#or connect my phone to the office wifi

[bereft-of-frogs]

Me: ‘I need a break from the internet I’m just tormenting myself—‘

AT&T: I got you

NOT THAT MUCH OF A BREAK!

[dem0batz]

Curiosity Killed the Kitten

Sylus x MC // Love and Deepspace

Author's Note: First I was horny about Caleb's return, but catching up on the lore has me in my feelings. No smut, just emotional hurt/comfort with Sylus. All of my LADS fics take place in the same universe and is a connected story which means MC is romantically involved with ALL 5 love interests. This is just me trying to put the pieces together that we get in the game and applying it how I think makes sense in MC's situation.

Summary: After going to Skyhaven for an undercover mission and learning that Caleb is alive and well, as well as discovering some unsettling information about the Farspace Fleet and his role in it, MC returns home to Linkon City. All of the men in her life are concerned about her sudden unexpected vacation, but Sylus most of all does not accept the flimsy excuses of her brief disappearance. Content Warnings: Reverse Harem/Why Choose (MC is with all five love interests in my au), afab!MC, she/her!MC, tracking device without MC's consent, canon-typical Sylus stalking, Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff Word Count: ~2600 words | Read on AO3 | Chapter List

Since returning to Linkon City after your extended “vacation” in Skyhaven, you have felt an uneasiness settling in your gut. You should be over the moon that your long-dead brother wasn’t dead after all but everything about Caleb seemed… off.

There were still traces of the boy you remember. He still doted on your every need. Was still over protective in the most annoying ways and still used humor and guilt to soften your irritation. He had never been straight forward with you, always willing to do whatever he needed to protect you even if it meant keeping you in the dark. So the fact that he deflected most of your suspicious questions concerning the practices of the Farspace Fleet was not a surprise, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that he had lied right to your face about many of the things he did answer, which was new.

He had always seemed a little haunted to you; like there were things he wasn’t saying or couldn’t say and that hadn’t changed, but the depth of it now seems insurmountable. What was it they said about gazing into the abyss? Well now, often times when Caleb looked at you, you felt the abyss gazing back. Like your caring brother was gone and the cold officer he had become was steering the wheel. You couldn’t decipher where Caleb began and the Colonel ended.

While in Skyhaven, you hadn’t received any of messages and had connectivity issues with the wifi. Initially, you had reasonably blamed the shoddy signal on the fact that you were in a city in the sky and that the near-constant storms were to blame, but after uncovering some suspicious information about Caleb’s new life, you were no longer convinced it was a mere accident. Which left you to believe either the Fleet had more of an influence on Skyhaven than anyone suspected, despite what their public policies claimed, or Caleb himself had intentionally isolated you. Both were concerning and likely had some truth to them, but the former was more painful to think about.

Your phone had been buzzing nearly non-stop since coming back to the city, updating with message after message. Messages from Xavier about hot pot and confusion about your sudden approved vacation days that you never mentioned taking; Rafayel feigning danger, saying he needed his bodyguard to come and check on him asap; Zayne concerned that he hadn’t heard a word from you after Mia’s unfortunate death and insisting you check in with him as soon as you are able.

They had been relatively easy to appease for now. You informed them all you had just returned home and would make sure to see them in the coming days— you just needed one day to sort through your thoughts and feelings about the Caleb situation. Besides, what were you supposed to say? I didn’t actually go on vacation because I went on a solo undercover mission for the Association connected to the explosion of my grandmother’s house just to find my long-dead brother/sort of ex-boyfriend is actually alive and well, and is now one of the top ranking leaders of the Farspace Fleet who may be involved in some unethical practices because I had one conversation with a little boy whom they had been searching for and he seemed to have a complete personality change in the two days after his sister’s death?

It wasn’t exactly something that could be explained in a text message.

Needless to say, your men were worried about you, but Sylus most of all. Though his messages where a lot more direct in their efforts to get to the bottom of your disappearance. They started off playful enough in their probing, but the longer you were gone, the more insistent they became.  

Mr. Crow: Mephisto reported that you packed a bag. A big one. Where are we going? 

Mr. Crow: Now he says you boarded a shuttle. Why would you do that when you have a helicopter in the N109 at your disposal?

Mr. Crow: Your return date is a week from now. Did you go on vacation without me, kitten? You never mentioned a work trip.

Mr. Crow: I know you’re a busy big time hunter but it’s unlike you to ignore my messages like this, sweetie.

Mr. Crow: Mephisto lost you. The twins can’t find you either.

Mr. Crow: Where are you?

Mr. Crow: You disappeared on me and I’m worried. This isn’t like you.

Mr. Crow: I’m very unhappy with you right now.

Mr. Crow: You can’t hide forever, kitten…

You knew without a shadow of a doubt that Sylus saw the moment you returned to the city because your mechanical bird companion was tailing you again. You hadn’t intentionally slipped his detail or left Sylus hanging during your leave. It was no secret that the Onichynus leader kept watch of you and it had actually become a welcome security over the months since you began seeing one another.

It should have struck you as odd that Sylus didn’t hunt you down during your two week stay in Skyhaven but the truth was you had been hit with near constant surprises in the floating city that you had no time to think about anything but what was happening in that moment. But now that you were away and had space to think, you were left to wonder why Sylus never came for you. Why you were able to be imprisoned on a military fleet ship against your will and your mighty crime boss didn’t track you down and bust you out.

Your phone buzzes again, shaking you from your thoughts.

Mr. Crow: Look who’s back in town.

Kitten: Will you meet me somewhere?

Mr. Crow: Turn around.

You lower your phone, eyebrows drawn together as you turn against the flow of pedestrian traffic. Your eyes flit through the decorated streets, colorful ribbons and lanterns decorating the way in preparation for the New Year. The crowd parts, making way for a hulking man in a leather jacket walking steadily toward you with danger flashing in his crimson eyes, his mouth set into a hard line. It never ceased to amaze you how Sylus was able to blend in with a crowd when he stood out to you so much. He towered over everyone and had a dangerous aura to him, yet no one batted an eye in his direction.

You gulp nervously, knowing he wouldn’t let you get away without an explanation. One you still weren’t even sure how to say. Anxiousness has your feet moving quickly as you duck into an alleyway to wait for him. You couldn’t do this with an audience. Though it’s still light out, the strings of decorations above has the alley appearing more dark than usual, allowing you to slink into the shadows and away from prying eyes. It doesn’t take Sylus long to catch up, his own shadow eating up whatever light remains as he draws closer until he’s towering above and caging you against the stone wall.

“Sylus—”

“Would you look at that? I caught myself a stray.”

His fingers curl under your chin, not-too-gently angling your face toward his. That simmering anger in his eyes softens at the sight of you, disappearing completely to be replaced with concern. He reads you entirely too well, even if he doesn’t know the cause.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?”

You let out a vulnerable sigh, lip wedging between your teeth to combat the sting in your eyes as the relief of this secret you’ve been holding onto is lifted off of your shoulders the slightest bit. You didn’t realize just how much you had been carrying since Caleb’s return, but if a single soft look and concerned question from one of your boyfriends was enough to make you feel like crumbling, it must be a lot.

You still hardly believed it yourself that Caleb was alive and well after all this time. Had seen him with your own eyes and yet you still felt the loss of grief from his death and the sting of betrayal at his return. A confusing whorl of emotion builds up inside your chest because along with the relief that he was alive, you felt an overwhelming sense of resentment toward him.

For so long, Caleb was the only one you saw, blinded by the tunnel vision of his affection. Then he went and died before you could navigate the complex secret relationship the two of you shared only to return from the death of a literal explosion to metaphorically blow up your life just when you had started learning how to live without him. Just when you had begun to find comfort and care with Sylus and the other men in your life. They had become your new foundation in the rubble of Caleb’s place and now he was returning from the dead to level it once again. The rebuilding process had been overbearing and painful and lonely and you didn’t know how much more you had in you to start over again.

As much as you loved Caleb, he never played well with others when it came to you. Sylus thought Zayne’s jealousy and reluctance to share your time had been a hurdle but your childhood friend was nothing compared to your brother’s jealous streak. In the handful of times you were shared between Caleb and Zayne in your youth, it was always at Caleb’s command. Nothing happened without his approval. What he said went and neither you nor Zayne ever dared cross that line to try to further explore your attraction to one another. Not until after the explosion, anyway.

A gentle thumb on your jaw brings your attention back to the present, sympathetic ruby eyes grounding you.

“Does it have to do with how much time you spent in Skyhaven recently?”

Surprise and panic flicker across your face at Sylus’s question.

So he did know where you had gone, after all.

“Please, sweetie. After all this time and you’re still surprised that I keep tabs on you?  Mephisto may well be glued to your side. And that’s not even taking the twins into consideration or counting the various tracking devices planted on you and in you.”

“Sylus!”

“What?” he feigns innocence.

“Mephisto following me is one thing but you can’t bug me! I’m an agent of the law. Not to mention, where the hell did you get plant devices that can evade government detection? And more importantly, how did you get one inside of me without me knowing?”

Sylus’s proud grin widens as a thick leather-covered arm wraps around you like a vine. He pulls you into a slow dance in the alley, no musical accompaniment or reason for it other than he wanted to and he missed you.

It soothed some of the warring emotions within you, making your irritation with his stalking tendencies dissipate. Truth be told, you were grateful that he cared so much about your safety. You know Sylus now and know that his only intentions are your safety and success. Though you wouldn’t ask it of him, he would burn the whole world down if you requested him to, for the mere purpose of pleasing you. You couldn’t same the same about Caleb, who only ever kept you in the dark about his intentions.

“You should know by now that nothing is out of my budget or reach, kitten,” he purrs.

His playful demeanor slips a fraction. To anyone else it would have been undetectable but having spent so much intimate time with the Onychinus leader, you have learned to read him nearly as well as he reads you.

“What is it?” you ask, cupping his jaw.

Sylus nuzzles into your palm, a heavy sigh puffing through his nostrils, reminding you of a mighty beast that had been tamed.

“Nothing is out of my reach,” he repeats, “except whenever you disappeared into Skyhaven. Mephisto managed to follow your shuttle all the way to the city gates but the moment he tried to cross the threshold he began to short out. He had no choice but to turn back. Once you crossed over, I also lost signal of every tracking device on your person, including this one,” his finger lightly trace a spot between your shoulder blades. So that’s where it is. “I lost the ability to track you. To keep you safe. That’s never happened before and naturally was a cause for concern.” He hesitates for a moment as if afraid to ask but does anyway. “Where did you go during your ‘vacation’?”

“I don’t know where to start,” you admit as the tightness in your chest starts to constrict to a painful degree. The cardiac event monitor on your watch begins to beep erratically, indicating a dangerous rise in your pulse oxygen levels.

“Shhh, it’s okay,” Sylus pulls you close to his chest, resting your head and hand against the steady rhythm of his own heartbeat.

He talks you through the attack, his calming voice like a balm to your ringing ears. After several long moments, you feel like you can breathe again and your watch finally goes quiet.

“Yes, I’m with her right now and she seems to be coming out of it,” Sylus’s voice drifts clearly to your ears once more. His voice tightens irritably at whatever the person on the other end says. “I wouldn’t put her in that kind of danger. I called you as soon as her symptoms began, didn’t I?”

He pauses again to listen to whatever was being said, giving you a reassuring smile though he still looks annoyed.

“I can drop her off at your office tomorrow morning. Or if you’re truly concerned and thinks she needs immediate medical attention, you’re welcome to meet me in the N109 Zone in an hour.”

Pause.

“That’s what I thought. I’ll continue to monitor her and if anything changes, you’ll be the first to know. Have a nice day, doctor.”

Sylus hangs up the phone and tucks the device back into his pocket. Hearing his side of the conversation, you have an idea of who he had been talking to.

“Dr. Zayne wants you to report to his office first thing in the morning. He said he won’t clear you to return to work until you do.”

This news comes as no surprise. Since an event was triggered, you would have to answer to Zayne about the cause, yet another conversation you weren’t ready to have. But he deserves to know Caleb is back. You just didn’t know how to tell him most of all. At least Sylus, Xavier, and Raf were a degree removed from the situation. Zayne would be almost as affected by the news as you, considering that Caleb was his best friend and the odd nature of the relationship the three of you previously shared.

“You could start from the beginning, sweetie,” Sylus murmurs against your hair, lips brushing your head in a loving kiss as he reminds you of what caused your heart rate to spike in the first place.

“I can’t,” your voice croaks. “Not now. Not here. It’s… too much.”

“Okay,” he relents. “But I’m taking you home with me regardless. After spending two weeks worrying about your safety and unable to reach you, I need you with me tonight. Then after a good meal and a lavender bath soak, if you feel like telling me what’s going on, I’ll be all ears.”

The sting returns to your eyes and you grip the back of his leather coat like an anchor. You were so grateful for your dragon and the way he kept you safe, even from yourself. That when you were spiraling down a vortex he would always catch you.

“I love you, Sylus,” you whisper, throat tight with emotion.

“I love you too, kitten.”

OpaLADS Taglist: @i-messed-up-big-time

[twistedpink]

Mc Inserts x TWST characters pt.3 pt.2 pt.1

Al-Asim!Mc x Riddle Rosehearts @/kyokills

UGH the one of many kids x only child dynamic is to die for!!! You’re his light, the only person who could be so contradictory to him, while understanding his circumstances fully. He fixes your hair when you mess it up, and you give him the confidence for what his “letting loose” is. It is total balance. The two of you make small talk over tea and biscuits a little too often to just be friendly, but you guys haven’t crossed that line yet- It drives everyone you know insane.

“Why are you here? I swore you were aware of study hall this evening..”

“Ah! Do you have room for one more? I wanted to see you in action! Pew pew”

Pomefiore!Mc x Ace Trappola (Anon suggestion!)

The two of you are bad people in very different ways, so the only solution is to suck together! SDC is the perfect opportunity, too bad both of you are terrible roommates. You’re a judgy little whiner, and he’s a skeezy prick- AKA a match made in heaven <3 The crux of the problem is your assholeish behaviour only multiples when you hang out. Everyone else hates you, so you supplement the lacking connection by getting ever closer,, Soon enough you’ll get the message and hook up. Just not yet.

“Ace! What did I tell you about taking my serums from the fridge??”

“Do I look like I listened? Ow!”

Savanaclaw!Mc x Jade Leech (Anon suggestion!)

Ahhh,, Those enhanced senses, fluffy tail, and downright violent demeaner makes you the perfect lab rat. So many possibilities from taste testing to psychology! Too bad you hate Jade’s guts, he’ll wear you down eventually :) His little test subject was only defending their friend against the big-bad housewarden, and as the nurturing vice, how could he ever turn a blind eye to your struggle? He tries to be magnanimous with you- if only you’d taken his deal in the first place,,, With his stalking loving badgering, in a few short weeks you’re practically domesticated! Those days where you threatened to “swallow him whole” are water under the bridge! Now what is he to do with his new pet?

“My, aren’t your canines impressive?”

“Well you don’t have to say it like that,,”

Civilian!Mc x Silver Vanrouge (Anon suggestion!)

Your poor, neglected (unofficial!) delivery boy being stuck in the rain is not something you want to watch all weekend, no matter how good he looks soaked. Your parents go out around this time anyways, and over the years of cozy meetups he wears down your walls with sweet smiles and even sweeter kisses <3 Silver is the perfect boyfriend, and while getting whisked away to briar valley makes you nervous, he’s worth it. Of course all the sneaking around right now hurts your feelings a bit, but doesn’t distance make the heart grow fonder?

“Aren’t you just darling! Are you sure I can’t keep you til’ dinner?”

“You’ll just have to get by with my jacket, I’ll be back next weekend :)”

Ignihyde!Mc x Sebek Zigvolt @/fidenciocryptidcreechur

Sure, your dorm’s not known for its diplomacy, and maybe you’re a little stunted by it, but you’ll be damned if you fail art. Anything taught by Crewel is a nightmare for the introverts of ignihyde, and for your information it does suck to suck! Self proclaimed “EASIEST” elective your butt (that you fully suck at btw! You really need this freaking credit!) newsflash, nothing about art is easy! It’s all in the interpretation, and the practice, and the reference, and- holy moly is that a muscular extrovert on a HORSE? It’s time to put your big boy pants on, and pay a fifteen year old for their time. + biceps. #lockedin

“MC! I’M READY TO BE DRAWN!”

“alright! Hold that pose..”

Vice president!Mc x Rollo Flamme

Every mysterious hero needs their roguishly annoying best friend, just guess which one you are! You hover around your pampered wittle boss for a couple hours a day in exchange for the elusive office wifi. Rollo insists magicam is rotting your brain. You just respond by his spamming his ancient phone with couple’s challenges, despite being immediately rejected on a daily basis. The student body says you’re “odd” on the best of days, but your office crush hasn’t kicked you out yet- so you must be doing something right! Right?

“Woah, that guy is beautiful!”

“I’d like to assume you aren’t referring to Malleus Draconia, but it seems all your romantic conquests are an effort to “bug” me.”

“I live to serve, sir :)”

[mothyandthesquid]

Lavender miniskeins, available on sock or DK. I’ve finally managed to get a printer, the best one I could afford. Unfortunately, it’s refusing to connect via WiFi or Bluetooth so I now also have to buy a cable. And since the cable will connect it to a computer, rather than my phone, I have the additional problem that the laptop I bought for the shop last year was so cheap it ceased working the first time I was forced to upgrade Windows on it.

Not being able to have decent stuff in the first place only makes it more expensive in the long run. I do have a laptop I use for studying, but having to take that to the shop every time someone overseas makes a purchase is not ideal. I’m forgetful, and it might get damaged. I can’t afford to risk my ability to write essays for university.

No, I do not need advice about Royal Mail services. It would be kind of wild to imagine I haven’t looked into all locally available and realistic options given that my livelihood depends on it. What I actually need is for any of: (a) one of the three local post offices to accept my mail, (b) a working computer for the shop, or (c) printers not to be dicks about wireless connectivity.

Argh! 😱 Things can be so frustrating, can’t they?!?

[dusty-pistol]

"Something's Gotta Give"

SELFSHIP SHORT STORY THING!

Prepare for some cringe writin about my sona with a fictional president. What an interestin sentence... Anyway, as usual, this is gonna be rather self-indulgent and a little sad. Hold onto your bootstraps, bucko!

Staring at an endless wall of large screens, that of which adorned the surrounding and otherwise dark area with a warm glow of yellow light, stood the robot who monitored it all. It stood before the screens, watching them and the flashing clips of different codes and notifications. But one notification caught his attention. The sound was different from the rest. Special, as he saw it.

Bringing the notification into its processor, it internally looked it over through his systems. It was a simple message. But the moment he read it, he closed it and flicked it back to the screens in a flash of electricity. He was needed somewhere else. Out of his own dimension, as per usual. But at least this time, it was a dimension he enjoyed. All because of a certain person who resided there.

The cervine robot snapped its hoofed fingers and projected a different, more professional outfit onto himself. It certainly wasn't a date or anything, but he wanted to look good and fit in with the times in which that dimension was set currently. He didn't bother putting on a humanoid illusion yet, seeing as he was only going to be seeing one person who had already seen his physical form.

Once he assessed his appearance and considered it good enough, he waved a hand and brought up a command box. Pushed a few buttons and took one more glance at the timeline moderation screen before activating the transfer.

It was quick. Quick and simple as if just connecting to the WiFi or booting up a program on a computer. Just a quick flash, and suddenly, the robot's surroundings had changed. It was standing in an office. One it had found itself in plenty of times before. And there across the room, sitting in a chair at a large desk, was the man he had gotten the notification from.

"You called, sir?" The robot's voice rang out as he stepped across the room over to the man hunched over his desk and fidgeting with his arm. He lifted his phone head to meet the robot's gaze and seemed to perk up a bit. At least, his cord tail did as it lifted and swayed calmly. "As punctual as ever, eh, fawn? And for the record, there's no need to be so formal. We're a little past the whole 'Sir' thing, don't you think?"

The deer faltered for a moment as he heard an amused chuckle leave the phone head's receiver. Watching him push out from behind the desk and walk around to the other side where it was standing. Those metal footsteps clanking against the floor up to him. "Right... Sorry, Cal. It's a habit I still gotta kick. Anyway, you needed somethin'? I got things to manage too, ya know. So I can't stay for long. Not to mention the damage I'm doin' to this dimension just by bein' here..."

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of your impressive and oh so important business that you need to get back to. But is it so bad that I just wanted a moment of your time?" The taller of the two replied with a dramatic sigh, holding a slight teasing hint to his tone as he lifted a hand to take hold of the other man's. His fingertips traced along the deer's cloven fingers and up past his knuckles. Finding its place intertwined with the other's. To which the eyes displayed on its screen rolled at the phone head's tone.

"...No, I... I suppose it ain't that bad. It's just- well- I've already explained everythin' to you before. If I stay here for too long, I could warp your timeline and ruin ev-" It was cut off by the president raising his metal hand to stop him from going on any further. "I know, calm down. All I'm asking is that you take a break from your job and join me for a moment. You won't destroy an entire dimension just by talking with me. Nobody knows you're here except me, so you don't gotta worry your fuzzy little head about it. Get me?"

Hearing it be explained so calmly, as if it wasn't a big deal, sort of soothed the robot's systems a bit. Just enough for him to relax his previously tense shoulders and give a quick nod of understanding.

"Alright, alright. I get it. I'm just worried, is all. What if someone does see me? I mean, I could always deploy a hologram to make myself look human, but -" Again, he was shushed by Callum. This time, by a hand covering his mouth. He didn't even realize he was starting to ramble about his worries until Callum had to quiet him a second time. Giving an apologetic look, he muttered a muffled "Sorry..." against Callum's hand before it was pulled away from his face, and instead, it grabbed his shoulder.

"I made sure to lock the door before I even called you, so there's no risk of anyone seeing you. You don't need to put on some fake face around me. I've got everything covered already. Just listen to me and relax, won't you?"

Giving a nod, the deer lifted his ears and stood up a little straighter, signifying he was ready to listen as asked. After all, that's partly what it was programed to do.

Seeing the change, Callum gave a hum of approval and patted the robot's shoulder. "There we are. That wasn't so hard, was it? Now, c'mere, I've got something I wanna show you. I think you'll like it."

Still holding his shoulder, Callum guided his companion over to the other side of the desk and sat down in his chair. Pulling the deer down to sit on his lap. Which earned a little yelp of surprise from the cervine, as he expected.

Callum didn't wait for the other to regain his bearings before rummaging through the desk drawers and pulling out a file, and sliding a few papers out from it. "This is what I've been working on. Ya see, I've got a speech planned a couple weeks to a month from now, and I wanna know what you think of the script I wrote! Proofread it for me, if you'd kindly..."

Handing the papers to the robot, Callum rested the bottom of his phone head on the deer's shoulder and read the pages with him. But it didn't need to read the papers to know what was on them. He'd seen this all before on the screens back in the server room.

As baffling as having all of this shoved in his face was, he was snapped out of his stupor when he saw the script.

With a grimace, he pretended to read the papers and gave a little nod of acceptance. "This is very well written. Though, you should add a comma here so it doesn't turn into a run-on sentence." He said as he pointed to a spot on the page. Trying to focus on anything other than the actual writing and what it all meant.

Leaning in, Callum seemed to be squinting at the page. Looking at the small mistake with a little surprise. He gave a small hum of consideration before chuckling in amusement.

"Hah, see, this is why I like to have you around! You can point out all the little mistakes and mix-ups that I can't! You're an observant little bugger, huh fawn?" A smile could be heard in the president's tone despite not having a mouth to smile with. He wrapped an arm around the deer's shoulder and held him a little closer as some sort of appreciative hug.

Despite wanting to melt into Callum's embrace, the deer was visibly tense, and he held a small frown on his face as he stared at the pages in his hooves. Normally, he would've just ignored them and reciprocated the affection. But he just couldn't this time. Not when the future was catching up to him so fast. That script in his hands was proof of that much.

"Yeah... It's what I was programmed for..." The robot mumbled, still not tearing his gaze from the script. Which Callum picked up on the moment he heard the dejected tone.

"Oh, c'mon, I didn't mean it like that. You know what I meant. Just- Listen, you're more than just my editor or assistant. You know that." Callum tried to reassure, which only came off as if he was annoyed that his companion didn't understand what he meant. Whether Callum was annoyed or not was the least of the deer's problems, though.

Staying silent, he tried to come up with a response that wasn't something that could destroy the timeline. The only thing he could come up with was a little mutter. "Well, it's... This is a very good script, Cal. I'm sure the people will love it. You'll change lives with this speech. I just know it."

Despite the praise, he sounded upset and visibly full of dread. For good reason, of course, but Callum would never know that. The president took the upset tone as disapproval and sighed. Before he could explain his reasoning, the robot set the pages down on the desk and pushed itself up to stand. Pushing the president's hands off and stepping away as Callum sat up in surprise.

"Listen, Cal... You know you always amaze me with all your ideas. But, I just got a notification that I'm needed elsewhere, so I'll have to cut this short." The robot explained as its voice wavered with emotion threatening to break through. "I'm sorry, I really am. We'll talk later. Just-... I know you think you've got things good now. But something's gotta give eventually. Please, stay safe. I'll see you next week... I lo-"

Nearly halfway out of his seat and still reaching out, Callum tried to grab the deer by the wrist. But it was gone in a flash of electricity before it could even finish its sentence. Callum didn't get the chance to tell it to wait or stay. He was frozen in place for a moment until a sigh escaped him, and he slumped back into the cushioned seat. Running a hand down his metal face in disappointment.

Callum wasn't the only one sulking in his own disappointment, however. As soon as the cervine robot had gotten back to the server room, it turned the hologram off and started pacing.

Running scenario after scenario through its systems for any possible outcome where things would turn out alright. But nothing seemed to work. And that started to frustrate and overwhelm it. Everything eventually melded together, and all he could think of was Callum himself. The moments he'd miss all because he couldn't interfere with the timeline.

Feeling the frustration bubbling up in his chest got to an unbearable degree. So much so that he quit pacing and instead stopped in his tracks. Reeling back and thrusting his fist into the screen before him with a shout. The yellow glow flickering as the impacted area grew cracks in the glass accompanied by dead pixels.

He only spared a glance up at the damaged area to see the timeline laid out on the screen. Each important event marked along the vast line stretched out seemingly endlessly. A certain date now blacked out by his fist and dead pixels. The main event he'd been dreading ever since he first spoke to the man he'd somehow fallen so hard for.

The screen itself was an easy fix. A whole timeline was another story entirely. It was something he couldn't afford to interfere with. While the dreaded event would take the Callum he knew away from him, interfering could take Callum from him entirely. He refused to allow that to happen.

Removing his hand from the cracked screen, he lifted it and started repairing it with the All-Use Solver, threading the pieces back in place with a sigh as he walked away.

So much left unsaid. So much left undone.

[bogkeep]

look i just need to write a big venty post about petty problems it's fine

i COULD write this in a private journal but in the interest of saving my wrists im just gonna yell at my public blog aggretsuko style!!!!! like i'm. a little worried that i'm extra angry and irritated at everything since i started on T, but i also feel like i'm just currently wading through a curse of a thousand cuts and i'm just reaching maximum capacity okay. like these are all small petty things, nothing is going to ruin my life, people experience far worse things all the time everywhere i'm just so SICK of trying to do so much and ending up wasting my time and money and energy all the time constantly!!!!!!!!!!!

i already complained about how much stress having legally moved to sweden has caused me and how i can't get my travels to the evil gender clinic reimbursed and a bunch of other annoying problems, and how i had to do so many stupid annoying phone calls - phone calls are FINE but they're only available within very specific working hours and it's so fucking annoying if you're at school or work and like!!!!!!!! i need to take time off to make a private phone call!!!!!!!!! and then all the times i had to follow up on goddamn fucking gender clinic just to get ANY help with the thing they PROMISED ME, and just today i sent them ANOTHER message just to make sure that thing is GOING ANYWHERE AT ALL............. and then calling my phone provider AGAIN and being told to send them ANOTHER EMAIL!!!!!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LAST I SENT THEM AN EMAIL (because that's what they told me to do when i called them the first time). I GOT TOLD TO CALL THEM!!!! FUCKING HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WON'T YOU LET ME OUT OF THE TORMENT NEXUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm almost out of mobile data and i can't top up on it because ONLY THE OWNER OF THE SUBSCRIPTION CAN DO THAT. DO YOU KNOW WHO THE OWNER IS???? MY DEADNAME!!!!!!!! IT'S ME EXCEPT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING!!!!!!!!! FUCK OFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF

and do you know why i'm almost out of data!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! because the room i'm staying in has such garbage wifi connectivity i need to turn off the wifi to do anything on my phone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's like the shitty tall bed is a no-wifi zone!!!!!!!!! i can't believe this is happening. i haven't run out of mobile data in YEARS like what the FUCK is going on. what kind of data drain goblin is drinking all the internets in my phone!!!! and YES i checked the data spending stats and it makes no sense WHY IS THIS HAPPENING. im hoping that if my email to the phone provider is sad wet and pathetic enough they'll gift me some free data for being sent back and forth like a goddamn ping pong ball.

do you know who i want to give a call though. the norwegian post. if their phone queue wasn't like 23583249843298 people i would like to ask them very kindly WHY THE FUCK DID THEY BILL ME 80 FUCKING KRONER FOR SENDING A POST CARD. IT WAS 3 PITIFUL GRAMS OVER THE STAMP LIMIT. LIKE I KNOW I'M TECHNICALLY IN THE WRONG BUT IT WAS AN HONEST MISTAKE I FORGOT THAT NORWAY HAS A LOWER LIMIT THAN SWEDEN AND I JUST. AUGUHGHHG I WANTED TO SEND MY FRIENDS A **POST CARD** AND A CUTE STICKER!!!!!!!! but i decided on not calling them because i don't want to spend 1.5 hours waiting to speak to someone just to complain about a fine that was earned even if unfair. but then. AND THEN. the holy grail of spiteful petty frustrations.

i decided to purchase an Item. but in the attempt of not getting a thing tied to Bad Monopoly Corporation i purchased a different thing from Another Bad Monopoly Corporation. WHICH WAS MY FIRST MISTAKE. NEVER DOING THAT AGAIN!!! then the Item is sent to the post office super far away and it's such a hassle getting there and it kinda sucked but okay. normal day for me i guess! but then it turns out the Item doesn't even WORK because it's FUCKING REGION LOCKED. AND IT WASN'T GONNA DO THE THING I THOUGHT I WAS GONNA DO ANYWAY. BECAUSE BAD MONOPOLY CORPORATION HAS A MONOPOLY ON THE FUNCTION I DESIRED!! HAHA!! OKAY COOL fine i get to return the item and get my money back right??? right. right!!!! so when i finally have access to a printer i print out all the custom slips and return slips and just all the things!!!! okay!!!!!! and i send it off!!!!!! okay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BUT THEN IT GETS RETURNED TO ME!!!! BUT TO SWEDEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BECAUSE I WAS STUPID AND WROTE MY SWEDISH ADDRESS AS THE RETURN ADDRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND THEY RETURNED IT BECAUSE THE CUSTOMS SLIP WAS WRONG?????? was it because i put it on the back of the envelope??? the post office people said it was fine :(((((( post office people stop getting me in trouble 2k24!!!!!!!!!!! i intended to call the post customer service about it because im so tired of everything being a money drain and i want to know why they did this and im just so frustrated with everything going fucking wrong but. what do i even say. i don't think i have it in me to wait in an hour long queue when i can only call during the hours i'm at my watchmaker placement :(((((( the strength has left my body and i'd like to cry instead thanks

anyway i contact customer service for Bad Monopoly Corporation like hey i sent it off but it got returned and im out of town can you pretty pretty please extend the return deadline. but because Bad Monopoly Corporation probably only gives their customer service workers negative two seconds to read emails they didn't even respond to my email they were like "follow these steps to return your item :)" three times before they actually replied to me and told me they can't extend the deadline. fucking fine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i get my landlord to do it!!!!!!!!!!! VERY COOL NOT HUMILIATING AT ALL. HOPEFULLY IT GOES THROUGH THIS TIME OR IM GOING TO EXPLODE INTO A MILLION BILLION PIECES FOREVER

also i purchased a can of sparkling water at a bar the other day and it cost 60 kroner :((((((((((((( that's like 6 americadollars. i think that's evil actually

[daemonmatthias]

Tuesday: try to get on my computer, but it won’t connect to the WiFi (my phone does, though). Tell my husband, who helps me troubleshoot a little. The modem is fine, the mesh router in the bedroom is fine (hence WiFi on phones), but the mesh router in the office is so broken it’s not even showing up in the app. Nothing we try makes any difference, so he tells me where to find the Wi-Fi dongle for my computer and says he’ll leave work early to call. He does get home early, and sits on hold for over a hour before giving up because it was dnd night.

Wednesday: I deal just fine all day again using the WiFi dongle & one working router. Husband attempts to call again and is given an estimated wait time of just over 3 hours. He says fuck that shit and when he gets home he’ll sign us up for Xfinity instead, which he does.

Thursday: wake up to no WiFi at all and honestly, I’ve already forgotten what all my husband did to troubleshoot bc, at the time of typing, I am still eating breakfast and haven’t had caffeine yet. But he said quantum is reporting no issues. None of the 3 devices were showing up in the app, but I think he reset the modem and then that showed back up? But still not either of the routers.

Sure hope the new provider’s stuff shows up today so my husband can install it tonight. This is ridiculous.

[altruistic-meme]

heyo! it's been a hot minute since that post abt ur living situation after the hurricane(?) and all and just wanted to check in if you were doing ok!! it always makes my day to see you pop up on my dash or notes :D

hi!!! yeah, things have been calming down finally so there hasn't been much to report for me :)

i think i said it a few days ago, but im still without wifi rip. in fact, almost everyone i know is without wifi right now, and a lot are still only getting super weak phone connection at their house. mine works great at home but hardly does anything when im at work.

i think there's still a handful of people i know without power still, but most of us seem to have finally gotten it back! my coworker was yelling at me cus of how soon i had gotten my power back while he had still been waiting for his (he finally got it back a few days ago)

but yeah :) im still super anxious about every hurricane i hear about right now, and bc of altered work hours this week and my drs office closing early on fridays i still haven't figured out my medicine situation, but im less anxious about losing my power again and finally feel comfortable getting cold/frozen food again!

also still sad about the damage everywhere but that's not going away any time soon, so it's a grief ill have to learn to live with

[tauforged]

i can connect to the work wifi from my phone but not my actual work computer cuz they’ve disabled wifi connectivity on our computers in favor of direct ethernet connection but whatever the ethernet cables are connected to is down or acting up or otherwise disconnected somehow so now the entire uostairs office is basically dead in the water until someone figures out how to get ahold of IT without using teams or email because we can’t get to either of those w/o internet. good lord

[8-ballbitch]

My guide book for homestuck troll oc making, it all but a personal resource not meang to replicate the works of an offical guide, i simply wanted a collection of info to have offline. When i created this offline guide, i did not have the trappings of a consistent wifi connection, having no phone with data AND a decent way to access the internet (a 30$ flip phone in 2017-2019) so this is my way of making do.

My goal, was to create a troll oc for every one of the extended zodiac signs, using my notes as refrence.

My infomation is probably outdated by now, and my contain bias from me when i still thought i was cis, or at least a demi-girl, girl adjacent, or whatever i thought my gender was back then. I also thought i was pansexual, but identify more with aroace now. Ive changed a lot.

I think its time i pick this silly little book and redo it.

Some example pages from it:

Rough around the edges, done entirely by hand over the span over a year or 2, three at most, and i messed up a lot here and there between the margins, hence my push to redo it, fixing my mistakes and updating any misinfo, and continuing my troll extended zodiac project.

This project is not affiliated with anyone else's project, no matter how similar in concept it may be. My attempt at this stems from trying to sit down and make a trollsona for every aspect of my zodiac map, aka all that sun in gemini, moon in capricorn, etc. Etc. Etc. Even down to like house 12 in scorpio, and this star in particular, and this dwarf planet were both in virgo when your birth happened, like i was thorough with it. And i had like about half the extended zodiac as possible troll characters made because of this??? So i figured...sure, why the fuck not and go the extra mile?

So yeah. Time to kick the autism up and notch and return to form.

[br1ghtestlight]

it's hilarious to me that ive been to the dentist so often in the last year that my phone automatically connects to the dentist office wifi 😭😭

[purrincess-chat]

Under the Moth’s Wing CH6: Lady Wifi

April Fools! The joke is I don’t have anymore of this story ready after this chapter, so this is all you guys get for now. Also Ladrien in Adrinette April? ;) Anyway, I’ve been busy, so I haven’t had much time to write or work on this one, but I promise I’ll be getting back to it soon! Until then enjoy this update ;)

Read on AO3

Chapter 6

“Hey, bugheads! Alya here with another update on Paris’s new superheroine! Our girl has done it again, defeating Stormy Weather earlier this afternoon. I wasn’t able to get much footage because I was stuck under ice, but I haven’t given up on our mission to find out who the girl under the mask really is. None of my current theories have much evidence, so one thing is for sure: Ladybug is seriously good at keeping her identity a secret, but that won’t stop me from investigating! I’ll keep you guys updated. Bye for now, bugheads. Don’t forget to stay connected!”

Adrien dimmed the screen on his phone at the dining table, and his father sipped his coffee pensively.

“Alya is really interested in finding out Ladybug’s identity. I think she could lead us to her,” he said.

“Excellent work, Adrien. I think you’re right, this girl could prove valuable to our cause.” His father smirked, the closest expression to a smile his father was capable of in Adrien’s experience. “Keep an eye on her, and let me know if she finds anything.”

“Yes, Father.”

School was like any other day, and Adrien was finally starting to get into the routine. He greeted various classmates as he passed them on the way to the locker room. Marinette was standing by her locker with her back to him, and he ran his fingers down the soft yarn of his new scarf with a smile.

“Hey,” he called as he approached. Nino got onto him about sneaking up on people, so he’d been making more of an effort to announce himself.

Marinette turned to him, with a cheery smile, though her eyes widened like she was still startled to see him. Drat. He’d have to work harder.

“Hi, Adri-you! You-drien! Ad-you. Hey, hi. What’s down? I mean, what’s going up?” She slapped a palm to her forehead with a sigh.

“Uh…” Adrien tilted his head to the side. Maybe shouting wasn’t the best way to announce himself. He’d clearly made her flustered. “I just wanted to come thank you for my new scarf and wish you luck in the tournament.”

“Oh! Yeah, right. The scarf. You’re so welcome. I mean, it wasn’t any trouble at all.” She giggled. “Does this mean you like it?”

“I love it!” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “No one’s ever made me a gift like this before. I’m just really glad we put our differences aside, and I hope we can become good friends from now on.”

“Me too!” Marinette squeaked.

The bell rang, and Adrien gestured for Marinette to walk with him to class. She offered him a stiff smile and fell into step beside him. Silence stretched between them as they crossed the courtyard, but rather than the hostility Adrien had grown accustomed to with Marinette, this felt more… awkward. Like neither of them knew what to say after being enemies for the first three weeks of knowing each other. Adrien tried not to let it get to him as they made it to class. After all, his friendship with Nino had started off slow too. They’d get there eventually.

Mlle. Bustier’s class was interesting, although literature wasn’t his favorite subject. Adrien surprised himself with how much he enjoyed school, even outside of getting to make new friends. All of the material came quickly to him, and he was consistently one of the highest grades in the class after Max — a fact he used as evidence when proving to his father that letting him go to public school was a good idea.

Midway through a lecture about Shakespeare, Adrien’s phone buzzed in his pocket. With a quick glance up at his teacher to ensure he wouldn’t get caught, Adrien spared a glance at the text.

I’ve akumatized a disgruntled office worker uptown. Stay put and keep an eye on the girl with the blog.

Adrien tucked his phone away with a sigh. At least his father sent a warning text this time, but there was no way he could sneak out of school and make it uptown in time to see Ladybug. Oh well. If Alya managed to learn her identity, Adrien could just ask her out in person.

Everyone’s phones buzzed with an akuma alert — a new emergency broadcast the police had come up with after the Stoneheart incident. Mlle. Bustier instructed everyone to remain calm as the threat was nowhere near the school.

“Mlle. Bustier!” Marinette’s hand shot up. “Can I use the restroom?”

“Yes, but hurry back.” Mlle. Bustier gave a permitting nod, and Marinette darted for the door.

Adrien leaned against his fist as Mlle. Bustier resumed her lesson, the rest of which was uneventful. The akuma threat stayed across town, never giving the school a reason to lockdown, and much to Adrien’s dismay, he never saw Ladybug.

When the bell rang to signal the end of the period, Mlle. Bustier quirked a brow at Marinette’s abandoned backpack.

“Alya, can you make sure Marinette gets her bag back?” she asked.

Alya’s eyes furrowed as she gathered her friend’s belongings and slung the pink bag over her other shoulder.

Adrien tailed her up the hall, keeping enough distance to not seem suspicious. She was watching news footage on her phone as she crossed the courtyard toward the locker room, but she made no moves to sneak out to get in on the action.

The day wore on, but Alya stayed put, shifting from class to class with Marinette’s abandoned bag in tow. Where had she gone anyway? Was her bathroom trip really that much of an emergency? Adrien shrugged it off, seeing as Marinette wasn’t his target, and he really didn’t want to know what she was up to in the bathroom.

After their final class, Adrien followed Alya back to the locker room with a sigh. Nothing exciting happened after all, and he missed seeing Ladybug too! Maybe the whole Ladyblog thing was a bust.

Alya stopped short, ducking behind a row of lockers, so Adrien did the same a few rows down. She peeked around the side to the next row, but Adrien was too far away to see what she was spying on. Or who she was spying on. After a few minutes, she paced swiftly back up the room toward the door, and Adrien fumbled to act natural, though Alya paid him no mind. He waited a few seconds, then followed.

By the time Adrien made it out of the locker room, Alya had already sprinted across the courtyard and up the stairs to the exit. Adrien jogged after her, making it out in time to see her dragging Nino down the steps to the banks of the Seine. His eyes narrowed, but he pursued them quietly.

“You absolutely cannot tell anyone what I’m about to tell you!” Alya was saying when Adrien paused on the stairs above their bench to listen.

“What are you talking about? I have to go pick up my little brother,” Nino said, sounding annoyed.

“My sisters go to the same preschool as your brother, they’ll be fine.” Adrien could picture Alya’s eye roll. “What I’m about to tell you is the biggest scoop.”

Nino sighed. “Fine, but make it quick.”

“I know who Ladybug is!”

What?

“Whoa, no cap?” Nino gasped, a phrase Adrien still couldn’t decipher. “Who is it?”

Alya got quiet for a few moments, and Adrien strained to listen.

“Pfft, yeah right!” Nino’s laughter echoed up the canal. “You really think Chloe Bourgeois has an altruistic bone in her body?”

“Shh!” Alya hissed. “Look, I saw her stuffing Ladybug stuff into her schoolbag in the locker room. What better cover for a superhero than pretending to be a spoiled brat? No one would suspect her!”

“Yeah, because she’s not pretending. Seriously, there’s no way Chloe is Ladybug,” Nino said.

“You don’t know! I’ll prove it!” Alya shot back.

Adrien rolled his eyes and crept back up the stairs. Some journalist she was. First of all, Ladybug was a radiant goddess, and Chloe was… Chloe. Secondly, Ladybug and Chloe were both at the Eiffel Tower when Stoneheart attacked, so there was no physical way it could be her — a fact Adrien remained grateful for. Alya really was a dead end.

Heading back into the school to prepare for his fencing practice, Adrien clicked the phone icon next to his father’s name. He answered on the second ring.

“I take it since you’re calling that you’ve found something?”

A hello would have been nice, but Adrien was used to his father’s curtness.

“Not exactly. Alya thinks Chloe is Ladybug, but that’s not even possible! I’m sorry she wasn’t more useful, Father.” He lowered his gaze, bracing for the scorning.

“Hmm.” His father hummed. “We may still be able to use this to our advantage.”

“Really? How?” Adrien blinked.

“Ladybug is highly esteemed by this girl. She will be disappointed to learn that her idol isn’t who she thought she would be,” his father said. “She will make excellent prey for my akuma. We just need to be patient.”

“I’m glad I could help?” Adrien smiled, still confused, but happy his father wasn’t angry. “I’ve got fencing now, but will I see you at dinner?”

“I have to be prepared in the instance that Chloe proves disappointing. I need to be ready to capitalize on this girl’s negative emotions,” he said.

“Oh.” His shoulders slumped. “That’s okay. Maybe next time.”

His father hung up, and Adrien tucked his phone back into his bag with a sigh. At least something good was going to come from his efforts. Maybe if they brought his mom back, his father would have meals with him again. It was a nice thought anyway.

The next day, Adrien sat back as Alya crept after Chloe into the locker room, dragging a reluctant Nino with her. An akumatized Alya would likely mean a chance to see Ladybug for him, though Adrien did feel a little guilty for setting Alya up. But only a little. He might have made friends with Marinette, but he hadn’t crossed that bridge with Alya yet.

Speaking of, he hadn’t seen Marinette since she left for the bathroom the previous day. Hopefully she was okay. One thing he hadn’t thought about with public school was how often everyone got sick — a fate he’d managed to escape so far. Maybe he’d get her a get well gift when she got back to school. That was acceptable for friends to do, right?

The bell rang, and Adrien headed to class, though Alya was pointedly missing when Mlle. Bustier shut the door. Chloe strutted in with a smirk, so he could only assume that everything was going exactly according to his father’s plan. Nino’s slumped shoulders seemed to confirm the worst as he slipped onto the bench beside Adrien. With a deep breath, Adrien tuned into the lecture, figuring it wouldn’t be long until Alya interrupted.

A few minutes into class, Marinette crept through the door and into her seat quietly. She seemed to be feeling better when she leaned down to tap Nino’s shoulder.

“Where’s Alya?” she whispered.

“She got suspended.”

“What?” Marinette shot up with a gasp.

Mlle. Bustier stopped her lecture and turned to them with a frown. “Marinette, if you’re going to come in late, at least do so quietly.”

“Sorry.” She waited thirty seconds before tapping Nino again. “What happened?”

“She got caught digging through Chloe’s locker because she thinks Chloe might be Ladybug.” Nino rolled his eyes.

“What?” Marinette gasped again.

Mlle. Bustier turned around again with a steely glare. “Marinette, if you interrupt my lecture again, I’m going to send you to the-”

“Hello, people of Paris! Lady Wifi here bringing you the scoop of a lifetime.” The overhead projector sprang to life on its own, and scarlet eyes glared back at them behind a black mask. Lady Wifi spun the chair next to her around to reveal a cowering M. Damocles. “Why don’t you tell us the real story? Is it true you suspended a girl named Alya earlier for no good reason?”

“I did.” He shrank away from her.

“So, you admit that you were biased?”

“I was.” He frowned.

“I thought so.” A purple beam shot out of Lady Wifi’s phone screen, a pause symbol stopping M. Damocles in his tracks. “I’ve got an even bigger scoop for all of you coming very soon. Stay tuned as I unmask Ladybug!”

The broadcast ended, and Adrien’s classmates huddled together in fear. Even Mlle. Bustier seemed shaken.

“Alya…” Marinette glanced at the empty seat beside her, face sinking.

Adrien shifted his weight, his phone weighing heavy in his pocket. He’d known it was coming, but seeing his classmates tremble in fear still made his stomach twist in knots. As much as he enjoyed seeing Ladybug, he really hoped Lady Wifi succeeded in unmasking her, so they could put an end to this nightmare.

“Stay calm, everyone.” Mlle. Bustier clapped her hands. “Ladybug will get this all sorted out soon. Go home until the all clear texts are sent.”

Adrien hung back from the crowd, retrieving his phone from his pocket.

School was dismissed. How can I help?

He retrieved his books from his locker while he awaited a reply. Halfway up the courtyard, his phone buzzed.

Lady Wifi will be targeting Chloe Bourgeois. Head to the Grand Paris and make sure she succeeds in unmasking Ladybug.

Adrien smiled, tucking his phone back into his pocket. His father didn’t have to tell him twice. He’d happily throw himself in front of Ladybug any day. If all went well, he’d know her identity, and if they played their cards right, she didn’t have to know he and his father were the ones that took her Miraculous. He could totally still ask her out.

The hotel was suspiciously empty when Adrien arrived. There wasn’t even a receptionist at the front desk, which could only mean the akuma was close if everyone was hiding. Adrien took the stairs, but halfway up to Chloe’s floor, he heard commotion coming from the dining room. Cracking the door, he peeked into the room where Ladybug was tussling with Lady Wifi.

Smartphones were scattered around on every table, and Lady Wifi was using them to bounce around the room. Frustrated, Ladybug smashed each one, forcing Lady Wifi to face her one-on-one.

Adrien slipped through the door, pressing himself against the wall to watch their fight, ready to swoop in to comfort Ladybug the moment she lost, but his cover was blown when Lady Wifi sent her flying across the room. She landed at his feet, the shock in her eyes melting into a glare.

“What are you doing here? It’s dangerous, go home!” she growled.

Adrien helped her to her feet. “I thought I could help. What do you need me to do?”

“I need you to get out of here!” Ladybug spun her yoyo in front of them, deflecting a shot from Lady Wifi. Pushing him behind the bar, she tossed the cash register at Lady Wifi.

“But I’ve helped in the past! We make a pretty good team, don’t you think?” Adrien flexed.

“Look, I’m really sorry, but without superpowers, you’re too much of a liability. I’m not looking for a sidekick, so please, get out of he-”

Lady Wifi charged in, catching Ladybug in her brief moment of distraction. The two exchanged kicks and jabs, but Lady Wifi drove Ladybug back, launching her into the kitchen and locking the door. When Lady Wifi disappeared in a flash of light, Adrien raced for the door, but it wasn’t budging. Remembering when he and Chloe would play in the hotel halls as kids, Adrien recalled there was a dumbwaiter they used to ride down to the kitchen to sneak desserts and darted for the stairs. It was a much tighter squeeze than he remembered, but the dumbwaiter held out as he descended into darkness.

“-why won’t it come off?” Lady Wifi growled as Adrien drew closer.

“Uh, because it’s magic,” Ladybug said.

Adrien’s lift buzzed loudly when he landed, drawing attention to him as he toppled out. The alarm was new, and probably a direct result of his childhood escapades.

“Oh, look. Your little boyfriend came to rescue you,” Lady Wifi cooed.

“He’s not my boyfriend!”

Ouch. Technically true, but ouch.

“Ya know, for a girl that loves superheroes, you sure had no qualms joining the enemy to fight against her. I think you’re a fake fan.” Adrien crossed his arms over his chest.

“You- What?” Lady Wifi faltered, clutching her head.

Ladybug used the opportunity to kick the phone from her grasp. It slid across the room, freeing her arms from their locks. Lady Wifi scrambled after her phone with a growl, flicking her scarlet gaze between Adrien and Ladybug.

Adrien braced as she charged for him, attempting to dodge her fist, but her foot collided with his stomach, knocking him winded onto the cold floor of the freezer. He rolled over with a wheeze as the door slammed shut and crawled to his feet.

“Why don’t you prove to all of us that you’re the real deal, Ladybug? Let’s see you save your little boyfriend, hero,” Lady Wifi said.

Adrien tried the handle, but the door wouldn’t budge. Cold pricked his skin, trailing goosebumps up his arms. He huddled down into the warmth of Marinette’s scarf, rubbing his arms. He’d never appreciated his new friends more.

“Adrien?” Ladybug beat on the door. “I’m going to get you out of there.”

“Yeah, n-no p-problem. I’ll just chill in here.” Literally.

“Lucky Charm!”

Wait, she was really going to waste her lucky charm on him? That had to mean she was into him, right? She was worried about him getting hurt earlier… The thought warmed him up quick.

“You’re all about to get the scoop of a lifetime!” Adrien’s phone sprang to life in his pocket, Lady Wifi’s broadcast taking over every screen in Paris. The image shifted to the scene of Ladybug scrambling around the kitchen with a red and black spotted box. “We all look up to her, but can we really trust her if we don’t know who she is? In just a few short minutes, she’ll transform back, and all of Paris will know what she’s been hiding!”

Pots and pans clanked on the other side of the door as Ladybug shoved things out of the way. She heaved the microwave onto a cart and placed her lucky charm inside. Plugging it into the outlet outside the freezer, she shoved the cart against the door and turned the microwave on.

Of course! The microwaves would jam the signal to the lock on the door. His lady was so smart, but why was she using it to free him when she could use it to escape the kitchen and take down Lady Wifi? Saving him was a waste of time! Not that he should complain. If she lost, it was a win for them, and his heart skipped knowing she desperately wanted to save him. All in all, his plan to ask her out when all was said and done looked really promising.

The microwave blew on the other side of the door, and Adrien pocketed his phone before she ripped open the door and pulled him out. He collapsed into her arms, nuzzling into her warmth. It was dramatic, but after being locked in a freezer for two whole minutes, he deserved to be snuggled by a beautiful superheroine.

“Are you okay?” Ladybug held him close, rubbing his arms.

Adrien would have savored it more, but the scent of burnt plastic and smoke from the busted microwave in the corner was ruining their moment. Her red and black spotted box lay abandoned on the floor, having fallen out of the microwave when it exploded.

“You used your lucky charm to save me. Why?” Adrien frowned.

“Well, I can’t have my favorite little sidekick freezing to death.” She brushed his nose with the tip of her finger and smiled. ]

His cheeks burned hot, pushing out any traces of cold left in his body. That was a statement he’d be dissecting for hours later.

“Thank you. You really are a hero,” Adrien said.

Ladybug stood up, helping him to his feet, and surveyed the room. The doors were still locked by Lady Wifi’s magic, and with the microwave busted, they weren’t getting out that way any time soon. She touched a hand to her earrings when they beeped and pursed her lips.

“After I defeat Lady Wifi, the doors should open.” She retrieved her lucky charm and crawled into the dumbwaiter. “Please, stay out of trouble. I really mean it this time.”

“I’ll do my best,” Adrien said. He pressed the button on the dumbwaiter and sent her up, rubbing his palms on his jeans.

The camera icon in the corner disappeared, and Adrien retrieved his phone from the freezer, a live feed broadcasting their battle on the roof. Lady Wifi was likely planning to stall Ladybug until her timer ran out, so it would behoove him to stay put until she won. As far as his father was concerned, getting her to waste her lucky charm saving him to start her timer was a valiant effort toward their cause, even if it wasn’t his original intention. But Ladybug chose to save him even though it set her back. The least he could do was return the favor. Comatose mother in need of magical earrings or not, Adrien owed her.

Adrien zoomed in on the wifi box on the roof and pursed his lips. Helping Ladybug was risky, especially being openly broadcast to everyone in Paris — including his villainous father who was counting on him to make sure she lost. He’d think of an excuse later. Right now, his future wife needed him.

Adrien crawled back into the dumbwaiter, lifting out the same way he’d come in. The pool deck had been abruptly abandoned when the akuma broke out as all of Paris moved indoors to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. Only a crazy person would willingly throw themselves in the middle of a battle between two girls with superpowers, but Adrien had always read that love made people do crazy things. So, as Lady Wifi’s camera followed their action on the other side of the pool, he grabbed an abandoned drink from a table and climbed up to pour it on the wifi box.

With the signal around the hotel jammed, Lady Wifi’s powers evaporated, and Ladybug kicked the phone from her hands, smashing it with her yoyo to reveal a black butterfly.

Adrien climbed down as she captured the akuma, slipping into the stairwell while her back was turned. He retreated down to the restaurant, blowing a sigh through his lips. Hopefully his father didn’t see him actively betraying their mission by helping Ladybug. Something told him his father wouldn’t understand Adrien’s life-for-a-life philosophy.

Ladybug’s magical ladybugs swarmed the dining room, fixing all of the damage. They even swirled around Adrien, removing the ache from his ribs where Lady Wifi kicked him — a strange sensation Adrien couldn’t even begin to describe. The lady of the hour emerged from the stairwell, stopping short when she saw him. Relief flooded her expression, bringing back the warmth to Adrien’s cheeks. Why did she have to be so gorgeous and concerned for him?

“I see you figured everything out in the end,” Adrien said.

Ladybug approached him, crossing her arms over her chest. “I know it was you that fried the wifi signal. I couldn’t have defeated her without your help.”

“Well, to be fair, it was my fault you used up your lucky charm.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “And I was really touched when you chose to save me instead of chasing after Lady Wifi.”

“I wouldn’t have to save you so much if you weren’t always throwing yourself into dangerous situations, ya know.” Ladybug chided. Her earrings beeped again, and she glanced around frantically. “I’m about to change back.”

“Here.” Adrien pulled open the janitorial closet.

She rushed in without a second thought, trusting him so easily. Pink light flashed through the cracks, and Adrien’s hand hesitated on the handle. He could open the door and figure out her identity. He could bring it home to his father like a trophy. They’d be one step closer to waking his mother up. But as his fingers slipped from the handle, legs carrying him down the stairs and out to the sidewalk, he couldn’t bring himself to regret the decision.

Ladybug trusted him, and even though he’d have to betray her eventually, he wanted to enjoy the double agent gig for a little while longer. Why did she have to look so beautiful in the dim restaurant lighting? His enemy being the most gorgeous woman in the world was the real crime. The way her mask furrowed over her blue eyes when she was worried about him was to die for. And something told him death wasn’t off the table as he headed home to his father.

Dinner was ready when he arrived home, and to his surprise, his father was already seated in the dining room. He instinctively straightened, taking his normal seat at the opposite end of the table. Was his father dining with him because he did something right or because he knew Adrien helped Ladybug escape again? The silence was deafening.

“So…” Adrien cleared his throat. “We were really close this time.”

“Yes.” His father nodded. “Great work. Baiting out her lucky charm was an excellent idea. I’m proud of the lengths you went to on this mission.”

“Oh.” Adrien perked up. “Yeah, totally. That was my plan all along.”

“I know I was hard on you, but getting your mother back is important to me. I want our family to be whole again. I’m sure you understand,” his father said.

Adrien straightened. “I do, Father. I’ll keep working hard to help you in any way that I can.”

“Thank you, Adrien. I can’t do this without you.”

Adrien bit back a smile, taking a sip of his tea as their staff brought out the first course. Everything worked out in the end. His father didn’t know he helped Ladybug win or that he gave up a chance to learn her identity. Ladybug thought of him as a trusted ally, which meant he would definitely be seeing her more in the future. If Adrien played his cards right, he could get everything he wanted. His mom, the girl of his dreams, his father’s regard…

Adrien’s heart skipped. For the first time since they started, Adrien felt like everything was going to be okay. His skin still crawled at the thought of hurting people, but if they got their wish, they’d set everything right in the end. Until then, he’d keep working hard to help his father. After all, it was the first time he’d ever told Adrien he was proud of him.

[bryanevansduff]

Enforcing Our Company’s Back-To-Office Policy Has Made Me Drunk Off A Power You Couldn’t Possibly Comprehend

Our company’s back-to-the-office policy strives to promote a healthy balance between remote work and in-office collaboration. By having team members return to the office, we can foster a sense of connection, strengthen our company culture, and, most importantly, make an HR middle manager like me drunker on power than you would ever believe.

Truly, my power high is indescribable. The Germans don’t have a word for how intoxicating it is to command people to spend more time in the physical presence of coworkers who could care less if they lived or died. The Romans’ Bacchus himself could never have dreamed of the wild orgy of elation I get to experience when I report to a team leader that their direct report didn’t arrive last Thursday as they said they would. And the Hindus never conceived of a caste high enough for those of us who get to remind their colleagues to fill out the shared Outlook calendar to schedule a workspace for their days in the office. Now I Am Become Death.

As a reminder, our company believes in-person attendance is a powerful way to build unity and cohesion, but that power dwarfs in comparison to what I feel when enforcing it. Sending out back-to-office mass emails fill me with an Atlas-like resolve. Forcefully weaning these babies’ off of their precious “work-life balance” makes me think of Hercules’ 12 labors as child’s play. And had I been able to call their personal cell phones to issue them a verbal warning for not being in the office enough, Genghis Khan and his Mongol Horde would have stopped dead in their tracks. King Kong Ain't Got Shit On Me.

Though my resolve is unrelenting, that’s not to say I won’t occasionally vary my approach. I’ll surprise someone with a “I hate to be the bad guy...” or “You know, if it were up to me...” when reminding them they have to spend two hours a day commuting if they want to keep their health insurance. But all this empathy is nothing but a performative sham. The truth is, if it WAS up to me, you’d all be chained to galley oars like Ben Hurr, where your rowing could power the vending machines in the break rooms that no one has used since the last Bush administration. I Am The Captain Now.

Some call me a zealot, but how could I not be with a responsibility this important? I’m charged with ensuring the company crams as many people as possible into our big, dumb open floor plan so they can all sit on Zoom calls with each other all day while our Wifi bandwidth totally tanks from it. Upper management charged me with the divine purpose of justifying the company’s inordinate, shortsighted investments into the office’s real estate and I have accepted that calling with an unbridled enthusiasm. I Am A Golden God. 

There are no exceptions to the policy, as there are none with my power. You have a funeral to attend during one of your scheduled back-to-office days? Hey, why don’t you “Zoom in” to the service to pay your respects? What’s wrong - I thought you said being remote was JUST AS PRODUCTIVE as being in person? Allow me to remind you that your offer sheet said you were required to come to the office three days a week as terms of your employment and said nothing about you being able to adequately mourn for your mother. That’s right: Say My Name. (In case you forgot, it’s “Hayley” or “Sayge” or “Zacc” or something stupid because the boomers in charge outsourced this work to someone who was born shortly after 9/11).

Anyway, if you have any questions at all about this transition, please do not hesitate to reach out! But as a reminder I do not work Mondays, Wednesday, Thursdays, or Fridays.

[mahoushoujoumonster-x]

Assassin au!

She is cool, calm and collected as she walks through the busy shopping district, one arm toting several large brightly coloured bags. She isn’t discrete, though she really doesn’t need to be as she window-shops, stopping to stare intently at one display— or rather the reflection of the window showing her target behind her, a corrupt politician giving a speech on a small platform.

She glances up, noting at least three security cameras visible to her and smirks, pulling out her phone and working quickly to set up the EMP transmitter, connecting to the wifi and— boop! As soon as the flashing lights aren’t visible, she turns, hand reaching into one of her glossy bags and fingering the poisoned needles resting in the lining. She just needs a clear shot to get to him.

She takes slow steps up to the platform, her expression doe-eyed and feigning interest in whatever lies are being spewed from the target’s mouth. After the speech is a meet-and-greet for questions, and this man has a habit of only shaking young girls’ hands. Couldn’t be any easier to get to him, she thinks, as she slips a senbon into her hand, stepping closer and reaching up…

BLAM!!

She finds herself splattered with blood as the shot rings out, echoing over the plaza. People around her start screaming as the single shot pierced the man’s throat, moving quickly to get away. Mana ducks out of the way of the panicking crowd, watching the target slump and fall, already dead. She slowly rights herself and turns to look up into the sea of office buildings looking over the district, glaring at the only window that’s a little open.

Her hand reaches up to her earpiece. “Witch to Pharaoh… what the hell? I had him, what the hell did you get involved for?!” He was supposed to be the Watcher today, not muscle in on her job!!

“I swear to God, Atem, you are so dead when I get my hands on you!!”

But unfortunately… that probably wouldn’t be until after the police finished their questioning. She could already hear the sirens approaching, and people were already starting to move back. She was left out in the open.

“You hear me, short stack? I’m going to skin you alive,” she hisses, before schooling her expression into the appropriate amount of panic for the bystanders.

@nevertem | AU PROMPTS FOR AU AUGUST vc

[pbandjesse]

We are driving back home. The memorial service was thankfully more about supporting each other. I did not cry. If I think about it to hard I might. But I made it through a day that could have been a disaster but worked out because I made it happen. Im only a little proud of that.

I did not sleep great. I fell asleep easier then expected. But woke up with James's alarm and I couldn't fall back asleep. I was anxious about the day. I would get up at 7 when my brother texted me and I had to ask James to handle that while I got ready.

I would feel alright. A little absent of myself. Like I look in the mirror and I'm not connecting to my own eyes. That happens sometimes. But I tried to look good and was happy with my face and hair. The trim I gave myself last night I think helped.

James changed our sheets while I finished getting myself together. Then we hugged and I was off.

I forgot to bring any breakfast and I didn't want to stop anywhere. I also forgot the keys to the art building. But I was not interested in going inside. So I just didn't. I would make it work when I got to camp.

It was a nice drive. And I got there right before 8. And I got to be helpful right away because there was a guy at the bottom of the hill who was lost.

He was there to reseed the field but it was literally his third day and he was a little confused and wasn't given enough info. So I'm glad I was able to help. Once I got parked at the art building I walked down to the office and got Heather on the phone and she told me to send him to the feild. And I was able to help him figure out how to get his truck over there. We walked the feild together and I opened the fence.

While I waited for him to drive around I went to see if we had cake left in the freezer. Which we did so I was excited for breakfast cake. And then I called the doctor's.

They were really nice about it and changed my appointment to 1. So I could stay at camp until 1230. They were really chill about it. Which would be surprising later when I found out that everyone who normally comes on Monday came today because of the holiday (including me) and so they had twice as many patients as normal. And we're training two new injection people. So it was quite a day and I appreciate how kind they were getting my appointment changed.

I would help lawn guy move all the astroturf and collected any sports equipment I could find. And let him know I would be on the porch if he needed anything.

I went down to the office and set myself up at the table. I used my phone's hotspot since I couldn't get on the wifi with the door locked. But that's fine. I ate my, still mostly frozen, cake and worked on my laptop.

I finished tightening up a few things in my lesson plans and making sure the supply list was good to go. I would start making a list of where the tribes were speaking about are on the continent so I could circle that on the different maps. So each program will have a visual for where they are speaking about. Which I think will help them figure out what different natural resources would be available.

Heather would show up around then. She said we need to get me an office key. I'm not to worried about it. I will probably be more worried when it's cold out. Though I was really sweaty and was happy to get some AC.

Heather would help me get on the wifi and showed me how to scan things to my laptop. And then would spend the next hour working on my maps.

Lou, Alexi's dad, would come to talk to Heather about horses. Continues to forget who I am but remembered James. Handsome Jimmy as he call them. We talked about his granddaughter who is maybe going to Temple. For field hockey. So I got to talk about the nice things about philly. That was fun.

I would take a walk to the art building with the extra key. I put away the stuff I brought. And then took a walk to the nature center but it was locked. Heather likes my idea about the snail tank but we need to find the key to the building. Joe probably had it but he wasn't around. Maybe tomorrow I'll figure that out.

Heather would have me start collecting some emails. Which was not as straight forward as I was expecting. But I got some at least. And once I was at a good stopping point me and Heather went on a walk to woodlands.

We would write a list of things that I could work on down there. Painting. Creating. Cleaning. Moving furniture. It was nice to talk through the projects and the spaces. I'm pretty happy about it. But I was also starting to get slightly a little stressed about needing to leave for my appointment.

We would finish up exactly on time though. We got back to the office. Where Elizabeth and Alexi were and I said hello and then goodbye!

I stopped to fill my water and then I drove the 40 minutes to the rhumatologist. I got there 1 minute before my appointment.

Not that it mattered. They had my paperwork at the bottom of the pile, because I'm the last one usually. And they would get me back quick. But I could hear everything. And that's when I heard that they were crazy busy and backed up. So I would have a wait. About 49 minutes. Ah well.

The nice lady came and did my injections though and they hurt a bit today. But it's fine. I was glad it was done. I made my appointment for next month. And was out the door before 2.

I stopped over at the Dunkin and got munchkins to share with James. And then home.

When I got back to the house I was excited that there were packages. The screen protector came for my tablet. And a new dress I ordered. And a book. I found James trying to iron their shirt but the iron wasn't actually on so that was funny.

I got overheated trying to put the screen protector on. But I did my best and it's mostly correct. I'm just glad it's safer now. I was super sweaty though.

So I took a shower. And got dressed again. James made me a bagel. And I had an hour to just sit and calm down before we had to be on the road again.

We left at 345. And it wasn't a bad drive at all. We didn't have to deal with any traffic. We weren't driving directly into the sun. I was anxious but only a little. I brought my knitting and completed one square. We passed Jess's exit and we waved. We arrived in the town at 530.

We went to Wawa for gas. James felt weird that someone pumped our gas. But that's just jersey. And then we went inside and got sandwiches to eat in the car.

I was mostly just focusing on being with my husband. And that I was looking forward to hugging my family. I couldn't handle the other emotions. Those are very deep and I can't focus on them or I'll fall apart.

When we got to the funeral home I was convinced we were in the wrong place. There were a lot of people and I didn't recognize anyone so I was sure I messed up. And then my mom and my brother weren't answering me so I was sure I messed up.

But thankfully Steve would pull up and my parents and Felicia were with him. Everything was alright again.

And it was a lot of people. Sabrina's friends. Audrey's friends. AA people. Bikers. People in memorial sweatshirts. Which the turnaround in having that made was impressive.

We went in the line to see all the pictures of Sabrina. I forgot how dark her hair was when she was younger. Seeing all the pictures of her with friends. She looked so grown up.

Hugging everyone helped. Audrey and Nadine both kept saying thank you to me and James for coming. For driving so long. But honestly the only thing I could say was I wish I didn't have to be here. I wish this didn't happen. But there wasn't a chance I wasn't going to be here. I moved things to make sure I would be. It was important.

There was no service. I am glad. I would have lost it. Instead it was just everyone talking and supporting each other. It was good to be around all the people who loved Sabrina. And I particularly loved talking to my brother and Felicia. And I missed them both and it was just so nice to talk to them. The little moments feel so important. I am very worried how swollen my brother's hands were. He might have an infection from slamming his hand in a door and also poison ivy?? I hope he sees someone.

I also was glad to be with my parents. To talk to my aunt Nadine and uncle Dave who I love so much.

There was a lot of hugging. A lot of laughing. We were being as ridiculous as we normally are when we are all together. The Lentzs don't know how to now start talking about things that are probably not appropriate. We can't stop laughing when it's probably not appropriate. We supported each other by not talking about it but talking about everything else.

I enjoyed hearing about who was who from mom. And I told Nadine they need to come visit us. They went on a not great bus tour through Baltimore so I hope we can give them a better tour soon!!

But then it was time to go. The memorial was slowing down. People were leaving. We had many hugs. Nadine gave me a rose form the large bouquet. Me and Sabrina shared that middle name. I will dry some of the petals. I'll frame them.

Me and James got in the road. And we are about half way home now. I am going to finish my sandwich. And listen to this podcast. And try to just think about the good stuff. I love Sabrina and I will keep her in my thoughts forever.

I hope you are all taking care of yourselves. I love you all. Goodnight my friends. Until next time.

[cozykali]

The Congress hearing involving the CEO of TikTok was an absolute embarrassment. They did not give the man a moment to speak after asking him ridiculous question after question.

They are claiming it has to do with privacy concerns and the fact that TikTok is owned by a company in China called ByteDance. the Xenophobia in the hearing was unbelievable.

The boomers were asking Mr. Chew questions like ‘does my phone connect to my home wifi?’ ARE YOU SERIOUS? How do we have such technologically illiterate geezers making decisions on this?

TIkTok does not collect any more data on it’s users than Google, Amazon, Meta, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter etc. In fact, TikTok’s data is stored in serves on US soil using a company called Oracle.

The worst part about it is Mark Zuckerberg has paid off the government by lobbying over $20 Million to get them to squash his competition.

Is there misinformation and harmful images on TikTok, yea but it’s EVERYWHERE else on the internet as well. Russian and Chinese boys have infiltrated Twitter and Facebook to change the course of both American and Canadian elections. Meta (Facebook and Instagram) has sold millions of data to Cambridge Analytica.

If China wanted to harvest our data they do not need TikTok to do that. Nothing is stopping them from collecting data from Meta and there is no proof the Chinese government has even accessed data via TikTok.

I understand government officials not having acess to TikTok on their personal devices for privacy concerns but it should include ALL social media platforms.

I have made countless friends on TikTok in the past 5 years that I’ve had my account. I have learned more than I have learned in my entire adult life. You can understand more about what’s happening in the world by following independent journalist on the app than watching the main stream news. Millions of small businesses and creators make their entire living through TikTok. We can’t let them take it away.

Ironically, TikTok has been banned in China for years. All well as Facebook, YouTube, instagram, and many other social media sites. That’s because theyre a dictatorship and who censor what information their population has access to.

Here in North America we value free speach and are proud that our internet isn’t censored. If the TikTok ban goes through what will they censor next?

If you are American contact your local congress office and let them know you do not support a ban on TikTok and will not be re-electing them in the primaries if they vote in favour of banning it. We’ll be watching closely in Canada as well since we like to copy American policy.

If the TikTok ban goes through I will be deleting all of my accounts owned by Meta including Facebook, Instagram, Messager and WhatsApp as this is partially Mark Zuckerburg’s fault for lobbying to congress to try to squash his competition.

End rant.