#UNBURROWABLE !!!!!!!!!

[pigengy]

whose excited for 2v8 mode bc ik Kelvin and Arlo sure aren't !! 🥰

[nymfaia-archive]

She had lost the placement of the ticking in her mind, overwhelmed with the sound of gunfire and her magic crackling. Alta watched him jump backwards into the dust storm she had caused, his form obscured in the kicked-up clouds. With the moment’s reprieve, she pulled her mana reserves forth, desperate to form a suit of armor over her tattered robes. It burst forth from her chest, enveloping her torso and shoulders.

A shot rang clear. In a split second, something had torn through her leg, embedding itself into her calf. Her benison shattered, concentration dissipating with the dust as pain ripped through her leg.

It was little more than the size of the cartridges he had been previously firing, tearing through flesh and sinew like any other: but then it sprung to life, claws jutting out upon it’s exit. With a push of a button, it yanked, tearing a screech of agony from the Warrior of Light.

He was a bored fisherman, reeling in his catch with a sigh of annoyance. Her leg buckled, the metal chain connecting his hook to his gun glittering with wet blood as she slid across the earth. She struggled, reaching down to grab hold of the chain and yank, a feeble attempt to give herself some slack and to upend the man at the other end.

Tick. Tick. Tick.

The sound that erupted from the woman could have caused the red chocobos to startle and take flight. A mechanized bear trap rose from the ground, teeth tearing through her leather boots and into the flesh below. It continued to beep, a warning.

“Disappointing.”

It silenced. The chain stopped reeling as he approached before dropping entirely; Menenius wrenched the mechanism from his blade, tossing it aside. As he stepped beside her mangled body, the man ground his boot into her stave.

The wood splintered and shattered.

“Not to worry,” he said. “There are others who want a part of you before I remove your head from your shoulders. You will survive another day, maybe two.”

He listened to her hopeless pleading as the butt of his lance met the side of her skull.

[palestaticexchange]

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

"What's that?"

Your brother holds something small and shiny. His eyes glint like the thing in his hand does when he looks at you. "Go inside!" He says. The other one giggles.

"Show me! You have something!" You stumble to where they're crouched in the sand.

"Go away, Lily!" He's pouting now.

"This is our thing," the other one says. "We found it out there!" A wild finger swings towards the mound out in the sea.

The waves push back and forth over the sand. It's like a game: they want to pull you close then shove you away again. You shiver every time you look over them. "You can't go there..."

"W- Why did you tell her?"

You stamp a foot to catch the boys' attention. "You can't go out there! It's dangerous! Mom said!"

"Go away, Lily!" Your brother who holds the shiny thing stamps back. "This is why you can't play with us! You ruin everything!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"No I don't!"

"Yes you do!"

"N- No I don't!" Your lip wobbles, nose already growing thick with snot.

You other brother giggles as he replies in perfect chorus with his twin; "Yes! You! *DO*!"

It's too much. You squeal once then run crying back home. Your wails bob in pitch each time your little feet pound against the sand.

"Oh?" You can't see through your tears but hear the old lady call out to you as you pass her. "What's wrong, dear? Come talk to Isobel!"

You don't stop, just pound up the wooden slats and into your home. Your little paws grip the edge of the sofa and hoist you up. Then you curl up in the corner and wipe your snotty face against the woollen throw. Crying, wailing, wiping. You blow thick sneezes against the ratty blanket that smells of the sea and wood smoke. 

Outside you hear the rumbling of adult voices, a moment later the door creaks open once again. "-Don't know, she just ran right past me."

"Right," Mom's voice. "What's all this crying for, girl?"

You raise your wobbly face from the blanket. Through your tears you spot the blue and yellow form of your mother and reach out for her. The sofa sinks next to you, sending your little body into her as she scoops you onto her lap.

"Hmm? Are we being silly?" 

You wail against her chest as she cuddles you, one hand stroking through your hair. "T- they, w- why?" Your little fists twist into the front of her coat, the nylon making sweet swishes against your short nails. "W- why w- won't they l- let me p- p- pla- pluh- *PLAY* w- w- with t- theee~!" It's too much again. You grind your snotty face against your mother as she coos softly.

"Ah. This is about the twins again." 

You nod, sniffing. 

"Hmm," The hand on your back starts petting it affectionately. "Boys are like this I'm afraid, little one. By the time they'll *want* to play with you the game won't be in your favour." 

You sniffle. You're not sure what mom means, but it doesn't sound fair. "But I want to play! I want to g- go on ah- ahd- ahd-ven-tures too!"

As you squeak out your new favourite *big* word your mom pauses in her stroking. She never shouts, or leaves you on your own for more than half a day, but she can get quiet. Then she runs her hand down your back again- slower this time. "Is that what you want? Or do you just want to be included?"

You unburrow your face from her chest and look up at her. She stops petting your hair and lifts the blanket, dabbing at your eyes then closing it around your nose. You blow into it.

"My special girl." As she pulls the wool away from your face you can see she's smiling down at you. "Do you want something all of your own?"

You gawk up at your mother before nodding quick. 

You feel a puff of air hit your face as she laughs through her nose. Then she's lifting you off her lap and placing you on the sofa. "Let the boys keep their silly games." She stands and walks to the high shelves above the fireplace, standing tall and lifting a paper box down. "Mom's going to introduce you to a very special old friend of hers." You see a flash of something white, then she's holding it behind her back with one hand and replacing the box with her other. She walks back to the sofa and drops to a crouch in front of you. "He's been *my* friend since I was your age... But I think you need him more than I do now, pet." 

You gasp as she pulls the doll from behind her back. "Woah~!" You forget your brothers and their adventures and their games. In front of you is the scrappy off-white body of a toy, an animal you recognise from one of your worn picture books. "A baa-lamb!" 

Your mother's face scrunches as she smiles. "Well done little one." She turns the old thing over, she seems suddenly... Not sure. "I called him 'Lamby' but I suppose you could call him something else if you liked..." The smile returns as if nothing had happened, then she's holding him out to you. 

You draw in breath and take the toy, his black button eyes already filled with love for you. "Lamby..." You whisper, stroking along his wool.

As you stroke your new friend you feel your mother's hand return to your hair, stroking you in time. "I just know you'll take *good* care of each other. Like he took good care of me." 

You will take good care of me, won't you Little Lily? He says. I've had a long life, but I will be your friend for as long as you'll be mine. 

You release a peel of giggles and kick your little legs. You pull the toy tight against your chest, liking the soft scratch of his wool against your still-damp cheek. Like the rest of the house he smells of salt, smoke, and seaweed. A moment later, you hear the creek of the door.

"Here comes trouble," your mother sighs. 

From just outside you hear the old lady urging the boys up the steps. Then one of the twins comes into view with eyes like saucers. 

Elder by 36 minutes. He plucked the metal shell from the sand. You look down at Lamby, not understanding what he means, then up again as your brother starts to talk.

"M'sorry Lily..." He mutters, shuffling awkwardly. 

"Now your turn," Isobel urges from the doorway. Her hand rests on your other twin's shoulder as he turns shyly against her side. 

"M'sorry..." He says quietly.

Mom gives the old lady a quick smile, then bends down to level with your brothers. "I have told you before to be kind to your sister-"

"Whas that!" The older one hops, pointing at Lamby." 

You're a big girl. The stitching of Lamby's mouth is faded but you can tell it used to be pink. Let it go. You need them and they need you. You *all* need each other.

You take a deep breath and puff out your chest, holding Lamby in your lap. "His name is Lamby and he is my friend. You can k- keep your games and metal shells." You lift your chin like a big girl would.

Your older twin cocks his head, the one in the doorway pulls his fingers from his mouth to smile. 

"There's my good girl," your mom says with a smile. 

[crevicedwelling]

Any advice for getting rid of fungus gnats in isopod enclosures?

I have never once had to deal with them due to my overabundance of springtails and predatory mites! I also don’t keep my enclosures sopping wet, or even damp, and the soil I use is largely clay and therefore completely inedible and unburrowable. nowhere for gnats to breed, nothing to feed them, many competitors for fungal particles, and a host of hungry predators always on the hunt.

[at-liberty-news]

Galactic War Status: Day 16

This is Michael Adams, closing out the day with one more segment.

First up, armed forces have utterly stomped out the Terminids invading Heeth. Now secured, troopers fighting there have moved on to assist in the destruction of Meridia.

Progress has been difficult, but results are beginning to show. Terminid resistance has dropped by an estimated 13% since the campaign's launch! Let's hope this trend continues.

Helldivers on the surface have run into a major roadblock to their operations, however, in the form of the sheer pervasiveness of Terminid tunnels perforating the planet's crust. It is so pervasive, in fact, that the flimsy tectonic drills provided by Super Earth are at constant risk of swarms unburrowing all around them at any given moment! Protection of the drills is seemingly impossible for many troopers, but the best among them have still found solutions. 

While most explosives are out of the question for use near the drills, EMS effects have become increasingly popular as a means of subduing waves of bugs before they can harm the drills. The only flaw in this strategy is the Bile Titan. The largest living Terminid we've yet seen in this war, Bile Titans had shown evolution of their own some weeks back when they developed an immunity to the disorienting effects of EMS strikes. A shining beacon of hope against them, however, has been the ever-reliable EAT-17 Expendable Anti-Tank. Due to the abnormally high casualty rates of these operations, Helldivers have flocked to using the EAT over other Anti-Tank options. Many squad leaders reason that the alternatives would simply be lost in the chaos of battle once their operator falls. Even still, the odds are overwhelmingly against our forces, and the fate of Meridia is still uncertain.

Let us all pray that SEAF can pull through, for Liberty's sake. That's all we have for now, but stay tuned for the next set of personal orders in a few hours. Give 'em Hell, Divers!

[ryan1014n2]

Sick PS again - 09/24/2022

(I say “again” without having posted the first one lol)

Kind of similar to the last story I shared about Peter Sam, Sir Handel, and Duke. Peter Sam isn’t feeling well, so Sir Handel gets some help from “Granpuff” to help him feel better and get some rest. Some vague human au.

<><><><><><><> 

It was no secret that Peter Sam hadn't been sleeping well for quite some time.

On this particular day, he had accidentally fallen asleep in a rather uncomfortable position on the couch, and when he woke up, his head was terribly stuffy.

At some point while Peter Sam was asleep, Sir Handel had come and settled down next to him, both to watch the television and to keep an eye on his adoptive baby brother.

The aspirin and water that Sir Handel had fetched for him did little to make Peter Sam feel better, and when Peter Sam all but fell into him with a worried declaration of "I'm going to throw up," Sir Handel knew it was time to call it a day.

Sir Handel quickly ushered him into his bedroom, had him change into comfortable pajamas, and went to alert Duke.

Sir Handel returned soon enough to find Peter Sam curled up in the bed and facing the wall. Thinking he was at last getting some restful sleep, Sir Handel gingerly made his way over to sit beside him.

He was quite surprised when Peter Sam, who hadn't been asleep at all, quickly repositioned himself. He wrapped both arms rather tightly around Sir Handel and buried his face into the crook of his neck.

Sir Handel, taken aback, just awkwardly patted him on the back. "Hey, hey, shhh. You're okay, buddy. You just need some rest."

Duke came in soon after. "Well, he’s just a clingy little thing, isn’t he, Falcon?”

“You could certainly say that, yes.”

Upon hearing Duke’s voice, Peter Sam, without lifting his head, reached an arm out towards him and made a grabby motion with his hand, and Duke heard him say a muffed “Granpuff. . .” into Sir Handel’s shoulder.

Duke, coming closer to the pair, took Peter Sam’s hand in his and gently ran his thumb over the back of Peter Sam’s. Peter Sam unburrowed himself just enough to look up at Duke with a pitiful look in his eyes.

Despite feeling sympathetic for Peter Sam, Duke couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. “It’s okay, young’un.”

“You haven’t been sleeping, have you, Peter Sam?” Sir Handel asked—more for Duke’s sake than his own, as he already knew the answer was “no.” He very gently pulled Peter Sam’s hair free from its ponytail and combed his fingers through it, causing Peter Sam to relax and loosen his hold on him. “There you go,” Sir Handel soothed.

“Sir Handel is right, Stuart. You do need to get some rest.”

“I’m not tired.” Peter Sam said wearily.

Duke laughed. “You were never good at lying. Sleep.” He gently ran a finger from Peter Sam’s forehead down to the tip of his nose a few times, and his eyes fluttered shut as his breathing evened and slowed, and he was asleep in almost no time at all.

Duke was a bit surprised that his little forehead-to-nose trick had worked; he would often use it to get the boys to relax when they were both still very young, and it seemed like it still worked on at least one of them.

“How far did you think that one through, Granpuff? Now I’m stuck here.” Sir Handel quietly huffed. Peter Sam had fallen asleep almost completely on top of him, and it didn’t look like Sir Handel could get out from under him without waking him up again.

“I didn’t think it would work, to be honest. Keep an eye on him, Falcon,” Duke said, and paused to think for a second. “Actually, you should be getting to sleep, too, with how late it is.” Duke helped to draw the covers up over the two of them and then ruffled Sir Handel’s hair—who quickly smoothed it out again. “I’ll check on you both in the morning, alright? If you need anything you can come and get me.”

Sir Handel got as comfortable as he could without disturbing his sleeping sibling, and settled down to sleep, but before he did, he addressed Duke, “Thanks for the help, Granpuff. Peter Sam can be . . . difficult . . . to calm down sometimes.”

“Ah, well. We can’t have him running himself down any more than he already has, can we?” Duke softly chucked and turned out the light as he left. “Goodnight, Falcon.”

“Goodnight, Granpuff.”

[hellcatxd-posts]

We Require More Vespene Gas

Will a keettee expand to another base as he expands his brain yet again? Time for some Brood War, oh boi! Will the loaves unburrow or keep loafing underground? https://www.twitch.tv/redacted_cat

[jrueships]

your mind ... impenetrable

no further comment

;))

i Know . * makes a This (that^^^) Face

[candyredterezii]

literally saw a snail today. had a real fucking edward cullen moment

[sett-sparkclaw]

1325

"I'm sorry...you want me to do what?"

"You heard me lieutenant. I want you to take these cubs under your wing for a few days. They could learn a thing or two from you." Kurr scoffed at the stern look on Sett's face. "Don't worry. They won't be as much of pawful as you were. They're among the best in the fahrar. Yvera here shot down 24 markers yesterday in rifle training."

"I'd like to see her do it without a sight!" The other cub protested.

"You were the one stupid enough not to use one Cartcus," Yvera rejected.

"Well had I used one I'd easily have shot 30!"

"Do me a favor and cry more about it."

"You'd know a thing or-"

"Cubs!" Kurr Sparbreaker's tired old eyes lit up with refilled primal youth, his stare locking them in place. The hair stood on the back of their necks and that old feeling of getting on Sparbreaker's bad side gently lifted Sett's as well. His next words rang in Sett's mind before he even spoke. "That is no way to present before your Primus!"

After a quick salute they just as quickly rehearsed their proper lines, "Yes Primus Kurr, we apologize."

"Now get out of my sight. Take your groveling elsewhere."

They knew they were off easy and bolted straight out of Kurr's sight, their arguments echoing down the halls.

"Not a pawful you say?"

"They know better. You've handled worse. Or so I've heard."

Kurr resigned to his chair, not at all caring that Sett stood near him in silence, observing him as eyed the paperwork on his desk and the mess the cubs had left the quarters in.

"Who rewarded you with that?"

"Oh, this?" Sett rolled his chainmail sleeve to reveal the remains of a deep cut that scaled the length of his left arm. "Just a missed parry. You'd tire too fighting awakened brutes hours on end."

The answer didn't satisfy Kurr. In fact, it all but enraged him.

"I ought to give Mallik a piece of my mind! Not even preparing you enough for human skirmishes and here we are talking the undead," he slammed his paw into the desk, burying his claws deep into the wood. "Who's tail was pinched to send you away like this?"

"With respect Primus," As Sett responded uneasily, "Zhaitan is dead, we... the Pact... killed him," he tripped over his words to extinguish his old mentor's ire, "it ought to worth losing an arm for that, right? ...it was Rytlock by the way," he finally surrendered.

"Hard to believe anyone trusts the runt after all these years." His anger subsided and he let his claws unburrow themselves from his desk as he relaxed.

"Still need me to see after the cubs?"

"Still a weasel too, trying to get out of this conversation." He glared at Sett partially annoyed. "Yes," he answered after a moment, "but there's something I've needed to tell you. I've never told this too anyone and..." he stopped himself before getting out of his chair walking over to Sett, meeting his towering gaze with his own subtle ferocity before he continued, pointing a claw for good measure, "if word gets out about this I will wear your hide. Understand me?"

He'd heard the threat before, and the rumors. So Sett nodded and allowed him trundle around his desk as he collected his thoughts. After a moment he spoke.

"The Priory. As annoying as the bastards are with their questions and their paperwork," he eyed the handsome pile on his desk with a dreaded look, "I found they have some use in their endeavors. Every single one of us that falls, they document it. Every single one. I couldn't help but be curious."

"I've never thought of you as the attachment type Primus."

"We all think about it Sett. Some are just better at hiding it."

"I hope you aren't implying anything."

"No!" He snapped. "Of course not. I taught you well enough. But believe me I know you feel it too, I recognize the look. That's why you need to know. You are..." He nearly choked on his words but composed himself. "You are the last one. The last of your fahrar."

Sett was disturbed by how little this news bothered him, at least in the moment. Rather than exposing any emotions, he simply observed his old primus, concerned as he struggled to string together any more thoughts. He thought to meet him and reassure him of... something, but Kurr signaled him to stop his advances. Not that he felt he had anything of value to add.

"I'm fine. I want you to sit with that though."

"I will."

"Bangar is right...you don't look right. You need a break. Take the cubs, then come back to me when you are ready to talk."

"And what do you suggest we do?"

"Try fishing. Clears the head a bit."

[yandere-society]

A Separate Journal

Synopsis: Playing games were your favorite. Although the first 20 years of your life wasn’t all that interesting, right now was going to be the peak. When you thought you finally had a direction to follow after your graduation, life, of course, decided for you to play its game. Do you accept?

Pairing: Namjoon x fem!reader 

Word Count: 2.1k

Headline: 2 Month Search Of Missing Woman Ongoing

Admin: @nomnomsik​

Trigger warnings: yandere-themes, unhealthy obsession and relationships, mentions of manipulation

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Spring. 

People always said spring was the time to freshen up, get outside, and enjoy the slow but upcoming warm weather. It was time to unburrow now that the cold was gone. 

And you had to agree, it was quite nice to not be always shivering in your dinky apartment. Even though the inside was old, indicated by the chipping paint peeling off the walls or the small cracks in the ceiling, it was a safe haven that you had. 

Not to mention that you were not the neatest person in the world. Books of your studies were spread all across your desk, post-its barely hanging onto the side of the table. You thought about “spring-cleaning” your apartment, but you couldn’t find it in your body to finish it through. 

Given the fact that you forget where you place your things, cup and books being the main culprit, you sometimes spend an entire day trying to find them without any luck. But then, like an idiot, you roll your eyes when you find it hiding underneath your papers.

Maybe you should study a little less. 

When you finally sit down at your desk, you flip open to your personal journal, recounting about the day. You continued further by noting about the aspirations you had for the future. You blocked a section of time out each day to jot down a bit, just to record a moment in time during your life. It helped you escape reality, as life continuously put its pressure on your shoulders. 

Paying bills, covering your expenses, working… All while maintaining social relationships with others. You sighed. Sometimes, it would be nice if life was easier. 

The night was still young, your body shaking off the cold air that seeped through the thin walls, as you finally began to write. 

May 12th, 2020

The smell of coffee.

You happened to get your special spot at your favorite coffee shop, resting your laptop against the table that you had all to yourself. Even though you probably should’ve drank caffeine, when Jungkook recommended you to try their newest hot chocolate, you couldn’t pass up the offer.

A cute boy giving you a golden smile? 

You were weak. 

Whenever you took a sip, you looked up to take a glance at the cute barista boy. You happened to figure out quickly that he worked every Thursday evening, fitting perfectly into your schedule. Every Thursday had your body filled with a giddy sensation. 

You stayed late in the shop, enjoying the atmosphere and mood by yourself, finding that you were always more productive in it. It felt nice being able to wish Jungkook a good night whenever his shift was over. 

He would send you a smile and a wave as he walked out the door. But, the feelings of loneliness would seep through as you packed up your things several minutes later, leaving the shop late at night. 

When you walked, you could hear your own footsteps against the sidewalk. The only lights came from the street or the flickering signs of closed shops. 

You were all alone. 

But, sometimes, you would find an unsettling feeling inside you. 

You imagined that were being watched. It was fleeting, then it disappeared and you decided to no longer think about it. 

Because, nobody would care about you in that kind of way. 

»»————-　✼　————-««

It was winter. 

He could see and feel it. The sky was bright white outside, but there was a linger of pale blue. His breath created white puffs of heat that floated in the dry air. His fingertips were tinted a light red as he pressed them into the glass windows. They left his fingerprints as he looked outside in the living room in his apartment. 

When Namjoon turned around, he threw his body lazily on the plush sofa, feeling his body mold into the softness. He stretched his arm to the nearby coffee table, picking up the journal that he had stopped reading for a bit. 

When he looked over, he saw Rapmon running towards him, giving him a few licks on the face then jumping up with him. Cozily snuggled up together, he flips open to his bookmark, barely noticing how his eyes were falling asleep. 

May 19th, 2020

A sigh. 

You stumbled back into your cheap apartment, letting your bag down in a huff. 

Finally. 

You were finally going to be free from this hell-hole. Graduation was approaching, and once you had that diploma in hand, you were running with it. It didn’t matter where, as long as you were far away from here. 

But, of course, today you had to do something embarrassing. You just keep making a fool of yourself everyday. All you wanted to do was enjoy your quiet time in the coffee shop with a drink in hand, but instead, you had to bump into someone else and spill it all over them. 

He was a really good looking guy too, and that just made you even more embarrassed. The guy was so nice about it, cute even, especially when he stumbled his way through the process giving you his number. Normally, you would’ve rejected that kind of advance, but Namjoon, he said his name was, was so kind about your accident. It made your heart weak in the moment when all he did was just smile and reassure you that everything was fine. 

Your face grew hot as you threw your body against your bed. With your head cooling down and lying against the comforter, you turned to stare at the side of your desk. The fluffy scent of softener filled the room as you melted into the plushness. Another sigh escaped your lips as you stood back up. It was already dark outside, your throat was parched and there was nothing in your refrigerator. Why hadn’t you just remembered to go to the store before coming back home?

You scolded yourself mentally as you declared a short shopping expedition. All you were going to get was a 6-pack of water, maybe a midnight snack, popcorn was always your favorite, and come back home. Plus, where even was your cup? You swear you had it this morning. 

You shake your head, overwhelmed by too many problems at once. There was a lot of job searching to be done when you came back, so you didn’t want to waste any time. 

Namjoon closed the book shut, placing it back on the coffee table. When he stood up, Rapmon perked up, a soft swish of his tail knocking into Namjoon’s ankle in a repetitive rhythm. When he walked over to the kitchen cabinets, Rapmon followed behind him, almost as if wondering if it was dinner time yet. But Namjoon just opened each cabinet one by one, scanning the shelves. 

“Nothing, huh…” He murmured. 

Namjoon suddenly chuckled. You always lost your things, but Namjoon always brought them back for you. His favorite parts were reading about how you found something you were looking for, blaming yourself for how forgetful you were. Although, he wished that you somewhat thanked him for helping you those months ago. 

Namjoon walked over to his room, placing the book into a locked cabinet and sealing it with a key. 

He glanced at his watch, grabbing his coat from the closet and slipping both arms through. When Rapmon tried following him out the door, Namjoon chuckled, petting his head. 

“You can’t follow me, silly. Don’t worry, I’ll be back really soon.” 

Then, Namjoon left his building complex, glancing at his phone and following the directions to a nearby coffee shop. He hid his hands into his pockets to keep them warm, humming to himself as he turned the corner. 

When he finally arrived, a bell on the door signaled his arrival as he slipped through. The inside of the shop was warm, the heaters and the roast of coffee adding to the comfy atmosphere. After he got his drink, he took a seat in your spot, remembering the first time he had met you. 

You had no idea of his existence, but it didn’t matter. 

He spotted you so easily like he always did, somewhat irritated this time as he watched you talk with Jungkook like you were having the time of your life. Namjoon brushed it off though. Afterall, he read how much you liked people who were mature, and if there was something Namjoon was confident in, it was his ability to learn. 

Just as you were about to turn around, he had walked forward, ultimately leading to the two of you colliding into one another. Your drink tipped over, spilling slightly over his jacket. As you realized what had happened, you began to apologize profusely, only for Namjoon to charm you and give you his number. 

He’s still proud of that today. The two of you got together a while after that and he stole you away from everyone else. Even if the news flashed of a missing person, Namjoon knows not to delude himself with the “horrors” of the event. You were perfectly safe with him. 

»»————-　✼　————-««

December 1st, 2020

You did it. You made it. 

Everything you could ever want, you had it. 

You scribbled hastily into your journal as Namjoon went out for his weekly stroll. He didn’t know of the existence of this one, but he knew of the others. You knew that he had read them, that he had sneaked his way through your cheap apartment doors and took one, returning it in the morning.

And so, you fed him lies. You never actually held a conversation with the barista in your life, the exception being the day you saw him. You remembered only writing it down because you knew how his feelings would flare when he read it. 

Namjoon didn't know everything about you… You knew everything about him.. You wrote of your type, your feelings, “secrets” that weren’t really true. 

You fed Namjoon so many lies through these journals because all you wanted was the perfect one. After realizing Namjoon was just like you, the excitement in your body almost exploded. 

When you first noticed how his figure followed you on Thursday nights, you started to properly keep your journals. And once one of your journals went missing, you wrote about how clumsy and silly you were once you found it again. 

All of it was a perfectly laid out trap. 

When you realized another went missing and showed up the next day, you barely even mentioned it in writing. Afterall, you were building up an image of how messy you were. Perhaps, Namjoon thought of you as a cute idiot. 

But it didn’t matter now because Namjoon finally became the perfect partner for you. And only you.

Maybe you were a little messed up in the head, but you weren’t that crazy, right? You weren’t hurting him and he too, wanted to be with you. So, why not tell him all the things you liked in a person? He didn’t have to change who he was, but he did it just for you.

If that wasn’t love, love didn’t exist. 

You wrote your final sentence, sealing the book shut and tucking it far back into the darkest corner of your bedroom’s closet. Boxes piled on top of it, and as you shut the door closed, you heard the front door open up. 

He was home. Home to you. 

“Namjoon~” You called, walking over and spotting a plastic bag hanging from his wrist. You peered over it, curiously. “What’s in there?” 

“Oh,” He starts, smiling mischievously. “Take a guess.” 

“No clue.” 

“Just guess,” He laughs, bending down to pat a happy Rapmon to the side. 

“Ice cream.” You state as a matter of factly.

“Popcorn.” He corrects, watching as your eyes lit up and sparkled. 

“Thanks, Joon!” 

You give him a hug as you take the bag with you into your small room, closing the door softly. A hum escapes your lips as you smile to yourself, feeling your face heat up. Perhaps one day Namjoon will discover your ploy, but you remind yourself, does it truly matter when you both feel the same way for each other? 

A grin forms on your lips at the thought of your ambiguous disappearance. You didn’t have to work a day of your life anymore. And a pleasing feeling falls over you as your eyes grow heavy and a small nap takes over. 

You played the game to win the game. 

[commander-orca]

SPOILERS COTW VOL 18, skip this post if you mind them (#2)

Next!!! I want to talk about Orca and Itia's talk. I expected some kind of scene like this, where both would try to talk it out and comfort the other but I didn't expect it to turn out so sweet. I loved Itia's little confession and I respect her for trying to remember and making her old memories coincide with the present ones although it must have been a unpleasant process. I think this little intervention was really needed because in this part of the story, Orca is at a low point and Itia sharing this little bit of information so that they both can relate to each other was considerate and tender. They already shared quite a few things like their social backgrounds and hatred towards the Empire but this experience being shared can bring them together even more and have them open up. It was heartwarming to see them also talk about what their trauma means to them and at what stage of processing it they are, especially as they mentionned, if they want to forget about it and if they are in capacity to do so. This is a small note but to me Orca really did look like his old self in this scene, with his eyes wide open, his frown unburrowed and an air of innocence on his face as though he didn't fear showing it all now. It's a nice development for him since it seems to be hinted at that he is on his way to become more and more vulnerable again.

[bridgyrose]

With the recent hound reveal, what if a different silver eyed Faunus went through something like that. A silver eyed chameleon Faunus perhaps?

Blake sighed as she walked through the Vacuo desert, wiping the sweat off her brow. “How much longer until we get to the settlement?” 

“Not long.” Ruby looked at the map, and then at the clans’ migration patterns. “Should be coming up fairly quick-” 

Blake had no time to warn Ruby about the grimm that was rushing them until it was too late. A large, lizard like grimm rushed to them, burrowing into the sand below them. Blake took a step back, watching as the sand started to move around the grimm. “...we need to get out of here.” 

Ruby nodded and started sprinting, watching the sand ripple next to her. Her eyes widened as she watched two large, bone like horns shoot out from the ground, nearly piercing her. She grabbed her scythe and used it to push herself off the ground for a moment. And then she saw it. The grimm reminded her of the Hound she fought in Atlas as she watched the lizard transform slightly, it’s tail growing longer and starting to look like a snake’s while wings like a manticore’s burst from it’s back, spewing black goop around the desert. 

The grimm looked up to the sky, spotting Ruby before speaking in a hoarse voice. “Take… the girl.” 

Ruby wasted no time, her eyes filling the desert with a silver light. She was not going to let another Hound rampage around. Then, she heard Blake scream. Once her vision cleared she looked up at the grimm, eyes wide in horror as she saw exactly what Blake was screaming at .

The grimm reeled itself back, black goop trying to bring it’s form back around a familiar face. The chameleon faunus stared back at Ruby the same way the “host” of the other Hound had. She reached out towards Ruby, the grimm portion moving forward. “Take… the girl. B-bring… Ruby…” 

Blake took a step back as she watched her friend move closer to Ruby. Ilia’s eyes seemed blinded, empty, muscle showing through gaps of skin as the grimm ichor seemed to corrode the girl’s body. Blake held Gambol Shroud out in front of her, her voice shaking. “I-Ilia! You have to stop this! This isnt you!” 

“I dont think she can hear you now!” Ruby rushed in to strike at the grimm narrowly missing as it rushed around to avoid her. “All we can do now is stop-” her words were cut off as she felt electricity shoot through her body, the grimm’s tail piercing her shoulder. 

Blake rushed forward swinging her weapon at the grimm. “Leave her alone!” 

It didnt take long for the grimm to fully reform its body, throwing Ruby up into the air and using a long tongue to pull the young huntress into it. 

Blake growled in anger and stabbed the grimm where it’s eye would be. “Ilia! Please! You have to stop this!” 

The grimm screeched in anger, a few deathstalkers starting to unburrow from the sand and ravagers filling the sky. It swung it’s head to the side, tossing Blake off like a ragdoll and slamming her into a rock before retreating into the sand and rushing off. 

Blake slowly got up, her aura breaking as she watched the grimm start to converge on her. All she could do was blame herself for the loss of two of her friends. 

[hadestownmodern]

Beach

this was written on July 19th as I sat on the beach. It is October 7th and I very much wish I were at the beach.

-A

“Melody, tell your daddy to come down here.” Eurydice coos to her daughter, hunched over as the eleven month old holds onto both of her index fingers, Eurydice steadying her as she toddles along the shore line. The little girl shrieks as the waves come and brush over her feet, pausing occasionally to fall into the sand with a giggle, pudgy fingers wrapping around the sea shells that liter the shore.

Melody pauses to look at her, before sitting into the sand, pulling Eurydice’s hands down with her. “Mama?” She smiles at her, grabbing towards her face with her little hand. “Dada?” She cocks her head, glancing up the beach towards Orpheus. The baby smiles, clapping her hands together as she looks at him. “Dada!”

“See, she wants you to come down.” Eurydice calls up to him, from where she kneels next to their daughter with the salty water grazing over their legs. She catches his eye, where he sits far from the water, tucked under an oversized beach umbrella safe from the beating heat of the sun.

“I’m okay!” Orpheus calls down, staying safely huddled away from the sun. He has a beach towel under him and one around his shoulders, careful not to let the sun beat onto his skin. “I’m just watching!” He sticks a foot out experimentally, retracting almost immediately. He had always burned easily, which was his excuse to stay in his little towel sanctuary.

“Orpheus, come down here.” She whines, making an enthused face at Melody when she holds a little shell up to her. “She’s having so much fun-”

“He’ll never come into the water.” Comes from behind Eurydice, where Persephone stands with some frozen drink in her hand. Despite her sunglasses and oversized sunhat, Melody recognizes her immediately, grabbing her hands towards the woman. Persephone reaches to take her hand before sipping at her drink. “He’s been scared of it since he was little. My fault, really.”

“What do you mean?” Eurydice raises an eyebrow, slipping the frozen cocktail from Presephone’s grasp to steal a sip. “What did you do to him? Where’s-”

“My daughter? Napping in the house. My husband? Ignoring my rules that this was a vacation and he couldn’t take work calls.” She mumbles, sinking down to sit in the sand beside Eurydice. “What did I do to Orpheus? He was just a kid, I didn’t know he’d be scared for the rest of his life.”

Persephone trades Eurydice, the drink for the baby, taking Melody into her arms and kissing all over her chubby cheeks, “We’ve had this house for almost twenty years, we bought it before we bought any of our real apartments. It was a nice escape, you know? Orpheus was probably four at the time-” She recalls, settling Melody between her legs as she splashes in the ocean. “Well, he couldn’t swim, so I wouldn’t really let him in the water. But we’d sit here, like you are with Melody, and he’d just play in some sand. Well, I looked away for a few seconds, and then he’s screaming because he found a crab and it was chasing him and it got his foot.”

She’s laughing, she shouldn’t be, but she laughs at the memory as she runs her fingers over Melody’s thick hair. “I felt so bad, but I couldn’t stop laughing at him, he had been trying to pick it up of course he angered it.”

“Seph! He was a kid!” Eurydice tries to defend, but leans back on her hands with a smirk on her face. “That still doesn’t explain why he won’t come into the sun”

“Oh, also my fault, I used to forget he needed sunscreen and he’d get so burned..” Persephone admits, leaning her head back to look towards the sky. “My mama never used it on me and so I just..forgot. And look at him. Then look at me. And look at Orpheus again. Imagine how red that fair skin of his turns. But to be fair, he always hated the sand, thats not my fault.”

“You’re the worst.” Eurydice teases, shaking her head as she hands Persephone her drink back. “So you brought him here every year, and he doesn’t even like it?”

“He plays with Junie at the pool. You get time alone with him. Take what you can get, Eurydice.” She teases, pushing on her hands and holding her hands out. “Here, I’ll take Miss Melody in for a nap, and you can go be your little hot mom self, and tease Orpheus.”

“Persephone!” Eurydice gasps, curling up into herself as her daughter is taken from her hands. “Thats not what i’m-”

“Okay sure, you wore that for your own enjoyment. Sure you did. I was twenty three once.” Persephone rolls her eyes, bouncing Melody on her hip. “Besides, i’ve been watching him stare at you for the past ten minutes, he looks like a teenage boy who’s never seen a woman before. And I would know, I was there when he was a teenager.”

“Seph..” Eurydice just shakes her head, pushing herself to her feet besides the other woman. “That’s so not funny.’

“I’m not trying to be funny, i’m just saying, you’re hot, enjoy being hot. Orpheus certainly enjoys it.” Seph puts her hat onto Melody’s head, making the infant giggle loudly. ‘Just don’t publicly make her any sisters, okay?” She teases, gently nudging Eurydice away. “I’ll bring her back out when she gets hungry, or when it’s time to leave for dinner. Whichever comes first…” Persephone reaches into the side of her coverup, pulling out a little set of keys on a chain. “Enjoy.”

“I hate you.” Eurydice mumbles, kissing Melody’s cheek before Persephone turns on her heel, carrying her daughter off and away from her. She toys with the key in her hand, not sure what exactly it is for until she catches a number on it. Oh.

Once Persephone is out of sight, Eurydice does make her way to the towel besides Orpheus.

“She told me about the crab. And the sunburn.” Eurydice settles besides Orpheus, laughing as he unburrows from his surroundings of blankets.

“It’s not my fault-” He starts to defend, unwrapping the towel around his shoulders and draping it around them both.

“I know it isn’t, besides. She took Melody for a few hours..” Eurydice raises an eyebrow at him, cupping his cheek with her hand, the other coming to rest on his thigh. “And I was thinking…”

Orpheus’s cheeks flush red, eyes going wide. “Oh?” He squeaks, looking around at the beach around them. “Rydice there are people here!”

“Not in one of those little cabanas,” Eurydice teases, dangling the keys in front of his face before extending a hand. “What do you say?”

[stomp-of-the-angels]

So very close now. My Tliltocatl albopilosus is slowly but surely unburrowing itself finally. Soon it shall resurface and finally get some food. The opening is almost there.

[rhaenyratargeryn]

I have a hedgehog.

She is a rescue from a breeding mill and despite that is very friendly and loved being handled by the initial rescuers kids.

She is a bit grumpy right now because she has been woken up TWICE but I’m excited to share some photos later when she unburrows from her snuggle sack!