#alongside the very generous trust funds

[willfulscarlet]

Personally, no. Mia’s always seemed to me as very target-oriented, and I don’t know that a college degree would help her achieve her goals. She’s got her vigilantism, and I presume she’s got a plethora of community organising during the day. If she wants the Theory of Leftist Thought, she can stick a quarter in Ollie and let him go. Right now, she’s got work to do.

Okay, Mia Dearden fans, I'm curious:

Do you think she would want to go to college?

And what profession do you think she might like to pursue? Or does she just live off of whatever trust fund Ollie set up for her forever and just vigilante around full-time?

(At least she better have a hefty trust fund. Whether or not Ollie has money at any given time is based on a complicated algorithm involving the alignment of the moon and stars, the color of his piss today, and whether or not a very particular coyote in Montana saw a pinecone this morning.)

[starrycassi]

VERY old and uncooked au I have where Viktor (and eventually jayce) end up working for Silco.

(Edited on December 17th, 2024. Added Sky to the plot, edited the way the heist happens, explained a bit more about The Herald, generally added some other details)

PART 1 - VIKTOR (childhood, adolescence, survival)

Singed actually takes the child in. Yeah I know Viktor technically HAS parents but we've never seen em in the show so I'm ignoring them

So Viktor now lives + works for singed. He gets over his morals real quick when faced with a fully equipped laboratory. He's a child, okay? He gets excited and is eventually groomed (I don't mean romantically, just like molded) by singed into agreeing + obeying all the things the older man tells him. Silco joins in on the part later and toys with his brain as best as he can

Singed uses him as a bargaining chip with Silco. An investment, if you will.

A bit of a "future promise" thing. Viktor actually agrees to this because he knows it's the best shot he's got. All the years living alongside Singed have made him into a more cynical/realistic person. He's 13 and already grumbles at "kids these days"

And Silco is an opportunistic man. He looks at this young, blooming genius and goes "yeah, why not? He is your problem, though. Have some money and make me a bomb"

Viktor also gets a pretty decent gun and shooting lessons. His aim is decent enough. He also hangs around sevika A LOT. He recognizes her as the strongest, safest individual if a fight breaks out and tells her ad much. She won't admit it but the praise feels good. She allows him to hover around and he helps her with small things like lighting hee cigarettes or refilling her flask. It's a symbiotic relationship where they both look at each other dead in the eye when someone is saying stupid shit.

So Viktor is like 15 and suddenly faced with even MORE power and recognition, even MORE fundings and accomodations.

This boy pours his life and time into making weapons. His dreams of being a scientist are slowly forgotten as both Singed and Silco effectively turn him into their perfect little genius.

They turn his desire to help against himself, telling him that the only way the under city will ever get better is if they go against piltover and win (which yeah I mean it kinda makes sense) and just general promises and such

Silco is genuinely surprised by how inventive the kid can be, and in return Viktor appreciates the man's offers and words for what it is: a trap he's wilfully walking in.

Silco does NOT feel any affection for the kid. At least not a lot more than he does for sevika or any other loyal worker. He is amused by his intelligence and somewhat entertained by his ideas. He seems Viktor as more of a small dog he's raising, expecting him to develop sharper and sharper fangs. He does care for Viktor in the "one of my youngest workers is more efficient and savvy than five of yours" way

Viktor doesn't feel any affection for Silco, either. He's a really down-to-earth kid, has lived in the fissures all his life and has been coached by singed into how to navigate the under city. He knows singed doesn't really trust the man and doesn't plan on doing so himself. He does love the opportunity he's given, but knows damn well that it's all done for a higher reason.

He does feel a connection with singed, though. It's mutual in a way. More of a mentor-mentee thing than any paternal/familiar relationship, but they're both satisfied with it. Singed respects Viktor and treats him as an equal, which also means he can a bit too harsh on what is essentially still a fragile teen.

They are protective of Viktor only in the way one is protective of their own gun

PART 2 - VIKTOR (last of his teen years, young adulthood, rage)

EVENTUALLY Viktor manages to worm his way into the academy (in the same way he did in canon) while hiding from Silco, Singed and Sevika, and is, instead, rejected. Heimerdinger is too weary of Viktor and his general attitude (for a good reason) and plans on having him interrogated. When he tries to get Viktor to walk alone into a room with him, Viktor panics and starts stuttering out explanations. He knows his position in the under city is conditional. Knows the leash that Silco has around him. The academy could be his safe haven and now he's losing it.

He's also fake-dating Sky while this goes on. Except she's fully convinced they're gonna get married and Viktor is a Homosexual™

Heimerdinger does his best to try and calm him down, however, every word he says makes the situation worse. He's so clearly out of touch, promising things that could never be done.

Viktor is under a lot of pressure and just starts spiraling. Everything the yordle says makes things worse and worse. The commotion calls the school guards attention and Viktor gets almost thrown in jail, all while heimerdinger tries to tell the guards to let him go. Viktor eventually manages to sneak out but fucks his leg up even more in the process.

Sky tries to help, they have a horrible fight and essentially roast each other until they're both kinda crying. Sky cries the most.

He returns "home" and, refusing to be taken back for such a thing, turns his sadness into bright, burning indignation. Silco might be an idiot, he realizes, but he's right about some things. He burns down the uniform after ripping it into shreds.

After all of this, he abandons any dream of ever getting out. Singed looks at him knowingly, tells him that sneaking around is a fine art he hasn't mastered yet, and leaves. Silco welcomes him back with a satisfied smile, and a "see, boy? I was right"

Silco isn't killing Viktor for his betrayal because he smells the heartbreak and KNOWS that this is the time to attack if he wants that boy to be on his side for the rest of his life. Sevika isn't even mad. Just kinda disappointed.

And it WORKS. Viktor is devastated and isolated, and Silco effectively positions himself as the only current logical option. Viktor knows that this is all a shit show but decides that there's nothing to lose by working for the biggest kingpin in the city

This is what begins his transformation as The Machine Herald, or "Herald" for short. His leg is Fucked Up and Singed goes "hey how about I do an unsupervised surgery on you" and Viktor just kinda goes "yeah well why not". He wakes up with more wires than veins in that leg but it hurts a lot less so. Can't win them all can we?

Years go by, Viktor becomes part of silco's inner gang, since Silco is finally sure that this boy has nowhere to run, no one to ask for help. He develops what could be seen as a friendship with sevika. They drink together every so often, trash-talking the rest of the henchmen in hushed whispers in between assignments. She tries to give him life advice in cryptic ways. He kinda gets it. Most of the time.

He makes up with sky and become Best Friends™. In a way. When they're not trying to get each other to come back to Zaun/Piltover

He keeps sky a secret from them all in fear of... Well, of whatever the fuck they could try and do to her if they got mad at him.

He's also a bit of a slut. I mean he's young, hot, kinda part of Zaun's elite, smart... yeah he's getting around. This part is important I swear. No it's not I just want Viktor to get it on. He's constantly sneaking pretty boys in and out of wherever he's staying at that week which is why no one really questions Jayce (see, it was important) the first few days he's in his house after The Trial (idk where the fuck sevika sleeps. Do silco's henchmen just sleep in his house??? Does he provide apartments?? I need to know)

People in the under city actually start talking to Viktor as he gets older, realizing that he's a bit less violent than the rest of silco's thugs and they have a 50/50 shot that he will actually help them in their pleas. This is always weird to him but he endures it for the sake of staying on top of what's being said in the city. And he's also generally a kind soul deep down

He buys from benzo frequently, and Benzo tolerates him because once, very slowly and in a hushes tone, he heard Viktor tell Ekko to never work for anyone with a shark aquarium.

Viktor is quite fond of Ekko. If Silco didn't basically own his soul, he would definitely take the kid in. Which is why he eventually becomes the biggest timebomb advocate.

PART THREE - MEETING JAYCE.

He's in Benzo's shop when he meets jayce.

He goes "yeah I could get him to suck me off probably" and tries to approach

And then jayce pays in GOLD and DOESN'T HAGGLE

And he realizes that this idiot is a piltie. He also realizes that whatever the fuck he just bought and the whole projects he's talking about could be useful for him and silco will not like it if a PILTIE out of everyone outsmarts him in weapon creation. He literally gets in between him and the door with absolutely no idea of what he's going to do (there is absolutely no way he's upping that payment sorry silco you are no match for the Kirammans)

There is no time and he defaults to "oh this is not my bedroom!" mode.

Cue him saying something like "I've never seen such a pretty face in this store. Are you from around here, darling?"

Ekko is gagging in the background.

They flirt yada yada I have the scene but it's too long to write here. U get the idea. I'd anyone wants to read that ask me but for now just use your imagination

Viktor offers Jayce to come back with him to his house for "protection" because "these streets are sooo cruel for foreigners" and Ekko hypes him up. "Oh Yeah Herald here is So Strong and Everyone Respects Him" which is technically not a lie. Jayce gets overwhelmed and accepts. As this is happening the kids are staging the heist but it has not happened yet. Don't ask me about timelines idgaf

They make out a bit, Jayce tells Viktor all about his theory (which is arguably hotter for Viktor) and shows him his notes (because obviously he carries his journal with him)

Viktor is BLOWN AWAY by this. He gets all worked up. Never felt this horny before. They discuss for a while, and Viktor decides that THIS is something he can stand behind. Actual discoveries, not just drawing blueprints after blueprint of the same fucking thing

Really how many ways can one design a weapon in

Anyways

Viktor sort of mildly drugs jayce and steals three of the shiny orbs and then wakes Jayce up and tells him that this was delightful and such.

PART FOUR - Hey Silco Can We Adopt This Boy. For Science

The heist happens the very same way. Viktor hears about it, about the trial, and decides that all these years of work should get him some privileges

He goes "If you're going to change the world, don't ask for permission" and just goes to save Jayce. Originally I had him argue with Silco and Singed to allow him to do this here but yk what? This man is too impulsive to do that. He's breaking his man OUT with two bribed bodyguards and Janna on his side. Sky is 100% on board because she kinda knows Jayce and he's really nice so she doesn't want them to banish him.

Viktor breaks jayce out do NOT ask me how #thepoweroflove and Sky's blessing or whatever. The henchmen get to punch enforcers so they're happy about it.

The "am I interrupting?" Scene happens. It's also too long so.

It takes Viktor a while to convince Jayce to, yk, betray his country and leave everything he's ever known behind, but Jayce was literally about to kill himself and Viktor is talking about change and help and people who actually need it (lies) and he looks so beautiful under the moonlight and he remembered him. So. Really what can one realistically do in this situation if not agree with the criminal who's trying to save you from exile.

They rush back to Zaun, Jayce leaves a hasty suicide note and says he will drown himself in the river and not to search for him (he leaves a slight clue for him being in Zaun as an alibi in case they eventually find him and want to blame Viktor for kidnapping. Which is such a hot and clever thing that Viktor almost kisses him right there), they break into heimerdinger's room via Sky giving them the keys, steal all the equipment they can carry (henchmen & co brought some bags okay??)

When Mel arrives they're gone. She calls for the guards to come but they're waaay out of her reach and Sky is there all beaten up and crying (she agreed to it)

There might be a motorcycle involved. Cyclists Viktor... Yeah. Hot.

When they arrive, he has his very first actual screaming-match kind of fight with Silco and Singed about keeping A Piltie in their territory, but they eventually and very reluctantly give in. Also Jinx is there. So Silco isn't really that preoccupied with who lives with Viktor and more with how to make this child stop wailing.

Silco knows that even a worm will turn. If Jayce does agree to work for them and stays loyal, then they get another good worker. If not, they can always kill him. He's never heard Viktor this adamant about someone before, and damn he's seen the boy walk around with some pretty faces. Maybe this Jayce fella truly is smart.

PART FIVE - JINX AND JAYCE

When Viktor shows up he finds out that silco has adopted a child. Also Sevika doesn't have an arm. Also Vander is dead. So is, presumably, that child with the bad haircut. So is Benzo. Which is a bummer. He liked the store.

Ekko is nowhere to be found. That's a bit sad. Really sad. He sheds a few tears.

Jayce hates everything that's going on around him buts this man is SUICIDAL, basically homeless, penniless and his one and only lifeline is Viktor. Even if he stayed in Piltover no one would've been able to help. He's just kinda going with the flow. Having him gives Viktor his backbone and morals back. Slowly. Very slowly.

Hextech develops WAY slower. Like they're working in a drug den in the middle of what is basically a hastily put together lab there's absolutely no way there's the same conditions. They're doing their best though.

Jayce Is actually really impressed by shimmer and how it can "help" people. He's gaslighting himself ATP and everyone else is enabling him. No Jayce you're just creating an army of drug addicted zombies what do you mean giving power to the people.

Also eventually Silco gives Viktor a laced brace that makes him mildly addicted to shimmer. Viktor is clever enough to realize what's going on but also experienced enough to know that refusal would be seen as an offense. He takes the brace on and off with his own prototypes. Sevika and him both know they're just digging themselves into a deeper hole. With time he just goes "yeah fuck it" and starts regularly using it on his wires for the better performance of his leg. Glorious evolution or something.

Silco actually tries to kill jayce once because he was getting too fucking annoying and self-righteous, but Jinx steps in. He reminds him of claggor (in a bizarre way). She claims that they're both her friends and she loves them and silco just seethes in silence because Why did he become a father.

They help raise her. Kinda. Not co-parenting. More like co-uncling. They're both horrible influences but they aren't worse than Silco's enablement so it's just a very fucked up raising strategies cocktail.

I wrote all of this so I could successfully say that they have a tea party with her.

THEY LOVE LIL JINX OKAAAY. Specially jayce. He takes all his emptiness and sadness and anger and tries to fill it with love for her and Viktor, the only two people he feels are kind of honest to him. He tries to befriend Sevika. Doesn't really work at first.

Also Jayce being jealous of the fact that Viktor got around, specially when he has the audacity to give powder boy's advice (sevika is a STONE TOP LESBIAN you can NOT tell me anything else) right in Jayce's face. Yeah. Miscommunication. Falling in love. Devotion and guilt. Feelings of owing. Hesitant kisses and never said words. YEEES. I know it's a bit tropey but I like it so. Yeah.

Also both Jayce and Vik have long hair. Jinx insisted they let it grow like hers. Jayce's actually reaches his shoulder plates/mid back while Viktor keeps it shoulder length, just long enough to tie it. I think. Still haven't decided since long hair Jayce is too hard to mentally picture but I know he would look GOOD

Yes this also means that Jayce and Vi meet even earlier. They take a look at each other as they both try to calm down jinx and Become Best Friends™

Caitlyn always has a heart attack because YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD. She, like Vi, goes "yeah silco is definitely keeping my sister/brother captive" and they're both like You Will Not Believe This.

Viktor doesn't join them in their adventures because he is Not jumping around the roofs. He uses a cane. Leave him alone jinx no he can't climb the stupid ass tower.

Jinx and Jayce become a sort of "ground control" thing. Jayce is BUFFED that man can stand his own in a fight. He's not as quick or flexible but he makes up for it in pure absolute brawn. They're not actually doing anything useful they're just entertaining Jinx every so often.

Idk guys this au is consuming my brain.

I have more ideas but this was way too long already

If u read this far u can actually ask for a small scene on the au or add an idea and I'll write it for u

[rauspberries]

ALPHABET SOUP!

lessons in chemistry series.

summary: you feel like you've been fighting all of your life to keep your head above water, with school being the only place you thrive. steve harrington has had everything handed to him on a silver platter, including a full-ride basketball scholarship and a threat to your valedictorian spot. normally, you'd avoid him like the flu, but when he offers you money to tutor him in chemistry, you just can't refuse his offer. tags: afab reader, college & modern au, grumpy!reader x sunshine!steve, trust fund baby!steve x financially struggling!reader, r & steve are both education majors, r works at a bar, mentions of alcohol, r judges a book by a cover & dislikes steve, steve is lwk already obsessed with r, steve has dyslexia & dyscalculia word count: 5.0k

Water droplets paint the glass of the windows, the gloomy day outside perfectly adding to your exhaustion. After a considerate amount of time studying and an eight-hour late shift at the bar, your eyelids felt like lead, your head heavy and cloudy. The last place you want to be at eight in the morning is in this plain-walled building, surrounded by people you either didn’t know or didn’t care much about, listening to someone drone on and on about a topic that you’d just reteach yourself in your apartment later.

Don’t get it wrong, you didn’t hate college in a general aspect. For you, school has always been a place to thrive. Good grades seemed to come easy to you as long as you put in effort and taking notes was more of a hobby than a necessity. The only part you hated was the early wake-ups and the people you were forced to surround yourself with.

Your eight AM chemistry class was very high on your list of hated college classes. Too early in the morning, too bright of a classroom, too many students that were too chatty for any night owl. Worst of all, there was Steve Harrington.

You knew Steve solely by being in his orbit. Basketball player with a full-ride scholarship, a shiny BMW and rich parents. Perfect hair, perfect face, perfect clothes, perfect grades. It was alarming how well he managed to keep his almost-valedictorian (after you, of course) status despite his extremely active social life. No matter where you went, or how far you tried to stray from it, someone had something to say about him, whether it be actual fact, fawning or simple rumors.

Yeah, he hooked up with so-and-so at so-and-so’s party last week. I’m pretty sure she’s still waiting for a call back.

Did you see his ass in those shorts during his last game? Not as good as him in that one pair of jeans, but still phenomenal.

I’m pretty sure his parents own houses all throughout the country. A house for every seasonal vacation. Think he takes people there?

The existence of Steve was infuriating. Never had to work for anything, never seemed to try very hard, yet the two of you were constantly at each other’s necks when it came to best in their class. It didn’t help that the professor seemed to adore him, laughing at the small jokes he threw her way when he was leaving class and congratulating him on every single good grade he received. Her intense focus on Harrington had you wondering if she was a cougar looking for a young college boy to frolic alongside.

Steve sat in front of you in class, which you took as an opportunity to constantly lean over his shoulder to glance at his scores whenever he pulled them up on his laptop. Every time that his grade was higher than yours, you cursed. Every time you had gotten better grades than him, you celebrated. Sometimes, he even raised his computer, as if he had sensed the distaste radiating from you and wanted to rub it in your face.

Infuriating. 

You were jolted back to reality by the sound of a clap, blinking your blurry eyes and glancing around in bewilderment. As soon as the professor waved her hands and dismissed the class, you stood out of your seat, shoving your notebook into your backpack and throwing it quickly over your shoulder. To keep your time in this classroom as brief as possible, you had claimed the seat closest to the door, ensuring the quickest exit and not getting stuck behind a crowd of young adults clogging up the thin aisle between the rows of seats.

You can practically taste freedom when you’re suddenly stopped by a hand on the crook of your elbow and the sound of your name, turning around so fast you swore you heard a muscle in your neck snap.

“Hello.” Steve greets the minute you glance at him, leaning his shoulder against the doorway of the classroom. He’s effectively blocking one of the two doors that were open for the students to leave, although he doesn’t seem to mind, all of his focus on you. He doesn’t say anything else other than the greeting, a stupid grin on his face and a strand of perfect hair falling over his forehead.

Brow furrowing and lips pursing in annoyance, you cross your arms over your chest, watching his puppy eyes flicker down to them before he glances back at your face. “What do you want, Harrington?”

With a dramatic mix between a sigh and a groan and one step back, he raises a hand to run it through his hair, pushing it back and doing nothing to tame the stubborn stray lock. “Hello, yes, I am having a good day, thank you.”

“That’s not what I asked,” you deadpan. It’s too early in the morning to play games, especially with the late shift you had worked the night before, leaving irritation to prickle at your skin and your eyes to stay half-lidded as they stopped him with a harsh glare.

He lets out a soft hmph of discontent, obviously having expected this conversation to have gone a totally different way. He stares at you silently until you give up, turning around and walking away from him without a goodbye. 

Unfortunately, Steve doesn’t give up. He's on your heels as soon as you move, the front of his shoulder brushing against the back of yours as he walks alongside you, skillfully dodging everyone that was on the other side of him. “Okay, okay. Here’s the deal.” 

His fingers brush against your bicep in another attempt to stop you from moving, guiding you into a much-emptier hallway and standing in front of you. “I need help.”

“I’m not a therapist,” you quip.

“Be nice,” he whines.

“No. Continue before I walk away.”

“Okay,” he groans again. You mentally note to insult him for sounding like a zombie and a petulant child. “I need a tutor.” 

Right as your mouth opens to shoot another sarcastic comment his way, he’s speaking again – quickly, as if he’s afraid a single bout of silence will send you running. “We both know that you and I are in the running for valedictorian. I have no intent of taking that from you. Maybe.” In what he means to be charming, he winks before continuing. “But the only class I can’t seem to fully grasp is chemistry. I’m assuming that someone as smart as you is doing amazing in that class. Which means I want you to tutor me.”

“You don’t get everything you want, Harrington,” you remind him chidingly, leaning to press your back against the wall behind you. Your feet ache way too much to stand straight any longer. “I’m too busy to worry about your grades alongside mine. Some of us have things to do other than party. There’s over a handful of people who’d be willing to tutor you and one of them is not me.”

Steve’s brow furrows, evidence of his disappointment written all over his face, eyes softening in a pout. “C’mon. I don’t want anybody else to tutor me.” It’s his turn to cross his arms over his chest, jean-clad hip pushing out into what he thinks is a defiant stance. “What’s your price?”

That pulls a bark of a laugh out of your lips, head shaking. “Nothing.”

“You’ll do it?” He perks up foolishly, arms falling to his side. 

“No.” You swear you can hear his hope shatter. Good.

There’s a soft slap as one hand perches on his hip, the other rubbing at his face. “You are so goddamn stubborn.” It comes out as a growl of annoyance, although when his eyes find you, his gaze isn’t anything but pleading. “Please. I’ll pay you. Fifty an hour.”

“I could make more than that standing on a corner,” you deadpan. Fifty an hour overall does sound tempting, especially since that’d allow you to lower your amount of shifts at the bar and maybe actually give you a day off, but he can’t know that. It’s insufferable Steve Harrington staring down at you, only a few inches taller than you are and yet attempting to loom.

Another sound of pique grumbled in his throat. “A hundred.”

Now, you’re just messing with him, raising your hand to flex your finger and point at the sky, asking for more. You don’t expect anyone to want to pay more than a hundred dollars an hour for tutoring, especially for something as simple as chemistry and not as intense as the SAT. But Steve isn’t just anyone and it’s obvious that he’s desperate.

“Fine. Three hundred. But I’m not going above that.” Steve’s arms cross over his chest again, a divet forming on his forearms as he clenches in fingers in slight annoyance, brown eyes glaring. “At that point, I can pay someone to take all my tests for me.”

You don’t even attempt to make fun of him, or to spit back a snide comment. Your lips are parted in shock at the idea of someone having so much money that they could spend that much money on tutoring. He catches your shock, a radiant smile pulling on his lips as he reaches into his back pocket.

Quickly, Steve steps forward, sliding a piece of paper between the cover and first page of the notebook in your arms. “My number’s there. Text me and we can choose a time and place, yeah?” With a wink that makes you want to rip his eye out and a very dramatic spin, he slides out of the hallway he had pulled you in, disappearing into the sea of students.

You don’t text Steve.

Surprisingly, it’s not because you don’t want to. After weighing your intense dislike for Steve against the amount of money he was offering, you wouldn’t be able to say no to his offer without feeling the hole in your pocket burn just a bit brighter and bigger. You had kept telling yourself that as soon as you had a free moment, you should text him, nonchalant and easy, telling him to meet you in the library at some point. 

But you never had a free moment.

Between attending classes, homework, studying and picking up shifts at the bar, the only breaks you had were to shovel food into your mouth just to keep you alive or to sleep like the dead for a couple of hours before you did it all over again. One day turned into two, then three, until you had ignored Steve for an entire week, his phone number abandoned on your cluttered nightstand. 

The thought of texting him has completely left your mind as you flounce behind the bar, grabbing bottles and ignoring the stick of your non-slip shoes against the liquor-covered ground. It’s a busy Wednesday night due to the small band performing on the half-moon stage in the corner, college kids and young adults that peaked in college ordering more than alcohol than they’ll be able to drink before they’re sent home in a cab. Smoke fills the air from puffs of nicotine and loud voices are everywhere.

You’re leaning across the bar to catch some frat boys’ order when you see him. Steve Harrington strolls into the bar like he owns the place, a dark green sweater stretched across his chest, too tight on his biceps and yet rolled at the bottom near the waistband of his mid-wash jeans. Despite being dressed casually, it's like there’s a spotlight on him, your focus trained. 

He’s never been here before. The college kids that usually came into the bar were seniors, out of your grade, or had no idea who you were. Very rarely was there a recognizable face, or at least one that you cared about seeing you. 

But this bar isn’t a level playing field between you and Steve. It’s hours into your double shift, sweat sticking all of the unmanageable baby hairs that snuck out of your ponytail to the nape of your neck and forehead. Your black shirt doesn’t show any stains and yet is damp in spots, clinging to your skin, with the scent of your perfume completely encumbered by the smell of copious amounts of alcohol. The cut-off jean shorts that were once fitting on your waist and ass have become slightly baggy as you lost weight, hanging low on your hips, fraying at the bottom so that strings brushed against your legs every time you walked.

You looked a mess and he looked like the world never touched him. The unstoppable Steve Harrington.

Nodding at whatever Chad, Brad and Matt (at least, that’s what you assumed their names were) said without catching a lick of their orders, you turn and head directly towards the end of the bar. The employee’s-only door is right there, your exit, your escape, when there’s suddenly a thud as Steve smacks his palms against the bar and leans towards you. 

“You have been ignoring me,” he accuses. An index finger raises to jab in your direction reproachfully.

Your response is a scoff, shoulders raising defensively. “I have not.”

Steve’s elbows hit the bar as he slants the entire top half of his body over the dark wood, no doubt getting his sweater sticky. “Then what do you call not texting me, huh? Or leaving class before I can talk to you?”

He’s right. There was no doubt that you had completely forgotten to text him, especially when you could’ve easily done it right after he had given you the piece of paper. But your stubborn streak always won out over your common sense. “I call it being busy, Harrington. God, you’re clingy.”

“Uh-uh. Don’t turn this on me.” He sounds like a child and looks like one, too, with his wrinkled nose and furrowed brow. A full pout is unfolding on his features and you’d laugh if you weren’t so exhausted and growing irritated. “You’re ignoring me. You said yes and then you made me wait a week. A week! Who does that? You cruel, cruel woman.”

You can’t help it. You laugh. It bubbles in your lungs until it hurts, head falling back and air rushing across the exposed, sweat-slicked skin of your neck. It’s not a pretty laugh, not contained. It’s bordering on being described as a cackle, high-pitched and loud.

When your eyes catch onto Steve’s face again, you can see the pink on the tips of his ears, lips parted in shock. As your laugh ceases into small giggles, you shake your head at him and his incessant need to stare at you like you sprouted four heads. “What, Harrington?”

“I didn’t know you could do that.” His lips smack together before he’s gaping again, puppy eyes wide.

Your hand lays flat on your stomach, willing the cramp to settle itself as you fix him with a confused look. “Do what?”

Steve snorts, finally leaning back to slide onto the barstool next to him. “Laugh. Have a good time.” The toe of his shoes hooks into the bar at the bottom so that he can lean back, arms crossing over his chest. 

“Oh, fuck you,” is your response, although it’s lacking any malice. Unfortunately, you hadn’t been sure for a while that you were still able to have fun. The most fun you got was playing some horribly-plotted procedural drama in the background while you worked on homework. You couldn’t remember the last time you picked up a book, much less read it, or took a walk just to take a walk. 

It’s his turn to laugh, showing off a pretty smile with too much top teeth, a curve of a wrinkle forming near the base of his nose and crow’s feet near the corners of his eyes. Despite his obvious mirth, he doesn’t try to speak again, filling the space between you with shouts of drunkards and the clinking of glasses.

You let out a heavy sigh, shoulders relaxing as you allow yourself to look at him for just a moment. Because while you knew Steve was handsome, had heard all about it from eavesdropping, it was different when it was staring you right in the face. The darker spots decorating his throat and jaw, the indent above his left eyebrow when he pursed his lips in confusion, the way his hair curled at the ends despite no evidence of him being curly-haired. For a split second, you allow yourself to consider him pretty. But for just a moment. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t text. I got too busy with school and work and I forgot.” Your hands raise to gesture around you at the bustling crowd as your eyes stay fixed on him, watching his confused face turn into a very faded smirk.

Steve reaches out to grab a wadded-up straw wrapper from the bar, rolling it between his index finger and thumb nonchalantly. “Didn’t know you were capable of that, either,” he teases, just to laugh and take it back when your eyes turn steely. “Kidding! Kidding.” A pause. “Are you free tomorrow night?”

You’re never free. It’s a common fact. But you could always count tutoring as studying, especially since you had a chemistry quiz coming up. You take a few beats of silence to answer, watching him scoot forward in his stool to get closer to you out of the corner of your eye. Then, you nod, gaze finally landing on him just as his shoulders relax in relief. “I guess I can take some time out of my busy day.”

“You won’t regret it.” He’s fucking beaming, lips pulled back into a big large grin. 

“I’m sure I will,” you chirp back bittersweetly.

In the few moments you’ve taken to speak to Steve, you’ve forgotten where you are, even with the bitter stench of liquor clouding your senses and the placebo effect of being around drunk people. You’re brought back to reality by the call of your name, head turning to glance at one of your fellow bartenders just as he waves you over to help.

Your mouth opens to bid Steve goodbye, only to shut when he speaks first. “Can I get a rum and coke?” He asks, voice too sweet to not have any hidden meaning, filled with mischief and cheer. 

Fixing him with a concerned look, you nod before turning and starting to make his drink. He sits at the end of the bar even as you walk to the other side to start tending to a birthday girl and her drunk friends. He’s there, eyes burning into your skin as you gracefully go from one customer to another. 

And then, at the end of the night after you’ve already locked up and everyone’s gone home, he walks you home with his hands shoved into the back pockets of his jeans. He talks your ear off like you’ve been friends for years, regardless of you being silent and only interrupting him to reply with something snarky. 

The annoyingly unshakeable Steve Harrington, who walks you to the threshold of your door before pulling his car keys out of his front pocket, turning and heading back the exact same way you had both just walked.

Unlike the majority of your days, Thursday moves slowly. Classes take twice as long to finish, the words on your homework turn blurry as you stare at them in boredom, your mile-long walk home seems to be never ending. 

By the time the sun sets over the horizon and the majority of things you needed to get done that day have all come and gone, nothing but dread sits in your guts. The night before with Steve had been fun, even if it tasted like bile to admit it, but it wasn’t going to happen again. You were in this situation for one reason, and one reason only – the paycheck at the end. Then, you and Steve would live your separate lives again. You, in the background. Steve, underneath the spotlight. 

Stepping into the library, you pull your backpack up a bit higher on your back as you head directly for a study room. Once inside, you lay out everything you may need. Pens, markers, pencils, textbooks, the homework the both of you had been assigned that morning open on your computer. It’s almost meticulously laid out, as if you were trying to prove that you were studious enough to be capable of this, as if your high grades and obvious determination were not enough. 

Steve strolls into the room four minutes after the time you had set to meet, backpack hanging loosely off of a singular shoulder as he apologizes for being late, rattling about how he had trouble with the time. 

It’s almost comical, the difference between the two of you. Your neatly organized bag, with your laptop, then your books, then your notebooks, then your charger, zipped and tucked into a corner. Steve’s bag, hanging open with loose, wrinkled pages peaking out, which he tosses on the floor as he flops into a chair. 

Your attention is only fully captured when he sets a coffee cup on the desk, three fingers prodding it closer to where you stand, hunched over the table. “What’s that?” You ask skeptically, looking up through your eyelashes at him.

“Coffee. Just how you like it, not poisoned. Figured you’d need it, since you didn’t get much sleep last night.” A shoulder raises in a lazy shrug, trying to act nonchalant despite the way he watched you take a sip. Surprisingly, he had gotten your order exactly right. He must note your surprise because he speaks again, words coming out rushed. “I took a picture of your coffee cup tag today when you turned to unpack your bag.”

Sweet, yes, but also notably creepy. “Jesus Christ, stalker,” you grumble beneath your breath. 

“You’re welcome,” he sings in response. Leaning down, he yanks his expensive laptop out of his bag before letting it flop back onto the floor, peeling open the top as he sets it down on the desk. There’s a brief silence as you both finish setting up, interrupted by a clearing of his throat. “Okay. What’re we doing?”

“Chemistry,” you deadpan. A slow grin pulls on your lips as you watch the mock annoyance blossom on his face, head shaking with a quiet chuckle. “We’re just gonna do the homework she assigned this morning. I can re-explain anything you need help with. It’s just stoichiometry, so it shouldn’t be too bad.”

He lets out a noise of acknowledgement as he stares at the assignment, full eyebrows knitting together. Rather than comfortably, a slightly awkward silence falls over you as his focus continues to shift from the computer screen to your face, as if he’s expecting you to say something. “Can I help you?”

Steve squirms in his chair, letting out a deep sigh. “I already don’t get it,” he mumbles. “I didn’t get a single thing she said up there. It was all just a bunch of letters and numbers.” His lips purse, as if holding in more words, brown eyes looking at you expectantly.

Letting out a huff, you cross your arms over your chest. “Well, maybe you should focus a bit harder on the screen than what my coffee order is.”

“It’s not that,” he argues. His eyes narrow defiantly, real annoyance manifesting there. Something’s struck a nerve, although you’re not sure where exactly you’ve pushed the line, especially when the last few days had made it seem like there wasn’t one.

But it’s written all over his face, the secret he keeps. Curve of his brow, pouted top lip, frustrated eyes. 

“What aren’t you telling me, Harrington?” You ask, standing up straight and shoving your hands into your front pockets. “Because I can’t help you if you aren’t clear and honest with me.”

With a heavy sigh, he flops back against the chair, butt scooting forward as his legs stretch out beneath the table. It’s a few heartbeats before he finally takes an intake of breath, gaze moving from the floor to the ceiling and then back to you. His mouth shuts and then opens, tongue running against his bottom teeth. “I don’t get these things like other people do. Math has never been easy, not even addition, subtraction. So, this? Not easy. Not fun.”

You stare at him for a moment, arms crossing over your chest before it finally all connects in your brain. Your lips roll into your mouth before you glance at the whiteboard behind you, gesturing to it. “Is it easier if I… draw it out?”

The tips of his ears turn pink, palm pressing into his closed fist to crack his knuckles. Then, subtly, he nods. “Yeah. That’d be good.”

Nodding, you turn around, grabbing the Expo marker from the small ledge at the bottom of the board. Taking a quick glance at the problem on the laptop, you copy it onto the board before starting to draw it out. Circles for each mole, labeled with a symbol rather than a letter. It takes you longer than it would’ve to just solve it yourself, but you’re now determined to find a way to make it make sense to him. 

His focus burns into your skin as you stay turned towards the board, heat curling in every spot his gaze touched. You’re able to shake it off until it’s all laid out in a messy scrawl of black marker, turning back to face him and explain what you had laid out.

It’s extremely late by the time the both of you decide to call it quits, the library emptied out hours ago. You’ve walked Steve through balancing chemical equations for what seems like a million times, finger pushing into the whiteboard and faded charcoal streaks staining the white of the board. The both of you only agree to tap out for the day once the worksheet is completed, both of you exhausted from lack of sleep and too much brain power used. 

He insists on driving you home, especially with how dark it is outside. When you explain that you only live a block away and walking in the cool air of the night is soothing, he responds by matching your stride as you head towards home. 

For a moment, you don’t speak. You want to think he’s not talking because of his exhaustion, or because you’ve spent the last four hours constantly chatting, but you know better. Embarrassment washes over him in waves, radiating over to you. “When did you find out?”

Steve’s face contorts in confusion for only a brief moment before he finally registers what you mean, shoving his hands into the pocket of his jeans. “When I was younger, my parents just thought I was dumb. Not that they’d say it like that. It was always hidden sweetly. Stevie just needs some extra help sometimes,” he mocks in a higher-pitched tone, complete with a rolling of his eyes. “When I was a teenager, I heard about it from a guidance counselor while talking about college admissions and scheduled myself to see an educational psychologist without them noticing.”

“And it was a relief,” he admits. “I always just thought I was stupid, that cheating on homework and tests would be the only way I’d pass anything. But then I got the accommodations, the extra help I needed, and everything got easier.”

You nod, not wanting to pry too much into the subject in case he closed up. “Why don’t you use the accommodations now?” You question, head tilting as you look up at him.

He shrugs, right foot kicking a bit harder at the concrete as he walks. “I guess I didn’t want anyone knowing. Everyone sees me as this person that everything comes easy to, and sometimes it’s just easier to fit that, I guess.”

A laugh bubbles in your chest, gravitating a bit closer to him until your elbows brush as you walk side-by-side. “God, I feel like an ass,” you breathe out, eyes staring straight ahead at the streetlight-lit streets. 

Steve’s head whips to look over at you, looking stricken by your words. “What do you mean?”

The look on his face breaks out another laugh, head shaking. “You don’t want to know the names I’ve called you in my mind. For being so good at school, for being able to go to parties, to be the star of the show and not visibly struggle like I have been. I’m the fucking person people are speaking to when they say don’t judge a book by its cover.” Then, sheepishly, to lighten the mood a bit more, you glance up at him. “Sorry for being an ass to you in my head.”

“And aloud,” he quips, although it's obvious he doesn’t mean it by the grin that spreads on his lips and the chuckle that splits it apart. “I forgive you. But I am taking it as a challenge.”

“A challenge for what?” You snort.

“To make you like me.” He beams, eyes glancing up at the sparse speckle of stars in the sky. Shaking your head, you curl your arms around yourself, shoes scuffing against the ground. “I already like you, Harrington.”

Without warning, Steve’s arm wraps around you, a warm palm on your hip to pull you closer to his side and away from the drunk frat guy stumbling on the grass and sidewalk. The touch is gone as quick as its there, leaving you frazzled as you stare up at his smirking face. “I meant to make you like me enough to say my first name.”

“Not happening.”

He doesn’t have time to answer before you’re at the bottom of the stairs leading to your apartment, his body turning towards you to say goodbye. Slender fingers reach out to adjust the flimsy collar of your jacket before his hand returns to being tucked inside of his pocket. “Thank you for today. Really.” And, to your surprise, he seems genuinely sincere. Laying your hand on his bicep, you give him a soft squeeze and smile before stepping back towards the entrance of your apartment. “Same time next week?”

Two of his fingers raise to his forehead to give you a small salute, grinning as he watches you put the key in the door and slip inside.

[duckprintspress]

Pre-Orders Now Open for “Many Drops Make a Stream” by Adrian Harley!

Pre-orders for Adrian Harley’s debut sapphic fantasy novel Many Drops Make a Stream are now open!

A memory-stealing cult. The ever-watchful City of Eyes. Making small talk. Join Droplet as she faces all these horrors and more…

Vigilante shapeshifter Droplet has trained her entire life to take down those with more power than scruples, but she still makes mistakes. When a rescue mission goes wrong, a memory-stealing cult of blood mages escapes with kidnapped captives in tow. To save them, Droplet reluctantly teams up with the outgoing, tenacious Azera. Droplet knows better than to trust a human—she made that mistake once, and that person’s betrayal scattered her community across the known world—and she can tell Azera is hiding secrets behind her sunny smile. But if they can’t learn to work together, even Droplet’s own memories could be lost.

Many Drops Make a Stream, Adrian Harley’s debut novel, is the stand-alone first book in a series of related fantasy-mystery-heists featuring the shapeshifter Droplet and the friends and found family who work alongside her to fight the corrupt powers-that-be. Many Drops Make a Stream is rated general (adult) audiences and features shapeshifting shenanigans, a nascent f/f quarrelers-to-lovers pre-relationship, a wonderful extended cast of family and pseudo-family, necromancy and blood magic and spellwork (oh my!), and one (1) very angry goose.

For this campaign, we’re offering:

Many Drops Make a Stream e-book (ePub and PDF formats)

Many Drops Make a Stream digest-sized trade paperback book (bonus: every single print book comes with a bookplate signed by Adrian Harley!)

Droplet!Dux Die-Cut Sticker

Many Drops Make a Stream Cover Art Print

Shapeshifting Droplet Enamel Pin

Patron-exclusive extra wooden coaster (for people who support Duck Prints Press at the $10/month and $25/month level on Patreon and back this campaign)

Better yet, you can get a discount by picking one of three bundles:

Many Drops Make a Stream E-Book + Merchandise

Many Drops Make a Stream E-Book + Print Book

Many Drops Make a Stream E-Book + Print Book + Merchandise

You can learn all about the book, the author, the campaign, and our offerings by visiting the pre-order page NOW!

Want a chance to win a trade paperback copy of Many Drops Make a Stream? Help us spread the word about this campaign by liking and signal boosting our posts on any of our platforms that including “sharing” functionality (such as Tumblr, Mastodon, Bluesky, and Facebook), and you can get up to 4 entries per platform where you share!*

Campaign backers will also get bonuses based on the number of signal boosts our posts receive! All the social media links for sharing are on the linked pre-order page, so help us tell the world about the awesome book, and who knows – you might win a copy! (But only if we fund, ’cause we can’t afford to print the book if we don’t fund, so help us make sure people who want to buy The Awesome learn that The Awesome exists!)

*sweepstakes rules and conditions

[fushiglow]

If JJK characters were in Non- Curse world, what would their job be if not become Jujutsu Sorcerer (in your opinion)? Why? Please pick your top 5 fav characters...

I love you for asking this, anon ♥ It's an opportunity to wax lyrical about something I've given a great deal of thought! These are my instinctive answers, although I could make arguments for a number of other professions for each of them depending on the life choices they made in this hypothetical non-curse world — but we don't need to get into that! So, here I go (in no particular order):

Yūta is an emergency paediatric surgeon

When he was young, he made the decision to become a trauma surgeon after losing his childhood friend in a car accident. He spent some time in hospital as a child and he knows what a scary place it can be for children, so he always does his best to make his patients smile when he's checking in on their progress.

He's brilliant at what he does — a once in a generation talent — but that doesn't mean he can save everyone. It's heartbreaking work on a good day, but when he's been at work for approaching 30 hours and he feels like he wants out, he looks at the photo of Rika in his locker and finds the strength to go on.

Kenjaku is a performer

If the average Japanese human enjoys at least 80 rotations around the sun, why waste them by playing the same role every time? That's Kenjaku's outlook on life — which is why they chose to go into acting. However, they quickly became bored by other people's narrow view of the world, dissatisfied by the limits of everyone else's imagination.

Nowadays, Kenjaku marches to the beat of their own drum in a one-person show. There are more than ten roles available, all of them played by Kenjaku — who is also the writer, producer, and director. Critics can't decide whether it's madness or sheer brilliance.

Megumi is a vet

He's grumpy with humans, especially if they're irresponsible pet owners. However, he's soft as anything with the animals, and his regular clients trust him implicitly with their beloved furry family members — because it's obvious how much they love him.

Megumi is really good at his job, but he's guilty of taking his work home with him and finds it difficult not to get emotionally attached to the animals he's treating, even after years in the profession. Although he'd never hesitate to make difficult decisions, the unique ethical dilemmas his job presents take a toll on his wellbeing — especially when human cruelty or indifference come into play.

Suguru is a school teacher

Teaching is neither recognised nor appreciated by most people. However, although Suguru had the brains to follow his friends into their highly respected fields, he couldn't imagine anything more rewarding than doing his part to ensure that the next generation have an easier time of things than he did at the same age.

He tries to be the person he needed when he was at school: a pillar of support for struggling children who have no one else on their side. Unfortunately, the school system seems determined to hurt the very children it's supposed to support, and some of the parents go out of their way to undermine any positive developments he makes with their child — not to mention the terrible pay and working conditions!

Satoru is a physicist

But he could have done anything he put his mind to. In fact, that's the only thing Satoru ever really found difficult in life: choosing one path to follow. Sometimes, he wishes he'd become a musician or a historian or an athlete, but in the end, nothing captured his imagination quite like the limitless bounds of the universe.

He's younger than most of his peers in the field, and his revolutionary ideas (alongside his casual disregard for traditional academic hierarchies) get him in trouble more often than not. However, he's a certified genius, and popular with the media, too. He's doing a lot to improve the image of physicists among the general public — which translates to more funding for research. That keeps them out of his hair, most of the time at least!

-

These are too obvious, but I thought I'd mention them anyway:

Yūji is a firefighter who remembers the names and faces of every single person he couldn't save.

Shōko is a pathologist who devotes herself to improving the diagnosis and treatment of disease, often at the expense of her own health and wellbeing.

Because they're *also* huge nerds, I imagine Sukuna and Yuki as physicists in slightly different fields to Gojō:*

Yuki is a brilliant mind, but she doesn't live up to her potential because she hates the oppressive nature of academia. In fact, she vocally criticises it and goes out of her way to undermine it, to the chagrin of all the old stuffy professors who try to discredit her at every opportunity.

Sukuna, like Gojō, is a genius who's fascinated by what he doesn't know, shaking up the field with his cutting edge (lol) ideas. I like to imagine the pair of them getting into heated arguments at conferences, though they both have enormous (albeit grudging) respect for each other.

*As long as Sukuna is, you know, ~normal~ in this hypothetical non-curse world. Otherwise, he'd be a chef that moonlights as a sadistic serial killer lol.

-

Thank you for the extremely fun question, I had the time of my life! I hope you enjoy my answers ♥

[gravesung-moving]

quick and dirty bios for the unseen's inner circle (the sanctum)!

bc i just remembered sage and fletch are the only unseen creatures i actually have bios for.

*note — by default, these descriptions apply to the unseen as they are in shelter island. some details are subject to change based on verse. *note 2 — each member of the sanctum has a self-chosen tarot card that's left behind as a "calling card" at a particular job they claim responsibility for. in place of a stolen bounty, on top of a body, etc.

acheron ??? (he/him) — the poisoner

the emperor

dilf

calm, collected, honest but in a kind way. pretty emotionally intelligent.

as a rule, never pries into other people's business. lane = stayed in.

has a son who's in college rn! on good terms with his ex-wife.

ex-safecracker/bank robber

he makes poisons! has a little lab and everything

occasionally fletch will pull him out of retirement and make him go crack a safe. he complains about his knees

norah suman (she/her) — the engineer

the sun

lesbiab

has had a secret crush on seph for a couple years. designed her arms from the ground up, and the first point of contact when something goes wrong or seph needs a redesign/upgrade

dry humor, very blunt and often sarcastic

eyebrow piercing

habit of chopping off her hair when she's sad

makes the gadgets. makes explosives, modifies weapons, invents new shit, always thinking about new ways to do stuff. engineering as an art and a science at the same time.

also an up-and-coming tattoo artist!

orion aisa (he/they) — the forger

the moon

seph's twin brother

not a great fighter, hates using guns

eyepatch over his right eye. fletch took it when he and seph tried to escape as teenagers, along with ripping seph's arms off, which is a very normal and cool and chill reaction to have

trans lad. top surgery, took testosterone for a few years but then stopped. pretty satisfied with where he's at right now

excellent painter

suffers from hand tremors, though they fade when he paints

hector dionísio (he/him) — the muscle

the wheel of fortune

unpredictable and violent. unhinged.

will be having a drink with you and then at a hair-trigger provocation, he'll just turn around and start kicking the shit out of someone

scarily good fighter, way too fast for his muscular build

no one knows why fletch trusts him to be in the inner circle and not rat on them

unexpectedly very reliable as a teammate. he does his job very well

fixated on seph in a "constantly riling her so that she'll fight him whenever he wants" way

fixated on edith in a "why can't i land a hit on you. come here" way

pit fighter. so far undefeated

cody shimura (he/him) — the accountant

justice

the most guy ever

he's so tired.

retired hedge fund manager, went into crime because he did some digging, realized the finance industry was already in fletch's pocket anyway, and his ability to stealthily uncover those secrets impressed fletch enough to hire him on.

tries to be a plant dad but he keeps killing them

surprisingly well-trained with a gun

occasionally pulls out the most scathing one-liners in the quietest and calmest voice imaginable

sage / VECTOR (she/her) — the driver

the world

technomancer (arcane hacker)

pokemon superfan

harvard dropout

a pretty normal person, generally, probably the least traumatized out of the crew

can summon cars / motorcycles made of, essentially, compressed/hardened demon souls sourced straight from hell

also has normal, non-summonable cars / motorcycles that she likes to augment and fix up with norah's help

has a giant fluffy dog named Baby

fucking Maniac behind the wheel. the dog's name is a reference to baby driver for a reason.

if she knew about @tewwor's vector alias, she would make them matching shirts

edith winter (she/they) — the thief

the hermit

sneaky. quiet. wow shocker

fey changeling who's lived on earth their whole life, but is in contact with the human child they replaced

raised by wolves a gang, sort of collectively alongside her parents. it takes a village yaknow. they all had a hand in training her to be the insanely skilled thief she is — edith was probably the most valuable piece on their board, even at a young age

said gang was absorbed by the unseen and scattered across the world for resisting said absorption. one of edith's parents was killed in the conflict, the other was sent across the world but she doesn't know where

no one knows if they're bitter about it or not. they don't talk about it

acheron taught her how to crack safes

caro vitale / deadfall (he/him) — the fence

the hanged man

owner of the black stag, a bar and antique shop just at the northern edge of the city where metropolis meets highway meets forest.

can sell anything to anyone

no one knows a single thing about this man except for the fact that he's fluent in italian. he WILL lie if you ask him anything else. caro vitale is also not his real name

he got that thang on him (a club)

tattoos everywhere

ishal king (they/them) — the doctor

death

fae nephilim (an angel fucked an archfey and produced a very strange kid), exiled from the autumn court for death crimes before going into the human medical field as a surgeon.

nearly got arrested for experimenting with nephilim blood (their own, but whatever guys), faked their death, joined the unseen. now works happily and privately for fletch in their silly little lab.

mushroom garden

medicinal plant expert alongside their knowledge of modern medicine

ominous positivity

anah tannar (she/her) — the spy

the lovers, reversed

you know her! you love her! she's probably broken your heart!

local celebrity influencer

resident honeypot for any woman-attracted target

prefers to be flashy and stand out, but also insanely good at blending in and being invisible when need be

serial dater. never lets anyone too close, but loves to have a web of one-way connections to people who think they're her best friend or favorite ex, and/or owe her a favor (she has a book of debts)

a genuinely compassionate person underneath it all, she just leaned hard into her manipulative side after being used one too many times

persephone aisa (they/she) — the assassin

judgement

first lieutenant/right hand to amari fletch, and thus second-in-command to the unseen itself

sharpshooter, beat-upper, gunfighter, knife-swinger. if john wick can do it, so can they

cold, aggressive, hostile. deadly as fuck. if you follow this blog you probably came from hers so i won't go into too much detail SJDKHJKSD

amari fletch (they/he) — the leader

the tower (also the name they're publicly known by)

i swear they're not secretly thousands of years old i swearrrrr (yes they are) (they cheated death in a game of dice and bear the mark of cain for it)

think gus fring, netflix wilson fisk, silco — that type of person

spidery motherfucker, aka has connections eeeeverywhere. so many judges, cops, government officials in their pocket.

for the most part, fletch is satisfied with the world the way that it is. the unseen profits nicely, they have as much power as they need, and no one fucks with them (if they even know it exists)

if someone does fuck with him and his, however, he will not hesitate to make a violent and chaotic example of them for the rest of the world to see.

calm and levelheaded 99% of the time. 1% of the time, off-the-wall destructive

will take risks if they can see a benefit and the consequence of failure won't fuck up their plans.

extremely powerful in a fight (is not human) with enough raw strength to fully charge straight through a building wall by wall if they wanted to. but they don't. lmao

seph is their protegé (????) (i genuinely don't have a term for their relationship it's so fucked up and hard to describe), & they are very very possessive about it

[hntedhouse]

TRIGGERS: dysfunctional family dynamics

basics.

full name. anthony andrew caruso-iannelli  pen name. drew crane ( how he will generally introduce himself ) gender. cis man  pronouns. he/him  age. twenty - four  hometown. upper east side, manhattan, nyc  occupation. former child actor, more recently a graphic novelist and aspiring moviemaker

personality.

zodiac. gemini ( affectionate, curious, adaptable ) enneagram. type 7 ; the enthusiast likes. horror movies, comic books, slushies, dungeons & dragons, candy, clue ( board game & movie ), tarantulas, halloween ( holiday & movie series except for the rob zombie ones ), 80s muscle cars, long furbies, teeth, letterboxd  dislikes. boredom, alcohol, the duolingo owl, nihilism, romcoms, clothes shopping, poetry, rob zombie movies, wearing a suit, coffee, his asthma, budgeting, superhero movies, scrappy doo, pretentious indie film snobs    positive traits. sincere, bubbly, clever negative traits. irresponsible, facetious, impulsive special talents. was a genuinely not - so - bad actor and he’s an excellent painter, both of which he has basically no interest in. 

biography.

andrew caruso-iannelli was born and raised in new york city. he's the son of renowned oscar winning film director anthony caruso & upper east side royalty priscilla caruso-iannelli, and the youngest of a whole bunch of brothers. he grew up hollywood famous ( a few small appearances in some of his father’s films and walking the red carpet at countless events alongside his family ) and upper east side rich ( private school, hamptons house, robust trust fund ).  

it was an open secret among their social circle that his family’s public image of being ‘ the perfect celebrity family ’ was just an act. behind closed doors there was a lot of tension, a mother who relentlessly attempted to push her sons into the spotlight, and a workaholic father who only ever had time to spare for his youngest son, his favorite. when he wasn't around ( somewhat often ) drew tended to slop through the cracks, and so from a young age he was relatively free to do as he pleased so long as he didn’t attract any negative attention to himself. no one cared if he was out all night long at a horror movie marathon, or if he inexplicably acquired a pet tarantula, or if he spent three straight days drawing alone in his room because he kept up his grades, stayed out of the way, and didn’t land the family name on the front cover of gossip rags. 

the youngest, often - forgotten child of the bunch did not make friends with ease while growing up. he actually got picked on a lot throughout his school years, although this never really bothered him much as horror movies and creating art held most of his attention through the majority of his school years.

natural talent supplemented by constant practice ( and very expensive art classes ) and combined with his love of horror led to drew creating comics based on his favorite horror tropes & fully written and illustrated by him beginning when he was a teenager. his first few comics were … kinda terrible, in hindsight, but still good enough to impress the rhode island school of design, also known as RISD where he would enroll in their illustration program. he looked forward to leaving home more and more with each passing day as his familial relationships never improved.

by the time he was about halfway through art school, no one in his immediate family was living together or on speaking terms with one another. much to the horror of his mother's upper east side compatriots, his parents even got divorced. his mom kept the brownstone in manhattan and scrambled to rebuild her reputation while his dad moved across the country to los angeles where he still lives while working on his various movie projects. drew tried to stay with him during his longer breaks from school, but he's a new yorker at heart. he stays in a property owned by his grandfather whenever he's in manhattan.

every single one of drew’s brothers is pretty famous now ( probably actors in big name productions like marvel movies and starring in netflix shows ). he’s the only one that enrolled in college and chose to gradually step away from the spotlight as he grew up. he hasn’t spoken to any of them in years and has no plans to reach out any time soon. he carries a lot of resentment towards all of them due to feeling that they abandoned him, which is something he plans to unpack around,  saaaaaay, never.

drew got a publishing deal for his graphic novel series before he had even graduated art school. he’s aware that his ( real ) last name probably had something to do with how it was pretty much handed to him, but it’s also a fact that one of his art school instructors shared his work with friends in the publishing business which is what sparked initial interest in his creations.

his debut graphic novel titled drive - in was released under his pen name of drew crane in early fall 2023 and was an instant success. the love letter to his beloved slasher flicks is about an undead drive - in movie theater employee embarking on a bloody rampage at his old job. it currently remains at the very top of bestseller lists all over the world.

since he owns the rights to his work, drew was able to almost immediately begin planning a movie adaptation. certain that he wanted to direct and author the screenplay himself, drew shadowed his father for about eight months in order to learn from him, which of course is very nepo baby of drew. he would agree with that himself, but he isn't familiar with the term. some controversy was caused recently when an interview clip of him was pulled out of context and went viral. the journalist asks him flat out how he feels about being a nepo baby and he appears confused but still responds that he doesn't think he is. the interview just went downhill from there and even ended a few minutes early. drew was upset and confused. he still is. the full thing was posted online a few weeks ago, which is when the controversy and ridicule kicked off. he's still a target on the internet and he's worried that the plans for his movie are going to crash and burn any second.

he's in chile for the first time to visit his partner ( luna ) and unplug for a while. he currently doesn't plan to stay, but as we all know that's going to change !

wanted connections.

tbd. :)

[jeanjauthor]

I found them unnatural, but not unsettling, because I was told practically from the beginning that they were planted "just like corn stalks." And since my grandpa was a farmer and had been a logger, I trusted everything he said.

He also told me, "it's not good for hunting in. You'd think you'd be able to hunt wonderfully well because you can see a long ways, but it's no good for deer to be in, because there's nothing the deer can eat, and nothing the deer--bigger than the tree trunks--can safely hide behind. But then you don't go hunting for deer on a farm either. Not usually. This is just a place where they're growing trees for lumber. It's a farm, not a forest."

NOW, of course, we know that you need biodiversity for healthy trees, because the lack of other types of plants, while convenient for timber industry machinery, actually makes the soil worse for the trees to grow in, which directly affects (and reduces) the quality of the lumber that's going to be harvested decades down the road.

But now we also have a lot better equipment that can extract trees a lot faster, chop-and-drop the limbs on the spot so they can rot and return their nutrients to the local soil, and extract all of this with far less damage to the environment. Including reaching over the bushes that previous generations had to laboriously rip out of existence.

These "unnatural" forests aren't nearly as common in Western Washington as they used to be. In fact, the only places I've seen them of late have been literal tree farms, where they're either growing Christmas trees, or they're raising fast-growing paper-pulp species, on the same lowlands that they grow corn on, where it floods spring & fall and you can't grow anything but the kinds of plants that would thrive there but take up too much space that other plants should have elsewhere.

We have come a very long way in our understanding of proper, healthy forestry management from my grandfather's day, and I think he would be deeply pleased by all the management changes. After all, it was in his lifetime, that they went from literal slash-and-burn clearcutting to actively planting more trees than they harvested, and doing it as soon as they could after cutting down all those trees.

(I should also point out that the timber industry funds much of the WA State budgets for our public schools, so it's literally built into our school curriculums that we have to learn about the timber industry. X% of acres is set aside in every township for the sale of that lumber to be paid into our school education budgets, and that means it has to be replanted and more healthfully managed, in order to keep up that source of funding over the long term.)

Unnatural? Absolutely. it's not how trees grow naturally.

Unsettling? If you know what a natural forest should look like, of course it'll unsettle you.

But it's literally a crop, and trust me, corn does not look like that, nor grow like that, in the wild.

In the wild, corn originally comes from teosinte, which looks like this:

if you looked at the native version of teosinte, and the earliest versions of a cultivar...it looks nothing like the final product. And if you showed one of the earliest indigenous settlers in the Americas the end-product of corn cultivation, when they only knew the first version...they, too, would find it unnatural and unsettling.

Of course, corn has moved on to become one of the world's major staple crops (alongside wheat & rice), keeping billions of humans & animals alive. Monoculture corn fields are unnatural AF...but we need them to keep all those beings alive. We don't need lumber quite as much or in quite the same way. But at least we're developing better tools to harvest around the other things a forest needs to thrive.

And who knows? Maybe some day we'll develop non-monocultural corn fields that provide a far greater level of biodiversity and thus far healthier foods harvested from its acres.

monoculture forests are deeply unsettling in a way that is hard to explain to people who do not spend a lot of time looking at forests

[futuristicmakerpeanut]

Pak Games – Pakistan’s Leading Online Earning Gaming Platform 

The emergence of online earning platforms has gained immense popularity in Pakistan. This is where Pak Games has become a household name for gamers searching for fun and genuine cash prizes. With its focus on convenience and safety, alongside payment options, and a myriad of games like Win Go, Aviator, and Color Prediction, Pak Game has provided a new avenue for Pakistanis to make money while relaxing at home.  

What is Pak Games?  

Pak Games, or Pak Game, is one of the renowned gaming platforms in Pakistan that enables users to compete in online games for money. The platform has gained traction due to its accessible layout and promising earning potential. It can be downloaded in the form of the PakGames app, a low-storage Android application available for mobile users in Pakistan.

The Pac Game mobile application can be conveniently downloaded, allowing registration through a mobile number for immediate gameplay access. Effortless game signup and login procedures on Pak Game ensure delightful experiences for novice gamers as well as seasoned players.

Most Played Games on Pak Games

Pak Games features various rewarding games, some of which include:

Win Go: Is an exciting game where users try to guess the next winning number or color and earn various rewards.

Aviator: It’s a game of guessing when a plane will take off and gives the opportunity to multiply investments.

Color Prediction Game: It’s one of the most straightforward and frequently played games on this site. Participants guess which color will appear, and if they win, they receive rewards. 

Mines and Dice Game: Awarding the most satisfying returns, these two exciting games rely on strategy.

Cricket Game: Bringing benefits to the cricket-loving populace of Pakistan and mixing sports with earnings makes this game very appealing.

Slot Games and Lottery Games: These actively played games are for those who prefer spinning the reels and testing their luck, giving them the chance for impressive wins.

Strategic prediction traders appreciate the features of color trading on Pak Game, which enhances their online entertainment.

Economic Earning Possibilities

Pak Games' most notable characteristic is that it enables the user to earn real cash. Casual and competitive players alike can take advantage of the platform’s multiple avenues to profit from gameplay. Players can: 

Take part in contests and challenges every day

Win bonuses and rewards for checking in daily

Earn extra bonuses by referring friends to join

Generate passive income through commissions as GAP Agents

Users are paid immediately through Jazz Cash and Easypaisa, which allows them to access their funds expeditiously and securely. The speed with which earnings are dispensed has greatly added to the popularity and credibility of Pak Games' earning system.

Secure and Transparent System

It is the protection and the transparency in the Pak Games login system that make it secure. Users are free to enjoy their gaming experience without the worry of losing any sensitive information associated with them while performing transactions. With the Encrypted Gateway of Accounts, accounts can enjoy a secure login system with enhanced protection for usernames and passwords. All payments are made through secure channels.

Also, users are provided with stats of live games that enable them to make the right choices on the table, for example ,in Wingo Prediction or Aviator. Such measures are helpful in winning the trust of more players and enhancing the gameplay.

Features of the PakGames App

The PakGames app was developed paying special attention to its features for the people of Pakistan. Here are some of its most important highlights:

Lightweight structure for seamless performance on all Android devices.

Simple navigation aids ease of access for every user.

Mobile number verification enables fast registration.

Game session progress is provided with real-time updates and in-progress notifications.

Referral systems that reward registration invites sent to friends.

Due to these attributes, all users from Pakistan, whether in developed cities or remote, less developed towns, can use and enjoy Pak Games without any lag or other related technical challenges.

Reasons to consider Pak Games

There is a virtually endless list of online gaming apps, however, very few blend effortlessly the perfect trifecta of enjoyment, easy access, and financial incentives like Pak Games. This is why every day, thousands of users put their trust and rely on this platform:

Experience in “their own language” – Aimed squarely at Pakistani audience with region-specific payment options and relatable games.

Clear Charges – Free from any understated fees. Everything is open and honest.

Variety of Types of Games – From strategy-based options to those relying on pure chance, gamers looking for luck-based games can find anything under one roof.

Genuine Revenue – With the inclusion of real cash earning opportunities, users are encouraged to actively participate.

Encouragement Everyday – Steady bonuses and referral programs provide constant rewards.

Conclusion  

Pak Games app is a reliable site where you can play game and earn real money in Pakistan, especially with the Colour Prediction Game, referral programs, or Mines, a strategy game. They ensure hassle-free transactions while providing the player with utmost satisfaction and safety. In a time and era where technology has led to many scams and bogus platforms blooming, they surely are a breath of fresh air.

If you are a complete novice when it comes to online earning games, starting out with Pak Games would be your best decision. The platform is extremely user-friendly, intuitive, and fun, transcending the name of a game and becoming a productive avenue for many.

[anbuthalapathy]

Prajha Trust's Lifesaving Mission: Trust NGO's Healthcare Services in Chennai

Praja Trust has and NGO's in Chennai has been catering to the economically weaker self identifying groups by providing healthcare. They provide support through medical services, funding and providing education that helps them empower.

Healthcare Related Activities of NGOs

They combine their works with NGOs supporting hospitals in Chennai to enhance or expand the public healthcare system through providing supplemetary services which helps and goes hand and hand to ease the burden placed on the government funded systems. Moreover, Trust NGOs in Chennai do not remain passive in tend because on top of that they enable to take on board the pertinent local health services people so that they make sure that the people receive most of the health services so that the people do not require to pay anything or what to large amounts of money.

Medicare and Financial Assistance Supporting NGOs for Hospitals in Chennai

The only document that a person from a socially backward community will possess is indeed a medical certificate. This however does not change the reality of him or her being too poor to be able to do any of these and he or she is most certainly bled to death because of the placement or can not be in charge of this huge medical fee.

Organizing Free Medical Camps

To aid in early detection and treatment, Prajha Trust conducts free medical camps in urban slums and rural regions on a regular basis. These camps offer general health check-ups, dental treatment, eye screenings, and education about chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. Being one of the NGOs supporting Hospitals in Chennai actively, the Trust makes sure that services are provided and maintained.

Emergency and Critical Care Support

In medical emergencies, Prajha Trust comes to the rescue of the patients and helps the family with emergency transport, drugs, and even coordination in the hospital. The trust collaborates with hospitals to provide urgent care for accident victims, critical surgeries, and other life-threatening conditions. Among the NGOs Supporting Hospitals in Chennai, Prajha Trust has one of the most responsive rapid response systems which has saved countless lives.

Awareness and Preventive Health Education

Curing is not withstanding, much as much needed prevention is the real test, and creating awareness and informing the community is one of the beliefs of Prajha Trust. Workshops on hygiene, nutrition, maternal care and disease prevention are organized by the organization. This is what makes it one of the most significant NGOs supporting Hospitals in Chennai, reducing the burden of avoidable illnesses through advocacy.

Pradha Trust also aids in improving the infrastructure of hospitals by donating medical supplies, beds, and other very important supplies to poorly funded hospitals. Supporting NGOs in Chennai helps the trust improve healthcare system capabilities to better serve the patients.

People can actively take part or contribute to NGOs that support hospitals in Chennai, either through donations or organizing fundraising events. Such contributions are helpful for the trust to reach those who need medical care.

Chennai’s numerous NGO centers appeal to the public to help them solve the issues related to healthcare. This enables Pradha trust to offer further assistance using their funds, free healthcare services, and emergency services alongside educative outreach programs to provide healthcare to those in need.

[blockinsider]

Unprecedented: North Carolina Reveals Plan to Hold 10% Bitcoin Reserve

Key Points

North Carolina is considering a 10% Bitcoin reserve as part of its state funds.

The proposal, HB 92, would also use Bitcoin in state-managed funds such as pensions and insurance.

North Carolina has revealed plans to potentially include Bitcoin in its state reserves, making it the 19th state in the US to consider such a move.

The proposed legislation, known as House Bill 92 (HB 92), was put forward by House Speaker Rep. Destin Hall, alongside Representatives Mark Brody and Steve Ross, both of whom are supporters of Bitcoin.

North Carolina’s Bitcoin Investment Strategy

According to HB 92, North Carolina could allocate up to 10% of its state funds into exchange-traded products linked to digital assets with a market capitalization above $750 billion. Currently, only Bitcoin fits this description, with a market cap of approximately $1.93 trillion.

The legislation also suggests utilizing Bitcoin in state-managed funds such as teachers’ and state employees’ pensions, insurance funds, and veterans’ home trust funds.

Rep. Hall is optimistic about the potential economic impact of the proposed bill. He stated, “Investing in digital assets like Bitcoin not only has the potential to generate positive yields for our state investment fund but also positions North Carolina as a leader in technological adoption and innovation.”

Industry Reactions and Other State Initiatives

Dan Spuller, Head of Industry Affairs at the Blockchain Association, shared the news on social media, highlighting that North Carolina’s proposal is being taken very seriously. He noted that many similar bills in other states have not made it to the state house.

In contrast to other jurisdictions where proposals have stalled, Utah has recently made significant progress in this area. Last week, the Utah House of Representatives passed the “Strategic Bitcoin Reserve” bill (HB 230), introduced by State Representative Jordan Teuscher. The bill, which proposes dedicating up to 5% of the state’s reserves to Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, now awaits a Senate vote and the governor’s approval to become law.

The push to incorporate Bitcoin into strategic reserves aligns with national discussions on digital assets. During his campaign, US President Donald Trump announced plans to add Bitcoin to national reserves and issued an executive order post-inauguration encouraging his administration to explore the idea of stockpiling crypto assets.

Outside of the United States, the Czech Republic is also considering allocating a significant part of its national reserve to Bitcoin investment. If successful, the country’s central bank would become the first in the world to integrate Bitcoin into its portfolio.

[anyu-blue]

~

I'm back again. As is the mechanism behind when I post to tumblr...

I've been on this site, what? 16 years? Maybe more like 14? I'm not sure...

But...

I'm 30 now. And very much one of those adults who keeps making the same mistakes over and over.

I'm too generous... with my time, my money, my patience, my life....

Sure, nowadays I no longer cook. I no longer bake. I no longer obsessively organize or dust or push myself to try in matters of everyday "chores." I barely make it to work anymore... I thought it was hard then... and yet now it's ever harder despite being easier than some back then. I no longer gift and gift and gift either.

I haven't dropped the urge and desire to gift entirely. It still lives within me... but I don't indulge it as often as I'd like... and I was even so, so close to finally making purchases that would exclusively be for ME... so close to childhood dreams and a practical, adult purchase...

I was going to get myself a bed. Not just a mattress on the floor as it's been for so long... and a pool. Finally, blessedly, a pool for those hot summer days and my deep-seated desire to be near water as often as I can.... and, once again, to absolutely no one's surprise... it's been shattered.

How many times have I come here to say just that? How many dreams have I lamented losing here... because of the family I was supposed to be able to trust?

Once would have... SHOULD have been enough.

But... I'm all they had/have.

I know how toxic these relationships are. I got away from what I considered to be the worst of them, because at least my siblings pay their bills alongside me... and yet... not for the first time... I'm somehow the person with more money than those who make more than double what I do every month.

"HOW?!" My mind screams... and yet... I know the answer.

Sure, you could argue that because they buy groceries, they can't save as much... but I buy my own stuff. Have been more and more. Trying to take the "pressure" off. And still they end up with less and less... and less.

No savings. Nothing to show for it. And COMPLAINTS of things they "can't afford".... wishful, sad eyes and voices that turn into disgust and excuses if I mention saving for these things or confusion as to why they can't afford them on their salaries.

I'm fucking exhausted. I feel like I'm crazy. I feel like I don't deserve to feel hurt or scared or worried because they're not.. they don't/can't care.

...

I need to pay for a procedure. That alone dashed some of my hope for the two big things I've been wanting... but maybe I could get by with another "pay monthly" purchase... except... I was promised they would save. Promised they'd also have funds alongside mine for any emergency we may encounter.

And they didn't. Spent it all and more and more and more.

And, again... I'm the one that cares. I'm the one that suffers.

Any emergency, my funds are completely drained once more.

That procedure I need? ... because I need to save in case of another stupid emergency... I think I have to let it go.

Months of being careful. Months of trusting/thinking I'm not alone. Months of HOPE.

Gone.

Again.

....

I'm not going to ask for help. Not this time.

I can't. Not again. Not when the only people to step up in the past have barely anything themselves.

I can't put myself out there... beg, plead, embarrass myself only to get $150, if that, through all avenues I try. Some of those very funds having been gifts to others before these emergencies in the first place... how terribly embarrassing to look like one never had that money to spare in the first place.

I can't accept any of it in good conscious either.. not after the $800 sent to us for the car emergency was then all spent at Gamestop and on Dead by Daylight.

That... that broke me... after being broken by being told just how worthless I apparently was in having put myself out there so we could move, and doing the bulk of the physical work myself... because according to my big sibling... I contributed nothing at all...

I told the gifter the truth about where the $800 of their money went. I embarrassed myself there because I couldn't live with the guilt of knowing, even if he never (and didn't) asked... how humiliating, even if the spending wasn't my choice or even in my hands.... I asked for that help/coaxed my sibling to ask for and accept it alongside me... not knowing we never "needed" it in the first place (obviously).

And now... I'm broken twice over egregious spending on mobile apps... thousands of dollars... supposed to stop in December when I found it and it gutted me the first time... and now... finding it never stopped...

...

I'm no longer accepting myself as the blame. No longer accepting that maybe, just maybe *I* am the insane/messed up party AND cause of the insane amounts of stress and pressure they're under.

I'm not. I never was.

I was only ever the damn scapegoat.

Idk why this has been my role or why I've accepted it... I just want to help and be accepted, as strange as I admit to be... and it turned into my suffering every. Damn. Time. As if, somehow, I deserved it.

I suppose I did.. deserve it. Because I didn't walk away. Kept wanting to help.

I deserved better. People I could genuinely trust. And I made the mistake over and over again TO trust them.. because I'm all they've got... by their own choices.

I'm not going to ask for help. Not this time. Not like before. I'm sick of those with the means ignoring myself and people like me who do their damnedest to take care and be good people and are the pillar holding everything up... because they think we deserve our pain and suffering.

I'm just that kind of face and person. I sound like the crazy I personally am terrified to be.. like the kind of crazy that I'm actually surrounded with... and made to be the face of because mine is the ugly one of the bunch. And I've quietly saved their asses behind the scenes time and time again when I should have let them drag us all down... I was too scared to fail myself when I should have let it happen.

Hindsight.

I've been tested for all the things many times... convinced I was the problem.. ready to try anything and everything, even pills that almost killed me (allergy or bad match, take your pick, I've experienced it). when in reality... I've just been the scapegoat doormat. Caring too much. Especially about my own pain they were causing I could avoid and patch by being kind as I have been.

I think I'm not going to get the procedure.

It's not life threatening, yet... and it may never be life threatening... even if it costs me what the $10,000 of the previous procedure was supposed to permanently fix. I can always start paying back the $2,000 I'm still in debt from that instead of trying for another $1,000 one.

I think it's time to set aside my dreams. I think it's time to set aside my hopes. I think it's time to set aside my discomfort, bite down, and just bear whatever life is for me now. The life I inadvertently made my own living hell.

They're not going to stop. They're not going to learn... maybe not even if we all fall because of their decisions.

Maybe not even if it kills me. (But that's probably just me being dramatic. Who in their right or sound mind believes they're going to die before 50? 36, even, at this rate? I've survived this long, how could I possibly feel like it's getting worse and will kill me sooner rather than later when I've been so lucky all this time? Yeah.. probablydramatic. But it is a belief I do hold based on how sick I've been my whole life/the statisticsi fall into)

..

I was talking with friends yesterday about a bit of this stuff and they inadvertently put stuff in perspective for me.

I don't think my siblings are ever going to change. And it's pretty well my fault for enabling that on accident... because I cared about them failing and/or abandoning me because I didn't help when I could have...

Ha... I didn't do that.. abandon them.. when they didn't help me when they could have.

Ironic, is it not?

[orangetintedglasses]

Over an hour's drive was... sort of decently long, but given his habit of walking everywhere prior to meeting up with the reporters and the undertaker, there wasn't much room for the blond to complain. The suns weren't beating down on them now, either-- and the one that was left clinging to the horizon was painting a gorgeous tapestry of light and color to look at... if Vash dared to pry his eyes open to brave the wrath of the sand for more than ten seconds. Next time they had the extra funds and an opportunity, he was getting his own pair of goggles, dammit, his glasses weren't helping--

With nothing going on, though, the scenery almost bordered romantic. He found himself pulling up closer to Wolfwood midway through with a squeeze of his arms, chest pressed flush to his back and his face up against his left shoulder.

Eventually, they arrived. And when they did, there was some (natural) trepidation on Vash's end, as there always was in a place he'd either never visited, or hadn't in a long time. This place fell into the latter category-- able to recount when the original 'snake' highway had been paved as they came in --but for a town with such a scary-sounding name, it was pretty nice once you got in and basically proved you weren't looking to do much other than stop and occupy a room for a night or two. Because inns and hotels loved people like them; travelers constantly on the move and generally looking for anywhere with four walls, a ceiling, and something vaguely soft and horizontal to sleep on. Usually that trait would lead to an upcharge... fortunately, though, the place they'd ended up at seemed disinterested in following that standard.

All in all, Snake Rock was swiftly proving itself to be one of Vash's favorite cities that he'd ever stepped foot in; they'd have to do some walking around tomorrow during the daylight hours to see more of it before they moved on. See what they could learn while they were here.

"Good question..."

He kind of wanted to do both, honestly. Drinking somewhere new sounded like a neat experience with someone he trusted alongside him, and it wasn't too-too late yet; bars would still be opening up for the first or second round around now... hmm...

"Maybe a drink or two at the bar to start, then we come back up here...? I wanna be out in public with you for a little while~." Vash tilted his head, threw a fond smile. Their combined effort had left them with a decent-enough little nest egg for the night and morning, so... why not splurge a little? Have some fun in public before something happened and they got run out of town?

They both deserve it, but Wolfwood deserves it more.

Whatever the undertaker's answer was, though, Vash was keen on getting out of his coat regardless and wouldn't wait for a response before doing so-- getting the buttons and zipper open and shrugging it off, nearly gasping at the feel of his arms (and waist, near the hem, very weird) getting to breathe after an honest day's work being encapsulated by the insulated lining of the leather sleeves--

Wolfwood nods, agreeing with Vash's priorities, especially breakfast, "Would also give us a bit of time to scope out the city... make sure you're not a hot topic of interest there. Sure woulda been nice if they told us where the hell they were droppin' us off, but whatever."

(They probably would have told them if they'd stayed long enough to listen.)

"Alright then," the undertaker snaps his goggles back on and turns the freshly-fueled Angelina's motor, "No pee breaks. We're driving the whole rest of the way before night falls."

The older son is about to set, giving the sky a brilliant mix of oranges, pinks, and blues. There's still about two hours of daylight left to burn, which is hopefully just enough time to make it to their destination.

They wave goodbye to the budding town and speed ahead, directly south. About an hour later, they can see the skyline of a city peek from above some tall dunes. A small, decrepit highway snakes through some rock formations—while it'd be claustrophobic for a full-size vehicle, it's the perfect size for two men, a motorcycle, and a sidecar full of mercy.

The city they enter at the birth of dusk is named Snake Rock... on account of the... highway they took in. No one uses that highway anymore, there's a bigger, better maintained one, but it lacks the snake element. They're not sure if there are snakes, but there sure are rocks. What remains of sunlight leaves behind shadows that dance around the many tall rock formations and cliffs. Even the moonlight casts dark shadows if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Snake Rock is quite set in their ways. They don't welcome bounty hunters, they don't mess around with other big cities. They provide themselves and their offshoot settlements—like the one the duo had passed through earlier—the water and supplies that they need, but keep to themselves otherwise. The closest main city is Octovern, but it's not close close... that means that they're pretty distant from the cities currently hunting Vash down. That's a relief.

As expected, most eateries are closed or serving their day-old food to the less-fortunate. A reputable and affordable hotel still had rooms, so Wolfwood made sure to snag one while they had the chance to. Now that they're comfortable sharing a single bed, getting a room is much more affordable. Who knew a relationship would be good on his wallet? Usually it's the opposite!

The undertaker sets his Punisher and belongings upstairs, equipping himself only with his chest holster. With a pocket full of double-dollars, he sidles up to Vash, grinning behind dark lenses—even in this shadowy city.

"Still wanna visit the bar? Or are we drinkin' at home?"

[houston3drendrings]

3D Rendering Services: Bring Your Ideas to Life

Modern, advanced 3D rendering technology helps businesses and individuals show life-like 3D images of the project even before any physical hustle. The plans may be architectural, conceptual design, or the imagery of any other creative idea. Engaging the expertise of professional 3D Rendering Services companies comes with a number of benefits, the core aim of which is to convert creative imagination in the virtual world into real-life images and animations.

Realistic Visualization

Expert 3D artists utilize cutting-edge software and artistic talent to produce strikingly realistic visualizations. Features include:

Photorealistic textures, lighting, shadows

Precise material rendering like metal, wood, water

Accurate environmental reflections, background scenery

Life-like human figures and landscape elements

Whether envisioning a new product design, building interior or exterior, landscape project, or conceptual art piece, 3D rendering generates professional quality visuals that powerfully convey the finished result.

Streamlined Process

Top Artistic Rendering providers offer streamlined processes to turn ideas into images, including:

Initial consultation to understand project scope and style goals

Efficient progression from rough sketches to detailed renderings

The secret of the trade techniques to achieve photorealism

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[ihearducksaregoingquackers]

Okay, I understand more where you're coming from.

I think it's a little odd to try and separate issues surrounding LLMs and their implementation from issues with the technology itself with regards to misinformation because that requires removing a lot of the context about how and why the technology has gotten to where it is today.

Like, if we're just looking at the LLM technology as a whole separate from all context, like yeah it's a faulty tool, nothing more, nothing less. Can it do impressive things? Sure, but it can also make impressively bad mistakes. Nothing about LLMs out of context makes it a unique form of misinformation technology.

Like we have this meme for a reason:

But all the surrounding context is what makes the misinformation spewed from LLMs that much more dangerous, including the veneer of objectivity (which you feel is tenuous at best, a stance which I disagree with and I'll get to why in a bit).

The ubiquitous nature of LLMs now, alongside the marketing, the flaws of the data sets they were trained on, the rapid response times which means more misinformation can be spread more quickly, the lack of good education for younger generations with regards to internet safety and internet skepticism, the general lack of funding for education programs as a whole leading to results oriented teaching styles that are ineffective at best and at worst actively teach children to cheat to obtain results, alongside a ton of other factors I can't possibly think of recalling right now, put misinformation by LLMs in a unique category above and beyond misinformation by any other means.

The thing about the veneer of objectivity by an LLM is that society has never had a machine that could actually talk as intelligently as an LLM before. The biggest issue with the jump from chat bots to LLMs is that chat bots were only programmed to have specific responses. LLMs by far have a much more human style of response that we haven't had access to ever. Comparing it to any other technology just doesn't make sense in regards to this veneer of objectivity, because this is brand new territory for everyone, including fans of any form of media with robots in it. We as a society don't know how to comprehend it as what it is because of the intentional misinformation spread by corporations about what these things are capable of. And from what the corporations market to us, LLMs are bastions of objective question answerers.

It went from just a dream to a reality in a dizzyingly short couple of years. A very flawed reality but still a reality. That veneer of objectivity, that willingness to trust something because it says it has the true answer to any question and then can double down on bad answers and even attempt to gaslight you about things (Google chat gpt gaslighting for anecdotes, which I know isn't hard evidence so take it with a grain of salt).

That veneer of objectivity coupled with an inability to provide objective data (because all human data is flawed and biased) alongside all the other societal factors I mentioned above AND more that I can't think to include make LLMs a dangerous producer of misinformation.

As a stand alone piece of technology away from the hands of greedy corporations with ill intentions and their global marketing schemes? Not uniquely a producer of misinformation, all data fed into any LLM is human data and human data is flawed by it's very nature. There's no point in a possible multiverse where any data fed into an LLM is 100% accurate. As such the technology itself is not the problem.

In the context of the global capitalistic hellscape we live in? Very uniquely problematic with regards to misinformation, significantly more so than any other source of misinformation beforehand.

This is an actual request for input, not a rhetorical rant.

Can anyone explain to me ---- WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT THE OTHER REASONS AI IS BAD (because some of those are actually legitimate) --- why one of the main logics for rejecting LLMs (AI/ChatGPT/etc) is the misinformation?

Misinformation is RAMPANT in every online space there is. Misinformation is rampant on YouTube, on Twitter, on Tumblr, on Facebook, on TikTok, on Substack. Misinformation is available in bulk in every online outlet there is.

And I can't figure out why we're all like oh, LLMs are UNIQUELY full of misinformation (or it's UNIQUELY harmful when coming from LLMs)

You are not any more likely to encounter misinformation on ChatGPT than on TikTok or YouTube, or Tumblr for that matter. (Remember when there was an epidemic of people taking Horse de-wormer during COVID, due to misinformation on Facebook?)

Like this issue is NOT specific to LLMs in the least.

So why are we using that as logic to reject them wholesale when we don't apply that same logic to YouTube or TikTok or Tumblr or, or, or, or.

Like - is it really just vibes-based? Or am I actually missing something?

(Again, there are OTHER critiques of LLMs that have stronger legs to stand on. But I TRULY cannot figure out why misinformation is one of the main ones when we consider the rampant misinformation EVERWHERE ELSE ON THE INTERNET to just be the metaphorical cost of doing business, and we mostly shrug at it, and are like, well, that's a bummer. But TikTok gives me dopamine and ChatGPT doesn't, so all the misinformation on TikTok is perfectly tolerable and personal responsibility for critical thinking, man. Like - it just seems SO arbitrary to me)