#some for the smexytimes others for the slice of life fluff

[kyuohki]

Gimme some director's cut deets on your modern AU!

Oh, goodness, my modern AU (with all the BDSM and Petplay...)

First the Party, in their majors (I think I commented on some of these, but I figured out Valere and Zale finally):

Garl is majoring in Family/Child Psychology, and probably gonna continue on to get a master’s degree (maybe eventually a PhD? I thought Culinary Arts, but it’s a bit too on the nose; plus, he was so amazing and supportive throughout the game, and he was absolutely great with Malkomud). Garl has a variety of scholarships, grants, and financial aid getting him through college.

Teaks, of course, is getting a degree in History (minoring in Creative Writing (she writes horror/thriller in her spare time, and some of her work is getting popular)). Teaks is also using a variety of scholarships, grants, and financial aid.

Seraï is getting a restoration ecology degree, with an eye to getting a masters (then a PhD). She wants to help with restoration projects in areas that have been damaged by humans. (She hides the fact that she's rich-rich from everyone as long as possible, which eventually results in Zale having a conspiracy theory that she's a Yakuza heiress).

Valere intends on getting her degrees in Physics and Engineering. She's has an idea of becoming an aerospace engineer, wanting to create more efficient and eco friendly airplanes and the like for travel. Valere is in on a tennis scholarship, grants, and financial aid.

Zale is going for a basic degree atm, but will land on something in Fine Arts (honestly with my obsession with pottery rn it'll probably end up being something to do with ceramics). (His family is the same as in Bloodlines (same thing for Valere), and Haris and his shop were big influences on Zale growing up). Zale is in on a soccer scholarship, grants, and financial aid.

Resh'an and Aephorul are married and professors at the university; they own the duplex that the group is renting (unknown to the group, they live just down the street in an even older historical home. The duplex is Resh'an's, and their current home is Aephorul's).

Resh'an actually has a variety of classes in various subjects he cycles through every couple of years, and each of the group probably end up in one of his classes at one point or another (he feels like a Jack of all Trades to me).

Aephorul is a neuroscientist, reluctantly teaching classes between his research (he doesn't exactly hate it, just has no patience for most of the students who try to coast through his classes).

B'st is a contemporary of Resh'an and Aephorul, and with him being a Songster, he teaches a large variety of music classes and theory. He is good friends with the "pirate" crew after they graduated, as all of them took his classes for their degrees.

NSFW exploration under the cut:

'Kay…it’s probably absolutely clear to everybody now that I have a kink for main characters willingly giving up their control to their partners (or losing all control to someone stronger).

So...…Teaks introduced the idea of BDSM to the trio. First to Valere after they’d gotten together, with shibari; then to the boys when she and Valere were not as thorough in cleaning up their supplies from a play session in their living room. (There was much blushing from everyone when Zale found the cuffs and rope, then a lot of teasing.)

Garl and Zale were actually not together when they all moved into the duplex. Between being introduced to the concept of BDSM, and constant pining on both sides since their high school days, it all came to a head when Zale got really drunk and kissed Garl (and as I love the stupid trope, he passed out and didn't remember it in the morning). Garl corners him not long after, they have a long talk, and start dating (bc like hell Garl is gonna let the pining continue if he can be cuddling, kissing, and smexing his Kitten bff).

Zale came up with the Kitten-play all on his own, having stumbled on it online while looking for gifts for Garl. He ended up missing getting it all for Garl's bday, as it took a while to collect everything. He did have a very embarrassing outing with Valere to figure out what kind of lingerie to get; bc Zale chickened out going on his own, and was overwhelmed by all the variety (she didn't know about the whole Kitten bit, tho.)

Zale finds that he likes being a Kitten, and he and Garl explore it a bit deeper after that first time. Garl gets an at-home belled collar to match the lingerie, and a more incognito necklace that Zale can wear all the time (Garl has a matching bracelet). After getting his collars, Zale starts experimenting with being a Kitten a bit deeper (with non-verbal communication and non-sexual play). They actually mostly do non-sexual play in cuddle and "grooming" sessions after long days of school or work.

Garl is a Soft Dom. These two don't really "switch" their roles all that often (Zale *likes* being a Sub, and Garl *likes* being a Dom), but that doesn't mean that Zale is always bottom. Garl does get his sounding fantasy played out, and all his ideas for Zale on rings and cages actually end up being used on him more often than not (Zale finds he also likes being a bratty Kitten and torturing Garl.)

Teaks and Valere figured out that being tied up helps Valere relax. Doesn't even have to be for sexy-times...if Valere is stressing over school or whatever, Teaks will offer to tie her up in either simple or complex shibari.

Seraï ends up walking in on one of Teaks and Valere's innocent sessions, and is flustered over it. Teaks and Valere discuss it, and slowly start romancing Seraï when she doesn't push them away when they broach it to her, and they end up in a happy threesome. They all like switching up who is dominant for any given session.