements or upgrades.

Conclusion

Starting a restaurant in Denver is an exciting venture, filled with potential for creativity and success. However, the foundation of any successful restaurant lies in its equipment. From selecting the right ovens and refrigerators to navigating health regulations and financing options, every decision plays a critical role in your establishment's operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. By investing in quality equipment, choosing reliable suppliers, and committing to proper maintenance, you can build a robust kitchen that supports your culinary vision and stands the test of time. Denver's dynamic culinary scene offers endless opportunities, and with the right tools and knowledge, you can carve out your own niche in this vibrant market. Remember, the journey of a thousand dishes begins with a single piece of equipment. Choose wisely, maintain diligently, and watch your culinary dreams come to life in the Mile-High City.