#but i love a good Rare polycule

[kaseyskat]

my dndads polycule game is impeccable nobody can get on my level i have an entire cass/nicky/sparrow/rebecca au that sits in my head and last night i was daydreaming about terry/lark/veronica with a side of qpr lark/terry/grant that crown is MINE

[thegnomelord]

aaaaomg... the response to my ask (i was the shark person lad) is so good :DD it got my brain bouncing around in my skull like a bouncy ball cause i love sharks and the 141 monster au

imagine an oceanic whitetip shark merman (i did mention whitetips a few times in my past ask, they're one of my favorite sharks) being in tf141 with the boys. whitetips are known for being one of the more aggressive sharks and some of the strongest in the ocean. like dragons, whitetips are prideful and stubborn in nature. they also tend to be on the larger end of merfolk, having muscular and tanky bodies to support their natural aggression. whitetips tails especially are strong so they can swim fast enough to keep up with prey - so their legs are naturally stronger to keep up with the weight of their powerful shark tail.

whitetips tend to be picky with their mates - like most of the larger shark merfolk, i imagine they'd want someone who can match their strength, and well after sparring with any four of the boys they'd definitely realize that "oh damn. maybe he is suitable" then go through the strange process of trying to court whoever they sparred with. it would involve a lot of nibbling and following them around to really determine if he's right, along with a few lost teeth that soooomehow end up on the desk of who they're courting.

ahem also dragon price and mershark reader makes me think. just a small note

but yeah that's all :) thank you for making my brain turn into a bouncy ball over my obsession with sharks and monsterfucking LMAO

Oh oh oh what if sharkmer are polygamous? Like it's so rare to find another of their kin so any time they find someone and they're compatible they end up joining/creating a polycule where everyone's fucking everyone?

So like, pre-existing poly141 with a new member reader, and at first you don't think too highly of them. But them you start sparring with them, get your ass handed as often as you hand it out, and yeah. . . you're smitten.

Soap fucking loves your little habit of nibbling on him, you two winding up on the couch somewhere with you nibbling on his pecs while he does the some to your tail, Price having a good laugh when he finds you two purring while you do it.

Gaz just likes your bulk, the fact you're so much wider and bigger than him, dwarfing him in size. I hc harpies have this old instinct to rest/nest in like caves or something, so when you wrap your strong arms around you it just makes him feel so safe, especially if you then tuck his head into your neck and he can't see and it's like he's surrounded by heaven, calm and relaxed in the same way raptors are calm when they got that hood on their head.

Ghost likes the fact you're generally quiet, likes the fact you can keep up with him and even pin him down (as well as a wraith can be pinned down). Likes being forced to submit under you, both of you tumbling around on the ground in an attempt to defeat the other until your thick tail is sweeping him out from under his feet and you're nibbling on his neck.

Price takes the longest to come around with you, mostly because he's so possessive and protective of what's his. But he sees you take care of his hoard, take care of him, and the next time you return from a mission, still wet from the swimming you'd had to do, Price pulls you into his office, a deep rumble in his throat. "Did well back there." He says as he takes your hand and bites it, keeping eye contact with you so you know he knows what he's doing, and suddenly you're lunging at him with the intent to mate.

And also sharks have 2 dicks soooo👀

[sanemisstalker]

SANEMI and GIYU, but they're into you and still kind of gay for eachother? Polycule Headcanons. Kinda NSF_W.

(rip to the girl at the ortho that had to watch me write these) I don't really care for giyu x sanemi until they're like, fighting over a third party. Idk they give classic shoujo love rivals to me. I'm like, actually so delusional for this threeway, the idea eats me alive everyday. Anyways-

-Sanemi fucking hates Giyu, and Giyu hates Giyu, so atleast they can bond on that. You, however, don't really hate either of them. If anything, you're just... vaguely amused by their individual antics. Vaguely.

-more apparent is the annoyance, not hatred, very needed distinction, and the attraction. Both of the men are very annoying in their own special ways, and very attractive in equally individual ways.

-Sanemi's low-boiling attitude, but also eerie sense of confidence gave him enough unspoken Charisma to win over most who could get past the first couple of hurdles. He's disastrously goregous, and the scars only add to not only his general mystique, but also his crippling beauty. They're like trophies he's tucked away.

-Giyu is the kind of man to deny being called pretty, but his face isn't subjective. Despite his lack of general social skill, moments spent with Giyu where he's soaking in every piece of information you give him, those begging eyes and lips parted in thought. Most would call him concentrated, you'd argue he's understanding.

-Sanemi is attracted to Giyu's off putting personality rather directly. Though not the picture of social awareness himself, Sanemi's attraction to Giyu started as a pity of sorts. Watching Shinobu rail him for breathing was comedic, but kind of heart fluttering for Sanemi. There was something about Giyu that read as lost. And Sanemi found himself growing slightly protective. He'd never say that, though.

-Giyu didn't know if he was a masochist or not, but there was something about Sanemi's occasional outbursts that both annoyed and enthralled him. Even as Sanemi sought his guts on the ground, Giyu found himself admiring the man's starch emotional drive a little too queerly. Those loud moments and mumbles were all the same. A man unashamed to speak whatever came to his mind.

-Sanemi also finds Giyu to be incredibly pretty after a kiss. Giyu's got this starry, empty eyed look on his face after every kiss Sanemi gives him. Completely liquid in Sanemi's hands, but entirely defiant about it.

-And Giyu loves that feeling. More than anything, really. Well, maybe he loved the feeling of your eyes landing on the two of them in one of their occasional spats... more.

-neither of them were stupid. Not to eachothers tossed looks or yours.

-Sanemi was the first to approach you. He was gruff and defiant, despite coming onto you of his own accord.... well, he didn't really come onto you, but when it's Sanemi, those 'stay away from me for your own good's are indistinguishable from puppy dog eyes and pleading cries.

-Sanemi admits he was stupid to believe this wouldn't cause problems. Suddenly, you were all over him. And he really enjoyed it, even if it struck fear into his bones.

-Giyu was sure this was simply another thing he'd failed at. You nor Sanemi owes him anything, but seeing you both... interact. God, he'd rather you all just fuck infront of him. How unlucky could he be that both objects of his desire turn to eachother. It was what he got for being selfish. This was god returning his stupidity.

-but then you made your move on him, and Giyu didn't remember entirely how he ended up sandwiched between you and Sanemi, hands in places that made him nervous... but he wasn't going to bite a feeding hand.

NSFW

-Sanemi's sex drive is notably larger than Giyu's, but he's much less likely to initiate. Having the both of them willing and in the mood isn't rare, but it is something you have to work for. So most times, you all are having individual sex.

-Sanemi is more likely to sit out and watch. It's impressive, really. His self control. He almost looks lulled by the act. Comfortable, but hard. It's like a practice in denying temptation.

-You and Giyu love to give head. Sanemi is often left with cum dripping down his thighs and a blushing cock that drips with spit while you and Giyu makeout above his nearly unconscious body.

-On really desperate weeks, Sanemi will cum upwards of thrice a day.

-None of you have strict sexual dispositions, which leads to some interesting situations.

-Sometimes Sanemi is fingering both you and Giyu at the same time. Sometimes Giyu is burying his cock deep inside of you while Sanemi is next to you, cucked and degraded. Sometimes you will the men to perform particularly embarassing tasks for each other just to see their faces get red.

-Sanemi once instructed Giyu on how to fuck you correctly, moving Giyu's hips for him, rubbing your clit so Giyu could 'focus'. You and Giyu both came crying because Giyu wasn't allowed to stop until he got it just right, resulting in both of you overstimulated and brain dead by the endof the night. Sanemi praised your performances thoroughly.

-The day Giyu wrestled Sanemi to the ground was particularly arousing. Sanemi had a shocking pliablity you all hadn't seen before. He submitted so willingly to Giyu that it was almost tear inducing. Giyu couldn't help but fuck him into the ground for wearing such a submissive face while you held his head against your own groin, Sanemi making quick and enthusiastic work against your sex.

-you once convinced both of them to serve you as topless maids. You can't even recall how you got Sanemi to do it, but God be damned if you weren't delighted when they knlet down by your legs while you sat, eagerly awaiting your next command.

[voidpacifist]

things I loved about season four of sex ed (spoilers ahead)

the amount of representation present this season. the disability rep, the queer and trans rep, how not shy the writers were confronting different trans and disability rights issues head on.

eric's arc with his religion and his gayness and how he was able to reconcile the two. this one really hit home for me as someone who is both queer and a person of faith. I love getting to see gayness have a place within faith, it just healed something for me, okay?

otis was so classically otis but he finally (FINALLY) acknowledged his own idiosyncrasies without just writing them off as being the fault of wounds in his life. by the end of ep 8 he was dedicated to making things better for himself and for other people and I'm actually so proud of him for that.

aimee's journey with healing from her SA trauma and how she navigated a new relationship with that. also I know it probably wasn't intentional but she's a very autistic coded character to me and watching her flourish as herself with isaac just did something so special to my heart. I would level cities for her.

and adam too!! him finally getting the closure he needed with eric and them communicating !!!! the scene at erin wiley's funeral when eric is able to tell adam how genuinely proud of him he is, just,,,my heart I love it when people get to heal !! also again with the unintentional neurodivergent rep, like come on - sitting undiagnosed by yourself, handsome? he's just like me fr.

I was worried the writers wouldn't do isaac's character justice, even though he was given a good arc in season three I was still anxious about where they would take it now that maeve was overseas and honestly, they didn't give him very much of a story outside of his history and who he was when he was with maeve. similar to aimee with him, I really liked watching more of his artistic traits pop out and I loved seeing him have a healthy friendship with someone. even better, I love it when the feelings he harbored for that person were mutual with no strings attached. I wasn't expecting him and aimee to be endgame but I'm absolutely not disappointed about it (you can tell he's my fav because I've written the longest paragraph about him so far).

cal and aisha and pk. need I say anything more? my only gripe is that I wish we could have had a glimpse of the three of them on a date or even see if there were other people in the polycule but that's okay !! I also just really loved cal's journey with themself and I loved getting to see them supported for their identity it meant so very much to me.

lastly but certainly not the least, I loved that otis and o ended on mutually agreeable terms with each other, it just really added to the whole theme of trying to heal and open new doors and be okay with things not being in control all the time. it was especially touching that he gave his position as therapist to her because he knew and acknowledged he had work to do on himself like !!! very rare otis w but totally welcomed. had the show continued I would have loved to see more development w him.

[isa-ghost]

do you have hc's for death duo?? if you just have more q!phil hc's i would enjoy them as well!!

Previous qPhil headcanons

YES HELLO these took me a hot second, I wanted to do Missa justice bc the fandom tends to just reduce him to nice wet cat in love with Phil. Unfortunately he gets on so little, I don't have a lot more than that to run with, so what you see is what you get and they're more Phil-POV'd. 😭

Also these are platonic bc you asked for Deathduo rather than Pissa!

Listen man. Missa's place in Phil's silly polycule? It's not strictly romantic (if at all) and not strictly platonic, it's a secret third thing. I don't hc Phil or Missa as aro but what they've got going on is def smth some aros would enjoy. The best way to explain it is Kiss The Homies. Except there's a massive crush on Missa's end.

Phil loves doing literally everything with Missa. Exploring, egg care, goofing around, whatever. Quality time and gift giving are his love languages no matter the type of love. He just loves hanging out.

Phil can do no wrong in Missa's eyes. He's this amazing (and very pretty), smart, caring and powerful guy. He cares so much about people, how could he possibly do wrong? Missa is the #3 Philza Minecraft defender (he concedes that Chayanne & Tallulah are #1 and #2).

Missa doesn't understand the whole Bolas thing but he's happy it seems to make Phil happy. He thinks? (The word he's looking for isn't happy, it's manic /lh)

Being away so often sucks, but Missa loves coming back and getting stories from Phil. ... The good ones, not the [lore] ones. Those scare him.

They love exaggeratedly rping nuclear family to tease Chayanne. Holding each other making kissy noises like OoOoH MiSsA I LoOoOvE yOu! OoOoOh PhiLzA I LoOoOvE yOu tOoOoOo! And then Chayanne starts (lovingly) hitting them

The rare times Phil is doing something that doesn't require him to move around, Missa gets a free lap pillow. Phil's good at playing with hair, Missa knocks right the fuck out

And Missa likes putting little braids n stuff in Phil's hair. Actually he looks damn good with those little side ones tbh.

There's something funny about the Angel of Death and a reaper being so close. When the kids are asleep, they swap stories about Missa's past reaping jobs and Phil's,, adventures

Speaking of Phil's past, Missa hasn't doubted him for a single second about what little of the hardcore gods Phil has shared with him. El Ender King es una pequeña perra. >:(

Actually he REALLY wants a full-on lore dump from Phil. The stories sound so fascinating. He wants to know more.

One of Phil's favorite things about Missa is how easy to startle he is. Missa screeches never get old.

Dependable as ever, Phil is the first one Missa goes to when he's missing information or scared. Phil always has answers and he can always protect him!! (*is heavily implying angst here, no Phil can't :)*)

Usually it happens when Phil is 100% alone but he does genuinely get a lil depressed when he misses Missa badly. He wanders to distract himself

Idk man if I was Missa I'd get a little 😳 seeing Phil spattered in blood after a battle where he obliterated whatever the fuck it is he's up against. Scary crow man being a badass motherfucker and then his bloodied ass's first question is if you're okay?? HOO. Would not blame Missa for acting unwise about it

[beanghostprincess]

Follow up of the Marco And Shanks Feuding Over Buggy -

Once things resolve, the captains are somehow the WORST instigators. Roger, once he realized Marco was flirting with his Baby Bug, is caught between "well, kid has good taste" and "Oh I Gotta Kill A Child".

Whitebeard makes frequent comments about daughter in laws and it sends EVERYONE reeling, especially Buggy. He thinks it's hilarious, and it mostly joking ((but a little serious)).

Maybe it's the multishipper in me, maybe it's the polyamory projection, but eventually Shanks and Buggy have The Conversation about being captains of the own crews, of being each other's most definitely, of being married ((they are 13-15 when The End Is Nigh for Roger, and I can see Buggy having a sudden realization that Captain that Dad is dying. She and Shanks speedrun being married so he can do it. They're minors so it isn't official, but they get/make rings, set it up and have Captain officiate it so they're "married". It's the closest they'll get to the real deal and both need their dad there for this.)).

Shanks and Buggy establish an open relationship. They can be with and pursue others, but communication is key and they need to just keep each other relatively in the loop.

Buggy jokingly asks if Marco is still a sore subject, and Shanks shoots her a grin. "If you stay mine, you can be with whoever you like. Just promise me you will make sure he treats you the way you deserve, princess."

The next time Marco crosses either, it's Shanks. And he asks "hey featherhead, still crushing on clowns?"

"And if I am?"

"Here's her denden number - be nice, be polite, don't hurt her or I'll roast you for dinner, chicken boy :))"

"What"

"Byyyyeeeee~"

"No wait what-yoi-?"

Buggy goes on to assemble the world's weirdest, most unexpected polycule. A Yonko husband, a Yonko's division commander boyfriend, two warlords, a Marine, maybe a Revolutionary, just... wild ass polycule.

((Bonus, once she settles in the East for a bit, Zeff takes one look at her and goes "Oh boy now I have a niece. Damn it all." He threatens to shovel talk anyone who dates his weird clown niece but they rarely stop by the East, so he's got the conversations scripted in his head. When Mihawk shows up, he is READY.))

Buggy also has a bunch of evil exes bc she's a catch but she doesn't always clock red flags. It's mostly fine, but if any attempt retaliation, usually she's oblivious, either bc her crew goes full Protect Mom Mode or bc her current partners... take out the trash, as it were :))

Once Luffy realizes Buggy is basically his step mom is all sorts of ways, the Strawhat Protection System is enacted full throttle. She is oblivious. It's hilarious. Buggy has Scary Dog Privileges and doesn't even realize.

Whitebeard still calls her daughter-in-law. Roger is screaming crying throwing up in the afterlife. Rayleigh flips between "Oh my baby girl can handle herself ahe's so strong" and "Nobody Is Good Enough For My Daughter". Crocus hoards all newspapers that so much as mention her or Shanks.

Just. Silly funny polycule shenanigans.

Buggy just has a whole ass harem of boys pining over her and she goes through life thinking they're normal about her but they're not. They're literally obsessed with her. She only loves Shanks and is fond of Crocodile and Mihawk (ends up falling for them eventually, y'know) and the people she has been with have always been just kind of there? She doesn't forget them but she doesn't really care about them either. IT girl, girlboss behavior for once even if she's still a failgirl. But they always remember her. She's not easy to forget. Everybody that loves her is so protective of her too and she wonders why she never gets bothered by anybody?? She believes it's because she's now important and scary and yadda yadda but it's just because people have to go through Rayleigh, the strawhats, Shanks, and Cross Guild to get to her. So, you know, she's protected.

This is just amazing, btw. I also think they have an open relationship. And Marco being extremely confused when Shanks gives him Buggy's number is just hilarious, help. He's having a moment there wondering if it's a trap or something. I think Buggy would have the time of her life, and although Shanks also sleeps with other people, his heart will always be with Buggy. Like- He's the clingiest most annoying husband in the world. He's so proud of calling Buggy his wife. He's just there cheering for her, knowing that no matter how many people she's with, she'll go back to him!! The trust they could've had in each other if things would've gone well,,,,,, Going insane.

[nerves-nebula]

Tm(n)t question.

Do things. Get better?

I’m not asking if there’s a happy ending, and things will probably never be perfect for them

But does there come a day in the future where things can be considered. Good? Where it feels okay, even if just for a little?

There will always be problems, be bad days, but I do want to know if there are good days too, if there’s a point when the good days aren’t so rare.

Yeah.

Anyways, i love the comic :D. Can’t wait to see what else you make.

YES!!! I know it doesn’t seem like it cuz I focus on Donnie being depressed as an adult a lot but they DO spend a lot of their adult life learning to just be ok. They hang out. They CHILL. Raph teaches kindergarten and learns a bunch of crafting shit (the crochet comes for us all one day) Mikey lives in a queer aromantic polycule with his besties!! They all get therapy!!! Leo ends up having a better relationship with sex and heroism!! Things will be ok :)

[good-vs-evo]

oooh i was just tryna find some huayin content because i was bored and a little tired and wanted to cheer myself up AND GUESS WHAT

i thought tumblr was a safe place for me to be insane and queer and have a good time w my silly little rarepairs and polycules and hcs

but apparently. i can't ask for one place to be silly lmao there are ppl on tumblr still being like haters... for ships they could easily avoid? and putting it... under the huayin tag? which is, you know. the uh. the intention is kind of confusing. esp since ppl search up that tag w the intent to consume content related to their personal interests and probably don't want to see ppl hating on what they enjoy in the process <3

once again i don't really see the point in so avidly hating a ship that ur tagging it... in hopes that ppl who ship it will see it? because... they're ppl who ship it... and will likely not agree w u... and will likely just see u as another hater... and either ignore or fight and like where will that get anyone? sincerely? and hating an artist so much like w so much passion i think there are better things in life to do such as: find an artist u do like and move on!!

but i digress i just. i wanted to make a lil post w my hcs for them bc i <3 huayin hehe

reusing some from my long post abt all the rarepairs and polycules i ship!

hua cheng rarely got sick, but when he did, he wasn't worried (he knew yin yu would take good care of him)

both yin yu and hua cheng know how to cook, so they make each other meals when they know the other is too busy to remember to cook for themselves

yin yu can read hua cheng's handwriting! possibly the only person on heaven, hell, and earth who can, he's really used to seeing his messy scribbles and has learned how to decipher them

hua cheng was kind of a xie lian gatekeeper for a while, but he regaled yin yu with stories and let yin yu into his temple dedicated to xie lian

e'ming trusts yin yu and likes him to equal levels to xie lian

they have some little odd creatures of mysterious background that they keep and raise together in paradise mansion

yin yu asked hua cheng to teach him how to draw and paint and hua cheng has little lessons for him when they're both free

yin yu's interested in different kinds of masks, so hua cheng gifted him a room and funds to invest in new ones

they have chill time once a month when they're required to leave their work to just spend an entire day together

hua cheng's love language to yin yu is acts of service and gift giving

yin yu's love language to hua cheng is acts of service (no wayyy) and touch

hope u enjoy :) and also wishing u a nice day :D

[osamusbigtits]

In desperate need of any and all Bokuakakuroken content.

Do you have any headcanon for them?

ok I do have a lot. but I also really recommend @kanoyachi their ideas are so good for bokuakakuroken, they have a whole time line and everything.

ok so I personally think it's bokuaka and then kuroken and then they get together as a whole, because both kenma and kuroo really like bokuto and kenma likes akaashi and it turns out bokuto and akaashi feel similarly and are willing to try out being polyamorous

so much parallel play in this polycule. the amount of times they all just sit in the livingroom and do their own thing.

bokuto and kenma cuddle the most

akaashi now has 3 boyfriends to force him to bed when he stays up to late. typically it's kenma because he is also up pretty late and he just tugs akaashi to bed. bokuto and kuroo will carry akaashi to bed if necessary. and it happens often.

kuroo does a lot of the cooking. bokuto and akaashi aren't the best at cooking, but they are good at putting together quick meals. kenma, well, it's a win if he even eats 2 meals a day.

I think they do end up moving in together. in a house with, like, 3 bedrooms. their main bedroom they all share has a california king bed, massive so they can all lay together. but then there are also separate bedrooms in case of guests but also, sometimes someone just needs a place to be alone

akaashi will often use an area to just be alone and have a moment to breath and relax. he gets overwhelmed easily and having a separate space of his own is really helpful.

kenma does a lot of gaming in the livingroom. bokuto and kuroo really enjoy watching and playing with him

akaashi and kuroo love sharing a glass of wine and gossiping about their coworkers.

so much clothes sharing. especially from kenma.

kenma has 3 boyfriends to now check in and remind him to drink and eat when needed. also akaashi is super blunt and will tell kenma he stinks and needs to shower.

I think they have a lot of petty disagreements. big arguments are rare and everyone is off from it, even if it's just between two of them.

[sokovianfortune]

hello . i would like to talk about my own sexuality/relationship headcanons for the wbn trio since it’s a topic of conversation today :3

jack and elsa are both bisexual. this is a semi-recent discovery for both of them, given that most of elsa’s sexual partners have been women and most of jack’s sexual and romantic partners have been men. had they been asked about their sexualities pre-special, they’d both probably identify themselves as some flavor of gay (here meaning same-sex attracted, rather than an umbrella term like queer!). there is a reason why i have referred to the two of them running into each other in the maze as The Bisexual Jumpscare.

jack is also asexual! he’s not particularly sex-repulsed, he just largely views sex as a bonding activity and a way to make his partner feel good/express romantic love. this is fine by ted because uhh. i mean. let’s all be honest with ourselves here, it is very doubtful that my man has a libido anymore or the hardware to make it happen.

on the other end of the spectrum, you have elsa who only rarely indulged in sex as a way to scratch the human need itch. most of her past partners were one-night stands and she never stuck around for long, either way. but, once she and jack got together, her libido went fucking haywire and now she’s constantly (willingly!) dragging him into ulysses’s old bed chambers. good for her. good for them.

ted only the other hand is Gay gay. he did have a wife pre-transformation as per comics canon but, at the time they were married, he hadn’t really realized or even explored that particular facet of himself. workaholic scientist, yknow. he was operating under the typical “oh i guess i have to get married now because that’s what people Of My Age do.” there also might have been some period-accurate comphet involved, depending on how old he actually is.

ironically and perhaps to metatextually lean into monsters being queer-coded, becoming what he is now, while obviously a traumatic experience at the time, eventually allowed ted the freedom to explore this facet of himself and become comfortable with it.

jack and ted call each other husbands. they are not legally married. it just kind of started as a bit one day and it stuck. at what point did it stop being a bit? they don’t know and have not addressed it. jack would love to wear a ring regardless but he’s very worried about accidentally severing a finger if he forgets to take it off before the full moon.

on the hand, if anyone refers to jack as anything less neutral than elsa’s partner, she Will start gagging. she is forty one years old, she is nobody’s fucking girlfriend. wife is also off the table. she’d get married for practical tax reasons or something maybe but it would have to just be signing a paper in a courthouse with one (1) witness. an actual wedding ceremony (having to bear her stupid soft feelings in front of everyone she knows!!!) would be akin to a particularly humiliating trip through the nine circles of hell for her.

i call them the people’s polycule but they’re really more like a poly v with jack as the midpoint. ted and elsa are decidedly not romantically interested in each other at all but they Are besties united by their love for their beloved little bow wow. i know we have confirmation of the “she’s not into dogs” line but my headcanon is and always will be that the thing ted says to jack to make him laugh at the end is only kind of a joke about being willing to try opening things up if he wanted to.

(jack immediately dismissed this as A Joke and that was when ted knew he was in for a whole lot of yearning. god help him.)

[thatmaxcontent]

East Blue Polycule, yeah? Let me headcanon-dump onto you, stranger who didn't ask for it!

They overall love one another equally (in their own unique ways), but they do have favorites (keep it a secret though 🤭🤫🫡).

Luffy doesn't favor anyone in particular, but he has the most fun with Usopp and the most 'emotional' (big quotes on that) times with Zoro.

Speaking of the Lettuce Demon, his favorite is obviously Luffy, I need not elaborate on this point. He was the first and he will be the last.

Sanji's favorites are Nami and Usopp, Nami in the more silly yet beloving sense. She'll often tease him for being such a simpy simp, but will happily give him some love every now and then. Usopp is constantly around, not just Sanji but the whole crew, and through that Nicotine Kicker kind of just got used to him being THE first one he'd go to (aside captainly stuff and such). They behave more like married folks who've been together for around 10 years most of the time, but this doesn't take away from Sanji's simpyness. Sanji simps for all his partners, but he only visibly does it with Nami and semi-visibly with Usopp. The other two are far more casual.

Nami's favorite is Vivi (surprise! I got this idea from another post, I don't remember the poster, but aaaugh I love it!!!), but out of the crew it's Usopp. Vivi and Nami are one-to-one, the blue gurl isn't dating anyone else. They keep in contact by constantly sending each other letters and SNÄILIN'!!! Usopp is Nami's crew-favorite because... well... they're besties. They bond over so much, and they're the most open in the relationship with one another (close second being Luffy and Zoro tied with Sanji and Usopp, followed by Luffy and Nami, ect ect).

Usopp's favorites are Nami (because of stated bonding) and Sanji (because of their incredible connection), but Luffy deserves an honorable mention as Usopp spends a lot of time and has a blast with him!! Sometimes they also take two-on-two time, rarely it can turn into a little bit of a quiet session, but usually they rave about future adventures and plans. Sometimes Luffy makes Usopp come up with a 'bedtime story', but it's just an excuse to see the sniper get so passionate and think about another adventure!

(This is also from that other poster, aaaaa thank you for infecting my brain with this incredible rot) Aside Vivi, Kaya is dating both Nami and Usopp! They rarely manage to talk, but when they do their sessions are long and if someone disturbs them it's game over for them!

Now onto the funsy headcanons!

Nami and Usopp browse magazines together on a daily basis (sometimes Robin joins them as the cool mother of the group), and they plan some cool and absolutely ✨️SLAY✨️ outfits none of them can ever wear.

Zoro and Sanji have a little bit of a play-competition going on constantly. They get genuinely pissed off by the other often times, but sometimes they make something a competition as an excuse to angrily make out against the kitchen wall (they definitely 'sword'fight about who tops)

Luffy doesn't completely process the relationship as a, well, romantic relationship. He's more in it for the good times, and because he loves the peeps! He's overall fine with more strictly romantically-viewed things, but sometimes he just doesn't want to. One second he will say "Zoro, crush me with your arms", the next he sees Franky and Robin (the cool parents) kissing and he goes "BLEUGH I'm going to need a shovel to transport this bullshit out of my mouth BLEHHHHHH"

Usopp is the most insecure and unstable in the relationship. He's very people-pleasery, while also trying to keep up a persona. If he ever emotionally talks it's usually to Nami, sometimes to Sanji within the relationship, but outside of it he confides in Franky (the awesome dadster) and Jinbe (the ultimately best grandpops). He tries to get better, but fails to realise how. He has fun with everyone, seeks to be around them at all times, but sometimes he can't help but disappear. If you don't see him at breakfast give him until lunch, at that point it's suitable to check-in. Who knows what the thoughts in his head have made him do.

Sanji has a dedicated notebook/ramblebook about each one of the peeps. Sometimes when he can't sleep, or someone just did something he found notable, he whips out a book and starts going "September 1st, 1989, dear diary-" oh shit, wrong fandom.

Zoro is the one that has to be dragged into things the most, he does go willingly as well but his solitude is important to him. This being said he usually doesn't mind Luffy or Usopp chilling around if he's laying back, sometimes they can ramble and do their own thing as well. A lot of the time it's just sitting and silently contemplating on things, with Usopp at least. If Luffy doesn't have stimulation for five seconds he'll gomu-gomu the ship.

Nami absolutely loves physical contact, but sometimes feels bad that she can't see her girlfriends and feel them around. In these cases she'll request some physical space until things have settled, but sometimes that can make her even more clingy. She usually seeks out Usopp, but will cling onto someone else if he isn't to be seen.

Luffy found a new appreciation for various relationship through the polycule. This also helped him think more healthily about his past, those who are gone and those who are alive. He's managed to settle some feelings, but a lot of experiences still hinder his head. He doesn't think about those things that much, and besides if he feels down he will quite literally start deflating. A quick munch of food, mention of stories or a good song will always cheer him right up.

Usopp actively leaves gifts for everyone around the ship (to the ones outside the relationship as well, but extra for the peeps). They're handmade, and they range from silly notes/drawings with cheesy jokes to actual equipment/tools and sometimes even clothing and jewelry.

I COULD GO ON FOR SO LONG, BUT IF YOU READ THIS FAR THANK YOU FOR BEING AN ENJOYER!!!! And drink some water, you're dehydrated you fucking amazing dewdrop angel baby

HAVE A GOOD TIMEZONE!!!

[redriotinggg]

For the ship bingo: sanuso, zosopp, usonami and lusopp 👀. You can pick and choose if these are too many

Yaaaay thanks so much!! I’ll do them all <3

SanUso

Of COURSE I got a bingo with SanUso. They're my top OP ship, if that's not obvious. I have So Many thoughts about them; they spin around in my head 24/7. They're my favourite characters, and their canon dynamic is so fun and heart-warming, so it's no wonder why they've stolen my heart. I resonate VERY strongly with both Sanji and Usopp's characters so projecting onto them is my favourite thing in the world. I read and write fic for them constantly. I WANT TO KISS THEM BOTH I HAVE A HUGE CRUSH ON BOTH OF THEM. SANUSO CALL ME PLEASE. I need more canon scenes of them together before I lose my mind because it's been way too long. Love them as a monogamous couple, and as an OT3 with Zoro and the East Blue Polycule.

ZoSopp

OKAY SO I love these guys a lot!! They were my very first One Piece ship because of all their interactions pre-timeskip. Their canon relationship is what is most interesting to me. Since they met, Zoro always had unwavering faith in Usopp's strength and I think he's helped him become more confident. I love how Usopp always messes with Zoro and hides behind him. I think about what their dynamic post-Water 7 must be A Lot. I enjoy them romantically, but I think I like their platonic relationship the best. I love them in the ZoSanUso trio and the East Blue Polycule. ZoSopp fic is rare, but what's out there is so good. I hope to write more for them.

UsoNami

THE BESTIES EVERRRRR!!!!! I definitely prefer them as friends/in a queer-platonic relationship, but their friendship is so sweet that a romantic relationship isn't out of left field. I strongly believe that they have a FWB relationship (I'll finish my fic soon I PROMISE). I like them in the East Blue 5 polycule, where they are the Bosses of the group. I don't really read fic of them but maybe I should.

And they look so good together like?? Their matching fits are adorable, I adore them so much.

LuSopp

GOD, okay. Again, the bestie vibes are super strong with these two, which can easily lead to a romantic relationship, especially with how tactile they both are. Their canon dynamic makes me INSANE. The love they have for each other is so obvious and sweet. Despite their similarities, they're so different in how they think that it makes them clash HARD, as rarely as it happens. And again, big fan of EB5 polycule. I occasionally read fic for them.

If you wanna be messy like I do, y'all should send me ships that I don't talk about on my blog 👀👀👀

Come play Ship Game Bingo!

[i-am-kat-hi]

Yall wanted headcanons, yall shalt recieveth

Arturo styles Ace’s hair to make it look good.

#Couple Therapy

Their reaction ship is a cycle of “-I’m mad, I yell at you, we separate, I feel bad, I forgive you, we love each other again, something ticks me off so-” over and over again.

Arturo actually makes decent meals for them.

Don’t think they go easy on each other if they get intimate.

If either of them has a bad day, the other will hug and comfort them while they cry.

Arturo tries his best to help Ace care for himself.

Arturo also does makeup, Ace has tried it once and he looked kinda funny, which made Arturo laugh.

Every once in a while, Ace steals Arturo’s mask and hides it.

The way I squealed with joy for Aceturo cannot be explained with words. I fucking love Aceturo.

Ace definitly clings to Levi’s leg when he’s bored.

Levi usually makes Ace eat food

Ace and Levi make it a tradition to sleep in together every saturday no matter what.

They either don’t show affection or shower the other in it.

They both get very intimate with each other, especially when they’re both in a good mood.

Levi makes all the clothing they wear, since he refuses to let other people make what he and Ace wear.

This is one of my OPTs, I adore this ship to death.

Eden and Arei always bake cookies together. Arei would decorate them with swear words and Eden would draw faces on them.

Eden always kisses Arei goodnight.

Arei is very defensive of Eden and will do anything to make sure she’s safe.

Arei teases Eden often but the friendly type. Sometimes Eden drops a comeback which makes Arei proud.

When they kiss, Eden’s lips taste like sugar and Arei’s taste like lipstick.

They prefer to keep a romantic relationship, nothing too intimate.

The amount of hate these two get for being lesbian. Eden stays silent and Arei yells at them.

Lovely Lovely Lesbians <3

Damn 2 Charuko requests-

Charles and Teruko sleep in different rooms

The two of them order doordash because neither of them can cook.

Teruko is usually the one to start a conversation, Charles ends it

Teruko will sometimes wear Charles’ spare lab coat when he’s at work because she misses him

Charles gives small forehead kisses to Teruko when she’s asleep.

They keep their relationship purely romantic, with no sexual stuff.

They have a small bird named Kiki. She’s a Conure.

When they aren’t busy, they watch romance movies at home.

Charles had to take Teruko to a lawyer to fix up her legal documents.

FUCK YEAH MY FAVORITE SHIP, LET’S GOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Min has taught David perfect grammar for his speeches.

David and Min read books together. 

Since neither of them really go out, they order doordash.

To help David sleep, Min reads him some calming poems.

Min is always at the front row of David's speeches.

They bond over “society is fucking stupid”

David always moves Min’s bangs out of her eyes and Min takes off David’s starclips as an inside joke.

Rare pair I never thought of but like a lot now❣️

Nico brought a black cat home once and David refuses to let anyone else pet it.

The two of them adore oversized hoodies so they might wear one together.

David is usually the one who takes the initiative when it comes to intimacy, of course, he never goes rough.

The two of them are 

Nico usually makes meals for the two of them. David will sometimes have to drag Nico into the shower with him so they can get clean. Man, I’m all for rare-pairs and I think this ship is cute <3

How about both 😀

-Halloween Trio

Veronika and Arturo go on a lot of shipping sprees for fashionable clothing, with Ace having to carry everything.

Ace and Veronika agree to share Arturo, and Arturo watches in confusion.

Ace definitely loves it when Arturo hugs him. He sees it as a special occasion.

Veronika gives Arturo little pecks on the cheek and head pats Ace.

Ace is a rough kisser, Veronika goes a bit lighter, and Arturo gives light kisses.

They all have bracelets with each other’s names on them. FUCKING LOVE THIS POLYCULE.

-Acevid

They’res a lot of fighting between them.

They both call each other mentally insane.

Since neither of them really.. eats..their kitchen is very empty.

They rarely show each other affection, even if they want to.

Every once in a while, Ace will kiss David on the cheek.

Expect these two to have nightmares in the middle of the night, wake up crying, and hug each other for comfort.

Teruko lets her guard down around Nico

They’re not very touchy or intimate with each other.

They usually don’t talk with each other, instead, they write little notes for each other.

They have three cats, Tractor(a Canon Cat), Lily(A grey cat), and Soju(Brown with white splotches of fur).

Nap times are common.

Teruko usually drags Nico to baths and showers.

SO MANY HOODIES.

Oooo this ship intrests me/pos

Oh no…this ship…I can never escape it/lh

 They constantly fight but it’s more lighthearted.

They go all out in intimacy.

They sometimes have swear-offs, but David usually wins.

Teruko does David’s hair.

David gave up doing speeches and instead uses his new free time to hang out with Teruko.

The amount of injuries David has from Teruko’s luck is absurd. Teruko feels bad about this and tries to patch the other up.

Every once in a while, they have some wholesome moments.

Teruko calls David, “Stardust” and David calls Teruko “Nova”.

They have matching earrings. Teruko has a star earring and David has a moon one.

I LOVE. TERUVID.

The two of them often go out to graffiti on old buildings.

Arei often plays pranks on Xander, Xander afterward would pick her up and suspend her in the air playfully.

When Xander cooks for the two of them, Arei always has a bottle of cold water prepared since Xander cooks really spicy food.

They take baths together and splash each other in the process.

If either one of them gets hurt, the other gets very defensive. They definitely enjoy their intimate time together. This is a ship I’ve never seen before, personally I headcanon Arei as a lesbian but I’m all up for rare-pairs!

Whit makes the meals for the two.

Xander actually confessed to Whit the day before Valentinesday, since he knew Whit disliked the holiday.

Whit showers Xander with affection and Xander does his best to do the same.

They definitely enjoy their intimate time together.

Whit calls Xander “Xanxan”, and Xander calls Whit “Muffin” just because it’s cute.

Their ideal date is chasing each other on a grassy hill when it’s sunny outside.

Xanwhit is actually really cute now that I think about it.

Teruko is almost always dragged by Veronika to see horor movies.

Veronika is very intrigued by Teruko’s luck, even if that means she’s getting into a lot of trouble due to it.

Even if she doesn’t show it, Teruko loves Veronika dearly.

The two of them are very intimate with each other, Veronika always starts it and they switch around. Both of them exploring each other.

Veronika works at a movie production studio and Teruko is the main actor.Teruko learned how to write just so she could write love letters to Veronika. Man, I love this ship sm. It’s honestly adorable to me.

----

GASP A LOT OF REQUESTS AND A LOT OF HEADCANONS! TYSM TO EVERYONE WHO REQUESTED SHIPS <333

[alpaca-clouds]

Multiamory Month

I posted yesterday about considering to participate in @polyamships' Multiamory Months with BG3 ships. And after going about my ships in the Polyam-Shippings Discord Server, I thought I could post them here, too.

Also, @missmacfire was like: "Oh, there are so many good triads." But here is the thing: I rarely do triads. And instead tend to end up with bigger polycules. Right now this looks like this.

So, my one polycule is this one.

(Halsin?) x Kantei x Tav x Astarion x Themberchaud

See, here is the thing. Like, obviously I shipped Astarion and Tav from playing the game. But my Tav has a lot of OC friends, because his thing is that he has friends. (Look, he is kinda a Shonen protagonist. He meets a random person and they gonna be best friends.) And hence I invented also Kantei as part of his found family. She is Tav's ex-girlfriend and still best friend. You can read more about her in A Scandal in Neverwinter. But writing her and Tav it became clear fairly quickly that those two very much still have feelings for each other.

On the other side we have the entire thing that is gonna sound like a fucking random crack ship. But, um, yeah, I am also shipping Astarion with Themberchaud. Something that is very much random, I know. But I swear, that ship actually makes a lot of sense.

And... I also know that Kantei absolutely is at some point gonna start courting Halsin. Because she is gonna see him and is gonna be: "OMG, big elf! Hot!"

Oh, and Kantei and Astarion have a very cute Queer-Platonic relationship. (They love to annoy the living hell out of each other.)

The other polyship I am gonna use for the challenge is this one:

Wyll x Karlach x Shadowheart x Lae'zel x Nocturne

I feel like I do not need to explain this one as much. Wyll and Karlach are fairly obvious from the game itself, as are Karlach and Shadowheart. I mean, if you have those three in your party at once they banter so much. I actually do believe that they are the trio with the most banter out of all characters.

Putting Lae'zel in with Karlach and Shadowheart is also fairly popular, though I for now have Lae'zel in the phase of figuring herself and her sexuality out still, after having grown up in a cult and only slowly going through what amounts to deprogramming. Hence she is fooling around but not quite comfortable to attach herself romantically.

While I have Wyll, Karlach and Shadowheart out adventuring together (in my headcanon Karlach is fixed, because fuck canon in that regard), with Lae'zel travelling along from time to time, but also venturing out on her own.

And... again, Nocturne and Shadowheart is... I mean, it is pretty much there.

I am quite honest with you. There is a good chance that both polycules will at some point attach to each other in some way at some point. Probably over Tav and/or Kantei.

And, look, I know how it is with real life polycules. You just... collect people. xD

[isa-ghost]

was reading through your q!phil hc masterpost and was wondering if you could add any of your codebreakers/etoilza headcanons into the fray…? :3

YESSSS I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TOOK THIS LONG TO GET ASKED /LH

qPhil headcanons masterlist

RESTATES for my and your convenience (heads up, there are suggestive/mildly explicit mentions!!):

--He's FWB with Etoiles. Extremely QPR, Etoiles is an aro king --He and Phil started out as friends and that has Barely changed if at all, but sparring matches get a little too homoerotic sometimes and neither of them can resist the other when they're popping off extra hard. Things have. Escalated a few times. If yknow what I mean. Of all Phil's harem members polycule partners, he & Etoiles have absolutely ZERO emotional investment in the Spicy(tm) things they do together. It's simply a very intimate way of showing each other their respect & admiration for the other. What they have going on is a "*spanks you* good game, let's hit the showers team" kinda deal. They're the type of mfs to finish in bed then shake hands like "gg." Casual sex is >>>> to these two, but it happens waaay less between them than it did Phil & Fit, Fitza was habitual (pre-Pac). Codebreakers is a once in a while thing --Etoiles has 100% asked Phil who fucks the best out of the polycule bc like everything else, it's a competition & he Must win, he Must have the best dick game. This amuses Phil very much --Phil is attracted to Etoiles the same way he's attracted to Fit, HOWEVER, the reasoning is different. Etoiles has raw skill and talent, but it's the way he wields it and demonstrates it that makes Phil wanna act up. Also Etoiles is fucking hilarious. Who can resist a good sense of humor? Those dramatics make Phil swoon --Etoiles is one of the people who is best at catching Phil's Tells for when something is wrong --Etoiles is one of few people who can convince (or goad) Phil into doing something he normally wouldn't, especially if he's drunk --Speaking of Phil being drunk around Etoiles, the way he can still absolutely body someone or snipe smth from miles away makes Etoiles want to kiss him stupid --Etoiles left a scar on Phil's back during Purgatory when he killed him Day 1. Phil didn't know for the longest time, but it took him a while to show him his wings after that. --Phil was genuinely afraid of Etoiles (& Fit) for a while after Purgatory --Sometimes Phil's laughs and startled yelps sound almost like squawks. Also his hiccups. It's very rare, but whenever it happens, he gets teased for it. Especially by Etoiles. --Phil goes back and forth on gifting one of his shed feathers to Etoiles --Technically all of the Polycule vs Ender King hcs apply to Etoiles in some way --Phil could listen to Etoiles teach him about French culture for hours

And now the new stuff :D

Etoiles's dramatics can get Phil in tears laughing. His sides and stomach will hurt before it's over, and Etoiles can go on for MINUTES. Sometimes he'll keep going purely because it has Phil dying so hard and he loves seeing what a kick Phil gets out of it

Etoiles is (playfully) salty that Phil is such a My Kids Come First kinda guy bc GOD does he want Phil to be down to do dangerous pvp and dungeon busting shit without the "euuu we gotta make sure it's safe" aspect more often. He wants that Angel of Death. Etoiles is the #1 Dadza (Derogatory) islander /lh

See, Fitza is more explicit and deadass about their,, Time together. Codebreakers is more subtle. Yknow that "media literacy is knowing when something that isn't gay sex is gay sex" post? That's Codebreakers. Sparring, dungeon busting, whatever high-risk high-exertion thing they're doing together. That.

It should go without saying how down Etoiles would be to throw hands with Ender King. It would be the most exhilarating fight he's ever had

Phil's still lowkey lost about the whole resistance thing. And schedules lately have not been kind to the two of them, so he hasn't had a chance to talk about it with Etoiles as extensively about it as he'd like to

Btw he's secretly concerned as hell smth bad is gonna happen to Etoiles if more of his body becomes corrupted by code :)

They 100% refer back to the time Etoiles said this regularly, and similar things like it. The same can be said for Fitza but my god the extent to which these two are more than willing to kill for each other. OUGH.

Phil does not realize how much pent up stress and emotion he can vent out via sparring or hitting something really fucking hard. Etoiles is going to fix that one day.

Phil's Etoiles impression has made Etoiles attempt to learn how to mimic Phil in retaliation but he cannot for the life of him get the hang of Phil's fuckass accent. Geordies stay winning to this man's dismay

Etoiles is frustratingly yet fascinatingly hard for Phil to clock sometimes. It's difficult to gauge exactly how he's feeling or what he's thinking. And yet as inconvenient that can be sometimes, something about it is incredibly attractive to Phil at the same time. Which is funny because unpredictability is usually not something his survivalist brain would like. Something about how he trusts Etoiles and therefore his being a wildcard is not so scary,,

Etoiles 🤝🏻 Chayanne - Wanting Phil to take them on a flight

I don't know if I'd call Etoiles an anarchist the same way I would Phil, but either way he is SO DOWN to fuck with the Feds if it entails any kind of pvp or the need to be geared up

Ok listen I have to call back to the gay sex subtext thing. Things that are more sex than gay sex to Codebreakers: Sparring, adrenaline, battles of wit, flexing powerful gear, thinking too much about what an absolute potential killing machine the other is, watching one another be in The Zone during a fight

Phil has more physical strength than skill with weapons and Etoiles has more skill with weapons than physical strength. Ok now imagine that while they're in a 2v# fight

I would not put it past Etoiles to pull a Missa and say smth wildly out of pocket and suggestive so fast in French that Phil doesn't catch it.

[navibluebees]

begging on my knees for you to do a hc list for prager

Please read before interacting.

Oooh, well since you asked nicely. 😇💙 Also bless you because this was a ride I did not expect. He was a hard one to pin down (ehehe), but these are the vibes I got. Thank you for asking, I had such a good time with this one!

How Prager would be with his SO

This man is TIRED, being woken up as a recom was his 13th reason, but he figured since his buddies were here too then why the hell not go with it

He goes with the flow at work, biting his tongue and following orders so when he gets home to you, he is stressed tf out.

Decompresses for a little while when he gets home, but then comes out and quietly inserts himself into whatever task you’re doing, & always eager to take advantage of his height to help you out

Not terrible with cooking but prefers to pull up a chair and be the taste tester

After you finish up chores, he needs cuddles and lots of kisses. 

Cuddles and naps where your limbs are intertwined or you’re sprawled out on top of him.

Will do literally anything for you… except squash bugs. The first time you guys saw a spider in your home, the floor became lava and you screamed at each other to get it. (Took this from the polycule because it made me laugh so damn hard. Currently picturing both Prager and his SO crouched on chairs and trying to squash the spider with a broom or something.)

Wants to be open with you, but has a lot of emotions built up, so he has a hard time finding the right words to say.

Subtly possessive. Trusts you wholly and other people for the most part, but cannot take his damn hands off of you. Pulls you into his lap, hand around your waist, gently rubbing your shoulders

Did a double-take when he first saw you and the way the light kissed your skin.

Becomes more outgoing as he gets more comfortable around you.

Animals love him. Was so excited to tell you about the time a viperwolf brought her cubs to him while he was on a mission. Refused to move until she came back to get them

Likes gaming, but gets so frustrated because the controllers are too tiny now for his big hands, so he gets you to sit in his lap and he talks you through how to play

Eyes crinkle up at the edges when you’re telling him about a funny story/ how your day went.

Has a goofy grin, 100% smitten with you

NSFW Below

In reference to loving you in his lap, he will grind subtly against you to tease you out in public. Loves when your face goes beet red and you have to pretend like you're not bothered.

Very rarely sub only when he needs a softer intimacy.

bc this man is so stressed, its gotta come out somewhere

Dominant most always. Even when you’re on top, he’s in charge

Will talk you through it just like the gaming. “Suck it like this. There’s a good Y/N” (matches well with someone who has a praise kink)

LOVES to tell you what to do step by step. If you refuse, he’ll grab you by the chin and go “Say that again. If you’re so confident, say it to my face.”

Spanking during doggy styleeeee, digging his fingers into your hips, bowing his body over yours and biting into your shoulder

VEERY much into edging. Loves pushing you to your limits more mentally than physically. And when you beg??? He fuckin loves it.

Will dirty talk your ears off, telling you what he’s about to do, praising you for how good you’re taking him

Lots of deep sounds from him, loves hearing how good he makes you feel.

After, he’s back to being a big softie, taking care of you and cleaning you up. 

Probably wouldn’t consider sharing unless you brought it up and only if it were someone he trusted. If it ever happened, he would make sure the other person knew who the alpha was