#or for that matter on 7.1

[realmikedirnt]

w's for the day: maybe not everything is terrible forever

- got the right side shaft buttoned up except for the brake caliper without joe's help

- got the boot cut and tripod joint out, and cleaned up the grease (this made it way easier later)

- tried earnestly and very hard to do something that it took two grown adults like four hours to do. dealt with my frustrations well most of the day.

- finally got that fucking spline apart.

doesnt show up well in the picture, but there's Victory Sledgehammer damage to that housing. fuck every engineer that designed this stupid thing.

- it didnt actually take too long after we got it apart to put everything back together properly.

- joe put on all my new wiper blades for me

- got like dead on perfect backing the van up and only made a small technically unnecessary adjusment

- it did reduce the noises mary ellen makes

- got cheap gas and wendys on the way home

- hot shower and praying and merthur whumpfic = calmed down w/o ativan

- mum bought ding-dongs so that's what i had for desert

- spent time playing yakuza both by myself and with a friend (💙). i love handing out with c and it's fun w/yakuza bc she's played it before, been to some of the places in the game, and also is just sort of amusedly tolerant of me being weird about majima. BUT also ! i can enjoy it when it's just me ! game good

- didnt ruin my hair working

- twizz came and walked all over me and demanded pets and purred

- i dont have anything due tmmrw

- weed

[lily-ohfally]

Mild 7.1 spoilers and mentions of IRL death

This is more or less just me rambling about thing I love about Dawntrail🤗

Keep in mind, I JUST started 7.1 MSQ and did not get far, though I wanna ramble a bit about Sphene's funeral and how Gulool Ja talking about his father hit a bit too close to home, not to mention Erenville and Cahciua...

Also, I am not looking for sympathy, I just want to talk about my experience with the whole loss thing.

In the beginning of this year, I lost my mother. I'm still trying to find ways to cope, but XIV has helped a lot in terms of putting my mind off things.. until everything with Alexandria and Solution 9 came around.

My first hard hitting moment was when Erenville learned of Cahciua's passing. The way he dealt with it felt very similar to my own reaction shortly after my mother died. She didn't suddenly die, there had been a lead up, but it was difficult to process nonetheless. The inability to process the information and then the emotions that came with it, it wasn't great. So seeing Erenvilles cold reaction to it at first felt familiar. You need time to think about it, whether you knew or not, suddenly losing someone you love so dearly doesn't elicit an immediate response from everyone, some of us need a little extra time to figure out how to react. I don't have much more to say about this particular part, other than I felt very seen during this part of MSQ.

I briefly went over this on my bsky, but the pensive child and Gulool Ja, both talking about how much it hurts knowing you'll never see someone again, then going on to say things like "I wish I'd forgotten" and such got me thinking.

Would I wanna forget?

No. Absolutely not. The pain never goes away, nor does it get lesser over time. It will continue to hurt me till the day I die. But the love, happiness and joy I have from my memories together with my mother will one day outshine the pain I feel now. It doesn't get easier, but it does get more manageable. Time wont ever heal this wound, the scar will ache just the same. But knowing I loved her and she loved me, my mothers death wont leave me in shambles. I will continue to move forward, with her watching over me. I will live a life I will be proud to tell her about if we reunite in what lies beyond. I will live the life she would've wanted me to live. A happy one.

On a more positive note, seeing Wuk Lamat in MSQ again makes me so happy. I love her so much, thank you for coming to my ted talk

[wildstar25]

.

im still chewing on arsay and her parents and how she feels about them

its one of those very complicated situations where she will always simultaneously feel like she shouldnt hate them but also can let go of the hurt that shes been lugging around in her heart her whole life. and just. she cant reach that happy resolution the same way certain other characters have been able to and that tears her up inside. she doesnt want to feel conflicted about things, she wants to make her mind up and put the issue to bed. it only things were ever that easy

[ahhhwomen]

Vampire Empire

Pairing: DarkVamp!Wanda Maximoff x DarkVamp!Natasha Romanoff x Fem!Reader

A/N: We are going to ignore how long I disappeared, okay thank you.

Also, y/n will not be in a proper relationship with the girls, she will very much be viewed and treated like a pet not a partner, but she will obvi still get the love.

Disclaimer: English is not my first language. All mistakes are my own.

AU Warnings: Human pets, abuse, violence, possessiveness, probably incorrect vampire lore, angst, panic attacks, hurt/comfort, kitten play (?), also this is not a Carol positive fic (I have nothing against her, but I needed a villain), death Minors DNI 18+

Summary: Your Master is a cruel woman, but you would never stand a chance against her, but what if they can? Or: You are a weak and abused pet that has never felt love or comfort, but maybe, now you can.

Taglist

Side pieces/blurbs

How would R react to the TV?

How would R, and the girls, react to R eating sweets for the first time?

Parts:

Part 1: I don't know why I bite.

Part 2: Mom, I'm tired.

Part 3: Nothing really matters.

Part 4: Frostbite.

Part 5: Eternal Slumber.

Part 6: You can say no?

Part 7.1: The calm before the storm.

Part 7.2: Long overdue sorrow.

[mandalhoerian]

THIS MADE ME SO GIDDY AND WANT TO WRITE (even tho i am not a writer) cuz the prompt is so cute:

https://www.tumblr.com/vixenofthemist/777941208793284608/love-deitymc-meeting-sea-god-rafayel-bc-shes?source=share

SEE ANON I WOULD NOT KNOW WHERE TO START WRITING THIS BECAUSE I DON'T UNDERSTAND RAFAYEL'S DEITY STATUS AND THE MECHANIC (AND CONCEPT) OF GODHOOD IN THIS GAME. ALL I KNOW IS RAFAYEL ISNT A GOD IN A TRADITIONAL SENSE.

completely different tangent yapping underneath

i've read translations of god of tides directly from chinese. i'm good with japanese so i went and listened to it on youtube as well and i dont understand just what rafayel being a god entails. (take this with a grain of salt bc im not a lore master and i havent consumed the entirety of the game content regarding rafayel)

1- its not hereditary, god rafayel doesn't have parents, he's born of fire.

2- there were sea gods before him, so sea gods can die and another can be born. all different people (otherwise the plot twist is going to be that rafayel was being reincarnated over and over again to be reborn as the sea god and it was him all along for a millenia before forgotten sea) -- but this sea god rafayel has also "died" (it's said in the epilogue of forgotten sea + fragrance dream 4 star he does die after turning mc human again). current rafayel is reincarnated and is a regular lemurian from what i understand. he has a mother. (maybe lemurian immortality is connected to a reincarnation cycle besides the long life span, but that's another conversation)

3- he got "possessed" by the deep sea in land of secret flames and lost his identity as "rafayel" so i believe he's got vessel status & his "will you love me no matter who i become" talk is related to this

4- the deep see maybe is like a higher entity/collective than the sea god it chooses to bear its power?

5- additionally, elder amund talks down to rafayel even in forgotten sea -- english localization does put "your quintessence" for respectful titles but really amund doesn't talk to rafayel like that in cn and jp. he full on treats rafayel like he's a random dude. why? isn't he a "god"? *his* god in particular. but we've also seen rafayel play with other kids like konche and algie. why is god being treated this normally? he doesn't even seem like royalty.

6- what even does rafayel being the last sea god entail? why? what even is this "godhood" that it comes to an end?

7- "As such, His most devout follower must gift Him a heart, so He has the strength to protect Lemuria and becomes the god recognized by the entire ocean." ----- <recognized by the entire ocean> HUH?

7.1. why does he need to be recognized, he's a god. this isnt a "the more followers, the stronger" situation because the condition is a heart

7.2. this implies "the ocean" is the judge of this

is bro an avatar like aang or korra????? and "the sea god" a spirit (like raava) that inherits a body and gives it power?

i understand so little about rafayel and lemuria in general. im nearly a 100% sure lemuria is a "fallen" civilization and it makes no sense for them to be at the bottom of the sea doomed by prophecies and forced to have an artificial sun -- and need the protection of a "sea god". something happened to them that got them there.

but like. rafayel's "godhood" isn't the same as astra's, that's for sure.

so anon. i'd overthink this to hell and wouldn't be able to write anything bc i'm so hung up over worldbuilding like that 😭😭😭😭

[wileycap]

Further Excerpts From The Fire Nation Royal Palace Servants' (Unofficial) Handbook

Or: More Revisions To Normal Protocol After The Ascension Of Agni's Exalted Flame, The Dragon Of The Sun, et cetera, Fire Lord Zuko

Part 1:

7. If His Majesty offers you advice regarding martial arts, camouflage, theatre, or any other subject which he is commonly known to be well-versed in, accept it gratefully. If His Majesty offers you advice on emotional matters, listen politely and then disregard it.

7.1. If His Majesty uses the phrase "silver sandwich", you are entitled to a longer lunch break. So you can take a longer bite out of your silver sandwich.

7.1.1. Please do not vandalize the handbook, even if you think it's funny.

7.1.2. Especially if you think it's funny, Chikao.

7.2. If you share something tragic with His Majesty, and he replies "that's rough, buddy", it means he empathizes with your situation.

7.2.1 Alright, maybe he did need to learn that it's not a great way to respond to tragedy. But "rough like the boulders that crushed my father?" was a bit much.

8. Prince Iroh has advised the servants not to reveal to His Majesty what the meat in turtleduck dumplings is. Apparently, he thinks the name comes from their shape. The dumplings are not shaped like turtleducks.

8.1. Now that His Majesty knows, be ready to recite the names of all the turtleducks in the palace at a moment's notice, and also to reassure His Majesty that they are all safe, accounted for, and uneaten.

9. His Majesty should be kept apprised of any "sightings" of the Blue Spirit. The Blue Spirit is an entirely fictional creature. However, his belief in it is entirely benign (and as far as eccentricities go, we've all seen worse) and likely something he will outgrow with age.

9.1. Do not lie about any "sightings". If His Majesty is told that the Blue Spirit was sighted near his window, he will be extremely distraught for the entire day. The Fire Lord has too many real assassins to worry about already. There is no need to add imaginary ones to the mix.

9.1.1. And whenever he is distraught, his footsteps are even quieter than they normally are. It is hard enough to keep track of his movements as it is.

10. While His Majesty has approved the "Kick Ozai Retreat" for servants who were mistreated by Ozai of the Fire Nation (titles rmvd, dishon.), it will never be organized. Please suggest other activities for the Servant Wellness Day.

10.1. Yes, that is because Avatar Aang found out.

10.1.1. Specifically because of the very heartfelt and very long speech he gave on the matter. And the fear that he might give one again.

10.1.2. And no, we can not "simply tell the Avatar to shut up." He is the Avatar. And he is also a 13-year-old boy. His dragonling eyes are very effective.

11. Princess Azula is at the stage of her treatment where she will take regular trips to the palace, dividing her time between her island and here. We're all terrified, but there's nothing we can do.

11.1. Lady Beifong has offered to act as protection, should the need arise. On an unrelated note, the kitchens will now be serving a number of delicacies from the State of Gaoling.

11.2. At the specific and undeniable request of Master Toph, The Blind Bandit, her titles and styles have been updated and they will be enforced effective immediately.

12. If Avatar Aang is seen on a rooftop with no apparent purpose, that means that Fire Lord Zuko is also on that rooftop. Get him down.

12.1. If Master Katara appears to be discreetly looking for someone, that usually means that one or all of His Majesty, Avatar Aang, Master Toph, the Honorable Tribesman Sokka, or the lemur Momo are in some kind of trouble. Assist her. Before one of those idiots gets themselves killed.

12.2. Do not vandalize the handbook, even if it's true. Also, please do not call our Fire Lord, the Avatar, Master Toph, or the Avatar's beloved pet an idiot.

13. Any senior officials who wish to challenge Fire Lord Zuko to an Agni Kai should be directed to the Fourth Scribe's office. They should also be told that there is a waitlist.

13.1. If the Honorable Tribesman Sokka wishes to challenge the Fire Lord to an Agni Kai again, he should be denied. No matter what he tells you, he has not developed Firebending abilities by means of "Spirit World shenanigans" or by Avatar Aang "just giving them to him, Energybending style, like best buddies do, you know."

13.1.1. The Matron has made it known that if the Honorable Tribesman Sokka offers to demonstrate his so-called "Firebending abilities" again, servants are allowed one free kick. The last time he did it, the stench from his blubber bombs lingered for three weeks.

[tastelikeglttrr]

Excuse me, um, i love you {7.1}

ian smith x influencer! reader smau

authors note: hi guys i feel really bad about the delay so i decided to throw something together. i'm stuck on school timing so i apologize if it sounds too scholarly lmaoo.

warnings: cursing, idk what u would call it but possessive ian ig

word count: 760

You hadn’t planned on running into Dominic. It just happened.

You were at a coffee shop near campus, scrolling mindlessly on your phone when you heard his voice—low, amused, and all too familiar.

"Damn. Didn’t think you’d still be hanging around here."

You looked up, and there he was—Dominic Evans, your asshole ex, standing in front of you like no time had passed. He looked the same, just as effortlessly arrogant, with that permanent smirk like he knew some joke you weren’t in on.

"It’s right around the corner from campus. what are you talking about?," you said flatly, eyeing him as he slid into the seat across from you, uninvited.

"Right, right," he mused, drumming his fingers against the table. "You look good, princess."

You ignored the way the nickname made something twist in your stomach. You weren’t his anymore.

The conversation was...easy, in a way you hated. That was always the problem with Dominic. No matter how much of a really bad boyfriend he had been, talking to him never felt awkward. You fell back into old rhythms too easily—laughing at his dry humor, rolling your eyes at his cocky remarks, letting him get under your skin just enough.

At some point, he brought up the flowers.

"Did you like them?" His voice was casual, but his gaze was sharp, watching you closely.

"Don’t send me shit like that, Dom."

"Relax," he chuckled, leaning back. "Just thought you’d appreciate something familiar."

you hated Dominic for doing this, letting himself back in, pushing just enough to remind you that he could if you let him.

Later, without thinking much about it, you posted a quick Insta story—a blurry photo of your half-empty coffee cup, the caption vague but just knowing enough. Weird day lol. after posting you had texted Egypt letting her in on what just happened.

It wasn’t long before your phone buzzed.

Ian.

Ian: Did you see his bitch ass today?

You hesitated.

You: Why are you so mad?

Ian: You deadass? You know why.

You did know why. Ian had been there when you got those flowers, had read the note, had laughed it off like it didn’t matter. But now? Now it did matter. Because it was one thing to talk about Dominic in passing, to joke about him over a joint, to roll your eyes at the flowers he sent. But it was another thing entirely to sit across from him, to entertain a conversation, to let him exist in your space again—no matter how long the interaction.

You stared at Ian’s messages, fingers hovering over the keyboard. something kind of felt right about him being upset.

Ian: So you weren’t gonna tell me?

You: Tell you what?

Ian: That you were with him.

Your stomach dropped.

You: Ian, I wasn’t “with” him. I ran into him. We talked for like five minutes. That’s it.

Ian: Crazy, ‘cause I just overheard Egypt and Tucker talking about how you and Dominic were sitting together for a fat ass minute—not just some quick convo.

You shut your eyes, cursing under your breath. Egypt and Tucker weren’t messy, but if Ian had overheard them, that meant they’d been talking about it long enough for it to seem like something worth mentioning.

You: I swear, it wasn’t like that. I didn’t even plan to see him.

Ian: But you sat with him.

You: I mean, yeah, I wasn’t gonna just walk away—

Ian: Why not?

You hesitated.

Ian: He sends you flowers, follows both your main AND your spam” and you’re still giving him the time of day?

You: Ian, I told him to stop.

Ian: And yet there you were. Sitting. Talking. Probably laughing, knowing you.

You rolled your eyes, frustration bubbling under your skin.

You: You’re making this a bigger deal than it is.

Ian: Nah, you just don’t get it. You think it’s nothing, but that’s ‘cause it’s not you who looks stupid here.

That stung.

You: So now I’m making you look stupid?

Ian: If my girl is out getting flowers and sitting all hunky dory with her ex, what the fuck else am I supposed to think?

Your breath hitched. My girl.

You weren’t together—not officially, not yet. The fact that he was even this mad right now. It all meant something.

You: I didn’t think it would bother you like this.

Ian: You're actually tripping

You exhaled slowly, your fingers tightening around your phone. this genuinely could not be happening

the phrase hunky dory makes me giggle

xoxo

korie

[danisdistant]

sunday - your past sins are meaningless now - part one

[intro blog] | [taglist] | [masterlist] | [table of contents]

»» ──────ஓ๑ ★ ๑ஓ ────── ««

sunday x stellaronhunter!reader

although it was only three days, it felt almost eternal when you’re locked up in a dark room. it doesn’t help that hunger has been gnawing away inside his body.

jade had been checking up on him periodically from time to time to remind him that her offer still stands. even hours before the trial was in preparation, she gave him one last chance. granted, her patience was growing thin.

“are you really going to die like this, sunday?” she said, walking up to him as she lifted his chin. he was already pale-skinned, but even in the dark she could tell he was almost as white as a ghost.

even with this confrontation, sunday refused to maintain eye contact with her. “i’ve told you, for the past three days. i do not want your pity.”

“…well then.” jade sighed, releasing his chin and turned around for the last time. “i’ll go ahead and let the rest know that the trial is still under way.”

“you should already know that your death won’t be quick and painless.”

and just like that, the door shut once more, sealing his faith. sunday felt numb. he knew he could’ve accepted her offer in the first place, at least for robin. but right now, he couldn’t bare to see her face again. not after what he’s done.

he can’t run away from his sins, after all.

»» ──────ஓ๑ ★ ๑ஓ ────── ««

“wow, golden hour is so… golden.” you mumbled, walking around the hustling and bustling city. “it almost makes me feel like i wanna spend all my money on the casinos.”

“yeah yeah. do that and you’ll get caught by the bloodhounds.” silver wolf spoke through the hologram as she crossed her arms. “oh yeah. kafka told me to remind you about her gift. seems like she really wants some new shades.”

“shades huh?” you placed your hand on your chin. “doesn’t she already have like fifteen pairs of them?”

“well yeah, but i’m sure she’d like some from penacony.” she looked around before pointing at a store on the side. “over there, they’re selling some sick looking things.”

“wolfie… that’s a game shop.” you stared at her in disbelief before shaking your head. “unless you want me to get kafka some shades based off some paper birds.”

“anyway, how much time left do i have till i have to break a bird out of its cage?”

“three system hours and twenty-five system minutes.” silver wolf typed something in the air before her relaxed expression turned slightly more serious. “you better start moving [name]. some bloodhounds are getting close.”

“alright. i’ll move and get something for kafka. and a new console for you.”

“haha, that’s what i’m talking about, [name]. alright, i’ll get back to you once you break in. try not to get spotted. i hope you maxed out your stealth points.”

“yeah yeah…” you muttered, turning off the hologram before placing the device into your pocket.

as you set your eyes on the game store, you wondered what kind of games they would be selling in a dream?

»» ──────ஓ๑ ★ ๑ஓ ────── ««

“thirty system minutes.” silver wolf said in your headset as you started to walk to sunday’s supposed location. “apparently, his trial is in about an hour, so security in the area is a lot more tight.”

“should it really matter if i make a big scene or not when i break in?” you mumbled quietly into the mic as you passed by some people. “i mean after all, we’re here for one person. break in, save him from the cage or whatever, and leave.”

“eh, if you’re all in on min-maxing your bounty when you’re caught, i’m fine by it.”

“what?! no way, i’m stuck on 6.9 billion credits.”

you could hear silver wolf’s smirk over the mic. “nice. well, it doesn’t matter anyway. it’s about to go up to 7 billion.”

“hey! you aren’t authorized to enter here.” an ipc guard blocked your way to the entrance of an ipc building. “turn around, or i’ll have to resort to force!”

“7.1 billion. sorry, miscalculated.” silver wolf replied as you pulled out your weapon. “don’t worry, i have the screenshot of your bounty, and i’ll share it with the others. anyway, the guard just called back up. good luck.”

“thanks wolfie. i’ll take it from here.”

»» ──────ஓ๑ ★ ๑ஓ ────── ««

sunday sat still. he was counting the seconds, minutes, and hours, he had left once jade closed the door. he had been stuck in complete silence, minus his own heartbeat and breathing, for four hours now.

as soon as he heard footsteps, he knew that his time was up. he stopped counting. at this point, he wondered if he should finally look at jade in the eye.

“dang it, it’s locked!” an unfamiliar muffled voice came from the other side. his wing twitched, suddenly curious at the foreign voice.

that’s… not what he was expecting at all. was someone else besides jade going to escort him? or is it someone unauthorized trying to break in?

“ugh, i’m just going to brute force it.” the voice said before a loud audible thud filled the room. sunday noticed only a small dent appeared on the metal door.

“dang it, it’ll take me forever to open this!” you groaned as you looked around for some kind of lock or code. you weren’t tight on time, but you did wish to get out of the creepy dark hall and room as fast as possible.

“tsk.” silver wolf clicked her tongue after a brief pause. “if you’d wait a second, you wouldn’t have made yourself noticeable to five other ipc guards. anyway, the code is six-nine-four-two-zero.”

“ok- got it.” quickly, you punched in the numbers and the door opened before you.

you weren’t exactly sure what you were expecting when you heard that sunday was locked up in a room. but, you certainly weren’t expecting him to be chained up in a chair.

“jeez.. the security on you is quite impressive.” you mumbled, causing sunday to finally look at you confused.

“…you’re not the ipc..” he muttered, trying to recall where he has seen your familiar appearance before.

right, you’re a stellaron hunter, specially [name]. he had seen you on the ipc broadcasting channel here and there after your interference with the company.

but, what exactly are you doing here? what exactly are you going to do with a man who’s going to be dead soon?

“nope, not with those suckers.” you smirked slightly, partly listening to silver wolf’s keyboard as she tries to find a way to release the chains. “i’m [name], one of the stellaron hunters if you haven’t heard about me before.”

“right now, your trial is upcoming in a couple of minutes, but i’m here to get you out.” giving a thumbs up, sunday shook his head.

“…don’t. i deserve what i’m going to be charged for, even if it means death.” he muttered, turning away as you looked at him surprised. you were honestly expecting him to be ecstatic to leave.

well, it doesn’t really matter how he feels. after all, the script did say to free him from the chains.

“uhuhh..” you said, listening to the footsteps outside that seem to be getting closer. “well, a little birdie told me to get you out of your chains, is to just snap them.”

“wait- you’ve.. disabled them??” sunday looked at his wrists to realize that the dull purple glow was gone. at a slash of your weapon, both of the chains snapped off his wrists.

he gasped, although he wasn’t sure why. surprise that the chains actually broke? relief that he’s free? or infuriated that a stellaron hunter is helping him?

“alright bird man.” you turned around as more ipc guards appeared at the door, aiming their weapons as you prepared to attack. “i’m going to save you, whether you like it or not.”

really, sunday himself wasn’t sure if he did mind being saved or not.

»» ──────ஓ๑ ★ ๑ஓ ────── ««

“alright, that’s the last guy.” you huffed as the final body fell to the ground with a satisfying thud. “we’ll be leaving penacony as soon as we wake up.”

“and if you’re thinking about running away, i have a small bird keeping my eye on you.” you glared, causing sunday to respond with a small nod.

so, it seems she really is serious about breaking me out and taking me hostage. it’s no secret that the stellaron hunters are planning something.. yet, i’m in no condition to fight and resist. sunday said mentally as he followed you out of the area. although, i wonder who’s the other stellaron hunter she’s referring to as her bird…?

despite his suspicions, sunday believed that the best course of action is to do as you say as the two of you break out.

“alright wolfie, we’re at a safe area. get us out of the dreamscape before more ipc guards catch up to us.” you placed two fingers on your headset as silver wolf gave you the clear.

[previous] | [next]

»» ──────ஓ๑ ★ ๑ஓ ────── ««

[xotaemintol]

5HINee MOST LIKELY TO (NSFW)

Writers block is beating my ass rn, I have requests that I can't finish and prompts I want to do but can't, so till it passes l'II at least post things like this to stay active.

PRONOUNS USED: None//fem implied

TWS: Sub!idol, Dom!idol, sub!reader, dom!reader,overstimulation, pet play, oral (m/f receiving), pegging, daddy/mommy kink, bondage, S&M, cuckhold, and dirty talk.

MINHO 9.8/10

Despite being the jealous type he enjoys watching, he mostly likes watching you getting eaten out rather than you fucking someone else, something about seeing one of the members head between your thighs and your eyes rolling back always makes him so excited.

He first tried this with Kibum, you were tied up to the bed frame and blindfolded, your legs were wide opened and you were completely exposed to the two men as you wiggled around and waited for their next move. You weren't expecting to feel a mouth against you and you especially weren't expecting for it to be Kibums, but you weren't against it. The messy sounds of Kibum eating you out made Minho feel so turned on, the way your body spasmed and how your legs trembled made Minho wonder how long you wanted to do something like this, your begging and whining making his breathing heavier and his body hotter.

"…Oh god!" You had screamed so loudly, struggling against the restrictions of the handcuffs that dug into your wrists as you tried to escape the pleasures of Kibums tongue. You could feel Minho's eyes on you as Kibum ate you out, the feeling made you feel so dirty but so pleased. "Does it feel good baby? Is he pleasing you?" You nodded at Minho's question, desperately wanting to look at him as you answered.

TAEMIN 8.3/10

While he usually portrays a more possessive and jealous persona, Taemin loves it when you punish him by doing something like this, he's a slut for all things lustful in life and the filthier the better. He's full game to watch you get on your knees and let one of his members fuck your face, and matter of fact, he likes it even more when you tell him to touch himself while he watches.

It first started with Jonghyun, Taemin had been a brat for days now and you kept letting him get away with it but you were fed up and decided that you'd need to show him that if he didn't behave then he wouldn't get his way. You had pulled Jonghyun's hand leading him into your bedroom with Taemin sitting on the bed, telling him to sit there and look pretty as Taemin sat anxiously biting his lip as he watched. The way your hips looked as you rolled them against Jonghyun made the slight erection in his pants grow faster than what he'd like to admit, he watched with heavy eyes as you slowly undressed him and kissed all over his neck and shoulders, pressing your butt against his crotch and glancing back at him with sharp eyes. Taemins whole body felt hot and when Jonghyun started to touch you too, he was dying to join, but the moment he stood up you told him to sit back down and watch, so he did.

The way you slowly got on your knees and removed the last of Jonghyun's clothes made Taemin's hands sweat, even seeing your pretty lips wrap around the head of his dick made him whimper as if he could feel it himself. And the way Jonghyun grabbed your hair and began guiding your head left him shamelessly touching himself as he waited for his turn.

JONGHYUN 7.1/10

He was a little more hesitant but when he thought more about it he decided to give it a try and now, he doesn't mind seeing you being kissed or groped by someone else, especially when it's one of the members.

The first time he tried it was with Taemin, the three of you were sat on his couch and Taemin's hand was in your shirt as he kissed you. But Jonghyun didn't just sit and watch, he'd rather play too, so as Taemin's tongue went inside of your mouth he kissed the side of your neck, the way you moaned into Tamins mouth and put your hand in his hair made him bite his lip. He stopped for a moment to watch a little more, encouraging Taemin not to hold back as you lean in closer. The moment Taemin stopped holding back you were sitting on his lap, his hands all over your body as he kissed you till your lips were sore and your underwear was soaked, for a moment Jonghyun thought about letting you have them both, the way you gripped Taemin's shoulders told him how much you were enjoying yourself and as he was opening up to the idea.

When you had both slipped off your pants Jonghyun positioned you so that Taemin was behind you and that you were on top of him, the three of you playfully grinding against each other as Taemin kissed the back of your neck, the tension was getting heavier and it was becoming clearer that the night would end with both of them inside of you.

KIBUM 7/10

I know I'm rating him lower, but I think he's just as into it as Jonghyun actually. He enjoys when you tie him up to a chair and force him to watch you ride one of them, he didn't expect to enjoy it at first but being completely stripped naked and forced to watch makes him so painfully horny.

Jinki was happy to fill the spot of a third, you had come to him about it with Kibum and you were originally asking for advice on if it was a good idea or not, neither of you expected for him to volunteer to try it with you but you were both happy to accept. So you led both the men to your bedroom and with the help of Jinki, after stripping Kibum down you tied him to the bed and kissed him. For a while you and Jink were only playfully touching, slowly building up before you got on your knees and started to suck his dick, reacting right away Jink threw his head back and cursed softly, his eyes closed as he put his hand in your head and forced your head down. Kibum watched with his cock twitching between his thighs, biting his lip so hard that it was turning red, he wanted to touch you so bad and the sound of Jinki's voice as he praised you made that desire worse. It didn't take too long for him to be squirming against the restraints, the way you looked at him and degraded him made him whine.

"Please.." As Kibum watched Jinki bend you over on the bed beside him his desperation became too much, his needy expression was so pretty and as Jinki pressed himself against you with his hands holding your hips in place you giggled, reaching and touching Kibums thigh gently. you had decided that this was enough torture for now.

JINKI 5.1/10

If it pleases you then he'll allow it, but he'll only allow so much, surprisingly he's a lot more possessive than he looks, rather, he just doesn't like the idea of sharing as much, but if it's what you really want then he'll do it.

He had let you pick and your choice was Minho, he expected it and didn't ask why, he just agreed. His eyes watched carefully, he sat back with his legs spread. He was still fully dressed as the two of you hungrily kissed, he paid close attention to the way your hands explored Minho's body and nodded his head every time you looked at him for approval when you wanted to explore more. When Minho had led you to get on your knees you looked back at your husband, biting your lip as you pleaded with your eyes for a yes, of course, he let you, telling you that you didn't have to ask if it was what you wanted and telling you to make sure you did a good job for him.The way he spoke to you made sucking Minho's dick so much more exciting, you could feel him watching you as you slowly licked up the shaft of his cock and put your hands on his muscular thighs, the feeling made you unbelievably wet, and as you felt yourself becoming more excited you stopped and asked him for permission.

"I've let you do enough haven't I?" But he didn't let you suffer for long, instructing you to get on the bed he gets behind you as Minho gets in front of you. The feeling of Jinki fucking you as Minho pulled your hair and fucked your face made your whole body tremble."This was what you wanted?" As Jinki leaned down to your ear your walls throbbed around him, clamping onto him tightly as your moans are muffled by Minho's cock. "Do you like being fucked like a dirty slut baby? Does my pretty girl like being fucked from both ends like this?"

Most likely to be Whiny During Sex

TAEMIN 20/10

Pegging

It doesn't matter what role he's playing, a sub, bratty sub, power sub, soft dom, service dom, whatever the role he plays he's always so whiny during sex. Even when he doesn't start off that way, he always becomes so broken when you fuck him, especially if you overstimulate him, ruin his orgasms, or peg him. He'll get so whiny and it always sounds so pretty.

Taemin gasped, biting his kiss bruised lip as the head of your strap on brushed against his prostate, his sensitive cock already throbbing and leaking shiny ropes of precum as his back arched. "So pretty. You teased, your hands caressed his hips before you slowly ran your fingers through his hair and pulled harshly, a loud moan left his pillowy lips and he called out your name, his voice cracking as you started to fuck him faster. "s-so...so good.." You could hear him starting to break, the way his voice faded as you let go of his hair told you that he was enjoying himself. "Is it that good baby?" You asked, pushing his head down into the pillows you pressed your body against his firmly, angling your hips against him as you pushed him forward.

The slight change in position made his head spin, it felt like he was going to melt and when you reached down between his legs and started stroking his cock at the same pace he had lost it. Moaning loudly as he pushed back into you and whimpering as he became sensitive.

KIBUM 10/10

• Oral

Kibum is vocal no matter what he's doing. Dom or sub Kibum is going to let you know how he feels, what he likes, where he likes it, and how good it is.But he only gets whiny when he's subbing, especially when you're giving him head. Even when hes trying not to, he can't help but break every time he feels your mouth wrapped around his cock.

"Baby.. Kibums low voice trembled and his body quivered as he looked down at you, the feeling of your tongue teasing his cock made his head feel empty. "Don't tease me all night, l've been a good boy for you haven't I?" As you look up at him he trembles and grips the pillow behind his head tighter, he can't tell what you'll do next—the desire to feel your tongue against the head of his cock again clouds his brain so much that he couldn't guess if you wanted him to. "If you're such a good boy, why are you being so impatient?" As your hand slides up his thigh he whimpers and closes his eyes, it pains him to beg like this but he can't help it. "P-Please ma'am, please don't- a…..ah..” Finally when he feels your soft lips wrap around the head of his cock he's silenced by his pleasure.

As you slowly take him deeper he moans louder, his head leaned back against the pillows as he struggles not to move his hips. Every desperate cry that leaves his pretty lips pushes you to please him further, and the deeper you take him the louder he becomes. "God…..oh God!" He cries out, "Y/N! You...please... fuck, please let me cum in your mouth, please?" Kibum looks down at you, his eyes wet with desire and lust as he pleads with you. But he's given no response—not that he could complain with your tongue ruthlessly sliding across the slit of his pretty cock. His hips shuddered as he looked away and his toes curled, he could only manage gentle, raspy cries of your name that were too pretty to be ignored.

JONGHYUN 10/10

•grinding/foreplay

Jonghyun is very vocal in bed no matter what since he's usually praising you or guiding you, he often talks you through orgasms so it's not new for him to be vocal. But whiny…..Jonghyun only gets whiny when he's been waiting all day. When he hasn't seen you in about two days and only got a few kisses before leaving, that's when he becomes a mess. During foreplay he won't be able to keep himself from huffing and moaning, just kissing you has him losing his mind and when he starts grinding against you he can't help but become desperate.

The room felt hot, the air was thick and the lights were still on. Jonghyun hadn't even stopped to close the door, he needed to get his hands on you as soon as possible and he wasn't going to waste another second trying to set the mood. The mood was set the moment you told him how badly you wanted him, you should've expected your clothes to be on the floor the moment he got in. The way his hands restlessly touched you and stripped your clothes away told you how tonight would go, those two days away from you was enough to make him feel unbearably impatient.

"Did you miss me baby?" He asked in a shaky voice, his hips moved slowly against you. Your legs spread and pushed back as his cock slowly dragged up and down between vour lips, every time the head of his length bumped your clit you shivered. It felt so heavy, precum leaks from him and your love wets him even more. "Mhm…so...much." Your breathing became heavier, you were becoming so desperate for him and he felt the same about you. His quiet moans were becoming shaky and with every thrust he became slightly louder, going faster as he looked down between your body's to watch. "So...hmmm…..so pretty, you're so pretty..." As he continued to speak his voice cracks, he wanted to be inside of you so badly but knew that a little anticipation would make sliding into you feel heavenly. "F…Fuck..”

MINHO 9/10

During sex/penetration

When Minho gets really riled up, when he's so impatient, when he's been waiting for hours to feel you—that’s when he gets whiny. He's always vocal, usually it’s because he leads 80% of the time, but also because he knows you like it. Whatever it takes to get you off he'll do, but luckily; being vocal in bed comes naturally for him. But he's the most vocal when he's inside of you, especially when he's been waiting for hours to fuck you. He's not afraid to admit that he enjoys when you make him wait, something about the way you respond to him being brought to his knees and desperately pleading with you turns him on so much.

As he slid inside of you he shuddered, his bottom lip quivered from the feeling of you—your walls felt so hot, so wet and tight that he could cry. The soft pulsing of your warmth was so intense and his cock felt so sensitive, he thought he'd burst before getting all the way inside of you and the look of pure bliss in your face as every inch of him slowly disappeared inside of you made him tremble. His breathing became just as shaky as his body as he finally bottoms out inside of you—he could feel your excitement pooling and dripping as he paused to breathe. But even stopping for a second couldn't save him.

As you looked up at him with lustful eyes and a needy expression he softly cursed and waited for your next command. "Ming..baby, fuck me," You said breathlessly, "Fuck me baby, fuck me." Your desperate orders made him whimper as he nodded his empty, and his eyebrows knotted together as he began to slowly withdraw his cock from you, watching every inch come out as he bit his lip and gripped the pillow underneath your hips. "..F...Fuck..” His soft whimper made you throb, his voice cracked just a little as he paused and looked back at you. "You..You're so pretty Y/N, fuck you're so pretty…so fucking pretty." Finally he begins to move again, his slow thrusts turn into lust filled rutting as he whimpers and moans in your ear; chanting over and over again that you're so fucking pretty.

JINKI 7/10

Mutual/simultaneous masturbating

Jinki isn't as vocal as the others but that doesn't mean he's silent, he likes using his voice to guide you or to tell you when you're doing a good job but you had proposed the idea of mutual masturbation and he couldn't really tell where to use his voice during this type of play. Of course, he knew he could easily praise you and tell you what to do but he's well aware that you know what you're doing—but his concern was easily put to rest when you suggested that he just go with the flow. And when he did he seemed to be just as vocal as he is when he's fucking you, maybe watching you touch yourself to the sight of him was what turned him on so much; or maybe it was you watching him get off to you.

As you rubbed quick circles against your clit Jinki watched with his lip trapped between his teeth, you looks so sexy like this. The sight of your hand between your thighs and your pretty pussy dripping as you watched him made him feel so feral—he did his best to match his pace with yours, but when you slid your fingers down to your entrance he couldn't help himself anymore. As he began fucking his fist Jinki watched you with hungry eyes, the way your hands explored every inch of your body; and the way your body shivered when you caressed yourself made him weak in the knees. He wanted you so bad.

Without thinking about it Jinki stood up as he decided that watching wasn't enough for him. He had to get you off and be inside of you; but you stopped him before he could reach you and said; “What are you doing baby? You're supposed to be watching...” A soft whine left his lips as you grinned and motioned for him to sit down in front of you, with your legs wide you pointed to the floor in front of you and bit your lip. "Or do you want a closer look?" Feeling impatient but willing, Jinki sat down in front of you. You were both breathing so heavily and so horny that you could explode. But that feeling only got stronger when Jink grabbed your leg and pressed his face against it, slowly stroking himself as he looked up at you with needy eyes. "You don't know how bad...oh my God..." As he inhaled the smell of you he leaned his head back and let out a mixture between a soft moan and a whimper. "..I can't, I need to fuck you baby, will you let me?" As he looked up at you he began to beg.

[transgenderer]

New study says gender-affirming surgery is associated with increased risk of mental health issues. Study of 100k+ patients found those with surgery had significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation & substance use disorder vs matched controls w/o surgery. The title of the study is “Examining gender-specific mental health risks after gender-affirming surgery: a national database study”

I’m interested in your take on this Summer, because you have posted before about how gender affirming care is the best method for dealing with dysphoria. Can you find any flaws in this study? Does it change your view? I’m not trying to trap you in some gotcha, it just seems sound to me. Sorry if this is invasive, but didn’t you get the surgery, and would you say your experience reflected this? Don’t answer if you don’t want to.

For some context on myself, I just go by male pronouns, my birth name, and wear male clothes in public, yet I have desired to be a girl since childhood (still do) and wear female clothes when in private. I don’t act on it largely do to my own (quite large) family and community, very conservative. I pretty early on decided not to get the surgery no matter what, even if I move away and/or change my lifestyle, solely due to my personal fear of surgery. Like I said, I’m not trying to trap you in any gotcha. Maybe I’m only interested in this study as confirmation bias, prove I made the right choice.

it's not on sci hub, so i cant read the full text of the study, but based on the methods section:

This retrospective study utilized the TriNetX database, analyzing U.S. patients aged ≥18 with gender dysphoria (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD-10] F64) between June 2014 and June 2024. Six cohorts were created based on gender and surgery status: Cohorts A-D included patients with or without surgery, and Cohorts E-F allowed for gender comparison among those with surgery. Propensity score matching controlled for age, race, and ethnicity. Mental health outcomes included depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, substance use disorder, and body dysmorphic disorder, assessed over two years post-surgery using clinician-verified ICD-10 codes

and reuslts section

From 107 583 patients, matched cohorts demonstrated that those undergoing surgery were at significantly higher risk for depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and substance use disorders than those without surgery. Males with surgery showed a higher prevalence of depression (25.4% vs. 11.5%, RR 2.203, P < 0.0001) and anxiety (12.8% vs. 2.6%, RR 4.882, P < 0.0001). Females exhibited similar trends, with elevated depression (22.9% vs. 14.6%, RR 1.563, P < 0.0001) and anxiety (10.5% vs. 7.1%, RR 1.478, P < 0.0001). Feminizing individuals demonstrated particularly high risk for depression (RR 1.783, P = 0.0298) and substance use disorders (RR 1.284, P < 0.0001).

it doesnt seem like its saying over a 2 year period people who underwent surgery had worse mental health outcomes before surgery than after surgery, relative to the other group? i think it's saying (maybe? wish i could read the paper) that people who underwent surgery have worse mental health *in general*. like before and after. which makes sense. youre more likely to want bottom surgery if you're really unhappy with your current situation. but also, it seems like probably bottom surgery does not generally cure depression. so. it makes sense that people after surgery would also tend to be less happy with their current situation, then people who were less unhappy in the first place. maybe they correct for that? but if you correct for that i feel like you'd mention it, i think by "matched cohorts" they just mean age race and ethnicity.

i mean, if you have a link to the full text of the study i could check it out.

anyway, i only got an orchi. i had way worse mental health afterwards cuz they didnt start me on T for a year. and so i had 0 T in my system. gender doctors are really incompetent re: hormones, my understanding is there's minimal training for it and most clinics have a limited number of endocrinologists (if any). so mostly its doctors kinda playing it by ear, based on half-assed guidelines. but apparently sometimes no T is fine? idk

im not particularly interested in a vaginoplasty but i think my relationship to transness is somewhat nonstandard. anyway i hope you figure things out for yourself. i dont know you or your life but i think getting away from your family is good for 90+% of people. moving away from your family is the best part of american atomism. even if theyre good, its just not good for your development to be in their radius, they cant help but influence you. and often theyre not good, and try to control you on purpose.

[gunsandspaceships]

MCU Tony Stark's Ancestry

Tony's origin is a mystery, isn't it? In both the MCU and the comics, the writers don’t give us enough information about his ancestors and their ethnicity to draw any definitive conclusions on the matter. So fans fill in the blanks themselves, often making them up based on their own desires. Hispanic fans want him to be Hispanic, Jewish fans want him to be Jewish, Italian fans want him to be half-Italian, etc. Where is the truth? Can we even establish it?

Well, we can try. Based on 3 things: the origin and prevalence of the last names (Stark, Carbonell, and Collins), the ethnicity of the towns where his parents were born (Richford and Southampton, New York), and the ancestry of the actors (RDJ, Hope Davis, Dominic Cooper, and John Slattery), I will list possible ethnicities and their likelihood of being connected to Tony.

Note: Why does the origin of the actors matter? Our MCU characters have the faces, voices, and other physical characteristics of the actors who play them. These traits are hereditary. We can’t say, for example, that character A is 100% Chinese if he’s played by a 100% Danish actor, right? So we have to take that into account.

Let's start with the MCU actors:

Maria Stark is portrayed by Hope Davis, an American actress of Welsh descent. Unfortunately, I can't verify the claim that she is 100% Welsh, as there is no family tree of hers online.

Howard Stark is portrayed by three people (Dominic Cooper, John Slattery, and Gerard Sanders), but we'll only use Cooper and Slattery here since Sanders only appeared once in one film (IM1) in a photo and had no actual scenes.

Dominic Cooper is an English actor with English and Scottish roots. Checking his tree on Geni, I also found a long line of Welsh ancestors, so we'll add that.

John Slattery is an American actor of Irish descent. His family tree isn't deep, so I can't add anything to it.

Looks like we've collected the British Isles. Only one actor left.

Robert Downey Jr. is an American actor of mixed heritage: according to official sources such as Finding Your Roots and The Age of A.I., he is about 80% European (Swiss, German, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, possibly some Lithuanian and Russian, but this is likely inaccurate) and ~20% Middle Eastern (Lithuanian Jewish). According to his tree on Geni (if we can trust it; don't look at Marisa Tomei among his listed partners, that's probably someone's dream) he actually has a very long line of French ancestry on his mother's side, as well as long Belgian, Dutch and English lines. Some other admixtures, such as Italian, Austrian and Scandinavian, are also present in small amounts. We'll only include the longest lines here, as the contribution of other ethnic groups is small.

Note: Robert and Dominic actually share common ancestors on their mother's side (the English line).

Next we will look at the places where the characters come from:

According to the MCU and comics, Howard Stark was born and raised in Richford, NY. The most common ancestry of the residents of this place include: German (19.9%), English (16%), Irish (12%), Italian (4.1%), and Polish (3.7%). It is also the area with the highest number of residents with Slovak roots (a whopping 1%!). (Source)

It is unknown where Maria Stark (Collins-Carbonell) came from in the MCU. We know that in the comics (616), she is from Southampton, NY. Since Howard in the MCU and comics has the same place of origin (but the origin itself is different, so we will not apply his father and grandfather in the comics to the MCU), we can assume that Maria has too (at least it does not contradict anything).

Southampton, NY residents are of Irish (11.6%), English (10.7%), Italian (10.1%), German (7.1%), Polish (6.2%), Russian (4.5%), Scottish (3.6%), French (1.7%), Danish (1.1%), and Dutch (1%) ancestry, with <1% other ethnicities. (Source)

As we can see, Germany invaded our British Isles, as it is the only other option that also includes the actors and both birthplaces.

We've reached the last thing we can check, and the most obvious one - last names. In our case, there are three: Stark for Howard, Carbonell and Collins for Maria.

Stark : 1: Scottish (Lanarkshire) and English: nickname from Middle English stark ‘strong sturdy; harsh severe’ (Old English stearc). 2: German and Jewish (Ashkenazic): nickname for a strong bold person from Middle High German stark(e) German stark ‘strong brave’. 3: Czech and Slovak (Štark): of German origin (see 2 above). 4: Swedish: ornamental name or soldier's name a cognate of 2 above. (Source)

If we look at the records and map in the source (before 1900), we see the following:

Matches the description, doesn't it?

Note: I will not include countries that have only one record but no records from centuries before, as they are likely not places of birth or permanent residence.

So, here are the ethnic groups we can find there:

Most of the records: Scottish, English, Irish, Swedish, Finnish, German, Dutch, Swiss, Austrian, French, Romanian, Hungarian, Slovak, Czech, Ukrainian, Serbian, Polish.

Some of the records: Welsh, Danish, Belgian, Russian.

The records of Eastern and Central Europe may include Jews, but this cannot be determined with certainty.

Carbonell : 1: Catalan: from an old personal name Carbonellus in Latin derived from Latin carbo ‘coal charcoal’. This surname is also found in southern France (mainly Pyrénées-Orientales). 2: English (of Norman or Huguenot origin): nickname for a man with dark hair or a swarthy complexion from a diminutive of Anglo-Norman French carbon ‘charcoal’. The name was also reintroduced to Britain by Huguenot refugees in the 17th century. (Source)

Here is a map for this last name (again, before 1900):

Most represented ethnicities in the records: Spanish, French.

Some records are: English, Argentinian, Andorran, Algerian.

Collins : 1: English: variant of Colin with genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s. 2: Irish and Manx: shortened Anglicized from Ó Coileáin compare Cullen or in Man or west Ulster shortened from Mac Coileáin compare McQuillan and McCallion. The genitival -s is a local addition to Collin and variants after the surname was Anglicized. 3: Americanized form of French Colin or Collin and also Collette. 4: In some cases an Americanized form of Slovenian Kolenc. (Source)

Most people with the last name were: English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Manx, Belgian, French, Dutch.

Some were: Swedish, German, Canadian, South African, Australian, New Zealanders.

We can now collect all the options into one list (not including the options that were colonies) and categorize them by probability level.

More likely to apply to Tony (matches all three: actor, place, and name):

English (2 actors, both birthplaces and all 3 last names)

Irish (2 actors, both birthplaces and 2 last names)

Scottish (2 actors, 1 birthplace and 2 last names)

German (1 actor, both birthplaces and 2 last names)

French (1 actor, 1 birthplace and all 3 last names)

Dutch (1 actor, 1 birthplace, 2 last names)

Average chances that apply to Tony (matching two out of three indicators):

Polish (both birthplaces, 1 last name)

Slovak (1 birthplace, 1 last name)

Russian (1 birthplace, 1 last name)

Slovene (1 birthplace, 1 last name)

Czech (1 birthplace, 1 last name)

Danish (1 birthplace, 1 last name)

Hungarian (1 birthplace, 1 last name)

Welsh (3 actors, 2 last names)

Belgian (1 actor, 2 last names)

Swiss (1 actor, 1 last name)

Jewish (1 actor, 1 last name)

Low chances, but still exist (only matches one indicator):

Italian (both birthplaces)

Lithuanian (1 birthplace)

Swedish (2 last names)

Spanish (1 last name)

Andorran (1 last name)

Manx (1 last name)

Finnish (1 last name)

Austrian (1 last name)

Romanian (1 last name)

Ukrainian (1 last name)

Serbian (1 last name)

We got 6 ethnicities that have the highest chance of being related to Tony: English, Scottish, Irish, German, French and Dutch.

Now let's narrow it down a bit and do the same thing, but for each parent.

Maria has the following ethnicity options:

Highest chances:

French (one of two actors: Robert; birthplace: Southampton, NY; both last names: Carbonell and Collins)

English (one actor: Robert; birthplace; both last names)

Irish (one actor: Robert; birthplace; one name: Collins)

Scottish (one actor: Robert; birthplace; one name: Collins)

German (one actor: Robert; birthplace; one name: Collins)

Dutch (one actor: Robert; birthplace; one name: Collins)

Average chances:

Welsh (both actors: Hope and Robert; one name: Collins)

Belgian (one actor: Robert; one name: Collins)

Slovene (birthplace; one name: Collins)

Low chances:

Polish (only birthplace)

Russian (only birthplace)

Czech (only birthplace)

Danish (only birthplace)

Hungarian (only birthplace)

Italian (only birthplace)

Lithuanian (only birthplace)

Swedish (only one last name: Collins)

Spanish (only one last name: Carbonell)

Andorran (only one last name: Carbonell)

Manx (only one last name: Collins)

Swiss (only one actor: Robert)

Jewish (only one actor: Robert)

So while the highest odds are still with the same 6 ethnicities, we can assume that she has an even higher chance of being French and/or English due to both of her last names. This also correlates with the fact that Tony speaks French.

Howard has the following ethnicity options:

Highest chances:

English (two of three actors: Dominic and Robert; birthplace: Richford, NY; last name)

Irish (two actors: John and Robert; birthplace; last name)

German (one actor: Robert; birthplace; last name)

Average chances:

Scottish (two actors: Dominic and Robert; last name)

Welsh (two actors: Dominic and Robert; last name)

French (one actor: Robert; last name)

Dutch (one actor: Robert; last name)

Belgian (one actor: Robert; last name)

Swiss (one actor: Robert; last name)

Jewish (one actor: Robert; last name)

Polish (birthplace; last name)

Slovak (birthplace; last name)

Low chances:

Russian (only last name)

Czech (only last name)

Danish (only last name)

Hungarian (only last name)

Swedish (only last name)

Finnish (only last name)

Austrian (only last name)

Romanian (only last name)

Ukrainian (only last name)

Serbian (only last name)

Italian (only birthplace)

We have managed to narrow the possibilities down to three. But we can also add other names to get just one, most likely choice: Howard, Walter, Anthony, and even Almanzo are all names that are of Germanic origin or have been used in Germany for centuries. So we can safely conclude that Howard is mostly of German origin.

Conclusion

After this lengthy analysis, we came up with three most likely main ethnicities for Tony: German (on his father's side), French and/or English (on his mother's side).

Note: This does not mean that he cannot be 50% Finnish, 30% Russian and 20% Andorran with no English, French or German roots. BUT this is unlikely.

[midoshinoteto]

I was sort of joking when I said 7.2 would be the patch of wuksphene but they really have given us so much to work with:

Real Sphene and Wuk Lamat's relationship is almost immediately more wholesome, fulfilling AI Sphene's own statement that if they had met when she was still alive, perhaps things would have been different. There's still a lot to overcome and for Real Sphene to come to terms with (and for Lamaty'i as well) but they're finally properly seeing eye-to-eye. Even Wuk Lamat points out that Real Sphene's behavior was exactly what she had hoped she could bring out from AI Sphene. Their relationship in this stage is so hopeful it almost makes me nervous for the future (crying).

AI Sphene and Wuk Lamat were doomed already in 7.0, but I feel like the additional content of real (and Simulant) Sphenes in patches add a lot to what we had seen in 7.0. Lamaty'i tries her best throughout 7.0 to reach a common ground with AI Sphene. She didn't just want to save the people of Alexandria, she wanted deeply to save Sphene as well. It was a hopeless endeavor, as AI Sphene acknowledges this herself in the end, but in her final moments AI Sphene was at least able to express her regrets and return a bit of the faith Wuk Lamat had been placing in her (through entrusting Alexandria's future to Lamaty'i). When Simulant Sphene shows up in 7.1, Lamaty'i is so quick to denounce her, that the *true* Sphene would never do this, when she honestly barely even knew the true "real" Sphene at the time. I think Wuk Lamat projects a lot of what she wants to see from Sphene onto AI Sphene throughout 7.0, and even in her memory of her. 7.2 makes it hit harder (for me at least) to know AI Sphene *was* actually a lot like Real Sphene at the start, twisted by years of trying hopelessly to save her near-doomed society and made to dance to the tune of Preservation's true interests (Simulant Sphene outright says that AI Sphene was given an impossible task with the full purpose of driving her to means she might not have gone to if it could be helped. Even if her personality, modeled after Real Sphene, would find the act distasteful, she's quite literally programmed to follow a path that would result in her inevitably giving in to the hopelessness).

This is just my own interpretations, but I think it to be very possible that if the Real Sphene had been put through the same experiences as AI Sphene, it would be very possible for her to have turned out similarly, and I feel like Real Sphene shows this in how she's been coming to terms with the current situation in Alexandria. Naturally she's in a fair bit of disbelief, having learned that the current state of affairs has been more or less her own fault despite not having made the choices herself (which, that's gotta fuck with your sense identity hard). But, at least in my reading, she always also seems a bit nervous, like she's been forced to come to terms with her own ability for harm. She says herself that what sets her apart from AI Sphene was their experiences had led them down different paths, and I feel like this also points out that the inverse is true: if Real Sphene had been the one left to manage a dying Alexandria, what would she have done? She holds that same conviction to save her people by any means, but it's because she recognizes her own potential for evil now that we see her consciously attempt to put that devotion towards good instead.

And to talk on Simulant Sphene, *man* is she fascinating. She's a husk of AI Sphene, all the personality that made the AI anything close to her human counterpart gone. An empty shell that makes it even more clear everything is being orchestrated by Preservation. Sphene evidently mattered little to Preservation (or at least those in control now) other than a means to their ends. I think the cutscene where Simulant Sphene confronts Wuk Lamat is probably my favorite in the whole patch. It's just so utterly disturbing to see the person you (Lamaty'i) had tried so hard to save act so overtly twisted, not even trying to hold up the image of being Sphene anymore. This isn't the idealized Sphene Wuk Lamat had imagined, and its not even the Sphene she had known. There's nothing left but a puppet, dangled in front of Wuk Lamat to quite literally remind her of the Sphene she hadn't quite saved (even with Real Sphene right next to her. It's evident Wuk Lamat sees them separately, and in a manner struggles to move on from AI Sphene). And again here, Wuk Lamat stands up for Sphene – not just the Real Sphene, but the memory of AI Sphene as well. Simulant Sphene (Preservation really) is so purposefully toying with Wuk Lamat in their interactions (both in 7.2 and 7.2). Simulant Sphene and Lamaty'i not only have their own interesting dynamic, but add a lot of depth to the other facets of Sphene and Wuk Lamat both together and as individuals.

Sphene in all her sides is such an intriguing character and god this patch has done so much for me.. Wuksphene is so full of interesting character analysis points I don't think I can ever move on from them.

[penofpisces]

loving you's like breathin', don't you know?

buddie ⌘ 7.1 k ⌘ fluff slightly a sick fic, domesticity, taking care of each other

“Eddie Diaz doesn’t get sick. ” That’s what he told his team this morning when he came to work with ‘morning sniffles’. The weather had been chilly and maybe he should’ve been better at listening to himself all the times he’s reprimanded Christopher for not wearing enough layers—or all the times he’s reprimanded Buck for the same thing, for that matter. That’s what he said before getting completely knocked on his ass by whatever virus he caught.

Buck and Eddie caring for one another so effortlessly that it becomes second nature.

Read on Archive of our Own!

[justbelievinginmagic]

ariadne's thread ⎯ pt. 11: as the world falls down.

pairing(s): hyunjin x fem!reader series summary: when tempted by an intoxicating offer by hyunjin the goblin king of the underground, you fight against him to find your own sense of self once more while in his labyrinth. glimpse: with the sweetness of the fae-fruit on your lips, you blinked your eyes open to a magical celebration. an opulent ballroom spun before you with intrigue and wonder, drawing you into a fantasia and further and further away from the labyrinth and your worries. warnings/tags: inspired by the 1986' movie Labyrinth, follows majority of the movie's plot points with lore divergence, 3rd person POV, use of Y/N, mature, suggestive adult content, faerie lore, world-building, explicit language, implied drugging, a lot of overwhelmed YN, toxic relationship, idolization, manipulation, unequal power dynamics, implied background alcohol consumption, tons of flower symbolism, magic, vomit mention, other than thatttttt lemme know if i need to tag anything else :) this is my favorite chapter fyi ive had it written for literally years. like, all of this was leading up to this chapter in my head lol word count: 7.1 k previous chapter <- -> next chapter series masterlist

Around her was magic. Not the twisted upside-down magic of the Underground but pure beautiful shimmering magic she had once dreamt about as a young girl.

Y/N was in a ballroom – a grand ballroom with marbled floors veined in sparkling gold. Polished and shiny enough to see herself in, but that didn’t matter now as she heard the music swell and whirl in the air wondrously. Her gaze rose higher and higher, following the tall-mirrored walls to the mirrored ceilings above. With how the room curved into a circle and all the looking glass surrounding her, it made the entrance hall to the grand ball room seem to go on and on for forever. Sparkling with star dust and silver and gold. Long ivory silken curtains that held a soft glow in them towered above her, draping this way and that, hiding what she assumed to be windows of starlight and moonshine in this strange space she found herself in.

Looking ahead, opulent drapery of ancient lace and silken organza linked between marbled cornices, shimmering and glittering in between the dozens of low-hanging chandeliers that glowed with honeyed flames. Milky-beeswax dripped down the chandeliers – leaving long trails of wax in the sky. It looked as if these candles had burned for many, many hundred years; each chandelier had formed wax stalactites of different sizes and colors. Pale pinks, oranges, and blues. Strange and yet beautiful. It didn’t seem out of place and somehow only elevated the wonder of the room.  

Bubbles of varying sizes drifted into the room, sparkling unnaturally around her. They almost danced around her in a waltz, urging her to move along. Some pressed soapy kisses to her skin, her cheeks. Popping as soon as they pressed against her. It reminded her of the scene from Cinderella – the bubbles gleaming in different technicolor hues, impossible yet somehow happening before her eyes.

As she blinked about, the large room’s mirrored walls gleamed and shimmered. Winking at her. There was that magic-remnant, sparkling in the glass as if they were made of magic and not simply just a looking glass. The light and magic seemed to bounce off one another, sending a kaleidoscope of sparkles glittering into the candlelight. Y/N was reminded of soapsuds – as if the very ballroom she was standing in was an iridescent bubble.

It was holographic and lacey and wonderful. But the siren calls of the ballroom ahead intrigued her, the giggling and loud conversation clashed with the orchestral music. Taking a few tentative steps forward, she entered the verandah of the grand ballroom.

Every corner was beautiful and intriguing here, too. Opulent but not busy. Ancient but not aged. Flowers beyond anything earthly bloomed around the room. They clung to pillars, to cornices, to statues, to the floor, even to the tall mirrored ceilings. Ivy the color of rich olive and unnatural silver curled around the aging gold-gilded mirrors on the circumference of the ballroom. Blossoms of snapdragons, lyre flowers, camellias, and columbines shadowed the ceiling. Delphinium, jasmine, roses, and peach blossoms climbed down the waxy stalactites like fungus.

Gold and silver intertwined throughout the grand ballroom as she walked down the marble stairway steps to the atrium of dancers. Past a marble sculpture of some woman with twisted horns coming from her forehead, chiseled away in a scandalous attire.

It was odd, because at one glance, it was posing with her arms pressed to her chest, but if you glanced away and back, suddenly the sculpture looked different – with its hands above its head in joy. It had moved. Not in a dangerous way, but as if she itself was dancing. A statue dancing… impossible.

Y/N’s lips parted in confusion before a couple bumped into her as they hurried into the ballroom, giggling as they held their masks up to their faces before she could spot what they looked like. It was too late – they were swallowed up by the crowd, the dancing whirling bodies of opulence and extravagance distracting her.

Women were dripping in pearls and diamonds and flowers as they twirled in the large ballgowns with their breasts nearly tumbling out of their corsets. Their ballgowns consumed the ballroom’s floor in a layered mess, yet somehow none of them stumbled over the fabric in the ocean of people.

Men wore opened silken shirts and tight velvet pants that held little to the imagination as they entranced their partners. Some wore no tunic at all, simply vests of dark luxurious fabric. Sweat slick bared chests, shimmering with the magic dust she saw everywhere. Lip-sticked red mouths cackled and kissed at throats. Some men wore gowns; some women wore trousers and bore extravagant hats.

Hats and horns and wigs and façades of debauchery curled around the mass of attendees. Masks of grotesque creatures . . . of monstrous goblin faces she realized. . . were pressed to their faces as they danced about. Wrinkled greying skin, orange leathered scales, occasionally strange-looking feathers made up the masks. Hiding their youth with monstrosities. Or their monstrosity with their beauty, Y/N didn’t know.

The world was a whirling, swirling, laughing technicolor blur. The air was heady with the scent of sweat, the expensive perfumes and cologne of nobility, and the heavy aroma of the blooming flowers that hung everywhere. It felt primal in a way like a jungle.

Those who were not in the brilliant waltz were strown about the circular ballroom. Reclined in chairs or pressed against columns with tiny goblin servants stacked upon one another to reach their mouths, feeding them odd-looking fruits or pouring wine from elaborately-carved wooden goblets and shining hand-blown glass chalices. Spilt honeyed wine trailed down skin that nearby partners would lick up lasciviously with hot tongues and darkened eyes.

Y/N glanced aside, spotting multiple dips in the marble floor – pillow pits with only the finest of silks, velvets, and lace cushioning the pit into a soft escape for men and women to lethargically lean into one another’s embrace. Lovers were kissing, groping, pouring the honeyed liquid into one’s mouths. She spotted a breast freed and a lovers’ lips lock over a goblet of golden honeyed-wine before there was a whirl of a dancer in front of her gaze, blocking out things she didn’t need to see.

Her gaze left those corners of the party quickly. There was a burning on her skin. Flushing red as she felt the eyes of others sting against her skin. Fanged smiles and cruel chortles behind ornate masks and elaborately painted hand-fans. She hated the burn of the laughter; humiliation and loneliness stung.

Where was her mask? She wondered, looking down at her emptied hands.

Was that why they were laughing at her?

Another group of women rush past, giggling and chortling as they push past her. Spinning in a whirl, alone, finally, Y/N caught a look of herself for the first time since entering the ballroom. And with it, it felt like the weight of the fabric on her skin materialized. Heavy against her bones, real and heavy. Elegant and expensive.

Her gown was a mother-of-pearl color, a shimmering silver thing with a million different layers and large off-the shoulder puffed sleeves. Long sleeves covered her arms, but the fabric was not thick nor lacy but a strange shimmering skin-tight fabric. It made her arms glisten with rainbow constellations as she turned them this way or that in the ivory candle-light.

Her bodice had an intricate brocade fabric of fruit, embroidered in a silver thread that gleamed like spun starlight. Peaches, pomegranates, other organic shapes of fruits she couldn’t describe, and curling leaves made up the design with jeweled beads of sunrise pinks, yellows, oranges and sunset gold and purples embellishing her pearlescent corset. It was laborious work to make this she realized once she brushed her hands over them. They had to have been hand-sewn with how delicate they were. At the top of her sweetheart neckline, there was a constellation of sea-glass pearls, lining and guiding the eye down her corseted bodice to the gathered pooling fabric on her hips. The layers of shimmery organza and silk poured over the crinoline-lining she must’ve been wearing to achieve such a big dress.

Stepping closer to the nearby mirror, she looked closer at herself, awe in her eyes. Her face looked pretty in this light. Blurred and perfect as if there was a filter over her features. Perfect. Large curls made up her hair with portions of her locks gathered in intricate holographic silk ribbons and twisting silver metalwork, tugging it from her face. And around her neck, a necklace held those odd sea-glass pearls, transparent yet cloudy with colors of the rainbow, matching the chromatics of her dress as she twirled tentatively. The fabric swished in a pleasant way, swooshing with a watery iridescence that seemed impossible. 

She. . . was beautiful if not a bit youthfully innocent. It wasn’t a dress with slits and curve hugging fabric. Instead, she felt like a princess. Like a magical illustration of a princess from the fairytales she loved.

Approaching one of the nearby mirrored walls, her hand reached out to touch her reflection. Reverently. Disbelieving. In the reflection, she spotted eyes on her again. Too many eyes in fact. Many of the dancers were watching her from behind their mask. Even while they twirled about, they seemed to turn their necks at unnatural angles just to keep their shadowed eyes on her, at all times. Darkened eyes that seemed to watch her every movement. It was a bit eerie. She felt like prey.

She didn’t like that.

Turning, she caught a glance of blonde hair and winter eyes. She gasped at the glimpse of him in between the throngs of dancers. Just barely. He quickly disappeared into the crowds. Vanished. She stood there trying to find him again – like spotting a pearlescent fish in a net of writhing carp.

“You’re her?” a voice murmured.

It was a man – young and handsome enough despite the mask – yet as he brazenly stared at her, up and down her shoulders, breasts, hips, and finally her face, she felt a mixture of disgust and . . . pleasure. His foxy-goblin mask hugged his face tightly, only making his eyes visible. His leering eyes. She couldn’t see if his eyes were curled into a smirk or a frown or a grin.

“A pretty thing.”

She could recall being called pretty by few (recently, it was from the Direwoods), but she disliked how he crowed it out in a laugh as if it was game. A joke. A polite smile of nervousness consumed her beautiful face before she crept back and away. Into the throngs of people, Y/N got swept into the whirlwind of twirling bodies.

Jostled this way and that by the dancers, she entered a new world of mingling and warmth (despite the cold, clammy skin she touched as she tried to pass by the party-goers.) What was this party even for?

As she passed by a horde of closely entwined dancers, she spotted a group huddled around a masked magician who was tugging out oddities from a floppy hat. Puppets of frightening figures and monster-like creatures bellowed in the uproarious music as the viewers laughed.

It was then she could hear the music for what felt like the first time. Truly heard it. What once was something pleasant began to grow into a loud cacophony. Harpsichordal piano, overly powerful, and discordant. A concertina aerophone harmoniced out in a bumbling sound. There was a violin stringing higher and higher. It felt like the song was spinning out of control. Y/N was shoved forward from the arms of a passing dancing couple as they tossed and turned violently in a tango.

She was jostled toward the masked magician whose deep eyes caught her attention as he tugged out what looked like a princess doll, dressed in the same iridescent mother of pearl cloth her dress was cut from. A chill shot through her heart as the man’s shadowed gaze rose to her and gave her a plump lipped smile.

His mouth moved up and down, but she couldn’t hear his words among the chortles and cackles of the others around her. She was shoved this way and that in the ocean of people. Her eyes darted this way and that away as she tried to maintain her balance only to see him again.

He wasn’t passing by or among the dancers or entertainers. No, he was on the outskirts of the masses. Far from her. Back to a twisting pillar, Hyunjin’s eyes were on her even as multiple scantily-clad women draped themselves over him. Bare-chested against him and whispering something in his ear. Lips sticking to his skin as they did so. He never looked at them. He smiled, eyes hooded as he tilted his head at her, acknowledging her as his mouth quipped a reply to the masked woman on one of his arms. In his hand was a lyre flower – the petal forming an almost organic shape, like it was a reddened heart clasped in between his metal-tipped fingers. He fondled it, tilting his head as her.

A wave of heat filled her cheeks – watching the encounter felt strange. His focus was solely on her, and it felt simmering and ever-present even as he ignored the near-nude women about him. There was a poof of magic beside her. The smell of fire-smoke filled her face. She coughed, waving the smoke aside to. Glancing back at the magician in front of her, she saw that now he held a goblin doll rather than the princess doll. The smoke lingered in the air, musky against the opulent sweet aroma of the ballroom.

The party-goers hooted and crowed out excitements. It grated against her ears. Flinching, she glanced back towards Hyunjin, only to find him gone, and the women busied by whirling about with one another now.

Despair. Devastating and consuming despair. Like someone had taken her favorite stuffed animal as a child away. Unreasonably strong. It overwhelmed her. Widened eyes, her head swiveled this way and that to find him. Just once more. Surely… He had to be… he was just there. He had to be nearby. Maybe he was coming her way and she didn’t see him. He was just there.

It made her skin crawl like maggots were creeping up and down her back. She didn’t know why she needed to find him in this ballroom. She didn’t know why she needed to see him, or what she would say or do. She just felt it in the pit of her stomach that it was important to find him. That she should find him. She had to. She had to.

So, Y/N began to wander once more, dodging dancers and minding her step over flowing, long dresses. Tiny goblins seemed to race around the dancers; sometimes they dove beneath dresses to appear on the other side. One even tugged at her gown, scrambling up the fabric with clawed hands. Chittering in a language she could understand as it stared with large yellowed eyes. She jolted backwards. Back hitting a column painfully, flower petals rained down over her in a floral shower.

The goblin startled at that and jumped away onto the marble floor, chattering with sharp teeth at her before scurrying away. A man beside her, lounging in a nearby chair, smirked at her with fanged teeth before offering a glass of something honeyed and alcoholic smelling. The goblet sloshed this way and that, leaving iridescent puddles on the ground. She ignored him and pushed herself up to continue her search for him.

And there was plenty of encouragement. She. Kept. Seeing. Him. If only for a moment, from the corner of her eye. Like a phantom he’d escape her sight, only to appear at the other side of the room. Smirking, smiling, glancing her way before disappearing again.

He was dressed in a deep-cobalt, crushed-velvet long coat with beadwork that matched hers. Sea-glass pearls that seemed to sparkle like caught stars in the candlelight made up the constellations over his shoulders. The inner fabric of his coat gleamed a mother-of-pearl lining, matching hers. His blonde hair was styled in wind-swept waves as if a lover had run their hands through it in an embrace. His pout of a mouth that smirked sharp as always was visible, but his eyes were shadowed by a masquerade mask now. He held the mask to his face, the grotesque thing held up on a clawed hand-like stick. At some point, the mask was stuck to his face instead as he promenaded in between her sight. And then it was on a stick once more.

She was going in circles around the room, chasing after the disappearing King. Head in circles, she felt woozied for a moment. Delirious and blurred. The music triumphed into a loud crescendo. There was a static hum, a taste of ozone on her tongue. She was pushed and pulled by the ocean of people, wrapped up in a dance alone amongst the throng.

It was beyond frustrating. She wanted to talk to him… dance with him. Tears pricked her eyes as she felt a pang in her chest. A prick of a headache behind her eyes. An uproar in laughter, a screech of the almost-violin-like instrument playing in the large room, and she was approaching what felt like an emotional cliff. Stuffy faced and irritable and insecure and alone – her dress was heavied and her arms itched and her face was hot and the room reeked of rotting magnolias.

“Dearest one,” a voice murmured deeply, finally swooping her up into his arms after the long foreplay of their chase.

Arms that were cool to the touch, velvet soft under her overheated fingers as she sagged faintly into his arms.

In that moment, it felt like someone had dimmed the lights. Like they had quieted the world. Dampened her uneasy emotions. Everything zeroed in on him. His mask was on the tip of his nose still, a goblin grotesque facade. But, she could see his shimmering dark blue eyes and his berry-bitten full lips.

“Hyunjin,” she let out a sigh.

Her hands rose to his cheeks naturally so, almost as if she wasn’t in control of her own body. His eyes fluttered shut, pleasantly smiling as she removed his mask. Its waxy texture felt sticky like clay under her fingertips as she pried it from his skin with a suction-esque sound. Like, it was one with his skin until she pried it away. It fell away from her fingertips easily, shattering to the floor. Her hands returned to his smooth tawny skin. His face was perfect, like a sculpture carved meticulously. His face had a youthful flush at her gentleness, a honeyed-blush bloomed over his cheeks, over the bridge of his nose.

A reverent sigh escaped her as Y/N stroked over his cheek carefully. Her thumb grazed over a mole beneath his eye; she had never seen it before. He was cool to the touch, but it felt less like a corpse’s skin and more as if he had been out in the evening rain. A fantasy of him waiting for her with an umbrella came to mind. Romantic.

He breathed out slow, and smiled fondly. One of his own hands rose to caress her cheek. His metal-clawed fingers would never harm her; she knew that. They simply tickled over her blushed skin. His stroke of her cheek was slow as dripping nectar from a flower’s petal, as if he was savoring her skin against his.

“Y/N,” he said sweetly, dipping his head to press his forehead against hers.

His curled bangs pressed against her skin; his horned crown just grazed the top of her head. He pulled her closer, shifting his arms to cradle her securely. Yes, his arms felt right. This felt oh so right. Like a wonderfully soft dream. Her dizzied head eased in his grasp.

“Shall we dance?” he murmured with his mouth close to her ear.

His breath wasn’t warm; no, it was cool and damp as a cave’s interior. The question felt less like a question as he began to sway them. She nodded just a bit, oblivious to the world around her.

The other fae brushing around her didn’t bother her as they continued their wild waltz. The Goblin King did not join the frenzied dance with her, but instead kept their dance to a gentle swaying. Intimate and slow and just what she had needed.

Her hands grasped his arms, nervously. Fingers pressed against his velveteen coat. Almost as if he’d be lost again. But with a curve of his lip and a flash of his intimate eyes, he pulled her ever-closer.

“I’m here,” he whispered, reassuringly gently. “I’ve got you.”

And it did ease her in to a sense of calm, like the sky full of rolling clouds on a sunny day.

There was just a strange melodic tune between them; the grand hapriscordal cacophony traded for a sort of bass-like sound, strumming out chords in a soothing repeating tempo. A piano-esque metallic instrument chimed out in the gentle lullaby.

“You’re beautiful, Y/N,” he admitted, swirling them in a circle to the rhythm.

His shadowed eyes did not wander down her chest, her bare arms, or her neck. They locked onto her eyes. All of his attention was on her.

“So beautiful,” he sighed, neck bending as he leaned close as if he’d kiss her. His breath was cold as it fanned against her face.

“So strong.” His eyes were reverent.

(His Labyrinth-Runner, his body hummed as he smiled with such wicked loveliness.)

Compliments made the back of her neck tingle and burn pleasantly. Far better than the man who had leered at her earlier in the night. When was that? Oh yes, it felt like she had been wandering and tossed about for hours. Her feet ached, snug in tight, sharp shoes. If she had tugged aside her many layers of organza and lace, she’d see them to be the princess-perfect glass slippers. Ones she had dreamed about growing up.

How unrealistic.

As if reading her mind, Hyunjin’s hands shifted to grasp her waist, firmly lifting her into a promenade of an elevated spin. Her arms draped over his broad shoulders to support herself as she left her shoes behind on the polished floor. A mimicry of a Cinderella caught.

She gasped, hugging close to him. Hyunjin buried himself into the softness of her waist as she clung to him. Slowly, he lowered her, sliding he down until her feet touched the tops of his shoes. He kept her in his clutch, holding her close and off the ground. Bosum pressed into his chest intimately.

“My Princess,” he cooed, swaying this way and that. “Swept of her feet, all mine, hm?”

He grazed his nose over her cheek fondly. 

She felt his chuckle, like a low tumbling rumble of the Earth. There was an echo of laughter from his subjects around them. Like they were in on a joke she wasn’t privy to. She glanced over at the dancers among them; they were watching them intently. It made that eerie feeling bubble up, breaking the ocean of calm that had once washed over her.

His nose nudged hers, gently redirecting her gaze from the carousel of masked figures about them to him once more.

He smiled, fanged teeth sparkling in the light as he rose her up again by her waist and spun her about. Flower petals tumbled around them in a magic whirl, catching on her hair, her sweatied skin, his jacket.

As he continued their waltz, her bare toes rested on his, depending on him to move her this way and that. A spare hand rose to pluck a petal from her hair, presenting it to her; the petal transforming into a blossoming ivory foxglove before her eyes. He indulged in her wonder; in the innocent way, her shiny eyes flickered from the flower to him in surprise.

He tucked the flower behind her ear, delicately.

“How do you feel?” he asked her lowly, swaying soothingly like the way the waves of the sea magnetically roll with the moon.

“I feel –“ she murmured, tilting her head to look around at the world spinning about.

They’d been dancing for how long? Shimmering magic and sweat stuck to her skin. His breath like cool peach and hot honey-mead, engulfed her senses. Eyes flickering shut, overwhelmed by the scent, his touch, the humid heat of the ballroom.

“Wonderful?” he filled in, lips brushing tantalizingly against her blushed cheek.

He could almost taste the scattered remnant of magic across her skin. Nearly taste her iron-blood just at the surface from how ruby red her cheeks had become.

Salt sweat and sweet magic made a delicious potion.

Hyunjin sighed deeply, his sharp tongue dodging out as he pressed a tender deep kiss to the side of her jaw, too low to be considered simply a kiss upon her cheek. He would’ve moaned if it was his dreams.

“Is this not what you dreamt of, dearest?” he cooed in her ear, spinning her about once more. “I can do far more than these balls. I can do anything you want - you just need ask, properly.”

Flashes of burning desires and demanding needs crossed her mind like wildfire. Things she couldn’t explain or begin to put words to. It was feelings as deep as the darkest of oceans and as difficult to place as a tide underneath the waves. It was golden-spun day-dreams and valentine evenings with phantom kisses to her skin haunted her and an irresistible satiation in her bones heavied her as if she were lost in the galaxy, cool and yet burning. Warmed skin pressed against cool, fingers intertwined. Moans into red mouths, fangs clashing against one another. Flickers of feather-soft embraces amongst flowers, amongst sand, amongst the dirt. Painted pastel mornings, a golden sun outside a balcony looking out over the Labyrinth as she laid in the softest of beds. Warm and comfortable and at peace and not-alone.

Never alone, for he was there. Always.

Hyunjin. No…the Goblin King. Her King. Her ruler. Her Everything.

Every molecule of her was for him. Everything for his eyes only… Even now, as they twirled amongst nobility, she knew he allowed it. She was his after all.

His eyes. Gone were the frozen deep blue eyes that struck an odd sense of defiance in her – and instead – his eyes were glimmering like a pale jewel in a wedding band, like the summer ocean at mid-day. As if she was staring at the bluest sky from the field of flowers. Warm. They were a warm azure. No longer cold and cruel. Why would he ever look at her with cruelty?

His cupid-bowed lips did not smirk and sneer and mock but tempted as they spread into a heart-stopping wide smile as he laughed lowly in her fantasy. Gone were the oil-slick metallic velvets and opened shirts and tight leathered pants. Replaced with soft linens of pearlescent fabric that only highlighted his tawny-tan skin which sparkled with the magic coursing in his veins, making him faintly glisten and glow as if he were an angel.

He was. He was her Everything. Angel, savior, king, lover.

It was like seeing a different man. A man that was only for her. A side of him only for her.

Only when she was his would she see this. Behind closed doors he could be this.

Not a King of the Underground, not the Goblin King. Simply the ruler of her heart. King of her. And if he controlled her, didn’t she control him? What a sweet fooled heart she had.

Flickers of a daydream continued. The sky would be lit up by stars, countless glowing star that held their love. Each twinkling as he pointed them to her, whispered words of how they were strung in the sky for her. This one was devotion, that one her love, that one was his desire. The way he’d consume her bite by bite, kiss by kiss, in the darken rich soil they laid in. Fingers interlaced as her eyes rolled back. The way her skin would cool to a cavern temperature for eternity just to remain in his arms. Here, there was no pain. No injured body. Her fangs didn’t hurt any longer. Her eyes would blink up at a cavern sky. And her memory was a faded hazy thing that was full of him, him, him.

Her king, her king, her king.

That’s all she could think as she blink, blink, blinked at him as they swirled into another twirl on the dance floor. Hyunjin smiled soft as he saw her eyes soften into such a cotton candy gentleness.

She’d want for nothing. Laying amongst silks and satins. Feeding upon fae fruit, the nectar dripping down the column of her throat only for him to lick up greedily. No, no, he wasn’t greedy. She was his after all. Anything he wanted he received.

“Dearest one,” he hummed.

His voice pulled her up from the sea of daydreams she was drowning in. He looked different again. His eyes still that soft blue like the moon on a cool night. His clothes were the white linens she had dreamt of him in before in a blink he was back in the blue-velvet suit. A hand raised to tuck large curls behind her ear only to rest on the column of her neck afterwards. “Is this not what you’ve dreamt of?”

Balls of wonder, pretty dresses, nights of ecstasy, happily ever after with a King. Princess sweet and soft. Sheltered and doted upon. Protected in a high tower above a difficult Challenge. A proper fairytale.

Her eyes blurred as she was spun once more, whirled out of her daydreams as her mind tried to catch up to what was around her. Had his clothes just changed? What? How did that happen?

“I – don’t know what to think,” she admitted as she was whirled around again.

A loud cackle by her ear echoed out. . . almost as loud as the toll of a grandfather clock. A clock?

Her head turned as they twirled again. The people around them felt suffocatingly close and the music that had been soothing, once again battered up into a harpsichordical tune, unnerving and discordant. Clashing of melodies soft and loud, bad.

Bad, bad, bad - why did she feel so bad? So unlike herself?

Her arms and legs tingled like television static and she tried to steady herself while she grasped his hand in hers as she returned from the spin outwards.

Her eyes met his again, and he smiled so kindly and calmly like the images that flashed before her eyes. Yet she saw a flash of something knowing in the gleam of his eyes, a laughing cruelty in his eyes from the dungeons. Dungeons, she pondered? What dungeons? There were no dungeons in his arms.

She felt trapped suddenly. Itchy and buzzing. Aching and sweaty. Real. She felt real for a brief moment before she felt his hand smooth over her bodice until it eased up and down her back, soothingly.

But, it didn’t ease her stomach as she was thrown into a dizzy whirl again. They were dancing in a circle, a whirl of a waltz, less calm like before. Her neck gave out, her head lulling back and her eyes flashing to the chandeliers above. The candles were flickering rapid and erratic; there was a breeze kicked up from the ball room’s dancing. The room smelled of peach flowers. Bubbles floated about like perfect baubles of glimmering light.

A hand went to cup the back of her neck, supporting her as Hyunjin pulled her upright. Her bare feet lifted once more. He held her entire weight then and there as he kept her close. Her arms were lose around him.

There was a purse in between his brows, but he still smiled at her. Patient blue eyes. His blonde hair looked darker in this light she wondered. The shadows of his crown making it look almost as if the blonde grew darker at his roots. His horned crown sat upon his perfect head. Not a tiara, a crown. He was a King, not a Prince. He was so handsome she noted. How could a man with such wicked cruelty be so lovely? It was magical. He was magical. Fae magic. . . dreamy fae magic. Her thoughts were scrambled about like a poorly mixed potion.

“You’ve found a way to your dreams, Y/N,” he confided, his voice somehow perfectly clear in her ear despite the brash music.

“Stay in your dream. . . where you are truly free and wholly yourself. The truest form of yourself. You want that, dear one?”

His lips were hypnotizing. Her stomach bubbled like champagne in a flute. Butterflies aching to be released from the cage of her ribs as she saw him lick over the plushness of his mouth.

And she nodded. Like a marionette.

“Don’t abandon it,” he shifted his hold on her. “Don’t leave it behind – if you leave behind your dreams, your wish, you’ll be at the mercy of other people again and again. Forget them. Trust to your dream.” He lamented, divulged, and pled.

Spellbound, the smell of honey-suckle on a hot day burned her nose as she leaned in closer. Hyunjin grinned, none of it warm nor soft suddenly.  

“Trust to me,” he commanded sharply, moving in closer and closer. “Give in to me.”

His breath was akin to a corpse’s chill, and he now reeked of rotted peach blossoms. Of magic and dreams and lies. He did not kiss her yet his lips pressed to her cheek. Only a breath away from her parted lips. They were clammy against her overheated skin.

Her stomach turned as the people around her laughed and chortled. She felt too close to Hyunjin. His skin felt deathly cold and clammy and she was too hot and her dress was too tight and heavy and they were spinning oh too fast. How could they be spinning this much? She shut her eyes tight.

“Believe in me only me,” he whispered, lips trailing over flushed cheeks before stealing a kiss on her lips, startling her eyes open wide. A clock chimed distantly, and she felt her skin burn with his affections. His lips tasted of pomegranates, the dust of a crypt, fizzing candies, and fire-smoke. It muddled her senses as he kept her close, breathing her in. His kiss was insistent as he indulged in her.

“Only I can be your dream-maker.” He pulled away just enough for the words to be shared between their lips. “You need me.”

Her eyes fluttered, and he hummed lowly in his chest, a melody that was distant and familiar. Only I can be your dream-maker whirled in her head like the dancers’ promenade.

That wasn’t true.

A clock tolled again. A clock. . . her eyes fluttered open – when had they shut again? - as she felt hands that were scaly and furry and goblinesque trail over her arms and her bared back. She glanced aside when she felt claws, and saw a goblin mask so large and leathery leering into her gaze. Women chortled and men guffawed at her. She felt small, as small as those goblins she had seen running about.

Hyunjin tugged her close, cheek pressed against crushed blue velvet. The smell of rotten flowers on a hot day overwhelmed her, sickening her. The curve of a smile, triumphant pressed into her hair. She could see a clock distantly – golden and grand with its curling numbers - as another toll cracked in her head.

The burn of laughter around her, only Hyunjin could protect her from here. Why were they laughing? What was the clock for? Why did Hyunjin’s grasp hurt? He needed to protect her; she couldn’t do anything. Helpless. It wasn’t fair.

It wasn’t fair.

You say that so often.

Where had she heard that before?

The dungeon. The dungeons… Wait, wasn’t she doing something? Why was she here? Why. . . ?

“Stop,” she whispered out; the words feeling like peanut butter was stuck in her throat.

The Goblin King’s eyes widened as she writhed in his grasped. Her hands pushed him away and, with weakened arms, he let her. Her feet tumbled to the floor, sliding against polished tile; her skirt pouring out across the floor as she fell. A startle in the crowd. Her breath gasped; the corset was so tight - how had she not noticed? Glancing up, the attendees were staring down at her with matching blue eyes. Mockery, laughter, anger. Copies of the eyes she knew so well. She heaved herself up at once. She had to get out of here. She wasn’t supposed to be here. Her large dress rammed into the other dancers as she pushed at the crowd. There were shrieks and wails as the clock tolled out another hour. Then another.

A huff left her as she looked around the ballroom. She hadn’t been here before. No - how’d she get here? She can’t even remember getting here in the first place. How did she end up here?

Her eyes met Hyunjin’s with a heat. Cruelty in her eyes, a betrayal of sorts. He simply looked on at her, tall and still among the jostling, jeering crowds. Furred and clawed hands reached out to tug and pull at her, masked faces with no consequences to their actions. She pushed away a woman who draped herself against her back, making her sag against their weight.

“Please, my Lady,” she had pleaded as she shoved with her might.

My Lady. . . as if she belonged here. She didn’t. She wouldn’t.

She would be a spellbound pet to the King. A fae’s human plaything. That wasn’t reality. It wasn’t a reality that would be good. Despite all its wonderousness, all she could remember was the burning emptiness. The shell of herself was all that woman was.

She had something to finish… she didn’t know what. But she couldn’t be here. It wasn’t here. C’mon, Y/N, remember. Grasping the heavy dress-skirts (heavier now, as if they were soaked in rain-water, she noted), she turned and ran.

Where was the stairwell? Where was the exit? Where even was the ballroom? Was she in the Castle? Stolen away to the prize without knowing. No. . . no. . . Hyunjin wouldn’t do that. That’s too close. Too close to her winning that he wouldn’t risk it. He was clever. He was goddamn clever. A burning feeling in her chest was difficult to decipher – was it hatred or admiration? Y/N was confused. She pushed past party-goers with little grace, huffing out in pain as they collided with her.

She couldn’t find any way out. She was met with endless mirrored walls, the shimmering reflection of a debauched dream staring back at her. Like the bubbles around her. A bubble. This place felt like a bubble that could pop.

With a grit of her teeth, she let go of her dress’ skirts in a shimmering flutter of fabric and grabbed a resting chair from nearby. Slamming it into the mirror, there was a tremble beneath her icy bared feet. Frightened and uneasy, she shut her eyes as she slammed the chair into the membrane of the pearlescent mirrored bubble again. And again. And again. Until the world shook and shattered in a whirlwind of screams and yells.

And she was falling - down, down with the world.

-

The Labyrinth-Runner’s eyes flashed open. She was no longer in the forest-flowers nor in a ballroom of debauchery, but lying still in an unknown darkened space. A starry sort of light gleamed high above her. Haloed in the light, she looked down to see she was in her own battered clothes again. In her hand was the fae fruit she had bitten into. The flesh was rotten-brown, the juices sticky in between her fingers, and the smell akin to rotten fruit in the humid sun. A maggot crawled from the decaying pit towards her palm. With a yell, she threw it to the side. A wave of nausea hit her.

Vomiting to the side, she huffed and panted before fainting backwards into a familiar bed.

-

Hyunjin’s own eyes flashed open as the fae fruit’s dream was shattered. He could still taste the magic on his tongue mingling with the iron-salt of her lips. He licked his plump rose-petaled lips with his tongue, savoring the taste.

She was so sweet.

She was strong.

She was a good challenge.

Breaking free from a spell was difficult and yet she had. She had manipulated the world around to remind her of her challenge and, with that, Hyunjin admired her. Yes, a part of him even preened that he would have such a clever human soon. A Changeling of his own with devotion only for him.

Her eyes, her eyes, oh, her eyes. He had seen paradise, a promise of her love and her dreams that he could fulfill. Her eyes had shined so sweetly. Her lips were petal roses, curling so gentle into a smile that he wanted all to himself. She was a wonder. How could a human be so intoxicating? He’d make her his. A puppet princess who only cared for him. No betrayals. No others to keep her attention. She’d be all for him. She was different than the others. His Runner was tempting and clever and all the things fae loved.

She had made it far, so much further than any Runner he had seen, but he’ll up the ante. She’ll see his strength. Marvel at his powers! She’d willingly give in once she sees!

He stood from his throne with his trembling hands pushing back raven hair. His breathing was heavied.

He can’t lose.

He walked out the door of the mystical throne room, locking it behind iron-lock and key. He needed his Grimorie. Where had he put it? Magic danced over his fingertips, anxious hands tip-tapping against his palms. His eyes looked wild as he searched among drunk goblins and rambunctious subjects.

He can’t lose.

He would not lose to her. He wouldn’t fall to his Runner. He must win this game.  

He wanted her to be his forever.

For Hyunjin had hopelessly fallen under her spell.

[hanadulsetaad]

RICH KIDS OF SK ( HYUNJIN X READER (Y/N) X BANG CHAN)

MEMORIES FROM THE PAST ( CHANGBIN FELIX Y/N HYUNJIN YEJI AS KIDS<3)

chapter 1 CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3 CHAPTER 4 CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 6 CHAPTER 7.1 CHAPTER 7.2 CHAPTER 8 CHAPTER 9 CHAPTER 10

CHAPTER 11

When Y/N returned home after everything, she felt numb. Hyunjin's words echoed in her mind, casting a shadow over her thoughts, leaving her feeling blue. She couldn't shake the feeling that no matter what reason Yeji might give, it would never be enough to justify her actions.

As she sat there, the weight of Hyunjin's betrayal crashed over her like a tidal wave. How could he do this to her? Did their years of friendship mean nothing to him? Every memory, every shared moment now felt tainted by his actions. These feelings twisted inside her, gnawing at her heart and soul, dragging her down into a pit of despair. The realization that someone she trusted implicitly could betray her in such a way was a wound that cut deeper than she could bear.

Standing up, Y/N walked over to the old album where she kept her favorite pictures.

CHANGBIN AND Y/N

I.N, HYUNJIN AND Y/N

SCHOOL FELIX HYUNJIN YEJI Y/N

FELIX AND Y/N

As Y/N saw the pictures of her and Felix modeling, she remembered how Felix and Y/N made Felix's parents get them clothes from their company and clicked Felix and Y/N's photos. When Felix's father posted those pictures online, it became huge news since it was uploaded on Felix's dad's profile, who was the most famous designer, and also revealed Y/N's face.

At that time, Yeji was known as the chaebol princess. She was on every Korean magazine cover, as her parents wanted her to have a positive image in society and to be well-known. Y/N remembered how Yeji didn't talk to her for days because her pictures went viral. Y/N's memory of Yeji guilt-tripping her all the time flashed in front of her eyes. The guilt tripping and yejis mind games started after y/n and felix's pictures until they all turned 17.

Yeji's jealousy made her ask her parents why Y/N's face was not revealed until felixs fathers post and why she was kept away from the public eye till then. It was because Changbin was everywhere, attending every function with his parents so yeji became curious. That's when Yeji came to know the truth, when Y/N confessed to Hyunjin. Yeji couldn't handle Y/N taking away Hyunjin from her as well because Hyunjin was the only one who used to listen to Yeji, and Yeji was only her real self when Hyunjin was with her. There was a connection between Yeji and Hyunjin since they met each other; they could relate to each other, both born into families where they were trained to maintain a good image since childhood. For yeji hyunjin was a saviour and her prince but whenever y/n came hyunjin used to put all his attention towards y/n. that made yeji more jealous.

When Yeji saw Y/N confessing to Hyunjin, she couldn't bear the thought of losing Hyunjin, the only one she could share her pain with. That's when Yeji revealed Y/N's secret. After that secret was revealed, things became messy; parents were involved, and Yeji was asked to homeschool, her parents send her to america to attend ballet acadmey till her schooling is over. The secret that she revealed was nerve-wracking for Y/N. those memories came back to y/n and she couldn't sleep or do anything. She constantly felt that hyunjin didnt care that yeji tried to ruin y/ns life even thought the incident feel likes age ago y/n still felt scared that yeji might ruin hers and hyunjins friendship. suddenly y/ns phone buzzed and she forgot all her worries and smiled.

Share reviews and ask me anything <3 also let me know if you have any questions or any thing about the story<3

taglist: @lee-knows-cats @midsoulz @hynnnpic @luvvvash @rockyhedgehog

[allwormdiet]

Buzz 7.1

Oh boy, some calm, thank goodness, I hope there's no storm that might interrupt this somehow

Oh, Taylor. You've gotta find a better way to score physical intimacy with people than this, you are not going to get what you're looking for

I was already a bit reserved about whether I thought these two would work out and that was before reading the rest of this arc, so...

Does Lisa know that this is going to end the way it does? I can't imagine she would, she wants her team happy and the way things are about to go between these two is not going to be super happy. Maybe she's reading Brian wrong, if what he said is true about not being so good with girls, and her power is misinterpreting the data

Taylor, you both fucked that up last night, don't pin it all on Danny. You could have told him and given him the opportunity to prove you wrong, to give you something better than the worst-case scenario, but you overruled that and left your home out of. Pride? Shame? C'mon girl.

Fucking finally we get the Alec backstory

Fucking creepy power, though I guess the real creep factor is that he's willing to use it and has used it to make a fucking slave army out of brainwashed women

On the one hand, I get pressing Alec for information, because all of a sudden that's something that the rest of them may have to worry about, but I'm not sure threatening him into talking is the way...

I think that's the youngest age we have for a trigger event so far. And it was deliberately induced by Alec's father. Utterly horrifying.

So... Alec doesn't seem to think he has any kind of moral core, and I'm not sure that's true? Lisa is still the only one out of the group who carries a gun, and Taylor is out here with a knife that she's used to take eyes and toes at this point; Alec's got a comparatively nonlethal loadout, so even if he doesn't feel bad about killing, he doesn't put himself in a situation where it's easy to do.

Taylor, hon, I don't think it's on you to judge him, much as you would love to

Like. Was Alec even treated as a person before he got his power? Was he treated as a person after that? None of the adults in his life ever made an effort to raise him, because they were either his monster father or his father's brainwashed slaves who only cared about him, so any "parenting" would've come from older siblings probably about as fucked as him.

You know what? I'm laying it out here now. The fact that Alec is lazy, selfish, and kind of an asshole, who's not great at reading people and prioritizes personal pleasure over most other things? Actually no joke a huge mark in his favor, because that's who he's figured out how to be after spending 12-13 years of his 15-16 years of life in Hell (which, as I've long suspected, is contained within Montreal) and then three years on the run as a career criminal. The worst thing that I can say about him is that he acts like a shitty teenager, and people act like shitty teenagers while coming from normal homes. Congratulations, Alec, you will be getting a trophy for good behavior (given the circumstances) delivered in the mail

This is sweet. Even with this unpleasant surprise, Brian is still reluctant to act like they'd leave Alec to deal with Heartbreaker alone

This is the most obvious downside of the arrangement, setting aside the matter of "can we trust Coil" (hahahaha)

Rachel, fucking bless you for being the voice of reason here

Yes! Bonding time with Rachel! Friendship rank up with Rachel! Upgrade your Social Link with Rachel in order to strength Personas of the Chariot Arcana!

Actually has someone made a read of the Worm cast as Persona S.Links because I feel like you could make some interesting choices there, obviously Taylor fulfills the Fool/Wild Card role

This is smart as fuck actually. She's basically cutting Brian off before he can interject as the head of the team and establishing her own stance within the hierarchy

An explicit bargain, made with rules for Taylor to follow and consequences if Taylor breaks those rules, all slanted in Rachel's favor.

One day you're gonna call her Rachel in your own head, Taylor, and I can't wait for that

Current Thoughts

Main thing with this chapter is that we've gotten all but one Undersider backstory filled in with Alec's ties to Heartbreaker laid out. Lisa's the last holdout, and I suspect she'll remain mum on the subject as long as she can get away with it

I'm still of the position that Alec reads a lot more shallow on the surface than he actually is, but all we have to go off of is what he says and what he does, with the trick that it's filtered through Taylor's own fairly biased perspective (she thinks he's a coldblooded murderer because his father ordered him to kill an enemy gang member, and that's certainly a read of the situation but she's just as likely jumping to conclusions). He's also taken care to not do much when he can help it, save for the Bakuda fight where he worked his ass off keeping them all alive. It's a waiting game to get to the meat of his character, I suspect, same as basically every other Undersider except Rachel.

Speaking of which, really enjoy the next chapters with Rachel. By far the Undersider I'd spend the most time with. We'd hang out with dogs and not talk to each other for hours, it'd be great.

Anyway, after a brief little scare with my entire account getting temporarily dropped from existence, I'm going to start using the alt I made @wormstreetsback as a backup for this one, on the off chance something goes horribly awry again. It's just going to be reblogs of my own stuff so don't follow it yet, unless you're fine with doubled posts.