#endless WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM feedback loop

[moe-broey]

GOD. THERE'S LIKE. SEVERAL POINTS IN ALFONSE'S 40 CONVO THAT DRIVE ME UP THE WALL.

Like in Sharena's there were A Few moments that raised an eyebrow or made me pause. But there was a Distinct BIGGEST One that REALLY jumped out at me and fucked me up. Extremely striking, that was like EASY to pinpoint as the climax of the comic.

But Alfonse. Alfonse. You are SUCH a mess. I'm going to fucking Bite you

[casstheasswrites]

NO SAINTS, NO SAVIOURS (5)

pairing: frank castle x reader (female)

summary: wrong place, wrong time. he saved her life, she patched him up. that should’ve been the end of it. some nights, you survive. others, you change.

trigger warnings: canon typical violence including blood and death. ptsd, trauma, eventual smut. at times, you get soft!frank. at others, he takes no prisoners. we love the duality of man <3

chapter length: 4.2k

authors note: in case you want more of this story faster, i've got nine chapters posted on my AO3 (linked below). just going to start double posting here on tumblr too :) i hope you enjoy and pls pls send me a message with your feedback or thoughts, if you have any! thanks a million.

archive of our own / feedback appreciated!

An hour or two later and the hospital had gone quiet. Visiting hours had come and gone, the emergency room had mostly cleared out, save for those with non-urgent ailments or injuries, and the nurses station was reduced to the in-between skeleton shift. You hang around, all the same, some inexplicable pull to those men in trauma room six at the end of the hall keeping you rooted here, unable to head home. You know you should go— should have gone long ago, really— but you simply can’t. Since your moment outside their room with Max, you’ve only caught sight of him in passing, while you moved from room to room, treating your other patients or checking on the men who had their unfortunate run-in with Frank earlier in the night.

Max and his partner take turns stationed outside and inside their room, but even when you are alone with him and checking their vitals, he doesn’t speak to you. Instead, he watches you, the weight of his eyes tracking your back as you move enough to tell you everything you need to know. It seems he still doesn’t know what to make of your words out in the hallway; like you’ve become more of a mystery to him, now, than you were before. And you were probably plenty mysterious then, too, given that the two of you had never spoken beyond the walls of your workplace.

The men cannot be transferred to NYPD holding cells until their imaging results come back, and those typically take a few hours, even at the best of times. After you’d managed to catch up to Dr. Murphy, he had come along to check on the patients with you, echoing your concerns about the man with the head injury. He’d been moved up the list for a CT scan, but now, you were playing the waiting game.

At the thought, you refreshed the digital medical chart system in front of you at the nurse’s station, watching as the pinwheel spun and spun, loading anything new that had come through. After a few more seconds, the pinwheel disappeared. Still no results from radiology. You breathed out a harsh exhale, teeth digging into your lower lip. For one reason or another, you felt this heavy weight settled on your chest, like you needed to get these men discharged and out of here as soon as possible. It was itching at the back of your scalp, but each time you lifted a hand to try and quell the sensation, it disappeared.

With a brief glance at the computer screen that displayed each of the vitals for your patients, you confirm everything is sound, and excuse yourself to the break room on the far side of the ER. One of the older nurses, a no-nonsense woman named Pam, promises to keep an eye on things while you refill your water bottle and grab a snack. You need the fuel to keep going; you already know you won’t be heading home now until those men are transferred out and someone else’s problem. As you follow the familiar route to the break room and your locker within it, your thoughts begin to wander. Questions stumble to the surface of your mind, replaying on an endless loop.

Why had Frank let these men go? Did he see them as something less than evil, perhaps a complicated version of innocent-adjacent? The man who Max had questioned had admitted to nothing more than being a driver; if that were true, then perhaps they hadn’t done enough to meet Frank’s threshold of good versus evil.

But if that were the case... why had he hurt them at all, rather than warning them off and letting them go? This was an abnormality, where the Punisher was concerned. A grey area you didn’t know how to navigate.

You opened the combination lock of your assigned locker, pulling it open and rifling through your bag in search of the protein bar you’d packed that morning. The weapon you’d picked up all those weeks ago was not here with you; you’d never make it past the metal detectors in the hospital lobby with something like that. Instead, you’d tucked it beneath your bed, stored alongside your summer clothes and old shoes you didn’t wear as often anymore. It was an odd realization that a weapon capable of killing was beneath you every night while you slept, housed beside sandals and shoes with kitten heels. Finally, your fingertips landed on the familiar sensation of the bars wrapper and you pulled it free, making quick work of opening it before you took a bite.

Your thoughts had begun to spiral, the obsession within you taking over every second that passed. You knew it wasn’t healthy. Worse— you knew it wasn’t safe. But there was no fear here, in the quiet moments where you simply stood at your locker and pondered the why’s. There was only a desire to know more, to understand more, to find the answers you so desperately sought. Frank hadn’t wanted to tell you anything more than exactly what you needed to know that night.

What were the odds, then, that you could try and find some of those answers on your own?

In a few more bites, you finished the protein bar and slammed your locker shut. You tossed the wrapper into the trash and refilled your water bottle, pausing for only one more moment as you left the break room. Near the door that led back out onto the floor, there was a mirror affixed to one side of the wall. You caught a glimpse of yourself there, and the frown on your face only deepened at the sight. Beneath your eyes were deep bags, likely darker than they’d ever been; you’d stopped bothering with makeup a week or two ago, realizing that no amount of concealer was going to even out the darkness permanently embedded there.

But beyond the darkness beneath your eyes, you appeared normal. You looked like yourself. Dark hair pulled back in a long braid, a black headband holding the fly aways out of your face. You hadn’t noticed until now, but your scrubs hung looser than they used to. You were shrinking— and not just in size.

One of the lights behind you in the break room flickered, then, drawing your attention, and your stomach gave an uncomfortable twist.

You took that as your cue to move on and so you did, turning away from the mirror and stepping out of the breakroom. As you began down the hallway, clutching your freshly filled water bottle in your hand, you began to hear something familiar— it was the sound of a heartrate monitor letting out an alert. An alert that a patient was flatlining. Your steps quickened into a run, eyes flaring wide as you reached the empty nurse’s station. Where the hell was Pam?

Your head whipped towards the sound of the monitor, then, eyes falling to the end of the hallway, outside of trauma room six. Neither Max nor his partner were stationed outside the room as they should have been and the door was shut, no light bleeding from inside out into the hallway. That familiar sense of dread, the one that had become an unwanted passenger inside of you for these past few weeks, returned ten-fold. Your throat closed over. Something was very, very wrong. Your body wanted to freeze— but your feet were already moving. Your water bottle was forgotten at the nurse’s station, alongside any rational thought to alert someone, call for security, hit a panic button, anything. You were not operating on rational thought anymore. Now it was purely instinct in control.

Though the hallway had never felt longer, you reached the door to trauma room six in record time. The only sound you could hear beyond the racing of your heart was the incessant beeping of the monitor inside— the incessant reminder that someone was dying. That someone was likely already dead.

The door was pressed firmly shut and so you reached for the handle, pushing it open with no more than a moment of hesitation. As you stepped inside, you blinked a handful of times, trying to make sense of what laid before you; the lights had been switched off, the room bathed in darkness and a familiar scent had joined that of the antiseptic you’d used hours earlier to clean the men’s wounds— it was a metallic scent, one you knew too well.

Blood.

As you stepped further inside, one hand reaching blindly for the light switch on the wall to your left, your feet nearly fell out from beneath you as you slid on something wet and sticky. Anxiety ripped at the seams of your composure, a gentle squeak of surprise pressing past your lips as you reached back for the doorhandle to steady yourself. You caught yourself just in time, and as you did, your other hand found the light switch and turned it on. Your world was suddenly bathed in brightness, illuminating the room around you.

The first thing you saw was the blood. No wonder the scent of it had been so strong.

It was smeared across the linoleum floor in thick, uneven strokes. Even to your own eyes, you knew it was too much. Too much for anyone to survive. You followed the line of it a few more feet, your entire body beginning to tremble.

And then you saw him.

A broken sound caught in your throat, a scream that never made it past your lips.

Max was slumped against the wall, legs bent awkwardly, back bowed like he’d folded in on himself. His eyes were open— dark, unblinking. Unseeing. He was gone.

His hands rested in his lap, stained deep red. As if, in his final moments, he’d tried to stop the bleeding. Tried to hold himself together.

Tears blurred your vision. Your breath caught and your knees threatened to give out.

The high-pitched wail of the heart monitor dragged your focus toward the bed across the room, and for one suspended heartbeat, you forgot how to breathe.

Because you weren’t alone.

There was a hood pulled over the figure’s head, obscuring your line of sight to his face, and when your gaze dipped to the man who Max had questioned earlier in the night, you saw nothing but more blood. Crimson soaked the bedding and the pillow beneath his head, seemingly rushing from a long slash wound across his neck. A fresh one.

There was so much blood that it had begun to drip down onto the floor, creating a puddle near the side of the bed.

He, too, was gone.

The figure who had killed them both lifted his head, then, and you finally realized you hadn’t been able to see his face because he was wearing a mask. It obscured the entirety of what made him recognizable, the only thing left within sight were his eyes. From this distance, they appeared to be a cold, empty blue. A pit as bottomless as the depths of the ocean.

He didn’t rush in his movements; he simply stepped back from the bed slowly, methodically. Like he’d done this before— like he would do this again. Your heart lurched at the thought, because now, his sights were set on you. You stumbled backwards, sneakers sliding in the mess beneath your feet, nearly causing you to lose your footing again. This man was a killer, and in his hand, his weapon of choice— a long blade with a serrated edge, coated in the blood of the two men he’d already killed. You knew without hesitation that it was the type of weapon that would not only kill… but cause a whole lot of pain, too.

The gravity of the moment did not seem to dawn on you as it should have. Perhaps it was the weeks of immersing yourself in the Punisher’s world— the article upon article that you’d read, filled with graphic depictions of the types of people he often found himself at odds with. Or maybe it was because, deep down, you’d begun to lose some part of yourself… the part of yourself that had still had an ounce of spark left within her. A desire to keep on living.

The latter thought proved itself wrong— because as the man reached the end of the hospital bed that separated you two, your gaze flickered away from him, instead drawn to Max’s fallen body. The mere sight of him caused your stomach to roll with unease and nausea, but that’s not what had caused you to look down at him. Because there, as you followed the line of his belt, you spotted exactly what you’d been looking for.

What was that saying, again?

Never bring a knife to a gun fight.

You lunged towards Max’s body without a moment of hesitation, your knees sticking to the blood that pooled on the tile below. Your hands shook violently, in fact, your entire body trembled— your teeth clattered against each other, your chin wobbling as terror overcame every inch of you. But you didn’t want to die; you wouldn’t die, not like this. The words replayed over and over again in your mind, even as you heard the footsteps of the man approaching you grow closer.

He was overconfident, his movements were not nearly rushed enough. He didn’t think you were of any concern to him; an easy target to identify and eliminate. Rage burned a pathway through your midsection at the mere thought; you wanted nothing more than to prove him wrong.

You pushed Max’s arm out of the way and twisted your wrist, ripping the pistol free of his hip holster just as you caught sight of the shadow of the man rise above you, casting darkness over the wall before you. You shouted— raw, furious, terrified, and threw yourself backwards and away from Max’s body. As you slid backwards, you twisted at the waist, lifting the pistol out into the mere foot or two of space that separated you and the man who wished you dead.

Your fingers closed around the trigger and you didn’t pause, didn’t hesitate— your eyes pinched shut and you squeezed. Your entire body jolted with the momentum of the shot, your arms pitching in the direction of the ceiling. You’d never once shot a gun before, never once been at the helm of something so deadly and so dangerous. Your shoulder blades flared in protest, pain lashing down your right side. The sound of the heartrate monitor had finally ceased— but that made no sense. You hadn't switched it off. Your eyes slowly reopened, but you had to blink to clear your vision. Your ears rang. A pressure bloomed at your temples— sharp, hot, like a tension headache left untreated too long.

There was movement ahead of you. Your attacker was not dead. He had fallen to the floor a few feet away and as your eyes widened at the realization, you noticed that he was trying to hoist himself to his feet, though seemingly not with much luck. You’d wounded him, but he was not dead.

You bent your knees and began shoving yourself away, away, away, as quickly as you could, your arms trembling roughly, the gun rattling in your grasp. Your sneakers slid against the blood on the floor, causing you to slip once more. A curse spilled past your lips, involuntary. You did not want to shoot again; you couldn't bare the thought of doing that twice. Your sense of the moment was distorted, though— your vision still partially blurred, hearing fuzzy, the only real sound you could pinpoint was the screaming of your heart.

This time, when the attacker tried, he managed to stumble to his feet. He was unsteady, seemingly wounded, and as his figure rose above you, you caught sight of a bleeding wound on his left shoulder, blood pouring from it and causing the black of his shirt to darken and stick to his skin. The moment continues simply because you missed.

Your lip’s part and you scream— or try to. Your throat burned with the effort, but you can’t even hear your own voice. As the man stumbled a step towards you, you notice that his eyes have gone wild— they flash with a rage that burns so hot, you have no choice but to lift your trembling hands once more. Down the barrel of the gun you watch him approach, your index finger wrapping around the trigger again. You’ll do it again. You have to. The only choice here is him or you.

But instead, there is a flash that fills the room and you flinch as a hole suddenly appears in the center of the man’s forehead, blood instantly pouring from the wound and leaking down the length of his mask. He collapses backward, falling like a tree split clean through at the base. As his dead weight hit the floor, you flinched once more, aching shoulders rising towards your ears as you close in upon yourself. Your fingers are nearly locked in place, wrapped around the gun, and you settle it against one trembling knee.

Your lips are moving once more, whispering to yourself, as if somehow the words you cannot hear will calm the pounding of your heart.

“He’s dead,” you said, over and over again. An unending loop.

And as your gaze shifted from the man who had attacked you, instead turning to land on the lifeless body of Max, the words continued. Tears blurred your vision and you blinked hard, but it only made it worse. Grief swells inside you, sharp and hot— but it doesn’t come alone. Anger bubbled beneath your skin right alongside it, overtaking it with ease. Anger had always been easier for you.

You lifted one trembling hand— the one not still locked around the gun— and wipe at your cheeks. But the tears kept coming. They wouldn't stop.

You didn't know who you were crying for anymore. Him or you.

The ringing in your ears slowly began to fade; you only noticed because suddenly, you can hear the broken sound of your own voice— cracked and strained from the screams you’d released in the moments that led you here. You pressed your lips together and bit down on the inside of your cheek, trying desperately to stop the tears that continue to fall. You grasped for whatever strength you can find, pulling from a tank you’d thought was long since emptied. Somehow, you find a little more.

After another beat or two, the tears began to slow. Then stop altogether.

And then a hand landed on your back— steady, gentle, a palm pressed between your shoulder blades.

You jolt at the contact, adrenaline flooding your system all over again. You twisted instinctively, momentarily forgetting that someone else had ended this for you.

As you turned, he lowered himself to your level, crouching just a foot away. Shock of dark hair and eyes, an outfit of only black, a vest with a white skull affixed to the front. Well worn combat boots, laced tightly, all the way to the top.

The mere sight of him broke whatever fragile resolve you'd managed to scrape together.

Your face crumples, eyebrows knitting together in pain. Your eyes slam shut as another round of tears begins to spill free.

“You did good,” he murmured, the tone of his voice so soft, you believe for a moment you’ve misheard him. But when you find the strength to wrench open your eyes, he is staring directly into them, and you find an assortment of amber flecks within the coffee colour of his irises.

The hand at your back slides to your shoulder, fingers curling just enough to anchor you— to remind you: you’re still here. You survived. You overcame.

The same could not be said for many others. At the thought, you turn your head once more, eyes wandering back to the fallen body of Max. Funny, kind, gentle Max. He deserved so much more than this; so much more than whatever story would be spun from the web of lies you were sure would come from this night. Your lips parted as if you intended to speak, say something, but no words came. What could you say? What would possibly be enough?

You'd denied it to yourself, but the truth was, he was your friend. And now he was dead.

“You can’t save everyone.” Frank said after another beat, capturing your attention all over again. You tore your eyes from Max and looked at the man in front of you instead, gaze tracing over the hard lines of his face, searching for something— answers, maybe— that weren’t there.

“What are you doing here?” you asked, voice barely more than a whisper.

“We don’t have time,” he said, shaking his head. His eyes met yours, then flicked down. He lifted a brow, the tilt of it asking a question. You followed his gaze, coming across the gun still clutched within your grasp. You hadn’t even realized you were still holding it. Your brow furrowed, asking a question of its own. Frank raised one hand slowly, motioning toward it. You nodded once and handed it over, your fingers still trembling— not just from the weight of the weapon, but from the weight of what you'd done with it.

He took it gently and flicked on the safety. Then tucked it behind him, likely into the waistband of his jeans. Without a word, he stood, and there was something so clinical about his movements— so calm and practiced. You couldn’t help but watch, in awe. As he rose, he reached down, his hand finding yours.

“Come on,” he said, giving you nothing more than a gentle pull before you were rising to your feet, too. “We have to go.”

“Go?” you echoed, your voice verging on incredulous. “Go where?”

“The other nurse managed to hit the panic button before he killed her,” he said in a rush, his eyes darting out into the hallway, seemingly on edge. You could sense the tension in his body, too. He wanted out of here— and he wanted out of here now. “This place is about to be swarming with cops. I can’t be here when that happens.”

Shock flickered through you, settling at your core like a heavy stone tossed into shallow water. Pam was dead, too. How many other victims might there be, tucked away at the end of a hallway, or concealed in a room with a closed door?

Frank still had one of your hands clutched in his own and he gave your arm a gentle tug, causing you to stumble forward a few steps.

“I can’t just leave, Frank,” you insisted, shaking your head, your lips beginning to quiver. “I’ve been clocked in all day; there’s a record of me being here.”

He went silent, then; and you watched as his lips pressed together so tightly, they began to turn white. His jaw worked and his hand fell from yours, instead lifting to run down the length of his face, a rough sigh filled with nothing but exasperation falling into the air between you.

“What do we do?” you prodded, eyebrows furrowing, the concern in your voice evident as you stared at him, searching for answers.

“Alright, alright,” Frank said through a tight breath— no anger, just tension. His hand curved along the length of his jaw, fingers digging into his skin as he walked you through the next steps, calm and still, just as you’d expect him to be. “You talk to them, only as long as you have to. Give a statement and be as honest as you can. I wasn’t here— you killed him on your own.”

You flinched at the implication— that you would offer that piece of information up, admit to taking this man’s life, though you hadn’t been the one to do it. You would have— you could have. But Frank had saved you from that fate.

This time.

“It was self defense,” he said, voice soft, reaching back out towards you, his hand returning to your shoulder in that gentle, grounded way of his. He had caught the look on your face— noticed how your entire body revolted at the thought of implicating yourself in such a way. You leaned into his touch, eyes falling shut for just a few beats of your heart. This was the only reprieve you would have and so you clung to it, for as long as you could. “They’ll offer you protective custody while they do the investigation… you’ll have to work your way out of that somehow. You’re smart, you can figure it out.”

You weren’t sure. But the way he looked at you— the intensity in his eyes— it made you believe he was. And that was enough.

Frank removed his hand from your shoulder and you instantly grew cold, missing the point of contact. His shoulders rose and he reached behind him, retrieving the one item you’d be happy to never see again for as long as you lived.

“Here,” he said, offering the weapon back to you. His mouth curved, faint— almost amused. “You’ll need this.”

You reached into the space between you and, with great hesitation, wrapped your fingers once more around the grip of the gun. You pulled it towards you, your gaze focused solely on the black metal of it, and then you rolled over the bottom of your scrub top and began to wipe all along the weapon, trying to erase any evidence that Frank had been here at all. When you’d finished, you lifted your gaze back to him, noting that he was watching you intently. His dark eyebrows were raised, almost like he was impressed that you’d thought to do such a thing.

You wanted to tell him that you'd watched plenty of shows and movies, knew a thing or two, but the words died at the back of your throat.

His eyes scanned the room once more, and when he seemed happy enough with the state of things, he gave you a short nod and began to back away. You stumbled forward, following him, words rising up your throat before you could stop.

“I need to see you, after…”

“I know. I’ll be waiting.”

After one more moment of delayed eye contact, he turned away and disappeared down the hallway and out of sight.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

The Man 18

Warnings: non/dubcon, and other dark elements. My username actually says you never asked for any of this.

My warnings are not exhaustive but be aware this is a dark fic and may include potentially triggering topics. Please use your common sense when consuming content. I am not responsible for your decisions.

Character: mob!Lloyd Hansen

Summary: a demanding customer complicates more than your work life.

As usual, I would appreciate any and all feedback. I’m happy to once more go on this adventure with all of you! Thank you in advance for your comments and for reblogging ❤️

You’re a bit lost. That’s nothing new to you. You wander down halls and down the stairs, back up again, in another loop of the endless maze. You go far enough and you might just find Gareth in his impressive codpiece. 

You pause as you hear something. Voices. You recognise Lloyd’s timbre since you heard a lot of it, grunting and groaning. You feel the steam all over again. The heat has you sweating. This shirt is too dang thick! 

You follow his drone to a door. Aha. You recognise this one. It’s the one with the glass desk. His office. See, you aren’t so stupid. 

You twist the handle and giggle. You strut in, triumphant, “found you, studmuffin!” 

You stop short as another man stands near the wall. His gaze flicks from the bronze statue of a bear on the wall shelf to you. You gulp and pull down the hem of your shirt as you notice how his eyes creep lower. 

“Oh, didn’t know you were bus--” 

“I told you to stay the fuck outta my way,” Lloyd lurches forward in his chair and stand. 

“Right, um, you didn’t really mention why--” 

“I told you I have business--” 

“You referred to ruining my life as the same so I thought--” 

“You don’t think. That’s the goddamn problem.” 

“Have I come at a bad time? Marital dispute?” The man’s blue grey eyes narrow at you. His brown hair curly but combed back, spiralling out at the ends, and his beard is thick and compliments his jawline. He’s not too bad. Kinda reminds you of Adam. 

“She is not my fucking wife,” Lloyd roars. “She’s an idiot.” 

“Hi,” you wave at the man and sway and introduce yourself. “Nice to meet you.” 

He tilts his head coyly, “Kraven.” 

He offers his hand your cross the office. As you reach to shake his hand, he grips you firmly. He leans and looks around you, eyeing up your legs as the shirt bristles over your bum. 

“If she’s not taken...” 

“Don’t fucking think of it.” Lloyd crosses his arms. “I thought you came here for my sage advice.” 

“Is that what you thought?” The man snickers as he keeps a hold of you. 

“I’m warning you. She’s a loony.” 

“And yet she is here?” He goads as he lifts your hand up and kisses the back. He growls against your skin and winks. “Say the word, pet, and I’ll gut him.” 

“Don’t fucking encourage her. Or you him,” Lloyd comes up next to you and tears your hand away from Kraven. “Go back to your fucking room.” 

You snatch your arm back and fold both against your chest, “you know I would but I don’t know where it is.” 

He sighs. “Just go.” 

“Right, home?” 

He shakes his head and raises and open hand. He closes all but his index finger, “give us one second.” 

He turns and grabs you by the scruff of the shirt. He yanks you around and the fabric exposes your ass. Another purr rises from the man behind you. You’re dragged out into the hallway and the door slams, echoing down the hall. 

“What the fuck are you doing?” He shoves you into the wall and looms over you. 

“Look, I’m just trying to scratch an itch--” 

“I told you to wait--” 

“You opened this can of worms. Ew, have you ever thought of that expression before? A can of worms? Ew, I don’t like worms--” 

“Focus,” he snaps his fingers in front of your face. “Or I can smack some sense into you.” 

“Hey, you can’t blame me. I’ve asked to go home. I told you no several times. I feel like it’s all on you--” 

He grabs your chin and pushes your head into the wall. His nostrils flare like and angry bull. Oof, that’s sexy. You bring your hands up to rub his chest and grin. 

“What the fuck are you smiling at?” He snarls. 

“You’re so sexy when you’re mad--” 

“Shut-- what—what is—hey, stop,” he catches your hand as he keeps hold of your jaw. “You’re not going to distract me.” 

“No, not at all,” you slide your other hand down to his crotch. He twitches. “I don’t want that. You have important business.” 

“Stop. Don’t--” He wiggles but doesn’t pull away as you grasp him through the fabric. “What the fuck--” 

“Shhh, just let it happen,” you work your hand over his pants, rubbing until he’s hard. He gurgles and his eyes widen. His fingertips dig into you as his lashes flutter. “There you go, Floyd. Good boy--” 

“It’s not—no--” 

He drops his head forward and exhales. His body tenses as you keep rubbing him, running your hand down to fondle his balls before bringing it back up. He leans into you, crowding you against the wall. He growls and lets out a grunt. He spasms and sputters, shaking as you play with him. 

He stands breathless as you still your hand. His cum dampens the fabric and he huffs again. He shoves away from you and spin, gripping his head between his hands. He looks down at himself.

“Fuck! Fuck!” He barks and rounds on you again. “I swear to fuck--” 

“Think I’ll just head out. We can catch up another time, Hansen,” Kraven steps through the door. You’re not completely sure when it opened but there’s really no good time. “You and your not-wife clearly have a lot to sort out.” 

Lloyd shakes his head but says nothing. He just watches the man go. He turns back to you and snarls. 

“Motherfucker,” he heaves. 

“Well, looks like you’re free now, studmuffin! You need to get cleaned up.” You step closer and reach for his pants. He grabs your wrists and holds you there. You look up at him an emphatically lick your lips. “I can help with that.” 

He swallows and his brows arch. He tugs you with him as he walks backward into the office. He spins and kicks the door shut and tuts. 

“Sweet lips, you are fucking deranged.” 

[skzoologist]

Unfamiliarity [six]

word count: ~10.7k

warnings: Please refer to the series 'Summary' post, as it is updated whenever needed!

summary: Things are revealed and heating up, leaving Bae uncertain with his own feelings.

a/n: A new chapter, new problems arising. I've had this one in mind for a while now, but holidays got incredibly hectic (with my family getting two new husky babies), so I can only apologise for taking this long. I'll try my best to get the next one out as soon as I can, and I hope you'll have fun reading this one!

Please let me know if I left a warning or anything out, I will add it in! Reblogs, likes and feedback are greatly appreciated!

!I don't condone anyone stealing my work and posting it anywhere without my permission, or feeding it to AI!

!This is just fiction, my interpretation of Stray Kids. By no means is this how they are and how they behave in real life!

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Next time I awoke to the feeling of rustling, someone moving around in the nest. It urged me to open my eyes with haste, the harsh morning lights blurring my vision for a few seconds.

My eyes met with soft brown ones, the colour melted and swirling inside, pulling me into its depths without any resistance. The ears atop his head that sported the same shade flicked once, gaze never leaving mine, only for the brief period of a slow blink. His features softened, much gentler compared to his sharp angles and harsh exterior he usually wore.

Lino crawled back to me, little paws careful about their placement, each step calculated and mindful of the bodies peacefully resting upon each other. Our eyes never left each other, as if he knew I needed that reassurance, that safeness he could provide me with through such a simple gesture. And maybe only he could grant me this feeling of security in such a pure way, I wouldn’t know, not in this tangled mess of feelings.

His tiny head bumped into mine, rubbing fur against fur in a heap of warm colours. A deep rumble left my chest, so low and so quiet that you could only feel it, not even hear it. I inevitably leaned down and trapped his much smaller form underneath my own head, tucking him between my front paws and against my chest.

I didn’t want to let him out of my sight, or anyone, for that matter. The urge to do so much too powerful to fight, consuming me whole and lighting me ablaze from the inside out.

Lino settled down where I’d trapped him without any complaints, his chest letting out lil purrs, the sound ever so slightly becoming delightfully stronger and more prominent. It drew a silent sigh out of me, a stiffness in my muscles I had never noticed now painfully obvious, causing me to forcefully relax them and become lax. 

My body laid against the wolf’s as he was blanketing my back, him being the only one near my size, even with my lanky limbs tucked away. The puppy and the dangerously tiny pika rested against my stomach, heads and limbs buried in there comfortably. Two big cats were partly laying on top of me and everyone else, probably not fitting anywhere else in this single bed. Their spotted tails were tangled amongst limbs upon limbs, as if they were trying to hug and tie everyone together in a desperate attempt.

A whiff told me that everyone had calmed down after what had happened the previous day, the danger and anger mostly gone, although not completely. The flowers were still prickly, the pine trees still much too tall, and that sweetness in the air still sat heavily in your lungs. There was no storm anymore, only an occasional harsh breeze, yet the sun hadn’t come out of its hiding place. A sea could be heard in the distance, waves crashing against rocks in an endless loop, the scent of salt sitting heavily in the vanilla-permeated air, something that felt off a smidge. The citrus smelled tangy too, acidic, something probably only I could pick up on, as it was so faint and hidden away.

And the easel? It was still knocked down, as if it had remained untouched all this time.

It all surprised me, how painfully obvious and straightforward their anger was. It was basically palpable, bristling my fur in warning, even though they had been and still were angry for my sake. 

Mine. 

Not anyone else’s, but mine. It left a strange feeling in my chest, my whole body, one that caused my eyes to become glossy and hazy.

I felt someone stirring against my back, a little yawn and a huff leaving his form upon his waking. Channie nudged my head gently once he saw I had been awake, his own way of greeting me in the morning without lips to form words. I nudged him back, earning a satisfied huff before he placed his head back down on top of mine, apparently finding the position comfortable enough. Not having any other options, I let him lay there, soaking up his warmth greedily, feeling as the anger slowly seeped out of him and turned into a small flame, simmering inside.

While I didn’t like that it’d remained, I had to accept it, grateful that its size was now much more reduced than compared to before.

Slowly, the others woke up as well, affectionately greeting each other in the morning. I let them do so even to me, appreciating the gestures after what had happened. It calmed down the voices inside my head, ushering them away with no way back.

Bones cracked and muscles tore, the sounds of shifting loud in the serene silence of the room.

“As much as I love a good cuddle session, I’m starving, and so are you guys. I heard those growls coming from your stomachs, don’t even try to deny it. Now c’mon, up, get up.” - Channie said, laughter sitting on the edge of his words.

Groans and whines could be heard, pushing the still very naked wolf into bouts of laughter, eyes crinkling and dimples peeking out. I watched it all unfold, the laughter eventually ebbing away into small giggles and stopping, the others shifting back into their humanoid forms as well, grumbling and whining along the way, now able to be more vocal about it.

“But I was soooooo comfyyyy~” - it was Jisung, body draped over the wolf’s and gripping at him in annoyance. “Yeah, it’s rare for Bae hyung to do this, I don’t care about food! Even Binnie hyung agrees with me, right?” - Felix defiantly said, arms crossed and a pout sitting upon his pink lips.

Surprisingly, the pika wasted no time in agreeing with the feline, body still half sprawled out on me even after his shift. His voice was loud so close by, making my ears flinch and flick in pain. Jin was quick to gently cover them, the tips of his fingers pleasantly cold against my burgundy fur.

“Stop whining and fucking go, I’m freezing to death over here.” - the puppy complained, a scowl sitting on his face. “Oi, language!” “You can shut up old man, I bet you’re too old to feel the cold.” “Lmao, gottem!” “Lixieee…”

The playful banter continued on, even after the wolf had tossed one of his gigantic hoodies to the little pup, the fabric engulfing his form and practically eating him alive. The black accentuated his golden fur, as if he was a brightly burning star amidst the veil of darkness. Everyone raided Channie’s and Lixie’s wardrobe, stealing hoodies and other clothes left and right, not caring about the words of protests they had gotten at that.

Lixie was chasing Jin around, the latter comically putting on some loose pants while running away, nearly tripping and landing on the floor face first twice. Channie gave up trying to wrestle back a black hoodie from Binnie’s tight grip, a sigh leaving his nose with a small smile curving along his lips. His eyes met mine, a question swimming around the orbs as his face twisted into slight confusion.

“Baby, aren’t you coming as well? Minho cannot get up until you do, with the way you’re holding him hostage.”

The others’ heads turned towards my still laying form at that, their bodies frozen mid-action. I only tightened my hold around the small feline amidst my paws, feeling strangely affectionate towards him.

Something inside told me to be.

When the wolf came up to us, his hand stretched out and reached out towards our direction, a low whine left my throat, afraid that he would take Lino away. He immediately stilled, eyebrows furrowed and lips dipping down.

“Baby, hey. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you or Minho, you know that, right?” - he gently whispered to me, voice so sweet it might as well have been dipped into honey.

I huffed, knowing fully well that he was right. But that something inside me was ancient, a feral urge, something that I hadn’t known about before. Never have I felt this, my days had been purely spent trying to survive in the past.

The chocolate-coated feline wiggled in my hold, making me loosen it and lift up my head, his wet nose bumping into mine in comfort. I closed my eyes and buried my snout into his long fur, allowing the mellow scent of the flowers to soothe my soul and settle into my marrow, weighing pleasantly upon my very being.

They had a hint of an earthly scent to them, one you would only feel out in the open fields, in wilderness far from human-touched cities and pollution.

A soft meow broke me out of my stupor, another tiny lick on my nose as the sitting feline just observed me with an entire sea’s worth of patience. My chest squeezed at the mere thought of it, urging me to look away before I broke down in front of watchful eyes.

Fingers glided through my thick fur, leading my gaze up to Channie’s, the gentlest of smiles sitting on his face. He didn’t seem angry or frustrated at my weird behaviour that not even I fully understood. No, he seemed understanding, if anything, a light dancing around in his caring eyes. The trees swayed gently in the wind, their colours vibrant and comforting now.

Not being able to bear that gaze, that expression any longer, I turned back towards the still awaiting feline and nudged him towards my back. It only took a few seconds for him to understand my intentions, paws making their way towards my back and climbing atop. By the way his weight distributed, he probably splayed himself there, limbs out and dangling freely at my sides.

Knowing he was safe there and close enough, I stood up, following the others. I saw a few share some glances, unable to fully hide their worries from my keen senses. It was all displayed in their scents, the emotion painfully obvious.

But who was I to blame them? I didn’t know what had gotten into me either.

The human, Jisoo, could be seen in the front room, sitting on the couch with now two felines draped over both his arms. Lixie and Jin had always been more affectionate than others, attacking everyone for a quick cuddle whenever. Had you been sleeping, peacefully reading, or even cooking? No matter, you were a prime candidate for some peak cuddling.

“Ah, there you two are, I was wondering.” - Jisoo happily greeted us, smile brightening the more time he spent in everyone’s presence.

I nodded at him with a few swishes of my tail, watching his whole face lit up in response. My ears flattened against my head, embarrassed, glad for the fur hiding my flushed skin.

“So, what happened yesterday?”

Jisoo’s question felt like cold rain upon already soaked fur, making me freeze in my tracks as I had been walking towards the couch. The atmosphere immediately changed, the air heavy and burdensome. I could see Lixie open and close his mouth several times, no sound leaving his still form that now sat there somberly.

“Some fucker approached Changbin hyung and Seungminnie on their run, wanting to speak to you. Just to buy Bae hyung.” - Jin spit out, as if the words themselves were venom.

Everyone tensed at that, the memories not pleasant in the slightest. Jin had a deep scowl etched upon his face, tail lashing out in fury. Binnie was clenching his fists and jaw so hard I was starting to worry he would break a bone, the skin at the joints turning dangerously white. Lixie just became even sadder, a muted anger hiding somewhere deep inside his freckled gaze. Sungie was similar, curling into the snow leopard’s side into a small ball. Lino shifted atop my back, fur pressing against fur. The puppy was staring off into space, yet one of his hands was clutching onto his pants, the fabric nearly ripping in two.

Yet, they couldn’t compare to whatever the wolf must have been feeling, the emotion so clear in his entire body that I was sure he could cause a city to fall, if he so wished.

“Hyunjin…” - he grated out, anger now directed towards the mentioned leopard. “What? Jisoo has every right to know!” “He does, but did you have to say it like that?!” “Oh, so I should have stayed quiet, just so you could omit most of the info??” - Jin defended himself, hands harshly lifted into the air. “You know that’s not what–” “Enough.”

Everyone looked at Jisoo at that, his now standing form tall and voice intimidating, cold. He didn’t say anything else, just stood there, trying to take back control over his heavy breathing. Nobody dared to utter a word, not even our leader, Channie.

A vein popped out on the human’s forehead, scent so soured and ruined, I nearly whined. That once pleasant scent of grass now too strong, as if the plants were left alone to grow for centuries, standing tall and unyielding. No sweetness could be found nearby, as if the joy was somehow killed out of the scenery.

Not uttering a word, he walked towards the kitchen counter, steps long and calculated. His shoulders seemed stiff, a hand clenched together into a tight fist.

“Wait, Jisoo, don’t–” “No, Chan, I should have done this long ago, when the first person approached us.” “But–” “No buts.”

Jisoo left no room for arguments, effectively shutting our entire pack up with a few words.

Once he had reached his desired location, his unclenched hand took his phone into its hold, the skin slowly gaining back its healthy colour.

The rings in the room were deafening as he held the device up to his ear, breathing now seemingly under his control.

“Hey, yea, it’s me. Look, I know you’re super busy, but I need your help. Remember the hybrid I told you about? The one I took off the streets, yeah. Well some fuckers keep approaching not even me, but HIM about wanting to buy him! Can you fucking believe this?! I know, that’s what I said too! Anyway, you’re the one who has experience in things like this, which is why I called you. Mhm. Yea. Of course, just call me whenever I’m needed. I owe you one, really. Thanks, I'll text ya later, bye.”

While Jisoo had been talking, Channie rubbed at his face, sighing heavily. I’d looked at him, head tilted and gaze worried.

“Ah, don’t worry, baby. It’s just… I didn’t want to tell Jisoo like this exactly because of this. That’s a good friend of his, Laneul-ssi, someone with a well-known corporation under his belt. I don’t know much, since it’s all related to the field of biology and medicine, but I do know not to piss him off. He had won several lawsuits, having been in situations exactly like ours before.” - he explained, expression softening. “He has a big pack, like ours, with seven hybrids. Most of them are unique species as well, like us, which is why this stupid shit keeps happening.” - Lixie grumbled out, that hidden anger emerging for a split second from the depths. “Yea, but you don’t need to worry, they’re all great! My best bud, Woo, is there as well. They might be idiots, but they are our idiots.” - Binnie excitedly shared, frustration temporarily melting away.

The others had no idea who they were talking about, never having met them. Lino probably had, but he had no way of talking, instead lounging around on my back comfortably and meowing at us in agreement. Or disagreement, based on the other felines’ reactions.

“Minho hyung, don’t say that!” “Meow meow” “I’m telling this to Seonghwa hyung.”

At that smug face Lixie had made, Lino hissed, earning a laugh from the leopard. Jin just chuckled along, enjoying the drama full force. We others merely watched it, only understanding one half of the conversation.

Jisoo came back, tiredly falling back onto the couch and carding his fingers through his hair, messing up the dark curls impossibly more.

“You didn’t have to do that, you kno’” - Channie said, voice quiet and timid even. “Shush, I had to. Or do you think so lowly of me to just stand by and let these things happen to you guys?” - Jisoo nearly growled out, hurt and anger dripping from his voice. “No, of course not, I never meant for it to sound like that! I could never be more grateful to have been adopted by you. Not only that, but for you to help hybrids by taking them in from the streets and abusive households. None of us would be here without you, living such a happy and free life. I’m sorry, please know that I love you for all you do for our sake.” - Channie immediately scrambled up and took Jisoo’s cheek into his hand, stroking the skin there with a thumb as he spoke. “Yeah, yeah, I know. ‘m sorry, didn’t mean to snap like that. I love all of you, you’re basically my family. I just fucking despise fuckers like these, calling them amoebas would be insulting to the poor life forms.” - Jisoo sighed out, covering the wolf’s hand with his own and drawing a few chuckles out of some of us with his last comment.

I finally walked up to the couch, nudging Jin’s leg and gaining his attention, successfully making him move so I could get up onto the furniture as well. My moves were careful, not wishing for the feline on my back to accidentally slide down and potentially hurt himself, even though I knew he was more than capable of landing safely were he to fall.

Once I was up and laying down, the leopard guided my head into his lap, my weight heavily settling into his thighs. A hand of his immediately attached itself onto my fur, the digits burying into the base of my ear and impossibly relaxing me.

The noise around me lessened, mind taken off of the chatter and chaos. I was transported back to that open field, the easel standing proudly at the edge, the vivid vermillion and black now off to the side in their respective containers. The white canvas had been painted a soothing blue, the painter dabbing the brush against it gently, creating fluffy looking clouds.

As if sensing my presence, he turned his head back, a gentle smile taking its place on his face and drawing tiny dimples out of their hiding places. I blinked at him slowly, the gesture being the only thing exchanged between us as he went back to painting, my own body laying down nearby, the cool touch of a tree’s shadow caressing my fur.

I spent my time there, just lazily lying amidst the grass and flowers, the sounds of the painter perfectly blending in with the ones that came from nature itself. A small stroke of the brush here, a wider one there, a little dip into the paint. He even hummed sometimes, his voice impossibly soft and making me yearn for more whenever he stopped.

“But then–” “Sshhh!” “What do you mean shh, Lixi–” “Oh my god Changbin, just shush, Bae hyung is finally asleep.” “Oooh, uhm, my bad.”

While I wasn’t asleep just yet, I could understand why they had thought so, my own mind barely making sense of their words as it stood at the fragile edge of unconsciousness.

The sound of skin tearing and bones breaking could be heard, the fur on my back bristling as it felt cold now, nothing there to shield and warm it anymore.

“He isn’t, not yet. But I don’t think he’s far from it, seeing as he’s not even reacting right now.” - it was Lino, uttering a quick thanks afterwards, the sound of fabric being shuffled around filling up the silence.

Not even a minute later he sat down next to me, his breath hitting my ears as he glided his fingers through my fur, not leaving my side completely. Jin never stopped with his own administrations, the two soothing my entire being continuously.

“I’m glad he’s resting now, he seemed kind of out of it. What was with him and not letting you out of his sight anyway?” - Lixie muttered, voice not raised so as to not wake me. “I have no clue, but I was afraid he would panic if I left. There was something off about his scent too, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” “I think… I think a part of his brain took over, after what happened yesterday.” “Sungie is right, that seemed like something an instinct-driven hybrid would do. He probably didn’t even realise it, by the way he’d acted when I first approached you two in the bed.” “Mh, but nothing bad happened, right?” “No, you don’t have to worry, Jisoo. The events just really spooked him, more than he lets on probably.”

The puppy’s voice was the last one I had heard, only a few more words making sense to me before I finally drifted off, the lands of sleep claiming my weary soul.

-.-

Distant voices of bickering awoke me, my ears flickering already in annoyance as I had easily identified who the perpetrators were: Jin and Sungie.

The two had always had a strange spark between them, and not the good kind. The signs had always been there, some I had noticed as well. The bitter glances when only one of them got what they had wanted, or the challenging gazes they sent the other when something stupid had crossed their minds. They probably thought they were slick, never causing a scene openly.

But I had heard their arguments occasionally, midday naps and long nights messing up my usual sleeping schedule often enough to catch them with my sharp hearing, much to the dismay of the wolf. Never were any of the arguments with good reason, as if they were children fighting over a toy.

And I had enough of it.

Blinking my bleary eyes open, I stood up from the couch and stretched, a satisfied sigh leaving my nostrils after a few of my joints popped, getting rid of that uncomfortable feeling. Nobody else was in the room, not even Lino, burying the seed of panic into my body. But before it could blossom I took a deep breath, carefully identifying everyone’s whereabouts.

Channie and Binnie were in their workroom, the two tinkering away on something alone. I never knew what they were doing in there, no sound escaping the place at all. Lixie and the puppy were in the leopard’s room, most probably playing, as they had been regularly doing that lately. Lino’s scent seemed to have been in that same room, probably lounging around and taking another short nap, knowing him. Jisoo seemed to have left the house, something I didn’t appreciate, as it had been a day without work for him originally, and I was sure I hadn’t slept for a whole day. He almost always spent these particular days with us, watching a show on TV or playing on Lixie’s devices.

Taking another deep breath and calming myself down as much as I could, I took off towards my own room, claws silently tip-tapping against the boards underneath. I hurriedly made my way into my room, opening the door with my mouth and shifting back inside, in the safety of my den. Not a thought was formed about what clothes I would put on, the matter at hand much too pressing for me to do so.

Fully clothed and annoyance at its peak, I quickly made my way to the two’s loud voices, no care given as I barged in through the door and into the room.

“You two talk it out right now, this has to stop.” - my voice came out a bit too frustrated and harsh, causing them to flinch.

They both just blinked up at me with wide eyes, the words frozen inside their rigid forms. I merely crossed my arms after I had closed the door behind me and leaned against it, raising up an eyebrow at their unresponsive forms.

As I could see both of them open their mouths, excuses on the tips of their tongues, I straightened up and pushed myself off the door.

“No. Talk it out. Right now.”

Jin and Sungie gulped, gazes casted down towards the floor in shame. I patiently stood there, waiting for any of them to start, my own tail agitatedly swishing behind me.

It had taken nearly five whole minutes for them to start, but Jin finally opened his mouth and started speaking. He spilled out all his frustrations, how he hated the way Sungie stole our attention away and flaunted around with it, greedily asking for more at any given moment. He told us how he hated the way the squirrel acted, much too obnoxious for his tastes.

In return, the squirrel had done the same. He spoke of his fears, his own distaste against Jin’s personality, how he acted too dramatic and overexaggerated everything. The way Jin had a habit of fooling around and occasionally starting a playful banter annoyed him, making him feel smaller and inferior.

The two spoke for a long while, the ice having been broken and letting the words flow seamlessly. I quietly stood by the side the whole time, a silent spectator, nothing more. Channie tried to come in once, probably to check up on us as he usually did, but I silently signed for him to go, knowing I would have to tell him the details later. Jin and Sungie had been too absorbed in their conversation to even notice the whole thing happening, something I was grateful for.

Eventually, they had come to an agreement, shaking hands on it. A smile sneaked its way onto my lips, my previously still tail now swishing gently around.

Problems between pack members had always been stressful, something I ceaselessly tried my best to prevent from happening. So far I had succeeded, only because everyone clicked well together, merely small arguments rising up that had usually gotten resolved in a day or two. That was until the day Sungie came home, the previously perfectly clicking puzzle now disturbed.

Looking back at the two, I found them slightly joking around, my eyes widening in surprise. I was glad they were having fun together, of course I was, but never had I expected them to change attitudes with each other this fast. They were practically different people now!

Sungie’s eyes flashed with what I could only call pure mischief as he’d caught my observing gaze, that smile only widening on his lips and taking on a lovely heart shape. Not even a second later his entire body shot towards me, tails and even his ears wiggling around in happiness, scent a comforting sea breeze that caressed my skin. His limbs latched onto me without hesitation, my balance only maintained through hard work and sheer luck with the force he had launched himself at me.

“Yah, I wanted to do that!” - that was the only warning I had gotten from the leopard before he had done the same thing, proudly attaching himself to my back.

My own limbs were burning from the exertion, not built to carry this much weight so suddenly. Yet, I only tightened my hold on the squirrel on my front, tail brushing against his and Jin’s legs with no hesitation. My senses were enveloped in a wonderful sensation, everything calm and serene around me. The sea was placid now completely, gently lapping at my paws, while the easel stood nearby proudly, the scenery perfectly painted upon its canvas with soothing colours.

The silent sigh that left my form was inevitable, its escape out of my control.

Even with all that, I knew my limits, so I hastily turned towards the door and nudged the little squirrel in my hold to open it for me, the boy doing so hesitantly. His head was buried in the crook of my neck on one side, Jin’s head hidden on the other. Once he had returned there after his task had been done -quietly grumbling the whole time-, a sigh so deep had left him, he nearly deflated as if the air had been taken out of him.

With my way being cleared, albeit it had been a hard task, I continued on my journey to the living room, my steps careful and controlled. I didn’t want to accidentally slip, especially on the stairs, nor did I want to jostle them too much, their scents too elated and breaths too deep for that. It was a miracle Jin hadn’t slipped down from my back, with how he only kept himself there with his own force, even in his slumber.

“Whatcha got there?” - Lixie asked, much too adorable for me to be mad at him and his amusement.

I quietly grunted and just settled down, careful not to sit on Jin and leave him enough space between me and the back of the sofa. All the while Lixie and Binnie had been giggling and chuckling, the latter nearly going into that usual shrill laughter of his, had the awake leopard not warned him with a slap on the arm.

“You know, with the way they’re clinging to you, you would think they don’t hate each other.” “Not anymore.”

The snow leopard just owlishly blinked back at me, Binnie doing the exact same, words frozen into both for a few solid seconds. I couldn’t keep down the smile that crept up on my lips, watching them process the information. The moment where it all clicked in them could have been pinpointed with scary accuracy, their entire face lighting up in delight.

“Oh you sneaky bastard, I knew you were up to something.” - Binnie said, crossing his arms and smirking up at me. “Is that why you disappeared the last like, 2 hours, Hyung? Damn, I wanted to see it though. Bet you were angry.” “Why would you want to see him angry?”

At that, Lixie made an ‘are you kidding me?’ face, eyes sharp and judging. The tiny pika had nearly shrunk into himself, understanding dawning on him mere seconds after.

“Yea, okay, no, I cannot blame you. I bet 10 bucks he’s like Chan hyung, silent and scary.”

B-Binnie??

“I bet 20 bucks he’s actually loud and growls at you.”

Lixie?!?

“Deal.” “Great!”

What the fuck?!???!

My expression must have completely reflected my inner thoughts because the two bursted into laughter the moment they had made eye contact with me, bending over in pain and gasping for air. Nothing held their voices back anymore, that high-pitched, shrill laughter now free to roam the halls of the house. The two stirred on my chest and back, understandably awoken and confused.

“Mh, what happened?” - Sungie murmured out, cheeks squished against my clothed front. “Don’t mind them, go back to sleep.” “Then they better fucking shut up before I chuck something at them.” - Jin added in, his usual, easily irritable self coming out after being woken up.

You never woke Jin up, that was an unwritten rule in this household. Unless you wanted to lose a finger or two and be covered in scratch marks, then, sure, you could freely do so.

Yet, the two amused ones merely started laughing harder, having the time of their life, Lixie even having fallen off the furniture altogether. I started to grow worried, air seemingly avoiding their lungs like the plague.

“What’s the topic of laughter, hm?” - Channie asked, having sneaked up on me and causing me to slightly jump. “I– Y’should’ve–” - Lixie tried to say, only to completely fail and fall into another bout of laughter, following Binnie as the pika couldn’t even form words in the first place.

The wolf hummed once again, that warm light dancing in his dark eyes once again, a gentle smile sitting on his face as he just watched the two, his body leaned against the back of the sofa. A hand came up to support his head, most of the weight held up by his elbow now.

He looked so serene, his scent freely let out for everyone to feel. Those previously angry trees were now quieter, calmer, the sun shining on their thin leaves freely. An underlying hint of something wet, rotting reached my nose, but it was gone within the same second, leaving me blinking and questioning myself.

The laughter subsided, leaving them teary eyed and flushed. Channie went ahead and ruffled their hair, making them whine and playfully pout at him. It was all just a ruse, they both enjoyed it and weren’t even doing a good job at hiding it.

“Baby, can you come with me for a second? I wanna talk about somethin’.”

I nodded back, slowly peeling Jin and Sungie off of me, their limbs securely attached to my body. It was an arduous task, one so difficult, I considered just taking off my hoodie and letting them have it. But with enough struggling and determination, I had succeeded, taking the wolf’s offered hand and letting him pull me up.

Something was off about him.

As we were walking back up the stairs after a brief goodbye to Lixie and Bin, he slightly shrunk in on himself, his entire presence seeming somehow timid even. That same rotting smell appeared once more, the hybrid unable to hide it from me, even if he pushed it back down in the next second.

The last time he had acted like this was when I had to visit the doctor, and it pulled at my stomach with a vicious force.

My room greeted me back, everything left untouched from the time I had come in here for some clothes earlier this day. The wolf sat down upon the bed, patting the empty place next to him in hopes of inviting me closer. His eyes avoided mine, depriving me of those warm depths I loved getting lost in.

It squeezed my throat shut.

“I–,   sigh   Baby, we love you, you know that, right? That we trust you and you can trust us?” - he sighed out, hands finding one of mine and taking it in their tender hold.

I nodded, watching as his thumbs caressed the light skin underneath, occasionally drawing little shapes in there.

“We’ve been talkin’ with the others and… How do I say this? Gosh, sorry, I’m just a babblin’ mess. What I’m trying to say is that we know you went through a lot, and we think talking to someone about it would help you. A lot.”

His eyes finally found mine, hands holding onto me stronger when he felt I had tensed up.

“I know it’s scary, and you deciding to tell us what you went through or not is completely up to you. But it’s not good to bottle it all up, which is why I propose that you go and seek therapy. Talk it out with a professional, go at your own pace. The reign would be completely in your hand, nobody would force you into saying anything.”

His words were so sincere I had to accept them, pulling myself away from the edges of panic and remembering. I couldn’t do that to him, to shatter right when he was just trying to help me. The weight of that act would pull me to the depths of the void, letting it claim me immediately.

“‘Course, if ya want it, one of us would accompany you there if you so wanted it. Just please, consider it, ‘kay? We only want the best for ya and nothing less.”

Those hands never let go of mine, that voice never raised and instead remained a gentle whisper, a soothing balm to my panicked soul. A shaky breath left my lips, only now noticing the slight tremors running through my body. Warmth seeped into me wherever he touched me, as if I was a freezing traveller on the streets, death waiting briefly to claim me.

Hands enveloped me completely, the world moving as I was hoisted up, head buried right in the curve under his jaw, slotting myself in there out of instinct. Heat travelled up and down my back repeatedly, touches firm, as if he was reassuring me of his everlasting presence.

Before I would let my head be filled with his scent, I murmured into his skin a promise, a reassurance of thinking about it seriously. His hand stilled for a single second, that scent of pine and moss blooming with full force. My hands sneaked up his back, grabbing onto the fabric there as an anchor for myself. I felt myself running around in the woods, soaking up the sun and letting it bleed into my fur and bones, the breeze pleasant and not angry in the slightest.

My lungs heaved, having run around for a while, and now I found myself standing at the edge of that meadow I loved once again. The air smelled sweet and fruity, the scent of salt and paint permeating it as well. Yet, I was purely focused on those mellow flowers, their light coloured petals alluring, impossibly so.

My paws took me to their fragile selves, my body inevitably laying down and enjoying their presence. My nose was carefully pressed against one of the flowers, close to the core of their scent and drinking it in, muscles relaxing impossibly more.

I was vaguely aware of the soft murmurs around me, touches belonging to different pack members, the most prominent ones careful on me, as if I was a fragile little thing, much like those flowers I loved so much.

-.-.-

The days started bleeding into each other, my worry for what the wolf had offered up to me constantly plaguing my mind.

On one hand, every fibre of my being screamed at me to refuse it, to just never talk about my past and bury them back deep down. I had survived alone for so long in the past, I could continue doing so in the future if needed. And above all that, to talk about it with a human? The mere thought disgusted me so deeply my stomach turned into knots and churned painfully.

On the other hand, I… felt guilty for thinking so. The feeling sat deep inside me, reaching every nook and cranny, infecting every cell of my body. This pack had gone so far to help me, to even love someone as broken as me. Who was I to refuse an act of kindness that came from within their beautifully selfless hearts?

I was at a standstill, a horrible one.

Not wanting to deal with it all just yet, I seeked out Lixie and the pup, knowing the two were together and playing those games on their TV again. I didn’t even need my nose to be able to tell, their loud voices and shouts echoing through the whole house. Although to be fair, nearly all of them belonged to the young leopard, most probably caused by his continuous losing streak. He had never been exceptionally good at these games, but it wasn’t like he was awful at them either. The puppy was just way better than him, it was that simple.

The door creaked slightly when I’d opened it and peeked inside, Lixie way too focused on the game to notice me, only the puppy’s head turning towards me. His smile widened, all pearly whites, eyes crinkling up and tail starting to slowly thump against the floor. They had both been sitting down there, on some soft pillows and blankets they had piled up in one spot.

My own lips stretched and arched, a slow swish could be heard from behind me. I silently walked up to the bed after having closed the door, not wanting to break the little leopard’s focus in front of me. His tongue slightly poked out from the confines of his cheeks, brows furrowed and nose occasionally scrunching up whenever his character took some damage. Angry clicks and clanks could be heard from his direction, the device in his hand somehow withstanding the abuse without any problem.

The puppy merely smiled through all this, mocking laughter leaving his form after the winner had been announced on the big screen, Lixie having slumped down and started loudly groaning and whining in defeat. His hands were nestled into his hair as he laid on the floor, face down, tearing at the blonde strands forcefully. 

Not wanting him to become bald just yet, I stood up from my seat and kneeled down next to him, bringing his smaller body into my hold. Surprised sounds left his lips, wide, dark eyes blinking up at me atop their field of stars. His round little ears instantly perked up, not in that harsh and angry angle anymore. A slender tail curled around my waist, securing himself to me.

“Hey, I was the winner, how come he gets the cuddles?” - the puppy said, pout hidden inside the tone of his voice. “‘Cuz you suck, Minnie. Git gud.” - Lixie replied, smug face hidden in the pocket of my collarbone.

The puppy gasped, arm threateningly holding up the device in hold against the feline. No real threat or anger was in his entire being, mere frustration and jealousy that only widened my smile. A wonderful idea popped into my mind, stretching my lips into a grin, alarming the puppy and making him slightly back up.

“No, no-no, Hyung, you never do anything good after you get that evil little smile on your f–  Agh-” - he grunted out, unable to fully finish his sentence before I pounced on him, smothering him with my entire body.

My arms tightly held onto his torso, wound around it and latching onto each other. Our legs tangled into the others, weaving and unweaving amidst his struggling. Lixie went along with my plan swimmingly, that same evil smile reflected upon his face. His tail curled now around one of the pup’s legs, hands buried in and tight around fabric. 

“I hate you guys. Both of you, so much.” “Don’t lie, Minnie, just admit that you love us and our cuddles. Stop being a tsundere.” “I will stuff this controller down your mouth.” “You’re welcome to try.” “Ew, no thanks.”

A chuckle left Lixie at that, successfully having disarmed the puppy and his sharp words. A similar sound left my chest as well, the sound low and hard to hear, my head much more enjoying the two’s presence and scents. They mixed disgustingly well together, the freshness of the pup and the sweetness of the feline like a match made in heaven, especially with that hint of vanilla hidden beneath.

“Dal hyung, don’t fall asleep on me again please. Last time you did, I was forced to not move for 3 hours. My bladder can only hold so much.”

Lixie snorted at that and hard, turning away and pressing a hand against his lips, entire body shaking with silent laughter. I lifted myself up, one of my hands helping in the motion, eyes scrutinisingly looking at the pup underneath.

“You wanted cuddles, but the moment you get them, you dare complain?” - I huffed out, lips downturned in a scowl.

He looked away from me, not daring to hold eye contact, scent turning duller and more muted.

“At least lemme go to the toilet when needed, you greedy Hyung…” “Hm, maybe I will.”

The conversation died out after that, the three of us silently cuddling and simply enjoying the other’s presence. That same victory music had been playing the whole time, the words ‘Player 2 wins’ searing into the screen in big, bold letters. None of us moved to turn it off, Lixie’s breathing even turning deep, his mind taken to the lands of sleep in a short time.

A hand tangled into my long strands of hair, slowly creeping up to my ears and touching them gently. The hold on them was careful, as if he was afraid of something. Digits pressed into the soft fur, massaging the area soothingly, earning a content sigh from me. It felt wonderful, never once turning unpleasant or too rough.

I had nearly joined the softly snoring feline by the time the door opened, making me open my eyes and look around with my bleary vision.

“Oh, sorry, didn’t mean to disturb.” - it was the little squirrel, voice timid and I could already see the mental image of him fidgeting with his long sleeves before my eyes. “You’re fine. What did you want, Hyung?” - the puppy replied, sound kept at a low level for our comfort. “I uh… wanted to ask Bae hyung something?” - he was fidgeting, I was sure of it now, the soft rustling of the clothes merely confirming my suspicions.

Sungie usually wasn’t like this, his more outgoing persona in place in front of us, as if he was shielding this part of himself from the harsh world. It brought some worry into my mind, drawing a silent sigh out of my chest as I detached myself from Lixie and the pup -only after i had planted a fleeting kiss onto the skin of their necks-.

Sure enough, an anxious little herbivore greeted me, tail slightly tucked between his legs. My eyebrows furrowed, mind immediately filled with worries and all possible scenarios of what could have happened. A little smile made its way onto his lips once our eyes met, a little wobbly and even fearful.

The time it took me to cross the room to get to him could hardly be considered a second, my long legs carrying me there swiftly.

“A-ah, I’m okay Hyung, don’t look at me like that. I just… c’mere.” - he said, his own forehead creasing with worry at the sight of my expression, a hand latching onto one of mine.

He took me away, the door behind us softly pulled closed as he led the way to my own room, the click it had made loud in the shattering silence. I watched him pace around a bit once inside, one of his fingers pressed against plush lips, teeth nibbling at the skin and nail there. I was swiftly by his side once more, pulling the nearly bleeding digit away and smoothing down the irritated skin.

Eyes looked into each other, some tension leaving his form as he read my silent plea.

“I uhm, uuhh…” “Yes?” “I’mmakinganestandwantedtoaskforoneofyourhoodies!”

I blinked down at him, not really understanding what he had said, only seeing the red dust his cheeks faintly. At my head tilt he groaned into his free hand, cursing at himself silently.

“I said, I’m kinda making a nest and wanted to ask if maybe you could lend me that blue hoodie of yours? I know you love that one, so it’s okay if you say no, but that’s the only thing missing and- What are you doing?”

Not replying, I continued looking through my neatly put away clothes, easily finding the single piece of clothing he had been talking about. It was true what he had said, this particular hoodie was one of my favourites, its big size and thumb holes making it a comforting piece to wear. It even had a pocket in the front, one that I could reach through and stick my hand out on the other side. It was fun.

Thumbing the fabric and taking a deeper breath to make sure it had been soaked with my scent, I turned around and offered the hoodie up to him.

His boba eyes were wide as they stared up at me, unblinking, even his mouth was slightly agape. It confused me, not understanding his reaction to my actions.

Why wouldn’t I give it to him?

Those dark, chocolate orbs glistened as droplets started to form along their shining surface, raining down upon his skin and clothes. I grew alarmed, hastily dropping the clothing and rushing up to him, closing that small gap between us and wiping his tears away. The skin underneath my fingers was smooth and warm, heating up the cold, slender digits.

His sobs only worsened after my actions, making me halt and try to back away, to give him some space. But his hands were on my wrists in an instant, keeping me close and pulling me even closer.

I was frozen, not knowing what to do to comfort him, unable to hush the endless grateful words tumbling out of his lips. While they were muffled, his head buried into my chest, I still heard them crystal clear, growing sad from the implications of it.

Who dared to deny him comfort while nesting?

Herbivores loved to build them, to make themselves feel at home, safe and protected. That was the exact reason why only a select few could ever enter them, the notion of intruding upon them a sin amongst hybrids. The thought of Sungie having been deprived of it all sent a searing sensation down my spine, the emotions bubbling up from deep within. My teeth itched and fur bristled with a ferocity I hadn’t felt in a while, blinding me temporarily.

“–ng, Hyung, it’s okay, it’s okay. I’m fine now, hey, jagiya.” - his gentle words brought me back from that self-destructing train of thoughts, focus back on him and him alone and his impossibly soft voice.

A bittersweet little smile took its place on his face, one I didn’t like too much. It was one that was hiding pain and suffering, all past scars that had scabbed over long ago.

It was painfully familiar.

“Thank you for giving me your precious hoodie that you scented for me. Actually, hang on-”

His touch left me as I watched him go and retrieve said object, his own taken off of his form. My eyes widened in utter surprise, mouth sliding slightly open and remaining there, jaw set into place as if it had been glued there for eternity.

The skin on his body was the same as on his face, a warm shade and nearly free of any birthmarks. It looked soft, well taken care of, only the slight goosebumps were out of place as a cold breeze caressed him. Well, the only things besides something else.

That same skin sagged at his sides and down the lengths of his arms, looking irritated and uncomfortable. It had a reddish hue in the folds and at the edges, clearly chafed out from the extensive touches from coarse fabric he must have worn in the past regularly, if not always.

No wonder he had never shown any skin around us before, my despised suspicions confirmed and now set into stone. It sat heavily on me, my shoulders feeling an impossible weight falling onto them and worsening my posture. The air felt thinner, the acid in my stomach turning into a deadly raging sea, the waves dangerously rolling around and wishing to break free.

He looked so fragile, tiny form littered in undeserved scars and modifications that were deemed ugly by those around him, undeserving of his endless love and joy.

Because why else would he try so desperately to hide them?

The moment he was done, turning back around and slightly smiling at me with those chubby cheeks and rosy lips, something inside of me broke free, my power too small to do anything against it.

I didn’t want to anyway.

My arms picked him up with ease, the alarm bells inside my head still not liking how easily I had done so, despite seeing how he loved eating and had always done so with great vigour. The surprise died in his throat, never truly leaving his mouth and making its presence known. Tiny hands latched onto me, hands fisting the fabric underneath desperately.

His expression was that of utter disbelief, that faint red making a reappearance on his cheeks.

I pressed a chaste kiss to his forehead and held him tight, his head slotting itself into the crook of my neck and comfortably resting there. His shallow breaths tickled my throat with every exhale, yet it brought only comfort to me, as if something lost long ago had finally been found at last. Those tiny hands snaked around my neck and shoulders, trapping me as much against him, as I had trapped him against me. That grey, bushy tail was curled up around us, as if it was a big blanket ready to guide us to sleep.

After pressing my nose against the crown of his head for but a brief moment, my legs started taking us away and out of this room, having a clear goal in mind.

Only the thoughts of protecting the little herbivore in my hold circled around in my head, mind wired to keep him safe and out of harm’s touch. Anyone who would dare stand in my way would learn to pay the price, the easy, or the hard way.

Sungie’s room was dark, save for the few nightlights and string lights all running around the space, not leaving a single corner untouched. The closed door shut out all the remaining light that could pour in from the hallway, yet it posed no problem, my eyes adjusting in a few seconds.

His bed was in the middle, one of the shorter ends pushed up to a wall that was decorated with all kinds of things: different pictures, some from anime, some from things I didn’t recognise. He had some photos scattered around as well, either stuck up to a wall or laying on his cluttered desk, the furniture nearly having no empty spot left on its wooden surface. Clothing littered the floor, all belonging to the nearly sleeping boy in my arms, making me almost sigh out, had I not been too focused on something else.

The nest sat neatly on the bed, a messy little circular shape made from everything plush and soft you could ever imagine. Different blankets were woven into it, not only his, but seemingly Channie’s and Jisoo’s as well. The walls were proudly standing there, made out of different pieces of clothing. I could clearly see Lixie’s, Binnie’s and the pup’s shirts and hoodies in there, all in different colours and sizes. A single article of clothing was thrown over the walls haphazardly, its charcoal-infused scent betraying who it belonged to.

In the middle laid a few plushies -no doubt thanks to Lixie and Jisoo-, along with a few pillows, all belonging to a certain cat in our pack. The feline had clearly left an impression on the little squirrel, Lino’s scent being the closest to him whenever he decided to sleep in there.

My heart skipped a beat when I realised he had asked for my hoodie as well, for my scent, proudly wearing it in front of me.

“Can I go in?” - I murmured into his skin, the hand on his back now drawing long lines into the fabric.

He sluggishly nodded, no doubt dancing on the edge of sleep. Warmth erupted inside me, unable to believe he would trust me so much.

And yet, he had clearly done so.

The nest was as comfortable as it looked, the surface plush and well put together. All kinds of scents enveloped us, all wonderfully familiar and safe. Not a single thing was out of place, nor did they smell wrong. 

The trees were tranquil, and so was the wind, peacefully dancing around the place and leading me to my beloved meadow. No thorn was in sight, nor was there any red or black paint. Instead it was quiet and serene, everything blooming and healthy, the sun not too warm, yet not too cold either.

Sungie stirred next to me, form basically swallowing mine with the way he had climbed on top of me, never truly letting me go. My hands caged him in, one placed on top of his back, the other onto his nape, playing with the hair there. Occasionally I started drawing shapes into his back, always careful not to irritate his skin or accidentally yank at it.

Shallow breaths eventually turned into deep ones, quiet snores leaving his nose as he was resting on top of my chest.

He looked finally relaxed, truly, as if a weight had been taken off his chest. He had always had this melancholic aura around him, never leaving him no matter how hard he tried, continuously following him like a dark cloud.

The door quietly opened, making my ears perk up and eyes search for our uninvited guest.

“Oh, just wanted to see how he was doing with the nest. I won’t be bothering then.” - Binnie said, voice much quieter than usual.

Yet, it was enough to rouse the squirrel up in my arms, round little ears flicking against my skin, leaving tingling trails in their wake. An unintelligible grumble left his squished lips, making the pika halt in his steps and question what he had heard.

“Dun leave, stayy.” - Sungie repeated, earning a chuckle from Binnie and a small smile from me.

The awake herbivore closed the door with a soft click and made his way towards us, scooting into the empty space to my left, letting Sungie steal one of his arms and cuddle it with no mercy. He laughed at that, saying ‘Someone’s cuddly today, eh?’, but he let it all happen with no resistance in any action of his, a happy smile rounding out his cheeks. Those usually acidic fruits now smelled impossibly sweet, their potent scent overpowering everything else and nestling easily into my nose.

Binnie scooted closer to let the sleeping squirrel hold his arm easier, his own head now resting on one of my shoulders and cuddling into me. His warmth seeped into me, urging me to bury my nose into his hair and nuzzle into him for a few seconds. Light chirps were my reward, my tail smacking against the blankets with a quiet thump.

“He was very nervous about building a nest here, y’know. So I’m very grateful for you being here and giving him that hoodie of yours, Bae hyung.” - I had never heard him so quiet in my entire life, making me slightly turn my head towards him.

His gaze was set on the person of our conversation, a light dancing in his eyes that I would usually see in Channie’s, its intensity so fierce, I was afraid of burning up inside.

Those dark orbs slid up to me, the entire power of the sun directed right at me and melting me in its entirety.

“I know you don’t think you did a lot, but it matters so much to him, to us. You keep giving me anything of yours that I want whenever I build a new nest, no questions asked, as if it’s all natural to you. You let him have your favourite hoodie, even cuddling him in his first nest in this house of ours. You’re like a safety blanket and you don’t even realise it.”

Every word he’d uttered felt like a weight released into the ocean of my soul, sinking down to the bottom, destined to remain there for the rest of eternity. The water only rose, struggling against its binds, but the dam held it back, standing strong and proud.

“It should be natural.” - I murmured back, tightening my hold on them and bringing Binnie closer, letting his head slide into the crook of my neck.

A shaky exhale hit my skin there, my thumb sliding back and forth along his exposed bicep, wishing to grant him even a speck of comfort. He only nuzzled into my neck, hiding inside deeper, as if wishing to take refuge there and away from the entire world. I freely let him do so, his nose pressing against my pulse and feeling the calm beats there. The longer he stayed like that, the more relaxed he became, body becoming all lax and letting me carry its weight.

It was serene, peaceful, nearly pulling me into a dreamless sleep as well.

Only their soft snores and occasional louder ones could be heard -no surprise, their necks were in weird angles-, along with the occasional sounds coming from the others in the house. A shout from Lixie, a weird sound from Lino, the dramatic whine of Jin or the boisterous laughter of the puppy.

If I focused hard enough, I could even hear Channie’s steady footsteps, going to greet Jisoo at the door as the man had arrived back from another hard day of work, no doubt exhausted to the bone, as usual. The others would go and greet him as well, usually me included, happy to finally see him and have a brief chat. Then, they would go back to what they had been doing, just like now, Jisoo being left alone to get ready for bed and sleep.

Although this time, he hadn’t done that. No, instead he went with the wolf, the two seemingly arguing about something as they went into a nearby room, not knowing we were inside here and I could hear everything, only thanks to my sharp senses.

“Chan, I really can’t do this right now. Can’t we talk about this tomorrow or something?” “Naur, absolutely not. You keep saying that and it’s already been a week!”

They remained quiet after that, either whispering or not speaking at all.

“Look, I know you have a good paying job and you want only the best for us. But you can’t expect to support 8 hybrids by yourself! You’ll wear yourself thin, heck, you’re already doing that! Constantly staying there for long hours, sometimes not even coming home for the night. You can’t keep doing this!” “Then WHAT?! Should I send back Sungie and Minnie to the centre, for others to adopt? I know fully well you guys have already bonded, I’m not fucking blind! Jesus christ, who do you think I am? I work with animals, I have at least a little bit of inkling as to how hybrids work!” - Jisoo nearly shouted with the full force of his lungs, gradually becoming quieter and quieter, until I could hardly hear the words he uttered.

The silence after that was unsettling, digging its claws into my chest and stomach. A strained little sound could be heard from their direction, although I couldn’t really tell what it was.

“Of course I know, Ji, ‘course I do. I never said you don’t know these things, gods, never ever think so. You’re smart, and you take very good care of us. All I’m saying is to let me share this burden with you. Paying for a house expansion is no cheap task. We could publish some of our music with Bin, hm? Find some easy, hybrid-friendly jobs, ye? C’mere.” - the wolf’s voice was as soothing as when he had first talked to me, back in that all white bathroom. “I kno’, I’m sorry. I’m such an asshole for shouting, fucking hell, I’m so, so sorry.” “Shh, it’s okay, I know you were just frustrated with the situation and not with me. I would be equally as irritated as you if I worked as much as you do, especially with such assholes and incompetent coworkers.”

This comment drew a wet sounding chuckle out of Jisoo, the claws now partially unhooked and free from my chest.

“You’re so right you don’t even know. How do you always say the right things?” “A magician never reveals his secrets.” “You’re no magician.” “But I made your sadness disappear, didn’t I?” “YoU–”

A smack could be heard followed by laughter, my mind soon zoning out and ignoring whatever happened after that.

They were staying?

⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⊰⋅⋅•⋅⋅⋅•∙∘☽༓☾∘∙•⋅⋅⋅•⋅⋅⊰⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅⋅•⋅

next chapter

[zodiactalks]

How To CHEER UP the Zodiac Signs

Everyone has off days. It helps to have friends who are there to get you back on your feet. 

But how should they go about it? 

Let’s take a look at how to cheer up each zodiac sign.

Aries

Aries would perk up if they were genuinely listened to.

Unfortunately, Aries tend to be brushed off when they are upset. Everyone around them is used to Aries being an enthusiastic go-getter. So, when Aries isn’t so up for a challenge, it rubs everyone the wrong way. 

Others may try to get Aries back in the game by bringing their favorite activities to them. Or trying to goad Aries into a competitive reaction. 

But all Aries needs and wants in those moments is for someone to sit down and ask what is wrong. And listen. Really listen to them. 

Aries is more sensitive them most people expect, and their natural strength hides that. 

Taurus

Taurus would feel better having someone who cares hanging out with them.

Having someone they love quietly lounging in the same room helps Taurus feel less alone. They may express why they are feeling down to that person. And after it creates an air of understanding.

Sometimes the most powerful tool to cheer up others, especially a Taurus, is to be near them. They often feel alone with their worries and like they would be a burden to share with others.

Creating a safe place for Taurus will bring them out of their shell.

Gemini

Gemini would like a friend they can vent to.

In any case, where Gemini is feeling strong emotions, they need to talk it out. It works best if they have someone to use as a sounding board at the end. If they don’t though, talking to themselves works pretty well, too.

So long as the words and problems aren’t stuck inside Gemini’s head.

Cancer

Remind them of everything they have done that’s made the world better for others.

Giving Cancer a reminder of their best traits can help them get out of their head. Cancer often forgets all the good they can give to others. 

Being told they have done well and are more than their negative thoughts about themselves can be immensely helpful.

Leo

Give them a hug.

Leo loves to be showered with affection, especially when they aren’t feeling good. 

Bring Leo things that make them happy. Ask if they have somewhere they’d like to go that would cheer them up. 

Leo always has a favorite place that makes them feel better. Be it a coffee shop, a road trip to a different town, or to the home of a trusted family member. 

Leo is all about their family (assuming they have a healthy one) and feels comfortable around them. Being around family is a good way to cheer Leo up.

Virgo

Give Virgo someone they can vent to. 

Virgo has a need to control their situation and can get through a lot all alone. But having someone to listen while they get those emotions out helps lift their mood. 

Don’t try to give solutions. They’ve already thought of it. 

Each Virgo will have their own way of releasing negative emotions. Talking to someone, or writing it down for this zodiac sign is a universal way to do so.

Libra

Libra will be glad if their friends brought over their pets. 

And if Libra gets lots of hugs and chances to vent their problems. 

Libra has a tendency to get fixated on their problem or negative emotions. They will stew on them, trying to find a way to solve or fix whatever it is. Getting stuck in their head is a bad place for Libra to be.

It leads to anxiety and an endless feedback loop that gets them more and more worked up. Having a distraction such as pets, friends, or family around can pull Libra out of it. 

It may not fix their problem, but it will pull Libra out of a mental state of endless “what ifs?” 

Scorpio

Scorpio isn’t really into the idea of being cheered up. 

They got it handled. 

Though it wouldn’t hurt if a friend was beside them showing their support. Without giving input or judgment on the decision Scorpio made.

Scorpio often makes decisions a lot of others won’t agree with. This comes from their deep sense of self and what they need. And how unwilling they are to let others walk all over them. 

Scorpio is secure in the choices they make, though it feels good to them when someone affirms it was the right thing to do. 

Sagittarius

Take Sagittarius out of the environment that is making them upset.

Nothing is worse than staying stuck in one place spiraling into depression. That’s exactly what happens when Sagittarius gets upset. 

They need to physically get out of the place that is causing the depression. Their friends may not be able to help with the actual problem, but getting Sagittarius out of their room is a good start.

Take Sagittarius on a walk or jump in the car and go find a place they enjoy. It will lift their spirits enough to get them out of their slump.

Capricorn

Don’t ask Capricorn for anything.

Capricorn is used to being the one asked for help. Instead, ask them how you can help them today. Is there anything they need or want to do?

It will likely catch Capricorn off guard. In a good way. Though they may be at a loss for words for a minute. Those kinds of questions aren’t what they’re used to hearing.

This will make Capricorn happy to know someone is thinking of them while they aren’t feeling great.

Aquarius

Aquarius prefers to work through things on their own. 

Giving them space without being pushy about when they will return will be a relief to them. A lot of times others will want Aquarius to talk it out with them. 

That isn’t their style.

Aquarius needs time to process their thoughts and emotions around something that has upset them.

Give them time to come to you when they are ready. Your Aquarius will thank you for it.

Pisces

Be there for Pisces and let them tell you what’s upsetting them in their own time. 

If they want space, give them that. If they want you to stay and watch a movie while they cry, do that. 

Pisces wants someone in their corner who they know they can depend on for the hard days. A through thick and thin friendship is what Pisces looks for. 

And even if Pisces says they are okay, check in on them. They don’t feel like they deserve love when they are upset. 

Be there for them and let them know that will never be the case.

[trickstarbrave]

"this is to say nothing of the grown adults on social media who make discoursing on the "opposite side" their full time hobby when really they are only making the situation worse in an effort to feel morally superior" Lol these are the people who are defending the ability to enjoy things in fiction without being policed. I can't believe you can have such an insight into the problem and then completely miss the point by acting insufferable to the people advocating for just letting people enjoy what they like. You're no better than the people who send death threats honestly since you want to ally with the people who want to police every online space and censor people. They'll come for you next, and none of us will be there to defend you from the antis when they decide your fiction is morally reprehensible

i debated not answering this because you are being rude and annoying and i dont like this kind of pointless arguing, but let me make this clear:

you are not helping address the problem. acting morally superior and righteous in the same brand of obnoxious is just about as much of "activism" as the "pro-shippers" who do it too. all you are doing is picking fights to get high off the rush of anger and dopamine. you are not "advocating" for anything. you are not addressing any of the problems. you are not fundamentally changing anyone's minds.

you are working on a bland, black and white mentality that ignores the complex reasons behind stuff. just by me saying that you have jumped to "so obviously you like sending people death threats and support it and are no better than the people do that" just like how the people who don't like your weird incest ships think you must obviously be an irl abuser.

"anti" means nothing. neither really does "pro-shipper". this us vs them mentality has to die before we see any progress. we cannot just keep using the internet for outrage. instead of arguing with people online and making stupid arguments about how actually your fiction IS moral and is actually better than other people's stuff and that everyone who doesn't think exactly like you do must love sending people death threats, you could try doing something actually fucking productive. push back against censorship online. disrupt algorithms. educate people that engaging with content they don't like on algorithm websites means they will see more of it. create a forum to freely share stuff with less harassment and vitrol. stay educated on what bills have lead to this censorship and push back against them or protest about new ones that keep being introduced.

all i can see from asks and posts like this is: you dont want things to change. you don't really care about the reasons behind it. you are right and other people are wrong because you don't like them. you like arguing online because you get a rush from it. you are doing this because you like fucking "winning". you dont care if you don't change a single person's mind because you enjoy the moral superiority you imagine you have. which are all the reasons the equally obnoxious people you hate and insist you are nothing like keep arguing with you. it is an endless cycle because you all enjoy the cheap thrill of arguing and bitching online that feeds into our worst impulses as human beings. i know im not one to fucking talk because i've also been known to jump into internet arguments, but i can at least recognize the problem and try to address it.

so long as you continue to act like this and act like your behavior is self righteous activism, this kind of shit will create a feedback loop. literally deactivate your fucking discourse blog, stop getting into pointless arguments online, and do literally anything else to address the problem. stop thinking that when i am addressing harmful mentalities online that feed into negativity and bullshit that you are immune to it because you're smarter or better than the people you disagree with. you're not. you're obnoxious.

if you send another anon i will be blocking you. knock it off. grow up.

[burlveneer-music]

Nihiloxica - Source of Denial

Source of Denial is the second LP from Nihiloxica, the Bugandan techno outfit hailing from Kampala, Uganda. It comes after more than three long years since Kaloli, their acclaimed debut on Crammed Discs. The album points a (middle) finger at the hostile immigration and freedom of movement policies implemented in the UK, as well as across the world. Fueled by their frustrations with this intentionally convoluted system, the group have produced their most cataclysmic effort to date. The only spoken words we hear throughout the album, outside of studio outtake Preloya, are computer generated. They speak of application processes, character backgrounds, and accountability, blasted through crackled phone speakers. The effect is a Kafkaesque feedback loop: an avalanche of constant call tones, uncanny British accents and rigorous interrogative questioning. The frustrations are a problem the band, a defiantly global outfit, has faced continuously. A whole UK tour was cancelled in 2022, and recently, a UK show had to be performed with only three members due to problems with a certain conglomerate visa agency who “provide services” for the UK, as well as a growing number of countries. “We wanted to create the sense of being in the endless, bureaucratic hell-hole of attempting to travel to a foreign country that deems itself superior to where you’re from. We’re focussing on the UK as that’s where we’ve had the most trouble, but the problem goes much, much further. In this system if you have a certain passport or have even visited a certain country then you’re an appropriate subject to be interrogated and insulted time and time again just to prove that you’re worthy to enter, and normally this involves proving you have a good enough reason to want to leave again! The arrogance of it is unbearable. This album was a way to express our disdain towards it... What exactly is the source of your denial? Your passport? Your bank balance? Your skin colour? You’ve paid huge sums of money to be thrown from one profit-driven “service centre” to another, each denying responsibility, each limiting your right to freedom of movement as a human being. Despite some other serious humanitarian shortcomings, Uganda accepts some of the highest numbers of refugees in the world. Meanwhile the UK is trying to send them away to Rwanda. That says it all.” - Nihiloxica Nihiloxica is: Henry (Isa) Isabirye, Pete (pq) Jones, Henry (Prince) Kasoma, Jamiru (Jally) Mwanje and Jacob (Spooky-J) Maskell-Key. Produced by Spooky-J and pq at Nyege Nyege HQ in Kampala. Artwork by Vicky de Visser

[hummiscellanea]

Concorde's ref 2023

i lovingly rant about her under the cut

Concorde, third daughter of Columba House (also known as the Dove House). Columba House is one of the most powerful and influential noble families of Hesti, challenged only by the royal family. Concorde, the third daughter, is one of the spare children. She's not in line to be Matriarch of the house (unless tragedy should befall her older sisters); but, being female, she can't just be married off and out of the family, either. Her destiny is that of every third daughter of the Dove House of the last several centuries: to join the Hesti military and become an officer.

She hates destiny.

Concorde is a lot like Knuckles the Echidna (Archie comics), and by that I mean she was microwaved as a baby. This girl has so much wrong with her, and it's deep, innate wrongness. It's so many things, but it's also one thing. There's one thing that's wrong with her, and it has many, many symptoms that all link back to the same thing. The microwaves.

She's burning. Someone put a flame in her soul and it's burning her from the inside out. Subconsciously, she knows that she's constantly fighting for her life; if she slips up, if she wavers in that endless mental chanting of I am Concorde, I am not you, I am Concorde, that mysterious Other will consume her. Concorde is always aware of death; she can feel her (Death is a her in Hesti culture and to Concorde) always behind her, panting hot breath down her neck. She sees her death every time she closes her eyes. Everything has life-and-death stakes, so she takes everything way too personally.

There's something wrong with her eyes. They're an unnatural shade of green, acid green, while the rest of her family has orange eyes. She had orange eyes too, once. Her green eyes are unsettling. If you stare into them too long you'll have to blink sunspots from your vision. She can see things that others can't see. She can see more colors than she's able to describe. She can see ghostly figures.

She has a "condition"--that's all they can call it. We might call them seizures. Sometimes she panics and her body, already fever-hot, burns stove-top-hot, and her eyes burn. Not with tears, but they burn like green fire is in them. She's trapped in a feedback loop of terror: she feels herself dying, which makes her more afraid, which makes the episode worse, so she feels herself dying, so she is more afraid, and so on. All the while, she can't see anything but a Beyond; she doesn't understand what she's seeing, but knows that it's a vast, terrible presence and that it's killing her.

That fire in her, the thing that's Wrong with her, it heightens her emotions. Everything she feels is intensified; her temper is a firework, burning bright and hot but sputtering out quickly. This is a major problem because Hesti culture values reserve and self-discipline; they consider things like crying to be undesirable masculine traits. Concorde is arrogant but deeply insecure; unstable but deeply ashamed of her outbursts of emotion. She wants control over anything else: control over herself, over her own mind, over her destiny.

But as independent as she desperately wants to be (everything she wants, she wants desperately), she also desperately wants to not be alone. It's her greatest fear; and part of why she's so terrified of death is because she's seen it, and its the loneliest thing imaginable. She wants to be loved so desperately and it cleaves her in two because what she is isn't compatible. All she ever does is lash out and destroy and burn bridges.

(i am so mean to her DX but she finds peace i prommy. i love her i want her to find peace)

[me-evolve-daily]

The Habit Loop Explained: Why Your Brain Loves Repetition

As creatures of habit, our daily actions are largely driven by the habit cycle, which accounts for 40 to 50% of what we do each day instead of conscious decision making. The failure rate of New Year’s resolutions proves this point — only 35% of people kept their 2020 resolutions, and a mere 19% stuck with them beyond two years, highlighting the challenges of changing habits.

The habit cycle’s three components are the cue, routine, and reward. This cycle shapes how our brain’s habits form and creates automatic behaviors that become part of our daily lives. The repeated combination of these elements develops a craving that powers the whole process, making it a habit-forming mechanism.

The science behind habits shows why creating new behaviors isn’t simple. Research indicates people need between 18 and 254 days to establish a new habit. This significant variation demonstrates the complexity of habit formation and explains why quick fixes rarely work when it comes to changing a habit. We’ll explore the habit cycle’s mechanics, the neuroscience of habit formation, and practical ways to make use of this knowledge to build better routines and change your habits.

What is the habit cycle and why it matters

A powerful neurological pattern shapes our daily actions beneath every automatic behavior. The habit cycle functions as a sophisticated feedback system. This mechanism allows our brains to transform repeated behaviors into automatic routines and frees up mental energy for complex tasks, illustrating how habits work in our daily lives.

Four distinct elements work together in the habit cycle to create automatic behaviors. The cue acts as a trigger that tells your brain to start a behavior. Your brain might respond to location-based cues, time-specific triggers, emotional states, people around you, or actions that came before. The cue then creates a craving that drives every habit. People don’t actually crave the habit — they want the change in their internal state it brings.

The response comes next as the actual habit you perform through thoughts or actions. Your motivation levels and the required effort determine whether a response happens. The reward finishes the loop. This satisfies your craving and teaches your brain which actions deserve remembering, playing a crucial role in habit-forming processes.

These four steps create an endless neurological feedback loop in our brains. The process splits into two phases. The problem phase (cue and craving) shows us something needs to change. The solution phase (response and reward) pushes us to take action.

This system holds great value for our brains because it optimizes our functioning. The brain creates hardwired information about our responses through repeated actions. This allows us to complete tasks without conscious awareness. Our daily actions reflect this efficiency — 40–50% happen through habits rather than conscious decisions.

The brain’s reward system plays a vital role here. Dopamine, a key neurotransmitter in our neurotransmitter systems, doesn’t spike during the reward. Instead, it increases in anticipation — right when cravings become active. This biological mechanism explains why breaking habits proves so challenging and why immediate rewards are so powerful in reinforcing behavioral patterns.

The habit cycle developed as a way to conserve energy. The basal ganglia in the forebrain takes control once habits form and lets actions happen automatically. The prefrontal cortex manages which habits activate moment by moment, demonstrating the interplay between different brain regions in habit formation.

Understanding what a habit is and how the habit cycle works provides the foundations for changing unwanted behaviors and building beneficial ones. We’ll explore these concepts more deeply in the sections that follow, including how to change a habit effectively.

How habits are formed in the brain

Our brains physically change as habits take root. A remarkable transition happens inside our skulls. The brain moves from conscious decisions to automatic behaviors, and a group of subcortical nuclei called the basal ganglia coordinates this change, showcasing the intricate process of developing a habit.

The prefrontal cortex actively works when we learn new behaviors. This demands our full attention and conscious effort. This brain region handles complex decision making while the dorsomedial striatum (DMS) manages goal-directed actions that need awareness of desired outcomes. Neurons in the striatum fire continuously as we perform these tasks.

Something fascinating happens with consistent practice. The dorsolateral striatum (DLS) starts to take control and lets habitual behavior run without conscious oversight. Scientists have noticed a dramatic change in neuron firing patterns as animals master habitual tasks. These patterns cluster at the start and end of routines instead of firing throughout. The brain uses this “bracketing pattern” to package behaviors it sees as valuable.

The striatum’s inhibitory neurons follow a matching pattern. They activate during learned sequences and might prevent interruptions until completion. This handoff from prefrontal cortex to striatum helps explain why 10-year old habits persist even when scientists experimentally deactivate the cortex. The involvement of the sensorimotor cortex in this process further illustrates the complexity of habit formation in the brain.

Dopamine works as the key reinforcement mechanism here. Each time we successfully perform a behavior, dopamine releases and deepens the thalamostriatal synapses. These neural pathways then become quicker until they work automatically without cortical input. This process involves complex corticostriatal circuits that are crucial for habit formation and maintenance.

This brain transformation shows neuroplasticity at work — knowing how to reorganize and strengthen connections between neurons. Studies reveal that repeated behaviors create new neural pathways while old habit connections become weaker. Neural networks grow stronger and more efficient as we repeat actions more often. They need smaller habit cues to activate the same network of brain cells.

The process of habit formation in the brain can be seen as a form of mental programming, where repeated behaviors become ingrained in our neural circuitry. This understanding of how habits are formed at a neurological level provides valuable insights into why changing habits can be challenging and how we can leverage this knowledge to create more effective behavioral strategies.

Using habit science to build better routines

Understanding how the habit cycle works gives you a powerful edge in creating new routines. You can use habit science to make positive behaviors automatic instead of depending on willpower alone, whether you’re trying to improve study habits or develop organizational habits.

Consistent tiny changes create most important results. Research shows that your brain adapts better to small habits compared to overwhelming ambitious goals. To name just one example, start with five-minute exercise sessions rather than committing to long workouts when you want to create a habit of regular physical activity.

Science proves that habit stacking helps embed new behaviors effectively. This technique uses existing neural pathways by connecting new habits to 10-year old ones. The simple formula works like this: “After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]”. Your morning coffee ritual can naturally trigger one minute of meditation, demonstrating how you can change your habits by building on existing ones.

The space around you shapes your habits powerfully. Studies show that visible good habits and hidden bad ones work better than motivation. Keep your workout clothes visible, place fruits where you can see them, and remove distracting apps from your phone’s home screen to make better choices easier. This approach to environmental design is one of the most effective behavioral strategies for habit change.

Identity-based habits are maybe even the deepest path to lasting change. Your brain processes habits differently when you focus on becoming someone who exercises daily rather than just wanting to lose weight. This shift in perspective can significantly impact the success of your habit-forming efforts.

Visual feedback drives your brain’s progress. People who track their journey toward goals like weight loss succeed twice as often as others. Remember that staying consistent matters more than being perfect. The “never miss twice” rule helps you bounce back from occasional slip-ups, which is crucial when changing a habit.

These proven strategies help you turn habit science into daily routines that last. By understanding concepts like reward devaluation and contingency degradation, you can design more effective habit-change interventions. For instance, recognizing how immediate rewards influence behavior can help you create more compelling incentives for sticking to new habits.

Conclusion

The habit cycle shapes nearly half of what we do each day — driven not by conscious decision-making, but by automatic routines. This guide unpacked how habits form through a cycle of cue, craving, response, and reward, and how consistent repetition rewires the brain for long-term change.

That’s exactly why Mevolve’s Habit Tracker is built to support this process — not fight it. Whether you’re forming a new fitness habit, breaking a screen-time loop, or adding mindful routines, Mevolve helps by:

Tracking your progress with visual feedback (streaks and charts)

Supporting multiple habit types (Yes/No, Timed, Number-based, and more)

Letting you start small, stack habits, and grow over time

Because behavior change isn’t about willpower — it’s about designing systems that match how your brain actually works. With Mevolve, you’re not just setting habits. You’re rewiring your life, one loop at a time.

Lasting behavior change needs patience and understanding. Many people want overnight changes, but science shows habit formation gradually reshapes our neural structure. All the same, this slower approach ended up creating more lasting results as new behaviors become automatic and need less conscious effort.

The habit cycle presents both a challenge and a chance. It explains why changing old habits is tough but also provides a blueprint to design better routines. So, people who become skilled at using this basic brain mechanism gain remarkable influence over their daily actions and future outcomes. By understanding and leveraging the principles of habit science, we can create more effective strategies for personal growth and development, transforming our behavioral patterns one habit at a time.

Talk to Us : https://go.mevolve.app/AE

Visit Website : https://go.mevolve.app/AF

[innovationalofficesolution]

Decision Paralysis vs. Decision Pulse: Escaping the Trap of Too Many Options

In today’s data-saturated business environment, decision-making has become more complex than ever. With dashboards overflowing with metrics, real-time feeds, and endless scenarios to consider, leaders often find themselves in a mental gridlock—unable to act swiftly or confidently. This phenomenon is known as decision paralysis. But there is a way out. Welcome to the concept of the Decision Pulse—a focused, AI-enhanced rhythm of decision-making that simplifies complexity without sacrificing accuracy.

Understanding Decision Paralysis

Decision paralysis occurs when an overload of choices or too much conflicting information causes hesitation, overthinking, and inaction. It's the enemy of momentum. Businesses facing decision paralysis suffer from delayed projects, missed opportunities, and a lack of agility in fast-moving markets. Whether it’s choosing between multiple strategies, technologies, or vendors, the result is often the same: uncertainty and stagnation.

Even high-performing teams can fall prey to this trap. The problem isn’t the lack of data—it’s the excess of it. The more dashboards, KPIs, and predictive models we have, the harder it becomes to filter signal from noise. Without a clear framework or trusted guidance system, businesses get stuck in loops of analysis, re-analysis, and indecision.

What is a Decision Pulse?

Decision Pulse is a breakthrough concept and tool offered through OfficeSolution’s advanced AI platform at https://decisionpulsegenai.com. It represents a structured, rhythmic approach to making decisions based on real-time intelligence, contextual awareness, and predictive analytics.

Unlike traditional models that rely heavily on historical data or manual interpretation, the Decision Pulse AI tool continuously scans key variables, prioritizes relevant insights, and presents decision-makers with actionable choices. It eliminates the noise and highlights what truly matters—at the right time.

Escaping the Trap with AI Precision

The way out of decision paralysis isn’t fewer tools—it’s smarter tools. Decision Pulse uses AI to streamline data inputs, weigh trade-offs, and generate strategic options ranked by potential impact. With clear visualizations and contextual reasoning, it enables leaders to decide with confidence, speed, and clarity.

Here’s how Decision Pulse helps teams escape the trap:

Real-Time Insight Prioritization: Only the most contextually relevant information is surfaced.

Automated Scenario Ranking: The AI evaluates potential paths and presents the best options, saving time and reducing doubt.

Collaborative Pulse Checks: Team members can sync their insights to identify shared confidence or concern.

Feedback Loop: Post-decision outcomes are fed back into the model, continuously improving future decisions.

From Overload to Action

In essence, Decision Pulse transforms a chaotic flood of options into a clear, rhythmic cadence of decision-making. It helps business leaders shift from reactive to proactive strategies. No more second-guessing or endless meetings—just decisive action backed by intelligence.

In the battle of Decision Paralysis vs. Decision Pulse, the choice is clear. Escape the overload, and find your rhythm with OfficeSolution’s AI-powered decision engine.

Discover more at https://decisionpulsegenai.com and take control of your decision journey—one pulse at a time.

[silktaskcom]

🚀 How to Assign Tasks to Remote Employees Without Overloading Them

Assigning tasks remotely can sometimes feel like you’re juggling multiple balls at once. Between emails, messaging apps, and endless to-do lists, it's easy for something to slip through the cracks. But here's the thing: managing tasks remotely doesn't have to be chaotic.

The secret? SilkTask.

The Problem: Remote Work Feels Like a Never-Ending To-Do List

If you're managing remote employees, you’ve probably encountered the problem of too many tasks and not enough visibility. You send an email or message, assign a task, and hope it gets done. But where's the clarity? Where's the accountability?

The problem isn’t the tasks themselves — it’s the process.

Step 1: Clear, Direct Task Assignment

When it comes to assigning tasks remotely, clarity is key. But how do you make sure everyone is on the same page? That’s where SilkTask steps in.

With SilkTask, you can:

Assign specific tasks directly to employees, without confusion.

Set clear deadlines and expectations.

Add detailed instructions and files, so everything is in one place.

Each employee gets a notification, and they know exactly what’s expected of them — no guessing, no ambiguity.

Step 2: Don’t Overload Your Team — Keep It Simple

One of the biggest mistakes managers make is overloading their team with too many tasks at once. It’s easy to think you’re being productive by piling on the work, but this can lead to burnout and confusion.

With SilkTask, you can:

Prioritize tasks to ensure the most important ones are tackled first.

Break down large projects into smaller, manageable tasks.

Monitor progress easily to see if your team is getting overloaded.

Rather than burdening your employees with a mountain of work, SilkTask helps you maintain a balance between productivity and well-being.

Step 3: Real-Time Tracking for Remote Teams

Tracking remote tasks can be tricky. With constant communication channels buzzing and no clear overview, things often get lost. However, SilkTask makes it easy for managers to track progress without constant check-ins.

From the manager dashboard, you can see at a glance:

What tasks are completed.

Which ones are still pending.

Where your team is struggling or falling behind.

This helps you stay on top of things without feeling the need to micromanage.

Step 4: Task Visibility for Employees — Keep It Focused

For your employees, it’s essential to only see what’s relevant to them. Overloading them with information from other team members can lead to distraction and frustration. SilkTask ensures that each user only sees their specific tasks.

This focused approach allows:

Employees to stay organized and on track.

Clear responsibility, reducing the chances of tasks being overlooked.

Less confusion since everyone knows exactly what’s on their plate.

Why SilkTask Works: Designed for Managers Who Need Results

Managing remote teams can often feel like an endless cycle of task delegation, progress checking, and updating. But SilkTask simplifies everything, putting control back into your hands without the stress.

It’s not just about assigning tasks. It’s about:

Creating a structured workflow for your team.

Giving you the power to track tasks without micromanaging.

Ensuring that employees have a focused view of their work, so they can complete tasks efficiently.

Step 5: Feedback Loop — Close the Communication Gap

One of the challenges in remote work is the lack of immediate feedback. It’s easy for employees to feel disconnected or unsure if they’re on the right track. With SilkTask, you can provide feedback directly on tasks, ensuring that everyone stays aligned.

When tasks are completed, you can:

Add comments or adjustments.

Let the employee know what went well or what could be improved.

Use the feedback to adjust future task assignments for greater efficiency.

This keeps communication open, clear, and immediate, allowing for better collaboration.

Step 6: Stay Ahead with Notifications and Reminders

A great feature of SilkTask is the ability to set reminders and notifications for upcoming deadlines. Your team will receive gentle reminders about due dates, ensuring nothing is forgotten.

And the best part? You don’t have to chase anyone down. The reminders go out automatically, so you can focus on more important tasks while your team stays on track.

Why SilkTask Is the Ultimate Tool for Task Assignment

SilkTask isn’t just another task manager. It’s a tool built with remote teams in mind — from construction crews on-site to remote tech teams working from home.

The key features that make SilkTask stand out:

Focused task views for each team member.

Real-time updates on task progress.

An intuitive dashboard that makes it easy to track everything.

Feedback loops that ensure constant improvement.

Wrapping It Up: Get More Done Without the Stress

If you're tired of juggling tasks through endless chats and emails, it’s time to make the switch to SilkTask. With its simple, effective task assignment features, you’ll get your team organized and keep everything on track — without the stress.

So, how to assign tasks to employees remotely? The answer is simple: SilkTask.

Ready to start assigning tasks like a pro? Try SilkTask today and give your team the structure they need to succeed.

[kavinderrawat]

Stop the Search! The Best Home Tutor in Dehradun Is Right Here at Saraswati Tutorials

In today’s highly competitive academic environment, even the most talented students can find it hard to keep up. Between school, extracurricular activities, and endless distractions, students often need a little extra help. That’s where home tuition steps in—not just to improve marks but to boost confidence, encourage curiosity, and unlock potential.

If you’ve ever Googled “Best Home Tutor in Dehradun”, your search probably gave you dozens of results. But among all those options, one name consistently stands out: Saraswati Tutorials. This trusted name is redefining personalized education in Dehradun, and today, we’re going to show you exactly why.

The Growing Need for Home Tuition in Dehradun

Let’s start with the big picture.

Dehradun is a hub of educational excellence, home to top schools like Doon International, Welham, and St. Joseph’s Academy. But as academic pressure rises, students often fall behind despite their best efforts.

Parents, understandably, want to provide their children with the best academic support—and classroom teaching alone is no longer enough.

That’s where home tuition becomes a necessity, not a luxury. The personalized guidance and one-on-one attention students get at home can make a world of difference. And when you’re talking about the Best Home Tutor in Dehradun, Saraswati Tutorials leads the pack.

Meet Saraswati Tutorials – Your Child’s Academic Companion

Saraswati Tutorials is not just another home tuition provider. It's a team of hand-picked, result-oriented educators who are passionate about student success. With years of teaching experience, deep subject knowledge, and modern teaching techniques, Saraswati Tutorials helps students from Class 1 to Class 12 achieve academic excellence.

From Science and Mathematics to English and Accountancy, their tutors offer full-spectrum support tailored to your child’s needs.

And what makes them the Best Home Tutor in Dehradun is their commitment to not just improving grades—but transforming how your child learns.

Who Can Benefit from Saraswati Tutorials?

The short answer? Everyone.

Whether your child is:

In primary school and needs a strong academic foundation,

In middle school and struggling with key subjects,

In high school preparing for board exams,

Or in senior secondary gearing up for competitive exams...

Saraswati Tutorials has a tutor ready to guide them.

Their customized approach ensures that every student gets what they specifically need—no one-size-fits-all lessons here!

Why Saraswati Tutorials Is the Best Home Tutor in Dehradun

There are several tuition providers out there, so what makes Saraswati Tutorials special? Here’s a deep dive into the reasons they are rated as the Best Home Tutor in Dehradun:

1. Expert Tutors for Every Subject

All tutors are highly qualified professionals, with experience in handling school curriculums of CBSE, ICSE, and State Boards. From Maths wizards to English experts and science specialists, your child gets nothing less than top-tier teaching.

2. Customized Learning Plans

No two students are alike. That’s why Saraswati Tutorials designs personalized lesson plans tailored to your child’s strengths, weaknesses, and learning speed.

3. Interactive and Engaging Teaching Style

Gone are the days of boring textbook teaching. Tutors use real-life examples, visuals, and interactive tools to make concepts stick and subjects interesting.

4. Regular Assessments & Progress Reports

You’ll never have to wonder how your child is doing. Regular tests, quizzes, and feedback reports keep both students and parents in the loop.

5. Flexible Scheduling

Busy schedule? No problem. Tutors are available for early morning, afternoon, or evening sessions based on your convenience.

6. Affordable Pricing

Quality education shouldn’t burn a hole in your pocket. Saraswati Tutorials offers budget-friendly packages for all classes and subjects.

Areas Covered in Dehradun

Worried that your location might be too far? Don't be. Saraswati Tutorials provides home tutors across all major areas of Dehradun, including:

Rajpur Road

Dharampur

Clement Town

Raipur

Prem Nagar

Vasant Vihar

Balliwala

Sahastradhara Road

Jakhan

Nehru Colony

Whether you’re near the city center or in the suburbs, help is just a call away.

Real Success Stories – Parents and Students Speak

Shalini Agarwal (Parent, Class 8 Student): "Saraswati Tutorials has been a blessing! My daughter hated maths until we got a tutor from here. Now, she actually enjoys it and scores above 85%."

Aman Joshi (Class 12 Student): "I was struggling with Chemistry until Saraswati Tutorials stepped in. The tutor simplified every chapter and gave me regular tests. I scored 92% in boards!"

These are just glimpses of how Saraswati Tutorials is transforming learning across Dehradun.

Beyond Academics – Life Skills and Motivation

What makes a truly Best Home Tutor in Dehradun is not just marks—but mentorship.

Saraswati Tutorials goes the extra mile by helping students build:

Confidence

Time management skills

Discipline and focus

Communication skills

Exam stress handling strategies

In a world filled with distractions, this kind of mentorship is priceless.

How to Get Started with Saraswati Tutorials

Getting started is easier than ever:

Contact Saraswati Tutorials via phone or WhatsApp.

Share your child’s academic details and subject requirements.

Schedule a free demo class.

Choose from weekly, bi-weekly, or daily tutoring plans.

Start your child’s journey toward better grades and greater confidence!

Final Words: Because Your Child Deserves the Best

As a parent, you don’t just want a tutor—you want someone who understands your child, motivates them, and brings out the best in them. That’s exactly what Saraswati Tutorials delivers.

So, if you’re still searching for the Best Home Tutor in Dehradun, stop the search today. Saraswati Tutorials is not just a service—it’s a partnership for your child’s future.

Make the smart choice. Book your home tutor now. Your child’s brighter future starts today!

[davidwhinney1996]

The Hidden Trait All Award-Winning Entrepreneurs Share (Spoiler: It’s Not Hard Work)

You’re an entrepreneur chasing success, but the endless grind isn’t delivering the wins you expected. Everyone talks about working harder, but the most celebrated founders — those winning awards from Silicon Valley to Singapore — share a different secret: they think in systems and design for global impact. This isn’t about hustling more; it’s about building smarter. Below, I’ll break down why systems thinking and a global mindset are the real game-changers, using clear examples, practical steps, and data to show you how to adopt these traits. This guide will give you a playbook to rethink your approach, scale your venture, and stand out in a crowded market.

The Hustle Myth: Why Hard Work Alone Fails

You’ve heard the stories: founders pulling all-nighters, living on coffee, and boasting about 100-hour weeks. In the U.S., this hustle culture is practically a religion. But here’s the truth: hard work alone doesn’t guarantee success. Most startups — 75% in the U.S. — fail because they can’t scale beyond a scrappy prototype. Meanwhile, 89% of award-winning founders, according to Forbes, credit their success to systems-first strategies, not just effort.

The Trap of Grind Culture

Hustle feels productive, but it’s a trap. A Gallup study found 62% of U.S. entrepreneurs feel burnt out often, leading to bad decisions, high team turnover, and stalled creativity. Venture capital data from CB Insights (2023) shows only 10% of VC-backed startups reach a successful exit. Why? Founders prioritize speed over structure, patching together solutions without planning for scale.

Take BlitzGo, a logistics startup once called “the Uber for delivery.” They raised $80 million in 18 months and expanded to 15 cities. Their team worked grueling hours, but they ignored their tech stack’s weaknesses and skipped long-term planning. The result? Service outages, lawsuits, and collapse within two years. Their failure wasn’t about effort — it was about neglecting systems.

What Awards Really Value

Top awards like Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas or MIT’s Solve don’t care about your sleep schedule. They reward founders who solve root causes, scale efficiently, and prioritize sustainability. For example, a 2022 World Changing Ideas winner created an API ecosystem to bank the unbanked in Latin America. They didn’t just build an app — they rethought financial access. Awards signal who’s building for the future, not who’s working the hardest.

Why Hustle Isn’t Enough

The Hidden Trait: Systems Thinking and Global Mindset

So, what sets award-winning entrepreneurs apart? It’s their ability to think in systems and design for global impact. These founders don’t just fix problems — they rewire the world around them. Let’s unpack what this means and how you can apply it.

What Is Systems Thinking?

Systems thinking means seeing problems as parts of a larger whole. Instead of tackling issues one by one, you design solutions that address root causes and anticipate ripple effects. Ask yourself:

How does my solution impact other parts of the market?

What happens when my business scales?

How can I build something that gets stronger over time?

Take Stripe, the payment platform. They didn’t just create a checkout tool — they built global infrastructure for transactions, handling currency conversions, fraud detection, and regulations. Their systems approach powers businesses from Nairobi to Berlin. To think like this, focus on:

Solving root causes, not symptoms.

Building adaptable systems.

Planning for feedback loops

Embracing complexity without overcomplicating.

What Is a Global Mindset?

A global mindset means designing solutions that work across cultures, economies, and regulations from day one. You see the world as one opportunity, not separate markets. Zoom, for instance, became a global leader during COVID-19 because its interface worked for everyone, it handled varying internet speeds, and it offered pricing for different economies. Competitors stayed local and fell behind. To build this mindset:

Adapt to cultural differences.

Navigate global regulations like GDPR

Localize without losing your core value

Plan for global supply chains and teams.

Real-World Examples

Let’s look at two founders who nailed this approach.

Jessica Jackley, Kiva: Jackley saw that poverty wasn’t just about money — it was about access to trust. Her platform connects lenders to entrepreneurs worldwide, building credit reputations through repayments. Kiva operates in 80+ countries, has lent $1.6 billion, and won awards like the Skoll Foundation prize. Jackley’s global mindset — translating the platform into 15+ languages and partnering across continents — made it scalable.

Patagonia’s Circular Economy: Patagonia tackled the apparel industry’s pollution problem by rethinking consumption. Their Worn Wear program repairs and resells gear, encouraging customers to buy less. They scaled this globally, adapting to markets like Japan and Europe, and earned UN Champions of the Earth recognition. Their systems approach turned sustainability into profit, with over $1 billion in revenue.

Why Awards Love This

Awards like the Global Impact Award (GIA) spotlight founders who solve big problems with scalable systems. Judges ask:

Can your solution grow across borders?

Does it tackle root issues?

Does it create positive ripple effects?

Data backs this up: Crunchbase (2023) found award-winning startups are 60% more likely to secure Series B funding. Awards aren’t just trophies — they predict who’s building the future.

Why This Trait Rules the New Economy

Today’s challenges — climate change, pandemics, AI ethics — don’t stop at borders. If your startup thinks local, it’s already behind. Here’s why systems thinking and global scalability are non-negotiable.

Global Problems Need Global Solutions

Issues like climate change or data privacy demand solutions that work everywhere. Nielsen (2023) found 83% of U.S. consumers prefer brands with social responsibility, and 70% of Gen Z prioritize global impact. Investors agree: PitchBook reported $50 billion poured into climate tech in 2023. If you’re not thinking globally, you’re missing the market.

Impossible Foods shows how it’s done. They created plant-based meat for global tastes, like pork substitutes for China, and navigated diverse regulations. From a Silicon Valley startup, they hit a $7 billion valuation with partnerships like Burger King. Local-only startups, meanwhile, hit growth limits fast and struggle for capital.

Investors Bet on Systems

Venture capitalists no longer chase the hardest worker — they back founders who see the world as a system. Andreessen Horowitz’s $3 billion climate fund invests in grid management, carbon accounting, and food systems, not just single products. Why? Systems-driven startups have bigger markets, stronger network effects, and appeal to regulators. PwC (2023) found 78% of top-performing startups at Series C focus on systemic solutions.

Talent Wants Impact

Top engineers and designers want more than a paycheck — they want to shape industries. Systems-driven startups like Flexport, a logistics platform, attract talent from Amazon and Google because they’re rethinking global trade. Operating in 200+ ports, Flexport raised $2.3 billion by solving systemic problems, not small pain points. If you want the best team, offer a mission that matters.

How Awards Amplify Your Impact

Recognition isn’t just a pat on the back — it’s a launchpad. Awards like the Global Impact Award (GIA) give you credibility, exposure, and connections to scale faster.

Why Awards Matter

Credibility: Investors trust award-winners — 78% say awards influence their decisions (Crunchbase, 2023). Customers are 2.4x more likely to buy from recognized brands (Edelman, 2023).

Exposure: Winners see a 400–600% spike in media coverage, landing in Forbes or TechCrunch.

Partnerships: Corporations seek award-winners for ESG-driven collaborations.

The Global Impact Award (GIA)

GIA honors founders who blend innovation with UN Sustainable Development Goals. It rewards systems thinking and global scalability in areas like climate tech, health, and financial inclusion. Judges — former Google X leaders, UN chiefs, and VCs from Sequoia — look for:

Scalable solutions that cross borders.

Root-cause problem-solving.

Cultural adaptability.

Winners get mentorship from founders like Airbnb’s Joe Gebbia, investor introductions, and accelerator partnerships. For example, 2022 GIA winner EcoWave, an AI carbon capture startup, scaled to 12 countries and hit a $2 billion valuation by 2024.

Why U.S. Founders Excel

U.S. startups often lead GIA because they bake systems thinking and global plans into their DNA. Companies like OpenAI or Upside Foods design for worldwide impact from the start. GIA nominations from the U.S. have grown 40% annually, and 60% of winners secure funding within a year.

Why Sponsors Love GIA

Corporations and VCs back GIA to align with innovators, spot unicorns early, and build credibility. Lightspeed Venture Partners called GIA a “pipeline for future system architects.” Sponsorships give them access to startups reshaping industries.

Your Playbook: How to Build These Traits

You don’t need to be born with systems thinking or a global mindset — they’re skills you can develop. Here’s a step-by-step guide to start today.

Map Your Ripple Effects

Before scaling, understand how your solution impacts the world. Most founders focus on users or funding — you need to see the bigger picture.

Exercise: Systems Mapping

Define Your Solution: Say you’re building a telehealth platform for rural patients.

List Primary Effects: It cuts travel time, eases hospital loads, and boosts early diagnosis.

Identify Secondary Effects: Insurance shifts to preventive care, transportation demand drops, drug supply chains adapt.

Plan for Risks: Address digital divides or cybersecurity threats.

Use tools like Kumu.io or Mural to visualize this. Mapping helps you build a resilient model. If your solution doesn’t shift systems, rethink your scope.

Design for Global Scalability

Winning locally is fine, but global impact transforms your venture. Look at Calm, the meditation app. They adapted to Japan’s sleep preferences, France’s meditation styles, and 50+ languages, hitting a $2 billion valuation. To scale like this:

Solve Universal Problems: Focus on stress, energy, or finance — issues that cross cultures.

Build Flexible Products: Adapt UI for local reading habits or payment methods like mobile money in Africa.

Plan for Compliance: Study GDPR, HIPAA, or PDPA early to avoid legal pitfalls.

Hire Local Advisors: They’ll help you navigate cultural and regulatory nuances

Leverage Recognition

Awards like GIA are strategic tools to refine your pitch and build networks. To win:

Tell a Systems Story: Don’t just pitch your product — show how it reshapes industries. Instead of “we cut food waste,” say, “we’re redesigning agriculture to slash emissions and boost rural economies.

Highlight Global Potential: Share plans for multi-region expansion or early international pilots.

Target the Right Awards: Apply to GIA, Skoll Awards, or MIT Solve for systems-focused recognition.

Even if you don’t win, GIA’s judge feedback can sharpen your strategy. Finalists see a 3.5x increase in investor interest and 5x more partnership requests.

Practice Systems Thinking Daily

Train your brain to see connections. Try these habits:

Ask “What’s Next?”: If you solve a problem, what new issues arise? If you cut delivery times, how does that affect warehouses or drivers?

Study Other Industries: Read how healthcare or logistics solves systemic issues to spark ideas.

Talk to Diverse Stakeholders: Customers, suppliers, and regulators reveal hidden system dynamics.

Build a Global Network

Connect with people who’ve scaled globally. Attend events like Web Summit or reach out to GIA alumni on LinkedIn. Ask:

How did you adapt to new markets?

What surprised you about global regulations?

How did you localize without losing your brand

Deep Dive: Expanding Systems Thinking

To make this trait second nature, let’s explore it further with practical tools, case studies, and exercises. This section will help you internalize systems thinking and apply it to every decision.

Tool 1: Causal Loop Diagrams

Causal loop diagrams map how actions create feedback loops. Say you’re launching a renewable energy startup. Your diagram might show:

More solar panels lower energy costs

Lower costs increase demand.

Higher demand drives R&D investment.

R&D improves panel efficiency, further cutting costs.

But it might also reveal risks, like oversupply crashing prices. Use free tools like Loopy (ncase.me/loopy) to sketch these loops. Spend 30 minutes mapping your venture’s feedback loops to spot opportunities and risks.

Tool 2: Scenario Planning

Systems thinkers anticipate change. Scenario planning helps you prepare for different futures. For your startup:

Best Case: Your product scales globally, regulations loosen, and demand soars.

Worst Case: Supply chains break, competitors copy you, and funding dries up.

Likely Case: Steady growth with regional challenges

Write a one-page plan for each scenario. How will you adapt? This exercise builds resilience into your strategy.

Case Study: Airbnb’s Systems Approach

Airbnb didn’t just create a booking platform — they rethought hospitality. Their systems approach:

Root Cause: Travelers wanted authentic, affordable stays; locals had spare rooms.

Ecosystem: Built trust with reviews, secure payments, and host insurance

Global Scale: Localized listings for 190+ countries, handling diverse currencies and laws.

When COVID hit, they pivoted to virtual experiences, proving their system’s adaptability. Their $100 billion valuation reflects this resilience. Ask yourself: How can your startup create an ecosystem, not just a product?

Exercise: The 5 Whys

To find root causes, use the “5 Whys” method. Pick a problem in your venture, like low user retention. Ask “Why?” five times:

Why do users leave? The app crashes often.

Why does it crash? Our code isn’t optimized.

Why isn’t it optimized? We rushed development.

Why did we rush? We prioritized speed over quality.

Why prioritize speed? We feared losing market share.

Root cause: Fear of competition drove poor choices. Now you can fix the real issue — balancing speed and quality. Try this with any challenge you face.

Overcoming Common Pitfalls

Systems thinking sounds great, but it’s easy to mess up. Watch out for:

Overcomplicating: Don’t map every possible connection. Focus on the top 3–5 ripple effects.

Ignoring Stakeholders: Talk to customers and partners to validate your assumptions.

Staying Static: Systems evolve. Revisit your maps every quarter.

Scaling Globally: Advanced Strategies

A global mindset isn’t just about translation — it’s about building a venture that thrives anywhere. Let’s dive deeper into how to make this happen.

Understand Cultural Nuances

Cultures shape how people use products. In Japan, users value privacy and minimalism; in India, affordability often trumps features. Before entering a market:

Research Local Values: Use Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions to compare countries.

Test with Locals: Run small pilots to catch UI or messaging flaws.

Hire Cultural Experts: A local marketer can spot issues you’d miss.

Example: Netflix struggled in India until they offered mobile-only plans and local content like “Sacred Games.” Now they have 15 million Indian subscribers. What cultural tweaks could make your product click in a new market?

Navigate Regulatory Mazes

Global expansion means tackling laws like Europe’s GDPR or China’s data localization rules. Mistakes can sink you. To stay ahead:

Hire Compliance Experts: A lawyer familiar with local laws is worth their weight in gold.

Build Flexible Systems: Design your platform to toggle features based on regional rules.

Monitor Changes: Use tools like RegTech to track evolving regulations.

Example: Google faced $5 billion in GDPR fines for privacy violations. They now invest heavily in compliance teams. How will you avoid regulatory traps?

Localize Smartly

Localization isn’t just language — it’s about fitting the local context. For example:

Pricing: Spotify offers student discounts in India but not in Sweden, where incomes are higher.

Features: Uber added cash payments in Mexico, where cards are less common.

Marketing: Coca-Cola uses family-focused ads in Asia but adventure themes in the U.S.

Start with one market, test your localization, and iterate. What’s one feature you could tweak for a new region?

Build Global Teams

Remote work makes global teams easier than ever. To make it work:

Hire for Diversity: A team from different backgrounds spots global opportunities.

Use Async Communication: Tools like Slack keep time zones from slowing you down.

Foster Inclusion: Regular virtual meetups build trust across cultures.

Example: GitLab, a fully remote company, has 1,500 employees in 65 countries. Their handbook shares workflows anyone can follow. How can you tap global talent to scale?

Maximizing Awards: A Strategic Edge

Awards like GIA aren’t just for bragging — they’re tools to grow faster. Let’s explore how to apply and leverage them effectively.

Crafting a Winning Application

Your GIA application needs to stand out. Here’s how:

Show Systems Impact: Explain how your solution reshapes markets. For example, a clean energy startup might highlight how it cuts grid reliance, boosts jobs, and lowers emissions.

Prove Scalability: Share a roadmap for global expansion, even if it’s early-stage.

Highlight Metrics: Judges love data — show user growth, cost savings, or environmental impact.

Be Authentic: Share your personal “why” to connect emotionally.

Spend a week refining your pitch. Ask a mentor to review it. What’s the biggest system your venture could reshape?

Networking Through Awards

Even applying to GIA connects you to judges, sponsors, and finalists. To maximize this:

Follow Up: Email judges post-event to thank them and share updates.

Engage Sponsors: Reach out to corporate sponsors like Lightspeed for partnership talks.

Join the Community: GIA alumni often mentor new applicants — tap into their wisdom.

Example: A GIA finalist in 2023 landed a $10 million deal with a sponsor after a post-award coffee chat. Who in the GIA network could open doors for you?

Using Awards for Growth

Winning (or even being nominated) unlocks doors. To capitalize:

Update Your Brand: Add “GIA Finalist” to your website and pitch deck

Pitch Media: Reach out to TechCrunch or Forbes with your award story.

Leverage Mentors: Use GIA’s mentorship to refine your strategy.

Example: EcoWave used their GIA win to secure Tesla partnerships, boosting credibility. How could an award reshape your startup’s trajectory?

The Long Game: Building for 2030 and Beyond

Systems thinking and global scalability aren’t quick fixes — they’re how you build a venture that lasts. Let’s look at trends shaping the future and how to stay ahead.

Trend 1: Climate-Driven Markets

Climate tech is booming, with $50 billion invested in 2023. Consumers and governments demand sustainability. To ride this wave:

Embed ESG Goals: Make environmental and social impact core to your model, like Patagonia.

Target Green Funding: Apply to funds like Breakthrough Energy Ventures

Measure Impact: Use tools like B Lab to track your carbon footprint.

What’s one way your startup could address climate challenges?

Trend 2: AI and Ethics

AI is reshaping industries, but ethical concerns — like bias or privacy — are growing. To lead here:

Build Transparent AI: Share how your algorithms work to build trust.

Prioritize Fairness: Test for bias in diverse markets.

Engage Regulators: Join AI ethics forums to shape policies.

Example: Hugging Face, a GIA winner, democratizes AI with open-source models, earning trust globally. How can you make AI a force for good in your venture?

Trend 3: Inclusive Economies

Financial inclusion, education access, and healthcare equity are massive opportunities. To tap them:

Serve Underserved Markets: Design for low-income or rural users

Partner with NGOs: They can help you reach new communities.

Use Tech for Scale: Mobile platforms can deliver services cheaply.

Example: Kiva’s microloans reach millions because they focus on inclusion. What underserved group could your startup empower?

Staying Ahead

To keep your edge:

Read Widely: Follow reports like Mary Meeker’s Internet Trends for market shifts.

Join Global Networks: Groups like Y Combinator or Techstars connect you to innovators.

Iterate Fast: Test new markets or features every 6 months.

Where do you want your startup to be in 2030? Start building that vision today.

Your Next Steps

You’ve got the tools to think in systems and scale globally. Now it’s time to act. Here’s what to do this week:

Map Your System: Spend an hour sketching your venture’s ripple effects. What’s one secondary impact you hadn’t considered

Research a New Market: Pick one country and study its cultural and regulatory needs. How would your product adapt

Apply to an Award: Check out GIA’s website (x.ai/gia) and draft an application. Even the process will clarify your strategy.

Connect with a Mentor: Find a GIA alum or systems thinker on LinkedIn and ask for 15 minutes of advice.

The founders dominating the future aren’t the hardest workers — they’re the smartest architects. You can be one of them. What’s the first system you’ll redesign?

[slopegame1]

Why Slope Game Feels So Fun: The Pure Joy of Speed and Focus

In the world of online gaming, some titles captivate players not through deep stories or fancy graphics—but through pure, raw gameplay. Slope Game is one of those rare experiences. It offers no plot, no characters, and no upgrades. Yet somehow, it delivers an intense, addictive kind of fun that’s hard to explain and even harder to stop playing.

So why does Slope Game feel so good to play? What makes it more than just a simple endless runner? Let’s explore the emotional side of this arcade hit, and why it brings players back again and again.

Instant Engagement: The Fun Starts Right Away

One of the most satisfying things about Slope Game is how fast you get into the action. You open the browser, click "play," and boom—you’re already rolling.

This instant entry means you don’t waste a second. There's no loading screen, no login, no tutorial. From the very beginning, you’re engaged and active. That’s the kind of experience that modern players crave—quick, clean, and immediate fun.

The Thrill of Speed

Slope Game starts off fast and gets faster with every second. And with that speed comes adrenaline.

Your heart rate rises. Your hands move instinctively. You become laser-focused on dodging every red block, every sharp turn. It’s a rush—like a rollercoaster you control with your own reflexes.

This feeling of rapid acceleration gives the game an exhilarating rhythm, and it keeps players emotionally hooked. The faster you go, the more alive you feel.

“Just One More Run” Energy

A core part of Slope Game’s fun factor is how quick each round is. You crash? No problem. Restart takes one click. You’re instantly back in.

That makes every failure feel like a chance to improve, not a punishment. It’s not frustrating—it’s motivating. You want to go again. And again. And again.

This “just one more run” loop is one of the oldest tricks in the arcade book—and Slope Game uses it perfectly.

Entering the Flow State

If you’ve played Slope Game for more than a few minutes, you’ve probably entered the flow state—that magical zone where everything else fades away and your brain locks into the game.

It’s just you, the ball, and the slope.

You’re not thinking. You’re reacting. Every move is smooth, intuitive, and automatic. You lose track of time. Ten minutes pass in what feels like two.

This mental immersion is deeply satisfying, and it’s why so many people describe Slope as relaxing and exciting at the same time.

Low Pressure, High Reward

Slope Game doesn’t punish you with lives, time limits, or level requirements. There’s no pressure to reach a checkpoint or unlock an achievement.

At the same time, every extra second you survive feels like a win. You beat your last score. You went farther. You stayed alive just a little longer.

This balance of low pressure but high reward makes the game incredibly appealing for casual players. It’s fun without stress. Challenging, but not overwhelming.

A Break From Everything Else

In a world full of noise—notifications, news, messages—Slope Game offers a break.

For a few minutes (or hours), it lets you disconnect. There’s no story to follow, no decision-making, no multitasking. It’s simple. Focused. Pure.

That makes it the perfect mental reset. Whether you’re between tasks, waiting in a queue, or just bored, the game gives your brain a satisfying task that feels good and keeps you focused.

Visual and Audio Satisfaction

Slope Game doesn’t overdo the visuals or sound, but what’s there is perfectly tuned for fun.

The glowing neon colors feel modern and energizing.

The contrast of the green ball against red obstacles keeps your eyes focused.

The smooth motion and gravity physics feel satisfying and natural.

The subtle background music and sound effects add tension without being distracting.

Altogether, the audio-visual feedback is tightly connected to your actions, reinforcing that every movement matters—and feels great.

It Feels Like Skill, Not Luck

One of the most enjoyable aspects of Slope Game is the belief that you can always get better.

Each crash teaches you something:

Maybe you turned too late.

Maybe you didn’t line up for that jump.

Maybe you panicked under pressure.

But there’s no RNG (random number generator) that decides your fate. It’s all skill—and that makes progress feel authentic and satisfying. When you finally break your personal record, you feel proud. You earned it.

Accessible for Everyone

Slope Game is free, lightweight, and browser-based. That means:

No downloads

No installs

No payment

Anyone with a device and a keyboard can jump in. This low barrier makes it easy to share with friends or compete for high scores, increasing its fun through social play—even without multiplayer features.

Whether you’re 8 or 38, gaming veteran or total newbie, everyone has fun in Slope.

Final Thoughts: Simple Joys Are the Best Joys

Slope Game proves a powerful truth in gaming: you don’t need much to have a lot of fun.

It’s just a ball, a slope, and some obstacles—but it creates a feeling of speed, flow, excitement, and joy that’s hard to match. It’s the kind of game that brings a smile, a laugh, and the inevitable “Let me try again.”

If you haven’t experienced that joy yet, now’s the perfect time to dive in.

[dhap53]

Ouroboros: Chapter 40

Our first matchup was against a witch, mage, and priest. Staring at the schedule, we were to go against them in the morning. Now, in fact. It was outside of our typical queueing time. But I didn’t think it mattered much.

In real life, my old habit of shutting doors started up again. Shutting them once. Twice. Thrice. Four times. It was always four times. It had to be in pairs. I couldn’t believe that this was happening, being in such a tourney of people. It was a pleasant distraction. In the background, I was surfing the internet, reading up on the current news happening in Japan and China. Nothing too noteworthy. Nothing that was pertinent to my eye.

I tried to focus on what was happening in the game, to the surrounding people. My thoughts were oscillating, however. The endless feedback loop of heavyhearted, dolefulness. If I lost, however, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. It was a time sink. Something to keep me busy until the next thing, the next one, but the problem was: I was someone who played to win. A highly competitive person. I remained on my feet. Remaining in some spot for too long—it drove me insane, made me motivated to do more.

[General] Tiffany: company has no idea what they're doing. content is overtuned, devs are tone-deaf and won't listen to feedback

[General] Platinumkappa: [message removed by moderator]

[General] Davidcopperfield: is it that bad

[General] Gerald: sounds like a case of the Mondays

[General] Deathdestroyer: would be lovely if you'd be more specific with how it's hard instead of qqing about how ur bad and not a scrub

[General] Yuridk: byeeeeeeeee unsub loser meanwhile im having fun :)

They were talking about the current patch, but all I was thinking about was this tournament and not fucking it up. Being in front of an audience and performing was nerve-wracking. I was the girl in the background, going into the bars, securing deals with neighboring factions. Maybe I had a drink one too many here and there, but that was besides the point. I had done my best to maintain peace within Fuzhou, fending businesses from each other. The money. I made so much money for my father. And I was going to make him even more money by uniting two of the strongest organizations in the mainland together. Too bad I decided against that fate, escaping his clutches and going to Japan.

Maksim approached me, metal staff in a balled fist. Feathers fell from the top as he towered over me, his robes flowing into the earth. They were the best tier set the game offered; we’d grinded up for weeks repeating the same dungeons, developing our routine for the competition. Getting the best gear was a chore, going through the dungeons and picking what was best in slot for our role was an arduous task because we kept getting garbage. Trash. Over and over again. Gear for slots that we didn’t need or armor we couldn’t wear. It was the type of game that we kept queueing into, playing, thinking that the right one would drop.

But here we were, on the day of the tourney, where audience members were crowding around us, waiting for the tournament to begin. In real life, my knees were knobby. I hadn’t been this nervous since the great removal of my traitorous uncle Wang who stole from my father 262,000 yuan—taking with him a battalion of men who were ferociously loyal to my father, supposedly. When my father was building his empire in Fuzhou, he had nothing but the scraps of man, a group of friends who only envisioned a better future. The future of a better community. The community where the working man would be in charge and then some. However, people departed, they took their money, they took people with them too; corruption was one hell of a thing in the system. Money was one of those things that ruined people from the inside out. A thing that wormed its way into the body and destroyed it.

“Your father has people here.” Maksim was quiet where no one could hear us. I was surprised he was saying it in the game.

“What makes you say that?” I asked, and I wanted to take off my VR headset and talk to him face-to-face because this was a matter of personal security, one of those things that required discretion.

“A friend of a friend told me.” And Maksim was lowering his staff, keeping it close to him. “Discerning who it is, you need to watch out.”

I inhaled. He was right. If I didn’t want to be dragged back into Fuzhou, back into that place where things would be left to the discretion of my father, where it would be me marrying some tech boy who was into cryptocurrency that was inherently bad for the environment and leading to the world’s destruction. The complex solving of arithmetic problems that was crypto farms only led to the destruction of beautiful flora of the planet. Biodiversity of the planet that deserved to be here and remain here.

The planet was only getting hotter, the more complex hardware coming out and people eating it up like hotcakes.

The sprawling metropolis that was Fuzhou, however, was one of those places that lacked those damnable farms, lacked the people who would use their GPUs as heaters in the wintertime, jokingly, as opposed to the Westerners. Many Chinese people would emigrate to the west, fleeing to so-called democracy, claiming they were being hampered by the government, cracked down by it. It was one of those realities that they needed to come to terms with, however; it was a condemnable thing, overall. Contributing to the downfall of humanity was a sinful act, one of those pernicious things that would usher in the next step of the world, a world of darkness and twilight. Billions of people were on the planet, growing, and, with it, came consequences of such a thing. Resource usage. The upheaval of land. Biodiversity loss.

I was shaking with excitement when we got inside the tournament realm, bouncing on my toes. I prepared for this day, waiting for the news to break out. My Russian was rusty, I wasn’t certain what our opposing team was named, other than “zak” meant to act which I had planned to do. Maksim was typing away at his keyboard; I could only imagine who he was speaking with. Hopefully, it wasn’t anyone that would stand at my door.

“Got another job for you,” he said stiffly. Maksim was inside the lobby with me, looking directly at me. “Another simple drop off. It will be a quick thing.”

I bobbed my head. 

“I also have my own job served up to me.”

I couldn’t fight the smile inching on my face. “Back to the old con ways?”

And he shrugged. “Going stir crazy here. You know me.”

Gladvlad entered the lobby with us, his dark armor sparkling in the dimly lit area. “Glad I could make it, heh.”

Maksim and I exchanged looks. “Right on time.”

I checked the time, going over how much longer we had until the match. Only five more minutes. I was on edge. Counting down the seconds was agonizing. No different from taking a cheese grater to someone’s cheek. And I saw one of my men do that before.

“Let’s go ahead inside,” and Gladvlad was gesturing towards the portal to the arena. His back disappeared into pixels, dispersing.

On my feet, I took my VR headset off and shut the door again and again. In pairs. Four times. I couldn’t believe this habit started again of all things. I thought I beat this habit. Maksim was looking at me with a vacant stare, wordlessly. He knew this was something I did to relieve tension. “Done?” he asked with a half smile.

“Yes.” I sat down in my chair and resumed my game. We both took the portal inside the arena to the crowd, whistling and clamoring. We were the first match. Something that everyone hyper focused on and invested their attention to. They

The referee came out, holding his arm out. He held us, watching us and counted down.

3.

2.

1.

“Go!”

And I enveloped myself in a dark cloak, hampering the shadowy ball of attacks bursting at my body, dealing minimal amounts of damage. I fell forward, coalescing into reality, leaping across the area and behind the mage and snapkicking her down. She fell, knees digging into the surface, but she grabbed my shoulder, rippling her magic, shattering my health halfway.

I backed away from her, lurching; I noted Maksim and Glad who was going after the witch who was materializing miniature skulls and pitching them at Glad. 

He swung his axe, deep, embedding it into the hand of the witch who tried to mitigate it. She was gritting her teeth, holding back the cleaver, rivulets of blood coming down her skin, her health fading. Her violet robe danced around her ankles as Glad pushed her backwards, embedding the axe furthering into her hand, yielding it useless. He chopped it right in half. Off came the joints.

I disabled the mage, driving my elbow into her chin, her head going skyward. Her body landed on the ground in a hard splat.

I was over at the priest in no time who was mending the wounds of the witch at a distance. I threw dirks at him that exploded in confetti and fireworks once they hit. They were filled with a debilitating poison, rendering his spells useless for the time. Glad was still working on the witch, lifting his axe with both his hands and up out of the witch. She spat shadows onto him, acid, eating into his armor through her teeth. 

He roared, taking his weapon, and drove it through her neck in one swoop. A clean cut. Her head went rolling, blonde hair tangled with her essence spilling out on the arena stage.

The audience was whistling and hollering. They roared with excitement. Glad and I were at the mage who was lifting clawed hands. Her eyes glowed with enormous sapphires, growing in diameter. She crashed an enormous amount of arcane energy into us, knocking us back. Maksim swiftly mended our scuffs and scrapes, and we were back on our feet again, diving after the mage. She gripped her staff, shoving it into the earth. 

In the corner of my eye, I saw the priest chanting a lengthy spell, his book flipping pages wildly. Glad plummeted his axe into the mage, but she easily repelled it. Her cerulean robes burst with power as she made him collapse to the ground. Glad writhed in agony. The metal clanged against the ground in a scraping sound.

I surged twilight magic into my daggers, preparing for a fatal attack. I beelined for the priest and slammed his book shut. The next second, he was cracking his staff against my skull, dropping me to the ground in a thud. He made me eat the end of his staff no different from a spear, eating away at my life.

I swept my leg across his legs, and he was flat on his ass. I had my daggers up to his throat, blade going up against his Adam's apple. I rammed it through, executing him in one blow. The priest was dead. Pivoting, I saw Glad lobbing off the arm of the mage from the shoulder. The unfortunate soul was still alive, and the crowd was cheering, crying out for the final blow.

Maksim hovered over us. I asked him, “Would you like to do the honor?”

And Maksim erupted his holy magic into the sorry soul, ridding her of the arena. 

And the arena went wild with cheers, clapping and screaming. 

[xtruss]

Why Does Laughter Have Such A Strange Power Over Us? An Anthropologist Explores Why The Phenomenon Has The Ability To Delight, Disturb And Disrupt

— Kirsten Bell | February 21, 2025

The Curious Qualities of Laughter Can Surprise, Delight or Even Silence. Alexandra Simone/Aurora Photos via Getty Images

When I was little, I tended to fall into bouts of uncontrollable laughter. Basically, once I started laughing, I found it very difficult to stop. The problem was particularly acute in contexts where I wasn’t supposed to laugh, when the urge to laugh would become utterly overwhelming—to the extent that I quickly acquired the moniker “Giggling Gertie.”

One of the best descriptions I have seen of this phenomenon is the “giggle loop.” This phrase was coined by a character named Jeff in the early 2000s British sitcom Coupling.

“Basically, it’s like a feedback loop,” Jeff says. “You’re somewhere quiet. There’s people. It’s a solemn occasion: a wedding. No! It’s a minute’s silence for someone who’s died. … Suddenly, out of nowhere, a thought comes into your head: The worst thing I could possibly do during a minute’s silence is laugh. And as soon as you think that you almost do laugh—automatic reaction!”

There’s nothing like getting caught in a giggle loop, where the desire to laugh builds until it bursts out at a disastrous moment. Only then do we often realize that laughter is a rather strange phenomenon. Although we usually think of laughter as a response to something funny, sometimes laughter is no laughing matter!

The Laughing Audience, a 1733 etching by British artist William Hogarth William Hogarth, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Public Domain

I'm an anthropologist specializing in health and medicine, so laughter isn’t really in my professional wheelhouse—unless you subscribe to the view that laughter is the best medicine. My interest in the topic is more personal, not just because of my history as a former Giggling Gertie, but because it’s a behavior that is much less straightforward than it seems.

Ideally, laughter is something we share. According to anthropologist Munro Edmonson, laughter is sociable; it ideally invites a similar response. Indeed, it has contagious qualities: When we hear someone laugh, we often laugh, or at least smile, ourselves—an effect consistently shown through psychological research. This is how we ended up with canned laughter on sitcoms. Studios realized that the sound of laughter made their shows seem funnier to their audiences, while also giving them a degree of control over when people laughed.

But laughter is rather different when you’re the only one doing it. Consider actor Natalie Portman’s awkward chuckles after delivering a bad joke during her speech at the Golden Globe Awards in 2011. The 4-second laugh quickly became the subject of endless looped videos. As the cultural studies scholar Fran McDonald shows in her analysis of the incident, “laughter without humor appears to render us mechanical, terrifying, monstrous.”

What’s So Funny?

According to the Edmonson, the central feature of laughter is aspiration: We release a forceful puff of air as we laugh.

But laughter is also characterized by repetition. In fact, given the extraordinary variability in the sounds people make when they laugh, repetition is what makes laughter universally recognizable. This is why writers conventionalize laughter as “he-he-he,” “ha-ha-ha” and “ho-ho-ho” (well, at least if you’re Santa Claus). Notably, this feature isn’t exclusive to English representations. Edmonson observed that laughter is represented in Russian as xe, xe, xe; in Tzotzil—a Maya language spoken in Mexico—it’s ‘eh ‘eh ‘eh.

An Illustration of “Moderate Laughter and Smiling” Shows Photos from Charles Darwin’s The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. Project Gutenberg

We don’t fully understand why humans make this sound when we laugh. When 19th-century biologist Charles Darwin set out to explore the biology of feelings in The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, he wrote, “why the sounds which man utters when he is pleased have the peculiar reiterated character of laughter we do not know.” However, the response seems to occur well before culture is embedded in our behaviors: Recognizable laughter is evident in babies from 4 months old.

Nor is laughter unique to humans. Great apes respond to being tickled in much the same way that humans do. Of course, because chimps, bonobos, et cetera have a different vocal apparatus than humans, it sounds more like a dog panting or a person having an asthma attack or energetic sex. However, these primate sounds have the same “peculiar, reiterated character” that Darwin highlighted in humans. This is why laughter is characterized by scientists as a cross-species phenomenon.

Yet, while laughter is evident in the play of other primates, it’s unclear whether they have a sense of humor. Recent research provides evidence of a capacity for teasing through nonverbal behavior. But, as the evolutionary psychologist Robert Provine noted, “there is no evidence that they respond to apparently humorous behavior, their own or that of others, with laughter.”

Giving meaning to laughter seems to be distinctively human.

Laughter And “Civility”

While some laughter is deliberate, much of it is outside conscious control—an attribute that goes a long way toward explaining the widespread Euro-American ambivalence toward the act. According to the literary scholar Sebastian Coxon, a growing anxiety about mirth is evident in the European historical record from the late Middle Ages. For example, the 16th-century Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus, better known for advising children to “replace farts with coughs,” also warned against “loud laughter and immoderate mirth.”

Notably, Erasmus singled out the “neighing sound that some people make when they laugh” for particular opprobrium—an impulse evident in the contemporary tendency to compare unrestrained laughter with the cries of animals: “howling” with laughter, “hooting” in delight, “snorting” with amusement and so on. Indeed, while the term “guffaw” might not be borrowed from animal noises, it certainly sounds like it could be.

Laughter, a Drawing by British Artist Thomas Rowlandson From 1800 Metropolitan Museum of Art/Public Domain

These characterizations reveal an attempt to draw laughter into the realm of taste and civility—categories that are strongly tied to gender and class strictures. For instance, in an 1860 etiquette guide titled The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette and Manual of Politeness: A Complete Handbook for the Use of the Lady in Polite Society, readers are counseled to moderate their laughter during a dinner party so that it’s neither too loud nor too soft: “To laugh in a suppressed way has the appearance of laughing at those around you, and a loud, boisterous laugh is always unladylike.”

Social judgments abound not just in relation to how we laugh but what we laugh at—as an early 19th-century artwork attests. Laughter, etched by British artist and social commentator Thomas Rowlandson, depicts a man laughing at his cat adorned in a bonnet and cloak. The caption reads:

“Laughter is one of the most pleasing of the passions and is with difficulty accounted for, as risibility is frequently excited from the most simple causes—as is the case with the countryman and his cat.”

The implication is that “unsophisticated” countrymen lack “class” and are therefore easily amused. (For the record, I am equally unsophisticated, because I will never not find cats pictured with human props funny.)

Laugh, And The World Laughs With You?

Still, despite the association between humor and taste, it’s often physical comedy that gets the most laughs. It’s not a coincidence that the first truly global hit comedy was The Gods Must Be Crazy, whose sublime “Tati-like slapstick routines” drew audiences from New York and Caracas to Tokyo and Lagos, despite being widely condemned by film reviewers as apartheid propaganda.

Indeed, screenwriters have long predicted that physical humor will become increasingly prominent in Hollywood comedies because it “transcends dialogue and even most cultural differences,” and movies must increasingly appeal to a global market to produce reliable returns. (As far as I can tell, the future of Hollywood films is basically Marvel movies and slapstick comedies.)

This also helps explain the success of shows like “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “Total Wipeout,” which largely fall into the genre of comical mishaps. “This is unbelievably stupid,” I used to declare whenever my husband watched the latter, where contestants completed ridiculous obstacle courses in the hopes of winning £10,000, and audiences tuned in to see them repeatedly being hit by objects, falling off objects and falling onto objects. But I would laugh despite myself, because I simply couldn’t help it.

As McDonald observes, laughter disrupts the notion of a stable, coherent self—reflected in terms like “cracking up” and “bursting.” Moreover, unrestrained laughter doesn’t just signify a lack of personal control; it can be politically dangerous as well. The literary historian Joseph Butwin writes of “seditious laughter” as a weapon of the oppressed that can serve to destabilize hierarchies and power relations.

In the end, it’s clear that laughter is a deeply curious thing. It’s simultaneously the most social of human expressions and the one most disruptive of social edifices and rules. Shared, sanctioned laughter might bring us together, but unsanctioned laughter shows the cracks, revealing that we’re not quite who we think.

— This Story was Originally Published on Sapiens, an Anthropology Magazine. Editors’ Note: This Essay was Aapted from “The Sheer Strangeness of Laughter,” Published on the Author’s Silent but Deadly Substack on October 23, 2023.

— Kirsten Bell is an Australian, Canadian and British social anthropologist and Senior Research Fellow in Anthropology at Imperial College in London. She received her PhD from James Cook University in 2000 and has previously held appointments at the University of Northern Colorado, Macquarie University, the University of British Columbia, King’s College London and the University of Roehampton. Bell has published widely in the anthropology of health and medicine. Her newest book is a collection of popular anthropology essays titled Silent but Deadly: The Underlying Cultural Patterns of Everyday Behavior.