#zel mixca

[whumpbug]

HELLO!!! IT IS HERE!!! SCARAB CREW INTRO FIC!!!

i'm sorry it took so long guys i've been in a bit of a funk these last few days BUT i really wanted to post this!! i have much more planned for them but i am trying to pace myself because i've been struggling a little bit!

this also counts for early whumperless whump event day 23: well, that doesn't taste right @whumperless-whump-event (allergic reaction / anaphylaxis)

word count: 2507

see this post for info on the scarabs crew!

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In hindsight, Hari probably should have told the team his allergies to start.

There just wasn’t a convenient time for him to do it. It felt weird.

He already felt their judging eyes on him because he was human. Humans weren’t necessarily looked down upon, but it was quite the common consensus that they had more biological flaws than most other races.

This was, of course, made worse by Hari’s precarious condition. 

Introducing himself as the human missing a leg with a blood circulation disorder, an inflammatory lung disease, and food allergies was not something Hari imagined would get him much in the way of respect.

So, he stayed quiet.

After all the introductions and mission briefings came and went, everyone retreated to their respective rooms to settle in. A message over the intercom told Hari that Nyla, the pilot, was going to start making dinner.

He supposed now could be a good time to mention it. He remembered how to get to the kitchen, and Nyla should be in there cooking already, but Hari had just taken off his prosthesis. He didn’t feel like going through the trouble.

Besides, what were the chances that, out of all the things in the galaxy, Nyla made something Hari couldn’t eat.

An hour came and went before Nyla’s chipper voice came over the intercom once again.

“Food’s ready, everyone! Come on down to the kitchen!”

Hari perked up. Now that he thought of it, he was hungry. He hadn’t eaten anything more than protein bars and yogurt cups since the initial launch. An actual meal sounded wonderful.

He grabbed his crutches and began making his way to the kitchen. 

As he walked through the halls of The Scarab, he couldn’t help but feel a bit astonished. Just a few days ago, he was on his home planet, Earth. Then, he was shipped off to Asto’is. Now, here he was, floating in space with a group of strangers towards countless unexplored territories and potentially dangerous star systems.

What a story he was going to have to tell.

He arrived at the kitchen and quickly saw he was the last to do so.

Captain Nieven Alaric, the Asto’isian, was sitting at the head of the table, typing away on his detpad. A cigarette was held loosely in his free hand, and he brought it up to his lips with a deep inhale. His brow was furrowed, like he was trying to figure something out. 

Zel, the Huelxcan, was sitting towards the middle of the table, but her entire body was tensed up. She looked terribly awkward, like she’d rather be anywhere but there. Her gaze remained trained at a spot on the table, but upon Hari’s entry, she lifted her head. Hari met her eyes on accident and flashed a small smile, and he could have sworn she snarled at him.

Vinny, the Z’edin, was sitting opposite to Zel, but they looked significantly less uncomfortable. On the contrary, their knees were pulled up to their chest with their own detpad balancing on top. A peek over their shoulder told Hari that they were reading.. a scientific article? On biochemistry? For fun? That was perhaps scarier than the Huelxcan staring daggers at him from across the table.

And finally, indicated by the soft humming from the kitchen, Hari caught a glimpse of Nyla plating the final dish with her back turned to him.

Hari hadn’t seen many Haryen in his time. The race preferred not to make too much contact with the other PAGE territories, so seeing one out in the open felt odd.

Still, Hari didn’t need to know much about the race to know their signature trait—large crimson wings on their back with a span almost longer than their full height. Hari also didn’t need to know much about the race to know that this particular Haryen’s wings were not paradigmatic of her people’s.

Nyla’s wings were small and curled tight against her body. The muscles in them looked atrophied and shriveled, and even the way they moved with her body seemed off.

Nyla didn’t offer much of an explanation. She simply stated that she was born differently and left it at that. She didn’t owe anyone an explanation anyway; Hari figured. Still, it was not something someone saw every day.

Hari finally took a seat beside Vinny and rested his crutches against the edge of the metal table. Vinny’s gaze flitted to him before coming back to their detpad.

Hari risked another glance at their screen, and saw that not only were they finished with the first article, but they had moved on to another longer one. Hari had to ask.

“What’cha reading about?”

Vinny’s ears flicked at his voice. “Botany.”

“Botany?”

“Mhm. The first planet on the course is a forest planet, so I wanted to brush up.”

“I see—”

“Do you know much about botany? You’re the medic, after all. Figured you’ve at least taken some life science classes, but I don’t know how much time the curriculum would have spent on botany specifically.”

“Well, I was in highschool when—”

“I guess if it was a general biology class, the content would be broader, so you probably spent a little bit on each subsection. Still, I think botany is underappreciated. There’s so much to learn about a planet based on what kind of flora thrives in it.”

“I agree—”

“Plus, it can tell you so much about culture! Your planet, for example, has such a diverse ecosystem with so many different biomes. The different ways your people use the plants in each area is fascinating!”

“Thank you?”

“Not to mention—”

“Dinner is ready!” Nyla chirped, padding into the room with plates precariously balanced on her arms. Hari silently sighed in relief.

Nieven set down his detpad immediately and stood up to take two of the plates from Nyla.

“Thank you very much for making dinner, Nylath... Nylathrania.”

The syllables sounded clumsy on the Captain’s lips and a slight flush creeped up his cheeks at his fumbling.

“Oh please, just call me Nyla. Nylathrania is a hard one, even back on Harye.”

Nieven cleared his throat. “Very well. Thank you, Nyla.”

“It’s my pleasure! What better way to welcome you all onto my ship than good food?” She smiled and set a plate in front of each person at the table before taking her own seat next to Zel.

Hari smiled right back at her and, he figured he could try probing about the ingredients. Subtly, of course. “Yes, thank you, Nyla. This looks good! What is it?”

“Oh! I wanted to start with something pretty universally liked. It’s noodles with a darzel nut sauce, wozoik leaves, and some poultry from Earth! It’s pretty simple. I didn’t want to try anything too wild on the first night.”

Vinny, finally, lifted their head from their detpad and faced Nyla. “You took the meat out of mine, right?”

“Mhm!”

Vinny’s tail swayed slightly and a slight smile overtook their face. “Thank you, Nyla.”

Hari suddenly felt very stupid. If the kid could let Nyla know about their dietary preferences, why couldn’t Hari? 

Still, it was fine. Nothing she said was on his allergy list. He’d just let her know after this meal and everything would be fine.

Nyla picked up her fork. “Well, dig in everyone!”

And with that, they did.

Zel sniffed the food experimentally and swirled a forkful of noodles onto the prongs of the utensil before lifting it to her mouth. The usual scowl on her face lessened greatly and she turned to Nyla.

“You made this?” She said softly.

“...I did. Why? Is something wrong with it?” Nyla almost looked sheepish.

Zel said nothing. She simply turned her face back down to her plate and began scarfing down the noodles.

Vinny was following suit, tail swaying freely as they forked mouthful after mouthful into their mouth.

Nieven was a bit more polite. He ate slowly, and in small bites, but the enjoyment of the food was written all over his face in the way his eyes shone.

Alright, now, Hari needed to try it.

He scooped some of the noodles onto his fork, took a bite and—wow. If this was the kind of food he’d be eating for the next few years, he had no complaints.

The nutty flavor of the sauce was light and fresh, enhanced further by the aromatic greens. The chicken was juicy and flavorful, and the noodles were cooked to perfection. Hari’s eyes nearly rolled back into his head. 

Nyla swallowed a mouthful of food and tapped her finger idly on the table. “So... How is everyone feeling about the trip so far?”

Vinny perked their head up. “So far it’s been interesting. Your ship is really cool. I can’t believe you fly it yourself.”

“I do! She’s my pride and joy.” She turned to Hari. “You’re somewhat of an aerospace engineer, right? What kind of ships have you worked on?”

Hari startled at his name and glanced up. 

“Me? I’ve worked on a few. I worked mostly on airplanes, though.”

“Oh? So a bit different, then?”

Hari nodded and opened his mouth to respond, but found that his tongue didn’t move the way he intended it to. It felt tingly, like it was swollen in his mouth. He furrowed his brows.

“Sorry. I just— My throat feels weird.” He swallowed convulsively. 

Nyla tilted her head and leaned forward to get a better look at him. Zel followed suit, sharing a glance with Nieven.

“Are you okay?” Nyla asked.

“I’m fine... I’m...” Hari swallowed again as an abrupt wave of nausea had him clamping his mouth shut.

Nieven suddenly turned his gaze to meet Hari. “Hari? Are you sure? You’re quite... flushed.”

Hari nodded and scratched at the side of his neck. Stars, when did it get so itchy?

And then it occurred to him. The way he was feeling—the way it felt like his throat was swelling and the way his skin felt too hot for his body—stars, he was allergic to the damn food.

Of all the foods in the galaxy! This delicious meal was one his body decided was a threat! He would have groaned if he could.

Instead, he let out a vaguely choked whine and clawed at his throat, desperately pulling at his collar to get some air. Hives were starting to break out along his arms and shoulders rapidly, and the heat was searing.

Everyone was staring at him now. Even Vinny, who had set their detpad on the table, was in a hurry to get a proper look at Hari. 

“Hari?” Vinny questioned. 

They stood and leaned over, scrutinizing his face. They looked like they were racking their brain for something. Hari truly hoped they were as smart as they came across, because he wasn’t sure he had the faculties to explain what he needed. With their knowledge on Earth and biology, they were probably Hari’s best bet.

They suddenly jolted with thought. “Anaphylaxis! Allergic reaction! That’s what's going on, isn’t it? Your symptoms match!”

Bingo. Hari nodded frantically, pulling in a wheezing breath. Shit, it really was getting difficult to breathe. He needed to do something—and fast.

“Allergic?! Why didn’t you say something earlier!” Nyla shrieked, practically leaping over the table to reach Hari. “What do we do?! You’re the medic!”

Hari wanted to tell her to relax and that it would probably be fine once he got his epi-pen, but he could quite literally feel his airways shrinking and he figured that might not be true for long.

Vinny tapped away on their detpad before whipping their head back up. “We have to give you epinephrine, don’t we? Where the hell are we going to get that?!”

Hari vaguely gestured to the bedrooms, hoping someone would get the hint. He had a small bright red first-aid kit in his luggage, left out in the open. Never had he ever been so grateful for his disorganized unpacking.

“On it,” Nieven muttered, racing toward the hall. Hari tugged at his collar once again, wheezing desperately. It felt like his head was going to explode now. He was sure he was quite the sorry sight with how red he felt his face getting. Not a very good first impression.

Finally, the captain came sprinting back with the little red pouch. He all but threw it onto the table and ripped it open, before realizing he had no idea what he was even looking for.

“Epi..pen..” Hari managed to rasp out, doubling over when another awful wave of nausea overtook him. 

Vinny watched Nieven frantically search for a few more moments before grumbling and lunging over to snatch the pouch from him. They procured the item immediately and began to read over it.

“It’s a needle?”

Hari nodded, wondering why that mattered. He didn’t care if someone had to cut his other damn leg off to get the epinephrine in him—he just wanted to breathe.

Vinny uncapped the needle and hesitantly crouched beside Hari. They were moving at far too leisurely a pace. Hari shot a weak glare.

He would have done it himself, if he could. It’s just that his hands were numb. He could barely lift his arm, let alone have the dexterity to administer it properly. Maybe he should start having his epi-pen with him for every meal. Stars, his head was spinning.

“I can’t do it!” Vinny cried, suddenly pulling away.

“For fuck’s sake—” Zel plucked the pen from their hands, skimmed the directions, and plunged the needle directly into Hari’s right leg with no hesitation.

Hari had never been so grateful in his life.

In just a few moments, Hari felt his breath starting to come easier. He slumped back against his chair and gulped down sweet, sweet oxygen.

No one said anything for a beat. And then, Nyla smacked the back of Hari’s head.

“You idiot! If you’re allergic to something you need to tell me! What was your plan if we didn’t get the epi-pen in time?! I would have been responsible for manslaughter!”

Hari blinked. “I didn’t know I’d be allergic to it.”

Vinny stepped in and crossed their arms. “But you have existing allergies, yes? I could have done some research on how similar the food was to your allergens. Darzel nuts, for example, are remarkably chemically similar to peanuts.”

Oh. That explains it, then. Hari felt a blush creep up on his cheeks. He said nothing.

Nyla let out a soft hmph and pointed a finger at Hari. “After we clean up here and I make you something else to eat, you’re going to sit down with me and make a list of your allergies. All of them. This won’t happen again.”

Hari could tell she meant to be vaguely reassuring, but with the way she said it, it sounded like a threat. He gulped and nodded.

Vinny let out a soft laugh that doubled as a sigh of relief. “Welcome to the expedition, I suppose.”

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[whumpbug]

GUYS IT'S TIME. i now introduce.....

THE SCARAB CREW!!!!!! 𓆣𓆣

(scarab is the name of the ship they are all on do you guys get it. because. whumbug. beetle. scarab. the ship is shaped like a beetle--okay im done)

the vibes/tropes are: sci-fi/space fantasy, dysfunction junction, found family, accidental child acquisition, AND MORE!!!

HUGE thank you to @lemlem21 for listening to me Yap about them and helping me iron out a lot of the details!!! also for recoloring some of the skincolors!!!!

i apologize in advance. this is a long post. please please feel free to ask questions because this can get confusing. there are 6 characters all with complex traits and names so please ask me for clarification if you need it! i apologize for all the reading guys (˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥⋆)

OKAY! ONTO MY SPACE SILLIES! they are Everything to me.

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THE EXPEDITION PROGRAM (TEP):

okay just before i start, i want to briefly explain why all these people are together on a ship.

in this universe, theres a central government that spans across many planets in neighboring star systems. this is known as the Provinces of the Allied Galactic Empire (PAGE). this is the explored and "civilized" part of the galaxy.

recently, there have been more attacks on PAGE-affiliated planets and systems from the unexplored galaxy (known as the Outer Sector, or just Outsec in shorthand) and PAGE intends to get to the bottom of it.

and that's where Scarab Crew comes in! multiple teams were formed of people with exceptional talents in their species/planets and were sent on multi-year long exploratory missions under the name The Expedition Program (TEP). the scarabs are one team of many!

TEP's goal is to record and report all that they find as well as identify threats and/or the planets responible for the attacks. they are to come back with information and new technology that would make PAGE stronger and more well-rounded!

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NOW ONTO THE SILLIES!! i used different picrws for each of them to match their Vibe

(also i added pronounciation guides to the best of my abilities i hope it helps im sorry in advance)

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Captain Nieven Alaric (Nee-ven Ah-la-rik)

pronouns: he/him

role: captain/leader/correspondence with PAGE

planet of origin:  Asto’is (species: Asto’isian)

age and height: late '30s to early '40s / 6 ft. 0 in.

description: the competent, calculated, and and cold head of The Scarab. he was a well-off government official before TEP, but unfortunately, he lost his family in an attack by Outsec rogues. he is a man hardened by life and unwilling to get attached to others again and because of this, is very efficient when it comes to running his ship. still, efficiency is not always the most important thing when it comes to leading a team. this is something nieven must learn.

species-specific traits: horns on the top of the head-- very interconnected with the central nervous system. decorated as a sign of age and/or accomplishment. also, asto'isians have pointy teeth! they are carnivores!

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Hari Khurana (Huh-ree Ku-rahna)

pronouns: relaxed he/him

role: engineer/medic/chemist

planet of origin:  Earth (species: Homo Sapien)

age and height: mid to late '30s / 6 ft. 2 in.

description: a simple human that started from the bottom. hari grew up in a trailer park, raised by his older sister when his father worked 3 jobs to put food on the table. since he was little, it was known he was a genius when it came to stem subjects. into adulthood, he excelled in every stem job he took on. still, no one expected him to get singled out when TEP was recruiting. aside from his smarts, hari is cheeky, sly, a bit of a Bastard™ but he also has tremendously big heart. he's passionate about what he does, no matter how hard it can be for him sometimes.

species-specific traits: despite his brains, hari is... a defective human. due to malnourishment as a child, he has a plethora of health problems that worry his team to no end. some include: asthma, lactose intolerance, allergies to many foods, marie antoinette syndrome, POTS, among others. he is also a below-the-knee amputee on his left leg due to an accident in his teens.

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Nylathrania (Nyla) Qifir (Nye-lah-trah-nya Kee-feer)

pronouns: she/her

role: pilot/navigator

planet of origin: Harye (species: Haryen)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 7 in.

description: the haryan are an extremely superstitious, winged race that place an extreme importance on flight. when a child was born with in inability to even lift her wings because of nerve damage, you can imagine it did not bode well. nyla was passed around from household to household with no place to call home. she wants to prove herself to her homeland by becoming the most successful pilot in TEP with her pride and joy of a ship, The Scarab, but even that will never make her good enough for her people, and consequently, herself.

species-specific traits: the bat-like wings and short horns are trademarks of the haryen people. unlike nieven's, nyla's horns are simply bony-keratin structures as extra protection for her brain. her wings are a bit smaller than other haryen's due to muscle atrophy.

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Ytzel (Zel) Mixca (Ee-tsel Micsh-cka)

pronouns: relaxed she/her

role: gunsman/conflict strategist

planet of origin: Huelxa (species: Huelxcan)

age and height: mid '20s / 5 ft. 4 in.

description: born to a planet of war, zel grew up around bloodshed and violence throughout her life. in her culture, getting close to people was discouraged becasue you never knew who would be on the other side of the next civil war. she was often forced to fight her siblings and friends (to an extreme level) as a test of strength, so she comes off as abrasive and rude because violence makes her feel in control. it's a familiar pattern. she hasn't yet learned that love does not need to be painful.

species-specific traits: the huelxcan actually have a second pair of arms! these arms sit slightly more towards her back, in the middle of her rib cage. the huelxcan people also have evolved with enhanced hearing, and wear accessories on the ears to enhance it further.

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Vin’ri (Vinny) L’aoh (Vin-ree Luh-ow)

pronouns: they/them

role: scribe/recorder/photographer

planet of origin: Z’edin (species: Z’edinra)

age and height: late teens (17-19) / 5 ft. 9 in.

description: vinny is heralded as the voice of reason when tensions are high amongst the rest of the crew. they are level-headed and approachable, making them an instrumental member of the team. but their secret? they're so lonely. in their culture, it's customary to stop being affectionate with children when they reach about 14 to encourage growth and independence. vinny didn't have a problem with this at first, but now that they're so far from home? they feel the need for comfort more than they'd like to admit.

species-specific traits: the z’edinra all have a prehensile tail that is about an armspan in length. it is capable of grasping, and can hold their body weight. also, z'edin is an ice planet which leads vinny to be prone to overheating in even mildly warm environments quite easily

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Ren "Alaric" (Rehn Ah-la-rick)

pronouns: he/him

role: healer/newest member (not with scarab crew initially)

planet of origin: Siea W5M (species: Amb’toman)

age and height: about 7 years old / 4 ft. 3 in.

description: ren's parent's were killed when he was only 4, and he was taken to Seia W5M to be sold as a commodity-- his species is sought after for their abilities. he was under the ownership of a man for a few years before he escaped and has been on the run ever since. he covers his eyes with a blindfold to conceal the signature trait of amb'tomans-- white scleras lacking a cornea. because of his years blindfolded, light tends to overwhelm him. he is skittish, flighty, and in need of people who will take care of and love him.

species-specific traits: the amb'toman are a desert-dwelling species that evolved healing abilities to cope with the harsh climate. the short version of how the abilities work is essentially: people spend a certain amount of energy to heal themselves of injury or illness. ren can spend that energy all at once on himself or another person to heal them exponetially faster. the draw back is gets extremely sleepy after healing, and tends to be unable to stay awake

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RELATIONSHIPS: ask me about them!!! there are Some romantic relationships but i also love platonic and familial relationships so ask about whoever you'd like! i'm aiming to start the story early on to when they first meet so it'll be fun to develop their relationships as i write!!

PICREWS: 1 2 3 4 5 6

BONUS: here is all their height differences (ren is itty bitty guys)

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and that's it!!! thank you SO much if you've read to the end, it honestly means so much. and like i said before please please PLEASE dont be afraid to ask as many questions as you want (about specific scarabs, or the crew as a whole but just know if its the crew it might not be as detailed because. theres 6 of them.) these characters can get confusing and i want to make as easy of a reading experience as i can!

i hope you enjoy my little passion project and im so excited to develop these sillies further!! (✿◦’ᴗ˘◦)♡

tagging: @sethlost and @mellowwhumps (≧▽≦)

[whumpbug]

A whumpy ask for the Scarab Crew: How would each of the six act when delirious from blood loss/medicine/etc? Would they get weirdly giddy or affectionate? Would they become extremely paranoid and jittery? Would they just be really tired?

UGH WHUMPY QUESTIONS MY BELOVED... AND ITS DELIRIUM!!! UGH ANON THIS IS SO GOOD PLS ENJOY!!!

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nieven:

this man becomes Mama Bird 3000 when he's delirious. if you thought he was worried and concerned for the crew before, wait until he's not in the right state of mind. he becomes very affectionate, especially with vinny and ren because those are his Children. he often hallucinates leena when he's out of it though, and sometimes calls them by her name on accident.

hari:

hari tends to get a bit pissy when he's delirious. his usual "i can handle this" attitude gets amplified by ten-fold but is somehow also coupled with whining??? he'll insist he is fine and can walk fine too, but promptly face plant and complain that he face planted. medics never make very good patients, i'm afraid.

nyla:

SHE is your giddy patient. she giggles and laughs and you'd think she was laughing at something funny but no, it's just the blood loss getting to her head. someone has to sit with her while she's recovering and make sure she doesn't laugh her way out of bed because it's happened before and it was Not fun.

zel:

somehow a worse patient than she already is. she gets paranoid. in her delusions, she'd convinced that anyone who gets close is going to hurt her and she becomes super flinchy and aggresive. she throws punches and kicks in efforts for people to stay away, even if she's actively bleeding out and goddamn it hari is just trying to help!

vinny:

they get. so clingy. and tired. and scared. and they want their parent. vinny just tends to get very weepy when they're out of it, and their inhibition goes way down because they start to actively seek out people for affection and comfort. they want to be held and doted on and as soon as whoever is with them leaves their side, they freak out as if they were being abandoned.

ren:

he gets SO jittery and jumpy. hes on edge even though he's on the verge of passing out. he's just so scared that something is gonna happen and the fact that he's out of it panics him so much more and he just wants to curl up and hide forever. he often hides in cabinets and falls asleep and the crew spends a good hour just trying to find him so hari can patch him up.

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THANK YOU ANON!!! i really love these whumpy asks there are so many oppurtunities to whump these characters!!

[whumpbug]

OOH OKAY LAST ONE. I want to know what their internet humor would be like. like show me a meme / post / tiktok that would make each of them laugh or smile

THIS ONE IS SO FUNNY. i think for this one i must show the meme itself and offer no explanation. let it say what it will about the person's humor.

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nieven:

hari:

nyla:

zel:

vinny:

ren:

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[whumpbug]

Question for the Scarab Crew :D

How does each character act as A) a whumpee and B) a caretaker?

What's their pain response? Their fight or flight? How do they react to the idea that they need to be cared for? Are they fussy about it? Compliant?

How do they go about soothing another character? What's their experience in the area? What's their most common gesture of affection or comfort (making someone a warm beverage, putting their hand on their arm or shoulder, words of encouragement, etc)? Are they sweet and reassuring, or more of a tough love type? Or are they just a stressed awkward disaster

HI ANON!! this is another great question!! gonna answer all of them with each character at a time because it feels Right

hope you enjoy!!! HUGE shoutout to @lemlem21 for helping out SO much with these answers. lem is basically the scarabs' co-author atp

very long post incoming i apologize in advance

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nieven:

as a whumpee: nieven hates being vulnerable. he's the captain, the leader, and the protector. how is he supposed to be those things if he's hurt? he's a bit grumpy and closed off when he's hurt, though, don't worry. he will get his time as a whumpee. TRUST me.

as a caretaker: in lem's words, he is Worried Dad™ his way of showing care is just being there. he sits at the bedside of whoever is ill with such diligence. he's a calming presence.

pain response: nieven can take pain like a CHAMP, except when it's anything to do with his horns. his horns are RIDDLED with nerve cells and pain receptors because they are an extension of his central nervous system. truly not a fun time.

fight or flight: fight. 100%. he's already lost his family once, he doesn't plan on it again. he will fight, even if it is at the expense of himself.

being cared for: similar to being a whumpee, he doesn't like the idea of the people he's supposed to be leading doting on him. it just puts a bad taste in his mouth.

soothing: nieven's only experience in soothing people has been his own child (that passed during the attack that killed his family), so he's very much a physical touch soother. he'll rub their back or shoulder or caress their hair, little things like that

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hari:

as a whumpee: hari is kind of unserious. when it comes to being a whumpee. he's so used to being a whumpee because of his health issues that he just kinda jokes about it because what else is there to do?

as a caretaker: he's unserious but in a different way. he tries to make whumpee laugh to take their mind off of how they're feeling (when it's appropriate of course) and he also will sometimes make self depreciating jokes to lighten the mood

pain response: hari is used to pain. he can hide his chronic pain, or allergies, or anything like that with ease because he's been doing so all his life. that being said, inflicted pain makes him flinch like crazy. hes kinda a baby about it.

fight or flight: flight. he's a medic and an engineer, without him the team is kind of screwed. best to get as far away from the situation as possible

being cared for: he fusses a little bit. he gets frustrated because yes, he knows he'd "fragile." that doesn't mean he's a child. he hates being treated like one.

soothing: he's gentle and sweet. he will do his best to lighten the mood, but if that's not possible, he just whispers reassurances and does his best to use his medical knowledge to make the person as comfy as possible!

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nyla: (going to answer the chronic pain question with this one too. short answer, yes she has chronic nerve pain in her wings)

as a whumpee: she doesn't try to make a big deal of it, but she won't outright refuse care unless it's specifically her wings. for normal ailments, she'll fuss a tiny but but ultimately relent. for her wings, she isolates completely. she doesn't want anyone seeing the source of her shame.

as a caretaker: she is very doting and sweet! she's kind of nuturing in a way and shows her love through food. she'll cook the favorite food of whoever's hurt and sit with them and braid their hair and comfort in any way she can!

pain response: if it's something surface or typical, like a headache or soreness or a broken bone, she'll complain and seek out comfort. if it's something to do with her chronic pain, she locks herself up in her room so no one sees her in such a state. she usually cries.

fight or flight: flight (no pun intended). she's always the first to the ship so that she can pick up the others and they can make a run for it

being cared for: again, if its for something simple, she'll let herself be taken care of if the team insists. if it's a pain flare-up, she gets very pissy when people approach her but its because she's hurting so bad

soothing: like i mentioned before, she loves to cook for others! she has a little notebook of everyone's favorite foods so she can make it for them on special occasions!

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zel:

as a whumpee: don't be surprised if someone gets bitten. she is pushing people away with every ounce of strength she has left. in her culture, if you need help patching yourself up, it is HUMILIATING. she is Not a fun patient.

as a caretaker: very very much tough love. she's not naturally very caring and soft, so she gets a little awkward, and that awkwardness defaults to aggression. she means well, though and truly believes her approach will help whoever's down.

pain response: no reaction, unless it is a severe injury. if she can't help a wince or grimace, she quickly schools her face back to normal because that is what she was trained to do. she was trained to withstand and endure.

fight or flight: don't think it needs to be said for her but fight. her first move is to fight until she thinks there needs to be a tactical retreat, but even then she'll fight all up until everyone's safe.

being cared for: nope. don't touch her. she gets very pissy when people start to look at her with pitiful looks because no, she's not weak, she could take all of the crew members in a fight and win and she does Not need people fussing over her.

soothing: again, she's hopelessly awkward. her method of soothing is the silent reassurance that anyone who tries to bother whoever is upset or hurt is getting stabbed. shes protective like that.

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vinny:

as a whumpee: usually doesn't outright refuse. they try to assure caretaker that they can handle it themself, because they want to be seen as independent. they want to meet everyone's expectations. they don't want to show how much they really enjoy being doted on.

as a caretaker: a bit awkward but very well meaning! often distracts whoever they're taking care of with fun facts and trivia because that's all they really know to do. they're dilligent and willing to get any food or blankets or anything the person needs.

pain response: hisses, flinches, pants, and backs away. very cat-coded. they don't handle pain very well, and tend to kind of close up when in it.

fight or flight: freeze. vinnie startles and just freezes and their mind goes a bit blank. they're a scribe, they don't see too much action in the field, so when they do they have no idea what to do.

being cared for: yes please i mean they hate it. duhhh. they're not a child, they don't need anyone to look after them of course. they can handle it. you don't have to stay by their bedside, they're fine. obviously.

soothing: like nieven, their soothing is done in mostly a protective way. they'll sit by the person's bedside with the guise of telling them random facts, but really they just want to make sure they're alright.

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ren:

as a whumpee: scared. scared and confused and ready to run away at a moment's notice because being hurt means he's vulnerable and he can't be vulnerable again. he can't go back.

as a caretaker: disastrous. usually, the person hurt has to end up comforting him a bit (with the exception of when he's using his healing abilities). he has no idea how to take care of people beyond using his abilities.

pain response: he tries to be strong, but cmon. he's little. he cries and weeps and sobs. then scampers away from whatever was hurting him and goes into panic mode

fight or flight: flight flight flight. flight and HIDE. make himself as tiny as possible and as unseen as possible and maybe the threat will go away.

being cared for: he's very weary of being cared for. he's half-convinced that when people care for him, it's for some ulterior motive and his instincts won't let him let his guard down. he's always on edge.

soothing: again, very skittish and awkward. he usually takes to sitting with the person and waiting patiently and anxiously until they need something. he's VERY dilligent in that sense. he just needs something to do.

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HOPE THIS ANSWERED YOUR QUESTIONS ANON!! THIS WAS FUN AND THANK YOU AGAIN LEM U ARE AWESOME!!

[whumpbug]

OKAY OKAY THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT. How would each of your new sillies text. all caps? kaomojis? walls of text? would anyone be a triple texter?

THIS ONE IS SO FUN AND SO SILLY. going to provide a tiny example for each!!!!!!! YIPPEE!!!!

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nieven: this guy texts like he's still sending things through messanger Spigeon (space pigeon). he texts in like. email format. like its a letter.

"Good Evening Nylathrania,

I am messaging because I noticed the third restroom (the one just to the right of the hangar bay and to the left of the storage closet) has run out of paper and there was none in the cupboard. I was wondering if you'd put it on the list for the next port stop so that this matter may be resolved quickly. Thank you.

Best wishes, Captain Nieven Alaric."

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hari: he's more casual about it... maybe too casual. typos galore. he's the triple texter. he spams people phones because he breaks up his thoughts into each message (me too...)

"yo vinmy do you have that book for that1 planet"

"the one with the green n trees n shit"

"yknow"

"with the pink flowrs"

"the ones i wad allergic to"

"hello"

"helloooo"

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nyla: she is your kaomoji user. she texts so cutesy and compared to the rest of them its so funny and out of place. she is so cute. she just has fun decorating her messages

"guysss dinner in 20 minutes o(>ω<)o i made earth ice cream for desert!!!!!!!!"

"wait... sorry hari forgot you can't have that ueueue (っ´ω`)ﾉ(╥ω╥)"

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zel: SHE TEXTS OMINOUS AS HELL. HER TEXTS ARE SO WEIRD AND CREEPY. NO ONE KNOWS WHAT SHE MEANS SHE JUST SAYS STUFF AND BOLDS RANDOM WORDS ITS SO SCARY.

"Nyla. Be alert."

"Hari... Trust that you will have the day you deserve."

"Where is everyone..."

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vinny: they send BRICKS. of text at a time. they text like they talk and they can YAP. its worse because there's hardly any puncuation or line breaks when they message so its just. hell.

"okay guys so we're gonna land on this new planet soon ive been looking at some of the readings and it looks like the planet might be cold ill be fine. but make sure you all bring extra layers because last time you were all complaining even though i gave you ample warnings so make sure you pack that also. make sure no one has any weapons looking at you zel because we won't be let in if we have any i was translating the radio waves, which seems to be their main form of communication to outsider. it says that we shouldnt be armed in any way. it may be suspicious but its better than risking an entire planet to war against us. any weapon bigger than a normal pair of scissors (5") is strictly prohibited looking at all of you (zel) to make sure you empty your pockets. check all your packed clothes and bags as well. daggers are also prohobited. make sure you bring extra layers once again we dont need any of you getting forstbite"

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ren: baby boy isn't the most literate because of his upbringing so nyla and vinny showed him emojis and his life has been changed ever since. he hardly EVER uses words in his texts.

nyla: hi ren!! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ i'm making dinner, do you want anything specific?? ^^

ren: 🍜 ❓😄 🤔

nyla: okay! noodles it is!!!! (b ᵔ▽ᵔ)b

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AUGHGHG THEY ARE SO SILLY THIS WAS SUCH A FUN QUESTION THANK YOU!!!

[whumpbug]

Does Zel ever cry?

short answer: ...sometimes.

long answer: zel grew up in a culture where any show of weakness was punished heavily.

cw: mentions of abuse and child abuse

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at the ripe age of 6 or 7, she was constantly made to fight against people she considered family, namely her siblings. her "training" wasn't any better. she was forced to endure physical torture, mithridatism (building tolerance to poisons), and verbal abuse, all in the name of making her stronger.

growing up, she had many reasons to cry, but she quickly learned that if she did, it didn't end well. and so, she learned not to.

even though she logically knows she's not in that environment anymore, she can't fight the instinct telling her that crying means more pain. she does everything in her power to avoid it.

she'd probably only ever cry if she just couldnt help it anymore, in extremely hopeless or dire situations (cough cough hornageddon from here) but even then her tears can come out as violent and aggresive because she just gets so frustrated.

for her to get used to the idea of crying, she first has to get used to the idea of being "weak." she has to get used to the idea that she has nothing to prove anymore. she doesn't have to be the strongest person in the room anymore.

and that will take time. but it is something she learns with the love and patience of the scarabs.

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[whumpbug]

Hi Bug :) question for the Scarabs

What's something all six sillies do for the other five? One considerate thing that they do every once in a while or are perpetually doing to make their friends' lives a little easier

ugh the scarabs being domestic together is my everything this question is SO cute

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nieven:

nieven is very dilligent in checking up on the crew. after every mission or even just randomly throughout the day, he'll peek his head into their room and see how they're feeling and maybe bring them a cup of tea. it also brings him comfort to see that everyone is alive and well bc Trauma.

hari:

he makes sure the crew's gear is always up to date and functioning, as well as the ship's mechanics too. whether its making sure the heating/ac is working for vinny and ren or that the kitchen is working for nyla, etc. he makes sure everyone has what they need. also, his humor! he knows what to say to make people laugh at the right time.

nyla:

this one is kind of obvious but she cooks for the crew!! she has a little note book of everyone's favorite dishes and preferences and allergies (hari's is several pages long.) and if someone requests something she isn't quite sure how to make, she researches it until she get's it right! her love language is defintely food.

zel:

she sometimes holds combat classes and does her best to teach the crew at least how to defend themselves. she also makes sure they each have a weapon that fits their personalitity and teaches them how to use it. this is her own little way of protecting them when she can't physically be there.

vinny:

they research points of interest for each of the crew members before they touch down on a new planet!! they make sure they research the climate (them and ren), culture around violence (zel), technological advancement (hari), and cuisine (neevi and nyla). they try to give the crew any important heads-ups based on their specific needs!

ren:

for ren, it's obviously his healing abilities. even though he doesn't really enjoy using them, he does it for the team. he'd do practically anything for them. he makes himself useful in every way he knows how and will do anything to make all of their lives a bit easier.

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[whumpbug]

What do the Scarabs call Nieven? Captain? Captain Alaric? Cap'n?? Sir??? Just his first name?????? I must know

SPEED ROUND RESPONSE WOO!!!

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hari: captain, nieven, or neevi when he's being cheeky

nyla: cap or cap'n

zel: captain alaric or just alaric

vinny: captain (or dad sometimes. accidentally.)

ren: sir or mister (but with undertones of dad. if that makes sense.)

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THE SILLIES!! totally gonna use this as reference when i write them YAYY THANK YOU ANON!!

[whumpbug]

Very curious about the Scarab Crew and enthusiastic to know more about them!! Seriously I love all six of them so so much already

Some things I'm curious about

What are each of their stress responses / coping mechanisms? Like when they're having big feelings what do they do to cool off or how do they go about hiding it if that's more their jam

What are your FAVORITE platonic or familial relationships on the crew and why

What are some foods that exist in this sci-fi world and what are the taste preferences and favorite dish of all the members of the crew? (Something from their home planet? Something often served at space stations? A treat they have on board every once in a while?)

I know a few of these are probably loaded questions so it's cool if it takes you a while to answer or you don't have time or something. I am Very excited for future content regardless

ANON!! this is a great question and so so good for their development THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

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stress responses:

nieven:

nieven's coping mechanism to trauma is removal and isolation. when tensions rise in the ship, or he's feeling overwhelmed, he retreats to his quarters and stays there until he can clear his head. he'll usually get some work done or some cleaning done, but he just generally wants to be Away from the others. he doesn't want to be seen when hes like that because what if they think him a weak leader?

hari:

hari's stress response is... odd. he laughs. he laughs it off or elects to ignore it because that is easier than facing it head on. he chooses to make light of his own bad situations because that also makes it easier for everyone else to deal with. if a situation arises where he can't laugh it off, he locks himself in his room and breaks down. he shows no one.

nyla:

sweet girl. she is very confrontational if something is wrong and she has no problems sharing how she feels on a surface level. if someone pissed her off? she's telling them. if something is stressing her out? she airs it out and vents to anyone who'll listen. but when it comes to her deep inner struggles? her insecurities? she keeps those close to her chest. she can't let anyone use them against her.

zel:

answer is simple. she punches. as soon as she feels a flicker of frustration, she heads to the training room on the ship and starts beating the ever-loking crap out of the dummies. she punches and kicks and tackles until her muscles are aching and her fists are raw and bloodies but at least she can breathe again. at least the pain in her chest isn't from emotion and is from something productive.

vinny:

when they're stressed, they retreat to their room to study. studying gives them something to focus on other than whatever theyre feeling and they also enjoy feeling productive and useful. they can't let the others think that they need them. they can't be perceived as weak or childish. they have to be independent.

ren:

oh baby boy. his defense mechanism to almost anything that stressed him or makes him upset is hide. he finds the nearest cupboard and curls into a ball with his knees to his chest and makes himself as small as possible. maybe if he takes up less space, he'll be less of a problem. (the crew spends a good 20 minutes looking for him everytime he does this, only nieven can coax him out)

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my favorite platonic relationship at the moment is either nieven and vinny or vinny and ren!!!

nieven and vinny are everything to me. they are exactly what they each needed. nieven lost his family in an awful accident-- he has so much love and grief and he's too emotionally constipated to know what to do with it and then you have this teenager who is so touch and affection starved who emotionally lost their parents at 14 because they were supposed to be fine on their own and they're not and UGH. im so normal about these two.

and vinny with ren.... my goodness. these two are THE SIBLINGS EVER. vinny dotes on ren so much. they love him with their whole heart. nieven makes ren feel safe, sure, but vinny is who starts to bring out ren's real personality out. they help him to just feel like a kid again, and in turn become in touch with their own inner child and its jsut. UGH they're so good for eachother.

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food / treats on board?

i'm just going to list some common foods (or at least the space equivalent) they have stocked and who eats them!! hope this answers your question!!

fruit ice pops: ren and vinny

space version of korean ice cream in fish-shaped waffle: ren!!!

not food but cigarettes: nieven is a chain smoker i fear. (spigarettes, if you will. that's another of his coping mechanisms)

huelxcan beans and rice: everyone except nieven. this man can not handle spice. he disintegrates.

pani puri: hari!! and the rest of the crew! (except nieven if they make it spicy.)

this is just a few! i'm sure more will come up in future fics!!!

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thank you for the question anon!!!! i love love love developing the scarabs they mean everything to me YAYYY!!!

[whumpbug]

QUESTION ABOUT YOUR WONDERFUL NEW OCS!!!

What is Ren's relationship like with each of the other five?

WONDERFUL QUESTION!!!!

so ren technically isn't with the crew yet and i plan to write that fic soon because. i feel it's kinda important. BUT here is what their prospective relationships look like!!

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with nieven:

that is straight up his father. ren is the closest to nieven right off the bat because nieven is the one that is initially gentle and sweet to him (much to the rest of the scarabs' surprise). ren trusts nieven the most and is honestly a bit clingy with him once he's more comfy (ren running into a meeting room and burying his face into nieven's jacket to block out the light is a common occurence)

with hari:

ren is a little weary of hari for no apparent reason. everyone's best guess is that hari was the one who treated ren's initial wounds (since ren refused to show his abilities until a little later) and. well. tending to wounds Hurts. ren takes a little longer to warm up to hari but eventually sees him as a very safe person

with nyla:

nyla is The Big sister ever. she is sweet and nurturing and i think because of her past, she understands what its like to feel out of place so she makes a real effort to make ren comfy and happy. she loves clothes shopping with him and brushing his hair and making him new snacks to try since he was living off scraps for a while

with zel:

oh boy. zel is. interesting. she is Not good with kids. no maternal instinct exists in her whatsoever. at first, she's honestly kind of mean to ren and ren is terrified of her. but... after a bit, she starts to become fiercely protective of him. she sees him as someone weaker and for once she doesn't feel the need to show off her strength or anything like that. she will Demolish anyone who lays hands on him. it's a process.

vinny:

THE BIG SIBLING EVER!!!! vinny is the person ren trusts the second most. he LOVES vinny. they are the first one to bring out the more sneaky childish side of ren by including him in their silly little pranks. vinny gets ren to bully hari with them. they are so sweet together. vinny wraps their tail around ren protectively when they're together. sorry i dont make the rules.

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YAYYY THANK YOU FOR THIS QUESTION!!! ren is so special to me he is The Baby and i LOVE him!!!!!

[whumpbug]

HI. ONE QUESTION. VERY QUICK AND IMMEDIATE (i will have more but i must know.)

pick one (1) word for each of the six of them that represents who they are. it can be an emotion, an object, anything.

SCIFI WHUMP MY BELOVED BUG

HI SETH!!! so this was neither quick nor immediate. NOT YOUR FAULT simply became and lem have Too Many thoughts. UGH such a good question seth your MIND

some are objects, some are words, some are concepts! you get a healthy mix of all!

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nieven: a lighthouse

lighthouses are often looks to for guidance while being isolated themselves with no other buildings around. just the cliffside and ocean. they live to serve and protect others, but who is looking after them? who will guide them home?

hari: contradiction

hari is a walking contradiction. he is a medic but has the most fragile constitution out of all of them. he's in a position that is supposed to pay well, but grew up in poverty. loud, but quiet about his ailments. no one seem to be able to figure him out

nyla: persistence

nyla has persisted through her disability, through losing her family, through being seen as some bad omen. she persists to become a great pilot because she believes if she persists, she will be loved again, if not by her people than by herself.

zel: coffee

coffee can mean endurance and boy has zel endured. she has endured horrific training in her home planet. she has endured having to nearly kill people she loves. now, she endures a new environment. she was made to endure, but will she be able to endure this?

vinny: a dictionary

people only ever reach for a dictionary when they need something specific, and put it down when it no longer serves a purpose. that is how vinny sees themself. something to dispense information or provide a service and be discarded shortly after.

ren: agnosthesia

(a state of state of not knowing how you feel about something) ren was thrust into this completely unfamilar environment and he is conflicted. he wants to accept the comfort and safety, but he's always on such high alert. he doesn't know what to think.

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THANK YOU SETH!! i hope this was coherent. SUCH a fun question!!!!

[whumpbug]

No spoilers of course but I am so curious. How are you planning to whump Zel? You mentioned enhanced hearing so is noise sensitivity gonna come into the mix?

HI ANON!! short answer: there are endless oppurtunities. from now on guys assume @lemlem21 helped on like. every answer.

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here are a few potential scenarios with as little spoilers as possible

the scarabs encounter a metropolitan/big city planet. zel is not from a city planet in any regard, her planet is much less industrialized and busy, so imagine how AWFUL it would be. loud sounds, people everywhere, fluorescent lights. sensory hell.

this is emotional whump but. tough love can't solve everything. and zel isn't going to get a pass for everything she does just because of her upbringing. she WILL hurt someone one day and she will have to face that fact.

being the main fighter means she often gets put on the front lines of conflict. she is bound to get severely injured at some point, and with her Method of handling things, she'd probably hide away to lick her own wounds. the crew is in for a surprise when they find her collapsed on the floor of the bathroom.

she does have 4 arms and that opens the door for all kinds of whumpy scenarios... first off, 2 extra arms to break and 2 extra wrists to sprain etc etc but also. imagine her having to adjust to using 3 for a while after a particularly rough break. the inherent weakness and vulnerablility she feels AGH.

another emotional whump one but remember she is the conflict strategist. if someone gets hurt from a battle tactic gone wrong, thats on her and she has to deal with the consequences of that.

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i'm so normal about her can you tell. AUGHGHGH i love her and im so excited to develop her further THANK YOU ANON!!!

[whumpbug]

So are Nyla and Zel like,,, sapphic

PERHAPS..... (yes. yes they are.)

but i feel it worth mentioning that it takes a Minute to get there. like i said, zel is abrasive and kind of asshole-ish, and nyla isn't the type to take that from anyone. very much rivals to lovers.

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EEE hi anon im so glad you're asking questions this is so fun YAYY