#Flare System Design

[recursive360]

(via GIPHY)

[nasa]

5 Unpredictable Things Swift Has Studied (and 1 It’s Still Looking For)

Our Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory — Swift for short — is celebrating its 20th anniversary! The satellite studies cosmic objects and events using visible, ultraviolet, X-ray, and gamma-ray light. Swift plays a key role in our efforts to observe our ever-changing universe. Here are a few cosmic surprises Swift has caught over the years — plus one scientists hope to see.

#BOAT

Swift was designed to detect and study gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe. These bursts occur all over the sky without warning, with about one a day detected on average. They also usually last less than a minute – sometimes less than a few seconds – so you need a telescope like Swift that can quickly spot and precisely locate these new events.

In the fall of 2022, for example, Swift helped study a gamma-ray burst nicknamed the BOAT, or brightest of all time. The image above depicts X-rays Swift detected for 12 days after the initial flash. Dust in our galaxy scattered the X-ray light back to us, creating an extraordinary set of expanding rings.

Star meets black hole

Tidal disruptions happen when an unlucky star strays too close to a black hole. Gravitational forces break the star apart into a stream of gas, as seen above. Some of the gas escapes, but some swings back around the black hole and creates a disk of debris that orbits around it.

These events are rare. They only occur once every 10,000 to 100,000 years in a galaxy the size of our Milky Way. Astronomers can’t predict when or where they’ll pop up, but Swift’s quick reflexes have helped it observe several tidal disruption events in other galaxies over its 20-year career.

Active galaxies

Usually, we think of galaxies – and most other things in the universe – as changing so slowly that we can’t see the changes. But about 10% of the universe’s galaxies are active, which means their black hole-powered centers are very bright and have a lot going on. They can produce high-speed particle jets or flares of light. Sometimes scientists can catch and watch these real-time changes.

For example, for several years starting in 2018, Swift and other telescopes observed changes in a galaxy’s X-ray and ultraviolet light that led them to think the galaxy’s magnetic field had flipped 180 degrees.

Magnetic star remnants

Magnetars are a type of neutron star, a very dense leftover of a massive star that exploded in a supernova. Magnetars have the strongest magnetic fields we know of — up to 10 trillion times more intense than a refrigerator magnet and a thousand times stronger than a typical neutron star’s.

Occasionally, magnetars experience outbursts related to sudden changes in their magnetic fields that can last for months or even years. Swift detected such an outburst from a magnetar in 2020. The satellite’s X-ray observations helped scientists determine that the city-sized object was rotating once every 10.4 seconds.

Comets

Swift has also studied comets in our own solar system. Comets are town-sized snowballs of frozen gases, rock, and dust. When one gets close to our Sun, it heats up and spews dust and gases into a giant glowing halo.

In 2019, Swift watched a comet called 2I/Borisov. Using ultraviolet light, scientists calculated that Borisov lost enough water to fill 92 Olympic-size swimming pools! (Another interesting fact about Borisov: Astronomers think it came from outside our solar system.)

What's next for Swift?

Swift has studied a lot of cool events and objects over its two decades, but there are still a few events scientists are hoping it’ll see.

Swift is an important part of a new era of astrophysics called multimessenger astronomy, which is where scientists use light, particles, and space-time ripples called gravitational waves to study different aspects of cosmic events.

In 2017, Swift and other observatories detected light and gravitational waves from the same event, a gamma-ray burst, for the first time. But what astronomers really want is to detect all three messengers from the same event.

As Swift enters its 20th year, it’ll keep watching the ever-changing sky.

Keep up with Swift through NASA Universe on X, Facebook, and Instagram. And make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[sunni-stuff]

People are judgmental. Some think they aren't, others don't mean to be, and then there are those who do it on purpose and simply don't care.

Parents are guilty of this.

Parents who pay you to teach their kids do this.

But the worst offenders?

Wives. 

Particularly those with too much free time—gossiping Gertrude's who'd rather nitpick and judge than deal with the boredom of daytime TV and their kids screaming in the background. You’ve dealt with a handful before—a crack in the system that always rippled right under your skin whenever one of those vultures threw out a backhanded compliment.  

“You’re so patient with the kids. I could never do what you do—how do you even manage?”  

“Must be nice having all that time off during the summer. A little vacation every year, huh?”  

“Teaching must be so rewarding. Though I imagine it’s not really about the money, is it?”  

Each one, a subtle dig disguised as flattery, like they couldn’t help but twist the knife just a little deeper. 

If there was one thing you’d learned about this job, it was to always kill them with kindness. The rumor mill among parents was ruthless, and the wrong rumor could ripple out and jeopardize your career. So, you’d mastered the art of the polite smile, the well-timed thank you, and the effortless small talk. It was a strategy that had served you well, keeping any overly curious mothers at bay.

Still, these women were relentless. They circled like hawks, always looking for an opening to pry into your life or make veiled comments about your parenting. You’d never given them the satisfaction of slipping up—until the day you almost did.

The sun was setting, the air brisk and tinged with the promise of winter as parents gathered their children. Little voices chattered away as teachers handed over day charts, neatly summarizing each child’s activities. Standing at the cubbies, you were bundling up Adira. Her small frame was snug in her sweater, jacket zipped up to her chin, and scarf tucked securely around her neck. She fidgeted as you worked, barely able to stay still with how much excitement bubbled in her tiny frame.

Her voice was high-pitched and animated as she launched into a story, her words tumbling over each other in her eagerness to share. “Messy man said, we play trains when he comes back!” she chirped, her dark eyes wide with delight.

You paused, your fingers lingering on the last button of her jacket. A soft smile tugged at your lips as you straightened her scarf. “Oh, did he now?”

Adira nodded vigorously, her curls bouncing. “Yep! He said, “Adira, we make the best train track ever!” Her imitation of Simon’s deep voice was laughably exaggerated, and you couldn’t help but chuckle.” We gonna play with the biiig track!” She spread her arms wide for emphasis, nearly toppling over from the effort.

The mention of Simon was enough to draw some attention from the other parents nearby. You could feel their eyes darting your way, their curiosity almost palpable. Simon’s occasional appearances to pick up Adira hadn’t gone unnoticed, and the whispers had already started. Who was this tall, broad man with a thick accent? Was he Adira’s father? A boyfriend? The air was thick with silent speculation.

Ignoring the countless eyes and ears listening in on your harmless conversation, you assured Adira. “Well, if messy man promised, he’ll keep it,” Simon had made it clear that he intended to be a constant presence in Adira’s life, and so far, he’d stuck to his word.

As you stood and picked up her small bag, a sharp voice interrupted the moment.

"Well, aren’t you just the picture-perfect little family?”

Your polite smile returned instantly, masking the irritation that flared at the condescending tone. Turning, you saw one of the daycare moms—Linda, if you remembered correctly—standing there with her perfectly manicured nails wrapped around her designer purse. Her son trailed behind her, nose buried in a tablet.

“Evening, Linda,” you said evenly, keeping your tone light. “How’s Ethan doing?

She waved a dismissive hand, her eyes already scanning Adira with that overly curious gaze that made your skin crawl. “Oh, he’s fine. But I couldn’t help overhearing... this ‘Messy man’ your little one mentioned. Is he... new in your life?”

Ah, there it was—the opening she was fishing for. 

Adira, oblivious to the undercurrents of adult conversation, grinned up at Linda uncharacteristically, the joy she felt for Simon completely expunging her normal glaring behavior. “Messy man makes pancakes! But they go splat!” She threw her hands out dramatically, mimicking the chaos Simon often caused in the kitchen.

Goddammit, poor Adira revealed too much to the wrong person, and you could already see the cogs turning in Linda's head. Forcing a chuckle, you reached for Adira’s hand. “Messy man is her nickname for Simon, her dad. He’s stationed overseas, so she gets pretty excited when he’s home.”

Linda’s perfectly arched eyebrow lifted slightly, clearly surprised. “Oh, I see. Military man, huh? I suppose that explains why we’ve never seen him around.”

You gave Linda your most neutral expression, taking notice of the other moms matching from behind her. “He’s been busy, but he’s doing his best to be here when he can.”

"Oh, I see. I simply would've never guessed you were married. You never wear a ring," Linda remarked, her tone dripping with subtle judgment.

You knew what she was doing. It was a carefully laid trap, baited to catch you in a corner. If you rebuffed her comment, if you made a scene, it would only give her more ammunition to spread rumors. These women didn’t care for nuances; they thrived on gossip, and the topic of marriage—or rather, the lack of a visible wedding ring—would be a field day for them. They’d ride that horse straight to hell, and you'd be left cleaning up the mess.

With the growing number of parents in earshot, you understood that this wasn’t just a comment; it was a test. You had to choose your words carefully. It wasn’t just about keeping things smooth in the moment—it was about protecting your future.

You gave a small, practiced smile, maintaining your composure as you slipped Adira’s bag onto your shoulder. “I don’t wear my ring because I work with children. It could get caught in their hair, or worse, I could lose it.” You met her gaze with a calm confidence that bordered on dismissive.

“That’s understandable, dear. We all have kids after all!” Lina laughed, her tone attempting to sound warm and genuine, but it was too polished, too forced. The laughter rang hollow, like a poorly executed attempt to mask her true intentions. “Does this mean we’ll finally get to meet him at the fundraiser this weekend? We’ve all been here for so long, and not a single glimpse of your beloved other half. Right, ladies?”

Her words floated in the air, sharp with insinuation. The smile she wore was one of practiced sweetness, but the glint in her eyes was anything but kind. She knew what she was doing—attempting to pull you further into her web, hoping to get a reaction that would either reveal more or, better yet, give her ammunition to fuel the rumors she clearly wanted to start.

A few of the other women murmured in agreement, their eyes flicking from you to each other, already whispering amongst themselves. They were all waiting for a response, and the pressure began to build in the pit of your stomach.

“Yes, he is.” The words slipped out of your mouth before you could even process them, your own response surprising you as much as it did the group of wives surrounding you. You felt a jolt in your chest, your heart picking up pace as the reality of what you had just said began to sink in. What the fuck did you just do?

The laughter from Linda faltered for a split second, her eyes narrowing slightly as she processed your words. The others exchanged glances, some of their faces lighting up with an almost predatory curiosity, while others masked their thoughts behind polite smiles. You could almost hear the gears turning in their heads—oh, this was going to be something they could use.

The tension in the air thickened, and you suddenly felt exposed, as if every secret you’d carefully kept tucked away was now dangling on the edge of a cliff. You’d just handed them the perfect piece of gossip, but what would it lead to? Would they use it against you, twist it into something worse? You hadn’t planned for any of this—hell, you hadn't even planned on saying anything at all—but now that it was out there, you had to somehow steer this conversation. 

You had to control the narrative, or risk letting it spiral completely out of your hands. 

Your mind races, trying to formulate a response, but everything seems so loud—your thoughts, the laughter, the eyes watching you. How could you backpedal without it seeming like a lie? How could you walk that fine line between the truth and keeping your personal life hidden?

"Yes, Simon’s coming," you added quickly, trying to steady your breath. "But, you know... he’s not really into the whole fundraiser thing. He’s more of a stay-at-home guy, a bit of a quiet one, really. I’ll be there though, and we’re looking forward to it." You tried to sound casual, but the flicker of doubt in your voice betrayed you. 

The women around you didn’t miss a beat, though. The moment had been set, and now it was only a matter of what they would do with the information. 

“Well, I look forward to seeing you.” Lina’s voice was dripping with a false sweetness, and you could feel the weight of her gaze as she gave you one last look. Her eyes lingered a bit longer than necessary, as if trying to peel back layers, searching for some crack to exploit. Then, with a nod, she steered Ethan away, her entourage of women following closely behind, their chatter rising in the air like a distant murmur. The click of their heels echoed as they disappeared down the hall, leaving you standing there, frozen in place.

"And so, that's what happened," you finished, your voice trailing off as you leaned against the kitchen counter, trying to gauge Simon's reaction.

Simon blinked up at you from where he was sitting on the floor, his focus still mostly on Adira, who was happily arranging her toy train with her blocks, making a makeshift kingdom. He didn’t seem phased, just a little confused. "You want me to pretend to be your husband?"

The question hung in the air for a moment before he let out a chuckle, shaking his head slightly, his eyes filled with that familiar warmth. "Out of all the things I've done in my life, this has to be the funniest, love.”

You blinked, momentarily thrown by the unexpected nickname. It felt oddly intimate, a shift in the dynamic between you and Simon that you hadn’t anticipated. Love. It wasn't what you'd expected to hear from him, not in this context, not when everything felt so messy and uncertain. But there it was, slipping out so naturally from him, like he'd always called you that, like he'd been in your life much longer than he really had.

Your heart skipped a beat, the sound of Adira’s laughter in the background making the moment feel surreal. It should have been funny—this whole situation, with you essentially asking Simon to pretend to be your husband for the sake of those gossiping women. But instead, you felt something else, something soft and unfamiliar tightening in your chest.

“Did you just call me that?” You couldn't help but ask, your voice a little quieter than you intended.

Simon paused, his playful smile faltering for a second as he caught the look on your face. “I—yeah, I guess I did,” he replied, his tone a touch more uncertain now. He glanced down at Adira, who was happily stacking blocks at his feet, then back to you. “It was just a slip of the tongue. Didn’t mean anything weird by it.”

“I’m not exactly husband material, you know,” he added lightly, his voice teasing. “I’m more of a... messy man.”

You chuckled at that, shaking your head. "A messy man, huh?"

He nodded, grinning. “Yeah, but I’m good at it. Just ask Adira.”

Adira, hearing her name, immediately let out a squeal of approval. “Messy man!” she giggled, throwing a block in Simon’s direction, her tiny hand pointing at him with delight.

"So, what's the plan here then?" That easy grin back on his face, his eyes still dancing with humor, but there was something underneath it—something you couldn’t quite place. “You want me to just walk into a room and act like we’re a picture-perfect couple?”

The way he said it made you laugh a little, though there was a slight edge of uncertainty to it. You found yourself shifting uncomfortably, knowing you had no real plan for what came next. It wasn’t like you had a relationship with Simon beyond the occasional dinner and time spent with Adira, and yet, here you were, asking him to play a role in your life, one that might end up blurring lines you didn’t fully understand.

“Well, you don’t have to pretend, exactly,” you said, running a hand through your hair, suddenly feeling all the weight of the day settling in. “I just... I just need you to be there. You know, to back me up, to—” You paused, glancing over at Simon again. “I guess I just don’t want them thinking I’m alone in all of this. It’s bad enough that has already started.”

Simon’s gaze softened as he leaned back in his seat, watching you with a quiet understanding. "You're not alone in this," he said, his voice steady. “And I’m here. You don’t need a ring or a title for that.”

The sincerity in his tone made your chest tighten again, but this time it was different. His words weren’t a joke or a half-hearted attempt to make you feel better—they were real. He was offering something more than just pretending for the sake of others. He was offering his presence, his support.

For a moment, you forgot about everything else. The plans, the expectations, the pressure. Instead, all that mattered was Simon sitting across from you, smiling at you like you weren't asking for something too much, like it wasn’t strange to think of him in your life like this.

“Thank you,” you murmured. "Really."

He gave a small nod, then grinned, shifting his attention back to Adira, who had managed to get half the blocks stacked to an impressive height. “It’s nothing. Besides, I think Adira’s got the best part of this deal anyway.”

You glanced over at your daughter, who was watching both of you with wide eyes, a smile tugging at her lips. Adira was your source of strength, a beacon that pushed you forward, her smile alone gave you determination.  “Alright, let’s figure out what married people do.”

"I know just who to call." Simon reached for his phone, the battered thing covered in scratches, an old case and sporting a broken screen from a hazardous drop. Upon seeing it, the first thought running through your head was, how the fuck was it still usable?

Price’s living room radiated warmth and history, a perfect mix of domestic coziness and military precision. The centerpiece was a sturdy stone fireplace, its mantle adorned with framed photos of Price and his wife, Melanie. In some, they stood arm in arm at scenic locations; in others, Price was in uniform, the edges of his cap sharp against the backdrop of distant skies. Above the fireplace hung a shadow box displaying medals and insignias, each one polished to a shine, speaking volumes about his service.

Bookshelves lined the walls, filled with everything from military strategy texts to well-worn novels. On one shelf sat a small globe and a model of a Spitfire plane, a nod to his admiration for history. A comfortable, overstuffed armchair, complete with a folded tartan blanket, sat near the fire. The coffee table bore faint scratches, evidence of years of use, and atop it lay an open newspaper, a mug of tea, and a small dish of biscuits.

You sat stiffly on the plush sofa, feeling distinctly out of place amidst this blend of home and honor. The ticking of a grandfather clock in the corner filled the silence as you watched Simon talk to Price in the adjoining kitchen. Occasionally, their eyes flicked toward you, and you pretended not to notice, your gaze wandering instead to a black-and-white photo of a younger Price standing with a group of soldiers, all grinning ear to ear.

The awkwardness of the situation weighed on you like a heavy blanket. This wasn’t exactly how you envisioned your day—asking Price, of all people, to help stage your fake relationship. But you were in too deep now to back out.

In the kitchen, Price rubbed his hand over his mouth, barely concealing the grin that tugged at his lips. A low chuckle escaped as he grabbed a cup of coffee, shaking his head at Simon, who stood across from him, arms folded, his expression far more serious than the moment warranted.

“You want me and Mel to help you two seem like a couple? That right?” Price’s voice carried an unmistakable note of amusement, his words tinged with disbelief.

Simon shifted his weight, rolling his shoulders back, clearly trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. "Yes, that’s the gist of it."

Price’s laughter broke free, a warm, hearty sound that echoed off the kitchen tiles. “Bloody hell, Simon. You’ve seen action all over the world, but this—this is what’s got you nervous?” He clapped a hand on Simon’s shoulder, his grin wide enough to light the room. “You’re in for a treat, mate. Melanie’s going to love this.”

From your seat, you caught Price’s amused glance, and you couldn’t help the way your face heated. This was going to be a long evening.

Price, still chuckling, crossed the room to the wide bay window, pushing it open with ease. The crisp evening air drifted in, carrying with it the scent of freshly cut grass and the faint hum of distant crickets. He leaned out slightly, cupping his hands around his mouth.

“Mel! Come on inside, love. You’ve got to hear this one,” he called, his voice carrying easily over the quiet of their backyard.

From where you sat, you caught a glimpse of Melanie in the garden. She was tending to a neat row of vibrant flowers, her hands gloved and a straw hat perched on her head. At the sound of Price’s voice, she straightened up, brushing dirt off her knees with a curious look on her face.

“Be right there!” she replied, her voice warm and lilting. She removed her gloves, tucking them into her apron pocket as she began making her way toward the house.

Price turned back to Simon, shaking his head in mock disbelief. “You better hope Mel doesn’t laugh you out of the house, mate.”

Simon groaned softly, rubbing his temples. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Price.”

Moments later, Melanie stepped into the living room, a radiant smile lighting up her face. She was the epitome of grace, her presence immediately softening the room’s atmosphere. Her gaze shifted between you, Simon, and her husband, her curiosity evident.

“What’s all this about, then?” she asked, removing her hat and setting it on a nearby chair. “You’ve got that mischievous look again, John.”

Price grinned, gesturing toward you and Simon. “These two need a favor, Mel. A big one.”

Melanie’s brows lifted as she looked between the two of you. “Oh? Do tell.”

Simon, looking equal parts determined and mortified, cleared his throat. “We... need help convincing a group of nosy parents that we’re married. Long story.”

Melanie’s smile widened as her eyes twinkled with amusement. “Oh, this sounds rich. Go on, I’m listening.”

You shifted in your seat, feeling the warmth of Melanie’s gaze settle on you. Her smile was kind but tinged with unmistakable amusement, and it was clear she was holding back a laugh as she took in your flustered state.

“Well,” you began hesitantly, clasping your hands together in your lap. “It’s a bit of a mess, really. One of the moms at the daycare cornered me, started asking questions about Simon, and… I might’ve let it slip that we’re married. Which we’re not. Obviously.” Your words tumbled out in a rush, and you glanced at Simon for backup. He was rubbing the back of his neck, caught between exasperation and amusement.

Melanie let out a soft laugh and gracefully sat down beside you on the couch. “Ah, I see. And now you need to sell the story before it falls apart. Oh, love, I’ve been in a similar pickle—not quite like this, but close enough.”

“See?” Price chimed in from his armchair, leaning back with an amused grin. “Told you Mel would get a kick out of this.”

Simon shot him a flat look. “Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for, mate.”

Melanie waved a dismissive hand at Price before patting your knee in a reassuring gesture. “Don’t mind him. Now, let’s think this through. If you’re going to convince anyone, you need to act the part. People pick up on the smallest details—how you talk to each other, how comfortable you seem together. If you’re too stiff, they’ll see right through it.”

Simon leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees as he nodded. “Alright, so what do we need to do? We’ve got about a week before the fundraiser, so I’m open to ideas.”

Melanie’s eyes lit up with a mix of mischief and determination. “Perfect. We’ll start with body language—how you interact without saying a word. And then we’ll move on to the conversational stuff. You’ll need to know each other’s habits, quirks, and all those little details married couples just know.”

Price clapped his hands together with mock enthusiasm, a cheeky grin plastered across his face. “Right, then. Let the awkward training sessions begin. This’ll be one for the books.”

You groaned inwardly, glancing between Simon and Melanie. This bizarre charade was only just beginning, and while you couldn’t imagine where it would lead, one thing was clear—you were in for a wild ride.

Happy new years friends! The holidays were a riot and I spent most of it spending time with family instead of writing as I felt kind of burnt out from writing in November, sorry about that but I hope this makes up for it.

-

@midnight-blue-moon-princess @pipedream411 @frogofrg @loonagabs @ghostlythots @vixenshiftsvrs @devoetee @shorty-tolentino @aethelwyneleigh27 @ayesha-eroticax3 @emilia527 @danielle143 @maniacalbooper @awildewit @gifted-aurora @teenagellamaangel @julesjunimos @tacticalgirlboss @midnights-song @suzuki-18 @t3a-bag @latencygirl @krispymagazinepizza-blog @harperdoodle @odettecigno @sockertop @arrozyfrijoles23 @lovelystarfish @my-little-evil-blog @imastorytelleritsondvd @l1lpip @cringeycookies @identity2212 @balletbiscuit @mulletmcghee @maciswack @littleracco0n @oliver-1270 @weemansoap @cryingpages @connorsui @beebeechaos @gluttonybiscuits @strawberrygato @sozainturpal @echo9821 @blinca @illusionistlover @blubearxy @superficialfeelings @new-author3 @xanvasy @oniiloma @bankaixx @evie-199 @notsochillnerd @thatpersonnamedrook @hon3y-cloud @jaguarthecat @reinekoya @apixasflora @a-lovers-card @gloriousloveduck @aetherthetrashpanda @princess-vibes25 @vickykazuya @enfppuff @liliannamae @m0chac0ffee @flamehero-phoenix @bean-cream @realizemandi97 @almostdecadentstarfish @lunamoonbby

[seatoss]

Guess who just picked up Minish Cap? :)

I'm almost at the 3rd dungeon now but needed to momentarily pause my playthrough to get this out of my system. Everything about this game is so darn cute, omygod!! Been seriously sleeping on this little gem. I'd only read the manga before now and that was too long ago. I'd forgotten how funny this pair could be!

Since I adore Jojo's Link designs from her @linkeduniverse AU so much and could not for the life of me get these ideas out of my head, I thought I'd try imagining what her Minish/FSA Link and Ezlo might look like in this world and time-frame. I can't recall if she's doodled this Link's companion before, but hopefully I managed to capture a little bit of her flare here.

[jesuistrestriste]

but android!art wireplay hhnnnnggg im shortcircuiting

cw (18+) : android!art, wireplay, implied corruption, first orgasm/simulated release

android!art asking you for help when his daily diagnostic tests sense that one of his wires has disconnected inside of his chest, opening up his chassis for you to dig your fingers inside and hopefully fix the issue.

and he’s fine with it all; no pain, no discomfort, no intense sensation linked to your touch there—at first.

but then your fingernail catches on the outside of a thick, blue wire close to his thirium pump, and suddenly his back is arching and his eyes are rolling under his lids and he’s gasping raggedly. he grabs onto your wrist, panting and writhing while his LED flickers from blue to red. he looks like a scared puppy, and you immediately notice that his pupils are unusually large beneath his fluttering lashes.

“i.. i’m sorry, i—.. that’s never happened before, i think my systems are just overworked and malfunctioning.. please, continue..”

so you do. you search through the colorful mess of his innards, your fingertips grazing each electrical tendril as you pass them by. it takes several long moments before you find the problem wire, and you’re just about to tell art the good news, but when you look up you find your breath catching in your throat.

he’s artificially flushed all over his face, his hands are gripping the edge of the sofa with white knuckles, and his head is lolling back lazily like he’s lost control of his expertly-engineered musculature.

“art?” you hum, “are you okay?”

he begins to quake, moaning lowly, and you can feel the scorching waves of heat radiating off of him.

he releases his grip on the couch only to readjust it and squeeze harder. you watch his adam’s apple bob as he swallows around a barely-contained whine.

“please, just— just plug it in, i can’t—“ he mewls.

you’ve never heard him sound so out-of-control before, but you want nothing more than to help him feel better. you line up the yellow wire with its designated socket, making note of the way his body jolts when you pinch it between the pads of your digits, and push it forward to click it back into place.

as soon as the connection is restored, art’s eyes are flying open—wide and wild—and then he’s wailing. his hips rush upward and knock your elbow in the process, his legs kicking out and convulsing as he curls in on himself. your own stomach swirls and flips as you take in the sight of his abdomen repeatedly tensing and relaxing in a vicious cycle of what appears to be.. hmm..

it takes a hand on his shoulder and your whispered reassurance for his cognitive capabilities to come back to him, but he can’t resist leaning forward to bury his face in your neck. his hands clutch your back, his breathing heavy and exhausted. his vision flares with pop-ups. “warning: systems overheating” and “warning: coolant levels low”.

“some.. something just happened.. i.. i’m embarrassed, i’m so sorry—please, will you exclude that from your memory? i’m.. i’m so hot inside.. i’m.. i don’t know wh—aah..”

he nuzzles the bridge of his nose into your skin, still holding you tight like he’s afraid you’ll go. you realize that he’s become an entirely different android in the last few minutes. some part of him has sprung loose.

you have to let him cool down for the entire rest of the evening before he’s back to normal, at which point you assume all is well again—only for him to pad sheepishly over to you the next afternoon to announce that another one of his wires has mysteriously slipped out of its port..

what a coincidence.

[rabotimagines]

"Pet names" pt2 GN! BOT Reader + Prowl, Ratchet, Blaster, Bumblebee, Skyfire

Summary: Reader has become partial to using human pet names for everyone.

Warnings: none.

Genre/Theme: Platonic/with hints of crush

G1 characters included: Prowl, Ratchet, Blaster, Bumblebee, Skyfire.

Notes: Cybertronian Reader, Reader is around Ironhides age so older in mind

Pronouns: You, your, yours, them, they

Prowl is trying to get a verbal review of your report while finishing up his own. You've all been busy the past week, so you're walking through the ark hall while conversing. And you finish, so you move to hand him the physical report on the datapad. "Here you go, Pudding."

Prowl full-on stops in place when he hears what you say, fully expecting his audials to be glitching. "What did you just say?"

"Here you go, Pudding." You hold the datapad out, still completely unperturbed by what you'd just done and even more so when having to repeat it. Prowl processor lags- Because you're calling him- human pet names of all things without reason. But he forces his system to straighten out and consider your personality. This stops it from getting worse since this may just be you behaving like... you.

"You know my designation." Prowl settles on stating the fact.

"I do." You stated back, still wordlessly holding the datapad for him to take. Annoyance slowly seeps into Prowls frame at the exchange, and he takes the datapad from you.

Prowl gives you a long calculating look. "Do not do it again." He settled on.

You just shrugged, a small smirk curling on your derma. "Okay later then, Pumpkin." You turn and leave before Prowl comprehends this pet name, which makes his helm snap to your retreating form.

Prowl does not enjoy it. The incessant pet names you'd elected to now refer every autobot with. His wings twitch in annoyance whenever you call him "Pumpkin" or "Pudding" or allspark forbid "Peaches." Optimus fully pauldron shaking laughed the first time you'd called him that one. You humiliating Prowl was not how he wanted Optimus to get his R&R. However, he will tolerate it slightly more when Optimus is in the room. If not to watch you make a fool of Optimus, instead of him. Prowl had attempted to scold you the first time he'd seen you call Optimus "Sweetspark." their leaders' finials had pulled back when you'd done so- Optics brightened. But Optimus informed Prowl that he actually does enjoy the pet names. Prowl doesn't understand even after Oprimus's explanation of the supposed "benefits" of your behavior.

But he does look and watch after that and must conceded that there was- some, however mild, merit to the autobots general mood when you'd use your pet names. It was merely a bother in Prowls system, but he supposed he could make the sacrifice for the morale of the autobots.

Prowl wouldn't like it, however.

-

Ratchets resetting your leg juncture back into place after a battle. You hadn't bothered to come to him till after he got through everyone else. You'd apparently "forgotten" about it in the hustle of making sure everyone else got seen first. Slag is what it was, and Ratchet made sure you knew exactly what he thought. It realigns and clicks into place with you digging a servo against his pauldron with a hissing vent. You relaxed your jaw and nod in gratitude. "Ha- Thanks, love."

Ratchet almost coughs in shock, his plating flaring a touch. But after years of hearing everything from patients in pain or in surgery high on something, he just clicks his glossia. "Next time, don't forget to mention your own injuries."

Ratchet had assumed it was just a slip of the glossia at the time due to the pain and let it slide. Then the next time you're reporting from Optimus to him and call him "Handsome." And he's asking you to repeat that, which you shamelessly do with a smirk. Ratchet scoffed and told you he wasn't going to go any easier on you the next time you forget to come in. No matter how much you try flattering him. Then he sees you with the other autobots and learns you've simply picked this up as a habit.

Ratchet has to resist the urge to roll his optics every time you do it with him. He's gone from being prickly in response with you to half seriously threatening to short your mouth circuit if you didn't stop. But you only continued to do just that. Whenever you called him "Love," his damn spark hummed a touch louder. You've realized that too and tend to only use that more often or not. Much to his- exasperation. Ratchet does enjoy the casual affection to a degree. Reminds him of his younger days. The easier ones. So he doesn't ever throw a wrench at you for the pet names themselves.

Ratchet does definitely enjoy watching the others more than being on the receiving end. Watching Optimus's finials twitch, then pull forward slightly and his plating fluffing in response. Or Ironhide looking like he was going to blow a minor fuse from how bright his own optics were while he unsuccessfully tried to get you to stop. Even Prowls door wings twitching in obvious disdain makes Ratchet crack a smirk at least. So Ratchet let's it be for the most part. They could use some "softer" interactions around the base.

...

He's still telling you to stop whenever you do it to him, though.

-

Blasters cool with it. He's been in it with the humans at parties or at clubs (the ones he could fit in anyway.) And he's seen and even been on the receiving end of flirting pet names on the occasion. You calling him "Babe" didn't trigger much but an amused smirk. Blaster will return a few casual pet names himself a "Babe" here and there. But what is not cool is Jazz and you being as cringe inducing as possible on his audials. Blaster is sooooo sick of being subjected to you and Jazz's "flirting." It ain't flirting it's a failing clown show!

You'll get more of a fond smile when Blaster sees you pet naming his cassettes. They all fumbled a touch when you'd called them something with sweetness in your tone. Steeljaw, like always, is aloof and focused when you're on the clock. But when you're off? Just chilling at the ark? Steeljaw is a little slagger. Rewind and Eject at least have the decency to only do it when it's natural. Steeljaw will seek you out with his olfactory when you're both off duty to get called sweet names by you.

"I'm so glad you're still here, Foxy." You waved at Jazz, who was standing next to Blaster.

"And I'm so glad to see you too, Snookums." Jazz's tone is so absurd it actually makes Blaster feel physically tired.

"And I'm gonna purge." Blaster bluntly remarks, causing you both to turn to him, then share a look with each other. Jazz smiles in a way Blaster recognizes and is immediately cautious. Blaster jolts when you're suddenly leaning into his space. Your digits are now just barely tracing his boombox buttons.

You smile like a felinoid, and Blasters tries to back up, but Jazz is suddenly pressing up behind him, preventing his escape. Jazz's arms even wrapped around Blasters middle. You speaking makes his gaze snap back to you. "Come on, Baby, don't you wanna have some fun?" You worried your optical ridge, and Blasters glossia is feeling really thick in his mouth now.

Then, his dock compartment snaps open of its own accord, and Steeljaw ejects and forms right into your arms. You just chuckle and heft his cassette into a more comfortable position. "Hey baby! I know you won't say no to a little TLC, Blaster, however..."

Blaster, now broken out of that little trance, shook to break out of Jazz's hold. Jazz, however, did not release him - "Sorry Blaster! You're not approved for release until you enjoy at least five compliments from both of us!" Like pit Blaster was! He wasn't sticking around to hear the kind of slag you both called flirting! Blaster looked at Steeljaw for help only to slack at the smile on his cassettes muzzle. The little traitor!

-

Bumblebee isn't ambushed by it like the others- He's already heard through the autobot gossip about your new little routine. So he's mostly prepared and more wondering when/what you'd call him. You haven't used a pet name with him yet, so he's waiting on his pedes for it to happen. He half ends up wondering if you'll exclude him for some reason when you finally do it after a minor battle with the cons.

You're doing head count and injury report for Ratchet and get to him. Bumblebee almost trips, but you catch his arm and steady him. "Careful Honey, don't injure yourself after the battle."

Bumblebees optics burn only a touch brighter, but he's mostly amused. "Honey? Because of my designation translation?"

You just smirked, your own amusement growing in your em field. Bumblebee could feel it with how close you were right now. You leaned a touch further into his space. "What? Can't be because you're so sweet?" The heady wave of playful affection in your field mixed with that makes Bumblebees optics brighten in embarrassment proper. You just chuckled and squeezed his arm before moving to continue to make your post battle rounds. While Bumblebee wordlessly watched you go.

Bumblebee enjoys the attention even if it's admittedly embarrassing. Bumblebee thinks he might almost enjoy seeing the other autobots' reactions more than getting your attention himself. Almost anyway. While yeah it's definitely funny watching Ironhide especially try and get you to stop. Bumblebee enjoys each time you share a pet name with him just a little bit more. Bumblebee does admittedly feel a bit giddy whenever it happens. It makes him stand up a bit taller and makes him smile a touch whenever he hears it. A small rush of confidence courses through him every time.

The first time you called Bumblebee, "Lovebug." Though? Bumblebee walked right into one of the ark walls.

-

"Hey, teddy bear!" Teddy bear-? The small plush toys human children carry around? Skyfire stops when you call it out in the ark hallway, because he had no clue who you'd be directing the name towards... only to watch you wander right up to him. Skyfires optics widen a touch when you stop in front of him and look at him expectantly.

"Am I...?" Skyfire wondered aloud.

You only smirked and simply held out a datapad for him to take "Yeah you, teddy bear, need you to review this for me so I can approve it for Perceptor or not."

"I- Alright." Skyfire took the datapad unsure if he should ask about the name or not.

"Thank you, Darling." Now that one makes Skyfires optics brighten a touch. But you just salute him with two digits and go on your way again.

Skyfire quickly learns this was something of a habit you had picked up when he overhears the twins complaining about their pet names from you. Skyfire finds himself enjoying the affectionate names even if they do fluster him a touch. The affections were kind and freely given out by you. It was refreshing for Skyfire, especially after having joined this vorns long war, to hear them roll off your glossia. To see the crinkle in your optics. And to feel the light affection in your em field if he happened to be close enough to you when you did so. It was- normal. A touch embarrassing yes, but almost painfully normal.

You'd keep switching, but you mostly called him "Bear" or "Teddy bear," and on occasion "Darling". He'd asked about the Teddy bear nickname in particular since he understood darling as a pet name a touch more. And you just smirked and completely unabashed and said, "Humans say it's for someone big, dependable and lovable. So I think it fits pretty well." Skyfire ends up so embarrassed by the casual remark he can feel cobalt on his own faceplate. He ends up putting his servo over his own faceplate and looking anywhere but you. While you just laughed light at Skyfires own expense.

After that exchange, hearing you call him "Bear" or "Teddy bear" makes Skyfires optics brighten more than "Darling."

[rlyehtaxidermist]

December 2-3, 1984

It's been forty years since a Union Carbide chemical plant exposed five hundred thousand people to methyl isocyanate in Bhopal, India. Thousands were killed in the initial event, thousands more died from complications months or years later, and at least a hundred thousand were permanently injured.

The cause of the incident was the introduction of water to a methyl isocyanate storage tank. This caused a runaway reaction, overpressurising the tank from 14 to 280 kPa over the course of two hours, at which point the tank cracked - but even with atmospheric escape of the gas, pressure continued to increase to nearly 400 kPa - at which point the gauge could no longer give an accurate reading.

After roughly 30 tonnes of gas escaped, employees triggered the plant's alarm system - which was originally designed to alert both workers in the plant and the people in the surrounding city. Company policy mandated that they not alarm the populace about "inconsequential" leakages, so the two alarms had been decoupled by the time of the release. For nearly an hour and a half, the plant's management continued to tell authorities that everything was fine and they had no idea what had happened. Hospital staff had to guess what gas was causing the symptoms. No shelter in place order was given; the public siren remained silent for an hour and a half.

Union Carbide had identified 61 hazards at the Bhopal plant in a 1982 audit, but never followed up on the inspection. Mere months before the incident, UCC discussed the possibility of a methyl isocyanate reaction similar to what occurred in Bhopal at one of their West Virginia plants - however, the report and its predictions were never forwarded to the Bhopal plant, despite the similar design and process.

The Union Carbide Corporation asserts that the incident was caused by sabotage performed by a disgruntled worker. They claim that workers conspired with the Indian government to hide evidence of sabotage in order to blame the company, claiming that the safety systems were sufficient to prevent the incident without human intervention.

On the night of the incident, the tank's monitoring equipment had been malfunctioning for years, reduced to a single manually operated backup. Management had shut off refrigeration of the tank, keeping it at more than 15 degrees Celsius above the recommended temperature. The emergency flare and gas scrubbers had been out of order for months - and even if they had been active, they had insufficient capacity. Deluge guns - a type of pressurised water cannon intended to dissolve escaping gas - lacked enough pressure to even reach the gas cloud.

No motive for the alleged sabotage was suggested.

Warren Anderson, CEO of Union Carbide, refused to answer homicide charges by the Indian government, with the US government denying repeated requests for extradition. He died in 2014, months before the thirtieth anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal.

Union Carbide have divested their stake in their Indian subsidiary UCIL, and refuse to fund any efforts to clean up the abandoned site, insisting that the fault lied with UCIL management and the alleged saboteur. The company paid $470 million dollars to the Indian government - which worked out to a cost of 43 cents per share of the company. Union Carbide's annual earnings were $4.88 per share after the Bhopal settlement.

The 2012 Global Intelligence Files leak revealed that Union Carbide's current owner, Dow Chemical, had employed the surveillance firm Stratfor to monitor activists seeking compensation for the Bhopal disaster.

Dow responded to the email leak that they were "required to take appropriate action to protect their people and safeguard their facilities" - an attitude that seems to have been very lacking in 1984.

[earthsparked]

Drift’s spectralist beliefs would be so fascinating to some humans. It’s me I’m some humans

Introducing Drift to humanity’s cultural expressions surrounding the meaning of colors, and exploring things like finger painting, the Hindu celebration of Holi, color runs, sidewalk chalk, dyeing your hair. Using that as a way to connect with him and his culture. Asking him to teach you to meditate and learning about auras because even if you don’t believe in his belief system, it’s a beautiful way of seeing the world, and you want to know more about it. About him. Because it matters to him. And he is THRILLED because the other mechs always shut him down when he tries to talk about it!

Eventually, you shyly asking Drift if he would let you put some temporary paint designs on him as a demonstration of how much you care for him and out of respect for the person you know he is trying to become. Maybe you aren’t some fantastic artist but it doesn’t matter, your efforts and closeness to him, tiny hands trailing soft brushes along his armor, the adorable way you focus on him, not even aware of how he’s studying you more than what you’re painting on him - that’s what makes this an experience he will always remember.

But THEN, Drift taking one look when you’re done, and being absolutely shocked because you really see him as something beautiful whereas he tends to see the terrible things he’s done. But you’ve painted him in your favorite colors and he can’t even speak for a minute. Even the imperfect smudges and drips of paint are special, because it came from your hands, your organic spark, imperfect but unique in its imperfections. You only meant it to be a kind gesture for him, but he wears your design for as long as he can, carrying with him a work of art that shows as much about the beauty within you as it does your thoughts of him. A declaration in color that he’s both humbled by, and takes hope in seeing every day.

…Then, you asking Drift if he would put some temporary paint designs on YOU to represent the colors he sees in your aura. And you getting overwhelmed in return because he takes such incredible care and puts so much thought into it all; planning it out in detail before bringing you to a quiet place lined with pillows and soft lighting to paint you. The designs representing your friendship that means so much to him, as he smiles softly and turns paints into an outward expression of how beautiful he sees you as being, how lucky he is to have met you. A little solar flare of light and life, burning bright and brief, warming him and the other old mechs who feel so tired sometimes, but never when you’re around.

You can’t help but shed a few tears when you see yourself, because even in the alien designs and meanings you don’t quite grasp, it’s written big and bold for all to see that you are loved.

[thatbugkidd]

GOAT!CYN REF AND NOTES LETS GO

This bitch gets 3 parts bc I hate myself (her design changes 3 times throughout the story- technically more)

• no horns

• unfortunately the Cyn we get to explore the least of-

• made a deal with Absolute Salvation in order to avoid death. Unaware of consequences and lives in the mansion somewhat peacefully for several months

• starts seeing "hallucinations" and hearing voices of the demon, reminding her of the deal they made, that she has a debt to pay.

• too scared to tell anyone about it. Fearing she wouldn't be believed or would be discarded again

• slowly starts succumbing to the influence, talking to herself, not sleeping, muscle spasms, more difficulty with motor skills than usual

• at this point, with essentially no control over herself, she has begun roping the others (Nate, Jane, and Valerie) under the same influence with a series of ritualistic offerings and seances without their knowings.

• eventually fully completes the ritual right before the Gala, summoning the actual entity to become its vessel. Things only go downhill from here for a bit-

• Possessed by Absolute Salvation

• BIG OL HORNSSS

• Struggles to walk due to heels not being made for her anatomy (and already struggling motor skills) uses tentacles to help brace and balance herself

• Jagged and rough teeth

• Can shapeshift into someone if they consume the blood or flesh of them. Applies to all living organisms

• can duplicate body parts (including borrowed parts) and contort body in very unnatural and painful ways

• can shadow-shift (basically melting into the shadows, and can reappear in any surrounding shadow. The salvation equivalent of cynessa straight up teleporting in the show)

• explores a lot more of the manipulative and abusive tendencies of the AS we never got to see in the show. Still goofy but we see much more evil from her

• It actually retains much of Cyn's personality as it studied and adopted her behavior while it was dormant in the mansion

• the real Cyn is trapped in her own mindscape, enduring years of torture and abuse from the AS while she has no control over her body. She can see what is happening through her eyes, but it often becomes hazy and difficult to keep up with things over the years. Its easier to ignore it anyway

• No longer possessed by the malicious part of AS (though still retaining the abilities)

• has a scar just on the left side of her chest from being exorcised (stabbed with the "patch"/crucifix)

• either dresses like a schoolgirl or a 57 yr old man there is no in-between

• still needs to consume blood and flesh occasionally, as much as she hates it. Its like a bad craving that's unhealthy to suppress

• very malnourished at first due to the eating habits of the AS while in control of her body- takes a long time for her to gain an appetite back and stomach food without immediately throwing it up and heaving.

• she does get healthier eventually though!! Gains weight, her horns become darker and shinier (i need her to have something going for her ok)

• very isolated and defensive in the beginning while she's adjusting to everything.

• after MONTHS of recovering with a good support system, she does come back out of her shell. Much more timid at first after all of the initial aggressiveness, and slowly regains more of her old personality traits

• has lots of chronic pain and fatigue- usually comes in flare ups.

• has even more trouble walking than before. The first few months were the worst, while she refused help from anyone except Nate. Would constantly stumble, trip, and jerk around as she walked because of how badly her ankles and knees were damaged from the AS.

• eventually got in a better place and let others help her more- like physical therapy sessions but no one is licenced! She still struggles, walks with a limp and wears knee/ankle braces, but it's much more manageable than before.

• uses a crutch during bad flare ups or when walking for extended periods of time

• pining HARDDDD FOR UZIII even in the beginning when they didn't like each other lol

They were both just fearful and on edge around each other, and especially with Cyn assuming Uzi still hates her guts or wants to kill her, they tended to snap at each other from the tension. Things obviously ease up eventually though :3

Alright, this monstrosity of a post is long enough. I'll try to work on Uzi or Nate next! Theirs shouldn't be quite as long since this is mostly a very cyn focused au.

[rist-ix]

Redesigning Aisha's transformation because oh my god

PLEASE rainbow just let her wear green. Thoughts n comparison under cut

My thoughts on rainbow's compulsion to Make Aisha Blue is well known, so I’m not gonna repeat that rant here. But OH MY GOD, if you really HAVE to drill home that her powers are water-based, please at least commit to it. Don’t just paint her cyan and call it a day.

I think what bothers me the most about the outfit is that it feels really incoherent. We've got knee high boots, white socks that go just a couple inches higher than the boots, and then we get some kind of leotard??? With a half open skirt layer that ends well above her shorts, and doesn’t really do anything except flare out her silhouette a little I guess.

It's not a flowy, watery dress, it’s not a sporty look to kick ass in, the only thing really going on here is a couple thicker rim lines to divide the undefined blob of color that is her outfit. The boots look sturdy and kind of mundane, the socks are Just There, the leotard is very busy and undefined, like a 10-year-old's ballet costume.

I'm not really a character designer, but I hang around enough of them that I can kinda tell the patterns are not fulfilling much of a function, nor guiding the eye in a particularly clever way. Her hair feels kind of like an afterthought, just trailing behind her without much fanfare, which I find sad, given Aisha's original iconic wavy locks.

The wings, I’m ignoring. I can only take so much.

To throw in a positive note into my ranting: something the design does do well is center a lot of focus on the torso and head. Since the boots are uniform in color and very smooth, the high density of detail in the leotard and face draws more attention upwards, where all the gesturing and facial expressions are happening. Plus, while the outfit itself is a blob of samy colors, the brightness does make it contrast well with Aisha's skin, so at least the outlines of the outfit are clear and readable. They also make it melt into the background a bit, but that might just be a poor composition choice so im not blaming the character design.

No that ive gotten that out of my system: I'm not gonna pretend I am being any smarter with my redesign. A big weak point is doublessly that the eye is drawn downwards instead of up, and the top is kinda boring and plain. Texturing is not my strong suit.

Here's my thought process behind it:

Green.

Please. Please just give her her color back.

Green means she is still clearly visible, even in blue-toned water, and it contrasts nicely with her pink morphix particles. Green evokes calm ponds, lilypads, feathery algae and tropical lakes. Green is dynamic, fresh, durable, organic. With green as the main color, and pink as the tiny highlight, you have enough room in the color pallete to invest some nice, bright blues for her wings. Harmonic enough to the greens to seem connected, but different enough to pop.

The rest i didn't put a lot thought into, ill admit. I wanted to make her boots beefier in their silhuoette, and i think having these semi-transparent legwarmer looking things would add a nice bit of secondary motion to her step. Trailing after her a little bit, bouncing when she stomps her foot down, and so on and so on. Aisha is sporty, competitive and loves dancing, so I wanted something sleek enough that it wouldn't slow her down, and flowy enough that it would make for good follow-through animations.

The wings are where i put most of the water theme. Dragonfly-wing shaped, because again, PONDS!!! and slightly curved downward to look like cresting waves. Plus, the water coustics to serve as the dividers between those individual fragments in insect wings.

Is this a design that would fit into a winx club reboot? Probably not.

BUT! Is it a design that doesnt make me think of chorine-poisoned swimming pools? fuck yea

[digitalsymbiote]

Cockpit Exposure

There’s a terrible screeching of metal as your cockpit is rent open, exposed by a glancing blow from your opponents weapon. Suddenly your senses are muddled, two sources of data now vying for the attention of your shared mind. Your external cameras shift and refocus, as light streams in through the semi-transparent visor of your flight helmet.

Your partner is screaming in the back of your mind, and the terrible phantom pain in your chest tells you exactly why. It’s a huge strain on your mind to try and decipher between the information coming from your metal body, and the information coming from your flesh one. Your cockpit was designed to mimic a sensory deprivation chamber for this exact reason, most full-immersion frames are. The sensory deprivation of the pilot makes it easier to settle into the skin of the mech, fewer external distractions to remind you of your flesh body nestled under all that metal.

All of that is gone out the window now though, as the sounds and sights of combat assault your organic form through your breached cockpit. Distantly you recognize that you’re hyperventilating, and the safety systems are struggling to compensate. You guess this is because your partner’s panic is bleeding through the neural bridge. She did just get a huge chunk torn out of her front, after all.

With a monumental effort, you wrench control back from your panicking IMP, and you feel her systems settle down a bit as you enforce some order on things. The cold air and biting wind howling in your cockpit are doing all they can to distract you, but you’ve got a fight to finish and you’ll be damned if you end up gutted in your own cockpit.

Metal strains as your synthetic body stands and pulls the giant sword from the sheath on its back. You fire the boosters in your legs, feeling the g-forces slam your body back into the pilot’s seat as you charge your opponent. Blade strikes blade, and your damaged servos strain against theirs. A shot of fuel into your boosters breaks the stalemate and you pull back, circling around the opposing mech. You have to be extra careful to protect your cockpit now, one more hit to your chest and you’ll be pulp on your enemy’s blade.

Something shifts inside you, and you feel your IMP having off-loaded some of its processing into your wetware. She’s moving the limbs on your flesh body inside the cockpit, rooting around for something, piloting you the way you’re piloting her.

The lights on the front of your chassis flicker red in glee as you realize what she’s searching for. You send a mental acknowledgment over your shared link and hunch over, preparing for another bout. You’ll get your partner her opening.

According to regulation, mechs are required to have certain items stocked in their cockpits in case of emergency. Rations, a medical kit, an emergency radio, and most importantly: A flare gun. The standard flare gun had always seemed a bit superfluous to you, what difference is a meager flare going to make in spotting a 10-story tall Mech? But you’d convinced both your CO and your IMP to let you keep a few High-Explosive rounds for the thing stored alongside it, for a rainy day like today.

So the next time you clash with your opponent, blade grinding against blade, you feel your organic body move again. Your IMP makes use of the gaping hole in your chest, and manages to plant a high explosive round directly into the emergency hatch on your enemy’s chest, blowing it clean off, and disorienting their pilot in much the same way they had done to you only moments ago. You, however, will not squander this opportunity.

You drop your weapon, slam a hand through the breached hole in your opponents chest, and pulp the bleeding heart within it. The massive weapon of war you’ve been fighting slumps to the ground, the trauma of losing it’s organic half rippling through its systems. You grab the mech’s head and pull, metal screeching and cables snapping as you tear it free from the rest of the metal corpse. You find the glint of the enemy data core and crush it between two of your massive fingers, putting the enemy IMP out of its misery.

And suddenly it’s quiet again.

The faint sensation of wind upon skin echoes over the link, and you realize your IMP has removed your flight helmet. She’s half out of the pilot’s seat, and you can sense wonder radiating through the link as she looks out at the carnage through organic eyes. You decide to let her, regulation be damned.

You’re looking out at it through her eyes often enough, it’s only fair to return the favor.

[luckyroll3]

Thank You, Daddy Chapter 1

Masterlist and Summary

Warnings: This work of fiction is intended for 18+ audiences only. Includes explicit sexual content, graphic language, sex work, power dynamics, daddy kink, possessive behavior, etc. Author chooses to not extensively tag in order to preserve some elements of storytelling.

Word Count: 7,496

The sleek black SUV limo glides to a stop on the curb like a shark in dark water, and your pulse quickens—not from nerves, but anticipation. Jisung never keeps you waiting; the door swings open before you can reach for the handle, and there he is, a boyish grin contradicting the wealth that surrounds him. His eyes light up when they land on you, taking in your coral-colored crop top and black skinny jeans, that familiar spark that makes this feel less like work and more like pleasure with a paycheck attached.

"You look fucking incredible," he says, voice dropping an octave as he pulls you inside, the door barely closing before his mouth claims yours.

His kiss tastes like mint and the expensive Japanese whiskey he favors; it’s familiar, intoxicating. Your fingers thread through his soft hair as you settle into his lap, the buttery leather seats creaking beneath your combined weight. Five years of knowing exactly how to touch each other has its benefits.

"Missed me?" you ask against his lips, already knowing the answer.

Jisung laughs, his hands finding the curve of your ass. "Always fishing for compliments."

"It's not fishing when I know I'll catch something."

The limo pulls away from the curb, privacy partition already raised; it’s another thing you appreciate about Jisung: his attention to details that matter. His hands slide up your sides, thumbs brushing the underside of your breasts through your shirt. “No bra. Just the way I like it,” he says before kissing your neck.

"So," you pull back slightly, "what's this mystery adventure you've been texting about all week?"

His eyes dance with mischief. "Remember when I asked what you did for fun as a kid?"

"And I told you I never really had time for—"

"For childish things," he finishes. "Yeah, you’ve mentioned. Well, today we're reclaiming your lost childhood. Prepare for sensory overload and possibly some bruised pride."

Twenty minutes later, you're staring at the entrance to Velocity Park, an adult playground disguised as a high-end entertainment complex. The place buzzes with energy—couples, groups of friends, corporate team-building exercises all mingling in a space designed to make adults forget their responsibilities.

"You're either very thoughtful or making a statement about my maturity level," you say, eyebrow raised.

Jisung grabs your hand, tugging you toward the entrance. "Can't it be both?"

Inside, he bypasses the line, a quick word with staff guiding you straight to the go-kart track. Not the kiddie version you'd expect—these are custom-built machines with surprising power. Your competitive nature flares instantly.

"I hope you're not a sore loser," you say, selecting a sleek black kart while Jisung opts for electric blue.

He snorts. "That's rich coming from someone who threw her cards at me when I beat her at strip poker last month."

"I was redistributing the deck. Totally different."

The attendant explains the controls, but you're barely listening, already plotting the precise moments you'll overtake him on the curves. When the light turns green, you slam the accelerator, the kart lurching forward with unexpected force.

Jisung's laugh carries over the roar of engines as he pulls alongside you. "Careful, killer—it's not just about speed!"

But it is, and you're good at it. The track blurs as you take each curve with increasing confidence, the rush of competing—of winning—flooding your system. Jisung stays close, occasionally pulling ahead before you reclaim the lead, the back-and-forth adding a delicious tension.

"On your left, slow poke!" you shout as you slide past him on a hairpin turn, the kart skidding dangerously close to the barrier.

"Jesus Christ," he calls back, voice pitching higher. "Did you drive getaway cars in another life?"

You throw your head back laughing, the wind whipping your hair into a frenzy. When was the last time you did something this pointless and perfect? Your clients usually want restaurants, hotels, theater boxes—controlled environments where they can showcase their wealth. This is raw, childish fun, and it lights you up from inside.

Three laps later, you cross the finish line a half-second before him, victorious and breathless.

"You cheated," he accuses when you climb out, legs wobbly with adrenaline.

"How exactly does one cheat at go-karts?"

"By looking so fucking hot that I couldn't concentrate." His hand finds the small of your back, warm through the thin material of your shirt. "Next challenge. Unless you're scared?"

The batting cages await, and here Jisung has the advantage. The mechanical pitcher whirs to life, sending balls flying at speeds that make you flinch.

"Here," he says, standing behind you, arms encircling your body as he positions your hands on the bat. "Elbow up. Eyes on the ball. Swing through, not at."

His chest presses against your back, his breath warm against your ear. The position is deliberately intimate, his hips aligned with yours, guiding your movement in a way that mimics other, more private rhythms. The bat feels foreign in your hands, but his confidence bleeds into you.

"Ready?" he murmurs, and you nod.

The first ball flies past untouched. The second you clip weakly. By the fifth, with Jisung's steady guidance, you connect solidly, sending the ball ricocheting off the back net with a satisfying clang.

"I did it!" You turn in his arms, face flushed with unexpected pride.

His eyes soften. "Quick learner. Always have been."

The comment hangs between you, loaded with five years of history—of learning his body, his preferences, the exact pressure that makes him groan your name. You've been a quick study in all the ways that matter to your livelihood, but Jisung has always appreciated the skill rather than taking it for granted.

"Your turn," you say, stepping aside. "Show me how it's done, big shot."

He takes the bat, shifting into a practiced stance. Three perfect hits later, he tosses you a wink. "Some of us had normal childhoods with Little League and pizza parties."

"Some of us had to grow up fast." The words slip out before you can filter them, more honest than you usually allow yourself to be with most of your clients.

Jisung's expression shifts, a flicker of something deeper before he masks it with another smile. "All the more reason to play now."

The arcade section of the park is a fever dream of neon and noise—classic cabinets mixed with modern racing simulators and virtual reality stations. Jisung feeds a ridiculous amount of money into a machine that converts cash to a playing card, then drags you to a two-player shooting game.

"Winner gets a kiss," he declares, aiming the plastic rifle to select his character.

"And what does the loser get?"

His grin turns wolfish. "A better kiss."

You lose the first round deliberately, earning a gentle press of lips that leaves you wanting. The second game—air hockey—you dominate, grabbing the front of his shirt afterward to deliver a kiss that lingers, your tongue pushing against his before retreating.

"Fuck," he breathes when you pull away. "Maybe I should let you win more often."

Game after game, you trade victories and kisses, each one growing more heated than the last. Between rounds, secrets spill easier—he tells you about a new acquisition his company is eyeing, you share a story about your first client that you've never told anyone else. It's the strange intimacy that comes from knowing this isn't love, this isn't forever, this is just an honest exchange of money and time that somehow, over the years, has cultivated genuine affection, and surprisingly, friendship.

By the time you both stumble back to the waiting limo, your lips are swollen and your body thrums with need. The door barely closes before Jisung is on you, his usually playful demeanor sharpened into something hungrier.

"Tell the driver to take the long way," you murmur against his mouth as his hands work at the button of your jeans. "We're not nearly done playing."

"Already did." His fingers slide beneath the waistband of your underwear, finding you wet and ready.

"Always thinking ahead."

Your jeans and underwear disappear in a tangle of limbs and breathless laughter as he positions you on the seat, kneeling on the floor between your spread thighs. This intimacy—his mouth on you—is a privilege you grant to very few clients. But Jisung has earned your trust (and your real name), and more importantly, he knows exactly how to make you fall apart.

His tongue traces lazy circles around your clit, taunting rather than giving you what you need. You thread your fingers through his hair, tugging impatiently.

"Someone's eager," he murmurs against your sensitive flesh, the vibration of his voice sending shivers up your spine.

"Someone's a tease," you counter, lifting your hips in silent demand.

He laughs, then relents, sucking your clit between his lips with just the right pressure. Your head falls back against the seat, a moan escaping before you can contain it. Jisung knows your body like a familiar instrument—when to go slow, when to speed up, when to slip two fingers inside you and curl them just so.

"Fuck, right there," you gasp as the tension builds, your thighs trembling on either side of his head.

He doesn't stop, doesn't slow, his eyes locked on your face as pleasure crests and breaks through you in waves. Before you've fully recovered, he's reaching for his wallet, extracting a condom while you watch through half-lidded eyes.

"Come here," he says, voice rough with want as he settles back on the seat, pants pushed down just enough to free his cock.

You straddle him, rolling the condom down his length before positioning him at your entrance. The first slow slide of him inside you pulls matching groans from both your throats. Your bodies find a rhythm as old as time, unhurried yet urgent, the privacy glass and tinted windows creating a cocoon of shared desire.

"You feel so fucking good," he murmurs, hands gripping your hips to guide your movements. "Always so good for me." 

Words fall away as pleasure builds again, his thumb finding your clit, circling in time with your joined movements. When you cum again, he follows seconds later, his face buried in your neck, breath hot against your skin.

Afterward, as you both straighten your clothes, a comfortable silence settles between you. This is why Jisung remains one of your favorite clients—the sex is never mechanical, never just a transaction. There's genuine connection in the way he looks at you, even knowing exactly what this is.

"So," you say, fixing your lipstick in a compact mirror, "same question as always. Why don't you have a girlfriend yet, Sungie? Most women would kill to date someone like you—fun, spontaneous, and definitely not lacking in certain departments." You raise an eyebrow suggestively.

It's a dance you've done before, this conversation. Part teasing, part genuine curiosity.

Jisung sighs, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "You know why. Every woman I meet, I'm wondering: is she laughing at my jokes because I'm funny, or because I'm worth eight figures? Does she want me, or what I can buy her?"

"I only want you for your money," you reply with a wink, the honesty refreshing after the usual games people play.

He laughs, pulling an envelope from his jacket and handing it to you. "But at least you're upfront about it. That's worth something."

The envelope feels heavy—more than your usual fee, which isn't surprising. Jisung always tips generously. You tuck it into your purse without counting; he's never shortchanged you.

The limo slows as it approaches the nightclub where you're meeting Eva. Jisung pulls you close for one last kiss, slow and sweet, at odds with the heated exchanges from minutes ago.

“Sungie, thank you so much for tonight. I had a blast,” you say before kissing him again.

"I'm glad. I’m out of town for a couple weeks," he says, forehead resting against yours. "Conference in Singapore. But I'll call when I'm back."

"You better," you reply, squeezing his hand before sliding toward the door. "Who else is going to let me kick their ass at go-karts?"

“Yes, that’s the story that we’ll go with; that I let you win,” he says with a grin. 

“Your secret’s safe with me, Mr. Han,” you say with a wink as you slap his face playfully.

His laughter follows you out of the car, a warm sound that lingers even as the limo pulls away and you turn toward the pulsing lights of the club. For a moment, you allow yourself to feel something dangerously close to fondness before tucking it away behind your professional smile. After all, business is business, no matter how good the perks might be.

The club throbs with bass that crawls beneath your skin, a heartbeat you can taste in the back of your throat. Bodies move in the dim light like creatures underwater, slow-motion silhouettes against the strobing blues and purples. As you maneuver through the crowd, you take a peak in the envelope and smile at what you see. You shove it to the bottom of your purse and continue to move forward. You spot Eva at your usual corner booth—one perfectly manicured hand raised in greeting, the other wrapped around a martini glass that catches light like a diamond. Her smile, unlike the manufactured ones you both perfect for clients, is genuine, sharp with the promise of unfiltered conversation.

"Look what the cat dragged in," she calls over the music as you slide into the booth beside her. "And looking thoroughly fucked, I might add."

You laugh, running a hand through your hair that, despite your best efforts in the limo's mirror, still bears evidence of Jisung's fingers. "That obvious?"

"Only to me, darling." She signals the server with a graceful flick of her wrist. "Champagne for my friend. She's celebrating."

"Am I?" you ask, dropping your purse on the leather seat.

Eva's eyes, lined with perfect wings of black, crinkle at the corners. "Well, you're either celebrating getting laid or celebrating a generous client. Either way, bubbles are required."

The champagne arrives in flutes that sing when you clink them together. Eva's presence is always welcomed—seventeen years in the business has given her an unshakable confidence, a way of existing in spaces that suggests the world is lucky to have her in it.

"So," she leans forward, voice dropping to a conspiratorial level despite the music, "tell me about your adventure date. Was it the usual hotel suite and room service?"

You can't help the smile that spreads across your face. "Go-karts."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Go-karts. And batting cages. And arcade games." You take a sip of champagne, letting the bubbles fizz on your tongue. "Jisung decided I needed to reclaim my lost childhood or some shit."

Eva's laughter is rich, unrestrained. "That boy is truly one of a kind. Most of these men can barely imagine women enjoying anything beyond shopping and spa days."

"He's definitely not like the others." You trace a water ring on the table's surface. "He tipped me an extra three grand, too." 

"For go-karts? What would he pay for actual work?"

You kick her shin lightly under the table. "Hey, those batting cages were serious business."

"I'm sure they were," Eva smirks. "Almost as serious as that app he built for you, hmm? The one that keeps all your clients neatly organized and your real identity and info protected?"

The app in question, AuVel, was Jisung's creation, designed for you many years ago after you'd mentioned the difficulties of managing client communications securely. A tech genius with too much time and money on his hands, he'd built you a custom platform where clients could contact you and send payments without ever accessing your personal information. He named it Aurum Velum, the latin for Gold Veil. You loved the name so much, you incorporated it as your official business name.

"It's a good system," you acknowledge. "Wish I could patent it and sell it to every girl in the business."

"You wouldn't need to work anymore if you did. You should talk to him about a partnership." Eva finishes her martini and sets the glass aside precisely. "Clients like Jisung don't come along often, you know. In almost two decades, I've had exactly one who treated me like a person first and a fantasy second."

"Tell me about it. Half the time with Jisung, I forget I'm on the clock." You pause, considering. "It's nice, but also—"

"Dangerous," Eva supplies, knowing you too well. "Start confusing the transaction with real connection, and that's when lines blur."

"Says the woman who married a client and then divorced him two years later."

"Exactly. Learn from my expensive mistakes." She taps her freshly refilled glass against yours. "But seriously, enjoy the Jisungs. They make all the assholes worth enduring."

Your phone buzzes against the table, the screen lighting up with a notification from AuVel. The interface is sleek and secure—one of the many reasons Jisung remains your favorite client. Eva's eyes flick to it, then back to you with raised eyebrows as she reads the name upside down.

"Christopher Bahng," she says, voice lilting with interest. "The new one? The finance guy?"

You nod, swiping to open the message. “Speaking of assholes…,” you mumble.

Christopher is a recent addition to your client roster—only seven sessions over the past few months, but memorable enough. A finance mogul with a reputation for getting exactly what he wants when he wants, he approaches sex the way he approaches business: with precision, control, and undeniable skill.

The message is characteristically detailed:

Friday, 8pm. Wear the black Louboutins, that Versace dress with the low back, and red lace underneath. And use the perfume I bought you, not the one you wore last time. I'll send a car. Plan to stay overnight.

You roll your eyes, unable to help yourself.

The message continues:

Don't make plans for Saturday morning. Last time you were in a rush. I don't like rushes. Remember, the payment structure we discussed. Double for overnights. I’ll also pay extra to cover your additional time on Saturday.

"Let me guess," Eva leans her chin on her hand, "he's telling you exactly what to wear, how to smell, and probably what to think?"

You slide the phone toward her so she can read for herself. "The man has opinions."

Eva's eyebrows climb higher with each line. "Demanding little thing, isn't he? Please tell me the 'payment structure' makes his attitude worth tolerating."

"Usually about five figures per date," you reply, taking another sip of champagne. "Plus gifts. Last time it was a Cartier watch, with diamonds."

Eva lets out a low whistle. "Okay, I withdraw my judgment. For that kind of money, he can have opinions."

"I draw the line at thinking for me, though. If he wasn't hot as hell and fucking fantastic in bed, I wouldn't bother," you say, retrieving your phone and typing a brief confirmation. "He’s like Jisung. He makes sure I cum every time. The control freak routine would be intolerable otherwise."

"And yet I sense a 'but' coming."

You hesitate, fingers hovering over the screen. "There's something about him. The way he looks at me—like he's cataloging every reaction, every breath. Like he's solving a puzzle."

"Or identifying weaknesses," Eva says, voice gentler than her words.

"Maybe." You lock your phone, setting it aside. "Also, he wants me to call him 'daddy,' and it should be creepy but somehow isn't?"

Eva's laugh bursts out suddenly. "Oh honey, you've got a kink you didn't know about."

"Shut up," you mutter, feeling heat rise to your cheeks. "It's just… the way he says it: 'Tell daddy what you need, baby girl,’” you mimic in Christopher’s voice. “It's not infantilizing; it's just... fucking hot."

"The controlling ones often are," Eva's expression sobers slightly. "That's what makes them dangerous. The good sex blinds you to the red flags."

You wave a dismissive hand. "I see all the flags. And I can handle Christopher Bahng. He's no different from any other wealthy man who thinks his money buys ownership. He just happens to be better at everything than most of them."

"Mmhmm." Eva doesn't sound convinced. "Just be careful with the possessive ones. They start wanting exclusivity, then they want to 'save you' from the work, then suddenly you're dependent on them and can't see the cage they've built."

You think of Christopher's intense gaze, the way his fingers wrap around your wrist when he guides you, firm but never bruising. The control in him recognizes something in you—a desire to surrender, but only on your terms.

"Is exclusivity really that bad? Besides," you say, deflecting from Eva's too-accurate assessment, "I've been thinking about scaling back anyway. The daily grind of rotating clients is getting exhausting."

Eva's eyes sharpen with interest. "Scaling back how?"

"Maybe finding one serious arrangement. Going back to sugar babying rather than escorting." You trace the rim of your glass with one finger. "One client who covers all the expenses. Simpler."

"Sugar babying is just escorting with extra steps and fewer protections," Eva says, not unkindly. "You know that, right? You're still trading companionship and sex for money, just with more emotional labor attached."

"But less administrative work," you counter. "No juggling schedules, no switching personas between three clients in one day. Just one man, one set of preferences to learn, one payment arrangement. That’s how I got into all of this anyway." You think back to your high school years, when you let men gift you things simply for being available to them; when your wealthy classmate’s dad was willing to ‘sponsor’ you simply for handjobs while he complained about his spoiled wife, his entitled kids, and his demanding boss.

Eva studies you, her gaze penetrating in the way that always makes you feel transparent. "You're not catching feelings for this Christopher, are you? Because that would be—"

"God, no," you interrupt, too quickly to be entirely convincing. "I barely know him. I've only seen him a handful of times."

"And he's already got you considering exclusivity."

"It's not about him specifically. It could just as easily be Jisung. He’d probably be up for it," you insist, though the image of Christopher's satisfied smile when you call him 'daddy' flashes unbidden in your mind. "It's about simplifying my life. I'm just tired." You sigh. “But not tired enough for a nine-to-five,” you add, the thought making you shudder.

Eva reaches across the table, her warm hand covering yours. "Listen to me. The Christophers of the world don't simplify anything. Men like that—men who need control, who give instructions down to the shade of your underwear—they complicate everything. They're not looking for a sugar baby; they're looking for a possession."

The word strikes uncomfortably close to how Christopher's hands feel on your body—claiming, marking, owning. But there's something else there too, a reverence that feels genuine.

"I know what I'm doing," you say, squeezing her hand before withdrawing. "And if Christopher, or any john, wants exclusivity, he'll have to make it worth my while."

"That's my girl," Eva's smile returns, though concern still lingers in her eyes. "Make them pay for every inch they take."

"Always do." You raise your glass in a toast. "To men who pay our bills without knowing our real names."

"And to women who know their worth," Eva adds, clinking her glass against yours.

The conversation shifts to other clients, other stories. Eva recounts a particularly amusing encounter recently with a nervous tech CEO who couldn't perform until she pretended to be impressed by his cryptocurrency investments. You share the latest update on a long-term client whose wife has grown suspicious and started following him. The night unfolds in comfortable rhythms of laughter and shared understanding that only comes from walking the same treacherous path.

But even as you lose yourself in conversation, your awareness keeps returning to the phone beside you, to Christopher's message waiting for a more detailed response. To the possibility of something simpler yet more complicated all at once. Eva's warning echoes, but so does the memory of Christopher's voice in your ear, the weight of his body pressing you into silk sheets, and the surprising thrill of surrender.

Maybe Eva is right to be concerned. But maybe, just maybe, you're ready for a different kind of arrangement—one with higher stakes and deeper rewards. After all, you've always been good at playing the game. The question is whether you're prepared for what happens when the rules change.

****

You step from the car onto Christopher Bahng's driveway, where even the gravel seems deliberately arranged—each stone in its proper place. The mansion rises before you, all clean lines and angular shadows in the falling dusk, windows glowing with amber light that doesn't quite reach the manicured grounds. Unlike Jisung's playful world of arcade lights and go-kart engines, Christopher's domain whispers of wealth that doesn't need to announce itself—of power that assumes obedience. You smooth your Versace dress (black, the back cut low; precisely as requested) and inhale slowly, the perfume he selected wrapping around you like an expensive collar.

The double doors swing open before you reach them, revealing a foyer of gleaming marble and minimalist furnishings. A crystal chandelier throws fractured light across the space, each piece catching and multiplying the glow into something almost supernatural. Your Louboutins click against the floor, the sound crisp and echoing.

"Well, look who decided to grace us with her presence. Hi Noelle."

The voice using your alias comes from your left, where Hyunjin leans against a doorframe, his long body draped in tailored black pants and a simple white button-down with the sleeves rolled up. His appearance is striking, beautiful in that unreal way, with long, silky dark hair framing his face. Unlike Christopher's rigid posture, Hyunjin always looks like he's seconds away from sliding to the floor, bones made of something more fluid than the rest of humanity.

"Hyunjin," you smile, genuine pleasure warming your voice. Though you've only met him a few times before, there's something immediately disarming about Christopher's right-hand man, a casual warmth that contrasts sharply with his boss' intensity. "Keeping the fortress secure?"

"Always." He pushes off from the door frame with lazy grace, approaching to kiss your cheek. He smells expensive but understated, like everything else in this house. "Chris is finishing up a call. He said, and I quote, 'Make sure she's comfortable but don't get too comfortable.'"

You laugh, shaking your head. "Subtle as ever."

"The man has never encountered a boundary he didn't want to test." Hyunjin's eyes sparkle with mischief. "Including mine. I was supposed to be in Tokyo tonight, but apparently some minor crisis required my immediate attention."

"And was there actually a crisis?" you ask curiously.

"‘Crisis’ is debatable. Especially when it was resolved with a conference call he could have handled blindfolded." Hyunjin shrugs, no real annoyance in his tone. "But he likes his pieces arranged just so. Speaking of which," he reaches out to adjust a strand of your hair, tucking it behind your ear, "Perfect. Now I can leave without being accused of neglecting my duties." You laugh.

He steps back, calling over his shoulder toward a closed door down the hall. "She's here, looking spectacular. I'm leaving before you find another imaginary emergency for me to handle. Goodnight, Chris!"

A muffled response follows, too low to make out, but Hyunjin seems to understand the words perfectly, from years of similar conversations you guess, and he just rolls his eyes and gives you a conspiratorial wink.

"Good luck," he murmurs. "He's been unusually intense today. Even for him. I think he’s a bit nervous."

Before you can ask what that means, Hyunjin is gone, the front door closing quietly behind him. You're left alone in the vast foyer, save for a maid, Angela you think her name is, who materializes from a side corridor.

"Mr. Bahng will be with you shortly," she says, voice professional and rehearsed. "He's asked that you wait in the blue room upstairs."

When she makes a motion to take your overnight bag, you pull it onto your shoulder. “Oh, that’s okay. I got it, Angela. Thank you though.” She nods appreciatively before turning and walking towards the back.

You follow Angela up a sweeping staircase, past artwork that probably costs more than most people's homes. The house feels both lived-in and museum-like—everything precisely placed but somehow sterile, lacking the casual disorder that marks a space as truly inhabited. Angela leads you to a bedroom done in shades of navy and silver, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city lights below.

"Can I bring you anything while you wait, Miss Noelle?" she asks, hovering by the door.

"No, thank you." You offer a smile she doesn't return before she slips away, closing the door silently behind her.

Alone, you take stock of the room—the same one Christopher brought you to on your previous engagements at his house. A California king bed dominates the space, its sheets so precisely tucked you could bounce a quarter off them. The furniture is minimal but exquisite, each piece looking custom-made and untouched by human hands.

You move to the full-length mirror in the corner, assessing your reflection. The dress hugs your curves exactly as it should, the backless design revealing a teasing expanse of skin. Your hair falls in soft waves, framing your face in a way that looks effortless but took forty minutes to achieve. You reapply your lipstick—deep red, matching the lace beneath your dress as instructed.

Christopher's attention to detail would be unnerving if it weren't so predictable. Every instruction serves a purpose in the scene he's constructing—you're just one element in his carefully orchestrated fantasy. The thought should bother you more than it does, but there's something freeing about the clarity of his desires. No guesswork, no shifting expectations. Just precise requirements with generous compensation.

The door opens without a knock, and there he is. Christopher Bahng in the flesh, exactly as commanding as you remember. He fills the doorway with presence rather than size, his tailored suit emphasizing the lean strength of his body. His hair is perfectly styled, dark waves combed back to reveal his forehead, broad nose, and the sharp angles of his face. But it's his eyes that hold you—intense, evaluating, missing nothing.

"You're punctual," he says, voice low and smooth as he steps into the room, closing the door behind him. "I appreciate that."

Not 'hello.' Not 'you look beautiful.' Just acknowledgement of compliance. And yet, a flicker of heat ignites within you at his approval.

"I aim to please," you reply, watching his reflection approach yours in the mirror.

He stops behind you, close enough that you can feel the heat of him without touching. His eyes meet yours in the reflection, then deliberately travel down your body, assessing.

"The dress is perfect," he says after a moment, hands coming to rest lightly on your shoulders. "Turn around."

You do, facing him fully now. This close, you can smell his cologne—subtle, woody, expensive. His fingers trace the edge of your jawline, tilting your face up to his.

"And the perfume. Much better than last time." His thumb brushes your lower lip, smudging the freshly applied lipstick. "This shade suits you."

"Thank you, Daddy," you say, the words slipping out with practiced ease that still feels thrilling. A test, to see how quickly you can break his composure.

His pupils dilate slightly—the only tell in his otherwise controlled expression. "Good girl."

His mouth claims yours then, firm but not rough. Christopher doesn't kiss like he's starving; he kisses like he's savoring, each movement deliberate and commanding. His hands slide from your face down your neck, over your shoulders to your bare back, following the plunging line of your dress to where fabric meets skin at your lower spine.

"I had plans for dinner," he murmurs against your lips as he guides you backward toward the bed. "But I find I'm hungry for something else first."

His fingers find the hidden zipper of your dress, lowering it with agonizing slowness. The fabric loosens, slipping down your shoulders to pool at your feet. You stand before him in nothing but red lace underwear and the black Louboutins, exactly as he requested.

"You had me dress up just to undress me?" you ask amused, a hint of challenge in your voice. "We could have saved time if you'd just asked me to arrive naked."

A rare smile curves his lips, softening the sharpness of his features with the appearance of his dimples. "I enjoy the process. The anticipation." His fingers trace the edge of your lace bra. "Besides, you wear clothes beautifully. It would be a waste not to appreciate that before removing them."

There's something disarming about his honesty, about the genuine admiration in his gaze. Christopher might be controlling, but he's never made you feel like an object. More like a painting he wants to study from every angle, uncovering layers and details others might miss.

He guides you to the edge of the bed, the back of your knees hitting the mattress before you sit. With methodical precision, he removes his jacket, folding it neatly over a nearby chair before loosening his tie.

"Leave the shoes on," he instructs as his fingers work at his shirt buttons.

You lean back on your elbows, crossing one leg over the other to showcase your toned legs in the heels. "Anything else you'd like me to keep on, Daddy?"

His eyes darken at the deliberate provocation. "Just your attitude. I enjoy it more than you might think."

This is different from your previous encounters—there's a new tension in the air, an undercurrent you can't quite name. Christopher undresses with the same efficiency he approaches everything, revealing a body that speaks of disciplined workouts and careful maintenance. No tattoos, no unnecessary adornments. Just lean muscle and smooth skin that you already know tastes faintly of salt and expensive, imported soap.

When he's down to his boxer briefs, you uncross your legs. He approaches the bed, one knee pressing into the mattress between your legs. His hand slides up your calf, over your knee, along your inner thigh—a slow journey that leaves goosebumps in its wake.

"Lie back," he says, voice rougher now. "Let me look at you properly."

You comply, sinking into the impossibly soft bedding as he hovers above you. His fingers trace the edge of your lace panties, dipping beneath the fabric to find you already wet.

"So responsive," he murmurs, satisfaction evident in his tone. "Always so ready for me."

It would be easy to fake enthusiasm with Christopher—to manufacture the moans and sighs that most clients expect. But there's no need for pretense when his fingers circle your clit with expert precision, when his mouth leaves a trail of heat down your neck to your collarbone. Your reaction is genuine, body arching into his touch as pleasure builds.

He takes his time undressing you completely, removing the panties first, then the lace bra with careful hands before lavishing attention on your breasts. Every touch feels calculated to draw maximum response—he's studied your body the way he studies markets, identifying pressure points and vulnerabilities with ruthless accuracy.

"Tell daddy what you need," he says against your skin, teeth grazing your nipple just hard enough to make you gasp.

“Shouldn’t that be my line?” you ask with a smirk.

“Technically.” His mouth engulfs your tit, sucking gently. “But I’d like to know, honestly, what you need today.” His mouth moves to the next breast.

"Mmm. You," you breathe, hands sliding into his hair, disrupting its perfect arrangement intentionally. "Inside me. Now."

A flicker of a smile crosses his face. "Demanding. I like that."

He reaches for a condom from the bedside drawer, rolling it on with practiced ease before positioning himself between your legs. The first push inside draws matching groans from both of you—the sensation of fullness, of perfect fit, never diminishes no matter how many times you've done this.

Christopher fucks the way he does everything else: controlled, precise. His rhythm is steady, his angle perfect, hitting exactly where you need him with each thrust. One hand grips your hip, the other braced beside your head, his eyes never leaving your face as he watches your pleasure build.

"Look at you, baby girl," he murmurs, voice strained with effort. "So perfect. Taking me so well."

The praise washes over you, unexpected heat blooming in your chest. There's something about the way Christopher sees you—not as a purchase or a fantasy, but as something worthy of his full attention—that hits differently than with other clients.

Your climax builds slowly, tension coiling tighter with each precise thrust. When it finally breaks, it's with an intensity that leaves you gasping, nails digging into the smooth skin of his back. He follows moments later, his controlled rhythm faltering as he presses deep inside you, a rare, unguarded expression crossing his face.

Afterward, he doesn't immediately pull away. Instead, he lowers himself to press a kiss to your forehead, your cheek, the corner of your mouth; tender gestures at odds with his usual cold efficiency. When he finally moves, it's with reluctance, his hand trailing along your side as if memorizing the curve of your waist.

The silence between you is comfortable as you both catch your breath. Christopher rises first, disappearing into the en-suite bathroom to dispose of the condom. When he returns, he brings a warm, damp towel, cleaning you with surprising gentleness before setting it aside.

"Stay there," he says, pulling on a pair of sweatpants before moving to a small bar in the corner of the room. "Water? Or something stronger?"

"Water is fine." You sit up, not bothering to cover yourself. Christopher has seen every inch of you already; modesty seems pointless. Particularly for an escort.

He returns with two glasses of water, handing one to you before sitting on the edge of the bed. His posture is relaxed but still controlled, like a predator at rest.

"I want to discuss something with you," he says after a moment, gaze direct as always.

"I gathered as much from Hyunjin's comment about you being intense today. And nervous?"

A slight frown crosses his face. "He talks too much."

"He cares about you," you counter, taking a sip of water. "It's nice. Having someone who looks out for you."

Christopher's expression softens marginally. "Yes. He's loyal, if annoyingly perceptive." He sets his glass down on the nightstand, turning to face you fully. "I've been thinking about our arrangement."

A flutter of apprehension mingles with curiosity in your chest. "Oh?"

"I want exclusivity," he says without preamble. "I want you available only to me, on my schedule, without the distraction of other clients."

The directness shouldn't surprise you—Christopher has never been one for beating around the bush—but the proposal still lands with unexpected weight. Exclusivity. The very thing you'd mentioned to Eva just days ago.

"That's a significant change," you say carefully, mind racing through implications. "And a significant loss of income for me."

"I would compensate you appropriately," he replies, as if it's the simplest thing in the world. "A monthly allowance, covering your rent, expenses, and considerably more. Plus continued gifts, travel when I require it, and any reasonable requests you might have."

You study his face, searching for the catch. "And in return?"

"Your time. Your availability. Your exclusivity." His hand reaches out to trace your collarbone, a possessive gesture that sends involuntary shivers down your spine. "No more fitting me between other appointments. No more checking your phone during our time together. No more condoms. Just you and me, on my terms."

Eva's warning echoes in your mind: The controlling ones often want exclusivity, then they want to 'save you' from the work, then suddenly you're dependent on them and can't see the cage they've built.

And yet, there's something appealing about the simplicity of it. One client. One set of expectations. Financial security without the constant hustle of managing multiple relationships.

"I'd need to think about it," you say, watching his reaction carefully. "That's a significant commitment."

Something flickers in his eyes—disappointment, perhaps, or simply impatience. But he nods once, sharply. "Of course. Consider it carefully. I don't make such offers lightly."

You reach for your underwear, suddenly feeling the need to be dressed for this conversation. The red lace feels less like a costume and more like armor as you pull it on.

"Why me?" you ask, genuinely curious. "You could have anyone. There are plenty of women who would jump at this arrangement without a professional background."

Christopher watches you put your bra on with that same intense focus, like he's memorizing each movement. "I don't want just 'anyone.' I want you." His directness is both flattering and unnerving. "You challenge me. You don't simper or pretend. When you call me 'Daddy,' it's with a hint of mockery that I find... refreshing."

You can't help but laugh at that, some of the tension dissipating. "Most men don't appreciate being mocked in bed."

"I'm not most men." He rises, moving to retrieve your dress from where it puddles on the floor. Instead of handing it to you, he holds it open, waiting for you to step into it. "And you're not most women."

As you slip your arms through the dress, his hands linger at your waist, turning you to face the mirror as he zips you up. Your reflection shows a woman who looks collected, professional—but your eyes reveal the turmoil beneath. Part of you wants to accept immediately, to secure this arrangement that aligns so perfectly with what you told Eva you wanted. Another part hears her cautions like warning bells.

"I'll let you know," you say finally, meeting his gaze in the mirror. "I need to consider logistics, expectations, details, rules."

His hands settle on your shoulders, a weight that feels both reassuring and constraining. "Of course. I respect thoroughness." He presses a kiss to the side of your neck, just below your ear. "But don't take too long. I'm not a patient man."

You turn in his arms, facing him directly. "And if I say no?"

"Then we continue as we have been, for as long as it remains mutually beneficial." No hesitation, no emotional manipulation. Just straightforward terms. "But I think you'll say yes."

"Confident, aren't you?"

The smile that curves his lips doesn't quite reach his eyes. "I recognize a good investment when I see one."

As you gather your purse and bag, preparing to leave despite his original request for you to stay overnight, you feel the weight of his proposal like a physical thing—a contract not yet signed but already changing the air between you. Christopher doesn't stop you from leaving early, merely watches as you check your appearance one last time in the mirror.

"Think about what you want, Noelle," he says as you reach the door. "Not what you think you should want, or what others tell you to want. What you want."

You pause, hand on the doorknob, struck by the unexpected insight. For all his control and precision, Christopher sees you—really sees you—in ways that make you feel both exposed and understood.

"I will," you promise, looking back at him one last time before stepping into the hallway, the heavy door closing behind you with a soft click that sounds strangely final. You walk down the stairs and out the door.

As the driver takes you home through the quiet city streets, you replay Christopher's offer in your mind, weighing options and consequences. Exclusive arrangement. Financial security. One client instead of many. Simplicity in exchange for increased dependence.

Eva would tell you to run. Jisung would probably say the same, in his gentle, concerned way.

But as the city lights blur outside your window, you can't help wondering if this is exactly what you've been looking for—a way to streamline your life without leaving the profession entirely. Christopher offers control, yes, but also clarity. Structure. Security.

A beep from your phone pulls you from your thoughts. It’s a notification for AuVel. You tap open the app to see that Christopher has transferred the full payment for your visit, despite you cutting the engagement short by fifteen hours. You send a message back: 

Thank you, daddy. 😘

You place your phone back in your bag and your thoughts quickly turn back to Christopher’s proposal.

The question isn't whether you'll say yes or no. The question is how long you'll make him wait for your answer—and what terms you'll negotiate to ensure you don't lose yourself in the process.

Because if there's one thing you've learned in this business, it's that everything has a price. The trick is making sure you're the one setting it.

[katakaluptastrophy]

The ships … the ships were still full of people. I reached our hand out into space. I extended. I struggled. He said, I bit through the sun first. It’s human nature. That started things going.

Imagine being on those ships (and remember, not everyone in those ships was a nefarious trillionaire) zooming away from earth.

Maybe you've watched mushroom clouds blossoming across the face of the earth as you pulled away, the lines of communication fizzing out and going dead.

Watched...something...happen to the earth. Watched the sun flare and then flicker out.

I sliced through Venus, Mercury, Mars … by that point a couple of the tugs had already launched through the Kuiper. I had to kill Jupiter and Saturn in a fucking hurry. I reached … they blinked away from me … all I could do was hope that they’d watched what I was doing and all died from fucking terror. You and I went full fucking Hungry Caterpillar. We took Uranus … Neptune … crunched down Pluto … found every satellite and craft, reached in, crunched up all the humans, moved on.

You try to make contact with the installations as you pass - the small city on Mars, the helium-3 capture facility at Jupiter, the mines on Saturn's moons, the skeleton crew constructing the shell on Uranus, the Kuiper platform. Maybe the comms are eerily quiet. Or perhaps, you make contact for just a moment, enough time to witness what happens when god doesn't kill people "clean".

As you speed away, the rings of the gas giants burst asunder and the planets seem to desaturate, the readings go haywire as their magnetic fields suddenly destabilise. And something, oh god, something seems to slip away from each one, some absolute acid trip of horror, like some kind of writhing, fleeing ghost.

The moment I found the fleet spinning up to enter FTL, it was too late … I could only grab one of them … and you and I held it in the palm of our hand. I was in there with them. All those frightened people. All those runaway rats.

And then something physically stops one of the ships. Alarms are going off, sparks are flying, lights are flickering, and there's a horrifying sense of presence (if John feeling Alecto's presence was unremitting screaming inside his head, what does the presence of the newly combined John and Alecto feel like? Because I don't think that invovles less eldritch psychic screaming, somehow).

And then you break free, and spin off into some kind of warp of time and space, with the knowledge that you are the last humans left alive in the universe and that something truly terrible lurks on the husk of the earth.

Imagine 5000 years of that tale being passed down through humanity (that's equivalent to the time that passed between the stone age and the present day), as civilisations rose and fell across planets and systems.

And then imagine, one day, being the ship that encountered something they'd never seen before. A ship, of an entirely unfamiliar design, bearing an unfamiliar symbol: a skull. The whole ship is covered in bones. Sleek, designed, inlaid bones. Human bones.

When they hail you, you see humans, but not like you've seen before. They're dressed in strange outfits: military uniforms and robes that look like something from a textbook of the most ancient history. They're carrying swords. Swords! Many of them seem starved and sickly, as if their bodies are consuming themselves. They speak of their empire and their god in strange, archaic words - an impossibly ancient language from the earth that was - of the resurrection of the dead, of the Lord over the River, of necromancy.

And you realise that however horrifying the tales of the earth's death in fire, there are things worse than death.

[laseracronym]

Bakugou/Loner!Reader

(Thinking about Bakugou having a crush on a loner from the Gen Ed course.)

You definitely think he's trying to pick a fight when he first approaches.

What could one of the top students in the Hero Course want with a Gen Ed loser like you? Not even the kids in your own class really hang around you, and that's by design.

He's not clear with his intentions and is awkward in his own aggressive way. You take it for genuine animosity and respond in kind. You're feisty when you want to be.

You start having little snarling matches with him when you bump into each other in the hallways, which is becoming more and more frequent as of late. This guy really has it out for you.

Your classmates wonder if you have a death wish, challenging a guy who can blow you up and is currently receiving combat training. Bakugou's classmates wonder what that poor Gen Ed kid did to piss him off so much, though some (especially Kirishima and Midoriya) suspect something else is going on.

You're starting to become known around the school because of these exchanges. You don't like it, you liked it when no one looked at you and you had your peace. You start to ignore him, hoping he'll get the hint and leave you alone if you stop reacting to him.

He doesn't like that at all.

At first he's confused, completely thrown off by the change in energy from you. But if you think he's just going to let you ignore him... Him? Oh hell no.

"Hey," he barks, when you try to pass him without a word yet again. He catches your wrist in a calloused hand, grip firm yet not as rough as you thought he would be. The contact sends a rush through your nervous system, and you're so caught off guard that you don't even think to shake him off. He tugs you a little closer, his voice gruff yet soft, red-eyed gaze intense yet earnest, "don't ignore me. Look at me."

"What do you want from me!?" you finally burst out, after all this time, all these encounters, you still have no idea what the hell he wants from you.

"You, you stupid asshole!" he barks back, exasperated and face aflame with irritation, embarrassment, and longing. He clenches his jaw, nostrils flaring like an angry bull, before he huffs out what is supposed to be a calming breath. His next words are no less frustrated, but at least they don't echo off the walls. "I want you, I want to be with you and shit, why can't you take the hint!?"

You flounder, your jaw working but no words come out for a second, before you're spluttering, "don't call me stupid! How was I supposed to know that's what you wanted!?"

The argument devolves from there, but he's still got a hold of you and you have yet to turn him down, there's a change in the tension, the fire, now. It seems like you two might finally be on the same page.

(Currently taking requests for drabbles and headcanons!)

[woradat]

#1 FAN ACTUALLY

SUMMARY – you couldn't help but swoon over him

PAIRING – thunderclash x reader

NOTE – I gave him a full page because why not? I mean all the love in the universe is definitely not enough for him ❤️‍🩹🎀

“You gotta tell us—what’d you do to get booted out of the Wreckers and dumped on our doorstep?”

The question rang out loud and proud in the middle of the mission briefing room, thrown like a well-aimed grenade straight into the center of your new team’s attention. Heads swiveled. Sensors perked. Optical ridges lifted. Everyone suddenly looked like they’d just been handed front-row seats to the best drama of the solar cycle

"Voluntary transfer" you said, deadpan. No hesitation, cool as cryo-freeze

It was supposed to be the end of the conversation. You had practiced the line, after all—practiced the exact angle of your shoulders, the particular tilt of your helm that conveyed “I am mysterious and slightly unhinged, so don’t ask follow-ups” You knew this game. You owned this game

—a former Wrecker, part-time chaos generator, full-time professional badass—shifted one shoulder with slow, calculated nonchalance. Face? Neutral. Posture? Unbothered. Internal systems? Screaming. Because how exactly were you supposed to say “I left because the captain smiled at me and I had a full-on core meltdown” without getting laughed out of the room

Unfortunately, your new team was composed entirely of nosy, over-caffeinated gossipmongers with too much free time and absolutely no respect for emotional privacy

“Voluntary? You?” one mech blurted out, optics wide “You mean you, the Wrecker who threw a live grenade into the command tent because ‘someone gave you attitude’?”

“Wasn’t even a real grenade” you muttered under your breath “Just a concussion charge”

“You tried to hotwire a shuttle with a plasma cannon!”

“I got it working, didn’t I?”

A different voice chimed in, theatrical as slag “This is the same bot who chucked a plasma grenade at Springer during a debrief?

“That was justified”

“You blackmailed High Command just to get five extra minutes of nap time!”

“That was creative problem-solving” But none of them were listening anymore. The room had devolved into chaotic speculation. You could practically see the fanfics being written in real time behind their optics

The doors hissed open

And there he was

Thunderclash

You didn’t even need to look up. You felt him enter the room like the temperature had risen by ten degrees. Like the emotional spectrum of your entire processor had been overrun by soft harp music and sparkling gradients. The kind of presence that made people instinctively stand up straighter, or reevaluate their entire belief system

Your helm turned on autopilot, and there he was: walking in like some kind of solar-powered messiah. The lighting in the hallway behind him flared like stage lights. He gleamed. Literally. His armor gleamed so brightly you could see your soul in the reflection, like it had been waxed by angels. Every servo moved with noble precision. His posture was textbook perfection—military, yes, but with the warmth of someone who genuinely cared whether your coolant levels were low. His optics were the exact shade of “please tell me your problems, I will listen and not judge you” And then he smiled

Oh Primus

That smile

That soft, earnest, “I believe in you” smile. That “no one’s ever too far gone for a second chance” smile. That “I water plants and mean it” kind of smile. That soft, warm, too-good-for-this-world smile that could make a war criminal cry and a Wrecker go weak in the knees (you)

Your CPU blue-screened on the spot

“Apologies for the delay” he said, voice deep and melodic, like a lullaby designed specifically for war criminals trying to go straight. Then he looked directly at you. At you “Welcome aboard. I’m glad you chose to be here”

You had exactly 0.2 seconds to think of a reply, and the only thing your mouth could produce was—

“ah.. yes”

Your systems dropped six error messages

The room did not let it go

It was like someone had pressed the big red button labeled “group humiliation” Everyone burst into synchronized snickering. One mech nearly fell out of his chair. Another whispered “..It’s always the quiet murdery ones”

You did not react. You had evolved beyond reacting. You were floating in the astral plane of pure internal screaming, while your face remained stoic and unfazed

You weren’t going to deny it. Because, honestly?

They were right

—

   Later That Cycle…

You found yourself tucked away in one of the quiet maintenance rooms—alone, mercifully, with nothing but your own spiraling thoughts and a broken cable junction you were pretending to fix

You were doing fine

Totally fine

…Until your optics replayed that smile again. And again. And again

You made a noise. A very specific, very undignified squeaking sort of noise that had no business coming from someone with your reputation. You slapped a hand over your faceplate “What the frag is wrong with me…”

You’d survived countless battlefields. Punched out two generals. Stole a tank once, on a dare. You’d told an Autobot diplomat to “bite your shiny aft” to their face and got promoted afterwards. You were a beast

And now?

You were blushing. At a smile. From just one mech. A shiny, too-good-for-this-galaxy, moral-as-all-slag captain

“…I’d say ‘kill me now’ but if he told me to die, I’d probably just thank him politely and lay down” you muttered

You thumped your helm against the wall. Just once. For emphasis. Maybe it’d knock some sense back into you

Did it work? No

Your brain was already spiraling into another round of: He looked right at me. He was glad I’m here. He smiled. He SMILED. You melted into a puddle of shame and ridiculous longing

—

The mission was routine. Patrol. Scan. Report. The kind of job that didn’t require much brainpower—just optics sharp enough to catch movement, and feet quiet enough not to trip over rocks

And yet, somehow, with him walking just a few paces ahead of you, the mission had become the emotional equivalent of a live-wire overload. Thunderclash moved like he belonged in some sort of recruitment holovid—steady, sure, posture perfect. Every time he looked back to check on the team, your processor short-circuited for half a nanoklik. Just a smile. Just a glance

But for you?

It was everything

You hated how easy it was to fall into that line of thinking. Thinking that he care of you, and that is the fact. This wasn’t some old Earth romance series, and you weren’t some starry-opticed rookie tripping over their own servos

Except… you kind of were, especially when he paused at a ledge and held out a hand without thinking

“Steep edge” he said calmly “Careful”

His servo hovered, palm up. Just in case

You didn’t need the help. You could clear the drop in one jump. You could do it backward. In your recharge. While reciting Wrecker code of conduct backwards

But your core thrummed like you were about to be knighted and so—very casually, totally cool and not at all screaming inside—you placed your hand in his and let him steady you as you stepped up beside him

Your servo stayed in his a microsecond too long

He didn’t pull away and neither did you

The silence that followed wasn’t awkward.

It was… oddly warm. You didn’t look at him. Couldn’t. But you were very aware of the fact that he was still watching you

And smiling

Your internal monologue screamed into the void: 'This is fine. This is perfectly professional. Holding hands to cross a ledge is normal. You’re not reading into it. You’re NOT—'

Then his voice came, quiet and steady

“Thanks for keeping pace”

You nodded too quickly “u-yea. You too. I mean—same. Good pace. Great.. team... pacing”

Smooth. Real smooth

He smiled again. Not just with his mouth this time. His optics softened—almost like he knew 'He knows. He totally knows. And I’m going to explode'

You stared at your own servo. The one he’d held. Still warm or maybe your imagination was broken. Probably both. You lay back on the recharge slab, arm thrown over your face, and let out the softest, most mortified groan

“I held hands with him. I HELD HANDS WITH THUNDERCLASH”

...

..

“I am never recovering from this”

“So” your new teammates cornered you like vultures that had scented drama “Serious question: when Thunderclash gives you an order, do your optics sparkle because of admiration or is that just a software glitch from full ‘Obedient Soldier Protocol: Activated’?”

You grunted “It’s called being a team player. Look it up"

“Oh sure” said one, grinning “Team player. The kind who’d throw themselves off a cliff if he so much as gestured vaguely toward the edge”

Discharge sipped her energon delicately “Bet he says ‘fetch,’ and you roll over and present a mission report on your belly"

You stared at them, unblinking. Deadpan. Calm like a lake right before a bomb goes off

“He tells me to dig” you said “I ask how many meters down and if he wants it landscaped. He tells me to kneel, I ask which knee would best reflect the ambient lighting. Thunderclash is a beacon of moral brilliance and the only reason this galaxy hasn’t burst into flames from sheer incompetence"

The table fell quiet for a beat

“…Okay” Discharge said slowly “So you’re not just whipped. You’re writing love letters to the leash”

You raised your energon cube in solemn salute “To being whipped—elegantly. Artistically. With conviction”

They all lost it

One fell out of his chair. Someone wheezed. Another slammed the table hard enough to spill energon. Laughter echoed off the ceiling

And somewhere—somewhere deep in the universe’s core—you swore you could hear the faint, radiant chuckle of Thunderclash himself. Warm. Gentle. Forgiving and just like that, your last shred of dignity burst into stardust

…And honestly? You were at peace with that

—

“I saw the symbol first” you admitted

“I won’t pretend otherwise – but I stayed… because I saw you”

—

It had been nearly a full planetary cycle since you arrived

Thunderclash wasn’t the type to track time in anniversaries or make note of meaningless metrics—not for personal reasons, at least. He logged rotations when necessary, marked deployments, scheduled rotations like any disciplined commander would. But the passage of days meant very little to him—until lately

Because lately, he had started to notice the subtle shift in his internal chronometer. Not because anything had changed loudly, or suddenly. Not because of any grand gesture.

But because you were still here

And your presence didn’t blaze in and out like a comet. You settled instead like gravity. Steady. Unspoken. Something he felt not in his optics, but in the soft shifts of rhythm—his routines bending imperceptibly to accommodate yours. He didn’t realize he’d started measuring time in the way you entered a room. The way your gait, once braced like you were entering hostile ground, had softened into something more instinctive. Less guarded. How your optics no longer scanned every corner, no longer flicked toward the exit as if keeping it warm in your mind. How your voice had learned silence—not as a weapon or a wall, but as comfort shared in stillness

“Sometimes I wonder if I deserve the version of me they believe in"

There was no illusion in his voice now. No practiced composure. Only the quiet, desperate ache of someone who’d borne too much grace for too long and didn’t know if it still belonged to him and you saw him—not as the captain, not as the symbol, not even as the figure who’d once made your spark stammer with a single glance But as a man who had stood too long in the light, until he forgot how to cast a shadow without guilt — so you stepped forward. Not to touch. Not to rescue. But to stand—truly stand—with him and your words, when they came, were steady. Unadorned. Simple truths, offered with no demand for return

"then stop being the symbol"

You sat across from him now, at one of the quiet communal tables nestled in the Stellar Apex’s heart. Not a formal space. Not a war room. Just a patch of ship meant for breathing

He was reviewing mission logs, the glow of his interface casting long lines of blue across the curve of his shoulders. You were hunched, one leg braced up, hands deft and precise as you disassembled a tactical visor with a kind of lazy expertise—your tools clinking in a rhythm that had become familiar, unspoken, even strangely reassuring

Neither of you spoke

You didn’t need to and it was that lack of need—that absence of obligation—that made Thunderclash pause for a breath he didn't realize he was holding

He remembered your first week

How you sat, spine stiff, as if chairs were not to be trusted. How your shoulders stayed locked, never resting, as though the weight of your past assignments might still fall at any moment. How you placed yourself against walls, corners, exits. The places people retreat to when they don’t expect to stay — He’d watched, but never cornered you. Never tried to ease you open like a knot. That had never been his way

He had simply given you structure. Quiet. A place where no one asked more than what you chose to offer and over time, without asking, you stayed and he still didn’t fully understand why that mattered so much to him.

But it did

Because bots like you—wound tight, fire-forged, with exits already mapped before they entered—didn’t usually remain. You weren’t built for stillness. You were trained to move, to disengage before anyone noticed the way you lingered

And yet—you hadn’t gone.

Not even when the first mission went sideways. Not even when there was nothing left to prove. Not even when it would've been easy

Instead, you had become something integral in a way that crept up on everyone, himself included.. the one who recalibrated the comm relays up late without being asked

The one who growled at the diagnostics scanner like it owed you money—and made the others laugh. The one who spoke rarely in briefings, but with such distilled clarity that no one dared interrupt and now—Thunderclash realized, with a strange flutter in his chest—you had become the one he listened for at night

Not consciously. Not like an order but in those quiet hours, when patrols returned and the ship stilled, he would catch himself pausing mid-report—waiting, just for the low scrape of your steps outside the command corridor. Just to know you’d made it back. Whole

He didn’t record that in any log. He didn’t speak it aloud

But that’s when he knew

Time had become something felt, not measured and the reason… was sitting across from him now, wrist-deep in a visor and muttering about misaligned optics like the ship wasn’t holding its breath to keep you here

[boneapplet]

Bloodline Unknown

Relationship: Yautja!oc x human!oc/afab!reader

Warnings: minor description of injury, background minor character deaths

Word Count: 798

Masterlist

pt 1 | pt 2 | pt 3 | pt 4 | pt 5

A bone chilling cold is what greets Kaelan as she opens eyes to a fractured world of white and wreckage. Frigid landscape—clean and punishing and seemingly endless. Turning her face to the side, spitting blood into the snow that had found its way into the wreckage. Something hisses near her head—steam or gas, maybe coolant. Her ribs ache, her left arm hung strangely, and one boot was missing, but she was alive, somehow.

The shuttle’s main compartment lays broken behind her, a carcass of scorched alloy half-buried in powder and ice. Flames sputtering from the engine pod, black smoke curling into the low, gray sky. There is no movement, no shouting, no signs that there are other survivors. Kaelan sits up slowly, biting back a gasp as her shoulder screaming in pain at being moved. The harness must’ve caught during the crash, probably why she’s still alive—and nearly dislocated her arm doing it.

Taking stock of what lay in the wreckage, no HUD, nor even a comlink. Whatever had fried the systems before the crash had finished the job on impact. Her emergency beacon was somewhere in the wreckage, but if the burst signal hadn’t already gone out—Don’t think about that. Looking around, being greeted by the sight of endless snow, jagged rocks, and frozen trees that stick out of the snow like black claws. This wasn’t a planet designed for easy survival; it could easily become her grave.

Focus. Taking a shaky breath, she crawls into the wreckage, scavenging supplies. Finding only a half-melted emergency pack, a single functioning flare, a knife, and rations that could last her for three days—if she stretched it. The beacon was shattered, but maybe the core could be repurposed. Tucking it all into the emergency sling, strapping it over her shoulder. Moving onto dragging the bodies out so she can bury them. She didn’t know them well. Engineers, a couple corporate scouts, but these were people she’d trained with, ate alongside with, played cards with, once.

When it was done, Kaelan stands at the edge of the crash site and looks out into the ice-blasted wild. Breath fogging in front of her, eyes stinging from wind, grief, and the frostbite that slowly is setting on her. No help is coming, at least not soon. She’d survived the crash, now she had to survive the cold.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The hunt was not about the kill. It was about proof. Proof of skill, of strength, of silence. Proof that the blood in their veins still burned like their father’s and mother’s had. That they were more than shadows of a myth. Slicing through the icy clouds, the drop pod lands with the force of a challenge—low and deep in the forest basin. Snow blowing out in a wide arc, swirling like ash.

Three figures emerge from the metallic capsule. The eldest, Ra’thek, exits first. Towering, broad-shouldered, his armor scored from past rites and hard lessons. He surveys the frostbitten expanse with cold precision, his mask whirring softly as it adjusts to the temperature. Next came Skurr’va, the middle. Leaner, quieter, but no less lethal. Kneeling, pressing clawed fingers into the snow, reading tracks like scripture. His dreadlocks bound tight, ceremonial bands glinting with old kills. Zhika was last—youngest, smallest, hungriest. His movements faster, more fluid. His excitement crackling beneath the surface, barely hidden.

Ra’thek turns to face his brothers, specifically Zhika, as he gruffly says “We hunt. We return. No distractions.”

Huffing in annoyance, Zhika “Didn’t know freezing to death counted as a distraction.”

Finally looking up from the snow, Skurr’va chimes in “Only if it kills you before something else does.”

They move in formation, silent, disciplined. The frozen woods feeling as though its closing around them—jagged trunks, deep crevices, the faint stench of blood beneath the snow. This wasn’t a game world; it was a forgotten testing ground. Ancient. Cruel. Their target is no ordinary creature. Not a xenomorph, not a beast. Something older. The elders called it a “First-Spine,” a predator born of subzero worlds and silence. It has no warmth, no scent—only movement. A creature that kills without pattern, without mercy. They came to slay it together, to prove their lineage, their worth. Tension crackling between them like frost underfoot.

Trudging through the snow, Zhika mutters “We should’ve brought more.”

“If you need more, you are not enough,” Ra’thek critics his brother.

Skurr’va doesn’t join his brothers in their light bickering, his eyes tracking the horizon. What none of them knew—what none of them could’ve prepared for—was that they weren’t the only intelligent life on this world anymore. Not far from their position, hidden in the curvature of a low ice ridge, faint footprints marred the snow. Human. A survivor.