#Autistic side eye from hunter..

[freesia-writes]

Ch 34: Attack

Master List ~~ Previous Chapter ~~ WC: 3.4k Fanart by @autistic-artistech!!

Hunter slipped silently through the door of Lyra’s cottage, knife in one hand to brace his blaster in the other as he scanned the hallway, sharp eyes moving constantly. He stepped slowly, avoiding the creaky spots of the wooden floor that he didn’t realize he’d memorized. As he peeked around the corner to the main room, he froze, dumbstruck.

Lyra was tied to a chair in the middle of her own living room, tears on her cheeks illuminated by the glow of her fireplace, and Luciana loomed above her with a menacing glare. 

“Where is it?” she hissed, fist clenched at her side. As she turned, a rush of adrenaline pumped through Hunter’s veins as he spotted a blaster in her other hand. 

“I told you I don’t have it,” Lyra whimpered.

“First you said the evidence was in the safe. Then there was no safe. Now you’re saying someone else has it. You think I don’t know who? You’re stalling, and I’m sick of it!”

Lyra remained silent, eyes tightly shut in hopeless despair.

“Hunter’s not coming to save you,” Luciana taunted with smug satisfaction. Her beautiful features were contorted into rage, her typically bright smile twisted in a sinister grin. “He’s going to be busy for quite a while. You’re going to talk one way or the other, so stop wasting time. If you don’t have the evidence, where is your daughter?”

Pain and fear emanated from Lyra’s helpless form.

“Where is your daughter?” Luciana demanded. “I know you went to find her on Keytoll. Then you two both ‘died’, or so you led them to believe, until you showed up here. So where is she?”

A minute shake of the head was the only response. 

Luciana slapped her across the face. 

“Where’s Breslin?!” she screamed, poking the blaster closer. Lyra slowly raised her head, finally meeting Luciana’s blazing eyes with her own, and took a shuddering breath. A sudden stillness settled over her, and her voice was low as she spoke with clarity and conviction.

“I’ll never tell you.”

“Agh!” Luciana yelled in frustration, lowering the blaster to her side and clawing at the ropes to free Lyra from the chair before yanking her to her feet with a sharp tug on her bicep. “Get up! You’re going to take me to her or I’m going to start shooting you to pieces little by little!” She pushed her forward sharply toward the hallway where Hunter was watching, tense and ready. As he leaned out slightly, hoping to de-escalate the situation, both women spotten him with a gasp. 

“Oh, babe, you’re supposed to be enjoying your massage,” Luciana taunted, her voice now sickly sweet. 

“Give me the blaster,” he said, his own fixed on her above his knife. 

“Afraid I can’t do that, sweetheart.” She let out a disconcertingly sinister giggle, then jerked Lyra back toward her, looping an arm around her shoulders to brace her against her chest. She lifted the blaster to Lyra’s temple, pressing it into the skin beside her tightly-clenched eyes. “Your pathetic girlfriend here has something for me.”

“We don’t need to do it this way,” Hunter said smoothly. He was the perfect voice of reason, completely unfazed with effortless stability, but his sharp eyes were on her like a hawk. “Let her go and we’ll sort it out.”

“You know I don’t like being told what to do,” Luciana taunted, squeezing Lyra more tightly and shoving her a step forward. “Now get out of the way or I’ll make you.”

“Hey,” Hunter said softly, not looking away from Luciana. The warmth in his tone coaxed Lyra to open her eyes, finding his stoic face immediately. “I know you can make me. You threw me over your shoulder at the farmer’s market,” he said quietly, eyes darting for a split second to Lyra before returning to the threat. “When we were promoting the self defense workshop where we taught how to get out of holds.”

He saw Lyra tense, and he could have staggered beneath the sheer wave of panic that radiated from her. He could feel it all – her hesitation, her terror, her disbelief, and the single flicker of hope that signaled her intent. Slowly nodding his head, he began calculating his shot. 

“Cute. Too bad this sorry bag of bones didn’t–”

Lyra released her knees and dropped her full weight without warning. Luciana’s arm smacked her chin as she fell, but she was on the floor in an instant. Hunter moved immediately.

A blue flash of light. 

Luciana dropped. 

Lyra gasped. 

A second passed.

Hunter emerged from the hallway, sheathing his knife and holstering the blaster. He took Luciana’s from where it had landed beside her motionless form and set it on the table behind him as he quickly kneeled in front of Lyra, whose body wracked with involuntary trembles. 

“You alright?” he asked. A ridiculous question.

“No.”

A flicker of a smile touched his face. “I mean, are you hurt anywhere? Did she do anything else to you?”

“No,” came the small reply. She rubbed her arms where they’d been tied, then clasped her hands together in front of her, pressing her lips to them as she tried and failed to regain her composure, unable to meet his eyes.

He waited for a moment, awkwardly hovering on his knees, and reached out a tentative hand to touch her arm. Lyra finally looked at him, innumerable emotions flying across her face, and her clumsy rush to collapse into his arms knocked him onto his butt, legs splayed to keep his balance. He shifted his back against the wall, slowly opening his arms around her as she tucked herself into a pathetic little ball and she dissolved into tears against him.

He rested his face against the top of her head and remained silent, mind racing and body buzzing. Her familiar floral scent slipped into his awareness, its subtle sweetness a stark contrast to the sorrow and fear and alarm radiating from her. He took a deep breath, silently inviting her to do the same as he emanated security and calm, and he felt the slightest bit of tension subside.

They sat that way for a while, Lyra doing her best to reign in the sobs that wracked her body, yet Hunter could sense the outpouring of grief that seemed not only about Luciana’s attack, but about everything. He acknowledged the ache in his own chest as he felt her cold body nestled against him, and tendrils of warmth and yearning drifting up from deep in his core. He hugged her closer, turning to rest his lips against her hair, and closed his eyes. 

He would be there as long as she needed. 

.

Artwork by @autistic-artistech -- go love on it HERE! And shout out to @noblelightfighter for mentioning the self-defense move of dropping to the ground coming in handy later (because I changed this scene and added it based on that genius comment, LOL).

.

Minutes ticked by, punctuated only by the occasional shudder or sniff from Lyra where she’d nestled into his front. Eventually, she settled enough to push away and sit up, wiping her eyes and refusing to meet his gaze.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, picking herself up and offering him a hand, which he took and nimbly climbed to his feet. She slowly returned the chair to its place at the dining table, then stood still, arms hanging at her sides as she stared blankly at the floor.

“You’re okay,” he said softly, approaching with hands slightly out to his sides. “Want to sit?“ He beckoned toward the couch. She nodded and set herself in the middle of it, still in a daze. He was inexplicably drawn to her, feelings of compassion and protectiveness swelling in his chest, and sat tentatively beside her as she leaned forward to bury her face in her hands.

“What a mess,” she lamented. “I am so sorry to have dragged you into all of it.“

“Yeah…” he said, anxious at how his own potentially ill-timed attempt at humor would be received. “You should have warned me.”

A laugh burst out of her at the ridiculousness of it all, forcing its way past the heavy layers of shock and surprising her as it came out. She looked up at him, the lines in her face seeming to deepen, and he stretched an arm across the back of the couch behind her as a gentle invitation. A moment of hesitation held her back, as though she were deciding if she were worthy of his sympathy or not, but eventually she nestled against his side with a visible release of tension.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she admitted, turning her face away in shame. “I wish I’d done things differently. I really screwed everything up.”

“We both did.”

The fact rested heavily between them, weaving together common threads of trust and preservation that they’d relied upon their entire lives. Hunter sighed. 

“There’s a bounty hunter on my floor,” Lyra noted, staring at Luciana’s unconscious form. Hunter followed her glance, shaking his head in disbelief. How had he been fooled so completely? The entire thing felt like an odd sort of nightmare, and in the vulnerability of the current moment, adrenaline having flooded both of them entirely, he was floored by the depth of his desire to “return to normal”. But what was normal? As he pulled Lyra a little closer, feeling her heart beating against his ribcage, a sense of longing steadily grew stronger as all the ill-fitted stresses of the last few months began to fade.

“She’s a bounty hunter?” he said, returning to the issue at hand.

“Apparently. She snuck into my house and wrestled me into the chair, demanding that damn evidence I had from so long ago. I panicked… I didn’t know what to do. I tried to stall her but she was getting crazy… Then I remembered that little button you gave me, for Omega originally… So I told her it was the release for a safe, and she pressed it, but when she started looking for the safe, she knew I had lied.”

“She was hired to get that old stuff from you?”

“Yeah. She tracked me here… years ago! It was terrifying that she was here all along, but apparently she was waiting for me to lead her to Breslin, because the bounty for both of us was much larger.”

“So she tracked you to Keytoll and tried to have you captured there…” he began to put the pieces together.

“Yes,” she sighed, reaching an arm around the front of his waist as though she needed all the comfort he was willing to offer. “Sorry, is this too much?” She suddenly realized her actions and sat up in a moment of alarm. 

“No,” said Hunter quietly, and grateful relief emanated from her as she resumed her position, prompting a wave of fondness within him as well. “That explains why she was so affected when she saw you here again, if she thought you two were dead…”

“Mmhmm,” she said sadly. “She reported it back to that nasty politician’s office to try to get her reward again, but apparently their patience was gone. She had to deliver or “she’d be next” or something. So the pressure was on, but she was desperate to get Breslin too.”

“She told you all this?”

“She was ranting like a crazy person when she first tied me up,” Lyra shuddered. “Angry at having to wait so long, scared of their threats, obsessed with getting what she  was ‘owed’… Ugh.” She trembled, still thoroughly shaken, and Hunter rubbed a soothing hand up and down her back.

“I suppose I was just a way to get information about you,” he muttered, but she picked herself up a bit and shook her head. 

“She could have done that easily, I would think. You were just a treat along the way.” A pathetic breathy chuckle was the best she could do, and he resisted the urge to groan aloud. 

“According to the ladies in your office, I’m more of a ‘snack’, whatever that means.”

“Food metaphors are usually positive.”

“As they should be.”

He was struck by the effortless way they settled into one another, although what would have been playful banter still felt hollow and fake, as though they were trying to recover some semblance of normalcy after a giant plot twist that definitely no one saw coming. At the same time, he didn’t want it to be fake. He found himself pining for the quiet connection, the leisurely enjoyment of the simple things in life. A ribbon of fear laced itself around his heart as he wondered if it was something they ever could have again, and the thought moved him to speak after a long silence.

“I’m a clone,” he blurted out, the fortifications around his own secrets beginning to crumble as he considered how she had truly bared her soul over and over now. Lyra opened her mouth to speak, then closed it, waiting patiently. “I was created in a lab during the war. Genetically modified and enhanced. Part of Clone Force 99. My brothers are clones too.”

“But you’re all so different,” she said.

“We were engineered with various specialties,” he explained, feeling an increasing lightness as he opened up. “We were sent on missions throughout the war, and after Order 66, we had to fend for ourselves… Find a new way to live in a changing galaxy.”

He continued on, pouring out his past as a peace offering between them. He shared about Omega. About Tech. About Crosshair. About Tantiss. All of it. By the time he finished, he was choking back his own tears at the sheer weight of all that they’d been through, and he clenched his jaw, swallowing hard.

Lyra rested against him in silence, having given him little squeezes of support at poignant moments in his story. When he stopped and remained quiet, she sat up slowly, observing his sharp features conflicted with a myriad of emotions. The depth of the concern and empathy on her face tugged at his heartstrings, and when she tentatively lifted a shaky hand to graze his cheek with the backs of her fingers, he let his eyes close for a second. She pulled away, sitting back to rub her face before dropping her hands with an exhausted stare at the flickering flames in the hearth.

“So what do we do now?” Her question hung heavily between them, as though they stood at an intersection of paths.

“Good question.”

She sighed. It was late, the glow from the planet’s moons barely penetrating the thick cloud cover, and Lyra glanced helplessly around the room as though it would give her the answer.

“What about her?” she finally asked, fear touching her face as she looked at Luciana. 

Hunter shifted slightly to free his blaster from its holster, flicking a switch on the side and raising it at the motionless pile on the ground. 

“Wait! Hunter! No!” Lyra yelled in utter panic. 

“It’s set to stun,” he reassured her, showing her the gun as though she were familiar with its components. “It’ll keep her out til morning at least.” 

With a cringe of trepidation from Lyra, he pointed it back at Luciana, flashing a few rays of the bright blue light over her body. 

“So now I’m supposed to sleep, after all that, with her in my house?” 

“She’s not waking up anytime soon,” he confirmed.

“Yeah… But still.” She twisted her hands anxiously. “I mean, I don’t think I can sleep anyway. But I also feel like I could collapse right here.”

“Mmm,” Hunter nodded. “Pretty normal response to shock.” 

Lyra stared at Luciana, gaze growing distant as she tried to have any coherent thought but just felt completely drained. She shifted in her seat, casting a sideways glance at Hunter’s knees, then slowly lifted her eyes to his face. 

“Will… Will you stay?” she asked, voice small and vulnerable. Again his chest filled with protectiveness. He hadn’t realized quite how emasculated he’d felt for the last few months, and it was deeply affirming to be reminded of his own strength and capability. “I’m sorry,” she continued. “I don’t want to be a burden. I could help you carry her to the local jail instead…” She was grasping for options, and he resisted the urge to chuckle at the mental image. 

“I could carry her myself,” he reminded her, the shadow of a smile on his lips. “But I’ll sleep here on the couch and keep an eye on her.”

“I feel bad asking anything of you,” Lyra admitted, shrinking beneath her own self-hate for all that had transpired. “I don’t deserve it, Hunter. You should be free to live your life without all this… chaos. You’ve had more than your share, and I only make it worse.”

He waited for a moment, tendrils of pity swirling around the deep affection he felt, and then responded as soothingly as he was able. His words carried more weight than he’d anticipated as he spoke them aloud.

“I’ll stay.”

She nodded, eyes glistening.

Lyra decided to try to sleep, murmuring her sheepish thanks again and bringing a little smirk to Hunter’s face as he heard the lock on her bedroom door click once she was inside. She came right back out though, moving quickly as though embarrassed at her own forgetfulness, and offered him the softest, fluffiest blanket she owned before retreating to her room again.

Hunter laid down on the couch, pulling the cover around himself until it felt as though he were wrapped in a warm hug. Everything about this place was cozy to him. But he furrowed his brow at Luciana, his mind gearing up to strategize about every possible way to deal with that whole situation. He was surprised at how little he actually felt as he reflected on their time together, especially in comparison to the profound sense of emptiness and hurt that had burdened him since Keytoll. Granted, he’d had a lot more time to put down roots with Lyra… 

None of it mattered now, though. Part of him felt insulted while other parts felt relieved, and beneath it all there was a chasm cracking open as he ruminated on the fact that he’d been so thoroughly fooled. The exhaustion was beginning to settle deep in his bones, and he tucked his head against the armrest, angling it toward Luciana’s motionless body. He forced his eyes closed, other senses working overtime in hypervigilant rebellion against the sleep he so desperately craved. It would likely be a long night.

* * * 

The first light of dawn was peeking through the windows when Hunter woke with a start, a wave of apprehension sending goosebumps across his skin. His eyes flew to where Luciana had been laying, relieved to see that nothing had changed. And yet something was different. Tuning in to everything he could sense, his pulse echoed in his ears as he waited. Something was about to happen. 

The beams of light through Lyra’s gauzy curtains were brightening at too fast a rate for a typical sunrise, and he noticed wispy tendrils dancing through them. An odd sensation gripped him, the same sort he’d experienced beneath the waterfall, and the light developed that same bluish-green hue as it streamed toward Luciana. He sat up, reaching for his weapons as he watched like a hawk. Her body was bathed in the blue light, the delicate curls fluttering across before reaching her head, where they came together and swirled around before disappearing into her body, and he saw her sides rise and fall in a deep breath. 

His hand tensed on the blaster hidden at his side.

Luciana stirred, rolling onto her stomach and pushing herself up to a seated position. Rubbing her eyes, she looked blearily around the room with a quiet groan as she stretched stiff muscles from being crumpled in the same position for so long. When her eyes landed on Hunter, a sheepish smile curved her rosy cheeks. 

“Well hi,” she said in the cutesy voice she used to endear herself to people. 

Hunter nodded, watching her every move. 

“I guess that was quite a night,” she giggled, running her fingers through her red curls to smooth them into place. “I probably should have led with this, or maybe I did, but I’m Luci.”

.

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[terapsina]

Let's talk books. Sorted in threes by vibes.

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I Support Women's Wrongs (murder, slaughter and body horror galore).

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How to Become the Dark Lord and Die Trying ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ by Django Wexler - A woman from Earth is dropped into a magical realm, meant to save the Kingdom from the FoRCes of DaRKneSSss... except, unfortunately that might have been a thousand years worth of time loops ago, so it's rather time to lose one's temper and decide to become the Dark Lord herself.

Main character -> basically Deadpool (measured in sanity, humor and levels of bisexual horniness)).

Someone You Can Build a Nest In ⭐⭐⭐⭐ by John Wiswell - Shesheshen, a shapechanging monster who's rudely interrupted during her hibernation by hunters. Manages to to eat one of them, unfortunately she also gets shot by an arrow and falls off a cliff. On the bright side she meets a lovely human woman she might end up falling in love with so much... she'll want to build a nest in her (it's possible there's some Cultural Differences that need to be worked through).

Hench ⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Natalie Zina Walschots - Anna's latest temp job for a villain (because even supervillains need office help) ends with her carelessly injured by a superhero, laid off and with injured mobility for the foreseeable future (because human bodies don't see much difference between getting hit by a truck and getting moved out of way by someone able to pick up a truck). Angry, disillusioned, and looking for some vengeful payback she starts compiling the statistics of exactly how much suffering gets left behind the heroes and in quick order finds a new job working for one of the worst supervillains in the neighborhood.

-------

Extremely Competent Women Show Up to Fix Everyone's Shit (with a whallop of romance which was actually sweet instead of irritating)

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The Witchwood Knot ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Olivia Atwater - Winifred Hall was invited to the Witchwood Manor under the pretense of being the governess for a very bratty kid, but when said boy suddenly turns into a very quiet and perfectly bland boy overnight it's very obvious her charge has been stolen by faeries (and it might have something to do with the actual reason she's there). Rescue however is complicated by some factors, one, there being something terribly dark and wrong about the house (normal houses don't have screaming faces in the walls), another, the faerie man posing as the manor's butler who would very much like to make her run screaming the way so many servants had before her (unfortunately for him, she's not even half as scared of him as she is the eyes of the father of her charge).

This one's about dealing with past trauma, and otherworldly terrors paling in comparison to mundane monsters, set in a very beautiful and dark and shiver-inducing Victorian time world where the Fair Folk are very real.

(Same world as her Regency Faerie Tales trilogy that Started with Half a Soul but it's not necessary to read that one first to enjoy this one)

Keeper of Enchanted Rooms ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ by Charlie N. Holmberg - Merritt Fernsby inherits a house only to be immediately taken hostage by what turns out to be a very stubborn and opinionated magical house. Hulda Larkin of the Boston Institute for the Keeping of Enchanted Rooms goes there to facilitate the relationship between the house and its new owner.

It's supposed to be a very simple job. Unfortunately there's a third POV character in this book (no, not the Whimbrel House, though I adore that house and *insert here the Rosa Diaz gif about her new puppy and how she would kill everyone in this room and then herself if anything were to happen to that dog*). Anyway, they're a bit... uhhh... let's go with Bad News.

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Heather Fawcett - As one might expect from the title, Emily (a Cambridge scholar) wants to write the first ever encyclopedia of faeries. And she's brilliant enough to do it, what she's terrible at is people (*insert autistic character alert here*).

Someone else might then say it's lucky that a fellow scholar with a far easier time at charming people has stuck his toes in her reaserch trip into the Hidden Ones... that person however doesn't understand how irritating, frustrating and maddening her academic rival Wendell Bambleby actually is.

What follows is a story filled with winter snows, some terrible fae, some adorable fae, some not-very-secret fae, the goodest of good dogs, and lots and lots of squabbling. It's the best.

-------

Dark and Impactful Stories about Children Who Decide on Their Own Paths

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A Skinful of Shadows ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ by Frances Hardinge - Kate, an orphan and the illegitimate daughter of some stuffy (and evil) aristocrats runs away because being a bastard doesn't mean she didn't inherit the family magic that allows her to get possessed by the dead.

A dead bear ghost is one thing, a Get Out situation is something else entirely.

A Sorceress Comes to Call ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by T. Kingfisher - Cordelia isn't allowed friends or the privacy of closed doors, and whenever she's done something she shouldn't - a category too unpredictable to guard against - she's not allowed power over her own body.

Because her mother is an evil sorceress (think Regina and Cora... except somehow even worse). An evil sorceress that has found herself a Squire to lure into a marriage.

Hester is an old maid living with her brother, a Squire (well look at them coincidences), when said brother acquires a woman clearly set on his fortune. The plan is only to save her brother, except Hester can't help noticing how the woman's daughter keeps flinching in her mother's presence.

In The Lives of Puppets ⭐⭐⭐⭐ by TJ Klune - A family can be an android inventor, his human son (*homoromantic asexual alert*), a sadistic nurse droid, and a very emotional roomba.

And it can be a very happy family. Until one uncovers and wakes up an android that shares a very Skynet past with one's father, said father gets kidnapped, and one has to go on a journey to get him back.

(A book I like to call Sci-fi Reverse Pinocchio)

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Unraveling an Unjust System (and a hero that - on a scale from occasionally to constantly - hears a disembodied voice directly in their heads okay the connection between these three is a bit of a stretch but they're all great books so shut up)

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Hell for Hire ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ by Rachel Aaron - 5000 years ago Gilgamesh conquered the heavens, enslaved the demons and made it so that the only road to magic humanity had access, was through him.

Now, however a mercenary team made up of free demons gets hired by a Blackwood witch to protect him (and his familiar, the talking cat named Boston) while he puts down roots (literally) inside the new forest grove he's about to start so that he can stand up against the warlocks after him.

The witch quickly becomes the best client Bex and her crew have ever had (after all, warlocks under the rule of the Eternal King Gilgamesh are slavers of their kind, they are delighted at the chance to kill some).

Vespertine ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ by Margaret Rogerson - In a world where the veil between the living and the dead has been kinda broken Artemisia (*another autistic character alert*) is training to be a Gray Sister (magic nun).

Until her convent gets attacked by possessed soldiers and she has no choice but to pick up a Saint's Relic containing a malevolent revenant to protect it.

Problem. Only a Vespertine is supposed to do it. Another problem. The only one "alive" who can teach her to be a Vespertine is the revenant. Another another problem. The revenant cannot be trusted and if she loses control to it, the death toll will be counted in cities.

Terminal Alliance ⭐⭐⭐⭐¾ by Jim C. Hines - Post Zombie Apocalypse, where some aliens showed up, sort of cured the zombies and took the (mostly) cured zombies into their military.

Which leads us to Marion Adamopoulos, also known as Mops, the Leutenant in charge of Shipboard Hygene and Sanitation of the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish.

Right up until a bioweapon turns the entire crew except her crew back into zombies. Congratulations, she's the captain now.

(Space Janitors save the universe story).

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[yaut-jaknowit]

Little specific, but an autistic trans-masc reader with vic’tao and uihoy? maybe a little bit of a breeding kink? I think it would be cute with them trying to figure out why their mate keeps making too much or no eye contact at all, keeps suddenly jumping up and down, and what the scars under their chest is

The Eyes are the Window to the Soul

Pairings: Vic'tao (Male Yautja) x Autistic!Trans-Masc!Reader x Uihoy (Male Yautja)

Word Count: 1616

Summary: The two Yautjas are playing their chess-like game with you paying attention. It’s confusing to be honest but you try and its fun to watch them play. When Vic’tao checkmates Uihoy, you jumping excitingly and cheer on the younger Yautja. This is a usual sort for you but Uihoy finally brings up the question. The average ooman’s he’s seen don’t do that. During the entire time, you make direct eye contact with him.

Author Note: Nothing wrong with being specific! I hope I wrote this the way you wanted and didn't step over any lines.

Masterlist

Ao3

On a console in the cockpit, the two Yautjas you’ve grown to learn and love sat in their designated chairs. Serious, thinking expressions were pulled upon their faces. It was cute to be honest. A peaceful smile was etched onto your features as you admired the two.

The yellow Yautja with blue stripes grunted and moved a piece across this game board. Uihoy scoffed and easily countered with his own pawn. A very complicated game of chest that wasn’t all on one board. Parts of the board were vertical and intersecting with other vertical or horizontal pieces.

For the time being, you stood off to the side and watched quietly, learning. It was the smart way to play. Once you learned their tactics, you could join in on their turf. One day, you could possibly even beat them at their own game.

Vic’tao flicked his tongue out then proceeded to swipe off three of Uihoy’s pawns. Your jaw dropped at an incredible move then you jumped excitingly on the balls of your feet. A smug look washed over the yellow Yautja’s face while he looked at his other mate. “The old man can’t learn new tricks,” he snarked and leaned back in his chair, arm resting at a ninety-degree angle. “That such an old play that I bet your ancestors know.”

Despite anger being a normal reaction for Uihoy to fall into. All the purple Yautja did was raised a brow at his Yautja mate. “So, that’s how this going to be? Got one taste of victory and suddenly Vic’tao has gone feral,” Uihoy grunted and rolled his bright eyes. “Like the same way when little hunter allowed for Vic’tao to breed. One taste is all it takes.”

The spit in your throat nearly got sucked down into your lungs. You coughed and stared at the older male in disbelief. He’s become bolder with that statement as evidence.

A snarky look was thrown your way from Uihoy as he played his turn. Yet, it didn’t even steal any of his pawns back nor any of Vic’tao’s. A useless play in your mind.

More rounds of swapping plays and pawn alike occurred over the course of another hour. Interested to learn more, you stayed captured into the game. You decided to sit down between them on the ground and watched from below. Either of them attempted to coax you into their lap but the floor won. Neither took offense. If you didn’t want to, you didn’t need to. There was nothing wrong with that.

Somewhere during the game, Vic’tao requested a pause. The two agreed to stop for now. A pout crossed over your features as you watched as Vic left the room.

With the game paused, you shuffled on your knees up to the console and pointed to a spot on the boards. It was a darker spot. “Why is this place darker than the majority of the circles?” you asked then looked over your shoulder at Uihoy, eyes directly staring into his without moving.

Said Yautja scooted until only his butt was on the edge of his chair. “Well, if a pawn lands there, said pawn transforms into a…” he trailed off, mandibles pulling tight to mouth, thinking. Must be a word that was difficult to translate over or might not even have a translated word. It was about one-third of Yautja and English that don’t mix happily together.

He hissed then looked at you a little lost. “Would it be similar to a pawn turning into a queen?” you offered to him, hoping he knew the basics of human chess. “A queen is one of the most powerful figures on the board.” You decided to add that piece of information, so he hopefully understands it.

Uihoy snapped his fingers and pointed at you. “Yes! Practically,” he exclaimed then glanced at the board then back at you. Your eyes still on him, watching with rapture that he found slightly strange. He didn’t understand why you felt the need to look into his eyes whenever you were speaking with him. Same with Vic’tao. He almost had the heart to tell you that’s a challenge in Yautja body language. But, you were only ooman.

At this point, the cockpit doors slid open to reveal Vic’tao returning. Not empty handed though. Three waterskins and a bowl of fruit. Your favorite fruit. You immediately got to your feet and started to bounce with your arms in the air.

The bowl was handed to you with a waterskin. You sat back down on your comfortable spot on the floor and resumed your attention back on the game. Uihoy was given one as well and thanked the yellow male with a soft head bump. Vic returned to his chair and took a sip from his drink, body lax.

Both hunters resumed their game with vigor, ensuring they each didn’t lose ground in this battle. One would capture three pawns only to lose two of their own, vice versa. Then, they were able to steal back their lost pawns.

A give and pull game that could take weeks with two highly skilled players such as these two to finish it.

The fruit you were gracious given slowly disappeared over the course of three hours. Every once in a while, your two mates would sneak one for themselves. You’d playfully crinkle your nose at them when they proceeded with snatched a treat. They’d treat it as a game so they didn’t get caught by you. Like the hunters they are, they were nearly successful each time.

Later, at the end of the day, the three of you were winding down for the night. The usual of brushing teeth, changing of clothes, taking a shower or bath if you felt the need.

With your shirt off as you cleaned your teeth, Vic’tao came up behind you in the reflection of the mirror. His large hands palmed at the side of your ribcage. The much larger figurer leaned down to lick the shell of your ear. You watched him passively through the mirror even as one of his claws ghosted over the two noticeable scars that lined the bottom of your pecs.

You shuttered against Vic and slightly tensed. The male read the room swiftly and let his hands fall from that spot. He tilted his head and looked at you through the reflection before. “What are those scars from? They look purposeful?” he questioned and rubbed his cheek against yours, eyes soft. You had the opportunity to opt out and set up a boundary about that. But he’s one of your mates. Any knowledge you share with him will be kept safe.

Through the mirror, you find his eyes again. “They are from a surgery I had,” you answered at first ominously. You reached behind you for one of his hands and held it close. “I used to have breasts… but I didn’t like them. They didn’t match the body I was meant to have. So, I had them removed.” Your grip on his hand tightened. Vic’tao carded his fingers through yours and returned the gesture.

“Now, I feel more like who I’m supposed to be. I feel… safer, freer. This is the body I was meant to have.”

There wasn’t many who you’ve talked about this with. You could count on one hand all those you’ve told this story to. That includes the medical physicians you were forced to relay this story over and over until you could get this surgery.

Behind you, Uihoy made an appearance and strolled over to the two of you. The purple elder nudged his cheek bone to yours in a soft, loving greeting. You knew he had heard your words as well. Them and their incredible hearing.

“We adore you and whatever you decide to do. We love and care for you no matter what, our little mate,” Vic’tao chittered into your ear, taking words he knows Uihoy would love to say. Uihoy was happy Vic could translate his words for you into proper English. “You are ours, till the end of time, till our hearts stop beating. We will be here for you.”

Your body filled with the need to bounce as you kept direct eye contact, flickering between the two of them. Somehow, you refrained from doing so.

The love the two of them held for you went beyond anything you knew of. Never in your life have you experienced such adoration from anyone. “I’m incredibly lucky to have ever met you guys,” you whispered, careful not break the soft feeling that’s been created.

Uihoy was the first to smile pressed his closed mandibles to your cheek. “Let’s go to bed.” With your free hand, you grabbed Uihoy’s and lead the two of them to the shared bedroom. The same bed you’ve shared countless times before.

Like the giant he is, Vic’tao settled down and took the majority of the space until Uihoy kicked him. Vic grunted and scooted over, still on his back. Both of his arms and legs spread eagle, again, dominating all the room possible. You rolled your eyes and watched as Uihoy curled up to Uihoy. Last but not least, you maneuvered your body between the limited space they offered to you. A perfect place for you to squeeze into on your side, facing Uihoy.

The purple Yautja threw an arm, over you and cuddle you close to his form. You tucked your curled wrist under your chin and snuggled close to Uihoy’s warm body. Vic’tao slithered his closet arm from underneath your curled body and wrapped it as well around your torso. Both Yautja having a firm grasp on you.

[actually-a-fish]

the best supernatural episodes

according to an autistic person with a special interest and the ability to make a list.

if youre really serious about supernatural spoilers then maybe stay away :)

None of the season one episodes made in on the list but I will give an honorable mention to S1 E2 Wendigo.

S2 E11 Playthings - A classic, creepy girls in a creepy hotel. Special call out to Sam getting SLOPPY

S2 E16 Roadkill - There's a ghost haunting the highway. the Boys help the spirit move on. This is an early example of monster empathy

S2 E18 Hollywood Babylon - Dean loves hollywood. I love dean. this episode makes me kick my feet like a little girl and i will not defend myself.

S2 EP 20 What Was Shall Never Be - all I have in my notes for this one is "Dean Djinn Dream" which was enough for me to remember the episode and get misty eyes. This is SEASON 2 my son will never know peace.

S3 E5 Bedtime Stories -I had to check the wiki on this one, I think i liked it cause it referenced classic fairytales

S3 Ep11 Mystery Spot - "HEAT OF THE MOMENT" RISE AND SHINE SAMMY!

S3 E13 Ghostfacers! - Im a Facer through and through

S3 E16 No Rest for the Wicked - S3 finale and the Boys are facing consequences! Classic Dean, Sam and Bobby episode.

S4 E1 Lazerus Rising - First Cas Episode. That handprint makes me feel things.

S4 E6 Yellow Fever - What if Dean had anxiety (The Eye of the Tiger blooper is also at the end of the episode which gives it bonus points.

S4 E17 Wishful Thinking - Make a wish? was it for your teddy bear to be diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder? Well thats what youre getting!

S4 E17 It's a Terrible Life - Sam ~ the sales rep. Dean ~ middle management.

S4 E18 The Monster at the End of the Book - There are books about Sam and Dean?! Written by this guy who loves self insert character? Surely the entire show isn't about to take a tone shift?

S5 E3 Free to be You and Me - Sam and Dean are fighting again, but this time Dean has a new heavenly boy toy to play with instead. (Cas has no rizz yet it's actually a little painful to watch)

S5 E5 Fallen Idol - Okay the Wax People episode is on here for one reason and one reason only. Paris Hilton.

S5 E7 The Curious Case of Dean Winchester - Old man Dean and old man Bobby. This is also the episode for HH Husk kinnies.

S5 E8 Changing Channels - Dr Sexy MD is that you?!

S5 E9 The Real Ghostbuster - *in a grizzly voice* "I'm Dean Winchester, this is my brother Sam. Have you experienced anything strange?" "Dude that was so good! Now we can go solve the puzzle" "Man you're breaking the immersion!"

S5 E10 Abandon All Hope - This is here for Crowley's first appearance and not because the end will make you cry.

S5 E12 Swap Meat - "uh... its Audi Nos". Freaky Friday starring Sam Winchester! An angsty teen and April Kepner from Grey/Sloan Memorial Hospital.

S5 E16 Dark Side of the Moon - The Boys lives flash before their eyes. Dean is pissed forever about Sams.

S5 E19 Hammer of the Gods - this is for all my pagans out there!

S6 E4 A Weekend at Bobby's - What do you think this episodes about idjit.

S6 E15 The French Mistake -  “For whatever reason, our life is a TV show.” “Why?” “I don't know.” “No, seriously. Why? Why would anybody want to watch our lives?” 

S7 E4 Defending your Life - consequences? for fucking people over? how about you stand trial.

S7 E20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo - The self insert character made for us :) Luv u 4ever Charlie XD

S8 E4 Bitten - found footage will always scare. this one reminds me that this show started as a psuedo horror.

S8 E8 hunteri heroci - Cas tries his hand at being a hunter

S8 E12 As Time Goes By - FINALLY THEY ARE CARVING TRAPS INTO BULLETS

S8 E17 Goodbye Stranger - verbatim here are my notes for this episode "Cas chooses Dean, but the way he handles Meg... Fuck Naomi"

S8 E18 Clip Show - If you only want to watch just one episode of Supernatural this should be it. It's not actually a clip show, theres a broment, bonding time with favorite characters and crazy plots that only supernatural could get away with.

S9 E5 Dog Dean Afternoon - Dean is finally a dog person

S9 E11 First Born - Another bro fight leads to shipping <3 SamxCas + DeanxCrowley <3

S9 E15 #thinman - the slender episode feat. GHOSTFACERS. You come away from this episode thinking "supernatural is so fucking gay why wont the boys kiss"

S9 E21 King of the Damned - my favorite crowley era change my mind. Also the way the Boys interrogate an angel is so funny

S10 E5 Fan Fiction - I would unironically fuck w a supernatural musical and if helluva/hazbin taught me anything the rest of you would too

S10 E6 Ask Jeeves - The Clue episode. (Pay attention to the improvised weapons Dean chooses. It brings me joy)

S10 E9 The Things we Left Behind - Cas is suffering a midlife crisis and his besties are there to help him repair his relationship with his daughter. Funnily enough, Crowley is also getting some family bonding in.

Okay, I'm all caught up on my list. Should I have stayed up late transcribing this with an 8am class tommarow?

Probably not but it did bring me great joy. Tell me your favorite episode! I'll continue to add to my list as I continue my rewatch :)

[green-alm0nd]

[Tech x gn!reader]: Hands like home

----

----

Summary:

You're cuddling in bed with Tech, a rare moment for his awkwardness when it comes to snuggling together; your hands are intertwined and you can feel his heartbeat. Then, you wake up and reality hits you.

TRIGGER WARNINGS: ANGST, SPOILERS FOR TBB S2 FINALE, fluff, kissing, making out, slightly suggestive start, Tech being a tad autistic, character death, sad ending. Very short. Not proofread.

Enjoy!

----

His calloused hands rested on your cheeks, though one quickly moved to your waist, keeping you in place. He wasn't wearing his armour, he was only in his blacks, heart beating fast. He leaned on the doorframe, making it more comfortable for him and his significant other.

His commlink beeped, it was probably a message from the rest of the squad, but he couldn't have cared any less about it. Not when you were above him, your lips connecting with his over and over again leaving him breathless. His cheeks were slightly tinted pink, and his heart could have never been beating as fast as that moment.

He pulled away to gasp for air, before ghosting your lips again, letting the kiss continue. Your tongue grazed his lower lip, and he let out a low hum, accepting your silent request. The kiss became more heated when your tongue entered his mouth, a quiet groan leaving his mouth. Tech's mind always ran with a million thoughts, yet in moments like these, his mind was empty. No thoughts about how to make the Marauder better, nor how to get a new hyperdrive without buying it illegally, nor what the next thing he would fix would be. It was just you; and only you. He let himself sink into the pillow, his tongue dancing with yours, leaving him overwhelmed with passion.

And, his commlink beeped again.

The clone pulled away, breathing heavily, and resting his head on the bedframe. His chest rose and fell irregularly, and his gaze turning to stare at the window on the other side of the wall. He had asked Phee for a small cottage, just for a few days, to relax and forget about war for a few hours. Tech's hand fell to your hair, running his fingers through the strands. Your head now rested on his chest, hearing his heartbeat, eyes closed and as relaxed as ever.

Your hand slowly crawled to his, intertwining your fingers with his. His other hand reached for the conmlink.

"It is Hunter. He might want to address something important." He noted.

"Maybe." You replied.

He glanced at the screen.

"He expects us to meet up in around fifteen minutes sharp. I am certain Echo will be coming back shortly." He added.

"Well, we have ten more minutes to enjoy this." You answered, smiling.

"I suppose so."

You shifted your body weight so he wouldn't be uncomfortable, your fingers interlocked with one another, staring at his honey eyes.

His calloused hands grounded you, keeping your head from daydreaming, making you focus on the present. His fingers reminded you of something you never had, yet it was always right there. Home was never a place.

Home was there. Home was a feeling, home was a person. He was home.

Tech. Tech was home. His hands felt like home. He felt like home.

You close your eyes, willing to enjoy those last few seconds you had with him before the meeting. The commlink beeped one last time, and you felt soft lips on your forehead, a pair of hands that squeezed yours, and a gentle whisper that encouraged you to rest, at least to close your eyes for ten more minutes.

And so, you did. You closed your eyes, feeling the constant heartbeat on your ear.

...

Lightning stroke again, waking you from your deep slumber.

Your shivered, though it was hot, the storm on Pabu lowered the temperatures. Or, at least, that's what it felt like. It was still humid, but cold enough to cover yourself up with the bedsheets.

The room, was dark. It had always been dark since the last day he was there. The curtains were always down, and the lights were hardly ever on. Ever since he left, the small cottage of Pabu, the promise of a happy new start, just seemed too far away, the small house had become a constant reminder of what it used to be: a happy house.

The object you carried in your hands had never been so heavy. His holopad, the only thing you had left of him. You were secretly reluctant when Omega had asked to take the glasses with her, but you understood she had suffered as much as you had. And the holopad was the last thing he had left behind.

You didn't know when the last time you'd gotten a full night's sleep had been. Your eyes were stained with tears, and dark bags fell under your eyes, too. Hunter, Wrecker, Echo, Omega and even Crosshair had tried cheering you up. War was over, it was time to let go, and start a new life. But you refused to let him go. It had been too short, you had lost him too quickly. You hadn't even got the chance to say 'I love you' more than maybe once or twice, as it made him awkward.

You refused to find closure. At least, not for a while. You weren't ready.

You clung onto his holopad, tears falling once again, the familiar pain in your chest hurting as much as the first time you felt it.

For once, you wished you could've stayed in that dream forever, feeling his heart beating.

----

My heart (what have I created)

Reblogs and shares are highly appreciated!

My requests are still open!

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

-The World's most Multiversal DND Party!-

(featuring @danganronpasurvivoraskblog, @a-student-out-of-time, @finalverse and @despair-to-future-arcs)

[MORE INFO UNDER CUT]

//So there were a lot of talks about the main protagonists of mine and three other well-known Danganronpa ask blogs forming a DND part together on Mod Bubbles blogs, and as an artist, and a major DND fan, I could not resist.

//My little autistic cogs in my little autistic brain got turning and I basically made full on character sheets for all four main protags of each of the blogs; Kuripa from Survivor, Hajime from ASooT, Nagi from NWPM, and Aliza-chan from Finalverse

//I won't post the full sheets because I don't know how many people would want to see that, plus it's a shitton of information that I just don't want to bother with. But outside of the character cards above, here's a brief summary of every character in this "AU" shall we say.

Hajime - The party leader. Was once a young boy who never stood out, but gained the gift of a prophecy that showed him a dark future wrought by dark lord Junko Enoshima. Now with the power to reset himself every time he dies, the number of times depicted in his magical left eye, he dedicates his life to the journey of stopping the prophesized dark future. Sometimes he can be a bit cold and distant, always acting like the fate of the world rests squarely on his shoulders despite his teammates by his side, but he is capable, kind and a true leader.

Aliza - Aliza has a power with a similar origin to Hajime, which gravitates her towards him, and eventually is the founding reason she becomes his ally. Unlike him however, power is that to see and explore other universes parallel to theirs, where everything can be different, and she struggles to control it. The goal of her journey is to learn to use her power for good, and to escape the lofty expectations and cruelty of her family. She's a little bit clumsy and inexperienced as a result, with her wild magic sometimes landing her team in deeper trouble than they were originally, but she always means well and if nothing else, serves as the heart of the group.

Kuripa - He was originally a well-known artist and sculptor who lived a quiet life until a rogue in a steel mask raided his village and murdered his sister. For those who frequent this blog, you know how this story goes. He dedicated the rest of his life to hunting down the murderer, learning black magic arts and becoming a blood hunter, willing to sacrifice anything and anyone, including his own body, if it meant achieving his goal. He's a bit of a loose cannon and more violent than his peers when it comes to executing plans, much to Hajime, Aliza and Nagi's chagrin, but it's made up for in the fact that when he gets the job done, he REALLY gets the job done, and it makes them glad that he's an ally and not an enemy.

Nagi - Nagi was an Aasimar who was the guardian of a realm in the sky known as "Neo World" until she was attacked by Junko Enoshima's evil paladin right-hand, Mukuro Ikusaba, who was ordered by Junko to kill her and bring back a part of her body to show that she'd finished the job. After this encounter, Nagi miraculously survived, but Mukuro successfully tore her wings from her body. Nagi joins the party out of revenge, and despite her trauma, is still the most mentally sane member of the group, acting a lot like a team Mom of sorts.

//I'll also but transparent renders of the characters here if that tickles your fancy. Thank you for letting me pour my little nerd heart out.

[weeb-polls-with-pip]

Autistic Anime Boys Side A Round 2 Match 14

Gon -

"literally just look into his eyes. this boy lives entirely by his own constructed rules that completely deviate from societal norms, and is so stubborn about sticking to them that he would rather die than compromise. constantly charms everyone with his inability to read the room."

Senkuu -

"Senku‘s special interest is Science. He was able to rebuild society because of this. He is also really logical and often doesn‘t really understand the emotions of other characters."

[silverwings22]

Song of the Sea: Chapter 48: When You Come Back to Me Again

Series Warning: explicit smut, alien anatomy (it's a monsterfucker fic, guys), major character injury, grief, canon typical violence, autistic meltdowns, and my terrible attempts at Mando'a Chapter Warnings: mind control, extreme injury, disability, the final chapter

Previous chapter:

She sat on the platform on Kamino, looking out over the gently rolling sea. Her hip didn’t hurt, and her leg wasn’t stiff and immobile. She must have been dead, if she felt so free. 

Melody and Harmony sat on either side of her. “Did Tech make it home?” She asked softly.

“Is he all you ever think about?” Harmony asked, rolling his eyes. She might have had her feelings hurt, if she wasn’t so used to Crosshair. Now it made her smile, understanding how the weight of grief and responsibility sat on people. 

“Are you jealous?” She answered automatically, like she would have with the sniper. Her cheeks flushed when she realized she was addressing a god, but he made no move to punish her. Instead he rolled his eyes.

Melody snickered at her brother’s expense. The gods were still siblings, of course. They reminded her of the Batch, in the fondest . “He is with his brothers now. He’s watching over you.” The goddess patted her back. 

“So I’m dead now?” The siren looked out over the water. “Where do I go? The Shallows or the Deep?” 

Harmony looked at her. “Why do you keep wanting to die? First you ask us to trade him for you, now you want to know what realm to go to.”

“I don’t want to die… not anymore. But if I died to save Tech, then that’s okay. It was worth it.” Her eyes softened over the waves lapping at the support struts here. “The family can take care of him now, if I can’t.”

“You love him very much.” Melody noted. 

“I do.” Shiani nodded. 

“Lucky for you, then.” Harmony looked up at the starry night sky above them, and the constellations looked different than Shiani remembered. More like the ones that hung over Pabu, that she and Tech used to lay under and watch. “You’re not dead, Princess.”

“I’m not?” Shiani frowned. “Then… why are you two here? I thought you’d come to take me.”

“We came to see you. It’s not often we meet a mortal soul who tries to bargain… you’re interesting.” Harmony shrugged. “Right now, you’re asleep in a sickroom on Pabu. A siren healer and a medical droid are fighting to save your life.”

“One of your hearts was damaged when you were shot.” Melody nodded. “But we didn’t come to take you. We came to see you.”

“Who am I to get visited by the gods?” She frowned. “I’m not special…”

“Oh?” Melody chuckled. “Star sailor, first of her kind. Princess who faced the Imperial Senate, and the Way-Maker who saved her people from the poisoned waters. Chainbreaker, who led her people off of Tantiss. The Bride who saved her mate from a mind thief.” 

“I’m just a mechanic.” Shiani shook her head shyly.

“Well, just a mechanic, you’re not dying today.” Harmony snorted. “When it’s your time, you’ll know.” 

“Can I see him?” Shiani asked, looking between the two gods. She wondered if this was how Omega felt now, in the company of the siblings who both cared and protected her. If she wasn’t dying, she could see Omega again. She could see Crosshair, and Hunter, and Wrecker again too. She could kiss Tech, help him find who he was after Tantiss when everything was fuzzy and muddled under the CX conditioning…

The two gods held their hands out and the water below them shimmered. Shiani leaned out to look at it, eyes wide.

Her own body, limp and broken looking, was under the care of AZI and one of the siren healers. She was bandaged now, skin so pale she looked gray, as they took care of cleaning her up. When AZI floated to the door and opened it, he was roughly shoved out of the way as Tech barreled in and dropped to his knees beside the bed. He scooped her limp hand into both of his, wordlessly staring at her, as the rest of the family looked in from the doorway. They all looked anxious, Omega and Wrecker’s eyes red from crying. Crosshair was crushing a toothpick to pulp with his teeth, and Hunter’s foot was tapping on the floor. 

Tech swallowed hard, thumbs rubbing against the back of her hand. There were tears watering up in his eyes, dripping down his scarred cheek. 

On the platform, Shiani bit her lip. “He looks so scared…”

“He is. He has always been afraid to lose you.” Melody smiled. 

Harmony put a hand on her back. “Not that you’re possible to lose, stubborn thing.” He pushed her off the platform, sending the siren tumbling into the middle of the image they had conjured. “We’ll see you when it’s actually your time, Princess!” 

AZI said she was in a coma and she might not awaken. The siren healer said she was with their gods, body empty, and only time would tell if she came back to it. Omega said sirens healed while they slept. 

None of these were comforting to Tech, who hadn’t left Shiani’s bedside for the last two weeks, trips to the fresher excluded. He had a pounding headache from not having corrective lenses, which Omega had promised to try to solve for him. He was grateful to his younger… no, not younger but little, sister. His memories was still disjointed and fuzzy, but she was trying to help him. He’d managed to recall everyone’s names after about a week, and they would occasionally come in to check on him. Wrecker talked about any and everything, though Tech couldn’t bring himself to engage beyond a few nods. Hunter was more direct, telling him what he’d missed and trying to jog his memory. Crosshair didn’t say much, just sat with him. He found the sniper’s silence comforting. 

He looked up as someone tapped on the door. They were in Shep’s house while Hunter made arrangements for them to find a home of their own. Tech had been sickened to realize he’d blown up his own ship, though Omega had tried to comfort him. It hadn’t been his fault, any more than his actions under the inhibitor chip had been Crosshair’s. 

Omega poked her head in with a smile. “I brought you some lunch. And AZI found a previous medical scan and was able to recreate the lenses in your glasses.” She held up a bowl of fruit and a pair of goggles. “It took me forever to pop that dent out.” 

Tech set the bowl aside and took the goggles when she handed him both, examining them. “These are familiar…” he said quietly. 

Omega nodded. “Shiani kept them on the console… I’d hear her talk to them sometimes, like you were there.” 

He nodded, slowly pulling them on. They fit comfortably, and covered most of the scarring around his face. The galaxy returned to a yellowish tint that seemed familiar, and for a moment his mind flashed to Shiani’s fingertips stroking under them against his cheek as she admired his face. 

“Her favorite color is yellow.” He said softly. 

Omega nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed. The siren’s color looked better, which was relieving. She’d been so close to death’s door when they arrived back on Pabu, Tech cradling her in his arms the whole way back while Echo tried to treat her and the other three brothers finally collapsed from their injuries and subsequent torture at Hemlock’s hands, and Omega flew the shuttle like she’d not only stolen it but committed several felonies in front of police droids at the time. “She’ll wake up soon, I’m sure of it.”

“I hope so.” Tech reached up, grazing his knuckles against her cheek. “... I remembered something yesterday.”

“Yeah?” Omega smiled, watching the way he was so gentle and careful with the siren. Her brother Tech was coming back to them bit by bit, and all of them were trying to encourage him in their own ways. 

“Before Bracca.” He furrowed his brow. The details were difficult, but he could plainly imagine Shiani sitting in front of him at a table, looking at him sweetly. “We were discussing the inhibitor chips… I think Rex had just spoken to us? I made a mistake, did not consider the danger… And she told me that she would never stop looking for me if something took me the way the chip had taken Crosshair.”

“She kept her promise.” Omega leaned back. “She always said she’d follow you anywhere. Kamino, Eriadu, Tantiss… it didn’t matter.” 

“She always keeps her promises.” Tech breathed. Even with fragmented memories, he knew that much was true. Shiani was honest. 

“Hunter found us a house. We can move her there soon, if she doesn’t wake up by then.” Omega offered. “It’s got a really pretty balcony upstairs, with lanterns strung up already. And enough space for everyone to have their own bedrooms.”

Tech smiled faintly. She’d like the lanterns… “That does sound appealing.” 

“There’s a garage too. Crosshair said she could build stuff in there, and the living room has built in shelves for you to collect books if you wanted. Real flimsi books.” Omega tried to get him excited about the future. “Hunter says we can do anything we want now. Anything at all.”

“The only thing I currently desire is for her to wake up.” Tech sighed. 

Omega patted his shoulder. “She will, Tech. I know it.” 

He nodded, though he didn’t look entirely convinced. He wouldn’t be, until he saw it.

Omega slipped out of the room to let him have some time, and Tech rested his head atop his folded arms on the side of the bed. “Please come back to me.” He said softly, closing his eyes. 

He was just starting to doze off, the edges of consciousness sliding out of focus, when something ran lightly through his hair. He leaned into it, slowly coming back to himself as he recognized it as sharp nails delicately scratching his scalp. “Mn…?”

There was a soft, raspy laugh and the fingers flexed against his head gently, three times. “Tech…” 

His eyes snapped open and he shot upright, finding himself looking at Shiani’s face. She had turned her head, eyes open and sleepy looking, and it was her hand that was now falling down to cup his cheek. “Shiani.”

“You got your goggles back…” She smiled. “You look like you again.” 

Tech was on his feet in an instant, leaning over the bed to wrap his arms around her torso and pull her to his chest. She snuggled immediately into his neck, holding onto him with all her admittedly shaky strength. “I thought… I thought I had lost you.”

“You know you can’t get rid of me, Tech.” She smiled, tapping his chin with two fingers until he pulled back enough she could lean up for a kiss. “I missed you.” She mumbled when they broke apart. 

He smiled weakly, easing down to sit on the edge of the bed with her still in his arms. “My apologies. I did not intend to leave you…”

“I know.” She tucked her head against his chest. “But you’re home now…” 

He nodded, wrapping her up tight to his chest. The anxiety of the unknown and change melted away in the comforting familiarity of her presence. He was no longer concerned he’d never remember everything, or what direction his new life would take on Pabu. All that mattered was Shiani was there. 

They’d figure out the rest, like they always did. 

Shiani peeked up at him, smiling as she pressed her forehead against his. “I’m going to make your brothers so uncomfortable when I tell them I fucked the Empire out of your system.” 

“Don’t you dare.” He couldn’t help but laugh. 

Ten years later

Shiani was sitting on the balcony, watching the lights of Pabu with Tech like they did every night, when Omega stepped out and sat quietly in the chair beside them. “You look upset.” She noted. 

“I… had an argument with Hunter.” Omega sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. “Can I ask you two something?”

They exchanged looks. Ten years had changed some things, though not enough to change who they were. Tech’s hair had gone gray, and though he never quite managed to grow facial hair to save his life he did look distinguished. His memories had eventually returned, though he preferred to pretend what happened between Eriadu and returning to Pabu be politely not mentioned. Shiani had started wearing her headtresses down and they were starting to discolor around the sides of her head, the purple of her skin turning lighter every year. She had accepted her fate in a hoverchair with grace, though it sat empty now while she was comfortably in Tech’s lap with her back to his chest. 

“You arguing with Hunter is unusual. He cannot bring himself to say anything harsh to you.” Tech said mildly.

“Unless… this is about the rebellion?” Shiani cocked her head to the side. 

Omega sighed. “... It is. Are you two going to get upset with me too?”

“It is only logical you would want to join.” Tech shook his head. “We have been preparing ourselves for this for a while.”

“Why do you think I helped you build that ship?” Shiani laughed. “But Hunter’s having a harder time. He’s your father. You’ve always known that.” 

Omega smiled sadly. “Yeah… but you guys bought my safety from the Empire. It’s only fair that I return the favor to the rest of the galaxy. And the rebellion needs pilots more than ever.”

They both smiled. “The skill I taught you.” Tech looked exceptionally proud. 

“What did the others say?” Shiani asked, reaching out and grasping Omega’s hands in her own.

“Wrecker cried and hugged me, but he said he was proud of me. Crosshair was a little upset he couldn’t go with me, but he says his eyesight isn’t what it used to be.” 

“None of us are who we used to be.” Tech nodded agreeably. “What about Echo?”

“He’s already got me coordinates of a base to come to, and says he can have me a position as soon as I tell him I’m on the way.” 

Shiani chuckled softly, rubbing Omega’s hands with her thumbs. “You’re a better pilot than either of us now. The Empire won’t know what hit them. But promise you’ll check in every once in a while, and that when the war ends you’ll come home? At least for a little while?”

Omega nodded, shifting her leg to show them her bag sitting beside her chair. “Will you cover for me with Hunter?” 

“You should say goodbye.” Shiani shook her head. “It’s hard for him to let you go, but… raising you is the best thing he’s ever done. The best thing any of us have ever done.” 

She and Tech had never had kids of their own, biological compatibility being what it was, but Omega was their kid. All of their kid.”

“I thought you were my accomplice, not alibi.” Omega grinned. 

Shiani laughed. “It’s a lot harder as I get older.” She squeezed Omega’s hands, three times firmly. “I’m so proud of you.” 

Tech nodded, reaching around Omega to put his hands over hers as well. “We both are. Hunter will be, once he comes to terms with it.” 

Omega smiled, a little tearfully, and squeezed back. 

Squish squish squish. I love you. 

Shiani smiled as the girl they’d watched grow up slowly pulled her hands out of theirs and picked up her bag, climbing over the balcony rail and dropping to the ground. She headed for the beach, not turning back to look again. 

Shiani leaned back into Tech’s chest. “I’ll miss her so much…” 

“As will I. But we still have Shion to spoil.” He rested his chin on her shoulder. “And if she ever gets into trouble our training cannot get her out of, we are only a call away. I can mount a weapon on your chair, and you did add all those upgrades to Crosshair’s prosthetic hand.”

“He would have bitched at me if it was any less advanced than Echo’s.”

“He will do so regardless.” Tech kissed her cheek.

She smiled, closing her eyes. The warm air and his arms wrapped around her, and she couldn’t resist lifting her head and letting a few notes hang in the air as a goodbye salute to the brave little resistance pilot. 

Clone Force 99 had never been dead, even when things had been their bleakest. It lived on in one blonde little girl who’s very existence defied everything the Empire stood for. They all knew it.

And soon enough, so would the Empire.

[rodolfoparras]

Since everyone is talking about their cod ocs, I wanna join (this is so long, I'm so sorry)

So basically my little guy is autistic and trans (I'm projecting) and a huge mamas boy. His name is Everett (I just realized I NEVER gave him a last name😭) and his callsign is Rabbit and he's an Alaskan native (I'm pretty sure this is what they prefer to be called because they don't fuck with being called americans and shit? I'm not 100%)

His ma picked out Everett by force, she was like "?? I'm literally your mother, I'm picking your name" and he was so worried she'd pick something awful, turns out!

(side note, I love rabbits and use them for symbolism a lot. They represent rebirth, so I use them in trans related pieces. I did an art piece of myself pulling a rabbit out of a hat with a bunch of rebirth symbolism and shit, love the piece, may send it here to show it off)

But his callsign comes from being a rabbit hunter growing up and his ability to blend in, he specializes in undercover operations and stealth missions. (Some hares, like a snowshoe, change coats in the season to blend in from predators)

He's voluntarily mute most of the time and does not do expressions very well. Most of his childhood photos are him just 🧍‍♂️😶, gotta be reeaall close with him to have a convo with him

Because he's so quiet, he hears sooo much shit and does like weekly shit talking sessions with Ghost and Roach in their barracks. No body understands how he knows so much because fucking no one talks to him and turns out the rodents are stalking the base and listening in on conversations

Idc how overused masks are, they're so fun. He wears one at home (and at work) because he's got a huge family with lots of little kids, and he's scared of scaring them and doesn't want to "traumatize" his nieces and nephews with his scars on his face and body. Everett misses out on a LOT of family events even though he really wants to go and misses them so much because he's scared

He carries and makes a lot of rabbits feet charms because he firmly believes in their ability to bless you with good luck. He does the metal work himself and personalizes them and gives them off to people he truly cares about.

Everett believes it because his ma said so (duh) and because he narrowly missed a bullet that took a chunk of his ear inside of blowing his brains up while he carried one, so all his favorites get one to protect them.

Later in life, he wound up too close to a bomb and a piece of shrapnel went straight into his face and blinds him in one eye

He was so utterly devastated when he got medically discharged and was scared of totally losing his sight and never being able to communicate with Roach again

I'm a firm believer in polycule 141 so it just becomes scarier when Johnny starts losing his hearing from all the explosives and shit and so many of them experience wear and tear in this hand joints from working with guns

Gonna copy and paste my polycule 141 disability headcanons that I've talked about with my bf

"Ghost's got horrible horrible nightmares and sometimes will react in his sleep. Night terrors or physically reacting, but that one's very rare."

"Price definitely gets respiratory issues, half because of his cigars, and half from breathing shit in before he could get a mask on. Probably gets asthma the older he gets."

"Roach gets chronic migraines. They're basically debilitating, can't get out of bed for days and keeps all light out of his room. Takes meds for it that usually work."

"Most of them have joint issues. Half of them creak and groan like a fucking million year old house on its last leg."

"Gaz gets degenerative arthritis. I think he'd be in the force the longest and since he was the youngest to join SAS, he probably overworked himself beyond belief when he had joined. Wore him down fs"

With Johnny being hard of hearing:

"I don't if he'd be able to get hearing aids, his cochlea probably too damaged so that if he did get cochlear implants or something, they probably wouldn't do much but piss him off. Because sometimes if you get cochlears, they just make an annoying noise. So he'd just wind up pissy over it so he'd probably opt not to get them - (also the surgery is invasive and obviously doesn't work sometimes depending on person)

-141 would have to install flashing light systems through the house to alert Soap and half of em probably walk heavier to warn Soap so they don't scare him"

Since he grew up in Alaska, he was very used to it being day or night for weeks or months, sometimes finds it a little jarring when he sees the sun actually setting and the moon coming up or vise versa.

One time, after a really shit mission, he woke up in the hospital to see it was nighttime when he distinctly remembers it being day the last time he was awake. And it's like "OH SHIT HOW LONG HAVE I BEEN OUT FOR." nearly sends himself into a panic thinking he'd just woken up from a fucking coma.

Shit there's so much more I could say but this is already so long, I'm so sorry 😭😭😭 I was so hyper fixated on him for a good few months with my bf

-🐧

Wait the fact that she picked the name is kinda cute and that the reason behind it was bc she’s the mom here idk it’s nice when parents are properly involved in their kids life

Also I’ll forever love yalls background story for your call names bc they’re always so thought out and so interesting genuinely y’all are so creative 🥹

I love that he has shit talking sessions with ghost and roach bc I absolutely think they’d get along well soap info dumps sm gaz overshares and price uses Everett to complain so he knows sm and randomly shares the info😭

Does his mask look something akin to a rabbit or does it represent rabbits in any way? Also now I’m imagining him walking around on base all excited about handing out charms😭 oh my goodness imagine each charm having something that represents the members that wears it?

Oh man although it’s sad he went blind in one eye I can imagine he’d lock sick in a prosthetic eye!!

Also I like how the disability hc actually makes sense especially prices and soaps but especially prices bc I know that man has coughing fits and snores horribly and you can hear a certain rasps in his voice when he talks 😭

And I love them being a polycule and taking care of each other in this way 🥹 like I know this is what you do in healthy relationships but idk it’s sweet ? Like price giving gaz massages bc his wrists hurt a lot? 🥹

Also don’t apologize sugar it’s okay!! It was a really interesting read genuinely I wish I had the ability to create ocs but not just ocs-, but ocs that have so much depth and backstory it’s absolutely amazing that y’all have this ability!

[plegg-culture-is]

Fannish plegg carton culture, specifically protogenic-endogenic plegg culture that later finds itself to be full of permanent resident soulbonds is —

In very very early childhood:

*Projections literally playing H.O.R.S.E or whatever that basketball game is. Of course the main fronter never played, because they are too short.*

"Huh!! Well I mean those barbecue sauce was spicy before but it's 0.05 seconds later and I feel completely different as a person and also this barbecue sauce is no longer spicy. Oh well. The teacher called me a liar over barbecue sauce so I'm gonna be a shithead to them and have a meltdown"

In middle school:

"What would Gohan do if he was in this world???"

"What would Jayfeather do if he were in this world??"

"OMG. WHAT WOULD. IZAYA ORIHARA DO IF HE WAS IN THIS SITUATION JIST SOME MIDDLE SCHOOLER NOW"

*Has full-ass slow changing "see through my eyes" quasi-ceremonies based solely on vibes since we didn't have innerworld completely built yet*

*Chasing each other in hallways and all people saw was a small autistic child running for no reason lol*

"Why the fuck can I never feel my face when something horrible happens to us me? Also I relate too much to Silver from Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver"

In high school:

"Yep just Gon and Killua from Hunter×Hunter chillin' over there. Nobody can see 'em and these feel pretty distinct from hallucinations considering I can't literally see them. Eh. Maybe just imagination."

*Checking out a pro-endogenic blog in 2015* "Yup I am just a curious singlet"

*Still chasing ourselves through hallways just less or more hidden because people are stupid.* Why the fuck am I so angry all of the time. Why the fuck do I feel like there should be more to all of this.

"Hhhh Illumi Zoldyck from Hunter×Hunter patting my head is completely normal. So is pretending I am Ethan from Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver I'M NOT PRETENDING ThOUGH??? I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO CALL THIS all I know is I am definitely Ethan, , not Ethan? And Illumi Zoldyck is petting my head and we are working at a McDonald's right now. What the fuck is happening" *Proceeds to ignore this and never tell anyone until we are today years old*

"My vitriol for Hisoka Morrow of Hunter×Hunter has three sides to it. I hate him and his canon. I have no clue how to explain the other two sides to this and I cannot stand my friend obsessing over this character" *Proceeds to also ignore this one too, and never tell anyone until we are today years old*

In university:

"Hey 30 year old Gladion idk if you're actually a figment of my imagination anymore but yeah sure your sister Lily and her daughter Mei can chill in here in this brain for awhile. Does this mean I'm genderfluid lol?" (Narrator: this is, in fact, NOT what genderfluidity is supposed to feel like.)

"Oh well I guess Itonai from Assassination Classroom is just decided to sleep in the bed tonight. Get the fuck off of my bed ya lazy bum. Noooo it's just wei — get back in our head you freak (//lovingly, platonic)"

*Just feeling fucking uncomfortable around sysmedicalists but especially the sysmedicalists who were anti-endogenic as well (yes there are pro-endogenic sysmeds!! Uhm but definitely not plural, nope)*

"I am now talking to these projections while brushing my teeth. Lucifer from The Devil Is A Part-Timer has literally crash-landed into our brain along with Emilia Justina. Wtf?"

*Discovers the word endogenic yet again and gets the weird euphoria again*

*Maybe our late second year at university, at fucking 11PM, after anime club finishes — Kusuo Saki just fucking chilling on top of the table via projection* "Heeey so remember that one time in high school where you had weird daydreams about that pink-haired psychic boy and the blonde with drills? Welp, Mami Tomoe picked me up on the way here —" *Queue freakout of the main fronter at this point*

-----------

SO ANYWAYS that is. Uh. Some Stuff(tm) yaaay, anyways the good thing about this is we don't think our queer shit would ever, ever be as fucking weird as our plurality shit in the context of the societal context and chronological context we, Rusanya, live in, so figuring out we're aceplex (since we found the plurality first and asexuality is more of a veil) was mostly just an "AHA okay then lol" and we just kind of slap every label on the planet onto us that we like that we think applies, both on an individual and collective level. :D

.

[charlottesbookclub]

king of all birds – chapter four

king of all birds masterlist

Summary: alistair and amice discuss their father's odd behavior; alistair experiences a moment of overwhelm

Warnings/Tags: references to suicidal ideation, description of a panic attack (could also be read as an autistic meltdown)

Words: 1382

Helpful Terms:

Matins – prayer in the morning, around daybreak

Vespers – prayer in the evening, around sunset

Author’s Note: I don't have a ton of rambling meta commentary to share before this chapter lol 😅😅 I really wanted to do a scene that demonstrated just how suffocating his family's expectations are to alistair, so I tried to do that here. I based his panic attack/autistic meltdown on my own experiences (I often can't tell the difference between one or the other since for me they often occur simultaneously from the same stimuli), but I tried to introduce a stimuli/trigger that I thought would be particularly difficult for him, which in this case is the idea of being constantly watched or observed. this is def a bit of a heavier chapter, but (spoiler alert!) he gets to go hunting in the next one as a little treat ☺️☺️

In the wake of Jocosa’s rapid departure, the silence in the room was thick and heavy. The tapestry-covered walls pressed in from all sides, and the heat from the fire was suffocating. Finally coming back to himself, Alistair collapsed onto a chair. Head in his hands, eyes closed, the hurt that had been ripping at his skin had flown off in the sudden scuffle, leaving nothing but a dull ache in its place.

“I should not have said that.” Alistair muttered into his palms. The words were not for Amice’s benefit; he knew that she was likely just about to tell him as much herself. It was something more akin to confession – a hope that some higher power would hear his sins and forgive him for his transgressions. 

“Yes, but she should not have said that either.” Amice’s words were softer than Alistair had expected. He removed his face from the confessional of his hands and chanced a look at his sister. She was now seated across from him, leaning forward in a mirror image of his defeated position. 

“Just because she should not have said it does not make it untrue.” Alistair watched her face carefully as she processed his words.

“Alistair,” she reached out to grasp his hands in hers, “no one wishes you dead.” He shook his head minutely, trying to decide how Amice would receive his honesty if he chose to bestow it upon her. In the flicking firelight, her features were chased with sadness like one might chase armor with glittering gold. 

“Sometimes…” he faltered for a moment, needing to look away in order for the heavy words to finally escape his mouth, “sometimes I do.”

“Oh my dear brother,” were all the words Amice could manage before she pulled him into a tight embrace. The motion, though he understood it was meant to be comforting, was foreign to Alistair, but he allowed her to hold him for a moment before he gently pulled away.

“Please do not speak of this to mother,” he entreated in a whisper. Amice merely nodded. They both knew such information would only shatter their mother’s broken spirit further, and she was only just beginning to climb out of the moat of her grief over Oliver’s death. Silence reigned in the room again, though lighter this time. The fire crackled, and Alistair watched as its dancing light set the figures on the tapestries into motion. Squadrons of soldiers marched around the room as vines twisted and flowered in the corners. On one wall, a group of hunters dove after a thrashing boar, while on the opposite a wedding procession wound its way through gates and towers. Alistair scowled. 

“I must know,” he began quietly, “are there serious discussions as to my betrothal? And why was I not made privy to them?” The wound stung a little, but Alistair did his best to ignore the pain. Amice sighed deeply.

“Jocosa spoke out of turn.”

“When does she not?” Alistair rejoined. This earned a small huff of laughter from both of them.

“What I understand of the matter is that Mathilda’s family feels we still have a viable arrangement to uphold, since they are still willing to provide their daughter along with her dowry, and we still have a male heir.” Alistair snorted in displeasure. “Mother fears that we risk further harm to the family’s reputation if we were to renege on the marriage agreement that was drafted between Noll and Mathilda. She did not want to mention it to you until she understood more of the details, as it was father who outlined the terms and who is presently unwilling or unable to continue his involvement in the matter.”

“It seems he is presently unwilling or unable to continue his involvement in any matters.” Alistair snorted in frustration, pushing himself upwards to stand again. Amice followed his movement with her eyes, but made no motion to follow.

“Has he spoken to you at all?” she asked quietly. “I have heard almost nothing from him since…” she let her words trail off, knowing Alistair would take her meaning. He shook his head.

“We’ve exchanged a few brief words here and there, but nothing of import.” He ran a hand through his hair, measuring his next words carefully. He didn’t want Amice to trouble herself more than he knew she already did, but he also greatly desired her thoughts on what to make of their father’s strange behavior.

“I have, however, noticed odd movements from him of late.” Amice’s eyes flicked up to his face, silently entreating him to continue. “As you well know, I myself keep unusual hours,” he allowed himself a small smile, and Amice chuckled. 

“The early falconer gets the quarry, is that not the saying?” she teased, eliciting a small laugh from Alistair. “But please, tell me what you have seen,” she gracefully steered the conversation back to the topic at hand.

            “Oft lately when I am with my birds before Matins, I see him returning to the estate.”

            “From which direction does he ride?”

            “From London.”

            Amice stood then, hands clasped tightly together. She took up Alistair’s former post before the great fireplace, pacing slowly back and forth, the hem of her gown shushing softly against the floor as her slim form cast new shadows upon the embroidered figures that silently peopled the room.

            “What business could he have in London if he attends to no matters here?” she pondered, partially to herself and partially to her brother. “And at what hour must he be leaving to return so early in the morn?”

            “After Vespers,” Alistair offered. “I made a point to linger with my birds in the tower far later than is my custom in order to see him depart.”

            “There can be no dealings in London that would require such hours.”

            “There can be no honest dealings in London that require such hours,” Alistair added.

            “And you know no further details of his doings?” Alistair merely shook his head in response.

            “I know only that he rides out alone with barely a word to anyone.”

            Amice’s lips pressed into a firm line as she continued her slow pacing, her mind clearly far from the tapestried room. Alistair fidgeted. The woven eyes of the figures the covered the walls seemed to fix upon him. Hunters and knights, lords and ladies, boars and birds, royalty and wildmen turned their gazes to him, observing his every movement as he fussed with the cuffs of his shirt that suddenly felt too tight. Was this what Noll must have felt upon the executioner’s block – standing before all, pierced by eyes from all angles, invisible arrows driving into his flesh? For perhaps the first time since he had been told the news, Alistair’s heart stirred with pity for his elder brother. To be so exposed – so observed – would make even the brashest soldier feel like flushed quarry. The very knowledge of so many eyes upon one’s form pierced the skin and cut to the bone before the killing talons or the fatal sword ever found their mark.

Even though they were made of thread and fabric and not of mortal flesh, the multitude of eyes upon him sent sickly patterings up and down his skin as though thousands of tiny mice were crawling upon him. He rubbed at his arms compulsively, the fabric twisting uncomfortably against his skin, making the tips of his fingers burn and itch, yearning to rip the offending garment from his body. Beads of sweat formed at his temples and slipped down his back. The heat in the room must have reached a stifling new height, as Alistair’s throat seized, and his breaths would not come as he bade them. The only thought left in his mind was that he must flee. He heeded this impulse and bolted from a room, leaving a confused Amice to wonder at his sudden and unannounced departure. However, this was not the first time he had absconded from an interior room so suddenly, and Alistair was certain that Amice would correctly deduce his destination. As he fled gasping from the suffocating walls of the estate, Alistair’s feet led him first to his falcons, and then on to the cool, deep green of the forest.

[woltourney]

ROUND 1 / SIDE B / POLL 16

Tahri Nhupuju (@tahri-nhupuju) v. Amor Valentine (@lunadivino)

Tahri Nhupuju:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Tahri Nhupuju, she/her

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Keeper of the Moon Miqo'te

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. Canonically all of them, but Warrior is her main one.

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. Phoenix, Light

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. Born in the depths of the Black Shroud to a minor Keeper clan of little note, Tahri had little contact with the outside world aside from the odd hunter or trader, and a notable encounter with some shipwrecked Lominsan sailors. Thanks to them and their boatswain, when she came of age and realized that while her clan had a fair few skilled hunters they lacked warriors to protect them from Gridanian aggression, she set out to Limsa Lominsa to learn the art of the Marauder. The rest, as they say, is history. Backstory aside, Tahri considers herself a staunchly traditionalist Keeper, and as such she doesn't believe in "diurnal nonsense" like monogamy, patriarchy, or straight people. She's always been an absolute unit, and was a natural fit for the marauders' guild, especially once her Inner Beast awakened and she learned how to use her boundless passion and love for her friends and family to fight. Quick fun facts about Tahri: -She is 6'3".-She is technically bisexual, but has a typically Keeper view of men: good for if you want kids, sure, but otherwise not very interesting.-She Is Well Aware Of The Effect She Has On Women, and is usually quite cocky and suave with her romantic interests, with one notable exception… -Thancred and Urianger were the first Scions to notice Tahri and Y'shtola were catching feelings for each other during the ARR patches. They themselves figured this out in Shadowbringers, and only get together in 5.3. -She is extremely whipped for Y'shtola, and often volunteers as test subject for many of her magical experiments. -She struggled to "get" magic for the longest time, until Blue Magic provided her with the "shortcut" of using instinct and intuition for magic. -She is autistic, even if I don't know if Eorzea has a term for that. -Despite being far from a studious, scholarly woman Tahri has a special interest in history. -She can deadlift all the other Scions combined. This is not a hypothetical. Alcohol and a bet was involved.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. Usually, I'm not the best when it comes to bragging, so I asked some of the others for their input: Tataru scoffed at the question, stating that -and I quote- "As a tall, autistic, extremely muscular, bisexual catgirl himbo" I was "extremely marketable to tumblr's large demographic of sapphics". I don't quite know what a "himbo" is, but I trust her judgement when it comes to market research. Alphinaud suggested that I recite the many titles, accolades, and honors I've gained from a lifetime of heroics, but that's just embarrassing, and I assume most other warriors of light would have a similar list of accomplishments. Shtola said that people would vote for me "if they know what is healthy for them" with that dangerous look in her eyes. Urianger said that there aren't that many prominent Keepers around, and certainly not many that still follow the old ways, so that would help me stand out. Thancred informed me what a himbo was. I now have mixed feelings about what Tataru said. Riol said that I should win because I look out for the little guy, and never forget about my bonds with minor characters like him and the other non-inner circle Scions, or the Crown Gemworks crew, or Vath Deftarm. I think that's enough testimonials, and I would like to thank my friends for saying so many nice things that I never would have thought of myself. I'd also like to say to the voters that I will do my best to keep Shtola from doing whatever she was planning to do if you don't vote for me.

q. Anything else you wanna add? a. Yeah. The above response wasn't just made for fun, I want to clarify that Tahri can't think of anything to brag about herself with because she genuinely has so much of her self-image tied up in the idea of herself as "the warrior of light" that she fails to see her own strengths at times, because that's just "the bare minimum" she has to be to be "The Warrior Of Light". Her self-sacrificial nature is something she struggles with a lot, as she tends to minimize her own wants and needs in favour of helping others and keeping others from worrying about her. Also if anyone wants to see more about her, I want publishes a couple of fics featuring her on Ao3, which are tagged with her name. Do make sure to read the tags to avoid spoilers though! And speaking of spoilers, her blog is not a spoiler-free zone, so be aware of that.

Amor Valentine:

q. What is your WoL name and pronouns? a. Amor Valentine (they/them)

q. What is your WoL's species? a. Au Ra (Xaela)

q. What is your WoL's class? Or classes? a. ARR: Lancer/Dragoon; HW-present: DRK main, MCH for yeehaw

q. What data centre/server are you on, if you want people to find you? a. N/A

q. Tell us a bit about your WoL! a. Amor is just a guy carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders despite it all. They care deeply for their friends and family, have a special interest in chocobos, and are full of love for the world they protect. Though a force to be reckoned with in the heat of battle, in day-to-day life they can be quite timid. A traumatic childhood event left them an orphan with no memory of their past, but they were found and raised by a Duskwight woman in Dravania, near Tailfeather. Amor was considered a strange child by most Tailfeather residents (#UndiagnosedAutism), but they ignored it as best they could while focusing their attention on the chocobos their mother would catch and train. On their 20th nameday, they left home to explore the world and hopefully learn about their past, and oops! Hydaelyn's chosen! They then proceed to become the Champion of Eorzea and save the world a bunch of times, with varying levels of enthusiasm. Though always willing to do whatever is needed to protect the realm, they are prone to becoming weary of it all. At best, they'll grin and bear it. At worst, they can become resentful and bitter towards their position in life (see: DRK). Thankfully, spending time with loved ones helps mitigate this negativity. They are taking a well earned rest after the events of Endwalker, but are prepared to dive back into the fray should the world need them. They are fond of foraging when they have the opportunity, and their special interest in chocobos lends itself well to breeding and competing at the Gold Saucer. Sometimes, they give in to the irresistible urge to run around open landscapes before rolling around on the ground.

q. Why should YOU win? (Answer IC!) a. Umm… a vote for me is a vote for the eorzean autism alliance :)

[random-autie-fangirl]

Reasons why Luz and  Hunter are siblings

(...Or more specifically why I think this interpretation of their relationship is what Dana wanted, and why it might be addressed in Thanks to Them) 

1. Wittebane Paralells

https://random-autie-fangirl.tumblr.com/post/695575730165350400/an-adhd-coded-bisexual-gal-who-is-studying-wild

I made this rather messy analysis comparing Luz and Hunter with the Clawthorne Sisters and Wittebane brothers, it’s not that long but it basically boils down to  This:  

Hunter is a “reincarnation” of Caleb (of sorts) gets a younger human sibling who loves him unconditionally this time. Philip killed Caleb for daring to find a place on the isles, but it’s Luz who makes sure Hunter has a permanent place to stay in the demon realm.(by offering Hunter to stay at the owl house, an offer i’m almost sure Hunter will take her up on in Season 3)

and This: 

An ADHD coded bisexual gal who is studying wild magic has a chaotic (and funny) rivalry with a more lawful autistic coded person in the emperor’s coven who is two years older than her, and then the lawful one saves the chaotic one from emperor Belos and turns against the emperor after. Am I talking about Luz and Hunter? or Eda and Lilith? Both, of course. Relationship parallels aren’t just for romance, after all.

For Eda and Lilith (To be honest, I’m actually really quite sure you could swap Eda and Lilith and Luz and Hunter’s interactions round and almost all of them would still be in character)

The masks they’re wearing look possibly like the Wittebane masks.

 Obviously they're based on king and hooty too but luz with the horned mask, and hunter with the diagonal eye slit mask...yeah (relating to that, there is a theory that the golden guard mask is also based on a childhood mask caleb had which doesn't have that much evidence behind it, but like, might that be why hunter has it in the first place?

Like I doubt Hunter would want to make a new mask that resembles the golden guard one himself but what if he mysteriously found a wooden version of his old mask somewhere (because it used to belong to Caleb), was understandably freaked out and Luz helped him feel better by drawing a beak on it and re-dubbing it a hooty mask, all while sharing silly and chaotic stories about hooty (both because there's no shortage of those, and it would be a way of making up for getting cheated out of hunter and hooty interactions we could have had in a full season 3 according to dana)

And honestly, these two shots match up far too perfectly to be a mistake:  https://toastraccoon.tumblr.com/post/697394126352678912/am-i-the-only-one-that

2. Hunter Clawthorne? 

Okay, this is quite a bit more speculative but like...Luz asks Hunter to come stay with her and...Eda? You know, the witch, who is pretty obviously supposed to be Luz’s second mum?

"You can stay at the Owl House if you want. I'm sure Eda would be cool with it once we... tell her what we... heard." Luz in Hollow Mind

Not only that but Eda gave Luz her jacket in an act of familial love, Luz tosses the same jacket out to hunter and metaphorically extends that familial love out to Hunter.  Like, between that line and the jacket symbolism, I heard the "come live with us, come be part of our family" message loud and clear. 

 And well, wouldn’t it be cute if both luz and hunter are paying homage to other owl house members with their masks because Hunter decided he’s going to join the owl fam later down the line (especially if the two had been disscussing it just before)

Also Hunter just is a Clawthorne, (and it's quite likely to be genetic too) The traits he shares are obvious and he fits into the family like a glove. He has a bird palisman and the iconic “BYYYYYYEEEE” for a start.

 (And after all, Eda does have a habit of adopting strays and particularly children who are the only one of their species on the isles, a human? a titan? why not a grimwalker, huh?) (side tangent: but since it’s likely the Collector  will be redeemed and they are just a child, and I could see him forming a genuine friendship with King, maybe Eda will end up raising a star person too) 

Hunter's parental connection to Darius is also important and obvious, but since Luz is probably going to end up co-parented by Eda and Camila, why not have the same for Hunter? Luz can be a Noceda-Clawthorne and Hunter can be a Deamonne-Clawthorne.  

 So Caleb becomes a Clawthorne by marrying into the family and Hunter becomes a Clawthorne by being adopted. And you know what,  maybe Hunter deserves two (or three) little siblings and a big extended family. 

But the point is, that while some of these are headcanons, that between the nettles(see below) and the hollow mind line, I don't think it's too unlikely for Luz to casually re-iterate her offer for Hunter to live at the owl house if they make it back to the isles or to punctuate with an "after all, i've always wanted an older brother." (Especially since it makes sense for them to start talking about the owl fam while making/adjusting their masks, and for Hunter to start getting visibly jealous when Luz starts talking wistfully about her little family)

3. Just some miscellaneous things

https://loosescrewslefty.tumblr.com/post/657608846282522624/loosescrewslefty-loosescrewslefty-shout-out-to @loosescrewslefty (If you don’t mind me mentioning you) made this post about floriography in the Owl House.  

This is interesting because in hunting palismen, Luz passes Hunter a pot of nettles, (It's almost always a thing that with any plants in the owl house, their floriography/flower language will symbolise something in the actual show) and nettles symbolize healing, calmness, stress relief, and SIBLING RELATIONSHIPS (full post from loosescrewslefty)

The Thanks to Them trailer and promos have promised quite a bit of focus on Luz and Hunter’s realationship, while giving us 2 out of 3 of the main Wittebro paralells on the list. Pair that with the fact that the episode might well give us more of the Wittebanes’ backstory at the same time and well...

A bit of a controversial idea here, but might that be why Dana has always seemed a little more openly annoyed with Lunter than any other opposing ship (or any other M/F ship). Both with removing the Hunter blush in Hunting Palismen and sort of mocking it on april’s fool day? (neither of which I really agree with, by the way) Like it could be because she knew Luz’s and Hunter’s relationship was going somewhere that didn’t really gel with a romantic interpretation, I dunno

For my last thing, I kind of want to say, they just act like it! It’s actually often reactors with siblings that  say Luz and Hunter act like them and their siblings in real life and  content creators who are basing Luz and Hunter’s dynamic off real-life interactions with their own siblings tend to be most accurate and close to how Luz and Hunter interact in canon!

And since one of Luz and Hunter’s very first interactions in Hunting Palismen Luz licking Hunter’s hand in an interaction that’s exactly the same as an interaction between the twins Mabel and Dipper in Gravity Falls. And since Dana also worked on that show, I see no reason why that parallel/reference couldn’t be deliberate too. Also the face pushing fight is something both Eda and Lilith and all the Blight siblings also did,  so yeah

.... That’s all my evidence. What do you think?

[galaxyofender]

I am very eyes emoji about DATH. Would you mind sharing more about it?

okay so. dusk along the horizon. it was originally a treebark au (you'll be unsurprised to hear who the werewolf was in that version of the story) that i reciently decided to turn into an oc story

the main pair of the story are a vampire named selene hazelwood (originally martyn) and a werewolf named dawn lowell (originally ren)

i went on an infodump on discord to basically any of my friends willing to listen to me so:

okay so. dawn. main character and through who we see the story from. she's a very very reciently turned werewolf who ended up joining an organization that hunts vampires out of the logic of "they're not gonna attack their own members... right??" and fear that they would be very willing to try to turn against werewolves too

the first mission she and a group gets sent to is around this fairly large town and a manor of five vampires living nearby a- not quite a city but a bigger town i guess. the hunters send out dawn to "investigate" and see if she can make herself friendly to the vampires to get them off guard (the intent was always that if she died, it wasn't that much of a big deal, since she was a fairly new recruit)

dawn meets and stays with this group of five for a bit- they immediately recognize she's not human, and hearing from the hunters, they assume she's hiding from them too- becoming quite close friends with them and particularly of selene, who im leaning towards her being one of the younger of the five? (in the original mcyt au context, this group is the evo-traffic overlap: grian, pearl, bigb, jimmy, and martyn. these vampires' names, or at least the ones i know, are nigel, pearl, beau and selene. pearl kept her name and jimmy doesn't have a name yet) and may or may not be getting a bit of a gay crush on her? also in general, she's helping her with the wolfiness, with understanding it better, since she went though the same process when she became a vampire

so. the group of hunters, hearing that the group has basically taken dawn as their own, basically tell her to keep up the charade, she's doing well. dawn, hearing this, feels like Shit and may or may not be having a crisis of loyalties because she feels like she's betraying her vampire friends (which. she very much is at that point) and leading on selene

meanwhile selene finds a silver dagger (which both vampires and werewolves are weak to) in dawn's room, looking for something else she forgot there. the dagger is carved with the symbol of the hunter organization. uh. selene might start assuming the worst because she has ✨ trauma ✨

i'll put the trauma as: the person who turned her into a vampire to begin with was a pretty awful ex and in general to be around with? and she's terrified that this means that history is repeating itself and she did fall for another person who could not care less for her

meanwhile dawn is trying to figure out how exactly to solve her little conflict of loyalties, selene may or may not come with the dagger and very pissed and genuinely thinking dawn is planning on murdering her and her loved ones- or at least help with it

selene ends up threatening dawn with the dagger, getting out of her that yes she's part of the hunters, no she genuinely doesn't want this group of people dead please put that down. so uh plot is a bit fuzzy and undefined from this point but the hunters are absoutely not coming by the end of the story in one piece <3

that's the plot more or less?

for designs, selene does have a design, unsure for dawn yet but i have picrews!

here's for dawn the picrews

yeah if you have any questions pls send more asks this brain is deciding to be very autistic about this story-

there are more thoughts around two side characters, jimmy (who still doesn't have a name, working on that) and theodore ("bdubs", one of the hunters). both of these are respectively the closest person to selene and dawn in their group

[jumping-joey1104]

Eyy! Could I possibly get a slenderverse matchup? I’m Brynn, or B. :] I’m 5’2, I go by she/her but don’t really care all that much, and have dark reddish hair and really pale grey/green eyes. Aesthetic ™ consists of plaid shirts, dumb graphic tees, and toques (or “beanies”) I am autistic and have GAD. I’m very friendly, and cracking jokes, as soon as you meet me, but it might take me a while of getting to know you, to become less awkward and reserved.. Show my true colours. Those being, I’m a cryptid that stays up all night, eats your food, sends you cursed images/memes you didn’t ask for, and brings dead things to the house. I’m fascinated with taxidermy, and come from a family of hunters. I collect a ton of weird stuff, and if you gift me something like a weird bug/rock/bone/mushroom etc, you found on a walk, I’ll love you forever. I love bugs, and you have to be okay with that. I keep bugs as pets, and will drag you outside to look for bugs, this is a threat /j Not only do I love bugs/reptiles/weird animals, but I also LOVE horror movies. I’m easily excited by gore, and endlessly thrilled by practical effects. I’m an amateur SFX artist with my certificate in fake injuries for film, so expect a lot of fake injury stuff too :] - Thank you!

(Ay you're my very first request!) Alright, after careful consideration I have chosen the one and only

EVAN MYERS

Friendship

It's your quiet attitude and your t-shirts that first get him, the fact that he finally meets someone that's the same height also makes him want to stay by your side (tiny squad).

Sometimes he'll try to steal your t-shirts, don't worry though! He'll let you steal his and it's his favorite thing when you two trade your graphic tees

My thought is that you two first meet as the group starts recording their fitness videos, the two of you staring at a large bug together as he tries to figure out what kind of bug it is.

After that when you show him your collection of weird stuff he loses it and will bring you weird looking rocks and other knick-knacks he finds while filming with the boys.

He's always willing to go out into the woods with you, it's not like he's scared of all the bugs and animals in the woods. Although you might need to remind him that he'll scare off animals if he keeps stomping around

After a while he always keeps his phone off silent and extra leftovers in his fridge for you, always planning on a late night sleepover filled with horror movies and snacks.

Although he quickly opens up to you, he understands that it'll take a minute for you to warm up to him. He'll be worried about scaring you with his energy and knife collection so be prepared for lots of gifts and snacks

Dating

Even if you guys don't stay friends, it wouldn't be much different dating him

It'd be a rare occurrence that you two go out in public, why go and pay for food when he can make you two a dinner at home?

Blockbuster only closed in 2014 so up until then it was a date night to go and pick some horror movies together and stay up till morning watching random scary movies together

He quickly gets used you bringing home dead animals, has about 3 cans of Febreze under each sink just for that reason

When he learns about your GAD he becomes a little bit over protective of you, making sure that you're ok constantly and hesitates to bring you around new people

After a while he gets better at his worrying, you two making a kind of code word for when it's too much for you in a situation

After dating for a bit you can find him wearing more of your t-shirts and some of his in your drawers, don't question how they got there (He put his in and traded them with yours whenever he comes over)

He definitely lets you practice your SFX on them and you two for sure have sent the photos to the rest of the group to give them mini heart attacks

But in the end of the day, even if you stay friends or end up dating there's no difference except for some extra affection and a title.

[weeb-polls-with-pip]

Autistic Anime Boys Side A Round 1 Match 19

Propaganda:

Illumi -

"I submitted Alluka to the girl’s competition and since I think all the Zoldyck kiddos are autistic I thought I’d submit Illumi this time cuz I like him The Most. He’s another case of ‘anime character that comes across as aloof and emotionless,’ due to the way he was socialized (or lack-thereof) as a child. He comes from a family of wealthy assassins who raised their children using brutal methods of torture endurance as training for the profession, and thus were very strict in their rules regarding how one should interact with the outside world and those within it. Illumi especially shows a great rigidity in his thinking and compliance with these social rules, and sees it as his eldest sibling duty to make sure his siblings also abide by them. He demonstrates great talent and competency with nen as a manipulator-type. He’s also got big ol ‘tism creature eyes and comes across as strange and off-putting to others (though he does not particularly care)."

Hitoshi -

"He is so sugoi… His catchphrase "Nya~ Rawr~" Could be some sort of vocal stim for him, or maybe he decided to create a catchphrase for himself influenced by what he saw on TV. Hitoshi often daydreams about Bokutachi-San in very unrelated situations, which reminded me of how we autistic people often randomly think what we want to think, no matter the current situation. Like, he was just talking to Koneko-Chan and his brain went "hehe bokutachi sex" And maybe that's just how neurotypical crushes work. But then again, I am not neurotypical so I dont know.

Hitoshi-San is so sugoi! He needs to win!"