#light refraction experiment
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presswoodterryryan · 3 months ago
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🐰💡Exploding Light Beams & Booming Bunny Sounds: My Big Sister Ariel Is a Genius!🎶🔥
By Alice (with Fluffernutter’s fluff-tastic help!) Hi, friends! It’s me, Alice, adventurer extraordinaire and magical science explorer — today I accidentally turned our bathtub into a science lab when I tried to mix shampoo and glitter to make bubble potions. (Mom was not amused.) And guess what?? My big sister Ariel just wrote the most AMAZING thing ever!! 🎉📚✨ Yesterday, I spilled orange juice…
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confines · 5 months ago
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started working on my suncatcher again, finished the middle strand! i've made half the modules at this point and i think finalised the pattern so now i just have to make the rest of the modules and connect everything and then i can be free of it. 🕊♥🔛🌍
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mychapel-004 · 10 months ago
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a note on "fordtramine"
just a thought while im working on a comprehensive history of bill.
by now i'm sure it's common knowledge that stanford's favourite colour is "fordtramarine", a colour only him and bill are able to see due to bill rewiring his optic nerve as a gift, but something i find very interesting is this page from thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com
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specifically, that note at the bottom on the "beautiful" paintings ford submitted to (unsuccessfully) demonstrate the colour. most of them are normal, including a self portrait in gouache until you get to "(E) A muse, oil on canvas".
not only that, but in the abstract ford writes that "specific two dimensional entities may act in the same way as a prism, refracting light.... new perceptions"
something something devoting a painting to your muse in the colour that they let you name, that they gifted you with the ability to see. something something bill acting as a prism, like the crystals ford keeps all over his house, that ford can look through, like a doorway into a world entirely made of the weird and wonderful that you connect so deeply with. a world that you can never show anyone else, your canvases are always blank and no-one else has the eyes that you do, your study is rejected and no-one will hear you out.
do you think bill felt that way? growing up, able to see what others couldn't, "its not your fault you have that strange eye", "the doctor says three sips a day will make the visions go away", able to see an entirely different dimension to his own parents, always too different and too strange and too weird.
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CODES: "THEY'LL SEE" "THEY'LL ALL SEE" "THE EUCLYDIAN DEPT OF VISION SUPERVISION"
growing up in a world where it seems that seeing beyond the norm is heavily punished, it's kind of telling that bill's gifts to ford are often relating to seeing or knowing things that ford would never experience without bill (new colours, new directions for his research, his mindscape, the portal). the gift of vision from a god who grew up being blinded. bill really is his all-seeing eye, in a lot of ways.
in the same way, fiddleford's gifts to ford almost always revolve around very human comfort (gloves to fit his hands specifically, a pet to keep him company, a snowglobe reminder of the time they spent together) comfort that he was too distracted to devote to his wife and child, only ever to ford who broke or threw them away.
fiddleford accepted ford for who he was, and he showed that through his gifts. all of ford's strangeness and brilliance, gloves made specifically to protect and warm six fingers, a pet that looked like him for him to ramble to when fidd is gone. bill's gifts were brilliant and tailored just for ford, but they were isolating. experiences he could only have with bill, things that made him stranger, more alone, pulled him further into the weirdness, the grey area. all in preparation for the day bill would take things too far, and pray ford, so alike to him, would join him.
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snail-day · 4 months ago
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Oh, there's such a lack of yandere nerd!gojo content out in the world. He'd be such a freaking loser dragging his poor lab partner back to his stupidly large apartment that his parents bought him (trust fund kids, am I right?) The poor son of a bitch pushes up his glasses for what has to be the fifth time in the last minute, his fingers shaking just enough to smudge the lenses. He would normally take the time to clean them. After all, this is a very special moment. However, his focus is locked entirely on you, pupils blown wide with exhilaration, his face burning hot.
He’s finally alone with you.
A free hand hovers over yours, the way a scientist might hesitate before handling a delicate, precious agar sample. But you’re not just any experiment. You’re his.
"Oh - oh, wow, you’re shaking," Gojo breathes out, voice nearly cracking from how much he’s holding back. A large, pathetic grin wobbles, too eager and lovesick. "That’s… ahhh, you probably think that’s bad, huh? But - !" Letting out a breathless, giddy laugh, barely able to contain himself. "But it’s not! It’s just your fight-or-flight response kicking in! Isn’t that amazing? It’s just pure biology - adrenaline, cortisol, your nervous system firing on all cylinders - " cutting himself off with another shaky inhale, squeezing his eyes shut for a second, he’s really trying to collect himself (and failing, he's pretty sure he came in his pants).
"You don’t actually have to be afraid, though," he continues, voice softer now, "Because I’d never, ever hurt you! Never! I mean, scientifically speaking, fear is just your body misinterpreting stimuli, and that’s kind of tragic, don’t you think?" Bright blue manic eyes flicker over you, adoringly, like you’re a rare phenomenon he’s lucky enough to witness firsthand. "Because I love you. God, I love you so much. Do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this?"
His fingers twitch, and then finally, he touches you. Just barely. A featherlight brush of his fingertips against the back of your hand, and he shudders like you’ve just sent a shock straight through him.
"Warm," he mutters, almost to himself. "Oh wow, you’re so warm." That pretty face of his is practically glowing red now, and he laughs, high, nervous, like he can’t believe this is actually happening. "I always - I always thought about this, you know? Back in class? How your skin might feel? I - I tried to calculate it once, based on average human body temperature and external environmental factors, but- but actually feeling it is so much better!"
His voice cracks at the end, and he slaps a hand over his mouth, muffling a half-sob, half-laugh. His glasses slide down again. He shoves them up with a clumsy knuckle, barely able to hold himself together.
The room is a mess of his obsessions, shelves packed with manga, figurines lined up like tiny sentinels, textbooks, and loose papers stacked in towers on his desk Complex chemical equations scrawled across a whiteboard, some of them crossing into territory you can’t even begin to understand.
One of them looks… medical. With dosages sprawled out within the Navier-Stokes equation.
Gojo’s long, pale fingers he laces over yours, and oh how his entire body shudders again, like he’s barely restraining himself from pulling you into his arms. "You - you have no idea how much I adore you," voice trembling. "I mean, did you know your hair shines under fluorescent lighting? I wrote a whole equation trying to determine the way light refracts off the strands. And the way you chew on your pen cap when you’re thinking? I- I started doing it too, just to feel closer to you - though studies show - it's like really bad for your teeth so - we should - should stop that bad habit - ah "
His other hand moves suddenly, reaching for something on the desk. A glint of silver. Your breath stutters between soft sobs.
When did he get a syringe? Wasn't he just professing his undying love for you?
Gojo blinks, as if he just remembered he was holding it. Then he lets out another one of those nervous, giddy laughs, clutching the syringe close to his chest like it’s something precious. "Oh - this? Ahaha, you - ah, you weren’t supposed to see that yet! I was gonna - " He bites his lip, gaze flickering between the syringe and you like he’s debating something. "I mean, it’s nothing bad! Just a little - just a little help! A tiny, tiny chemical nudge to help you relax! I measured everything perfectly, I promise! You can trust me! "
And oh are you starting to cry even more which causes him to freak out just a little more... "L-Let’s start over," small stammers as his manic smile widening. "I-I’ll explain it all again! In even more detail! Ohhh, you’re gonna love this!"
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vivalabunbun · 1 year ago
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As We Are, We Will Be
Summary: A nonsensical question is proposed in one singular moment between a stoic and stoic face in one singular universe.
Word Count: 9k (It was supposed to be short and sweet-)
Tags: Alhaitham X Fem! Reader, Smut, NSFW, Fluff, a lot of fluff, slight angst, soulmate au, slow fic, established relationship, married life, Soft! Alhaitham, attempts at comedy, mentions of aging, slightly jealous! Alhaitham, mutual pinning, soft sex, vanilla, safe sex (wrap it up), riding (cowgirl), fingering, slow sex, making love, really bad expatiations of scientific theories and math, just two nerds in love.
Authors Note: Happy belated birthday and Valentine's Day to my favorite dendro nerd. A continuation of this piece, one I hold dear. A thought experiment based on nothing more than the feverish delirium of love.
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It was just for a moment. 
A mere pasting instance in the contentious momentum of time when a glimmer caught your eyes in the muddled chatter of a crowd, a silver shimmer like starlight.
Interrupting your contemplation as your eyes impulsively search for the source.
A late morning on a Saturday, the markets and stalls were lively with families replenishing a week's worth of groceries. Bodies veering and easing through the bustle of the busty streets.
The wide breadth of life that moved all around you. Like a collection of small dots within the vastness of a universe. 
But amid the vast collection of blurry faces were the flicker of silvery locks refracting the late morning light. Originating from a pair, an elderly lady and an elderly man, their aged hands intertwined. 
Time had made her marks upon them, and gravity had pulled down on their wrinkled faces. Yet, the ends of their lips were pointed toward the sky. The corners of their eyes wrinkled as their gazes held each other's faces. 
From their view, do they not see the starlight hue of their hair? Instead, do they still see the vibrancy and youth of their locks which age had stolen from them? 
The image of each other reflected in their irises, was it from a time before the hands of gravity pulled on their creased skin and bowed bones? Would you ever be able to find out? 
“I wasn’t aware you had a hobby of people-watching.” A baritone voice ghosts over your ear. 
Jolting your head to your right, you come face to face with the interruption. Or perhaps, your mind finally registered Alhaitham’s presence just off to the side of you. His arms were weighted down with various bags. 
Oh, that’s right, the markets and stalls were lively on the weekend with families restocking groceries for the upcoming week. You and Alhaitham were no different. 
Glancing up at his ashen trestles and then scanning back at the starlight locks of the elderly couple, and then back to your husband. 
“Hmm, not quite. Just noting the fact your hair is the same color as an old man’s, Haitham.” You catch the subtle twitch of his brow. 
“Is that so? I hope you are aware you’re not immune to the inevitably of aging, wife,” Alhaitham returns your jest. 
“Well, with your hair color and grumpiness, I’d say you’re already halfway there.” 
“I needn’t expound on your equivalent levels of grumpiness, it won’t be long before your locks share the same ashen hue.” 
“I guess that’s why we get along then, dear husband.” 
“That’s one theory,” he huffs, a simple tone lacking any bite.
You pan your face back toward the crowd, partly because it’s getting harder to hold the neutral position of your lips, partly because your curiosity aches for an untold conclusion. 
However, when your gaze returned to the ever-bustling sea of people, the pair of starlight hues were nowhere to be found. It was regrettable, but expected, the elderly couple were nothing more than a pair of strangers in a crowd full of unfamiliar faces.
They were just a brief scene that disappeared into the moving tides of people. 
Leaving you with your unresolved musings. 
“Is there anything else we need for the week?” 
Alhaitham’s voice reels your consciousness back, swiftly you check the crinkled slip of parchment within your hand. Scanning down the list of written items, all with a neat little line crossed through their immaculately penned letters. 
“It looks like we got everything we need.” You tuck the list into your pocket. 
“Then it’s best we get home before our groceries are spoiled by the heat.” Alhaitham readjusts the bags in his hands. 
A hum takes its place as your response. Pivoting your body in the direction of your shared home. From the corner of your field of view, his strides were paced to coincide with your shorter steps. 
Studying the numerous bags occupying his hands, you can’t help but think it’s quite convenient to have someone as robust as your husband. Maybe it's these weekly grocery runs that are the secret behind his physique. 
Discreetly, your hand slowly slips between the gap of his arm and body, linking your elbows together. So that your frame and his could withstand the push and pull of the crowd’s contentious momentum. 
The neutrality of your lips had long slipped away, softened by the familiarity of his warmth. Even as your eyes were pointed on the path ahead, you had an inkling that a similar occurrence was mirrored on his lips as well. 
An inquiry your curiosity didn’t need to peek to resolve. 
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That ache for an untold conclusion morphed into a new musing by the afternoon. 
The silver shimmer from that elderly couple’s hair truly was like starlight. Perhaps that’s the correlation that steered your thoughts down this winding path of pondering. 
Everyone, from those taking their first stumbling steps of youth to the slowed cane-assisted tramps in their golden years, is technically billions of years old. Or more accurately, the atoms and minerals in everyone are billions of years old. 
The carbon in muscles, the calcium in bones, and the iron in blood were all forged in the hearts of bygone stars. When those bright beacons burned out they exploded in one last finale, expelling those materials across interstellar space. Stardust that found its way here. 
Here within you, and here within the slow breaths of the man in front of you. 
After being around for billions of years, does stardust ever get exhausted? 
That would be a sensible explanation for why Alhaitham had snuck away amidst hanging up freshly washed laundry. 
His tall frame stretched the expanse of the couch as his starlight lashes were shut, shamelessly relishing in a nap under the streams of sunlight trickled in from the window. 
Squatting down you observe the guiltless expression plastered over his resting face, still deep in the trenches of sleep, a small huff passes through your lips. Well, this morning you did have him carry all the groceries from the market back home.
Your husband does deserve this little nap.
Trailing your eyes down his neck you note the lack of a pillow, then as your gaze travels further you note the absence of a blanket as well. Internally, your mind tsks at this forgetful habit of his. 
Although his body and yours still have youth coursing through your veins, it doesn’t mean they’ll remain as impervious as they are now later down the line, especially if preventative measures aren’t taken.
Like having a pillow to support one’s neck, or a blanket to prevent chills from plaguing the body. 
Standing back to full height, you retrieved the missing artifacts, returning with a plush pillow and light comforter.  
Even when his head was momentarily lifted to make space for the pillow, and when the spare comforter was draped over him, Alhaitham didn’t stir one bit. At times you can’t determine if he’s a light sleeper or if his stubbornness refuses to leave the plain of dreams. 
It’s a true wonder of life how Alhaitham’s able to sleep so soundly at night given his extensive naps. 
The vivid sunlight illuminated patterns upon his cheeks and trestles, causing the ashen strands to dazzle in their refraction of the afternoon light. A sight your eyes just couldn’t help but be enraptured by. 
Maybe you could blame the warmth of the sunlight, or maybe the serenity of this quiet Saturday afternoon, or perhaps even these fickle inquiries about his naps for the yawn that left your lips. Now might be the prime time for some research. 
Lifting up the comforter just enough for an opportunity to slip through, your body settles in the space right against his. It’s crowded on the couch, the cushions unprepared for two bodies to occupy its entirety, the open edge looming against your back.
Even after all the shuffling and pressing against his dozing frame, your husband didn’t budge a bit. 
Leaden lashes still shut and lips set in that all too familiar line, chest rhythmically rising and falling in time with yours. The very image of unperturbedness under the blessing of sleep. 
“You really are like an old man.” 
At that mere jab, the corners of his lips tugged down while his eyes remained closed. A quick slip that confirmed your earlier suspicions. 
“Who knew you were so talented in acting, Haitham,” you snicker. 
A muscular arm soon enveloped your form, further pressing you against his chest as if to silence any more sardonic quips from entering his ears. 
It was quite the challenge to stifle those giggles before they could erupt from your lips. Peeking up, there’s an ever-so-subtle lift at the corners of his mouth. An express which yours mirrored. 
Studying the details of the lips just a breath away, a new musing worms its way into your thoughts:
 When the hands of gravity and time start to pull down on his skin and yours the same, leaving wrinkles and creases in their wake, will the edges of his lips still curl like this? 
Would yours mirror the same? 
A second yawn sneaks past your lips as your lashes grow heavier with each fluttering blink. Claiming a corner of the pillow to lay your head upon, the seconds between each subsequent blink grew longer and longer until your lids were too heavy to lift. 
Perhaps the stardust in your bones was exhausted, craving a short rest in his warmth. 
--------------------------------
There’s something against your back and your legs are tangled in something, sensations which gradually alert your dozing sense back from the fog of slumber.
At first, you only had the strength to peek open one lid, then promptly shut it. But in the nothingness behind your eyelids, something was halting your limps from stretching the weariness out from themselves. 
You tried again, this time fluttering both sets of lashes apart ever so slightly. There’s a dry film coating your throat and mouth, feeling the impressions of the couch cushions and bundled comforter imprinted into your skin.  
What time was it?
Blinking away the haze of sleep just enough to notice how the golden rays of a star were missing. A gray overlay was plastered over the living room despite the ticking clock hands displaying that it was late afternoon.
Peering back through the window behind, observing the congregating insipid clouds blocking out the azure sky. 
A sure sign of rain despite the morning forecast. Rain… wasn’t there something left unfinished on the clotheslines outside? The groggy recollection of responsibilities creeps into the forefront of your mind. 
The reign of your weary limbs slowly returns, and your legs languidly attempt to stretch out from the reveal they were caught in. However, their movements only caused a pair of longer limbs to ensnarl them further.
Alhaitham’s legs promptly caught yours, stifling any prospect of escape. 
Your displeased whine was responded with a disgruntled groan by the man keeping your body locked against his. 
Wasn’t your back looming just about the edge of the couch when you fell asleep? So why are you in this position now?
Your body wedged between the plush backing of the couch and his solid frame, the comforter swaddling you also didn’t aid in your immobility. Brawny arm draped over your waist, halting your feeble squirms at freedom. 
“The laundry,” you mumble.
“Later.” A blunt interjection from a groggy voice. 
“It’s going to rain.” 
“Less than a 30% chance.” 
“Haitham…” 
Your husband simply burrows his head deeper into the leveled pillow, likely an attempt to leverage the cushy material to block out your grievances. His ashen lashes still stubbornly shut, much to your displeasure.
“Alhaitham.”
No fluctuations in your volume nor tone, but it was enough for one teal eye to peek out from under ashen lashes. Trailing up to a subtle frown to the furrow between your brow, then finally meeting your unamused stare.
“Laundry,” you try again. 
A silent stare down, one stone face gazing upon an equally stoic face, like an immovable object pressed against an equally immovable object.
Which one will defend their title of most stubborn today? 
His chest expands with a deep breath, grasp enclosing around your waist before his teal gaze shamelessly vanishes behind closed lashes. Robust frame pinning you further to the back of the couch as he continues to ignore your huffy floundering. 
“Release me, don’t you dare-” 
Your grievance was soon muffled by a gentle hand pressing your cheek into his palatial chest. A move that stupefies the irksomeness bubbling within until it falls defeated into placidness. 
“Whether it be now or later, they’ll be clean regardless, it’s quite comfortable right here.” The resonance of his voice vibrates in his chest. 
You respond with a humbled grunt. In terms of strength you’d always lose to your feeble husband, wouldn’t you? 
There’s no point in peering up, for the pleased satisfaction of his resting face would bring a sour taste to your tongue. Thus, you merely adjust your limbs, coiling your arms around to his back and pulling his form closer.
It’s crowded on the couch, it’ll be troublesome if Alhaitham were to slip off the edge if his back were to stray any further. 
At this distance, entangled so closely together, the soft beats of his heart in time with yours like a rhythmic lullaby beckons the heavy to return to your eyelids.
The gentle drumming of his heartbeat coaxes out a final sigh from you, lashes descending down as your vision dims back into the realm of slumber. 
Slow breaths and heartbeats homogenize into a tender duet, tranquil enough to distract from the sporadic pattering against the glass and gradually increase in consistency. 
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A less than 30% chance of rain doesn’t mean that there’s a greater than 70% chance of no rain. It’s merely a statistical probability of 0.01 units of more precipitation at a given area in the given forecast area in the time period specified. 
Known as the precipitation probability, calculated based on two factors: 
The forecaster's certainty that precipitation will form or move into the area X The areal coverage of precipitation that is expected, then multiplied by 100. 
Thus, if the forecaster were 90% certain that 30% of the forecast area would receive rain, then the forecast displayed on screens would read as a 27% chance of rain.
A crucial bit of information that seemed to have slipped his mind midst a quiet afternoon. 
A troublesome miscalculation Alhaitham tsks at internally as he wrings out the pillowcase into a sink before tossing it back into the washing machine. Button-down shirts and blouses, wrinkled from the process of twisting out as much rainwater as possible, sat in damp piles awaiting their turn to be rewashed. 
As he measures out the detergent he can hear the rattles and clanks of the pot and pans from the kitchen. A late dinner in preparation, a task which was supposed to be his this week.
When he woke up to the pattering of rain drumming against the window panes, the afternoon long gone, it stirred an ever-so-sinking pit of dread. Second only to the unamused stare of his wife as she replicated an overconfident statement:
“Less than a 30% chance, Alhaitham?”
How unfortunate it all was, that the area where this quaint house resides was part of that 30% of the forecasted area.
Teal eyes watch the bedsheets whirl and fumble as they spin in the wash, contemplating the circumstance and further action. 
There is only one spare bedding set in the closet, so it’d be wise to allow you to have it for tonight as all the sheets and covers get rewashed and dried.
Your bed is about the same size as his, so two bodies wouldn’t have an issue fitting. At this rate, the two of you just slept in whichever bed was the most convenient. 
However, given the current state of things, Alhaitham wonders if he should prepare himself to brave tonight on his bare mattress with a flimsy spare blanket and pillow.
He might as well return to the couch for tonight if that was the case. 
The accumulation of all the years of science, mathematics, and research, Alhaitham wonders if there was ever a bright mind who came up with a formula to calculate how displeased one’s wife is.
What would be the factors plugged into the equation? And how accurate would it be? 
More specifics needed to be gathered, something the man couldn’t do in the refugee of the laundry room. Thus, Alhaitham must brave a journey into the kitchen. His slipper-clad footsteps are slow and methodical as the kitchen appears from around the corner of the hallway.
Sights honed in on your back as you stood by the stove, a rich aroma wafting through the air. 
Sleep still dusted your hair, evident in the few unruly strands sticking up erratically on your head, you made no attempt at fixing it. One hand is too occupied with stirring the pot on the stove, and the other set upon your hip.
Your stance wasn’t exactly tipping the scales in his favor. 
Cautiously, Alhaitham made his way to you. Stopping just a few paces as your eyes peer over your shoulder, stoic gaze halting him in place just a few paces away. The faded imprint of the crumpled blankets and couch cushions on your cheek.
His hand twitches with the urge to run his thumb along the impressions, but rationally warns him of the consequences. 
“The laundry?” No discernable tone in your voice. 
“Everything has been collected and wrung out, I’ll rewash everything tomorrow.” It’s best to answer your questions this time. 
“Hmm, they were out in the rain for quite a while now. They were dripping out onto the floor when you brought them in.” 
“I’ve mopped away any rain and mud tracked between the back door and laundry room.” Teal eyes quickly checked the aforementioned area to ensure they were pristine before returning to you. 
“Hmm.” You turn back towards the stove. 
The soft ticks of the clock accompany the waning drums of raindrops against the glass, the kitchen hood whirring as a ladle continues to stir in a pot. A quiet lull engulfed the home. Treading on the side of caution, Alhaitham inhales deeply. 
Without opening the box, one will never be able to confirm to fate of Schrödinger's cat. 
“What’s for dinner?” 
“Hmm? Well, it’s raining tonight, what better to eat on a rainy night than some Sabz Meat Stew, no?” 
He’s careful to not sigh too audibly, lest he goes to bed with a stomach half-full of instant noodles and that miffed stare of yours.
Alhaitham decides to hold his tongue as teal eyes continue to watch you add more spices to the pot. Studying how nicely the apron is tied around your waist. 
But it wouldn’t be wise of him to stand so close when the fabric of his shirt was still damp with rainwater transferred to him by the soaked laundry and sky. 
His chain of thought was interrupted by the chimes of your phone on the countertop, catching your eyes as well as his to peek at the over. A certain name is displayed across the screen. It’s as if the hands of fate wanted to throw more salt into his face. 
Bahram (Manager)
It’s a Saturday night, for what reason would an employer need to contact an employee so late?
Alhaitham’s focus shifts to your gaze which is still honed in on the screen. A bitter tinge crawls up the tip of his tongue, threatening to spoil his appetite. Perhaps, he wouldn’t mind settling down in his bare bed with just a spare comforter without dinner tonight.
“Can you reject the call for me? He can wait until Monday to get me to resolve whatever he messed up,” you scoff before rolling your eyes back to the stove. 
Swiftly he swipes to decline the call, let your voicemail remind Bahram of the concept of ‘off time’. The phone whirs again right after the first rejection, but he simply swipes decline again.
Pushing the device away with a bit too much satisfaction in his veins. 
Glancing back at your frame, he lets out a sigh as he relents. Resting his head into the crook of your neck, careful to leave a bit of distance between your bodies and to not hamper your shoulder’s movement. 
“Hm?” You hum expectantly. 
“It was my oversight tonight.” A string of words a bit unfamiliar on his tongue, but stubbornness hasn’t been in his favor tonight. 
“And?”
“I’ll be more cautious regarding naps.” 
“Hmph.” 
The lull returns, him resting his head on your shoulder and you continuing to watch over the stew. Teal eyes on you and your eyes on the stove. Until your shoulders raise with a deep inhale. 
“Go get changed out of that wet shirt then set the table, this bastardized version of ‘soup’ will be ready in 20 minutes.” You reach for a skillet just off to the side. 
He hums this time, the liberation from treading in suffocating lull tugs at the end of his lips. He surmises that laying his head against you for a few moments more won’t be so consequential. 
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The patter of raindrops still splattered against the glass panes of the window, drops which warped and blurred the scenery beyond the glass. Not that there’s any scenery to look at, not with the dreary clouds crowding the sky. 
A heavy sigh huffs through your nose, curling onto your side as you adjust your pillow. 
A filling dinner, a warm shower, and soft comforters. Factors that should contribute to a restful night’s sleep, or at the very least make your eyelids weary with the weight of lethargy.
Yes, perhaps those components should’ve granted you entry into the reprieve of a dream. 
If it wasn’t for the fact you’ve intruded into the domain of slumber twice already today. 
And the tempter who lured you to do so currently has his arm wrapped around your waist. 
Alhaitham’s chest rises and falls against your back, soundly asleep without an ounce of guilt over the predicament he’s partly responsible for. 
Lifting your head off the flattened pillow, your body twists around to fluff the stale stuffing back up before settling back to your position.
His body rested against yours just as it would any other night. But there’s a weight at the corners of your lips, one only grew heavier as your ears witnessed each content exhale resounding from the man who seemingly stole your sleep. 
If you were crueler, you would’ve exiled Alhaitham to the couch or his barren mattress. 
However, he’d probably sleep just fine regardless. 
Canting your head up, you flip your pillow to the other side once more. 
Your rolls and rhythm were abruptly interrupted by the clasp of two harsh hands pulling your hips into his, the contours of his rigor now digging into the plush of your ass. Forcing a stunned gasp up your throat.
“It seems like my wife has quite a bit of energy.” His timbre deeper from grogginess. 
Ah, all the twisting and turning you did just to adjust the troublesome pillow must've disturbed him. 
The softness of your ass cradled against his pelvis through the thin material of a button-down, an item borrowed from his closet that you’ve designated as sleepwear, and his sweatpants. 
‘Serves him right.’ 
Your attempts to twist out from his iron-clad hold only ground your ass more against the stiffness, earning a grumble from his lips. 
“Oh? And who’s fault is it?” You retort, still protesting in his hold. 
Snaking one hand downwards Alhaitham presses against your lower stomach to arch your ass further into him. Leaning his face closer to yours. 
“Do you want me to take responsibility?” His whisper ghosts over the shell of your ear.
You could feel the pads of his fingertips tracing under the loose button-down.
“Shouldn’t you resolve the issues you’ve caused?” A huff leaves you.
The outline of his shape pressed along your skin, the plushness of your bottom contrasting against the rigidity. 
“I can say the same to you.” 
The pads of his fingers trail up your heated skin, crawling along your torso, feathering touches alighting your senses like sparks. Massaging the tired yet restless muscles. You sigh in contentment.
The billowing button-down dragged up by his vascular hand, unveiling your skin to the cool sheets. Wandering touches slow as they rest in the valley of your breasts. His fingers enclose around one mount, gently twisting the defenseless nipple.
“H-hey! Hmph-“ Barely catching a moan before it fled past sealed lips. 
“Hm?” His lips are now right next to your ears. “Surely you foresaw this, I’m just helping my wife with all her excess energy.”
His forgotten hand made its presence known as it kneaded your hips, cunning touches breaching under the feeble defenses of your panties. Effortlessly brushing them to the side, long fingers encroaching closer to their destination. 
Your thighs react, squeezing together to prevent him from venturing further. Unfortunately, it was all in vain, for his fingertips already dipped into an all too familiar sap.
“See, you seem quite eager,” he taunts.
Stubbornly, your body attempts to buckle away from his influence. Face firmly pointed away from his lest he peeks at your heated cheeks. 
Alhaitham abandons the perch on your breast, two large hands attempting to tame the bucks and rolls of your hips. He releases a slow sigh into the crook of your neck. 
“Are you not feeling it tonight?” His hands remain where they were, but the strength missing.
At the lack of resistance, your hips seem to have lost interest in their writhing, staying within his yielding hold. Internally, you chiding your body for being so straightforward. The only thing blocking an answer from exiting your throat was that fickle ego of yours. 
“Won’t you allow me to make up for my blunders today, wife?” He soothes his hand along your leg.
With that stubborn ego of yours still biting down on your tongue, you simply nod your head. Feeling the heat of your cheeks reflected to you by the pillow. 
Permitting your thighs to give into the tow of his grasp. Allowing the grip of one large hand to pull your bent leg open, exposing your vulnerable cunt. Shielded from the view of the raindrops by a mere blanket. 
The hand snaked under your waist took swift advantage of the oppurtunity. Sliding one firm finger down to part the fold of your slit as his warm hand cups your greed. 
Alhaitham continued with the caresses of his fingers. Your lashes and lips pressed tightly shut, your leg still held in his tender hold. His slow breaths brush ghosting your skin. 
He spreads the slick along your slit, the tips of his fingers ever so often knocking against the bud at the very top. Teal eyes catch the sudden jolts of your body every time it happens. 
He moves his fingers downwards, slowly parting the now soft folds of your core. Feeling the subtle puckers of your entrance as his touch traced closer, more wetness dribbling out from the honeypot. 
The tip of his finger now encircles the fluttering hole. Your hip subtly bucked into his hand, as if to lure him in a soundless plea. 
Breaths getting deeper as your eyes follow his touch, the warm pad of his index finger twirling against your clit. Stoking a burgeoning fire with each slow circle. Your placid sighs fill the lull. 
His middle finger ventures past the entrance of your satin walls welcomed with a lewd squelch. Curling his finger against slick walls to test the give, he wonders if this hidden oasis is etched into his shape yet.
Diligently, his digit continues to sink in and out of your weeping hole, making your teeth sink into the flesh of your bottom lip. The squelches increased in volume as trickles of nectar began pooling on the sheets. Walls clamping around a lonely finger, it wasn’t enough to quell that mounting heat within. 
A second deft finger joined in, sliding past a hungry entrance. A tangled dance amongst gummy walls as they curled and stretched the space. The lewd squelches resounding in your ear, a whimper trapped in your throat. The heel of his warm palm now pressed flat against the soft mound of your cunt, every movement of his hand resulting in a grind against your clit. 
Each grind causes a hot flash to shock throughout your body, starting from your curled toes to the very top of your head. The jostling of your hips and legs gradually expels the blanket off the bed. 
“Mmph!” A whine from a sudden surge of bliss when his thick fingers curled against a spongy patch deep within. 
“T-there! More there!”
Your body writhes, no longer docile under the white searing pleasure frying the ends of every nerve within your being. 
He gladly obliges. Unrelenting rhythm slipping in and out of your convulsing walls. Ensuring to grind against that spongey patch.
 Your body twitches and flails in reaction. Trying to find some way to handle this surcharge of sensations. 
Legs instinctively wanting to shut together as if to cease this turbulent sensation, unfortunately, your pitiful strength gave no resistance against his rigid hold.
Piqued by the sweet tune, Alhaitham watches the scrunch in your trembling brows. He repeats his actions, another mewl leaves your lips as your head leans further into his shoulder.
The mellow pace of his fingers suddenly amps up, retreating out only to clap back in as his palm presses into the twitching bud. 
“Ah! Haitham.”
A pressure mounting up, a sirens call beckoning you closer and closer to a hazardous cliff’s edge. The only foundation for your sanity is thousand-count fabric, thus you twist the silk fibers as tremors overtake your body.
Walls clamping down to trap his thick digits inside as it spasms. Muscles tensing and quivering as your back arches away from his chest, parted lips with nothing choking past them. 
Three thick fingers sink deeper into your pussy without a hint of resistance, as a reward he makes sure to roll your overstimulated clit in firm circles with his palms. Judging from the violent tremors in your legs, it seemed you were almost there. 
Just at the cusp of rapture when your hand tangles into his ashen-locks, canting your head back so that your panting lips could capture his. Alhaitham returns to gesture with just as much fervor in his kiss, swallowing down your sweet mewls for himself. 
With a singular gasp, the siren’s call had beckoned your sanity to drown in the murky depths. It’s as if you lost control of your body to the possession of pleasure.
Eyes rolled back and lips broke away as breathy moans escaped the prison of your throat, a haze heavy over your thoughts, pride long lost amongst the gale of an orgasm. 
The beckoning depths of euphoria welcome your descent. 
Your limp frame rests against him. A light layer of sweat coating your panting chest, blurred vision merging and blending the details of the ceiling above the bed.
Alhaitham coaxes the contractions of your core, riding out the waves of their squeezes and sucks against his fingers. Earning an addictive whimper from you when his digits pulled away. Entranced by the glimmering string of nectar stretching between his fingers and your oasis. 
Trailing back up to your face, he notes the return of your hazy irises from their ogle of the bedroom ceiling. 
“Better?” Teal gaze watching the pants of your chest as they steady. 
‘No, not at all’, a statement just at the tip of your tongue, but your lips were busy attempting to grasp deep breaths. The surplus of vigor festering into unquenchable desire. To be closer, deeper, more. You needed more. 
Where words fail, action must take its place. Even before your mind finishes up the scheme brewing within, your lips catch him off guard, plush lips embracing his in a tender waltz.
Your body rolls back so that your breast can press against his chest through the thin fabric of his stolen shirt.
At the tender caress of your kiss, teal eyes disappear behind ashen lashes, the clasp of his grip loosening. Allowing you the mobility to finally pull your body on top of his, lips never once parting until you were finally settled atop his broad body.
A certain stiffness makes its reintroduction against your roused clit.
Breaking the seal of the kiss as a line of salvia stretches between your tongues, arms pushing against his firm chest to prop your body up as you gaze down at him.
“Still have too much energy?” Haughty eyes peer into yours, yet you can see the ardor oh so thinly concealed behind the brilliant teal. 
“What do you mean? Aren’t you the eager one?” You hum, rolling your hips against the rigidness trapped behind the prison of sweatpants.
“Hmm.” He sucks in a breath through his teeth. 
Large hands feel down along the plumpness of your ass as they drag a flimsy bit of fabric down your thighs. Daintier hands pull down the hem of sweatpants and briefs. 
A fair exchange. Him helping you out of those ruined panties, and you freeing him from a compressed prison of cloth. Discarded and forgotten along the floorboards as the fog of passion obscured them from further consideration.
His vascular hands slide down the curves of your body, settling on your hip as your legs plant themselves on either side of his body. Alhaitham coaxes the hem of his stolen button-down just above your midriff. Sharp eyes surveying the puffiness of your clit, glistening with temptation. 
Lowering your hips a breathy sigh leaves his lips and yours as the ridges of his cock drag against your slick folds. A few slow rolls starting from his leaking tip sliding down, thick veins skimming against your swollen clit. Precum mixing with arousal in a sinful concoction along his length. 
Perhaps he should convince you to participate in more naps if he knew it’d make you this excitable. 
“Oh,” you hum aloud, pausing your hips as you reach over to the bedside table.
Pulling open the drawer and rustling about a box followed by the crinkling of foil. Holding up the corner of the packet to your lip, tearing the foil while your gaze held his. Taking your time in dragging the condom out from its package. Easing it down his length while your fingers traced along, feeling each twitch and shudder. 
“You sure do know how to test my patience.” 
“Hmm?” You feign innocence. 
A pair of shaky breaths mingle as Alhaitham helps position his engorged tip at your dripping entrance. Your hand guides him while raising your hips.
Other hand pressing his chest down for support as your thighs sink back down, a shameful squelch accompanying heavy breaths as your walls welcome his cock’s fat head.
Weeping pussy engulfing his girth in bit by bit until you clit kisses his pelvis. Sending jolts of searing pleasure that caused your satin walls to twitch and tighten. 
Releasing a breathy sigh as you gather your senses.
Drawing out his cock inch by thick inch, sloppy trails of arousal caught on each ridge before dropping back down. Earning low grunts and sighs each time your satin walls swallowed his girth. The rhythm of your hips is paced and controlled despite how Alhaitham’s fingers dug into your skin. 
A whine living your drooling lips with each slap of his skin against your clit. Pushing each tantalizing inch to stroke your starved walls until his skin claps against yours with a wet kiss. The bedframe creaks with each calculated movement, back and forth, back and forth the wood sings along. 
Your head was light, intoxicated by a feverish potion of lust and desire. Feeling him reach the deepest depths, fat tip grinding against those spots which made your legs falter momentarily each time.
Utilizing the strength of both your arms now to support yourself. However, the jolts of pleasure that shot up your spine with each roll of your hips were too maddening to stop. 
His calloused fingers massage circles into your hips. Squeezing the plush flesh to ground his sanity, watching your lewd face as you shamelessly bounced on him for your pleasure. Observing the subtle ripples with each slap of your hips and the jumps of your perky breast. 
The ghostly touches of your fingers skim across his lips, prompting his eyes to connect with yours. Lush and glossy lips parted with your deep pants as your lust-hazed eyes peer down at him, unspoken plea inscribed within them. Who is he to not fulfill your desires?
Lurching his upper body up, he answers your plea, capturing your lips with his. Swiping his tongue against your bottom lip, deepening the kiss. A messy and feverish tangle as if to replace the air in your lungs with his. 
Mewls and whimpers muffled by his skin, your hands moving to perch themselves on his broad shoulders. Your quivering legs grew limp as the strength of his hands took over. Barely processing the sweet nothings whispered as your core relishes in the fullness. Like an ache that’s been finally satisfied. 
He wondered if tonight’s excessive vigor was fraying his control, or if your body was just this addictive. 
By now any notion of decency and integrity has long left you, your hand clawing into his shoulders, marking him with the scars of rapture. A harsh thrust of his hips recoils through you, a wanton moan reverbing off the walls as it forces your tangled lips to part. 
Tongue unable to produce anything other than strained moans, your head nods into his broad shoulder as your hips ground against his. The wet squelch announces the reciprocation of your walls. 
The intervals of those unrelenting rams increasing between the tender thrusts, half-lidded eyes trained on the shivers of your body. Cock sliding against satin ridges of your wall. Grunts and pants reverberate through his throat, teeth clenching as your heat engulfs him again. Reaching deeper into your welcoming core as your lips fall open. 
“Is this not enough?” You could feel the mirth in his whisper. 
Closer, deeper, more. You want more. Walls aching for more, for his girth to jostle your core more, to extinguish this all-consuming heat within you. Hips floundering in harmony with breathy mewls. 
Pressing libidinous kisses along his throat feeling the vibrations of his grunts and pants, a deep chuckle was soon felt against your lips.
“Good grief you are a greedy little thing aren’t you.” 
A deafening slam of skin resounds through the heavy air, swiftly followed by another and another. A new tempo in this waltz of passion takes over like a wave sweeping both of you out to a sea of indulgence.
Possessed by the desperation of chasing a white light, your hand rakes deeper into his toned arms. Seizing anything to prevent your mind from abandoning your sinful body as his girth twitches within your velvety folds. 
Sanity like a foolish sailor who’s beckoned by the lure of a siren’s voice, uncaring of the rocks which will sink them to the very bottom of the bemused tides. Keening against your husband shamelessly, a shameless wife on the cusp of her second fall into ecstasy. 
The heavy scent of lust, the smothering heat, his unrelenting and unshakable thrusts amalgamating into the spark that lit your nerves alight. Toes arched into the air and eyes reaching the back of your head. Sobs and incoherent babbles resounding through the room. 
Your devious walls clamped around his dick with maddening convulsions, gummy muscles suckling against his girth eager to quell your aching greed. It was too much. 
His fingers claw into your soft hips, pressing your cunt flush against his hips with a sloppy slap of skin. The bulbous tip prodding against that weakness deep within you. Bruising grip holding your body in place as his lips crash back into yours.
Swallowing down his breathless groans with your sweet mewls and praddles.
A heat is spilled into the rubber, making your greedy walls quiver amidst the aftershocks of ecstasy. Alhaitham’s hips twitch with each subsequent rip of his orgasm, thrusting his length further into your crowded cavity with each one. The filthiness of it all prolongs your sinful depravity. 
Chest expanding with pants, your lopsided shirt falling further down your shoulder. Your eyes return from seeing blinding white, exhaustion drenching each fiber of your body.
Limp figure crumbling against your husband as his back lays back on the creaking headboard. Even before your worn mind could conjure a coherent thought, your hands caress his starlight tresses. 
As his own breath evades him Alhaitham releases one hand to cup your cheek, thumb brushing softly against your smoldering skin, guiding your lips back to his. 
Basking in the warmth forged between your bodies, between drumming heartbeats and breathless lungs. 
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Two bodies lay under silken sheets, skin freshly wiped clean of sweat as the crisp breeze brushed against the curtains gradually erasing the sinful haze. The cool air aids your rising and falling chest to pace itself. 
Muscles and bones heavy with fatigue, yet your eyes couldn’t bring themselves to retire behind shut lids. Not when those dreary clouds have finally retreated. 
The moon hangs high in the sky, finally free from the shroud of rain clouds, she sits among the twinkling dots. Twinkling dots were in actuality brilliant stars, some even larger and brighter than the beloved sun. 
Glimmering lustrously as they traverse through the contentious vacuum of space and past other nameless stars. A scene from a late-morning market trip wanders its way back from the depths of your memory, bringing its musings with it.
“Something on your mind?” A timbre voice beckons your conscious mind back from its trek.
Teal eyes set upon yours as your heads rest on plush pillows, just a breath away from one another.
“Hm, just senseless musings.” Your gaze shifts away from the window. 
In a changed world with millions of hands will your hands and his find each other to make two pairs of hands?
In a different time with a million pairs of legs, will your steps and his steps still coincide in time with each other 
In a new life with a sea of new faces, will a stoic face and another stoic face spot each other in the crowd? 
What is the likelihood of those odds? 
“If you keep letting your thoughts fester, it’ll only bring trouble upon yourself in the morning from sleep deprivation.” He shifts his position, supporting his cheek on his fist as he stares down at your face. 
You sigh because he spoke exactly what those whispers of rationale were urging you, but the scoffs of pride had deemed these rampant inquiries ‘childish’. However, it’s a bit hard to avoid his eyes now. 
“I was just musing about the soulmates concept again,” you confess. 
Alhaitham hums in curiosity. 
“Do you��” You take a deep breath, forcing the hard-to-vocalize question from your tongue. “Do you think we’ll only be together in this life?” 
He’s silent. Just the muted chorus of Summer crickets rejoicing over the conclusion of a rainstorm resounding through the space.
“In a different time, a different universe, or the next life, do you think we’ll be soulmates again?” You muster together the courage to peer up at his face. 
“I don’t recall ever reading an article or paper related to this topic, so it’ll be convoluted to get an answer.” He brings his other hand to his face, signifying his musings. 
Right, there isn’t even a definitive answer for what happens after life passes, an afterlife, a cycle, or nothing, no one knows. Was this the only universe where life exists or are there infinitely many far out there in the stars? Does anyone know?
Your hand pulls your blanket up to your face, partially to cover the growing shame creeping up your face. That haughty voice within was right, these baseless questions are silly and childish. Perhaps even too morbid to bring up so unprompted on this weekend night. 
What were you expecting Alhaitham to even do? Did you want him to give you an answer? What can he even do? A question you can’t even begin to understand, why would you even expect him to have some solution prepared? 
What to do now? Can you just take back your previous words from his memory, so he’ll just forget what you said? Maybe just ask him to quell any more mindless musings from plaguing you tonight by placing his lips on your forehead? So that you could finally drift into the realm of slumber. 
However, is that temporary solution enough? Enough to stifle the contentions and riddles clattering together into a clamorous ruckus in your head? Could sleep even spare you from their tumult? 
“The Membrane Multiverse Theory or reincarnation, hm, do you have any personal theories you’d like to share?” The sensation of his fingers grasping yours brings you back to reality. 
Glancing at him with a quirk in your brow, you wait for him to continue. 
“Who knows, maybe we’ll be the first to publish something for this topic.” His thumb runs along your knuckles. 
“So, is there a speculation or possible rationale you feel particular to?” Teal eyes reconnect with yours. 
“Well…” You sigh, relishing in the warmth of his hand as you concoct a half-baked theory. 
“There’s stardust from stars that had burst billions of years ago, that have somehow ended up on this planet. Subsequently, every being on earth has the atoms of stars in them. So, naturally by the law of conservation, the earth is where the atoms of the human body will return.”
“Based on the law that atoms cannot be created or destroyed?” He drones. 
“Yes, they all had to come from something before them. The carbon in muscles, the calcium in bones, and the iron in blood. The atoms that make up you and I might become part of something else, or even of different people too.” 
“Hm, that sounds probable.”
“But, then this brings up a whole new host of questions, such as, if the new people our atoms become a part of are even ‘us’? Will they ever meet? What if you become a tree and I a rock? What if the atoms of you end up on one side of Teyvat and I on the other end?”
You peer into his irises, but you were just searching for an answer that isn’t there. 
For his beryl irises were impassive. But it was the impassive foundation you needed to ground your rambling thoughts and nonsensical musings into the desolate truth of it all.
The warmth of his hand slips away.
“Never mind, I suppose it’s the most logical to conclude that we’re just soulmates in this instance of time, in this universe, and only here.” Your hand closes over the empty space he left. 
Maybe it’s wise to dismiss it as silly rambling and then withdraw from his indecipherable eyes. Is it too late to put this plan into motion now?
The weight of a muscular arm is draped over your waist, hand pulling you closer unlike your ploy to escape. 
“But I have a few theories I haven’t shared yet.” He glances out toward the bedroom window. 
“While the theory of reincarnation currently doesn’t have any solid scientific backing, in some way, the law of conservation of mass does give a bit of merit to that notion.” Alhaitham draws circles into the small of your back. 
You hum in response. 
“The atoms that created us will return to the earth after us and become a part of something or someone else’s molecular structure. A tree or a rock, a human or a beast, it’s all probable. However…” Beryl eyes return to meet yours. 
“What’s stopping them from repeating the same molecular structures as right now?” He asks. 
Maybe it was his turn to peer into your eyes to search for an answer, an answer currently brewing and forging between your united gazes. 
“What’s stopping these atoms from returning to these exact molecular structures in the future? In a different time, the atoms of us now could one day in the far future come together again and make ‘us’ once more. Maybe just you, maybe just me, or maybe both at the same time.” 
He frees his other hand from the duty of supporting his head, broad body settling down into the bed and blankets, allowing his face to move closer to your level upon his pillow. 
“What’s the likelihood of those odds? Me and you again?” You ask. 
Alhaitham pauses. All the bright minds of science, mathematics, and physics, have yet to come up with a formula to calculate such a thing.
What would be the factors plugged into the equation? And how accurate would it even be?
The ashen-haired man wasn’t sure, but there was at least a statistical observation that would provide some basis. 
“A true 0% chance is an absolute impossibility, just as nothing can be proven absolutely 100%. Since we don't know the absolutes of time, existence, or physics. So, there’ll always be a non-zero chance.” Feeling the drums of your heartbeat against his chest. 
“Then, when they do, I think I’ll spend my life pondering what could fit into the spaces between my fingers like this.” He slips his hand into the gaps of yours, intertwining them. 
Then finally, he saw the smile he’d been yearning for rising on your lush lips. The ends of your eyes crinkle as it make its way to your irises as well. Your grip mirrors his as you nestle your face closer to his. 
“You won’t get tired of this stoic face?” You taunt.
“Will you get tired of mine?” He counters. 
Your shoulders quiver with stifled giggles. 
“No, no I won’t,” you promise him. 
“Then I won’t,” he promises back. 
His larger hand brings yours closer to himself, all the while your attentive eyes watch failing to keep the curl of your lips under control. 
“Any thoughts on the Membrane Multiverse Theory? How will your astute mind surmise the possibility of us laying like this somewhere else in the stars?” Honeyed-voice mimicking awe as your face inches closer.
“I believe I’ve shared enough, I’d much rather hear what your brilliant postulate is.” His tone casted with mirth, but the bite missing from teal eyes. 
Letting a soft hum, your mind rifling through all the paragraphs and journals your hands had ever thumbed through.
The soft rhythm of his breaths kept time. Stringing the words together on your tongue, you hope this monologue of yours will provide some amusement for him. 
“If universes are randomly put into 2 boxes of ‘yes’ and ‘no’, then on average the number of universes in each box would be the same. For every universe I’m not with you, there’ll be equally as many where I am with you.” 
A coin toss, perhaps it was all just a coin toss after all. Whether or not the Akasha paired a stoic face with another stoic face, for the gaps of your fingers to fit his so perfectly.
It could have all been a coin toss, for one half to stumble upon the other half cruelly parted from them by the hands of unseen gods. 
“Something akin to a bijection existing between both sets of universes?” He cross-examines. 
“Maybe… If we were to assign one type ‘yes’ to a positive integer, and the other type ‘no’ to a negative integer, then perhaps we can construct a bijection from the positive and negative integers.” Your brow furrows in contemplation. 
“If we submit this theory do you think the Akademiya would publish it?” 
“Not likely, bijections are usually made between sets of elements like numbers, not sure if bijections can be applied to something like whole universes. I’m just hypothesising nonsense,” you sigh.
“But they did publish the nonsense known as The Lifespan of Love,” he interjects. 
“Hm, then maybe there’s a non-zero chance they’ll publish our nonsense too.” You stifle a scoff. 
“Hm,” Alhaitham hums in amused agreement. 
His free hand pulls the covers further up over your frame then smoothing out the wrinkles. Observing the growing delays between your slowing blinks.
“Only you and I would turn pillow talk into an academic deliberation.” You couldn’t hold back the giggle any longer. 
He sighs in agreement, nestling his head closer to yours on the plush pillows, teal gaze never once leaving yours. 
“It’ll make any romantic keel over and die from how dry it is, wouldn’t it, Haitham?”
“I say let them.” 
Scoffing and shaking your head at his crude declaration as a yawn slips past your lips, a conclusion to this nonsensical academic deliberation.
With one hand still intertwined in the tender grasp of another you pull Alhaitham closer. So that the spaces of your body could lay against the spaces of his. 
The warmth of his skin mingling with the warmth of yours, pressed against one another. You drawing mindless shapes into his back, his hand tracing senseless ruins into yours.
Perhaps, an illogical attempt to echt memories into the stardust in your bodies. 
So he and you could imprint the memory of each other into the very fibers of your beings. Then maybe someday when these atoms return to these exact molecular structures, they’ll remember this too. 
The law of conservation of mass, the probabilities upon probabilities, and bijections used in an inconsequential pseudo-academic ramblings to no one but an audience of silent stars.
Alhaitham’s certain no academic publisher would spare a glance at them. 
But this nonsensical instance in the continuum of time, feeling the rhythm of your heart on the other side of his chest next to his own, is his most precious epiphany. 
Fin~
©️vivalabunbun DON’T PLAGIARIZE, REPOST, OR TRANSLATE ANY OF MY WORKS. 
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imthebadguyyy · 11 months ago
Text
I Can Do It With A Broken Heart
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pairing : f1 drivers x reader fandom : f1 synopsis : the grid is there to watch you flourish with a broken heart. warnings : angst and insane amounts of platonic fluff
I can read your mind, "she's having the time of her life", there in her glittering prime.
The press conference room was buzzing with excitement. Cameras flashed, microphones were adjusted, and reporters shuffled in their seats, eager to ask their questions. You sat at the table, the only female driver on the grid, proudly representing Mercedes. Beside you were Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, both offering reassuring smiles as they prepared for the barrage of questions.
The session began with the usual inquiries about strategies, car performance, and race predictions. You answered confidently, drawing on your experiences and expertise. The lights refracted sequined stars off your silhouette every night, making it seem like you were having the time of your life, there in your glittering prime.
But then, a reporter in the back stood up, his tone sharp and probing. "I can read your mind," he began, a smirk playing on his lips. "She's having the time of her life," he quoted, a mocking tone in his voice. "But given the recent incidents, do you think you're emotionally strong enough to handle the pressures of Formula 1, especially as a female driver? Some might say you're struggling to keep up."
The question hit you like a punch to the gut. You took a deep breath, feeling a mix of anger and hurt. How dare he question your strength, your dedication? You squared your shoulders, looking the reporter straight in the eye.
"I can show you lies," you said, your voice steady and strong. "One, two, three, four. You don't get to tell me about sad," you continued, your gaze unwavering. "I've faced challenges and pressures just like everyone else on this grid. My gender doesn't make me weaker or less capable. If anything, it makes me stronger."
The room fell silent for a moment, the tension palpable. But then, Lewis leaned forward, his expression fierce. "We all face immense pressure in this sport," he said, his voice calm but firm. "And she's proven time and again that she belongs here. Her strength and resilience are unmatched."
George nodded in agreement. "She's one of the best drivers I've ever had the privilege to race alongside. Her gender has nothing to do with her capabilities. She's here on merit, just like the rest of us."
Sebastian Vettel, sitting a few seats down, chimed in as well. "Respect is crucial in this sport. We support each other, and we stand by her. She's earned her place on this grid, and nothing can take that away from her."
Valtteri Bottas added his voice to the mix. "We all have our struggles, but it's how we handle them that defines us. And she's handled everything with grace and determination."
Checo Perez, who was at the press conference as well, spoke up. "It's easy to criticize from the outside. But we know what it takes to be here, and she has it all. She's not just a great driver; she's an inspiration."
The support from your fellow drivers warmed your heart. You felt a surge of gratitude and pride. They saw you for who you were—a talented driver, a fierce competitor, and a valuable member of the F1 community.
The reporter, realizing he had crossed a line, shifted uncomfortably and mumbled an apology. The press conference moved on, but the impact of that moment stayed with you. It was a reminder of the solidarity and respect that existed among the drivers, a testament to the bond you shared.
After the press conference, as you walked back to the paddock, Lewis put a reassuring hand on your shoulder. "You're stronger than any of them know," he said with a smile.
You nodded, feeling a renewed sense of confidence. "Thanks, Lewis. And thanks to all of you," you said, looking around at your fellow drivers. "I couldn't do this without your support."
As you prepared for the next race, you knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you had a team of incredible people standing by your side. And that made all the difference.
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'cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit
The race had been intense, a whirlwind of speed and strategy. You pushed your Mercedes to its limits, navigating the twists and turns with precision and skill. As the only female driver on the grid, you had a point to prove, and today, you were doing just that.
But then, in the final laps, an incident occurred. Another driver made a reckless move, causing you to swerve and lose valuable time. Despite the setback, you fought your way back up, crossing the finish line in third place. The cheers from the crowd were deafening as you made your way to the podium, your heart pounding with a mix of triumph and exhaustion.
Standing on the podium, you felt a surge of pride. You had earned this. But as the ceremony began, an official approached, a somber look on his face. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, "but you've been given a penalty for the incident on the track. You've lost your podium place."
Your heart sank, but you quickly composed yourself. 'Cause I'm a real tough kid, I can handle my shit, you reminded yourself. The decision was unfair, a blatant disregard for the fact that you were the victim of the incident. But instead of letting it break you, you chose to rise above it.
With a defiant smile, you raised your trophy high, celebrating as if nothing had happened. The crowd roared in approval, sensing your silent rebellion against the FIA. You waved to your fans, your expression one of unwavering confidence and determination. You were here to stay, and no unfair penalty could take that away from you.
Lewis Hamilton, standing beside you, exchanged a glance of admiration and support. He knew the situation was unjust, but he also knew you were strong enough to handle it. As you all sprayed champagne, the message was clear: you wouldn't let anyone diminish your achievements.
After the ceremony, as you walked back to the paddock, Lewis was waiting for you. He pulled you into a warm hug, holding you tightly. "You were incredible out there," he whispered, his voice full of warmth and pride. "I'm so proud of you."
You hugged him back, drawing strength from his support. "Thanks, Lewis. It means a lot coming from you."
He pulled back slightly, looking into your eyes with genuine affection. "Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. You've got the heart of a champion, and no unfair penalty can change that."
Oscar Piastri, who had finished second, gave you a nod of respect as he approached. "That was a tough break," he said quietly. "But you handled it with more class than most could."
You smiled at Oscar, appreciating his support. "Thanks, Oscar. It’s moments like these that show what we're made of."
As you walked away, Lewis kept his arm around your shoulders, a silent but powerful gesture of solidarity. "Remember," he said softly, "we're a team. And we're all here for you."
You nodded, feeling a renewed sense of confidence and camaraderie. "I know. And it makes all the difference."
As you prepared for the next race, you knew that the road ahead would be filled with challenges. But with your resilience, the support of your team, and your unwavering determination, you were ready to face whatever came your way. And that made all the difference.
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babe, you gotta fake it 'til you make it" and I did
The season had been a rollercoaster, filled with highs and lows, but you had handled it with grace and determination. As the only female driver on the grid, you constantly faced scrutiny and doubt from the pundits who seemed to neglect your achievements. Every podium finish, every hard-fought point, was downplayed or overshadowed by your male counterparts.
Despite this, you kept your head high. One particular pundit, known for his sarcasm, had once sneered, "You just have to fake it 'til you make it, right?" His dismissive comment stung, but you channeled that frustration into every race, using it as fuel to prove your worth.
Then came the breakthrough. Four consecutive wins. It was a streak that left everyone in awe, and there was no denying your dominance on the track. Each victory was sweeter than the last, a testament to your skill and resilience. But what you relished most was the silence from the pundits who had so often dismissed you.
After your fourth straight win, you stood on the podium, the crowd roaring in approval. You soaked in the moment, knowing you had earned every bit of it. As you descended the podium, your eyes locked onto the group of pundits, including the one who had made that sarcastic remark.
With a confident stride, you walked straight up to them. The surprise on their faces was evident as you approached. You could feel the tension, the unspoken acknowledgment of your triumph hanging in the air.
"You remember that comment you made?" you asked, your voice clear and unwavering. "About faking it until you make it?" You let the words hang for a moment, letting the weight of your achievements settle in. "Well, I did just that. And look where it got me."
Lando Norris, standing nearby, gave you an encouraging nod, his eyes filled with pride. Carlos Sainz, too, offered a smile of respect and admiration. They had witnessed your journey, your struggles, and your victories, and they knew how much this moment meant.
The pundits, momentarily speechless, nodded in acknowledgment. You didn't need their praise or recognition anymore. You had shown the world what you were capable of, and that was enough.
As you walked away, you felt a surge of satisfaction and confidence. The road ahead would still have its challenges, but you knew you could face them with the same strength and grace that had brought you this far. And with every race, you would continue to prove that you belonged at the very top of the sport.
Lando joined you, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. "You handled that perfectly," he said, his voice full of admiration.
Carlos came up on your other side, grinning. "They won't underestimate you again."
You smiled, feeling the camaraderie and support from your teammates. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot."
As you prepared for the next race, you knew that the future was bright. You had the talent, the determination, and the support to achieve anything you set your mind to.
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lights, camera, bitch smile, even when you wanna die
The Monaco Grand Prix weekend was in full swing, and the glamorous event was bustling with high-profile guests, flashing cameras, and a sea of paparazzi. You, the only female driver on the grid, were attending a high-profile gala, and while the event was supposed to be a celebration, it quickly turned into a showcase of unwelcome comments.
You walked into the venue, dressed in a stunning outfit that was both elegant and bold. However, instead of admiring glances, you were met with snide remarks and superficial comments about your appearance. People were whispering about your body, your outfit, and your presence, making jabs and sarcastic remarks about your place in the spotlight.
“Lights, camera, bitch smile,” you thought to yourself, trying to maintain your composure. Even when you felt like the criticism was overwhelming, you knew you had to keep up a brave front.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, who were both at the event, noticed the uncomfortable atmosphere surrounding you. They were determined to support you and stand by your side.
As you mingled through the crowd, a particularly obnoxious guest made a loud comment, “Nice outfit, but are you sure you’re not just here to be a pretty face?”
The remark stung, but you refused to let it show. Instead, you turned to the person with a sarcastic smile. “Oh, absolutely. I’m just here to make up the numbers. But hey, if looking good and putting up with this nonsense is part of the job, I guess I’m killing it.”
The crowd fell silent, taken aback by your sharp retort. Charles, standing nearby, stepped in with a smile that was equal parts supportive and mischievous. “You know, I think she’s doing a lot more than just looking good. It’s impressive how she handles this kind of stuff.”
Lewis, also by your side, nodded in agreement. “Yeah, and I’ve seen her drive circles around the competition. I’d say she’s got more than enough talent to match that smile.”
The remarks were met with a stunned silence from the onlookers. The shift in tone was palpable, and the crowd seemed to recognize that they had crossed a line. You gave Charles and Lewis a grateful smile, appreciating their support.
As the night went on, you continued to navigate the event with a blend of poise and sarcasm. The comments faded into the background as you enjoyed the company of those who genuinely respected you.
Charles, as you were leaving the event, put a reassuring hand on your shoulder. “You handled that like a pro,” he said, his tone warm and sincere.
Lewis joined in, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. “You were amazing out there. Sometimes, all it takes is a little bit of sass to set things right.”
You smiled, feeling a renewed sense of confidence and camaraderie. “Thanks, guys. I’ve learned that sometimes, you just have to give as good as you get.”
As you left the gala, you knew that the road ahead would still have its challenges. But with the support of your friends and the strength you had shown, you felt ready to face whatever came your way.
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im so depressed i act like it's my birthday everyday
The breakup had been brutal. Your boyfriend, a famous tennis player, had ended things in the most public and humiliating way possible. Since then, he’d been making snide comments about you in interviews, trying to tarnish your reputation. Despite the heartache, you continued to show up and perform on the F1 circuit, determined not to let his words break you.
"I'm so depressed, I act like it's my birthday every day," you thought bitterly, putting on a brave face for the cameras and the fans. The Monaco Grand Prix was approaching, and as always, the media was in a frenzy. You had a press conference lined up, and you knew that questions about your ex were inevitable.
You took your seat at the press conference, flanked by Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, and Max Verstappen. The room was buzzing with anticipation as the questions started to roll in. It wasn’t long before one of the reporters brought up your ex-boyfriend’s recent comments.
“Your ex has been quite vocal about your breakup, making some rather harsh remarks. How do you respond to that?”
You took a deep breath, feeling the familiar sting of his words. But instead of letting it show, you decided to turn the tables with a sarcastic comment. “Well, he’s clearly got a lot of time on his hands now that he’s not busy winning matches. Maybe he should consider a career in stand-up comedy.”
The room erupted in a mix of gasps and chuckles. Before you could say more, Lewis jumped in, his expression serious. “He’s too stupid for his own good if he thinks he can undermine her. She’s shown more strength and class than he ever will.”
Charles nodded in agreement. “He let a gem slip out of his fingers. His loss is the racing world’s gain.”
Carlos added, his voice full of warmth, “She’s got more talent and heart than he could ever understand. We’re lucky to have her here.”
Max leaned into his mic, a rare smile on his face. “And let’s be honest, she’s the one who’s truly winning. Both on and off the track.”
You couldn’t help but laugh, shaking your head at their support. “Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.”
The bond between you all was palpable. The camaraderie and mutual respect you shared were evident, and the crowd could see it. The reporters seemed taken aback by the united front, realizing they wouldn’t get the reaction they’d hoped for.
As the press conference continued, the focus shifted back to racing, and you felt a sense of relief. You answered questions about your performance, your strategy for the upcoming race, and your goals for the season. With each answer, you felt stronger, more confident.
After the press conference, the guys surrounded you, offering words of encouragement and support. Lewis gave you a reassuring pat on the back. “You handled that perfectly. Don’t let anyone get to you.”
Charles grinned, his eyes full of mischief. “Yeah, and if he keeps talking, we’ll take care of it.”
Carlos laughed. “I don’t think he stands a chance against all of us.”
Max added, his tone sincere, “You’ve got us. We’re in this together.
You smiled, feeling the warmth of their friendship and support. “Thanks, everyone. It means a lot.”
As you prepared for the next race, you knew that with the support of your friends and the strength you had shown, you could face whatever came your way.
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i cry a lot but I am so productive, it's an art
The morning of the race, you found yourself hiding in the bathroom, tears streaming down your face. The pressure of the season, the recent breakup, and the constant scrutiny had finally taken their toll. You sat on the floor, head in your hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "I cry a lot but I am so productive, it's an art," you thought bitterly, trying to pull yourself together.
Outside, the sounds of the paddock were a blur, but the faint knock on the bathroom door was unmistakable. "Hey, you okay in there?" It was Lewis's voice, filled with concern.
You tried to steady your breathing, wiping your tears. "Yeah, I'm fine," you lied, your voice trembling.
The door creaked open slightly, and Charles's worried face appeared. "We heard you crying. Do you want to talk, Speedy?"
Carlos and Max were right behind him, their expressions mirroring Charles's worry. "You don't have to do this alone, Champ," Carlos said softly.
Unable to hold it in any longer, you broke down again. "It's just... everything. The pressure, the breakup, the constant comments... I can't handle it."
Lewis stepped inside, kneeling next to you. "We're here for you, Superstar. You’re stronger than you know."
Max nodded, his usually stern face softened with empathy. "You don’t have to be perfect all the time, Ace. It's okay to have moments like this."
Oscar, who had just arrived, added, "And after all this, we know you’ll go out there and show everyone what you're made of, Rocket."
Their words, their presence, it all felt overwhelming in the best way. You took a deep breath, trying to compose yourself. "Thank you, guys. I just... I need to get through today."
Lewis helped you up, giving you a reassuring hug. "And you will, Star. We believe in you."
With their support, you made your way to the grid. The race ahead seemed daunting, but you channeled all your emotions into your performance. Lap after lap, you pushed yourself to the limit, determined to prove to yourself and everyone else that you could rise above it all.
When the checkered flag waved, you had done it. You won the race. The crowd erupted in cheers, but all you could think about was the breakdown you had just hours before. As you climbed onto the podium, flanked by Max and Oscar, you felt a mix of triumph and relief.
During the podium ceremony, the emotions threatened to overwhelm you again, but you managed to keep a brave face. When it was your turn to speak, you decided to lighten the mood. "I cry a lot, but I am so productive, it's an art," you said with a smile. The crowd laughed, appreciating your honesty and humor.
Max and Oscar both hugged you tightly, their support evident. "You did amazing, Lightning," Max whispered.
Oscar added, "We’re so proud of you, Champ."
The three of you stood there, arms around each other, a united front against the world. The bond you shared was clear, and for a moment, all the pain and pressure seemed to fade away.
As you looked out at the cheering crowd, you knew that the road ahead would still have its challenges. But with the support of your friends and the strength you had shown today, you felt ready to face whatever came your way. And for now, that was enough.
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i was grinning like I'm winning i was hitting my marks, cuz I can do it with a broken heart!
The final race of the season was here, and Abu Dhabi was buzzing with anticipation. You stood on the starting grid, feeling the weight of the world on your shoulders. The breakup, the constant pressure, and the emotional toll of the season had been overwhelming, but you had kept pushing forward.
As the race began, you found your rhythm. Lap after lap, you were grinning like you were winning, hitting your marks perfectly. The focus, the drive, the determination—it all came together. "I can do it with a broken heart," you thought, channeling all your pain into every turn, every straight, every maneuver.
When the checkered flag waved, it was you crossing the line first. The roar of the crowd was deafening as you realized you had just won the World Championship. Tears of joy and relief streamed down your face as you brought your car to a stop. You had done it. Despite everything, you had achieved your dream.
Climbing out of your car, you were immediately swarmed by your team, who lifted you high in the air, cheering your name. Amid the chaos, you saw Lewis and Charles running towards you, their faces lit up with pride and excitement.
As you stood on the podium, the reality of your accomplishment sinking in, you took the microphone for your victory speech. "This season has been the toughest of my life," you began, your voice wavering with emotion. "I’ve been through hell and back. Heartbreak, pressure, and so many nights where I didn’t think I could keep going. But I did. Because I’m stronger than my fears, stronger than my pain."
You paused, looking out at the sea of faces cheering for you. "To everyone who ever doubted me, who said I couldn't make it—look at me now! I was grinning like I was winning, hitting my marks... because I can do it with a broken heart!"
The crowd erupted in applause, and Lewis and Charles were the loudest, hollering and cheering for you. They rushed onto the podium, drowning you in hugs, their pride and love for you evident in their eyes.
Lewis pulled you into a tight embrace. "You did it, Superstar! I knew you could!"
Charles joined in, wrapping his arms around both of you. "You’re incredible, Speedy! We’re so proud of you!
The three of you stood there, holding each other as the celebration continued around you. The bond you shared was unbreakable, forged through countless races, challenges, and triumphs.
As the champagne flowed and the confetti rained down, you felt a sense of peace and fulfillment. Despite the broken heart, you had achieved your greatest dream. And with Lewis and Charles by your side, you knew you could face anything the future held.
This moment, this victory, was yours. And it was sweeter than you could have ever imagined.
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try and come for my job
The afterparty in Abu Dhabi was in full swing. The entire paddock was buzzing with excitement after the thrilling end to the season, and tonight was all about celebration. You had just won the World Championship, and the energy was electric.
Dressed in a dark pink glittery dress, you let yourself get swept up in the festivities. The music was loud, the drinks were flowing, and everyone was ready to let loose after a long, grueling season. Your team was gathered around you, along with many of the other drivers, all celebrating your incredible achievement.
As the night went on, the mood became more jubilant. Someone handed you a shot, and you raised it high, feeling a surge of adrenaline and joy. The crowd around you cheered as you climbed up onto a tabletop, ready to make a statement.
Holding the shot glass in one hand, you looked around at the sea of faces, all eyes on you. You grinned mischievously, feeling a boldness take over. "Try and come for my job!" you shouted, downing the shot in one go.
The room erupted in cheers and laughter. Lewis and Charles were right there, cheering the loudest, their faces beaming with pride. The moment was captured on video by several people, and within minutes, it was already going viral on social media.
You continued to dance on the tabletop, feeling the music pulse through you. The crowd chanted your name, the energy infectious. Lewis and Charles joined you, clambering up onto the table and dancing alongside you, their arms around your shoulders.
Lewis leaned in close, his voice filled with laughter. "You’re unstoppable, Superstar!"
Charles, grinning from ear to ear, added, "No one’s taking your job, Speedy! You’re the best!"
Max and Oscar were below, cheering and laughing, capturing the moment on their phones. Carlos handed you another drink, shaking his head in amazement. "You’re a legend, Rocket!"
As the night went on, the party showed no signs of slowing down. You felt an overwhelming sense of camaraderie and love from everyone around you. The hardships and struggles of the season melted away in the light of this celebration.
Later, as you finally climbed down from the table, breathless and exhilarated, Lewis and Charles stayed close, their support unwavering. "We’ve got your back, no matter what," Lewis said, his tone sincere.
Charles nodded, his eyes filled with admiration. "You’re a champion in every sense of the word. Never forget that."
You smiled, feeling the warmth of their words. "Thanks, guys. I couldn’t have done it without you."
The night continued, filled with laughter, dancing, and countless toasts to your success. The viral video of you downing a shot and declaring your dominance spread like wildfire, capturing the essence of your fearless, unstoppable spirit.
As the party finally wound down, you knew that this was just the beginning. With your friends and teammates by your side, you were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. And for now, you were content to bask in the joy of this unforgettable night.
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a/n : ahhh I've been waiting for this one!! happy reading 🩷 and as always, comments likes reblogs feedback etc is always appreciated 🤍
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charles : - @chanshintien @eternalharry @janeholt @magicalcowboyarbiter @oneafterdark @leclerc13 @moon-enthusiast @crlsummer @superlegend216 @electrobutterfly @formula1mount @f1lover20 @livsters @inkfable @ssararuffoni
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lorelune · 2 years ago
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(minors dni & ageless blogs dni /// inspired by this post and brainworms with @petrichorium)
"dear?" neuvillette asks. you're sprawled out on his chaise lounge, reading today's issue of the steambird. you're distracted.
"yes?"
"what exactly does it mean if you're 'wet'?"
you smile at him sweetly from across his office, "... come again?"
he looks overwhelmingly serious. though he does, occasionally, toss a joke or two into his daily conversations, it's rare. you know the look he wears when he does so. and in this moment? he looks completely sincere.
"if you are wet, the meaning, please. i believe you should know?"
"i-i mean," you laugh. "neuvillette, love, dearest— are you... being entirely serious?"
"yes."
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"ah, alright." your lover is the current incarnation of the hydro draconic primordial, but regardless. "to be damp. moist. covered in liquid, probably water?"
neuvillette brow scrunches. then relaxes after a moment and he shakes his head. the soft, curved horns that curl into his hair tremble with the motion. he smiles and shakes his head, shutting the book he'd be paging through. you catch a glimpse of the cover and— oh.
everything comes together.
"A Seaman's Conquest: The River's Maiden and Jewel" is the latest erotic novel by the quietly-famed 'Épée Honnête'. you recognized the cheesy art on the novel, and the flourishing text. you've read one or two of the author's works, but in the quiet and private of your own home. stashed atop each other in your nightstand, with a seldom-used vial soft oil. their prose is a... bit over the top. but they're also a sensation.
you have to wonder how and why neuvillette, of all people, is reading the book (and by your brief look, seems to be about half-way through it.) it is not the kind of thing he'd pick up himself— you've never seen neuvillette reading anything other than case files and evidence prior. yet apparently he's been ripping into erotica. right under your nose.
which explains his question.
"o-oh!" you swallow. "you mean wet like—"
"yes."
you squeeze your thighs together.
much to your initial surprise, neuvillette had incredibly limited experience when it came to bodily pleasure. intimacy in and of itself is something that he clearly yearns for, but perhaps does not know how to convey. you're not sure if neuvillette, in all his stature, could ever truly be bumbling, but he gets close to it with physicality.
he's careful. an incredibly fast learner but bent on taking his time, being thorough— meaning that most of your physical encounters are kissing under both of your lips are bruised and slick. you know that neuvillette feels aroused in those moments; the hard press of his clothed cock nudged up to you is proof of it. and you're turned on in those moments— horribly. you've soaked through your panties on more than one occasion. he makes you so— wet.
"wet is like... female arousal." you say simply, steeling yourself. you'll jump him otherwise.
"it this makes you... wet? is this like perspiration?"
"no, no. not at all. not really." you shake your head with a laugh. "it's like. slick? f-from my insides. it's lubrication for intercourse, to be entirely clinical about it."
"... but it's indicative of arousal?"
"entirely." you nod, trying to focus on the case file in front of you. your eyes have skimmed the same line three times.
neuvillette pauses and your hear a flutter of pages before his 'A Seaman's Conquest' closes once more, "have i made you wet before?"
you swallow. get ahold of yourself.
"yes. frequently."
"hm." neuvillette hums and his chair creaks as he sits back. he picks up his silver goblet and swirls it. the gem on it's side refracts the warm glow of the office light, dragging your gaze to his.
he's looking at you— hungry. perhaps something else. something insatiable.
"i want to know more." he tells you. rises. walk toward you with the defined click of his heeled boots on the hardwood fo the floor. "i feel as if i was missing something important without this knowledge. and there's more to be understood."
"well, ask away. i'm an open book." you tell him, craning your neck to meet his eyes.
"may i make a request?"
"of course."
"i..." neuvillette swallows around his words. you drag him onto the lounge with you and lean into his shoulder. moral support and all.
"it's fine if you don't know quite what to ask. or what you want." you assure him. you'll eat up anything he gives you, really.
"i know exactly what i want, it's a matter of phrasing."
"oh, yeah?" you wonder if he's nervous about you not understanding his desires. or if he's worried about being too blunt or forward.
you tilt your head back until neuvillette coaxes you down into his lap. his hand, gloved hand, smooths down your jaw. his fingertips trail down your neck, pressing into your curves and divots. bones and flesh alike. it's exploratory.
neuvillette touch slips down your collar, to bare skin. you shudder. "i'm curious."
"y-yeah? seems like you are."
he laughs, gentle and under his breath. his palm cups your cheek, soothing and kind. with a tilt of his head:
"i'd like to make you wet with my touch, and then taste you."
he says it hushed; it's just meant for you and you alone to hear. the intention of it makes you feel crazy, out of your skin. the look he's pinning you with. the ability he wields while being entirely sincere is going to undo you.
you swallow, a little sound sticking in the back of your throat. you squeeze your thighs together and close your eyes, "neuvillette, you're killing me here."
"am i?" there's a hint of a tease in his voice. you want to coax out more of it. you try and bury your face in his hip, but he doesn’t let you. he drag your chin straight and holds his thumb over the swell of your bottom lip.
"yes, y-you are." you mean to sound firm about it. but it comes out as a whine.
"so precious." he says softly, adoring. his thumb presses in into your mouth and runs along your teeth, into your gums. "would you like if i tasted you too?"
"fuck, neuvillette—" your words get muffled as his fingers press into your mouth further. he presses down on your tongue, the scent of clean leather and his gentle personal cologne almost suffocate it. you welcome it.
"is that a yes?"
you try to reply, but your words don't come out— his fault— so you only nod. perhaps too enthusiastically, but neuvillette doesn't seem to mind. his lips curl into a gentle smile, and he strokes over your cheeks. his only hand trails lower, finding home on your inner thigh.
"are you wet now?"
"'pworably—"
"cute." he says again. he still looks hungry. like he's going to eat you alive. there's an appetite in him, even if he doesn't know what it fully is or what to do with it. it seems, it really seems, like he's learning it. "may i find out—?"
"Monsieur Neuvillette!" The sharp crack of knocking on the door interrupts him as he leers over you. It's Laith, on the Seven— "the court time is within a half hour. do you require an escort?"
his grip on your thigh tightens. almost to point of hurting, but in the best way. you know you're wet now.
"no, laith, i will be alright on my own. i will be departing shortly."
"the prosecution's attorney sent over some last minute evidence files and requested i deliver them as well." the knob of the door starts to shift and you almost bolt up and away. neuvillette places his spit-covered hand on your chest to brace you down.
"i do not require the documents at this time. have them prepared for me at the opera epiclese."
the knob slips back into place, "of course, Monsieur. i'll see that they're delivered."
steps echo away from the door and you exhale a breath you hadn't realized you'd been holding, "awful timing."
"unfortunate." neuvillette sighs. "truly unfortunate."
his duty is paramount. you know this as he helps you to stand and as he straightens your close. he's being more dutiful about it than he could be, given his next court time is so close. you relish it.
"... are you wet?"
"right now?" you feel sticky in a way that's a bit cold now. you press your forehead to his lips in a quiet beg for a steadying kiss. he relents easily and gives it to you. "yes. you have that effect on me."
neuvillette takes a steadying breath and squeezes around your shoulders, "i apologize for the timing of things, but—"
"i know." you tell him. "it's okay. besides, i have fingers and some toys at home. you've given me new material to work with."
"... you think about me when you're pleasuring yourself?" he blinks at you, eyes wide. you can't help but smirk.
"consistently." you nod and beam at him. "often. basically every time. i haven't even seen your cock but my mind's eye has come up with some creative theories and visual concepts."
that gets him to blush, a high, pearly pink that's almost purple. it fades into his hairline.
"this is going to be a particularly difficult court session."
"i can only imagine. is it my fault?"
"only partially." neuvillette assures you with no bite. "perhaps blame wriothesley for that book he lent me. he insisted i read it and get back to him for a review."
"huh."
you could lose it. really. wriothesley is a bastard. you should punch him. or kiss him— except you've grown from those days and you haven't seen that busted-lip smile of his in years. nice to know he's still doing you favors. you should send him an edible arrangement.
"and myself, too. thoughts to entertain at home, and not at the office."
"perhaps, perhaps." you tell him. you don't mind. you brush your lips to his cheek.
"would you visit me, after court?" who knows when that will be. you don't really care. you have a key, afterall.
"of course." you'll have tea prepared. perhaps sex education flashcards. maybe. or you'll break out the lacey slip that's been seldom-touched since purchase and surprise him. who knows. the world's your oyster.
and as you walk with neuvillette out of the palais mermonia and see him off on one of the aquabuses, you catch it in him again. in the almost-longing gaze he sends you as he departs, you see it. something awakening. old and new all at once in him. directed at you. he's famished. or, perhaps—
thirsty.
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satinritual · 2 months ago
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TETHERED.
CHAPTER 1: Home Again.
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Summary: Returning to your home town surely is a bittersweet experience.
WC: 3.9K
Series’ Masterlist
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The mountains still stood.
They always had.
Their jagged silhouettes loomed on the periphery like sentinels of memory—unchanged, unmoving, yet somehow unfamiliar in the refracted light of everything you’d lived through since you last traced their contours with your eyes. They no longer rose with the same grandeur they once did in your childhood imagination. No, now they felt smaller—not physically, but spiritually, symbolically—as though the weight of time and distance had eroded their immensity.
Perhaps it was the inevitable consequence of having strayed beyond them—of having let other skylines seduce your gaze. You had wandered through cities whose horizons blinked with neon constellations, where concrete pulses beneath your feet and anonymity breathed through every crowd. Cities that never slept, never softened, never stopped. And somewhere along the way, the mountains became just another shape on the map of who you used to be.
And yet, despite it all, they endured.
Still, they curled protectively around Jackson, that weathered little town nestled in their cradle, like the gnarled arms of an old guardian—too exhausted to hold tight, but too faithful to ever truly release you. There was something unspoken in their stillness, a quiet assertion that you belonged here, whether you wanted to or not. They did not beckon. They waited. As if they knew the world would spit you back eventually.
Time had brushed against it, perhaps, but never fully entered. It was the sort of place that didn’t evolve so much as endure. Familiar structures stood like sentinels of the mundane: the same gas station with its sun-faded signage curling at the corners, its glass smeared with the ghosts of a thousand fingerprints; the old diner that had always smelled like burnt coffee and overcooked eggs, its flickering neon sign clinging to life like it had something to prove; the post office sign, a weather-beaten plank of wood suspended by rusted chains, still moaning in the wind like it bore the weary sigh of decades past.
And then came the sound—gravel under tires. A crunching cadence that filled the air with a rhythmic finality, each rotation of the wheels striking some hollow chord inside your chest.
Your father’s truck groaned its way up the drive, its engine coughing in defiance of age. The same truck from every memory: dented, scratched, a little too loud. It hadn’t changed. Neither had he.
When the vehicle finally came to a reluctant halt, the silence that followed felt heavier than any words could’ve been. He didn’t say much. He never did. He had always been a man of gestures over dialogue, of quiet over confrontation.
He stepped out, boots crunching against stone, the chill catching the edges of his jacket. And then—he opened his arms. Not grandly. Not like the movies. Just… plainly. Honestly. As if to say, This is all I have, and it’s yours if you want it.
And without a word, you let yourself fall into them. There was no dramatic collapse, no shuddering sobs. Just the quiet surrender of a tired body to familiar arms. Arms that still smelled faintly of motor oil and pine. Of forest air and garage light. Of him.
“Welcome home, kiddo,” he murmured into your hair, voice low and rough, sandpaper-soft in a way that made something behind your ribs ache.
He didn’t say a word about the tear tracks that glistened faintly on your cheeks, carved there like evidence of a storm already passed. He didn’t comment on the redness ringing your eyes, or the way your mascara had fled the battle hours ago. He didn’t ask why your voice cracked when you answered simple questions at the airport, or why you couldn’t quite meet his eyes when you told him your flight was fine.
He didn’t have to.
He saw it. He always did. But he wasn’t the kind of man to dig at the wound. He knew better than to press. Not because he lacked concern, but because emotion had always felt to him like a second language—one he could understand, perhaps, but never fluently speak.
He hadn’t known what to say when your mother left, either. Not when the house grew quieter by degrees, or when you learned to measure your loneliness by the way your voice echoed off empty walls.
Now, standing in the familiar quiet of that long driveway, you were older. Weathered by the same storms that had softened the mountains. You didn’t need an explanation from him. You didn’t want a speech.
What he offered was enough.
The silence. The gesture. The embrace.
The quiet understanding that whatever you had lost, whatever had cracked inside you out there beyond the mountains, there was still a place—however flawed, however unchanged—that would take you back without asking you to explain yourself.
And for that, you were deeply, profoundly grateful.
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The drive home from the airport was quiet—not the brittle kind of silence that sharpens into discomfort, but the kind that blooms heavy in the space between two people who don’t know where to begin. It was a silence swollen with everything unsaid, everything too fragile to speak aloud. A silence that knew better than to be disturbed, because it wasn’t really emptiness—it was full. Full of what-ifs and now-whats. Of questions left to rot in the back of your throat. Of grief that had yet to settle into something nameable.
Your father’s hands remained fixed at ten and two, knuckles bone-white against the faded leather of the steering wheel—gripping not just the truck, but the moment itself, as if it might spin out of control if he let go. His eyes stayed pinned to the road ahead, scanning the horizon with a sort of stoic intensity, like he was hoping to find a manual for emotional navigation tucked between the center lines. Now and then, he cleared his throat—a small, habitual rasp that suggested a sentence trying to claw its way out. But the words never came.
Instead, the old pickup rumbled dutifully beneath you, its aging engine offering a low, steady hum that filled the car like a lullaby composed by years and routine. Every so often, a metallic clatter would rise from the backseat—a wrench rolling into a socket set, a toolbox groaning against itself—as if even the tools were trying to fill the void you couldn’t.
Outside the window, the world passed in smeared shades of winter—bare branches stretching skyward like desperate hands, fields yellowed and brittle with the season’s indifference. Trees blurred past as though they were in a hurry to leave something behind. You watched them go, face turned slightly toward the glass, your reflection faint and flickering in the overlay of motion. You looked… tired. Not just in the way sleep deprivation sketches itself into the sockets beneath your eyes, but in the quieter, more cavernous way heartbreak etches itself into the hollows of your being.
There was grief there, sitting in your skin like it had been waiting for this precise moment to show itself. A break so raw it didn’t bleed—it just sat inside you like stone. You hadn’t bothered to hide the fact that you’d been crying. The puffiness still lingered beneath your lashes, a tender bruising around the soul. You’d barely managed a greeting at the terminal—your voice cracking on the simple syllable of “hey,” as if even that word had grown too sharp to hold. You hadn’t met his gaze, and he hadn’t tried to catch yours.
He hadn’t asked anything.
He just took your bag—without hesitation, without judgment—and opened the passenger door like it was muscle memory, like there was nothing unusual about you showing up on a Wednesday, looking like a storm had passed through your chest. And now, with mile after mile of cracked highway unraveling behind you, he still hadn’t asked.
But not because he didn’t care. Because he didn’t know how.
He never had.
Not when your mother’s silence grew louder than her voice. Not when her absence became something that had to be folded into the laundry, or packed into your lunches. He had been steady through it all—a man made of schedules and repairs, who could fix a car engine blindfolded but never figured out how to sit beside you in your sadness without looking like he was intruding.
He had always believed that love was best expressed in motion. In doing, not saying. You don’t gotta talk about everything, he used to say, as if the silence could be a blanket if you learned how to tuck yourself into it. He wasn’t wrong. Not entirely. There’s a certain mercy in not having to put your ache into words.
And so he drove.
And when you hit the halfway point, he pulled into a gas station without asking if you wanted anything. He returned with a coffee in a Styrofoam cup—no cream, no sugar, just how you used to drink it back in high school when you were trying too hard to be older than you were. You didn’t ask how he remembered. You didn’t thank him, either. But you wrapped your hands around the cup like it might anchor you to something. He noticed your sleeves stretched over your knuckles, and without a word, he reached forward and nudged the heater dial higher. A few minutes later, he flicked on the defroster, even though the windows weren’t fogging up.
Little gestures. The ones men like him made when their hearts were brimming but their mouths were locked shut. They were offerings in the only language he knew: warmth, presence, motion.
And at one point, as the truck rolled past the old church on Route 7—the one with the steeple cracked during a summer storm a decade ago and never repaired—he said, almost absently, “They never fixed that thing.”
His voice was hoarse, like it hadn’t been used in a while. You nodded, your gaze still fixed out the window, but your breath hitched in your throat. You almost replied, but the words got swallowed somewhere in your chest, drowned by the swell of everything you didn’t want to admit.
And that was it.
That was the conversation.
Until the truck rounded the bend and the gravel driveway came into view, the porch lights spilling golden light over the frostbitten yard like a memory you weren’t sure you were ready to live in again.
And then—finally—his voice broke the quiet, soft and low, barely more than breath.
“Glad you’re home, kiddo.”
It wasn’t much. Not some cinematic declaration. Not a speech wrapped in sentiment. But it cracked something open in you nonetheless, something old and aching and terribly tender. Because it was honest. Because it was enough.
Because it was the only truth either of you had left to offer.
The house breathed in the same rhythm it always had—a slow, creaking exhale of time and memory and things left behind. It smelled the way nostalgia often does: of aged wood swollen soft with decades of rainfall, of linoleum warmed by a hundred Sunday mornings, of brewed coffee absorbed into the walls like incense. And beneath it all, laced delicately through the seams of the air, was the faint trace of vanilla—your mother’s old candles. The ones she lit in every season, even in the height of July, when the heat was thick enough to bend light.
Somehow, impossibly, one still burned. A stub of wax in a glass jar by the entryway mirror, flickering with the stubbornness of a flame that had never agreed to be extinguished. As though the house itself had kept vigil in her absence. As though the wick had waited faithfully, not for her return, but for you.
You stood for a moment on the threshold, not quite ready to enter. Grief often moves in quiet circles, returning not with a bang, but a scent, a light, a sound. You stepped inside, and the door sighed shut behind you.
Your bedroom greeted you like a shrine left untouched—every item preserved with the reverence of memory. The bed was made in that stiff, military way your father always thought was “just good form.” The closet hung with clothes you hadn’t worn in years but still recognized by muscle memory. On your old dresser, trinkets sat in their usual constellations: the chipped ceramic owl from a childhood vacation, a photo booth strip curled at the corners, a bottle of perfume long since evaporated.
It felt less like a room waiting for someone than one that had refused to believe she’d ever truly gone. The space had not been resigned to loss. It had merely… paused. Suspended in the amber of a father’s quiet hope.
You began unpacking with the slow reverence of someone returning to the site of a personal excavation. Folding the present into drawers already cluttered with the past. Jeans beside a prom corsage. A sweater settling beside a journal you’d once hidden beneath loose floorboards.
That was when your father’s voice, roughened slightly with distance and dish soap, carried down the hallway.
“Hey, you remember Joel? That guy I met at the car expo a while back?”
There was a clatter of ceramic—plates, perhaps—and the low hiss of a kettle on the stove. The soundtrack of a house still trying its best.
“He’s stoppin’ by. Gonna help me fix the gutter. He’s a good guy.”
You paused mid-fold, the name stirring like sediment in the waters of your memory—recognizable, but murky. “Uh… maybe? Kinda rings a bell, but I’m not sure.”
“You’ll know him when you see him,” your father called, already moving toward the back door. “Bit older. Talks like he’s been narratin’ Marlboro commercials since the ’80s.”
You couldn’t help it—the corner of your mouth twitched. A reluctant smile tugged at the fatigue in your cheeks. It was clumsy, but he was trying. His version of a reach. And maybe you could meet him halfway.
After all, wasn’t that why you came back? Not just to escape the wreckage of the relationship that had unraveled you thread by thread—but to begin again. To breathe in the place that once knew you before the fractures. Before you’d learned to compromise parts of yourself so quietly, you hadn’t realized they were gone until you could no longer hear your own voice echoing in the dark.
You were pulling your sleeves over your hands—habitual, protective—when the knock came. One knock. Then two. Confident. Familiar.
The door opened, and Joel entered like a man who had never needed to ask for permission to belong. Not out of entitlement, but instinct—like the earth had carved out a space for him the way water makes room for stones. He carried himself with the slow gravity of someone born in towns like this, where men shook hands firmly and storms were discussed like distant relatives.
“Hey, Mike,” he said first, voice worn smooth like river rock, with a lazy grin that curved more from muscle memory than effort. But then his gaze landed on you.
He paused.
A stillness passed between you like a breath being held by the house itself. Something flickered—subtle but undeniable. His stance shifted by a fraction. Not a full startle. Just… recognition. His expression adjusted the way a photograph does when you focus the lens a little sharper.
Your father, oblivious or pretending to be, gestured vaguely. “This is my daughter. Back home for a bit.”
Joel nodded slowly. “Right, right. Good to meet you.”
You inclined your head, polite but guarded. The truth itched beneath your tongue. We’ve met, you almost said. Once. Briefly. I was wearing too much blush and you laughed at my T-shirt. But you let the silence carry the memory instead.
“We’ve met, I think. Years ago?”
His eyes narrowed just a touch in concentration, then softened. “Yeah. You were younger then.”
So were you, you thought, but kept it sheathed behind your teeth. That version of you—the hopeful one, before time and love unraveled her—was buried somewhere deep beneath the current one. You wondered if he could see her at all.
The kitchen smelled of burnt toast and dish soap, the air thick with the hum of a refrigerator that rattled every few seconds. Late afternoon light slanted through the window, catching specks of dust in a lazy dance. The conversation unfolded in cautious tendrils, harmless and meandering, like vines creeping over cracked pavement. You sat at the worn oak table, its surface scarred from years of spilled coffee and careless knives, your fingers tracing an old groove absentmindedly.
“Trip in okay?” Joel asked, his tone casual but not careless, his voice carrying the low rasp of someone who didn’t waste words.
“Yeah,” you murmured, eyes flicking to the linoleum floor, its faded checkered pattern curling at the edges. “Long. Quiet. But it was alright.”
“Plane or car?” He leaned back in his chair, one arm draped over the backrest, his flannel shirt creasing at the elbows. The motion was easy, but his eyes were sharp, watching you like he was piecing together a puzzle.
“Plane. Delayed two hours.” You hesitated, then added, “Something with the turbine, they said. Kept us on the tarmac forever.”
“Figures,” Joel said, his mouth quirking into a half-smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Flying’s just metal tubes and disappointment now. Ain’t been on a plane in years that didn’t make me regret it.”
Your father snorted from the sink, where he was scrubbing a skillet with more force than necessary, sarcasm dripping like the suds down his wrists. “That’s the spirit, Joel. Keep the kid’s hopes high.”
“I try,” Joel replied, his voice like worn leather—smooth but frayed at the edges. He shot your father a glance, the kind of look that carried years of shared jabs and unspoken trust.
You smiled—just barely, a sliver of light breaking through storm clouds. It felt strange to smile here, in this house that held too many memories, each one sharp enough to cut. Joel’s presence, though, was a buffer, his steady calm softening the edges of the room.
He glanced toward the kitchen window, where the sky was bruising purple, clouds piling up like an argument waiting to break. His fingers twitched on the table, a subtle movement, like he was calculating something—maybe the weather, maybe you. “Storm coming in, you think?” he asked, his voice low, almost to himself.
Your father followed his gaze, drying his hands on a threadbare dish towel. “Hope not. Gutter’s already hangin’ by a thread. One good gust, and it’ll be in the neighbor’s yard.”
“I’ve got rope in the truck,” Joel offered, leaning forward now, elbows on the table. “Won’t be pretty, but I’ll make it hold. Done uglier fixes in worse weather.”
“I don’t care how it looks,” your father said, tossing the towel onto the counter with a flick of his wrist. “Just don’t want it on the lawn by morning.”
You lingered on the edge of their camaraderie, an observer in your own home. The past few weeks still clung to your skin, grief curling like smoke in your lungs. But Joel’s eyes—dark, perceptive—kept drifting back to you. Not intrusively. Not with pity. Just… softly. Like someone checking in without asking for permission.
You wondered if he recognized it—the quiet armor, the tension in your shoulders, the marks on your lips from the constant, automatic urge of gnawing at them. Maybe he did. Maybe he, too, knew what it meant to wear grief like an invisible garment. To carry the weight of something you can’t name without breaking under it.
When the sun at last slipped behind the ridgeline, swallowed by the hush of twilight, it left behind an amber hush that spilled across the walls like honey. The day exhaled its last warmth, and the long shadows bled through the window panes, stretching across the timeworn hardwood like fingers trying to hold on. In their absence, the cold crept in—subtle at first, a hush at your ankles, then curling up into the corners of the room, settling where heat had not yet dared to reach.
You lay there in bed, wrapped not so much in blankets as in thought, your gaze fixed upon the ceiling fan that rotated above with that same lethargic rhythm it had always possessed. Its blades turned like the hands of a tired clock—slow, reluctant, tethered to a kind of inertia you once despised. It made the same soft whirring sound it always had, a lullaby of dust and repetition. But tonight, in the quiet hum of home, it was not soothing.
The silence pressed in around you, dense and unrelenting. It wasn’t just the absence of sound—it was the presence of everything unsaid. The hush carried the weight of memories not yet dealt with, of unresolved aches, of goodbyes never properly spoken and choices made in the echo of exhaustion.
Your phone buzzed once on the nightstand. Not a ring, not a call—just a message. A single vibration that thudded through the wood like a knock on the door of your peace.
You didn’t need to look. You already knew.
A name lit up the screen—a name that once made your heart stutter and your breath catch. A name you knew too intimately. Too thoroughly. A name that now felt like a weight in your chest instead of a warmth.
You didn’t open the message. You didn’t have to. The words were already written in your bones, weren’t they? They always followed the same script. Apologies dressed as explanations. Longing laced with manipulation. Love offered only on the condition that you fold yourself into a smaller version of who you were.
He had never liked Jackson. Said it was too small. Too slow. A town frozen in amber, content to live in the past. He’d laughed at the way the locals waved to one another, scoffed at the empty streets after 8 p.m., sneered at the idea that anything meaningful could happen in a place like this.
He said you had outgrown it. That staying meant surrender. That coming back meant you had failed.
And yet—here you were.
Back beneath this roof of creaking beams and familiar ghosts. Back where the faucet still dripped every eleven seconds. Where the screen door groaned the same tune every time it closed. Where the mountains stood in silent sentry and the stars still burned bright enough to see your way home without a map.
Back in Jackson. Surrounded by the familiar. By the static he once mocked.
But tonight, wrapped in the stillness of a room that remembered you better than he ever did, it didn’t feel like regression. It didn’t feel like defeat.
It felt—strangely, powerfully—like a reclamation. Like stepping back into the shape of yourself that had always been waiting, untouched by his revisions. There was something sacred about it, this act of return. Something that tasted less like capitulation and more like clarity.
And for the first time in longer than you could recall, you did not ache to be elsewhere. For the first time, you weren’t trying to escape.
You were simply still.
And in that stillness, a whisper stirred. Something nascent and unformed. The gentle hum of becoming. It pulsed beneath your skin like a premonition.
Perhaps, you thought, this wasn’t the ending he always warned you it would be.
Perhaps it was a beginning. An unmarked chapter. A space not defined by his absence but by your presence.
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NEXT CHAPTER / MASTERLIST
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dioslesbianwife · 13 days ago
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I know have I submitted two requests before this but hear me out.
Joefoe’s and jojo’s with a gem ( like Steven universe) reader. Reaction to them summoning their weapon and other gem powers. Maybe fusion as well. What type of gem the reader is can be up to you.
sure, i've never seen steven universe so i'm just going off what i looked up tho. hope u enjoy, ty for requesting <3
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Dio
Immediately thinks you're some kind of divine being.
“So you’re made of… gemstone? Intriguing. Are you immortal like me, my dazzling little moonstone?”
Loves how elegant you look summoning a weapon (especially if it’s flashy like a whip or bow).
The first time you fuse with someone, he’s weirdly possessive- like who gave them permission?
Wants to fuse with you for power, but fusion with him would be chaotic and wild.
He insists it would be beautiful… but it might actually end in a whole-ass natural disaster 💅
Kars
Oh you’re a space rock? He’s obsessed.
Has like, ten thousand questions about gem biology, origin, your gem placement, how you regenerate, etc.
If your gem powers involve illusions or light refraction? He’s stunned by your adaptability.
He gets so competitive once he realizes fusion is a thing.
“Your kind multiplies power through compatibility. Fascinating. Fuse with me. For science.”
You might catch him trying to mimic your weapon summon with bio-manipulation.
Yoshikage Kira
He is suspicious of your gem powers.
"So you're not human? But still… beautiful.”
Your gem placement and glow entrances him, and he’d probably say some creepy poetic shit about how your gem reminds him of a heart beating.
Doesn't like the idea of fusion at first- he's a solitary guy. But secretly he’s curious.
If you ever fuse in front of him, he watches silently, then later asks, “Do you enjoy fusing with others?”
Diavolo
Gem? Power? Secrets?? He is simultaneously enamored and threatened.
You: summon weapon in a sparkle tornado
Diavolo: “You have powers that rival my Stand. I must control them… or erase them.”
He’s obsessed with your mystery and elegance but constantly afraid you’ll undermine him.
You fusing with others would unnerve him deeply- he only wants you “whole” and “his.”
Might try to sabotage any fusion that isn’t with him.
Enrico Pucci
Immediately equates your existence to some kind of divine truth.
“You are a creation not of evolution, but of purpose. Fascinating…”
Thinks your ability to fuse is akin to communion or divine union.
He’d want to experience fusion but only if it’s for his Heaven plan. 
“To feel what you feel… would bring me closer to God.”
Funny Valentine
Patriotism.exe has crashed.
“You… are not from this Earth. And yet you live to protect it?”
Very intrigued by your power and how it reflects your personality.
Thinks fusion is terrifying (two wills in one body? Bad for politics!).
But if you fuse with him and the result is a towering glamazon in red, white, and blue? He might change his mind.
Tooru
"Wait, so you’re a gem-person…?”
Gaslights and manipulates his way into learning your weaknesses.
100% would try to manipulate you into only fusing with him or hiding your gem powers so no one else gets close.
But he’s also hella entertained by your illusions and weapon summoning. “So shiny… so sharp…”
Rock human Gem human solidarity.
Jonathan Joestar
Genuine prince energy.
“You are… divine. Truly. I must protect you.”
So impressed by your powers, especially anything graceful or light-based.
Very respectful about your fusion abilities, would only do so if it meant saving someone.
Encourages you to use your powers to help others and even trains with you.
Joseph Joestar
“HOLY SHIIIIT YOU’RE A SPACE WIZARD?! I LOVE IT.”
Plays with your gem weapon like it’s a toy. 
Makes so many bad puns. “You could say you really ROCK my world- haha get it? Gem? Rock?”
Very flirty about fusion. “What if we fuse and become super sexy? Wait, we already are- ”
Ends up loving fusion because it makes him feel cool.
Jotaro Kujo
Stares at you for a full minute after you summon your weapon.
“Yare yare daze. You’re… something else.”
Silently observes your powers and becomes very protective. You’re durable, but he still guards your gem like it’s your heart.
Would only fuse with you in a life-or-death situation… and it would go SO HARD. Sparkly, cold, calm, and deadly fusion. 
Josuke Higashikata
“YO THAT’S SO COOL!! Can I touch your gem? Wait is that weird? Sorry!!”
Absolutely in awe of you. Thinks you’re the most magical creature ever.
Wants to fuse IMMEDIATELY. "It'll be like a magical bestie hug right?"
Buys you gem-themed accessories like you’re a real-life magical girl.
Helps you polish your gem and carries band-aids in case your physical form glitches.
Giorno Giovanna
Quietly reverent. “Your existence… proves nature is still full of miracles.”
Uses Gold Experience to heal your cracked gem.
You two are ethereal and scary when fused. A divine, glowing fusion with vines and light.
Giorno respects your intelligence and abilities, and sees your powers as sacred.
Jolyne Cujoh
“NO WAY- That’s your weapon?! THAT’S BADASS.”
Thinks fusion is interesting. Wants to try it at least once, then does it like 8 more times.
You two become the chaos duo. Loud, sparkly, and throwing hands.
She likes watching your gem glow in the dark like a lava lamp.
Would steal your fusion outfits and say they’re hers now.
Johnny Joestar
"So you're not even human, huh… cool."
Weirdly calm about it. You think he’d be skeptical, but he accepts it like, “Well, I have a magic corpse ghost that speaks latin. We’re even.”
You and Johnny would have a chill but deeply emotional fusion. Powerful, tearjerker-tier bond.
Likes watching you regenerate because it reminds him that people can start over.
Josuke Higashikata (Gappy)
“Wait, so your body is built around a gem?”
You two bond over being fusion-freaks of nature.
Tries to fuse with you out of curiosity but gets emotional when it feels… right.
You calm him. He stabilizes you.
Aesthetically? Your fusion looks like something out of a surreal fashion magazine.
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conflictofthemind · 10 months ago
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Montauk, The Project Rainbow, and Experiments in Time
It’s fairly common knowledge that Stranger Things is based on Montauk. The unfortunate part is that Montauk has been attributed to another ‘vaguely MK-ULTRA mind control related side project’ and not the big narrative that it is, with details incredibly close to plot points in Stranger Things that resulted in an attempted lawsuit years back. Montauk does not just set the general ‘spooky scientific experiments on kids’ tone for ST - it is the backbone of the whole lore. 
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‘The Montauk Project’ Book / Conspiracy explained simply is that the US government unofficially experimented on humans with ‘great psychic ability’ to allow their psychic brain waves to interact with the normal electromagnetic waves of our world. The end goal being manifesting thoughts into reality, and opening up wormholes in time. This would give the military great advantage and potentially control over the outcomes of war. It then turns out the whole narrative of Montauk occurs within a time loop from 1943-1983, when the disappearance of a ship called the USS Eldridge opened up a wormhole which was connected with by a research subject in 1983. The time loop is self-causing - the entire reason the Montauk experiments take place are to further study the events that occurred on this ship, but part of the reason the ship disappears is because of the Montauk Project. Due to all of the other time travel references within the series - trust, we will get into those - this leads me to believe it’s very unlikely there isn’t time travel / a time loop involved. Here I hope to posit the basic information about Montauk/The Philadelphia Project, how the powers work within ST, Will’s clear involvement in all of it, and the time travel element. 
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Ahahaha why does that look like a bowl-cut…
Let’s put this out of the way first: the idea that Montauk/Philadelphia is the direct inspiration for the show is not based on flimsy grounds. The original series the Duffers planned to make was going to be an actual retelling of Duncan Cameron’s (think El and Henry - main research subject of Montauk) story. This was later changed to become the story we know today with the characters we know today, although with different names and the title remaining Montauk. Some of the characters had names from Montauk too… like Mr. Clarke being Mr. Nichols. I’ll save that for a later post. The entire design of HNL is based off of the ‘Camp Hero’ / Montauk lab with the iconic banana-shaped radar disk. El’s Void ability comes from the ‘Seeing Eye’ power Duncan has in Montauk, where focusing on a personal item belonging to a person lets him see into their mind. The research subjects’ power is amplified by white noise and a sensory deprivation chamber - again, seen with El. 
The Rainbow Ship and the Electromagnetic Connection:
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The Electromagnetic Spectrum is usually mentioned at least a little in every season. Joyce’s magnets falling off, El needing the radio, etc. Lights are another focus, with the kids in the Rainbow Room being tested on how they can manipulate lightbulbs, and the emphasis on lights flickering whenever powerful forces are being used or the Upside Down is interfering with Hawkins. I expect them to really start pushing it in Season 5, and we can already see evidence of this (below: the WSQK Squawk Van). They’re at a radio station, the Middle School kids are learning about light from Scott Clarke most likely, and you can see the abundance of rainbows everywhere. It’s my opinion that rainbows and light are the mechanism in which these gates open, and also when at high enough power, how time can become warped. ‘Project Rainbow’ is another title basically interchangeable with the USS Eldridge and Philadelphia Project. This was because “the mechanism involved was the generation of an incredibly intense magnetic field around the ship, which would cause refraction or bending of light or radar waves around the ship”. However as we remember, this had the unintended effect of teleporting the ship across space-time. In the ST Universe, this results in the Eldridge being teleported to Dimension X temporarily (without a gate being opened).
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The eagle shoots out beams of a rainbow which are meant to represent the radio waves being broadcast. 
It’s a commonly asked question as to how Will ‘blinked’ out of that shed without a gate, considering only El was able to open them at that time. The close-up on the lightbulb is the last shot we see before he just vanishes. It’s not just powers interfering with the surrounding electricity; this bending of light is what took him to the UD. But when this happens, it doesn’t result in a gate. I also believe this will end up being the mechanism for the eventual time-travel plot we’ll be seeing. Again in Montauk, there is a ‘time-tunnel’ made between the Eldridge and 1983 Montauk that was caused by the disappearance. My original post investigating this was me hypothesizing that being able to bend light to travel faster than it could result in temporary anomalies that allow one to time travel. 
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Anyway, back to the rainbows. Rainbows are one of the most common recurring symbols in Stranger Things. The Rainbow Room exists of course, and there’s a deliberate costuming choice, especially in later seasons with the brighter atmosphere, to have characters wearing rainbow patterned items. Holly’s room is full of rainbows, and there are multiple rainbow props scattered around other locations (Mike’s basement, Erica’s room, etc). Scott Clarke (seriously what is up with him) is introduced in Season 1 doing a lesson on ROYGBIV. The BTS pictures of S5 Hawkins Middle School have him teaching yet another lesson on the visible light spectrum. And space for some reason. This brings us back to the Rainbow Ship.  Now we know the USS Eldridge is a marine ship, not a spaceship. But for the characters who seem to have some connection to it, it is represented as one regardless.
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Will drew something representing the USS Eldridge (which it is mentioned was not from a movie i.e. he came up with it using his own memory and mind). The main fixture of Henry’s playground, where a ‘significant’ memory took place also features this representation of the Eldridge. I suspect there might also be a larger reason it took the form of a spaceship, but for now, consider that the ST Universe’s version of aliens are the Demogorgons. And outer space is Dimension X. The ship ‘flew’ to ‘outer space’ (D-X) and encountered ‘aliens’. In Montauk, that is kind of what happens. It’s more metaphorical in Stranger Things. The comic book Henry is obsessed with in TFS is seemingly changed from the real life Captain Midnight who was an airplane pilot, to be an astronaut. I think there is some kind of “alien abduction” theme with both Henry and Will being suddenly transported to another dimension that is alien in itself. Even when the lab scientists enter the UD in the first few seasons, they use hazmat suits that are deliberately similar looking to spacesuits. Stranger Things is a story about UFOs and aliens that also isn’t exactly about UFOs and aliens. 
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And then, I’ll mention the weirdest part of this all - Will knows about the Eldridge somehow. And he knew about it before he was ever kidnapped and attached to the hive-mind. 
This is either possible because 1) he was in fact involved in research projects at HNL, and maybe the Project Indigo before the age of 8 like the original “rainbowshipgate” suggests. Or 2), there is an element messing with time in this situation, just like in the original Montauk book series. Montauk is literally named ‘Experiments in Time’. They’ve nabbed Linda Hamilton from Terminator (a movie about time travel) for this final season. They’re referencing a Wrinkle in Time with the Episode 6 title and Holly plot. Then we have everything else involving Henry’s clock theming that hasn’t exactly explained itself yet. Thinking time travel is a far-fetched idea at this point is a bit ridiculous. 
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It really depends on how crazy they go with the whole concept. One of the other main characters from Montauk I haven’t mentioned yet is Al Bielek. Al Bielek was the original “whistleblower” who came forward with his story after supposedly recovering his repressed memories of the events. He claims to have been on the crew of the USS Eldridge in a previous life as Edward Cameron, Duncan Cameron’s brother. When he was sent forward in time he ended up staying in 1983 whereas Duncan Cameron was effectively sent back to where he came. Very confusing. But the story is, the man’s a time traveler. 
I do wonder if Al Bielek is loosely the inspiration for Will’s part in the story. Will who has seemingly repressed memories of many points in his life and has been suggested to be a time traveler many times. His name appears on the grandfather clock. He wears Marty McFly’s outfit in the first season. He has knowledge of an event that happened in 1943. He has lines about “seeing into the future” and Mike calls him a time-traveler in the VR Game where the writing staff had access to scripts and a writer from the show. The Upside Down is stuck on “the day of Will’s disappearance” (in the Duffers’ words), though that one probably has a slightly simpler explanation. 
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The exact mechanics of how that would work are unclear. Right now, as young as an eight year old Will needs to have the knowledge of the Eldridge - so this isn’t something he will only end up connecting with this season. My theory is that there is a time loop involved, and Will’s actions in the future of Season 5 have him interfere in some way with the 1943 Philadelphia Project / Project Rainbow. The time loop is cyclical and self-causing. Our Will Byers already has a past iteration in yet another timeline where he already went back and tried to interfere with the past (and likely died trying in 1943). Then he is reborn again in 1971, and awakes a very small portion of his past memories of the previous loops. If that doesn’t make sense, I created this handy-but-ugly flowchart to help you out: 
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Basically there is no beginning, since the future causes the past and vice versa (a bootstrap paradox). Every Will would then have memories of a past self(selves). The time loop also gets more complicated than this. Did Henry create the mindflayer? It’s presented like that within the show, but let me remind you that shows with heavy mystery elements can and will purposely deceive you. In the First Shadow, Mr. Newby is attacked by the Mindflayer and produces a drawing of the entity - it’s purposely not shown to the audience, but considering the Mindflayer was supposedly just a black mass then why is that? And regardless, in order to have Henry become possessed by it, the Mindflayer was definitely not created by him in 1979. A few have written up theories about this already, I’ll link to my friend's two posts on this element of the time loop.  
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I don't have anything else super definitive yet. But I believe wholeheartedly that this is the right direction to search in and I hope we can put more attention on the subject. All of this makes sense, from the military connections they keep pushing in the show, the time travel hints we have been getting, the origin story of Brenner (whose dad died aboard the ship) and the Rainbow Room, everything ties back to the Eldridge events being incredibly incredibly important going forward.
Here's a link where you can read through Montauk Experiments in Time for free.
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softomboy · 11 months ago
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Jotaro/Kakyoin/Polnareff X Autistic Reader ★HEADCANONS★
How would the Crusaders treat you regarding your special traits?
. ݁₊ ⊹ G/N Reader ݁₊ ⊹ .SFW. ݁₊ ⊹
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Themes: Inappropriate use of stands, Touch sensitivity, Noise sensitivity, Food "pickiness", Photosensitivity, Sense of humor, Overstimulation, Burnout.
★ IMPORTANT NOTE :
As my fellow autistic people might know, we all have different traits. I'll base these HCS based off my general experience. Also, english is my 2nd language so sorry beforehand for weird expressions, if there's any. Enjoy! <3
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. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ Jean Pierre Polnareff
❥ I really think he would be the most understanding (alongside Avdol) and supportive, that's why I'm putting him first
❥ When you two gained a little confidence after meeting eachother, he made sudden physical contact without announcing himself (slapping your back or firmly holding your shoulder out of the blue), which he didn't know would greatly startle you, even if you didn't show it.
❥ Since you explained it to him, he became THE GENTLEST. He tries to be in front of you or at your side whenever he's about to make physical contact, in order for you to anticipate and mentally permit the action.
❥ He caresses your shoulder and back, surrounds you with his arm, occasionally hugs you.
❥ You know the crusaders are trustworthy, and great guys. So you don't feel hesitant to make physical contact with them at all, which is very valuable.
❥ He's the most touchy with you because you two get along very well.
❥ His generally cheerful attitude helps your anxious one.
❥ Not to mention that his simple humor and his goofyness are absolute gold
❥ He makes you laugh a lot with the stupidest puns, and the others can see him inflating his chest with pride from making you feel happy.
❥ Whenever you don't understand a joke, one of the crusaders will always explain it to you. But when Polnareff doesn't understand it as well, you become the clueless duo™️
❥ When you're going to eat at a hotel buffet, restaurant... He always remembers what your go-to foods are, and points them out for you.
❥ "Look, y/n-chan! They have (food) here!"
❥ If you're overstimulated, he'll give you space and tell the others to keep as quiet as possible and not disturb you. He'll literally be your guard knight for the day and remember you he'll help in any way he can.
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. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ Kakyoin Noriaki
✦ He hasn't talked with you about the 'tism a lot, because he thinks it must be a tedious enough thing to live with and doesn't wanna pressure you into informing him about all the details.
✦ However, he'll listen attentively and try to remember everything you point out about yourself. Kakyoin cares, and shows it trough his actions.
✦ He likes to gift you emeralds he creates with Hierophant Green, because fidgeting and watching the light refract in them keeps you entertained and helps a lot with stress.
✦ Whenever he notices you peacefully playing with an emerald, he smiles to himself.
✦ Especially when you're watching the sunlight bounce inside the green gem, which is beautiful. And the emerald's pretty as well.
✦ Regardless if you're good at painting or not, he'll encourage you to paint with him in order to decompress.
✦ Mostly abstract or kindergarten level paintings, nothing serious in order to set your intuition and senses free.
✦ When you forget to put on your sunglasses while it's really bright outside, he knows you'll get gradually overstimulated and pissed off.
✦ So he remembers you to put them on, or offers you his own.
✦ Always tries to get you to eat pieces of fruit when they're available.
✦ If you like fruit he'll pick up your favorites, and if not he'll try to pick the most appetizing looking ones and convince you to try them.
✦ "These dates are amazing, they almost taste like brown sugar. Want to try one?"
✦ He'll not force you to try the ones you have tried and don't like, though.
✦ He has helped you on some occasions to regulate sensorially, simply by tying a straightjacket around you with his stand. The pressure feels like a tight hug, and it is strangely soothing, calming you down completely in a matter of minutes. You're both weirdly into it.
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. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁ Jotaro Kujo
★ There's AT LEAST one thing you have in common: You don't like small talk. So being able to sit in comfortable silence with him turns out to be a nice break for both.
★ For that reason, he always listens to you, because he knows you won't talk just for the sake of it. If you bring up something, it's most likely worthy of his attention.
★ His cold behavior makes it seem as if he doesn't care about your sensitivities. However, Star Platinum shows otherwise.
★ As much as an obedient Stand he is, he's always ready to appear against Jotaro's command in order to interact with you.
★ Star has appeared in some occasions to cover your ears with his enormous hands when you're overwhelmed by all the noise in a crowded place.
★ "Give me a break..."
Jotaro whispers, walking by your side while his stand is floating above you. He is concentrating on shielding your ears from the hubbub of the place. Jotaro lets out a sigh with his mouth closed, remotely feeling the soft texture of your hair trough his stand's hands.
★ Star also brings you little gifts. Catches bugs for you to see, picks cool rocks, steals little trinkets to give you. Everything just to make you smile, which warms him to his core.
★ As much as Jotaro acts pissed about his stand manifesting w/o permission, he is actually glad that at least his Stand is able to do things for you he's too embarrassed to do himself.
★ And don't ever bring this up: you've catched him smirking once or twice at his stand's actions. Specifically when he makes you smile.
★"Eat your damn food and drink your goddamn water. If not, don't be complaining about being hungry later, because I'm not letting Star bring you snacks".
★ (Like he can do something to stop him. Seriously SP is out of control ☠️)
★ At some point, you mentioned in front of him that having a bit of weight on top of you normally helps you sleep better. Next thing you know, Star Platinum's snuggling next to you in bed whenever you're struggling to fall asleep.
★ He hugs you with one of his arms and the slight pressure of its weight makes you feel secure. (He's the cutest thing ever I seriously cannot)
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I was initially planning to include Avdol and Joseph in this, but I was too lazy to keep writing ☠️😭 I am truly sorry for my sins against Avdol and Joseph fans
Maybe if I get requests for them I'll make another post for them both ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) idk
Please like & repost if you like this ndv crap 😳❤️
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cosmerelists · 1 month ago
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Cosmere Characters Watching Adventure Time
Cosmere + cartoons requested by anon. :)
Wind and Truth spoilers in the Adolin entry & the Rushu entry!
"Adventure Time" was a cartoon about Finn the Human and Jake the Dog, who went on fun adventures in the postapocalyptic wasteland they called home. It's a great show. Here's how I think Cosmere characters would to watching it!
1. Taravangian and Adrotagia
Taravangian: Princess Buttercup is definitely my favorite character. Taravangian: She's such a great ruler! Adrotagia: ...She does unethical experiments on her citizens all the time. Taravangian: Look, you don't have to convince me--she's ALREADY my favorite!
2. Kaladin
Kaladin: THAT'S what a dog is?? Kaladin: It seems like that dog in Wit's story could have stretched down into the well pretty easily... Kaladin: ...And that he could just shapeshift into a dragon whenever he wanted... Kaladin: ...Flying really wasn't off the table either... Kaladin: ... Kaladin: Wit's stories are truly inscrutable.
3. The Lord Ruler
Lord Ruler: I bet Kelsier NEVER would have been able to rally the people against me had I looked like an adorable penguin instead of a handsome man. Lord Ruler: Truly, Gunter knows more about being evil than I ever will.
4. Adolin and Maya [WIND AND TRUTH SPOILERS!]
Adolin: Storms, I wish MY arm could turn into a sword. Adolin: If I had armor for a leg AND a sword for an arm, I'd definitely be the coolest guy alive. Maya: Is grass really that strong, though? Adolin: Well, it is a fantasy after all.
5. Siri & Vivenna
Siri: Soooo, if you were in Adventure Time, what kind of princess would you be? Vivenna: What? Siri: Like, I think I would be Disco Ball Princess, with an outfit that refracts rainbows whenever light shines on it! Siri: Oooh, or Picnic Princess, and my dress is a picnic blanket and I have a magical basket that always dispenses picnic food! Siri: What about you? Vivenna: Uh.... the Blue Princess, maybe? Siri: Blue? Ha! Vivenna, I love you, but if you ever need an alter ego on another world, please try to come up with a more interesting name than "Blue"! Vivenna: ...I'll keep that in mind.
6. Dalinar & Navani
Dalinar: I feel a...kinship with the Ice King. Dalinar: He lost his memory & started hurting people. Dalinar: It was the other way around for me, but even so. Navani: ...Not all kings need to be an inspiration, gemheart. Dalinar: No, No, I really think I am onto something here.
7. Harmony & Marsh (yes, I'm sure they hang out)
Harmony: I thought I was pretty wild for including giraffes in my remade world. Harmony: But I can't believe I never thought of really small elephants! Harmony: Horses that can stand on balls and say their own names! Harmony: Sentient fire! Marsh: Maybe we shouldn't be watching this...
8. Yumi & Painter
Yumi: I think Marceline is my favorite because she reminds me of you! Painter: Really? I mean, she has a dark aesthetic 'n' all, but she's actually pretty cheerful and dorky! Yumi: [knowing look] Painter: ... Painter: Right.
9. Rushu [WIND AND TRUTH SPOILERS!]
Rushu: First, the Sibling... Rushu: Now BMO... Rushu: Two nonbinary icons? I can't keep winning!
10. Wayne & Marasi
Marasi: Wayne, are you crying?? Wayne: Yeah, a bit I guess. That Jake character just really gets to me, you know? Marasi: ...Because he maintains a relationship with a woman of another species while also getting to go on adventures with his best friend all the time? Wayne: ... Marasi: ... Wayne: ... Marasi: Or is it because you really wish you had stretchy powers? Wayne: I want them SO bad!
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phoenixblaze1412 · 3 months ago
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Could I request Mermaid!Dottore trying to find a mate after being in denial for a long while that he doesn't need one and when he finally found one (gn!reader), they're playing unapproachable to see if he's being serious?
Like being "oblivious" to his approaches, frustrating him on purpose 👉🏻👈🏻
And Dottore getting his "revenge" after finding out that reader had played hard to get
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Dottore had long convinced himself that he needed no one. No companion, no mate. His life was research, his mind consumed by the mysteries of the deep, the very fabric of existence woven into his never-ending experiments. He scoffed at the idea of merfolk forming attachments, wasting their lives away on something so fickle as love.
Yet, when the season came, when the ocean itself whispered with longing and the schools of fish swayed in synchronized courtship dances, something shifted within him. He found himself restless, irritable. The depths of his caverns felt colder, emptier.
And then, he saw you.
Gliding through the water with a grace that made even the currents pause in reverence, you were unlike any mer he had ever seen. Your form was lithe, your tail shimmering in the refracted light of the ocean’s surface. You carried an air of indifference, your gaze cool and unreadable even as others attempted to court you.
Dottore was intrigued.
At first, he tried to ignore it. Surely, it was just a passing fascination. A result of the season meddling with his mind. But no matter how deep into his studies he dove, no matter how many sleepless nights he spent analyzing coral patterns or bioluminescent properties, he would always find himself drawn back to you.
And so, the great Dottore did what he never thought he would—he pursued.
The first attempt was subtle. He swam near, casually, as if your presence was nothing more than a mere coincidence. He observed you, studied your movements, noted how your tail flicked with deliberate disinterest whenever another mer tried to capture your attention.
He found it… amusing.
The second attempt was bolder. He gifted you a rare shell, one that gleamed like the moon upon the ocean’s surface. You took it, twirled it between your fingers, then set it down on a rock without so much as a glance in his direction.
He clenched his jaw. Oh, so that was how you wanted to play?
The third attempt was direct. “I see you enjoy pretending you are untouchable.” His voice was smooth, a mixture of amusement and challenge. “But I wonder, how long can you keep up the act?”
You finally met his gaze, your lips curling ever so slightly. “As long as I want.”
And so, the game began.
He brought you food—delicacies from the deep trenches, fish that sparkled like molten gold. You accepted but never with a word of gratitude, simply indulging as if he were nothing but a passing wave in your life.
He swam alongside you, showing off his strength as he weaved through dangerous currents, only to find you unimpressed, merely yawning and resting against a rock while he boasted his abilities.
He even tried to impress you with his knowledge, explaining the intricacies of the deep-sea ecosystems, only to have you tilt your head and say, “Oh? That’s fascinating. I already knew that.”
Dottore was infuriated. Dottore was captivated.
You were testing him. He knew you were. And yet, he continued to play your game, continued to push, to try, to want.
And you watched. Observed. Waited.
It was on the night of a bioluminescent bloom that everything changed.
You were resting against a coral formation, your tail lazily flicking through the glowing water. Dottore approached, slower this time, less brash.
“You are cruel,” he muttered, sitting beside you. “You enjoy watching me struggle.”
You let out a soft chuckle, eyes twinkling in the blue-green glow. “I wanted to see if you’d give up.”
He turned his head to look at you, his sharp features unreadable, his gills flaring slightly. “And?”
A beat of silence. Then, a smile, small but genuine. “You didn’t.”
Something inside him unraveled.
From that night on, things shifted.
Your game had ended, but something new had begun.
Merfolk did not love as humans did. There were no written confessions, no spoken promises under candlelight. Instead, they loved through actions, through gestures that were subtle yet profound.
Dottore brought you rare treasures—fragments of lost history from the ocean floor, pearls that shimmered with the glow of the deep, delicate corals shaped like flowers. You, in turn, wove your presence into his life, lingering by his side, your fingers brushing against his whenever they passed.
You both swam together through the quietest hours of the night, your movements synchronized as if your souls had already entwined long before your bodies had.
You groomed each other, fingers carefully untangling strands of hair, hands tracing the edges of scars earned from the perils of the deep. It was an intimate ritual, an unspoken acknowledgment of trust and devotion. When his sharp claws combed through your hair, smoothing it back, and when you gently ran your fingers along his gills, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing—these moments spoke louder than any words ever could.
You hunted together, moving in perfect synchrony, understanding each other without the need for speech. When your eyes met in the thrill of the chase, when you tore through the water in pursuit of prey, you both felt the exhilaration of being together, of being two halves of the same entity.
And, most of all, you shared silence—the kind of silence that did not suffocate, but soothed.
One night, as you drifted through the abyss, their bioluminescent markings casting a soft glow around you, Dottore finally acted on what had been simmering between them.
With a slow, deliberate movement, he reached out, cupping your cheek in his palm, his sharp nails grazing your skin with a delicate precision that sent a shiver down your spine.
You didn’t pull away. Instead, you leaned into him, your lips parting just slightly as if inviting him closer.
He obliged.
The kiss started as a mere brush of lips, testing, hesitant. But the second he felt you respond, the dam inside him broke.
He pulled you against him, your bodies pressing together as the ocean around you seemed to fade into insignificance. His lips moved against yours, firm yet hungry, deepening the kiss with a passion he had kept restrained for far too long.
Your tails intertwined instinctively, coiling together in a dance as old as the sea itself. The bioluminescent patterns on your bodies pulsed in time with your heartbeats, your glow blending in a mesmerizing display of light and devotion.
His hands roamed, mapping every inch of your back, your waist, pressing you closer, as if afraid you would slip away.
But you weren’t going anywhere.
You clung to him just as desperately, fingers tangled in his hair, lips parting with soft gasps as his kisses trailed down to your jaw, your throat. The sensation of his sharp teeth grazing your skin sent a thrill through you which made you arch into him, your tails tightening around one another in an unbreakable hold.
Dottore had spent his entire existence denying that he needed anyone. That love was nothing more than a foolish indulgence. But now, with your lips swollen from his kisses, your breath mingling with his, and your bodies entwined as you floated in the vast, endless sea—he knew the truth.
He did not need just anyone.
He needed you.
And you had known it all along.
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kiame-sama · 4 months ago
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What if the human found everybody beautiful and painted them/drew them constantly?
Then you would have so many different species coming up and requesting you draw them.
Rook is weeping when he finds out and immediately offers to stay in all the poses you want. Vil is offering to model frequently and loves the one on one time as he shows off his favorite clothes from his collection over his long career of Modeling. Neige thinks it is so cool and wants to share his own drawings, he is stunningly good and it is mostly of woodland critters, he asks to go out drawing with you sometime and Vil bristles at the idea constantly.
Riddle is happy to pose how you want him to and is interested in seeing your work, always pleased to show you his interest in your hobbies. Trey is happy to lay out of water in his aquatic form to help you draw him better. Cater wants to show you how cool it is when the sun shines through his more translucent form and how it refracts the light. Ace and Deuce are flattered you enjoy drawing them and their little goat tails wag with excitement despite how they try to play it cool.
Jamil wants you to see how his scales look under the sun freshly after a shed, so you can see all the prismatic colors of his body as you relax in the shade and let him warm himself in the sands. Kalim wants you to draw him among all of his treasures and hopes you enjoy the experience of relaxing on his flying carpet.
Azul is bashful and stuttering in surprise before he regains his composure. He agrees to being drawn in his aquatic form on the condition that he approves all drawings before anyone else sees them. His is very shy, after all. Jade and Floyd are thrilled to be able to pose for you and will happily do so.
Leona is fine posing for you especially since he gets to just lounge and be the focus of your attention.
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youzicha · 2 years ago
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Newton vs Goethe
Goethe wrote about the physics of color and claimed to find effects that the Newtonian theory overlooked. Somehow while reading popular science I got the impression that Newton explains the spectrum while Goethe's theory reaches further and is relevant to perceptual phenomenons (e.g. cyan-yellow opposition). But reading the Wikipedia page, Goethe comes off very poorly.
Actually the things that Goethe considered critical evidence was not experiments related to human-color perception, but rather experiments with prisms. He refracted extended, rather than point-sized, light sources; for example, he noted that looking at a field of white light through a prism gives white light, and that looking at a white-black boundary can give either blue-violet or red-yellow depending on the orientation of the prism. From this he concluded that the source of color is a mixture of light and darkness, and that this proves Newton wrong—according to Goethe, Newton's experiment with a point source is just a special case when a dark-light and a light-dark boundary are right next to each other.
Of course, we now know that the effects Goethe observed arise from adding together spectra, so Newton's experiment with a point source is exactly the interesting case and the rest can be deduced from it. I guess Newton knew this also. Certainly he must have seen all the same effects that Goethe did, and he mentions (Opticks part II prop I) the need to make the prism large compared to the light aperture.
Newton and Goethe make a nice case study of science. Text books and papers are cleaned up to highlight the interesting result and how it is predicted by the model, but if you actually do experiments there's a jumble of confusing effects, and the scientist needs to figure out which of them are crucial and which are distractions. Here they did basically the same experiment, and one of them understood the composition of light and devised the exact right experiments to prove it, while the other messed around but never understood what was going on. The latter seems like the more typical outcome, but it's a bit unfortunate that Goethe did it a hundred years after Newton.
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animalphotorefs · 2 months ago
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Hey! Sorry if you’ve been asked this before, but I didn’t see it anywhere.
I volunteer at an aquarium and often arrive before my shift, in which case I wander around and like to take photos. However, there’s been a problem of my phone focusing on imperfections in the glass rather than the animals, making the photos very blurry. I’m thinking about buying a small camera to fix the issue, is there a specific feature I need to look for or should just about any kind work? Your zoo and aquarium photography always turns out so clean so I was hoping you’d have advice. If not no worries!
What I’ve learned so far is that taking photos of fish in tanks is really dang hard, honestly. I’ve got a good idea of how to get the basics I want for the site now but they’re not like… what I would consider good photos.
You’ve got a couple problems with trying to shoot into tanks that have to be solved around: the acrylic/plexi is thick, and can warp or scratch or discolor; the water itself also creates light refraction and adds distortion to images; not all tanks are well lit, and many are lit with LEDs that have a flicker cycle; tanks are often very shallow, which requires a macro capability, or they’re super deep but anything farther back gets distorted by the water volume; fish are fast little buggers that require a really high shutter speed.
I think your phone is probably focusing too close to you - its software is telling it the salient point of the image is the surface of the tank, instead of the things in it. That’s more common now I think as phone cameras get better and better and the design improvements are focused on close up detail like a flower or a dog nose or a portrait from three feet away.
The current setup I’ve been using is a mirrorless camera with the autofocus software set to detect eyes, prioritize animals, and hold tracking without switching subjects. For fish I rented a macro lens with a big aperture so I could get close-up shots with lots of ability to take in light (35mm RF 1.8 if anyone is curious). That compensated for the fact that I had to use a shutter speed of like, 4000th-5000th of a second to catch moving fish without motion blur - for context I normally shoot birds in flight at around a 2000th of a second. Some tanks were well enough lit that worked with normal settings, but a lot required purposefully overexposing the shots massively and cranking the ISO up to absolutely ridiculous levels.
Point being like… yeah, you can get a nice camera with a good macro lens if it’s important to you to get fish photos. But tbh I don’t know if that’s the best way to do it, and it’s a pretty major investment. I don’t think a point and shoot (anything without interchangable lenses) would have the capacity for the settings I found I needed. I don’t want to discourage you, but I do want to be honest about what you might be looking at!
That said, if you want to play around with the idea, you can always rent cameras and lenses! That’s how I’ve figured out what my daily kit looks like and what I want to buy for different use cases. I will always recommend finding a local store, but if you don’t have one and are in the US, I’ve always had good experiences with the company Lensrentals.
Let me know if you end up trying some new gear, and any other professional photographers please chime in with additional advice!
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