#unfortunately the way things are going is that I'm not really keeping traditional 'here's my OC bio!' style logs of my characters

[oozeandgoo-art]

everyone is sooo in love with vakori on account of le is so cool and smart and deeply pragmatic and is also completely batshit insane

[guardsbian]

awwwaagh I want to talk about my OCs. I want. quastions

[intheholler]

the appalachian murder ballad <3 one of the most interesting elements of americana and american folk, imo!

my wife recently gave me A Look when i had one playing in the car and she was like, "why do all of these old folk songs talk about killing people lmao" and i realized i wanted to Talk About It at length.

nerd shit under the cut, and it's long. y'all been warned

so, as y'all probably know, a lot of appalachian folk music grew its roots in scottish folk (and then was heavily influenced by Black folks once it arrived here, but that's a post for another time).

they existed, as most folk music does, to deliver a narrative--to pass on a story orally, especially in communities where literacy was not widespread. their whole purpose was to get the news out there about current events, and everyone loves a good murder mystery!

as an aside, i saw someone liken the murder ballad to a ye olde true crime podcast and tbh, yeah lol.

the "original" murder ballads started back across the pond as news stories printed on broadsheets and penned in such a way that it was easy to put to melody.

they were meant to be passed on and keep the people informed about the goings-on in town. i imagine that because these songs were left up to their original orators to get them going, this would be why we have sooo many variations of old folk songs.

naturally then, almost always, they were based on real events, either sung from an outside perspective, from the killer's perspective and in some cases, from the victim's. of course, like most things from days of yore, they reek of social dogshit. the particular flavor of dogshit of the OG murder ballad was misogyny.

so, the murder ballad came over when the english and scots-irish settlers did. in fact, a lot of the current murder ballads are still telling stories from centuries ago, and, as is the way of folk, getting rewritten and given new names and melodies and evolving into the modern recordings we hear today.

305 such scottish and english ballads were noted and collected into what is famously known as the Child Ballads collected by a professor named francis james child in the 19th century. they have been reshaped and covered and recorded a million and one times, as is the folk way.

while newer ones continued to largely fit the formula of retelling real events and murder trials (such as one of my favorite ones, little sadie, about a murderer getting chased through the carolinas to have justice handed down), they also evolved into sometimes fictional, (often unfortunately misogynistic) cautionary tales.

perhaps the most famous examples of these are omie wise and pretty polly where the woman's death almost feels justified as if it's her fault (big shocker).

but i digress. in this way, the evolution of the murder ballad came to serve a similar purpose as the spooky legends of appalachia did/do now.

(why do we have those urban legends and oral traditions warning yall out of the woods? to keep babies from gettin lost n dying in them. i know it's a fun tiktok trend rn to tell tale of spooky scary woods like there's really more haints out here than there are anywhere else, but that's a rant for another time too ain't it)

so, the aforementioned little sadie (also known as "bad lee brown" in some cases) was first recorded in the 1920s. i'm also plugging my favorite female-vocaist cover of it there because it's superior when a woman does it, sorry.

it is a pretty straightforward murder ballad in its content--in the original version, the guy kills a woman, a stranger or his girlfriend sometimes depending on who is covering it.

but instead of it being a cautionary 'be careful and don't get pregnant or it's your fault' tale like omie wise and pretty polly, the guy doesn't get away with it, and he's not portrayed as sympathetic like the murderer is in so many ballads.

a few decades after, women started saying fuck you and writing their own murder ballads.

in the 40s, the femme fatale trope was in full swing with women flipping the script and killing their male lovers for slights against them instead.

men began to enter the "find out" phase in these songs and paid up for being abusive partners. women regained their agency and humanity by actually giving themselves an active voice instead of just being essentially 'fridged in the ballads of old.

her majesty dolly parton even covered plenty of old ballads herself but then went on to write the bridge, telling the pregnant-woman-in-the-murder-ballad's side of things for once. love her.

as a listener, i realized that i personally prefer these modern covers of appalachian murder ballads sung by women-led acts like dolly and gillian welch and even the super-recent crooked still especially, because there is a sense of reclamation, subverting its roots by giving it a woman's voice instead.

meaning that, like a lot else from the problematic past, the appalachian murder ballad is something to be enjoyed with critical ears. violence against women is an evergreen issue, of course, and you're going to encounter a lot of that in this branch of historical music.

but with folk songs, and especially the murder ballad, being such a foundational element of appalachian history and culture and fitting squarely into the appalachian gothic, i still find them important and so, so interesting

i do feel it's worth mentioning that there are "tamer" ones. with traditional and modern murder ballads alike, some of them are just for "fun," like a murder mystery novel is enjoyable to read; not all have a message or retell a historical trial.

(for instance, i'd even argue ultra-modern, popular americana songs like hell's comin' with me is a contemporary americana murder ballad--being sung by a male vocalist and having evolved from being at the expense of a woman to instead being directed at a harmful and corrupt church. that kind of thing)

in short: it continues to evolve, and i continue to eat that shit up.

anyway, to leave off, lemme share with yall my personal favorite murder ballad which fits squarely into murder mystery/horror novel territory imo.

it's the 10th child ballad and was originally known as "the twa sisters." it's been covered to hell n back and named and renamed.

but! if you listen to any flavor of americana, chances are high you already know it; popular names are "the dreadful wind and rain" and sometimes just "wind and rain."

in it, a jealous older sister pushes her other sister into a river (or stream, or sea, depending on who's covering it) over a dumbass man. the little sister's body floats away and a fiddle maker come upon her and took parts of her body to make a fiddle of his own. the only song the new fiddle plays is the tale about how it came to be, and it is the same song you have been listening to until then.

how's that for genuinely spooky-scary appalachia, y'all?

[archangeldyke-all]

Roach verse idea:

So Sevika needed a raise. Silco needed a Santa for The Last Drop and Jinx.

The solution was obvious.

Now she’s in a hot ass suit, Roach is watching her from the bar whilst Jinx is just side-eyeing her all like ‘I KNOW ITS YOU’ like. Then with a lot of convincing, Jinx tells Santavika what she wants for Christmas.

Now Silco has his list of items and Sevika gets a raise to spoil her wonderful, lovely, beautiful girlfriend. All is well.

fucking hilarious

men and minors dni

all she fucking wanted was a winter bonus.

ever since you came around, the last drop has been getting increasingly festive with each holiday that passes. it's just the kind of person you are, everywhere you go you make people happy. this year, you even managed to convince silco to have a christmas party-- shutting the bar down and decorating it for the evening; a gift exchange planned and cookies baked for the gang.

sevika adores you for it, and for a million other reasons. and she wants to spoil you endlessly. but silco pays like shit, and jinx is always stealing sevika's pocket change before she can stash it in her change jar.

so, she asked for a bonus to close out the year.

she'd say she deserves it. this year alone, she put three competing shimmer operations out of business, managed to rig two piltover elections, and she killed like eight people for silco. or was it nine...?

either fucking way-- sevika's determined to get her money.

unfortunately for her, silco's in his own holiday predicament.

jinx, almost eleven now, has become increasingly suspicious of santa claus. it's not that the girl ever really believed-- but now that she's a sweaty, hormonal tween, she no longer feels comfortable sitting on some old man's lap and whispering all her secret wants in his ear. so, she refused to go to the promenade with silco this year to see santa.

so silco has no idea what to get his daughter for the holiday-- and he's desperate for a clue.

which is how sevika finds herself here, in an itchy white beard and a red suit, glaring at the gang as they laugh at her from her perch in her 'santa seat.'

she's gonna fucking kill silco. after he pays her, too.

"where's that jolly smile, mr. claus?" lock asks, approaching sevika with a grin. she glares up at him.

"i'm not letting you sit in my fuckin' lap."

"relax." lock laughs. he reveals a glass of whiskey from behind his back. sevika sighs in relief, taking the drink from lock. "where's your mrs. claus?"

"upstairs with jinx. the kid's dressing as a christmas tree, or something."

lock cackles.

you and jinx join the party eventually, jinx covered in green tinsel, ornaments braided into her hair. you burst into laughter at the sight of sevika, and she sighs.

"look at you, baby!" you laugh.

sevika grunts. "come sit on my lap before i die of humiliation."

you giggle, happily skipping over to her to wrap your arms around her shoulders. "how'd silco talk you into this?"

"i'm getting a winter bonus." she says. you scoff.

"what the fuck? where's my winter bonus?"

sevika chuckles. "baby, i'm spending the bonus on you."

"well what am i gonna spend on you?!"

sevika darts forward to kiss you, forgetting the beard she's wearing. you both groan and sputter, spitting white hairs out of your mouths.

"alright, santa baby. you stay here. i'll go get us some drinks and send jinx over."

sevika rolls her eyes. "this whole thing is fucking ridiculous. you have to know what she wants, why don't you just tell silco?"

"'course i do, but i also think this whole thing is the funniest thing that's happened this year and it's tradition."

sevika tries her best to act annoyed, but she can't keep from smiling when you shoot her a wink and blow her a kiss as you walk away.

jinx is glaring at sevika the entire time she's in her lap.

"this is fucking stupid." she mumbles. sevika chuckles.

"you're not the one wearing the fake beard. just hurry up and make your old man happy so we can get this night over with."

"fine. this year i want an updated encyclopedia set, a new microscope, and i wanna be able to say 'fuck' around silco." she lists off.

sevika cackles. "alright. i'll see what i can do, kid."

jinx chuckles and tugs on sevika's beard. "thanks old man." she mutters. "aren't you gonna 'ho ho ho?'"

sevika glares at jinx and the girl cackles, scrambling out of her lap before she can grab her.

just as she's about to get up and take off this ridiclious fucking costume, you plop back down in her lap, wearing a new outfit.

sevika's heart soars.

you're wearing a matching santa hat and a little red apron with fuzzy white lining. you're the perfect mrs. clause, and you've brought her whiskey.

"please help me get this beard off so i can kiss you." she whines. you laugh, reaching up to pull the fake beard off her chin. sevika sighs in relief, itching her face before reaching forward and downing her whiskey.

"better?" you ask.

sevika just smiles at you, putting her glass to the side so she can pull you in for a kiss with both hands.

you groan against her lips, flinging your arms around her shoulders and moving to straddle her legs.

across the bar, silco shrieks; scandalized. "you're supposed to sit in santa's lap, not grind on it!"

ran, lock, and deckard erput into cheers at the sight of you two.

jinx ducks behind the bar to grab a glass of ice water to toss on the pair of you.

taglist!

@fyeahnix @lavendersgirl @half-of-a-gay @thesevi0lentdelights @sexysapphicshopowner

@kissyslut @chuucanchuucan @badbye666 @femme-historian @lia-winther

@lavenderbabu @emiliabby @sevikasbeloved @hellorai @my-taintedheart

@glass-apothecary @macaroni676 @artinvain @k3n-dyll @sevsdollette

@ellieslob @xayn-xd @keikuahh @maneskinwh0re @raphaellearp

@iamastar @sevikitty @mascdom @nhaaauyen @annesunshiner

@mirconreadzztuff22 @veoomvroom @lushh-s3vik4s @katyawooga @lesbodietcoke

@strawberrykidneystone @sevikasfan @fict1onallyobsessed @dvrkhcld @sweetybuzz25

@sluttysierraaa @snake-in-a-flower-crown @ruiwonderz @littlemisszaunite @biblicalcrybaby

@blackgaladriel

[attackurheart88]

hi! I just had this idea of Illumi going to introduce his girlfriend/fiancée to his family, except that she's a spoiled queen bee regina george-ish/cher horowitz like (somehow, they managed to be a couple). Idk really, the image got in my head and I thought it would be funny to see the Zoldycks reaction lmao

When Illumi made mention of his future wife, surprise and disbelief exploded in his family’s eyes. They intended him to follow family traditions and continue the Zoldyck line of course, but when it came to finding a partner the family was sure an arranged match would be needed.

To think there was a woman on this Earth who not only found attraction with Illumi but Illumi himself approved of was a huge shock.

Silva expected the woman to be strong and bear powerful children for the Zoldyck family.

Kikyo believed the woman’s beauty was what attracted her son.

Zeno felt pity for the woman as she must’ve been submissive and easy for Illumi to control.

The traits of being soft-spoken, delicate, graceful, and well-educated gathered in everyone's mind.

But…

A young woman dressed fashionably in black and leopard strutting into the Zoldyck family mansion as if she owned it and Illumi trailing behind holding a cat was far from their predictions.

It took a lot for Kikyo to hold in her anger and not faint at the sight.

“Father, Mother, I’d like to introduce you to my fiancee.”

A displeased grunt from his fiancee and Illumi was quick to add to his sentence.

“And her cat, Cassandra.”

Silva didn’t respond at first. He just stared at Camilla, his steely gaze lingering on her Prada dress, the excessive jewelry, and—unfortunately—the very loud sound of her heels.

Was this the best his son could do? Did he fail as a father somewhere? Perhaps he broke him too early.

You completely unbothered, smiled brightly and stuck out your hand

“It's very nice to meet you Mr and Mrs Zoldyck. You have a lovely home.”

He looked at her hand as though it might bite him, and then—after a long, uncomfortable silence—gave a small, formal nod.

“I’m glad you think so-” Kikyo started.

“But it could be redecorated don't you think?” you continued.

“What?”

Did she just insult the state of their home.

“Black and white is so outdated. Perhaps a shade of red or purple might do. What do you think Illumi?”

“I’ll keep it in mind when building a place for you.”

Silva and Zeno exchanged glances. It was clear this woman found a way to exert control over Illumi. Such a thing was unspeakable. Either she used an ability of some sort or she truly is that influential. It was dangerous either way.

Taking initiative Zeno spoke up. “Are you aware of our families occupation?”

“Of course, you're assassins, right? Illumi has told me all about it. I promise I'm more than able to continue the business-

A pin was thrown in your direction aimed for the neck but you were able to grab it swiftly.

“Is this a gift? It's beautiful. I have a dress in this same color to pair it with,” you explained excitedly while looking over the jeweled hairpin.

Kikyo frowned at her failure to inflict damage.

“How was it the two of you met?” Silva asked wanting to keep things on track.

Illumi glanced at you before answering. “I met her while completing a job. She was arguing with my target and stabbed him in a fit of rage.”

“I see. Was that the first time you’ve killed someone?”

You adjusted in your seat and gave a small sigh of impatience. “Am I the only one who thinks this kind of talk is boring? For such an infamous family I was expecting much more entertainment.” You examined your perfectly manicured nails.

“Honestly you're just like Illumi, Sliva was it? Much too serious.”

Illumi’s lip twitched at the playful jab. Silva's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

“What do you do for fun around here? I mean, besides, you know, the whole... killing people thing."

A tense silence followed.

“Nothing?”

“Has anyone ever heard about hobbies? Knitting, cooking, reading, yoga? For such a well-off family one would expect that you should have a spa day once in a while. A family day at the beach. Just relaxing. You know, take a break from all the stabbing."

“Relaxing?” Silva questioned in disbelief.

“Yes. Surely it must be tiring being all serious and stabby all the time. I know a guy who is amazing at massages. I could give you his number. You look like you need one.”

A chuckle could be heard from Zeno.

“You’re rather amusing. I can see why Illumi is so taken with you.”

“I always aim to please, Grandpa.”

Zeno raised an eyebrow at the endearment. But didn't say anything in fact, he seemed rather pleased.

The evening continued that way. Despite the family making plenty of attempts to threaten or test you. You continued to exceed their expectations and bring humor and warmth into the home.

[wistfulforstars]

Your Medicine, My Medicine

Summary: You know how to deal with Tech’s periods of hyperfixation. He’s yet to deal with yours.

Warnings: Here there be fluff! However, my blog is not for minors - Begone! Some vague allusions to sex, teasing, reader is tired, Tech is a bad influence, the squad is hopeless, reader is afab

Part 1? This one got away from me - it was only supposed to be a quick oneshot. I haven't decided if I'm going to do a spicy follow-up.

“Oh yes, go babysit this special squad of elite clones, it’s going to be so fun!” you muttered angrily to yourself, pouring over a sea of half baked statements, equipment requests, and unpaid expenses. 

A headache began to form behind your eyes as you continued to grumble, “The tall one won’t blow you up, the one with the toothpick definitely doesn’t have an attitude problem, and their sergeant absolutely knows how to fill out a mission report!”

You picked up one of said mission reports, a mostly blank page that just said NAL HUTTA. INFILTRATION. COMPLETE. scribbled across the top in Hunter’s untidy scrawl. You tossed it to the ground and thunked your head on the table, taking a moment to lay there. You needed a drink. You wondered, not for the first time that evening, where Crosshair could possibly be keeping his stash of premium Corellian whiskey.

It had been about a year since you’d joined Clone Force 99 as their Communications Officer, and every end-of-month report analysis had gone pretty much the same way. No matter how many times you’d asked your squad to be more organized, to add more detail, to consult you on expenditures, none of your instructions ever seemed to stick. Usually your superiors let it slide. This was CF99, the Bad Batch. Nobody really expected these troopers to be great at paperwork. 

But the squad had an inspection coming up. The first since you’d joined them. And they’d wracked up twice the expenses they were budgeted for, with all receipts buried in a massive pile or half singed from blaster fire. You were about to have some serious answering to do, and the only explanation you’d come up with so far was sorry sir, excuse my Shyriiwook, but how the fuck am I supposed to control these dipshits?

You had a feeling that wasn’t going to cut it.

Briefly, your mind wandered to Tech. If there was anyone on the ship who could help you sort through this mess, to see the patterns in the chaos, it was your resident genius. But he was unfortunately indisposed.

You would be lying if you didn’t say that Tech, even from the very beginning, had always been your favorite. You had clicked on an intellectual level immediately, way back on your first mission when you’d corrected him about a tradition practiced on that particular planet. Instead of being offended or taken aback by your knowledge, Tech had swiftly asked you for points of reference that he could pour into after the mission. He’d then thanked you for your input, and began deferring to you on matters within the realm of your purview. You didn’t know if you’d ever felt such a quick, simple appreciation for your talents before. It was…invigorating.

Tech listened, really, truly listened when you spoke, and always seemed incredibly flattered when you tried to return the favor. Conversation flowed naturally, often well into the night. He was polite and kind, and you’d almost go so far as to say chivalrous in his way, especially lately. Sure, all the boys usually treated you with an added layer of courtesy. You suspected it was because they didn’t quite know what to do with a woman on board. Wrecker seized heavy things from your grasp almost on instinct. Echo was so respectful it was almost disquieting. Hunter had procured extra blankets for your bunk and always made sure you had plenty to eat. And Crosshair…well, he had offered you a toothpick on occasion, but you weren’t sure if that was an attempt at bonding or if there was just something in your teeth.

Tech though…he’d started standing or sitting up perfectly straight when you entered rooms. He scolded the others for being too loud while you were trying to sleep. He was constantly finding something of yours to “fix” and then give back to you. And just a few days ago, he’d begun this little habit of offering you his hand when leaving or returning to the Marauder. As if you needed help going out the door. You’d practically squeaked in surprise when he looked up at you with earnest brown eyes, daring you to take his offered hand. Crosshair had laughed, but Tech hadn’t cared. He’d just continued to gaze at you patiently, handsome face mostly hidden by goggles and helmet. The air charged with electricity, and when you finally took hold of his hand, you could feel his warmth seeping through his glove. It felt like something between you shifted in that moment, like an invisible string had been spun and tied. You had to admit it was nice to feel cared for. It was sweet. He was sweet.

Too bad he wasn’t here.

The only problem with your… friendship with Tech is that it was sometimes unreliable. He would have these periods where he’d “go dark” as you put it. He’d get his head into a new project or concept and tune out the world for days at a time. Not sleeping, barely eating, and totally fixed on whatever new task had caught his attention. When you inquired about his well being, he would answer in vague, single syllable sentences, or worse, not at all. Being ignored didn’t feel great, but you always knew he’d come out of it tired yet pleased, and ready to show you what he’d been working on. 

However, it would be really nice if this weren’t one of those times. He’d gone under about two days ago, and hadn’t shown any signs of emerging since. You wished he was here to look through this pile with you, tell you how he’d tackle a conundrum like this, or hell, even just keep you company. His ability to focus and problem solve was one of your favorite things about him. It was no wonder he could get so much done by tuning out the world for a few days…

Suddenly, it hit you. Your head flew off the table, and you gazed down hopefully at the sea of papers, a wild look in your eye. Nevermind that you hadn’t slept yet. Nevermind that you were a little dehydrated. Nevermind that Echo still had you on concussion watch after your last mission.

That’s it! you thought. All I have to do is take a page out of Tech’s book, and this will be done in no time!

You lunged for your neglected datapad and got to work.

***********

Tech made his official appearance back into the world around 36 standard hours later, and he was very pleased with himself. He’d developed a prototype for new soundplugs for Hunter, and he couldn’t wait to force them upon his Sergeant. But first, he couldn’t deny his irrepressible urge to show you. You had always appreciated his experiments, and he always appreciated your insights.

Not to mention, he felt you were both… ah… growing closer. Tech had been interested in trying to initiate a more intimate bond with you for a few months now. Only after sufficient research into being a desirable partner and numerous mental exercises for practice did he feel comfortable moving on to the most logical next step: trying to see if you were interested in him in return. His test of trying to hold your hand to help you down from the Marauder had been a definite success. You’d met his attempts with brief shyness, amused puzzlement, and eventually (if he read your body language correctly), anticipation. That was most encouraging indeed. He focused hard for the next few days on getting through the development of his latest prototype, not because it wasn’t a fascinating project, but because he wanted to create more free time for himself. Free time he could use to observe, interact with, and, well, woo you.

His hesitance wasn’t only due to the fact that your affections were hard to read - though you did keep things with the squad painstakingly friendly and professional. Tech was fully aware that he wasn’t the most dynamic or exciting romantic choice amongst his brothers. Echo had a patience about him that he couldn’t hope to emulate, Wrecker was practically built out of fun and carried affection in every bulging muscle, and Hunter and Crosshair had a quality that the holonet had simply called ‘the bad boy thing.’ 

You were bright, achingly beautiful, and more endearing than you had any right to be. It was Tech’s opinion that one person should not be so utterly enthralling - it was simply unfair to the rest of the population. Particularly the occupants of this ship, who all adored you. You could rightly have any one of them you wanted. But yet, surrounded by such obvious choices to warm your bed and your heart, you chose to spend your time at his work table, chatting about nothing and everything. That alone gave him hope. Hope that perhaps, if he paid attention to his research and did not stick his proverbial foot in his proverbial mouth, you would grow to return even a fraction of the affection he felt for you. He could hardly wait so see how you’d been faring the last couple days.

Except every single one of his brothers were currently blocking his way.

“What possible reason would you four have for loitering outside the door?” Tech’s voice came out sharper than he meant it to. 

But none of them even looked back in his direction.

Echo turned to Hunter with a grin, “You lose, sarge. Tech came out of it first.”

Tech frowned, “While I appreciate being completely ignored when I ask a question-”

“The princess has picked up your little habit,” Crosshair tossed back at him through a toothpick. 

“My…habit?”

Wrecker finally spared him a glance, “Shortstuff hasn’t said a word since day before yesterday.” He rubbed the back of his neck, “She didn’t even want to raid the rations with me. I’m gettin’ worried.”

“Wait,” Tech said, alarmed. “You mean she hasn’t eaten?”

“Made her a sandwich yesterday,” Hunter replied, and Tech parsed through the gruff syllables to hear the concern in his voice. “She nibbled at it and kept right on with her paperwork.”

“D’you think she’s mad at us?” Wrecker fretted. “She yelled at us before about receipts.”

“And Hunter’s reports,” Crosshair sneered.

Hunter became defensive in turn, “I’ve told her before, command doesn’t care about reports, they care about results.”

“And that’s clearly made it through her thick skull, good job-”

“Boys, we really need to make sure she drinks something-”

“Should I pick her up, or-”

“How well did that idea work with Tech? He got so scared he tased you-”

“Wasn’t so bad, and I don’t think she has a taser-”

“Maybe if Crosshair hadn’t bought that new attachment-”

“Maybe if Hunter would learn to write the fucking alphabet and not scribble whatever he usually-”

Tech had heard enough. Clearly, something was very wrong with you, and he had missed it carrying on with his own experiments. He tried very hard not to let that thought consume him. You needed assistance, and his brothers were being anything but helpful. 

Using the controls he’d built into his vambrace, Tech commanded the door they were all lurking inside of to whoosh shut, nearly colliding with Hunter’s nose and snapping the end of Crosshair’s toothpick. All four of his brothers turned to glare at him. He stood tall, not bothering to hunch.

“Tell me exactly what happened,” he commanded, and he barely recognized the assertive tone in his voice.

Hunter, though, looked at him with a knowing glint in his eye. Echo sobered up. Crosshair smirked, the expression slightly undercut by his frayed stub of a toothpick. Only Wrecker seemed vaguely surprised.

“She said she was gonna go do her reports,” he shrugged. “We got an inspection comin’ up or something. Next thing we know, she’s got her nose stuck in her datapad and she won’t snap out of it.”

“Won’t sleep,” Crosshair grunted. “Tried to give her tea to help. She poured it out.”

“She took my spare soundplugs,” Hunter added.

“And you can only get grunts or single word answers from her, if she answers at all. ” Echo nodded in Tech’s direction. “It’s exactly how you get when you’re trying to focus. Like she’s channeling your methods or something.”

Tech crossed his arm, “She must be very worried about how the inspection will reflect on her. Did anyone tell her that half the time the officer doesn’t even bother to show up? And when they do, we pass on successful mission count alone?”

His brothers glanced at each other, silent. He sighed, “Perhaps, since these are, as you say, ‘my methods’ I can get her to snap out of it.”

Hunter brightened almost immediately, and if Tech weren’t so worried about you - had you really not slept all this time? - he would be a little wary of the snide glance his sergeant sent the rest of the squad.

“You know, Tech, that’s a great idea,” Hunter clapped him on the back. “In fact, since this is a delicate matter that you know so much about, would you mind if we left it to you?”

“That’s right,” Echo added, now also sporting a winning smile. “You’re the best man for the job, Tech. We’ve tried everything, it hasn’t worked. And we were about to go out for supplies anyway.”

Crosshair even joined in, toothpick miraculously replaced, “The town’s some distance away, so we won’t be back till after nightfall. Might have to spend the night out there. You can help miss perfect sort herself out while we’re gone.”

Tech glared at his brothers. How subtle did they think they were being?

Kind Wrecker hesitated, “Will she be alright though? Tech?”

He adjusted his goggles, clicking his teeth together, “I will do everything I can for her Wrecker.”

Crosshair snorted behind him, and Tech whirled on his squad, already heading towards the door, “Laugh all you want, but you and your discourtesy caused this, all of you! That woman has been much more help to us than we’ve ever been to her, and if you come back without copious signed and annotated receipts for everything you buy, you will not be setting foot back on this ship! Do you copy, troopers?”

Crosshair laughed his way out the door, but Hunter nodded sincerely before departing. Echo sent a salute Tech’s way with his scomp, before dragging Wrecker, who looked like he might start crying, out of the ship.

The door shut, and Tech locked it from his vambrace for good measure. Silence.

Finally, he headed down through the doorway to get a glimpse at your exhausted frame, folded nearly in two over your makeshift workstation. You didn’t stir as he approached, but perhaps that was because of the soundplugs in your ears. 

Your eyes, frantically scanning a shoddy piece of paperwork, were red and sunken. You mumbled nonsense to yourself in a voice with a slight tremor, and Tech could have sworn you had lost weight since he saw you last.

His mind ran through different possible reasons you might have ended up like this, and then twice as many tactical and complicated scenarios in which he could try and get you to stop and get some rest. But he found he was becoming too concerned for any of those. The diminished light in your eyes, the lack of luster in your hair, it was all instilling in him a less-than-dignified response akin to panic. Tech was a survivor of countless dangerous encounters, but none of them set him on edge quite in this way. 

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, he reached out carefully and laid a hand on your shoulder. No response. He frowned. 

“Meshla,” he spoke quietly yet firmly. “I am going to remove your soundplugs.”

He reached both hands out and plucked them from your ears, but aside from a waved hand and a mumbled, “I told you to go away, Hunter,” you didn’t react. Your eyes remained glued to the form.

Alright, he’d try not to be too offended by that. He, after all, was sometimes slightly confused when he came out of a hyperfixated state, and he was too knowledgeable of himself to not see how hypocritical he was being.

He leaned forward, and his mouth nearly touched the back of your ear, “It’s not Hunter,” he breathed. “It’s Tech.”

You jumped, startled, and whirled around to face him, “Tech! Oh…hi, Tech! W-when did you get, um, get…?”

“Just a little while ago,” he answered. “And imagine my surprise when I come out only to find you working yourself to death.”

At this, a little fire crept into your dull eyes, “Throwing stones in a glass ship, Tech?”

“Don’t start that,” he warned. “I am genetically engineered for more stamina, to require less nourishment, and with the capacity to-”

“Don’t start that,” you barked. “I can gauge for myself how much stamina I have and how much nourishment I require. Poor little nat-born me has months of paperwork to sort through-”

“Paperwork that does not technically need to get done,” he said, and he saw the way you furiously zeroed in on his raised pointer finger. “We will pass inspection regardless.”

But you weren’t giving up, “This is my job, Tech! It might not be a state-of-the-art invention or a new fucking discovery, but it’s mine, and I don’t appreciate you trivializing my role on this ship!”

With that, you turned back around sharply, and started tapping on your datapad so hard that Tech thought he might have to replace the screen. He stood there for a moment, assessing. Clearly, this required a little more than your usual style of interaction. You were tired, and more prone to anger than he’d ever seen you. He’d been attempting to appeal to your own sense of self preservation, but you might be needing a more emotional approach.

Fine, if you wanted to play hardball, he’d play. He smoothly invaded your space, your hunched shoulders to his front, and leaned over, placing his hands on the desk at either side of your body.

“Wrecker is in near tears with worry,” he began, low in his voice. “And I guarantee you Hunter’s having trouble getting to sleep with you up and moving all night.”

Your head jerked a little, but you didn’t answer. Tech covered the hand tapping at your datapad with his own, curling his fingers around yours. His other hand took the pad away, set it down as far as the desk would allow, and went up to stroke your hair. He could feel the tension in your shoulders loosen ever so slightly. 

He’d never touched you with such familiarity before, never felt such palpable intimacy. His heart sang as you allowed him to gently caress your hair with feather light touches. 

“I don’t think you’ve ever snapped at me like that before,” he said gently. “But then again, you’re usually well rested and well fed.”

“Not funny,” you huffed. You tried to wriggle out of his hold, reaching for your datapad.

Tech felt a surge of protective frustration in his chest. He’d never seen you this stubborn. You were taking your well-being far too lightly and he was officially tired of it, “It was not meant to be funny,” his voice was a little sharper, a little rougher. 

He seized the back of your chair, and pulled it out and around. Then he kneeled before your slumped form, and took both your hands in his own, “I can see now, that you do not understand how seeing you exhausted and neglected affects me. Allow me to correct that.”

“Tech-”

“I care for you,” he declared, words spilling from him recklessly. He had to get you to understand. “Acutely. Intensely. In a way that is often beyond my control. And I will do everything in my power, employ every skill at my disposal to avoid seeing you come to harm. Even if the one doing that harm is you.”

You blinked rapidly, surprise flooding your glazed eyes, “I-”

But he would not hear your excuses, your dismissals of his concern, “This is bad for your health, bad for my mental state, and ultimately, bad for the squad. I implore you to sleep, to-”

“Please listen-”

“No, mesh’la, there is no excuse-”

“I like you too!” you shouted, a shaking hand touching his lips to stop him from talking. 

Tech froze. Oh stars…he’d told you, hadn’t he? Kneeling on the dirty floor, both of you exhausted, in the middle of a disagreement. 

So much for his carefully curated plans to romance you.

You let out a slightly manic giggle, probably at the slack-jawed look of idiocy on his face. Your hand moved to cup his cheek, “Any ploy to win an argument, huh?”

Tech quickly laid his hand over yours, alarm rising in his chest “I assure you, cyar’ika, this was anything but a ploy. I did not intend-”

“I was teasing, Tech,” you laughed again. “Believe it or not, I’ve been thinking something was up for a couple weeks now.”

He cleared his throat, sheepish, “Ah, yes, well…I was trying to ascertain if you were remotely interested in pursuing an amendment to our current relationship.”

“You know, you could have just asked.”

He felt his cheeks heat up, “I was trying to present myself in the best possible light.”

“Oh, honey,” you smiled. “You do that every day. Though I won’t lie, helping me down from the ship was very cute.”

He sighed, relieved, “That is excellent news. The field of romantic attachments is completely foreign to me. I’ve been conducting research for weeks.”

“Oh? What kind of research?” your eyebrows rose.

“Standard romantic practices for humans,” he began listing off. “Romantic gestures in different cultures, sexual acts and techniques, common date ideas-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” the grin on your face grew wide with mischief. “What acts and techniques?”

“Sexual,” he affirmed with a wave of his hand. “And a lot of my research into romantic-”

You laid your fingers against his lips again, “Oh no, mister, you don’t get to just brush over that one. You looked into the best techniques for getting me into bed? Before you even told me you were interested? Overplanning much?”

“Actually,” he mumbled beneath your hand. “It wasn’t about getting you into bed, rather more about what to do with you once you were there.”

You giggled, rolling your eyes, “No matter how smart they are, pretty boys are all the same. Tech, that’s something we figure out together. Something we talk about and learn about as we go.”

Tech felt something very warm and light settle into his chest, “I understand what you’re saying,” he took your hand away from his mouth by the wrist, before examining it closely, reverently. He placed a brief kiss to your knuckles, and nodded to himself when he heard your little gasp. “But a woman like you, spectacular and brilliant as you are...you deserve the best in every regard. I have no experience to draw upon, so I decided to supplement that with knowledge. Carefully stored and memorized, of course”

He gazed up at your face, some of his nervousness from the past few weeks bubbling to the surface again. There was always a possibility that you wouldn’t be interested in a partner with no experience in the bedroom. But your eyes were shining, and that gave him hope.

“Tech,” you shook your head. “Did it ever occur to you that I might want to be the one giving you a memorable, enjoyable first time?”

He inhaled sharply, his heart hammering in his ears, “I will admit, it did not.”

You hummed, leaned forward, and reached for his face, drawing him up to your own, “Is this alright?” Your breath fanned over his lips, his chin. 

Tech found himself nodding, a little too frantically, and the next moment your lips were on his, and oh, this was very different from reading about kissing. His heart rate spiked, his hands twitched of their own accord, yearning to grab hold of you, and he was suddenly all too aware of his own body. His goggles fogged up. His cock tightened in his bodysuit. 

Then you grasped the nape of his neck and moaned into his mouth, and that was all it took to break his hesitancy. He grasped at your hips, and, utilizing a strength he didn’t usually have need for, he stood up with you in his arms. You wrapped your gorgeous legs around his waist and ground against his zipper. He gasped, and you took advantage, tongue darting inside, teeth nipping at his bottom lip. 

Tech sampled your mouth in turn, rubbing your hips with his thumbs, before slowing and gently pulling away. He stared at you, breathing hard. Your pupils were dilated with want, your lips swollen, and your fingers played with the little hairs at the back of his neck. You were completely and utterly perfect…

And you hadn’t slept in two days. 

You leaned in to kiss him again, but Tech rested his forehead against yours, still catching his breath, “This is not going any farther tonight, darling.”

He wished he had his recorder on. The pout you gave him was positively adorable, “Why?”

“Because you are tired beyond your limits, and I would be horribly remiss to have you exhaust yourself further by trying to perform for me in any way.” Not usually one for making himself feel strong or manly, Tech found he did like the weight of you in his arms, of your hands clinging to him. Depending on him. 

“And,” he interrupted before you tried to argue. “Even though you thwarted my long and meticulous plan to confess my feelings, I still reserve the right to woo you.”

You snorted a little, “Woo me?”

“Yes, mesh’la. I would like to spend some time with you in a romantic capacity before we run away with our urges.” He began walking you both back towards the bunks. 

“B-but! The boys are gone!”

“Which means we will not have to put up with Wrecker’s snoring,” he said simply. He plopped you into his bunk, but hesitated before he took off his first piece of armor, “I can take you back to your bed, if you prefer.”

But you just grinned and shook your head, “Don’t you dare. If I don’t get to break my three year dry spell, I better get to cuddle.”

He raised a brow, logging that bit of information away, but began stripping his armor and tossing it on the floor. He crawled into bed and felt his face warm at how you immediately attached yourself to his side, “I would like to take you out tomorrow.”

You yawned, the stress of everything finally catching up, “Yeah? Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere,” he stroked your arm. “On a walk, to a nearby town if there is one. Maybe just to see the sunset.”

You hummed contentedly, “That sounds nice,” and you leaned up to kiss his cheek.

Tech, well he’d be lying if he didn’t admit to it…he melted, “How does a woman like you have a three year dry spell?”

You chuckled, “Break it for me and I’ll tell you all about the short string of losers, cheaters, and one particularly scary bounty hunter that had me swearing off men.”

“Hmm… I find myself more and more grateful that I decided to research this topic.”

He frowned, still unenthused by the idea of laying back and letting you do all the work. He would much rather be the one performing, excelling at pleasing you. Plans began to form in his head, of romance, seduction. He didn’t read through hundreds of articles for nothing, and he was determined that you would be pleased. 

“Tech,” you insisted, but your eyes were closed and your words were slurred. “I’m serious, we’re gonna… make your first time about you, whenever it happens. We’ll do whatever you want to do.”

He decided to try something small before bed. Just a taste of what he had in store for you. One article he’d read mentioned the best ways of initiating interest, and one of them was… talking to one’s partner. In a very particular way,  “But… what if what I want mesh’la… is to have you under me, limp, pliable, hoarse from screaming my name?”

You shivered at the deep voice he’d employed, and Tech waited, amused, as you struggled find words. This was more fun than he'd expected. He leaned in again, lips grazing your ear, "No more skipping meals. No more going without sleep."

"Tech-"

"Promise me," oh he delighted in the wicked, taut energy between you. He wanted to stoke it higher, hotter. "Promise me, and maybe tomorrow we can discuss all the ways you want to make my first time memorable."

Your breath hitched, and you let out a sweet little squeak, but you kept ahold of yourself enough to give a bit back to him, "Only if you promise too. That you'll start sleeping properly. I'll sleep next to you every night if you just come to bed."

Tech sucked in air through his teeth, heart pounding against his rib cage, "I will...try, mesh'la."

He kissed your ear, satisfied when he felt you quake again, "Then get some rest, darling. We're both going to need it."

"Thank you. So will I."

[blakbonnet]

ARTIST OF THE WEEK @midearthlingart ✨

This week's AOTW is Laz aka midearthling, and any AOTW event intending to bring classic ofmd art back into circulation would be incomplete without them <3 She agreed to answer a few questions for me and shared some great tips for beginners:

- Which do you use to draw (app/digital or traditional)?

I think everything posted here is digital, done mainly on Procreate, although I have started using Art Studio Pro more recently and I really like it (also an iPad app but available on other machines afaik!). I do like to doodle and do studies in my sketchbook though, I think it's good to keep me sharp and for a change of pace! And sometimes ideas come easier that way. But any completed pieces tend to be digital.

- Fave brushes/pencils/mediums (links/screenshots?)

On procreate I'm partial to using jingsketch basic’s flat brush, it’s so versatile for sketching and painting! Other brushes in my regular rotation are the default chalk and 6b brushes from procreate. I also have a soft ‘photoshop’ brush that I use to flat in colours, and a round brush I downloaded that I often use for sketching too; unfortunately I can’t remember where I got either of those ones but I’m pretty sure they were free! Sometimes I use random texture brushes, and the default watercolours in procreate.

- Your favourite piece you've drawn?

I go through phases of really loving some pieces and then hating them again (I often dislike my own art!) One of the best things I ever drew is a very nsfw comic so I unfortunately can’t share it on tumblr lmao. But in its stead, I think this and this have a special place in my heart.

- Who's harder to draw: Ed or Stede?

Honestly it just depends on the day! Both can be difficult to capture for different reasons; oddly I think for me I don’t have Ed’s face pinned down as much as I do with Stede’s. I’ve drawn them so much at this point I can bang them out without reference most of the time, but every now and again I’ll have a difficult angle and need to reference again! Stede’s nose is my absolute favourite to draw though.

- One essential tip for beginner artists?

Keep going! References and 3D models are your friend! It’s okay to make studies of other people’s works in order to learn (just don’t share and try to pass it off as your own!) Tracing photos to learn is also fine too, these are all just tools to help you hone your skill.

- Why OFMD? 🥹

It did something to my brain! I remember watching it back in March 2022 when there were only 6 episodes out at the time, I binged in one go and then the very next day watched all of them again. It just felt so cosy! I watched initially when I heard about it because I already loved Rhys and Taika’s works so needless to say it was hook, line and sinker from me from the start—I did not stand a chance! When it turned out to be a queer, middle-aged love story I knew it would be special to me forever.

[astronomic727]

Merry Christmas 2024!

So uhhh I disappeared again... oopsie -v-;

Yeah honestly lads, I have been working on art and stuff but not as much as I had hoped and I'm just kinda burnt out from posting stuff on social media, not that I'm gonna stop or anything but it undoubtedly just does not feel the same anymore when I first began, and after having been situated on Insta and Twitter for years and suddenly having to abandon both one after the other, it feels weird starting "fresh" so to speak. Again, have no plans on stopping but I guess it just explains why I did stop for a while, I simply have other things I need to worry about unfortunately. I can mention a bit about what's in the works tho, I made a comm post on Youtube a few days ago about the progress of the Meta Knight video, which is coming along smoothly, I'm also working on another OC comic that I should be able to finish in the upcoming days, and if not then it'll become a 2025 thing because I also plan to have another end of year video among other lil secret things I can't talk about openly yet :) But anyway Merry Christmas everyone! Regardless of who celebrates the holiday or not I hope you all have a wonderful day :D I got this drawing done in like early November, really wanted to get it done and dusted out of the way so I wouldn't have the crazy rush that I did for Halloween lol, but yeah for a bit of context since the previous artworks were lost with my old accounts, last year I drew Parallel Susie with her own version of a Santa outfit, and then this year for april fools I drew a few gijinkas of some Kirby characters since normally I don't do that kind of stuff. It was fun, and I can see the appeal! But idk sometimes I'm good with coming up with designs and other times I have no idea what I'm doing lmao, but anyway point is, this year I thought why not keep the Parallel Susie tradition going and draw Santa Parallel Susie again, but this time as her gijinka :)

So yeah here is last years Christmas drawings and also the april fools designs! Anyway yeah I've done enough rambling for today so I'll end this here, I'll see you all next time ^^

[seoll3miwrites]

Doing Time | Criminal Minds S.R

Chapter 5. Drunk-Dazed

Back to Masterlist

A night-out leads to unexpected but pleasurable results Chapter Title: Drunk-Dazed by Enhypen

It was just past nine at night when Hana arrived in front of the club the team had agreed to, stepping out the Uber as she double checked that she had all her things.

"You're sure they won't mind me crashing the BAU night-out?" Sasha chimed in as she also stepped out the Uber.

"Of course not, you're my roommate who's been stuck dealing with an asshole all week." Hana replied hooking arms with the blonde. "You deserve a night to let loose and forget him."

"Amen to that."

"Then let's get fucked." They both giggled as they made their way inside the club.

They showed their IDs to the bouncer at the door before making their way into the main bar area.

"Where are they?" Sasha asked as Hana stretched her head above the crowds and spotted the group at one of the booths that lined the walls.

"Found them!" She said before grabbing Sasha's hand and carefully guided her through the sea of bodies. Eventually they made it to the table. "Hey guys you look great!"

"Speak for yourself," JJ spoke up sipping the suspiciously purple cocktail in front of her. "You girls are looking hot tonight."

She was right each girl had dressed in their best outfits for a night in the city. Hana had opted for her traditional little red dress but had paired it with a pair of black leather thigh high boots and an equally black leather clutch swung over her shoulder. Her makeup consisted of her signature red lip and a dark smoky eye, she'd also chosen to keep her hair down and straight, letting it flow freely.

Sasha as always was the polar opposite, and had opted for a short baby pink corset dress and had chosen a pair of silver heels with straps that wrapped around her shins and calfs, she however hadn't brought a bag but Hana's had already offered to keep her stuff safe in the black clutch for her.

"JJ is right!" Penelope yelled clearly already intoxicated "I mean I'm unfortunately not into girls but if I was you two would be at the top of the list, like the very top."

"Thanks guys," Hana smiled brightly before winking at Penelope. "Oh and don't worry Penelope you'd be at the top of mine." Her eyes began to wander the club looking for the rest of the team.

"The boys are at the bar getting some drinks." JJ answered, peering at Hana with a twinkle in her eye. "Though you might wanna catch them so they get your orders."

Hana nodded before turning to her friend, “Sasha are you cool staying here while I get us some drinks.”

“Sure, you good getting four drinks by yourself?” Her friend asked as she slid into the booth.

“Yeah it’ll be fine I’m sure.”

With that she moved towards the bar where she spotted a mess of curly hair poking out through the crowd. Already a little buzzed from the three shots she had before going out she tapped his shoulder smiling widely as he turned to face her.

“You made it!” She shouted over the music, and she leaned in to hug him which he returned although clearly not expecting it. She was a hugger when tipsy.

“Hey! Yeah I figured I’d come since you invited me.” He explained before gently guiding her closer to the bar with his hand on her back.

“How long have you been here?”

“Long enough to finish my first drink.”

“You sure you’re okay being here I know you said you don’t really drink…” she trailed of as she leaned in close enough so he could hear her.

“Yeah don’t worry, I just don’t drink or go out very often but I can tonight.” He explained before gesturing to the bartender he was ready to order. She couldn’t hear what he ordered but he suddenly turned to her “What are you getting?”

“Oh I’m probably just gonna get a gin and tonic but I’ve also got to get Sasha two Pornstars.” She explained before seeing Spencer widen his eyes slightly, “Martinis I mean! Not the other type of… you know.”

He laughed at her panicked explanation before turning back to the bartender to finish his order and pay. Hana suddenly realised what he’d done and poked him in his side. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” He replied feigning ignorance.

“You know what, I could have bought them myself.”

“I know.” He stated simply, Hana became aware that he hadn’t move his hand from her back. She also realised how good he look in the shirt and tie he was wearing, he’d only ditch the suit jacket from the outfit he was wearing earlier today.

The bartender placed the four drinks on the counter and Spencer casually reached out and took both his and Hana’s drinks, leaving her too easily carrying just the two for Sasha. She then followed him back through the crowd and back to the table, where the rest of the team were already back.

“Hey Guys!” She greeted, as she stepped into the booth with Spencer sliding in just after her. “I’m glad you could all make it.”

“Jack’s aunt is still watching him so I could spare a least a hour for a drink.” Hotch stated as his sipped his whiskey, he seemed to be sharing a bottle between him, Rossi and Morgan.

“Well you certainly dressed up Babushka” Morgan teased, “Planning to get lucky tonight?”

She laughed before replying, “Not really I just really like this dress but a bonus is, it helps me get free drinks.” She tried to hide how she glanced at Spencer slightly when she said, who seemed to be smirking before he lifting his drink up to sip.

“I’m just glad for a night off.” Tara chimed in to the conversation, “I just wish unsubs could do the same thing.”

“Amen to that.” Rossi lifted his glass to cheers, to which all the Team and Sasha joined in.

They continued to converse together as Hana sipped her drink through the straw, feeling her buzz getting stronger. She hadn’t even realised she’d started to lean on Spencer slightly. She continue to sip until her drink was empty, and turned towards Spencer who was blocking her exit of the booth.

“I’m gonna get another drink, do you want another?” She’d asked noticing his drink was pretty much empty.

“I’ll come with and we can order together.” He offered as he slid out from the booth before stepping back to let her out.

“Sure!” She smiled, and slid out to make her way through the crowd. Spencer made sure to keep his hand on her back to guide her through. As they approached the bartender saw them and went up to them.

“Hey you guys forgot your shots”

“Our what?” She’d asked confused.

“The martinis you ordered come with a free shot of Prosecco and since you ordered two you get two free shots.” He explained as he pour liquid into two shot glasses before placing on the bar in front of the pair. “But other than that what can I get you?”

They ordered their drinks and the bartender left to grab all the stuff to make it.

“So…” she trailed off, “You want a shot?“

He laughed at first before replying, “Well usually I’d say no but, might as well not waste a free gift.”

At that, Hana lifted both shot glasses and handed one to Spencer. “What should we toast to?”

The pair thought for a moment before, the young doctor turned towards her, grasping his glass.

“I know,” He started before lifting the glass towards her, “To a successful first case.”

She smiled and clinked her glass against his, “To a successful first case.” She tapped the bottom of her glass against the bar before she downed the glass and watched as Spencer did the same. The Prosecco wasn’t as strong as the shots vodka she’d taken before, but it still left her with a nice kick. Afterwards they made their way back to the group once again, carrying their second round of drinks.

The night continued as normal with the team exchanging stories and discussing future plans. After Hotch and Rossi left the night change from a group of friends having a few drinks, into a true night of letting loose and having fun. Truthfully, it all started when a tray of shots were delivered to the table.

“It’s from the owner,” the waiter had said as he delivered them, “She also told me to say and it quote, you need to get Sasha on the dance floor so she can meet a cute guy and forget about Paul.”

“His name is Peter.” Sasha yelled over the music slightly slurred, already on her fifth martini.

“She said you’d say so she tole me say that she doesn’t care.” With that he left the tray on the table and walk back to the bar. Leaving the table in stunned silence as they stared at the completely full tray; there was easily at least 30 shots there.

“Well I am definitely coming here again.” Garcia broke the silence, clapping her hands before grabbing two shots. Soon the whole table followed suit, each grabbing their own shots. They cheers together before downing each shot on the tray.

“I guess we gotta go dance now.” Sasha said as she jumped up grabbing Hana and Garcia’s hands to grabbed them to the dance floor, the others following close behind.

Hana doesn’t remember much from what happened in the dance floor, she remembers dancing with JJ after a guy had started getting too close to the blonde. She’d then said bye to her and Tara after she’d announce will was there to pick the two up. Once she went back to dancing she’d felt a presence behind her, Turning to find herself face to chest with Dr Spencer Reid. She looked up to look at his face and found him staring intensely at her.

“You okay?” He’d asked, moving his hand around her waist to steady her as she started swaying slightly.

“Yeah I’m okay,” she answered buzzed, “You’re eyes are really dark in this light.”

She reached her hands out to cup his cheeks and pulled him closer so she could admire her eyes up close.

“What are you doing?” He asked, his voice seemed huskier than normal.

“I don’t know.”

“Are you going to stop?”

“Maybe” She shrugged, “Do you want me to?”

“I don’t know.” His hand around her waist was gripping her tighter now, and he placed his other hand on Hana’s cheek.

Nervous, Hana bit her lower lip between her teeth but was stopped when Spencer place his thumb on her lower lip and pulled in out from between her teeth.

“You shouldn’t do that, the human teeth are strong enough to withstand 30,000 pounds, so it could definitely go through your lip.”

“Really?” She scrunched her nose as she giggled to herself, leaning close enough to feel his breath.

“Yeah” It came more like a breath, but Hana didn’t have much time to register it as she leaned into him. Placing her lips against his.

Kissing Spencer was like the rush of air you feel when resurface from under water, it felt like she was breathing for the first time. He tasted like a mix of the whiskey he’d been drinking and the sweetness of the various shorts he’d been coerced into drinking; it made her pull him closer. Hana felt as Spencer responded. He deepened the kiss by moving his hand on her cheek to her back of her neck and tightened slightly, causing her to gasp into the passionate kiss.

The gasped seemed to send a shock through the doctor’s system as he pulled away quickly from her lips. Not thinking clearly, Hana attempted to lean back towards him but was stopped as he pressed firmly into her with the hand still on her waist. He caught his breath before he could speak.

“I think we both too drunk right now and should probably call it a night.”

“You’re um…” She hesitated looking down, “You’re probably right.”

The pair finally separated so they could shepherd the rest of the group out the bar and into individual taxis or Uber’s making sure to all get home safe. Eventually, Hana and Sasha’s Uber had arrived. After helping her roommate into the car, she turned back to Spencer who was following Morgan into a separate Uber.

“I had a good night!” She yelled to him, causing him to look back over to her.

“Me too!” He called back over before stepping into the car. Hana finally stepped into her uber and as the driver started to driver home, she scream quietly into her hands.

They’d have to talk about the kiss eventually, just not now.

Prev Chapter // Next Chapter

[dwtsfun]

Dancing with the Stars Season 33: THE PREMIERE!

So because it's the weekend and several days after the show, I'm going to forego talking about each couple individually and give my thoughts on the show as a whole. So I will say that overall, I enjoyed this much more than last season. This season has way more potential to be fun and interesting than last season did. I'll break down why I feel that way. Last year was a tough transition period for the show, so I think things are getting figured out.

The Hosting

While I still don't think that Julianne and Alfonso are the greatest hosts, they have seemed to find something that works for them. Julianne especially seemed to be way more comfortable on Tuesday than she was at any point last season. I think she was having more fun with it and that's really what you need to do as a cohost. She knows that the celebs and pros are all up there, nervous, concerned, frustrated, disappointed and excited. So she just has to feel things out and either keep the energy up, attempt to lighten the mood and/or uplift disappointed contestants. I think she was better at that.

The Judges

This was a major improvement to me. Now that everyone has had a year to adjust their judging style with Len being gone (specifically Derek), I think this week, I saw some judging that finally made sense and was in line with what I was thinking would be given (mostly). Hopefully the judges do this all season. This is judging that I can get behind.

The Partnerships

Never thought I would have to talk about mismatched partners after the all star season, but then season 32 came around. So I'll say this. I am glad that they figured it out this season. Everyone seems to be matched pretty well (that could change). There are no outliers to me right now.

The Pros

I'm glad I didn't talk about the shifts in casting as that has always been fluid up until right before the GMA reveal. While I'm sad that Koko isn't on this season (anyone know why) and not ecstatic about Sasha and Gleb returning, I am happy that Ezra was promoted and that Witney is back. Everyone seems to be in a decent spot, so hopefully everyone will be firing on all cylinders this season *stares at the men*.

The Dances

I'm not going to talk about everyone, but I will say that as a whole, I was thoroughly impressed with the dances. The pros gave the celebs some decent enough choreography and the celebs performed decently well. Almost everyone showed some sort of potential and I see some real great partnerships forming. I'm worried about Eric and Reggie and what they will realistically be able to do. Brooks, while having a ton of potential, was a non-event and I'm thinking she will be the first one to go. As far as my standouts, Chandler was incredible and is the one to beat. Stephen is right there, we just need him to work on some musicality and finesse with his feet. Dwight can MOVE and is one to look out for. Joey might be a spoiler because he seems really fun, grounded, self-aware and has potential too.

Unfortunately there was one big problem for me. And that was:

The Music Choices

I don't need for us to go back to traditional songs for everything, but I want the music choices to make sense. This wasn't as big of a problem in the past. Idk why it's an issue now. I should not be watching a tango to Hot To Go or A Bar Song. I'm sorry, but the moods of that dance does not go with the feeling of those two songs. Especially as they were. They tried to shift the arrangement of A Bar Song a little bit. And I see some odd song choices for dances this week. Like Ode to Joy for a paso. Seriously?

The final concern:

Anna

So I'm going to keep this short and simple. I have no desire to see her on the show, but we're here. She's decent, but she is not revealing a personality. She's doing nothing to humanize herself and on this show, she has to do that. Ezra is trying, but she's not responding on the show. Now, what I will say is I've heard that she’s being more human in the post show interviews. If she wants to stay, she must bring that to the ballroom. Cuz right now, she's a criminal with a bejeweled ankle monitor on. I feel like she can have a shot, but she's gotta be willing to put forth an effort and not come across as the Ice Queen.

That's it. Tuesday we have our first elimination and it's a double. I'm thinking some combination of Brooks, Anna, Eric and Reggie is eliminated. It all depends on what happens with the scores next week. Let me know you all's thoughts and I will talk to you all soon!

[speyeralling-down-thy-majesty]

“Ugh,does he really not have any sentimental items? There has to be something,no way he got rid of everything.”

Amelie mumbles under its breath,rummaging through James’s apartment .

Fae had a not so glorious idea to break in and try to find anything he would deem as sentimental,it refused to believe he doesn't have anything like that. He might be an asshole, but he still feels emotions.

They keep on mumbling, completely lost in its own head. James's personal belongings are scattered around the apartment carelessly- Amelie has not put any care into making sure to keep everything neat. They'll be long gone before he'll come back either way. Not that he'll know it's them.

…Unfortunately, James had come home and was standing in his living room doorway completely confused. Amelie just didn't hear him.

“You again. What are you doing here?! I thought I made it clear.”

Fuck. Amelie gets up from the floor, putting on its best reassuring smile.

“Nothing, nothing, I'm leaving immediately!!”

“You are not going anywhere. You will stay here and explain yourself.”

Oh shit. That tone. Suddenly they're a child being scolded for standing up for themselves, suddenly their whole reasoning and logic feels like it's about to be picked apart. It freezes, because of course they do,how can you not? That tone still has an impact,even twenty years later.

“...I am not quite sure what I should explain. I do not owe you a response in the slightest.”

Amelie pushes back carefully, trying to get back the upper hand it always has. It scares them to not have control over this.

“Why did you break into my apartment? You are not supposed to be here, rummaging through my things like you own them. You should be really glad I have not called the police.”

He stands there, glaring, blocking the path so Amelie cannot leave.

“And what would the police do, father? I am pretty sure you have caught on by now, I am not quite human,a freak,as you might call it.”

If he calls them a freak, might as well own it like a badge of honour, show him that his words hold little power. Or at least pretend.

“As to answer your question? I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to check out what sort of treasures you are hiding from me, maybe I thought I'd be a good daughter and clean your apartment.”

Papers and fragile objects start flying as Amelie kicks them around, continuing in a mocking tone.

“Is it a crime to try and amend my actions once again? You know, breaking the cycle and doing things you would never do. You see, I most certainly think I am much better than you. I might just be the best Liddel this stupid family might have ever seen!!!!!”

It cackles, thrashing the apartment more. Nothing escapes its mercy, wallpaper getting deep, neon scratches, the tv getting a decorative plate thrown at the screen. Once they tire themselves out,it stops right in front of him. There's a massive grin on faer face,eyes wide and unblinking, with tears streaming down.

“Aren't you jealous??! Your little Amelie is better than you!! Your little Amelie finally achieved the perfection you wanted her soooo badly to be. She is allll you ever wanted-”

James slaps it in the face, equally as horrified as he is angry. Strings immediately wrap around his hand, preventing him from attempting the action again.

“Stop. Acting like this. Do you know what I wanted? I wanted a son, someone who could continue the tradition of being a lawyer. Instead I got a daughter that was just as much of a flower child as her mother. I wish I could have pressured you more,maybe then you would have lived up to the expectations.”

Amelie covers its ears, folding into itself. His words hurt like knives, completely shattering the facade of confidence. When did he get so honest? Why does he hate them so much?

“Stop… I was just a child… I didn't do anything wrong. I was just trying to be… You were supposed to love me…”

They're crying like a little child. It hurts so much. Why does it hurt to hear what they've heard so many times?

“Maybe you should have tried harder.”

“SHUT UP. SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUPSHUTUP!!!”

Strings wrap around his mouth,snaking towards his neck, getting tighter with every word.

“I'm sick of you! I'm tired wishing you were dead! I'm sick of pretending you failed as a father, you piece of shit!”

He's almost choking,yet still tries to reach out to Amelie, though this time it almost looks like an attempt at an embrace. James's eyes are full of tears. He almost looks apologetic.

The strings loosen up,and Amelie hesitantly steps forward, letting the small,naive part of them win. They never stopped hoping for a change. They never stopped hoping for his love. Is this it?

Unfortunately, it's not an embrace of love. Jamess hands tighten around Amelie's neck, trying to kill the creature that his daughter turned into. Without thinking,it bit into his hand, wrapping the strings until he choked completely. It didn't stop mauling his dead body until he was full of scratches that bled neon, letting out twenty eight years of pain. He's finally dead for good.

[mantisfriendd]

FNAF MOVIE NOVEL REVIEW

I just finished reading the FNAF movie novel, and id like to give some thoughts on it

This post will contain spoilers for both the FNAF movie and it's novelization! continue at your own risk!

Overall I would say this is a pretty good adaptation of the movie, and it actually provides some additional context for some of the weaker plot points of the movie. A prime example being Aunt Jane's motivation for wanting custody over Abby. In the book there is a trust fund for Abby set up by her grand parents, Jane wants to take this money for herself and sees getting custody of Abby as the ticket to that money.

Some scenes in the book play out much differently then in the film, but generally things end in the same spots as they do in the movie.

being inside the characters heads allows us to get more characterization out of everyone, and for the most part I really like what they did here.

EDIT: The section on Doug is no longer relevant, Scott has announced that book Doug is non cannon, and new prints of the book have entirely rewritten his character, I don't have a newer print so I can't tell what's changed, maybe I'll buy one eventually to see.

The only character who I think is a direct downgrade from the film is unfortunately Doug. In the film Doug comes off as a hapless lawyer who is being held hostage by his client who is clearly in the wrong, and he still comes off like that in the book but with a clear difference. In the film we feel sorry for him, clearly he's not a bad guy, he's caught up in something he doesn't want to be in. In the book he is barely spoken about, and when he is described he is described as being spaced out and nearly catatonic. Other then not wanting to be there his only other trait in the book is being a creep. The Sparky's Diner scene is seen from Max's perspective in the book, and we get some amazing characterization from her, expressing her discomfort with the entire meeting with Jane and the plan her brother hatches. At some point in the scene she catches Doug staring at her breasts. (sidenote I think this might be the only time the word "breasts" appears in any FNAF book, just a strange inclusion for a series about murder pizza bears)

This is strange characterization for a fan favorite character in the original film, and nothing in the film would lead you to expect this kind of thing from him.

Sidenote here in the book Ness (Matpat's character) is said to be the son of the owner of Sparky's and the book describes him as an "Auburn-haired teen" which is a funny thing to call a man in his 30s.

Minor nitpick aside I think both the movie and the film are acceptable ways to experience the plot, some of the things I thought were weird could just have been my knowledge of the films events changing my perspective.

I also enjoy the reinstatement of some of the elements from earlier screenplays and earlier cuts of the film that we know about from various cast members. The father son relationship of Hank and Carl and Garrett appearing in the archway before The Yellow Rabbit appears being some examples.

The book is also way more gorey then the film was, to my surprise. I was almost shocked at the end of the book where both Vanessa and Mike are in a pool of their own blood, the FNAF books have always gone a little harder with the gore then the games have but I guess I wasn't expecting it because of how much of a blockbuster the film was. You know with all the eyes on everything FNAF movie related, but I'm happy to say the FNaF movie novelization keeps with the tradition of surprisingly bloody Scholastic published books.

I quite enjoyed my time with this book, if you haven't read it and wanna give it a go after watching the movie, I'd say it's a worthwhile read. I also read it pretty quickly, but it might have something to do with me already knowing the plot so I didn't have to let it sink in as much

[snailtrain]

Hello hello!

I am very excited to see so much love for my holiday card this year, I enjoy making them and have tried to keep up the winter post tradition for a few years now. This has been my most popular one yet (yay)! And has attracted a fair few new followers. Hello to you all, I hope you enjoy your time here!

I actually quit my main hourly job on the 25th due to an unfortunately escalating case of hostile coworkers that nothing ever really got done about. But I'm out! No more worrying about being snapped at my my coworkers or sitting in the middle of everyone's personal complaints! It's been a week without having to juggle all that and my other work, and I'm honestly feeling so refreshed and happy! I have been feeling so much lighter since I turned in my 2-weeks, and I think that's the only reason I managed to even get this year's holiday card out in time.

This is all to say, thank you thank you thank you so much for everyone's appreciation of my work this last year, however little there was of it! 2024 will be the year of way more art and actually devoting time to what I love to do ♥! I'll be announcing a patreon here soon, I'll be trying to stream at least once a week on twitch going forward, and I recently got into patterning doll clothes lol! lots of things lined up to try out in the new year and I'm very excited for it for once!

Please look forward to it! And hey, if you want to check it out, I just started using a new system for commissions~ It's all done in one platform and it feels a lot easier on both ends than my old google forms system.

Happy new year! I hope it is wonderful for all of us!

[tubbytarchia]

(I don't know what happened, this ask is completely absent from my askbox though I received an email for it, so I screenshotted from there! I'll answer it just in case you're still interested kind asker!)

Assuming you've never done art before to any notable degree, UH, I'm not sure!! I think most artists start with traditional tools and I would definitely recommend that as well. Just get a notebook and start doodling stuff! Digital art is really convenient, but the ability to change things around endlessly is both a blessing and a curse, for beginning artists probably mostly a curse, cause you'll likely start to overstress about it and start trying to make changes till perfection (I get stuck with that constantly and it's awful). With traditional, it's 90% yolo and that's the beauty of it! You work around it, or you start again, a little wiser!

But if you do want to do digital, it's dependant on available tools and preference (eg do you prefer drawing with fingers on mobile or with a tablet on desktop, etc, you just have to test different options). And I honestly don't have a lot to suggest here because I've stuck with the free version of FireAlpaca for most of my life and don't use a pen/tablet, so unfortunately suitable software and the like is up to you to figure out, or you can ask someone wiser than me! Art software with simpler interface is probably the way to go at least in the beginning, heck, I used to draw using "aggie.io" just on my lonesome. But regardless I'm always here to propagate free or easily-acquirable tools if nothing else. You most definitely don't need anything expensive or complex to create something awesome, and you don't need to "upgrade" either if you ever feel that you're being limited by your tools. Just changing things up in other ways can be a huge help, but every artist is very different and the journey of any skill is one that never ends!

For general advice.... again, don't overstress, hence my recommendation to start with traditional art or with software with simple interface. Creation starts with you fucking around and putting some lines on paper, and just keep going from there. It's not going to look anything like what you want it to look like for awhile and that's okay, that's how obtaining a new skill starts for everyone. As much of a nice sentiment as it is to call someone talented, I firmly believe that no one is born with that shit. Some people just pick some things up quicker than others, but we all start somewhere and we struggle but struggle is proof that you're doing it right, so don't ever beat yourself up for partaking in art and creating something, because god knows that's the biggest problem among artists lol

[ashadowofburnedoutstardust]

I will however preface my week with a little background

I am of both NZ European (our designation for the English/Irish/Scottish mix) and Maori descent, as well as northern and eastern european, a little bit of south american, and then you get those middle eastern traces through much much older DNA

I present to the world in appearance very much as a white girl, but as anyone of mixed descent understands the culture behind that face is not always what you see at first glance

My Maori heritage intersects with the british back to pre colonial when my first NZ europea ancestors arrived and a Whaler (back when they still did that) married a local girl from Taranaki

If you were to line myself up with my siblings 1, 2, 4 & 3 we look like one of those group puppy photos where the printer ran out of toner

It's made for an interesting experience growing up when someone looked at me and then realised who my older siblings were, I've literally watched peoples behaviour alter in front of me from mildly racist tones to "oh shit i said that" they very quickly adjust themselves accordingly and don't do it again. While my appearance is not always a giveaway it has had its uses when encountering this type of person

Normally I sit back and let them show themselves and deliver a very passive aggressive blow

Unfortunately I did get it from both sides, too dark for some, too light for others, it happens; it did however stop me from engaging with my heritage at some point along the way......that's how we lose things we shouldn't

When I was at primary school we had a really impressive Kapa Haka group (man we could have competed and won, we were IMPRESSIVE!!!) with some wonderful teachers. Anyone was able to join regardless of whether they had descent or not as the idea was not just for those who were of descent to have the opportunity to learn more about their own wider culture but also for others to learn more about it

If I had kept my school photos I could show you this little girl in her puipui (in Te Reo its the name for the traditional flax woven skirt, man those things stunk I still hate flaxseed oil) with her poi tucked in, being a sore thumb stick out in the group shot 🤣

I'm told Puipui means something else in Hawaiian so I'll just leave this here

Thanks to the support of people who were able to keep things going the reach of the language has kept growing, and even with recent attacks on it by a fuckwit racist government, the malicious response from the wider NZ public as well as major institutions has been delicious to watch as people pushed for it being accessible even more in response

NZ collectively said "Not Today" ✌️

Below I have linked to a video of one of the secondary schools competitions

Best believe these are serious competitions, Rotorua puts out some of the best

This is from a few years ago

[nazmazh]

To expand on my comments in the tags of that last reblog - Ecology is a STEM subject, sure, but it's not so hard of a science as physics and chemistry. The agricultural, life, and environmental sciences faculty's approach to it was less outright STEM-y than the biology department's approach over in the faculty of science (there was a lot of overlap between the two, and it was kind of interesting to see how they divvied up certain subjects/courses, honestly).

So, while certain ecological concepts are just as solid and evidence/mathematically-based as any other hard science, there's a lot more room for interpretation and application of those concepts.

Like, okay - Soil Science. Pedology (yes... etymologically unfortunate there) - Study of soil formation, development, and classification/frameworks for understanding. Really well-organized science, similar to taxonomy and evolutionary biology in organisms.

But there's a a major debate in that field with no real set answer: "Do constructed soils count as actual soils?" (ie: Soils not developed through natural processes, but purposefully (or even unintentionally) placed by human actions/activity).

Most commonly seen in reclamation ecology, but also things like disturbed soils in agricultural environments, things like landfills/garbage dumps/ or perhaps even could technically be applied to battlefields or buried ruins.

There is one camp that's firmly "We're here to talk about natural development and integration. They're not natural and don't really integrate. Therefore, not soils, end-of."

Meanwhile you have another camp that's "They're in the environment. They have an effect. It doesn't hurt to have the language to formally characterize them. Plus over the years, presumably they will start to integrate with neighbouring soils and they may have effects on them already, so understanding how they work in comparison and conjunction to natural soils is going to be important."

(If it wasn't obvious, because I'm kinda bad at hiding my bias here - I fall firmly into the latter camp. I feel it's probably easier to have this mindset as someone who was just learning the system anyway, rather than someone entrenched in it for years/decades. No attachment to "tradition" and what have you).

Another ecological debate I remember from a more-overall ecology subject - About ecosystem restoration/preservation:

Should we be looking to maintain/restore to previous conditions - Prior to disturbance/maintaining habitat for specific species, etc. Or should we be looking to build/maintain for what new/emerging conditions are? Hell - Should we even be arrogantly meddling out of our sense of guilt at all?

For one example - Pine forests as a whole have been in decline - There's forestry, sure, but that's managed and less of an issue today than other factors like fire control - Most pines in boreal forests have their reproductive cycles adapted to the natural fire cycles of those forests. But humans get nervous about large fires, especially those which might spread to stuff we've built, so we control and prevent them. Without the regular fires, the heat-activated cones don't open and seeds don't germinate. Or, the accumulated litter and deadfall hasn't been regularly burnt, so the fires have tons of fuel when they do break through and burn hot and long enough to completely destroy an area. Plus, climate change means that winters aren't cold enough for long enough to kill the mountain pine beetle, which kills pines before they can produce cones/in a way that doesn't activate their cones. Whitebark pine is especially hit hard by this. Plus, changing conditions might be less-favourable overall for the growth of pines.

So, what can we do about it? We plant the seeds/seedlings (if we can get them to germinate and grow in lab/greenhouse in the first place), we try to contain/eliminate invasive mountain pine beetle, etc. We do controlled burns on the forest. We keep learning and developing new ideas and techniques to make sure these species and biomes persist in our world.

But... The world is changing to pointedly *not* favour these pines/forests, apparently. Wouldn't it be better to let succession take place and work with whatever now grows best in this region, under this climate, pest, and fire regime? Fighting the tide of change won't work forever, right? Maybe we find and cultivate a species or two of pine that thrives under these conditions and lean into them instead?

And the third position basically says - Yes, this is our fault, ultimately, but so what? It's supremely arrogant of us to think we actually have any clue what we're doing when it comes to environmental management - Especially on an ecosystem-level scale. For all we know, our ham-fisted fix attempts are actively making things worse. Better to just try to limit our initial impact but let the ecosystem sort itself out now that conditions have changed.

It's the same logic as "Clearly pandas aren't built for this world and almost want to go extinct? Why fight so hard to prevent that?"

Of course, that this position has a sort of view of the Pre-Columbian-contact Americas as pristine nature - Which just isn't accurate. We know that the First Nations practiced environmental management through actions like fire control and controlled burns. It's just taken formal European/colonial history and science far too long to recognize the deliberate impacts of the First Nations people (y'know, just like as with other aspects of those disciplines - A longstanding pattern of being too dismissive of First Nations' ability to activately understand and direct their own outcomes). Partly because of First Nations' tendency towards oral tradition instead of written records and for a nomadic/semi-nomadic lifestyle instead of building permanent cities recognized as such by European colonists. Partly because of, well, no way of getting around it - Deliberate attempts at genocide/cultural genocide wiping out many people and their knowledge before it could be passed on. With oral tradition especially, that can badly disrupt the historical record/chain of knowledge.

There's really no such thing as "pristine, undisturbed" nature in the Americas, once humans had spread through the territory. When left completely one, the forests (and other ecosystems) do no grow like how they grew prior to European settlement. So it does come down to a question of *what* management activities we want to take.

"None" is as valid of an answer as any - But it doesn't have the historical precedent many thought it did/still think it does. And it's probably not going to lead to the outcomes they expect.

This overall question has less of a clear-cut answer in my mind honestly - Is there a point of no-return for ecosystems that we should learn to recognize and accept, rather than wasting more resources and effort? Do the calculations change if it'll only lead to local extirpation as opposed to complete extinction? Is it better to create something definitely sustainable under the new conditions, or do we fight to keep species from being pushed from regions they've been in, out of a desire to keep ranges from shifting/changing/and especially - Shrinking?

So, yeah, when students ask "What's the right answer? What should I put?" - It really isn't that simple. You do have to come up with something on your own here.