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celestie0 · 9 months ago

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gojo satoru x reader | fake marriage au [18+]

in holy matriphony drabble no1. new neighbor

ᰔ pairing. fake marriage au - neighbor&realtor!gojo x nurse!reader (ft. choso x reader & suguru x reader)

ᰔ drabble summary. you visit your new next-door-neighbor's house to welcome him to the neighborhood only to find issue with the fact that's he's insanely hot (note to any potential new readers: you can read this before starting the main storyline if you'd like!)

ᰔ main storyline summary. gojo satoru is your extremely annoying next-door-neighbor who you're pretty sure is the most insufferable man you've ever met. given the fact that you exclusively work the night shift at a chaotic emergency dept, just got broken up with your boyfriend of seven years, and have been taking care of your sick mother ever since her multitude of diagnoses, yet somehow your neighbor is the main source of stress in your life should speak volumes. but when your mother's medical bills start to skyrocket to more than you can manage, and you learn that said neighbor of yours has the best private health insurance plan in the country, you ask him to enter a matrimonial agreement with you for the spousal benefits all in the name of saving a few hundred thousand dollars. but you'll have to see if suffering cohabitation w him is worth any amount of money.

ᰔ genre/tags. fluff, smut, angst, enemies to lovers (sort of), annoyances to lovers (that's more like it), small town romance, fake marriage, next door neighbors, lots of bickering, suburban shenanigans, slow burn, mutual pining, gojo likes to play house but you don't, hatred for the american healthcare system, gojo always forgets to mow the lawn, jealousy, an insane amount of profanity, mentions of cigarettes, depression/anxiety; btw gojo in this fic is in his mid 30s n reader is in her late 20s

ᰔ warnings. reader in this fic has a sick mother w alzheimer's & cancer so there is secondary medical angst!!

ᰔ words. 2.4k

a/n. hiiiiii welcome to this first ihm drabble!! i just had an idea of writing a small scene of when ihm gojo & reader first met so :0 cracked this out in an hour. hope you enjoyy!!

nav. ch1 :: ch2 :: ch3 :: ch4 :: ch5 (pending)

There were a great deal of possibilities you had expected to see when you rang the doorbell to your new next-door-neighbors house, but none of them were quite what you had ended up seeing at the front door when it had swung open.

Perhaps it could’ve been a newlywed couple, looking stressed beyond belief with thin lines under their eyes over the agony that comes with moving into a new home with a partner. It could’ve been a teenager, possibly a broody one, because your parents moving the family out to some random town right in the middle of your high school years would’ve made any kid emo. Or it could’ve been an old wrinkly man, grumpy and a little sore to the eyes and entirely too irritated by someone ringing his doorbell because it fucked up the frequency transmitter on his hearing aids.

Instead, when the door flew open, your neck craned up to meet the eye contact of the most stupidly hot and handsome man you’ve ever seen in your life. Well, at least certainly in all of this smalltown in Dayton county. They don’t build men like that here. With stunning blue eyes that stare deep into yours, hair that’s boyishly shaggy yet looks so soft at the same time, tall, muscular, broad shoulders. And the soft cotton of his pajama long-sleeve shirt with the matching plaid pants clinging to the curves of strong biceps and thighs has you full-fledged staring at this—…dare-you-say, incredibly husband-material of a man.

You almost forget you have a boyfriend for a second. And, for the record, your boyfriend is a sexy piece of ass too (Choso if you’re reading this please know that I love you very much and Gojo would have to fight a feral bear to steal me away from you). But, god, was it a crime to find another man attractive occasionally?

He blinks at you, eyes wide like he was equally as shocked to take in the appearance of you. You’re also sure the last thing he expected was a visitor right now at 2:33pm on a Tuesday, but you had finally seen all the UHAUL trucks pulled up in his driveway and the men moving furniture into his house leave the neighborhood, so you felt now would be a good time to introduce yourself.

“Hi,” he finally says to you, rubbing the back of his neck like it’s sore, “uhh…can I help you?”

You’re momentarily speechless. “Oh! I’m—” you take a pause to breathe because words are suddenly unspeakable without at least a gallon of air in your lungs, “I’m y/n, I live next door.” You point to your house. “I just saw you moving in and so I…wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood!” You hold out the paper plate wrapped in tin foil that you were holding. “I made some pumpkin bread for you.”

The corner of his mouth curls up slightly, eyebrows raising pleasantly. “Oh, that’s really sweet, thanks,” he says with a tone that suggests he’s surprised by the hospitality and you briefly wonder where he’s moved here from. He takes the plate from you and balances it on his palm.

An awkward silence.

“Uh, did you wanna—” he points his thumb over his shoulder to behind himself, “did you wanna come inside?”

You blink at him.

“I mean, the place is kind of a mess right now, but—”

“Yes,” you cut him off.

He smiles at you, relaxed now compared to that hesitance from before, and he uses his back to push the door open more while stepping aside for you to walk inside, and walk inside is exactly what you do.

The house is a little cold, with no heater running, and incredibly empty. It’s pretty much the exact copy layout of your house, as all houses in the neighborhood are, except the color tones within this one are much brighter. The foyer is crowded with stacked cardboard boxes, some open and some not, with styrofoam sprawled all across carpet and hardwood, and you take a moment to admire the seafoam green loveseat pressed flush up against one of the walls.

“Got it on Facebook Marketplace,” he tells you, and you glance over at him to see him watching you assess his furniture, “lots of surprisingly good finds on there.”

You smile at him and stand up straight.

“I’m Satoru, by the way,” he says, leaning his shoulder against the door now before crossing his arms, “sorry, I don’t think I introduced myself to you earlier.”

“Ohh, no worries. You’re probably tired from moving in?” you ask, trying not to feel awkward in this essentially-a-stranger’s house.

“Very,” he laughs.

“What made you move here?”

“Oh, just, uh, my job. My family’s out here too, so figured it’d be nice being a little closer to them. But I was in a bit of a rush to close on something out here, so I just bought the first place I could find.” He peers in towards the house, eyes darting across his empty dining room. You notice slabs of deconstructed wood are leaned up against the wall. “But it’s nice. Neighborhood’s nice too.”

“Oh yesss we have wonderful people maintaining it!” you tell him.

He flashes you one of those smiles again. “You’ve lived here a while?”

“Yes! I was born and raised here, actually,” you say and then point a finger in the direction of your house, “that’s actually the only house I’ve ever lived in.”

His eyes widened. “Wow, that’s rare.”

“Yuppp. Just my mom and I now.”

“Oh, is your mom the one that was out gardening yesterday?” he asks. “Pulling out weeds on the edges of the driveway?”

You sigh. “Yes. That’s her. Er, at least I’m pretty sure it is, because I always tell her not to garden anymore, but she never listens to me.”

He lets out a well-meaning scoff, and you wonder if he’ll ask you more questions about it, but he lets the conversation settle into a silence instead. You discretely steal a glance at his left hand when he untucks it from his crossed arms to scratch at his jaw, and you notice there’s no wedding ring on his finger.

“Do you want some coffee?” he asks.

You blink at him. “Oh, I—…sure.”

He leads you into the kitchen, which you notice is mostly set up with all the appliances out on the counters and glass cabinets filled with ceramic sets of mugs and plates. He has an espresso machine set up in the corner of the stover counter, and you follow him right up to it.

“Woooow an espresso machine, I’ve always wanted one of these.”

He flits his gaze to you with a smile on his face before he grabs the handle of the portafilter, twisting it to release it from the machine, and then he presses some button that pushes steam out of it. “It’s worth it if you’re a daily coffee drinker.”

You sigh, leaning your elbow on the counter as you watch him. “Oh, I survive off of coffee, please. I work as a night shift nurse at the ED over on Main Street, so I need all the caffeine I can get.”

“You’re a nurse? That’s good to know,” he says, measuring out beans on a small digital scale. You turn to face him a little more, entirely intrigued by the process now. “If I’m ever in a life or death situation, can I give you a call?”

“If you’re still able to give me a call, then you’re not in a life or death situation.”

He gives you another one of those smiles, a little cheekily lopsided this time, like he’s really enjoying this conversation with you. It’s probably something that’s pleasantly mentally stimulating to his exhausted mind as he’s likely spent the last three days or so talking to no one except the UHAUL truck people and the melancholic memorabilia within his boxes of stuff. It was as easy as any small talk could be, this conversation, and it’s coming a little too naturally for your own liking as well.

He puts the beans in the grinder, and you hear a whirring sound as they are ground into fine particles that release a rich aroma of bitter into the air.

“This seems awfully tedious. I take back my desire of wanting an espresso machine,” you comment, pushing your knuckles into your cheek now as you perch yourself up by an elbow on the counter.

He laughs as he sifts the grounds into the portafilter, breaking up any clumps, and then he twists it onto the espresso machine before placing a mug underneath it. “Yeah, there’s a steep learning curve with it, but once you perfect it, it’s pretty easy. A lot can go wrong that can affect the quality of the shot though, for sure.”

“Like what?” you ask, a little too interested.

“Uhh, you can over extract, which leaves kind of a bitter taste, or under extract, which makes it taste sour. Usually depends on the ground size or the tamping. Plus, when you switch beans, you’ve gotta experiment on the settings all over again.”

You hear the whirring of the machine plus the delicate steady drip of the espresso into the mug. “I have a headache just listening to that. Why bother at all?”

He nods his head slowly, glancing at the watch on his wrist, and after a set amount of seconds has passed, he turns the machine off then peers into the mug. “Well, taste it and see if it’s worth it,” he says, handing the mug to you.

You take it from him, the fragrance of coffee immediately making your mouth water. And you take a delicate sip of the coffee, a slight bitterness hitting your tongue followed immediately by sweetness from the crema that has your eyes widening.

“Oh. Oh wow. Incredibly worth it,” you say.

He laughs. “Milk? Sugar?”

“Gosh no, I’ll just have it like this, please.”

You both chat a little bit more as he makes himself a cup too. You notice that he has his coffee black, as essentially an Americano, which he pours over ice in a shiny glass even in the cool of autumn.

Apparently he’s a real estate agent, selling properties a little out further than the county line, in more posh areas than here. Like all those cliff-side homes you see when you’re driving further out of town and always sigh to yourself wondering if you’ll ever get to live in a pretty house like that someday.

His parents live nearby as well as his younger sister’s family and he has a niece who’s four years old. And you want to ask so badly if he has a family of his own as well, but if he did, wouldn’t they be here with him?

“Holy shit this is amazing,” he says through a muffled mouthful of the pumpkin bread you brought for him, “you made this from scratch?”

No. You used a pre-made mix. “Oh gosh, yes, I’m something of a little baker, if you will.”

He nods, letting out an indulgent sigh as he chews, eyes shutting close tightly in satisfaction of the taste and you find it amusing. He has a physical build that you could only assume requires an immense amount of discipline, but it’s kind of cute to see he’s somewhat weak for sweets.

You glance at the time on your phone. “Ah, I have to get going. I need to take my mom somewhere, but um, it was really nice meeting you! Hopefully I’ll see you around in the neighborhood?”

He nods his head, “oh, yeah, definitely.”

Your cheeks warm a little.

He walks you to the front entrance, and you briefly glance out the window into his driveway. “Oh. There’s a boat.”

He walks up right next to you, his arm pressed against your shoulder as he stands close, and you note that he smells so nice, like shampoo and clean laundry. The softness of his pajamas brushes against your skin and it makes you borderline dizzy.

Choso would be pissed off to the nines if he knew you were feeling things for your next-door-neighbor. Cut it out already, you think to yourself.

“Oh they finally brought my boat in,” he comments, “sweet.”

“That’s yours?” you ask, turning to face him in surprise, “it’s huge!”

“Yup, just bought it,” he says, shoving his hands in his pants pockets as he walks up to the window to peer out the blinds. “A beauty, she is.”

You roll your eyes. “It’s not a she, it’s an it.”

“To you, maybe. But to me?…she’s so much more than that,” he says, but there’s some self-regarding hint of satire in his voice.

“Uh-huh,” you say, slipping your shoes back on at the door. “It’s kind of…lengthy though. Where are you going to park it?”

He shrugs. “Probably right out there. Where it is right now.”

Where it is right now?!?! The hull is dangerously close to the entry of your driveway. There’s no way that would be agreeable with you. How are you supposed to pull your car in?

“Um. I’m pretty sure I’d have difficulties pulling my car in if you parked it there,” you tell him politely as he opens the door for you and you step out onto the concrete step of his front entrance.

You turn around to face him and see him squinting his eyes at his boat with inspection of your concern. Sorry for sounding repetitive, but it's seriously shocking. The way he looks. The way that small little expression—his eyes narrowing, brows furrowing, bottom lip slightly jutting out, all paired with the haphazard way his hair falls over his eyes—makes you stare at him like he’s some Grecian sculpture. It was a little concerning.

But, at the end of the day, attraction is merely cognitive, is it not? A social construct, if you will. Something that can go away just as easily as it comes, and then arrive once more as easily as it went away.

A pattern you’ll eventually realize a lot with your new next-door-neighbor, Gojo Satoru.

“Nah,” he says, “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

[end of drabble]

a/n. alternate universe where they fuck on the marble countertop of his kitchen island on first encounter pls

🏷️ @tremendousbouquetflower @semra4 @noctuaism @gojonegs @reinam00n

@bloopsstuff @bbyxxm @yungbloode @elloredef @spriteshawtyy

@joemama-2 @luniunia @4y3sh4 @ironhottubstranger @lushafterglow

@hermizery @manyno @idiot-juice-enthusiast @fairyflorasworld @teramisuyhin

@mmeerraa @bnha-free-writing @xenop0p @spaghettinewt @pngjpn

@anniegojo @rirk-ke @chiyokoemilia @higurumapet @pickuptruck01

@electrckchild @vi-ola666 @arishaxml @lavender-hvze @starmapz

@sxnkuna @billiondollarworth @fallintothechasm @mavvsmm @satorubluu

@ricaliscious @satxoru @oyaoya-bungeegum @satowooo @samistars

@ifartmangos @andeverden @13-09-01 @lindyloomoo @tvdumarvelhpsimp

taglist is closed

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killthedove · 5 months ago

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Marion The Young Master/Mistress

You knock on doors at Danube street, looking for work. A door swings open, as a frightened butler/maid runs out of the mansion with a suitcase in hand, showing you to the side. | + Pain

A boy/girl seeming your age approaches the door, their green eyes puffy and brows furrowed beneath a messy fair fringe. You don't recall seeing them at school before. They seem about ready to slam the door closed behind the fleeing servant, though they soon find themselves squinting up at you with great scrutiny.

"And what are you staring at?"

You open your mouth to reply, but they scoff before you can, gripping onto your wrist.

"You must be the new help brother/sister sent. Thank goodness, the living room needs cleaning, and lunch is just around the corner. Running off without even finishing their work, what a worthless servant!" They try to pull you inside the house.

(1) Allow it | + Stress (2) Struggle | Physique: Simple

i'm still heavily workshopping marion, but they're a little LI oc i've been working on! they're heavily inspired by the rich person at danube street that tasks you with keeping them company during a toy tea party. they're a second child to a prominent family who is taught at home due to somewhat frail health and an utterly atrocious attitude.

they would offer the pc a consistent workload as a housekeeper, being a rather accessible and lucrative option for raising housekeeping as a skill, often rewarding them for cooking meals they enjoy with bonus cash. ( yes, you would need to actually cook it in the kitchen with the new system. the meals they actually like only begin unlocking towards the end of the first term or when class resumes in january, though. )

the downside of such a generous workplace, however, is the fact that pain and stress are incredibly difficult to manage with marion, especially if your housekeeping, physique or dance skills are low, leading to an increased risk of failing your given tasks. succeeding in them, however, raises not only their love but also their trust.

their trust as a unique mechanic leads to gentler interactions, as well as them being more eager to spend time around the player during the day and even possibly having marion invite them over for brief respite during the day.

opposing their trust stat, failure in executing your work at the manor leads to their tolerance decreasing. tolerance is an instance based stat, much like avery's endearment, that resets each day. at low tolerance, there is a chance that the player messing up their work would lead to an encounter much like a spanking one, though marion would instead take to beating them until they are calmed. attempting to fight back will immediately tank the day's tolerance and lower their trust.

at zero tolerance, the player is kicked out of the property for the day, not being allowed back to work until the following day. at low trust, they may be kicked out for longer. at high trust, this is instead replaced by them being locked in a room within the manor for the night, to calm down and reflect. escaping leads to further lowering both their trust and love.

tolerance may be regained by endearing yourself to them by indulging them during play, managing to make convincing excuses with high enough english, begging for forgiveness with enough submission or putting your skills to use in helping them with their studies if you catch them working on them. their tolerance for the day will decay much less at high trust.

at high love and trust, marion becomes both a good source of stress relief through shared activities and a daily source of either good money or hope for the orphanage, should the player's english skill be high enough to persuade them to gift the orphans instead of them on the given day. doing so won't increase their love the way accepting their gifts yourself does, though. they will also occasionally let the player choose some of the more expensive formal clothes for them to tailor as a gift, though such a gift will often come with expectation of some token of gratitude in return.

#dol #degrees of lewdity #dol oc #degrees of lewdity oc #marion the young master #marion the young mistress

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river-taxbird · 1 year ago

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Have YOU got an old Windows PC Microsoft has told you can't run Windows 11? It's time to give it a new life!

How to install Windows 11 on unsupported PC Hardware using Rufus. You can also disable some other Windows 11 bullshit like data harvesting and needing a Microsoft account.

It has been in the news a lot lately that Windows 11 isn't allowed to be installed on PCs without certain requirements, including the TPM 2.0, a chip that was only included in PCs made in 2018 or later. This means that once Windows 10 stops receiving security updates, those PCs will not be able to (officially) run a safe, updated version of Windows anymore. This has led to an estimated 240 million PCs bound for the landfill. Thanks Microsoft! I get you don't want to be seen as the insecure one, but creating this much waste can't be the solution.

(I know nerds, Linux is a thing. I love you but we are not having that conversation. If you want to use Linux on an old PC you are already doing it and you don't need to tell me about it. People need Windows for all sorts of reasons that Linux won't cut.)

So lately I have been helping some under privileged teens get set up with PCs. Their school was giving away their old lab computers, and these kids would usually have no chance to afford even a basic computer. They had their hard drives pulled so I have been setting them up with SSDs, but the question was, what to do about the operating system? So I looked into it and I found out there IS actually a way to bypass Microsoft's system requirement and put Windows 11 on PCs as old as 2010.

You will need: Rufus: An open source ISO burning tool.

A Windows 11 ISO: Available from Microsoft.

A USB Flash Drive, at least 16GB.

A working PC to make the ISO, and a PC from 2018 or older you want to install Windows 11 on.

Here is the guide I used, but I will put it in my own words as well.

Download your Windows 11 ISO, and plug in your USB drive. It will be erased, so don't have anything valuable on it. Run Rufus, select your USB drive in the Device window, and select your Windows 11 ISO with the Select button. (There is supposed to be a feature in Rufus to download your ISO but I couldn't get it to work.?

Choose standard windows installation, and follow the screenshot for your settings. Once you are done that, press Start, and then the magic happens. Another window pops up allowing you to remove the system requirements, the need for a microsoft account, and turn off data collecting. Just click the options you want, and press ok to write your iso to a drive.

From there you just need to use the USB drive to install windows. I won't go into details here, but here are some resources if you don't know how to do it.

Boot your PC from a USB Drive

Install Windows 11 from USB Drive

If you had a licensed copy of Windows 10, Windows 11 will already be licensed. If you don't, then perhaps you can use some kind of... Activation Scripts for Microsoft software, that will allow you to activate them. Of course I cannot link such tools here. So there you go, now you can save a PC made from before 2018 from the landfill, and maybe give it to a deserving teen in the process. The more we can extend the lives of technology and keep it out of the trash, the better.

Additional note: This removes the requirement for having 4GB Minimum of RAM, but I think that requirement should honestly be higher. Windows 11 will be unusable slow on any system with below 8GB of RAM. 8GB is the minimum I think you should have before trying this but it still really not enough for modern use outside of light web and office work. I wouldn't recommend trying this on anything with 4GB or less. I am honestly shocked they are still selling brand new Windows 11 PCs with 4GB of ram. If you're not sure how much RAM you have, you can find out in the performance tab of Task Manager in Windows, if you click the More Details icon on the bottom right. If you don't have enough, RAM for old systems is super cheap and widely available so it would definitely be worth upgrading if you have a ram starved machine you'd like to give a new life.

#Windows #Windows 11 #tech #tech advice #pc #TPM 2.0 #rufus #open source #open source software #technology #tech tips

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milswrites · 1 year ago

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Irreplaceable

~Azriel X Reader

Summary: While on a mission with Azriel, Y/N finds herself captured by the enemy. Will Azriel get to her in time to save her or must Y/N find another way out of this situation.

Warnings: Angst. Graphic descriptions of wounds. Mentions of torture. Violence. Minor character death. Badass MC with a happy ending though :).

Notes: Most definitely should have been two parts I’m sorry for the length <3

Your eyes flickered open slowly, lids struggling to lift fully as your head agonisingly throbbed in pain. Even through your blurred vision you could tell the surroundings were unfamiliar and there wasn’t much information to gain from them other than the fact you were locked in a cell and it was dark. Very dark. The only source of light being the dim flicker of candlelight that squeezed its way through the edges of the door before you, the shadow in your cell dancing in the soft glow that broke through.

Aching, you tried to move, twitching your fingers only to be met with an unsettling numbness that travelled up your arm. Forcing your eyes to open fully, sight becoming less foggy, you glanced to your side. Your eyes drifted from your shoulder and followed the length of your dirty, blood-stained arm to your hand. Your hand, which you had only now noticed was softly trembling, was a picture of horror. A large, rusted nail had found its home in the centre of your palm. Clearly the wound had been there a while as the blood down your arm and on the floor was cracked and dry, congealed around the base of the nail where it met the skin of your hand. Alarmed, your eyes snapped to the other side, head throbbing at the fast movement. Your other hand bore the same wound. Choking back a sob, you stilled your breathing, the anxiety-born shaking your body was doing was only causing you more pain in your hands. You were pinned to the wall like a piece of art. Like you were a trophy.

A sudden wave of panic flooded your system as you recalled how you ended up here in the first place, Azriel was with you on the mission where you had been knocked out and captured. Your wide, alarmed eyes scanned the room, there was no sign of him in here. No traces or makings on the floor that showed any sign of a struggle other than that of your own. Was he safe? Or was he trapped somewhere in this building in another cell? You wondered if he had managed to slip way and if he was looking for you, if he would come save you from entrapment and carry you back to Velaris where you would be safe. Cursing yourself, you shook the thoughts from your mind, you were disposable to him. A young, newly trained spy for the night court. Azriel wouldn’t risk his safety and the safety of his court to ensure your well-being.

You prayed to the mother that Azriel wasn’t in the same situation as you. Locked up in a separate cell. From the moment you met him, when he had saved you from the beating your father was gifting you in Hewn City, you knew you couldn’t just be friends with Azriel. Over the past year of training under him you would be a fool to deny that you had fallen under his spell, those feelings that sparked in you when you first laid eyes on him the day you met only grew and grew until they were a wildfire. The countless hours spent by his side working, training and travelling for your court did nothing but amplify your school-girl crush on the spymaster. But it would be ridiculous for you to assume you ever meant anything more to him than just another person to train. He had never shown much interest in you other than when it came to training and work. In fact most days he struggled to meet your eyes, mumbling the days tasks to you as he busied his gaze elsewhere. There was no way Azriel reciprocated your feelings. But it didn’t matter now. Now you were trapped and this cruel form of punishment bestowed upon you was surely a sign you would not be making it out of here alive.

~~~

Eyes stinging with tears, you brushed all thoughts of your unrequited love aside. Now was not the time to get distracted, all your energy had to be directed into finding a way out of this situation. If Azriel was here you had to make sure you wouldn’t do anything stupid that could end up unintentionally harming him in the process. But if he was here, and wasn’t too heavily injured, you’d both at least have a chance of fighting your way out of this.

If he wasn’t…you would have to attempt this alone and in your injured state. You could wait and see what they wanted from you, see if they kept you alive but the chances of them letting you go were slim to none. You could wait, hope Azriel got back to Velaris and told Rhysand of your capture, hope that they deemed your disposable life worth saving. You didn’t see the likelihood of either option.

No. You would have to try and find a way to discover if Azriel is here and if not it was up to you to ensure your safety. To try and work your way out of this cell in a place you don’t know, guarded by an unknown number of people. The odds were not in your favour.

By this point the tears were freely flowing down your cheeks, despite attempting to hold the sounds in, small sniffles and sorrowful whimpers forced their way out of your mouth. A small part of you wondered if it would be easier to just stay here, anything they were going to do to you already was surely better than what they would unleash upon you if you tried to escape. Head pounding, you awkwardly rested it on your shoulder, the weight of it causing you arm to shift downwards a small amount, your hand seizing with pain as the nail rubbed against the open wound once more.

You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to ignore the pain. Maybe it would be easy to just shut your eyes and pray for a swift death. Hope that if you close them and sleep you won’t have to open them again. As if replying to your thoughts, you felt a small tug in your chest, an unusual sensation that you wouldn’t have noticed if it wasn’t for the fact the lack of sound and light in your cell had made your senses very sensitive to even the smallest change. Hope bloomed in your chest, filling your body and soothing your thoughts of giving up. You would try. If it was fate that you were going to die here then at least you would go out fighting. At least you would die trying to stay alive, trying to get back to Azriel.

You weren’t sure how long you sat there since waking, coming up with scenario after scenario, plan after plan. The new sense of determination that coursed through you, prevented you from getting the rest your body so desperately craved. The pain in your hands had reduced, the unbearable stinging was replaced with a dull numbness, you weren’t sure whether that was because the wounds were actually getting better or because you had grown used to the pain. Certain that you’d have to remove the nails soon for fear of infection, you kept them in. You would play the role of their prisoner as long as you were unsure that Azriel was locked up here as well. Only when you found out he was safe would you risk removing the nails and escaping.

The screeching sound of a metal door opening in the distance broke the silence. It was the first sound you had heard that hadn’t been made by you. Your head raised quickly, ears twitching with anticipation as you tried to listen and gather what information you could. There was no speaking, but definitely the sound of multiple footsteps, gradually getting louder as they moved closer. Two? No, three pairs of feet. You were grateful for Azriel’s intense training that allowed you to come to this conclusion. Taking down one person in this situation would have been easy, even with the nails, but three? No you would bide your time. Their footsteps got louder and louder until they stopped. They had come to a halt outside your cell.

Unsure of how to handle this, you dropped your head to your shoulder again at the sound of rattling keys, softly grunting at the pain that flashed through your skull, your eyes snapped shut, pretending to still be unconscious.

The door slowly creaked open, only one pair of footsteps came into the cell, the other two people staying outside.

“I told you that you hit the bitch too hard”

It was difficult not to flinch at the gruffness of the man’s voice, but you managed to stay still, keep your breaths deep and eyes closed. He huffed, unsatisfied at your believed unconscious state, clearly having come to your cell hoping you’d be awake for him to torture some night court secrets from you. Hoping to stir you, you heard the scrape of his boot against the stone floor before you felt it collide against your ribs. Unwilling to give him the satisfaction of you waking for him only so he can undoubtedly prod and poke at you until he felt he had enough information, you lolled your head forward, hands tugging downwards against the nails. You bit back your cry of pain, hoping this action was enough for him to leave you be.

He nudged your leg with his foot a few times, body shaking but you continued to play your part. Until finally he released a disappointed sound and you heard his feet dragging towards the door.

“What did I say? The spymaster would have been the better choice than his pet, shame you let him get away.” And with that he exited your cell, you heard the sound of the lock clicking shut and the low mumble of the man say to his companion, “stay here, send for me when she wakes. Then we can try have some fun.” Muffled steps walked back towards where they originally came from. Two pairs. Only one man had stayed behind to watch the cell.

Now the cell was once again empty and you were in the safety of your own company you couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief, eyes flicking to the door in realisation you’d have to be quiet now there was a guard outside. Azriel was safe, he hadn’t been captured. Resisting the urge to cry once more you now hardened your emotions. You had to find your opportunity, try and find a way out of this hell before the man came back and realised you were awake. You needed to get out of this cell and get far away from here, you had never learnt to winnow so you’ll have to run, perhaps if you’re lucky you’ll have some idea where you are and where you can go to.

But first you had to sort out the predicament you were in. The nails had to come out. By this point your panic was almost unbearable, this was going to hurt. Your deep shaky breaths doing nothing to quell the rising anxiety in your body. That odd tug you felt earlier in your chest once more showed itself but in your terrified state it just felt like your heart was trying to rip itself out of your body.

~~~

It must have taken an hour or more for you to calm yourself, steady your breathing and prepare yourself for the worse. Ideally you knew you should sleep, gain some energy back that you no doubt were going to need to aid in what you were about to do. However, rest wasn’t an option. You’d already wasted enough time in your panic, sure that if you waited any longer your captor would return.

In fear of being too loud and alerting the man stood outside you moved your head down and bit into the thick collar of the Illyrian leathers you wear for your missions. And you pulled. Starting with your left hand, you pulled it forward, teeth clenching onto the leathers hard. An uncomfortable mixture of sweat and tears streamed down your face as your wound that had healed around the nail broke open, hand flying forward and off of the nail lodged in the wall. One hand was free, now for the other.

Wanting to get it over with you gripped the nail in your right hand with your really released left one, blood streaming down your arm. Once more you pulled only this time you tugged at the nail itself. Mouth falling open in a silent scream, you managed to get it out of the wall and out of your hand. A bitter chuckle slipping from your lips, these idiots locked you in a cell with nails for weapons, even with the knowledge that you were trained by the spymaster himself.

With the wounds in your palms soaked in blood, you used a nail to tear at the bottom of your leathers. Ripping two strips of material from your top, you wrapped them around your hands, pulling the ends tight with your teeth to make sure they were secure. You weren’t sure how hard you would have to fight to make your way out of this.

Once your hands were wrapped you took the nail back into your hands, flipping it from either hand to test its weight and flexing your fingers to make sure that when you needed to use them the ache in your hands wouldn’t be a hindrance.

It was time. There was one man outside and all you needed to do was to get him to open the cell and kill him. Weighing out your options until you settled on the easiest, hoping he would fall for it and so you yelled out.

“Excuse me!…. Can-… can you please help me? I need a drink.”

You made sure to sound as weak and pathetic as you could, which honestly wasn’t hard considering the situation you were in. Listening, you heard him stand to attention, having not expected your voice. You take in his hesitant steps in the direction the rest of his friends went in, clearly wanting to go get them. Desperation spiking in you that this was your only chance, you tried again.

“Please! Just some water, it’s not like I can try anything anyways.”

A string of expletives followed. Then the sound of sloshing water. Standing where the door would open you braced yourself, nail in hand and stance wide. A click of the key turning. A grunt as the heavy metal door is forced open. Light glaring through the gap. And nothing. Your nail finding its home in his throat before he could live to make another sound, body slumping onto the floor of your cell, a pool of blood forming around him.

Checking him for weapons you grabbed his sword, it was too heavy but it was better than the nail so it would have to do, hopefully you wouldn’t need to use it. The last thing you grabbed were his keys to the cell from the door, tucking them into your pocket, unsure whether they will be needed in your escape.

Stepping out into the corridor you glanced around. There was only one way out and that was the way the men from earlier had left from. You steeled yourself and pushed forwards, walking down the cell corridor and opening the door. Met with yet another corridor on the other side, you picked a direction and walked that way, thanking the mother there was no one around and praying to the cauldron that no one would come.

The architecture was unfamiliar, you were definitely in unknown territory. The halls winded on and on, the more you walked the more stressed you became, sure that if you were to go through any more of them you were going to get caught. As if the mother had taken pity on your already situation and heard your silent pleas of despair the next corner you turned had an archway that led outside. Adrenaline coursed through you as you bolted to the arch, eyes squinting in the brightness of the sun.

Now out in the open you wildly scanned your surroundings, choosing the best pathway forward to ensure you had the best chance of escape possible. It was busy outside, stalls full of market goods, with people bustling about them. Afraid of being caught you hid your bloodied arms and sword behind your back but thankfully when you scanned over the crowd you didn’t lay eyes on anyone who looked like a threat.

Hesitating, you were lost on which direction to go in, until out the corner of your eye you caught a merchant’s horse and carriage, a large chest situated on the back. Perfect. Skillfully, you snuck past the crowd of people gathered together, all stretching their necks to look at something you couldn’t see, and you opened the chest. It was empty. At this point you were grinning widely, and you hopped into the chest, hands throbbing as you gripped the edge to haul yourself up into it before pulling the lid to, enclosing yourself in darkness.

You hadn’t been in the chest long when the owners had returned and thankfully they had not opened the chest and found you, bloodied and dirty hiding inside. The carriage pulled away and you have to admit you weren’t the most comfortable, already sore head banging against the wall of the chest with every bump in the road, but it was a whole lot better than being inside of that cell. You didn’t know where this carriage was heading to, but you would catch a lift as long as possible before you had to get out and gather your bearings. Exhaustion overwhelmed you as the adrenaline slowly dripped from your system and despite your best efforts to stay awake, you could stop your eyes drooping as sleep eventually caught up with you.

~~~

You woke up to an overwhelming bright light and a petrified scream. Startling, you sat up in shock and attempted to take in your surroundings, the lid of the chest had been opened and you were staring into the face of a horribly distressed woman who was clearly not expecting to find you inside.

“Shhhh… it’s ok, I’m sorry. I’m leaving” you tried to sooth her as you speedily hopped out of the chest, taking your sword with you. Turning in a circle you took note of the inn before you and the dense forest that surrounded the area.

Unfortunately, the sight of your blood-stained arms and the glint of your sharp edged sword did nothing to calm the merchant lady who was screaming bloody murder. You backed off, arms raised in surrender, eyes travelling to the group of angry men standing outside of an inn, whose attention had been caught by the wailing woman. You cursed, brain trying to come up with excuses you could give to get them off your back so you could be on your way but your stream of thoughts was interrupted by the ringing of bells that had started in the distance, presumably where you had just escaped from. Fuck. The carriage hadn’t taken you as far as you’d have hoped.

“They ringing those for you sweetheart?” One of the men asked, cracking his knuckles together after having seen the panic flash through your eyes over the sound of the bells, “we’d get a pretty penny for bringing you in if that’s the case.”

At this point you weren’t even going to stop and try talk your way out of this. Azriel had always said your tongue would get you killed one day. So you didn’t only thing you could think of. You ran. Bolting towards the forest behind you, you moved as quickly as you could, muscles burning after your limbs had been squeezed together in the chest for a little too long. Shouts broke out behind you and you knew that they had followed. The haunting sound of the bells still carried in the wind, a reminder of the place you had come from. A reminder of where you’ll be stuck at once more if you don’t get yourself out of this. That is if the brutes don’t bring you in dead.

You run and you run, throat squeezing in agony at every breath. But no matter how fast you could run it was no use, you could hear their jeers and taunts getting louder, voices turning gleeful as they realised there was no way you could get away. Adamant you weren’t going to get captured again after putting in all that effort of getting out you didn’t give up, flying through the trees until your feet dragged you to a halt. You were met with the rocky face of a cliff.

Survival instincts still being in control of your body, you grabbed the rocks, trying to pull yourself up the rocky feature in order to scramble to the top to get away from the brutes chasing you, but the flash of agony up that started in your damaged palms and flashed up your arms reminded you that you were injured. Your hands shot open at the burst of pain and you fell off the side of the cliff and onto the floor. Scrambling to your feet, you turned back round to face the forest and gripped your sword as tight as your hands allowed. No more running. You were going to have to fight your way out.

~~~

Snarling at the men as they approached did nothing to deter them, horrible grins plastered on their faces as they rounded in on you. Even if you weren’t as injured and exhausted as you were you were certain you still wouldn’t be able to take them all, not by yourself.

The boldest of the men, the one who had called you out outside of the inn, lunged forward, sword swinging towards you. You jumped backwards, reactions sluggish as the sword caught your arm and your back slammed against the rock face behind, a shout of pain came from your lips. Insistent on the fact you won’t go back to the cell, you clenched your jaw and advanced, raising your sword. You would die here sooner than being a captive of the men who took you again.

Azriel.

The memory of him flashed through your eyes. Tears of frustration falling down your cheeks at the thought of the man you were never able to have. Once more thankful that he hadn’t been captured with you, thankful that you wouldn’t see the disappointment on his face as he realised that even after all his training you were still too weak to fight your way out of this. His name, a final prayer on your lips as you hope that whoever he finds himself stuck with next does better than you had.

Then you fight. The world around a blur of swords, spears and limbs, unsure whether you were actually hitting anyone you swung your sword around you, parrying blows and kicking people back. The holes in your hands cracking open and bleeding once more, blood causing your grip to slip, unable to keep a firm hold on the hilt.

It only took one more move from your attackers and your sword went flying. Instinctively your hands shot to your leathers expecting to find your holsters for your daggers, only to remember they were stripped from you before you woke in your cell. You didn’t even have the nails that were lodged in your hands with you, both left in the cell you escaped from, one in the throat of one of your captors.

The hilt of one of the men’s sword caught you in the back. Weaponless, you fell to your knees in defeat before you closed your eyes. This was it. They would either kill you or take you back and there was nothing more you could do but shut your eyes as to avoid seeing the gleeful smiles of victory on their faces as they enact their final punishments. Your ears rang, their voices all blurred into one mass of yelling. The bells. All you could hear was the bells as you gripped your head, crying out and waiting for the death blow.

But it never came. You were aware of the change in atmosphere around you, maybe even aware of the screams that had began breaking out. But you stayed focussed on holding your head, fingers plunged into your ears as you sat on the floor, rocking backwards and forwards. The haunting sounds of the bells calling for your death lingered. It seemed as if they were getting louder and louder until they stopped altogether at the call of your name.

“Y/N”

Hands grabbed you. Pulling your hands from your head. A crack in their voice that must have been born from the realisation of the state your hands were in.

“Y/N can you hear me?”

It was Azriel. Still unable to open your eyes a you laughed. The mother worked in strange ways but you never could have predicted that death would arrive to you in the form of Azriel. Your final moments met with the soothing tones of his deep voice. And so with limbs like lead, body tired and unmoving you allowed yourself to drift off for the final time, a whisper upon your lips that was met with a cry.

“I’m ready”

~~~

Your pain had returned. The wounds on your palms so unbearable it drew a whine from your lips. Pain so intense it was clear you had somehow survived. You were in a bed, you could feel the soft sheets against your back and the weight of a blanket above you. The information did nothing to quell the fear inside you. Fear that when you opened your eyes you would be back with your captors. Your heart rate increased, the muscle thudding in your chest and you pressed your eyes together so hard it hurt.

“Hey…hey, don’t do that, it’s ok you’re safe”

Azriel’s voice broke through the silence. Your ever increasing heartbeat stilled. You were safe. You jumped upright, eyes snapping open. Azriel not expecting this fell backwards into his chair in shock before realising what was happening and was then rushing forward to steady you as you swayed from the fogginess that had found its home in your head.

“Woah careful now, it’s alright it’s just me. You’re home” his voice shaky as he moved his hands from where they were gripping either side of your shoulders, running them gently down your arms before they settled over your bandaged hands which were laid in front of you.

Brain frog still present, you just couldn’t put together how you got there. Azriel wasn’t with you when you were captured, “how… how did you-“

Already knowing the question being asked he promptly replied, “the second they took you I went straight back to Rhysand for help. It was hard ignoring the… the need to get you back as quickly as possible but I knew I’d be stupid to do it on my own,” he swallowed hard, as if the subject of your capture was a difficult one for him, “I tried to tell you we were coming, find out where you were I tried to tell you through…well I tried to tell you.”

He took in another deep breath, “ and then we found out where you were, only when we got there the bells were ringing and you were gone. We were too late, you’d gotten out on your own because you thought we weren’t coming,” at this point pearlescent tears were flowing down his cheeks, “I didn’t give up and I kept searching for you and when I finally found you and you were knelt before all those men covered in blood…I…I.”

Even though you were the one who had been captured and pinned to the wall, and chased down by a hoard of angry men, watching Azriel break down in front of you because he thought he had failed you had to be one of the worst things you’ve ever experienced.

“Azriel,” you croaked, throat dry from lack of water, “the only reason I’m here now is because of you. The thought of you is what kept me alive in that cell and it was your training which was the reason I was able to escape,” it was at this point that you were sobbing along with the spymaster, “and I know for damn certain that I definitely wouldn’t be here now if you hadn’t found me in those woods. So thank you Azriel, thank you for saving my life.”

You slowly lifted a shaking, bandaged hand to his cheek, thumb brushing away his tears, pain shooting up your arm at the action but you didn’t care. You only cared that this beautiful man before you hadn’t given up on you. That all the while you were captured he had been searching for you. Trying to get a message to you. That all the time in the cell you had spent thinking of him, he was thinking of you too.

His lips softly brushed over your bandage, right where the hole of your palm was stinging underneath. It was an intimate moment, your wrapped hand against his face was possibly the most you’d ever touched him aside from training.

Perhaps out of fear of that you weren’t worthy of Azriel, that he couldn’t possibly like you as much as you’ve grown to love him over the past year, you drew your hand away from his face, ending the moment. Agonisingly tearing your eyes away from his perfect face to settle them on your ruined hands which were now uncomfortably laid on your lap.

“So, uh. Did you find my replacement?” You asked nervously, dreading what he was going to say in response but knowing you’d rather get the pain of it over with sooner rather than later. Especially since the feel of your hand on his cheek had ignited that odd feeling in your chest.

For the second time since awakening, you had Azriel shocked, “r-replace you?”

“I failed right? I got captured and if it wasn’t for you I’d be dead right now. Surely you can see I wasn’t made for this, that I should just go back to my father-“

His eyes now full of fury, Azriel cut you off, “You Y/N L/N are irreplaceable,” he moved his body so he was sat at the edge of the bed, hands holding onto yours, “you are the strongest woman I know and there is no one, no one else, that I could wish to be at my side more than I wish for it to be you.” The rage in his eyes settled, morphing into an emotion you couldn’t quite put your finger on and he continued, “in the past year of being together you have changed me as a person more than I care to admit and I can not, no I will not, carry on living my life without you by my side. You are irreplaceable… because you are mine.”

That was all you had ever dreamed of hearing and you just couldn’t believe it was true. Azriel felt the same way for you as you did for him, and so in fear of it being a cruel dream made up by your conscious, or afraid he would come to his scenes and change his mind, you crashed your lips to his.

Mouths connecting in firey passion, you poured every ounce of love and affection you had locked away in your heart the past year into it, hoping Azriel would understand just how much he was yours as you were his. He groaned into the kiss, deepening it as he gripped your face in his hands. You were unsure what to do with your damaged hands, still placed in your lap, but that didn’t matter, nothing about this kiss was awkward or painful. It was as if his lips were made for you, fitting together with yours like it was the missing piece of a puzzle and every part of you wanted to jump right into whatever this was between you and explore every single part of it.

It was only when the two of you needed to breathe that you broke away from the kiss. Still tangled in a sweet embrace, you gazed into his eyes, now certain that unreadable emotion you had seen swimming in them earlier was love. And it was this realisation of his love that caused the tugging sensation, the one that had been occurring in your chest since you found yourself in that cell, to finally pull free. It dull knot that you hadn’t even known was there, morphed into a beautiful golden thread which linked you to Azriel.

Azriel who’s gorgeous smile bloomed at the sight of you realising you were looking into the eyes of your mate, the person created for you. Your equal. And as he began to litter kisses all over your face and neck he mumbled in your ear the sweetest words you have ever heard, “my beautiful, irreplaceable mate.”

#acotar #fanfic #acotar imagine #azriel imagine #azriel x reader #sarah j maas

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marveling-cg · 9 months ago

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As a teacher, the suit couldn't really have come at a better time.

When he'd graduated from college, he'd been surprised to see Principal Nezu in the crowd with All Might and Aizawa-sensei, and even more surprised to receive Principal Nezu's invitation to teach at UA - in the hero course no less!

They'd assigned him to the 2nd year hero course -- the 1st years, who were often still figuring out the limits of their quirks, needed teachers who might be able to physically intervene if something went wrong

His first year teaching, he'd spent just trying to get his feet under him: he borrowed a lot of the previous teacher's curriculum while he tried to get the hang of classroom management, and and grading, and parent contact, not to mention conducting practical exercises with his students while he was quirkless

But his second year he started making the curriculum his own: his strength had always been his analysis and he wanted his students to have that, too.

He started adding in case studies for each unit; invited his friends in to give talks about declassified or appropriately anonymized cases they'd worked on

By his third year, he'd gotten his unit plans down to a science: intro topic, host guest speaker, complete case study, hold class discussion, conduct practical exercise, students submit a reflection, test

His first unit of the year was always his favorite -- an intro to battle analysis. He'd never gotten Kacchan to commit to coming on campus, but if Deku sent him footage from a fight, Kacchan would send back a recording of his analysis

Once the kids got over the initial hilarity of Kacchan roasting the shit out of hero or villain or both, they usually asked Deku to play the video back a few more times so they could see just which errors Kacchan had caught, how quickly they could arise, how consequential they could be. It was a great way to get them open to Deku's whole approach to the class, and a good way for them to know that he would accept their work in their own voices -- no need to hide their personalities for points

The rest of the units -- meant to get his students ready to apply for their provisional licenses -- all followed suit.

And since most hero agencies had given new priority to community relations, he could schedule through his friends' offices to get them on campus: Tenya, Uraraka, Tsu, Momo, Shinso were especially reliable guests

And while the first half of the year was dedicated to the practicalities of being on the ground as a hero; the second half was dedicated to the heart of being a hero

They looked at rise of the League of Villains and Stain, talked about the plight of heteromorphs; he pulled in primary sources, they discussed their own personal credos (he liked to use Kacchan's and Hawks' as examples of how different and personal they could be while still leading to similar work), discussed the sociological and psychological impact of challenging quirks

All that to say, year four is the perfect time for the suit to fall into his lap.

He's got his professional shit together

And, though he's let himself shed some of the weight he needed to maintain One For All, he's kept himself in good condition

(High school students are so easily motivated by a little good natured teasing, "you really gonna let your quirkless teacher lap you?" has been a remarkably easy way to keep his kids going through tough conditioning work)

So, after he's managed to stop crying on All Might long enough to schedule a call with Hatsume to go over the specs; and stopped crying after that call long enough to process everything she's shared about its function, he realizes he's going to need to train before he can take this thing out in the field

The suit is incredible: a light exoskeleton that'll enhance his strength, 360 degree sensors that will pick up objects moving at certain speeds or sudden changes in air pressure, a light propulsion system that will allow him brief bursts of flight or slightly longer periods to hover, a chord system that he can use to pull himself forward or restrain villains, a diffuser that will set off a smoke screen

He spends another hour or so after the call with Hatsume to cry about how closely they've tried to recreate the capabilities of One For All

And then spends another four thinking about all of the manual controls he'll need to learn to replicate the skills he used to be able to call forth with a thought.

Thinks too about the kind of conditioning he'll need to do in order to not lose speed or an arm to the weight and propulsion of the suit

He remembers fondly a dirty beach half a lifetime ago; remembers, too, a forest trail where a quirkless All Might declared he'd change the future. Deku can do this.

And there's no better way to address the Kacchan of it all:

He'd tried calling Kacchan after All Might had dropped the news -- and been sent straight to voicemail three times in a row; received back a terse text: u r welcome nerd

Which told him Kacchan wasn't ready to deal -- with Deku's tears, or his gratitude, or with a conversation about how Kacchan had dedicated all of his professional career to funding Deku's dream -- as if all the long hours, and parties missed, and extra shifts covered, hadn't all been some sort of declaration of intent about the rest of their fucking lives

Which was fine. What was Deku going to say anyway?

"Was this a proposal, Kacchan? Because if so, my answer is yes."

That could wait. They had the rest of their fucking lives, apparently.

But in the meantime, Deku needed to train. He couldn't afford to rush this. Kacchan would be furious if Deku got himself hurt because he was being reckless.

So he headed over to the gym in Kacchan's building after work, just in time to catch Kacchan coming in for his biweekly workout.

"I've got a plan. I think I'm going to need to dedicate some attention to these particular muscle groups to protect from injury. I think I probably need to gain a little more muscle, too. Then, I want to start training in the suit. I'll need to get a feel for how it works as a whole in combat and rescue settings. But then I want to work on isolations. Can I trigger just this response as quickly as possible in various circumstances. What can I do or not if I've just got control of the arms or just the legs or just one limb. I've put together a timetable. I think, if you'll help me, I could be ready for field work without injuring myself by the end of this school year."

When Deku finally pauses and looks up from his notebook, Kacchan looks visibly relieved, shoulders down from his ears, that gleam in his eye that's signals amusement in spite of himself, the start of smile tucked into the corner of his mouth

Kacchan snatches the notebook from Deku's hands and looks over the charts. Deku barely grumbles at all at Kacchan's free hand tousling Deku's hair while he skims.

"Alright, dweeb, let's get started--"

#i might be obsessed #just a little bit #deku #izuku midoriya #bakugou katsuki #mha 430 #mha spoilers #teacher midoriya #so much teachering #can you tell I miss the classroom #bakudeku #future bakudeku #once they figure out how to talk #elaborate exoskeleton battle suits as marriage proposals #great explosion murder god dynamight #my hero academia #boys in love #cg writes #my writing

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thebiggestfuckgiven · 5 months ago

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hey wait i just got an idea for a dpxdc fic

sam, tucker and danny never went to high school together and they never met let alone become friends

bear with me here

im a firm believer in everlasting connections that are not limited by time, space or dimensions. Meaning that these three, no matter what, will always find one another somehow. (I also just really like their friendship)

anyways, tucker is in college. He’s in his second to last year, looking for an internships. Surprise, surprise he gets accepted for an IT internship at Cadmus! It goes pretty normal but he starts realizing that something’s… kinda off. And it has to do with the building’s power source. What’s powering our servers? The one we’re in charge of making security programs for. What do you mean that’s classified????

Fast forward, Tucker doesn’t question it too much. He doesn’t want to get in trouble. But whenever he accidentally falls asleep at work (he still has classes okay?) he has these… weird dreams. His supervisors tell him it’s normal when you’re stressed. Don’t worry about it. Don’t talk about them again. Don’t even think about them.

Oh, okay…. but the dreams get aggressively persistent. It’s always a voice, floating in a void… tucker eventually starts seeing a blurry figure, broken and crawling. It talks about Cadmus and, Tucker can’t not investigate.

On a different line, we have Sam. She is an avid activist, as we know. Cadmus’ new base of operations (the same where Tucker is working) is rumored to be dumping toxic waste in the lake. It isn’t radioactive but it has a weird effect on the wildlife. Like, really weird. Everyone is very hush hush about it and Cadmus allegedly gets rid of the evidence before anyone can get to it. (Sam caught them do it once, but couldn’t get it on camera)

So, she decides to do some heavy investigating. Think Nancy Drew meets the Doctor kind of thing. Eventually it leads to her working as a custodial and stealing key cards. She’s overheard enough and gotten glimpses at exposed info on computers to suspect where the waste is coming from, and that it’s definitely NOT normal.

Tucker and Sam go investigate on the same night. Same hour. They scare the everliving shit out of each other because who the hell are you and what are you doing here???? But they find a middle ground (their suspicions), compare notes, and decide to work together.

With Tucker’s skills, their trip to the basement (they had no idea there was a hidden panel in one of the elevators with ten additional basement floors..) went smoothly, for the most part. And after a lot, a lot, of searching they find a heavily vaulted room.

They open the room.

In it, there’s impressively tall machines, what look like servers and some kind of filtration system? There’s cables and tubes everywhere, all connected to the giant glass tube in the center back of the room.

Floating in that tube, in a vat of bright green liquid that Sam recognizes as the toxic waste in the lake, is the same blurry figure that Tucker would see in his dreams. It’s surreal to see him there, for both of them. Phantom, in his hazmat suit, has large IVs on each side of his neck and other strategic parts of his body. Even the sides of his head. There’s a weird metal collar around him, too.

After a moment of confused and worried discussion, they decide to free him. Tucker manages to do it without activating any kind of alarm (or he hopes at least), narrowly keeping Sam from breaking the glass with a heavy duty police baton that she apparently just had on her.

They take off the IVs carefully (still ripping some of the skin regardless), they’re panicking slightly, figuring out how they’re going to leave without getting caught on cameras or by security when an alarm goes off. A really loud one with red lights.

All of a sudden they hear voices, Sam and Tucker’s panic blows up but they freeze because the voices are right there and—

and then there’s a bunch of teenagers (?) dressed in bright suits and masks in front of the heavily vaulted door. They’re half dragging another kid, who’s weirdly wet. Kind of like Phantom. The two groups freeze momentarily and just… stare at each other.

“Are they with us? Rob?” The teenager in the yellow suit asked the one wearing an R on his chest.

“No, they’re not. Are you guys stealing a person, too?”

Dazed, Sam and Tucker just nod.

Then the large machinery behind them makes a repeated beeping noise, like it’s failing, and the lights go out. As does the power in the whole building.

#dpxdc #i think this can work as an only danny phantom universe idea #young justice #actually the first (i think) episode #they’re stealing kon/superboy :)#’let’s help each other rob cadmus blind’#the alarm went off because of the heroes #let it be known that tucker did everything right #Sam and Tucker are older than the others #Phantom is fourteen (dead form)#when he changed back for the first time in years he’s the same age as sam and tucker #jack and maddie fenton became scientists of Cadmus #they used danny’s unique energy to power a lot of different cadmus experiments #including the making of kon el #i actually really like this idea

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easy-a-b10g · 19 days ago

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Chapter Two: What it takes to be a hero

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Hello here are your crumbs sorry, I'm having a lot going on lol, I'm so sorry y'all this is kinda edited but again not really, it also seems really rushed imo but the episodes are so short there really isn't much more I can write 😭😭 -A

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With Izuku missing and Nova injured, it takes all her strength to make it to the Hero's to find help, only to be thrown into something much bigger than herself.

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Waking up was a slow start.

The ringing in her ears came first, loud, harsh, obnoxious ringing. Everything around her felt muted, like her surroundings were closing in on her she tries to move but to no avail. It's dark, pitch dark she can't see a thing, or feel, the only feeling is suffocation.

Breathe she can't seem to get herself to breathe. It's like shes drowning lungs, eyes and ears all burning with the feeling. Water surrounds her like a silent killer, waiting and watching like a predator about to pounce.

get up

There was something itching in the back of her mind, something important, something she couldn't quite place. Think. Think. But thinking only bought on more pain.

Pain.

Get up

Why is she feeling pain? Where is it coming from?What happened? What's happening? Where is she! How'd this happen!?

Get Up

Search, thinking, feeling, for anything to try and find a source of salvation from this torture.

Suddenly it all stops.

GET UP

The water drains and the panic subsides, and she can finally breathe. The burning suffocating feeling in her lungs disappeared but the fear remained it was still dark, so so dark.

All that remains is a harsh riveting pain. One that begins at the base of her spine spreading and shooting through all her nerves.

GET UP NOW.

Her eyes snap open in and instant sunlight streaming directly into them. Shutting them just as quickly as she had opened them, she tries to think, but she can't. Her head hurts, her back hurts, everything hurt.

She tried to move but no dice, the pain just keeps getting worse with her movements. She was able to peek her eyes open slightly to try and check her surroundings. All she could see was a pedestrian crossing sign above her head.

Pedestrian crossing??

In that split second it all came rushing back to her, School, kacchan, Izuku, walking home, the sludge monster, Izuku, getting hit, the sludge monster...

Izuku.

Where is izuku.

More importantly.

Where is the villain.

What the hell happened.

She has no idea how long she has been lying there, she's hoping it hasn't been long, it's still daylight out so It couldn't have been too long, right?

It takes at least 10 minutes before Nova finds the courage to move again. Pain shoots through her entire nervous system as she moves about but she manages to get herself into an up right position.

Looking around slowly she assessed her surroundings. It dawns on her that she's still where she was when she presumably got knocked out. Her head hurts something fierce and her throat burns like hell, why she doesn't know. She's scared and confused and worst of all, Izuku is nowhere to be found. This frightens Nova more than the idea of being passed out on the side of the road.

She slowly tries to stand up but she immediately regrets it, stumbling as a sharp pain flares up her left leg, forcing her back to the ground. Her head is spinning and her ears are ringing, she sits and collects herself for a moment, taking deep calculated breaths.

Opening her eyes she carefully looks around once more for any sign of izuku, a bunch of Izukus things are on the ground scattered in different places around her. Things she knows for a fact that Izuku would never voluntary leave behind if he had the choice.

His backpack for one was a limited edition All Might golden age backpack that Izuku saved up for, for two years. There was no way in hell he'd leave that behind. Nor would he voluntarily leave his hero trading cards, he has been collecting t since he was at least 6 years old.

Nova spends a moment trying to get herself to stand back up despite the pain and when she does her leg starts to throb just as much as it did before. But she can't worry about that, she has to find Izuku. She pushed through the pain and slowly limped to all of Izukus belongings and picked them up one by one. She looked around for any more clues on what could have happened and the only thing she sees is the flipped over manhole cover in which she assumed is where the villain came from, or escape into.

From what she can remember she tried to shove Izuku out of the way of that.....thing, then she was hit in the chest by it and then ....waking up on the side of the road. Nova couldn't stop thinking about all the possibilities of what could be happening to him right now. She was trying not to freak herself out, she decided the best thing she could do was go home to Inko or no maybe a police station or-

*BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM*

Nova nearly jumped out of her own skin. The noise was so loud she thought something had dropped or crashed not even 10 feet from her. The noise made her notice the ringing in her ears as is got worse by the volume, she probably has a concussion, the explosion made the ground beneath her feet shake violently. Nova started spinning around to the best of her ability trying to look everywhere and anywhere, trying to find the source of the sound or anything in relation to it, and when she finally turned to her left she saw a plume of black smoke billowing into the sky from a distance.

Bingo.

If she's going to get help anywhere it's there. She knows heros and police officers alike will show up no matter what the commotion is, and she could get the help to find Izuku in no time. Even though her leg was on fire she forced herself to walk on it hoping to get there quick because deep down she was freaking the fuck out.

Her journey was slow and painful, since school and work were out there weren't maybe people walking around. The people that did see her gave her odd looks but they all kept to themselves mostly, one by one passing her as if she didn't exist.

Novas head feel like it's splitting in two, there is no way she doesn't have a concussion of some sort. The villain had sent her flying pretty far from where she and Izuku originally stood and he hit her quite hard if her leg had anything to say about it. The strength of the villain surprised Nova as he seemed to be made of nothing but liquid she had noted from the brief glance she got of him. If the situation where any different Izuku would already be analyzing and writing in his notes about the villains quirk.

Nova trudged one for at least 30 minutes before she was able to make it to the cloud of smoke, it was billowing up from the Tatooin Shopping District and said smoke was billowing into the sky worse then before. Looking up from her spot behind the crowd Nova could see why.

There were heros, police, and firefighters, everywhere, yelling and shouting orders at each other and at the near by civilians. Everyone was yelling and screaming in panic, trying to flee the terrible scene. The sounds of glass shattering and wood burning could be heard loud and clear. Fire raged everywhere, licking up the walls of the Shopping District destroying anything and everything in it's path.

*BOOM*. *BOOM* *BOOOOM*

Nova had no time to think before some heros came billowing right towards her. She tried to grab one of their attentions, she tried to flag them down and let them know this isn't the only terrible situation happening right now. But in that moment they didn't care about her they cared about the fire, about the people, about the visible threat in front of them, they all ran past her without a second glance before the bigger of the three heros speaks up.

"Look, it's taken someone hostage, how dare you pray on a child!" The hero threw himself into the fray to try and stop the villain.

A child, could it be Izuku?

Please don't let it be Izuku.

Nova shoves herself to the front of the crowd to try and get a better look. But the view she got was not one she would ever hope for.

The seemingly liquid sludge monster that had attacked Nova and Izuku was here causing a rampage, he must have got himself cornered to try and go on like this. The villain kept moving, the sludge that is his (body, quirk??) looked like it encasing what one the heros said was a child.

"Ha! Stay back, or I'll snap his neck!"

His

He said HIS neck

Oh God, Oh God Oh God Oh god, Izuku!

But that thought was soon squashed by the desperate hollar of none other than Katsuki Bakugou.

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

YOU PICKED THE WRONG GUY TO MESS WITH!

IM GONNA SEND YOU BACK TO WHATEVER SEWER YOU CRAWLED OUT OF!

LET ME GOOOOOOOOOO!"

Bakugou was growling and snarling like and animal caught in a trap thrashing and squirming trying his best to get free.

The child thought to be Izuku is actually Bakugou. How did this happen? Where's Izuku? How did Bakugou get attacked? Is Izuku ok? All these thoughts and more circulate in her mind. She can't seem to slow it down. Bakugous screaming and usage of his quirk wasn't making matters any better. His explosions breaking glass and setting fire to the surrounding area.

It looked like the heros were having hell of a time trying to rein this villain, on the account of his sludge body, nobody seemed to posses the right quirk in order to stop him. But it's only a matter of time before he could seriously injure Bakugou or one of the heros.

Through all the noise Nova could hear the villain conversing with Bakugou "Man I really hit the jackpot, with a quirk like yours under my control, I can take All Might down with one punch." The villain was laughing and cackling like he had just said the funniest joke on earth.

More and more heros are arriving on the scene, heros like Mt Lady and Kamui Woods, who only show up to realize how useless their powers are for the current situation.

Bakugous quirk was throwing the whole district up into flames without him realizing or caring. He may have been defending himself but his explosions were making matters worse, an they aren't calculated their random and spontaneous at this point he's just trying to escape not to fight.

By now a large crowd had accumulated in front of the scene and Nova has forgotten her original plan. She is frozen in fear, all she can do is stand and stare at the helpless Katsuki Bakugou as he fights for his life right in front of her eyes. The crowd is getting restless. "Why hasn't anybody captured this guy yet?" "What's taking so long?" "Why are they just standing around do something for Christ sake!"

Bakugous movement were becoming slow and sluggish, he's been struggling for the last 5 minutes against this sludge, Nova can't imagine she'd last even half that time suffocating under all that sludge. Bakugou tries to turn his head away from the monster and when he opens his eyes Nova heart drops.

Katsuki Bakugou the bully, Katsuki Bakugou the strong outstanding student, Katsuki Bakugou the student so sure in his abilities he's been bragging for weeks about getting into the best hero school Japan has to offer, was standing before her with a look of defeat and something else something that screamed 'help me please, I'm scared'.

Her body moved before she could think, disregarding the pain that flared through her entire body Nova did nothing but trudge forward. Putting one foot in front of the other she sprinted toward him. Why...she doesn't know Bakugou has never been nice to her always calling names and throwing punches why should she care what happens to the town bully. But she moves regardless.

"No you idiots! Stop, your going to get yourselfs killed!" Nova could here the heros yelling and screaming but she didn't listen all she did was continue on.

Idiots....plural??

"Are you nuts what are you doing here?!"

Turning her entire body Nova visablly deflates, standing before her is none other than Izuku Midoryia, unruly hair, bright eyes, and same old freckles shes been starring at for the past 10 years of her life.

Before she can quip back Izuku shoves Nova off to the side before shot putting his hero notebook into the villains face hitting him square in the eye. This stunned the villain, only temperaly allowing Bakugou to breathe. "What the hell? Why are you two here?" Bakugou screamed in frustration Nova had no answer so Izuku answered for them both. " I don't know. My legs just started moving." At this point both Nova and Izuku are clawing helpessly at the villain in hopes to get a grip on Bakugou.

With Izuku confession Nova found her own voice " Just because I hate you doesn't mean you deserve to die fuck face what kinda hero would turn a blind eye to their enemys pain, I'm not just going to stand around and watch you die!"

Bakugou doesn't respond to them only screaming at the villain to get the fuck off of him. The sludge villain raises his hand once more to strike and its not in slow motion, shes been told near death experiences slow down time and how your life flashes before your eyes. The latter may be true but the former certainly was not everything is sped up ten fold. The villains hand comes down in an instant and in that second Nova manages to pivot on her feet to grab izuku shoving him to the ground, throwing her body over him like a shield, bracing for impact.

Nova eyes are squeezed shut and all she can hear his Izuku soft wines and whimpers. He smells like burnt mint and eucalyptus a nasty combination from the normally clean smelling Omega. As time goes on and the blow never comes Nova finally removes her head from Izukus shoulder thought still keeping Izuku down in case something happens. What she doesn't expect is for the Number one hero her and Izukus idol, to be standing right in front of them, seemingly having protected them from the villains mighty blow.

"I really am pathetic, I told you the traits that make a great champion, but I see now I wasn't living up to my own ideal. Pros are always risking their lives! That's the true test of a hero!"

What he was talking about Nova had no idea but all might had effectively gotten a hold onto Bakugou as he made his little speech.

"DAMN YOU ALL MIGHT!" the sludge villain screams in deafeat as all might yells out his infamous,

DDDDEEEEETTTTTRRRRRROOOOOOIIIIIIIITTTTT

SSSSSSSSMMMMMAAAAAAAAASSASSHHHHHH

It takes one mighty blow from the hero to send the sludge monster flying, breaking up the villain into multiple tiny fragments the force of the punch not allowing him to pull himself together. With his other hand he held Bakugou, Izuku, and Nova back so they also didn't scatter into the wind.

All Might kneeled on the ground first in the air in honor and a silence fell over the the crowd behind him. Before the exclamations of surprise started breaking through. "Woah what was that" , " Hey is that water, wait is that rain?" "Rain, it, it can't be." "Don't tell me all that wind just now was...?" " Look at the clouds they're moving!"

* Holy crap he just changed the fucking weather* Nova stared at the hero in amazement and wonder as water started falling from the sky. All Might stands up with a proud smirk on his face. The crowd goes absolutely wild men and woman alike hollering in surprise and awe. "He changed the weather with a single punch like it was nothing!" Said one Pedestrian" , "All Might saved the day again, he amazing!" Said another. All Might raises his fist in triumph and the crowd roars in approval and it seems like All Might is enjoying the attention.

Novas attention although was stolen from the amazing hero when Izuku tugged on her sleeve. Turning to face him his reaction was not one she had been expecting. She expected tears, many many tears, and snot looots of snot. But what she found was a face full of excitement and wonder one full of determination and drive.

As the heros collected all the scattered mounds of sludge and the villain went into police custody where he belonged, Nova and Izuku were getting chewed out by the heros, big time.

" You morons, do you have a death wish?" Yelled Kamui Woods

" There was absolutely no reason for you two to put yourselves in danger like that!" Deatharms screamed

This when on for sometime but Bakugou was getting quite the opposite. Bakugou was praised for his bravery in such a situation. He was receiving compliments left and right even gaining sidekick offers from some wannabe heros.

When the heros finally decided to stop yelling at them they had to make statements on what happened and get checked for injuries. The pain she has felt before dulled to a slow ache as time went on and the paramedics couldn't see nor feel any injuries so she was sent on her way, against their better judgement Nova was not going to go to the hospital, the bill would absolutely kill her even if it wouldn't be much she needs all the money she can get right now and a hospital bill certainly wont fit into the budget.

After about and hour or so they were finally free to go. Within the last hour Nova finally figured out what had happened to Izuku when she passed out. Apparently the sludge villain has popped up out of the manhole cover hence why it was flipped. Turns out the villain was using the sewage lines under the city to traverse from place to place. After he knocked Nova unconscious he had tried to steal her body just like he tried to do to Bakugou, but when the villain was nearly done All Might himself had popped up out of the sewers following his trail and had blown away the sludge villain for the 1st time around and when All Might tried to leave to take the villain to the police apparently Izuku had a better idea.

"I still can't believe you left me unconscious on the side of the road to ask All Might a freaking question!" Nova fumed as she and Izuku finally made the trek home " I mean I understand why you did it it All Might for Christ sake, but for real Izuku I was unconscious, I could have been seriously injured." Izuku sulked like a child being scolded. Nova has been apart of many villain attacks in her city, either just really bad luck or the universe must really hate her. Either way villan attacks were a common thing for her but it did sadden her that she wasn't a priority in the situation given the circumstances but she's used to it.

"Nova I'm so so so sorry I never should have tried to stop him if I didn't Kacchan and all those innocent people wouldn't have been attacked and those businesses wouldn't have been burned down and this is all my fault I'm so sorry. I'm so so sorry I'm such a terrible person."

(note: I am aware Izuku Midoryia would never leave a defenceless unconscious woman on the side of the road just to talk to All Might but this is just for plot purposes 😋)

" Izuku, Izuku, IZUKU!'

His rambling finally stop as his mouth snaps shut with an audible clink of his teeth. " You had an opportunity to talk to All Might of all people and took it." Izukus eyes filled with unshed tears, " It's ok really Izuku if you think about it I was only out for 10 or so minutes anway so it not like I was in any real danger." The words sting because anything could have happened to her in those 10 minutes, another villain could have shown up, or a drunk alpha with nasty intentions could have taken advantage of her, she's actually very lucky. "I'm ok now are I?" The question does little to sooth Izuku so she pulls out her last resort. Humor. "Alright if you really want to make it up to me, you'll just have to be my human shield when the apocalypse inevitably starts. "

Izuku blinks one, twice, and then he snorts loudly and obnoxious, "This is not the time and place Nova." Thought as the words come out Izuku can't help but try to hide his smile. " Well hey I say it's fair and square." Izuku raises his brow " Fair? If we're doing Fair then I should be your shield for 10 minutes max!" Nova and Izuku stop walking and they only stare at each other, before they burst out into obnoxious laughter.

"I wish I could have apologized to All Might for making him drop that villain, if it weren't for me Kacchan wouldn't have another reason to hate me, I guess I can always just say something on his website when I get home." Izuku speaks with a dejected tone, and Nova doesn't know what to say to that because he's right it is his fault if he wasn't so selfish he wouldn't have grabbed onto All Might as he tried to spring away and the villain would have never attacked another person.

Coming to the forked path of Okiqa road Nova and Izuku stop. "Seriously though are you ok whatever that villain was doing looked like it really hurt, are you sure you don't need to go to the hospital?" Nova has a nasty thought pop up before she squashes it down with a cough *Where was the concern when I was unconscious?*

"Yeah I'm all good zu, nothing a good night's rest won't fix!" She tried to stay cheerful but at this point her facade was slipping. "Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow!" "But..." Before Izuku could utter another word Nova starts down the left side of the forked path while Izuku slowly ebbs into the right one keeping and eye on Nova until she is out of sight.

Novas walk is silence except for the constant buzzing of cicadas, the low songs from the birds of the night, as well as the sound of her feet dragging against the gravel road

And then she hears it, loud obnoxious huffing and stomping making its way towards her. Looking up to find it source she comes face to face with Bakugou Katsuki who is no doubt on his way home from the whole fiasco himself. "Hey, we need to fucking talk!" Bakugou stands and pants heavily like he'd just ran a marathon. "Listen I would never ask for two weaklings like you to help me, don't think you can look down on me especially that deku."

Nova scoffed and rolled her eyes " Yeah cause being saved by All Might himself is totally handling it, but continue."

Bakugou seethes, " HUH? THE HELL DID YOU SAY, I WAS FINE ON NY OWN GOD DAMMIT YOU TWO DIDNT DO JACK GOT THAT! I WAS FINE BY MYSELF!"

" YOU GOD DAMN HERO WANNA BES WOULDN'T EVEN MAKE IT AS RENT A COPS!" Bakugou iS huffing from his outburst and is shaking with pure anger. "You didn't help me, you did nothing, because you are nothing, don't forget that, I don't owe you anything!" And with that final statement he pushed past Nova like she didn't exists and continues to stomp and huff as he walks away. Leaving Nova confused and slightly hurt, she understands she didn't do much, but hell she did more than what most the heros did combined, so fuck him and his temper tantrum.

Nova didn't need his bullshit, she didn't need it at all.

All she needed now was a bath and a goddamn nap.

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crossedsabers10s · 22 days ago

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I just thought of how interesting it would be for Enzo to meet with your SI-Finn, and how the others would react to their interaction, and how would that interaction even go?

ohohohoo i have Thought about this

First. Finn gets mistaken as a baby vamp. Bc. They half-are? Ish? Not really but also not not.

Second: Finn gets kidnapped, as Finn does. Augustine has found themselves a disposable test subject, one they didn't even have to turn themselves.

(Tangent: Look, I'm no scientist or whatever but like. Don't you need a variety of subjects and such to make sure the study is legit? A good sample pool? Testing things over and over on one (1) vampire is not good science. Even two is bad. Which is why I think that Augustine went through baby vamps like tissue paper. A lot of them have to have died on the table. It wouldn't even be hard to procure more. Like. Original Dr. Whitmore tracked down Damon and Stefan in the 50s--who said it was just them he had eyes on? Plus it was a school were they already had the grounds and system for making people disappear AND a source of vampire blood, right there. Which. Why. Did they keep just Enzo??? His vervain tolerance would only grow, so would his age, both of which make keeping him more costly than just. Finding. Or making a new baby vampire. So. Long story short. I think Augustine did have multiple prisoners at once more than in just the 50s and in S5. And a system in place for finding more or making their own when the pickings were slim. Enzo just had a knack for surviving the longest. But he did have a revolving door of fellow prisoners. Which leads to: Contracted Vampire Hunters Stumbling Across Originals and Kidnapping Them For Nefarious Means)

Finn wakes up in a cell with a quickly fading headache. They do not appreciate this. Thankfully, Augustine cells are not rated for an Original, nor are their vervain doses. They just. Casually break the lock. No real effort into it.

Enzo, watching this: w h a at

Finn then goes, oh hey. A person. And Finn has feelings about people being locked up. Strong ones. Especially given they Know Enzo's like. Having the Worst of Times. So they follow the viibes and just go, hey. You here on purpose? And Enzo's like No? Fuck no? and without further ado, before Enzo can even begin to spill his Tragic Backstory Finn breaks open his cell, then goes to leave, job done.

Enzo, staring at the door half on its hinges, then the weirdly benevolent seeming giant that has just sprung him from imprisonment like it was. Not even an afterthought. Just a given that they would and who is now leaving: oh. okay? Ig we're friends now???

Finn kind of wanders around a few hallways, lost. Because they were knocked out for the way in and do not know where they are and, quite honestly, are looking for their phone.

Enzo catches up with them, asks very seriously if there's anyway to repay them and when Finn goes uh no? I'm just here and so are you and what was I going to do??? Leave you??????? Enzo decides that he is this man's--"nope. not--uh. don't call me that today?" "Lady?" "Not today? Just call me Finn, thanks" "Finn, then." "Ha. That rhymes."--new best friend ever bc Enzo has attachment issues and also a weird notion about debt when he feels like it.

They do manage to find Finn's phone. Kol has left a scathing voicemail about Finn wandering off to chase butterflies instead of meeting him for their Bi-Weekly Coffee and Bitching Appointment.

Kol is, in fact, turning Mystic upside down and sideways and maybe splattering it with a light sprinkling of blood bc his Bigger-Younger Favorite Sibling is missing. He has kept this information to himself, as he's gotten a little possessive about Finn, who genuinely cares for him and other such fluff headed rot, except when he lobs the Finn Is Missing Bomb at his siblings and they start mobilizing, bc like. Who can kidnap an Original? this is Serious Business. Right up until:

Elijah, halfway out the door, phone in hand, three text conversations with three different witches going on concurrently: how long has Finn been gone?

Kol: They missed our coffee meeting (that none of you are invited to). It's been three hours and I still haven't found them!!

Elijah, slowly putting down his phone: ....

Rebekah, where she's stringing a bow: ...

Klaus, putting down a sword:....

Finn has, at this point, been kidnapped for less than ten hours.

Elijah still looks into it and Klaus and Rebekah call Kol hysterical (Rebekah, scathingly and pointedly, bc Kol's def called her that before) and swan off. (They still take a look around town. And try calling Finn themselves. And threaten Elena. Just because? Seems like something they'd do.)

Meanwhile: back with Finn and Enzo

Finn is Having a Bad Time. Sure, Finn's brain went all bzzzzt nope nope nope at Augustine but now they are seeing everything first hand. The journals, the table, the still-bloody tools. They remember the scratches on the wall of the cell they woke up in. Enzo's also been chatting with them, dropping nonchalant facts about having his spleen taken out or swapped with another vampire's or the weird aftertaste he always got in his mouth after electric therapy. (Enzo finds nothing he's saying to be Odd. This has been Enzo's normal for almost over half his life? Ugh math. But years and years. He's just talking and trying to Bond with the New Bestie. Finn is feeling sick to their stomach. Finn has been dumped into yet another shitty horror movie. Finn would Like to Leave Now and is, in fact, dissociating a lil.)

Enzo is Having the Best Time Ever. He is killing so many people. Sure his new friend hadn't wanted to join in, but that's okay. More for him.

(Finn. Does Not Like Death. But this is Enzo's Coffin and they have no sympathy for these people, besides wishing them a quicker death than, maybe, they deserve. But not being cruel has never been about deserving, to them, so they mercy kill the ones Enzo leaves to suffer. It will give them new nightmares, but so will this whole miserable place.)

Anyway. They get out. Finn gets signal on their phone. Calls Kol. Who shows up in a speed-limit breakingly quick time and starts harping on them for getting kidnapped again and interrogating Enzo over if Finn is hurt (again) and who did it (so he can kill them once Finn's not looking) and what's ggoing on (so he can prevent it from happening again).

Enzo, rolling with this, because his new pal is tolerating the new guy's small-angry-dog snapping like a pro: Hello I Have Already Taken Vengence, Tho Im not Done. Want to Join In?? You can have Finn's since Finn doesn't want it?

Kol, semi-appeased: yea love too

Finn dips to go chill somewhere. Finn needs their headphones and their Calm Playlist and maybe a nap. Kol secures the area--and compels a babysitter--then goes to investigate the Vampire Hunting Scientists. This is So Interesting to Him, Actually.

Not blinking for prolonged periods of time, Enzo: bye bye best buddie we'll meet up later. *leaves. nearly gets hit by a car bc he forgot about traffic*

Finn, an hour later: wait does he think we're friends now? ...a r e we friends now????? they are not surre if they want to be friends now

Kol and Enzo have so much fun pulling up Augustine from the roots out of Whitmore campus that they are both in very good spirits when they track down Finn, who has not moved from the campus library and is doing such a good job looking like an exhausted college student that they have gained a mostly-silent study buddy.

Temporarily finished for the day with their vengeance (plus Finn would Like To Go Home Now) they depart for good old Mystic Falls, where surely they will find a brief period of peace.

Ha. Jk.

Enzo, upon hearing the name of their destination: oh wow that sounds familiar.

Finn: ... does it? Really? Because it's not on some maps. Thats how small it is

Enzo, smiling: yeah! the name rings a bell in a mentioned-by-a-traitor-im-going-to-rip-out-the-heart-of-like-he-did-mine kind of way!! :))

Finn: ............

At some point, Enzo does meet Damon. And tries to Kill Him Dead. Damon having past enemies surprises no one. No ONe. What does surprise them is when he Does Not Try To Kill Enzo Back. He also wont let anyone else kill Enzo either. To the point it's a little like. Cartooish.

Enzo, chasing him with a chainsaw: JUST STAND STILL AND LET ME HURT YOU

Damon: NO!

Stefan, to Ric, who is also watching: should we do something??? about this??

Damon, still running: ALSO NO! MIND YOUR BUSINESS!

Damon, once he realizes that A. Enzo's decided Finn is Best Friend Now and B. Finn did in fact do what he couldn't a free Enzo, is. Jealous in ways he does not particularly want to untangle. He gets so. so bitchy about this that every single person in town except Enzo and Finn catch on.

Finn is so chill that they are basically the Mystic Falls capybara at this point. Enzo is... less chill? Chill in a different way??? Chill like an alligator but the alligator is also a cat. But it is not unusual to find the two just hanging out. (Kol likes this Newest Babysitter. Not family, not a threat to his Favorite Sibling Position; capable of protecting himself and also Finn from mild threats (and kidnappings); fun to play with (the playing is Augustine Murder);

Klaus has decided. all on his own. that Enzo is like. A minion? minion shaped? Slotted him into some weird little niche of Finn and Kol's minion. (Untrue. If anything Enzo is some wandering hedge knight that swore himself to Good Prince(cess) Finn and Kol is encouraging this)

Rebekah flirted w him once, realized he was cray cray and obsessed with Damon Salvatore and went : he's still kind of hot tho... but decided against it.

Elijah. Went: oh good they have a friend and patiently cleans up after Enzo's bloody revenge messes in the same put upon manner he does everyone else's

okay ive run out of words. thank you for the ask!

#tvd #fanfic #reply #apathy is a wound to the soul

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openeducat · 11 months ago

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In the evolving landscape of education technology, finding a comprehensive and efficient platform for managing academic processes is essential. OpenEduCat stands out as a robust solution tailored to meet the needs of both teachers and students. Here are the top five benefits of using OpenEduCat:

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For Teachers: OpenEduCat offers an intuitive course management system that simplifies the creation, organization, and distribution of course materials. Teachers can easily upload lecture notes, assignments, and resources, ensuring that students have access to everything they need in one place. The platform's user-friendly interface saves educators time, allowing them to focus more on teaching rather than administrative tasks.

For Students: Students benefit from having all their course materials centralized. This organization makes it easier to keep track of assignments, access study materials, and stay on top of deadlines. The platform's layout helps students manage their academic responsibilities more effectively, leading to better learning outcomes.

2. Enhanced Communication and Collaboration

For Teachers: Effective communication is crucial in Education. OpenEduCat provides a variety of tools such as forums, chat, and announcements, enabling teachers to communicate with students effortlessly. These tools foster a collaborative learning environment where teachers can offer real-time feedback and support, enhancing the overall learning experience.

For Students: Students can collaborate with peers through discussion forums and group projects facilitated by OpenEduCat. This interaction promotes a sense of community and enhances collaborative learning. Easy access to teachers and peers means students can quickly get answers to their questions, facilitating a more interactive and engaging learning environment.

3. Efficient Administrative Processes

For Teachers: Administrative tasks can be time-consuming. OpenEduCat automates many of these processes, such as attendance tracking, grade management, and report generation. This automation reduces the workload on teachers, allowing them to devote more time to instruction and student support.

For Students: From the student's perspective, administrative efficiency translates to a smoother educational experience. Quick access to grades, attendance records, and progress reports means students can stay informed about their academic performance without delays, allowing them to address any issues promptly.

4. Personalized Learning Experience

For Teachers: OpenEduCat's analytics and reporting features enable teachers to gain insights into individual student performance. This data allows educators to tailor their teaching strategies to meet the specific needs of each student, providing targeted support where necessary. Personalized learning plans can be developed to help students overcome challenges and excel in their studies.

For Students: Students benefit from a learning experience that is customized to their individual needs. Personalized feedback and learning resources help students understand their strengths and weaknesses, guiding them toward achieving their academic goals. This tailored approach can significantly improve student engagement and success.

5. Scalability and Flexibility

For Teachers: OpenEduCat is designed to be scalable, accommodating the needs of educational institutions of all sizes. Whether you're managing a small class or a large cohort, the platform's flexible architecture supports diverse educational environments. Teachers can easily adapt the platform to suit various teaching styles and curricular requirements.

For Students: The scalability and flexibility of OpenEduCat mean that students can enjoy a consistent learning experience regardless of the size of their institution. The platform adapts to different learning contexts, ensuring that all students receive the same quality of education and support.

Conclusion OpenEduCat offers a comprehensive solution that addresses the diverse needs of teachers and students alike. By streamlining course management, enhancing communication, automating administrative tasks, personalizing learning experiences, and providing scalable solutions, OpenEduCat is transforming the educational landscape. Embracing this platform means investing in a more efficient, engaging, and effective educational experience for all.

Ready to revolutionize your educational experience? Discover the power of OpenEduCat today!

#erp for school #school erp #erp for education #school software #education erp software #school management software #online education #education #school management system #student information system #open source school erp #opensource #opensource erp education solution

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marvelous-llama · 1 year ago

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Seventeen recs

<<original book

most of the mentioned works is 18+ NSFW, MINORS DNI

pls don´t hesitate to hmu, if any of mentioned links doesn´t work or you have suggestions for more fics... thank you so much for all the love and comments

one shots

calico by @cheollipop

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 3.1k) exes - angst, smut the heartache from a past game of cat and dog—leaving you with nothing but a stained bed and a broken heart—came back tenfold when freshly-chopped hair and a sly smirk greeted you through the cracked-open, tinted window.

deeper in denial by @amateurasterism

Jeonghan x gn!reader (wc - 2.8k) university AU, friends to lovers - fluff, suggestive if there’s one thing you know about jeonghan, it’s that he’s a tease. what happens when the teasing makes it to soonyoung’s game of spin the bottle?

Gotcha! by @wongyuseokie

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 3.2k) established relationship - angst, hurt/comfort, fluff Jeonghan loves pranks, creating chaos and mischief, and you love it too, but one day he goes too far, and he’s unsure how to fix it because how do you fix a broken heart?

Enemies to Lovers by @hoshifighting

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 6.6k) enemies to lovers - angst, fluff, smut Once inseparable childhood friends, their bond takes an unexpected turn when you start dating in middle school. Jeonghan's behavior becomes increasingly erratic, transforming him from a supportive friend to a constant source of annoyance. Now, in college, the tables turn, but Jeonghan remains a delightful pain in the ass as old flames are rekindled in the midst of playful banter and undeniable attraction.

I Hate U, I Love U by @wonusite

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 20.8k) enemies to lovers, university AU, fake dating, rich kids AU - angst, smut, fluff, hurt/comfort After finally managing to escape the lifelong rivalry you once had with Yoon Jeonghan, you’re unexpectedly thrown back into the undesirable feud after receiving a scholarship to the most prestigious private school in the city. Despite your attempts to leave the past in the past, you discover too late that you’re the only one interested in letting the vendetta go. Years later, there’s a switch in dynamic when you’re the one unwilling to let it go.

lucky girl by @horangare

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 14.9k) fake dating, friends > strangers > lovers, model!Jeonghan - fluff, smut, angst jeonghan has no interest in a relationship, however it seems that everyone else is sticking their nose into his nonexistent love life. you’ve been in love with him for as long as you can remember, but that was ages ago. he shouldn’t remember someone like you, but he does. and he wants you to be his girlfriend (just for a little while though, right?)

Do You Remember The Time? by @wonustars

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 26.3k) enemies to lovers, roommates to lovers, university AU - angst, fluff, smut, hurt/comfort your first day at your new university you spill coffee on an unsympathetic asshole. unfortunately for you that unsympathetic asshole becomes your roommate.

Bite by @hannieehaee

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 11.7k) idol AU, friends to lovers - fluff, smut, crack keeping appearances as an idol was already hard enough, but it becomes even worse upon finding a forlorn jeonghan with need of assistance with the company's faulty security system, instantly becoming endeared with the idol who refused to take no for an answer — not that you'd ever want him to.

twenty two days before we go our separate ways (twenty two days of not falling for you) by @kwallanghae

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 20.3k) fake dating, friends to lovers - fluff, angst there’s a special bond between you and jeonghan, and no one was surprised when you announced you were together. to you, it’s a surprise no one realised it wasn’t real.

series

How many times does it take to get smarter?, How many chances are too many? by @veethefreeelf

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 6.3k + 14k) best friends > fwb > strangers > lovers - fluff, smut, angst Jeonghan and you start a fwb relationship after years of being best friends. He only has two rules: no feelings and no kissing. Who’s going to break the rules first?

my heart is beating for two by @seuonji

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 1k + 1.4k + 2.4k) strangers to lovers, mutual pining - fluff you’re a worker at the daycare and of course, your main priority is the safety of the kids. how’d you deal with an unfamiliar face trying to pick up one of the kids one day? part 1, part 2, part 3

Hate is a strong word & Love is a strong word by @veethefreeelf

Jeonghan x fem!reader (wc - 15k + 15k) enemies to lovers, coworkers to lovers - angst, smut, fluff You were living out your dream working in an ideal company with great colleagues and friends, except one. Yoon Jeonghan has been your nemesis from the moment the both of you stepped into this company. Sometimes you wonder if you’re living your dream or stuck in a nightmare.

#seventeen #seventeen x reader #seventeen smut #seventeen recs #jeonghan #svt jeonghan #yoon jeonghan #jeonghan x reader #jeonghan smut

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night-raven-tattler · 1 year ago

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JCJXJXJXJDNDNNXJXJXJXNZNXNXNXMXKMCJCJCJS

SORRY, I'M FANGIRLING (Is that even a word?)

Tattly, I swear, I was thinking about sending this request DURING New Year's Eve, BUT MY ENTIRE CITY SPENT THE FIRST DAY COMPLETELY WITHOUT POWER 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡

But if I can ask you now, tell me: in what pose do you think the twst boys sleep?

Who has the Dracula pose, who looks like they were run over and, most importantly, WHO HAS THE "POWER BOTTOM, ASS UP" POSE??

I've been completely high on coffee for 4 days, sorry about that~

-🌙

(You'll see a lot of me here, I loved the place)

Hello and happy new year, 🌙! Mx Tattly is pleased with your return. They have conducted a very elaborate investigation, with the help of some of the fellow NRT members. Hope you enjoy the findings!

Turbulent sleep or unperturbed slumber?

Characters: main NRC students cast, NRC staff, Che'nya, Neige (separate)

Warnings: none

By opening the document, you agree to Mx Tattly's terms of source confidentiality.

-ˋˏ’✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

The yearners/cuddlers: Deuce, Ruggie, Azul, Kalim, Trein, Neige

These are a bunch of people who yearn for warmth and affection. Either they're used to being cuddled to sleep, or they have a natural urge to grab onto something or someone and hold onto it/them until the sun comes up. Their grip is sturdy, their sleep is sound and their pillow is very likely drooled on. They're the most likely to snore, from small kitten snores to bass bosted remixes.

『••✎••』

The pristine logs: Riddle, Jack, Silver, Crewel

This is the sleep position of a person who totally has their life together (/s) and absolutely nothing is wrong with them (/s). They are totally okay with their life (/s). Even from the moment the go to bed they know how they want to wake up in the morning. The pose is unshakeable and they are statues, impossible to wake up from the outside, even with the aid of the loudest Sebek available.

『••✎••』

The space hoggers: Grim, Ace, Jade, Floyd, Crowley

Their mission is to occupy as much of the bed as possible. Either from spreading their limbs for comfort or from moving in their sleep as if they're dreaming of participating in a yoga class, they will never wake up the same way they went to bed. Their dedication to claim as much of the bed as possible no matter who else shares it could be rivaled only by the Roman Empire.

『••✎••』

The squishy limb havers: Jamil, Cater, Idia, Che'nya

These people don't fall asleep, they collapse of exhaustion on their bed after being awake for too long, only to wake up a few hours later and wonder why their new bed was the floor. Unfortunately for them, it would be hard for them to fall back asleep, as they somehow managed to get some rest in the position they powered down in. If by some miracle half of their body is still on the bed in the morning, they consider it as a win.

『••✎••』

The coffin dwellers: Trey, Vil, Rook, Ortho, Malleus, Sebek, Sam

This is another position of a perfectly normal person with absolutely no issues whatsoever (/s). This pose is not only absolutely mundane and normal (/s), but it's also efficient: it's the position that allows them to sleep the best and to wake up the fastest in the morning. They sleep (or charge) in a position worth grading, and the school should implement a scoring system that would benefit their overall grade only based on the perfect stillness and grace and total normalcy (/s) of their sleep.

『••✎••』

The freefallers: Epel, Leona, Lilia, Vargas

These people have nothing to fear, as sleeping with you butt upwards and on your stomach is a pose used to assert dominance and superiority. It shows fearlessness, because an unprotected back is a show of vulnerability. Despite the risk they subject themselves to in order to make a statement, they refuse to change their sleeping position. They prefer their freedom and the superiority complex... and the neck / back pain in the morning.

『••✎••』

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covid-safer-hotties · 10 months ago

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Opinion: Better protecting schools from COVID is within reach - Published Aug 17, 2022

This article was incredibly well sourced and correct: Why are these simple procedures not being implemented to keep children and teachers safe two years from publication?

Welcome to the “Live with COVID” era, where living with the virus means not talking about it at all. We’ve been told to pretend it’s over, though those “weird summer colds” and “lingering symptoms” indicate otherwise. Rising case rates, hospitalizations, and deaths. Best Summer Ever 2.0 is ending, which means kids are about to return for their third pandemic September.

Article content In the beginning, we were told that 1) kids don’t get COVID, 2) they do, but it’s mild, 3) vaccines alone will protect us, and 4) COVID does not spread in schools. While true that fewer children die from COVID than adults, they’re generally not supposed to die.

And kids are experiencing disabling long COVID, with estimated rates between two and 25 per cent of all infections, not counting reinfections. While vaccines mitigate the worst outcomes of COVID, they don’t completely stop transmission, and additional measures are required. And of course, as every parent knows, children don’t keep their germs to themselves. They go on to transmit to their teachers, parents and grandparents. Furthermore, outbreaks in schools do spread to the community.

Schools need to be safer for all students and staff, including those with medical concerns and vulnerable family members. Worker shortages are everywhere, education included. Sick teachers can’t teach, and more worryingly, may go on to develop long COVID, resulting in time away or even retirement.

It’s also harder for kids to learn when they’re sick and more absences means losing more time when so much has been lost to the pandemic. Looking at the Calgary Board of Education’s absence data, 6.3 per cent of students were away in April 2022, compared to 2.8 per cent in 2019. This is unsurprising, as there were essentially no protections in schools by June, despite low vaccination uptake and no vaccines for kids under five. No testing, mask mandates (Education Minister Adriana Lagrange outlawed those), enhanced ventilation nor in-room filtration (again, banned by the CBE). Yes, hand sanitizer was plentiful, but that doesn’t stop a virus that spreads through the air.

We can make schools safer for kids and their communities, but it means we have to talk about COVID. We need to acknowledge that COVID transmission is predominantly airborne, so that citizens have a framework for understanding risk. The smoke analogy, used by the Public Health Agency of Canada, and chief public health officer of Canada Dr. Theresa Tam, is an excellent metaphor.

There are multiple ways to make schools safer. Adequate ventilation, with a minimum of six fresh air changes per hour, mitigates build-up of viruses floating around in the air. Even opening windows/doors can be effective. Ventilation can be monitored through measuring the CO2 concentration in the room, essentially showing how much air one may be breathing in that was exhaled by someone else. Boston Public Schools is doing this and even has a public dashboard to share data. Upgrading filters in ventilation systems helps too, but as of May, the CBE has not completed this at any of their schools.

An additional intervention is filtration units like HEPA filters, or even homemade Corsi-Rosenthal boxes, to remove and trap virus particles. The CBE’s own risk management consultants acknowledged the effectiveness of this intervention.

Article content And we need to reinstate universal masking in zones where high community spread is identified, emphasizing respirator-style (N95 or KN95) masks for everyone. Information released in Alberta showed that schools with no mask mandates had three times more outbreaks than those with masking, confirming similar data from Arkansas and Massachusetts.

Pretending that COVID is over doesn’t it make it so. And it doesn’t help us “live with COVID” either. Yes, people are tired, we all want to move on. But making schools safer is fully within our reach. And until COVID is actually over, we can’t pretend our way out of it. So Alberta parents must demand the safety of their children and their teachers, or our leaders will simply go on pretending.

#covid #mask up #pandemic #covid 19 #wear a mask #coronavirus #sars cov 2 #public health #still coviding #wear a respirator

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axvoter · 2 months ago

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Blatantly Partisan Party Review XXVI (federal 2025): ungrouped independents in Western Australia

There are two types of independent candidates on a Senate ballot. Grouped independents are groups of two or more people running together (either without party endorsement or with the endorsement of an unregistered party) who get their own column on the ballot, including an unlabelled square above the line. Ungrouped independents are people standing solo, without any mates, and who therefore only get a square below the line in a shared column with any other ungrouped indies, located at the furthest right end of the ballot. Parties who only nominate a single candidate rather than a slate of 2+ candidates (or as part of a slate of 2+ candidates from multiple parties) also find themselves in the ungrouped column, but there are no such cases this year.

The ungrouped column has no square above the line as the candidates are unaffiliated with each other, which means that it is impossible to vote for ungrouped independents if you vote above the line. This is one reason why you might consider voting below the line: either you want to vote 1 for an ungrouped independent, or you’re a completist like me who wants to express a preference for everybody on the ballot. Fundamentally, to receive a square above the line, whether you are party-aligned or independent, you need a friend. I am routinely amazed how many people waste their time and money standing as ungrouped candidates.

This federal election, there are two ungrouped candidates in Western Australia, down from six last time. Let’s see who they are.

Ky Cao (website)

Economist and entrepreneur Ky Cao arrived in Australia in 1979 as a refugee from Vietnam. After beginning his career in economic consulting, he founded Perth Energy and managed it until his retirement in 2016; AGL acquired Perth Energy in 2019 and it provides electricity and gas to commercial and industrial customers (WA has a highly regulated residential system, with Synergy the retailer in the South West Interconnected System). Now, although he founded a solar farm in Vietnam, he pushes the furphy that any Australian action on climate change is immaterial (as if “bigger polluted are doing nothing so we shouldn't either” is a sensible argument) and he thinks that “the more you know the less you worry about climate change”. It’s safe to say that the average climate scientist doesn’t agree with Cao.

Cao is a fan of laissez-faire capitalism: as he puts it, he “believes deeply in Australia’s free market, open society foundations” because in his view competition protects citizens and fosters economic competitiveness, liberty, and “collective wisdom”. Unfortunately, a lot of his views are based on misconceptions. He argues that Australia’s productivity has collapsed because of “bloated regulations” and because “Australia’s tax burden is too high”. This is hogwash. Our productivity is positive; yes, it has slowed in the past decade but it remains positive. You can hardly say it is a “collapse” when productivity has not gone backwards for decades. And Australia’s tax-to-GDP ratio is consistently below the OECD average; we are a low-taxing society. Now, I actually support his proposal to raise the tax-free threshold to $45,000, but not for the reasons he advances. And I oppose his other proposals to reduce taxation; if we instead raised our taxes to match the OECD average, we could do so much to raise people from poverty, provide better schools and hospitals, fund alternatives to the car, and so on.

Overall, Cao pinpoints China as the source of problems for Australia and the globe. He is mad that “China has abused U.S. goodwill”, as if the US hasn’t just tanked global goodwill from friends, allies, and ambivalent countries alike. I’m hardly enthused by Chinese attempts at securing hegemony, but Cao offers little beyond fearmongering. He is mad that major economies have not acquiesced to US demands: “The U.S. offered free trade. Other countries responded with distorted trade. This time, Trump forces all nations to make a choice.” For Cao, we should acquiesce to Trump. Anything less than full acquiescence to US policy is for him acquiescence to China. Obviously, Australia should not take Cao's counsel to become a Trump lackey on the global stage.

Recommendation: if you vote below the line, give Ky Cao a weak or no preference.

Kim Mubarak (website)

Interestingly, both ungrouped candidates for WA arrived in Australia as refugees, in Kidima Mubarak Kim’s case from Uganda. He is a serial candidate, running as an independent at state and federal elections since his first tilt at the state seat of Balcatta in March 2013, and since then he has usually contested lower-house seats in Perth’s north. In 2014, he boasted in Al Wasat that at the 2013 election for the Division of Stirling he “did much better than neo right-wing political parties” despite having “no sugar daddy or vested political interest groups” (he beat Family First and Rise Up Australia but not Palmer United or Australian Christians). In that ad, placed ahead of WA’s special election for the Senate, he described himself as “Western Australia’s leading multicultural, civil and political rights advocate”. It seems he maintains this self-belief despite receiving only 109 votes at that election. His best results to date are 2.62% for Stirling at the 2016 federal election and 3.5% for Girrawheen at the state election this year (albeit last in a field of six).

Mubarak’s website is somewhat out of date and it is certainly… individual. The homepage suggests that he is standing for the Division of Perth, but he has ended up nominating for the Senate. A link titled “how to vote” does not take you to the single-sided and succinct how-to-vote card that you might expect. Instead, it goes to an extraordinary 20-page document from the 2021 election that has 157 individual numbered points and concludes with a recommendation of a second preference to the Liberal candidate while otherwise providing an open card. The “manifesto” page covers fundamentally the same ground. It's dizzying.

The "news" page contains an extraordinary number of "serious complaints", "urgent complaints", and the like (pretty much the entire second page right now), addressed to everyone from the governor-general to the prime minister, the UN secretary general, the International Criminal Court, and returning officers of the AEC, among many. Some are sweeping complaints, others relate to his business importing matoke bananas and many are personal matters such as assertions that White South Africans are stealing security lightbulbs from his home. A lot of content in the news and manifesto alike relate to a personal injury claim where he feels he has not received justice—whenever it arises, it is discussed in tedious detail that has no relevance for prospective voters.

He has proposals for more community involvement in politics and the judiciary, based on his reading of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. He wants state governors and all judges to be elected, a mechanism for the public to recall unpopular elected members mid-term, and an “independent concerned citizens court”, which seems like a half-baked and honestly troubling idea for a parallel legal system. I wondered if this suggested influences from conspiracist circles, but he goes in some quite different directions to that crowd. For instance, his covid rant is not the usual denialism but an expression of gratitude to Scott Morrison for federal financial assistance and accusations that Mark McGowan's government did not provide enough face masks or any financial compensation for costs Mubarak incurred during the first lockdown.

Mubarak acknowledges the State of Palestine and claims to be “the First Young Politician to recognise the indigenous people in our Constitution”. He claims that major parties running African and other multicultural candidates is “Due to my perseverance, shaking our institutions like a Mango tree”. But he also accuses the major parties of "clever racism and and cheap political games against the Black people", including that the Greens connive with Labor and the Liberals against him. This year he likes Legalise Cannabis and Australian Christians (even though he is Muslim) because they preferenced him favourably in Girrawheen.

As I said, the “how to vote” and “manifesto” sections have not been updated since 2021. The only content that accurately describes his tilt this election as an independent for the Senate is a pop-up about “a fair go for all” and “more money for sports”. Please enjoy (respectfully):

Recommendation: if you vote below the line, give Kim Mubarak a weak or no preference.

Summary: If you vote above the line, you are not missing out on a chance to help elect a great candidate. Neither option is great. Ky Cao seems the more competent of the two, but that he would not use his competence for positive ends. Mubarak is a classic ungrouped candidate with peculiarities and grievances that underpin a bemusing platform.

#auspol #ausvotes #ausvotes25 #Australian election #Australia #Western Australia #ungrouped independents #independent candidates #independent politics #Senate #Australian Senate #Ky Cao #Kim Mubarak #Kidima Mubarak Kim #weak or no preference

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