#wayne rigby gets mentioned

[edutainer2022]

UNREQUITED

Co-written with @janetm74

As you may remember, there's a series of pieces on Scott and Kayo being idiots shadow-dancing with some complicated feelings and inhibitions, and baggage, that came to pass due to the incredible contribution of the amazing @janetm74. And now it's taking a more coherent shape as a uniform story! Some chapters you've seen already, some have never been published. There are no words to express how excited and grateful I am it's happening and moving forward (albeit in an angsty direction, so far).

The whole story as it progresses is now up on AO3.

Previous bits in order can be found here:

Ch 1 (blue like she'd never known)

Ch 2

Ch 3 (hurt like this)

Ch 4

CHAPTER 5

(accustomed to misfit)

It was extremely rare that they sparred. Virgil preferred heavy lifting to tatami for keeping his field game up. But he specifically requested a training session for that morning. It was her job to keep them all in shape and defense-ready, among other things. Although, she had a pretty good idea Virgil's motives were far from pure. Just like his poker face was far from perfect.

She flew in late the night before. Technically, the next day was her personal downtime, but she didn't feel comfortable leaving the island unattended for the night. Leaving them all unprotected. Leaving HIM alone with the shadows.

The date was nice. Wayne was nice. She really enjoyed his company. When not stuck up by regulations - his jokes were half decent. He had field stories in abundance she soaked in like a sponge - chases, investigations, cover-ops. He saw her interest and delivered. Wayne SAW her. She let the kiss last. They agreed on a second date, their respective schedules permitting.

She half-expected, half-dreaded to walk in on the Commander pulling an all-nighter with reports. Maybe half-hoped too, just a little. She didn't know what she'd see in his eyes. The exuberant enthusiasm he'd displayed so far made her blood run cold and her heart keen. But the dark lounge was empty.

She curled in a ball in the scolding shower, once in her room, and bawled her eyes out, like a love-sick little girl she'd never been. Not exactly a reaction she'd expect after the first decent date she'd had since college. It wasn't fair to Wayne. It wasn't fair to herself. Unrequited love wasn't ever fair. So she promised herself she wouldn't BE that girl. EVER.

And now she was sparring with Virgil. Sweetest, kindest Virgil, who cared for her. Who wanted what was best for her, like they all did. She made no mistake - Virgil cared for her, but he loved his big brother like he was air. She understood the feeling. That's why she agreed to a second date with Wayne. To allow herself no way back.

"Do you like Rigby?"

She was atacking, Virgil was parrying. She was backing him into a corner, but it felt the other way around. She doubled down on speed and force.

"He's okay."

"You deserve more than okay, Kayo."

Virgil danced away from her reach and left her in the corner, all of a sudden. She saw red. Unforgivable, as his trainer. Understandable, as his sister. If only Virgil knew, what he was saying!

"Is that so?"

Cross-cut, block, block. She took a swing, Virgil evaded.

"What DO I deserve, then? To be invisible?"

Another swing. Undercut.

"To be a shadow?!"

Roundhouse kick.

"To never be loved back?!!"

She was breathless from shouting, or from exhaustion. Virgil stopped at some point, not heeding the hits she was raining, but Kayo didn't even notice. Strong, safe arms closed the embrace, while she was still raging and raving, and just held her. The shooshing noises enveloped her senses as there was no more voice left in her tears. Kayo broke her own promise and wept.

[tracybirds]

Happy March of the OCs Part 2!

okay, so I don't really write with OCs very often, but I do like thinking about side characters and giving them random backstories and families and things :) So here's some more sims posting, this time with all the characters I've pulled out to pad up the world!

Sara Cavanaugh

Sara is Kat Cavanaugh's sister, and they love each other a lot but cannot stand to be together for longer than approximately four hours. Kat thinks Sara is materialistic and vain, Sara thinks Kat is pig-headed and selfish. They're both right and they're both wrong, as often is the case when it comes to people. Sara does appreciate material things and takes pride in her appearance, and she can be quick to judge based on appearances, but she also works hard for very little thanks and cares very deeply about her community.

Eleanor Rigby

Eleanor is about eight years old, and she's Captain Wayne Rigby's daughter. I picture him as a single dad, and someone he worries about a lot and that a lot of his grouch with Kayo was misdirected anxiety about having to constantly leave Eleanor behind while he was working overtime. Eleanor's super resilient though, and mostly saw bouncing around her friends' homes as a bit of an adventure. She love love loves the outdoors and is a huge 'Into the Unknown' fan. Her biggest dream at the moment is to become a vet at a zoo.

The list continues under the cut ><

Aidan Hawkins and Theo Hawkins-McCready

I imagine by the time Virgil meets Cass, she's a single mum with two very rambunctious sons, but for my sims save, I'm playing a little further back in the story haha, so meet her fiance, Aidan, and eldest son, Theo. Aidan is a very romantic and outgoing person but it's paired with intense insecurities and poor communication that creates a very tumultuous relationship for Cass. They both love each other, and Cass gets swept up in his grand gestures, but they struggle a lot with co-dependency and trust issues. Cass sacrifices a lot for Aidan at the expense of her career and eventually they split. Theo right now is just super cute lol <3 He's about three or four when Cass meets Virgil, and his younger brother Jordan (not pictured) is two.

Lesley Hoffman, Franklin Hoffman-Casey and Dante Hoffman-Casey

This is Colonel Casey's family :D Lesley is her wife and they have two children, Franklin and Dante. They're good friends with the Tracys through Val of course, and although they grew apart a bit after Jeff disappeared, they're still considered family friends. Lesley and Val met through a mutual friend and connected over their shared love of music and breakfast foods. Franklin is about Kayo's age, just a little younger than John, and Dante is between Alan and Gordon. Lesley "and the kids" get a brief mention in this story here :)

The Patterson Family (aka Space Controller Conrad's Family)

Conrad's family are ultra high-achievers and high-expectations and they expect big things from Conrad - he's the youngest and as he says in the episode Long Haul, his siblings are heroes in his eyes (a fire-fighter, a police officer, and a paramedic) and he feels the pressure. I kinda roll with the idea that he's several years younger than his siblings, similar to Alan being several years younger than his brothers, and so here they are. Anyway, this is them in the sims world! From top left to bottom right: Daphne and Ed, then Lawrence, the fire-fighter, Raelynn, the police officer, and Quentin, the paramedic. I have more thoughts, but they're mostly about Conrad so I'll move on for now ;D

Joanne and Walter Hackett

Joanne and Walter are Madeline Lemaire's parents :) I put the Lemaire's in a big giant house, and then made myself sad by headcanoning that they wanted kids and couldn't have them, and so I moved in her parents to make things seem a little less lonely. They're much more sensible than their son-in-law, but mostly see him as harmlessly eccentric. Walter is really into fishing and constantly taking Lemaire out on the boat for a boys day (which he hates lol), and Joanne is very into throwing dinner parties and trying out new cocktail recipes for her guests.

David Reeves

David is Tycho's twin brother purely because I think I'm funny xD He's a bit geeky and works as a primary school teacher, coaching a kids' football team and things. Because Tycho's busy jetting off around the world, David keeps a guest room for him and takes in his mail and things (I know paper mail probs won't exist but SHH). Their parents died when David and Tycho were in their twenties still, so they make sure they do Christmas and birthdays and things together and catch up as often as possible.

Gregory Moffat

This is Gregory, who is Moffie's teenage son (and also my son) and I am extremely fond of him <33 He's pretty quiet really, and plays bass guitar in a band with his friends. Moffie was a little exasperated, because he learnt the cello first and she had visions of seeing him play in an orchestra and things, but he got into an argument at the first practice and ultimately ditched it. He also like art and architecture and is very loyal to his friends.

The Taylor Family

I love the headcanon that Lucille and Lee are siblings, and I also love that she came from a large family as well (it makes sense in my head) and also I stole @avengedbiologist's idea that all the siblings have L names because I love it. I aged up the family to show you what they look like, but I haven't fixed them up fully so it's just a general idea :D Anyway, here we have Connor and Payton Taylor, and then Leonard, Laura and Lily. Leonard is the oldest, then Laura, then it's Lucille and Lee (twins for maximum ow), then Lily is the baby of the family.

I have actually written them into a story (veeeeeery loosely) here :)

[arickaandherfictionalothers]

The rescue of Billy Hargrove and Maxine Mayfield

(Aricka x Billy, Billy Hargrove and Max Mayfield, The Munson Four (mentioned)

(CONTENT AND TRIGGER WARNING: heavy mentions of child abuse; heavy mentions of blood and injuries, Neil Hargrove is his own warning, Aricka slams a plate onto Neil’s head.)

Aricka Munson was busy doing her homework the day Billy and Max were freed from their parents’ custody. She’d been buried in her work, writing some essay she didn’t even remember about now, when she heard an ear splitting scream from the Hargrove trailer.

She didn’t hesitate- she grabbed the walkie-talkie her and her three brothers shared and pressed the button, stuttering a “code red, Hargrove trailer, HOPPER HELP-!” And ran out the door to said trailer. She didn’t even knock, she slammed the door open and stopped short at what she saw-

“BILLY-!” The eldest of the two was on his back, his father hovering over him, fist drawn back to strike. Billy’s face was bloodied and bruised, and she could see marks on his knuckles from where he tried fighting back.

Max was huddled against the wall, tears and blood trickling down her own cheeks. Aricka itched to go wrap her arms around the girl and around Billy but first she had to get Neil sidetracked.

“HEY-!” She yelled again. Neil wheeled around, anger and hatred in his cold, empty eyes. “I’m sick and tired of you being a bully and picking on innocent CHILDREN-!” She grabbed the nearest item- a plate- and slammed it into his head, it shattering to pieces as Billy rolled over to avoid the inevitable glass falling on him, shielding his head as he did. “Max, go to uncle Wayne’s and call the police, NOW-!”

Max took off, before Neil could even try running after her Aricka slid between the girl and the man. Neil legitimately growled at her, and she rolled her eyes. “You act all big and mean, but you have to beat up your own SON to feel good about yourself. It’s sickening. I pity you, Neil Hargrove.”

The man roared and ran at her, like he was about to hit her-

But a hand wrapped around his fist stopped him. Billy was suddenly standing in between Aricka and Neil; a dangerously cold glare on his face. “You. Don’t. Touch. Her.” He said, cold and full of steel. “I’m done letting you push me and Max around. The cops are on their way. I’m going to press charges. And I’m getting Max out of here.”

Neil paused momentarily, only to get over the shock of Billy fighting back, fighting for Aricka, before he got his footing back and tried to push Billy against the wall-

And then chaos erupted.

“FREEZE-! HAWKINS POLICE, PUT YOUR HANDS UP!” Aricka Billy and Neil all did as told, but Hopper only advanced on Neil. “Neil Hargrove, you’re under arrest for domestic and child abuse; physical assault and forgery.” He wrenched Neil’s hands behind his back and slapped the cuffs on.

Billy leans heavily against Aricka as they watch Neil get escorted out to the waiting police cruiser. He groans softly and she turns to face him. “You need the hospital,” she says, and it worried her slightly when he didn’t even try to argue with her. “C’mon baby, uncle Wayne can take us. I’m sure my brothers wanna see you, make sure you’re safe now. Max can meet us there.”

Billy nods, wrapped his arms around her. “Just- just stay with me, okay? I- I need you with me right now.”

Aricka kisses his sweaty forehead, “I’ll always be here for as long as you need me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rest of the night was a grueling affair. They had to document all of Billy and Max’s injuries, take statements from everyone involved at the scene; and they had to document the cuts on Aricka’s hand from the plate breaking. (She wasn’t in any trouble because she was defending Billy.)

Billy kept a hand on her shirt, wrapped in the hemline. She kept a rhythm of petting his hair, his cheek, his hands as the doctors worked. He answers quietly, in few worded sentences, sometimes looking to Aricka for answers, and she filled in when she could. His arm was casted- he chose a blue cast the shade of the ocean- his ribs were treated with bruise cream and ice. They were currently discussing surgery dates for his nose- it had got broken as well.

Max’s wrist was sprained from when Billy pushed her away from Neil, and she was generally shaken up from the events of the night. She would go home with Aricka and Steve Harrington and Billy would go with her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What felt like years later, Wayne was pulling back into the trailer park and in front of the trailer Aricka had never been more grateful to call home. She helped Billy out of the truck, kept an arm around his middle, and they walked inside together. “You sit on my bed and relax, I’ll be in after I use the bathroom,” she says softly with a kiss to his cheek. “I love you.”

He nods and squeezes her hand as she leaves. When she returns he was lying on his back, staring at the stars on her ceiling. “Hi baby,” she says, and carefully joins him, making sure she didn’t jostle his injuries.

He immediately- cautiously- rolled over and laid his head on her chest. “You- you- you’re here,” he whispered. She tangled her fingers in his curly hair, pressing her face into it.

“You couldn’t have made me stay away unless you asked,” she whispered back. “I love you Billy, and I’m never leaving you. I’m gonna help you through this like I’ve helped you through everything. I’m so proud of you for being so brave and telling Hopper everything. For fighting back and saving me from him-,”

“You saved me first,” he countered.

She softened. “We saved each other, then.”

He melted back against her. “Is it really over?” His voice sounded so small and soft in that moment. She rubbed his back and scratched his scalp.

“Billy Hargrove, you’re free, my love. He can never touch you or Max again.”

He hides his face in her shirt again, and she lets him. “… I love you, too,” he whispered finally. The words wrapped around her heart and squeezed and she sneakily wiped away a tear from her eye.

“I’ll always love you, Billy Hargrove.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

@astralshipper @rosieshipper @hyperionshipping @yeehawselfshipping @letsgofoletsgo @tsundere-selfship @callsign-revenge

[that-milo-kid]

Day 12: Abduction

Warnings: Slight swearing, mentions of torture

Fandom: DCU (Batfam and YJ)

Word Count: 1140

Characters: Dick Grayson and Wally West

Notes: this is a sequel to my day 10 submission! shout out to the absolute love of my life @azzeryyjazzery (who i am going on a date with tomorrow :0 )

The fan on his ceiling was spinning at an almost dizzying speed. He watched it turn – going around and around and around, never stopping, not until it’s turned off by someone else.

With nothing interesting happening in his line of sight, Dick listened to his neighbours. Sure, it was a bit nosey, but they were being almost unbearably loud, and he had been trained as a detective from age nine. He could hear the couple a few doors down fighting, some screaming match about nothing in particular. The kid who moved in across from him a few weeks ago was blasting music. It was a song Dick actually recognised for once (Eleanor Rigby by The Beatles had been Tim’s favourite song for a while), and he let himself sit and enjoy the music for a few seconds.

Other assorted sounds were coming from the rooms. Lots of yelling, a few different sources of music, and a vacuum cleaner on the floor above him. Dick wanted to move, to get up and do something to take his mind off the ever-growing mess of sound around him. A sharp pain like wildfire tore its way through his neck and chest as he tried to lift his head, acting as a reminder to why he was lying down in the first place.

Ah, that’s right, he thought absently to himself. Torture wounds. Whoops.

So, he was back to square one. Lying on his bed, the terrible wall of noise suffocating him as he watched the fan and tried to focus on anything other than what happened. He hated the sound of people yelling, specifically – they were able to talk, to communicate and connect with other people in such an intimate way. And they used the gift of speech to express hate and violence.

It had been two weeks since Dick had lost his voice. The physical wounds were healing slowly, but surely. Leslie cleared him three days ago, and he was back to living in his shitty apartment with his shitty neighbours and his shitty job. Not that he had actually gone back to work yet. Tim called up for him as the only Wayne willing to talk to any member of the BPD… well the only Wayne who wouldn’t a) lose their shit or b) start crying if they spoke about what happened to Dick.

Dick didn’t think he’d ever seen Bruce as emotional as when he broke the news to Clark.

Either way, he was currently at no human interaction. No one from his job, none of the heroes he associated with, not even any of his brothers or sisters had stopped by. Steph had popped in the day before, just to say hi, but the interaction lasted less than two minutes. Dick didn’t think it really counted.

He wasn’t sure where he stood with human interaction at the moment anyway. He couldn’t talk, couldn’t effectively communicate what he wanted to say, anyway. Not to mention all the weird flinching and seizing up when people touched him in certain places. His neck was much less sensitive than it had been, but having your throat slashed open by a madman doesn’t exactly have a speedy recovery time. he had also been more sensitive than usual around his ribs. Two or three of them were likely bruised.

He wondered if he’d ever be the same after what happened. I’ll certainly be less eager to talk to criminals, he thought with a small chuckle, before he remembered exactly how he felt as he bled out on the floor of that cell and decided that maybe he would hold off on the jokes for a little bit.

He was shaken out of his usual self-pitying spiral by a knock at the door. Weird. Alfred said he’d be by on Wednesday, and it wasn’t like him to appear anything but on time. Shrugging it off (maybe he just wanted to see Dick?), he went to roll out of bed. The movement jostled his neck again, and this time the rush of pain was so violent and sudden that he had to stand still and hold onto a nearby dresser for a moment to steady himself.

He shuffled over to the door, hoping that moving around might help the dizziness fade a bit. It doesn’t, obviously, and the little voice in his head that sounds suspiciously like Leslie yelled at him to sit back down and ignore the door. Richard John Grayson is nothing if not polite, however, so he gathered himself and opened the door with as much grace as he could muster.

The shock of bright red hair that sprinted through the door was not at all what he was expecting, and he almost fell over again in his shock. Wally stood in his living room, beaming at him, holding copious amounts of snacks and chip packets.

“Come on man, I haven’t seen you in forever and we still haven’t watched that new Spiderman movie!” Dick held one finger up in the universal sign for one minute and walked into his room as quickly as he could manage. He dug around in the piles of clothes and books scattered across his room – he really should clean it – before finding the thing he was looking for.

When he walked back out to Wally holding his whiteboard and marker, the speedster had made himself comfortable on Dick’s couch. He turned to look at his friend as he re-entered the room and patted the spot beside him on the couch.

“Get your fine ass over here, Robin! I even got salt and vinegar chips for you, even though they are disgusting, and you are a heathen.”

Dick’s grin made the corners of his eyes crinkle. He quickly scrawled on the whiteboard, ‘I haven’t been Robin in years, and everyone knows salt and vinegar is the superior flavour.’ Wally scoffed jokingly, pulling Dick down beside him onto the couch. His hands were careful around Dick’s ribs and went nowhere near his friends face. Dick was more grateful than Wally could ever imagine.

Curled up on the couch with his best friend, Dick realised the one thing he’d been missing more than his voice. Normality. Something that no one could give him while they walked on eggshells around him, careful and cautious as if he would shatter into a million pieces.

Turning further into Wally’s warm side, Dick managed to whisper out two quiet words.

“Thank you.”

Wally didn’t even look over from the screen showing the opening scene of Spiderman as he responded.

“Of course, dude – what are friends for if not cheering up their bros after getting abducted?”

Another small chuckle, and Dick is out like a light. He slept better than he had in two weeks, tucked into his best friend’s side.

Maybe everything would be fine.

[soniabigcheese]

Asking for the third time😅 'I Should Have Been Better' maybe kayo and any character you like to add💌

Thanks for the ask, and we have another line!!!!

@badthingshappenbingo

Fandom: Thunderbirds are go Characters: Kayo Kyrano, the Mechanic Triggers: none, just some fluff

De-Stress (set after Cavern Quest)

Try as they may, nobody could get Mike to take a break. Such was his determination to get the T-Drive engine up and running. It might be just enough to atone for his past behaviour.

Except when Scott was constantly hovering and breathing down his neck.

After such a long shift, he dropped down on one of the crates and rubbed the top of his head, the carefully shaved mohawk was starting to grow long again.

Just how long had he been working tirelessly? Too long by the looks of things.

And that's when a VR headset ended up dangling in front of him. He swatted it aside, but it reappeared.

"I told you," he grumbled, "I don't want to play." "Maybe you don't," Kayo responded, "but I do."

His eyes widened as he saw her standing in front of him, a playful smirk on her face.

"I'm sorry," he replied, taking the headset from her, "I thought you were Alan for some reason, wanting me to play." "Yeah, he's been like that for a while, ever since Brains updated these." "Yeah well, I didn't want to play against a pro like him." "So, why not me? Level the playing field a little. Two newbies face to face with one another. How about it huh? It'll give you a break from ..."

She didn't have to mention the T Drive, her implication was enough. Sighing, he grasped her outstretched hand and allowed himself to be pulled up.

"Just ... one thing before we start."

He grabbed the mug of coffee and gulped it down in one go, smacking his lips and grinning.

"Oh yeah, that hits the spot!"

He winked at her as he put the headset on and adjusted it to fit his head. The option to choose your weapon came up and he noticed that she'd picked the axe.

Pfft, seriously?

He reached for the sword and so they began, clumsily going through the levels. It had been updated since the last time she'd participated, so the new traps took her by surprise and both of them were down to their last lives.

Obviously, since she'd had a head start, she was in the lead, but decided to make it easier for him by deliberately messing up some of the puzzles. She heard him laughing now and then at her supposed ineptitude.

"Seriously?" he chortled, "deliberately throwing the game so that ...."

He didn't get the chance to finish that sentence, as a large boulder came from nowhere and smacked him full in the chest. And since this was an immersive game, that meant that the visor gave off a violent shudder.

Taken by surprise, he stumbled backwards and landed on his ass. Triumphantly whipping off her visor, she held her hand out to shake his. He could easily have pulled her off her feet, but that wasn't very sportsmanlike. Instead, he shook it and tried to stand up, rubbing his sore rump.

Straightening up, he handed over the headset, but not before inspecting it.

"Funny really," he mused, "after spending many years developing and working on machines of destruction. I really should have been better at playing games. Guess I didn't have the time to play."

He pulled Kayo into a one arm embrace and kissed her lightly on the top of her head.

"Thanks."

She pulled away and looked up at him.

"What for?" "For giving me a chance to be me ... again."

She nodded, collecting both headsets and putting them away safely.

"You're welcome."

He arched his back, checked the time and yawned. Gosh, it was getting late. Maybe he could fit in another hour? Another yawn. Meh, maybe not. He looked at Kayo, who smiled back. "Any chance of a rematch?" "It's a date."

He blinked.

"Really?"

Gosh, he'd never really considered a romantic relationship before. And he knew that she and Wayne Rigby were an item.

But hey, there's always a first time.

The door squeaked open, bringing him back to his senses and he saw her standing there.

"Well ... goodnight ... sleep well."

And with that, she vanished, closing the door behind her. He chuckled softly, turned to the pile of blankets and pillows that made his bed in the corner, and sighed, yawning once more. Before slipping off his shoes and socks, and stripping down to his boxers and vest.

His head barely touched the pillow before he began snoring.

[gumnut-logic]

Another favourite scene

I’m writing more Kermadec fic and had to read back to fact check what I had written before and came across this scene. It had me smiling, so I thought I’d post it here in the hope it would cause a few more smiles.

There’s a little shippyness in this, so if that is not your thing...

Five brothers, camped on a rocky beach on Macauley Island (photo above, though by 2060, the vegetation has returned, so add pokey trees to the picture) at sunset of Day Two in their voyage home. Brothers will be brothers :D

-o-o-o-

It was a very satisfied group of brothers who watched the sun dip below the horizon sometime later. The cube temperature had been lowered, but not entirely extinguished. They weren’t in tropical latitudes yet and although the days were warm, the nights got chilly. The sea breeze was gentle and the ocean only mumbled against the rocks.

Virgil had slipped into bit of a stupor, his body determined to digest and removing resources from his brain to do it. Consequently, he missed the beginning of the conversation between his brothers while he stared after the disappearing sun.

“So how long has this been going on?”

“It is just a bit of friendly recreation, Alan.”

A Gordon snort. “Yeah, John, but how friendly and what kind of recreation?”

“Get your mind out of the gutter, Gordon.”

“I’m only following yours, spacebro.”

“There is nothing untoward occurring between Captain O’Bannon and myself.”

“Ooh, ‘untoward’ no, but there are two lonely space souls stuck up there together, none other than each other’s company.”

This time it was Scott’s snort. “Oh, only the resident AI who sees and hears all, and about twenty-odd GDF specialists.”

“Oh, yes, Eos!” Virgil arched an eyebrow as he realised his fishbrother was tapping his collar comms. “Hey, Eos, are you willing to share the goss on your Dad and Captain Ridley O’Bannon.”

“Hello, Gordon. What would you like to know?”

“Does John have a ‘thing’ for the girl next door?”

“Most definitely.”

“Eos!” John shot up ramrod straight in his seat as Gordon cracked up laughing.

“It is true, John. You have sixteen processors, four electronic clipboards and twenty-three bottles of moisturiser set aside for Captain O’Bannon. These are all things you have for the girl next door.”

Virgil couldn’t help himself and had to smother a laugh.

The expression on Gordon’s face was a mixture of confusion and incredulity. “Twenty-three bottles of moisturiser?”

“It is her favourite brand and she was unable to purchase it before beginning her last rotation, so I acquired some for her.” He glared at his aquanaut brother. “Just like friends do.”

“But twenty-three bottles?” Even Scott was staring at John as if he was a little weirded out.

“You obviously like her. Why don’t you ask her out?” Trust Gordon to poke the issue further.

John shrugged. “Hasn’t come up.”

Gordon groaned. “Really?” His hands dropped to his knees. “I thought it would be obvious.”

John’s glare was acidic. “I can’t see why you can talk. How long did it take you to ask Penny out? Hmm, let me think, oh, yes, that’s right. You didn’t. She asked you.”

“Hey, I was bedridden!”

“Excuses, excuses...”

“Well, at least I’m making progress. Please tell me at least one of you guys has a possibility in your back pocket. Hell, we’re all tough and buff and saving people. Hasn’t anyone swooned for any of you?” Gordon’s eyes raked around the circle and to Virgil’s horror landed on him. “What about you, Virg. You and Tin have a bit of thing happening, don’t you?”

His heart missed a beat. “What? No!”

“Virg and Kayo? Are you kidding me?” Alan was glaring at Gordon, but then seemed to second guess himself and turned that glare on Virgil. “She’s our sister, bro.”

Virgil held up his hands. “Hey, it wasn’t me who postulated the idea.”

“Postulated? Really, Virg? Me thinks you be hiding behind a dictionary.”

“Shut up, Gordon.”

“I think he doth protest too much.”

“I think you should look into the fact she is spending the next month with Wayne Rigby and not entirely for mission related reasons.”

There was no satisfaction in seeing Gordon freeze like that, or Scott’s “What?”

“She’s with us for New Years, but then it is onto Siberia on the third of January. Something about the possibility of a Chaos Crew tech lab infiltration.” Virgil grabbed the carafe of hot chocolate off the heat cube and poured himself a good dose. He ignored the voice in the back of his head that wished it was something ever so much stronger.

“She hasn’t told me about any mission.” Scott was frowning at him.

Virgil hid behind his mug. “Only just came in apparently. She only mentioned it in passing while she was saying goodbye. I have no doubt she will brief you when we get home.”

Gordon was staring at him. He opened his mouth but failed to say anything.

Virgil took another sip and just stared straight back. It took a moment, but eventually Gordon appeared to shake it off, frowning just a little before turning to Scott. “What about you, bro? You’ve always been our leader in the girlfriend department. What’s the count now?”

“Thirty-two.” John was smug behind his own mug of hot chocolate.

His eldest brother shifted in his seat as if suddenly uncomfortable. “Okay, I’m with Virgil on this - shut up, Gordon.”

Gordon held up his hands in all his innocent glory. “Hey, I’m just brotherly bonding around the fire.”

“Go bond with the volcano.” John’s voice was dry. “Or a whale, I hear a few pass through on occasion.”

“Hey, you were the one keeping count.”

“I can’t help it, I’m good with numbers.”

Virgil snorted. “Not good enough. You’re at least two out.”

The glare Scott shot him could have scorched his hair off.

“Don’t worry, Scott, I’m not going to tell them about Petunia.”

“Virgil!”

“What?”

“Shut it or lose it.”

“Hey, I said I wasn’t going to tell them.”

“Tell us what?” Both Alan and Gordon were about ready to fall off their chairs with glee.

John just rolled his eyes.

“About Petunia.”

“Who is Petunia?”

“You’re an idiot, Virg.” Scott’s glare was becoming more resigned and flatter by the second. “I am so gonna let them know about Gertrude now.”

Virgil snorted. “As if I’d care. She really wanted you anyway.”

“Not true, you were her favourite.”

“Yeah, sure, she’d turn to anyone who would give her what she wanted. I just had it more often than you.”

“You planned it that way.”

“I thought you of all people would appreciate a few tactics. With you around, I need all the help I can get.”

“What?”

Okay, so that had come out a little too serious for Petunia talk, but then Virgil’s count was far smaller than thirty-two or thirty-four depending on how you counted. Early on he had tried to get out and about like his eldest brother, but honestly it wasn’t in him. He wasn’t a one-nighter like Scott. Besides standing next to the heir of Tracy Industries, tall and female magnet was like trying to catch moths while standing next to a bug zapper.

“Virgil?”

“Petunia was a goose.”

“What?!” It was choral from both Alan and Gordon and quickly followed by a “Virgil!” from Scott.

“She used to follow him around everywhere about the farm. It was hilarious.

“Yeah, well, Gertrude was goat and she once ate Virgil’s pants. He’s lucky he didn’t lose more.”

Scott and Virgil glared at each other across the heat cube while Gordon and Alan played eyeball tennis between them.

John just drank his chocolate, a vaguely amused expression on his face.

Virgil held his brother’s furious gaze as long as he could, but he had to bite his lip. The moment he realised Scott was doing the same, it became oh so much harder.

Two seconds later he cracked up laughing. Scott followed not a moment after and both of them laughed even harder when they caught sight of the expressions on Gordon and Alan’s faces.

Virgil laughed so hard he had to hold his stitches in place.

Which of course Scott saw and it drew the night to a close as big brother shifted gears into smother brother.

They cleared off the island leaving no mark behind. Gordon clucking like a hen and claiming death threats from Melissa Fisher if they left anything behind.

Making it back to the boat in the dark was easily done, but awkward and a little painful for Virgil and by the time he made it to his bed, he was worn out.

Regardless, he didn’t fall asleep immediately, despite the gentle rocking of the boat. Thoughts of what could be, what could have been and what he actually wanted bounced around the inside of his skull.

It took a long time for them to fall quiet.

-o-o-o-

We’ll be home for Christmas

[karingudino]

Fungi kingdom delights unlocked by Queensland’s wet summer weather

Heavy rain in elements of Queensland has awoken a hidden kingdom of fungi, and with it a passionate group of newbie mycologists.

Key factors:

Moist climate throughout a lot of Queensland triggers eruptions of fungus throughout the state

Newbie mycologists say there is a “world of discovery” obtainable as little is thought in regards to the kingdom of fungi

Specialists warn in opposition to selecting and consuming wild mushrooms

Queensland Mycological Society president Wayne Boatwright mentioned the moist climate was the important thing to a few of these exotic-looking fungi species coming to the floor.

“These mycelial networks reside underground and hidden away in timber and we’re fully unaware of them,” he mentioned.

“Unexpectedly when a rain occasion happens the mycelial community has the assets from the hydrostatic stress to provide fruiting our bodies.

“They produce these fruiting our bodies, or sporocarps, the sexual expressions of the fungi in the identical method {that a} flower is a sexual expression of a plant.”

Cymatoderma elegans fungus are typically known as leathery goblet or wine glass fungus due to their intricate form and construction.(Equipped: Wayne Boatwright)

Nonetheless a lot to find

For retired ecologist Barry Muir current rain in Far North Queensland has offered the proper alternative to additional his analysis into the area’s fungal species.

“I have been engaged on them right here for the final 5 years,” he mentioned.

“I might say that about 80 per cent of what I’ve discovered are both undescribed or does not fairly match the design of the fungi discovered down south.

“You choose up a ebook and also you say, ‘That is a such and such’, however then once you get into it you discover the spores are a little bit completely different or one thing else is a little bit completely different.”

Cyptotrama asprata fungus, typically known as gold tufts, have been documented alongside Australia’s east coast and into Tasmania.(Equipped: Wayne Boatwright)

In 2018 a State of the World’s Fungi report discovered that simply 150,000 of an estimated 3 million species of fungi had been recognized globally.

The Queensland Herbarium homes just one,145 species of fungi, two of that are naturalised to the state however not endemic.

In distinction, the herbarium holds about 10,500 plant species.

A cluster of coprinellus disseminatus fungus, typically known as fairy bonnet or crumble caps.(Equipped: Wayne Boatwright)

Mr Boatwright mentioned there have been massive gaps in collections and data.

“We estimate between 4 and 6 fungal associations with every of these timber so there must be round 46,000 information or fungal specimens in that library, however there is not,” he mentioned.

“This provides us a sign of how massive the hole is and the way little is thought in regards to the kingdom of fungi and, in an odd method, that is what makes it very thrilling.

“Mycology is the place botany was 150 years in the past and which means there is a world of discovery on the market.”

‘Folks had been afraid of them’

The fragile nature of fungi means it’s a battle in opposition to time to doc new species.

“The window of alternative to exit and uncover fungi may be very transient,” Mr Boatwright mentioned.

Barry Muir says parasitic department fungi draw vitamins from their host crops, and may ultimately kill them.(ABC Far North: Mark Rigby)

“Some sporocarps or fruiting our bodies will solely final minutes or hours.”

Among the many longer-lasting species present in Queensland are stinkhorns, which start fruiting as egg-like growths on the bottom.

“If you happen to pull one in every of them [the eggs] up and break it open you will see it is bought a gelatinous materials inside it, and inside that’s one other construction which is able to ultimately develop into the mushroom head,” Mr Muir mentioned.

“They’re those folks usually get of their gardens … they’re formed like a male organ they usually have a bad-smelling goop on the highest which is designed to draw blowflies.

“Within the outdated days, in England specifically, folks used to name them witches eggs they usually had been afraid of them.”

Picker’s peril

The pair usually warn folks in opposition to selecting and consuming wild mushrooms.

“I usually ask folks, ‘If you happen to noticed a ham sandwich laying on a log in the course of a forest, would you cease and eat it?'” Mr Boatwright mentioned.

“The actual drawback is with doppelgangers as there are loads of species that are look-alikes.

The dying cap mushroom seems much like grocery store varieties however could cause severe well being issues if eaten.(ABC Information: Iskhandar Razak)

“Folks will confidently discover a fungus or a mushroom and assume it is one thing it is not after which be doubtlessly staring down the barrel of a liver transplant with the intention to reside two weeks later.”

Mr Muir agreed.

“If you happen to gather fungi and eat them, all the time preserve two further within the fridge — one for the physician and one for the individual doing the post-mortem,” he mentioned.

Source link

source https://fikiss.net/fungi-kingdom-delights-unlocked-by-queenslands-wet-summer-weather/ Fungi kingdom delights unlocked by Queensland’s wet summer weather published first on https://fikiss.net/ from Karin Gudino https://karingudino.blogspot.com/2021/01/fungi-kingdom-delights-unlocked-by.html

[gumnut-logic]

My ask..... 3rd one from da bottom on the ship post :)

realistically, do you think [non-canon pairing] will ever be canon? why or why not?

You’re probably going to shoot me for this :D

When you first asked me to ship Virgil and Kayo, I was very skeptical. Apart from the fact I’m not traditionally a shipper anyway, it was mostly because I’m not a huge fan of Kayo in canon. I find her character quite shallow and really just a tip of the hat to a necessary female character in a sea of men. Don’t get me wrong, it is great to see a strong female character, but I felt it had been done too stereo-typically. In the same vein, why can’t Grandma both fly around the world and still be able to cook? Being a strong woman doesn’t negate the ability to do or like traditional female activities. I could rant on this subject for hours - don’t get me started on sexual orientation and makeup.

But anyway, that is not the answer to your question :D

As far as I can see Virgil has not been given any preference to any character other than Thunderbird Two in canon. Kayo, on the other hand, has been kinda eyeballing Wayne Rigby, a guy who needed a two-by-four to the brain the first time we met him.

Basically before you mentioned the pairing Virgil/Kayo, it hadn’t even occurred to me and I doubt it has occurred to the TAG writers either, sorry ::hugs you::

But, hey, who needs canon? I and others can write what we want. Give me time to practise, and I’ll draw you some art as well :D Fandom is what we make it and at the moment, I’m making a bucket load of Virgil/Kayo and having a hell of a lot of fun doing it.

Of course, there is nothing racy or daring about the relationship I have developed between the two. I’ve certainly gone monogamous, gushy and somewhat traditional. This is mainly because I don’t see Virgil as one who would be casual with his relationships. I just don’t think he is that kind of guy. I think he’d fall deeply and be there for the long term. A break up would mess him up badly. 

Kayo, less that way, but I think the way Virgil loves her would amaze her somewhat and make her realise that long term is possible. Once she’s got that into her head, she’d be an unstoppable force should anyone get in their way.

Either that or I’m just a complete sop. Forgive me. This is the first time I’ve ever written a relationship :D

And now I have Scott and Em. Writing a girl who could possibly tie that flyboy down was a challenge, but she has also been a hell of a lot of fun.

I just hope you are all having as much fun with these characters as I am :D

::hugs you::

Nutty(it was all your fault anyway)

PS:  There is always plenty of room in fandom for other interpretations. Hey, you could have Virgil and Kayo half-dressed in leather, hanging from a ceiling fan. That’s the fun of fandom. The sky’s the limit (or how much weight the ceiling will hold :D).