#the penumbra podcast fic

[scarlettrust]

juno’s head must be so quiet now that the blood gunk is gone and ruby has gone home. like when someone from the city visits the country and they cant sleep because its too quiet

[sernhuh]

Fav trope in fics Nureyev thinking something SO DOWN BAD about Juno and going "Let's file it away for future consideration."

[beguilingcorpse]

ok btw if you like the themes and narrative beats of the locked tomb that revolve around duty, guilt, sacrifice, grief, self-loathing, psychosis and mental illness, spacey sci-fi settings, memorable side characters, parental issues, found family, complex queer relationships, women with knives, fuckery about gender, and/or whatever the hell you're supposed to do when you're supposed to die but keep on living. i beseech you to check out the juno steel stories in the penumbra podcast

[bamfwizard]

screams at you because the vespa/peter parallels of being taken away from your loved one because of a debt to a pharmaceutical company and your gf and their bff try to save you is tearing me apart

[anydaynowany]

i really need to get more people to listen to red valley, i’m suffering with not enough fan content to feed the hyperfixation gods

[preciousconstellations]

Benten gave a shaky chuckle. “I think that’s been building up in me for a while. I— Yeah, you’re right. I should probably wait until he’s better before I open that can of worms at him, huh?” “Perhaps,” Nureyev said with a wry look. Benten flopped back down into the chair next to Nureyev, pulling his leg up once more, and the pair lapsed into mutual silence. The clock continued to tick.

I drew this last year and I'm super excited to finally share it -- art for chapter 11 of here's to feeling alive again by DesertWillow. Go check out the fic, it's so so good!!

[ceaseless-watchers-special-girl]

everyone and their fucking penumbra bingo cards. i only need one thing from the penumbra before this ends. i need someone to call peter nureyev "angel" in the most menacing fucking voice.

[ernmark]

I may be one of the few human beings that doesn't mind work meetings-- partly because the whole 'raised Mormon' thing kinda drilled leadership meetings and agendas into my head back when I was a teenager, and partly because I'm currently low enough in the pecking order that I'm frequently just a butt in a chair and can spend most of the meeting not paying attention while higher-ups debate matters that I have no access to.

Listen, I am all here for being paid to smile and nod thoughtfully while silently plotting out my next fanfic.

[floorley]

While I don’t feel very strongly about Slip Jackson either way, and don’t think he’s been particularly well-handled as a character:

Consider: what if the Executives had woken Slip up shortly before Nureyev, and convinced him that Nureyev was the one in a coma and he needed to go into debt to the Dokana Group to keep Nureyev alive, and then they put Slip to sleep, woke Nureyev up and told him the same spiel. What if, throughout the twenty years Nureyev’s been working for Dokana to protect Slip, Slip had actually been alive and conscious the entire time and working for Dokana to protect Nureyev. What if they ran into each other. I do in fact think that would have been sick as hell

[changecomesforyou]

im gonna miss juno steel so much😭 i can't believe its over. juno thank u so much for the gender. seriously

[podcast-official]

when u start reading a oneshot tagged "basically just juno and peter talking about boobs for 1k"

[headphonesleatherjacket]

“Juno, I can hear you thinking,” Sasha snapped. “Just say it already.”

Juno glanced to her, lips twisting. He hooked an arm through hers. Sasha’s face said, you and I both know this is about to be bullshit, in one perfectly arched eyebrow.

“I was just thinking, Wire, that for a city this nice, they sure don’t spend a lot on cameras. And it’s not like we’re ever coming back here.”

Juno looked pointedly to a nearby chain store. In the window, goods of all colours and sizes were displayed in military formation. In abundance. His fingers itched. Sasha punched him in the shoulder.

“Ow! Hey, what was that –?”

“Pavlovian response. It’s not like you’re ever coming back here. I need an impeccable criminal record, Steel, and it’s unfortunate enough that we’re associated as it is! You wouldn’t dare to – to –”

“Steal?” Juno suggested helpfully. “That is my name, Wire! Or did you mean, uh, liberate? Unburden? Introduce to the local miscreants? Or their pockets? Come on, man, did your mom pack you lunch today?”

“Don’t you have a job?” Sasha shot back.

“Don’t you have a sense of deep injustice about the system we live in?”

“Do you ever shut your mouth?”

“Hey, what’s a Pavlovian response?”

“Juno!” She punched him again.

“Ow, ow! What is this, 20 questions? Animal, vegetable, mineral, Wire?” Juno barrelled on before she could answer. “Aw, fuck, alright, you got me! I’m an animal.”

“At least you know that,” Sasha muttered darkly.

[whumpdoyoumean]

Whumptober #27

A/N: Okay, so this is from an idea that I've had kicking around in my head for the last couple years. It's an X-Files AU. I don't know that I will ever get around to writing the full thing, but here is a little blurb from it!

xxx laboratory

"I had a dream about you last night." Juno's voice is raw, barely above a whisper. His features arrange themselves slowly into a frown. "Or maybe...maybe it was the night before. 've sorta lost track..."

"Hush, Juno," Nureyev says gently as he works on the second strap, his usually nimble fingers slipping as he wrestles with leather and buckles. Juno stirs, frown twisting into an uncomfortable grimace.

"Oh...god, how – how long--" His breaths begin to quicken, bare chest rising and falling in rapid, uneven movements, and his expression grows frantic. "'reyev?"

"You're alright," Nureyev soothes, finally undoing the strap around Juno's ankle. "You're alright, I'm going to get you out of here."

"What..." He's gasping now, his words rising in pitch and volume, and panicked. "Wha'd they do to me?"

Nureyev moves his hands to Juno's face, then, running his thumbs over Juno's cheekbones. "I'm here now, Juno. Look at me. Look at me. That's it. I know I--" He swallows, surprised at the sudden wave of emotions that washes over him. "I know I've hardly earned it, but I need you to trust me. I am getting you out of here, Juno, but you must calm down. Take a deep breath."

Juno stares at him, wide-eyed, and then he nods and takes a long, shaky inhale.

"Very good. Keep going," Nureyev says as he undoes the straps around Juno's wrists. There's an uncomfortable feeling settled deep in his stomach as he does so; Juno is barely moving – hardly the reaction Nureyev was expecting. Whatever they've given to Juno, whatever they've done to him, his usual fight is gone. And his usual brightness.

Nureyev can only hope that it's temporary.

"There," he says, releasing the final strap. "Let's get you sitting up."

Juno doesn't speak as Nureyev slides a hand under his back and levers him slowly into a sitting position, only grimaces slightly.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Juno says shortly, shifting so that his legs are dangling over the side of the bed table. "Just stiff." He grips Nureyev's hand so tightly that it's almost painful as he slides forward and sets his bare feet on the floor.

And promptly falls.

"Juno!" Nureyev kneels in front of him, doing another quick scan for any sign of blood or injury. "Are you hurt?"

There's a dazed look in Juno's eyes and a moment passes before he slowly shakes his head.

"I...I don't know. I don't – I don't think so? I can't remember...'m dizzy."

Nureyev does his best not to let his worry show on his face. Whatever Rita had done to keep people away from this part of the lab, he suspects it's only temporary. Which means he and Juno have to move. A more thorough examination will have to wait until they're out of this place.

"I'll help you," Nureyev says, pulling Juno's arm around his shoulders. He stands slowly, giving Juno time to get his feet under him. Then, once Juno is (mostly) upright, he steers them both toward the door.

Juno's footsteps are sloppy and increasingly uncoordinated as they make their way down the corridor. Nureyev is practically dragging him by the time they get to the elevator that Rita had said she would keep open for them.

"Can't get out this way," Juno mumbles. "I tried...Need a code..."

"Rita gave me the code," Nureyev says, punching the eight-digit number into the keypad by the elevator doors and trying not to think too much about Juno, alone and trapped and trying to escape. Being unable to.

Not this time, though. This time, the doors slide open, and Nureyev guides both of them into the elevator, leaning Juno against the far wall so he can press the button for the ground floor. The doors shut again and the elevator car shudders before starting its ascent.

xxx

Juno was right about Rita; she's the best at her job. Nureyev had been able to get Juno out of the underground lab without setting off any alarms or encountering anyone. Juno had slept for most of the drive to the motel, and they're in the room now. Juno is sitting on the edge of one of the beds.

He looks awful. There are dark circles under his half-lidded eyes and a hollowness to his unshaven cheeks. He's leaning heavily against the wall and looks like he may collapse at any second. Nureyev reaches forward to take his pulse and he flinches violently.

"I'm sorry," Nureyev says, pulling his hand away, silently scolding himself. He has no idea what Juno has been subjected to this last week, but it's hardly any wonder he'd be nervous about any sudden physical contact. "Sorry, Juno. I just want to take a closer look at you, is that okay?"

Juno gives a slow nod.

"I'm going to take your heart rate," Nureyev says, lifting Juno's wrist and pressing two fingers to the inside of it. He silently counts each beat that pulses against his fingertips. It's slower than it should be, but that's not too unexpected given that Juno was almost certainly sedated. Whatever they'd given him will still be working its way out of his system.

His eyes trace up Juno's arm and his stomach twists at the sight of needle marks and slight bruising on the inside of Juno's elbow where they'd taken blood, or given him something through an IV or both. There's a small circular wound on his upper arm, as well, that Nureyev suspects is from a biopsy. He doesn't even want to know what they intend to do with the tissue sample.

Nureyev continues his examination, making sure to ask before he touches Juno, and explain what he does as he does it. Juno remains disconcertingly quiet through the whole process, and pliant in a way that Nureyev doesn't like.

"I don't see any obvious signs of injury," Nureyev says finally. "You'll need a more thorough work-up tomorrow, though – urinalysis and blood work."

A shudder runs through Juno at the words blood work, and Nureyev puts a hand on Juno's.

"I can go with you, if you'd like," he offers. Juno doesn't look at him. Nureyev can't blame him, really. Not after the way Nureyev had betrayed him. He takes a breath. "Let's get through tonight first, though, shall we? Would you like a shower?"

"I think I just want to sleep," Juno says. Nureyev nods.

"Sleep would be good, I think."

xxx

Nureyev is awakened by the sound of Juno being sick in the bathroom. Fear and worry spike through him as he bolts upright, immediately swinging his longs legs over the side of the bed. His heart pounds as he strides across the motel carpet.

"Juno?" he calls, rapping on the door with a knuckle. "Juno, are you alright in there?" There's no answer, just the continued sound of heaving. Nureyev carefully tries the doorknob, relieved when it turns. "I'm coming in."

Juno is sitting panting and wide-eyed on the bathroom floor, his tank top soaked through with sweat. His legs are splayed in front of him and one arm rests on the edge of the toilet. He's visibly shaking.

"Juno!" Nureyev kneels in front of his partner, taking one of Juno's hands gently in his own and pressing two fingers to the inside of his wrist. "Your heart is racing. Are you having any other symptoms? Pain or dizziness?"

Juno shakes his head. "No, no. I'm--" He swallows thickly, raising his eyes to meet Nureyev's. When he speaks his voice is quiet, barely above a whisper, and trembling. "I remember something."

Nureyev's heart jumps. He's been wondering if exactly what happened to him in that lab was going to remain a mystery forever. Looking at Juno now, he can't help but wonder if that would have been better.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asks gently.

Juno's eyes fill with tears and he grips Nureyev's forearms.

"It's Ben," he whispers. "He's alive."

xxx

[slightoffoot]

Nureyev Headcannon Time!

An ongoing list.

Room looks like

Furthermore, I can't not think of Howl's freak out about his hair turning orange and then transforming into goo because he thinks he's not beautiful anymore. It's so Peter I'm- (peter and juno howl and sophie REAL)

Aquarius

Can't watch movies without subtitles

Practices how he speaks and carries himself very similarly to how Buddy does

I think Juno fixes his own clothes and Peter helps him thread his needles because Juno's depth perception sucks

Sharp teeth partly as a result of genetics and partly as a result of filing them as a teenager and regretting it as an adult (see: Caniniform on ao3 and that one tiktok I saw two years ago of that girl that filed her teeth and regretted it LOL)

No emojis. Only emoticons. >:3

LONG hair like down to the tops of his thighs

Sheds like a damn dog like his everything shower leaves the bathroom looking like a tornado came through

Sleeves. Iykyk.

Every alias has a very specific posture and way of holding himself, so when he's (very rarely) being himself, he shifts constantly because he doesn't know how he stands naturally.

He talks all proper and flowery because Mag drilled into him that he couldn't sound foreign and had to learn to speak Solar perfectly (along with various other languages), so that nobody would guess that he's from the Outer Rim.

He's so goth like cmon. He literally gave his name to Juno after knowing him for several hours and wanted to run away together. My fave tortured dramatic guy <3

I think he'd like creepasta, early 2000's internet horror, and whatever category Mystery Flesh Pit National Park falls into. Like he gets side tracked researching for a job and falls down various rabbit holes and wow it's 3 am and he's doodling Jeff the Killer on a hotel napkin

Continuing on the last one he 1000% believes in ghosts and legends n all that shit he is wayyyyy too scared to even try playing bloody mary. This man has killed people and he won't stand between two mirrors facing each other. God.

I know he has a tramp stamp and I know Juno is the only one who's seen it. Let me live.

the adhd should be a given. I mean. *gestures vaguely*

will add to this list as I think of more.

[nagiru]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Penumbra Podcast Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Juno Steel Additional Tags: The Penumbra Podcast Season 5 Spoilers, Season Finale, Juno Steel and the Case Closed part 2 spoilers, Double Drabble Summary:

Home is what you make. (Juno Steel and the Case Closed Part 2 double drabble)

[femsanzo291]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Penumbra Podcast Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Benzaiten Steel & Juno Steel Characters: Juno Steel, Benzaiten Steel Additional Tags: Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Past Character Death, Canonical Character Death, Memories, Finding Old Messages, Season/Series 02 Series: Part 3 of FemSanzo291's Whumptober 2024 Summary:

Juno was getting ready to leave Hyperion for good and in going though his things finds an old comms with unread messages on it.