#atypical profile

[scoldingdarjeeling]

When Masking Makes You Invisible

The problem with having ADD (ADHD-I) and an atypical profile is that you mask your symptoms so well that even other people with ADHD start treating you like a neurotypical. This can create unbalanced relationships, where communication feels like a one-way street, and you often end up feeling overlooked or forgotten.

[fencesandfrogs]

Starting a new med is like. I’m on drugs dot com making sure I know everything about it. I’m reading the reviews. Literally no information I get about it will change my actions or impact me in any way but I can’t stand not knowing.

[3thel4ngel]

♰ gore me through the heart ♰

pairing: spencer reid x reader

summary: in which post-prison spencer hasn't been able to settle since coming home to you, and now everything's falling apart as you try to confront him

words: 1.4k

a/n: a tad rushed and certainly not my fav, but we move

------

It had been 31 days since Spencer had been released. 31 days since his name was cleared and he was sent back home to you. 

It was difficult, extremely difficult, for you while he was gone, and you knew it wouldn’t clear up immediately. You had been a wreck whilst in the comfort and safety of your own home, you could barely even fathom how messed up Spencer would be. Yet still, you never once expected things to have changed just this much.

In the 31 days he’d been home, he hadn’t settled once.

The very first day he had stepped into the apartment, he could only shift awkwardly at the door, only sitting down when guided to. He stiffened every time you attempted to engage in your typical intimacy, and by the time the pair of you had retreated to your bed, he could not help but flail and shift the whole night through.

But you understood this.

He’d been gone for a while, in terrifying conditions. How could he come home and immediately settle? You were willing to move through this, to support him, and help him settle back in.

But now, nearly a month had passed, and nothing had changed. He still tensed each time you tried to give him a hug or kiss goodbye. He still spent the whole night adjusting and wriggling, to the point it became common for you to wake without him. And worst of all, he still collapsed and quietened every time you tried to broach the subject.

You were moving nowhere, to the point you started to fear the issue was bigger than just his time imprisoned, and now it was taking a toll on you.

Your internal voice had become a great deal more paranoid than ever before. Each evening when he was late home from work, or when he left before you awoke, or even when he had been whisked away for an out-of-state case, you couldn’t help but convince yourself it was an attempt to avoid you.

You knew it was a self-centred way of thinking. Spencer holds a very important job in a very dangerous world. Of course, he’s busy.

But critical thinking like that is difficult when so anxious.

With a month of his freedom almost passed, you’ve reached your breaking point. Your outward demeanour had begun expressing your distress, to the point that your co-workers and friends alike had noticed. All the typical people in your life had recognised your pain and done their best to express their support, yet your atypical profiler boyfriend hadn’t said a word. You couldn’t stand it.

As you sat on the couch, balled up into yourself, you watched the hours tick by. You barely paid any attention to the shitty late night tv slop that you’d reduced to a background hum, as you waited for Spencer to come home.

Just after 11 PM, you heard the door swing open, the metal handle making a clunk sound as it smacked into the wall. You look up, waiting for Spencer to acknowledge you, but he’s already busied himself haphazardly throwing off his shoes and coat. It’s only when you softly clear your throat that he is alerted to your presence.

“Oh.. you’re still up?” It comes out as more of a question, and his tone is indiscernible with his facial expression giving away equally as little.

“Just wanted to wait for you, been missin’ you, Spence” At that, his face contorts, not to resentment or disgust like you’d feared, but rather something along the lines of shame.

He mutters incoherently under his breath before heading into the bedroom without another word to you.

You stay sat, attempting to calm yourself and your breathing before you can get too overwhelmed, but soon you hear the shower running as Spencer cleans himself of his day, and with the running water muffling the sound, you allow yourself to cry. 

Once finished wallowing, you forced yourself off the couch and into the bedroom, sitting down against the headboard just in time to hear the water turn off. 

Spencer enters the room, towel in hand, and drags his eyes over your slumped form, before sitting at the foot of the bed and beginning to towel dry his messy hair. 

You watch him briefly, silently. Only a few months prior, this would have been a sweet, domestic moment, but now, in the context of your situation, it was painful and unsettling. You mull your options over mentally, you could stay silent and allow yourself to stay within the confines of your previous pattern, or you could attempt to make some sort of breakthrough, speak up and get an answer, any answer.

“Spencer?” You couldn’t help yourself. You couldn’t sit through another night of silence, nor another lonely morning. You couldn’t just wait for him to heal by himself and come round. You weren’t even sure he ever would, at least not without any sort of push.

He didn’t say a word, instead, he simply twisted his neck to stare directly at you. His face was straight, but the space beneath his eyes was dug out and tinted lilac.

His stony gaze against your own was unnerving, but thinking of your countless lone nights and fits of tears, you persevered through.

“I just think maybe.. we should talk? We’ve not really had the chance since, y’know…” Your words trail off as he sighs. He turns his body slowly to face you fully and stares expectantly.

“I mean, obviously, you’ve been busy, and I totally get that, but I just,” You look up to ensure he’s still listening, and he is, but you can tell just by looking at him he’s preparing a defence. He’s getting ready to fight on this, the opposite of what you want.

“Listen, I’m not trying to upset you, I know this has gotta be hard, but I really think we should talk about it. I’m just trying to help.”

“Honey, I, I love you, I do. But this, this isn’t ‘help’. I don’t need an intervention when I get home. I need sleep.” He makes it clearer than ever that your words fell on deaf ears. He attempts to place a comforting hand on your knee, but his grip is awkward and rigid, and within moments of it landing, he removes it.

He stands and moves around the room uncomfortably, trying to busy himself, hoping that by the time he’s turned once again, you’ll have miraculously fallen asleep. But he knows it doesn’t work like that. He doesn’t need to be a genius to know that, and feeling your eyes still trained on his back, he spins.

“Do you know what it was like for me in there? Do you know what I went through?!”

“No, I don’t, Spencer.” Your response is flat, though you can’t help but grimace at the hint of smugness laced in his questions. Frustration or upset, you could understand, but you can’t bear the way he chooses to dispel his trauma to shut you down.

“Do you know why, though? ‘Cause you won’t tell me anything! You won’t speak to me, you won’t even be near me!” At that, he visibly deflates, any rebuttal dying on his tongue as he subverts his eyes.

“Listen, I’m sorry, but-”

“But no, you’re not Spence! You’ve not tried once, you’ve been back a month, and you barely even say good morning! I have tried. I have tried to wait for you, but what’s the point? You are fucked up, I understand that, you have every right to be. But you aren’t even trying to heal. You’re just taking it out on me, Spencer. You are hurting me.”

He stares directly at you, his eyes communicating a depressing mix of guilt and sorrow, but soon the vulnerability hardens, and he goes back into hiding, back into the hollowed shell of the man he was before Mexico.

Spencer turns and mumbles into the hushed room,

“I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Maybe.”

With that, he leaves the room still half-undressed.

The next morning comes, and you awake at the sound of his alarm still set in the bedroom. You rise and trudge towards the living room only to find it already evacuated. The spare duvet is still crumpled on the couch, but Spencer's shoes, coat, and keys are gone.

You lay in the confines of the messed duvet as your heart prays he’ll return after the work day, yet nothing in your head is hoping he’ll come back, at least not today, not until he’s prepared to deal with what’s happened.

[meizze-art]

✨ Morally Colour-Coded Characters + Neurodivergence & Personality Traits 🧠

Hogwarts Legacy Edition 🪄

* DISCLAIMER: This analysis isn’t meant to be an absolute truth, but rather a personal and SPECULATIVE interpretation of these characters. You’re welcome to share your own perspective too! ❤️

🩶 MORALLY GREY: Sebastian Sallow

Driven by devotion and desperation, ruined by impulse.

Deeply compassionate and empathetic at heart, but his inability to regulate his impulses and accept limits make him dangerous.

He unconditionally protects those he loves (especially Anne), even if it means defying every rule, law, or moral boundary.

🧠 Sebastian's Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), but predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive type: his restless energy is reflected in his quick mood swings and impulsive tendency to act without full consideration, especially during confrontations or tense situations. His hyperactivity isn’t only physical but mental as well: he’s constantly thinking, researching, and driven by an insatiable curiosity, especially about the Dark Arts and forbidden knowledge. This impulsivity also affects his relationships: when overwhelmed or frustrated, he sometimes dismisses his best friend Ominis and his advice, and places conditional trust in MC, revealing dangerous secrets and teaching unforgivable spells because he needs MC's help to pursue his own goal, a cure for his sister Anne (however, by the end of his quest, this utilitarian mindset shifts into genuine appreciation and respect).

These behavioural patterns are commonly associated with ADHD. Due to reduced sensitivity or availability of dopamine receptors in certain brain areas, he tends to seek novelty and intensity as a form of compensation, often manifested as impulsive decisions, risk-taking, and nonstop mental activity.

- CPTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) features: rooted in his traumatic family background and personal losses. Also, the curse affecting his sister Anne fuels his deep-seated and sometimes irrational hatred towards the goblins he believes responsible. This trauma might manifest in intense emotional reactions, guardedness, and difficulties fully trusting others.

- Mild Oppositional Defiant traits: occasionally resists authority or social expectations.

- Giftedness?: demonstrates strong magical aptitude, intellectual curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Fandom whisper: “He’s a red flag you’d proudly wave at the Quidditch Cup”

🟢 MORALLY GREEN: Ominis Gaunt (to me, he’s the most psychologically complex character, so grab a drink, this is going to be a long one)

On the surface, he is polite and composed, but beneath that lies a fierce moral conviction, deep compassion, and the quiet courage to stand firm for what’s right and against violence and dark paths. He's determined to break free from his toxic legacy and refuses to become like them.

His introversion is a shield, but also a prison. Blindness isn’t just a physical limitation, he fears his own helplessness, his limits, and how easily he could be manipulated when left behind by the ones he truly loves.

🧠 Ominis' Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- *ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 1) ❤️: he presents a strong attachment to a strict moral code and routines. His communication style is direct and serious, he rarely engages in sarcasm or jokes. He reacts with visible anxiety to unexpected changes or tense situations, often accompanied by repetitive self-soothing body language. Some of his behaviours (like sitting alone on the floor in a busy area deeply absorbed in his thoughts) might be perceived by others as disruptive or socially atypical.

But despite his rigid mindset, he’s not emotionally invulnerable. He also shows signs of emotional shutdown under relational pressure. When it comes to his best friend Sebastian, all that structure collapses, choosing emotional self-preservation (connection) over his values and principles (conviction), e.g., when he allows MC to cast Imperius on him to avoid damaging his bond with his best friend, or when he breaks down crying over the decision to turn Sebastian in or not... he’d rather lose control than lose Sebastian (did you notice Ominis’ face during the end-of-year ceremony when you choose to turn in Sebastian? The sadness in his expression makes the whole scene truly devastating).

* While some behaviours could also be linked to childhood trauma (CPTSD), the consistency and subtle rigidity in his responses (along with self-soothing actions, deep moral conviction, sharp emotional intuition, difficulty with social flexibility and emotional shutdown under pressure) hint to me at possible neurodivergence as well (ASD).

- CPTSD (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder): including symptoms such as emotional dysregulation, hypervigilance, difficulties trusting others and problematic attachment patterns with his elitist family due to a childhood marked by coercion and fear tied to dark magic and an obsessive belief in blood purity) 😭

- GAD? (Generalized Anxiety Disorder): some body language signs during the Scriptorium quest: he paced nervously in circles, eyes glued to the floor. Though he can’t make accurate eye contact because he’s blind, he usually turns his face toward whoever is speaking. However, when he lost control at the Scriptorium door, he didn’t focus on anyone. He kept bringing his hands near his mouth and nose throughout the quest, fidgeting with his fingers in a self-soothing gesture. His voice cracked as he begged them to stop, visibly distressed and in rising panic.

Fandom whisper: “He’s a cinnamon roll, yes… unless you're Duncan. Then, run. He’s entering berserker mode”

🔴 MORALLY RED: Ranrok

He presents himself as justice for the oppressed (vengeance masked as revolution), but his true drive is fuelled by hatred, bent on domination and destruction. He is the very definition of "the ends justify the means".

🧠 Ranrok's Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- ASPD (Antisocial Personality Disorder): a trauma-driven sociopath with psychopathic traits.

- Paranoid Delusional traits.

- Complex Trauma Response (identity-based).

Fandom whisper: “He had a point... until he started incinerating everyone”

🔵 MORALLY BLUE: Solomon Sallow

He is the tragic disciplinarian, a man who outwardly upholds order, sacrifice, and tough love. Beneath he does care deeply, but his affection is buried under control disguised as protection. He relies on cold rationalism and mistakes emotional distance for maturity.

Rebellion (especially from Sebastian), isn’t seen as a cry for help, but as a threat to the fragile order he clings to.

🧠 Solomon's Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- OCPD (Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder).

- CPTSD? (Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder).

Fandom whisper: “He gave up on the cure but became another symptom”

🟣 MORALLY PURPLE (deluxe): Phineas Nigellus Black

His surface morality is conservative and defined by complex loyalty. He is a cunning strategist who carefully navigates social and political webs with subtlety and precision.

Beneath this façade lies his true morality: driven by self-interest and elegant manipulation, he never dirties his own hands. His ruthless pragmatism means his decisions are cold and calculated when necessary. Arrogant and elitist, Phineas is too proud to care about anything outside his own priorities. He values bloodline and power far above personal relationships or moral ideals.

He embodies the grey areas between loyalty, self-interest and pride (a man who probably polishes his Slytherin badge daily). His sharp remarks may sound cruel, but they come from a desire to assert control rather than a need to hurt (manipulative, yes, but not cruel for the sake of it).

🧠 Phineas' Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder).

- Giftedness with Social Detachment (non-clinical trait).

- Mild Machiavellianism? (strategic manipulation, not cruelty).

Fandom whisper: “No need to raise his voice, only his eyebrow. Evil, a misunderstood genius or just an insufferable c*nt?”

🟡 MORALLY YELLOW: Duncan

He’s cautious and self-protective, often avoiding confrontation or risky situations. He tends to stay in the background and prefers others (like MC) to take the lead or face challenges, while he seeks approval to cope with his insecurities and fear of being singled out. He never takes risks and opts to stay uninvolved, seeking validation from others to compensate for his lack of self-worth, partly driven by fear and insecurity.

Introverted and socially awkward, Duncan experiences bullying and exclusion, which makes him hesitant to assert himself or confront others directly.

🧠 Duncan's Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- SAD (Social Anxiety Disorder): evident in his intense fear of social situations and tendency to avoid attention or judgment from others.

- Specific Phobia (puffskeins): irrational fear of puffskeins after a traumatic incident where one stuck its tongue up his nose. He has been unable to overcome despite efforts from friends like Poppy.

- ASD? (Autism Spectrum Disorder, Level 1): more evident in his social reservation and avoidance than in sensory or communication issues.

Fandom whisper: “Wants to be remembered. Not involved... just remembered. Not a villain. Not a hero. Just… there”

🩷 MORALLY PINK: Garreth Weasley

Pink, but only after 3 butterbeers and a terrible idea (don’t trust his decisions -or his potion skills- after drink #2).

🧠 Garreth's Neurodivergent & Personality SPECULATIVE profiles:

- ADHD (Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder), Combined type.

- Risk-Seeking behaviour (non-pathological).

- Mild Oppositional Defiant traits (playful, not hostile).

(Sorry, I’m just too drained right now, so I’m leaving Garreth to you 😉).

[dragonfly0808]

Tecna: The Thesis

This one has been a long time coming I know

First Things First

The first words I have for Tecna in my character profiles are tech nerd child, but she has so much more depth than that, even more than I’d ever originally planned

One of the things I really wanted to get across with Tecna is that is not and has never been an ice queen or unfeeling or cold, just bad with communication and her way of showing affection is atypical

While writing s1, I wrote her as autistic coded but was very hesitant to confirm her as autistic since I really did not want to accidentally write her autistic traits in an offensive or just misrepresentative way, but, after seeing my portrayl of her landed well with a lot of commenters who were part of the autistic community, I decided to do my research and properly commit to portraying her as autistic (whilst of course, never making it her full personality, just a part of who she is)

To me, Tecna is one of the most compelling characters to write, since she has a huge heart and holds a lot of love for her family and the Winx and, over the course of the seasons, we see her get better at communicating that whilst never forcing herself to conform or change to do it the ‘normal’ way

Family Matters

Aside from Riven, I think Tecna is the one who benefited the most from the changes I made to her family

I gave her a big sister and a little brother as well as loving parents who raised them all in a farm on the domestic side of Zenith, that focuses on farming and crops

After I committed to writing Tecna as autistic, I chose to portray nearly her entire family as neurodivergent, her dad is autistic and has ADHD, her mom has dyspraxia, her brother has ADHA as well as dyspraxia, her big sister being the only neurotypical one

The reason for this was because i wanted to portray her parents as always has taking Tecna’s needs/triggers into account and accommodate for all of their childrens needs and never try to change who they are; this is why from the get go, Tecna is unapologetic about who she is and what she needs, having never once been taught or pushed to mask.

Tecna in the OG always had a sense of absolute confidence and in my mind, giving her an understanding family who always embraced her as she was would be a great way of explaining why that is.

Also, I just really wanted to give her a loving, fluffy family since so many other families in the rewrite have issues and problems

SPOILERS FROM HERE FOR SEASON 3, THE OMEGA ARC AND SEASON 4 PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE NOT CAUGHT UP!!!

A Frozen Loss

Now, from the moment I knew I was going to rewrite s3, I knew the Omega Arc was going to be one of the hardest and angstiest to write

i feel like both in the OG and in the fandom, Tecna can often be underrated and underused and I wanted to take the chance to show why I love this character so much and how she is an integral part of the group and there is no Winx without Tecna

In a sense, yes, Tecna is the brains of the group, she is the strategist and the one who comes up with a 27 step plan and the tech genius. But she is also the glue. She’s probably one of the most loved characters in the group, every single one of the girls and the boys have a very special and unique bond with Tecna, partially because of her odd way of showing affection and love

When Tecna cares about someone, she shows it even if she doesn’t always know how to say it, everyone knows it and loves her for it.

The Omega Arc also gave me a chance to show how resilient and smart Tecna is. Like I mentioned, she’s a strategist and a chronic overthinker and our girl doesn’t know how to back down, she’s determined and a survivor.

After the Omega Arc; surviving by herself for a week in a hostile planet and losing both her right leg and left hand, there is of course a huge shift in her character.

I chose to have her lose limbs to fully push how traumatic and life-changing the Omega Arc is not just to Tecna, but to all the Winx. After Omega, Tecna becomes a bit more comfortable with physical contact and starts to question her priorities and what she wants with her life… which leads us to-

Potential Can be Suffocating

One thing I thought I could do with Tecna was to have her shift her priorities when it comes to her plans for the future, going from being determined to be a buisness woman to realizing that she, while she still wants to be successful, it’s no longer all she wants

I think we all know how damaging hustle culture can be sometimes and, to incorporate smth a bit more personal, as someone who was always seen as ‘the smart one’/‘the one who’s gonna maintain us’ in the family amongst the cousins, I’ve felt the looming pressure of being the one in the family with the most ‘potential’. And as I’ve grown up, I’ve kinda realized that I don’t really want to throw myself into being solely dedicated to becoming this big buisness person like- obviously I want to be successful and be able to provide for myself, but I also want to have time for my writing and my family and myself, and I wanted to give this same kind of quiet realization to Tecna

For Tecna, it’s herself who puts on this pressure since, as a little girl she started seeing the modern side of Zenith as ‘superior’ in her mind and really wanted to leave the farm life to become exclusively focused on buisness, but as she grows up and, especially after Omega, she realized she wants to stay close to home and wants a quieter life, she still wants to be successful and to change the world, but it’s not all she wants anymore

Not sure if I explained that last point as well as I wanted to.

Thoughts Behind Her Main Relationships

Tecna

I love Tecna and Musa, they are very much a friendship between unconventional girls who don’t always come across as they mean to.

They both struggle to make friends for different reasons but the second they meet they realize that they are quite similar and so never push each other outside of their comfort zone at first and that’s what allows them to become close enough to then push one another.

Musa gets what makes Tecna tick and makes sure that she’s comfortable, she makes sure she gets her alone time and makes sure she doesn’t get overwhelmed.

Tecna gets that Musa doesn’t want to talk about herself so instead gets her to open up about her music.

And it’s through this that they start to trust one another and by s2 we see them knowing each other well enough to keep the other from spiraling.

When Tecna’s confused about her feelings for Timmy, it’s Musa who reminds her that it’s okay to not be ready for a relationship. And when Musa and Riven first kiss, it’s Tecna who suggests they take it slow since she knows how skittish they can both be.

At this point, they push one another when they need to.

They are crucial to each other’s growth.

Timmy

Now, my darlings, my softies, my introverted nerdy lovers

I know a lot of you were like- what the fuck do you mean they’re still not dating? Towards the start of s4 but I really wanted them to actually take their time before getting together

Timmy has a crush on Tecna since s1 and it’s in s2 where Tecna falls for Timmy slowly but surely, being a bit confused about her feelings since this is the first time she’s ever fallen in love. They have a talk and decide that neither are really ready for a relationship, Tecna because she’s still learning to communicate and just doesn’t feel ready in general, Timmy due to his anxiety and desire to work on himself before trying for a relationship

Once the feelings are out in the open, they are a lot less shy about being affectionate towards each other, since they know they’re headed for a relationship someday.

After Omega, any subtlety goes out the window for a bit, but they still aren’t official since, they really just- they know what they feel and what they have, that’s enough for them throughout s3, especially with everything going on (the song Tell Em by Sabrina Carpenter I feel really encapsulates how they feel about having a concrete label)

But now in s4, they are finally going to be dating and… honestly not much will change. That’s what I love most about Tecna and Timmy, they’re best friends in love. They act like best friends… who ocasionaly kiss. Love it!

Nabu

Now, Tecna was the last Winx to get her platonic soulmate, and I really loved introducing Nabu into the story through Tecna

These two just click from the very start, they are both have quite cool and calm demeanors that hide the ocasional gremlin behavior beneath the surface

They are each other’s impulse control and they trade a singular brain cell back and forth (Tecna has it most of the time).

I’m not really sure how to describe their relationship since, there are just some people in life with whom you just click for absolutely no reason, they just make sense to you in a way that very few people do, these two click and just want to hang out and protect one another

Who is Tecna in this Rewrite?

In this rewrite, Tecna is a young girl who isn’t the best at communicating

She is a girl who slowly grows, not in the sense that she changes, but in the sense that she grows into herself, learning more about herself, slowly learning how to communicate her love and care

The only thing that truly shifts are her priorities as she realizes just how important her family and friends are to her and, whilst she is a very ambitious girl and that doesn’t change, instead it is re-directed into… I actually can’t quite say how it is re-directed quite yet since that won’t be revealed until a lot later on

But my fave way of describing Tecna is just a girl growing into herself, into her love, into her hobbies, into her ambitions and into a wonderful woman.

———————

Masterlist

Tecna Moodboard

Tecna’s Instagram

Tecna and Musa Moodboard

Tecna and Timmy Moodboard

Tecna and Nabu Moodboard

———————

I know this one has been a long time coming, I apologize for the delay I just could not for the life of me put this into words, but here it is!!!

[chimera-boy]

The issue with the trans movement is it's a difficult beast because most of what it says is true: e.g. men can have breasts, hormones play a role in behaviour, it's just not telling the full story. Or that it's stolen and appropriated the lived experiences of unique individuals to somehow argue typical men and women are somehow atypical and require treatment by distorting the facts.

I was just thinking about how many transmascs suggest elevated hormones makes them "basically a man" (regressive) but it is true that androgen exposure pretty much vastly predicts 'masculine' play and behaviour or male gender alignment. There are just other variables that go into the overall development and determination of identity that aren't just the hormonal profile alone.

The genes themselves, presence of gonads and the degree to which they're functional, sexual orientation, and sex of rearing all have an effect. As well as socio-cultural perspectives on sex. A more collective society has the capacity to produce more accommodating, gentle males that feel in line with "feminine" traits for example. It is a multidimensional diagnostic process that can't be whittled down to if (dress) == female. Sometimes non-conforming behaviour is just non-conforming behaviour and not a sign of dissonance with one's sex that means reassignment would be necessary to "treat" it. Sometimes that little girl is just hairier and interested in other girls. Sometimes a girl likes building with her hands.

The fact that this is pathologized without taking into account the full story of an individual person's life, the picture of their mental health and potential traumas, as well as "are they just same sex attracted?" Is allowing so many people to make mistakes and be hurt by treatment they didn't need and can't reverse. It's giving people reasons to be paranoid and preclude themselves from the pool of sexed experiences rather than include themselves as part of the diversity.

[inspired-lesson-plans]

New poll to better understand my user base (because I check people's profiles and have noticed a pattern).

Do you self-identify with any of the following labels?

1. Queer (LGBT, nonbinary, any other variation)

2. Neuro atypical (autistic, ADHD, DID, etc.)

3. Furry (any variation)

FYI, in case you didn't know, nobody can see how you vote. Not even me.

[peanutbutterandbananasandwichs]

Fuck it Friday, a little late, or perhaps early depending on your POV. Tagged by @ambersock

Tag game fic dump thing apparently sooooo have the first bit of new writing since I had an epiphany about how to unstick myself with my Big Soulless Sam fic (official title for now lmao) and solve some issues I'd been having. I'm pretty excited about it.

-

Sam stared down at the body laid out on the mortuary slab.

-

“Time since death?”

“Around a week. Give or take,” the morgue attendant replied, leafing through the notes he’d been left by the coroner. A mousy young man, soft spoken, awkward, not atypical of the kind of person who willingly spends all their time with the dead.

“Give or take?” Sam raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

-

“How long ago did she die?”

“Difficult to say exactly, we had to get a specialist in, they reckoned... maybe ten years? Probably not much more than that.” The coroner looked up at Sam, a glint of excitement in his eye, “I’ve never seen anything like it! Not this old, I mean. Fascinating!”

Sam nodded. In the abstract, it was, fascinating that is. The way her skin stretched across bones like tanned hide, fingernails, and eyelids, and the little wrinkle in her forehead, and the way her hair, tannin-stained and fragile as it was, still cascaded across her shoulder. But his stomach churned at the sight of her, a tight knot of grief, and guilt.

-

“It’s the bog. Slows composition, messes with time of death something rotten.”

“I see,” Sam responded dispassionately, making a quick note in his notepad. “She drowned, I assume?”

“Yes. That we can be certain of.” The young man beckoned Sam over to the other side of the table. Sam obliged, standing close behind, craned his neck over the attendant’s shoulder to get a good look. The man shuffled, gave a nervous little cough, maybe expecting Sam to take a step back. He didn’t.

“So?” Sam asked, impatient.

The morgue attendant extended a gloved hand, slipping fingers between the corpse’s bloated lips, jaw slid open, slack. He held up a flashlight, directing the beam down the throat. The windpipe was clogged with murky water, jet black marsh mud, slimy weeds. “Her lungs are full of the stuff. Poor kid.” He gently closed her mouth again and then slipped quickly away from Sam, letting out a held breath. It took a moment before Sam realised he seemed to be awaiting some kind of response.

“Has she been IDed?” he asked.

Perhaps not what he’d been expected to say, given the look on the young man’s face. The assistant frowned, gave a tiny shake of his head, then dipped his eyes to his notes again, keeping them there as he flipped through.

“Alicia Witt. 8 years old. Her parents IDed her late last night.”

-

Sam dragged his gaze away from her body. “D-d-d-do you know her name?” He flushed scarlet at the stutter, he’d never been very good at hiding it, not when his emotions got the better of him.

“There aren’t many candidates that fit the age and DoD profile. But we’re waiting on a DNA match to be sure.”

“Right. Right, of course.” It might not be her. It might not. Didn’t make it any better, though, did it? Either way, it was a dead little girl.

idk who I know who writes has or hasn't been tagged so apologies for cross tagging if so. @homehauntsyou @ardentpoop @biromantic-nerd

[i-guess-im-into-this-now]

The Apothecary Diaries

First watch of first episode

At a glance, I knew I would like this show, but after one episode I'm pretty sure I'm going to love it.

Btw, do y'all like it when people give their first impressions of your favorite shows/books/media? Or their thoughtful analysis? Or their shit posting?

I do. I'll try to do that for you here.

So I'm watching this on Crunchyroll with English dub. Right off the bat I can tell you that I'm in love with Maomao. The voice actress is terrific, but also the character is intriguing. She draws you in right away with her intelligence, competency, inquisitiveness, daring, sense of responsibility, need for justice and expansive caring for every including strangers. She's got a whole lot of A+ character traits to absolutely love. Considering she wants to keep a low profile in the palace that's going to be a problem. I'm pretty sure everyone in her orbit is going to be sucked in by her and either love or hate her. There isn't a lot of room for indifference with a person this interesting.

The very first scene I knew there was something atypical about this show because a charming conversation between a daughter and her father suddenly had a black and white still frame of the the girl being abducted. The hell?!

That paired with the next scene taking place in a brothel helped me grasp the tone of this show. This show is going to have some more mature themes. Now, I know, I'm ready for it. I think. (I'll be alright as long as there is no boiling of people. I've already had two shows I've watched this year cook people and I'm done with human soup).

So we see a courtesan ask Maomao without surprise:

Have you been wounding yourself again?

To which Maomao replies, as if it's obvious:

Well, yeah.

Okay so self harm is something Maomao does. Perhaps in service of her medical research, but if she's willing to harm herself for this, then she might also be willing to put herself in harms way under other circumstances as well. I think the show is trying to demonstrate that she's self sacrificing here. Love that in a fictional character.

She panics and runs when the brothel ladies tease her about becoming a courtesan. Why? Is she intimidated by intimacy? Has she witnessed the courtesans suffering? Is she afraid that future would derail her own plans? Does she always get this flustered when teased? I'm not suggesting she consider becoming a courtesan but her panic is telling of something more.

She immediately gets kidnapped, which due to foreshadowing we knew was going to happen, but what gets me is her blasé attitude about it. Like it's just an inconvenience and not a terrifying ordeal. I immediately thought they would sell her to a brothel, but she instead ends up doing laundry at the palace. So we learn that Maomao can stay calm in a crisis and this makes me even more curious about her reaction to the teasing by the courtesans.

We find Maomao settled into a life of servitude at the palace. She's accepted what happened even if she is unfulfilled. She misses her old life, including the brothel, wonders about her father and longs for meat screwers, but she's already figured out the ecosystem she's in and how best to navigate it. She's so savy here. She compares the palace to the brothel and applies her knowledge of that complex social system to navigate palace politics. Maomao has already analyzed what would happen if she revealed her competencies, and has decided to lay low until she is able to extricate her self in a couple years.

She tells the viewers what we need to know about harem life and mentions that if one isn't careful they could end up as a concubine. It's a future she wants as little as that of a courtesan, even though she mentioned that low ranked concubines are treated better than the servants. I have to wonder if this is foreshadowing or if it is commentary on the roles of women in this society.

Palace gossip! Oh there's a handsome new eunuch in the palace? Maomao couldn't care less. Well okay.

I'm going to make a few completely unfounded predictions here just to see how far off I am when I watch the rest of the series.

Regarding the hot eunuch:

He's not a eunuch. He's got all his bits and bobs.

He's not just a palace manager. At least not completely. He's probably a bastard son or royalty in hiding or something. He's not nobody.

Maomao is going to be down bad for this dude.

What a waste. Grade A quality genes and no way of proliferating them. -Maomao on Jinshi's appearance

So Maomao can't be bothered to spare a second thought about handsome eunuchs, or nonsense about curses, but medical ailments? Now you've got her thinking. And I love that about her. She knows how to diagnose and treat ailments and she cares so much! She's trying to lay low but her passion and integrity can't be tempered by her very rational plan to protect herself by staying inconspicuous. She knows how to help and feels a responsibility to do so even if that help puts her at risk. Hero qualities right there.

Also, I love a character that is just... better than every one else. Maomao is more informed, experienced and able to diagnose than the court physician. Competency porn yes, please!

Speaking of competency... We need to talk about Jinshi! Our handsome "eunuch" (he's getting that word in sarcastic quotes until I receive proof otherwise). Out of the 3000 people living in the back palace, he deduces which one of them sent a warning to the concubines, and rangles a confession with nothing more than a scrap of cloth. He observed Maomao muttering about needing something to write on, and her mended skirt. He recognized that scrap of cloth as belonging to a servant girl's clothing. He understood the importance of her literacy and cleverly used it as a means to draw her out. Jinshi is every bit as capable as Maomao, and he's out maneuvered her in this. Maomao has met her match.

To Maomaos horror she is promoted to lady-in-waiting and I am here for it! Girl you are in the shit now! She seems really panicked about the new promotion, because she is smart and knows that this new position is fraught with dangers even if she doesn't know precisely what they are. She seems pretty smart and capable but the fact that Jinshi was able to so easily draw her out and expose her means she will need to sharpen her skills. I'm hoping the concubine and Jinshi will be allies to her in the palace.

Her panic about entering the court reminds me of earlier in the episode when she ran from the brothel. Perhaps she fears becoming entangled with any type of social/political group? Does she have more secrets that she's trying to keep hidden?

I just know that this character is going to be put through some trials. But she has so many great qualities and strengths, that I'm confident she can adapt and overcome. I am looking forward to watching her persist and triumph. And maybe cause a little trouble.

There are some qualities that Maomao just can't mute. Curiosity. A thirst for knowledge. And a sometimes troublesome need to right that which is wrong. - Narrator

Episode 2

[blrecs]

11/50: double vision (takahashi hidebu, "stigmata: love bites")

My favorite euphemism for dating is "seeing someone." No other phrase captures both ends of the romantic spectrum, both the fleeting glance of seeing someone out of the corner of your eye when crossing the street and the intensity of pinning someone with your gaze across a candlelit table. It alone feels capable of holding all of our figurative language about love, from the heavy to the light. Don't we fall for someone simply because we look at them ("love at first sight")? Don't we describe commitment and the monopolizing power of love by saying, we "only have eyes" for another person? We say, "to see her was to love her." We say, "to be loved is to be seen." If "eyes be the window to the soul," then what could sight possibly be but a vector to love?

Lovers aspire to "see" each other, to comprehend each other's souls, to be able to recreate their lover in the mind's eye without masks or pretense. But so too does the forensic profiler, the detective, the criminal investigator. In fact, more so than romance, crime and its fictional iterations lavish excessive time and detail to "seeing." The criminal stalks their victim; the crime scene investigator scours their surroundings for information both on the victim and the perpetrator; the dogged detective is the only person who really understands the mind of the elusive killer. Only the teenage lover left alone in the room of their crush could be more dedicated to trying to see and not disturb, to leave no trace but to take away the wholeness of another person, who is unknown to us now but, we hope, not forever.

No wonder, then, that in these genres we invent new ways of seeing. In NBC's "Hannibal," Will Graham can recreate in his head the events of a murder like a director staging a scene. In Shimizu Reiko's josei crime epic "Himitsu," new technology allows us to image a dead person's brain and see what they saw, as if we were watching a movie filmed through their eyes. And in Takahashi Hidebu's "Stigmata: Love Bites," we follow Asako Minami, who is cursed with the ability to experience the events leading up to and of a murder once he's presented with a murder scene. It's an ability that has ostracized him from family and friends, but with the help of his supervisor Kuroiwa, the senior detective of Tokyo's Special Investigations Unit 6, his body is a conduit for solving crimes, including the murder of Kuroiwa's ex-wife Mari.

"Love Bites" is actually the second draft of a story starring Asako and Kuroiwa. Takahashi first ran "Stigmata" (then subtitled Seikon Sousa, or Stigmata Investigation) as a seinen crime-of-the-week series in Shueisha's Grand Jump Magazine before it was canceled at six chapters. "Love Bites", the reboot, ran in the bl magazine Bloom, which would later also run Takahashi's other supernatural detective story "Psychedelia." Maybe that's why "Love Bites" has an atypical structure for a bl; instead of one long story that concludes with its characters more or less together in volume one and a pivot to a different subplot in volume two, it's more like a ten-episode miniseries that uses the full two volume length to explore the mystery of who killed Mari.

Freed of having to mimic the rhythms of a procedural, or perhaps cognizant that as a bl her story must now make feelings the plot instead of murder, Takahashi fills "Love Bites" with figurative language made into images, all the artistic trappings she has at her disposal. Blood bubbles out of Asako like a furious lava lamp, splattering against the floor and white backgrounds in endless dots and dribbles, a Van Gogh-ian nightmare. His dreams, where he is forced by Mari's memories to ride shotgun to her intimate moments with Kuroiwa, are haunted by the same big blobs, as if they and the blood bubble out of the same place.  When Kuroiwa begins to fall for Asako in volume two, he too begins to sink into panels full of alternating blobby darkness and bubbling white. The illusion "Love Bites" traps us in is a sticky, liquid, fractal place, the boundary between reality and the supernatural. We cannot and should not believe our eyes. What we see cannot be happening. And yet, what we see is the truth.

What "Love Bites" contemplates (as does "Hannibal" and "Himitsu") is that there are two types of "seeing." To see someone is to understand them and, perhaps, to love them. To see as someone, though, is a special kind of emotional abomination. It is a transgression, an intimacy that is both more and less than love. In "Himitsu," seeing through the eyes of Kainuma, the serial killer who killed out of his love and longing for Maki, ruins Suzuki life. The curse is compounded when Aoki, already drawn to Maki, watches Suzuki's brain and is hit with the double whammy of seeing Maki through both Suzuki, and Suzuki-Kainuma's eyes. Doomed to be a Suzuki substitute from the start and now the living embodiment of Suzuki's memory, he is Eve and the apple both. Unable to resist, Suzuki takes from the Tree of Knowledge—Suzuki's brain—and then spends the rest of the story posing the same poisonous question to those who loved Suzuki. When we crawl into someone else's skin, can we ever come back from it? Or have we been forever poisoned by their visions?

These questions must have plagued Takahashi too. In "Stigmata," Asako struggles with how to maintain a sense of self when he is a repository for the memories of other people. In a particularly heartbreaking scene, he asks Kuroiwa if he should just let Mari's memories take him over. "Then, won't I basically be her on the inside? That means you'll get a chance to do things over with her." Aoki and Asako would have lots to say, I'm sure, if they were ever to meet for coffee.

But I think the theme of "Love Bites" is false visions, or rather, incomplete ones. Mari is mistaken multiple times for her coworker Makoto. Kuroiwa at the end of volume one embraces Asako and calls out Mari's name. Asako's body is female, then male, then female again in his dreams as he tries to digest the murder victims for whom he is a conduit. Even seeing through one person's eyes, Takahashi argues, can never be the whole truth. After all, in Kuroiwa's eyes, Mari had fallen out of love with him and thus ended their marriage. Asako, haunted by Mari's echoes, believes that Mari loved Kuroiwa even to her dying moment. But it's Makoto who fills in the missing piece that neither Asako nor Kuroiwa would have gotten to. Mari may have loved Kuroiwa, but she kept that love like a talisman, a prayer for better times, not a longing to return. She most of all would have never wanted to live on in Asako's body, as a zombie of the relationship she and Kuroiwa once had.

Asako may have had Mari's echoes, but I think what made Kuroiwa fall in love was all the ways in which he wasn't like Mari. He is not a cheery go-getter. He is not a competent career woman. He wants to be a burden on Kuroiwa. His helplessness, his desperation, and his offering up of his body as the only tool at his disposal are the things that make him precious to Kuroiwa. No matter how much he may be filled with Mari's memories, it is the realness of Asako and Asako alone that Kuroiwa reaches out for.

"Stigmata: Love Bites" is available to read on Manga Planet (formerly Futekiya). You can also read "Psychedelia" there; it's a one-volume story that also is about supernatural crime solving, and as an added bonus appears to be set during the pandemic (all characters featured wearing facemasks). "Stigmata: Love Bites" is also available in print or digitally from SuBLime.

[aisling-saoirse]

Plant Profile: Tulip Poplar - Liriodendron tulipifera

I return to bring news of the giant of the east, this plant profile will analyze one of our strongest early successional species with an eye-catching cat-like leaf, a fascinating connection to historic disturbance, and a showy floral display: the Tulip Poplar.

Tulip poplar is deceivingly named for the tulip-like appearance of its flower and the fast poplar-like growth of its wood; all this in mind it's actually a member of the Magnolia family. Other names for this tree are yellow polar and tulip tree. The genus Liriodendron was more widespread throughout the cretaceous period but today only has two living species in America and China respectively, L. tulipifera and chinense.

Let's start with description, mature Tulip Poplar is most easily identified by its tall, typically completely straight branchless trunk (image 2, 9) extending often a hundred feet before branching into magnificent candelabra-like forms. This is referred to as apical growth as more energy is placed into extending the stems/trunk. Tulip Poplar's bark is typically a light grey, finely furrowed almost-ash like, it's branches are reddish-brown, stout, and end in a solid bud (winter Image 6). Tulip Poplar's leaf is very distinct (image 4), symmetrical, each side with two major lobes (occasionally the lower lobe is split in two, visible in lower leaf image 4). Personally I liken it to a silhouette of a cat's face :). The leaves are variable in size and appearance, on younger saplings/low branches leaves are exaggerated and exceed 12" (Image 5) but the typical leaf is much smaller. As for flowers they bloom in mid spring (may in the north, march in the south), the flower itself (image 1) is yellow with orange bands, lower petals green. It's difficult to see the flowers up close but occasionally they'll fall low enough, they're loaded with nectar, they can be incredibly sweet. The flowers turn into a fruit cone-like aggregate of samaras that stick on end of branches until the following spring (see orange image 7) the individual seedlings (image 6) coat the forest floor in winter.

Habitat: Tulip poplar is the dominant early succession species in rich, well drained, moist woods, slopes, and coves of especially Appalachia. It will take over anywhere with enough moisture to sustain it, even out-competing invasives like tree-of-heaven....but only if it's ideal conditions are met, Typically north facing slopes provide the best conditions for a Tulip poplar but it's not restricted to these in anyway. Your best bet for finding large specimens is in these cove locations (image 2)

Range: Tulip poplar is in its highest concentration in the Piedmont and Appalachia of the American East. Limited with a northwestern range of Chicago, south to lower Louisiana, south east to northern Florida with a northern limit of the Hudson lowlands and an eastern limit in Connecticut. Due to its fast growth, it has become a popular specimen tree in Europe.

Ecology and lifespan: As mentioned Tulip poplar are early successional species, but they're probably the Appalachian regions most important species in forest regeneration (saplings in field image above). Young trees can reach 7 feet in height in just 3 years and they are prolific with enough light. Their lifestyle is atypical of most pioneer species in the sense that they do not dissapear in second-growth stages of mature forests, they can live for upwards of 500 years, they grow taller than most forest species (often just under 200'), and their wood isn't as weak as other fast-growers.

The tall trunk above is likely 100 years old, due to the intense logging pressure in the east it's not uncommon for 'mature' forests to be mostly composed of Tulip poplars (The Wissahickon in Philadelphia, great example). The fallen leaves are quick to degrade but produce an allelopathic effect on some herbacious growth. Ecologically speaking Tulip poplars are not a great food source for invertebrate species aside from pollinators, only host to less than 30 moth species and sometimes the eastern tiger swallowtail. The prolific seeds are decent forage for birds however.

Uses: Tulip poplars are sometimes used nowadays in southern tree plantations as fast growing hardwood, their vertical growth habit is desirable for boards and the wood is favored as a detailing piece often compared to white pine. Ethnobotanical uses from my time with the Lenape I only heard of Tulip poplar being used as a dugout canoe, these trees can reach massive proportions historically imagery shows some stunning accounts (check out Kilmer memorial forest in NC for some 400 yr old massive ones). Today, tulip trees are enjoyed among bee keepers for the distinct honey quality.

Landscaping: Tulip Poplars recently have a new place as an Allee tree many contemporary designs. An older unconventional use is in Swathmore arboretum in Pennsylvania (Image above) which uses Tulip Trees as a neat vertical feature in an amphitheater. Due to its fast growth they serve as excellent shade trees and the Orange-yellow fall coloring creates an excellent seasonal display. Tulip tree generally has weaker twig falls however the issue of weak branches isn't that big of a concern.

Propagation: Tulip trees are best propagated from seed planted in a nursery bed in fall, allowed to grow for one year then moved elsewhere before leaf out the next spring. The tree is tolerant of disturbance otherwise but you must be very delicate. They prefer loamy soils and cooler locations in sun.

Future Outlook and Longevity: So with Climate Change and Anthropogenic pollution how will Tulip trees fair? An ESA article study by David LeBlanc analyzed the growth habit of tulip poplars and found that the strongest associated period of growth was consistent water supply during May and June. Meaning spring droughts (which we've been getting more of) have negatively affected Tulip tree growth, however growth is not as effected in extremes of other seasons. As for pollution Tulip Poplars are tolerant of heavy metals, I've seen these trees survive in serpentine barrens as well as in the Lehigh gap Superfund Site in PA (Image Below)... that site is so toxic for one to survive literal zinc poisoning, desiccation and acid rain of that level I'm never gonna be worried about these tree completely disappearing There is hope for our natives yet.

I hope you all enjoyed this quick plant profile, with spring coming up try to keep your eyes in the air to spot the Tulip Tree's quirky floral bloom. Happy hunting!

[saywhat-politics]

Alfred Brendel, the thoughtful Austrian pianist who focused on the classics, has died. A statement from his representative said that Brendel passed peacefully on Tuesday morning at his home in London, surrounded by his family. He was 94.

Praised by The Boston Globe as "one of the defining performers of our age," Brendel was best known as a performer who fused a keen intelligence with musical clarity. Other players were flashier; other players were, perhaps, more outwardly passionate. But Brendel had legions of ardent admirers.

Even Brendel himself confessed to documentary filmmaker Mark Kidel, who profiled him in 2000, that he found his success something of a mystery. "My career is atypical," Brendel said. "I have not been a child prodigy. My parents were not musicians — there was no music in the house. I have a good memory, but not a phenomenal one. I'm not a good sight reader. I'm completely at a loss to explain why I made it!"

[secretofpandora]

🔥 file #wth-089: Scorch

📋 basic information

callsign: scorch status: active affiliation: pandora division: wrath faceclaim: simu liu date of birth: [redacted] age: 30 place of origin: san francisco, california sex / gender: male (he/him) mutation type: pyrokinesis recruitment date: 2 years ago sexual orientation: [redacted] alignment profile: chaotic good [redacted]

💪 physical information

height: 6'0" (183 cm) build: athletic, resilient, optimized for endurance and high-output physical engagement. well-conditioned frame emphasizing core stability, shoulder strength, and tactical endurance, with physical definition sharpened by field service. complexion: tan with warm undertones, showing moderate environmental wear, faint sun exposure lines, and minor burn scarring across arms and upper torso. hair: black, short, practical for field deployment; occasionally shows slight weathering at the edges from field conditions. facial hair: maintains short, practical stubble; occasionally shaves clean for formal operations. body hair: minimal, maintained for operational hygiene. distinguishing features: fine scarring along wrists and hands indicative of early post-mutation ignition accidents. posture exudes readiness tempered by field-seasoned discipline. tattoos: none.

🧐 psychological profile

psych eval tags: compassionate, resilient reprimands: [redacted] — see file: behavioral note w-089 (“insecure & naive conduct”)

scorch is an atypical asset in wrath: emotionally transparent, idealistic, and highly reactive under stress. while mutation enhanced his capacity for devastation, his primary instinct remains preservation—of others, not himself.

subject entered training as a baseline human and completed two years of conditioning prior to mutation. initial simulations revealed a tendency toward impulsive overcommitment, often in defense of others or due to perceived failure.

post-mutation pyrokinesis is deeply tied to emotional state. fluctuations in confidence, fear, or guilt directly influence fire intensity and control. despite this instability, subject has shown significant loyalty and cohesion within his squad.

scorch exhibits subconscious insecurity regarding his place in the agency, often masking uncertainty with reckless optimism. ongoing mentorship is strongly recommended. subject responds well to affirmation and structured guidance.

🔬 ability overview

primary mutation: pyrokinesis

secondary traits: • tactical demolitions • squad-level flame shielding (short duration) • rapid ignition under duress

limitations: • emotional surges affect flame control • risk of oxygen depletion in confined spaces • severe dehydration and fatigue post-burnout

🧠 tactical profile

division expertise • athletics • close combat mastery

selected expertise • pain tolerance

proficiencies • battlefield endurance • perception • environmental adaptation • insight • biochemistry & medicine

deficiencies • stealth & infiltration • cryptograms & codebreaking

🛠️ equipment & suit design

scorch’s suit is engineered for thermal extremes, close-quarters movement, and accidental ignition suppression.

construction: deep burgundy fire-resistant composite weave, reinforced with lightweight, heat-dispersing armor plating. color palette: ultra-dark oxblood with ember-thread seams that glow subtly under thermal surge.

key features: • integrated heat-regulation gloves • micro-cooling mesh underarmor • belt-mounted oxygen rebreather unit • discreet flame-channeling nodes embedded in gauntlets for control and dispersal

the suit reflects scorch’s core identity: a weaponized inferno bound in restraint.

📂 field notes — background profile

subject is the product of an extramarital affair, raised solely by his mother. fractured home dynamics instilled a persistent need for belonging and a strong internal drive to protect others.

prior to recruitment, subject was a licensed paramedic, specializing in emergency trauma and high-risk disaster response. field records show exceptional composure, deep compassion, and instinctive prioritization of others’ safety—even at personal risk.

pandora identified subject during civilian resilience profiling and initiated training. mutation surfaced post-induction during a high-stress simulation, triggering uncontrolled combustion and resulting in immediate wrath assignment.

scorch is currently in provisional field deployment. emotional volatility remains a concern, and enhanced psychological monitoring protocols are in place.

🔐 [classified: level 7 clearance required]

unofficial agent notes — subject: scorch medical documentation confirms subject’s enhanced stamina and metabolic conditioning.

measurements: 7.75 inches, uncut, with proportional girth aligned to physical build. behavioral profile: tactile and responsive, favoring mutual connection and sensory-based intimacy. prefers shared control over domination.

tendencies: • favors body-to-body contact • sensitive to touch and heat • enjoys slow, progressive stimulation • open to light restraint when trust is established • does not require emotional attachment for intimacy, but thrives with mutual comfort

aftercare: consistent and intentional — prioritizes emotional grounding, physical reassurance, and partner well-being without compromising mission readiness.

file status: open last updated: [redacted]

[macgyvermedical]

I'm back with another drug history request. How about abilify/aripiprazole?

Sometimes I look up a drug I think is going to be boring and it turns out wildly interesting (dextromethorphan). Sometimes I look up a drug I think is going to be super interesting, and it turns out to be kind of meh (aripiprazole).

Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic. It is also sometimes called a second generation or even a third generation depending on who you talk to. It is used for treating schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, irritability due to autism, as an adjunct treatment for major depression, and tourettes syndrome.

First generation "typical" antipsychotics came out in the 1950s. They block dopamine in the brain. This helps to decrease "positive" symptoms of psychosis, such as hallucinations and delusions, but they can cause sedation and movement disorders which can be permanent.

Second generation "atypical" antipsychotics came out in 1994 and have a lot of different mechanisms of action, usually involving dopamine and serotonin. These decrease "positive" symptoms but also decrease "negative" symptoms like avolition and social withdrawal. These generally have side effects that are more metabolic in nature, such as weight gain and increased blood sugar levels.

Sometimes, dopamine stabilizing medications like aripiprazole and brexpiprazole are lumped in with second generation (they have a similar side effect profile), and sometimes they are put into their own category.

Aripiprazole was discovered in 1995 by Japanese scientists. It was approved in the US as a daily pill in 2002. In 2015 it became available as a once-monthly injection for people who had trouble remembering (or being willing to) to take pills daily.

Today it is the 99th most commonly prescribed medication in the USA.

[nicolekart]

Meet Efrim!

He/him  

23/24  

Air Genasi  

Monk/Artifact Seeker  

He possesses abilities atypical for other Genasi (like an Air Bender with a touch of magic)

I finally made him a decent reference! I need to finally start working seriously on the comic I have in my head. 💙 If you want to know more about him, please, check out his Toyhouse profile!

[m1ckeyb3rry]

in honor of my pokémon obsession and vague desire to one day write a pokémon au, here are the pokémon teams i think some of the bllk boys would have!!

warning: all pokémon are from gen 6 or before because i didn’t really play the games after that, i chose pokémon based on aesthetics and vibes not functionality in battle or stats or anything like that HAHA, this truly is not that serious but if anyone steals my ideas i will be mad 😐 don’t plagiarize pls it’s not cool

characters: isagi yoichi, chigiri hyoma, barou shouei, nagi seishiro, mikage reo, otoya eita, karasu tabito, yukimiya kenyu, hiori yo

isagi yoichi: charizard, lapras, stoutland, machamp, leafeon, raichu (this man is basic i’m sorry but he’s not going crazy or picking any atypical pokémon)

chigiri hyoma: rapidash, zebstrika, dragonite, gorebyss, liepard, pyroar (only chooses fast pokémon and likes to ride them around so he gets places before everyone else)

barou shouei: pangoro, krookodile, zoroark, sharpedo, houndoom, weavile (exclusively dark types so he can continue w the whole villain thing he has going on)

nagi seishiro: goodra, reuniclus, clefable, whimsicott, snorlax, arcanine (what can i say?? a bunch of squishy cuddly pokémon for a squishy cuddly guy)

mikage reo: gallade, mawile, flygon, persian, cinccino, florges (idk all of these pokémon just feel very elegant and classy to me which is super mikage “rich boy” reo)

otoya eita: greninja, sylveon, ampharos, blissey, altaria, ninetales (he tries to be cool so he picks greninja to start with but he ends up with exclusively cutesy pokémon for the rest of his team because he’s actually a loser)

karasu tabito: garchomp, honchkrow, staraptor, talonflame, pidgeot, lucario (his commitment to the bird aesthetic is impressive, but he feels a kinship with garchomp — perhaps due to their similarly shaped side profiles?? — and thinks lucario is cool, so those two get a pass)

yukimiya kenyu: breloom, alakazam, steelix, manectric, azumarill, noivern (i think he would only pick pokémon that make him seem refined and cool)

hiori yo: kingdra, metagross, nidoqueen, luxray, aurorus, swanna (a relatively balanced team in terms of typing, but to be honest i picked them because they’re all light blue/have light blue on them)