#why none of these people have last names???
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beanarie · 1 day ago
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i never wanted water once part 3
tommy is also breakup baking, prompted by my dear @sanguinarysanguinity
tw: mention of parent death, mention of child abuse
part 1
part 2
~
Gutierrez eyes him on his way out of the locker room. "Feel like no one ever sees you anymore. You coming back to the pickup game or what?"
"Oh." Tommy gives his damp hair one last rub from the towel. "I wasn't planning on it, to be honest. Too awkward."
Gutierrez frowns. "Why?"
"You know," Tommy says, wishing he didn't have to, "Eddie Diaz. I broke up with his best friend."
"Diaz hasn't shown in weeks. Probably got injured. You know how that crew is."
And that. Well. He and Eddie were friends. They became tight very quickly in a way Tommy hasn't experienced with many people. He shouldn't have thrown a connection like that away without at least trying to salvage it.
He sends a text, a polite, generic one asking about his welfare. Worst thing that can happen is Eddie tells him to fuck off and he's back where he started. He fully expects to be left on read.
He does not expect Eddie to tell him he's moving back to Texas because he's given up on his son deciding to come home. Eddie invites him to a pre-going away dinner at a bar and grill before he goes down South for a few days to scout out homes. And, no, absolutely not. But Tommy proposes getting a drink, just the two of them. Eddie very validly explains that he can't spare the time, since he's already started packing up his life and he's working overtime to save up for a down payment. Tommy gets it. He does.
The day after the dinner, Eddie calls him. "Hey, man. I know we're like two ships passing in the night, but I didn't want to leave without a proper goodbye. I still got some more shifts before I move for good, but the time will go by quick. We'll just stay on the line, okay? Keep me company while I go through my kitchen cabinets."
"It's good to hear from you," Tommy says honestly.
"So yeah." Eddie hums. "Why'd you do it?"
"Text you?" Tommy says. "I heard that-"
"Kinard," Eddie says, unamused.
"Yeah. Sorry."
"You just didn't seem the type to flee."
None of you know me as well as you thought you did, Tommy doesn't say. That's not fair to any of them. "I wasn't, in the past. Well, I tried not being that. A couple times. It didn't work out."
"Oh," Eddie says. "There it is."
"There what is?"
"You've got shit."
"Haven't we all?"
"Hey, I am not denying that." Eddie chuckles. "Do you plan on dealing with it, or letting it blow up every good thing you find until you die?"
"Jesus, Eddie."
"What's the point in mincing words? You did something dumb and destructive. What kinda friend would I be if I let that go without saying anything?"
"So what's the weather even like in El Paso? Does it ever get below 100?"
After a groan, Eddie lets Tommy talk about his shit, about Texas, parenthood, and chess clubs, for the rest of the call. Tommy can't say that he'll miss him. He missed him already and now he gets to continue doing so. All of this sucks.
Tommy tries his hand at gnocchi made with ricotta, lemon, and pepper that subsequently almost causes a fistfight during B shift.
Demetra favors him with a warm smile, taking in the large box in his hands. "Tom, right? Welcome! What's all this?"
"Tommy," he says easily, impressed she remembered his name at all. He hasn't been to this slightly dusty community center in five or six years. "Uh, this is garlic knots and mini calzones."
"Well, hey. You're even more welcome than before. Come take a seat."
December is a stupid time to rejoin group, many of the participants close to the edge from a cocktail of seasonal depression, missing dead loved ones, and generalized loneliness. Tommy knew it would be like this going in. He counted on it. Everyone will have so much to say that there likely won't be any time for him to open his mouth. He's not ready to spill. It will help to just soak in the atmosphere of unashamed honesty for a while.
At his third meeting, Cal, a slender guy in his mid twenties with a curly mohawk, keeps bringing up his mother. "She never wanted me to enlist," he says, "and now that I'm back home and struggling, she can't stop being all 'I told you so' morning, noon, and night. She never says it, but she is thinking it."
"Is she?" Tommy finds himself asking. "Or are you putting something on her that isn't there?"
"Maybe so." Cal pops one of Tommy's fried ravioli in his mouth and chews thoughtfully. "I don't know, I should probably give her a chance, think first about what she's actually saying before I react. But it's hard in the moment, you know?"
"Tommy?" Demetra says a minute later, making him feel like a kid being called on by the teacher. "How's your relationship with your mom?"
"Nonexistent. She died when I was fifteen." He crosses his ankles. "Fell asleep in the car on our way back from an away game and we couldn't wake her up. Heart attack."
Demetra frowns sympathetically. "That must've been hard for a kid to witness."
"I've seen so much worse since then. People shot in the head by machine guns, people covered in burns over most of their bodies..."
Demetra shakes her head slightly. "They weren't your mom."
He ducks his head, pressing his lips together. "True. It's just- That's not- It's not trauma. I don't fear falling asleep and not waking up."
"What do you fear?" Cal asks.
Being left, being hurt, being validated in his belief that no one will ever see him for all he is and choose to stick around. "Standard stuff, really. Clowns, taxes, drivers on the freeway."
He gets a pity laugh, a groan or two, and one outright glare. "Okay, okay." He exhales loudly. "Ending up alone by someone else's choice rather than mine."
"So you're cool with being on your own, as long as you're the one keeping everyone away," Cal says.
God, that sounds idiotic. "Yes?"
"You prefer it like this?" asks a woman about his own age wearing a green bomber jacket.
He shrugs. "It's not ideal, but as far as worst case scenarios go, it's okay. It's fine."
"It's spineless," says a gray-haired man with a Desert Storm hat.
Tommy doesn't flinch. "Yeah, that's kind of an inherent character trait. I keep thinking I got it licked, then it shows up wearing another face. Scared of my dad, so I joined the army and became someone he couldn't hurt anymore. Scared of people knowing I was gay, so I waited to come out until I was surrounded by brand new people. Scared of my boyfriend leaving, so." He pushes at the skin above his knees, kneading it. "So I left him first."
"You fall back," says Bomber Jacket. Her name is Annie or Angie. She has conflicted feelings about dating a man with kids. "It's easy to stop being scared when the thing that scared you is far away."
He hears Eddie. You just didn't seem the type to flee.
Demetra holds up a hand. Tommy's face must be doing something concerning. "No one here faults you for what you did to survive. Is it still serving you, is the question, or is that just what you're used to?"
He doesn't bake when he gets home. He drinks half the beers in his fridge and does a shockingly efficient job of cleaning his house, while drafting and deleting twenty-seven different texts. He then wakes up the next day, and goes to the pickup game.
Gutierrez scores four rebounds on him and doesn't shut up about it for the rest of their next shift. Tommy grumbles, and talks shit, and promises he won't have much to brag about next time.
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mamasfavourite · 2 days ago
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truth or dare
pairing: axel kovaćeviç x reader
type: smut!, little bit of fluff
warning: kissing, touching, light sub!axel, oral (m!recieving), groping, reader is a little bit tipsy, making out.
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you were in someone’s hotel room, it wasn’t clear whose, but they were only a few floors down from you. there were various members from the iron dragons, furia de pantera and your own dojo, miyagi do. around maybe 15 in total, which was just enough names and faces for you to remember!
you were sat somewhat in a circle,. you and a few of your friends had gone out and met some people from some of the other dojos at a bar a few hours ago, and now you the group was quite loudly playing truth or dare. you had completely zoned out as you stared at the sculpted man sitting on the bed right across from your place on the floor.
axel had noticed you a few days earlier when you were checking in to the hotel, and around the city but he never seemed to get the right opportunity to say anything to you. it might have been the alcohol or just the way you were looking at him, but something told him he had to make his turn count.
at some point, the game had finally made its way to axel and he instantly knew what he wanted to do. he met your gaze with a small blush and a smile and called out “y/n”.
you heard your name. you blinked a couple times and flushed with embarrassment at the realisation you had been called out by the person you had been staring at for the last fourty minutes.
“truth or dare?” he asked you, maintaining the eye contact you both couldn’t seem to look away from. the conversations around you began to die down as people paid more attention to you and your answer. your eyes dashed to sam immediately, she would know what to do.
fortunately for you and axel, she was just as tipsy as you were and had been waiting for you to finally make a move on the slavic boy. she thought deeply for a second before she immediately piped up. “oh uhm.. dare! she chooses dare!”
a moment of silence passed and you flushed slightly, beginning to feel a little bit nervous as to what he wanted you to do.
you saw him whisper something in the ear of his friend on the right and they immediately nodded. “yes do that!” they replied and axel swallowed lightly, gaining the courage to deliver his wish.
“kiss the hottest person in this circle.”
you instantly flushed. it took you a good few moments to piece together why he may have asked you, but as soon soon as you did, you gathered up your confidence and looked him right in the eyes and responded.
“bold move” you replied, and watched as he smirked at your words. “well typically, bold moves have larger outcomes.” he replies, still grinning at you as you began to walk closer to him so you could continue the remnants of your flirty conversation.
“and what outcome were you hoping for then, axel?” you smiled, your knees hitting the edge of the bed he sat on as you felt his eyes drop down to your lips and back to meet yours once more.
he searched for any sign of hesitation from you, but there was none. you felt his hands snake around your waist and you were now being pulled towards him. you were straddling him as he brought his mouth up to your ear and whispered. “something like this.”
and with that, his rough, calloused hand turned your face towards his and he leant in, closing the gap between the pair of you. the room immediately erupted into loud cheers.
you brought your hands to his chest as you continued to kiss the boy beneath you. his grip around your waist tightened as you both leant in closer.
somewhere along the way, your hands wrapped around his neck and experimentally, he ground your hips down onto his. he groaned into your mouth which only made your thoughts cloudier. you bit his bottom lip softly as you continued to kiss him.
he continued to grind you onto him, his hands now on the sides of your thighs. his soft moans were so fucking hot, your thoughts were getting cloudy as your fingers scratched softly at the back of his neck.
a scrunched up plastic cup hit your back. you immediately turned your head around.
“get a room!” robby yelled and you were suddenly very aware of the fact that all of your friends and competitors just watched you make out with the boy you liked. you tried to stand up, but you felt two large, familiar hands pull you right back onto axel’s lap.
“oh you’re not going anywhere right now, love.” he whispered in your ear from behind. you were confused for a minute, before he thrust his hips into you once and you felt him pressing against his jeans.
at this point, the game had already continued. you giggled and leant back into his chest. you turned your head slightly to peck his soft lips and mumbled. “mhm? and what’s gonna happen if i want to?”
he licked his lips, trying to formulate his response. “well..” he paused, “i guess i’d have to give the pretty girl what she wants.” he left a soft kiss on the top of your ear as he pushed you to stand, holding you infront of him.
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the pair of you explained you were leaving and sam gave you a subtle wink before axel walked you out. as soon as the elevator doors closed, he pushed you against the wall and kissed you passionately.
your hands instinctively wrapped around the back of his neck to pull him down to you. you bit his bottom lip softly and he opened his mouth to let out a soft moan. as soon as he did this, you deepened the kiss with your tongue in his mouth.
all of a sudden, the doors opened and you let his hands travel to under your ass to lift you. he carried you to his room, pressing soft kisses to your neck.
once he arrived, he put you down and began to rapidly fumble through his pockets, trying to find his room key. it took a few minutes before he pulled out the card and unlocked his door.
you grabbed his hand and dragged him inside, as if it wasn’t his room. he asked you softly, taking your other hand in his. “are you sure about this?” and you couldn’t hold back a smile at how cute he was.
“yes!” you replied and that was all he needed before he leant back in and your legs wrapped around him once more. he walked over to the bed and placed you down, as he got on top of you.
using all your strength, you flipped the man onto his back and sat on top of him now. “sorry baby, i like it much better this way.” you mumbled against his lips as you kissed him roughly once more and his hands rested upon your ass.
you started to kiss down his jaw and pressed hungry kisses to his neck before you pulled away from him and spoke to him. you gripped the fabric of his shirt as you told him “take off your shirt.”
“whatever you want y/n.” he replies to you and without a second thought, he pulls his shirt off and throws it across the room as you continue your descent on his body, eventually making your way to his waistband.
you felt his muscles tense under you as you let your cold hands ghost over his abs and brought them down to his waistband. you slipped a finger into them, experimentally and snapped the elastic.
he was very hard, you could tell from the imprint on his boxers, with a cute little wet patch where you could only presume his tip was.
“can i take them off baby?” you asked him, looking down at his state. nearly every muscle in his body was tensed and he couldn’t help it, he just needed your touch. he looked desperate.
he moaned as your fingers ghosted over his dick through his boxers and you smiled at his cuteness. “of course-!” he hissed at the end of his statement as the cold air of his hotel room hit his hard cock.
you trailed your fingers all the way to the tip and leant down to press a soft kiss to it. you felt his hands on your head once more and you looked up from his cock to his face to meet his gaze.
“baby, please-just do something.” he pleaded and you smirked to yourself. this is new! the captain of the most viscous dojo in the sekai takai, hard infront of you and begging you to touch him.
“since you asked so nicely.” you replied with a soft smile and he instantly let out a sigh of relief at your words. but his victory was short lived as you teasingly licked a stripe up the underside of his cock.
his body shook and his hands gripped your hair tighter.
you loved how reactive he was to your every touch. you decided to eventually just give in and you took all of him into your mouth, hollowing your cheeks around him.
“fuck!” he yelled, throwing his head further back into the pillows. you pulled away from his cock, displeased. “axel, keep quiet, baby.” your voice was so soft and dominant it made him want to try his best to be good for you.
he nodded eagerly, letting out a small moan as you took him back into your mouth and this time you let it bob against the back of your throat.
you found a rhythm, your face moving against his cock at a pace in which he was beginning to feel his orgasm coming to him. you took him further into your mouth, which made the taller boy grip your hair with such an intensity you started to worry for it.
it didn’t take long for him to come undone, his hips starting to meet your mouth as they thrusted upwards to you. without a warning, only a couple guttural groans, he came into your mouth and you pulled off his dick.
“fuck, that was the best head i’ve ever gotten in my life.” he complimented you and started to pull your figure onto him so he could kiss you. he pecked you softly on your lips and he started to try to get you to let him return the favour.
“no,no i’m okay for today, we should rest for tomorrow, but maybe if you win me something tomorrow, we’ll see!” you winked at him and cuddled into his chest. he smiled, contentedly and wrapped his arms around you comfortably.
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therealmylesmorales · 5 hours ago
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Dating Loser!Vi Headcannons
A lot of this was thought about with the homie @ficsonpost-its, kind of a way for us to cope with the ending of Arcane 🙃
And I never cared enough to follow the plot so this is a college!au where everyone is alive and (maybe) happy
Warnings: Vi herself is kind of a warning, masc4masc couple if it matters, maybe suggestive at some parts, some parts with Jayce are inspired by “the blind leading the blind” stuff one tictok
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She met you through Ekko. You were his (adoptive, biological wtfever shut up) sister and safe to say, she was borderline obsessed with you. But, she didn’t know how to approach you at first. Her very obvious crush on you was noticed by both Ekko and Jinx so they took it upon themselves to help her out.
To get some extra money, she works at her dad’s bar, The Last Drop. She’s a bouncer and whenever she’s around, people tend to behave themselves. It was a normal night until Vi saw you chatting up a storm to Vander and she immediately started to panic. But it all seemed to go on well, seeing how the night ended with your number in her pocket.
Vi can count all of the friends she has on one hand, one of them being her sister. So safe to say, when she admitted that she somehow has a girlfriend, none of them believed her. Jayce even called her a liar until she pulled up pictures.
Vi was out one day when she bought you both matching boxers. She cherishes them like it’s her most prized possession, next to you and the brass knuckles Vander gave her.
“Vi, what are these?”
”Batman boxers!”
You couldn’t help but match her wide smile. “Why Batman?”
”Cause he’s a fucking goat.”
Vi will full on body slam or suplex you, carefully, on the nearest couch or bed whenever you seem to be minding your business. The first few times caught you by surprise but now, it’s almost a daily occurrence that you look forward to.
Vi’s fashion taste is something you admire; from the ripped jeans to the cropped muscle shirts that she cut herself, you have nothing but good things to say about her clothes. However, in the comfort of her own home, she never wears a shirt. It’s even rare to find her in her sports bra while she’s lounging around.
“It’s nine in the morning, why are your tits out?”
”Are you complaining?”
”Of course not. But Jayce is coming over so he might.”
You can hear her groaning the entire time but she’ll do it.
Speaking of Jayce, it’s never a good idea to leave them alone for too long or else something would happen. Separately, they’re geniuses but together
those brain cells are nonexistent.
“Vi, it’s been fourteen hours, where the hell were you?”
”Oh, I was getting that tattoo I told you about.”
”For fourteen hours?”
”Yeah, Jayce was with me and he thought it was a good idea to get it done in one sitting. He even got something!”
Needless to say, both you, Mel and Viktor always expect something to go wrong with those two. (Have we lost the art of a good poly-ship? Jayce has two hand so just kiss and shut up)
Do not EVER call her Violet, she’ll think you are upset with her and will probably tweak out and cry. The only acceptable names to call her are Vi, obviously, or ‘Pretty Girl.’ You were only a few months into your relationship when you called her that, she spent like 5 minutes in straight silence not really sure how to react; something you did notice was that her face was as red as her hair.
Vi will also lay her complete body weight on top of you when you lay down; it's one of her favorite ways of cuddling. (For my gamer!readers) Especially if you’re playing a game, you will wrap your arms around her with the controller laying on her back. The both of you will stay there for hours.
“Motherfucker.”
”Die again, cupcake?” She muttered into your chest.
“Radahn is ass.”
A little something extra for my black!readers that love Vi đŸ«¶đŸŸ
Say you can’t find your bonnet. You looked all up and down the apartment, pretty much flipping it over but it was still nowhere to be found. And seeing how it was your favorite, you were a little upset that it was gone. Until Vi came out of the bathroom, said bonnet on her head, giving you a small smile, completely unaware of what she was doing.
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little-jana · 1 day ago
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"In the Depths of Thoughts"
Part 2
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Pairing: Spencer Reid x f!reader
Genre: fluff
Warnings: none
Words: 950
Summary: Reader forms a quiet, emotional connection with Spencer as they work together on a case.
It was an ordinary day in the office of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, yet everything felt different. The flickering screen in front of me, the quiet conversations of the other team members, the soft clicks of keyboards – all of it was background noise in a symphony of thoughts that only I seemed to hear. And my thoughts, they belonged only to him.
Spencer Reid.
He sat there, at his usual spot, which wasn’t just his corner of the office but the center of my universe. It was hard to explain why, but every time I looked at him, it felt like time slowed down. Like every moment I spent in his presence was more precious than the last.
I knew how he thought. I understood the way he immersed himself in his books, the way he used words to explain the world as though it were an endless puzzle only he could grasp in its depth. He was so brilliant, so unique – and so incredibly vulnerable.
Lately, I’d caught myself sneaking glances at him more than once. The way he talked to the others, how his hands moved when he developed a theory that seemed incomprehensible to most of us but was so natural to him. It was almost as if I could physically feel the flow of his thoughts moving through his body, as though his intelligence was a tangible presence.
“Have you gone through the new profile?” I suddenly heard his voice behind me. It was calm, almost too calm, as if he didn’t want to disturb me. I turned around and met his gaze. For a moment, I was frozen. It was as if his eyes were piercing right through me, as if he could read what I couldn’t bring myself to say.
“Yeah, I just finished it,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady and professional. But it was difficult when his gaze, that penetrating gaze, was so intense. The way he looked at me wasn’t uncomfortable. On the contrary, it was almost as if he was discovering me – me, not just as a colleague but as something much deeper. Something I couldn’t name, but that rose within me every time he was near.
“Good,” he said with a faint smile, which only amplified his shy charm. “If you want, we can go through it together. Maybe you’ll find something I missed.” It was the way he said it – calm, yet so inviting – that I couldn’t resist agreeing.
We sat together at a table, the screen between us, but in that moment, it felt as though everything else around us faded. Only he and I. I could feel the quiet presence of his nearness, the subtle shift in his body as he searched for his thoughts. It was almost as though we were engaged in a silent conversation – a conversation without words. Our eyes met again and again, and with each glance, something unspoken seemed to pass between us – an unspoken connection that I couldn’t explain but that was drawing me in more and more.
“You know,” he suddenly began, his voice quieter, “I admire how you always stay so calm. You have a way of interacting with people that I don’t have. I... I often don’t understand what goes on in people’s heads. But with you, you have such a calmness that I somehow... admire.” His words hit me like a soft blow to the stomach. I wasn’t sure if he realized what he had just said, but it felt like he was breaking down a wall – a wall that stood between us.
I could feel my heart racing as I looked into his eyes. “Spencer,” I whispered, “you’re
 so much more than you think. You’re extraordinary. You see the world in a way no one else can. Your intelligence is... overwhelming. But it’s your empathy that really sets you apart. You understand people in a way that you might not even realize.” I paused, unsure if I should say more, but I couldn’t stop myself from continuing. “You’re not just the brilliant investigator who finds the answers. You’re someone who can delve into the deepest corners of the human mind without ever losing your humanity.”
For a moment, it was silent. The words I had spoken hung between us, floating like a delicate thread in the air. Then, slowly, almost from a distance, I felt his hand on mine. It was a careful, almost hesitant touch – but it was there. It was as if, in that moment, he allowed himself to be something more. More than just the brilliant, fact-driven agent. More than just the quiet man who never knew how to open up to others.
“I...,” he began, his voice faltering. “I don’t know how to explain it, but... sometimes I feel like I’m lost in a world of data. Like I only understand life through theories and formulas. But you... you’ve shown me that there’s more. That there are moments that can’t be captured by calculations.” He took a deep breath before continuing. “I... I appreciate that more than you can imagine.”
His words hit me, and without hesitation, I squeezed his hand. “Spencer,” I said softly, “you’re not alone. Not in your world of numbers, of theories. I’m here. I’ll always be here to remind you that there’s more – more than just the facts.”
And in that moment, as time seemed to stand still, I knew there was something between us that went beyond words. Something we both understood, but never needed to speak aloud. A bond stronger than any calculation.
Part 2
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poledancingdinos · 3 days ago
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Mission: Impossible - Talk to the Girl
Pairing: Captain Syverson X OFC
Word Count: 2870
Warnings: Fluff, Flirting, Implied PTSD, Implied Smut
Taglist: @summersong69 @amberangel112 @utterlyhopeful-fics @marantha​ @kebabgirl67 @littleone65 @omgkatinka @luclittlepond @elizabetharegina @enchantedbytomandhenry @narnianaos @geralts-yenn @peaches1958 @avengersfan25 @sillyrabbit81 @lena-banena @mrsevans90 @confessionbrain-writings @eclecticfashionbookszipper @rosecentury @shellyshellshell @winter2112rose @secretdream2 @toooldforobsessions @wa-ni @valacircareads @missemrose @liecastillo @identity2212
Masterlist
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Sy tried his best to look like he was having fun but it was a little hard to do when the loud thrum of the music was grating on his nerves. The upbeat pop song sounded nothing like gunfire or explosions so why did it put his entire body on high alert?
He glanced around the room for the millionth time, taking note of every exit and where each guest was seated now that the meal was over and people had switched chairs to mingle with other tables. If this was what retirement brought, then maybe he would have been better off going back.
During his surveillance of the room, his eyes lingered on the pretty bartender who’d appeared in the corner when they had opened up the bar. She’d caught his attention immediately, looking pretty in her simple black dress and serving everyone with a smile that made his heart ache a little whenever it wasn’t directed at him—which was every time since he hadn’t had the guts to go get himself a drink even once that evening.
His last beer had been empty for over an hour now but none of the guys at the table had gotten up so he hadn’t been able to bother them for a refill.
Not realizing he’d been openly starring for longer than socially acceptable, Sy didn’t hear his name being called until it was followed by a hit to the shoulder.
“Just go talk to her, man.”
“Who?” Sy asked, feigning innocence.
TJ, the groom and one of Sy’s best friends, shot him a look that told him he’d been busted and wasn’t fooling anyone.
“Go talk to her. Maybe the promise of a good lay will wipe that frown off your ugly mug and you’ll stop scaring off my wedding guests.”
The problem was, Sy had this feeling like that girl wasn’t meant to be just a one night thing, and he had no idea how to go about finding out if that was true. It wasn’t like he’d never gone home with a stranger in a bar. He was just used to the girls being the ones to show interest first.
“Okay, clearly I’m gonna have to spell this out for ya.” TJ cleared his throat, putting on a serious air and leaning in closer to Sy. All the boys around the table had cut off their conversation, focusing on their exchange.
“Your mission: libation retrieval. You will need to make your way fifty feet south of your current position at which point you will make contact with the person of interest. Now, this is where it gets tricky. You will need to be very mindful of what you say or this op could blow up in your face. The code word is ‘hi’.”
Sy couldn’t help but smile and flip his middle finger at the other man.
“You’re a dick, you know that?”
“And you’re being a pussy. Guess that’s why we make the perfect pair.”
He was right, Sy did need to put on his big boy pants, go order his own damn drink and talk to the beautiful woman.
Standing, Sy nervously straightened his tie and readjusted his suit jacket. He felt the entire table’s eyes on him as he crossed the room, moving around the outside of the open space that served as a dance floor. Sy considered a variety of opening lines but when he finally reached the counter, the cute bartender spoke first.
“What can I getcha? Shots, a beer, something sweet?”
Sy rarely drank anything other than beer but he wanted to keep her talking and a one word answer wouldn’t accomplish that.
“What do ya qualify as something sweet?”
The woman finally flashed that gorgeous smile at him, pushing a little pamphlet across the counter. “I can make all the classics or I have a few signature cocktails.”
Glancing through the menu, Sy hummed as if in deep contemplation. “I think I’ll stick to a beer but I wouldn’t say no to some other kind of sugar.”
The woman narrowed her eyes at him, attempting to conceal the smirk pulling at her lips.
“Isn’t the rule at these things that best man is supposed to go home with the maid of honor?”
“The maid of honor is happily married to one of the other groomsmen. And she’s also my sister.”
“Ah. Let me guess, your younger sister and her friends always lurked around you and your friends growin’ up until one day y’all came home from college and suddenly they were the ones who had your friends’ attention?”
Shooting an amused look at his brother-in-law over his shoulder, Sy realized he had six pairs of eyes watching him like he was some show animal.
“Yeah,” he admitted, turning his focus back to where it belonged, “that’s pretty much what happened with my sister but the groom only joined the group after our first deployment. He stayed, I went back. It’s probably also the reason why I am the only member of the wedding party who isn’t married.”
Subtle Sy. She opened her mouth to respond but a high-pitched voice cut off any words before they were formed.
“Uncle Sy, Uncle Sy!”
Sy spun, catching his god-daughter as she jumped into his arms and making a show of almost falling over. “Woah, princess! You’re growin’ so big, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to keep catchin’ ya.”
The little girl giggled, tugging playfully on Sy’s beard like she always did.
“Mama said I can have a juice or a fizzy drink!”
Sy looked at his sister who nodded in confirmation. He wouldn’t have put it past the sneaky five-year-old to tell a little white lie to manipulate her uncle.
“Well, which didja pick, juice or fizzy drink?”
“I want something pretty like Mamaw.”
He knew the ones. His mother was a big fan of those internet bartending videos and ordered drinks purely based on aesthetics. The problem was that most of those drinks got their color from the various alcohols mixed in.
“You know,” the woman chimed in with a warm smile towards his niece, “I have a menu here with lots of pretty drinks.” She pulled a second pamphlet from behind the counter, holding it out and leaning in conspiratorially as she stage-whispered, “I keep it hidden because it’s not for grown-ups.”
Sy locked eyes with the little girl in his arms and she grinned like the cat that got the canary, nodding furiously. Accepting the menu, Sy held it up for his niece to see.
“What do ya think, princess? The red one is real pretty.”
The red one was a Shirley Temple and seemed to be the one which was the least likely to give his god-daughter a sugar rush before bedtime, but she shook her head, instead pointing at the one below it. “I want this one!”
“Ooh, that’s one of my favorites too!” the woman declared.
So much for no sugar rush. There was a one hundred percent certainty that his sister would give him shit for his choice but he was not about to be the reason her daughter had a tantrum at her best friend’s wedding.
“The lady has spoken. We’ll have a Unicorn Waterfall, please.”
She got to work, rimming a glass with something purple then adding some bubblegum pink syrup and ice. On top of that, she placed a large chunk of blue and pink cotton candy and on the side, she filled a separate carafe with lemon-lime soda.
“Alright, sweetie, all that’s left is to pour the soda over the cotton candy. Do you think your Uncle Sy would help you do it?”
He didn’t miss the fact that she paid enough attention to remember his name.
“Oh! Please, please, please, Uncle Sy!”
“Sure, that sounds easy enough.”
Both glasses were pushed closer to him and Sy picked up the little carafe. His niece placed her tiny hand over his, eyes wide as he tipped the carafe and the clear liquid melted the cotton candy. The resulting drink was pink on the bottom and slowly transitioned to a deep purple without a trace of candy in sight.
His niece squealed and clapped, squirming so much Sy was afraid he might drop her for a moment. 
“Okay, Hailey Mae, what do you say to Miss
” Sy paused, raising an eyebrow towards the woman of his dreams.
“Grace.”
“What do you say to Miss Grace?”
“Thank you, Miss Grace.”
“You’re very welcome, sweetie.”
With a grateful smile, Sy pushed the carafe back towards Grace and put his niece down on the floor. When he straightened, his beer was ready and waiting by his niece’s glass.
“I want to carry it, Uncle Sy.”
“Alright but two hands, okay?”
Hailey Mae tipped her chin, a look of stern concentration taking over her face as she carefully took the glass from Sy. It seemed Grace had thought ahead, making the drink in a plastic cup. The worst that could happen was a spill or a stain on the dress she would have outgrown by next month anyway. As much as Sy wanted to hang back and talk to the cute little lady who had just stolen his heart, he had to follow his niece to make sure no one accidentally bumped into her as she slowly waddled back to her mother.
To his great dismay, Sy was then immediately stolen away by his great aunt and wasn’t able to go back to the bar. Every time he broke away from one group of people, he was pulled into another mindless conversation.
Before he knew it, the evening was winding down, most of the guests had returned home and the wedding party retreated to their rooms at the hotel by the reception hall. Most of them lived less than an hour away, Sy being no exception, but the groom’s parents and siblings had come from out of town so the hotel stay had been a way of giving the newly joined families a little more time together before they all went home.
“She’s cleaning up, it’s now or never,” Sy’s brother-in-law said from behind him as he watched Grace wipe a metal shaker with a microfiber towel.
“To do what? Bring her up to my room?”
“I was going to say get her number but yours leads to sex tonight and mine means waiting until at least tomorrow.”
Sy just kept staring at her.
“You do remember how sex works right? You take that shrimp in your pants and you slip it in a woman’s—“
“I get it,” Sy growled. He did not want to hear whatever version of the birds and the bees he was about to spew.
“Good, now go get your bartender.”
Sy took a deep breath and made his way to the bar before he lost his nerve. He arrived just in time to see Grace heave a crate of liquor into her arms and immediately stumble backwards. Luckily, the fridge kept her upright and prevented her from causing a giant mess.
“Woah, ya need help with that?”
Grace gave him a relieved smile, managing to set the box on the counter.
“How is it that it feels heavier now than when I got here?”
“Maybe because you’ve been slingin’ drinks all night and you deserve a break,” he answered, picking up the box. “Where am I takin’ this?”
“My van is parked out back. We need to go through the service corridor.”
She picked up a case of syrups and moved towards a door in the corner of the room. Sy followed without question appreciating the view of her ass in that dress.
They crossed another large metal door and were greeted by the cool night air.
“This is me,” she said, setting her box down on the asphalt and digging her keys out of the bottom.
Once the van was opened, Sy set his case in the trunk then picked up the one she had carried and slid it in beside the first.
“You got anything else to bring out?”
“No, that’s all of it. The venue provided most of the equipment, this was all that was left of my stuff.”
This was it. Sy could either man up or never see this woman again.
“You know, it’s pretty late. Might not be such a good idea to drive anywhere tonight.”
“Is that so?” she asked, cocking her hip as Sy took a step forward.
“You could always come up to my suite. I could make ya a coffee or you could get a bit of rest before drivin’ back.”
“Your suite, huh? Are ya tryin’ to use your wealth to get laid?”
“No, I’m tryinÊŒ to use my friend’s wealth to get laid. But I’ll settle for usin’ my natural charm to get your number.”
An amused expression lit up her face at his honesty. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth, smiling at the ground for a second before looking up at him from below her lashes.
“You’re right,” she said with an exaggerated fake yawn, “I’m really tired after workin’ all evenin’. It would be irresponsible of me to drive back tonight. I wouldn’t want to fall asleep behind the wheel and cause an accident.”
“No, ma’am it would not. And I’m all about bein’ responsible.”
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The incessant ringing of the phone pulled Sy out of a deep sleep. It eventually stopped but the reprieve lasted for all of ten seconds. When it started for the third time, Sy muttered a curse under his breath and rolled over to the other side of the bed to pick up the receiver.
“What?” he barked.
“Damn.” It was his friend Mack’s lazy drawl coming from the other end of the line. “I was sure that you bein’ late to breakfast meant you’d gotten some last night but that tone tells me different.”
“Well fuck you too. I’ll be right there.”
He slammed the phone down and stretched out with a groan. Only then did he realize that he’d just rolled from one side of the king bed to the other completely unobstructed.
Sy sat up, taking stock of his surroundings. His suit was hung neatly in the closet when he was sure he’d thrown it haphazardly over the chair. Or near the chair. He was butt naked, which, had he been home, would not have been strange, but he didn’t make a habit of free-balling it on strange sheets.
On the up side, the evidence suggested he hadn’t hallucinated his night with the sexy bartender. On the down side, Grace had snuck out without so much as a goodbye.
There was no time to sulk, however, because he was expected downstairs with all of his nearest and dearest. When he stepped into the restaurant, he had approximately a five second warning before his favorite princess was in his arms.
“Uncle Sy, you’re late!”
“I’m sorry, kiddo,” he carried her to the only two empty chairs, settling her on her booster seat. “I forgot to plug my phone before goin’ to sleep so I didn’t have any alarm to wake me up.”
“Forgot or passed out with it in your hand and a fresh load coolin’ on your chest?”
His sister kicked Mack under the table but his niece didn’t hear a word. She’d already picked up a purple crayon and set about drawing a unicorn on the paper place setting.
“It’s okay, Uncle Sy, I forgive you.”
“Well thank you, little lady, that’s mighty gracious of ya.”
For the next two hours, Sy did his best to put Grace out of his head and focus on the people around him. He still made a mental map of the room, the exits and the position of all the guests around the table but, without the loud music, he wasn’t nearly as on edge as he had been the night before. That wasn’t to say that he didn’t haul ass back to the relative peace of his room once the meal was over.
After being constantly on guard for sixteen straight hours the day before and only getting a few hours of sleep, he was ready to get back home to Aika and give his mind a rest in familiar surroundings.
Once he finished packing up his things, Sy moved to the nightstand to retrieve his cellphone. He hadn’t been lying about forgetting to plug it in the night before. When the device turned on again, there were a dozen missed calls and texts from his friends trying to reach him before breakfast.
Dismissing all the notifications, Sy slipped the phone in his pocket and reached down behind the nightstand. He’d been trying to retrieve his charger, only his hand brushed something else instead.
As it turned out, the something in question was one of those notepads that hotels left by the phone. And that notepad had the sweetest words Sy had ever read.
Had to get the van back for an early job. I hope that won’t keep you from calling. Grace xxx
And there below her name, were the ten most perfect digits in the world.
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birdaquarius · 2 days ago
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What's So Special About Them?
Summary: Ekko has always been the steady presence in your life but lately, he’s been distant and irritable, retreating into himself whenever you talk to someone else. What you don’t realize is that Ekko’s consumed by jealousy, quietly fuming every time someone flirts with you or makes you laugh—terrified that one day, you’ll see them the way he sees you.
One night, after drowning his frustrations in alcohol, Ekko finally confesses how he feels.
Currently taking requests!
Word Count: 5k.
Pairings: Ekko/Female Reader.
Warnings: None.
The first time you notice Ekko's jealousy, it’s fleeting. Barely there. A twitch of his jaw, the way he pulls his hoodie tighter as if to disappear into its folds. You think nothing of it—after all, why would he be jealous?
You’re sitting at the Last Drop, balancing on one of the bar stools while chatting with someone from the Firelights. A scout, maybe. Or just a guy who’d wandered into the bar looking for a break from Zaun’s chaos. He laughs at something you say, a low, warm sound that ekes out of him like he’s genuinely having a good time.
And then there’s Ekko, lingering in the corner like a storm cloud.
You catch his gaze just once. His brown eyes glint under the dim neon lighting, narrowed slightly, before he looks away. His jaw tenses again.
You wonder if something’s wrong, but by the time you think to ask, he’s already disappeared.
It happens again. And again.
Every time you chat with someone—anyone—it’s like Ekko vanishes into thin air, leaving only the faintest traces of irritation behind.
You don’t understand it at first. Ekko has always been someone you could rely on. Whether it’s planning heists, scouting terrain, or even just sitting on rooftops and watching Zaun glow in its broken brilliance, he’s there. Steady. Confident.
But lately, he’s been
 distant. Quiet.
Or maybe not quiet, because he’s still Ekko. But there’s something in the way he cuts off conversations mid-sentence, mutters excuses to leave, or avoids your gaze when you call his name.
It’s a slow realization.
You notice it in the way his eyes linger too long when you laugh at someone else’s joke. The way his shoulders hunch when one of the Firelights leans a little too close to you, like he’s trying to fold in on himself. The way his hands curl into fists when someone compliments you, openly and brazenly, as though it’s their right to do so.
You don’t know why it hurts to see him like this.
Maybe it’s because you care about him. Because no matter how many people flirt with you, no matter how many guys or girls try to catch your attention, you always end up looking for him. His crooked grin. His warm, infectious laugh. His sharp, clever mind that always seems one step ahead of everyone else.
He doesn’t see it, though. Doesn’t see the way your gaze lingers on him when he’s not looking.
The night it all comes to a head, Ekko’s a mess.
He’s drunk—not entirely gone, but drunk enough that his words slur and his steps falter as he stumbles into the room. You’re alone, tucked into a corner of the Firelight base with a book in your lap. The sound of him nearly knocking over a table draws your attention.
“Ekko?” you call out, setting the book aside.
“Don’t,” he mutters, waving a hand as if to shoo you away. “Don’t start.”
You blink, confused. “Start what?”
He stumbles toward the couch across from you, dropping into it with a heavy thud. The bottle in his hand—half-empty and likely stolen from one of the scavenger runs—clinks against the metal armrest.
“Y’know,” he says, gesturing vaguely. “The thing. Where you
 talk to me. Like everything’s fine.”
His words sting more than you expect them to.
“Ekko, what’s going on?” you ask, softer this time. You lean forward, searching his face for answers.
He doesn’t look at you. Instead, he takes another swig from the bottle, grimacing as the alcohol burns its way down.
“I’m fine,” he mutters.
“No, you’re not.”
“Why do you care?” he snaps, his voice sharper than you’ve ever heard it.
You recoil slightly, taken aback. Ekko’s never spoken to you like that before.
He sighs, dragging a hand down his face. “Sorry,” he mumbles. “That was
 I didn’t mean that.”
You wait, giving him space to continue.
“It’s just—” He cuts himself off, shaking his head. “Forget it.”
“Ekko.”
The way you say his name—gentle, firm, unyielding—makes him finally meet your gaze. For a moment, he looks like he wants to run, to disappear like he always does when things get too close, too raw.
But something stops him. Maybe it’s the way you’re looking at him, like you won’t let him hide this time.
“It’s stupid,” he mutters, leaning back against the couch.
“Let me decide that.”
He hesitates, swirling the liquid in the bottle absently. “I hate it,” he says finally. “I hate seeing you with them.”
“Who?”
“Them.” His voice is sharper now, tinged with frustration. “Every guy who looks at you like you’re—like you’re the only thing worth looking at. Every guy who makes you laugh, or smile, or—” He breaks off, exhaling harshly. “I hate it. Because they’re not me.”
The confession leaves you stunned, your heart pounding in your chest.
“Ekkoïżœïżœâ€
“I know, okay?” he says, his words tumbling out in a rush. “I know it’s dumb. I know I don’t have any right to feel this way. But I do. And it’s killing me.”
He looks at you then, his golden eyes filled with a vulnerability you’ve never seen before.
“They don’t see you like I do,” he says quietly. “They don’t know you like I do. And it scares me—scares me that one day, you’ll look at one of them the way I look at you.”
You feel your breath catch, the weight of his words sinking into you.
“Ekko,” you say softly, leaning forward. “You’re the one I look for.”
His eyes widen slightly, like he doesn’t believe what he’s hearing.
“What?”
“You’re the one I look for,” you repeat, your voice steady. “It doesn’t matter who I’m talking to or laughing with or whatever. You’re the one I care about. You always have been.”
For a moment, he just stares at you, like he’s trying to process your words.
And then, before you can say anything else, he leans forward and kisses you.
It’s sudden, urgent, like he’s been holding back for far too long. His lips are warm against yours, tasting faintly of alcohol and desperation.
You kiss him back, your hands tangling in his hoodie as you pull him closer. The world around you fades, leaving only the heat of his mouth, the press of his body, the sound of his breath mingling with yours.
When you finally pull away, you’re both breathless, your foreheads resting against each other.
“I mean it,” you whisper. “It’s always been you.”
He smiles then—a real, genuine smile that lights up his entire face.
“Good,” he says softly. “Because I don’t think I could let you go.”
The rest of the night is a blur of whispered confessions, stolen kisses, and the quiet certainty that no matter what, you’ll always find your way back to each other.
Because for all his doubts and fears, Ekko is yours. And you are his.
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ninjastormhawkkat · 1 day ago
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“I did keep my word, my love.” Tristan spoke. Gene sighed. “I know, I was just worried you would have flown off.” Tristan understood, he wasn’t upset with Gene for doubting him. “I told your father about my plan.” The alien admitted. A hard yet worried look flashed in Gene’s eyes. “Are you still going through with it?” He asked with an uneasy tone as he folded his arms. “Actually, I presented a solution to Tristan that I believe will help solve both of your worries.” Carl spoke up. Gene gave his dad a confused look as his posture relaxed a bit. “What do you mean?” Gene inquired. “Well I do agree with you that Tristan’s plan is risky, especially after what happened, but we are also on a time crunch as well. None of us know when the kidnapper will strike next. We also don’t know how long the kidnapper will keep Alan and Alex hostage. The transmitter Tristan has could help in locating Alan and Alex. I suggested to Tristan that he have another super powered being accompany him while he retrieves the transmitter from his spaceship. This way, Tristan will have cover in case the kidnapper strikes and he won’t be alone in facing them.” Carl explained to his son. Gene said nothing as he pondered his father’s suggestion. It was honestly a good and solid plan. Still, Gene had his reservations. “You’re right that we are on a time crunch. The problem is that I don’t know any super beings powerful enough that I can comfortably send with Tristan. Joe is strong but he’s Jenkins' boyfriend and I don’t want another member of my council worried about their significant other. Archie has a child and a wife that he should focus on and take care of. There is no way I’m letting Becky help and Kid Math is still a child. Pops is capable enough to help but he is also not as young as he used to be. I don’t want to drag any of the other villains into this mess. I’m sorry, I don’t know who else could help.” Carl and Tristan frowned. Gene’s concerns were reasonable and acceptable. Alan and Alex are at their top peak yet someone was able to take them down. Suffice to say, if those two could be taken out, then there is no telling how long the others would last. Matthew is no longer in his prime and Becky still hasn’t fully recovered from B.E.A.W Labs. Suddenly, a knock on the door drawled all three men out of their shared conundrum. “I’m not expecting anyone today.” Gene remarked with a confused and cautious look. “Neither am I.” Tristan added in, looking alert. “It better not be Corbin or heaven forbid Eudora.” Carl grumbled. In the back of each man’s mind, they thought it might be the kidnapper yet it was unusual and suspicious for the kidnapper to alert their presence and come here. Especially since the kidnapper never tried to break into any of their homes before now. Tristan and Gene looked at each other, having a silent conversation. Tristan gave his husband a slow nod before he walked towards the door. Tristan gently opened the door to reveal an old man that none of them had ever seen before. “Excuse me. I’m sorry to bother you, but is this Gene Woods house?” The old man asked. The old man looked nervous and apprehensive as if he was worried that Tristan or Gene would be upset at him being here. “This is our home. Gene is my spouse. How may I help you?” Tristan spoke in a calm tone. “Oh, well I’m sorry to bother you, but I was looking for Carl Woods. I didn’t know where he lived. I asked around and people said his youngest lived here.” The man explained. “Why are you looking for Carl?” Tristan inquired with a raised eyebrow and some suspicion. The man hesitated before replying. “Um, this is going to sound strange. My name is Bailey
and I believe Carl Woods is my younger brother.” @dualnaturedscientist
"Hold on a minute, some weird guy is staring at me. Probably some bum trying to get change off of me." Comments like that had ensured he would absolutely be relieved of guilt for what was to happen next. A smile spreads across the figure's facial features, revealing inhumanly sharp teeth glinting in the street lights. A hand quickly shot out, taking a hold of the rather obnoxious man. "What the hell are you doing-" A scream soon pierced the quietness of the night. It quickly became a horrendous gurgling noise. The cellphone in the man's hand had fallen in the process. Leaving the person on the other end to become worried and confused about what was happening to the man. It didn't take very long for the man to become completely still. The figure allows him to finally fall to the cement below, licking at his blood stained lips in satisfaction. "The night, it is still so young. I don't think I shall waste another minute on you." Like a ghost in the night, he had vanished. As if he were never there. Leaving only the grotesque mess he had made for others to find. Unknown to him, there was a witness to this who had seen the whole thing. Watching in complete and utter fear. The figure grinned, it was as if he were seeing the world through different eyes. The opportunities that awaited him. It sent a shiver of excitement up his spine. His thirst might have satiated but he wasn't satisfied with only that. Oh no. There was so much more he had in mind for this city. Just wait till morning until they discover his little surprise for all to see. It wasn't until hours later did he finally return to the house. Feeling pleased with himself. Carl shot up in bed, heart racing so fast within his chest. Calming down once realizing he was in bed with Matthew. It took the retired scientist to recognize his surroundings. "That's right.. we're at Gene's place." The dream he had woken up from was already fading from his memory. It was rather absurd, recalling what he could. He could've sworn the dream was incredibly vivid and felt so real. But the little bits of the dream that he did remember became fuzzy and distant in his mind. Carl wasn't as quiet as he thought. Matthew had woken up. "Love, are you okay?" His voice had brought Carl from his thoughts. "Matthew, dearest. I hadn't meant to wake you up." He frowned, feeling guilty as he wanted his husband to get as much rest as needed. "It's alright, I needed to get up early anyway. Don't feel bad, my darling. I'm worried about you, though.” He gave Matthew a smile. “It was just a dream. I was just startled from a dream. I don't even remember what happened in it anymore. I'll be fine.” Matthew pulled the other into his arms, holding him in such a comforting manner. Placing a loving kiss to Carl's forehead. “Even so, I've still got you.” The former scientist blushed. Matthew still had such an effect on him even after all this time. “Thank you, my love.” They had stayed like that for a good while. It wasn't until Carl noticed the time that he forced Matthew to get out of bed and to get ready for his community service. Though there was something that had been bothering Carl since waking up. He had not remembered going back to bed after his conversation with Gene last night. No matter how much he tried to, it just kept coming up blank to him. Carl sighed, he must've been that tired that he didn't remember. He was getting up there in age. “I could stay back. Margaret won't be very happy about it but I don't want to leave you if you're not okay.” Carl smiled once more. “I'm not going to be responsible for what she'd do if you tried. You're also expecting a new face there, aren't you?” Matthew looked surprised at that. He had completely forgotten about that. And Carl did make a point. Wincing at the thought of what Margaret might do if he actually did skip out on it. Though for Carl, it would've been absolutely worth it. Whatever punishment she'd dole out, he'd endure for his dearest husband. “Go get dressed now.” Matthew chuckled at that before doing as he said. Leaving Carl to this thoughts.
Carl still felt unsettled by the dream, it was like he was walking through a mist. Yet at the same time it was like someone or something was controlling his body and actions. The dream was scary, but also ludicrous. At one point Carl thought he saw someone who looked like his old narcissus ex boyfriend who he never thought about again until now. Carl just let out a sigh and shook his head. 'It was just a nightmare.' Carl reassured himself. He remembered how reading how the mind and senses can trick the body into thinking something is real when it isn't. His strange dream was just one of those cases. Carl decided to get out of bed and go downstairs. He was going to try and help his son and other son-in-law deal with this strange and frightening case of kidnapping. Carl pushed away the issue of the nightmare and headed downstairs, ignoring the feeling of dread in the back of his mind. Carl also did not pay attention to that fact that his mouth was no longer dry and that there was no glass cup on the nightstand when he got up that morning. Atomic Steele surveyed the area with caution and an intense gaze. He was going over the area looking for something out of the ordinary. Something that had bothered his friend and teammate Electric Blur. Something in this seemingly abandoned area affected Blur's powers. "I wasn't sure what just happened. It felt like I was suddenly communicating emotionally with a strange energy wave that was being transmitted from there. I felt uneasy and scared...but also sad for some reason." That is what Blur told Atomic when she came back to their hideout looking shaken and worried. She told him she never felt anything like that before, not even from the fallen B.E.A.W labs. Atomic Steele offered to check it out for her as the young heroine wasn't keen on returning to the spot. While Electric Blur was being comforted by her other teammates, Atomic followed the directions the heroine had given him to the location where she felt the strange and unsettling energy. What Atomic Steele found when he got there was a large but abandoned warehouse surrounded by an empty field. The area was surrounded by a rusted, wired fence. The place looked like it hadn't been used for years. Still, the normally brave yet brash young hero couldn't help but feel a child go up his spine. His gut and instincts telling him there is something dangerous here, something evil. Atomic Steele walked up to the doors of the warehouse. He grabbed at a rusted handle and tried opening it. To the hero's surprise and growing caution, the door easily unlocked. Atomic Steele took a deep breath and steadied his nerves. He then proceeded inside the warehouse in a slow pace, ready to discover what laid inside. "Oh hello there Matthew. Cutting it a bit close are we." Miss Dewey lightly teased the former villain as he just came into the library to start his community service. "Sorry about that Miss Dewey. I had some problems this morning but I'm here now." Matthew replied, feeling a bit embarrassed about cutting things close. He really didn't want to leave Carl and Gene alone during the family crisis that was happening but at the same time he really didn't want to test the limits of his second chance at freedom from prison. Miss Dewey gave the man a look of sympathy and concern. "You know, if there is a serious problem going on at home, I wouldn't mind helping you fill out some forms to request a temporary leave from your community service." The librarian offered. Matthew smiled in appreciation at her kind gesture. "Thank you Miss Dewey but I'll be alright." Matthew responded. "So has the new service worker arrived yet?", the former villain asked. Miss Dewey smiled and nodded. "Yes he is here. Matthew, allow me to introduce you to Frank Leigh." Matthew glanced over to the man Miss Dewey introduced. He looked to be a few years older than Victor but still younger than Matthew and Carl. He had dark hair and light, blueish gray eyes. The man gave a friendly wave to Matthew. "Hi nice to meet you." Frank spoke in a kind tone. @dualnaturedscientist
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uri59 · 4 months ago
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Ok Mao fandom (me and 5 people) before the next chapter is up,
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wonder-worker · 3 months ago
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"[Elizabeth Woodville] was the only member of [Crown Prince Edward of Westminster's] original 1471 council not already on the king’s council and her name headed the list of those appointed as administrators in Wales during Edward’s minority. [She remained on the council after it was expanded in 1473 and granted significant new governing and judicial powers]."
"In 1478 Prince Richard [of Shrewsbury] married the Mowbray heiress. Like his elder brother he had a chancellor, seal, household and council to manage his estates. His council, like that of Prince Edward, comprised the queen [Elizabeth Woodville] and a group of magnates and bishops, few of whom were Woodville supporters [...] It was Elizabeth who mattered, for Richard resided with her and Rivers treated his affairs as their own."
-J.L. Laynesmith, The Last Medieval Queens: English Queenship 1445-1503 / Michael Hicks, Richard III and his Rivals: Magnates and their Motives in the Wars of the Roses
#goodđŸ‘đŸ» for đŸ‘đŸ» her#historicwomendaily#elizabeth woodville#15th century#english history#princes in the tower#my post#Reminder that these sort of additional official positions in governance were very unusual (unprecedented) for late medieval English queens#Elizabeth's formal appointment in royal councils (+ authority over her sons) should not be ignored or downplayed in the slightest bit#It should instead be considered one of the most defining aspects of her queenship that spanned over a decade and lasted right till the end#& should also be highlighted as one of the most vital topics of discussion when it comes to broader queenly power in late medieval England#I think it also says a lot about Elizabeth's relationship to Edward IV and the regard he seems to have had for her capabilities#'The only member of the original 1471 council not already on the king’s council' that speaks VOLUMES. Once again: good for her.#It's also really frustrating how some historians (Katherine J. Lewis; AJ Pollard; Laynesmith etc) have incredibly lopsided perspectives on#Elizabeth that fundamentally *do not work* when you remember these actual facts and what they reveal about her power and influence#I'm also still baffled at Lynda Pidgeon's claim that 'Elizabeth's influence with Edward IV was less than with family members who were#part of the king's council or that of her son Edward prince of Wales'. Like???????#First of all - we *already know* that Elizabeth had the most personal influence with Edward and was the one he trusted the most#The case in 1480 & his own will in 1475 (where he referred to her as the one 'in whom we most singularly place our trust') make both clear#Second of all - ELIZABETH WAS LITERALLY ON HER SONS' COUNCILS HERSELF. HER NAME HEADED THE GODDAMN LIST. How have you missed this????????#It's actually bizarre because it completely ignores the fact that 1) Late medieval queens *weren't* generally given positions like this?#If we accept Pidgeon's (false) interpretation we have to claim that NONE of them were influential at all#Which I'm pretty sure nobody agrees with? So why have I seen people agreeing with Pidgeon's FALSE take on Elizabeth based on that lmfao?#2) Elizabeth WAS in fact given such positions. She genuinely was given unusual authority and was an Exceptionℱ rather than the rule#Forget emphasizing her atypical role - Pidgeon has outright erased it in an effort to diminish her#She does the same thing when talking about Elizabeth's role after Edward IV's death and it's equally ridiculous and incorrect#There's stupidity and then there's willful misreading & rewriting of history according to your own imagination. This fits the latter
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stargirlfeyre · 7 months ago
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“Don’t get mad at us for Emerie not getting as much attention as Gwyn, get mad at Sjm for it because she’s the one who put more focus on Gwyn than Emerie”
Okay we can be mad at the both of you. Trust there is a lot to say about Sjm’s treatment of her poc characters and how Emerie being a woman of color who is also part of the Lgbtq + community is why she’s an afterthought for both this fandom and it’s author however that does not change that her self proclaimed fans do play a part in her erasure compared to her white counterparts.
I’m not going to deny that Sjm gave Gwyn more focus than Emerie because that literally proves our point. Though Emerie should be on equal standing as Gwyn, she is done a disservice by both “her” fandom and her author. I don’t know if Sarah fell into the “trio curse” when writing Acosf but each member of the Valkyries are not given the same level of importance even though they should be. Emerie should have as many important scenes with Nesta as Gwyn. Emerie should have paragraphs about her beauty the way Nesta or Gwyn do. Emerie should be given so much credit for how strong she’s had to be before she met the Valkyries and after. But for some reason she rarely is and it makes you wonder what is it about her that causes Sjm to do her such a disservice *cough cough*.
And onto the way her fandom treats her. You cannot deny that she is often pushed aside when it comes to the Valkyrie trio and trying to blame Sjm for all of it is crazy. Sarah isn’t the one forcing y’all to give an Illyrian plot that would fit Emerie to her white besties, Sarah isn’t the one forcing y’all to white wash her, Sarah isn’t the one forcing y’all to theorize that she’ll end up with a man simply because you don’t like the woman that she’s shown interest in, Sarah isn’t the one forcing y’all to treat Emerie as an after thought.
Compare how much Valkyrie fans talk about Nesta or Gwyn individually to how much they talk about Emerie individually
now I’m not going to sit here and tell you what to post on your account or that you have to like all the Valkyries equally but I’m also not going to sit here and let y’all play in people’s faces when they say “hmm it’s a little weird that the only woman of color in the group isn’t treated as important as her friends”.
You can sit here and call us “token fans” but all that does is tell everyone that you have no actual argument to justify the blatant Emerie erasure. If anything it’s us “token fans” that are actually concerned with how much she’s pushed aside when it should be you. But no you’re just too busy giving storylines that would fit her to the white women.
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great-tusk · 17 days ago
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ughhh I need to stop having mental breakdowns over little things.
#vent in tags#chat sesh with iris#vent#tw vent#I feel like everyone hates me and even you all hope I die and nobody likes my ships bc everyone thinks I’m not good enough for my f/os#and the worst part is that none of it is unfounded!!!#none of my friends are talking to me AT ALL anymore even when I start conversations#(including in text)#while they actively talk to other people WHERE I CAN SEE IT!!!#only one of my friends is and all they do is send me anti bs and go ‘omggg these people are so weird!!!’ about like anyone who ships with-#certain characters (including ones that I SHIP WITH!!! which is why I don’t talk about it other than here)#people are like ‘omggg
 I hate it when men like these characters. you don’t get them and they’d never love you.’ about my f/os#which triggers dysphoria and self loathing and fear about my ships#tw suicidal ideation#<- somewhat#I don’t like anything about myself and I don’t deserve anything that I have#man. I don’t even want to be here anymore#also I have severe mental illness that has caused a lack of possibility for happiness that lasts longer than fleeting moments#I have not spoken (like aloud) to anyone other than my parents since THE THIRD!!!#I’m going to ask my psychiatrist for testosterone on Wednesday but idek if I’m gonna make it until then#probably I will because I’m too depressed to gather the energy to do it#also she might even say no or not be able to prescribe it#and this isn’t even why I’m the most upset rn but I REALLY need a win#also my mom was like ‘you haven’t given me another name so I’ll just keep calling you the name I gave you 😊😊😊.’ instead of. idk. asking me?#tw suicide#okay yeah the tag is fully warranted now#I like know how I’d do it and everything#I also had a panic attack because I couldn’t find my quilt hashtag just autism things!!!#not takeover#obviously
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anotherpapercut · 1 year ago
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I know several people who like LOVE seasons 5-7 (11th doctors run) and think the storylines and moffats writing are brilliant and I don't get it!!! what am I missing??? why does literally every single episode have the exact same stakes: Rory/Amy/the doctor is dead. forever. so dead. but wait!!! what if they aren't!!! why do so many of the explanations for why they're not actually dead feel so rushed like they were added at the last minute!! why does every single queer character act kind of weird and awkward about being queer!! why does the doctor casually say that women are inferior when no one's around!!! what the fuck!! hello!!!
#why is rory continuously proving himself as the Only Man To Ever Exist only for the characters/narrative to continuously imply hes lesser#amy tries to kiss the doctor?? at her wedding??????#when amy is stuck for 36 years why is she like i forgot how much rory loved me?? GIRL HE WAITED 1000 YEARS FOR YOU???? WHAT????#he is CONSTANTLY the butt of the joke despite being unequivocally without a doubt the best character from this era#what the fuck was up with river being their kid#THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY???? WHAT?? THAT SHIT WAS WEIRD RIGHT???#does anyone else find it annoying that moffat changed the opening theme and the tardis and the sonic and the doctor ALLLL at once#and then retconned the entire storyline the early seasons are based off of??#WHY IS THE DOCTOR SO GODDAMN ANNOYING?? LIKE SO MUCH MORE ANNOYING THAN THE OTHERS#and fucking sexist!!! so sexist!!!#anyone remember the characters who were like 'were the short fat and tall skinny gay men why do we need names' LIKE HUH???????#gay people still have names steven 😭#i feel like im going insane bc i have no one else to talk to abt it until my partner catches up#but you guys still think these seasons kinda suck right? like coming off of martha and DONNA and her AMAZING storyline#these just kinda pale in comparison right??????#the last centurion is probably the last really good plot of that era imo. none of the other plots come close to having an ending that cool#like rivers story couldve been amazing and then it was just uh. kinda weird. a bit confusing IDK#i dont want to be a dick when talking to people and like shit on smth they love but i genuinely have a hard time#finding kind things to say abt a lot of this era#also and this might just be me but i do not like amy and clara v much 😭 theyre so fuckin mean and not even funny#why were martha donna and rose sooooo well written and they all have rich backstories. we know their fuckin families!!#literally its never even fully explained what the fuck happened to amys parents đŸ˜©đŸ˜© they just move on. the only friend of theirs#ever shown is fucking river??? as a kid??#am i the only one who found all thay confusing
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medicinemane · 5 months ago
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I don't know... horrible things happen all around the world and it's not a competition
Atrocities are committed against multiple groups in multiple parts of the world at the exact same moment, and none of them erase each other. They all matter, all the people in this world who are being brutalized matter. There shouldn't be any line you draw where one group doesn't actually matter as much as another
You're welcome to prioritize your energy towards helping one group or another, but what's not ok is invalidating or dismissing people who are actively being harmed
Same goes for trying to figure out which social group has things worst (and lets be honest, always using a US lens)
Like... maybe the important thing is to prop each other up and help everyone get on their own feet rather than trying to... pick fights about if physical disabilities or mental illness are less respected (I'm trying to pick a more absurd example but sadly I've seen exactly that argument happen before). Maybe it doesn't really matter and what matters is helping who we can when we can
I'm tired of it, I'm just fucking tired of it. Support people, champion them when the world is just brutalizing them, but you don't need to throw a single other person under the bus to do that
Which seems to be an absolutely impossible lesson for people to learn
#I won't say anything else on this; but I will say that to me one of the groups that it feels like is most forgotten is Syrians#including by me if I'm honest#I don't know what's currently happening in Syria... but... my understanding is it still hasn't really gotten better#assad is still brutalizing people last I had heard#so rather than saying anything else I'd prefer to simply focus on some people it feels like were forgotten back during Obama#and... and have remained forgotten#and I'm sorry I can't do more to help with the suffering in the world#but... you notice what I'm not having to do here?#I'm not having to throw a single other person under the bus#I'm able to just focus on how much I wish for Syrians to be ok (which is a hollow gesture on my part in many ways I think)#and I can keep all the focus on Syrians rather than throwing anyone else under the bus or doing any whataboutism#and that's literally all I'm asking of you fucking people#don't downplay human misery to try and make your thing seem more important#they're both fucking important... they're all important#there's so much suffering I can't even keep up with it#there's so much of it that I can only name without knowing the details; Congo; I believe Sudan is still suffering; Haiti#I don't know how things are in Ethiopia right now... I can't keep track#and none of these situations and the horrible things they're dealing with; things I haven't even been able to follow#none of it detracts from and of the issues I am following more closely#I don't need to compare them and say 'well it's not as bad'; because... bad is bad and any is too much#and nothing I say here will do a damn thing; no one'll hear and even if they did they'd ignore it or get pissed#that's what my evidence shows me about how people behave#but suffering isn't a competition; the correct amount is zero#and... perhaps I'd have more tolerance if I hadn't watched how you behave with stuff#...the worst part is the person I adore who... man... I wish I could just get them to really think through their words#they mean well; they're coming from a place of love; but I just haven't been able to paint the picture for them of the harm#and I'm flawed; I don't have all the answers; I could be wrong here#but... can you at least see why I feel that maybe we shouldn't pit misery against each other#that the people suffering have more in common with each other than opposed and... maybe westerners aren't fucking helping#eh... too fucking drained thinking about this; end of tags
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trans-leek-cookie · 5 months ago
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Thinking about geto because I want to pour milk on him and throw him against the wall. Imo his beliefs are inconsistent and self serving (which makes sense because he developed said beliefs at age 16/17 while his mental health was at an all time low). Because while he seems to have the primary motive of "only sorcerers = no curses" taking into account how he treats Maki, who has no cursed energy, it shows that the "no curses" thing isnt the main focus- bc while he decided on tbe "forced evolution" thing, theoretically he should not be Opposed to ppl w heavenly restriction bc. They still fuckin. Don't contribute to curses from what I can tell. Also heavenly restriction is pretty obviously something that is punished by uh. Is it just the Zenin's who have it. Anyway they hated Maki and they Hated Toji so he clearly isn't standing for "oppressed sorcerers" bc if so Maki should be like. The kind of person he wants to help more, as someone who would be oppressed by ppl who aren't sorcerers as well as the powerful clans.
Anyway. While getting rid of curses is for sure part of his motivation, as well as helping sorcerers (see Nanako and Mimiko) id honestly argue that his main problem that lead to him spiraling was. How do I put this. Being knocked off a pedestal
Because he was one of 3 people given the ranking of "Special Grade", and he and satoru are grouped as "the strongest". And consider that satoru comes from a powerful clan and literally has some weird omniscience and invincibility shit going on so that's a whole fucking. That's gotta be a wild ego boost, especially for someone who comes from a family of ppl who aren't sorcerers. Like you spend all this time being a fuckin weirdo and then someone finds you and it turns out you're actually incredibly special and strong, given the same rank as a fucking God Child? You're gonna have some wild self perceptions after that
Anyway then you get to watch your invincible friend get stabbed, watch the girl you became friends with and feel shitty about kinda ruining the life of get shot, and get your whole shit rocked by some guy who can't even use the magic power bullshit you have. (Though he's got a whole physical thing going on because of the trade off)
Also writing all of this out actually makes me understand the Cult Leader progression more, like besides the fact they killed ur friend and you want em dead. You're probably struggling with your ego (especially since your weird God like friend got a whole power boost from the situation) so you create a fucking eugenicist cult where you can consistently prove your superiority to yourself (surrounding yourself with people who will agree with everything you say).
Anyway in a similar vein I wholely believe in "a loving father is not inherently a good father" Suguru + Nanako & Mimiko dynamic
Final thought is roughly I feel like looking at Suguru thru the lense of "this character had a level of privilege that they felt they truly deserved, and after experiencing events that are genuinely traumatic and horrific for any person, they develop reactionary beliefs to try and regain a sense of superiority and control" rather than "oppressed minority who killed oppressors and wants to do eugenics"
#Eugenics TW#cult TW#ask to tag#Suguru when I catch you#Anyway this was me thinking Abt the fact that Toji ISNT a normal human. He just can't use jujutsu. He's like supernaturally powerful anyway#So Geto's whole shit is like. Pretty misdirected. Though also personal thought is I don't think His parents were good (and he's projecting#That onto every other person who's not a sorcerer) mostly cause like. Going straight to murdering your parents is not really expected#Progression in eugenics id think? Bc if you posit urself as the ''superior'' person theoretically ur parents should also b part of that#Bc genetics or whatever. Idk how genetic sorcery shit is but even tho his parents Weren't sorcerers usually ppl would make excuses I think#So. Basically I feel like he probably did not have a great relationship w them. Not that that makes him any better more just like. Thinking#Through what's happening in his head...why the fuck did he decide on a different last name for that woman. WTF is wrong with him#I am suguru's number 1 LOVER and his number 1 HATER. I'm suffering bc none of the fanfic makes him enough of a bitch#It's really fucking something bc like. Looking at him as someone who's had similar thought progressions and is unlearning the kind of toxic#Black/white extremist thinking he has going on. It's cathartic in a way to deconstruct that and be able to analyze my own thoughts as well#But then no one is putting in the effort to actually engage with his ideas and the flaws in them (INCLUDING THE AUTHOR.)#Anyway most people when they have a crisis and reach an extremely bad mental health situation would join a cult rather than take over a cul#But suguru is different. That's why I love him and also why I'm going to break his ribs.#Diversity win this autistic trans guy fucking sucks so bad you want him dead#I need to tag these damn posts w something but I'm too lazyyyu
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lesboylycan · 8 months ago
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https://www.tumblr.com/wolfboy-butch/745437590649520128/anyways-someone-should-feed-our-npd-and-ask-us
B in the tags is interesting because some other system clocked us as having a more anarchist system structure (<- we had not thought about this before!!!) and it feels like a lot of other systems who have more stratified systems are some form of Asshole, something we have figured out You Are Not so please tell us about that! We are begging you. We wish to understand others further whilst we're feeling good.
C in the tags is interesting because that feels so far beyond us it makes no sense and we literally just NEED to know more. If you're sapient and share our brain in our system you're a headmate and part if the system. We believe we have talked to one other system with a situation like Tag Option C but it wouldn't hurt to have the information.
~ Kirbopher (would it be better to use "Kirb" here so people know I'm a fictive/fucktive/not-the-guy-Im-sorry?????)
Hi thank you for sending! Now, warning, you have unlocked a Major rant, so readers beware, click the read more at your own discretion.
So basically, when we first became partitionary, we ended up in Madeline's (aka Aaron; he/him as Madeline and she/her as Aaron, not in a plural way but in a bigender anarchy way) house. We could not see outside of the windows of this house, it was basically just blank void to us, and us four ([original headmate with the IRL name we use, later forged with several others into Summer], Madeline, Cale, and Em) lived there.
Fast forward a month. A few new folks have joined in (Roman, Grimble, Shark), aaaaand they don't exactly want to live with us in the same house. Especially not Shark, since he was a semi-feral fish man who uh, needed water to live. Suddenly, we can see the beginnings of a town surrounding a lake.
Things grow from there. What we can see grows, the town grows, and there comes to be another fish man, Caspien, who makes the best god damn iced peach tea you've ever tried. He's mostly notable because the lake is later named after him, along with Another Thing that'll become clear later. Eventually, we begin to see the forest at the edge of our little town that we've built. Everything's cool. (Unfortunately, we don't have the map from this time--we know it existed at one point! But we can't find the file, nor can we find any remnants of it in the Discord servers we were in at the time that we might be able to use)
Then, uh-oh, April of 2021. System collapse. Down from 60 all the way to 15--including Summer, who becomes the new host. As if to put salt in the wound, what we can see expands, and we can now see the coast of the Wirshir'dauwn Sea, along with the edges of what we would later find out are two major mountain ranges.
Note: we aren't creating our headspace. We did not realize, at the time, that most systems created their headspace and didn't simply passively discover it in the same way they may discover old headmates.
Things regrow. Come late May, and the boundaries of what we can see stretch with the arrival of several new headmates at once: the Plainsmen. Unlike the small, incremental changes of before, this change is huge--we can now see double what we used to, it's all to the east, and it's all grassy plains and desert. This is what our map looks like at the time:
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(Note: orange dots are settlements, don't recall grey dots are doors to the front room which was essentially a different realm we could enter via those doors, black lines are train lines, and the Winterdown Ocean is called that for a reason. You'll see.)
Now, here's the thing: the only people in the entire system who can go into the plains (as in, beyond the Barrier Mountains)... are the Plainsmen. Even as more headmates form. Our only way to communicate with them is through going to the front room, which is split into two, with a hallway between. We can't even go to their side of the front room without feeling dizzy and foggy. And this isn't a one-sided thing at all, they can't come to our side either!
Thankfully, we get to talk to them frequently, since the front room was the only way we could front at the time, we were in high school, and one of them--Gilan--was a god at badminton and so wanted to front constantly since that was the only thing we'd play in PE at the time.
Then comes along Carmen (zhe/zhem/zheir/zheirs). Who sorta... breaks everything. At first, we kind of just meme on zhem (from fantasy mid-1800s era England, scared of cars, etc), but then... zhe try crossing over to the Plainsmen's side of the front room, against everyone else's advice.
And zhe're completely fine. No ill effects. Zhe start talking to Gilan, they hit things off (and they both hit things off with another person, Jade, who was from our ex-partner system but now lives over here thanks to system hopping stuff), and eventually, zhe get dared to go out into the actual Plains. And Carmen, the bastard, agrees.
And not only are zhe fine, but zhe can still front. Outside of the front room.
And then we can find out zhe can teleport. What in the hell. Who are you. What the fuck.
Well, zhe decide to see if zhe can do something about the "no fronting unless in front room" thing, and zhe eventually end up developing crystals a la the crystals in Dimension20's Fantasy High. They're basically phones, but... rock. Which everyone now has. Carmen settles down by Overdeep Lake because zhe generally dislike people except for zheir partners. Things start to settle in, things get a bit more normal again...
Whoops! New headspace expansion, and not just that, we learn that we're not the only ones here, and uh. We're. Actually gateway. And the reason why our headspace was "passively expanding" instead of us building it was because the whole world already existed. And there were people there. There just weren't people in the area that we'd been settling, aside from in the towns in the Plains--but we'd just figured those were NPCs since we rarely interacted with them! Not full people! And we'd never heard anyone talking about this before, so what the hell is going on? The map now looks like this.
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(Note: the mountains along the edge of the sea aren't actually mountains mountains, just cliffside. We weren't great at making maps at the time.)
So as it would turn out. "Winterdown" was a mistranslation/mishearing of Wirshir'dauwn. And Kingdom Omaude exists. And both of these places have their own cultures, languages, accents, etc. And apparently, Caspien was originally from Wirshir'dauwn, had heard of human (or, mostly human) settlement around the lake, and decided to check it out and just... never went back? Alright man, miss you, thanks for the iced peach tea, wish you'd taught someone how to make it properly before you disappeared in the system collapse but whatever, we're cool.
Okay. Okay! This is fine! Everything is fine. Carmen goes up to meet Queen Scethius (he/him) to explain things, and then they hit it off. Carmen had already adopted some kids, and this is where the joke that Carmen (who adopts every sad wet rat zhe see--zheir eldest's words, not mine) has more partners than kids starts to take off. Queen Scethius even sets aside a whole coat for zhem, how romantic.
And then we learn that this isn't it. We just haven't explored yet--because now that we've properly learned about Omaude and Wirshir'dauwn, it's not that the world around us is locked, it's just that we... need to explore more of it.
Blah blah blah, stuff happens, a revolt occurs against the monarchy in Kingdom Girun--Omaude's oldest enemy, historically--and now the folks running the place are generally cool. Carmen had already set up the Rangers in the Forebarrier, which isn't formally a country but still has a seat at the metaphorical table in the world stage now since... people actually live there now? And the Rangers basically just make sure everyone's doing okay, help distribute resources, mediate conflict, stuff like that. Carmen was voted to be the commandant, which basically just means zhe do the most paperwork and talk to the most people, and zheir best friend/subject of many inside jokes, Cordon, is zheir second. We learn about more and more nations and their cultures, and eventually, the map looks like this.
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"Where's Wirshir'dauwn?" you ask. Here's the thing: Wirshir'dauwn was a kingdom. Which we hadn't known before. The ocean itself is called Daerk'shyen, and many more people live there! The Great Divide is basically a massive set of mountain ranges and canyons that are largely considered impassable, except for a few things.
Also note: "Tetutlen" is a typo, it's actually Tetlunen. Didn't notice that until just now. Whoops. Also, City Toelit was a former state of Girun, but split off somewhere to the tune of a few hundred years ago due to the corrupt monarchy? But now that things have switched up and stuff is much more democratic, there's debate on whether or not they want to rejoin Girun. Note: Girun and City Toelit are both mostly occupied by elves, who live hundreds of years already.
And, aside from the Shakening n' Quakening [SNQ] (which split up the world into a bunch of floating islands--no clue why or how it happened, not even the Gods know, some suspect it might have been discourse between the Ancients, which are basically the gods of the Gods; we get around both by the magic Saltrock Express (still exists! Still around!) and via sky ships, with there being an official Sky Rider League in the Forebarrier, which is mostly made up of Rangers and heavily tied to them but aren't actually part of the Rangers), that's... basically what our map looks like now. The world is called... several different things depending on the nation, of course, but we in the Forebarrier and Plains call it Yhine, and the continent--since the SnQ--is called [the] Archidivum.
What we suspect happened is that the brain basically latched onto a particular realm, and that realm became an anchor for the colony. As we grew and as our needs shifted and changed, the amount that was "unlocked" for us--as the brain latched more and more onto the world--grew and changed with us, until eventually, it got to the point where we were no longer the only ones we could talk to/no longer the only ones we knew of who had major influence over the world we were in and now part of.
As for why certain folks don't consider themselves part of the collective even if they front, it's mostly cases like General Fenityr (he/him, ze/zim/zyr/zyrs), who is the head of the military in Omaude. He's been around for somewhere to the tune of 650 years, has been a political figure in Omaude for around 400 of them, basically raised Queen Scethius, yadda yadda.
In recent times, though, he's gotten more familiar with the Colony, and even got married to Ramses (one of Carmen's kids, also a former member of that same ex-partner system in the same way Jade (who, along with Gilan, married Carmen) is--they both moved over here (with permission) to be with the people they married, and to hopefully avoid getting accidentally erased, since our collective--post April 2021--was a lot more stable than the ex's and was/is a lot less prone to collapses, resets, etc). Ze's close with Carmen's family (especially since Carmen is also married to Scethius. "Carmen has more partners than kids" blah blah) and would front pretty frequently to talk to Ramses back before Ramses moved over here. So what gives on the whole "not being part of the collective" thing?
Well, one of the biggest reasons ze doesn't consider zyrself as part of the colony is because ze's basically guaranteed to outlive it, and ze's still beholden to the whims of the world ze lives in and not the whims of the brain in which the Colony occupies. Not to mention, ze lived for centuries longer than the Colony had even existed, and grew up entrenched in the cultures of Girun (having originally lived there for around about 160, 170 years) and Omaude (where he eventually settled permanently). While he can front, and he is friends with folks in the Colony, he doesn't consider himself as part of it because he, first and foremost, is attached to and part of and from Girun, Omaude, the Archidivum, and Yhine as a whole in a way that we, the Seal Colony, just... aren't. Just because we're anchored here doesn't mean we're natives of the place the same way they are (with few exceptions, mostly very young kids who arrived in the Colony at the age of 3 or younger who've never known different.)
(Or folks like Carmen. Or, really, just Carmen. Remember how I said zhe can teleport? Zhe also have a bunch of other abilities that zhe flat out should not be able to have and should not have been able to have since the beginning. Also, zhe're friends with at least one of the Gods of Yhine and has generally gained the Gods' favor. So zhe're just. Yeah.)
#it's me#plurality#asks#anendoandfriendo#also the reason why the Forebarrier wasn't inhabited was because (A) none of the closest western countries could make it over the Great--#--Divide (at lesat not without contest from Omaude (*cough cough* Girun *cough*); the Plains wasn't very developed beyond those few small--#--towns; and Omaude (our closest neighbor) wasn't suuuper interested in taking the land since they already had a Massive territory to manag#not to mention Girun (terrible at the time) to their west constantly threatening them + Tetlunen to the east being. well. not *exactly*--#--friendly. they've managed to ally recently but there were A Few Skirmishes here and there#so Omaude's resources were already pretty taken up#also according to some of the more religious there was some potential magic- and god-related fuckery as to why people didn't enter the--#--area but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯#there Are also other known continents but we know Nothing about them#including reportedly a potential continent that's more industrialized than we are?#a third down south that's very icy and cold and one of the last bastions of old-style magic (aka god power aka powers Gifted By Gods--#--passed down family lines. there's some theories that Carmen's ability comes from zhem somehow having unlocked this but we have no idea--#--How zhe would have done that)#and then a fourth that we Think is just plainly on the other side of the world. there's at least one dragon person there. cher name is--#--Sherui and uhhh come to think of it we have had no contact from cher in a while. should probably check up on cher
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snekdood · 1 year ago
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lmao???
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this quiz sorts through characters from like dozens of fandoms and finds the one you’re most like. I’m not even a little bit surprised by my result
#also these are my results in order also idek anything abt these charcters fr:#sirius black was the first result ig. then the amphibian man from shape of water. then whoever ragnor lothbrok is#whoever connor macmanus is?? fucking hobbes from calvin and hobbes. another fucking harry potter character named nymphadora tonks?#murphy macmanus. omar little????? (WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE) fucking robinhood from disneys robinhood. sure.#its the only character i really kinda know on this list at least. noah calhoun from the notebook (?????) oh god. oh my god sdhjbvfgsdghv#i got fucking westley from the princess bride. that one hurts bc i can see it sdhjfghvsdhgv#OMG I GOT INIGO MONTOYA TOO#anyways. whoever toni topaz is. patrick verona. frenchie? from the boys ig? none of these characters mean anything to me#but anyways apparently i got fucking jack from the titanic sdhjbfhvgsvhg which is so funny considering that pic i posted of me#as a kid couple days ago. also spike spiegal which is very funny to me#whoever sallah from 'raiders of the last ark' is. whoever jackson 'jax' teller from sons of anarchy is. whoever fox mulder from the x files#is. also. apparently. i got... fucking...... indiana jones............... which now im remembering what 'raiders of the last ark' means#ambrose spellman. dominic toretto. clemantine kruczynski? ian gallagher. robin buckley. more names that mean nothing to me.#one of the best ones on here is jack twist from brokeback mountain. very good.#benjamin button? augustus waters? sydney carton?? more names that mean nothing also luna fucking lovegood? god damit#phoebe from friends dshjbfsdhjgdf. jo march from little women. cosmo kramer from seinfeld.... im gonna start skipping the names idc about#37 is lilo apparently. more accurately is 38 which is stitch which EYE think im more like than lilo so....#fucking. 41 is aladdin dshjvfdsvgh. fucking 45 is fucking REMY FROM RATATOUILLE#got ilana from broad city at 49. sure ig. got mulan on 61 which is awesome. i got hook from once upon a time at 79 which is fine#bc i used to think he was hot even though i never watched the show. my mom did tho and i remembering seeing him sometimes#got genie from aladin at 80. fuckin. dumbledore on 86. and fuck yeah i got hyde from that 70s show#oh no...................................... i got dean winchester at 96...... why.... why have you forsaken me god......#i think im more like the other winchester boy but eh whatever#AND YES AS EXPECTED MY FIRST AVATAR CHARACTER ON HERE IS FUCKING IROH!!!!!!!!!! FUCK YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!#and then its thor from marvel so 😒 hmm#got fucking..... naruto................ and jack sparrow?? kill me. simba from the lion king.... wheres dbz characters dammit#angel from buffy... mushu from mulan...... both repunzel and flyn... which is accurate. to be fair. the oracle lady from the matrix#which is cool. i got............ jacob.......................... from twilight.................................. kill me please dear god#also got buffy from buffy and also han solo??? lmao sure bud. lucifer from lucifer. ik nothing about that show but its accurate#also this list goes on forever and i looked up dbz on it and theres no dbz characters so now im sad.
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