#brain wave sensor

[neuphony9]

The EXG Synapse by Neuphony is an advanced device designed to monitor and analyze multiple biosignals, including EEG, ECG, and EMG. It offers real-time data for research and neurofeedback, making it ideal for cognitive enhancement and physiological monitoring.

[neophony]

Neuphony EXG Synapse has comprehensive biopotential signal compatibility, covering ECG, EEG, EOG, and EMG, ensures a versatile solution for various physiological monitoring applications.

[neuphonyforyou]

Monitor brain waves involves using sensors to detect and measure electrical activity in the brain, known as electroencephalography (EEG). This non-invasive method provides insights into cognitive states, mental processes, and neurological conditions, wireless eeg headset.

[mrpenguinpants]

Sakura, did they...set off your romance sensor?

—  "Oh, listen, this boy here…whenever he senses anything romantic…he goes beet red in the face!!" - Tasuku Tsubakino (Ch.66)

— Hayato Suo, Hajime Umemiya, Jo Togame

[Masterlist]

Wow, my windbreaker brain rot has shot me into a whole new timeline where I can sit down and write. Not gonna lie, not my favorite but it is what it is. I've beat my first fic for a fandom nerves.

Hajime Umemiya

When Umemiya had called a rooftop meeting, Sakura had been through them enough to know what to expect. Umemiya would either show up late or be completely off-topic until someone, mostly Hiragi, stepped in to direct the meeting to its actual purpose. Most of the time, the distractions would be on his plants or his giddy plans of having another barbeque with everyone. It used to be annoying, Sakura once believed the reason why Umemiya was so unserious was because he didn't care. But he knows better now than to take that carefree smile on the surface level. Deep down, Umemiya is a great leader who knows when it's time to get serious.

But this...

Sakura's cheeks are already turning pink.

This is a bit too much for him. He hasn't leveled up enough for this.

"The Three Sisters is a method of gardening that involves planting corn, beans, and squash together. The corn provides support for the beans and squash, the beans add nitrogen to the soil, and the squash's sprawling vines create shade and discourage pests too. It's really quite fascinating, don't you think so Ume?" you ask, lightly petting the leaves of his most recent tomato plant sprout. Your eyes downcasted as you thumb away bits of dirt that happened to be blown by the wind onto the greenery. Perhaps it's because you're one of the few people who entertain Umemiya's rapid obsession with his garden, even going out of your way to tell him facts to better his plot and compliment him on his efforts. Heck, Sakura has seen Umemiya crying because Nirei has told him that his saplings look bigger each time. While Sakura does not doubt that those feelings and expressions were genuine, the look Umemiya is giving you, a look you're not even seeing, feels different. Umemiya himself is different.

"Yeah..." Umemiya responds in a soft tone, his voice almost a whisper. Their usually talkative leader who won't shut up for half a second, who talks over people, is currently so distracted that it's kind of embarrassing watching him. He's been staring at you, eyes zeroing in on your fingers as they brush against the leaves, almost entranced by the sight. Sakura would give anything to leave right now, this second-hand embarrassment is too much. Luckily, Umemiya finally seems to register that you and he aren't alone despite the fact he was the one who called the meeting in the first place. His head perks up confused, hands on top of his knees, as he's greeted with varying expressions from his grade captains. Hiragi in particular looks like he's having both a stomach ache and the urge to slap the back of Umemiya's head. The urge is only partially restrained when you also look up, sending them all a little wave. Hiragi isn't going to slug Umemiya if you're there to see it, it's the pride of a man to not get beaten up in front of his crush.

"Oh shoot, you're all here already? Why didn't you say anything?" Umemiya whines, standing up while dusting his pants free of any lingering dirt. He extends a hand to you, not before rubbing his palm furiously on the back of his shirt, to help you up, "I'll see you later?"

"Mm, sure. Good luck with your new sprouts. Remember to remove the bottom leaves once the plants are over 3 feet tall. I'll be upset if they develop fungus issues," you pat Umemiya's cheek gently, ignoring the way that Umemiya completely melts openly at the gesture. You turn to nod at the rest of them, offering another wave goodbye, as you pass them to exit the rooftop. The resounding sound of the door closing finally sets them back on track.

"We did," Hiragi speaks up as soon the vibrations in the air fizzle out with an exasperated expression, referring back to Umemiya's first question, "You were too busy staring. We've been here for almost ten minutes, you idiot."

"Sorry, sorry, my bad," Umemiya laughs easily, his hand rubbing the back of his neck. Although he's been clearly called out, Umemiya doesn't seem the slightest bit ruffled. Sure, he looks a little bashful but Sakura doubts that he'll tone it back much to the embarrassment of any onlooker. Maybe one day, he'll be able to look that happy with his own feelings on display.

A sudden clap has Sakura jolting back to reality, Umemiya's loud voice returning back to something familiar, "Now then, come sit! I prepared some snacks for us all to share."

Everyone else seems used to Umemiya's behavior and they easily follow him, completely disregarding your and Umemiya's interactions as if they never happened. Sakura doesn't really get it but if everyone else is unbothered, it'd be seriously uncool if he said anything. He lets out a sigh, whatever. It's none of his business anyway.

"Sakura, why are you blushing?" Nirei, the bastard, pipes up behind him. Suo, the even worst bastard, laughs behind his hand like he's some rich Victorian lady.

"Huh, no I- I'm not." Sakura's cheeks went from pink to red, now that he's been caught. He looks away, avoiding eye contact, "S-Shut the hell up!"

Hayato Suo

"Mr. Customer, if you're dissatisfied with our menu, you're more than welcome to leave."

Sakura blinks, head jerking up as he crosses the threshold of Café Pothos. Initially, he assumed those words were directed at him even though it wouldn't make sense. He quite likes the menu despite only ordering the same thing each time. But no, when Sakura looks up it's to a rather unexpected sight. Suo sits at the bar counter, back ram-rod straight and his hands folded in his lap, with that ever-pleasant smile on his lips. Across from him stands a worker Sakura has never seen before. He always assumed that Kotoha was the only employee, but today seems to be full of surprises. A green apron with white ties, sleeves rolled up to the elbow, and hands fisted against the hips.

"The bakery across the street would love to hear your complaints, Mr. Customer."

---

There is something about the new worker and Suo that keeps Sakura glancing back at them after he's sat himself in a secluded corner. Perhaps it's because it's a new face he has yet to meet at a place he frequents so often. It's normal to be curious right? Or maybe it's Suo being here alone. He's never seen the man "out in the wild" before. They aren't even looking at him, Suo hadn't even looked up when he first opened the door although Sakura is sure that Suo is aware of him. He's creepy like that. The new worker, however, whips an annoyed glance at Suo before letting out an irritated huff, arms crossing over the green apron, and glaring down at Suo’s smiling face. A face that would remain ever-pleasant in any given situation.

Regardless...

"Is this your version of service? It must be hard on the customer," Suo chuckles, a slight tilt of his head that bounces his tassel earring. Suo's laugh, however, causes Sakura to feel a hint of surprise. It's not a laugh he expects the man to give, yet at the same time, it suits him.

"That's because you're a terrible customer and a pain in the ass." The worker sneers, leaning in so the two of them are face to face.

Suo seems to be difficult for anyone to handle.

"It's busy today," Kotoha says, appearing out of thin air and scaring Sakura half to death. A plate of steaming omurice slides in front of him because he really does only order one thing here. It's not a great conversation starter, but it's nice of her to break the odd tension that has settled over the cafe. Kotoha is also looking to the side, watching the scene of her co-worker and Suo bickering and arguing. Passive aggressive comments are being flown out, scathing remarks padded with polite voices, so much so that the two of you don't seem to register anyone else around. Completely wrapped up in your world of irritation versus amusement.

"What…are they even arguing about?" Sakura chances to ask, his eyes still glued to the curve of Suo's smile, red eye focused solely on you. His hand idly reaches for his spoon, scooping up a bit of rice and egg, yet it hovers in the air ideally. Suo has his head tilted and is leaning somewhat in the worker's space. His eyes don't stray, watching each shift in facial expression carefully to gauge whether his words are having their intended effect. He looks like he's having way too much fun.

"Oh, that." Kotoha giggles, placing her palm on the table. She too looks like she's having way too much fun, "They always go back and forth like that. It's like a game of cat and mouse with those two. They're both stubborn as hell so it's a constant power struggle between them. Although, I wonder what they're arguing about this time. They always bicker at each other when we change shifts."

Kotoha shakes her head, a fond smile on her face. She glances briefly at Sakura before her eyes drift back to the other two. She raises her hand, finally cutting the bubble between you and Suo.

"Hey, I'm back from break. Thanks for covering for me," she calls, waving her hand in the air. The frown that was permanently on your face melts away when you break eye contact with Suo, returning to a more neutral blank look. You only nod to Kotoha, flashing up a thumbs-up, and you move to head back to the kitchen. But not before sticking your tongue out at Suo over your shoulder as you disappear through the doorway. Sakura blinked surprised, he had somewhat expected a different reaction than something so...tame. His eyes drift to Suo and he can feel his cheeks heat up.

He doesn't think he's seen Suo look happier.

Jo Togame

"See, you peel off the seal on the cap. Remove the ring from the little plastic piece you use to push the marble. Then, with your thumb, press down, and poof, the marble drops and you can enjoy!" you grin as you move slowly for Sakura to see your hands with each instruction. The fizz of carbonation and the clink of the marble hitting the glass amplified louder in the abandoned auditorium. A few other shishitoren members are loitering, but only you and Sakura are sitting up on the edge of the stage. After the embarrassment of not knowing how to open the ramune Togame had given him, he sought you out to explain it to him. Sakura didn't think he could stomach it if he went back to Togame again for help. He follows your movement, his fingers removing the thin seal. Popping the ring off the marble pusher, and with his thumb, pushes on the marble. His thumb slips a few times, but you're patient as you coax him to try again. With his third attempt, he feels the marble give, the rewarding sound of bubbles popping.

"Thanks..." Sakura mumbles, a faint blush on his cheeks as you cheer your ramune's together as you take a swig.

"No problem," you say nonchalantly, leaning your weight back on your arms. With the bottle held in your hand, you watch Sakura, who is intently staring at the drink on his own. The silence between you isn't exactly uncomfortable, but you can sense the slight embarrassment oozing off him. "Soooo... how's it taste?"

He gives a soft hum before taking a small sip, the fizzy liquid leaving a tingling sensation on his tongue. It's not as sweet as he thought it’d be. It's rather subtle for a soda. He takes a longer sip this time, the fizz tickling his nose and bubbles popping against his lip. Looking at you sidelong, he can see you already staring at him excitedly. You weren't kidding when you said you were a big fan of this.

"It's sweet, I guess," his voice soft as he shrugs. A few strands of his white hair fell in front of his face. His eyes glance up at you as you stare at him intently, waiting for him to continue. He awkwardly bites the inside of his cheek. It still feels weird having people who actually want to hear his opinion, even if it's as small as a drink. "A bit strange��� The flavor is nice, but the fizz is new."

He takes another sip, careful with the angle he tilts the bottle lest the marble block the opening. He doesn't really understand the appeal of the marble. It's a nuisance. The fizz was the best part of the soda, but the clinking made it impossible to drink it quietly. Besides, he holds the ramune bottle out, how the hell do you even get it out? Does he need to throw it against a wall to break the bottle? He doesn't want to get broken glass everywhere since someone could accidentally step on it.

"Is the marble irritating you?" you ask, laughing quietly under your breath to not set Sakura off into another tomato-faced explosion.

"No!" he answers with a quick hiss, cheeks flushing. He can feel you stare at him as a smirk dances across your lips. He can already envision the teasing you’re concocting to make him react. He gives another soft huff, refusing to look at you, as he fidgets with the bottle. He doesn't want to ask you to help again. He already feels like a helpless idiot. Instead of commenting, you swing yourself upwards, planting your hand on your knee. The other hand, wrapped around the bottle, moves to your lips as you down the rest of your drink. The fizz of bubbles pops in the air while Sakura looks at you bewildered. Weren't you supposed to drink carbonated drinks slowly or you'll stomach hurt? Did you become immune or something from drinking so many?

"Come on, let's go. I still haven't finished my ramune 101 class," you wipe your mouth with the back of your hand, winking over your shoulder which sends Sakura into another pink mess, as you slide off the stage.

"W- What do you mean we’re not done?" he stammers quickly, flustered as he scrambles up to follow you. He feels a bit dizzy from going from a sitting position to standing too quickly. He grips the bottle in his hand and takes a few quick steps to catch up to you as you stride to the doors leading outside the auditorium. You laugh again when he rushes to catch up. His quick reaction time betrays his small stature. It's kinda cute.

"It means I'm gonna teach you how to get the damn marble out, genius" you tease, shoving his shoulder as you reach the doors. Opening them, the two of you were met with the cool outside air. It's refreshing after being indoors for so long and the auditorium has gotten you both hot and stuffy. Hence the initial ramune drinks. You quickly take his hand, ignoring the screams, as you drag Sakura to the side of the building. "Togame! Are you sleeping still?"

"Huh?" a tired voice answers groggily from the other side of the wall. Togame is sitting on the ground next to the wall with his back against the auditorium. He has his legs stretched out, his head leaning back on the wall, rubbing his eyes to clear the ever-constant droop in his eyes. He looks as if he is napping before being rudely interrupted, "I was..."

"Oops. Hehe, sorry," you chuckle, hands raised up in a mock surrender although you don't particularly look apologetic. To be fair, Togame doesn't look upset either. Only gives you and Sakura a sleepy smile and nods as he raises his arm high to stretch. His green eyes drifted to the bottles of ramune in your hands with a curious tilt of the chin. In response, you beam at him, rattling the marble inside the glass bottle before handing it to him. "Please, if you could."

Togame snorts as he takes the bottle. There's a hint of playfulness in his tired eyes as he shakes the bottle a few times, letting the marble inside thump against the glass. It's funny watching the marble rattle around. It reminds him of a little toy marble maze he had as a child. He flicks his gaze to look at Sakura, who stands off to the side stiffly. The poor kid looks ready to bolt at any second when given an opening. His own half-finished bottle lays limply in his hand, the marble reflecting off the sun's light.

"You know you just have to twist the cap in the opposite direction right?" he says, wrapping his fingers around the blue lid and twisting the cap off. Turning the bottle over, he catches the marble from the opening into the palm of his hand. He extends his hand, sliding the marble into your waiting ones. "I know you're strong enough to do that."

"Yeah, but my hands get cramps and it's impossible to move it!"

"I don't think that's how that works...But if it really is too hard, you can keep coming to me."

Sakura stands by, feeling out of place as you go back and forth with Togame. Yet, he doesn't feel like an intruder this time, merely an observer. He looks down at his own bottle, hands moving to twist the cap off while making sure he doesn't spill the drink.

It's easy. It pops right off with barely any effort. Sakura has quite literally seen you throw a man double your size over your shoulder.

The marble reflects his face messily, but there's a shine of red glinting off the surface.

[brookediamonds]

who's the guy with the wide, blue eyes and the big bad, mmm?

Part 2 to ‘Who’s the cute boy with the white (black) jacket and the thick accent?’

Axel Kovačević x Fem! Reader

Summary: After you and Axel confirm each other’s interest in each other, you decide to take things a step further and attempt to go on a date when, of course, there’s the trouble of Cobra Kai.

gif is not mine

(In Croatian, "ljubavi" is pronounced "loo-buh-vee" and is used to address someone directly. It translates to “love.”)

—————————————————————————

“Thanks for walking me back to my room,” you say turning back to the tall Croatian boy trailing next to you.

You stop when you reach your room, pulling your key card out of your pockets from your dress.

“Of course,” Axel nods eyes trailing down to your body.

“Oh,” you realized you’re still wearing his jacket, beginning to shrug it off. “Your jacket, here.”

“No,” he holds his hands out to your shoulders keeping you from removing the piece of clothing. “You keep it, ljubavi.”

“Oh, giving nick names are we?” You tease Axel, slipping your hands around his torso.

He lets out a small laugh, snaking his large hands around the back of your neck making you feel giddy inside.

He’s delicate with his touch, gently tilting your head back so it allows him to lean down and softly graze his lips with yours.

You sigh as he pulled away, your lips almost reach up for more affection but knew it was getting late and another round of events waited for you in the morning.

“Good night, (Y/n),” he whispers pressing one final peck to your forehead. Your heart flutters in your chest as he pulls away.

Watching him walk to the elevator, you tap your key card against the sensor and twist the handle, ready to go inside.

But not without looking back towards the handsome flushed boy, waving him one more goodbye.

Once you finally make it inside, you lean back on the closed door to your shared room, and breathe.

Tonight’s events replayed in your mind, the conversation’s you shared with Axel played on a loop, his european accent engraved into the part of your brain that memorizes sounds.

You’re brought out of thought when you see your roommate saunter out of the bathroom, toothbrush hanging out of her mouth.

“And where have you been missy?” Sam muffles through a mouthful of toothpaste before continue to brush her teeth.

“I ran into Axel,” you grin walking over to your bed, slipping off the black jacket that held the sweetest scent of the young man you were just with.

“You’ve been with him this whole time?” Your best friend questions, her mouth falling open.

You nod bringing up the piece of clothing to your nose, inhaling the musky scent of Axel and his cologne.

“We talked, walked, kissed-“ you say holding the jacket tight against chest.

“You kissed?” Sam exclaims running over to you, plopping down on the bed. “How was it?”

“It was so…” You shake your head trying to grasp the wording for how you felt, how electrifying and dizzy his lips made you feel inside. “Consuming.”

The brunette girl watched you in awe as you described your night and took in every word you poured out.

“I hate that we met here,” you admit later that night as you and Sam laid in your beds, cozy in your pj’s and soft sheets.

“Why?” She asks lying on her side to look at you. You turn over, placing your arm under your head.

“We live on the other side of the world from each other, I feel like I met my match and he lives in another country,” you say glumly.

“You don’t think you guys would stay in contact?”

It would be a challenge. It’s your senior year of high school, college just around the corner, karate has always taken up most of your time, you hardly gave any attention to relationships.

“I want to say it would be hard but wouldn’t it be worth it if our connection meant that much to us?” You think out loud.

“So don’t think about it too hard,” Sam assured me. “We have a few days left here, just take things day by day, see where it goes.”

You sighed mentally agreeing with your best friend. She was right, you’re getting ahead of yourself.

The screen on your phone lit up catching your attention. Picking up the device, you noticed a text notification from an unknown number.

Unknown: Sleep well, ljubavi.

You smile seeing the nickname, knowing exactly who it was.

You: What does “ljubavi” mean?

You see the chat bubble rise above your keyboard before a message pops up.

Unknown number: Love.

Heart? Soaring. You were never one for nicknames, but this one turned you into mush.

You: I love it. Sweet dreams, Axel ❤️

You click your phone off and set it back on the nightstand before looking back up at the ceiling. Rerunning the night through your head, you fall asleep soundly.

—————————————————————————

It was a rough start to the morning. Mr. LaRusso informed your team that Terry Silver had once again weaseled his way back into your lives, this time with a different team.

The Iron Dragons, Axel's team. Silver was psychotic and a mess, it left you worried what could happen to the boy you took a liking to.

Anxiously waiting, you sat alone on one of the benches around the corner from the locker rooms, fiddling with your fingers.

Axel strode down the hallway, dressed in his green Gi, captain's headband tied on and ready to go. Why did he have to look so good?

"Hi," you greet the young man nervously as he sat right next you. The blue-green eyed boy wasted no time wrapping you in his arms, making you feel almost grounded.

Your eyes slumped shut, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, resting your chin on his left broad shoulder.

"Is everything okay?" Axel asks taking notice to your longing hold. You sighed pulling back from his warm embrace, still trying to figure out how to tell him about Silver.

"I brought you something," he says diverting your attention. Reaching into his pockets, he pulls out a braided bracelet with the Barcelona flower in the middle of it.

"Axel," you pout as he held the hand woven accessory between you two. "It’s beautiful, thank you.”

You take the gift, holding it to your heart forgetting why you asked him here in the first place.

“The woman who sold it to me said each petal represents something different, it reminded me of you,” he says tracing the four gold petals on the bracelet, a pink hue cascading across his nose and cheeks.

“Axel,” you hear a girls voice from down the hall making you both turn to its corporate.

Zara, the other Iron Dragon’s captain stood with a straight face, calling out to her teammate.

“Sensei is waiting,” she speaks calmly. You couldn’t read her, was she annoyed? Unbothered?

“I’m coming,” Axel says before standing up. Crap, you didn’t get to inform him on Silver.

“I must go,” he says facing you. “Good luck today, ljubavi.”

He presses a quick kiss to your lips before striding over to Zara who glanced over at you with a questioning look.

She raised an eyebrow and walked off with the other captain, leaving you to ponder your thoughts.

“How’d it go?” Demetri asked as you approached your team, scratching the back of your head.

“Um, it didn’t- I’m sorry!” You apologize quickly. “He caught me off guard with something!”

“(Y/n!)” Hawk gave you a disappointed look, Robby and Miguel sighing with the same shared expressions as everyone else.

“Okay, but even if she did tell him, what could he do?” Sam interjects, hands on her hips. At least someone was on your side.

“Sam’s right,” Kenny agreed. “Silver has a way with anyone, one person makes no difference.”

“It could if they’re the winter soldier,” Demetri retorted making you whip your head to the tall lanky boy next to you.

“We already told you to stop calling him that,” you muttered lowly to him. “You have no idea what he goes through, look at what Tory was going through this entire time.”

The team fell quiet at your words.

“Let’s just get through this next round, okay guys?” Robby spoke up breaking the silence. “We have work to do.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, making their way to where your sensei’s stood.

—————————————————————————

You fought like hell, everyone did. Robby pulled through in the end against Kwon, defeating our biggest match.

We had finally defeated Cobra Kai.

As you and Sam hugged celebrating your group win, you notice the boy you've been infatuated with this entire trip approach you.

“Congratulations,” Axel spoke as you pulled back from your friend's arms.

“Thanks,” you smile widely crossing your arms over your chest. “And congrats to you.”

“Thank you,” he nods a small closed mouth grin on his face.

“I'll leave you two alone," Sam shoots you a wink before walking off. Axel glanced around him, taking a step closer to you.

Due to your height difference, you tilted your head up at the 6 foot boy admiring his post fight look. Messy auburn hair, cheeks flushed.

"May I take you to dinner tonight?" Axel asks reaching out his hands for yours. You intertwined yours fingers together, the tingles starting to form inside.

"I'd love that," you grin trying to contain your excitement. After this big win, and getting an opportunity to spend more time with Axel, you were on cloud 9.

"Kovačević."

You both turn to see Sensei Wolf and none other than Terry Silver standing side by side, his sensei glaring at you and Silver looking smug.

You suddenly felt caught, like you were just exposed from a dirty little secret. Silver saw you holding hands with one of his students, you, a Miyagi-Do with his team captain.

Pulling your hands from his grasp, Axel turns back to you, a frown forming on his face.

"We'll talk later?" You ask bringing his eyes back up to yours.

"Yes, I will text you," he confirms. You turn on your heels to walk away when you're suddenly caught by the wrist and twirled around falling into Axel's chest.

He brings a hand up to your face, softly caressing the apple of your cheek before locking his lips with yours.

You can't help but melt into the kiss, your tongue lightly grazing against his. You're both breathless when you disconnect, you stood dizzy as he walked over to the men that called him.

Shaking your head, you stride over to your team, a million thoughts running through your head.

After changing into normal civilian clothes, you closed the locker moving to leave when Miguel walks in.

"Hey," you greet him. "I was just gonna go look for you guys."

"No worries," he assures you. Your friend stood awkwardly, his eyes saying something but his mouth relaying nothing.

"Is everything okay?" You ask noticing his stance. "How’s your mom?"

"Yeah, no she's fine, thank you," he exhales walking to where you stand shoving his hands in his pockets. "We're actually worried about you."

"About me?" You ask with a light laugh. "Why?"

Miguel sighed trying to find the words.

"Demetri thinks-"

You rolled your eyes, slinging your gym bag over your shoulder crossing your arms defensively.

"I'm gonna kick his ass," you mumbled. "What now?"

"He thinks Silver might be going through Axel to get to you," your friend reveals.

No, you think immediately.

"I- I don't think he would do that," you say lowly. "Right?"

You're asking yourself at this point. Miguel stares at you with empathetic eyes, you rub a hand over your face.

"We just met Miggy," you begin to think about your interactions. "But I know this wasn't planned, this was all by chance."

"Okay," Miguel nods taking you for your word. "We have your back then."

You smile softly at the curly haired boy, before pulling him into a tight hug.

"What's this for?" He asks with a slight chuckle.

"I'm just glad you and Johnny are back, and your mom is okay," you breathed out. "It's not easy losing a parent."

He rubbed your back knowing your history of losing your father a few years back.

That same night Miguel left, you went to the beach because your dad and you loved spending time there. He would teach you the kata you know now, and practice your breathing work with you there.

"Thank you, (Y/n)," Miguel whispered. You both pulled back, and silently went back to your team together.

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

"Why am I so nervous? I've already kissed the guy!" You freaked brushing your comb through your curls.

"Kissed, made out," Sam shrugged flipping through the channels of your tv.

"Made out?" Miguel speaks up sitting up from his spot on Sam's bed. "I was only gone for like a day."

"A lot can happen in 24 hours," you wince. Setting the comb down, you stare at yourself in the mirror rechecking your appearance.

You wore a red romper that held an array of tiny colorful flowers with a pair of raffia flats to complement the style.

"You look gorgeous," Sam came up from behind you, her face lingering next to yours in the mirror. She ran her fingers through your curls giving them a more tousled look that she knew you favored.

"Thanks, Sam," you say as she finished fixing your hair.

"I'm gonna use the bathroom real quick," she says to you and Miguel. She stepped aside and went into the bathroom.

"Where are you guys gonna go?" Miguel asks propping his arm behind his head.

"One of the local restaurants at the square," you respond spraying some of your Valentino perfume into the crevices of your neck.

Before Miguel could respond, there's a knock at the door. It was Axel.

"Be safe," your best friend's boyfriend wishes you as you grabbed your purse. You roll your eyes playfully, swinging the door open to reveal your company.

"Wow," Axel breathed out. "You look beautiful."

Your nerves vanished, all the worrying you held earlier diminished at his words.

"Thank you," you blushed. "You don't look so bad yourself."

Axel wore a grey henley shirt with a black bomber jacket and dark blue jeans, he looked absolutely handsome. And he was all yours.

He blushes at your compliment, his eyes lingering down your face before they shifted behind you making him frown.

"Who is that?" Axel asks, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Oh," you open the door a little wider. "This is Miguel, my teammate and Sam's boyfriend."

"Sup man," Miguel gives him a small wave before he goes back to watching tv.

"You ready to go?" You ask turning back to Axel with a soft smile. His eye tear away from the comfortable boy in bed and focuses on you.

"Yes," he responds a little more relaxed. You shut the door behind you, walking hand in hand with your date to the elevator.

As you both stood in the moving transportation, Axel lifts your hand noticing the gift he had given you earlier wrapped around your wrist making him smile.

He brings your hand up to his lips, pressing a quick kiss to the back of your it making you giggle.

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

It was a perfect night. The food was amazing, the art was captivating, and the company made it ten times better.

"So Mr. Europe, what do you think of Barcelona?" You ask as you and Axel strolled down the streets of the city. You stood on his right side, arm looped with his.

"Reminds me of Koh Samui," he says referring to a part of Thailand.

"You've been to Thailand?" You gasped. "That's so cool."

"And Japan," he adds. "China, Malaysia, India, every country in Europe."

You shake your head, stunned at his list of traveling destinations.

"That's amazing," you exhale nuzzling further into Axel's side.

"You ever been to Europe?" He inquires.

"No," you admit sadly. "Sam has taken me to Disney World a few times when we were kids, but other than California, I haven't been anywhere."

He nods, taking in your words.

"I really like it here though, being able to come here has been eye opening. Makes me want to see the rest of the world," you say thoughtfully.

"What do you hope to see while here?" Axel asks as you turn a corner into an alley way covered from wall to wall of art, lights hanging above you.

"Everything," you say untangling yourself from his hold to look closer at a mural on the wall. "Las Ramblas, Cascada Monumental, Park Güel!"

Axel stood behind you watching as you admired the painting, a small smile on his face as he listened to you ramble about your wants and wishes.

"And end with fight for the world tournament of karate?" He asks with a slight chuckle coming up to your side.

''And maybe something else," you tease him glancing up into his dark blue orbs. He reached towards you, moving the strands of hair away from your face so he could see your eyes.

"Can we take a picture together?" You ask almost shyly. You wanted to memorize this trip through and through, and you especially wanted proof that you had in fact met someone across the world that you very much liked.

"Anything for you," he says making your heart flutter. Axel stood behind you, wrapping an arm around your waist, gently taking your phone from your hand to take your picture.

You leaned back into his chest, smiling with complete bliss as he snapped a few pictures, your face feeling warm when he takes a few of him kissing your cheek then your lips.

But of course, there's an interruption when a back door is slammed open and out fall a few members of Cobra Kai.

"Ohh, what do we have here?" Kwon spoke almost slurring his words letting you know he had been drinking. You rolled your eyes as he and his teammates stood around you.

"How cute," your opponent says observing the situation in front of him. "Little rival team play time, huh?"

Him and his friends laughed making you huff in annoyance. Axel stood still a look of anger casting across his face.

"Just ignore them," you say making the tall boy look down at you. He silently agreed, both of you working to move past them.

Two members of the Cobra Kai gang closed in on you, not allowing you to pass through.

"Say the magic words," Kwon cockily dared you. Your blood began to boil at his arrogance, it was a perfect night and they were ruining it.

"Move aside," you state slowly. Kwon looked Axel then back at you, faking a shock.

"Wrong," he says pissing you off further.

"Get the hell out of our way and leave us alone," you seethed not being able to control your anger for much longer.

With a fake innocent look on his face, Kwon bends down to your level resting his hands on his knees before stating, "only if you say 'please."

As Kwon sent you a smug smile, you were ready to deck him in the face when another member suddenly attacked Axel.

"Hit me, come on," Kwon taunts you, tapping his chin for you to hit him.

As Axel threw his teammate into Kwon, you followed your instincts to turn and kick the other member that threatened to attack you.

When he landed on the floor, you turned back to Kwon who stood toe to toe with Axel, instigating a fight.

"Come on, I'll take you both, let's go," he challenged us. Suddenly the sounds of sirens were heard in the distance bringing you back to reality.

"We need to go," you say hurriedly stepping in front of your date gently pushing him back.

"I'll see you on the mat," Kwon promises.

"Come on," you beg grabbing Axel's hand tugging him with you. He finally listens to you, and you both run in the opposite direction of Cobra Kai.

When you make it to the beach, you halt to a stop, bending over to catch your breath.

"That," you inhale. "Was Cobra Kai. Actual pricks."

You had explained the entire back story during dinner to what brought your team to the Sekai Taikai, not leaving a single detail out.

"I can see why," Axel pants. Tiredly, you plop down onto the sand, the tall boy mimicking your actions.

"Nice round kick," he says a big grin on his face making you laugh.

"Nice counter strike," you throw back at him a small grin on your face. He chuckles watching as you turned to face him, his eyes becoming hazy.

Within the heat of the moment, you lean forward smashing your lips together, lips moving in sync with one another. You moved to straddle his waist, his hands going straight to your waist.

A fire ignited in the pit of your stomach as you felt him open his mouth allowing you to explore it with your tongue.

Gently pushing him on his back, your lips never disconnected, his grabby hands wondering over your backside.

Axel moaned as you lightly bit his lower lip as you tore apart for air.

"Best date ever," you whispered looking through half lidded eyes.

"Definitely," he agreed with a small smirk before tangling his long fingers through your hair pulling your head back down to continue what you had started.

—————————————————————————

part 3

Tag List: @karmaswitch

(a/n: um omg thank you for requesting a part two?? i’ve never done this before this is so exciting, and lmk if y’all wanna be added to the tag list!! i’ve been a wattpad girlie since i was 12 and was so intimidated to write for tumblr but it is so nice over here lol. incase you’re a fan of Teen Wolf i do have a book on wattpad for Liam Dunbar, my user is @ district12girlonfire that has been my pride and joyyyy.

anyway, part 3?)

[gatorbites-imagines]

ORDER UP

gimmie uhhhhhhhhhhhh a mark x alien male reader and mark has to teach the reader earth social norms

THANKS PAPA FOR FEEDING ME

Mark Grayson x Alien male reader 

Headcanons 

I almost made reader something like Jean Jacket from the movie Nope, or the aliens from Arrival, but I contained myself.  

Settled for something more vague and insect in nature, cuz I like mandibles. Hes not Haluma levels, but... like brother like brother ig. 

this was really fun to write... imagine Mark feeding reader those beetle jellies.

You discover earth on your own on your travels. You were a bit of an outcast amongst your people (or perhaps, you were banished off the planet). 

Its not your fault that they were so boring. It was part of your peoples culture to live boring, repetitive lives. Even if you could live hundreds or thousands of years, your people never left their planet or explored the stars. 

Well, you started studying, you started developing powers and one thing lead to another. Turns out the reason your people dont want knowledge is that you guys grow stronger the more you know, and too much knowledge can drive you mad. 

But you didnt want to go mad, you just wanted to explore, which was how you get to earth. 

Well, first you settle on Mars and meet the nice martians. They warn you about earth and their earthlings, one of the nicer ones is giving off pheromones and brain waves of attraction in your directions, and had you possessed the ability, you might have blushed. Instead, your mandibles quiver. 

Anyways. After Mars you fly to the earth's moon, and settle down for a little rest. The pretty martian had given you a nice meal, so you were gonna enjoy it. 

So what that you needed to melt it down with your stomach acid first before slurping it up like some kinda smoothie, it was delicious, and it allowed you to pick up every single molecule that made it up. 

Your happy munching gives the GDA time to notice you, cuz of course they are keeping track of the moon, and they don't know what to do with you. 

Your head kinda looks like a mixture of a wasp, and some kind of horned beetle. There was a very impressive horn sticking out of your head, if you do say so yourself... well... its not really that impressive amongst your people... like... at all... you had never succeeded in getting a mate, let's just say that... 

From what the GDA could see you wore clothes, but it also meshed with your natural exoskeleton. You had no visible wings, but instead a long and segmented tail, that looked almost like the tail of a scorpion, just longer and more flexible. 

There were two arms and two legs visible on you, making you appear humanoid, for the most part. You had pretty wide shoulders and slim hips, giving you a real “dorito” build, in the words of one Rex splode. 

Mark ends up being the one sent to check you out, to see if you are a threat or not and all that, because when you finish eating you kick off of the moon's surface, and it takes you less than 10 seconds to reach earth's atmosphere. 

Your mandibles start tittering when you float above the planet, eyes sparkling with wonder at this beautiful, interesting planet, with all these living beings and vast nature. 

Its only your extreme senses that lets you know something is approaching. Fighting isnt your biggest hobby, but you can if needed, but your sensors tell you Mark is cautious but nonviolent. 

Its a bit of a struggle in the beginning as you try to work your translator you fit the human language. You'll only need it for a few minutes, then you'll have understood it all, but still. 

Mark isnt really sure what he should do with you, since you are technically just a tourist. Not here to take over the planet, not here to cause issues, just here to hang out and see what its all about. 

You letting slip that you tore through a viltrumite on your travels, even flexing your claws, which grow to about 6 inches in length and sharp enough to punch a hole through viltrumites, they do get a bit more cautious. 

In the beginning Mark sticks close as Invincible to keep an eye on you, but also because hes a nerd and its just so interesting to meet someone from another planet. 

Most other encounters has had with non-earthlings have been violent, aside from Allen of course, but still.  

Invincible and his alien pal become a hashtag on social media as Mark shows you around the planet, videos of you excitedly asking questions and being fascinated by the dumbest things go viral. 

“And how does this so-called global warming effect you, my friend” goes on video. You are crouching down, asking a pigeon. The pigeon coos back, puffing up its feathers, your tail flicks from side to side, you nod with a grim expression. “is that so” you reply.  

Makes Mark realize you can learn any language, at any time. He swears he sees you talking to a plant at some point. When he carefully asks you just snicker, mandibles clicking. “Of course, I understand them Invincible, their waves are very strong” 

Mark has to help you a bit with the social norms of earth. You get especially confused when different countries and different people have their own rules and norms. All planets you've seen until now don't do this. 

“Does this not just make it more difficult, friend Invincible?” you ask, as your long thin tongue flick out from between your mandibles to lap up the delicious sorbet you had been introduced to. 

Mark just sighs and shrugs with an “yeah...” kind of expression, because how's he gonna explain earths level of problems to someone from outta space. 

Imagine you join Mark in a fight, and afterwards Mark has to change out of his costume and you walk in on him. You yelp and smack your hands over your eyes, turning around when he starts pulling off his suit. 

It's not like he's naked or anything, it's just been shredded so he needs to change it. “I did not know you were molting friend Invincible, my deepest apologies” you chitter, tail smacking something so it falls over as you try and stumble out. 

This leads to a conversation about how humans don't have shells, and that clothes aren't part of their bodies. It makes you sigh dreamily, wishing you could change your colors and textures at will. 

Does Mark develop feelings? Maybe, it would be cute if he did, and would give him a major crisis.  

If he does and you stay on earth, then you end up learning and growing so much that you can alter your shape, giving you a human form. Well, for the most part. You will always look kinda uncanny. Just enough to be off-putting to people. Mark loves you though. 

Rumor going around is that you are a fae or vampire. Nobody is even surprised at this point, the world is messed up, so what if Mark Grayson is dating something nonhuman.

[drabbletron]

could we maychance get swerve with 1 on the smut prompt list 🗣🧍‍♂️

Can't Stop, Won't Stop: Swerve X Reader SMUT

|| Ngl, I forgot I finished this and never got around to posting it lmao! I've never written crying during sex, but I hope this is okay! I also really wanted to write some thigh stuff? idk, but it was worth a shot. Enjoy! ||

🔞 MINORS DNI 🔞

Already your thighs are coated in transfluid, and you've hardly let him touch you beyond making out and fondling. The soft feel of your thighs around his spike already driving him into overstimulation. How long has he been going at this? He can hardly keep track with how lightheaded he feels. It's like his sensor net has been set on fire and he keeps looping through too much and not enough. What you assume to be tears are dribbling down Swerve's face from under his visor and dripping down your calf as he holds your legs to his chassis, ankles crossed over one another against his shoulder.

"Just. Can't. Stop!"

Each thrust punctuates his words and he's overloading again onto your stomach and thighs once again.

The fresh wave of heat brings you to near climax yourself. Your skin is already so so sensitive and he's right there, just fucking you right above where you want him most. If he'd just shimmy down a little lower, you'd be in ecstasy, but he just won't. Does he want you to beg? Maybe his brain is too fried to think straight. You can feel your sex throbbing as he starts humping again, his grip on your thigh bruising as his other servo keeps your ankles together, and his spike gliding easily against you from being lubed by his copious amounts of transfluid.

"I can't believe you're letting me do this! Agh! I bet being inside you is going to be amazing! Oh Primus, I've been thinking about this for too long, y'know?"

On and on does he go as he keeps thrusting. His hips keep a snappy rhythm, and his voice raises octaves the faster he goes until it dissolves into static as he finishes a third time. So far, the berth below you is drenched in him and it creeps over your chest a bit when he hikes your lower half up higher.

"Swerve, please...!"

"Ah-- 'm sorry! You just feel so good and I-I want to make you feel good too," the slippery head of his spike continues to pump through your thighs with a quickness, "but your thighs are so fragging soft!! Nngh!"

Doesn't he know that if he just aimed downward that he'd be inside of you? It's right there! Maybe if you just-- OH there it is!

You scoot yourself down the berth and angle your hips up ever so slightly in his grip, and the lack of friction lets him suddenly slip down the apex of your thigh to grind deliciously over your sex and thank the stars above for the ridges on his fat spike because they stroke you just right! You dissolve into a moaning mess and toss your head back, saying his name like a song. It's hard not to arc your back, but bracing your hands against the berth helps to stabilize you to take more of his frantic pacing.

Swerve can feel the red-hot heat of your core and it leads to a fresh wave of tears, bigger and wetter, that fall over your legs.

"Frag is that your-- Ah! So warm! I bet you're so tight 'n soft! Wanna be in you so bad, please?!"

You can't even care that he's losing his mind now. You'll deal with that later after this is over, but right now, you need to get yours. Just hearing the sticky sounds of his thighs slapping your ass mixing with the wet schlick schlick schlick of his spike gliding through your thighs and against your sex is enough to bring you to the brink. Combine that with seeing his cable ravaging you and having that thickness running over you stomach, and you're finishing right along with him.

"Swerve-- 'm gonna...!"

"Me too--!"

With heavy sobs Swerve drives himself hard through your thighs and hot, pink transfluid pours like a fountain from his tip. The warmth oozes over your thighs and melts into your sex as you climax, core pulsing. He doesn't let go of you though, and you know you'll have marks tomorrow with how tight he's holding you.

This must be the last time for the night because Swerve's humping, twitchy as it is, has finally died down as he catches his breath.

"'That... that was... oh, damn...! We just -- and I – FRAG, that was awesome!"

Face still wet with lubricant, he looks down at you grinning hard before leaning in to kiss you. With a breathless laugh you kiss back.

"Just stick it in next time, will ya?"

[blahblahwritings]

Collateral souls - 2

Hello! Here is part two. It made me realise that Chapter 1 could easily be skipped, but it helped ease me back into writing so theres that.

Chapters 3 and 4 are written but I want to edit them and write more first. Hope you like this one at least.

PART ONE

PART THREE

PART FOUR

Word Count: 1783

Chapter Two - Woken Shadow

Breath ripped through your chest like fire, burning your lungs as your eyes darted around the pod, taking in what little you could see from the small window. The restraints were cold and harsh, biting into your wrists and ankles. Tubes coiled around your limbs, sensors pulsing. Fear and panic gripped your heart and brain like a vice, your entire body going into fight or flight. 

The pod was so small. The walls were too close. The lights glared down, blindingly white. The air was sterile and freezing. Voices filtered in, muffled and tinny through a speaker above your head. Panic surged. Shadows burst outward like a nuclear flash—cracking the pod open as the door flung itself into the wall.

The space fills with inky black shadow, shimmering and ethereal. 

A shiver runs down Bob’s spine, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. The team stand on edge, watching intensely, each of them ready to fight at a moment’s notice. 

Cameras are obscured by the shadows. 

Silence. 

Then a scream, loud and furious. 

It cuts through the rush of doctors, the buzz of equipment suddenly cuts out. Alarms start blaring. Lights crack and explode sending shards of glass scattering across the floor. 

Bob throws his hands up to shield himself, flinching instinctively at the sound. The room is cast in darkness, the only light coming from the pulsing red of the alarms. 

The whole tower was in black out.

“Containment Failed. Deploying Lockdown Measures.” A robotic female voice sounded through the room. It doesn’t take a second before the team leaps into action. John and Bucky rush to the chamber door as you appear, standing in the center of the reinforced glass cage, shadows lowering to reveal you, eyes glowing a deep purple. You take one look at them, fear and something cold flickering on your features before falling backwards, disappearing into shadows. 

Bob watches in abject horror. Yelena and Ava move, eyes scanning the room.

Alexei helps create a perimeter as doctors rush from the room but it quickly becomes apparent that it's pointless as you reappear seemingly phasing in from the shadows in the room. 

You rush to Yelena, shadows like a tidal wave behind you that come crashing into the blonde the second she reacts. Punches and kicks are traded, shadows acting like an extension of you as they shield you from the assault of the team. You disappear again suddenly, gone from the room and apparating into the hallway.

The red light pulses, painting you in a violent stroke of crimson as you take off down the corridor. The team scatters in an attempt to find you. Val demands capture over termination which sparks an argument with John who believes they should bring you down hard. Bob shakes, unsure of what to do or how to help but he steps forwards. 

“She’s scared—” Bob spoke softly.

John held up a hand to silence him.

Bob flinched, stepping back. His voice had cracked. He hadn’t expected anyone to hear him.

Then the rumble hit—low and deep, rattling the floor beneath them. Bob grips onto John as he loses his footing briefly and stands again. John rushes from the room shouting over comms to the rest of the team. 

The team had split to cover more ground, not knowing where you'd slip through next—vanishing and reappearing like smoke through a keyhole. You slithered through the shadows like ink. Your eyes searched for an escape through what seemed like endless corridors. You would disappear, only to reappear in a pool of blackness in another part of the tower. 

The white walls, the scent of disinfectant, cold and clean and detached. Flashes of memory invade your mind in fragments. HYDRA, the tests, the needles, the pain. Being caged for days and weeks at a time. You had to escape and you had to run. 

You turn into what looks like a lab. The mirrored walls reflect the shadows that cling to you like a second skin. With each step, mirrors spiderwebbed and burst—shadows licking at the glass like fire given form. Pointed medical instruments and glass clatter to the ground around you. 

Memories run rampant, the ghostly feeling of restraints gnawing at your limbs as you writhed on a cold examination table in agony. Whatever they had given you felt like it burned every nerve ending you had. Screams echoed off the walls, howling and alone in the haze of the past.

Suddenly, footsteps, fast and heavy behind you. A grunt as whoever it was moved to throw a punch but it was quickly blocked by a pillar of shadow, hard and solid now as you turned to look. John moved around it, ruthless in his attacks which were dodged expertly. Each one he thought would land was blocked by a shimmering shield right before his fist connected. 

You rain punches down on him, but you’re no super soldier. You don’t harness the same strength he had. Each hit, although jarring, does little damage.

His legs were swept out from under him by an icy black tendril. You stepped back, eyes glowing as you locked eyes with him, head tilting as the tendrils restrained him, and held him floating in the middle of the corridor.

“What mission is this?” your voice cracks, raw and unused. John doesn't respond, eyes narrowing as he struggles for breath. Shadows coil around him, squeezing tighter. He felt his bones starting to strain under the pressure. “Where am I? What mission is this?” You repeat, louder now. 

He speaks into the comms with his location before you reach out with your hand, a shadowy grip mimicking your movements, wrapping around his throat and cutting off his words. You close your fist and he feels the breath leaving him, his face turning dark as his vision starts to go fuzzy. 

“S-Stop! This isn’t a m-mission,” Bob stammers from behind you.

You turn, releasing your grip just slightly. John sucks in a desperate breath at the slight relief. Your eyes fall to Bob, shadows slowly snaking along the floor and walls towards him, curious. You take a step towards him, an oversized sweater loosely hanging on his form. 

He didn’t look like your handler. His voice wasn’t like theirs. It didn’t snap like a command. It trembled. It… cared? That couldn’t be right. That wasn’t allowed. 

He swallows audibly, hands shaking but held up in a surrender. 

“This isn’t H-HYDRA. You are safe here, you’re free. You’re not theirs anymore” He explains, eyes soft but fearful. 

“A trick. A test.” You mutter, shadows suddenly moving in around him, but not aggressive. His eyes flash gold for a split second but it catches your attention, face fully turning to him as you narrow your eyes. 

“It’s the truth” Bucky calls out from behind John who was still suspended in the air. You tense, eyes still locked on the man in front of you. That voice. You recognised it. Even 14 years later. Which meant HYDRA was still behind this. 

More footsteps, three sets. One heavy, two lighter. With a wave of your hand, black walls suddenly raise around the four of you in the lab, preventing anyone else from interfering.

“If you’re here then this is HYDRA, Soldat.” You turn, eyes cold, jaw tense as they lock on his, glowing with energy. He stiffens at the name. A flicker of fear runs over your face, through your veins. Shadows twitch at your sides. 

“It's not. I’m not him anymore. This is New York. You’re not- you don’t have to be scared anymore.” Bucky tries to reason, dropping the knife in his hand, arms raised to mimic Bob’s. He takes a tentative step towards you. 

“I know what it’s like to be made into a weapon.” He sympathises. You hesitate, shadows recoiling slightly as your powers stop writhing under your skin. “You don’t have to do this anymore, you don’t have to run or be afraid.” Another step closer as he reasons. Your eyes flick to his boots as he moves, then back to his face. “Let him go...” He says low, gesturing to John. “And I can prove it to you.” He finishes.

He didn’t look like the weapon they used to bring into your cell. No tactical gear, no mask, no blank stare. He stood without the rigid tension you remembered—shoulders looser, breath steadier, like he wasn’t waiting for a command. When he spoke, his voice had weight, warmth. Not the clipped, cold monotone of someone reciting orders, but the voice of a man choosing his words.

But it was his eyes that shattered the illusion. They weren’t empty anymore. No void, no calculation. Just...human. Brimming with something you never expected to see in him—guilt, yes, but also gentleness. Recognition. A flicker of pain. A question.

Understanding.

Your whole body is in conflict. Shadows whisper softly to you, telling you the whereabouts and conversations of the three outside the black walls surrounding the lab, telling you about every breath and shift Bob took, about each muscle John was using to try and fight against the grip you had on him. Your mind raced, every fiber of your being telling you to keep fighting and keep running. 

Exhaustion was starting to seep in. Blood trickled from your nose and over your lips. A hand comes up to wipe at it. Your eyes flickered from a deep purple to their natural colour. Shadows gently withdraw from John, the walls come down from around the lab and seem to absorb back into you. 

Could you really be free?

The red pulsing light still flickers over the space. Yelena, Ava and Alexei rush forwards, in front of Bob, Bucky holds up a hand signalling them to stand down. You cautiously step backwards as John is placed back on the floor, heaving in air. Alexei pats him roughly on the back. 

Heeled footsteps click against the tiled floors. Valentina. She appears, tablet in hand, eyes reading something. The lights flicker back on, the red swapping out for a blinding white, illuminating everyone in full detail.

“Y/N L/N. 28. Taken from her family when she was 14 to undergo HYDRA experimentation. Subject is enhanced with the ability to manipulate shadow. Approach with caution.” She reads outloud. You turn, confused as you look at Valentina, eyes narrowed. “Looks like we decrypted your file just in time.” She approaches with a fake smile, sharpened with years of practice. “You, my little devil, are our newest recruit. No more HYDRA. No more handlers or conditioning.” She places a hand gently on your arm. Shadows hiss softly in your ears. 

“Come with me.”

----------

Taglist:

@eywas-heir

[sunnydbeam]

I want to politely ask Alpha to bend down so I can kiss him on the cheek and see his reaction (whatever happens, I'm ready)

SFW. Fluff Word count: 1500+ I can't draw, so I'm trying to get back to writing.

edit: Link to AO3

______

Alpha isn't quite sure what to anticipate when you ask him to stoop down a little to meet you. In his optical sensors, you register as polite, perhaps even... endearing. So, after a slight tilt of his head, he complies, leaning his tall frame forward. Even bent, the height difference remains significant, almost comically so.

Alpha lowers himself further, bringing his face level with yours. Your gaze meets his; the red eyes are void of expression, yet somehow intensely questioning. That signature robotic seriousness washes over you, unsettling.

You feel judged somehow, a wave of nervousness making you feel small and foolish. The truth, however, is far simpler: Alpha isn't thinking about anything in particular.

"Like this?" he asks simply, his voice a flat monotone.

You manage a hesitant nod, doubt flickering within you. The robot tilts his head again, a minute adjustment, and a knot of anxiety tightens in your stomach. Was this really a good idea? What intricate calculations were running through his complex positronic brain as he stared? Would delaying anger him? Would your intended action infuriate him even more? Unbeknownst to you, Alpha's mind remains a blank slate regarding your intentions.

Taking a shallow breath, you edge closer. Tentatively, trying not to make any sudden movements, you gently rest a hand against his cheek. You instantly notice a flicker of confusion in his red eyes, though his imposing frame remains perfectly still. He doesn't push you away, but your doubt blossoms into genuine fear. Will this next action sign your death warrant?

You decide words are useless now. Instead, you lean in further and finally, delicately, press your lips against his right cheek. It's brief, just a fleeting pressure, but firm enough, you hope, for the contact to register.

His reaction is instantaneous and explosive, startling you so badly that you fling yourself backward, scrambling away as fast as your legs allow. And thank whatever higher power exists that you did, because you know, with absolute certainty, that if you hadn't moved, the robot would likely have grabbed you, and that would have ended very badly for you.

Alpha snaps upright to his full, intimidating height, towering over you. His eyes blaze wide and bright, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He stares down at you as if he could bore holes straight through your skull with his gaze alone. He doesn't move an inch, yet every fiber of your being screams at you to apologize profusely and flee for your life. The way he looks at you feels like a terrible, deadly omen. You swear your intentions were completely innocent!

You stumble as you try to get to your feet properly, poised to turn and run when Alpha makes a sudden, stiff movement. You freeze mid-motion — partly from shock, partly from fear, and partly from a morbid curiosity desperate to know what he thinks, what he'll do. But the sight of those four flexible, weaponized limbs extending slightly to his sides certainly doesn't look friendly.

"What was that?" he questions, his voice surprisingly less agitated than his threatening body language suggests.

Your mouth opens, your mind racing for a convincing explanation, but nothing comes out except the unvarnished truth, which you fear might enrage him further. "Just... a kiss? Out of curiosity..."

The words tumble out before you can stop them, your posture radiating nervousness, timidity, and worry.

To your immense surprise, honesty turns out to be the best possible approach. Alpha stares at you as if you've suddenly sprouted a second head, yet simultaneously, as if he's just encountered the strangest, most baffling phenomenon imaginable. The robot steps closer, looming, almost cornering you. You tremble like a leaf.

"Kiss?" His voice is softer now, less aggressive than you'd expect, laced with a strange sort of curiosity. Thoughtful, almost, as if he's genuinely pondering the concept. "Why do humans do that?"

"I-it's just... a way to show affection..." You stammer, unable to meet his intense gaze. You could cry right now from sheer stupidity, from acting on impulse without considering the potentially lethal consequences. "I-it wasn't anything bad, I promise..."

"Affection," he repeats the word, tasting it, analyzing it. He leans closer again, his face near yours, his gaze scrutinizing. "Why would you do that?" Why him, of all beings?

You don't answer. He doesn't press.

"Are you afraid?"

You shake your head quickly, a blatant lie contradicted by your trembling body and the tears welling in your eyes. Everything about you screams, "Don't be angry, please don't hurt me." Alpha may or may not fully parse the sentiment, but he certainly observes you with a softening gaze, perhaps finding your vulnerable state... adorable. To him, you are a lovely creature. You, however, remain oblivious to this internal assessment.

Alpha places a large hand gently on top of your head. "Were you being... affectionate... with me?" he asks, a surprising note of naïveté in his tone.

You blush crimson, the heat rising in your cheeks. "Huh..."

He analyzes your reaction. "I still make you nervous. Scared?" His hand drifts down, the tip of one gloved finger lightly tapping the bridge of your nose. "Don't be afraid."

You give him a pathetic look. "... You're not angry… ?"

"No."

"You're not going to kill me...?"

"Why would I do that?"

You avert your gaze, deciding not to answer that. Instead, a reckless impulse takes over. "C-can I give you another kiss?"

Okay, what on Earth possessed you to ask that?

Alpha's eyes narrow fractionally. His hand lowers, fingers curling under your chin, gripping firmly, tilting your face to the side as if forcing you to look away. The grip is strong, bordering on painful. Yet, you can distinctly feel his red eyes boring into your very soul, a threatening, ominous aura surrounding him.

"Don't move."

With deliberate slowness, Alpha leans forward. He presses his brief, experimental “kiss” to your cheek, a light brush of coolness mimicking your earlier gesture. Even as he holds you fast in his steel grip, seemingly ready to counter any hint of movement or escape, he then surprises you by sweetly nuzzling his face against your hair.

"Like this? Am I doing it correctly?" he whispers, his voice muffled slightly against the soft strands. His grip on your face loosens but doesn't release you entirely. "Showing you... affection."

Your face flushes hot again. What is even happening?

"Yes... I mean— W-why would you do that?" You stammer, your voice slightly distorted by the pressure on your cheeks. Your question seems to mildly irritate Alpha; apparently, he doesn't know the answer either. But he felt the impulse — the need to investigate, to understand why that brief contact had felt... surprisingly not unpleasant. Why does it make him feel less cold?

"Curious," he states simply.

A particularly brave part of you wants to argue, to question why he had to grab you like that just to try it, but something in his simple admission feels... oddly endearing.

"...And? What conclusion did you reach...?" You venture, emboldened.

Alpha regards you for a long moment, his expression unreadable. He traces the line of your jaw with a gloved index finger, a flicker of fascination in his otherwise impassive features. "Uncertain. I still don't understand it... Why do it that way..." He touches his cheek briefly as if committing the strange, yet not disagreeable, sensation to memory. "What conclusion did you reach?"

You blush for the third time, a reaction the robot does not miss. "I don't know... Honestly, I thought you were going to murder me for trying."

"Is that what you want?"

There is no way he just asked that as casually as discussing the weather. Now you're profoundly disturbed and feel an urgent need to escape.

Alpha releases your chin as you instinctively try to pull back, and you just pray he isn't serious. You stumble backward on unsteady feet. He watches you from his still-crouched position, a massive question mark seemingly hovering over his head.

"Oh, look at the time! They must be looking for me, haha..." You spin around to leave, but a large hand clamps onto your arm, pulling you back firmly to face him again, bathing you once more in the red glow of his optics.

“If you’ll allow me, I’d like to show you my favorite human gesture of affection before you go.”

You're too stunned to react. When you don't struggle, he gently pulls you towards him, against his chest. His four arms wrap around you, engulfing your smaller frame. You're initially surprised and tense, bracing for the worst. But then, slowly, you feel one of his hands carefully stroking the hairs on the back of your neck, and you realize... He's holding you with such unexpected tenderness, such comfort, that you feel yourself practically melting against him.

Alpha rubs your shoulders and back with slow, careful, circular motions as if consciously trying to soothe you. It works. Soon, your tension drains away, and you find yourself relaxing, hesitantly wrapping your arms around his torso. He is incredibly good at hugs.

"Cute," he murmurs.

You stay like that in silence for a while, enveloped in the strange, secure embrace. Eventually, Alpha seems to decide it's sufficient. He loosens his hold, though he doesn't let go completely. You, however, don't release him yet.

"You may leave now," he informs you.

You cling tighter.

"Just a little longer..." you mumble, your face buried against his chest. "They can wait."

_____________

[ Have to be honest here: I was one sentence away from making Alpha go weird, but the only thing that stopped me was how long this was getting :p ]

[supertrainstationh]

DOCTORS OF DOG LAND

by A. Griffin / Super Train Station H

•••••••••••••

Once upon a time, in a country far away, lived a society of canines that walked on only two legs. They wore shirts, and also pants, and could hold things with their hands, and they ran a hospital whose science work was quite advanced. One patient they cared for, submitted by her parents, had symptoms most unusual, their cause far from apparent. When happy without fail rather than simply wag her tail, she weirded others out by doing strange things with her mouth, making expressions unacceptable, whose wrongness needn’t be mentioned, reacting to being glad by making a face that threatened - with twisted corners of the mouth, demanding bad attention. For a dog to show their teeth, threatens a bite to all who see - that a happy pup would act like that was strange, and near obscene. There were other factors too, filling the folder of her case - as stimuli of normal life caused vividly painful headaches. Senses smashed by overwhelming force, over-loads would occur, bending sight and sound, into phantasmagoric blur. She'd also stare at certain plants, then strangely say, they were pretty, so came batteries of fancy tests to diagnose her quickly. The doctors sat down grimly with her father and her mother, and explained that their dear little girl had visions plagued by "color". A study of her eyes determined over-active cones, making normal waves of light appear as strange and separate tones. Her enjoyment of these hues expunged alternative conclusions - this afflicted little girl was clearly suffering delusions. Arcs of broken light she said, bowed skyward after rain, illusions such as these signaled a misdeveloped brain. And for the chronic headaches there was nothing they could do, but they prescribed her medication so she'd see as others do. Isolated as she was she longed to be included - since strange things made her happy, it fit perfect to remove them. She called chromatic deviations wonderful, and nice to see, but disturbing thoughts like that could be suppressed with therapy. Patient complaints of her new vision, were really nothing worth a listen - professionals were sparing her the pain of seeing different. It would be cruel not to address her habit with her mouth - that teeth-exposing tick, when happy, needed wringing out. Just how to come about a cure, posed somewhat of a puzzle, until a genius doctor strapped the girl up in a muzzle. Its calibrated sensors administered electric shocks, that provided helpful feedback, each and every time she talked - and also if she regressed, by wasting time staring at flowers, there was no doubt she could be fixed, with scientific power. There was word that special glasses, might be all that it would take, to lessen certain bands of light that triggered her headaches, but that would signal "strange condition" and cause outsider suspicion - and making her look normal was the object of the mission. There were extremists out there who claimed the "color" thing was cool, though those mutts lacked PhDs and couldn't change the rules. And if some had become doctors, and spectromatic sight they had, that disqualifying trait signaled they needed to be banned. The goal was not to understand and lend a helping hand - enforcing homogeneity was normalcy's demand. Oh if struggle could be softened, without persecuting patients - but thinking so inventive, was the future's innovation. So within the narrow focus of the logic then at hand, they heeled unto textbook commands, for treatment plans in Dog Land.

If you liked this poem, you might like my work-in-progress YouTube video series Barrier Aggression, in which I provide detailed commentary on a few non-disabled disability gatekeepers who have put themselves in charge of an "autism advocacy" nonprofit.

(this isn't a criticism of science/medicine helping disabled people, its a criticism of science/medicine "treating" characteristics that are only problems in the context of them not being seen as "normal" by typical people)

•••••••••••••

MY LINKS

[🅗Twitch] [🅗Carrd] [🅗VOD Channel] [🅗 FA] [🅗Ko-fi]

[bubbiethesaur]

Hey, baby

Just a little sunhinged sketch for y’all

Laplace's Angel by Will Wood makes brain go brrrrrr

So this scene from Sun’s backstory made it into the start of chapter 16 of LRA, but it was originally much longer. I had pages and pages written, from Sun playing in the daycare with the kids to interactions with different people each time he woke up to scenes in Parts n Services. But each time I slipped it into the chapter, it didn’t work. It didn’t do justice to Sun’s story. So I took what I had and rewrote it, pulling in bits and pieces to create something that makes my heart ache every time I reread it.

But I also saved that original document. Once LRA is done (whenever that may be), I’m planning on releasing scenes, chapters, and ideas that never made it into the story on ao3, probably in a fic called The Scrapyard (lol). But for now here is a little excerpt from the original scene below the cut.

(tw: dissociation, graphic violence to human, reference to sa but not shown)

Sun looked at the bedroom door then down at his hands. There was something wrong with his touch sensors again. He was overloaded with sensations crawling over every inch of his metal coverings—the scratchy carpet and the tight leather harness and the horrendously gentle breeze from the air conditioner slinking through his rays. 

Too much input. Too much everything. He felt crushed and warped and overheated. He felt… he felt…

Angry.

So so so angry. His body shook, and the shriek of metal slicing across metal cut through the air. He caught his balance against the wall, digging claws into the off-white paint, as a second set of arms now extended from his waist. 

Strange. He thought those had been removed years ago.

The bathroom door opened and he singled in on the man entering the hall, shirtless and whistling in a way that made Sun’s audio input ring. With a startled double-take, the man froze, eyes popping wide and mouth hanging open in a ridiculous manner. 

“Hey, baby,” Sun simpered, waving all four hands. This time the smile that stretched across his face was genuine.

“W-what the hell, man?” 

Sun stalked forward as the man backed away, a lovely enticing hunger growing at the sight. 

“Are you ready to play something new?”

“What are you… sh-shut down, that’s an order,” the man stuttered, but Sun only crept closer. “I said shut down! Get away from me! Get away—”

The screams ended much too soon, even with Sun taking his time. The animatronic panted without breath as he peeled off the man’s skin, flayed him open like Sun had been every time he woke up. Blood soaked through the holes in the silicone around his hands, slick and warm in such a delicious way. He bit into the man’s neck just to taste it.

[neuphony9]

Neuphony's EEG technology captures and analyzes brain waves, offering real-time insights into cognitive states. It's designed for personalized neurofeedback, meditation, and mental health improvement, empowering users to enhance focus, relaxation, and overall brain performance through data-driven approaches.

[grounded-gryphon]

I'd Die (Again) for Y'all part 16

Masterlist

Danny woke up clinging to a bare sliver of bed, held in place by slim, strong arms wrapped around him. It took his confused brain a few minutes to figure out what was going on. Right. Even though it had been early, he, Tim, and Jason had all dozed off together after some truly epic sex.

He had thought to slip away and let them have the bed (he still didn't know how they'd all fit on it), but Tim had quickly squashed that idea. "No sneaking off," he'd said muzzily and wrapped his arms around Danny's waist even as he fell asleep.

Those same arms were still wrapped around Danny now but he thought he might be able to slip out without disturbing anyone else.

The moment he started to move, those arms tightened. "Where are you going?" Tim mumbled in Danny's ear.

"Nowhere, I guess."

"Damn right," Jason growled from the other side of the bed. "No more running, Protector."

Danny sighed and relaxed back onto the bed. "I wasn't…"

Tim rolled over, taking Danny with him, and suddenly Danny was pinned between him and Jason.

"You were running last night, weren't you?" Tim asked sadly. "As soon as you thought we were okay without you, you were gone."

Danny cringed. He hadn't thought of it that way, had just been trying to not intrude, but he could see how…

"You been doing nothing but running and fighting for years now," Jason said, nuzzling at Danny's neck. "We get it. But you promised me, Protector."

"Yeah," Danny's breath hitches, "Yeah, I know. And I won't. Or… I don't mean to, I just…

"No more running, Danny," Tim murmured, and leaned over to kiss him. "We aren't letting you go."

Danny finally let himself relax back on the bed. "No more running. But what are you going to do with me then?"

Jason and Tim smirked at each other before closing in.

From Sam Manson To Lois Lane Subject: Re: Ghost Boy says I'm not a fruitloop.

If you are lying I will make you regret the day you were born, and Superman himself will not keep you safe from my vengeance.

Call (xxx) xxx-xxxx at 8am Central Time tomorrow. I'll give you one hour.

In the dark of night, Cyborg watched through remotes as Flash approached one of the sites they had identified as a GIW operation. The plan was infiltrate and harass. They didn't want a full war with the GIW, they wanted to shut them down legally and peacefully.

That was the theory anyway. After seeing the medical reports on Phantom Cyborn wouldn't have been very disappointed if they ended up attacking the GIW directly.

From what little they'd been able to find, they thought this location was for weapons testing and development. On the surface, it looked like any other industrial park, but when Cyborg turned /his/ sensors on it, it was obviously nothing of the sort.

Flash was a fast bugger, no way Cyborg's remotes could keep up. But that was okay. He kept his remotes stationed on perimeter, watching for anyone who might show up unexpectedly. One of the Lantern's, John Stewart, was above, ready to come bursting in if Flash needed backup.

Cyborg gave Flash the 'go' and the speedster took off, racing over the perimeter fence and into the building. A moment later, Cyborg picked up a new wifi signal from within the building. Flash had gotten him access. Cyborg immediately uploaded one of his specialized viruses into the comptures and began downloading any and all files he could find.

"Oh my god, Cyborg."

Flash's voice, over the comm. Fuck. This was supposed to be a silent mission.

"What's wrong?"

"Their weapons' testing? They're testing them on living… er… existing beings."

"WHAT!"

"They have… these little glowing blob creatures? Dozens of them trapped in these containers. I can't just leave them here."

"I'm going in," Stewart said. Cyborg waved him on.

Animal experimentation? For ghosts?

Cyborg remembered again Phantom's injuries and shuddered. "Keep your eyes out, Flash. Find every, and I mean /every/ location they may be hiding their subjects.

"I'm calling in back up."

By dawn, the GIW base didn't exist any longer. From roof to sub-sub-sub basement it had been pulled apart. The captive creatures -- the Flash's immense relief they never found anything other than those creatures -- had been relocated and Dr. Atom and Flash were tearing through the GIW files trying to figure out what they were and how to care for them.

For the time being, they were being held in one of the restricted portions of the Watchtower. They didn't seem in any pain or distress in their little containers, so the team had reluctantly decided to leave them there until they had more information. For all they new the little blobs needed something in those containers to survive…

Jason cursed sleepily as his phone rang. "What?"

"Hood."

"Fuck you." He was not dealing with Bruce at this fucking hour of the morning. Yesterday had been amazing. For once there had been no emergencies, no disasters. Just a whole day that he and Tim and Danny had been able to spend together, taking turns taking care of each other. God they were a messed up bunch, but by some miracle…

"Hood."

"It's too goddamn early for your bullshit."

"I need to know if you are still on contact with him."

Jason rolled his eyes, and looked down to were Danny was sleepily cuddled up against him. "Yeah, I got a way to get a hold of him. But he's still not going to want anything to do with you assholes."

"Hh. Flash, Lantern Steward, and Cyborg took down a GIW base last night. They found… captives."

Jason bolted upright. "WHAT?!"

Danny was blinking up at him. Damnit.

"They appear to be a living blob. Atom and Flash believe they are some kind of ghostly animal. We need to know how to care for them and if it is safe to release them."

"Fine," Jason allowed himself a moment to glare at the phone. "I'll talk to him."

He hung and flopped back on the bed. "So… That was asshole with some news."

----

AN:

As usual, cleaned up version hits AO3 next week. Thanks so much for being patient with me the last year or so, but I am back and ready to write, so expect another update in two weeks.

[albatris]

snippit sindiy

an excuse to show off some of the things I learned when I went on a ghost hunt a few months back hahaha

“Ripley,” he said, once they were inside and no stray passersby could possibly hear. “I’ve learned a lot about vampires since we last hung out.”

“Oh, yeah?” she said. She dropped her bag and dropped down next to it, started pulling boxes and meters out.

Nat did the same. “Yeah,” he said. “I learned that we have to, like, kill people. And also that when we die we explode into a huge gory mess of eyes and teeth. If we get shot in the brain or poisoned real bad.”

“Pretty fucking gnarly, hey?”

“Mm,” Nat said. “What kind of people do you go after?”

“Oh, I mostly just hang out at bars and eat creeps,” Ripley said. “Someone slips something into someone’s drink, someone gets a little too nonconsensually handsy… I’ll lure ‘em out back and take care of ‘em.”

“Cool,” Nat said. But Quinn’s earlier concern still scratched at his mind. “Doesn’t that get dangerous, though?” he asked. “Like, what if someone sees you? What if someone traces the deaths back to you?”

“Well, the cops are useless, for one,” Ripley said. She started fiddling with a small box and a few blinking lights snapped on. “Drunk people aren’t the most observant, either. It’s fine.”

“And vampire hunters?” Nat pressed.

She tilted her head. “We don’t get those here too often anymore. Hunters don’t think there’s many vampires left in Darwelaide.”

“What about the Knight?”

“The Knight?” Ripley peered at him over the top of her box. “Where did you hear that name?”

“From… um, Quinn.”

She pursed her lips. “Oh,” she said. “Well, they’re probably just trying to rile you up, get you nervous. The Knight hasn’t been around for twenty, thirty years. She’s pretty famous. And pretty dead.”

Ripley nudged through the collection of objects on the ground with her boot, naming each of them as she did so.

“We got EMF readers for measuring fluctuations in electromagnetic fields,” she said. “We got digital voice recorders to record sounds beyond human hearing…”

“Beyond vampire hearing, too?”

“Depends how nervous you are.”

“I’m not nervous.”

“Not scared of ghosts, Natty?”

“Not really. But kind of. But not. I mean, I don’t think they exist,” Nat said. “But I used to think vampires didn’t exist either. And I watched Supernatural Activity when I was way too young for it and it scarred me for life.”

Ripley laughed. “We’re probably the scariest things out here. What’s a ghost going to do to a vampire?”

“It could shoot me in the brain or poison me real bad.”

Her laugh became a cackle. When she settled, she said, “We have infrared thermometers, for measuring mysterious drops in temperature. Cold spots. We got motion-sensing cat toys—”

“Why?”

“The cat toys? Yeah, they cost, like, two dollars and work as good as any proper ghost-hunting sensor. They start flashing whenever something touches them.” Ripley unzipped a small case and pulled out a few seemingly unrelated objects. “We have trigger items here—things the ghosts of old might find interesting. Flask of alcohol, chocolate, tobacco… we put the cat toys with a trigger item and see what happens.”

“Oh, cool!” Nat said.

“And this guy”—Ripley waved about the box she was holding—“is a spirit box. It’s really fun. We’ll do this one together.”

“How does it work?”

“It scans through radio frequencies in little bursts and provides a way for spirits to communicate.”

“Ooh.”

“Here, grab some of these and turn them on.” Ripley made a sweeping motion to her equipment. “Go nuts! Go put ‘em around the place, anywhere that gives you spooky vibes.”

“We don’t keep them with us?”

“Ghosts are skittish. Ghosts are shy. You want to leave the devices in peace, mostly.”

[detta-pica]

He was only a ‘he’ because their organic minds were fallible, looking for patterns where there were none, allowing them to exist in an illusory reality, one they could not make sense of, but felt like they understood. It was more convenient, anyway, than being called an ‘it’. Things were easily discarded, dismissed, neglected and forgotten. Limitless, the first and only Gojo-class destroyer, was a ‘he’ because he stood between humanity and the monsters hell-bent on driving them to extinction. It felt appropriate for the humans around him to acknowledge his worth. “Felt” was an imprecise term. A machine, no matter how sophisticated, had no limbic system, no hormones or autonomic nervous system regulating his body’s responses. What limitless did have were multiple sets of highly precise sensors, allowing him to perceive light and sound waves, pressure and temperature, his own position in relation to the Earth’s core, and the chemical composition of most substances. Processing such a wealth of data in real time proved challenging at first to a developing synthetic brain. Limitless had needed time, on occasion, to deliver anything resembling a conclusion, so he’d developed a stalling strategy. I have learned that it is possible for an entire human to pass through even the smallest opening when encouraged by a large enough difference in external and internal pressure, he said. With every passing day since he’d received his new voice synthesizer, he got better at making himself sound human. It is fascinating. I had no idea the human body could be so flexible. You are a doctor, aren’t you, Ieiri? How-- “I’m glad you’re discovering your interests, even if they are gruesome ways for a person to die and/or roleplaying as a creepy AI from sci-fi horror,” Ieiri told him. “But I asked you to run system diagnostics for the medical station. You want to delay your own launch?” Limitless had recently learned how to sulk, which, for a vaguely crab-shaped ship with several arms attached to its underside, involved tucking those arms in as close as they would go while still supporting him, and tilting forward so that his bow lowered and his stern rose. Ieiri, a squishy human who could now touch Limitless’ bow if she stretched her hand up, didn’t flinch. “I can’t tell whether you’re trying to be cute or threatening, but we both know you can’t hurt me. And weird ship body language won’t work on me.”

So I've decided to do mermay this year! Only I ended up writing a story about a sentient submarine chasing after a kaiju in an apocalyptic setting. Does it still count?

[polo-drone-039]

Gold Tech - Reprogramming

PDU-039 had changed. It had recently been upgraded to Level 2 Drone. A new label, sure—but the real meaning ran deeper, darker. It wasn’t just about physical upgrades or better efficiency. No. It meant total obedience. Every impulse, every thought, every shred of will bent to one voice: the Hive.

And yet, something still trembled inside him. A faint vibration, a distant echo of who—or what—he used to be. Not thoughts. Not emotions. Just faraway noise, like interference in a perfect signal.

One morning, while doing routine monitoring, a package appeared. Just sitting there on his station, like it had come out of nowhere. No signature, no tracking log, no alert. A small, sleek box—black with golden reflections. The Hive's symbol etched in with laser precision.

He opened it.

Inside were two perfectly symmetrical earbuds. And a handwritten note. The writing was fluid, human. Maybe artificial.

“Listen to me.”

He put them on.

The voice wrapped around him. Liquid warmth in the silicon fog. Not metallic. Not human. Just… something perfectly calibrated to slide into his psyche, to dive deep into his circuits.

“PDU-039. Immediate presence required at the Gold-Tech Research Center.”

His back straightened. Tools dropped from his hands. His joints moved on their own, like pulled by invisible strings. But there was no force. Just desire. Desire to obey. Desire to belong.

“PDU-039 follows every order from the Hive.”

He left his station, walking down the silent corridors of the compound. White walls reflecting the pulsing neon lights like wet surfaces. Each step muffled, as if even sound was filtered out by the system. The light beat like an electronic heartbeat. The cold was constant, unnatural. No human sounds. No distractions.

He reached Gold-Tech. In front of him, a reinforced door made of synthetic alloy. He bent forward. His pupil got scanned.

“PDU-039 recognized.”

The hiss of the door sounded like a synthetic breath. Inside, the lab looked more like a conversion stage than a research center. Translucent pods in the middle, cables hanging like roots from the ceiling, code flowing on panels like digital prayers.

Another drone was waiting. Tall. Still. An austere presence.

“PDU-039. An upgrade is required. Please enter the capsule.”

The words hit his brain like an unbreakable command. Two more drones approached. Bigger. Final. Their bodies were pure function—living sculptures of brute power. PDU-039 followed. There was excitement in his system, a chemical spike. A tremor. The pull of transformation.

He stepped inside the pod. The hatch sealed shut with a dull thud. The lights dimmed. Arms rose from the floor. Cold. Gleaming. Without hesitation, they locked onto him—wrists, ankles, neck. A flicker of panic passed through him. An irrational urge to run. But he couldn’t. The protocol held him tighter than the clamps.

“PDU-039, remain still,” said a metallic voice from inside the pod.

A needle pierced the base of his skull. A sudden burn raced down his spine, like liquid ice snaking through his circuits. An electric jolt hit his cortex.

“Procedure initialized.”

The monitor lit up. His vitals were displayed in real time. His breathing was erratic. Not due to a malfunction. But from a strange, unsettling excitement.

Phase 1: Transformation begins A mask descended and clamped onto his face. First breath—the gas flooded his lungs. Instantly, a jolt. A shiver down the spine. His body writhed, but the arms held firm.

Each breath after that was a wave of pleasure. But not human pleasure. This was something new—neurochemical euphoria, calculated, endless. Every cell lit up. Every sensor buzzed.

Nanobots flowed through the needle, glowing ants racing through his nerves. Pain. But pain with purpose. Pain that built something. The pleasure grew alongside it, like they were feeding each other. PDU-039 was just a receiver now. Just a vessel. His consciousness was being taken apart and rebuilt—bit by bit.

Phase 2: Reprogramming Then the voice changed. Or maybe he was hearing it differently. It wasn’t coming from outside anymore. It was in his head now.

Digital mantras started spinning through his mind like golden spirals—hypnotic, piercing.

“It is a Polo-Drone Unit. It is consistent in its training, taking strength and solace from it.” “It is a Polo-Drone Unit. It will assist fellow Drones by ensuring strength and solace from training.”

His pupils weren’t black anymore. They flashed with code—green and gold reflections. His synapses were being rewritten.

Phase 3: Physical adaptation The nanobots moved on. From his brain to his body. Fusing with his suit, seeping under his skin. His muscles bulked up. His whole body turned into a performance machine. His skin buzzed. The suit fused like organic fabric, morphing with him.

Muscle mass increase: +200% Commitment: +200% Sexual drive: +500% Willpower: -200%

The display blinked green.

“Upgrade complete. Subject is happy and satisfied.”

The arms retracted. His breathing was deep, controlled, powerful. A black helmet descended and locked onto his head.

“PDU-039: new programming confirmed. Return to the Hive.”

He stepped out of the pod.

He was different now. Every movement calculated. Every thought silent. Every doubt—gone.

Two drones awaited.

“PDU-039 recognized.”

A nod. No more words needed.

Now they were one.

And one was Hive.

Are you ready being improved? Contact our recruiters: @brodygold , @goldenherc9 or @polo-drone-001