#pertaining to trek

[a-most-beloved-fool]

hmm i have an Idea for the K/S advent calendar... remains to be seen if i can actually write things in time. don't even want to claim it yet for fear of writing like. five sentences.

[baylardian-1]

I have begun to long for you I who have no greed I have begun to ask for you I who have no need You say you've gone away from me But I can feel you when you breathe Do not dress in those rags for me I know you are not poor And don't love me quite so fiercely now When you know that you are not sure It is your turn, beloved It is your flesh that I wear

My piece for Merry Month of Cohen, 2024 on @what-happens-to-the-heart. :) Nothing fancy but I wanted to revisit this old piece of mine in my Threshold AU for Voyager.

I've always loved the idea of Kathryn being at the lowest point she's ever known here and thinking she'll never be the same again. (The theme!!!!!!!!)

[writingpuddle]

unexpected side effect of having a supervisor who is young for a professor is having to act normal when i hear the phrase "my headcanon about string theory"

[bumblingbabooshka]

A Star Trek Novel called “Pocket Full of Lies” really has NO business going so hard.

[section-69]

The schism in the Great Link (artist's rendition)

[theheightofdishonor]

when i say that yuri on ice consistently puts out some of the best fanfic i've read, i mean it. I've read through a fair bit of the old fandom behemoths, harry potter and star wars and marvel and naruto and all of them have great fics, whether it be a 5k crackfic or a canon rewrite with a word count of 1 mi but there's something about the yoi fandom that's completely insane when it comes to fic. It's so good

[thebrisingamen]

HEY EVERYONE

So, to preface this: My father passed away earlier this year. We have been cleaning things out as much as we can, bit by bit. He was a hoarder and was only hampered by the fact that my mother wouldn't let him dominate the house with EVERYTHING.

This meant he did not throw away ANYTHING at all. So here's something interesting.

in ye olden times before the internet, there were 'zines. And this was the collection of hand-written and drawn, then xeroxed...Star Trek Smut.

Specifically pertaining to Spock. It's WILD that this survived and is in as good of a condition as it is.

1972, as you can see. And Hal Clement (author of Needle) contributed to this collection! (His article is not pictured here, but its still cool!)

I'm sure this is of great interest to some people, how the 70s thought this stuff should go.

Here's some art! There is more but it is not safe to post here, lest staff kicks me. Unless I'm allowed to post stuff like that again, now?

Anyways, Where will this go? Museum of Popular Culture; They Have A Vulcan Harp!!

This one, not the Seattle one

[princessofgondor]

early hours // boromir x fem!reader 🔞

As the only woman in the Fellowship, you often struggled to find privacy, and had taken to bathing in a nearby stream during the early hours of the morning. One particular morning, however, it seemed that one of your comrades had a similar idea.

Smut (18+ ONLY), Fellowship!Reader, Comrades to Lovers, Fluff, Mutual Pining. 3037 Words. Author has only seen the movies, so please forgive any mistakes/inaccuracies! Also, it’s my first time writing for Boromir 🙈

***

You weren’t sure how long ago it had been since you and the other members of the Fellowship of the Ring had set off from Rivendell. When you were in constant danger from Orcs, Nazgûl, and the elements, it was not exactly a priority to keep track of the days. It was rare that you even got a moment to relax outside of rough camping in the woods - which wasn’t exactly relaxing in the first place.

And being the only woman in the Fellowship, it could be difficult to find privacy. Your comrades meant well, but sometimes they could be overbearing. You appreciated their concern, but you could take care of yourself - if you hadn't been able to handle yourself, Elrond wouldn't have allowed you to be part of the mission, would he?

So, to find your privacy, you had taken to rising earlier than everyone else and bathing in a nearby stream - if one was available. Those were your only moments of solace, and you had to admit, that it was nice to clean yourself of the grime and sweat from trekking through the woods. Mainly for reasons of comfort and ease of movement, of course, though there were other reasons that you liked to be clean - reasons that were really quite embarrassing. Reasons that pertained to not wanting to feel unattractive in front of a certain Gondorian captain.

Really, with the fate of all Middle Earth at stake, you were worried about not looking presentable enough for a man? Was that truly what was important right now? But the irrationality of your reasoning didn’t make it any less true, no matter how irritated it made you feel towards yourself.

If you were honest with yourself, you hadn’t been that impressed by Boromir when the two of you had first met in Rivendell. He was handsome, yes, but there was no shortage of good-looking men in the world. At first, he he seemed like nothing but another warrior concerned with nothing but honour and glory. It wasn’t until later that your feelings for him began to grow.

You soon found that Boromir - while indeed a brave and talented warrior - was also gentle and caring, and that was what had drawn you to him. He protected you and the other members of the Fellowship like he would lay down his life for you, and the way he laughed and played with the Hobbits was awfully sweet. You went from thinking nothing much of him to beginning to fall for him at a speed that was incredibly surprising to you, as it had never happened before.

You were thinking of Boromir as you stripped off your clothes and armour, leaving them in a pile on the bank of the stream close enough for you to reach when you needed them, but not so close that they would easily get wet. First, you dipped your toes into the cool water, then quickly submerged yourself. You sighed contentedly, moving deeper into the water and beginning to wash the dirt from your skin. It was a simple pleasure, but a pleasure nonetheless.

So relaxed were you - which was dangerous, as you were out in the wild and needed to be constantly vigilant - that you didn’t even notice that you were not alone in the stream, and remained completely ignorant until you heard a shocked voice uttering your name. Your eyes flew open to see Boromir standing before you in the water, completely bare like you.

"C-Captain Boromir!" you almost shrieked, your face flushing deeply and your arms raising to cover your chest. Your eyes wanted to trail downwards, to finally catch a glimpse of the muscular physique you knew was there - that which you had fantasised about as you watched him teaching Merry and Pippin how to defend themselves, or as he sparred with Aragorn - beneath the clear water. It took an intense amount of willpower, you successfully fought the urge.

Boromir was embarrassed too, though he wasn't being quite as obvious about it. "Apologies, my lady," he responded, his voice strained. "If I had known that you were bathing too, I would have kept my distance. I promise that it was not my intention to intrude on you." He looked at you as if he were begging you to accept his apology.

A few moments passed, and after the shock had worn off at least a little, you nodded empathetically. "I understand, Captain. You are not that kind of man. I was just shocked, that is all."

Boromir gave you a small smile, clearly relieved by your answer. "I am glad. I would not wish for you to think less of me."

There is no chance of that, you thought to yourself, settling down with your back against a large boulder near the bank of the stream. I think very highly of you indeed... more than you know. Luckily, you still had enough sense to not say such a thing out loud. Boromir’s proximity combined with your mutual nakedness was making you feel weak in the knees, and you didn’t wish to embarrass yourself in front of him anymore than you already had.

Boromir moved in the water, and once again your willpower was tested, finding yourself tempted to peek at his naked body. This time, you indulged yourself a little, looking at him out of the corner of your eye and hoping he wouldn’t notice. Even through your quick, embarrassed glances, you now knew that his physique was just as striking as you had imagined. Your mind began to wander, presenting some tantalising images of feeling his strong muscles beneath your palms, and then of brushing your lips against his chest, hearing his moans above you as you slowly moved lower—

You snapped back into reality rather unceremoniously when you heard Boromir say your name. That was when you realised that your attempts at subtly admiring him had quickly turned into staring, and you had been caught in the act. Your cheeks began to burn with embarrassment, and it took what felt like an eternity for you to be able to meet his gaze once more.

And to your surprise (and delight), when you looked up to Boromir’s face, he didn’t seem disturbed or uncomfortable. Rather he was… smiling? And even better, there was a pale flush on his cheeks that indicated perhaps your admiration was not entirely one-sided.

When he saw your shocked expression, Boromir laughed quietly. "I have been trying to stop myself from staring at you ever since we first met, but now that I know you wish to stare back… perhaps I was worrying over nothing."

"Pardon…?" you stammered out, not trusting your own mind to determine whether this was real or another one of the dreams you’d had about Boromir since meeting him. Though this did feel far more real than any dream or fantasy you’d ever experienced in your life… you could feel the water on your skin, the cool morning breeze, and the heat rushing through your body as Boromir looked at you with darkened eyes.

"I have been admiring you since Rivendell, my lady. I knew right away that you were the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on, and when I got the chance to know you better… I found that you were not only beautiful, but a woman of both gentleness and strength." Boromir looked down, seeming almost bashful, something that you were not expecting of a strong warrior like himself. "You have stolen my heart, in a way no other woman ever has."

"Captain Boromir…" Your eyes were wide as you looked at him, still trying to discern whether this was real or not.

"Please, just call me 'Boromir'. There is no need for such formality between us, especially now." Boromir moved closer, his hand coming up to rest against your cheek. His skin felt warm, and you could feel the callouses on his palm, something you would expect from a lifelong warrior such as himself. But at the same time his touch was so gentle, like you were something precious to him.

Suddenly, you didn’t care whether or not this was a dream - if it was, there was no harm in indulging, and if it wasn’t… well, Boromir wanted you quite obviously. There was no downside to finally allowing yourself to be with this man that you had been pining over.

And so, you closed the gap between the two of you and crashed your lips against his, your fingers tangling in his damp hair. Boromir let out a quiet noise of surprise, but a few seconds later he was reciprocating enthusiastically, kissing you back with a fervour that more than matched your own. One of his strong arms wrapped around your waist to pull you closer, and you couldn’t help but moan softly as you felt your bare skin touch his for the very first time.

"I have been thinking about this since Rivendell," Boromir admitted huskily, pulling away from your lips to press fervent kisses to your jawline. Once he reached just below your ear, he took a moment to gently nip at your earlobe before his lips trailed down the side of your neck. His large hands were now eagerly grabbing at your backside, pulling you even closer to him.

"As have I," you whispered in response. It felt good to finally admit your desires out loud - though it certainly didn't feel better than giving in to them. You could feel Boromir's facial hair scratching against the sensitive skin of your neck as he sucked a mark into it. At this moment, you weren't even considering the idea that someone back at camp might notice it later. You were too focused on the present to even think about the future.

Boromir grinned against your neck, nipping gently as his hands moved - up from your backside to your mid back, before slipping around to the front of your body, and moving higher until he grasped your breasts. "These have been quite the distraction…" You felt his thumbs grazing over your nipples, making them harden beneath his touch, and you let out a gasp. "You’re even more beautiful than I imagined…"

One of his hands left your breast to slide down your stomach until he cupped your mound, brushing his fingers against your clit, while other hand continued to toy with your nipple. Your legs spread a little further on instinct, and you braced yourself against the smooth boulder you were leaning against.

"That’s it, my darling, don’t be shy. Open yourself up to me," Boromir whispered lowly in your ear, as he slipped one finger inside of you rather easily, the pad of his thumb beginning to slowly rub circles over your clit. You let out a quiet curse, which seemed to amuse him judging by his smile.

Boromir kept his eyes on you as he continued to touch you, wanting to see exactly how you reacted. You mesmerised him when you were fully clothed walking through the woods, so seeing you completely bare, writhing beneath his touch? You were a temptation that he could not ignore. Once he could tell you were beginning to teeter on the edge, he pulled his hand from you, and your eyes snapped open, disappointed by the lack of stimulation.

"I would like to taste you," Boromir told you, making your heart flutter even more. You had imagined more than once having his head buried between your legs as he lapped at you until you could hardly speak. "But as there is no way for me to do that right now without risking us being seen, I suppose it will have to wait for another time."

Another time, he said. He already wanted to do this again. That fact excited you beyond belief, that this could happen more than once. You hadn’t even finished doing it the first time, but you were already excited for the next.

Boromir could see the excitement behind your eyes, and he grinned at your enthusiasm. "For now…" He didn’t need to finish that thought for you to know what he meant. He kissed you again, more sweetly this time, and you felt his hands on your thighs, manoeuvring them so they were wrapped around his waist. You could feel his hardness against you, rubbing against your core, and you practically collapsed into his arms.

"Are you ready?" Boromir asked gently, looking into your eyes, his own gaze filled with both adoration and desire.

"Yes," you told him softly, sounding almost desperate. "Please."

That was all he needed to hear. Using his hold on your waist, Boromir pulled you down onto him, slowly burying himself inside of you. Both of you let out groans, and he pressed his forehead to yours as he stayed still, allowing both of you to adjust to the new sensation.

"You feel incredible," he murmured brokenly, his eyes squeezed shut. The tone in his voice made it sound as if he were struggling to keep himself together, like you felt so good that if he didn’t focus properly, he would fall apart in an instant. It made you feel strangely powerful that you were able to affect a man like him in such a way. "You’ll be the death of me…"

The two of you stayed frozen for a few more moments, until you started to become impatient and whispered "go on" against his lips. And as soon as you gave the signal, Boromir began to move, drawing out of you before pushing himself deep inside again, almost painfully slow.

He was big, certainly thicker than anything you’d experienced before, and there was a stretch that stung a little at the beginning. It faded quickly however, and it wasn’t long before you had your face buried in his neck as you panted and moaned. Boromir’s fingertips dug into your hips, definitely hard enough to leave bruises but not enough for you to care. How could you care right now, anyway? Your mind was so addled by the pleasure you were feeling that you barely even remembered where you were.

As his hips moved against yours, Boromir’s hands were everywhere, almost like he was trying to memorise every inch of your body using only his sense of touch. Your own hands grasped onto his shoulders, occasionally moving downwards so you could run your hands over his toned torso, and making him gasp softly against your skin. He began to move faster, and as a result your moans grew louder and more frequent.

Boromir knew that it wasn’t safe for you to be so loud - though your pretty moans were driving him crazy - as anyone could hear and come to investigate, whether that was one of their comrades or someone more unsavoury. Rather than tell you to quiet down, however, he kissed you again, swallowing each and every noise that wanted to escape you. This also had the added benefit of keeping him quiet as well, because he could feel his own willpower slipping.

Again, his pace increased, and you were barely even able to think anymore. Boromir could tell that you were close, and oh, how he wanted to see you fall over the edge. Wanting to make sure he saw it before meeting his own end, his hand slipped between your bodies to rub at your clit again, while the other toyed with your nipple. You tightened around him and he doubled his efforts, bringing his lips close to your ear. "I can feel that you’re close, my darling… let go, I want to feel you come undone for me…"

Almost as if you were waiting for his permission, you immediately fell apart once he said the word, trembling violently in his embrace as you called out his name. By some miracle, Boromir was quick enough to crash his lips against yours once more to muffle the sound, as he continued to fuck you through your climax.

Boromir tried to hold out as long as he could, but soon enough he faltered. With a groan against your lips he let go too, spilling himself inside of you before pressing his forehead against yours once more. Both of you were panting, your bodies shaking slightly as you recovered from your shared experience, holding onto each other for dear life.

"You know…" you began breathlessly, once you had recovered enough to be able to speak again. "I think that was the best bath I’ve ever had…"

Boromir grinned widely, peppering kisses on your cheek before planting one on the tip of your nose. "Glad to be of service, my lady," he said in a teasing tone, but you could tell that he was being genuine. You placed your hand on his cheek, brushing your nose against his and then gently kissing his lips, much more chastely than the previous kisses you had shared.

The two of you stayed like that for a few more minutes, revelling in being so close to each other now that you knew that you were not alone in your feelings. After a while you pulled away from each other, making sure to wash the sweat that had formed on your bodies from your earlier activities.

"We should return to camp soon. The others might wake and notice that we’re missing," Boromir said solemnly, knowing that duty called for you both, even if he would love to stay here with you forever. You nodded, and the two of you waded out of the water, drying yourselves and getting dressed.

Once the two of you were looking presentable again, Boromir took your hand in his, looking into your eyes with a rather vulnerable expression. "I hope… this will not be our last encounter?" he asked, a subtly pleading tone to his voice, which made your heart melt. This was real, he truly did care for you.

"It will not be," you replied, a small smile playing on your lips, and the two of you returned to camp - having to invent a story to tell the other members of the Fellowship when they asked what you and Boromir were doing alone together so early in the morning.

[baejax-the-great]

When I was a kid, my dad used to cut out newspaper articles of topics he thought pertained to my interests (neuroscience and China mostly) and then he would mail them to me with no note. Every once in a while I would receive an envelope with an assortment of newspaper clippings from the five newspapers he reads a day.

And as I sit here sending star trek memes and mourning dove pics to friend 1, and knitting memes and terrible puns to friend 2, and sexy radishes to friend 3, never with any explanation or even an expectation of acknowledgement of receipt, I have to reckon with some hard truths about the person I have grown into and how it relates to my parenting.

[cheezeybread]

Hello! May i have a request with Jade and the reader who is experienced on hiking and camping.

When reader found out that there is something relate with camping or mountain expedition club (the Mountain Appreciation Club) they immediately wanna join the club.

Jade might surprise (or amused) on how well prepared they were and reader explaining that they were one of the member hikers as a 'Gadget Hiker' and ever went to Appalachian Mountain that is one of a dangerous mountain when at night.

I hope you like the idea and have a good day! 💞

Fun Fact! .....mmm, Jade go brr.

He's such an interesting character to me because he plays his cards so close to his chest. Like, we get why Azul is the way he is because we know his backstory. Floyd is pretty much an open book. But Jade? He's just a silly guy who keeps his thoughts to himself. But is still just as terrifying as his twin!

So fun!

Anyway, I love the request, and I hope I do it justice here!

I got a lil carried away :/

╔═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╗

Being bored was something you never thought would happen in this world. There was far too much for you to do, after all! You had to survive, for one thing. You had to help Crowley with his work! You had to clean on campus and fix up Ramshackle the best you could! You had to study for classes that you couldn't even take exams for half the time due to your lack of magic! You had to make sure Grim didn't fail his classes, because if he failed, you would, too! You had to help other students with their emotional issues! You had to-

But after some time, the distress and anxiety it all caused you to think about became...rather mundane. The worry of what might happen and what tomorrow might bring didn't seem so terrifying to think of. It had become your norm, after a while. You weren't too sure if it was a necessarily good or bad thing, but at least you weren't constantly burnt-out and an anxious mess!

With this newfound inner peace, however, came the inevitable "boredom". Or something like it. The craving for something new.

Or something reminiscent.

Walking out of Alchemy class after a particularly rough day, you hoisted Grim up onto your shoulders- as became the norm, since his stubby legs couldn't keep up with your gait- and began the trek back to Ramshackle.

But something caught your eye as you passed by the main corridor of the building. A cork-board with many different posters and papers on it that you couldn't even see the board underneath it anymore. Some of the papers were pinned with the same tack, some were stacked up so tightly that they fell to the ground in a cluster of assorted papers.

There were a variety of things to catch your eye on there- job advertisements, offerings for contracts, odd jobs to do around school, study tips, tutoring help, library hours, all sorts of things that would pertain to students at NRC.

But the one that caught your eye most was a club poster. It wasn't very good, by any means. A plain white background with basic pictures of mushrooms, trees, and fauna placed carefully around the print in the center of the page.

"Mountain Lover's Club

Meets at 5'oclock every Wednesday, Room 2-B"

There were no names signed on the paper to show who owned the club, nor the other members in it, but the word "mountain" was enough to send a delighted chill up your spine.

The intense memories of your old world, of the birds in the trees, the sound of wind rushing through bushes and water running nearby, of the feeling of rocks underneath your feet and rough tree bark scraping across your hands flew through your mind, and you stared at the paper for a minute longer than you should have.

"Oi, Hench-human!" Grim yowled, smacking his paw across your face (gently, of course, and without his claws out) to get your attention "What're you staring at that for? I'm hungry!"

"Hm?" Jolted out of your thoughts, you glanced to Grim with an absentminded smile "Oh, yeah, sorry about that. Let's get back home," as an afterthought, you glanced at the paper one last time, memorizing the time and room number before continuing on your trek "And if you ever hit me again, Grim, you're going to have to sleep on the floor."

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

"Room 2-B, 2-B, 2-B," You repeated under your breath like a mantra, walking through the halls of the main building an hour after dropping off Grim at the dorm. It felt odd to be in here after class, you thought to yourself. It didn't seem like the same place without a horde of students rushing to their next classes, or idly standing in the hallway taking up space.

Of course, there were other clubs meeting in this building, and occasionally one or two students would pass by you, or you would walk by a room with several students quietly chatting inside, but even so. It still felt empty.

You crossed your arms together, peering at every room's door, looking for the right number combination. Eventually, you stumbled onto lucky Room 2-B! The wooden door was open slightly ajar, so you knocked quietly on it before pushing it open the rest of the way, stepping inside.

It was a classroom you've never been in before, but looked to be something relating to math, given the half-erased equations up on the chalkboard. Chairs and desks were pushed neatly to the walls of the room to allow for more floor space, and there were a stack of textbooks underneath one of the desks. Something that wasn't part of the classroom, you could guess, was the folding table set up in the middle of the room. Set on top of it was a cage, of sorts, made up of glass.

"Hello?" You called out, wincing at how loud your voice sounded in the empty room. Huh. No one was here. But this was the right room, you were sure of it. Maybe the group went out to get something and would be back soon? Either way, you could afford to spare a few minutes waiting on them.

So you curiously stepped forward, towards the table, leaning down a bit to properly look at the cage. A terrarium, you knew by looking more closely at it. Inside was a pile of loose, fluffy dirt, and on the table beside it, laying on a towel, were small containers. Some were filled with more of the dirt, one had different colored moss, one had what looked to be seeds in it, and one (with the lid tightly firm on it) held a mess of squiggling insects that looked similar to the ones on your world, but too different to be exact.

The sound of footsteps, light on the floor, could just be faintly heard before someone entered the room. Before you could turn around, you heard them ask "Can I help you?"

To say you were frightened after turning to face the person would be an understatement. To say you almost had a heart attack would also be an understatement.

You turned, and for a moment, you got a flash of when you had last met this man. Sharp teeth, sharp claws, a predatory look in his eyes as he twirled around your group like a cat playing with his food.

He stared at you, baring his teeth in a sadistic grin, his brother beside him mimicking the same expression.

"Now, now, it wouldn't do for you to accomplish your task so easily now, would it~?"

You let out a breath, taking an instinctive step back. Which, unfortunately for you, was right smack into the table behind you.

Jade's eyes grew wide as the polite, forced smile left his lips, and he moved far too quickly for someone of his size, darting not towards you, but for the objects behind you. He wedged himself between you and the table, grabbing onto the table itself with one hand, and steadying the terrarium and containers with his other arm; while propping you up so you wouldn't stumble any more.

"Careful!" He hissed, as you practically shoved yourself off of him and moved closer to the door.

You tried to catch your breath- it all happened within a few seconds of him coming into the room, and frankly, you didn't have the mental fortitude to process it all as fast as it occurred. Lifting up a hand to signal for him to give you a minute (not that it mattered much anyway, since his back was still to you and his attention on the table), you steadied yourself and took the opportunity to examine the situation.

Jade Leech, one of the twins working with Azul, hunched his long figure over the table, his hands darting between containers to check their contents. The last time you saw him was not just when he and his brother were stopping you from reaching the museum during your contract, but when Azul had overblotted. Both of the times you saw them were more than enough to leave a lasting impression on you.

They were formidable in every sense of the word, and in any form they took. In the sea, they were creatures who could squeeze you so tight you'd burst. Fast and deadly, predatory instincts ran rampant through their blood. On land, they were still just as intimidating, with powerful capabilities in magic and physical strength. Together, the twins were an unstoppable force. Even separate, they were immovable objects. With Azul and Floyd, after the incident was said and done with, you knew where you stood with them. Floyd was an open book- he had no qualms with sharing how he really felt, and although he did occasionally have ulterior motives, you knew that he was pretty straight-forward. Azul was standoffish after everything, most likely ashamed and insecure about his show of grand weakness and "cringe", as Floyd put it. Azul left you alone as long as you left him alone.

But Jade? Whoo, boy, that man was an enigma! He was silent, deadly, and just as cunning as Azul was. He was a man of few words, in most situations, and the thought of getting on his bad side was enough to make your stomach queasy.

Oh, well, best to try and get on his good side now, at least.

"I'm sorry- you just- scared the crap out of me," You began, finally able to regain the use of your voice.

Jade straightened himself up, deciding that the objects on his table were no longer in harm's way, and turned to you, a curious look in his eyes "I apologize, as well, I should have known better," He said softly, that same polite smile plastered on his face again.

Oh. You hadn't expected him to apologize. How....strange.

"Ahem, well, I guess we can put it behind us, then," You continued "Is this the room that the Mountain Lover's club meets in?" Please say no, please say I'm in the wrong room, please say no, please say no-

"Indeed it is," He responded with a gentle nod, his smile widening a bit "Do you have interest in mountains, by any chance, Prefect?"

Say no, say no! "I do," You idiot! "I was wondering what all this club does- are the rest of the members coming soon, or...?"

"Oh, no," Jade chuckled, crossing to the other side of the table and taking a seat busying his hands with building the terrarium, packing the soil down on the bottom "I'm afraid it's just myself at the moment. But as for what we- or shall I say, I- do...I hike in the mountains just off-campus and gather specimens I find interesting. Leaves, plants....seeds," He smiled and held up the container that had some small black seeds in it to demonstrate his point. As he sprinkled some of them into the soil, he continued "I also gather different species of wild fungi to experiment with, both in dishes and otherwise, as well as to grow in the Botanical Gardens on campus."

Glancing back up at you with a look that sent goosebumps crawling up your arms, he asked "If you're interested in joining, or, say...wish to understand the 'club' a bit more, then might I suggest joining me for an excursion tomorrow? I'll be spending all of the late afternoon and night looking for nocturnal flora- plants that you can only find during the nightly hours."

You wanted to say no. As much as you loved the mountains, and nature, and missed your home, you wanted to say no.

But the feeling of a cool breeze on your skin, the scent of the trees and flowers, even the itching feeling of unwanted bugs on your skin forced you to open your mouth and say:

"I'd love to."

Jade's teeth clacked together as he chuckled, the sharp things looking as if they might be ready to tear into your skin at any moment. "Wonderful. I'll meet you at the campus' exit tomorrow at...shall we say 5 o'clock? Most classes will be done by then, and it gives you a chance to get homework done." How thoughtful. As a hindsight, he added "And I do hope all of that contract nonsense is water under the bridge, to quote a land-dweller's saying, right?"

You swallowed thickly and forced a smile, flashing him a thumbs-up "Yup! Water under the bridge- I'll see you at 5 tomorrow, bye-" And with that less-than-graceful statement, you ran out of the room as quickly as you could and back to the safety of your own dorm.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

At 4:45 in the afternoon the next day, you set out of your dorm, giving a tearful Grim a goodbye hug and pat. Grim was convinced you wouldn't come back alive. While you hoped otherwise, you couldn't say that you didn't think the same thing. As soon as you told Ace, Deuce, and Grim what you were planning on doing, the entire trio began yelling at you for being such an idiot...and then started mourning for your future demise at the hands of Jade Leech.

"All night, alone! In the secluded mountains! With HIM!" Ace yelled, practically tearing his hair out. As with Grim, you shared Ace's pain. But you needed some sort of connection to your homeworld, and if Jade could show you those mountains and help you establish that connection, then by Sevens, you would go up in the mountains with him!

After the boys finished their pre-funeral for you, you got to work on packing. It was fairly difficult, since you didn't have the privilege of having your old belongings here with you, but skipping out on a class and borrowing some money from Trey (with the promise of working at Sam's shop to pay him back) gave you the opportunity to buy some of the items you would need for the excursion. Bug spray, hiking boots, good pants, a jacket, hat, water, food supplies, sleeping bag (just in case), emergency supply kit, medicine....everything that you packed in your old bag back at home, you bought and packed then and there. Good thing you were used to the heavy backpack, or else you would most definitely be struggling to walk right now! As soon as you tugged that backpack on, all of the old muscles in your back that had been honed to hiking perfection perked right up, almost seeming overjoyed at being used again.

Already at the exit to the school's campus was none other than your new hiking buddy and potential murderer. When he saw you approaching, he made a show of checking the time on his watch "Prefect! You're five minutes earlier than the set time."

"So are you," You pointed out with a small smile.

Jade raised a brow, considering your point "Fair enough. Being early means being on time- being on time is considered being late for some."

"Very wise, Shakespeare." You nodded sarcastically.

"Who?"

"I, uh-" Shoot, new world, they didn't have Shakespeare here! "Nothing. Lead the way, Mister Leech."

Brushing aside your awkward blunder, Jade began to walk off of campus, his own backpack eerily similar to yours, you noticed "Now, during this trip, I will not be sharing any of my supplies unless it is under an extreme circumstance. You had time to prepare ahead, and I expect-"

"I know, I'm good," You interrupted him, holding up a hand as you jogged to walk next to him. You felt better already, more at home, as the two of you made your way to the nearest treeline. The rising slope of the mountain was enough to send an exhilarating rush through your veins.

"Oh, you are, are you?" Jade smirked "We shall see, Prefect, we shall see."

And see he did. The two of you began the trek up the mountain, taking the time to admire every bit and piece that nature had to offer on the way. When an unknown creature came into view, Jade was prepared to pull you back to safety, but was surprised to see you keep your distance, despite curiosity about the animal. When there was a pond, Jade expected you to immediately dunk your water bottle into the water to fill it back up, but was shocked to see you pull out a water purifying device to cleanse it of bacteria before filling up your bottle and offering him the use of the device, as well. Bug spray? You had some already. Bandaid to cover up that nasty-looking scrape from a rock? You had one already out of your bag. When it got dark? You pulled out a lantern of your own instead of mooching off of Jade's light.

"Prefect," He started after a few hours of hiking, his breath heavy from walking so long, but filled with a delighted energy nonetheless "Tell me, how did you know to bring all that you did? I expected to be covering for you left and right, but each time, you leave me in a state of utter confusion."

You laughed at this, pausing to look at an interesting bug perched on top of a branch eye-level to you "Ooh, well, I said that I liked mountains," You explained, catching back up with him "Back on my world, I was pretty into all this nature stuff. Hiking like this was enough of a thrill for me. I know what to pack like the back of my hand, and your world is similar enough to mine that my list of things to pack is still good."

As Jade stopped suddenly and squatted down to dig a peculiar-looking blue mushroom- one of the "nocturnal flora" that he was hoping to find, apparently- you leaned up against a tree.

"I even hiked up on the Appalachian trail way back when."

"The what now?" He asked, pulling out an empty container and gently placing the mushroom inside before locking it and stuffing it back into his bag. He stood up and began to walk again, with you alongside him.

"It's this mountain range back at home. It's considered suuuper dangerous if you don't know what you're doing." You smiled at the memory "There's a lot of things that can go wrong up there. You could get lost, trip and break a leg without getting found for a few days, tons of predators, venomous animals, you name it!" You sighed, closing your eyes for a second as you recalled the feeling you had of traveling that path "Oh, but it was so beautiful..."

Jade was quiet for a moment, and you glanced back over to him to see what if he had wandered off or something. But he was still next to you, as silent as ever. But he was just watching you with a small smile on his face. Not the same smile that gave you the willies, that reminded you of a killer ready to eat his next meal. But one that was a little softer around the edges, one more...genuine.

"What are you looking at?" You asked with a snort, lightly hitting his arm. Imagine if Ace were here to see you hit Jade Leech! He would die on the spot!

"Ooh, nothing, Y/N," He answered quickly, quickening his pace to walk ahead of you "Hurry up, we're nearing the top!"

You just rolled your eyes and tried to match his pace. It was a few minutes before you realized that that moment was the first time he called you by your own name instead of 'Prefect'.

𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊𓋼𓍊

The top of the mountain was truly a sight to behold. There was a small clearing, and a pond that held even smaller fish inside of it. And alongside all of that, there were a multitude of flowers sprouting up everywhere, despite the colder temperature. They had white buds with a pink dash of color on the outer ridges, and a purple antenna-looking thing stood in the middle of the flower.

"Those are commonly called Dead Lillies," Jade explained once you remarked on their odd looks. He was currently unpacking some of his stuff, since the two of you decided to rest a bit before heading back down "They bloom in colder temperatures, and the stalks contain a sappy liquid that can be used as glue- it's popular amongst hikers, mainly because said sap can close up a wound without introducing toxins to the bloodstream, and because the petals taste of honey."

"Huh," You remarked, tugging off your backpack and sitting beside Jade. He offered you one of the nutrition bars he had brought along for the trip, despite claiming at the beginning that he wouldn't give you anything. Despite you having plenty of snacks, you accepted it with a smile "Pretty cool...you sure do know a lot about land for a mer-thing, don't you?"

"Mer-thing?" Jade gave you a sardonic look "I believe the correct term is mer-man, although what would I know, I'm just a mer-thing!"

"Shut up, you know what I meant!" You reached a hand out and shoved him lightly.

"Fufu, I suppose I do know quite a lot about land for a sea-dweller," He nodded "I find the difference in our plants and nature to be...well, rather fascinating! Under the sea, where my brother and I were raised, at least, it's quite dark. Not much grows under there, and what little does isn't quite as pretty as the flora up here. When we first came to live up here, I was taken aback by the stark differences and felt compelled to look into them more."

"Cool," You agreed, laying down in the grass to look up at the night sky.

This trip certainly was quite a...well, trip. You started out uneasy about it all, to say the least. But as the time dragged on, you noticed a difference in how Jade acted. As soon as he was in nature, not surrounded by students, he was...more calm. Relaxed. He smiled genuinely. He laughed.

And, most importantly, he didn't scare the crap out of you. Unless he wanted to- but even then, you could tell that he was just pulling a prank, and didn't want to genuinely upset or hurt you.

"I quite like the stars," Jade admitted once he settled down into the grass as well, using his jacket as a pillow to rest his head on as he stared up at the sky. His expression was one of utter delight, like a child looking at something wonderful for the very first time.

"Oh?" You questioned, propping your head up with a hand as you glanced at him "Are you interested in Astrology, too? Land and sky?"

The eel-mer waved a hand at you flippantly, not bothering to look at you "No, no, nothing like that. I just...like the way they look." With his mouth slightly ajar, the tips of his bottom teeth barely visible, and the shine of the star's lights in his eyes, he looked...oddly at peace. He finally looked his age. He wasn't the terrifying, intimidating figure that sent most of the students at NRC running away like cowards. Right here, he was...just a teenager. A teenager far, far away from his home that somehow managed to make a new home on land, in the solitude of nature.

You quite liked this teenager, you realized.

Maybe you would join the club, after all.

╚═*.·:·.✧ ✦ ✧.·:·.*═╝

[cloudwhisper23]

Freddy’s trek to Parts and Service was interrupted briefly as Officer Vanessa tried to get his attention for the thirteenth time. “Freddy! Do you have a moment?”

“I was just on my way to Parts and Service, Officer Vanessa. Is there something you need help with?”

Frazzled, Vanessa nodded her head vigorously. “There’s two kids wandering around on their own.”

“I do not see how that concerns me. I believe you should communicate the issue to another member of staff-“

“No, you don’t understand. They’re not kids. Not human kids, anyway.”

“I don’t follow.”

“They’re…” Vanessa gestured vaguely. “Talking animals?”

Freddy frowned. “The suggestion you are making does not make any sense. I was under the impression that therianthropy was purely hypothetical, and it pertained specifically to cave drawings in France.”

“Glad to see you have an open mind,” Vanessa replied sarcastically.

“If you could just-“

“Come with me for a minute. You’ll believe it when you see it.” Vanessa turned and started walking.

The door to the security office flew open when Vanessa scanned her keycard. Freddy didn’t see much out of the ordinary, aside from the child-sized stuffed teddy bear on the floor. Or at least, he didn’t until the bear moved.

Freddy couldn’t help himself. He pressed himself down low, just in case the little bear was scared of him. Evidently, the bear cub was not afraid. He looked at Freddy, blinking sleepily.

“Are you…” he yawned. His little teeth poked out of his mouth, and Freddy felt a rush of affection surge over him. “Do I know you? Should I know you?” 

His amber eyes gleamed as they settled on Freddy’s face. Suddenly, the animatronic bear didn’t know what to do. “Officer Vanessa,” he started, but she had already quietly left the room. Off to worry about something else, he supposed.

Shaking his head, Freddy continued his focus on the bear cub. “My name is Freddy Fazbear. I am a performer slash entertainer for a company called Fazbear Entertainment. What is your name?”

The little bear blinked at him for a moment. “My name? I… I’m…” His ear twitched. “Gregory. My name is Gregory.”

“Well, Gregory, you seem to be a bit lost. I don’t see too many bears hanging around here normally.”

So, I did an art trade with @pixlokita here on tumblr. Since I've had block for several months now, I wrote a ficlet instead. Hope y'all enjoy it as much as they did!

[a-most-beloved-fool]

Being aroace and engaging in shipping culture is interesting because sometimes I'll be working on a fic and writing a particularly romantic scene and my brain will start Buzzing. and I'll be like "hey. what's wrong there buddy". and my brain goes, "you're overstimulated :)". and I say "ok. why? how?". "you were thinking too much about People Touching," it tells me, and I'm like. "That's It? You're kicking up a fuss for that? just thinking about it??" and my brain says "yes :)", while smirking at me. then it tells me that I should instead go write about somebody getting punched, and when I protest and say that that's actually still people touching, it just sort of shrugs its shoulders at me. "it's different," it claims, and while I can't really argue with that, it still seems a little unfair.

[drmapzo]

Hello, everyone!

A big adventure awaits the new heroes who have just started their journey in this fantastical land. Though they're destined for great things, their beginning is usually a humble one.

Traveling through forests, finding hidden secrets and helping to solve crimes are just some of the things that the upstart adventurer is going to do at some point in their career.

So let them explore some more in this wilderness and see where a trek through the forest can lead.

The creature tokens for this map are an Archer Centaur, a Dark Wolf and a Voracious Hair. Emerald tier gets the Dark Wolf while Diamond tier gets all three. In addition, Sapphire tier gets extra creature token variants.

You can see a preview of all of this week’s Patreon content here.

Thank you very much for taking a look and be sure to check out my Patreon where you can pledge for gridless version, alternate map versions as well as the tokens pertaining to this map.

[canisvesperus]

DRoP is such a fantastic example of how a massive fandom can fade into obscurity due to censorship and creator hostility towards the fandom. A lot of the young people on this website do not know how big Pern was. It was huge, about as old as Star Trek, and yet everyone knows Star Trek and its influence but few even recognize the name Pern anymore. I’m not going to write a whole essay here, there are tons of great articles on Fanlore about it, plus all of this was a little before my time too. But I am mutuals with one of the most prolific figures in the Pern fandom during the 90s and early 2000s who was threatened with a six figure lawsuit for using some of her OC art to advertise commissions. Any fan who created fanworks that so much as depicted a character/setting/time period from canon, NSFW content, broke the in-universe rules of canon including rules regarding gender and sexuality, depicted lesbian or bisexual OCs, displayed your work outside of author-approved communities, or sold art that so much as resembled Pern dragons (note: they’re just dragons, any dragon artist associating with the fandom could be a target). Literal children roleplaying online with their friends were being bullied by the author. This is the tip of the iceberg as it pertains to the issues of old fandom and I think a lot of you take for granted the freedom we have today. The Powers That Be is hardly even a relevant concept anymore. However, some people seem to have taken it upon themselves to fill this ecological niche. This is also why I’ve honestly been anxious about pushes for stronger copyright protections in light of the AI situation. I fear that TPTB would increasingly take advantage of what any new law entails and what it neglects to specify— with easy and vulnerable targets, human fanartists (and I’m looking at y’all who sell commissions, merch, organize funded projects outside of IP holder permissions), being affected the most. If anything it might be a new opportunity to crack down on infringement as a whole, especially if financial losses associated with derivative works created using AI becomes a wider issue than it currently is. I also hate to see modern fandom reverse engineering the same attitudes and atmosphere of the 20th century, eg. bullying on the basis of canon sanctity, except this time it’s a mob instead of lawyers. Learn your history people.

[daydream-cement]

Organs in the Wash Ch. 5

Miranda Hilmarson x Reader

Authors Note: Sorry this has taken me so long!!! Hope you guys enjoy this text chapter.

Living with Miranda was proving to be a pleasant experience. You took up responsibility for the cooking while she cleaned. At first she vehemently opposed it, but you felt the need to make yourself useful somehow. During the day, you both seemed to be ignoring the way she held you close as you slept. The proximity helped with the recurring nightmares, but it made defining your relationship even harder. Was ‘friends who hold each other close at night’ a thing?

Until the killer was caught, Miranda had been assigned to watch after you. With her home all the time your days became filled with old Star Trek reruns, board games, and the occasional silent couple of hours where you worked on your computer. When you needed to work, Miranda occasionally took the time to step out of the apartment to call her boss, hoping to hear any news on how the case was progressing.

After wasting away the afternoon debating which of the Marvel movies was the best, Miranda had stepped out to take one of those calls from Adrian.

“What do you mean we don’t know where he is? We know everything about him yet he is nowhere to be found?” Miranda was trying to lower her voice, but the anger rising up in her made her voice clear as day through the front door. You closed your eyes and leaned your head back against the back of the couch. This entire experience left you constantly anxious, recognizing the killer could find you and attempt to finish the job.

“I don’t care! The longer he is out there, the longer she is in danger!” You heard a slamming noise and realized Miranda must have thrown her hand against the wall in frustration. Miranda was going mad knowing there was someone out there who was determined to hurt you, “No! How dare you make that insinuation?”

Miranda’s voice grew quieter as the anger diminished. It was getting harder and harder to make out the sound of her voice, “I was assigned to protect her. I’m doing my job… Yes.. Okay… Bye.”

When Miranda pushes the front door open, you push random keys on your computer to make it seem like you have been working. Miranda runs a hand through her hair and takes her place next to you on the couch, only this time she scrunches up a blanket by your hip and uses it as a pillow. You glance out of the corner of your eye and her legs are dangling off the far end of the couch and her eyes are closed.

“Everything okay?” You urge, hoping she wouldn’t keep secrets from you; especially when they pertained to your own safety.

“Just work stuff. We will find him.. Don’t you worry.” Miranda adjusted her position, curling up on her side and shifting upwards. The blanket now lay partially on your lap and her head rested on your thigh so she could bend her long legs to fit on the couch. You couldn’t help yourself when you dropped a hand to her face to pull the hair away from her cheek.

“I trust you.” Your trust for her was endless, but your trust for her coworkers had its bounds.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you.” Her words were soft as she turned her face into your hand, secretly hoping you wouldn’t pull away. Miranda must have repeated this phrase twice a day, everyday since you had come to stay with her.

“I know.” You whisper. Not long after, you are back to working and Miranda flicked on the tv to watch a movie. Her head remained in your lap, her left hand tucking under the blanket to rest against your thigh.

Work wasn’t all too challenging today. Moreso emails to send regarding recent decodings you had sent out to clients. With the final click of your mouse, you sent your last email and closed your laptop.

Eventually, you decided it was a good idea to get up and take a shower rather than sit and veg out with Miranda once again. Her groan of annoyance when you had to move her made you affectionately roll your eyes.

Today was the first day you felt safe showering without Miranda sitting just outside the bathroom door talking to you. Even with her on the couch, you knew no harm could befall you while you got cleaned up. It was hard for your mind not to wander to the killer and his whereabouts. There was always the chance he could be staking out Miranda’s apartment, waiting for the moment when she was gone or you were both vulnerable to strike. He could have forgotten about you due to the pressure of police searching for him, but this seemed highly unlikely as you knew he was a madman.

You had been so pleased when Miranda turned up back to the apartment on your second day with a bag of your toiletries and clothes. At no point had you even mentioned this to her, but the act only showed her thoughtfulness. Being able to shower with your favorite shampoo and body wash was more of a godsend than you would have thought.

Upon exiting the shower, you wrapped the towel Miranda had given you around your body. Reaching from the door handle, you could hear a man's voice from the living room, instantly turning your blood cold. You listened closely and realized Miranda was having a heated discussion with him.

“-beyond the bounds of professionalism and you know it Hilmarson. Sleeping in the same bed, really?”

Miranda was quick with her retort, attempting to explain away his assumptions that she wished were true, “She’s terrified, Adrian. I can’t leave her alone on the couch thinking that she could die at any second.”

“This is more than that and you know it.” Adrian wasn’t convinced. While his relationship with Miranda was far from perfect, he knew she was a hopeless romantic, so the odds of her falling for you were high.

“Even if it was, you have no say over how I run my life. You and I aren’t-”

He sounded like he was begging on his knees, “We could be! I know things ended on a sour tone, but I think we could really make things work!”

“Adrian.. Honestly… We can’t go down that path again. You are-”

You rolled your eyes at the sound of him cutting her off once again. His omission told you everything you needed to know about the history between the two of them, “In love with you. Miranda, after everything we have been through. Don’t you think we should give things another shot?”

“I- Do you have anything else to discuss about the case? If not, I think you should leave.”

The desperation in his voice made your nose crinkle, “Don’t do this. Miranda. Don’t-”

“Get out, Adrian.” You were shocked at how Miranda’s voice showed no signs of anger or sadness. It made you wonder what she would be like after he was finally out of the apartment.

Silence filled the apartment, but there was no creak of the front door to indicate he was coming or going. Pulling the towel tighter around yourself, you open the bathroom door, finally stepping out into Miranda’s bedroom. You moved quietly, not wanting Adrian to have the opportunity to hear you.

You were pulling a shirt over your head when the sound of the front door slamming shut made you jump. The final portion of their conversation must have been whispers or nonverbal as you expected him to have left already.

Miranda came flying into the bedroom, throwing herself on the bed as she raged aloud, “How dare he? I mean, honestly?”

You choose to play dumb, yanking down your shirt the rest of the way and pulling shorts from the drawer Miranda had given you in her dresser, “What happened?”

She sat up and shifted to lay on her stomach so she could look at you while she spoke, “I can’t believe he could come back here like that. His wife is sitting there at home and he is coming by my apartment asking me to ‘give things another shot’?”

“Who?” You inquire.

“I-” She paused, realizing she had admitted to the affair before revealing the identity of the man. Miranda saw this as one of the most embarrassing and regretful decisions she had made, so admitting it to you was painful, “My boss… Adrian..”

“Ahh…” You weren’t interested in passing judgment, but it was hard to find the words to respond to an omission such as that.

“It just… happened and it- it was wrong! I know that, but I thought we were in love.”

“Well… If you were in love, maybe he just isn’t over you?” You drop to the bed next to her, only you are on your back staring up at the ceiling.

“Fuck love. It’s a disease. People die from it.” Miranda huffed, the anger she had for Andrian completely taking over. You knew her words were based on the conversation she had with Adrian, but you couldn’t help but feel your heart break at her words. Perhaps you had gotten the wrong idea from her, taking her kindness for interest.

Miranda’s presence was requested down at the station and Robin had to drag her kicking and screaming. Before she left, she promised to be home in an hour. You sat nervously at the edge of the bed, counting down the seconds until Miranda said she would be home.

You were scared out of your wits when you heard knocking on the front door of Miranda’s apartment. She had only been absent for twelve minutes and now you were going to die. The knocking persisted and you could hear Adrian’s voice from the other side of the door, calling your name.

Much of you wanted to not answer, but he knew you would be home. Where else would you be? Fear was coursing through you as you approached the front door, even with the thought of a ‘friendly face’ on the other side.

“This is Adrian Butler! I need to speak with you about your case.” Hearing his voice up close was the final confirmation you needed to crack open the door and look at him. He offered you a wide smile, “Good afternoon. How are you?”

From the previous night’s discussion about him with Miranda, you were only willing to offer him a soft smile and short reply, “Good, I guess… And you?”

“Well. I wanted to discuss your case with you,” From the way he attempted glancing over your shoulder, you knew he wanted to enter the apartment to chat, but you held firm. The door would only be open enough for him to see your face. Talking in the hall would have to be good enough for him. He pursed his lips and tapped his foot in annoyance before beginning his spiel, “You could really help us with this case. We have received three anonymous letters to the station. All of which have displayed the killer's interest in finding you. If you would be willing to put yourself in harm's way, just for a moment, we will be able to catch him.”

“I- What does Miranda think about this? I should really-” You bite your lip, feeling as though Miranda wouldn’t like the idea of you putting yourself in the position to be harmed by the man Miranda had worked so tirelessly to protect you from.

Adrian let out a soft laugh and shook his head, “Hillmarson wants this case to be over with just as much as you do. We will have you go back to your apartment and wait for him. We will have officers on site, so you will be in no danger.”

His tone was intended to be comforting, but his words nullified whatever comfort he tried giving. You repeat the most frightening portion of his statement back to him, “Back to my apartment?”

“Just for a night. Then we will nab him and you will be able to resume your life completely unafraid. I’m sure Miranda will appreciate this as well.” From how Adrian described this, it seemed to be a compelling enough argument. Knowing it would help Miranda was enough for you to put up with the insane amount of anxiety you would have as well.

You swallowed and nodded, agreeing to what he was asking of you, “If Miranda thinks I will be fine and it helps her… then, yes. I’ll do it.”

“Grab whatever you need. I’ll take you there now.”

[stickthroughthephases]

"Un"-Happy Meal

C(S). Reptile/Syzoth x Reader | WC. 1588 | G. Fluff |

Syzoth had still been adjusting to life in Earthrealm and amongst humans who were not the other Earthrealm defenders. Fortunately enough you lived away from big cities and towns, opting to reside in the quiet countryside of your village. Though he was always on alert whenever the two of you went into town for food or to explore, his fascination with the bright lights and greasy smell of fast food wafting throughout was increasing each time he crossed passed with the fast food joints in town. 

The town centre was located about an hour and a half from the village you lived in and a half hour more from the secluded area out of the village where you and Syzoth lived now. You usually saved the long trek for Saturday mornings every couple of weeks, making the visit even more exciting. 

This particular trip into town was different than most. Your longtime friend had asked you to babysit her five-year-old daughter Aria, who had become the unlikeliest of friends with your partner, in turn, was happy to entertain the little one. Having babysat her since she was born, and the other countless times since you and Syzoth became a couple, what was the worst that could happen? 

The toddler was dropped off early in the morning as you and Syzoth prepared to head into town. After securing any additional supplies to keep the toddler entertained and fed, the three of you were now ready to make the trek into town. As roads were still scarce in your village, and most of the 21st-century advancements pertained to the town centre, you had set up a cozy ensemble for Syzoth and Aria, in the back of your horse-driven carriage. Sure it was a little old-fashioned but it was a reliable form of transportation.

Arriving at the town centre, Syzoth and Aria waved to all the street vendors and passersby, all of whom waved back with the same enthusiasm. Sharing their own little jokes and giggling at funny sights, you couldn’t help the smile grace your lips hearing the two in their own world, enjoying each other’s company. 

The day had gone virtually stress-free, Aria and Syzoth entertained each other as you ran your errands, Syzoth carried any and all of your bags of course despite your protests and somehow also managed to carry Aria on his shoulders.  

As far as little kids go, Aria was unfazed by other temptations of candy and other toys displayed during your errand run, but there was always one indulgent activity she wanted to do—visit McDonalds.

Your friend often told you how she could bargain her way out of other requests if she promised to take Aria to McDonald's at the end of their trip into town and it worked like a charm for you as well, additionally, Syzoth had always looked doe-eyed whenever walking passed the elaborate establishment that you figured it was time he try it too.

The step inside the McDonald's transported Syzoth into an out-of-body experience. His nose detected a variety of smells unfamiliar to his previous knowledge and his eyes, a vast hue of colours displayed inside. You found an empty booth near the Play Place so Aria could enjoy playing as you all waited for some food. Since Syzoth could not enjoy human food, he settled for exploring the huge menu and watching Aria. 

The play area was an oasis for the little one who quickly made friends with other kids and immersed herself in the made-up games.

The place was fairly packed so you opted to go back to your table instead of just standing near the order station whilst Syzoth was whisked away by Aria and her newly made friends to act as the bad guy for one of their games.

All was well until to “catch” the children, he had to follow them up the intricate slide area, it didn’t occur to him, until too late, that the space was made for kids and it was fairly high up. He made it up to the highest tunnel slide until the enclosed space shot the memory of Shang Tsung’s lab across his mind. Frozen, the voices of Aria and other children fell to deaf ears as panic settled. Breathing became hard and the tight space seemly began to further compress leaving Syzoth with no room to move. 

Confused, Aria ran over to you distressed.

“Syzoth won’t come down, we called his name and everything but he won’t respond!” she shrieked, worry etched in her brow and voice.

“Aria, it’s ok don’t worry, I’ll go get him down ok?.” Your attempt at consoling Aria works a smidge as she nods along to your words, still clearly not convinced.

You quicken your steps and attempt to navigate through the maze of ladders, slides and tunnels, calling out to Syzoth to locate him.

“He’s in the purple tunnel!” yells out one of the children, who are all gathered at the end of the slide connected to the tunnel in which Syzoth is stuck, trying their own to coax him down the slide.

You locate the quickest ladder and begin your climb, almost slipping due to the lack of grip on your socks but catch yourself before tumbling down. Bending down, you get on your knees to climb into the tunnel, moving slowly until you reach a frozen Syzoth.

His eyes closed shut, sweat beading down the side of his face which was flushed red, arms outstretched with an iron grip on the raised bars inside the tunnel so tight his hands turned white.

“..Syzoth…love…can you hear my voice?” you begin, slowly crawling towards him.

There is a pause, and the only sound is from the children down below, muttering amongst themselves.

“Syzoth,” you try again. “Sweetie is everything ok?”. You stop moving until you’re a mere few inches apart, unsure if the space is enough to avoid making him feel suffocated.

Before you can even register it, your hand moves by its own accord to cup the side of his face, slightly shaking as if it was unsure of it’s intentions, and lightly swipe your thumb across his cheek. You wait for Syzoth’s reaction and when you sense a welcome to your touch, you press your hand further into his cheek and feel as he leans into your palm.

You try once more.

“Syzoth, my love, can you open your eyes? Its just me, I can help you,” you assert but quickly follow it up with, “-if you need it.”

Long lashes lift gently from his cheek until his downcasted eyes turn slightly to face you, panic and anxiety bouncing behind his irises begin to dwindle down from the assurance of your touch and your face that reminds him he is no longer stuck in his past.

The breath he didn’t realize he was holding comes out in a small huff,  you demonstrate the breathing techniques you both have grown used to utilizing whenever the familiar panic rises up from the depth of Syzoth’s conscience, stabilizing him into the present.

“I’m sor–”

“Ssshhhh,” you reply before he can even finish his apology. 

You move closer to press your forehead against his, a silent gesture, one you know he would understand as a reminder that you hated when he apologized for panic attacks such as this and chose to spend a few more moments in your intimacy, forgetting the crowd that had gathered below.

“IS.HE.OK??” shouts the gathering of children, who escaped your mind, equally worried about their newly made friend who was stuck in the tube.

You pull back and instruct Syzoth to sit at the entrance of the slide.

“Do you need a few more minutes?”

“No need, I feel much better,” he gleams readying himself for the much too small slide.

You wrap your legs around his waist and use the bars on either side to push the two of you down the slide.

After a short twist and turn, the two of your arrive at the bottom of the slide with a loud “BOO”.

Scared faces suddenly rejoice to see the two of you, quickly hounding Syzoth to ask if he is ok, to which he assures that he just got a little bit scared. 

As the kids busied themselves of sharing their own stories of bravery, a choral of parents beckoned their children, some to eat and others that their playtime was now over. You, Aria and Syzoth waved goodbye to the kids and went to enjoy to your own meal.

Aria attached herself onto Syzoth and refused to let go which prompted him to carry her back to table as you collected their food. Her attachment was short-lived at the enticement of her happy meal toy, busying herself in the colouring book and consuming her apple slices. 

Similarly your hand found itself on top of Syzoths for the entirety of meal as both a reassurance for him and yourself. 

The day was now at its end, a sleepy Aria tuckered from exploring and playing so you laid her to rest in the little cocoon in your buggy and Syzoth opted to sit beside you as you started your trek back to the village. 

The sun was starting to set and the air felt a little chillier than before, you feel Syzoth hand snake around your waist and his head finding solace on your shoulder. 

“Maybe next time we eat our meal at an outdoor playground without any tunnels,” whispers Syzoth, snuggling closer to you.

*Author's Note*

I've seen enough Syzoth smut for life and I think we need more fluff and soft stories for the MK characters, their life is already so hard, thus I just had to write this for Syzoth when my best friend sent me an idea several months ago about babysitting and getting stuck in the McDonalds Play Place.