#alpha!seabs

[dixie12]

the discord was talking about concussed!omega!jonny and it gave me a lot of feels

the bond had felt off all day. seabs had gotten up early for morning skate, followed by film review and a meeting with his agent, so he hadn't seen jonny since the morning. when he left, jonny had been curled into a ball on the far side of the bed, so much further away than he usually was. it was unnerving, waking up alone when he usually woke up half-smothered by jonny, surrounded by the scent of him and the warm, open feeling of the bond between them. jonny's scent was muted now, though, and seabs could barely sense it from a few feet away. jonny's forehead was tight, his shoulders tense, even in sleep, and he wasn't getting anything through the bond other than wisps that were frustrating and fleeting, like a half-remembered dream that slid through his fingers when he tried to focus on it.

the CBA allowed, and even encouraged, mates to take time off to be with their partners when they were injured. no one wanted a player getting wrecked on the ice because his head wasn't in the game, so even if it wasn't altruism behind the rules, it was pretty well accepted. even geno malkin had missed time to be with sid when he was out.

seabs had tried it a few times, but jonny shut him down. his eyes shuttered, nothing but anger and distress seeping through the bond. when seabs pushed it, jonny got frantic.

"i'm already missing so much," jonny said, voice high and panicky. "i can't make you miss time, too, seabs. i won't do that to the team!"

no matter how hard seabs tried to convince him, he was met with resistance, and he eventually gave up. all he could do was kiss jonny's sweaty hair and leave him a glass of water on the nightstand, hope jonny would be feeling better when he got home in the afternoon.

the bond nudged uncomfortably at the back of his mind all day. seabs could barely listen to his agent, who wanted to go over some of the numbers from his new contract. he was starting to feel sick, a vague nausea settling in the pit of his stomach, and if he could feel that through the bond and miles away, it must have been brutal for jonny. he made his excuses to his agent and flagged down a cab, sending positive thoughts through the bond at jonny.

he opened the door to the condo, nervous about what he would find. nothing was out of place as he rushed through the living room, but the serene quiet was unsettling. jonny was always messy, and the fact that the room looked exactly like it did when seabs went to bed last night meant jonny hadn't ventured out of the bedroom all day.

he eased the bedroom door open, not wanting to disturb jonny if he were resting, but even in the dim light filtering in through the curtains, he could see that jonny was awake. he was sitting up in bed, propped against some pillows, taking slow and measured breaths. the closer seabs got, the worse jonny looked, sweat broken out on his brow, face pale under an unhealthy flush on cheeks.

"what's going on?" seabs asked, not raising his voice above a whisper. all of his instincts were telling him to go jonny, to wrap him up in his arms, kiss all the pain and distress out of his scent, but jonny was prickly about overt alpha behavior like that on a good day, and his concussion had ramped it up even higher. he hated to be seen as weak and vulnerable, so seabs waited as patiently as he could for jonny to let him know what he needed, what he'd accept from seabs.

"wanted to shower," jonny said quietly, not looking up. "got dizzy as soon 's i sat up, though," and even if seabs couldn't see and scent his misery, he could hear it in the slur in his words betraying just how awful jonny felt.

"i'm glad you didn't hurt yourself," seabs said gently. "i'm proud of you for listening to your body, even though i know you hate feeling like this." he could catch a small spike in jonny's scent reacting to the praise, and it was enough to encourage him to go a little further. "can i help you?" he asked, and jonny paused, then nodded slowly. "thank you, baby," seabs breathed out. he moved to the bed, ventured a kiss to jonny's brow. "stay put for just a minute, ok?"

"not like i can go anywhere," jonny replied, but he didn't sound mad, just resigned.

seabs went into the ensuite. he eyed the shower, but couldn't help focusing on the tile floor, the hard angles of the shower handle, the precarious glass of the door. all jonny had to do was step wrong and slip, and he'd be even more injured. instead, seabs walked over to the huge soaking tub. they almost never used it; jonny didn't like to be coddled, and they didn't usually have time for baths, anyway. this afternoon felt like a good time for it, though.

he started the water running, waited for it to reach the right temperature and then let the tub fill. he grabbed their body wash, shampoo and conditioner, put them within easy reach, and then got two huge, fluffy towels out of the closet. he didn't have any bath salts or scrubs, but with jonny's head the way it was, he didn't want to overload him with other scents, anyway. satisfied, he turned off the water and went to collect jonny.

jonny was right where he'd left him, body stiff as he sat up in bed. seabs got into his space, shouldering right up next to him. "put your arm around me," he said, and jonny looked at him.

"you better not be tryna carry me, seabrook," jonny said, scent like raised hackles on an angry cat. seabs bit back a smile.

"wouldn't dream of it, sweetheart," he said. "just want to help you a little, ok?"

jonny sighed but acquiesced, sliding one arm over seabs' shoulder. seabs got his other arm around jonny's waist, helped him slide out of bed. jonny wobbled, unsteady on his feet and leaning his weight into seabs. seabs just held him tighter at the waist. "got you, baby," he murmured, and he felt jonny slump into his side. when he wasn't concussed, jonny hated to show any signs of weakness, but now, with his defenses down, it looked like his hindbrain was willing to let his alpha take care of him.

they made their way slowly into the bathroom, jonny leaning most of his weight on seabs. he'd dropped muscle lately, unable to get to the gym, still throwing up most days, and seabs' alpha burned to see his omega looking underfed. he could feel the growl in his chest before he could do anything to stop it, but rather than get pissed, jonny broke into a soft smile, nuzzling even closer to seabs like he wanted to feel the growl and not just hear it.

seabs had expected jonny to protest the bath, to fight for his ability to stand up and shower himself, but apparently he was full of surprises this afternoon.

"yea," jonny said, looking at the bath and dropping a hand in to test the temperature. "this is probably a good idea, eh?"

seabs got jonny sitting on the edge of the bath, leaning up against the wall so he wasn't at risk of falling. he got them both out of their clothes with a minimum of fuss, neither of them hard or smelling particularly interested.

seabs eased himself into the water first, then took jonny's hand to help guide him in. he settled jonny in front of him, his own legs bracketing jonny's, boxing him in. jonny didn't bristle, didn't tense up, just leaned back, letting out a deep sigh that felt like it might be the first real breath he'd taken in days. seabs could see his eyes flutter shut, and he felt himself relax, too.

he didn't want to break the spell yet, so he laid back further, tucking jonny to his chest so jonny could hear his heart. jonny's scent was rising into something soft and content, so different from what seabs was used to lately that he couldn't help but curl down to jonny's neck, scenting him further. jonny giggled at the feeling of seabs scenting him, a noise seabs had almost never heard from him. seabs did it again, and jonny turned his neck, presenting his scent gland to seabs for easier access.

the scent soothed something in seabs, settled his alpha instincts that had been on edge. jonny was here with him, safe in his arms, scent with nothing but pleasure in it, and it was because of seabs. he'd done this, made his omega happy when he'd been hurting, and he could tell his own scent was rising in return.

"mmm," jonny groaned, shifting back against him more. seabs could tell he still wasn't hard, but seabs' own cock was twitching; it had been so long since he'd felt like was taking care of jonny, and it felt good to finally be doing his job.

he didn't want jonny to think he'd just done this to get laid, though, so he shifted back as subtly as he could.

"gonna wash your hair, babe," he said, voice going a shade deep, and he watched jonny shiver in response, felt him slump back further.

seabs poured a few handfuls of water through jonny's hair, longer than usual these days, to get it ready. the longer hair made him look young, vulnerable, and seabs vowed again to keep taking care of him.

once jonny's hair was wet, he started massaging the shampoo through it. he was gentle, mindful of jonny's concussion and his frequent migraines, but jonny didn't seem to mind. he was boneless against seabs, eyes fluttering as seabs massaged his scalp. he couldn't help but let his hands drop lower, massaging jonny's neck, as well, and he was rewarding by another low moan. his cock jerked again, reminding him how long it had been since he got off, but he tried to ignore it, refocusing on jonny.

he rinsed the shampoo out, then went through the same process with the conditioner. jonny was half asleep by the time he was done, and when seabs looked down, he could see jonny was half-hard, as well. he wasn't sure jonny was even aware of it; his scent was still radiating contentment and safety, but nothing of arousal. some sort of unconscious response, then, seabs figured.

"just have to rinse you off now, baby," seabs whispered in jonny's ear, taking another opportunity to scent him.

"yes, alpha," jonny said dreamily, and fuck, seabs shouldn't be finding this so hot. it wasn't that he was turned on or happy that jonny was injured, he knew that. it was just that jonny was usually so adamant against showing any traditional omega behavior, seeing it as weakness. now, all his walls knocked down by the concussion, he wasn't fighting it.

seabs was determined not to take advantage, though. he finished rinsing jonny, and then got them out of the bath, draining the water. jonny stayed leaning up against his chest, rubbing against seabs, scent marking him in a way he usually didn't. seabs loved it, loved jonny claiming him as his own, and the deep rumble started in his chest again. jonny's nuzzles turned into kisses against his chest, and seabs froze.

"thank you, seabs," jonny whispered. "for taking care of me."

"of course, jonny," seabs said, getting one hand on jonny's neck to keep him close, one hand under his chin, tilting it up to drop a kiss on his lips. jonny colored up beautifully, a pink tinge across his cheeks that looked so much healthier than the scene seabs had walked in on just an hour before. "let's get you dry and back to bed, yeah?"

jonny nodded, letting seabs pat him down with the soft spa towels they both loved. jonny stayed half hard, getting harder when seabs was drying off his abs and cock, but didn't make a move to take things any further.

"dizzy," jonny said when seabs was done. "think you should carry me back to bed." he looked pleasantly exhausted, seabs thought, eyes half-lidded, head almost lolling on his neck, and seabs smiled.

"anything you want, baby," he said, lifting jonny slowly into his arms. jonny fit there perfectly, and seabs wanted to carry him everywhere. he'd start with the bedroom, though, angling them safely through the doorway and settling jonny back in against his pillows. seabs got into bed behind him, pulling jonny close to his chest, letting his hand roam over jonny's chest. jonny shifted against him, scent as sweet as seabs had ever experienced from him.

"alpha," jonny murmured once more, and then, within a minute, was asleep, body going lax and heavy in seabs' arms. seabs took a few minutes to enjoy the feeling of his omega in his arms before falling asleep himself, pulling jonny even closer as he did.

[distressednoise]

I am not usually a particularly omegaverse person (I like it well enough but have never written it) but I woke up this morning with absolute brain worms over a scenario i can only describe as “jonathan toews: log cabin omega” or possibly “jonathan toews is the most pick me omega of all time”

If you were to ask jonathan toews at 17, he’d say actually there isn't a problem with the league's attitude toward omegas and it isn't harder to play on suppressants and you can be the first omega captain of an NHL team by 25 as per your elaborate personal vision board. He’s given many interviews on the subject, both to teams - even the Habs’ coaching team, who tried the stupid pheromone rag trick at the combine - and to matchmakers, who are helping him find someone suitable to settle down with. 

Sure, suitable means older and dull and often slightly leery, but being part of a stable bond with someone who can take care of his dynamic needs will make him more appealing to the league, and jonny is going to be on suppressants while he plays anyway, and by the time he retires, surely he and whoever the agency find will have come to some kind of arrangement.

TJ may say that sounds like a lifetime of drudgery and loneliness, but TJ doesn’t even have a vision board, so.

Everything will be fine. 

Except when jonathan toews is 18, he goes to the draft and accidentally bonds with one of chicago’s defencemen the night before he’s supposed to go to pittsburgh, and it suddenly becomes apparent that the veil of acceptance is very, very thin. 

Jonny was so perfect for so long and his one moment of madness - his one last fling before he was going to drop out of college and get his bond of convenience - and he’s fucking flash bonded, and when he tries to leave the draft without seabs, whose full name he now realises he doesn’t know, he has a shameful panicky meltdown and his alpha - oh jesus, what the fuck - has to be fetched to help him. 

“This is exactly why we don’t have your sort in the league,“ say a lot of people who were previously very keen to draft jonny, who is sent back to college in disgrace. It’s awful now - he was in a pretty good position before, allowed to do what he wanted, but now he’s been relegated to the omega-only dorm and has a curfew of all things. The pastoral team tell him isolation should make the bond fade faster while the athletic department clearly feel he just needs a good dicking down from literally anyone. Meanwhile seabs is sending him these soppy emails about bringing him to chicago and having him play there, how much he misses jonny, how they’re trying to close the bond off at his end and it’s not working, but seabs seems happy about this. like this bullshit is something he wants. 

after a semester of misery he goes to a bond clinic to try and help things along. It doesn't work, partly because his brother sneaks him a phone and he spends all his time texting seabs. Seabs has a picture of himself standing next to the stanley cup as a boy, and he has slotted jonny's picture next to it. He sends a picture of this craft project to jonny with the caption "boom. Board complete." jonny stares at it until the clinic staff find his phone and take it away, at which point he thinks fuck it, and skips out during David’s next visit, planning on showing up in chicago and demanding they give him staal’s spot and seabs and everything else he wants, because fuck them he hasn’t changed, and they’d have taken him if they could and they know it. 

...something something they live happily ever after, there is a scene where secret omega patrice bergeron tries to teach jonny the subtle art of lying well, seabs is besotted and simply thinks jonny should be handed everything he wants immediately, how dare you say he “lacks impulse control” and “isn’t leadership material”, seabs would have punched out that guy and judy’s tavern too (”stop bringing that up,” jonny grits out for the fifth time)

[nebulein]

omg your collar snippet was SO GOOD!!! i am desperate to know more! had jonny ever tried to wear a collar before pat? i'm guessing he hasn't explained all of the internal angst to pat, so for pat it's just a little quirk of jonny's, and he doesn't really mind? but for jonny it's this huge foundational thing that is crushing him in self-doubt and loathing 😭😭😭

when pat realizes what this means to jonny will he:

a) come hell or high water find a collar or collar substitute that jonny can wear

or

b) make it his personal mission to disabuse jonny of the notion that there could ever be anything wrong with him and show him how little the collar matters to him

or both!

Aw, thank you so much 😊

I don't think Jonny tried wearing a collar before Pat, or he wouldn't have been so surprised at his own violent reaction to it. Then again a lot of his reaction is colored by what he went through his rookie years, constantly feeling nauseous and his body essentially giving out on him in the playoffs (I get very emotional when I remember that it's canon 🥲). So I think at most he's tried one on maybe when he was young, like in his teens, just to see what it was like, horsing around with friends, and it was fine. It didn't mean anything. But with Pat, whoo boy, hell yeah it means something.

Jonny's also someone who doesn't share when he's feeling crappy (the bigger the thing the less words he'll lose about it), so I think Pat doesn't realize the extent of what's wrong until he really makes Jonny sit down and talk to him about it.

We've discussed a couple of the collar alternatives in the the other posts, so let's say in this verse Pat tries to offer some suggestions for alternatives but they all get rejected by Jonny. If he can't wear a collar, he doesn't want a substitute bracelet. It's not the same thing, Pat, and Jonny's not in the habit for settling for second best. If he can't have a collar, he'll tough it out without one.

Which means of course that Pat will have to make it his personal mission to get it into Jonny's thick (omg so thick 😂) skull that he loves Jonny no matter what and ffs Jonny is not 'failing at being an omega' (that's admittedly the tougher one of the two). I think that'll probably take a lot of reassurances, both verbal and physical, not just from Pat but also from Seabs and Sharpy and Jonny's family, maybe even some therapy on Jonny's side, working through those issues on the road to accepting himself.

And it's not always gonna be smooth sailing. There's gonna be the patches where Jonny's hung up on something like wearing a tie for a photoshoot and Pat's like "not this again", where they snap at each other over the kitchen counter and go to bed angry, their patience with each other thoroughly exhausted. There's gonna be setbacks, even years down the road, like Jonny seeing Dylan collar his girlfriend and leaving the ceremony because he suddenly needs some fresh air. But eventually Jonny's bare collar stops being a story and he's still the captain of the Hawks and Pat's his alpha, no matter what anyone else says. And you know what? I think they'll be okay.

Also, as a friend of mine pointed out: have they considered perhaps wedding rings instead

Which LMAO d'uhhhhh yeah okay maybe they'll just go that route, once it occurs to them. Maybe they, too, like me, need a friend to point it out first. Idiots (all of us) 😂

[ohblushes]

protective Jonny preview???🥺

(this isn't the protective jonny part, i just wanted to write it)

Jonny has Anakin Skywalker's legs wrapped around his waist. Fuck if he's ever going to get enough of this scent; he would happily spend the rest of his days here, taking in the faint thrum of warmth in the back of his mind that grows stronger ever day.

Anakin groans, and then he says, "I'm messing up your costume."

"Huh?" 

"I'm messing up your costume, man," Patrick says.

"Don't call me 'man' when we're making out," Jonny says, but it's muffled by the column of Patrick's throat. He lays a soft kiss at the corner of Patrick's jaw, and Patrick melts again. He resettles his arms over Jonny's shoulders and tips his head in request; and Jonny gives him what he wants, kisses him long and deep, reminds him all over again that he doesn't have to pretend, he doesn't have to put on a front, he doesn't have to act like Jonny doesn't matters as much to him as he does. It works. That frisson in Jonny's mind that means Patrick melts open, too.

"Do we have to go?" Patrick mumbles. He tilts his head back to give Jonny better access to his throat.

"Mmf," Jonny says.

"I guess I was the one who said we should," Patrick concludes. Jonny bites down, and Patrick's skull thunks against the wall. Jonny pauses, but Patrick doesn't seem hurt, so he hefts Patrick up, gets his arm under Patrick's ass, and starts trying to figure out how to undo Patrick's weird Jedi top… thing. There's a robe around here somewhere, but Jonny had managed to strip that layer off before Patrick climbed him.

Jonny is reluctantly willing to admit that he wants to go to Duncs' Halloween party, too. Duncs had promised it would be a kid-friendly party, and, more reassuringly, Seabs had promised it would be a kid-friendly party. They weren't planning on staying long, since Jack had a strict bedtime and Patrick and Jonny were usually passed out by eight-thirty, but the adults of the family hadn't been anywhere that wasn't home, a hotel, or a hockey arena in what felt like years.

Jonny couldn't exactly complain, though. Home and the UC were his favorite places to be, in that order; he was less fond of hotels, but they did offer one advantage, which was the freedom to fuck Patrick up against a wall without having to worry that Jack might wake up and need attention.

Which is, of course, what happens. There's a sound from the baby monitor, and they both freeze; it doesn't resolve into crying, but the burbles definitely mean that Jack is awake, and the clicking of dog nails on hardwood means Bunny's sitting by the crip to watch over him. Jonny lets Patrick slide down his front and settles him back on his own feet. His head falls forward until his forehead thumps on Jonny's sternum, and Jonny reaches up and cups the back of his neck. After a moment, he twists his head and pulls back, and Jonny catches the corner of a dimple and a wry smile. Patrick's frustrated that their time's being interrupted, impatient to get through the evening and steal some time for themselves, amused at his own excitement to get out of the house, and-- despite the frustration--elated that the interruption comes in the form of their baby. Jonny gets it; Patrick doesn't have to say anything.

"Should we go wrestle him into his costume?" Jonny asks.

Patrick straightens Jonny's white crop top and pats his bare abs. "Yeah," he says. "C'mon, let's go see if Luke Skywalker needs a diaper change." 

-

(this is the protective jonny part!)

Jack's reaction to Halloween is hilarious. He'd gotten scared of Jonny's wig, so they'd left that at home, but he loves Patrick's plastic lightsaber, and seems fascinated with the texture of Patrick's Jedi robe. He isn't sure of what to make of everyone else's costumes, but his wide-eyed staring keeps giving way to laughter, which is Patrick's favorite sound in the entire world.

The other hilarious part of the evening is that people keep making Star Wars jokes, and most of them fly right over Jonny's head. Patrick had wanted to go as Anakin, and Jonny had wanted a couples' costume, which meant he was now wandering around in a skintight white costume with a bare midriff. He doesn't actually need the bare midriff, but Patrick had felt pretty okay about not telling him that. Jonny's not self-conscious about any part of his body - in fact, Patrick's pretty sure the only reason that he wears underwear around the house is that they now have a kid - and Patrick is perfectly willing to take advantage of it.

They trade off holding Jack and eating, although Jonny takes point in fending off people who ask to hold him. The team and their spouses all know that Jack, although a friendly baby, doesn't want to be held by anyone but his parents, but there are a lot of people here that Patrick doesn't know - probably a lot of people that Duncs doesn't know, either. Jack does look pretty adorable in his Luke costume, though. Patrick's baby is the best baby, and also the cutest baby, and Patrick appreciates that people recognize that.

He spots Sharpy and Abby through the crowd; Abby waves, and Patrick lifts Jack out of Jonny's arms and gives him a pat on the back, doesn't bother interrupting Jonny's conversation with Saader to say 'Going to talk to Sharpy, come find me when you're done,' because he doesn't have to. Their bond is still fragile and not nearly what it will be, but Jonny still picks up on the sense of what Patrick means without Patrick having to speak. 

It's pretty cramped in here. Patrick's almost glad they're heading out in another fifteen or twenty minutes. Two years ago he'd just be getting geared up, but now walking out the door is enough to exhaust him. Babies need so much crap.

Jack spots Sharpy, too, and his sweet scent turns excited. "You have the worst taste in people, kiddo," Patrick tells him, and he twists around to babble happily up at Patrick; and that's when someone slams into Patrick's shoulder.

It's not a big deal. The guy's tall and thickly built, an alpha in his prime, but Patrick's hard to knock off his feet, and people bump into each other in crowds. The problem is what the guy says next. It's rude. It's awful. It's nothing Patrick hasn't heard a hundred thousand times before, and it's nothing he wants said in earshot of his little omega boy.

No - the real problem is that Patrick can control his reaction, but not well enough to hide it from Jack, whose scent immediately goes flat, and not well enough to stop himself from tugging on Jonny's attention through the bond. He curves an arm around Jack instinctively but refuses to give ground. He doesn't need to; what rolls through the room freezes everyone in their tracks.

"Back away," Jonny says.

The other alpha's face contorts. "Make me, fuckoff."

"You don't want to go there," Jonny says. He's calm; he's almost cold. Patrick only rarely sees this side of him. Jonny's temper runs hot, and for all the gravitational pull of his presence, he doesn't come across as threatening. He doesn't usually come across as threatening; but he is absolutely capable of it.

"Back away," Jonny says again, and Patrick wonders if anyone else can tell how close Jonny is to losing his self-control entirely, he wonders if Jonny's going to have to demonstrate exactly how hard and how fast he can put down anyone who comes after Patrick.

It doesn't come to that; a split second later, the guy yields, looks down and takes a step back, and Jonny releases the grip he has on the room. The air rushes back in. Duncs materializes and manhandles the alpha out the front door, and Patrick presses a kiss to the top of Jack's head and then picks up his course over to the Sharps. He doesn't have to look to see if Jonny's following; he can feel Jonny behind him the whole way.

His sense of Jonny stays restless. That's not even the right word. Alert, maybe? Ready. Anticipatory. Patrick's still learning what it's like to knock around in an alpha's head, but the instinctive protectiveness doesn't surprise him - never did surprise him, although how fixated that instinct is on Patrick himself had caught him off guard. Later, when they're on their way out to the car, he bumps his shoulder gently against Jonny's bicep. Jonny looks down at him, and Patrick says, "Hey. You okay?"

Jonny's brow furrows. "Yeah?" he says.

"You just seem kind of geared up," Patrick explains, and Jonny's face clears.

"I am," he says. "Can't help it. He pissed me off."

They pause to buckle a sleepy Jack into his carseat, and then Patrick says, "It was kind of hot."

"Was it?" Jonny says, even though he absolutely knows that yes, it was hot, and yes, it did turn Patrick on.

"Jack's going to sleep like the dead after that much stimulation," Patrick says. "Still want to nail me up against the wall?"

Jonny grins. "Baby," he says, "we could even use the bed."

[primrose-fr]

Wildlife of the Scarred Wastes

Hey I put together a list of all wildlife found in Plague, for writing purposes. Because it's pretty unique from the rest of Sornieth. Thus can be a bit difficult to write for.  It's also interesting to note that most of the creatures can be found in other locations too, I picture the varieties found in plague to be more...plague-y. I hope this is at least a good jumping off point for you writers/worldbuilders!

Includes little personal notes here and there about possible uses, ecology and real-life equivalents, and interesting notes from the items bio too.

Everything under the cut. Long post ahead

Meat:

Panther Anole (Small, fool hardy, easy prey for hatchlings) Plague Bat (Bat that carries plagues?? Probably a small snack for adults and a meal for hatchlings) Satin Mouse (Magically charged mice, might have been introduced from Arcane) Java Sparrow (Small songbird, Nutritious) Shrew (Small and mole like, cannot be tamed) Marsh Rabbit (Oily water repellent fur, probably like a softer beaver pelt. Decent meal. Probably farmed for fur) Dappled Clucker (Chickens whose females brutally fight over males. Probably farmed for meat) Steppes Box Turtle (known for it's shell pattern) Musk Scrapper (Like a brown skunk, stinks but apparently the meat is incredible.) Flecked Bushrunner (Type of quail. males race each other to impress females. Proabably a common type of wild game) Wood Duck (Probably a common type of wild game) Silver-Laced Rooster (There was a play about a rooster trying to woo a dragon. Ended poorly.) Arroyo Toad (Most dragons are immune to it's toxin but Mirrors are allergic to it.) Plantain Poacher (Type of squirrel monkey. Common pest that raids produce stores.) Bush Rat Wallaby (Probably a decent sized meal) False Podid (Decent meal, cousin to common podid, tastes best when roasted in the shell) White-Eared Hummingbird Coral Snake (VENOMOUS. Rear-fanged. But edible to dragons if eaten carefully. Snakes store their venom in the head area. Body meat is generally fine.) White Squirrel (Cannot jump, probably easy prey. Most likely is native to Ice) Tokay Gecko (DEADLY. Covered in a potent poison from head to toe. (Note: real tokay geckos are not poisonous, just massive bitey assholes)) Bleeding Heart Crow (Only Males have the "Bleeding Heart" coloration) Ferret (a treat for most dragons, might also be kept as pets and for hunting small game) Sugarglider (Common pest in sugarmelon crops. might also be kept as pets.) Bar-Headed Goose (Might be farmed for meat/feathers) Hellbender (Massive salamander (one of the largest species on earth!)) Emerald Striker (VENOMOUS. Emeralds contain the toxin) Silver Raccoon (Known to steal and hoard silver.) Green Iguana (apparently very friendly and probably common pets (Important Note: Real green iguanas are NOT friendly and want nothing more than to whip you to shreds. Make terrible pets!)) Bog Canary (Song is apparently horrible, but plumage is pretty, might be kept as pets (Note: the art depicts a budgerigar not a canary)) Golden Reefprince (Regal and golden, best served to someone you're trying to impress. Probably farmed and marketed in the same vein as Valentine Roses) Black Swan (Probably farmed for Meat/Feathers) Green-throated Skink (More confident then it's cousin, probably more common to see skittering around in daylight) Dustrat (Seen as vermin, a sign to clean your lair) Banded Dart Frog (POISONOUS. However NOT deadly. Instead it's hallucinagenic. Probably farmed as an legal and/or illegal narcotic. Probably a big market for them.) Collared Lemming (Probably has a local superstition about it staring into your soul and knowing all your secrets) Webwing Alpha ( might be farmed for meat or plumage. Or kept as familiars) Yellow-Throated Sparrowmouse (kept as Familiars. Plumage might be used in crafts) Basilisk (Direct eye contact can turn dragons to stone. Probably Hunted as Big/trophy game. Also Kept as familiars) Clown Charger (Skin is poisonous. Might be hunted as Trophy Game but not eaten. Also Kept as familiars) Parasitic Fungus (Has mind controlling fungus, however fungus rarely takes. Also Kept as familiars) Fungalhoof Qiriq (Leaves a trail of fungus where ever it goes, easy to track dangerous to hunt. Might be hunted as big/Trophy game or as possible rites of passage . Also Kept as familiars) Roving Lionsnake (Large dangerous ambush predators that stalk long grasses. Might be hunter for trophy game or possible rights of passage. Also kept as familiars) Murkbottom Gull (Common seabirds, most likely a common sight at waterways. Also kept as familiars) Giant White Toridae (Large! Has Myths and urban legends surrounding it. Probably hunted as Trophy game or even rites of passage. Also Kept as familiars.) Ultramel Amphithere (Amphithere displaying the "Ultramel" color morph. Probably popular pets. Also kept as familiars) Auburn Woolly Walrus (Hostile due to chronic pain. Probably Farmed for meat and fur while also being hunted as big/trophy game. Also kept as familiars.) Hooded Dodo (Completely blind despite three sets of eyes. Probably farmed for meat and feather. Also kept as familiars) Infestation Hound (Wild ones are ambush predators, baiting and eating scavengers. Probably Domesticated by plague clans and bred then raised as hunting partners and companions. Kept as familiars) Heartred Croaker (Meat is uniquely brown and green in coloration. Kept as familiars) Mossy Cerdae (Healing magic-less Unicorns. Population is rising exponentially. Probably hunted for meat/fur/horns. Kept as familiars) Hippojay (Might be farmed for meat or hunted as big/trophy game. Or kept as familiars) Bluetail Skira (Blue algea clings to their tail fur causing the blue coloration. Might be farmed for meat or hunted like big game. Or kept as familiars) Paddyfowl (Common predator to smaller amphibians, might be farmed for meat or plumage. Or kept as familiars) Moordwelling Trunker (Displays are a lot like jousting. Probably farmed for meat. Or kept as familiars) Glowing Pocket Mouse ( A light snack. Or kept as familiars) Grey River Flight ( Probably farmed for meat and water resistant hide. Or kept as familiars) Brown River Flight ( Probably farmed for meat and water resistant hide. Or kept as familiars) Bearded Pupowl (Actually a vertebrate! Amphibian and probably distantly related to salamanders. Kept as familiars)

Aquatic Life:

Crawdads Wetland Vampire (Leech) Glass Minnows (maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Mussels Clown Shrimp Warmouth (A mid sized bass/perch-like fish, probably decent eating) Wave Skippers (Flying fish?) Sea Hare (Sea slugs) Sunset Sea Dragon Dumpling Squid (bio implies they’re eaten and dipped in sauce.) True Rainbow Trout Green Corydoras Catfish (tiny bottom dwelling catfish, maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Golden Cushionfish (Pufferfish) Seabed Pincher (Hermit crab) Blackwater Jester (Appears to be a cardinal fish of some sort) SeaHeart (Some kinda urchin) Aether Hermit Black Maiden (type of Black Guppy, possibly poisonous? maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Ruby Tetras (possibly a red version of the blackskirt tetra, maybe kept in dragon aquaria?) Blue Ring Octopus (DEADLY. Venom can straight up kill smaller dragons. Considered an accomplishment to catch and eat properly. Probably equivalent to Fugu.) Striped biter (Similar to a cat shark in appearance. Apparently very common.) Devilsnap (Apparently an oyster that bites back) Blue Dragon Seaslug Cobra Snakehead (mid-sized carnivorous fish) Nebula Floaters (Jellyfish of some sort, very sweet may cause tooth decay) Pond Slip (Come from dirty water, VERY important to clean) Cinnamon Loach (Popular gift among the seafood eating dragons, may also be kept in dragon aquaria?) Deviant Darter (Covered in pustules, looks plague-y) Giant Isopod Billy Bass (Breaks into song when taken out of the water, mid-sized fish probably decent eating) Discus (Popular, beautiful, and challenging to care for in irl aquaria. Possibly kept as decorative fish for the upper class in dragon aquaria) Four-Eyed Butterflyfish Pincushion Urchin Gaseous Megashrimp (Big, kept as familiars. this is speculation but depending on the size it may also be used as a seafood alternative to whole roasts like pig) Skittering Megashrimp (See above) Longjaw Lurefish (Based on the jawfish, probably much bigger. preys on birds) Glow Star (glowing starfish. Glow fades when it leaves the water. Might make good underwater decoration) Wave Sweeper (Patrols shallow waterway. Probably hunted for meat or ignored, Kept as familiars) Plantation Pincher (Considered a rampant pest on farmland.)

Insect Life:

Fungus Cutter (Large fungivore ants) Glade Swarmer (Builds large hives and defend it fiercely, disturbing it will end in either a feast or a healers visit) Crop Cutter (Pests that can devour entire fields. Plant eater hate them while others feast on them.) Maggot (common on the many festering corpses of the scarred wastes) Harlequin Ladybug (perform intricate aerial acrobatics, can be challenging for hatchlings to catch) Salt-Marsh Mosquito (Carry many diseases, numbers swell in summer) Tachinid Fly (Their carapace can be ground into tincture and tonics with restorative capabilities. Valuable. Probably farmed for medicinal purposes) Redwing Hopper (Spend most of their time gliding. low-flying dragons end up with face fulls of them.) Greenworm (Blends in well and challenging to find) Land Snail Rainbow Grasshopper (Taste terrible. seems to be a common prank to tell younger dragons that they taste like rainbows.) Tinder Bug (Tastes good if properly cooked, also effective tinder) Earwig Craftsman Brightback (Crafts intricate nests around spherical fruit, to which the fruit inside is eaten leaving behind the dried structure.) Redknee Tarantula Dusty Cicada (Collecting their shells and placing them in unexpected places around your den is considered a fun pastime) Millipede Wasteland Pauper (In an event known as the Blue Harvest vast numbers of this butterfly go migrating.) Stinglash (DEADLY. Aposematic. Skull pattern on it's head is a threat display. When stinger is removed however it's considered a delicacy) Shale Skitter (Pillbug relative. Completely flatten themselves when threatened) Parasitic Grub Red and Black Froghopper Fever Fly (Ingesting this fly is fine. being bitten by this fly leads to fevers and muscle spasms (dancing!)) Two-Tone June Beetle (Best served lightly toasted) Blackshield Cockroach (Fae use rocks to crack it's shell for eating.) Yellow Jumper (Deadly? Very tasty apparently) False Veneer Moth (Pattern on it's wings shines to distract predators) Yellowtail Caterpillar (Commonly eaten in piles with pepper sauce, cucumber, rice, and wrapped in seaweed) Orchid Beetle (Native to the Starwood Strand. gets its coloration from the plants it eats) Water Bug Catocala Moth (Cryptic patterning on wings) Giant Prickly Stick Insect (Has a hard time find mates due to effective camouflage) Autumn Pennant (Dragonfly. Scarce, only appears towards the end of autumn) Sugarbee (Feeds on sugarcane. Popular as sweet treats. might be treated like candy to insectivores) Firefly (Probably native to Fire. Has a crisp, crunchy texture with an extremely spicy flavor.) Dead Leaf Mantis (Feeds entirely on brain matter. (braaains)) Hydra Scorpion (It's said that cutting off it's tail grows two more in it's place. Probably large and treated like big/trophy game. Kept as familiars) Triple-Sight Firebug (Dragons closely bonded to this bug can use it's sight for short periods of time. Possibly used for rough reconnaissance. Kept as familiars) Tufted Leaf Beetle (Pests. A swarm of these beetles can devour a field overnight. Kept as familiars.) Tender Larail (Consumes all parts of a plant except seeds, which it carefully buries. Might be a Keystone species. Kept as familiars.) Spoiling Scorpio (Probably large and treated like big/trophy game. Kept as familiars)

Plant Life:

Highland Dryleaf (Hardy. Tastes awful. Plentiful) Marsh Choker (Named for it's choking pollen. probably grows in wetland areas.) Desert Scrub (Plentiful. Tastes like dirt) Diseased Fungus (Has a following that believe it tastes zestier than normal fungus. Probably cultivated or foraged for.) Carnaval Tulip (Pretty, often in bouquets. considered by plant eaters to be "edible arrangements" Probably cultivated for food and appearance) Crisp-leaf Amaranth (Seeds are edible and commonly eaten, while the leaves are eaten less commonly.) Wild Catsup (grows along cliff-sides in thin patches with bright red flowers. might also go well with wild mustard greens) Always-Autumn (Thistle. Blooms year-round with sun-dappled colors.) Canyon Ruffage (Staple for herbivorous animals and dragons alike, common in dry areas) Blood Acorn (Filled with nutrient rich nectar) Cinnamon (Probably cultivated for exportation in the spice trade) Chickweed (Used in herbal remedies to sooth itchy scales. Probably cultivated for medicinal purposes) Herbal Plantain (Leaves of this plant can be used as an effective anti-toxin. Probably cultivated for medicinal purposes) Peace Lily (Pretty and edible, it's petals are a favorite snack of peace doves. Probably cultivate for decoration and consumption.) Gryphon's Blood Sempervivum (Appears to be a type of succulent that grows in sandy red (clay rich?) earth near gryphon territory. does not actually use blood in cultivation.) Treasure Plant (Considered to bring good luck if kept in the lair. Possibly cultivated for decoration or as gifts.) Boxwood (Has a subtle flavor?) Winter's Delight (Sweet red berries that taste the best at the coldest point in winter, Most likely native to Ice) Bonebark Mold (Plentiful. grows on dead trees.) Ashfall Prickler (Nectar on the inside has a spicy flavor that oddly goes well with anything.) Honeycrisp Apple (Probably cultivated for food. Most likely food source to Craftsman Brightbacks) Turnip (Does not keep long and must be eaten immediately. Probably cultivated for food.) Wasteland Pear (Common. but finding an edible one is not.) Cindermint (crunchy texture with a  fiery kick. Often dried and crumbled up to help accent desserts or teas. Probably cultivated for this reason.) Butcher's Fig (Fruit has a crimson coloration, juice stains the mouth for days.) Leechroot Mushroom (Parasitic fungus native to the Scarred Wastes. Pests. Targets healthy plants.) Green Plantain (Has a tart flavor and can be stored in cool places for long periods of time. Probably cultivated and exported to other flights.) Daffodil (Can be boiled, mashed, and used in stews. Blooms are also pretty. Probably cultivated for these reasons.) Grassland Grain (Easy to spot and filling meals. Great for foraging on the road.) Water Lilies Crimson Jadevine (Extremely rare. ground up to make war-paint. Might be cultivated for this purpose and might also be treated as sacred.) Sour Strawberry (It's a strawberry, but sour) Wilting Rose (Its a rose, but wilting) Pompom Mums (Vibrant, cheerful petals. Very attention getting to pollinators. might be used to attract pollinators to fields. Also useful for decorative purposes) Sand Creeper (Type of ivy that spreads prolifically over sand. Might be a good crop for those in barren wastelands.) All Seeing Shroom (Disgusting looking, covered in veins and tumors. Unknown if edible but can be traded as currency in select venues.) Ancient Mushroom (Rumored to aid with a dragons growth) Over-ripe Cherries (Cherries that ripen then go bad at a break-neck pace. Probably not cultivated.) Melon Marzal (Behaves like a normal plant until it matures in which it will become more animalistic. Weird. Kept as familiars)

???:

River Muck (Goopy. probably common in or near waterways. Probably a pest/hazard) Poultrygeist (Ghost?? Probably some kind of urban legend. Kept as familiars) Undying Featherback (Undead and requires magic to kill permanently. Probably a serious threat to plague clans. Can be kept as familiar) White Rot Deer (An older wood ear deer, not hunted nor eaten. Cultivated by dryads for protection. Also Kept as familiars) Sanguine Multimist (Sentient mist?? Probably has urban legends surrounding it. Kept as familiars.) Creeping Tendril (Animal like?? Shy, only moves when no one is looking. Kept as Familiars) Blue Vein Pansy (??? Uproots and moves itself to more optimal locations when required.) Ancient Fungus (Has a cracked, stone hard outer shell. Kept as familiars)

[captainblacklobster2]

Timeline of the 41st Millennium: 966.M41

* Lysander leads the Imperial Fists to Malodrax and scours the Iron Warriors from the planet. 

* Wolf Lord Gunnar Red Moon takes battle to the Tau's hidden underwater cities on the Ocean World Kvariam Alpha, driving Land Raiders straight across the seabed. The Tau flee when the Wolves crack the domes of their cities. 

* During an attack on the Imperial city of Chalior, the Eldar Phantom Titan Heart of Eldanesh is destroyed by a Vortex Missile launched from the Grand Redoubt protecting the city.

[bts-fic-collection]

Any fics where hobi gets pregnant? Bit weird of an ask but I'm curious

Sure! It’s not weird, don’t worry :)

THERE WAS NO LIE by ainsyrhism

Rating: M

Pairings: Hoseok/Yoongi

Status: Incomplete

Word count: 57,680

Summary: There is no certain pull, it’s simply the smiley face at the end of the label ‘porn :D’ that catches his attention.

“Oh,” he mutters, eyes widening slightly at the sight of naked human pictures that litters the folder. “I thought humans hate being naked.”

He’s not embarrassed to see the naked humans (his own nakedness is his pride and glory!), simply curious at certain body parts that exist on them, differing to his own. Well, that’s obviously because he’s a merman, not a human.

Having never left his domain that’s located in the inky waters of the seabed, it’s only natural that Hoseok feels incomplete. “The outside world is dangerous,” the elders, his dads, and the Queen of the merpeople warn him, but Hoseok has never let that corrupt his desire, however reckless as that sounds. The young merman tries to contain it, at the very least.

Until one day, the thread snaps.

Thrown into an unknown world, Hoseok scrambles to find his way, getting farther and farther lost — until he met Min Yoongi, a foreign creature with two sticks instead of a tail.

Mate next Door by jjpgyeom

Rating: M

Pairings: Hoseok/Jimin

Status: Incomplete

Word count: 9,794

Summary: Jimin is the son of the Head Alpha of the pack and it will soon be his time to lead. What every Alpha needs is a mate, and that is only thing Jimin needs and he is ready to be the leader of the pack. He never thought he was going to find a mate, but that all changes when a new pack moves into the land on the other side of the river.

Playing With Fate by runkairun

Rating: E

Pairings: Hoseok/Taehyung

Status: Complete

Word count: 14,559

Summary: Hoseok had never imagined he would meet his soulbond, least of all on the eve of their wedding to his best friend.

No one else but you by mallzmallow

Rating: E

Pairings: Hoseok/Taehyung

Status: Complete

Word count: 6,104

Summary: Taehyung's been on edge the whole evening. His eyes never leave Hoseok, hoping to every star in the universe that they can just get home on time, but just as the event ends and they make their way off stage, Hoseok collapses into heat.

[mi6-cafe]

The fourth and FINAL week of writing for LDWS participants has come to a close. Now it’s time for the next (and last!) bit of the competition: reading and voting!  

Photo prompt: 

Word count: 300 

Voters–after you read, check out this form to vote for your top three drabbles! You can also leave anonymous feedback for the writers!

Who can vote? Anyone who’s read the drabbles! Yes, that includes YOU!  

Writers–you may also vote, but we do ask that you vote for three drabbles other than your own.  

The voting period ends at 11:59 PM EST on Sunday night. Results will be posted and anonymous feedback will be emailed on Monday.

Remember, readers–it’s up to YOU to decide who will wind up on top at the end of the competition!

Drabbles are under the read-more:

1) 

Title: Something Special Warnings: none Summary: Q gives James a part of himself.

Author: Melynen

There is nothing particularly special about the framed poster on Q’s bedroom wall. If anything, it could even be mistaken for one of the beautiful yet generic Greek views one can find on postcards from many of the islands that have any tourism. James knows this for a fact as he remembers seeing a strikingly similar view both in Santorini and Crete; and he has even sent Q a postcard of such a view the last time he was in Greece for a mission.

The card has found its spot on Q’s fridge door, held in place with a fridge magnet of a Greek cat illustration James brought him from the previous Greek mission.

James remembers paying any mind to the poster only after his sixth or so visit to Q’s bedroom. Before, there had been other, more interesting things - like the paleness of Q’s throat and the enticing way he gasps when James touches the inside of his knee just so - to focus on.

It's one of those nights when they’re cuddling under the duvet, nude and still slightly sticky with cooling sweat, with Q’s cheek resting against James’ chest and James’ fingers carding through Q’s hair, when James glances at the poster and hears Q sigh softly.

”It’s a photo my mother took when she was in Santorini with my father,” Q explains quietly. ”It’s where she realised she loved him, and where they returned a year later on their honeymoon, and again every year for their anniversary until she died.”

James looks at the poster again, takes in the cheery ambiance and the beautiful view, and makes up his mind. ”Can I take you there?” he asks against Q’s tangle of silky curls.

And when Q wordlessly nods his assent, James realises he’s been given something special.

2) 

Title: Almost Warnings: Canon-typical violence Summary:It was their first vacation together.

Author: Azure7539arts

It had been completely unexpected, although he supposed he should’ve been on his guard more. Should’ve been less distracted by the small quirk of a smile tugging on the lips of the man sitting across from him at the table.

The day had been bright and the blue sea shone a dazzling kind of bejeweled, all the lives and ships it had taken and swallowed up whole buried deep somewhere in the seabed and under the now calm, gentle waves.

He should’ve seen it coming, really.

He shouldn’t have been so absorbed in the brush of warm hand against his own knuckles, shouldn’t have let the cooling breeze lull him into false security as the scent of the sea and that of the vibrantly blooming flowers around them swaddled them up in its linen blanket.

It was almost perfect, the life of the city pulsing around them in that mid-morning energy as the sun tingled and kissed their skin from the edges of the umbrella. And now that he’d thought about it, looking at the way the feet next to him wiggled a little right at the rim of shadow separating their shade from the rest of the radiant, iridescent light outside as though it was a game of peek-a-boo, it had always been the little things that made him fall in love.

It was almost perfect, and it could’ve been exactly as perfect as it could have ever been when they leaned closer to press the bows of their lips together.

Until a distinct whizzing tore through the air just beyond his closed eyes and a thud of something fast hitting its target shattered this rosy lens into thousands of pieces.

The body next to him lurched, suddenly going heavy.

“Q?” Bond whispered, shivering.

But there was no reply.

3) 

Title: Gentlemanly Warnings: Omegaverse, y'all, but nothing too crazy Summary: The gang goes on vacation.

Author: Solitaryjane

Q watched Bond come toward him from the ocean. His chest glistened under the sun, and his pair of tight black swimtrunks somehow skirted the line of obscene and straight into sophistication. It contrasted sharply with other alphas, all eager to show off their bulges and purposefully dripping sweat onto any omegas that caught their eyes. A bunch of crass, disgusting idiots. Q had no patience for that lot.

“Don’t like the water?” Bond asked as he plopped himself onto the towel Q was currently sunbathing on. Q snorted. It was bloody nine in the morning; the water wouldn't be warm until noon.

“Some of us actually need to work to get a tan going,” Q replied.

“Wouldn't you just burn?”

“Ah, that’s where you come in.”  He sat up, handing Bond a bottle of sunscreen. The alpha said nothing as he poured the lotion onto his hands. He spread it onto Q’s back, kneading the muscles as he did so. Q could feel his warm breath on the side of his neck. He wanted Bond to come closer, to soak in the man’s spicy scent. But the salt of the ocean had washed off most of the alpha’s pheromones. It left Q’s head completely clear, something he secretly wished weren't so.

***

On the terrace above, Eve let out a loud sigh as she slumped on the table.

“For heaven’s sake, just fuck already,” she griped. “Watching them pretending to be civil is giving me a colossal migraine.”

“You know that’s not how Bond works,” Tanner answered beside her. “He has to make sure Q’s ‘in his right mind’ when he asks. Being a gentleman and all.”

“Bill, look over there and tell me,” she deadpanned. “Which part of that omega’s demeanor says he wants a gentleman to you?”

4) 

Title: Sun, Sea, and Spies Summary: Luxury holiday spots are all well and good until the weapons come out. Warnings: None.

Author: SolarMorrigan

Truly, this was lovely. The fresh, salt smell of the sea, the bright sunshine nearly tangible in the air, the cool breeze that wound its way through the little covered tables, the soothing hush of waves against the shore, Bond’s hand over Q’s where it rested on the tabletop, his thumb stroking soft circles into Q’s wrist.

Lovely, lovely, lovely.

It was so nice, Q could almost relax.

Almost.

“You know, I’d like to go on a real holiday someday.”

Bond sighed, just to the side of dramatic. “There’s no pleasing you, is there? I take you somewhere exotic, bring you to a nice resort, get you lunch…”

“Get me shot at.”

“Fairly certain I’d remember if there had been shooting.”

Q leaned in, murmuring into Bond’s ear like he was imparting some teasing secret. “The man at your eight o’ clock with a conspicuous bulge in his pocket suggests we’re about to be shot at.”

“Perhaps he’s just happy to see you,” Bond suggested, though he knew Q’s judgment was trustworthy.

Pulling back, Q cocked a desperately unimpressed eyebrow at Bond, but was ignored in favor of the new man approaching their table, hand resting not-quite-casually at his hip.

“Well,” Bond reached over with one hand to tilt Q’s head towards him, pressing a kiss to his cheek as he grasped under the table for his weapon with his other hand, “what’s a holiday without a little adventure?”

Q frowned. “I really do hate you sometimes,” he said, but Bond could see him squaring himself up for the fight ahead, ready to go through whatever was needed to complete their mission.

Bond smirked against Q’s cheek, fond and proud, his attention still on their potential assailants, but amused by his lover all the same. “I love you too, Q.”

5) 

Title: Mediterranean shot Warnings: None Rating: G

Author: Susspencer

Q sat under the white umbrellas staring at the sea. Between the smell of the fresh fruit and the salt air, all he could do was relax.  He sipped his morning tea.  He normally would have been watching the people but he was lost in the blues of the sky and sea.  It reminded him of James’ eyes.

007 peered through the scope of the rifle.  Carefully he searched for  his target.  The barrels of fresh oranges, the people crowded under the white umbrellas, and a young man at the back table filled his view as he scanned the area.  James stopped on Q.  He sighed as he watched as Q just sat there completely unaware of what was happening around him.  James pulled his head up for a moment and shook it. He couldn’t believe that they were at this point.

The waiter walked over to Q.  

“Can I get you anything else sir?”

“Yes, the sign says, fruit pots for take away?  I would like to get a pot for a friend.” Q ordered.

“Certainly, sir.  I’ll be right back.”

The waiter gathered the fruit pot and a gun.  James adjusted the scope with a sigh, as the waiter returned to the table, it was now or never.  007 knew he had to take this shot, but he dreaded it.  The waiter sat the fruit pot down. There was a single gunshot.  A man fell to the ground.  James grabbed his gun, policed his brass, and returned to his hotel room.  

James sat on the sofa, the door opened.  He looked up to see Q with the fruit pot.

“I brought you a gift. I suppose it is a thank you gift.  I wasn’t even aware of the threat.” Q stated, as he joined James on the couch.

6) 

Title: Lost and Found Warnings: none Summary: Sometimes it’s best to start over…

Author: Ato

He feels warm for the first time in a week.  

At least on the outside.

There’s something cathartic about walking away and starting over.  The dread that leads up to it is awful, the actual leaving is painful, but sitting on a warm veranda with no responsibilities for the first time in memory is actually a bit wonderful.  Even with the cost… so high this time.  Even with the flashing blue of the sea sparking memories of his eyes.

He’s on his third round of the local cocktail, tongue delightfully cool and throat wonderfully warm, when a familiar shadow stretches out beside his own.  

He’d know those ears anywhere.  Damn.

“Hello, 007,” he greets quietly.  “Here to pull a trigger?”

“Or not pull a trigger,” Bond answers, reminiscent of their first conversation.  “Took me a while to find you.” Bond seems impressed.  “Thought you hated flying... and the sun.”

Q shrugs.  “Part of the Q-persona.  Best to keep some things close to one’s chest,” he mutters, eyes on the Mediterranean.  

Bond grunts in understanding, then after a moment, asks, “Was accepting my dinner invitation part of the Q-persona?”

“No,” Q acknowledges, glancing at Bond.  “Missing that was the worst part of leaving.”

They both watch the calm blue of the sea, but Q senses the tumultuous potential between them.  

“Did you mean for it to happen?” Bond asks solemnly.

Three agents dead.  Q shudders.  “Of course not.”

James nods, taking a seat beside Q. “Whatever he’s having,” he orders when the waiter comes by.

After his first sip, Bond closes his eyes and leans back in the chair.

“When was the last time you had a vacation?”

Q huffs a laugh.  “No idea,” he admits.  

James waves the waiter over for another round.  “In that case, we're in no hurry.”

7) 

Title:  Peach Warnings: NSFW! Porn! Smut! Summary: As it turns out, the cheeky young barman had been holding out on him…

Author: Iambid

One week.

Seven long days filled with flirting and coy smiles from the sexy young barkeeper.

One-hundred and sixty-eight hours since he’d innocently asked him “what’ll it be?” with a sweet smile and James had started to close in like a shark tasting blood in the water.

“A peach.” He’d replied.

The barman, Q, had tried to tell James that they had no peaches, only oranges and lemons that he could squeeze the juice from and make a refreshing drink with, if James wished but James persisted.  He wanted a peach.  A week of teasing followed before Q finally took pity on James and dragged him into the small shed where they stored the fruit, allowing James to strip him of his gaudy tropical vest and toy with the button on his white linen shorts, his arms wrapped around him from behind.  Q whined as James kissed his shoulder and pushed them off his hips.  He was naked underneath.  His buttocks perfectly round and perfectly smooth and perfectly white against the tanned skin of his back.

“I bloody knew it. I need to get you onto a nudist beach.  Even you out.” James muttered, falling to his knees to squeeze the perfect globes.  He leaned forward in the small dark room, smelling citrus and Q’s sweat as he licked a stripe over the base of Q’s back.  The fruity aroma clung to Q’s skin and made him taste like Earl Grey tea.

“Please…”  Q moaned, reaching back to grab James’s hair and hold him steady as he ground his hips.  James set to, kissing and licking at him until he was relaxed enough to take James up to the hilt.  James looked down as he began to thrust, unable to take his eyes off Q’s perfect arse.

What a peach.

8) 

Title: Santorini Warnings: none Summary:  Greece is for lovers.

Author: Beaubete

The wine is sharp on his tongue, fizzy.  Q glances over the whitewashed wall at the sea's shocking blue.  It calls to him like a voice; perhaps he'll dip his toes in it later after the sun's white heat has faded.  For now he's content to sit slathered in SPF and watch the waves break on the shore.  

It's all very peaceful.  The restaurant's a dazzle of different voices, different languages, and while some threads of conversation drift through his ear, for the most part he is alone.  It's the best holiday he's ever had.

It hadn't started that way.  It started with explosions, with tears.  It started with James Bond walking into his office and out of his life, with a bottle of wine on his couch and with the realization that he'd amassed a frankly daunting amount of leave, primarily because he'd wanted always to be available for Bond.  The discovery had left him a burst balloon until he'd thrown together a hasty plan to get as far from England as he could.

There's nothing of home's deep shadows here.  Everything here is washed with light until it is the most brilliant versions of itself.  The wine is fruitier, the salt more savoury; distantly, he's aware that this is reactionary, that he may not feel this way later.  For now, he's content to bask like a lizard in the sun.

English is by far the least spoken language here, and he cannot help listening when he hears it; somewhere behind him, a couple are having a whispered disagreement.

"I can't.  You don't understand.  I was cruel."

"I understand that you're a fool."

"I understand that too.  I still can't."

Q's lip curls.  Then:

"Excuse me" and eyes as blue as the sea.

"Bond."  Q's tongue goes numb.

"Q."

9) 

Title: It's All Greek to Me Warning: None Summary: Bond scores a security detail with benefits.

GwyllionDream

“Dyo kafedes,” Bond said, deciding it was easier to request two coffees in mangled Greek than to try for Q’s customary Earl Grey.

He found a table for two at the rooftop café and waited for Q to join him.

For the past few months, Bond had obeyed M’s every directive so he could score the security detail at Q’s International Cyber-Security Conference in Athens. The side trip to Santorini had been Q’s idea.

It seemed that Q was full of surprises.

Bond smiled and tilted his head back to let the sun warm his face. The scent of the Mediterranean mixed with the aroma of citrus and sunscreen. Memories of the past night flooded his mind.

Q had let Bond drag him from the infinity pool by his board shorts.

“Too many clothes,” Bond muttered, pressing Q into the soft mattress.

He dipped his head to lick droplets of chlorinated water from Q’s navel while divesting him of his swimwear.

Q rose onto his knees, planting himself in Bond’s naked lap. He grabbed Bond’s shoulders and took what he demanded with the pleading clench of his arse.

Bond gripped Q’s hips and delivered, thrusting so energetically that Q’s knees burned from the friction of skidding across the duvet.

Shuddering and damp with his own spend, Q’s head lolled back as he voiced a satisfied purr.

Only then did Bond let himself go, breathing Q’s name….

“Q….”

“Good morning,” Q said. He turned to the waitress and asked, “Tha boroúsate na mou férete mia katsaróla nkrízou kómis, parakaló?”

She nodded and smiled.

“What did you tell her?” Bond whispered.

“Nothing naughty,” Q said with a wink. “I ordered a pot of Earl Grey.”

Bond grinned. The fact that Q could speak Greek was the least of his surprises this week.

10) 

Title: Jolly Holiday Warnings: None Summary: A vacation to remember.

Author: Venstar

“Go on holiday they said. Bask in the sunlight they said. Enjoy your time away from the office they said!” Q’s voice was razor sharp and cutting as he hissed his rambling monologue in Bond’s ear. In fact, Bond could swear spittle hit his earlobe several times.

Bond murmured carefully back to him from the corner of his mouth. “Are you talking to yourself again?”

Again, Q was like an angry hornet in his ear. He even punched Bond’s shoulder with his bony knuckles, hard as he punctuated each sentence. “Yes. I am. Does that bother you?”

“No. I'm just wondering how long it’ll take before they find us with you wittering on like an old nanny goat.”

“Nanny goat! Hey, I’ll bitch about going on holiday when I want to bitch about going on holiday okay! You shot up the bar! It was a peaceful place.”

“The decor was outdated.”

Q sputtered. “It was a perfectly delightful, quaint Mediterranean bar. They had homemade lemonade and sodas. It had cute little chairs that I could sit on all by myself. At a table, all by myself.”

Bond didn’t even hesitate in teasing Q further. “As I said. Outdated.”

Q’s face grew red. Well redder than it already was. Poor, pale, old thing was sunburned.

“It had umbrellas that protected my skin from the sun!”

Q punched Bond again. “And now look at us. Look at me, I’m burnt to a crisp because you interrupted my holiday because M sent you out on a mission and you didn’t like the handler R assigned you so you led your target all the way over here! To my vacation spot, because you’re spoiled!”

Bond smiled. “So you’ll help me then?”

“I’ll help shoot you myself. Now give me that drive, you pompous git.”

11) 

Title: No Interruptions, Please Rating: G Summary: Bond and Q take a long holiday.

Author: IrishWitch58

The sun glittered off the Aegean, the landscape saturated with color. Bond adjusted his sunglasses and picked up his vibrating phone and checked messages. Eve was responsible for most of them.

'Q hasn't taken leave in two years. Now he's disappeared for a month.'

'I think R knows something but she won't tell me anything'

Bond's early responses, that a man who took leave only once in two years was entitled to his leave and to his privacy hadn't been well received. He smiled as he checked the new text alert. Not Moneypenny. He signaled the waiter and requested a bottle of the local wine and two glasses along with an appetizer plate. He leaned back appreciating the view. Santorini in early April was lovely, sunny, and warm. He looked forward to swimming or maybe renting a small boat for a day. He was, after all, on leave himself.

A shadow crossed the brick pavement and a figure in white slacks and a purple striped shirt settled in the other chair. “The ferry ride was very relaxing,” Q acknowledged, laying a manila envelope on the table.

“What did you tell Tanner?”

Q held up a phone. “I gave him this number and told him if he called with anything less than Armageddon I would exact consequences. He may have a stroke when I send in the paperwork on this.”

Bond handed over a glass of the wine as he looked at the formal certificate in the envelope. “Put the paperwork in right before we go back. Then Tanner and Moneypenny can both yell at us at once.” He sipped his own wine and clasped Q's hand across the table, touching the new platinum band he'd kept hidden the past five days. “I think we deserve a proper honeymoon don't you?.”

12) 

Title: Holidaying On A Mission Rating: G Warnings: none Summary: there was absolutely no reason why they shouldn't enjoy themselves on MI6 salary

Author: Sunaddicted

The scraping of the bar stool next to his own spoke of someone drunk or someone annoyed and looking forward to getting drunk.

"Does MI6 pay you for drinking your liver into a nasty case of hepatic cirrhosis?"

James grinned and tossed back the last of his cocktail, not needing to look at Q to know  he was scowling: the other man could be as easily predictable in some things - like his disapproval of unncessarily destroyed equipment and excessive consumption of alcohol - as he could be completely impenetrable in others "It's all part of the cover"

"Every single time?"

"What can I say? It's a good one"

Q rolled his eyes and tried to move his bar stool without having to stand up, trying to hide as much as he could in the refreshing shade of the beach umbrella: he could already feel his pale skin starting to fry, despite the copious amounts of sunscreen he had religiously applied before putting even a toe out of the hotel - no matter how inviting the glittering blue sea had seemed.

He both envied the agent's golden tan, deepened by Santorini's scorching sun, and thirsted at the way it made the other's muscles seem even bigger - Q shifted, lazily flicking the image away before he embarrassed himself.  

"What can I get you?"

Q turned to look at the other man "Are you trying to get me drunk, Bond?"

James leaned in, trigger finger under the younger man's chin to draw him closer and keep him there "Do I need to?"

"No"

In the heat, the kiss made Q breathless - he choked on salt, vodka, tan lotion and the taste of the other's lips.

Diving deeper.

Craving more.  

"Let's go back to the hotel"

It wasn't an invitation he had any intentions of refusing.  

13) 

Title: A Yacht on the Mediterranean Warnings: none Summary: Mallory needs an explanation.

Author: Kiddohno

This is technically not a disciplinary meeting, and Mallory must remember that. He looks between the two men sitting on the opposite side of his desk, in his locked office. Quite frankly, he’s completely dumbfounded by the whole situation.

Bond looks inappropriately amused. Q appears to be trying for contrite, but he’s also very clearly holding back a giggle.

The details of the conversation they are about to have should be confined to this room, but Moneypenny is undoubtedly eavesdropping, and it will surely be all around the agency by noon. He sighs, lamenting his position as leader of a herd of overgrown children.

“Will one of you explain to me how it came to be,” he begins, “That, after being sent out on what was barely more than a milk run, two of my staff end up returning legally married, and two weeks late.”

Q’s high giggle escapes. Bond smirks.

“Well, Sir, the Mediterranean is very romantic.”

Mallory glares. Bond shrugs.

“Mr. Vinton had a yacht,” is what Q adds, rather nonsensically.

“A yacht.”

Q nods.

“He insisted on it. Our honeymoon, I mean. On the yacht. Because Bond had said I was his fiance, as a cover.”

“Actually,” Bond says, “I’d told Mr. Vinton that I’d brought Q on holiday to propose. When he became suspicious, I had to get on one knee at this lovely little seaside restaurant. Then convinced,” Bond gestures as if the motion explains everything, “he invited us to honeymoon, on his yacht.”

“But first, we had to actually get married, and Vinton wanted to be there as a witness, so we had to. Actually, um, get married.”

“Naturally.”

“We did complete our objectives, Sir.” Q points out respectfully.

“With pleasure,” Bond agrees. Q goes red.

Mallory wonders if it’s too late to quit.

Thank you to our fantastic drabble writers for their last drabbles this week, and for four weeks of incredible competition! 

To our amazing readers, this is the last week to vote! You can help this competition by going here to vote on your top three drabbles. You may also leave anonymous feedback for one or more drabbles.

Who will be the Last Drabble Writer Standing? 

Let’s vote and find out! 

[sorrylatenew]

twinssss

So @allthebros got an ask about our Toews twins a/b/o AU, for which we have a fair amount of chatfic written. There’s a bit that I wrote a whilleeeee ago that is probably the closest we have to actual fic within the a/b/o ‘verse (though it was still chatficced). It takes place before Patrick knows that Jonny’s an omega, somewhere in their first few seasons as Blackhawks. Here’s a part of it under the cut!

Heat on suppressants is like an itch in your tongue. Or on the bottom of your foot. Somewhere weird inside you can't quite get to.

He feels it coming when it's coming, lighting up under his skin. But then it just...doesn't. It stays like that--that dull throb where he can't quite reach.

He's used to it by now. Hasn't been on normal cycles since he was twelve, but it still annoys him the same as it ever has when he's in the middle of it. Always means four point nights or crashing so bad he takes the team with him.

This one starts on a flight to Toronto. No surprises. He's felt it coming on the past couple days, but sitting there next to Seabs on the plane he knows he's right at the boiling point. That he would be anyway.

He shakes his shoulders out. Sticks his thumb in his mouth and rubs at the roof of it like it'll help.

Seabs doesn't notice anything. No one ever does. But Jonny still leans closer to the window, away from him, and thinks about the two vacuum sealed t-shirts from Matt he's got in his bag.

When they get to the hotel, someone's had a heat on their floor.

A bad one, Jonny guesses, because it's not still going on but it's hanging around the place. Bright even underneath 500 liters of lemon Lysol.

"Come on," Duncs says, dragging it out into an indignant grumble, and half the guys start rummaging in their bags for blockers, unscrewing caps and dabbing the lotion under their noses.

Jonny gets his out of his coat. Dabs it on like clockwork.

"Quit whining," he says, easy, once their upper lips are smeared and shiny in the light, and whacks sharpy in the leg with his carry-on. "Dinner in an hour, eh?"

Kaner dumps his shit in the far bed once they're in the room, then flops down next to it and sighs.

"Shit better be cleared up by tonight, man. I can't stand sleeping with my nose blockered."

"Yeah yeah, we all know," Jonny says, clockwork clockwork while he gets into his own bag. He fingers over the plastic covering the t-shirts and avoids looking at Kaner's face.

It's always too easy when he feels this way under his skin. Too easy picturing something else shining over his mouth.

He pulls his phone out while he starts unpacking, scrolls down his contacts until he hits the one marked 'M' and opens it up.

I'd have a heat, he taps out, shoulders tensing when the TV comes on and kaner starts flipping through channels.

right now

And then he deletes the evidence and tosses his phone down on top of the mattress. Goes to hang his suit up to the sound of the Jackass guitar strum.

Matt hasn't texted when he comes back and he slips the phone back into his pocket. Lies down and tries not to think about any of it.

He watches about five minutes of a guy getting slapped in the nuts before he rolls over onto his side.

"You want to clear out for a bit?" he says to Kaner's profile, and it doesn't stick in his throat like it used to.

Kaner's eyes slide over, unimpressed, but his mouth quirks.

"Seriously, Jonny?"

Right there.

Right there Kaner's thinking about Jonny and sex.

Thinking about Jonny and jerking off and Jonny knows it, whatever the context.

It's a prickle along his spine. Nothing crazy--nothing he can't handle. It just dries his mouth out a little.

"Come on, kaner, I'll play like shit," he says, pushing agitation into his voice, but Kaner keeps on deadpan staring at him, like Jonny doesn't have to sit through him taking hour long showers playing with his knot.

"You might still play like shit," Kaner says with a stupid little quirk to his mouth, and turns back to the TV. Taps himself on the chin with the remote while Steve-O throws up on the lawn.

He's still thinking of Jonny jerking off.

Even being annoying like this he's still thinking it, and Jonny feels himself flushing hot as he lets out an irritated sigh, taps his foot on his mattress.

Kaner flashes a grin at him. Rolls his eyes as he pushes himself up and then dodges suddenly forward to slap a beat against the meat of jonny's thigh.

"Don't forget your blockers once you rub it off, Tow-es," he says when Jonny jerks his leg out of reach, too fast like Kaner had come at him with a brand.

He gets a hat out of his bag and jams it over his hair before he goes, and Jonny's up throwing the deadbolt after him as soon as the door's swung shut, his heart beating fast.

He's the tiniest bit sticky wet when he steps back. Not enough to have reached his underwear but enough to feel squelchy and uncomfortable as he crosses over to the bathroom, peels carefully out of his jeans and boxers and props a leg on the tub.

His neck feels hot when he edges his fingers behind himself, slips them slow over his hole, and when he looks up into the mirror over the sink, his cheeks are flushed and his eyes look a little bright.

This would have been a bad one. Maybe as bad as whoever'd been on their floor.

Or it might have been like the last time he'd seen Matt. A full three days' worth of taking his knot and another to recover, wrapped in Matt's blankets to throw the scent.

He sinks his middle finger in just a little, just to feel how open he is, and it's not bad. Not terrible.

He still hums low while he does it. Lets his eyes fall closed and gets his finger in a little deeper.

If he were home, he'd--

He takes a deep breath in through his nose, sighs it out and reaches for the toilet paper.

It feels rough over his skin and he winces through it. Goes through two wads just to make sure and then washes his hands twice as well.

His dick's been hard since Kaner was looking at him and it aches a little now, jumps at that stray thought, and he just wants to get a hand on it.

He pulls his sweatshirt off and climbs into the tub before he does. Palms himself firm and then reaches an arm out for his jeans, for his phone in the front pocket.

Matt still hasn't texted him back when he looks and Jonny groans at the blank little message bubble. Lets his phone rest down against his thigh and then tilts his head back against the cold porcelain.

It feels too cold, really, with his body this extra little bit heated, and he's already covered in goosebumps, shivering while he palms harder at his dick and then takes it in hand for real. Gives himself a tight stroke and watches his foreskin like Matt likes to do--pull it down slow like letting the head out to lick is some kind of satisfactory little surprise.

He likes it better when Matt eats him out though. God, the last time, when he had Jonny hold himself open from behind the knees--

He hisses when he feels himself go wet again at that. Trails his hand down far enough from his cock to push at his taint, and knows that only ever gets him wetter.

It doesn't matter as much in the bathtub when he's just gonna wash it away in twenty minutes. He still doesn't want it there and he only lets the very tips of his fingers get slippery before he's pulling them back up, lower back loosening as he straightens out again and goes back to his cock.

He can come this way.

He's done it before.

Done it lots.

Grind himself down against nothing--rub his thumb over the head of his dick over and over to feel the wet there when he doesn't want to touch where he really wants to feel himself wet.

It's never as good but it's fine.

Good enough.

And he gets his hips rolling. Feels the embarrassing stickiness of his asscheeks when he shifts, the barely audible sound they make pulling apart.

And when he's probably too wet to not get up and rinse off real quick, his phone goes.

It vibrates against his skin and makes the tub ring, loud and ugly over his hushed breathing, and his stomach tightens up first with the shock of it and then goes loose and liquid with a wave of arousal before he's even seen who it is.

It's just, you alone? once he thumbs open the screen, and then he sinks down even looser, closes his eyes for a second before typing out, yeah

He's not surprised when his phone rings a few seconds later, and he gets a hand back on his cock before he answers--squeezes and then swipes the accept call button.

"I was driving," is what Matt says right away, voice already gone deep and scratchy, and Jonny sighs at the sound of it, knees falling open against the sides of the tub.

"Better been out for something good," he says, and Matt hums out a quiet laugh, clunks something down on the table or countertop by the sound of it.

"On-call alpha duties are slipping, eh?"

"Not the only thing slipping," Jonny says, and tilts his hips up like Matt's there in the tub with him. Like he can see him down where his legs are spread.

The next breath Matt takes in jonny's ear is slow and measured, and he's quiet for a second or two before, "Where are--"

"In the bathtub," Jonny answers before the question's even out. "We're in the hotel. Started on the plane. Kaner fucked off."

"How wet are you?" is what he asks after his next measured breath, and Jonny has to close his eyes again.

He moves his hips in a circle. Feels himself stick.

"Too wet."

[motherfuckinchaos]

Finally

a dry place to sit down, have a hot drink, towel off.

Not gonna lie, there were a lot of us who weren’t happy about being dragged out to Long Beach to freeze our asses off mapping the seabed, but god damn if we didn’t all mcfucking lose it when the rescue pod surfaced and Gamma Operative Malaicat emerged holding Dr. Song bridal-style, like a knight and a princess in a fairytale ending.

Of course it wasn’t over then- we still had to see to Song’s wounds- did you know somebody sewed their mouth shut? And those weird, dark patterns all over their neck and skin. We got the doctors at [REDACTED] General to remove the stitches at gunpoint, but there’s nothing to be done for the... patterns. Anyway, we commandeered a whole ward to ourselves so Song can recover in a positive environment with like, proper care and everything. We’re gonna blow through so much amnestics keeping the med staff complacent. Oh my god, Gamma Tactical Numbers is gonna have a total fit.

Well, that can’t be helped. While we’re here, we might as well order pizza and take all the sodas out of the machines.

No, Kamonrat, we don’t have to save a soda for Malaicat or the mystery man. They’re asleep in Song’s room. It’s adorable.

Anyway, Beta Leader Percy is telling me that I wasn’t quite right to say it’s like a fairytale ending, cos fairytales are actually kinda dark and twisted and shit. Well, alright, but it sure is a happy ending.

You take your victories where you can get them, and there’s precious few of them in this line of work.

— Alpha Operative Candyxx

[dixie12]

thinking about omega jonny and his first season as captain.

he's on heavy duty suppressants, because even though the whole league knows he's an omega- it's not really something you can hide, after all, he doesn't want to deal with heat in the middle of the season. it's not that he doesn't like it.. he just doesn't think it fits the image of a captain, and he's only 20, so that image is incredibly important to him.

the season starts off terribly. he's slumping, can't find the back of the net to save his life, and the media is vicious with him after games. they're asking how he's going to right the ship, like it's his job alone to fix the problems of 20 others guys, almost all of whom are way older and more experienced than he is. he does his best, refuses to break eye contact with the reporters, goes home and works out harder, watches more tape, drinks more protein shakes. all the things he's supposed to do.

he feels the edge of heat creeping in, heightened sense of smell, the bone-deep urge to rub up against his teammates, let them ruffle his hair, sag into them, let them take his weight, let their scent wash over him. but he can't, not now. he doubles up on the suppressants, even though he knows it's dangerous. they hammered that home in sex ed when he was in school, and even though hockey was the only thing he really cared about, he listened and remembered, because the teacher made such a big deal over it. omegas needed to go through heat, and putting it off, especially a breakthrough heat while on suppressants, was just asking for trouble.

he just needs a few more games, though. he needs to score a few goals, make the team trust him, believe in him, and he can't do that when he's flat on his back, begging for a knot. so he doubles the dose until the feelings slip away. next time, he promises himself.

but the next time they're on a road trip, and sharpy's injured, and there's no one else; the team can't lose him, too. they're actually battling for a playoff spot, and he doesn't have the time to give in to this, not now. not now. he triples the dose, notices his hand shaking when he screws the cap back on, ignores it as best he can.

when he realizes he's running out of pills, he calls his doctor, claims he lost the bottle and needs a new one. when the new prescription arrives, he promises himself it will be the last time. they just have to make it through the playoffs. as soon as it's the offseason, he'll throw the damn bottle away for the whole summer, he bargains with himself. get me through this, he begs his body, and i'll give you the summer.

it doesn't work like that, though. biology isn't something you can barter with. there's two weeks left in the season when they have a rare day off. the guys are over at his place, playing video games, and jonny's on edge. he plays a round, gets up, paces. can't relax, feels like he's prowling, hair prickling at the base of his neck. there's something bubbling inside him that he tries to beat down, chugs a beer faster than he should, and then another, but it doesn't help. he doesn't drink much during the season, and the two beers just make the feeling worse. his skin is hot, tight, and his clothes are burning where they touch him. he can feel himself sweating, feels it pooling under his arms, at the dip of his back, running down his legs.

except. shit.

that's not sweat, coursing down his calves. it's slick, and everything falls into place. he couldn't outrun it, his biology, couldn't push it down and ignore it forever, and this time his body hasn't given him enough warning. sprung it on him like the very first time, like he's 16 again, unprepared for what's coming, heat and hormones racing through him.

pat notices first, because of course he does. omega slick is distinctive, and his head snaps up, scenting the air. his eyes lock with jonny's and jonny can see his pupils dilate, can see the blush rise on his cheeks. he's rooted in place, staring at pat. he should be saying something, he knows. making excuses, urging the guys out the door. he can already tell this heat is going to take hold fast, and he needs the guys not to be here when that happens.

pat has dropped the controller, staring back at jonny now, and jonny can't look away. were pat's eyes always that blue? he opens his mouth to say something, but he's overwhelmed by pat's scent, suddenly flush in the air, and his words leave him.

as pat's scent spikes, jonny can see seabs react, too. seabs was there for a few of his heats last year, and jonny's body can remember the shape of him, looming over jonny. his big hands cupping jonny's face, his neck. trailing lower, sliding through the slick around jonny's hole, and jonny is halfway across the room before he realizes he's moving.

sharpy and duncs, betas, have finally looked up from the game, and distantly, jonny knows he should pull himself together. knows this is exactly what he didn't want to happen, out of his mind in front of so many of his teammates, but his heat has taken hold now, throbbing through him, lighting him up inside, and he settles himself on seabs' lap, scents all along his neck and feels himself relax for the first time all year.

seabs' arms go around him, and jonny feels the purr start in his chest. everything is soft and melty around him, and fuck, why did he put this off for so long? his cock is hard in his shorts, leaking freely, and the scent mixes with his slick and the combined alpha pheromones from pat and seabs and he can feel his mouth watering. he grinds up against seabs, his abs the perfect mix and firm and give, and he hears himself moan. he starts to rut, whining into seabs' neck, but seabs gets his hands settled on jonny's chest, pushes him back, and he whimpers, seeking out the contact again.

"baby," he hears from seabs, and he shudders with it. he never hears words like that from the team, soft and sweet. why doesn't the team want me? he thinks. he's trying so hard to make them proud, to be a good captain, but he must not be doing it right.

"jonny," he hears, in a gasp, and that's pat. he sounds.. stricken. jonny doesn't understand why he sounds like that, but he can't think straight right now, can't figure it out, just wants seabs to touch him again. and pat, too.

seabs' hands are back on him, one of them firm in his hair, gripping tightly, the other finally under his shirt, on his skin, and he arches into it, baring his neck in a silent plea. seabs knows what he wants, drops his mouth onto jonny's neck and starts with gentle bites, taking jonny's skin and worrying it between his teeth. jonny can feel the purr rumble back to life, and he knows seabs can feel it, too. can feel seabs stiffening up under him, hears him groan and jonny preens. his alpha wants him.

"of course i want you, sweetheart," seabs whispers in his ear, nosing along his neck, inhaling jonny's scent. "we all do," and jonny groans at that, hips flexing harder. "show him, pat," seabs says, voice rougher than jonny has ever heard it, and before he can figure out what seabs means, he can feel pat's weight settle behind him.

it's ecstasy. he's boxed in between alphas, seabs solid underneath him, scenting him, stroking his hair and using the hand on his back to urge him forward, to rub off against him. and behind him, patrick, his cock thick and obvious against jonny's ass, pat's hands running over his chest, catching on his nipples. there's nowhere for him to go, nothing for him to do except follow their lead. pat's hands drop to his hips, helping him grind against seabs, and his mind goes beautifully blank. he's rutting hard now, gasping with it, and pat leans down, breath whistling over his ear as he tells jonny to come.

jonny's helpless to it, orgasm taking him hard and fast, spilling in his shorts, and he's moaning with it as the final pulses echo through him. he slumps forward, muzzy and pliant, but he can feel the heat still simmering below the surface. he's going to need more.

"we're gonna give you whatever you need, baby," he hears, and his eyes flutter shut, resting his head on seabs' chest while he takes deep breathes and gathers the strength to move this to the bedroom.

[suthoughts]

I think there might be a prime kindergarten somewhere where the Rose Quartz came from. We know that they came into existence somewhere between the activation of the Prime kindergarten and Garnet joining the CGs. True the gems in the bubbles could be duds, but Eyeballs remark about ‘a real Rose Quartz’ pink makes me think that she’s seen real Rose Quartz. I think they were probably made so it was easier for Pink to sneak around unnoticed (someone’s going to pick up on a ‘defective Amethyst).

If an Alpha kindergarten exists I have three thoughts on where it could be which would also explain why, if the bubbled Rose Quartz in the zoo make up all the Rose Quartz in existence, there are so few of them:

- Under the sea: it would be hidden and could be placed on some barren seabed to keep the disruption of life to a minimum. Also people have been talking about the massive gap in the world map ever since we first saw it and if there was a reason for drawing our attention to that bit of sea this would be it. The land would also make it difficult to produce many ‘proper’ gems.

- In the desert: again placing it in a desert would keep the disruption of life to a minimum. Also this would give Rose another reason for hanging around in the desert and, as before the quality of the land would explain why there are so few gems.

- Under the geo: we still don’t know what caused the geo and it is in the middle of a barren crater. Perhaps Rose was somehow able to contain most of the damage it would do to the surrounding land inside like a giant bomb. Perhaps Rose/Pink thought she’d found a way to produce gems without harming the planet only to realise her mistake and hurriedly stop production.

[the-tigr0u]

【𝐶𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑧𝑒𝑙 "𝐶𝑖𝑎𝑟𝑎"】

♔〘IƊƐƝƬIƬƳ RҼƇƠRƊ〙♔

F U L L  N A M E

-Ciarazel-

N I C K N A M E S

- Ciara -

-Peth Gwaew (Wind’s V ice)-

O R I G I N S

-Undying Lands-

-Hollow Earth Kingdom-

-Was born in ancient Mount Tregwilith, capital of the kingdom-

G E N D E R

-Woman-

S P E C I E S

-Waving Dragon-

A G E

- 318 y.o.-

B I R T H D A Y

-23 of August 2623 T.A. -

A S T R O L O G I C A L  S I G N

-♍︎ Virgo ♍︎-

F A M I L Y

-Phrannko (Father♱)-

-Eolise (Mother♱)-

-Patience (Little sister)-

R E L A T I O N S H I P  S T A T U T

-Single-

-Moderately easy to have in a relationship, as she’s very shy and reserved-

-She never had anyone in her life before-

A C T U A L  S T A T U T

-Left the Undying Lands-

-Search for a peaceful Land by heading south to the Hitherlands-

-Has been in Middle-earth for several years now-

-May be in asylum with the Elves (Rivendell or Mirkwood Forest-

-Currently hunted by poachers-

" -  H a v e  y o u  e v e r  h e a r d  t h e  w o l f  c r y  t o  t h e  b l u e  c o r n  m o o n  -

-  O r  a s k e d  t h e  g r i n n i n g  b o b c a t  w h y  h e  g r i n n e d  -

-  C a n  y o u  s i n g  w i t h  a l l  t h e  v o i c e s  o f  t h e  m o u n t a i n  -

-  C a n  y o u  p a i n t  w i t h  a l l  t h e  c o l o r s  o f  t h e  w i n d  - "

♔〘  lƠƠƘՏ 〙♔

H A I R

-Naturally dark brown-

-Short plunging square haircut with a bang-

-Colored in gradient at the tips, from yellow to red-

-Can still tie up her hair-

E Y E S

-Golden-

-Big, bright and curious gaze-

-Should wear glasses, but she can’t really find some-

S K I N

-Porcelain and soft-

-She has brown stripes on her cheeks and body-

-The tips of her legs and arms are colored in brown, going over black, the palms of her hands and the soles of her feet are white-

-Her fur is the same color as her hair: brown, orange-yellow, red-

-The fur on her tail, ears and body in dragon form is orange, covered with brown stripes-

H E I G H T

- 1m62 (5,3 ft.)-

-Over 49 ft. in dragon form-

-Over 320 ft. in Alpha form-

W E I G H T

-///-

C O R P U L E N C E

-Chubby-

-Generous curves-

-Relatively small and discreet-

S C A R S / M A R K S

-None, her body regenerates and heals more easily than other species, so scars are rare-

T A T O O S

-None-

P I E R C I N G S

-Lobe from both sides-

C L O T H I N G  S T Y L E

-Loose and comfortable clothes-

-Clothing conducive to movement-

-In her tradition, there is an outfit strongly similar to a kimono-

" -  I  w i l l  r i d e ,  I  w i l l  f l y  -

-  C h a s e  t h e  w i n d  a n d  t o u c h  t h e  s k y  -

-  I  w i l l  f l y  -

-  C h a s e  t h e  w i n d  a n d  t o u c h  t h e  s k y  - "

♔〘ƤՏƳƇӇƠlƠƓƳ〙♔

S E X U A L I T Y

-Pansexual-

P E R S O N A L I T Y

-Shy, modest and reserved-

-Introverted, often lonely-

-Sometimes clumsy-

-Wary of strangers-

-Rather fragile and sensitive in appearance, but knows how to fight and defend herself-

-Studious and curious, she likes to learn-

-Very smart and clever-

-Sweet, generous and warm once open to others-

-Adorable and always ready to help-

-Though she has to hide from the world, she can't help but help travelers in forests and mountains-

F E A R S

-Apiphobia (Fear of bees and any other insect of the same kind)-

-Aquaphobia (Fear of water)-

-Thalassophobia (Fear of the seabed, the abyss)-

-Nyctophobia (Fear of the dark)-

-Arachnophobia (Fear of spiders, especially giant ones from Mirkwood Forest)

-Fear of hunters, poachers, and Jhûgraug, whose the one who led her species to extinction-

P A S S I O N S

-History-

-Culture-

-Literature-

-Music-

-Languages-

L I K E S

- Music - Reading - Writing - Learning - Learning new languages - Learning about other species’ culture - Painting and drawing - Roses - Winter and snow - Tea - Fish, cooked or raw - Fireworks - Celebrations -

D I S L I K E

-Bees/wasps/bumblebees/etc. - Giant spiders - Heat - Conflicts - Feeling forced or constrained - Loud noises - Onions and honey - Swim -

C I G A R E T T E

-No-

D R U G S

-No-

A L C O H O L

-Rarely-

-Can’t handle much of it-

" -  T e l l  y o u  y o u ' r e  t h e  g r e a t e s t  -

-  B u t  o n c e  y o u  t u r n ,  t h e y  h a t e  u s  -

-  O h ,  t h e  m i s e r y  -

-  E v e r y b o d y  w a n t s  t o  b e  m y  e n e m y  -

-  S p a r e  t h e  s y m p a t h y  -

-  E v e r y b o d y  w a n t s  t o  b e  m y  e n e m y  - "

♔〘ƠƬӇҼRՏ〙♔

E X T R A S

-Her species is known for their skill in art. Ciara knows how to draw, paint, play instruments and especially sing-

-Her singing has healing abilities. Her voice heals bodypain and relaxes the mind, which generally speeds healing-

-She has a great knowledge of magic, which far exceeds the knowledge in Middle-Earth. Indeed, this knowledge has died out with her species, but Ciara has made sure to endure, and she’s quite powerful but she wouldn’t admit it-

-She possesses strong healing power, allowing her to heal anyone, while collecting their injury/disease/disability on herself. The latter disappears over time, which can last between a few seconds and a few minutes. The more she uses it and the more she is weakened, and the bigger the injury, the more dangerous it will be for her-

-She has a duo of weapons that she handles to perfection. Two daggers attached to long chains, which she can throw and spin at her will, making them strong and deadly weapons-

-Her main element is obviously fire. Yellowed flashes appears when she uses her fire power-

-She speaks several languages, including Quenya, Black Speech, Valarin, and a few others. On the other hand, she was never able to learn Kuhzdul, because the Dwarves don't really like her-

-Her species has been on the verge of extinction for more than 300 years, there are only about fifty other Waving Dragons left, on the other hand, she is the only one and especially the first to come to Middle-Earth-

-Her species contains more powerful members than the others, called the Alpha, whose magical power is much higher, and who also have a so-called Supreme form, or Alpha form, a much larger and more primitive draconic form. Ciara is one of them, although she won't find out until later, as it's not hereditary-

-She hides an old notebook in a satchel, in which she loves to draw the creatures and landscapes she sees-

-Her voice : Lauren Paley-

P O S S I B L E  S C E N A R I O S

-Can save Thorin's Company and join them under Gandalf's guidance-

-May be rescued by Thorin's Company and join them under Gandalf's guidance-

-Can live with the Elves (Rivendell or Mirkwood) and can come across Thorin's Company which she will decide to follow-

-May have a connection to Gandalf beforehand-

-Following the adventure of the Company, it would be possible to incorporate other of my characters as Antagonists (Like Orvas or Jhûgraug).

C R U S H S

-Thorin Oakenshiel-

O T H E R  P O S S I B L E  R E L A T I O N S H I P S

-Bilbo Baggins-

-Best friend-

-Fili and Kili-

-Close friends-

-Gandalf-

-Close friend, confident, mentor-

-Elrond-

-Close friend, mentor, ally-

-Thranduill Vertefeuille-

-Close friend, mentor, ally-

-Legolas Vertefeuille-

-Close friend, confident-

-Smaug-

-Ennemy but mutual respect, ambiguous-

P L A Y L I S T

F U L L  P L A Y L I S T  H E R E

[ohblushes]

do you have a list of the alphas on the team? or just the other characters in general since we know almost all of them are betas

this is probably terrible but i don’t have it worked out for everyone yet! here’s what i’ve got for sure:

omegas patrick dr. sievers jonny’s mom jack sadie tyler seguin (god how predictable am i) danny’s husband the person who got patrick pregnant? (jonny’s not sure. probably not, it’s statistically unlikely on a number of levels.)

betas patrick’s family jonny’s dad & brother sharpy almost everyone else maybe the person who got patrick pregnant goes here? (jonny thinks this is the most probable explanation even though obviously patrick would be happiest with an alpha. an alpha man. who would dote on him. not jonny specifically, just someone /like/ jonny.)

alphas jonny seabs danny  anna jamie benn (still being predictable) dr. sievers’ wife kirby dach (when he shows up) sadie’s wife jack’s husband duncs? hossa? possibly the person who got patrick pregnant is an alpha? (jonny thinks this is also likely. patrick smells GREAT to alphas. but he also probably smells great to betas and omegas. a good detective jonathan toews is not.)

[ao3feed-hockey]

trace your path between the stars

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LE2dhx

by thundersquall

"Kane, sir," the airman says. His voice is deep, but Jonny feels strangely off-balance, like there's something about this airman that isn't quite what he's used to. After a moment, he places the feeling: the airman's scent is only faintly discernible amongst the colourful mess of alpha scents in the bunk and on board the ship, with a weird sour note reminiscent of lemons. It throws Jonny for a loop, because he's never come across an alpha with a scent this muted and indistinct. He runs a critical eye over him; how did he make it out of the Space Academy and onto his dreadnought? Is he even any good?

"Patrick Kane, from Buffalo, New York," Seabs says quietly from behind him. "Graduated top of his class at the Academy, sir. With distinction."

Words: 15862, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English

Fandoms: Hockey RPF

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Patrick Kane, Jonathan Toews, Chicago Blackhawks Ensemble

Relationships: Patrick Kane/Jonathan Toews

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Space, Alternate Universe - Military, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Knotting, Rimming, Anal Sex, Wet & Messy, Multiple Orgasms

read it on the AO3 at https://ift.tt/2LE2dhx

[phantom-le6]

Episode Reviews - Star Trek: The Next Generation Season 6 (5 of 6)

Moving on with the episode reviews for Star Trek: The Next Generation, I present a fifth instalment from the show’s sixth season, beginning with the episode that finally gave some in-continuity reasoning for Trek’s alien races being almost all humanoid…

Episode 20: The Chase

Plot (as given by me):

Captain Picard is visited by his former archaeology teacher Professor Galen, who has recently made a ‘profound discovery’. However, he will only share information on this with his former pupil if Picard agrees to join him on an expedition that could last anything up to a year. Picard is tempted, but ultimately chooses his duty to command the Enterprise over his desire to join Galen, much to the Professor’s anger and disappointment. Rather than wait aboard the Enterprise, Galen opts to leave in his shuttle. Later, the shuttle comes under attack from the Yridians. The Enterprise manages to reach the shuttle in time to stop the Yridians attacking by accidentally destroying their vessel, but Galen has been fatally wounded, and apologises to Picard for being so harsh about his rejection before dying.

 Determined not to let his mentor’s death be in vain, Picard orders the Enterprise to go off-mission, ignoring their assigned task of mediating a conference on Altalia VII to find out why Galen was killed. A series of number blocks found in the computer of the professor’s shuttle are ultimately revealed to be mathematical representations of certain DNA fragments. The fragments have been found on planets across the quadrant from multiple species, and are revealed to be pieces of some kind of algorithm. As the investigation continues, the Enterprise finds others are pursuing the same genetic puzzle, as they encounter Cardassian and Klingon ships in orbit of a planet Galen had visited prior to his visit to Picard.

 Picard convinces the Klingon and Cardassian officers to combine their efforts with his, as they all have pieces of the puzzle. They agree, and the Enterprise crew is able to extrapolate where to find the final piece of the puzzle. When the location is learned, Gul Ocett of the Cardassians attempts to double-cross the others and attacks the Federation and Klingon ships. Luckily, Lt. Commander La Forge discovered Ocett’s attempt to sabotage the Enterprise’s systems beforehand, and their damage from the attack is faked along with the co-ordinates Ocett took. The Enterprise proceeds to the real location, the Klingon captain Nu’Daq accompanying them as a guest since his own craft failed to be prepared for the Cardassian betrayal.

 The Enterprise travels to Vilmor II, where the final DNA sequence is to be found in a partially fossilised seabed. Picard beams down with Dr Crusher, Lt Worf and Nu’Daq, where they are then joined by not only the Cardassians, but also a group of Romulans that had been shadowing the Enterprise under cloak since the attack on Galen’s shuttle. While Worf and Nu’Daq engage in the stand-off with the other two factions, Picard and Crusher scan the final genetic fragment to complete the algorithm. Their tricorder then runs a holographic message formed from the completed program; an alien from a humanoid race explains that they seeded many worlds across the galaxy with elements of their genetic coding. As a result, all humanoid life is effectively linked by a shared ancestry, but when the hologram ends, both the Cardassians and Nu’Daq are disgusted by the idea they have a common ancestry and refuse to believe what they’ve been told.

 On board the Enterprise, Picard laments to Dr Crusher that the message Galen had sought did not find a receptive audience, but later he is contacted by the Romulan commander, who implies that not all ears who heard the message were deaf after all.

Review:

This is about our third Picard episode on the trot, so for me that spoils it somewhat because the show isn’t mixing things up enough in terms of alternating which characters are getting episodes focused on them.  That said, it’s only Picard’s episode until his mentor dies and the crew learns what Galen was looking for.  After that, the episode goes from character piece to plot-driven mystery, and then when the solution is revealed, we get a little bit of issue exploration, as we find out that the humanoid races of Trek are all linked.  The different reactions we get to this is not unlike getting together people from different national and racial backgrounds, pointing that they all have a common ancestry, and having them all call you mad while one privately lets you know they agree with you.

 The problem, however, is that because the episode changes what it is so much, it ends up spoiling itself.  It should have committed itself to one thing; the character piece (in which case Galen should have spent longer on screen and the Enterprise should have had helping him as its mission), the plot-driven mystery (in which case we should have got to that sooner and had less or no Picard-centric plot) or the issue exploration (for that to work, we should have seen the hologram early on and spent the episode wrestling with what having a common ancestry would mean for all these different species).  Instead, it’s a total mangle that only just about works.

 Also, according to Memory Alpha, producer Rick Berman wasn’t wild about the episode’s concept of a humanoid race pre-dating our own, but then again that’s no surprise; much of what I’ve read on the Trek wiki suggests Berman was a mainstream TV producer with little to no understanding of what Trek is.  To my mind, this isn’t an issue at all.  If anything, I think it’s cool to have sci-fi come up with the idea that maybe the odd alien race or two pre-dates our own.  As a species we’ve often taken a very ego-centric view of ourselves and our place within existence, and if we’re not willing to entertain the idea that intelligent alien life doesn’t have to be largely humanoid, I think we should be willing to accept that we’re not the first humanoid form of life in the universe. If we can’t do that, how can we ever hope to even approach a Trek-like utopian future one day?

 So, in summation this is a decent episode, but it suffers from trying to be more than it needs to be.  As such, I’m only inclined to give it 7 out of 10.

Episode 21: Frame of Mind:

Plot (as given by me):

Commander Riker rehearses for a theatre play called “Frame of Mind”, in which he plays a man who is locked up in a psychiatric hospital, told he is insane and tortured under the guise of being ‘treated’. At the same time, he is preparing for an undercover away mission to Tilonus IV; a Federation science team on the planet had been on the planet during the collapse of the planetary government, and Commander Riker will have to go down posing as a merchant to make contact with them. During preparation for the mission, Riker is accidentally wounded on the side of his face by Lt. Worf. Riker has the wound healed by Dr Crusher, but thinks it still hurts. Regardless, he proceeds to perform in the play before the mission, but during the audience applause, Riker suddenly finds himself in a hospital for the mentally ill that looks just like the stage set.

 Riker begins to slip back and forth between being in the hospital and on board the Enterprise, and due to images from the hospital imposing themselves on the other reality but not vice versa, he begins to believe he really is a mentally ill patient. Eventually, Riker begins rejecting the idea that the Enterprise was ever real, going so far as to try and resist rescue by Worf and Lt. Commander Data. Back on the Enterprise, Dr Crusher heals a wound on Riker’s head in the same position where Worf cut him earlier. When the wound instantly reappears, Riker knows he is in an illusion, and turns a phaser on himself to end the illusion.

 Riker then finds himself back in a hospital room, but still holding the phaser, suggesting he hasn’t yet come back to reality.  A wide-beam shot with the phaser at high power turns the hospital room into the stage set on the Enterprise, and pounding on the set finally shatters the last illusion. Riker awakens on an examination table on Tilonus IV, a probe inserted into the point on his head that was apparently wounded in his illusions. Fighting his way to the concealed communicator Worf gave him, Riker requests an emergency beam-out. Back on the Enterprise, Dr Crusher repairs the damage to Riker’s long-term memory, and Captain Picard explains how Riker was abducted by one of the factions on the planet in hopes of gaining strategic information. However, Riker’s mind created a defence for him by combining his play performance with what was going on. Riker is urged to rest, but instead goes to take down the stage set for his own peace of mind first.

Review:

This episode is better than some that try to challenge the ‘reality’ of a show too late into its run; normally, I think if a TV show isn’t going to do that from the start and all the way through, it should never even try.  Every show has its own reality, whatever that may be, and once it is established it can never be altered, nor should it be.  However, this episode isn’t about altering reality but about wreaking havoc on one character’s perception, and perception is not the same as reality at all. Reality is finite and dictated by scientific laws and truths that cannot be affected by anyone, whereas perception is far less certain and more prone to be deceived.

 However, the episode wastes the effort by failing to address any real mental health issues or explore Riker’s character through the mania he is exposed to.  Really, it’s just a plot-driven mystery as we just wait for him to wake up to reality and work out when his altered perceptions took over from reality.  In its way that’s a cool concept, but frankly not enough to make this a truly decent Trek episode.  Not surprising, considering this episode was written in a late-season crunch from a very bare bones concept, so I think that rush to create an ok story prevented the writers from making this into true Trek.  End score for this, a mere 6 out of 10.

Episode 22: Suspicions

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

Guinan visits Dr Beverly Crusher in her quarters, complaining of "tennis elbow". Dr Crusher breaks the news that she is no longer a doctor on the Enterprise and will be facing a court martial. She tells Guinan the whole story.

 A Ferengi scientist, Dr Reyga, had created a metaphasic shielding technique, but species profiling and his unorthodox methods had left most scientists in the field ignoring his work. Dr Crusher decided to play the role of a "scientific diplomat" and invite other scientists versed in the field to come to the Enterprise and view a demonstration of the doctor's prototype. As they were all sceptical, they decided that someone other than the Ferengi should pilot the shuttle outfitted with the shielding. Jo'Bril, a Takaran, volunteered.

 At the test flight, they all watched from the bridge as Jo'Bril entered the star. Everything seemed to be going as planned until suddenly Jo'Bril became short of breath, and barely piloted the shuttle out of the star before dying. Everyone considered Reyga a failure, but he couldn’t accept that something went wrong. No one could find any trouble with the shuttlecraft, and Dr Crusher couldn’t determine the cause of Jo'Bril's death. In fact, she couldn’t understand his physiology at all, especially why his cells seemed to be decaying at such a slow rate. However, he was judged dead. Reyga pleaded with the other scientists to allow him a second test. Dr Crusher reluctantly refused, but he seemed determined to prove himself. A few hours later, he was found dead due to an apparent plasma discharge. It is judged a suicide by Security Chief Lt. Worf, but Dr Crusher intuitively knows it was neither a suicide nor an accident.

 Dr Crusher discussed how unusual this seems with Captain Picard. She wanted to perform an autopsy, but the captain informed her that it was out of the question, as the family insisted the body not be desecrated before they could perform the Ferengi death ritual. Frustrated, Dr Crusher decided to perform an investigation. She confronted Christopher and T'Pan; the former became incensed at first, but eventually mentioned overhearing the Klingon scientist Kurak having a fiery argument with Reyga. Dr Crusher then confronted Kurak, much to her own peril. As she determined Kurak also did not murder Reyga, she found herself stumped and her confidence faltering. Knowing she would be disobeying a direct order, she performed an autopsy on Reyga, and found nothing. She informed Picard who was forced to relieve her of duty.

 In the present, Guinan encourages her to continue her investigation, as she has nothing left to lose. Dr Crusher then proceeds with further investigation as suggested, enlisting the assistance of Lt. Commander Data and Nurse Ogawa in turn. Commander Riker warns her not to do anything "foolish". Despite this, and suspecting sabotage was the result of the initial test flight failing, Crusher takes the shuttle with Dr Reyga's shielding into the star herself. Picard urges her to come back, but to no avail. In the shuttle, Jo'Bril emerges alive. He reveals his species can fake death. He also plans to fake the destruction of the shuttle and take it back to his homeworld. He plans to profit from the new shielding, turning it into a weapon. Jo'Bril attacks Dr Crusher, but she fights back and is forced to completely vaporize him.

 Dr Crusher returns the ship, relieved to have vindicated Reyga, and returns to active duty. She also replicates a specially designed tennis racket for Guinan so she would never get tennis elbow again, but Guinan admits she has never played tennis; she was merely trying to figure out what was wrong with Crusher.

Review:

For our second episode on the go, we get plot-driven plot in a series that’s meant to explore issues through metaphor or develop characters.  This episode does neither, only serving as a Trek attempt to do ‘Quincey in space’. Off the top of my head, I can’t remember if this show’s final season was this ‘experimental’, but I really hope it wasn’t.  It seems like in trying to do new things, The Next Generation was forgetting what it was supposed to be.  I give this episode only 5 out of 10.

Episode 23: Rightful Heir

Plot (as given by me):

When Lt. Worf is late to report for duty on the bridge, Commander Riker investigates and finds him in his quarters in a trance-like state. The incident is brought to the attention of Captain Picard, who goes to speak with Worf. Apparently ever since encountering the Klingon children in the Romulan prison in the Carraya system, Worf has felt empty; the fervour with which those young Klingons took to their true heritage has made Worf’s own faith seem weak and hollow by comparison, and his efforts to summon a vision of Kahless are now interfering with his duties. Picard asks if Worf needs to go somewhere to more fully explore his beliefs, and agrees to place him on leave so he can visit the Klingon temple on Boreth, provided that he returns to full duty when he returns.

 After ten days on Boreth and receiving neither visions nor insight, Worf becomes frustrated and prepares to leave, but is convinced by the high priest Korath to remain. Later, Kahless appears to Worf, but to his amazement, the being is no vision or phantom, but a real flesh-and-blood Klingon who looks like the Kahless of legend and claims to be him. Worf is sceptical, and neither tricorder scans nor challenging Kahless to combat yields conclusive results, though many at the temple believe this Kahless to be the real one on whom Klingon legend is based. Farther afield, Gowron learns of the situation and asks for the Enterprise to relay Kahless, Korath and another member of the temple to him, suspecting Kahless to be some kind of fake. The temple clerics have long opposed Gowron, and he suspects this to all be a ploy on their part.

 On board the Enterprise, the blood of the new Kahless is compared against the fossilised blood of the original, and when both are genetically identical, Worf finally accepts the new Kahless as the original. However, evidence then begins mounting to contradict this view; Kahless doesn’t recognise the difference between a replicated Klingon drink and the real stuff, he claims to have no memories of the Klingon afterlife or of Kahless’ life beyond sacred texts, and when challenged to combat by Gowron, he is easily bested in honest combat. It turns out the new Kahless is a clone that was programmed with certain knowledge so he would appear to be the real Kahless. This had been done by the clerics to put an end to the decadence and corruption destroying the Klingon empire from within.

 When Worf learns two of Gowron’s men have remained aboard the Enterprise in hopes of seeing Kahless, he realises many will not care about the nature of the new Kahless and make a ‘leap of faith’. He reveals the truth of this Kahless to Gowron and convinces him to accept a compromise. The new Kahless will be installed as Emperor, but will only be a political figurehead and spiritual leader; all political and legislative power would remain with Gowron as leader of the High Council. Faced with the possibility of civil war if he does not comply, Gowron grudgingly accepts. As Kahless leaves, Worf finds he is back to the original crisis of faith he had before, but Kahless points out that his progenitor left them a philosophy of life and being that is more important than whether or not he would return, and that the spirit of Kahless lives in all true Klingons.

Review:

It’s often interesting to see Trek take on matters of spirituality because it always involves having to go to your non-human characters to do so, meaning it can be a lot more allegorical and less literal than some Trek issue exploration.  This isn’t something Next Generation did a lot of, though, because for much of its run the series creator Gene Roddenberry was alive and producing the show, and Roddenberry’s vision of humanity’s future was highly secularist.  On the one hand I do agree with this, as a large amount of conflict within humanity is based of organised religions fighting each other rather than being friends or at least peaceful competitors, but on the other hand it makes exploring how religion can affect us in real life far harder to do.

 Much of the episode keeps the focus on how spirituality plays out within this era of Trek, and as such you’re really getting a Worf character episode more than an issue-oriented one.  However, the episode does make some interesting points around spirituality, the first being when someone comes along and claims to be holy, or even divine, how the heck do you measure that?  Every character Kahless encounters has their own metric that for them proves or disproves Kahless’ claims, and this kind of lacking consistency and ability to apply empirical testing and proving to the issue is why I personally steer clear of it.  To my mind, if something can’t be proved or disproved, I’m not going to take much real-life interest in it except as literary fodder.

 The second point is whether the details matter more than whoever wrote them.  Since the details tend to out-last whoever first made them, I’d say yes, they do matter more than whoever came up with the details.  That being said, I also think that the details need to change with the times, because some of the details are very much of a specific time in history and make no sense in modern times.  There are a few times in the West Wing that this has been flagged up with regards to the bible, and the Kevin Smith film Dogma makes similar points, and all point inescapably to the fact that unlike secular laws, religious lore has a tendency to remain fixed even when it is no longer adhered to, and is often misinterpreted to support prejudice and hate when a system of regular amendments with the times would probably close such loopholes.

 For me, this was a good episode and earns 10 out of 10; it would have been 9, but Data admitting to making a ‘leap of faith’ regarding the very nature of his existence helps to support the almost-perfect spiritual examination of the Klingons and take the whole thing to full marks.

Episode 24: Second Chances

Plot (as given by me):

The Enterprise arrives at Nervala IV to retrieve scientific data from a Starfleet outpost on the planet that had to be evacuated eight years earlier. The evacuation was led by Commander Riker when he was serving as a lieutenant on the Potemkin, and he remembers almost being left behind during beam-out. A distortion field around the planet prevents transport beams working except once every eight years when the planet passes close enough to its sun to disrupt the field and allow a few transport windows. When a transport window opens early, the commander leads an away team down, but finds the research station is tidier than when he left it. It soon turns out this is because someone has been there; another William T Riker.

 An investigation reveals that during the evacuation, the transporter chief on the Potemkin had activated a second transport beam to try and get Riker through the distortion field, but this had been an unnecessary action. As a result, the cancelled second beam materialised one copy of Riker’s transport pattern back on the surface while the first beam materialised another copy on the Potemkin. The returned Riker subsequently gained rapid promotion that resulted in him prioritising his career over his romantic relationship with Deanna Troi, while the abandoned Riker had to make do surviving on the abandoned research station.  Captain Picard asks Commander Riker to enlist his double in efforts to retrieve the information from the research station, as the double has made numerous improvised changes to the equipment to keep himself alive.

 The mission’s success is hampered as the commander and his subordinate double clash; Data later theorises that this is because neither man likes the notion of no longer being unique, while Worf speculates that each Riker is uncomfortable seeing their own flaws in the other. At the same time, Lt. Riker tries to regain the romance with Troi that Commander Riker abandoned. Troi is initially reluctant, but begins to entertain the idea until Commander Riker notes that his double might make the same decision to put his career first further down the line. Realising this is probably true, Troi begins to express a note of caution, which further frustrates Lt. Riker.

 During a final attempt to secure the scientific data, Lt. Riker almost falls to his death in a chasm beneath the research station, but Commander Riker saves his double despite the risk of being pulled in himself. With the information retrieved, the Enterprise travels to rendezvous with the Ghandi, Captain Picard having arranged a posting on that ship for Lt. Riker. Troi opts to remain on board the Enterprise, but suggests she remains open to getting involved with Lt. Riker someday. Commander Riker gives his trombone to his double, who in turn reveals that he’s decided to use their middle name of Thomas to distinguish himself from the commander. Will notes that this must mean they are different people, as he apparently never cared for his middle name.

Review:

There are a few reasons to make note of this episode. For one, it’s the directorial debut of cast member LeVar Burton (Geordi La Forge, to use his character’s name); Burton would go on to direct Trek episodes not only in TNG, but also across the spin-offs DS9 and Voyager, and the prequel series Enterprise.  The episode also features a cameo by Dr Mae Jemison, the first female African-American astronaut in space, which in turn resulted in a set visit by Nichelle Nicholls, better known to Trek fans as the original Uhura from the original Trek TV show and films.

 However, the main reason to remember it is that it’s the episode where Commander Riker turns out to have been duplicated, which would later result in a fun episode on Deep Space Nine.  Unfortunately, the episode concept was almost rejected until it was decided that it would be used to examine the Riker-Troi romance. Granted, that would later pay dividends in the TNG films, when the restrictions of episodic television allowed for more daring forays into things the show had restrained itself on, but for me that’s the wrong focus.  The right focus would have been to use the double to effectively define/confirm what Riker’s character was, or to use it as a way to question cloning science without actually using cloning in the story.

 As it is, we just two Rikers bickering like overgrown children, and since it starts before the one who eventually names himself Thomas starts trying to seduce Deanna, it’s not like the love triangle angle explains this.  Granted, I’m as overjoyed as anyone to see Trek abandon Roddenberry’s stupid idea about avoiding interpersonal conflict, but it’s stupider still to make two characters argue without a clear, present, explicit basis for said conflict.  Why are Will and Tom Riker having a go at each other?  Don’t just have Data and Worf try to guess in one scene; tell us straight out.  Show it, explore it, make the show about that. You had a great concept here, and you choked.  For me, this episode only ends up earning 6 out of 10.