#eld unknown

[thevellaunderground]

The Symphony of Pixels: Gaming’s Musical Evolution in 2024

1. The Rise of Dynamic Soundscapes 2024 saw the introduction of dynamic soundscapes that adapt to player actions, creating a unique auditory experience. Game songs like Minecraft’s “Eld Unknown” and “Featherfall” have utilized this technology to enhance immersion, where the music changes tempo, intensity, and even genre based on gameplay. In 2024, the gaming industry has witnessed a significant…

[mogdoodles]

OH THE 1.21 OST IS A FULL HOUR LONG???

god DAMN Precipise is so good, I assume it's a disc song and if it is it might be one of my favorites

though i am wondering if they're putting two discs in? because Creator is definitely either a disc or a "trial chamber fight" track imo

all of the artists who worked on this ATE god damn, definitely the best update since 1.16 (at the VERY least music-wise)

[badomensbaby]

rules of the road. lrh (part 1.)

pairing: luke hemmings x fem!reader

summary: finally getting your driver's license after moving to the big city for college, you're a bit stunned by your dorky, charming driving instructor.

warnings: 18+ only. minors DNI. flirting/flustering, protected smut, praise kink, mommy kink, car sex, safe sane and consensual, explicit sexual content. (driving instructor! luke, racecar driver! luke)

words: 6,307

a/n: one beautiful evening, as i was driving home with a frosty from wendy's balanced in my lap, i saw a student driver vehicle and i was like! hm! what if... and then this kind of happened. i tried to keep a keen eye while editing but if there's an error, feel free to let me know! <3

feedback and constructive criticism welcome. requests are open!

Copyright © 2024 badomensbaby. All rights reserved. This original work is not allowed to be reposted on any platform in any format.

You weren't a typically nervous person.

Growing up in a town where you practically had to just figure it out on your own, nothing really got under your skin. Not tractor maintenance nor harvest schedules, or that nasty little wasp's nest in the cattle barn in the spring.

But tests, those were a different story.

From college entrance exams to applying for your driver's license, those were the types of tests that made your heart race and your palms clam up. Because it was the unknown that bothered you so much. The unfamiliarity.

And, sprinkle in the fact that you'd left the family farm to pursue a college degree into the mix and every worry's been increased tenfold. As the baby of the family, first daughter behind a handful of rowdy, hard-working boys, being the first of your household to attend college was a serious milestone. You could only hope to make your parents and siblings proud.

But moving to the big city meant learning to drive. Well, legally. You've spent countless hours in your father's farm truck or your grandfather's tractor, you weren't necessarily inexperienced when it came to driving but you've never really been surrounded by other drivers. Just gravel roads and grassy two-tracks and your bothers dirt bikes.

The initial exam, a knowledge test about road signs and rules, wasn't too bad. They'd given you a practice test and a helpful guide booklet when you'd arrived at your appointment. It felt odd, being just barely twenty years old and taking a driver knowledge exam alongside kids barely pushing sixteen. You felt behind but it wasn't your fault.

Nerves didn't erupt in your stomach until the kind lady in the Secretary of State's office informed you that you'd be taking an on-road driver skills test. An instructor will watch you, quiz you, and grade you accordingly and if you fail, you can kiss your ability to drive legally goodbye until you pass.

Now that makes you nervous. Like there's ravenous butterflies swarming your stomach. You're already under a lot of pressure with fall classes starting soon and your part-time job, now you're worried about passing your driver's exam. The lady assured you there's nothing to fret over, that the instructor you've been assigned is well versed in the rules of the road and he's a total sweetheart.

Waiting in the parking lot wasn't the worst part. You were told he'd arrive shortly, a man named Mr. Hemmings, in one of the contracted company's instructing vehicles. Plastered with bright yellow stickers along the back, just shouting to everyone on the road that you're an inexperienced driver so take it easy.

Expecting some middle aged, married, grumpy man with nothing positive to say, the nerves weren't so bad as you basked in the moderate heat of the Michigan summer sun. Your phone pings a few times, a slew of good lucks and you've got this! from your family members. You don't even realize there's a stark white Toyota Camry pulling up to the curb until the scuff of shoes on the asphalt catches your attention.

"Y/N L/N?" A thick, low voice questions. A text message to your eldest brother sits unfinished beneath your thumbs, lips parting with shock. There's no bald patch or flat tire sticking out beneath his shirt, hell it barely looks like he's wearing a shirt at all because the white fabric is so snug and pulled taught over his abdomen and chest and arms that it's absolutely ludicrous. "Y/N?" he repeats.

"Yeah- yeah, that's me," You hesitantly stand, shoving your phone in the pocket of your jeans before brushing your now clammy hands along your thighs. His eyes flicker between the clipboard in his hand and you, shamelessly raking up and down your frame before clearing his throat.

"Great," His lips twist into a wide, toothy smile, shoulders seemingly relaxing at the confirmation. His stance laxes, nodding his head of bouncy, golden curls towards the vehicle that's idling behind him. "Why don't we go ahead and get started?"

You nod, swallowing the thick lump forming in your throat, hardly maintaining eye contact with the instructor as you climb into the driver's seat and watch him awkwardly fit himself into the seat beside you. "Okay," He blows out a breath. "I'm Mr. Hemmings but you can just call me Luke, it's easier and nobody likes saying a long name especially if you're in a panic."

You barely manage a short, clipped laugh. "Rad. Anyway, we're gonna be in here for the next hour or so. I'm mainly here to make sure you understand vehicle safety and that you're prepared to operate this beauty on your own," With a laugh, Mr. Hemmings taps the dashboard with his palm. "Well, not this beauty obviously, but you get my point. Oh! And I have break pedals over here just in case. I haven't used them yet this month so please don't put us in a situation where I might need to."

He's funny, you'll admit. In a dorky, charming kind of way. He hasn't stopped smiling the entire time and you're curious if he's just that way in general or if it's a front because he probably deals with some right idiots when it comes to being an instructor. "You're quiet."

"Sorry," You mumble, hands still folded in your lap. "I'm just a bit nervous."

"There's really no need," he assures you, turning in his seat with an excited smile. "If you've passed your vision and knowledge tests then this is like, a cakewalk. Have you driven before?"

"Yeah, back home," You tell him. "Mostly just old trucks, though. I don't think I've ever driven a proper car."

"Cool, car virgin. I like that," Luke turns his attention back to the clipboard, scribbling something that you're unable to make out because it's complete chicken scratch. "Well, why don't we get going so we can stay on track."

"Okay," You breathe out, clasping the seatbelt over your lap. Under your breath, you rattle off the first steps of safety before your hands ever touch the steering wheel. Seatbelt, check. Rearview mirror, check. Side mirrors, check. When everything seems as it should, you rest one hand on the wheel before shifting the vehicle into drive, peering out of the passenger's side mirror to ensure no cars are coming up behind you in the lot.

Luke stays silent, observing you, pen hovering over his checklist sheet. As you head towards the exit, you realize you have absolutely no clue where you're meant to go. "Uhh-"

"Take a left here," Luke tells you. Signaling, you check both ways for any oncoming traffic before exiting the parking lot, keeping an eye on the speed limit signs posted on the side of the road. "And at the next light, hang a right. We'll follow that through downtown and then get you on the highway for a bit."

Nodding, you try to keep yourself composed and not let the nerves get to you as you follow his instruction. You make sure to slow down appropriately as you cruise through the city's downtown area, briefly taking in the brick buildings and shops as you pass.

The vehicle's air is a little stiff, a little warm underneath the summer sun and you're considering asking Luke if he can turn the air on but he's too busy drumming his fingertips along his bare thigh to really pay you any mind. You'd always heard that driving instructors were very observant, overly cautious and very strict about everything but Luke's so laid back it's slowly beginning to relieve your nerves.

"Would you mind turning on the air?" Luke asks, eyes soft and kind when you glance over at him. You're just trekking along behind other vehicles, following signs for the highway that's still a few miles out. It's probably one of the things on his checklist, for you to tinker with something and hope it doesn't distract you enough to cause any accidents.

Glancing at the various knobs, luckily they're standard and simple, similar to your father's truck so pressing two buttons quickly has cool air flowing into the car. You feel a little more at ease, less of an iron grip on the steering wheel. "You're doing great, by the way." Luke chimes in.

"Thanks," You keep an eye on the Jeep that keeps randomly breaking in front of you, easing off of the accelerator when applicable. You weren't a newbie when it came to driving itself, just following the actual road laws and learning the flow of traffic. "I need to turn right up here?" You ask.

Luke hums with a nod. He's began muttering some tune under his breath along with his finger-drumming, as if he isn't remotely worried about you merging onto the highway. Picking up speed, you join alongside the few cars rumbling along the road. "We'll take this to the next town over, about thirty minutes, then we'll head back and do a few simple maneuvers and that's it."

You nod, fighting the urge to sigh. Who knew your road test would be so boring? There's no music, just the sound of your tires on the asphalt and Luke's low humming. "Why'd you decide to become an instructor? Isn't it- well, boring?"

A slow chuckle slips out of your instructor's mouth, elbow perched on the door, hand clasped against the side of his face. "It's not all boring, I swear. I just like helping people become confident drivers. You'd be surprised how many students I've had that are too terrified to even start the engine."

"You're pretty laid back, it's definitely making me less nervous," You laugh softly, keeping your eyes on the empty road. "Helps that you're not bad looking either."

Shit, you weren't meant to say that.

In your peripheral, you can see Luke squirm slightly in his seat, instantly worrying that you've made him uncomfortable. You're about to retract your statement and apologize but the grin that overtakes his pink lips stops you. "Thank you," he says honestly, his tone a little strained. "So are you. I mean, I wouldn't say not bad looking, you're pretty- like quite pretty- and okay, is it a little warm in here? Jeez."

You stifle a laugh at his nervous rambling. It's cute, kind of refreshing, too. But a weight settles in your stomach because no, you absolutely cannot think your driving instructor is cute. Doesn't that cross some kind of line? Break a rule? It has to. "So- are you uh.. getting your driver's license to.. drive to your boyfriend's house orr.."

Oh god, he's also pretty damn terrible at flirting. Normally, you'd find it cringey and a tad obnoxious but it's cute on him. Adorable, even, because he's definitely a handful of years older than you but he flusters so easily it makes your confidence soar.

There's nothing wrong with indulging in it, is there? It's not like you're gonna fuck him on the side of the highway or anything.

"No boyfriend," You keep a straight face, like you're intently focused on the billboards you pass by. "Or girlfriend." You tack on, just to see him flounder a little more.

"Oh- yeah, rad," Luke nods a few times. "That's- yeah, okay, cool."

God, he's so fucking cute. How'd you get so damn lucky to have him as an instructor?

Luke's tapping the window ledge aimlessly, almost looking uncomfortable but not with you, like something's gnawing at him. "Hey, can you pull off at this rest stop for a minute? I need to- uh- bathroom. Yeah."

"Sure." You signal off, slowing down as you near the small building, only a few cars scattered in the parking lot. Luke quickly unbuckles himself and slips out of the car, almost too fast for you to realize there's a tent in his shorts. Well, fuck.

You've never really been the hook-up type in the past, coming from such a small town there's slim pickings when you know everyone's faults. Only when your family would travel up to Mackinac Island or down to Kalamazoo to visit family would you end up fooling around with some local for an afternoon but that didn't happen very often.

Though the circumstances aren't ideal, there's obviously some kind of attraction on both sides. Probably just some silly short-term infatuation and who knows what's running through Luke's mind. But he's hot, there's no denying that, and guilt tugs at your chest because he's here to do a job and you're just being a massive distraction.

Luke returns about fifteen minutes later, a little flushed in the face but there's this look he's sporting that looks nothing short of pure bliss. You're not stupid, you can recognize a post-orgasm haze from a million miles away.

God, did he really get off in a public rest stop bathroom? What the hell was he so worked up over? You bite back any inappropriate questions lingering on your tongue as he buckles himself in and you merge back onto the highway.

Luke doesn't say a word until it's time to circle back. He's quiet, too quiet, thrumming his fingers against his knee in a rhythm you aren't able to recognize. You decide to go the exact speed limit, setting the cruise control and waiting for Luke to ask why you've done that but no such comment comes.

"You okay?" You finally ask. The two of you are trapped in here for at least another thirty minutes on the highway alone, then likely another twenty or thirty around town after that. The silence isn't deafening but it's making you a little uneasy.

"Me? Yeah- I'm great. Fantastic, actually. Why wouldn't I be? Nothing's wrong. Everything's peachy." The instructor rambles.

Something's definitely wrong. You're not a very confrontational person but you'd rather have whatever issue at hand out in the open than let it linger silently the remainder of your test. "Luke-"

As you're getting his attention, the car begins to splutter. Numerous lights illuminate the dashboard, a loud rumbling sound making the steering wheel shake beneath your hands. Immediately, Luke begins to press on the emergency instructor's breaks and with some guidance, he helps you pull off on the shoulder just as the engine dies.

Not believing the sight before you, you turn to Luke, who's equally as shocked and silent, both of your chests heaving. "What the hell?" You ask aloud.

"I have no clue," Luke says frantically. "The car's been running fine all day. There weren't any warning lights, were there?"

Truthfully, you don't remember. "I don't.. think so? All of them lit up before it crapped out."

"Shit," Luke curses lowly. "Let me see if I can figure out what's going on."

Luke slips out of the Camry, leaving his clipboard behind. You hear him yell, muffled, "Pop the hood!" And you do, after taking a second to find the button with your shaky fingers.

The longer Luke is beneath the hood the longer you worry. It's an early Thursday evening, on a fairly quiet highway, and the likelihood that some passerby is going to offer assistance is slim. Plus, tow trucks in this area only operate within a ten mile radius, so it's unlikely you'll find one for a reasonable price if the car is toast.

This is what you get for thinking he's cute, your brain tosses at you. You know it isn't true but it's kind of ironic, isn't it?

Luke slips back inside the car. "Well, one of the hoses broke," He sighs, digging through the pockets of his shorts in search of his cellphone. "So the car won't start even if we wanted it to. We'll have to call a tow truck."

"Of course this would happen during my driving exam," You sigh, eyes fluttering shut as a low, frustrated groan crawls up your throat. "Just my luck."

"I probably shouldn't include the fact that I have no service then, should I?"

Your eyes pry open. "What?" You ask, finding your phone and sure enough, no fucking signal. "Seriously? We're on the damn highway, not in the middle of the ocean!"

"Hey, we'll be fine," Luke rests his hand momentarily on your shoulder and you try to ignore the goosebumps rising on your skin. Sheepishly, he pulls it away. "I'll see if I can make an emergency call to highway patrol."

"Please do," You mumble weakly.

Your father would have a field day if he could see you. Barely a week into living away from them and you're stranded on the side of the highway with a hot driving instructor. What a joke.

With no luck, Luke groans, tossing his phone onto the dashboard. "My phone died," he says. "Can you call on yours?"

"Yeah," You dial using your phone's emergency function, only to be met with CALL FAILED in big letters. "How the hell can an emergency call fail?"

"Okay, well at least we've both probably eaten recently and I keep snacks in the trunk," You toss a glare towards the blonde, not finding his statement remotely relieving at all. "What? Teenagers get grumpy so I always have granola bars on hand."

"So we're stuck," You sigh softly. Luke nods, hands toying with one another. "Until I get signal or someone passing by takes pity on us."

"I'm sorry Y/N," Luke says quietly. "About- about all of this. I really had no idea, this car's never given me any problems."

"It's not your fault," You glance over at him, noticing his lower lip tucked between his teeth. "I'm gonna walk a bit and see if I can get signal, alright?"

"You shouldn't go alone," Luke says, a bit rushed. "I mean, not that you aren't capable or anything because I'm sure you are - female empowerment and all that I just- uh-"

"Just stay here," You say, a little clipped. You aren't upset with him, just the situation. "I'll be right back."

Luke swallows thickly, blue eyes wide. "Yes m'am."

You slip out of the car and begin walking along the shoulder, grass and gravel crunching beneath your feet, checking your cellphone every few seconds in hopes that a signal will appear. A big fat SOS stares back at you, practically mocking you.

After ten or so minutes, you aren't sure how far you've walked but you can't see the Camry anymore. You know it'll cool off soon as the sun begins to set and it'll be best if you're somewhere safe. Regretfully, you head back to the car to find Luke scribbling on his clipboard in the passenger seat.

"Nothing," You say, checking your phone once more, noticing it's been about thirty minutes since you've pulled off the road. "What're you drawing over there?"

"Just doodling," He says, showing you a mix of scribbles along the bottom of your driving checklist. "What else am I supposed to do? We're stuck for the time being."

"Yeah, you're right."

It's silent for a few minutes, aside from Luke's been inking the checklist. "We could.. play a game, maybe? Something to keep our minds off of.. y'know, the whole car breaking down thing."

"What kind of game?" You ask.

"Oh- uh, twenty questions?" Luke offers.

You snort. Twenty questions is for horny teenagers, not two almost-strangers stuck in a broken down vehicle on the side of the highway. "Guess that's a no."

"What about what are the odds?" You suggest. "I played it all the time with my soccer friends, it's pretty fun."

"Okay," Luke agrees. "You'll have to explain the rules to me, though."

You sit up a little straighter, a smile unknowingly tugging at your lips. Maybe there's an ulterior motive ping-ponging in the back of your mind. Maybe.

"It's really easy. One of us says something like 'what are the odds that you'll make an embarrassing noise', then pick a number in your head, and on the count of three we'll both say a number and if it's the same the other person has to do that thing. Make sense?"

"I think I've got it," Luke nods, turning in his seat with excited eyes. He looks fucking adorable. You shake your head, getting comfortable in the seat. "Okay, can I go first?"

"Go for it."

"Okay- uh, what are the odds that you'll.. you'll- tell me something about yourself?"

That's not quite it but a good start, Luke.

"One through fifteen." You say. "Three.. two... one.."

"Ten."

"Twelve."

"Ah, shit," Luke frowns. "I don't think I'm very good at this."

"You'll get the hang of it," You tap his knee with the back of your hand without a thought, watching his cheeks twinge pink. "I'll go. What are the odds you'll pass me?"

"One in.. ten," Luke says. "Three.. two.. one.."

"Six."

"Six."

"Aha!" You grin, victoriously. "See, I'm a mindreader."

"As if I'd flunk you," Luke rolls his eyes. "You're a good driver, Y/N. You need to be a little more confident but there's no way I'd fail you."

You need to be a little more confident. Sure, Luke was talking about driving but that doesn't mean you can't apply that statement to anything else, right?

"Alright, my turn," Luke rolls his lips in thought. "What are the odds that.. you'd be my friend on Facebook?"

"Facebook?" You ask, a brow raised. "Nobody uses Facebook anymore, Luke."

"I do," Luke defends softly, shoulders drawing inward. "Just play along, Y/N."

"Okay, fine," You laugh softly. "Uhh, one in ten. Three.. two.. one.."

"Four."

"Eight."

"Damn, looks like we won't be Facebook friends," You tease, the flush still bright and red and pretty on Luke's cheeks. He's so easy to fluster. You almost regret what you're about to say. "What are the odds you'll admit the real reason we stopped at the rest area?"

Luke's face falls. "I.." He glances away from you, clearly caught off guard and there's a stinging in your chest. You should've just kept your mouth shut, he didn't deserve to be called out like that.

"I'm so sorry, that was too far, I-"

"It's..okay," Luke lets out a wavering breath. "I feel really bad about that," Your brows furrow. "Look I- I think you're really pretty and this is so, so unprofessional of me but I uh- you said girlfriend and my mind just- went off on it's own. I'm sorry."

"Oh," Your mouth feels dry all of a sudden. "You were thinking of me with- oh."

Luke looks away, clearly embarrassed, a blush blooming down his neck. "I'm sorry, Y/N. It was really inappropriate and I shouldn't have."

"It's okay," You assure him. Luke looks like a kicked puppy, unsure as his eyes slowly meet yours, not quite believing you. "Seriously, it's fine. I- yeah, I'm also into girls. I don't blame you for your.. thoughts, or whatever."

Luke sucks in a sharp breath, like you've said something sinfully explicit. "I- maybe we should end the game here before I say something really stupid."

He isn't covert about it, covering his growing hard-on, beginning to tent his shorts. Your tongue feels heavy in your mouth, trailing along the inside of your lower lip. Fuck, you have quite the opportunity here and it would be a shame if you let it go to waste. Consensually, of course.

"You're thinking about me with a girl again, aren't you?" You boldly accuse, your eyes narrowing in a teasing manner, watching Luke's gentle blue eyes widen and mouth fall open. "It's okay if you are."

He's so.. submissive. You've never really explored the whole dynamic of positions like that but making your instructor blush and squirm makes you feel.. hot.

"Maybe," Luke's voice is small, soft, and you're loving every second of it. "Y/N, I-"

"What're you thinking about, Luke?" You ask, leaning forward to rest your elbows on the center console, your tone low. "Me kissing another girl, maybe? Getting all hot and bothered and messy and wet?"

A whimper crawls up his throat. "I- fuck."

You trail a finger along his thigh, tracing the leg of his shorts. "Maybe you'd just watch, huh?" You provoke him, watching his Adam's apple bob in his throat. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah- I would.." His voice is weak, lips parting and soft little pants escaping them. He's so easy for it, you love it. The dominance rolling off of you in waves seems to come naturally and who are you to deny it? "Y/N.."

"What, Luke? What do you need?"

Need. Luke keens. "I.. can I.."

"You wanna touch yourself?" You ask.

"No.. you, please."

You hum. How can you say no, when he sounds so wrecked like that? "Think there's enough room for us in the back there?"

"Don't wanna.. move," Luke mumbles, eyes already glazed over. He's so far gone. "My lap?"

You won't toy with him anymore, not when he's offering to get you off. To touch you. God, his fingers are beautiful and long and you're dying to have them buried inside of you. "Yeah, 'kay." You puff out, watching Luke adjust himself properly and helping guide you to sit in his lap, your knees on either side of his hips.

It isn't ideal but it'll work. He works with shaky, excited hands to unfasten the button and zipper of your jean shorts before trailing his fingers along the waistline of your underwear. "Can I?" You nod, teeth sinking into your lower lip in anticipation.

Without hesitance, Luke dips his hand into the waistband, finding your damp heat with ease. His fingers curl around you, whimpering at the warmth before a finger slips inside of you, slick and velvety. "Oh- fuck."

"Luke," You moan out softly, clasping a hand on the instructor's shoulder. He carries a steady pace, sliding a second finger beside the first, brutally hard at the warmth coating his digits. "Fuck, feels so good."

"You're so wet," He mumbles, like he's surprised, peering up at your blissed out features. "Fuck, did I- did I do this to you?"

"Yes," Your hips shift greedily, making his fingers sink deeper into you. "You're just so.."

"So?" You can feel his breath against your collarbone through your shirt.

"So needy," You moan, rotating your hips, effectively riding Luke's fingers, like he's some kind of toy. "It's so hot, how hard you get so easily- I- fuck, there."

"Y/N," Luke pants against you, his free hand trailing up to your hip, holding tightly. "Wanna make you cum, please."

"Yeah?" You breathe out. "Gonna let me ride your fingers? Fuck myself until I cum?"

"Oh god," Luke trembles, his movements faltering but it doesn't matter, you're moving steadily and the more you shift the more his fingers hit that perfect spot. You can feel it in your toes, that you're close, but you need something else to get you there.

"Did you think about me?" You ask, a light sweat forming on your brow. "When you got off in the bathroom? Did you moan for me?"

"Yes," Luke admits in a whine. "Yes- fucking- came so hard, Y/N. Thought of you the whole time."

Just thinking about Luke, working his cock so quickly in his fist thinking about you is enough, warmth flooding your stomach as your orgasm rapidly approaches and you're releasing all over Luke's fingers. Like a fucking floodgate.

"Oh fuck," You hear him moan, fingers slowing as your hips come to a halt. "Fuck, Y/N."

Blissful and warm and flushed, Luke retracts his fingers from you, the digits glistening as he slips them into his mouth with needy, complacent hums. He looks more wrecked than you do.

"Can I- can I ride you?" You blurt.

Luke goes rigid. "What?"

"I wanna ride you," You reiterate. "I wanna fuck you, Luke. Can I?"

"You- yeah, fuck of course," Luke's eyes are blue and glassy and glazed and you aren't even sure how he's functioning right now. He hasn't even cum yet so- wait. "Just give me a minute.."

Curiously, you shift back a bit on his lap to see he's half-hard and there's an obvious damp patch on the front of his shorts. "Did you cum while you were touching me?"

Luke nods. "Sorry."

"Fuck that's so hot," You can't help it, fitting both hands beneath his jaw to tilt his head upward, capturing his lips easily with your own. He tastes like spearmint gum and flavored coffee, it's all you can think about when you feel his tongue swipe across your bottom lip. That was too easy, you can already feel his dick fattening against your thigh again. "Do you have a condom?"

"In my wallet," Luke pants against your mouth. "I wasn't like- expecting this, by the way."

"Neither was I," You laugh softly, pressing a kiss to the corner of his lips. "Let me get my shorts off."

Car sex seems so hot in theory until you're caught up in the moment and you're stuck trying to take off clothing where it's just not possible. You manage to slip your shorts off, leaving your damp underwear on before claiming Luke's lap once again. The condom sits in the crevice between his thigh and hip, fly open and dick straining against the seam of his boxers.

"Get yourself ready for me," You tell him softly, your fingertips trailing along your lower abdomen, along the inside of your shirt to cup your breasts beneath your bra. Luke's in a trance, nearly swallowing his own tongue before nodding and barely wiggling his shorts and boxers down his hips. He slips the condom on, abandoning the foil packet god knows where, before stroking himself a few times with a gentle hiss. "Fuck, you're gorgeous."

Luke squirms at that. "Thank you," he mutters. "Can I- are you ready?"

"So ready," He carefully aligns his hips with yours before slowly pressing inside, letting out tiny whimpers with every inch he sinks in. "Fuck."

"Y/N," Luke moans, eyes threatening to fall shut. His hands find your thighs, blunt nails digging into the soft skin there, hips threatening to rut upwards at the sheer warmth encasing his cock. It's immeasurable, how good you feel wrapped snugly around him.

"So good, Luke, you're doing so good," You praise gently, holding yourself upright with your hands on his broad shoulders. Once he's buried to the hilt, you slowly rock your hips in a circle, eliciting a short gasp from the blonde. "Such a good boy."

The simple phrase makes Luke choke on his own breath. "You're so warm," he mumbles, lips barely moving, chest rising and falling steadily. You rock your hips again. "Oh my god."

Luke isn't like the guys you've slept with before. He's sensitive and responsive and it's probably the hottest thing you've ever witnessed. It's like he's fighting the urge to give in. Slowly, you begin to bounce in his lap, testing the waters. Luke moans every time you sink down.

"Yeah?" You ask him after a particularly whiny moan falls from his mouth. "Feel good, Luke? Tell me. Tell me how good it feels."

"Feels so good," He babbles, a wheezy, whining mess every bounce you make. It's slick and wet and so fucking hot you know you'll cum again sometime soon. He's hitting all the right spots inside of you. It helps he's probably the biggest dick you've taken by far. "So good. Please don't stop, please."

"Not gonna stop," You mutter, nails sinking into the skin of his shoulders. "You're such a good boy, Luke. Taking it so well. Feel so good inside me."

Luke lets out a squeak when you clench around him. "Mommy-"

Your hips falter briefly but you can't stop, you refuse, because that word, though you've never been called that before it lights a flame inside of your stomach that makes you want more and more and more. "Yeah?" You abandon your grip on one of his shoulders to clasp his jaw, making Luke meet your eyes, his half lidded and cloudy and dark blue. "Gonna let mommy fuck you, Luke? Ride your cock until she cums?"

Luke bites down on his lower lip so hard he swears he can taste blood. His head is swirling, like yours, all fuzzy and fucked dumb. Your pace grows quicker, a bit more focused but frenzied, until Luke's panting to the point where he's babbling words that don't even make any sense. "Gonna- please- need-"

"What, Luke? What do you need?" You ask, ghosting your lips over his own. He whimpers against your mouth.

"Wanna cum, mommy. Can I?"

"Yeah baby," You press a hard kiss to his mouth, pushing your tongue past his lips and that's all he needs, gripping your thighs tightly until he's fully inside of you before releasing into the condom. Luke slumps slightly, clearly spent but you're far from finished. "Stay still, won't you?"

"What-" Luke mutters, flushed and confused when you begin to raise your hips and sink back down on him. "Oh fuck me."

"So close, Luke," He isn't softening in the slightest. It almost makes you smile, makes you proud because he's so turned on, just letting you use him like some kind of fuck toy. "Touch me?"

Luke nods, blissed out, attaching his thumb to your clit and rubbing furious, hard circles. Your thighs tremble as your orgasm builds up, toes curling inside of your shoes before finally letting go and releasing all over his length.

Shuddering through the warmth spreading up the base of your spine, your nails sink into the instructor's shoulders, panting against his mouth as he tips his head up to connect your lips in a soft kiss. Your skin feels tingly in the best way, electric, and your head swarming furiously.

Luke pulls away first. He's so flushed, from the tips of his ears to the base of his neck and you're positive that pretty pink blush has reached his naval, there's no doubt. He's definitely a full-body blusher. "Y/N.."

"Yeah?" You ask quietly, breathless, noticing the windows have fogged up a little bit from your activities.

"Can you.. sorry, it's just uh- the condom's a bit uncomfortable." The blonde grimaces apologetically, reddening further when you muffle out a short laugh and slowly climb off of him. Your underwear are soaked, from your own release, but you slide your shorts back on anyways as Luke ties off the condom and places it hesitantly on the floorboard.

Now that the two of you are dressed, less short on breath, you figure it might be best to address what the hell just happened. "Luke-"

"Y/N-"

"Sorry, go ahead," You mumble.

"I wasn't- planning that. Or, expecting it, I swear," Luke says rather quickly, eyes flitting away from you, a bit embarrassed. "Please don't think I make a habit of this. You're- you're the first."

You swallow harshly. "The first?"

A nervous, awkward laugh tumbles out of Luke's mouth. "No, no, that was a girlfriend in high school. I mean- uh- student."

"Oh," You puff out a relieved breath, resting your head back. You're still warm and relaxed from your orgasms. "Well in that case, I don't really sleep with driving instructors, so I guess it's a first for both of us."

"It's not.." Luke trails off, his voice low, like he isn't sure how to phrase what he's thinking. "It won't be the only time, will it?"

That comes as a bit of a surprise to you. Again, you weren't really the hook-up type but the guys you have hooked up with in the past were quick to forget it even happened and move on with their lives.

You're stunned into a short silence. Will that be the only time you hook up with Luke? Sure, he's funny, and insanely attractive, but aside from the few things you've shared during the drive he's still almost a complete stranger.

"I understand," Luke quietly says.

"No I- sorry, I was just- surprised," You say. "I'd like to see you again. Maybe not in a broken down car on the side of the highway."

Luke chuckles briefly. "Okay, cool," The tension seems to slip from his shoulders. "Sorry, I'm not really good at this. I don't really uh- date? Just, with work and everything it's hard to find the time."

"Being a driving instructor is that demanding?" You inquire, a lighthearted teasing lift to your voice. The highway is still dead silent and the sun is slowly beginning to set. Soon, you'll be cast in a hue of pinks and oranges and pretty purples.

"I race for a living," Luke says, catching your attention abruptly, your brows furrowing in confusion. "It's not something I really bring up in conversation or during uh- other things."

"You're not like, a Nascar driver or something, right?" You joke. Luke stays silent. "What the fuck?"

Way to go, Y/N. Fucking a driving instructor slash Nascar driver. Your parents would be so proud. Stupid girl.

"Like I said, I don't really tell people," Luke quickly defends, swallowing as an anxious look perturbs his features. "This doesn't uh- change anything right? About seeing me again?"

"No but if my dad finds out you're gonna be forced into every Sunday dinner until you're dead," You speak without thinking, still shocked about Luke's line of work. And here you were thinking he was just a dorky driving instructor for the state of Michigan. "Sorry, that was weird."

Luke laughs, shaking his head. He took your comment well, like too well, and you're starting to think maybe Luke isn't real at this point. He's too.. perfect. Handsome, dorky, a fucking racecar driver. "You're fine, I get it. Your dad's a big fan, then?"

"Huge," You sigh. "My brothers, too."

"You think they'd come to a race if I set aside some tickets?" Luke's teeth sink into his bottom lip, a hopeful look on his splotchy, pink face.

"I- I mean yeah," You stumble. "Luke, you really don't have to.."

"I want to," He reassures you, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "I really wanna see you again and if free tickets is the way I can then, I'd be dumb not to offer."

"For the record, I'd see you again regardless of the free tickets," You tell him, leaning to rest your elbows on the console. One of his eyebrows arch curiously, in a way that's so damn hot and Luke doesn't even realize it.

"Yeah?" he asks.

"Yeah," You confirm. "By the way-"

You're cut off by the chirping of a siren, glancing out of the rearview mirror to see a State Trooper has parked behind you, lights flashing.

Well fuck. This'll be fun.

[bilgievreni]

Gamercin - Pro+

Online oyun, son yıllarda dünya çapında milyonlarca oyuncunun sanal maceralara ve rekabetçi oyunlara katılmasıyla giderek daha popüler hale geldi. PUBG ve Valorant gibi oyunlar, heyecan verici deneyimler ve yoğun savaşlar sunarak oyuncuların ilgisini çekti. Online oyunların yükselişinin yanı sıra, sanal para birimleri kavramı da ortaya çıktı ve bu sanal dünyalarda yeni bir boyut yarattı. Genellikle oyun içi para birimi olarak adlandırılan sanal para birimleri, oyun deneyimini geliştirmede ve oyunculara özelleştirme ve ilerleme için ek fırsatlar sağlamada çok önemli bir rol oynar. Bu para birimleri, oyun içinde çeşitli öğeler, yükseltmeler ve kozmetik geliştirmeler satın almak için kullanılabilir ve oyuncuların karakterlerini kişiselleştirmelerine ve oyunlarını geliştirmelerine olanak tanır. PUBG ve Valorant gibi oyunlarda oyun içi para birimi büyük önem taşır. Oyuncular, oyun başarıları, uygulama içi satın almalar veya hesap satın alma gibi çeşitli yollarla pubg uc ve Valorant vp gibi oyun içi para birimi elde edebilirler. Unknown Cash'in kısaltması olan PUBG UC, PUBG Mobile'da kullanılan ve kasa, kıyafet, silah kaplaması ve diğer oyun içi öğeleri satın almak için kullanılabilen sanal para birimidi. Benzer şekilde Valorant VP, Valorant'ta ajanların kilidini açmak, silah görünümleri satın almak ve özel içeriğe erişmek için kullanılabilen sanal para birimidir. Bu oyun içi para birimleri, yalnızca oyun deneyimini geliştirmekle kalmaz, aynı zamanda oyunculara bunları elde etmek ve kullanmak için çalışırken bir ilerleme ve başarı duygusu sağlar. Çeşitli oyun içi öğelere ve yükseltmelere hızlı bir şekilde erişmek isteyen oyuncular için pubg hesap satın al veya Valorant hesapları satın almak popüler bir seçenek haline geldi. Pubg random ve Valorant hesaplarını satışa sunan, oyunculara zaten belirli bir düzeyde oyun içi para birimine, öğelere ve başarılara sahip önceden var olan hesaplar sağlayan web sitemiz mevcuttur. Bu, oyuncuların doğrudan harekete geçmesine ve daha gelişmiş bir hesabın avantajlarından yararlanmasına olanak tanır. Masaüstü proglamlama vb. hizmetler için de web sitemiz sizlere yardımcı olabilir.

[moblitberner-bunch]

My Castles in the Sky

Author's Note:

The writings I compose are often a song of struggles that haunt my mind and person. I use the writing to project and give space to the highs and lows that befall me and the people around me. Some fantasy and fiction, some reality: you will find both heavy and happy in my stories.

Directly put, I don’t shy away from heavy themes, and my stories are therefore sometimes pregnant with immorality (I will warn before the story), dealing with themes like: the aftermath assault, sexuality and sexual dysfunctions, death and suicide, jealousy and psychopathy, addiction and aversion.

Feel free to chat or send in a request for headcanons or fic ideas.

I do warn you: I can be a slow writer.

*I only write for AoT/SnK characters, and often the OG Levi squad are my victims. I don’t participate in ship wars: every ship is welcome in the harbor that is my blog.

~~~

MASTERLIST -Under Construction-

AO3

Finished

The Five Laws of Hope (OG Levi squad – Petra centered)

One Night of Carnal Desire (Petra x Eld & Petra x Oluo)

Rivers of Regret (Levi x Petra)

Olympia (Kuchel backstory)

In Progress (active)

Song of Sundown (OG Levi squad – Petra centered)

The Artist from the Plains (Moblit backstory)

Humanities Second (Mike centered - alternative universe where he survived but no one knows)

Skin Hunger (OG Levi squad – Petra centered)

Dysfunction (Oluo x Gunther)

Title unknown (Oluo x Gunther pre-canon)

The Cruel and the Crude (Levi centered)

In Progress (inactive)

Road of Unsung Heroes (OG Levi squad vs Plague)

The Tears of Myrrhe (Levi centered)

*I only note here the bigger stories and no headcanons, for a very old un-updated list of headcanons see:

**Old Masterlist

[captzexx]

Candells in Space

(Got a prompt that went off the rails, I kind of like what I wrote so thought I’d put it out here)

PROMPT: with the upcoming Nov. 15 patch coming up (woo Dracthyr, woo Primalist invasions), many players are embracing the three year gap for their story. What has your character been up to in the last three years since the end of Shadowlands?

At long last after years of despair from all parties, the Candells were at last reunited.  The work and acts of the youngest of their party, Gwynn, finally reaching the end of her parents' quest to find the one lost deepest.  For on the fields of Maldraxxus during the siege of the Seat, the young druid guided by her grandfather found a face she long thought lost amongst the chaos.  

Zexx Candell found his family.

As the two embraced, a connection of the multiverse was made and linked by as much blood as spirit.  Confusion filling the man before the young Candell let her memories come to him showing him everything and every road she had fought so hard to find him.  He saw Bea.  He saw himself.  He saw her world.  He saw her being born. He saw his death.

He saw her not alone.

The three running from the field of combat came to a quiet moment near the Theater of Pain, relishing in the moments of breaking the loneliness that had swept them both.  She had one more gift for the hero for hire as she reached within her pouches to produce a tattered strip of red wool.  A confused eye as he held it in his hand, noting its familiar feeling as Zexx stared at Gwynn before she moved away from him to begin drawing sigils upon the rotted earth.  Her staff drew feverishly as she began to whisper words in language he didn't know.  Draconic.

Orbs were placed in direct positions about her circle before taking the cloth from him again.  Asking for her grandfather's hand she broke her staff revealing it to be hollow and taking out an aged hilt with a green gem upon it.

"No."

Gwynn, smiling with tears in her eyes, would place the gem and cloth in the center of the circle before slicing her palms with the broken points of her staff.  Her blood dripped into the grooves to fuel the magical energy needed as she bent her head forward to whisper further in that ancient tongue.  The anima would flare and pulse as the gem in the center matched it with a fire fueled anger.  

This was not the way.

Zexx would move forward to try and stop her, her name drowned by the growing pulsing of the energies and thickened by the growing scent of ozone.  Strong hands would grasp the unknown son as Eld kept his matching eyes on the girl ahead of them, never speaking but knowing she had to finish.  The only way now was through.

As the foul combination of magics continued to twist and be fueled by so many different outreaches, Gwynn would begin to spasm as her words tried to cut above the noise.  The center of the circle flashing as the gem stone began to glow brighter and stronger, growing wider and taller.  Revealing a doorway, gasping green and black as the gem had been often known too in the presence of some creatures.

Hands bleeding and eyes a glow with fel light, the druid's mouth would be wide in a smile of agony and triumph.  Bridging the multiverse at last to reveal to help finish her quest.  A figure would step through.

Xaya Candell would step into this mutual world now, stumble more so as she fell forward.  Her leather armor dinged with blood, snow, and burns but nothing would quell the fire in those purple tinged brown eyes.  Behind her would come the heavy footfalls of a metallic foot followed by another, the large shape of an armored giant dragging a broken mace from it's belt and broken horns atop it's head.  In it's arms it would carry a limp form wrapped in a tattered green cloak.

Rey Candell sat unmoving in the arms of the metal golem as it stalked forward, bits of steam and grinding gears announcing their arrival.  Much like her sister, Rey was in the same look of disarray with matching blood and snow.

"She's alive," a deep rumble growled from the metal creature that held the former youngest Candell.

"Thank the light," Xaya murmured as she stood up to her full height again, taking after her father obviously as she leaned on the metal arm of the golem.  "We made it, Gen."

"Xaya," the metal voice spoke again, where it could hardly modulate such a voice it seemed almost desperate to whisper her name.

"Wha-" The young woman's voice caught in her throat as she found the man they called father held tight by his near older match.  "Daddy."

The young woman didn't bother to look at her youngest sibling or anything in the world as she leapt for her father.  Zexx would be released by Eld as he opened his arms and grasped her tighter than anything in his life.  Both began to shake as they held onto each other, coming together after all this time in their grief and joy.

"You promised."

"I know."

"You said you'd come back."

"I know."

"Why?" Xaya wept into her father's chest and felt her hands grip him so tight it might crack his ribs.  The hero didn't care.

"I don't know."

Eld would have gone to Gwynn now, easing her up to sit up straight obviously drained from what she had just done.  The girl had cracked reality.

A sound like glass breaking would shatter the reunion as father and daughter would peer up into the sky.

“What’s happening?” Xaya would whisper.

“I don’t know.” Zexx replied.

“Should we run?”  The golem stalked forward with heavy thumps of his feet.

“Where would we go?”  Eld growled as he eased Gwynn up to her feet again.

“I don’t know.  What should we do then?”  The golem answered with a worried ache to his hollow tone.

“We stay together," Zexx looked up into the sky as brilliant purple cracks began to form in the green chaos swam above.  He had no idea if anyone else in this hellscape could see it but it chilled his heart to see.

“I love you,” Xaya began to weep again as she wrapped her arms about Zexx's neck, hanging on for dear life.

“It will be alright.”

THREE YEARS LATER...

The Astral Sea is endless and infinite. A cascading collage of color and shapes as it ever expands the multiverse of which it is built upon by the very will of reality.  Upon this never ocean of possibility ride the many vessels of those brave enough to ponder and wander it's chaos.  Spelljammers.

The Wayfarer is one such vessel and it's crew don't know where they are headed or why, but they're together.  And that's what families do.  They stay together.

(It’s been a year.  But this has been on my mind since, forever and a half.  It could definitely be more flesh out and should be, there’s likely lots of questions if you follow any of them from before.  But it was nice to put something to paper for them.  To set them on a new adventure in wild space.  No blog yet or plans with it yet, but who knows maybe some day.)

@zexxcandell​ @eldridgecandell​ @gatesofthetroupe​

[infulaen]

`* @carrotsaversion 's Joshua accessed The Thousand Tomes! *

"YOUR EYES FINALLY OPEN, muse of history. Your soul holds fast to the writings of eld, ready to drop its quill to forge new stories of futures unknown. I must needs exchange a few words with you, if your body is replenished, o flame lord."

[trollhuldren]

Witchcraft isn't about "feeling energy" or "positive thinking" or the image of a beneficent Mother Goddess who acts on our behalf in Nature to make us happy, like some universal auntie in her white sundress, hat and gloves, sipping iced tea at a garden party.

No. Witchcraft—as I understand it—is about communication (speaking/seeing/hearing/feeling/transmission or prophecy) with the spiritworld, with beings strange and eerie. It is about the soul’s flight from the body, the awakening to and "gaining" allyship with the Familiar spirit from whom deeper and greater power and wisdom may be achieved and without whom sorcery is nearly impossible. It is about the sensuality of both the Land and the body, and the identification of the two together, embracing the darkly erotic, sexual nature of creation and the environment. It is about Fate, being an agent and servant to the Old Mystery, and the knowledge that Death/Fate and Eros are intertwined like the serpents on Mercury's wand.

Witchcraft is a calling from birth, yet its phenomenalization (as for many sorcerous callings around the globe) requires an experience of Initiation--either by the spirits directly or by the spirits at the intervention of human hands, or both--to be "activated". It is not an identity per se, it is a vocation, a way of life, a PRACTICE, an engagement with the living, breathing cosmos. It requires DOING--much doing--not merely being.

Witchcraft comes from the tutelage of the Witch-Gods:

The mercurial and cunning, turnskin Master of Magic, our Witchfather, who bears Light between his horns, teacher of all artifice and sorcery whom we seek to emulate and become like, especially as he is embodied within us as our innermost Daimonic-self.

The Eld God, who is the Dark Huntsman and King of the Underworld, Twin-Faced Lord of the Wild Hunt.

The merciless Supreme Goddess who weaves Fate from the Uttermost Depths, who is the All and the Veiled face of Great Mystery.

The Rose Queen, Dame Venus, who is the loving hand of sensuality and pleasure, and the Tri-form Goddess of the Moon and its enchantments, Queen of Faery.

To be a Witch is to die before you die, to seek to know yourself and therefore know the world, to commune with spirits, to merge with Fate and its flow. We adore our gods, often as lovers, but we do not grovel, we are not unworthy. We seek to become as gods, to be deathless.

The cosmos is a dark place, a great dark space full of both terror and ecstasy. Most of it is Unseen and unknown. But our gods have given us Fire—Love—and with it we may warm ourselves in rings of Art or by the hearths of our homes and our strange communities...

[fazkins]

Pronoun suggestions for a shadow Bonnie AND a shadow Freddy? Themes would be shadows, not being known, horror, things like that. You can also include things based off of bears/bunnies if you'd want but you don't need to

Sure thing! Sorry for the delay!

ix/ixs/ixself

night/nights/nightself

shadow/shadows/shadowself

noc/nocturne/nocturnes/nocturneself

nox/noxs/noxself

[REDACTED]/[REDACTED]/[REDACTED]

ethereal/ethereals/etherealself

eye/eyes/eyeself

dark/darks/darkself

watcher/watchers/watcherself

voi/void/voids/voidself

hidden/hiddens/hiddenself

strange/stranger/strangers/strangeself

unknown/unknowns/unknownself

eld/eldritch/eldritchs/eldritchself

fang/fangs/fangself

paw/paws/pawself

Please let me know if you’d like anything else or anything different, I’m happy to come up with more! Have a lovely day :)

- 📼⚙️

[familiarlyfrigid]

I made my own Invader Zim species! This is all the info I have about them and their home planet. Read the full post if you want to know more about them!

ㅤ Devortons live on the planet Ferrid. They bear a striking resemblance to Vortians, but because little outside contact has been made with the planet, it is unknown why. Some believe it’s simply convergent evolution, but there are conspiracy theories claiming the two species are more connected. Their history is mostly unknown to other aliens.

The Devortons

Devortons are a warm-blooded species of aliens that look similar to Vortians, except they have tails, visible nostrils, and have true horns that are not flexible. Their hooves, horns, and spikes are as hard as stone and can even appear similar to crystal. They’re omnivores, but eat meat more than anything else. Male Devortons are typically taller. Their sclera, irises, and pupils can all be a wide range of colors, though they don’t normally have dark sclera. …

These aliens are split into two subspecies: Highland and Lowland Devortons. Highlands originated from rocky, mountainous regions and are generally larger and bulkier than Lowlands. They have warm-colored skin, two pairs of thick horns, larger canine teeth, and spikes on their arms and legs. They have short tails with spikes on the tips. Highlands have small eyes with round or rectangular pupils. Their feet resemble hooves, with part of the foot being covered in the same hard material that their horns are made of (they still have two toes under there).

Lowlands have cool-colored skin, one pair of narrower horns, and a row of spikes on their heads. They originated from the valleys and caverns, and are typically smaller and leaner than Highlands. They have longer tails that don’t end in a spike, larger claws, and noticeable toes. They have large eyes with slit pupils that expand and contract like a cat’s, giving them generally better eyesight than Highlands, especially in dim light. Lowlands are a little taller than an average Vortian.

Above ground (left) and underground (right) maps.

Planet Ferrid

Ferrid is a small planet with blue skies, rust-colored dirt, and mostly dry, rocky terrain. It has abundant minerals and ores, massive cave systems, and many underground lakes and rivers. Plants are usually shades of orange and yellow above ground, and green below ground. It has a “warm season” and a “cool season”, and it only snows around the poles. The planet’s atmosphere interferes with wireless signals, making communication with other planets very difficult.

Provinces:

Devor

-Devor (capital)

-Titan Plateaus

-Lake Orok (underground)

-Lake Oasis

Terrar

-Terran Mountains

-Archdom (capital)

-Sea of Eld (underground)

Falland

-Hollow Springs (underground)

-Verdant Isles

-Rime Ridge

Vallyan

-Sunken Lake

Barren

Other territories:

Gnarloam

-Great Gnarlwood Forest

-Lake Fenmire

-Death Mountains

-Gorrag Island

Arlorn

-Vernix Plains

Cerull Ocean

North Sea

Chasmyss Ocean

Silver Sea

Evenshore Sea

Language Stuff

Devortons have multiple languages, but the most widely used one is Devvish. It’s mostly based on English, with some influence from Latin and I think Old Norse? Their names pull from the same inspirations.

Government- Archrict

Leader- Domiton

High Ranks- Aethex

Soldier- Vangade

Raedict- laws set in place by Domiton

Vilnix- lowest rank; refers to criminals/prisoners or a bad person, sometimes shortened to vilx

Nix- nothing

Varmaj- “warm season” during half of the year

Kuldaj- “cool season” during half of the year

Vaeton- life, spirit, or essence

Himtar- sky

Riton- ground

Culture Stuff

-sky is a symbol of dominance, innovation, and the unknown

-ground is a symbol of tradition, perseverance, and unity

-traditionally believe in nature deities (I don’t remember where this religion stuff was going, but they definitely have gods of nature)

-greatly care about preserving nature because of the harsh environment

-steampunk-y technology? less advanced than Earth

-huge mining industry

-even though other aliens don’t know much about them, their relatively poor technology means they’re seen as weak or primitive

Name origins:

Devorton- Devil + Vortian

Ferrid- Ferrous + Arid

Devor- Devil + Vort/Corruption of “devour”

Orok- Ore + Rock

Terrar- Terrain + Terror

Terran- Terrain + Mountain

Archdom- Arch- + Kingdom

Falland- Corruption of “far land”

Vallyan- Valley + Canyon

Gnarloam- Gnarl + Loam

Fenmire- Fen + Mire

Gorrag- Gorge + Crag

Arlorn- Arid + Forlorn

Vernix- From Devvish word “Vilnix”

Cerull- From “Cerulean”

Chasmyss- Chasm + Abyss

[sailsonaseaoffate]

SPELLJAMMER

Sailors on a Sea of Fate: The Candell Legacy

With the end of the Shadowlands came the Azeroth for the Candells.  Drawn by oaths, blood, and luck the family had at last come together again on the dread fields of Maldraxxus.  Zexx Candell, the father having searched forever for the ones he had lost had of course been the one sought and found thanks to the melding of all facets of magics to bend the walls of the multiverse.  Once more he could hold his daughter Xaya in his arms, touch the face of his son Gendry, and hear the true words of his daughter Rey.  From another reality his apparent fourth child, Gwynn, had sworn to her own parents to find them all and bring them safely together again.  She hadn't traveled alone though as Zexx's own father from this reality, Eld had aided her in finding the son that never was.  Victory had come home to the Candells.

There are always consequences.

As the Candells gathered, a great tear appeared in the sky above and the very fabric of their reality began to cease to be.  Desperate to save what she'd fought so hard for, Gwynndolyn Candell once again channeled the energies that brought her siblings to their father to help them escape into the Nether.  Fortunately or unfortunately, it took them beyond that and took them far away from all they'd known.

The Astral Sea, the vast void of connectivity of the multiverse.

Now far from home but at least together, the Candells struggle to find a new place in this new world as they dodge danger, gain treasure, and hopefully find the final piece to their heart.

(This blog is a continuation of the characters created during my World of Warcraft days, that I just can't leave behind.  With always an interest in the multiverse, sailing, and a love for fantasy sci-fi bringing them to the D&D campaign setting Spelljammer seemed the best thing for the characters to move forward.  I love writing about this version of Zexx and building the accompanying family members was some of the best times  I ever had, so it only makes sense to let them continue on in this sequel series.  So please join me in some adventures in writing about them, through asks or bringing a character of your own or even a multiverse version of your main.  Let's jam.)

Dramatis Personae

Zexx Candell - the one eyed, hero for hire; father of the Warriors Four Xaya Candell - the versatile eldest daughter; equal parts mage, martial artist, and artificer; one of the Warriors Four Gendry Candell - the wounded son; grievously wounded by curiosity, his warm heart is draped in steel; two of the Warriors Four Rey Candell - the chip of the old block daughter; wielder of a broken sword but with eyes full of stars; three of the Warriors Four Gwynn Candell - the visionary youngest daughter; a product of an infinite quest and whisper of the Astral Sea; four of the Warriors Four Eldridge Candell - the witch hunter; a hunter of darkness now brought into the Void as a grim patriarch to an unknown family Bandit - a dog?

[sparkywrites25]

Better Things Final Part | Rivetra & Squad Levi AU Textfic

“It’s incredible,” Petra breathes, stretching out her feet in the damp sand and watching as the retreating water surges forwards again, surrounding her feet in coolness. The blue of the water glitters, mesmerizing under a cloudless sky. Gulls soar above in circles and a salty scent is carried on a breeze that feels good on her heated face

“It’s nice,” Levi murmur next to her. His cape and jacket lie folded with hers in a tidy pile that had made her laugh and take him in for a quick kiss. His arm holds her close to his body while his other hand rubs up and down her bare forearm, brushing against her rolled up sleeves.

Despite Levi’s recommendations that everyone stay together in this unknown territory, everyone has inevitably wandered off. Oluo and Nifa have drifted off together. Hange, Eld and Gunther are wandering the shore. The 104th squad are playing about in the water. Around a bend from where their comrades are chatting, whooping and splashing, Levi and Petra have found some solitude in an undiscovered (for now) cove.

“Only you could come to a place as beautiful as this and just call it nice,” Petra teases, turning her attention away from the horizon and to the grey-blue eyes watching her. Her cheeks blush, recognizing the increasingly appearing smile.

“I’ve seen more beautiful things,” he shrugs. His smile twists into a slight smirk when her blush deepens. He nudges her forehead with his and she returns the gesture with her own softened smile. Levi’s eyes flicker downward. “Does Nifa know?”

“No,” Petra’s smile turns mischievously. “I teased her with the idea of a secret though. It’ll drive her crazy.”

“And as she’s probably on a beach date with Oluo, this’ll drive him crazy,” Levi remarks.

“Two birds,” Petra smiles, staring back up at the sky, watching numerous gulls diving down towards the ocean only to slow themselves and sit on the waves.

Levi’s hand finds hers and squeezes. “You’re not too hot?”

“No, I’m good.” Petra murmurs, still staring up at the sky.

His fingers squeeze hers again. “You’d say if you weren’t?”

That brings her attention back to him. “Of course.” She meets his forehead with hers again and pecks his nose. “I feel so much better today. The ride wasn’t so bad.”

Levi lifts their clasped hands to his lips and kisses her fingers. “Remember the plan, if trouble comes. You’ll-”

“-ride straight home, I promise.” She nods her head towards the horizon. “We’re fine, Levi. There’s no sign of anyone approaching. For now we’re okay. Let’s just enjoy that,” she suggests. He kisses her fingers again silently for a moment and then nestles closer to her. She leans her head against his shoulder and wraps her arms around his middle. “Let’s just stay like this a bit longer,” she muses. “Feels like it took us so long to get here.”

“Guess it did,” Levi agrees, leaning his head against hers. “We were always moving forwards but never going anywhere.”

“Until now,” Petra says. “I know we still have a lot to face but it finally feels like we’re moving on from the horrors of the past.”

In the same moment, she and Levi each lower one hand to her stomach and Levi’s expression softens.

“Yeah, onto better things.”

------------------------

So this concludes Better Things. Thank you all so much for being a part of the journey. A fully fleshed out version with lots of chapters and scenes between the conversations will be up soon. I've had a lot of fun with this world. There is a possibility of a sequel but for now I'm gonna prioritize the full version along with other works.

I really appreciate all the feedback on this monster of a fic. It was mostly largely unplanned and only meant to be a short bit of fun fluff, most likely less than 10 parts but now here we are on Part 33 and things got dark, mysterious and toxic at times.

Something something... best laid plans.

Or in my case, not having much of a plan and winging it.

[throughthemanorwindow]

10. Devotion

I thought I'd come back for a prompt or two for #FFxivWrite2023 (though I'm sort of cheating in taking a free day pick to start on).

It rotted flesh but not the mind. He had returned from Dravania towed behind the plume of chocobo feather and the stink of unwashed men of the wilds–trappers from the lowlands where the canopied boughs protected them from skyborne predators. It had struck a chord of terror in her heart to see him this way. He had ever been radiant, brimming with life and promise and the hope of a man who had yet to face any difficulties in life. To call Regnier optimistic would be to undersell his disposition. His heart and mind were bright as Coerthan noon, and yet his return had diminished the flame within his breast and the hope of a family for the Retondeur’s youngest son.

She recalls the gruffness of the men who had returned him to the demesne, the crudeness of them. Regnier’s life was little more than a reward to be earned, his weakened form cast sideways into the hay they’d lain below him, streaks of blood and vomit and shit around him like macabre mummer’s paint. It had felt surreal, some hellish nightmare from which she’d wake to see him smiling, reborn as the man she remembered him as when he’d left a turn ago.

Chirurgeons were called upon in the beginning, back when there was yet hope to cure him of his malady. They puzzled over him by candlelight whispering their suspicions; he would not survive the winter, he would not see another turn, he would not feast on his thirtieth nameday. And yet he had clung to life like the vaporous mist that settled over the demesne’s feeding pond, eerie in how he was present and yet transparent—a husk of a man. 

The affliction was a cruel one. It spurred his bones, fevered his mind on the worst of suns, and by the moon’s cycle, sloughed his skin in great, reddened sores akin to the scale of dragonkind that left cicatrices in their wake. And so his condition remained an anomaly, a gruesome unknown that resided in the estate’s farthest wing, shambling like a ghost of the past that all but Marion had forgotten. 

Now it was her calling to take up that candlelit chirurgeon’s work, to see him returned to hale health. He had given too much of himself to her, and that would be repaid in kind. She would spend nights warmed by the flame that danced beneath the copper alembic. She would spend the days poring over texts of eld. She would spend a lifetime, if that is what it might take, to see him, her brother, made whole once more. 

[dbfacets]

Facets: Chapter Seven

Summary: Turnis and Calabris try their best to survive their crash landing on an unknown planet.  They begin to discover things about both the planet and themselves along the way...

Author Notes: this is the gay one, lads. enjoy!

--

Shot begins with a view of a grassy hill at night with the sky in full view.  There are rings from the planet visible. TURNIS is sitting on the hill when CALABRIS walks up behind him, rubbing his neck tiredly.

CALABRIS I picked up some wood for the fire.  It should last us a little while.

TURNIS doesn’t respond.  CALABRIS sits down beside him, and they sit awkwardly for a moment.

CALABRIS …  It’s a good thing we crashed on a planet with resources, huh?  We’d be hurting otherwise.

TURNIS still doesn’t say anything.  CALABRIS eventually sighs.

CALABRIS Turnis, come on.  We’ve been stuck here for like a week now and you haven’t said a single word to me the entire time.  I know you hate me, but I’m losing it over here.

TURNIS turns his head away.  CALABRIS frowns.

CALABRIS …  Look, I know you miss Etro.  I kinda do, too; he was growing on me.  It’s a shame a nice guy like him is gone.  But you can’t keep blaming me for it.  Sure, I’m sloppy sometimes.  I’m a dumbass.  But neither of us knew he’d do what he did, okay?

He looks elsewhere.

CALABRIS I’m sorry he’s dead.  But acting like this won’t bring him back.  Right now, we just gotta do what we can to survive until somebody finds us.  When we get back, you can go back to ignoring me if you want, but until then we should do what we can to keep each other sane while we’re stuck on this planet together.

There’s another silence before TURNIS finally speaks.

TURNIS …  You’re right.

CALABRIS blinks, looking over at him.

CALABRIS …  I am?

TURNIS No matter how much I blame you for it, he’s not coming back.  I’m tired of mourning.

TURNIS stands up and turns to walk away.

TURNIS Tomorrow, we’re sparring.

CALABRIS watches him walk away, still sitting there.

CALABRIS …  Okay…

Cut to the next day.  CALABRIS and TURNIS are standing across from each other in a dirt clearing amongst a few patches of woods.  They’re getting into battle positions.

TURNIS Ready?

CALABRIS Yeah.

They start going at it.  The fight quickly takes to the skies and goes very fast like in the animes.  CALABRIS dodges an attack from TURNIS and backs up.  He suddenly notices something watching him out of the corner of his eye (it’s a small toisaling in the bushes), but it hides once he notices it.  He furrows his brow, but his distraction causes him to get clocked in the face by TURNIS.  He holds his face after getting knocked back and waves his hand in front of him.

CALABRIS Wait, wait, time-out!

TURNIS stops, confused.

TURNIS What do you mean, time-out?

CALABRIS I think I just saw something watching us.

TURNIS It’s probably just an animal.

CALABRIS No, it ran away when it saw me notice it.  I think it might be a native species.

TURNIS So?  Do you want to check it out or something?

CALABRIS I think we should, just so we know what we’re up against in case they decide to attack us.

TURNIS …  Fine.

They lower to the ground and head over to the bushes.  CALABRIS peeks in before they both enter the woods.  They walk for a minute before stopping, feeling a disturbance.

CALABRIS …  You feel that?

TURNIS Yeah.  There’s definitely more than one.

CALABRIS Where are they, though…?

TURNIS feels something prod at his leg, and he looks down.

TURNIS …  Calabris.

CALABRIS looks over.

CALABRIS What?

He notices the toisaling holding a spear at TURNIS’ leg, and they soon see many others come out of the brush.  One of them pokes at TURNIS’ leg to signal for him to move.  TURNIS and CALABRIS look at each other.

TURNIS …  Well.  Might as well see where they want to take us.

CALABRIS shrugs.

CALABRIS If you say so.

They walk through the woods some more until they emerge into a toisaling camp.  There’s a lot of toisalings looking over at them as they enter, and they look right back at all of them.  Toisalings keep gathering around them.  Eventually, the toisaling elder comes out and steps up onto a rock to get a better view of them, but she’s still not as tall as they are.  CALABRIS leans over to TURNIS.

CALABRIS Do you think they speak Common at all?

TOISALING ELDER Why have you come to our planet, outsiders?

CALABRIS shuts up.

TURNIS We crashed here.  We were on our way to another planet.  We’re stuck here until someone picks us up.

TOISALING ELDER You are not invaders?

CALABRIS Not today, we’re not.

TURNIS gives him a dirty look.  The elder squints at them.

TOISALING ELDER Do you wish to bring harm to our people?

TURNIS Like I said, we’re not here by choice.  We’re just trying to survive right now.  We have no intention of harming you.

CALABRIS Unless we’re provoked.

TURNIS gives him a look that says “for real, dude?”  The elder watches them for a moment longer.

TOISALING ELDER …  Very well.  We will leave you in peace as long as you do the same.

TURNIS Thank you.

She then speaks to the warriors surrounding them in their native tongue, and they lower their weapons.  TURNIS and CALABRIS start to leave.

TOISALING ELDER I can tell you two have some growing to do.  There is a force keeping your spirits apart, but all will become clear before long.  Keep your minds open.

CALABRIS seems to be listening, but TURNIS wants nothing to do with it and just keeps walking.  CALABRIS catches up to him after a moment, and they walk through the woods.

CALABRIS What do you think that lady was talking about just now?

TURNIS Who cares.  It’s probably some spiritual nonsense.

CALABRIS I take it you’re not much of a spiritual guy?

TURNIS Not really.

CALABRIS Even after we’ve met actual for real gods?

TURNIS …  That’s different.

CALABRIS I literally don’t see how that’s different, but okay.

Cut to day 24 of their stay on the planet, except it’s night.  CALABRIS is standing on the same grassy hill as before, his arms crossed, when TURNIS walks up to join him.  CALABRIS looks over his shoulder.

CALABRIS Any luck hunting?

TURNIS I got enough to last us a little while.

TURNIS takes the spot next to CALABRIS, and they look up at the sky together.

CALABRIS I always thought planets with rings were cool.  I never really get to stand around and look at them from the ground like this.

TURNIS The planet I was living on before had rings.  I guess I got used to them.

CALABRIS What made you decide to go and live on that planet in the first place, anyway?  I never got the full story.  When I first found you, I just got word from someone else that there was a saiyan living on some remote planet, but they couldn’t tell me why.

TURNIS sighs.

TURNIS …  I wasn’t treated very well growing up because of how weak I was.  I was taken out of my nursing capsule too early, I guess, since both my birth parents were killed somewhere while I was still in it.  I was raised with other orphaned kids, but I wasn’t treated equally by any means.  I thought that joining the army would help, but if anything, it just made things worse.  After a while I got tired of the harassment and left without ever looking back.  I’ve been living there by myself ever since, training to get stronger so that the next time someone tried to look down on me, I could show them what I’m really made of.

CALABRIS watches him for a moment before looking up at the sky.

CALABRIS …  That’s stupid.

TURNIS gives him an incredulous look.

CALABRIS You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever met.  If you hadn’t told me that just now, I would have never known you were a weak kid.  In fact, you’re probably the strongest member of the Sadala Army.  I know when I’m beat.

TURNIS’ expression grows somewhat softer.

CALABRIS I bet if any of those people saw you today, they’d think twice about calling you weak.

TURNIS looks at the ground quietly.

TURNIS …  Thanks.

Cut to day 39.  TURNIS and CALABRIS are eating some kind of meat around a fire.

CALABRIS Y’know, the food on this planet isn’t half bad.  But, maybe I’ve just been eating it for so long, I’ve just gotten used to it.

TURNIS It’s not the worst thing I’ve ever eaten.

CALABRIS Heh, yeah.

They sit quietly for a minute before CALABRIS stops eating.

CALABRIS …  Can I be honest?

TURNIS looks over at him curiously.

CALABRIS I’m kinda glad we got stuck on this planet together.  I-I mean, I’m not glad that we crashed or anything, I mean like...I’m glad you were the one I got stranded with, y’know?  Yeah, I know we’ve had a rough history, but...you’re the closest thing I have to an actual friend.  If I’d gotten stuck here with anyone else, I probably would have lost my mind by now.

TURNIS looks down at his food.

TURNIS …  I understand.  I wouldn’t go as far as calling you a friend, but I will admit I’m closer to you than anyone else in the army.  I mean, we did fuse bodies at one point.  I can’t say I’ve ever literally been the same person as someone else before.

CALABRIS Heh…  I feel that.

Cut to day 42.  CALABRIS and TURNIS are walking alongside a lake.

CALABRIS So, I’m fighting this guy for a while, right?  Well, eventually I start to wear him down because his stamina is shit and I’m not even winded by that point.  He realizes this and you know what he does?  He calls in reinforcements outta nowhere.  But, of course, I expected that because I knew he was super weak compared to me even in my base form, and I took them all out right in front of him, which scared him so bad he tried to run off.  Being me, though, I didn’t feel like letting him off so easy, so I took him out with a simple energy blast.  Super easy.

TURNIS looks...very bored with this story.

TURNIS …  Wow.  Sounds like you’ve not really had much excitement since we fought Ive, huh?

CALABRIS sighs, resting his hands behind his head casually.

CALABRIS I guess I’ve gotten too good for all my opponents.  I’m too strong, now.  Nothing can take me by surprise anymore.

TURNIS gives him a really unimpressed look before shoving him into the lake, which does take him by surprise, causing a big splash.  CALABRIS pops out of the water with a gasp, looking up at TURNIS with a sort of annoyed expression, but it soon changes when he realizes TURNIS is actually laughing to himself with a smile and everything.  You can literally see where CALABRIS’ heart skips a beat.  However, he then smirks slyly, and there’s a shot of TURNIS laughing before he gets pulled into the lake by his leg.  He pops out of the water soon enough, and now it’s CALABRIS’ turn to snort and laugh.  TURNIS doesn’t look very annoyed, surprisingly, and he splashes water at CALABRIS.

TURNIS You’re an asshole.

CALABRIS Hey, you started that one.

They pause when they sense something in the water.  Suddenly, a huge fish monster bursts out of the lake, towering over them and snarling.  They look at it for a moment before glancing at each other knowingly and holding out their hands with energy blasts at the ready.  The fish monster hesitates when it realizes it’s in trouble.  Cut to the dead fish monster next to TURNIS and CALABRIS sitting by the fire again.  They’re eating a yummy fish meal.

CALABRIS At least this planet has enough stuff to keep us fed.  I hope this doesn’t spoil too fast, though…

TURNIS It’s fish, so it probably will.

Suddenly, they look up at the sky, where a strange ship is flying through.  They look at each other with concern.  Cut to the two of them flying over to where the ship landed, and they lower to the ground as the door opens.  A lizard alien steps out.  They have an eyepatch or something I guess.  Really rough looking individual.

LIZARD LEADER Oho…  Looks like we’re not the only ones on a mission here.

CALABRIS Who the hell are you supposed to be?

More lizards emerge from the ship behind the leader.

LIZARD LEADER We’re hunters, to put it simply.  We travel across the galaxy looking for trophies.  We came here looking for unique species to hunt, but we didn’t expect to find saiyans.

The leader smirks and holds up a gun.

LIZARD LEADER An unexpected bounty.

They fire the gun, and TURNIS and CALABRIS dodge the blast.  The other lizards start firing their own guns, and CALABRIS and TURNIS either dodge or deflect the blasts.  They start taking the lizards out one by one, saving the leader for last.  CALABRIS distracts them while TURNIS takes them out from behind.  When that’s done, they stand there looking around at the fallen lizard people.

CALABRIS Well, that was hardly a challenge…

TURNIS Yeah.  But, hey, we have a ship now, at least.  Though, I’m not really sure how to fly it…

CALABRIS I’ll figure it out eventually.  We’re in no rush, though, right?

As CALABRIS speaks, one of the lizards lifts its gun, apparently still alive.  It shoots TURNIS through the chest, which shocks CALABRIS.  TURNIS falls to the ground from the injury.  CALABRIS panics for a moment.

CALABRIS Turnis!!

He suddenly grows very angry, stomping over to the lizard that shot him.  Before it can lift its gun again, he stomps on it and crushes it.  He then blows the lizard to smithereens (I guess it cuts to TURNIS at this part for dramatic effect).  When that’s done, he hurries back over to TURNIS.

CALABRIS Shit, shit, shit…!

He looks back at the ship.

CALABRIS H-hold on, I’ll see if they have any healing pods in there!

He runs into the ship and searches around, but there’s no healing pods. He then runs to the control room and starts messing around with shit until it turns on, and then he runs back outside.

CALABRIS I got it running, I can try to fly us somewhere to--

TURNIS is gone.  CALABRIS notices a blood trail leading into the forest, and he looks worried.  Cut to show him running through the forest until he emerges into the toisaling village again, where he finds a bunch of toisalings gathered around TURNIS and the elder.  TURNIS is lying on a bed of cloth and stuff while the elder looks him over.  CALABRIS tries to go forward, but a bunch of toisalings block his path.

CALABRIS Move it!  Get out of my way before I--

He notices the elder lift her hands and start performing some sort of magic healing spell on TURNIS.  It sort of reverses the injury, healing both him and his armor because I have nowhere for him to get it fixed and this is the easiest way for me to keep it.  When he’s all healed, he opens his eyes slowly before sitting up and rubbing his head in confusion.  The toisalings part for CALABRIS, then, and TURNIS notices him.

TURNIS …  Calabris?  What happened?

CALABRIS darts forward and falls to his knees to grab TURNIS’ shoulders.  He looks at him for a split second before hugging him.

CALABRIS …  I thought I was gonna be stuck on this stupid planet by myself.

TURNIS looks a bit awkward, but he ends up patting CALABRIS’ back.  Cut to the two of them walking back to the ship.  They enter and look around.

CALABRIS There’s no healing pods, but I found sleeping quarters.  We can at least sleep somewhere that isn’t grass, now.

TURNIS Did you figure out how to work the ship?

CALABRIS Well, I turned it on, but the controls are way too weird for me to figure out right now.  I’ll mess around with it later, I guess.

They walk into the sleeping quarters, where there’s a bunch of purple, pod-like beds, one for each of the lizards that attacked.  The two take off their armor.  They sit on separate beds to take off their boots.  TURNIS keeps glancing at CALABRIS the whole time until they get comfortable in their respective beds.  CALABRIS is lying down while TURNIS sits up, and CALABRIS looks over at him.

CALABRIS What’s up?

TURNIS looks away awkwardly.

TURNIS We can’t light a fire in here and we don’t know how to work the heating system, so it’s bound to get cold at night.  I’m used to the cold from living on that planet for so long, but...I was thinking that it might be a good idea if we...slept in the same bed...for body heat...so you don’t freeze, I guess…

As TURNIS flounders over his words, CALABRIS’ expression changes from concern to a knowing look.

CALABRIS …  Turnis.

TURNIS looks over to see CALABRIS walking over to him.

CALABRIS You coulda just asked.

TURNIS looks lowkey embarrassed.  CALABRIS waves his hand.

CALABRIS Scoot.

TURNIS scoots over to give CALABRIS room to crawl into the bed with him, and they both lay down on their backs next to each other.  TURNIS stares up at the ceiling, probably thinking “what the fuck did I just get myself into” or something, and CALABRIS glances over at him.

CALABRIS Body heat, huh?

TURNIS sort of turns his head away, frowning a little.

TURNIS If you want to freeze, be my guest.

CALABRIS Nah, this is fine.

They lay there for a moment before CALABRIS looks over at TURNIS again.  He sits up a little before rolling over on top of him with an arm on either side of his head, and their noses are almost touching.  TURNIS looks like his heart stopped, but CALABRIS is giving him The Look™.  TURNIS’ hands reach up and rest on CALABRIS’ waist.  CALABRIS lowers his head a little bit so that their foreheads are touching, and their eyes go half-lidded for a moment.  He lowers just a bit more, and they kiss softly, finally closing their eyes.  Shot zooms out on them in the bed, their tails tangled.

Cut to day 51.  TURNIS and CALABRIS are sitting on top of the ship.

CALABRIS Hey, so, I’ve been thinkin’.

TURNIS That’s a surprise.

CALABRIS Cool, thanks.  But, seriously.  It’s not...too bad of a living out here.  We have food and water, and now we have shelter.  Plus, we have allies in those little guys in the forest.

TURNIS …  What are you getting at?

CALABRIS looks at his hands.

CALABRIS I’m saying...I wouldn’t mind staying here with you, if you didn’t want to go back to Sadala.  I know you haven’t had the best time there since coming back, so…

TURNIS Calabris, you don’t have to give up your life for me.  You know that, right?  You’ve worked your ass off to get to where you are, haven’t you?

CALABRIS I mean, yeah, but...it’s not all about me.

TURNIS blinks, but then his expression turns soft.

TURNIS …  I really appreciate that, Calabris.

CALABRIS gives him a little smile.  As if it was summoned, a saiyan ship flies overhead.  The two of them look at it as it flies by.  Cut to them flying to where it landed.  There’s three saiyans checking out their crashed ship.  One of them, presumably the leader of the squad, turns around and sees them approaching.

SQUAD LEADER I suppose you’re the ones who crashed this ship, correct?

CALABRIS Who are you?

SQUAD LEADER We were on our way to another planet for a mission when we saw your distress signal.  There were reports of a missing ship recently, so we figured we might as well check it out.  It looks like we found it.

TURNIS So...what do you intend to do now?

SQUAD LEADER We are obligated to retrieve any survivors from crashes, so you’ll be coming back with us.

CALABRIS Actually, we were planning on--

TURNIS We’ll go.

CALABRIS looks at him in surprise.  TURNIS looks back at him.

TURNIS I don’t want you throwing out all your hard work for me.

CALABRIS gives him a sort of soft look of acceptance.

Shot changes to show the Sadala Capital Army Base.

SERGEANT Well, it looks like you two actually survived.  Good for you.  However, you completely failed in your mission.  I suppose I have no choice but to demote the both of you for incompetence.

CALABRIS looks a little frustrated, but TURNIS speaks up.

TURNIS It wasn’t our fault our ship got struck with a meteoroid.  Besides, it’s not like you planned on us coming back, anyway.

SERGEANT I beg your pardon?

CALABRIS looks over at TURNIS.

CALABRIS Turnis--!

TURNIS We’ve heard what kind of a planet Mort is.  No one that goes to that planet ever makes it out alive.  You knew that, didn’t you?  And you sent us there to die because you wanted to punish us for losing Etro.

SERGEANT How dare you…!  Accusing me of something like that…  I should have you kicked out of the force completely!

TURNIS That would look good on your record.  Kicking out two of your highest-skilled elites right after they were rescued from a remote planet because they didn’t make it to the planet they were supposed to die on.  I wonder how the general would take that news?

The sergeant looks nervous all of a sudden, and his assistant covers her mouth with a giggle.  He glances over at her with a frown before looking back at TURNIS.

SERGEANT …  A-alright, fine.  You can keep your positions as long as you keep your mouths shut and forget this ever happened.  Deal?

TURNIS Fine.

CALABRIS looks kind of impressed.  Cut to them walking off base.

CALABRIS That was pretty ballsy of you, standing up to the sergeant like you did.

TURNIS I wasn’t about to let him abuse his position like that.

CALABRIS I appreciate it.  But…

TURNIS What is it?

CALABRIS …  Hell.  I kinda am sick of this place after all.  Let’s grab a ship and head out, just the two of us.  You in?

TURNIS stares at him for a moment before scoffing with a little smirk.

TURNIS …  Yeah.  Let’s do it.

Shot ends with a view of the Sadala sky.

[broodhollowan]

Broodhollow Calendar of Holidays

Autumn Thrall Festival - September 24th

Advertised to have food, games, and music.

Banner Day - November

Consists of hanging up banners.

Ouster Eve - November 11th

Ringing tuning forks to dispel negative energy and in reverence of the sacrifices of forefathers.

Deliverance Day - November 13th

Consists of wearing a thistle in the breast pocket for an unknown reason.

Totenkinder - October 31th

A German mistranslation of, literally, “dead children.” The holiday did not begin as a holiday, but an observance of the 1813 schoolhouse collapse, in which 12 Amish students died along with their teacher. Many settlers believed the collapse to be an omen of God’s displeasure with the settlement, and that Ichor Falls trespassed on hallowed ground. That year, every stick of lumber for building construction was torched, to purge the town of evil.

Decades later, schoolchildren participated in Totenkinder by building small model houses, placing a beloved toy inside, and lighting it on fire. If the house refused to catch fire (as often happens in Ichor Falls due to the humidity), the house was made by a good little boy or girl. If it did burn, the boy or girl was considered sinful.

In 1908, a little girl was badly hurt when her toy house caught her dress on fire. At this point the town treated Totenkinder as silly tradition and superstition, and not a real determination of good and evil. Nonetheless, because it was dangerous to children, Totenkinder was largely abandoned.

"Make my house from twigs and sticks Father, father I have no clay, I have no bricks Father sings.

Build my house and make it strong Mother, mother It will keep you winter long Mother sings.

In the evening tend the fire Good child, good child Careful not to let it higher Good child sings.

In the morning, early morning Ashes, ashes Mother cries and father warning Bad child gone."

Check out the fan comic depiction of the holiday:

Whippoorwill Day - March? 3rd

Bird watching holiday. What seeing one, multiple, or multiple in a group is supposed to mean is implied to be positive.

White Lamentation Day - March

There's a superstition of what time you can drink warm milk, and on this holiday you can drink your warm milk early.

Edulcoration - March

Holiday dedicated to cleaning.

Cadence Night - May

No sugar is allowed after a Cadence night.

Eld Vernalia - May

A spring holiday occurring once every 17 years that includes the following: Gathering a large pile of flowers at midnight and burning them. Offering up baskets "for the Cadence." Long banner wind above the town, each street having its own color. The children have a maypole dance in three groups with a particular dance. Early flowering plants are used for wreaths. Spiced switchwater tea is served.

Obnovalia Night - May

A day where the town is decorated with Pomanders.

A pomander is a ball made for perfumes. The pomander was worn or carried in a vase, also known by the same name, as a protection against infection in times of pestilence or merely as a useful article to modify bad smells. A pomander can be a bag containing fragrant herbs and might be viewed as an early form of aromatherapy.

[voidsentprinces]

Gradual and Logical Progression of a Threat

A Realm Reborn: Can you defeat the Primals who've existed in Eorzea since time immemorial?

Heavensward: Can you defeat the Primals shaped by the shift in Dravanian and Coerthas change following the calamity? Additionally, primals that are widely unknown to even Ishgard leaving you with even less information to combat them effectively?

Stormblood: Can you defeat the Primals of Eld? Primals infused with the energies for prayer hidden away from the world by the Ruby Sea and Kugane's practices. And a brand new Primal who is formed similarly to Bahamut?

Shadowbringers: Can you defeat Lightwardens, Primals who are strengthened by the very nature of the world on their home turf. As well as the Paragons of Antiquity?

Endwalker: Primals of lands unknown to you are standard fair at this time. They don't even get their own trials, they get to be dungeon bosses. No, the question here is, can you defeat the Eldest and most powerful of Primals and the source of the Final Days?