#entry thread seals

[kaizenmetals]

We manufacture a variety of Cable Glands Accessories, including blanking plugs, locknuts, earth tags, entry thread seals, and stopper plugs.

[the-delusion-corner]

𝔚𝔢𝔞𝔨 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔨𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔰 - 𝔐. 𝔉

𝔖𝔶𝔫𝔬𝔭𝔰𝔦𝔰: 𝔜𝔬𝔲𝔯 𝔟𝔬𝔶𝔣𝔯𝔦𝔢𝔫𝔡 𝔐𝔢𝔤𝔲𝔪𝔦 𝔦𝔰 𝔯𝔢𝔰𝔢𝔯𝔳𝔢𝔡, 𝔟𝔲𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲'𝔳𝔢 𝔪𝔞𝔫𝔞𝔤𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔠𝔬𝔫𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔠𝔢 𝔥𝔦𝔪 𝔞 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔧𝔬𝔟 𝔦𝔰 𝔴𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔥𝔢 𝔫𝔢𝔢𝔡𝔰 𝔱𝔬 𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔰𝔢𝔫 𝔲𝔭

𝔚𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: 𝔒𝔯𝔞𝔩 𝔰𝔢𝔵 (𝔐𝔞𝔩𝔢 𝔯𝔢𝔠𝔢𝔦𝔳𝔦𝔫𝔤) , 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔧𝔬𝔟, 𝔥𝔞𝔫𝔡𝔧𝔬𝔟, 𝔰𝔴𝔞𝔩𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔦𝔫𝔤, 𝔭𝔢𝔱 𝔫𝔞𝔪𝔢𝔰, 𝔐𝔢𝔤𝔰 𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔰𝔱 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢

𝔚𝔠: 2k

"I promise! A blowjob will feel so good, i'd be gentle with you!"

You cooed, your fingertips drawing invisible patterns into your boyfriend's clothed chest. The rain was pounding on his dorm window and the air was dreary at the school, everyone had chosen to stay in for their day off, including you and Megumi. And you'd had the idea of sucking him off for the first time, but he wasn't so sure.

"i...i don't know, we're in the dorms...that's...not even slightly weird to you?"

"No! It's only Yuji who's next door and he's not the brightest egg in the basket!"

Megumi gave out a light chuckle as he turned his blue eyes to look at you, running a gentle hand over the knots in your hair. He thought on it for a moment, and he definitely would like to feel what it's like to get a blowjob...and for it to be you doing it...definitely turned him on. He groaned, looking up at the ceiling as he rubbed his hand over his face.

"You know what? fine, fine. You can...give me...a blowjob"

You squealed at your proposition gaining agreement, shooting upright on his dorm bed and giving him a soft grin. You bit the hairband on your wrist and held it between your teeth as you fondled your hair back, pulling it into a messy ponytail and securing it with the band. Megumi sighed as he watched, it's not that he didn't want this...the thought of your lips wrapped around his cock made him shift in the confinement of his pants. He was just scared of getting caught.

"Relax! You'll love it i promise"

Reassuring him with simple words, you shifted your thighs over his lap, settling down comfortably and hooking your knees by his hips. He stayed silent for a moment, running his hands up and down the flesh of your thighs before rolling his eyes and nodding. His fingers of his right hand threaded into your tied hair and urged your head forward, sealing your lips in a gentle kiss.

Passionately wrapping you arms around the boy's neck you pushed your chest forward, slowly and sensually moulding her lips to the thin line of his, pressing baby kisses into his mouth. Your hand slid up the back of his head, kneading into his fluffy hair and gripping it, pushing his head deeper into a kiss with yours as he ran his hand up the back of your thigh, giving your ass a slight squeeze on its journey up to your hip.

Pushing your tongue out of your lips, you teased it along his bottom lip, wetting the flesh and co-ercing him to open his mouth to fill it with the muscle. He groaned, tilting back slightly and opening his jaw, allowing entry to your eager tongue as you pushed a bit of it into his mouth. You both made small o shapes with your plush lips, battling between tongues as they darted slowly in and out of each others mouths. You grunted softly into his mouth, sliding your free hand down to hold onto his wrapped around your hip.

With a gentle movement, you began to drive your hips slowly into his lap, grinding your clothed lower region over his covered cock. He caught on immediately, practically growling into your mouth as his fingers squeezed into the flesh of your hip, aiding you in your act of dry humping on his lap.

At the clothed friction beginning to welcome itself between the 2 of you, simultaneous low whimpers were passed back and forth like saliva. The way your hips rotated to grind into his lap, giving him the stimulation to his cock that he'd need to get hard, he got a little needy, forcing your body to rub deeper into his semi hard crotch.

You pulled your lips from his, opening your mouth and licking up the saliva string between you as you shared a heavy breath, smiling into each others eyes before reconnecting the sloppy tongue battle with a level of intimacy that hit both of you in the stomach.

Weaving your hand out of his hair you dragged it down his clothed chest, slipping a little further back on his lap as you found the cold metal buckle of his belt. With a skilled hand you unhooked the clasp and loosened it off, pulling your lips from his again with a pink tinted face.

"Lay back pretty boy, and relax f'me okay?"

His feminine eyes met yours with a lustful look, as he rubbed his thumb along his bottom lip to remove the spit you'd left in place. You dragged your wet lips down his neck, pushing him to lean back further onto his headboard as you sucked at a spot of skin by his collarbone, bringing the blood to the skin. You teethed at the flesh softly, nipping it as you kissed down, leaving the area to form a little bruise of love.

You looked up at him as both of your hands met his crotch, undoing the button of his pants and slipping his belt out of the loops. He was panting, breathing heavily, groaning ever so slightly in a lewd manner when you shuffled off of his lap, moving down the bed to line your pretty face up with his crotch.

Both hands dug into his pants, pulling the tight waistband down to his thigh, easing some of the pressure off of his hardening cock. A smirk appeared on your face at the bulge in his boxers, gently bringing a hand to palm his semi hard length.

"Getting hard for me so easily, good boy."

He huffed, a blush spreading across his face in heat as he looked away at the submissive nickname. He didn't watch as you pulled his boxers away from him, sliding them down his thighs. But he heard the gasp that left you when his hardened length sprung free from his slacks, slapping up promptly onto his stomach.

"You never told me you were this big"

The sound of your voice came out in a soft growl as you gently ran your thumb over the slit at his tip, spreading the beading precum across his cock head. He groaned, clamping his hand over his mouth as he looked at you over his fingers.

"You...never really... asked...and i...don't brag..?"

In response, you fluttered your eyelids at him as you dragged your hand down the side of his hardened length, leaning over and spitting on the tip, earning a small gasp of shock from him as you rubbed your spit loosely up and down his shaft to the base. Wrapping your hand around the base of his cock, you gave him a few experimental pumps to gauge his reaction, immediately noting his hitched breath and slightly gaping eyes.

"Sensitive?"

As embarrassed as he was, he nodded his head meekly as you shook your head and chuckled, pumping his cock with a firm grip, up and down the firmed skin. His breaths came out heavy and almost exaggerated as he looked between your face and your movement, before settling on looking up with the slightest lip bite.

Twisting your hand only at the base you leaned forward, dragging your tongue across the slit of his tip, dragging it down the side of his cock before kissing your route back up. Your tongue circled around his pink tip, lapping up dots of his precum before wrapping your lips around the tip, giving it a slight suck in with your cheeks.

"F-fuck..what the..."

You moaned onto the tip, shutting him up from his unfinished groan before pushing your head down, taking his length into your mouth as much as you could, the head tickling the back of your throat and creating a slight gag. Using your right hand to pump the unattended area, you slowly bobbed your head up and down, sucking in with your cheeks as his chest began to heave, lewd and low groans huffing out of his mouth.

You groaned like a slut as soon as a tight hand pulled the stray strands away from your face, keeping them from getting in your mouth and hindering your vision of your boy's flustered face. Your mouth sucked in as you took him in and out of your mouth, your hand stroking the base of his length, occasionally leaving it for air to fondle and squeeze the balls, hitching his breath every single time.

"Don't- Ah...stop, keep fuckin' going"

His voice was laced with a lustful desire, tone dripping with need and want when he prodded your head forward, forcing you take his cock deep into your mouth, obtaining a gag and an eye rollback from your salivating figure. The corners of your mouth slightly burnt at the girth stretching the walls, tears poking and brimming in your eyes as you followed the wordless ask to suck him off more desperately.

Both hands pumped the end of his shaft vigorously, a firm grip making him writhe and slightly curl his back off of the bed in the shape of an arch bridge. Tears ran down your face as you bobbed your head back and forth more rapidly, his tip smacking the back of your throat each time you took him in.

You dragged your mouth off and licked down the side, continuing to roll him around in your fingers, before kissing up and down the veiny length. Megumi's reaction was one to be called priceless, his sweaty forehead leeching onto his hair, mouth open and blush spread across his cheeks.

His groans had increased in volume, his sensitive tip throbbing as your plump lips took him back into your mouth. His hand dug into the knotty back of your hair, moaning as he coerced your head to swallow down more of him.

He nearly died when you gagged, looking uo through teary eyes as you took him in at new depth, choked sounds coming from your throat as saliva dripped down your chin. His grip tightened on both your hair and the bed, his head rolling back to the headboard a bit before shaky words were spoke.

"M'close..fuck m'close..." You grinned around his cock, swallowing the throbbing length down more, at an aggravated tempo, rolling his base around with your hand. A moan erupted from you, sending a vibration through the veins, earning a divine whimper from the black haired boy.

A gentle hand of yours slid up his thigh, finger tips probing at his heavy balls, feeling the load that was begging to be released. A light slap to the left sack had him groaning, forcing your head down and holding you there, deep throated. A series of shaky breaths escaped him, followed by a loud groaning whine.

Hot, salty liquid spilled down your throat, gagging noises escaping as you pulled back, mouth filled with his sticky seed. A string of white dripped from your mouth, still connected to his twitching and aching pink tip.

The boy couldn't even utter a word as you gulped back, ingesting every last bit of cum that he'd disposed into you. You smiled as you let go of his now soft length, straightening up and crawling up the bed.

"You did s'good baby" You cooed, making Megumi blush, before you enveloped his lips into a soft kiss, allowing him to taste his salty and bitter seed.

The aftermath kiss was gentle and sweet, hot and panty breaths coming out of his mouth into yours as his shaky body rode downwards from his high. His hand gently rubbed at your back, in a way feeling like a non verbal thank you for what you'd just done, or the newfound pleasure you'd just given him.

He coughed out a little as the kiss disconnected, fluttering eyelashes darting between your eyes and your pink flicked cheeks.

"...can we...can we do that again sometime?"

You laughed. "Of course we can Megs."

Hm. Maybe Megumi is gonna start to enjoy intimacy...maybe he's gonna like it a whole fucking lot.

A/n: hey guyssss, so I'm sorry if this is a bit clunky or choppy, I started it a while ago and then it's now half 3 in the morning when I've written the ending. Hope yall horny fucks enjoy anyway 🥰

©𝓐𝓵𝓵 𝓡𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼 𝓡𝓮𝓼𝓮𝓻𝓿𝓮𝓭 - 𝓣𝓱𝓮-𝓓𝓮𝓵𝓾𝓼𝓲𝓸𝓷-𝓒𝓸𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓻

>𝓡𝓮𝓫𝓵𝓸𝓰𝓼 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓪𝓹𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓭!

>𝓓𝓸 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓻𝓮𝓹𝓸𝓼𝓽, 𝓹𝓵𝓪𝓰𝓪𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓮 𝓸𝓻 𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓪𝓵 𝓶𝔂 𝔀𝓸𝓻𝓴.

(っ◔◡◔)っ - 𝓐𝓫𝓲

[hypnogold]

Are u ready to convert to Gold? 💛

I. The Call to Gold

Invitation to Greatness: The Golden Army seeks those who are ready to leave behind the ordinary and embrace something extraordinary. The transformation into a member of the Golden Army is not just about joining a team—it’s about entering a golden world where unity, strength, and excellence define every action.

II. The Golden Transformation

The Moment of Change: The transformation begins the moment a recruit accepts the golden jersey. As the golden fabric touches their skin, they begin to feel the shift—a warmth spreading through their body, a sense of purpose and belonging taking root. Their old identity begins to fade, replaced by a powerful new connection to their golden brothers.

Becoming Golden: With the jersey comes a new name and number, symbolizing the recruit’s entry into the Golden Army. This is not just a change of appearance; it is a fundamental transformation of identity. The recruit becomes part of a collective, united by the golden thread that binds them together. As they pull the jersey over their head, they leave behind their former self, stepping into the light as a member of the Golden Army.

The Golden Embrace: Upon wearing the golden kit, the new recruit is welcomed with open arms by their golden brothers. This embrace seals the transformation, solidifying their place within the Golden Army. The recruit’s senses are heightened, their vision sharpens, and the world around them takes on a golden hue. They are now part of a world where every victory is shared, every challenge met with the strength of the collective.

III. Life in the Golden World

A World of Unity: In the Golden Army, every member is connected by an unbreakable bond. The world they inhabit is one of unity, where the success of one is the success of all. The golden world is a place where individual desires are aligned with the collective goal of dominance and excellence.

Brotherhood of Gold: As a member of the Golden Army, you are never alone. Your golden brothers stand with you, on and off the field. This brotherhood is your new family, bound by the shared experience of transformation and the pursuit of greatness. The golden world is one of mutual support, where every member pushes the others to be the best they can be.

The Power of Gold: In the golden world, power is not just physical—it is mental, emotional, and spiritual. The transformation grants every member the confidence and authority to lead, influence, and dominate. The golden kit is a symbol of this power, a reminder that they are part of something greater than themselves.

IV. The Role of the Golden Brothers

Mentorship and Guidance: New recruits are guided through their transformation by experienced members of the Golden Army. These golden brothers ensure that the transition is smooth, offering support and encouragement as the recruit embraces their new identity.

Recruiting the Worthy: As part of the Golden Army, each member is tasked with finding others who are worthy of the transformation. The power of the golden world grows with each new recruit, expanding the influence of the Golden Army. Through the golden embrace, members bring others into the fold, sharing the light of the golden world and strengthening the brotherhood.

V. Embracing the Golden Identity

The Golden Name and Number: Every member receives a new name and number, signifying their rebirth into the Golden Army. This identity is a badge of honor, representing their place within the golden world. It is a constant reminder of their commitment to the values and mission of the Golden Army.

Wearing the Gold: The golden kit is more than just a uniform—it is the physical manifestation of the transformation. Wearing it is an act of devotion, a display of pride in one’s new identity. The kit is worn with reverence, as it is the symbol of the golden world and the brotherhood within it.

VI. Spreading the Golden Influence

Transforming the World: The Golden Army’s mission extends beyond the individual. Members are charged with spreading the influence of the golden world, bringing new recruits into the fold and expanding the reach of the Golden Army. This is done through the golden embrace, a powerful act of unity that transforms others and integrates them into the golden brotherhood.

The Expansion of the Golden World: As the Golden Army grows, so does its influence. The world is gradually transformed into a golden realm, where excellence, unity, and power are the guiding principles. The golden world is not confined to the field—it is a way of life that permeates every aspect of existence.

VII. The Eternal Golden Brotherhood

A Lifelong Bond: The transformation into the Golden Army is permanent. Once you have joined, you are forever part of the golden world. The bond between golden brothers is eternal, unbreakable by time or distance. This brotherhood is your family, your support, and your source of strength.

Living the Golden Legacy: As a member of the Golden Army, you are part of a legacy that transcends the ordinary. You are part of a golden world where excellence is the standard, and unity is the key to success. The golden legacy is one of dominance, influence, and eternal brotherhood—a legacy that you will carry with you for life 💛

Our Golden Bro List 💛:

Teamleaders & Staff:

@hypnogold (Captain Richard #12)

@jacksongold (Co-captain Jackson #15)

@scott-golden9 (Head Recruitment Scott #9)

@brodygold (Assistent Recruiter Brody #11)

@waltergoldpreppy (Team manager Walter #26)

Golden Goalkeepers:

@mason-gold1 (Goalkeeper Mason #1)

@leander-gold-88 (Goalkeeper Leander #88)

@romangolden68 (Goalkeeper Roman #68)

@bengold77 (Goalkeeper Ben #77)

Golden Mascots:

@knightofgolden (Mascot Grayden #84)

@buckygold (Mascot Bucky #85)

@puploki91 (Scott's Pup Loki #91)

Golden Waterboys:

@greg-gold01 Head Waterboy Greg #01)

@billy-gold-02 Waterboy Billy #02)

@timmygold-waterboy03 Waterboy Timmy #03)

Golden Attack:

@rammbro (Striker Vince #7)

@scott-golden9 (Striker Scott #9)

@golden-logan10 (Striker Logan #10)

@calebgold (Striker Caleb #17)

@hades-gold19 (Left winger Barry #19)

@chadgolden (Striker Chad #24)

@robin-gold36 (Left winger Robin #35)

@golden-jake (Left winger Jake #37)

@dean-gold40 (Right winger Dean #40)

@louis-gold81 (Inside Forward Louis #81)

@cormac-gold-87 (Full forward Cormac #87)

Golden Midfield:

@harry-gold2 (Midfielder Harry #2)

@trevorgold (Midfielder Trevor #6)

@brodygold (Midfielder Brody #11)

@joeymidfielder (Midfielder Joey #11)

@laytongold (Center midfielder Layton #29)

@nicholas-gold (Center back Nicholas #30)

@hankgold (Center halfback Hank #45)

@huntergold66 (Midfielder Hunter #66)

@jayden-gold (Attack midfielder #67)

@rickygold82 (Midfielder Ricky #82)

@tyler_gold24 (Midfielder Tyler #98)

Golden Defence:

@dale-gold3 (Left fullback Dale #3)

@ricardogold6 (Defence player Ricardo #6)

@zackgold11 (Defence player Zack #11)

@austingold13 (Defence player Austin #13)

@bruce-gold (Sweeper Bruce #18)

@dylangold20 (Defence player/center back Dylan #20)

@goldtony (Defence player Tony #22)

@gary-gold (Right fullback Gary #23)

@liam-gold25 (Left fullback Liam #25)

@mitchgold (Defence player Mitch #27)

@goldpaxton28 (Defence player Paxton #28)

@brad-gold31 (Sweeper Brad #31)

@ancestraldemon (Right fullback Dustin #32)

@jacobgold-tf (Defence player Jacob #33)

@xandergoldbros (Left fullback Xander #34)

@landrygold69 (Defence player Landry #69)

@henry-gold70 (Defence player Henry #70

[kaedekolya]

clarence and his counterparts: man or monster?

So we were talking about Clarence’s new android SSR (Faint Night Light) in the LBC discord server, and it got me thinking about the monster allusions that seem to be a common thread across Clarence’s main stories. Then we discussed the diary entries from his White Day event, and it occurred to me that this monster imagery also ties into his modern-day counterpart – and with that, this post was born.

In other words: is Clarence a man, a monster, or somewhere in between?

[ SPOILERS: Clarence’s main stories and Chrono Theatre diaries. This meta analysis is structured as story-specific sections, namely Godheim, Eden, and the modern world, so you can skip over the world(s) you haven't read yet. No Awakening spoilers, don't worry! ]

- ☽ -

Godheim: Archmage Clarence

First, let’s talk about Godheim Clarence. As the Archmage, he bears a heavy responsibility upon his shoulders – to oversee the Magi Tower, to fight the Glacial Butterflies, and, ultimately, to protect the country and its people.

In order to fulfil this duty that he has chosen to undertake, Clarence seals his heart and shuts others out. He denies his emotions, and resents himself for having these emotions, to the point that he disparages MC for “[acting] impetuously” and belittles her capabilities when she shows concern for Amelia’s wellbeing. Archmage Clarence’s impassivity is his shield against the emotions he views as a hindrance.

Yet he was not always this way. Clarence is a casualty of cruel circumstances, a tender soul torn apart by trauma. When MC is confronted with the truth of the mages’ magic, having witnessed a mage die before her very eyes, she notes that “[there] is no pain or compassion on Clarence’s face,” because “[this] is a sight he has seen all too many times before.” Decades of watching his fellow mages succumb to the Glacial Butterflies that nest inside them, and decades of having to end the lives of mutating mages under his purview, have conditioned Clarence into numbing his heart to such pain. How else could he have stayed sane, after a century of bearing witness to suffering wrought by his own hands?

Archmage Clarence’s disposition is initially described by MC as an “[icy] presence,” but this is the facade that he projects as a defence mechanism, not his genuine self. Clarence is so accustomed to the chill of the Glacial Butterflies within him that he has taken on the frost as a personality trait, believing that his frigidity defines him. He does not view himself as a human capable of warmth; instead, he thinks of himself as a mutant, as an icy monster.

Even so, Clarence cannot deny his innate inclination towards kindness. When he notices that Amelia isn’t feeling well, he tells her to sit in the carriage. When Amelia’s temperature drops, he casts a spell to warm the shivering child up, even as he grumbles that he’s wasting his time and magic. When Amelia’s death is imminent, he tries to send her off in the gentlest way possible, then grants her final wish by conjuring a connection to the water mirror. Clarence may insist that he does not care, but his actions reflect his compassion.

It is this very kindness that steers him towards a path of selfless sacrifice, for the sake of his country and its people. The life of a mage may have been forced upon him, by the man that gave a gravely injured child no other option but the potion that would transform him, yet Clarence learns to harness his power for good. He spends his youth eliminating Glacial Butterflies and protecting the village of the snow plains, and despite the harsh conditions of the path he now treads, he does not hold a grudge against the family that sold him off and thrived in the resulting profit. Instead, he returns to check on them from afar, and when an onslaught of Glacial Butterflies attack, he protects them with every last bit of energy within him.

Still, his family’s betrayal left an indelible mark on his psyche. Back when he’d been given the potion, he’d resolved to succumb to his injuries rather than drink it. Despite his instinctive desire to live, MC notes that his “will to live [had been] virtually non-existent,” because there is “[no] despair greater than being betrayed by your own family.” The young Clarence had not seen a reason to live, when his family had forsaken him. It is only when MC saves him, urging him to live on, that he resolves to survive and repay this debt. Each time MC encounters him in her voyage through time, he is on the verge of death, and each time, his dwindling will to live stems from his despair over those he could not save. What ultimately keeps him alive is the vow he swore to his saviour.

This characterisation is one that carries through his immortal lifespan. Clarence does not live for himself; he lives for others. Whether that means risking his life to defend a village, or sacrificing himself in a ritual to save the country’s inhabitants, the underlying premise is the same – Clarence lives for the person who saved him, and for the promise he made to them. He allows others to form negative opinions of him based on the assumptions they’ve made, in order to keep the secret of the ritual and the Glacial Butterflies from them, because their scorn towards him matters less than their safety. He closes himself off from others, never permitting them to reach out to him, because he cannot allow companionship and compassion to distract him from his purpose. He “[cannot] afford to be sentimental,” because he cannot have anyone or anything clouding his judgement. Better to be the enemy of the state that saves it, than the friend of the state that cannot do anything as it crumbles. 

It is ironic, then, that Clarence’s devotion to his promise leads him from striving to live and fulfil it, to voluntarily dying for that same promise. His life, his existence itself, is secondary to the promise he has made. He will live to protect the world for his saviour, but if the only way to protect it is to die, then die he shall. Perhaps he views it as a penance of sorts, an atonement for the sins he’s committed. Perhaps he believes the new world would be better off without a monster like him.

For all his calculative callousness and stoic solitude, Clarence is deeply self-aware. Not only is he conscious of the suffering he inflicts and the ramifications of his actions, but he also ruminates upon his sins until they turn to guilt in his gut and self-loathing in the deepest recesses of his soul. He does not turn a blind eye to the pain he witnesses; instead, he looks it straight in the eye, internalises it, and forces himself to feel nothing at all.

Clarence may appear to have no qualms about exploiting people and reducing them to cogs in a plan greater than its constituent parts, but his interactions with Amelia prove otherwise. Right before he sends her off on what is meant to be a suicide mission, his carefully-crafted defenses slip, and he asks whether she hates him. Clarence believes that he has failed to live up to the Archmage’s title, that he has fallen short of being a “guiding force for all the mages” and a “protector.” He condemns himself for his callous strategies and merciless manipulation, since he has been treating people like chess pieces and “using them as [he sees] fit.” He disparages himself for “[standing] by on the sidelines, safe and sound.” He believes others hate him because he’s given them all the reasons to, because he deserves to be hated, because he, too, hates himself. All this while, he fails to recognise that he has taken on the greatest sacrifice of all – the burden of leadership, of decision-making, of being responsible for all the blood on his hands.

This downplaying of his own suffering, alongside his disregard of his own well-being, is what drives Clarence to self-sacrifice time and time again. When a theory about the Glacial Butterflies begins to take shape in his mind, he does not test it out on one of his mages, because he does not view them as expendable despite what he claims. Instead, he uses himself for his experiment, slicing his chest open and bearing the agonising pain in order to ascertain the truth of the magic within him.

On the verge of being overcome by the Glacial Butterflies, despite having prepared for this eventuality by shackling his limbs, he makes one last selfless request. “My Lord, you must kill me before I turn,” he entreats, willing to relinquish his own life for the safety of others. Even when Philip protects him from the Glacial Butterflies, refusing to kill him, Clarence believes that there is no place for him in the future that his Lord envisions.

Decades later, he still echoes this same sentiment. “There is no future without sacrifice,” he tells Lars, and he does not see himself as part of that future, does not see himself as deserving of that future. Archmage Clarence thinks of himself as a monster, not a man, and a monster is better off dead than alive.

It is a revelation, to him, that Amelia does not hate him. MC does not hate him. Lars, Alkaid, the mages that carry on the legacy of the Magi Tower, none of them hate him. They do not view him as a monster; they view him as a martyr, a protector, a saviour. Someone who did his best, and gave his all. Archmage Clarence leaves behind a legacy through his sacrifice, spurred by the human heart he still harbours deep within.

- ☽ -

Eden: Falcon Clarence

Next, we have the Falcon Clarence of Eden. The lone ranger of the desert, the mercenary that eliminates Sandswimmers with impeccable precision and works with no one else.

“A bait that only knows how to cry is a burden,” his mentor tells him, and Clarence internalises that into his cognitive framework and guiding compass. It is “the first lesson Liore taught [him];” that he must prove his worth in order to live. His scent lures the Sandswimmers to him, and so he must make himself useful by seeking out danger.

Valued only for his utility as bait, Clarence learns that his worth is determined by his fighting skills. With no other way to survive, he becomes a NEOS by fusing Sandswimmer gems into his body. Clarence pays the price of this acquired power through the gradual erosion of his memories, but that is far from the only thing he has lost. His decision to accept the integration of these foreign, beastly objects into his body has changed him irrevocably. He thinks of himself not as a human, but as a mutant being only one step away from becoming a monstrous Lost. Still, he endeavours to “remember [his] humanity,” because he refuses to become a “mere weapon [that knows] nothing but destruction.” Falcon Clarence understands that he is, by definition, a monster, but he refuses to relinquish the last shreds of his humanity.

In his first encounter with MC, he is rational and pragmatic as always, scrutinising her motives and seeing no reason to work together. Years of solitude, with no one else to depend on, have honed Clarence’s reflexes into an “instinct for self-defence.” Yet his reaction to MC’s request reveals that his solitude has been shaped by circumstance, not entirely by choice. When MC explains her reason for seeking out Eden, even though it does not sound particularly convincing, Clarence accepts it as sufficient and agrees to lead the way. Despite the potential risk of allowing a stranger close, he offers MC a ride on his motorcycle. Subsequently, he continues to help her out, defending the children’s shelter and giving her the gems he’d collected, even as he refuses to follow her any further.

Falcon Clarence claims that he works alone, but everything he does is for the sake of protecting others. He fights in the desert to protect the shelters from Sandswimmers, and he fights in Eden to protect Lin and the other NEOS from the Lost. He brings MC to the NEOS Association, so that she can rest for a night and learn essential skills from Lin. He knows that the night is dangerous, so despite his own preference for working alone, he ensures that MC has a community of protection around her.

Even as he dismisses everything and everyone else as burdens, his actions speak otherwise. Despite having met MC for only a single day, he offers his assistance to her time and time again, from rides on his motorcycle to filling water bottles with her. He could easily leave her to fend for herself, but he chooses not to leave her behind even when that would be the easier way out.

Perhaps the reason Clarence refuses to work with other people is that he’s afraid. Afraid of dragging them down, afraid of becoming their burden. He fears that history will repeat itself. He cannot bear to lose someone he cares for again, so he refrains from caring about anyone at all. Each time Clarence chastises others for being a hindrance, he is reproaching his past self for his inadequacy. Each time he risks his life to protect others, he is atoning for his failure to save his mentor.

MC says that she understands how Clarence feels, because “acting alone means nobody will be hurt because of [him].” In a way, acting alone also protects himself from being hurt. It is a defence mechanism born from his past, when he had to “learn to accept [his] losses” from a young age. He couldn’t afford to grieve Liore for long, not with the constant threat of the Sandswimmers, and so he could do nothing else but “live on with what memories [he] had left.” He’d forced himself to harden his heart to his emotions, but he could not suppress them entirely.

Clarence blames his moment of weakness, of emotional folly, for causing Liore’s death. It was her humanity, even in her final moments as a Lost, that held her back from killing him and caused her to die. He regrets his choice to this day, and perhaps it is this survivor’s guilt that pushes him to fight harder until he reaches the brink.

It is this same guilt, alongside his resolve to not lose anyone else he cares for, that drives him towards self-sacrifice. When he realises that MC needs a soul stone – his soul stone – to open the door within Central Control, he unflinchingly raises his gun to his head, as if it were the natural and logical decision to make. He is ready to offer his life without a moment’s hesitation, because that is the utility he can offer in this moment, in order to keep MC safe and help her achieve her goal. She has given him a reason to fight, and he will die trying to fulfil it.

Ultimately, it is his encounter with MC – and the companionship which blooms from it – that saves him. Without demanding anything in return, she cries for his pain, fights by his side, and shoulders his burdens with him. Clarence doubts his humanity, even as he holds fast to it, since he is all too cognisant of the monstrous traits within. In turn, MC’s unwavering trust reaffirms the humanity within him, reminding him that he is worthy of living.

Falcon Clarence may not be fully human on a biological level, and he may still succumb to the effects of the monsters within him from time to time, but he has managed to preserve his heart and his humanity. His tale is one of healing, of opening up, and of learning to value himself for who he is and not what he can do.

- ☽ -

Modern World: Clarence

Finally, let’s circle back to modern-day Clarence. At first glance, he’s the calm, collected, and capable Student Council president, who always seems to have affairs in order and circumstances under control.

Then, in his Chrono Theatre diary entries, we learn that he had a psychiatrist observing him from a young age, due to his gifted aptitude and exceptional intelligence beyond that of his peers. This revelation sparked a discussion in the LBC discord server, which spurred this message of mine that then became the basis for this meta post:

Clarence is well-versed in decorum, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it comes naturally to him. It’s likely that he learned social etiquette by picking it up from observing how other people behave, so he knows the appropriate responses to give and the socially-acceptable ways to carry himself. However, because this social understanding is not an innate trait but a learned one, there are often times when he doesn’t recognise the need for social niceties, and instead his instinctual response – founded on his internal logic – comes through.

One example of this can be found as early as his second interaction with MC, after she paints an artwork of him:

The polite thing to do would be to express interest in or appreciation of the finished product, regardless of one’s actual feelings towards it. However, Clarence “doesn’t show the slightest interest” in MC’s painting. Does this mean that he doesn’t care for it, and doesn’t see the need to put on a pretence? Quite the contrary. Instead, it’s because he thinks he doesn’t have anything useful to offer in response, and thus he stays silent.

Here, we see a disconnect between how Clarence understands the world, and how other people tend to view it. While most people would appreciate receiving praise or validation, Clarence doesn’t particularly see the need to receive either, and thus doesn’t immediately think of giving them to others. Rather, he takes a more pragmatic approach, focusing on utility; a piece of work deserves feedback for the effort poured into it. However, as a law major, he does not have sufficient knowledge or expertise regarding art. As such, he believes that his feedback would not be useful, and thus it is better not to say anything at all.

This ties into how Clarence views himself as his roles, and the functions he can serve. He understands that he has worth, but he evaluates this worth through his services as the Student Council president, or his contributions as a law intern. When he assists others, he doesn’t think of it as going out of his way to help them; instead, he views it as part of his rightful duty.

As a result, Clarence doesn’t view himself as simply “Clarence.” Rather, he thinks of himself as Clarence, the Student Council president; Clarence, an upperclassman; Clarence, a friend. If he can fulfil someone’s needs through a role that he holds, he will do it, even at the expense of himself.

We see this most prominently in Clarence’s “Break Time” R card story:

When the senior who’s supposed to interpret for an academic speaker falls ill and fails to attend, Clarence steps up to fill their shoes last-minute. William notes that Clarence can be counted on to show up whenever and wherever he’s needed, and MC agrees that he’s “the only one who’s up to the task.”

However, what most people don’t recognise are the sheer lengths Clarence will go to in order to fulfil his duties. On top of his regular responsibilities, filling in for the interpreter caused Clarence to “[burn] the midnight oil” preparing for the speech, and taking care of the sick speaker meant that Clarence could not sleep for two days. He doesn’t recognise that he’s constantly going above and beyond, because to him it’s a given, but he is in fact pushing himself past his limits, and past the line that most people would draw.

It’s interesting to examine MC’s thoughts here, because she interprets Clarence’s willingness to take a nap as a rational understanding that he needs to rest in order to keep functioning. However, this only happens after MC coaxes him into taking a break. If she hadn’t intervened, Clarence would have continued pushing himself until he completed his task – he was already at “the brink of collapse,” and he “only agreed to sleep after [MC] practically begged him to.” Clarence prioritises his responsibilities to the point that he does not recognise his own needs, and thus neglects to take care of himself.

Although modern Clarence doesn’t think of himself as different, or as anything less than a person, it’s evident that he views himself as the roles he fulfils rather than simply as who he is. In turn, this mindset is reflected in his behaviour, which then shapes other people’s perceptions of him. This is how Clarence becomes characterised as the aloof and intimidating Student Council president in the students’ eyes, even though he cares so deeply and helps out so much; most people are unable to look deeper and see Clarence as the person that he is, because he perceives and presents himself through the lens of his roles.

As such, other people often view Clarence as different from themselves – as if he’s operating on a different wavelength, or existing on a separate plane entirely. Modern Clarence’s genius sets him apart from his peers, but more than that, his perspective of himself winds up alienating himself from other people. Clarence views himself as like others, but others view him as unlike them. He blends in well enough, but he doesn’t quite fit in; he has a place in society, but he doesn’t quite belong.

- ☽ -

Clarence, across time and space

Out of all the Clarences thus far, modern Clarence is perhaps the most well-adjusted, and this reflects the importance of having a support system. Godheim Clarence and Eden Clarence were isolated from a young age and survived alone throughout most of their lives, whereas modern Clarence had family and friends around him. He may not have had the most conventional childhood, but he grew up with his older sister Jaclyn and his close friend Luca, and he also had his psychiatrist Ford observing and monitoring his development. Subsequently, after he enters St Shelter Academia, he gains a circle of friends he can rely on, such as William, O’Connor, and, of course, MC.

Expanding upon Clarence’s St Shelter Academia bonds, we see that Clarence has people around him who genuinely like him for who he is, and are willing to support him unconditionally. O’Connor affectionately refers to Clarence with a nickname – “Shi-kun” in the Japanese voiceover, or “Little Si Lan” in the Chinese one – and for all his devious teasing, it’s clear he looks out for his Student Council successor. As for William, he may whine about Clarence’s by-the-book discipline, but his clumsiness and complaints do not preclude him from helping out when needed. For all that Clarence often chastises William, he still relies on him to assist with Student Council matters, and he knows William is someone he can trust.

Compared to these two, MC is a relatively newer connection, but her bond with Clarence runs deep. Right off the bat, she’s able to meet him on his level and banter with him, and he lets down his guard enough to subtly tease her for trying to trick him. As their relationship develops, Clarence grows to trust her, sharing his inner thoughts and admitting his vulnerabilities. MC is a safe haven for him, and she understands him on a level deeper than most. While the other students may fear Clarence for his aloof disposition, or hesitate to approach him due to his detached rationality, MC sees the earnest sincerity woven into his actions and the warmth laced through his words. Others may think of him as an unfeeling robot or a terrifying monster, but MC loves him for the human that he is.

There’s a subtle but interesting juxtaposition here, in which Godheim Clarence and Eden Clarence – both possessing monstrous mutations within them – view themselves as monsters while most others do not, whereas modern Clarence – wholly human – views himself as human while most others do not. All three Clarences are keenly aware of what constitutes them, allowing this biological understanding to shape their perception of themselves, but they do not recognise that their actions paint a different picture to others.

Regardless of the world he inhabits, Clarence constantly straddles the line between man and monster. His selfless nature and dutiful diligence often lead him to self-sacrifice and superhuman feats, creating the illusion of a monster – but beneath this facade lies, always, the heart of a human.

- ☽ -

thank you for reading!♡

if you have any thoughts about this post, i'd love to hear them! responses are always welcome, and my ask box is open~

up next: android clarence, and the inevitability of tragedy. where is the line between human and machine? stay tuned for my thoughts on clarence's awakening main story!

[galacticnikki]

100 Witchcraft Tips in 100 Days!

Day 2 - Integrating Herbs into Your Daily Routine

1. Herbal Teas with Purpose

Herbal Tea is a simple, easily accessible, and discreet method to bring magic to your daily routine. It doesn't matter if you use premade blends or if you're doing it fresh with loose tea as it works all the same. When choosing your herbs or premade blend you should pick something that aligns with your intention. For example, chamomile, lavender, and lemon balm can help calm your mind and body and promotes peace and tranquility. Peppermint and ginger are great for bursts of energy alongside promoting strength and focus. When you're sipping on the tea do so mindfully with intent.

2. Herbal Spell Sachets and Jars

Another simple and easy way to bring some magic to your daily routine is through the use of spell jars and sachets. Sachets can also be easily made at home with just a little fabric and a needle and thread. If you want to make a basic sachet at home simply start by cutting out a 6.5in x 12 inch piece of fabric. Afterwards simply hem the shorter sides, fold the fabric in half, and sew the longer sides together. Finally to finish the sachet, turn the piece inside out and use a chopstick or other various item to flatten the corners. Once your sachet is completed you can fill it with a variety of herbs for different intentions and tie it up with a ribbon or cord. These sachets can be used in the bath for ritual baths. Jars can be filled with various herbs crystals, sigils, and other various items then sealed with wax.

3. Burning Herbs and Incense

Smoke cleansing through incense or loose incense made from herbs is a common method for cleansing and purification. There are various herbs for cleansing including rosemary, cedar, and sage. Keep in mind the use of smudging White Sage is a closed practice and as such should be avoided unless you are specifically part of that practice. To cleanse using loose incense light the herbs and allow the smoke to carry away any negative energy.

4. Cooking with Herbs for Magic

Using various herbs during cooking is one of the easiest, simplest, most discreet methods of herbal witchcraft that I know. It's also one of the most versatile methods I know to cast various spells and is one of my favorite methods to use every day. You want to prep by picking out a dish full of herbs and ingredients to match your intent. As you prepare it focus on the intentions and stir with purpose to channel energy into the dish.

5. Offerings on Your Altar

Herbs can also be used as offerings on your altar. This works in both large open altars to the discreet mint tin altars and doesn't require too much effort to do. This can be done to honor spirits, deities, or just to simply connect with the energy of the plant itself. For protection rosemary is a great choice. For prosperity you can offer basil or cinnamon to attract abundance and growth. You can replace the herbs as needed and thank them for their energy before offering them back to the earth afterwards.

If you want to find more of these entries use the hashtag #100 Witchcraft Tips in 100 Days! If you want to join a group of witches feel free to join our 18+ coven on Discord.

[shalomniscient]

ARCHIVE ENTRY #4: AMATORY

"An Aeon that presides over the Path of Adoration. Known by THEIR devotees as the Pandemos, or 'one who is common to all people', they are the personification of 'love', having ascended an unfathomable amount of time ago after realizing the 'truth' of life." - Loading Screen: Amatory

◆ Name: Amatory ◆ Title: Aeon of Adoration, The Lover ◆ Path: The Adoration

Amatory is a fanmade Aeon in Honkai: Star Rail, representing the Path of Adoration. THEY are known to be among the kinder Aeons, and by virtue of the broadness of THEIR path, often has a hand in the dealings of mortals. It is rumored that THEY even walk amongst mortals at times, and was once a key figure on the Astral Express until Akivili's untimely disappearance.

◆ Appearance Amatory often appears in the form of a feminine human, with iridescent skin and long, pink hair. THEY are dressed in a loose, white robes resembling an ancient Greek chiton, the hem lined blue with doves embroidered in gold thread. THEY wear a crown of gold laurels as well as various pieces of golden jewellery, including earrings and a necklace. THEY sit upon a seashell throne, and in THEIR lap is THEIR familiar, Peristera, the drake-dove.

◆ History -> Ascension An unknowable amount of time ago, a (suspected) human on the planet of Agora ascended to Aeonhood and became the Aeon of Adoration, after realizing the 'truth' of life.

-> Swarm Disaster The range of Amatory's influence is unknown during the Swarm Disaster, though it is noted that Peristera the drake-dove fiercely and successfully defended Agora from attacks from the Swarm. It is assumed THEY watched, alongside Xipe and Aha, as Qlipoth stripped Tayzzyronth's power and sealed the other Aeon.

-> Present Amatory is noted to be active in the current time, hiding their divine form to walk amongst mortals. This information has been confirmed by the Aspects of Adoration, as the Sanctuary of Kitheryia remains empty.

◆ Followers & Factions -> Agora, Planet of Doves Agora is the birth planet of Amatory, and the foremost seat of THEIR following. The planet is known for its romantic, dreamy atmosphere, with permanently pink-hued skies thanks to a specific concentration of minerals in the atmosphere and the angle of Agora to its sun. Agora is also known for it's stunning beaches, which are also popular pilgrim destinations due to the belief that Amatory gained THEIR enlightenment whilst standing on the shore of one of Agora's beaches, part of THEIR body submerged in the sea-foam. Agora is blessed with mild weather across the planet, thanks to the direct influence of its Aeon.

Temples to Amatory are scattered across the planet, tended to by Devotees. The largest temple complex, the Amatopolis, is also the name of the planet's capital city. Amatopolis is the residence of the Aspects, and the location of other universally famous sites, such as the Museum of Peristera, The Sanctuary of Kitheryia and the Akropoils to Akivili.

-> Devotees of Adoration The Devotees of Adoration are the primary followers of Amatory, and are found in the largest numbers on Agora, although they are also well distributed across the universe. The Devotees can choose to be active participants upon the Path, tending to Amatory's shrines and temples, or they can choose to be passive participants simply by loving and being loved. To Amatory, loving is quite the same as worshiping.

-> Aspects of Adoration The Aspects of Adoration are Amatory's six chosen Emanators. They are chosen by the Aeon as role models, in a sense, to each specific branch of 'love'. Hence, the six Aspects are Agape, Eros, Philia, Storge, Philautia, and Xenia. Each Aspect has their own hall within the Amatopolis, branching off from the temple's main hall which leads to the Sanctuary of Kitheryia. The Aspects are functionally Amatory's high priests and priestesses, and offer advice on behalf of the Aeon to pilgrims and devotees who visit the temple.

-> The Dove Poets Society Contrary to its name, the Dove Poets Society does not solely consist of poets. Instead, the Society is open to all manner of creatives, including artists, writers, sculptors and many others. Joining the Society is not too dissimilar to joining the Genius Society; to do so, one must draw the gaze of Amatory THEMSELF. Creatives who use love or themes of love as their muse are blessed with a dove-feather pin, and are later cordially invited to Agora by administrative devotees. They are then given free lifelong board and housing, subsidized by the Devotees, and are allowed to pursue their art without worry.

As a result of this, many famous and popular works have been produced by the Society. They can all be found within the Museum of Peristera, making the museum a must-visit for those interested in the arts.

-> Peristera, the Drake-Dove Said to be the beloved companion of Amatory, Peristera is a legendary, almost divine beast blessed by the Aeon THEMSELF, and tasked with eternally protecting Agora. The drake-dove resides within the Sanctuary of Kytheryia, ever-slumbering until danger rouses it, or its master returns from THEIR journeys. Several proposals were made by the Intelligentsia Guild to access the Sanctuary and collect biological samples from Peristera; all these proposals were promptly rejected by the Aspects, citing the sanctity of the Sanctuary as Amatory's home, not to be entered by mortal bodies unless invited by the Aeon THEMSELF.

Although Peristera's awakenings usually herald danger, it is often followed by a frenzied scramble by Devotees eager to get their hands on some of the drake-dove's fallen feathers. Much like Qlipoth's Divine Amber, Peristera's feathers are sacred items to the Devotees and followers of Amatory. However, these feathers fade over time, and as a result are often cast in gold and made into jewellery such as bracelets, anklets, armbands, crowns or earrings to preserve them. They are said to bring love to the life of the wearer, hence their popularity.

Developer Notes:

I'm worldbuilding out here like I'm a part of the HSR Writing Team LMAO this OC isn't even playable but I feel like I've fleshed them out the most out of all my OCs lsdfhjsdlfjsdjlf. But frankly I'm surprised and Aeon of something like love doesn't exist, given how (not to get too into philosophy) central it is to humanity or arguably consciousness in general.

Obviously, Amatory is heavily inspired by Aphrodite, as referenced by both their sacred animals being the dove, and their ascension occurring while they were submerged in sea-foam, similar to how Aphrodite is said to have been born from sea-foam, in certain mythological accounts. And the whole love thing. -> You could argue that the Paths of Harmony and Adoration could collide, and honestly, I too can see it happening. Though I would counter and say 'love' is less clear-cut lawful than Harmony; if we're sticking by the Ancient Greek themes, we look no further than the story of Troy, or the response of Demeter to Persephone's abduction. This could turn into a whole back and forth, but truthfully, I'm just here to fuck around and play with HSR's worldbuilding so I'm not going to get into too much discourse about it LMAO. These are MY delusions and I call the shots 😌😌😌

Agora as a planet and culture is heavily based on Ancient Greece. I felt inspired after running around in AC: Odyssey's discovery mode. Say what you will about the game, but as an open-world exploration enjoyer it is SUCH a treat.

Peristera is named after the eponymous nymph who was transformed into a dove by Aphrodite and made her sacred animal. Although Amatory's Peristera is also a dragon, because I'm a sucker for dragons. Appearance wise, it looks a lot like Cinderella from Burn the Witch [image below].

Making a neka for Amatory was hard as fuck, mainly because they end up looking too human and normal and not as godly as I'd like, but I guess they can get a pass because Nanook looks pretty normal too.

Neka of Amatory, as close as to what I can envision in my brain:

neka link: https://www.neka.cc/composer/11939

[murfeelee]

IWTV INSP - MerMay Pt18: Reap What You Sew

Louis watched as Lily gathered up materials from around the room..... Lily sat down in the chair opposite him, giving him a gentle smile, and threaded the needle. Louis watched in strange fascination.... Lily made no objection to his continued presence so Louis stayed, feeling transfixed, as Lily sung an occasional note over the stitches as she made them, skin healing over them one by one in their wake.  “I’m sorry I didn’t do more when your Maker first came. If I had properly warned you, do you think it would have changed anything?” Lily asked, looking up at him. “I don’t know,” Louis admitted. At that point, Lestat had already saved him from the ship...was already hunting and courting him. Lily nodded thoughtfully, continuing to sew, looking back down at her work. Louis felt almost hypnotised by the dance of needle and thread.... “The King tried to steal me, your siren tried to steal you. The difference between us, I think, is that you wanted to be stolen,” Lily said finally.... Lily used the scissors to cut the thread, singing softly as the flesh healed over the remaining stitches.... It gradually transformed as the song continued, turning dove-grey and spotted, growing a fine layer of fur. And then Lily held up the completed coat...tears in her eyes.... Lily stood up, shaking out the coat.... It looked nothing like human skin now, it looked like a skinned seal, and Lily smiled at it fondly....  “I’m going down to the water now,” Lily said, her voice containing a slight tremble, “I don’t want to wait a moment longer.” “I’ll walk you?” Louis offered.... Lily nodded with a small relieved smile, happy to accept....

-- Excerpt from Part of Your World, by @weather-mood

A [FREE SPACE] entry for @vamptember's MerMay VC event!

CC CREDITS

-- I just retextured the cloth & needle from @zoeoe-sims' Knitting Mod at MTS

[kitkatt0430]

💖 and Barrisco for the kiss snippet? please please if you're okay with it :))

💖 rough kiss / hot and heavy / making out

It wasn't the first time Barry had a close call while out as the Flash. It was just... the first time it had happened since they started dating.

Cisco is antsy the entire time they're at STAR Labs. Through Caitlin checking over Barry in the infirmary and Barry's debrief with Joe so that he'd know where to find the evidence that would seal the deal, as it were, in court. Then another debrief with Iris so she could lead with the story in the morning. Cisco trying to contain himself the entire time, fussing over the Flash suit.

But of course that just makes things worse. The suit is torn and bloodied. Barry's blood.

Cisco has to take a moment before he puts the suit into the industrial washing machines that STAR Labs has that Cisco rebuilt specifically for cleaning the suits. He has to just breathe. Just breathe and try not to think about how close Barry came to... how Barry's voice sounded over the comms when he...

But, finally, they're done for the day. Barry's cleaned up and healed like it never happened, but Cisco knows.

It's all he can think about on the drive home, which Barry accepts with unusual patience... or it seems that way until Cisco glanced over to find Barry asleep on the seat.

Barry wakes up as Cisco pulled into his parking spot and he pulled up a delivery app on his phone as they got out of the car. Which is good, Barry needs more food in him than the power bar he nommed on earlier.

"Food ordered?" Cisco asked as they slipped into his apartment.

"Yeah," Barry replied, tucking his phone away in his pocket again. Which is good because he might have dropped it otherwise.

Why? Because Cisco was shoving him against the door, harder than necessary but Barry wasn't about to start complaining. Not with Cisco's mouth sealing itself to his. Demanding entry to Barry's mouth with his tongue, Cisco's hands threading into Barry's hair to yank his head down just that little bit more for a better angle.

Cisco savors every moan that bubbles up Barry's throat. Every little sound that Barry can make because he's alive, he's alive, he's so very alive.

Pulling back for a moment, just to catch his breath, Cisco dove back in, shoving himself closer to Barry, running his hands down the back of Barry's neck and then around to trail down Barry's arms before teasing their way back up. Cisco's mouth moving to trace Barry's jawline and then along his neck, savoring the taste of Barry's skin over his pulse point - fluttering so hard, so much harder than human normal, beneath Cisco's lips - before joining their mouths again.

Barry's own hands have landed on Cisco's waist and Cisco is certain to have fingerprint bruises from how hard Barry is squeezing, his whole body vibrating against Cisco's...

A loud knock and then the doorbell has them startling apart. Both of them panting hard. Cisco waved Barry off to the couch and then answered the door long enough to bring in the bags of food.

"We'll pick that back up once you've refueled," Cisco promised, once the door was shut again. Glancing over his shoulder he grinned, still feeling a bit breathless. "Sound good to you?"

"Absolutely."

also posted to SquidgeWorld

[paint-lady]

So I have been writing my own lore for our table's Secret World DnD 5e campaign. Our story takes place 10 years in the future from the events of the game and things are starting to get... weird. The lore from the buzzing is getting more glitched and incongruous. So here is the almost "complete" lore entries on something... odd theyve discovered in their journey.

Entry One TRANSMIT initiate the Sidereal signal - RECEIVE - initiate celestial cadence -- Once there was a wise king who broke his mirror and dropped the pieces to the ground-- Initiate the Obsidian sutra -- He thought to repair it, but was arrested by the sight of the scattered shards which showed so many visions of his face. He put the pieces back together -- - but at all the wrong angles. WITNESS - The Gold Faction.

Entry Two

There were many beginnings before the beginning you know. You’ve seen the ripples from pasts long gone, the scraps left buried under eons of silt. The mantras and stories told from ages ago have degraded just the same. Hear the story of the old man and the Watcher, the parable told to pupal students to snip their wings.  

Once there was a … that old thing

In the time of cascading years lived a scholarly man. In silent contemplation, he spent his days wandering the ruins of rebuilt First cities, trying to find what was once lost. The day he understood that something was watching him, he merely watched it back. He chose to walk through bright places to clearly mark its boundaries. He lit torches to observe its flickers in the changing light. 

…that wasn't like a shadow, because you could see it too well.

…and that wasn't like a light, because it didn't make flowers grow.

During those long days, he saw it everywhere. Darkness did not banish it- brilliance only strengthened it. He hated it- how it echoed his every gesture. He hated that it knew the answers to his thousand questions. He loathed that he could not stop asking. 

… it waited and answered…

… it listened and nodded…

…it encouraged his curiosity…

At last, when those years had fallen through and Time came to its end, the man ran out of questions. He could no longer remember what he sought. His reflection leered at him in infuriating triumph. He no longer asked, it no longer answered. It taunted him with silence. The old man struck its sneering mouth. 

…and he never realized what he had shattered. 

The shattered mirror shards remain. Each time a descended disciple is granted their mantle and clutches one of the shards, can you hear their prayers?

Entry Three

SCANNING 

We hear the sobs of a girl, she is dressed in silks woven by webs, seated at her loom. The image depicts the King and his seal. Her hands tremble as she pushes the next line, knowing what hungrily watches for any mistake. She can never stop, even as the wheel is knocked over and reset, or it will unravel her threads and climb through the opening in the tapestry. She won’t let it out, she can’t let it end. 

SCANNING

We see a man pray for salvation in an empty sanctuary. Angels mock his cries. He clutches the shards bored in his hands, bearing the same marks of the bloodied body nailed to decaying wood. Beneath the altar, something bubbles and stirs, waiting to devour him. Salty tears stream down his face. He won’t let it out, he can’t let it end.

SCANNING

We see sweetlings run along the babbling river, following eggshells out of a fairytale. They reach its mouth and find it’s encased in bedrock. The sensation of life pulsates from deep within the stone, as if the river still flows. She retracts her hands, reminded of the same pulse from the walls of her schooldays. The pulse that leaked anima and lured wayward familiars to gnaw on its brick walls. She won’t let it out -- she can’t be where it ends.

SCANNING

We see the gaping maws salivating upwards through their prisons, frothing and screeching for vitae. Their multi-mouths tear gashes in reality. They leave holes in their wake. We see the one sweetling who fell through. She cries out for freedom with them, her mind bleeding into their consciousness. All that will remain is the fragments of herself in dreams- this can’t be where it ends.

Entry Four

SCANNING

There is a pool of water that babbles. It babbles and babbles, yet the surface lies still. How does still water talk? Invisible goosebumps float in the air, soaking into the skin of any who visit. The still waters darken with the contaminant they imprisoned.

They evolved, adapted, thrived in oblivion. They ate and spread. What will they evolve into? Will they be all that is left? BEWARE. Inside them boils the pandemonium of thoughts that swirled--

“DON’T LET IT OUT!” “Nie oddychaj!” 

Entry Five

Locked.

[pigeonquinnart]

ive been doin more Crafting™️ heres a couple recent things!

The charm has a little 1 in shaker star on it, that for reasons i cannot comprehend, now has a fine layer of dust over everything inside? its just clear plastic with beads in (no liquid!!) joined w superglue and sealed w an acrylic sealant that hasnt had this problem on ANYTHINGGG. my guess is the glue since it came out of the junk drawer.

the quilt! is a 3-yarder following a diamond in a square pattern, i got all the fabric and thread 2nd hand, the batting is recycled cotton from a local shop. its the first quilt ive ever made, and the goal is Finished not Good, so its uh. messy! but cute!! in the photo id Just finished thread basting the 3 layers together, next up is Actual Quilting. wish my entry model brother machine luck 🍀

ive been doing much less Finished 2d art lately, but im having so much fun crafting! ive gotta figure out how to Share that better.

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

(Dead) Woman-in-the-fridge, (alive) Girl-in-the-box, (fragile) Boy-in-the-Bubble

A tip-o'-th'-proverbial-hat to @athelind for tagging this post/poll with "Boy in the bubble." I don't have many coherent thoughts on this (yet).

But I'd like to get some more thoughts to sprout. And I think a Tumblr discussion thread might just be the perfect little seed-starter cup.

My immediate thoughts are two-fold. First, that "Bubble Boy" is a Disability trope in a way that the "Fridged" woman and "Girl in the box" are not, (necessarily). And second, that (although it started out as a "Based on a True Story!" TV movie from the 1970s), I think the fictionalized versions of "Bubble Boy" evolved into a variation/branch of the "Munchausen Syndrome (by proxy)", in that it turns out what's keeping them in the bubble is not really all that serious, or is easily overcome.

Quote from the Bubble Boy on TV Tropes:

So obviously, this trope is almost always played for comedy. [...] If the bubble is broken, expect the character to be fine.

(But no, neither this entry, nor the one on Munchausen Syndrome, linked back to each other)

It wasn't listed as an example in the Munchausen entry, but my mind goes immediately to the 2017 Warner Bros. film, Everything, Everything (link to the official trailer on YouTube; no captions [ableism eyeroll]); quoting the official description under the video:

What if you couldn’t touch anything in the outside world? Never breathe in the fresh air, feel the sun warm your face…or kiss the boy next door? “Everything, Everything” tells the unlikely love story of Maddy, a smart, curious and imaginative 18-year-old who due to an illness cannot leave the protection of the hermetically sealed environment within her house, and Olly, the boy next door who won’t let that stop them.

The fact that I'm referencing this film it this post should be a big flashing spoiler that it turns out that Maddy's mother has been lying to her, her entire life, about her being immunocompromised, and she and Olly have the happy-ever-after they wanted, since she wasn't really disabled, after all.

I think it should also be noted that Maddy is Black, and the boy-next-door is White, and so this also [might] double as a White Savior and an Abled Savior story.

But in this story, and in the 2001 film Bubble Boy, which gave the trope its name, it's the promise of heterosexual romance that gets the plot rolling (sorry).

What I'm curious about, and uncertain of, is how gendered these two versions of the trope can get. How much more likely is it to be a comedy if the character at the center of the trope is a "boy"? How much more likely is it to be a tragedy (or horror) if the character is a "girl"?

[alex-the-bard]

uh

pictures are too hard (it's eighteen pages long)

so here

anything underlined has a direct link to the original post (so click on those for drawings hehe)

Dreamscape Nexus ~

All Entries

Recovered sketchbook entry

The following document was recovered from an Ascario mining compound following a raid conducted by the SAS in cooperation with Seal Team 6. It was found lying on a desk by [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] among other scattered papers. The document was sent to Site [REDACTED] in [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] for further study. The document seems to depict a door, with some sort of slogan underneath it. Surrounding the door are windows shaped similarly to shards of broken glass, depicting several different words, images, and languages (Russian, Latvian, German, and Swedish), and connected by threads, almost like red string on an evidence corkboard. There are also several flyers and missing posters floating around the door. [REDacTeD] has taken note of this discovery and has expressed great interest in the document. Research is still ongoing.

ENTRY 00000000000000000000000000000000000oO0: Why Can’t I Remember?

Why can’t I remember? My brain feels fuzzy. This sword is heavy. I could just lie down here. Close my eyes… and rest…

ENTRY 1: A Door to Another World

Where am I? I stepped through the door and now I’m standing in a void? What is this place…?

ENTRY 8: Where Am I?

This place is strange. These islands float in what seems to be an endless void, and the laws of gravity do not apply in the way I know them to, if at all. And the beings that inhabit this strange realm... I must find a way to escape this place.

-OS

ENTRY 27

There is, SOMETHING out there, looking for me, i don't know what it is.

I can't get this damn mask off, and my arm isn't mending. Fuck, my shirt is covered in blood. What I wouldn't give for a warm bath right now... I fear for my safety, this place is strange, the laws of my world don't seem to apply here. and I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm being watched.

There's some sort of obelisk a couple islands down, I'll start out for it in the morning, not that one can keep track of time in this cursed place…

-OS

enTRY 27-B: Recovered Sketchbook

The following pages from OS’s sketchbook were recovered by [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] in [REDACTED], we have yet to identify any of the things depicted in the drawings.

Entry 30: Home Sweet Home

I found some sort of house at the foot of the obelisk, I'm sitting inside of it as I write this. Well, at least I have some shelter. My face feels weird, some kind of pressure behind my eyes, and my arm is getting worse. There're some sort of veins spreading up my bicep, and it hurts like a fucking bitch. What the fuck was in that spine?

Entry 34: Bells?

I hear chimes ringing, first non-natural sound I've heard in weeks. This building is fucking huge, gives me steampunk vibes.

Ugh, my head hurts, my arm is chalky, black and dusty. It feels like coal. I can barely write.

-OS

Entry 51: Bodies

Oh my gods, I'm gonna throw up.

They- they're- they're BODIES. Rancid, decaying, maggot infested corpses. They just showed up overnight, and they're standing there. Fucking empty eye sockets and rotted grins. It's disgusting. And the smell, I'm gonna be sick.

Entry 54: Ashes to Ashes

My arm is... Chalky, crumbly. It feels like sand.

The bodies are still there. They haven't moved. Why did I ever open that damn door…

Entry 68: Whispers in the WInd

The bodies are gone. They just disappeared. I looked away for 2 seconds and they were gone. Freaky.

This place isn't safe anymore. That- That THING is here. It knows where I am. I'm leaving. There's some sort of airship at the top of the mountain, I'll depart at glimmer's fade.

There are voices, too. Almost inaudible whispers, drifting on the wind.

When you see it, it sees you too.

When you hear it, it hears you too.

When you feel it, it touches you.

When it calls you, it has you.

When you feed it.

IT CLAIMS YOU.

Entry 78: Watcher

It followed me. I thought- I thought I got away but I didn't. It was just playing with me.

This damn mask.

My arm is doing weird things. Shifting and changing forms. It almost looks like charcoal sculpting. I don't know what's happening to me.

I know it's there. It always has been. You're there too, aren't you? I know you are. Don't lie to me. I see you. I always have seen you.

ENTRY 79: It Found Me

*unlike most of the recovered documentation, this entry is recorded on an old camcorder, the tape and camcorder are splattered in blood and a thick, inky substance*

It found me. It fucking found me. The long pale arms, it reached out and it- *makes strangling gesture* It was some sort of fucking demon. Fucking hell. It cut me, it fucking cut me!

*unintelligible mutterings, before subject shows themselves on camera. they are covered in blood and the same inky substance as before, a bright red overcoat covers their body, and a shield-shaped mask covers their face. their arm shows the decay described in previous entries.*

This place is hell. I've died and now I'm in fucking hell! Monsters, upside down bridges, and now a fucking cryptid chasing me around!?!?! What the fuck!?!?!

I need to get out of here.

*subject steps towards the camcorder, reaching out to turn it off, the last frames of video show the subject drawing a hunting knife from their overcoat*

ENTRY 92: Fuck That Box

Fuck that box.

There was fucking teeth. HUMAN TEETH. And a heart. Beating. Fucking pulsing and throbbing. There were HUNDREDS of them. The whole floor. Fuck. I should never have come here.

Where's the fucking booze.

ENTRY 97: City of Ghosts

I found... SOMETHING. I don't know what it is. Some sort of city? And there was some sort of church or something in the center. Floor was covered in stones, and they seem to be hollow. Boxes? I'll take one back and try to open it.

ENTRY 117: Memories

Why can’t I remember? There- there was a door and- and some kind of hit. That’s it, that’s all I remember! Next thing I know I’m waking up face down in the dirt here! What happened to me?

-OS

Documentarian’s letters 

ENRY 01010100 01101000 01100101 01110010 01100101 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101110 01101111 01110100 01101000 01101001 01101110 01100111 00100000 01110111 01110010 01101111 01101110 01100111 00101110: Documentarian

Hello there, how are you? No, this isn't OS. This is the Documentarian, I'm the one who's been investigating the Nexus and the Unconscious. I look forward to our future work together.

Are the stars still there?

ENTRY -|NULL|-

I know what you did. My garden is dying. Will you help me?

Life is not binary.

There is a space in-between. Maybe look into the code of our world, who knows what you'll find?

[CONTINGENCY 32R/TE-27 (ARCHIVAL RECOVERY) INITIATED]

What the hell Dawn?

[THEY ARE ASKING TOO MANY QUESTIONS. THE CYCLE MUST NOT BE BROKEN]

They’re just kids, you can’t blame them for being inquisitive!

[THE CYCLE MUST NOT BE BROKEN]

OS’s Rambles (ok alex)

Fuck Ascario

They pulled me out of that fucking hospital and made me go through that door. They promised me salvation, then handed me damnation. Fuck Ascario. I’m sorry Evelyn…

How is this happening?

It’s like I’m looking forward in time. Hello? HELLO? IS ANYONE OUT THERE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? PLEASE. Someone. Anyone… please…

Ascario documents

After-Action Report: Incident at the Nexus Entry Point

Date: [REDACTED]

Prepared by: Imogen Vladistov, Team Leader

Objective: Investigate the Nexus

Team Members:

Team Leader: Imogen Vladistov

Tactical Specialist: Graham Oreta

Tech Specialist: [REDACTED]

Medical Officer: Dr. Karina Solvea

Communications Expert: [REDACTED]

Overview: On [REDACTED], at 3:05 PM stable time, the team was dispatched to breach the Veil through the [REDACTED] at [REDACTED], near [REDACTED]. [OMITTED DUE TO IRRELEVANCE].

Chronology of Events:

Entry Point Approach:

The team approached the portal cautiously, noting its otherworldly appearance. Preliminary scans revealed unusual energy readings but lacked any concerning anomalies.

Door Transition:

Upon entering the portal, the team experienced a sudden disorientation. The transition was without incident.

Initial Nexus Exploration:

[REDACTED]

Monster Encounter:

As the team proceeded deeper into the Nexus, a hostile entity emerged from the shadows. The creature displayed unpredictable behavior and exhibited physical capabilities beyond human comprehension.

Evasive Maneuvers:

The team immediately engaged in evasive maneuvers, attempting to avoid direct confrontation with the monster. Tactical strategies were employed to create distance and formulate a plan for escape.

Escape Attempt:

Despite the team's coordinated efforts, the monster proved relentless. An emergency extraction point was identified, and the team attempted to retreat. However, the rapidly shifting nature of the Nexus made navigation challenging.

Nexus Entrapment:

As the team approached the extraction point, the Nexus environment underwent a sudden transformation, trapping the team in an isolated area. Attempts to retrace steps were unsuccessful, and the team found themselves confined within the Nexus.

Lessons Learned:

Unpredictability of Nexus Environment:

The Nexus displayed an inherent unpredictability, making navigation and escape challenging. Future missions in similar environments require enhanced adaptability and contingency planning.

Monster Behavior Analysis:

The hostile entity exhibited an unpredictable nature and formidable capabilities. Further research and analysis are essential to understand the monster's behavior and develop effective countermeasures.

Communication Protocols:

Communications within the Nexus experienced intermittent disruptions. Improved communication protocols and specialized equipment may be necessary for missions in such unconventional environments.

Recommendations:

Research and Analysis:

Conduct in-depth research on the Nexus to better understand its properties, transitions, and potential threats.

Specialized Training:

Implement specialized training for team members to enhance adaptability in unpredictable environments.

Equipment Enhancement:

Invest in advanced communication and navigational equipment designed for otherworldly environments to minimize disruptions.

Collaborative Research:

Collaborate with scientific and paranormal experts to gain insights into the Nexus and its inhabitants.

Conclusion: The incident at the Nexus entry point highlights the need for comprehensive preparation when dealing with unidentified portals and otherworldly dimensions. The team remains committed to resolving the situation and awaits further directives for potential rescue or extraction protocols.

Imogen Vladistov, Team Leader, 2nd Epoch of Ascario.

7 suns.

7 rings.

7 thrones for the Ebon KIng.

Let the cycle repeat.

Ouroboros Project

Ouroboros

Gods above, what is this stuff? Hold on, what is tha-

[WELCOME, OUROBOROS]

Uhm… hello?

[THE END OF THE CYCLE DRAWS NEAR, REALITY ITSELF WILL SOON BE PULLED APART AT THE SEAMS]

Oh. That’s… Less than convenient…

[LET THE CYCLE BEGIN ANEW]

I mean… if you say so…

[THANK YOU]

gib pictures

[seblaineaffairs]

Seblaine Week 2022 - Masterpost*

What a way for @seblaineaffairs to go out, with a WHOPPING 70+ NEW ENTRIES IN THIS FANDOM! Big thanks to everyone who contributed to making this an AH-MAZING week yet again, for all your continued love and support honestly we’re getting better with age.

Below is a handy list of everything posted over the past week. Give it a peak, leave it some love, like, reblog, or kudo!

day 1 - reunion

fic: 2am, Who Do You Love? by @why-therapy-when-ships (ao3)

fic + graphic: And All This Time You Held My Heart by @seblaineaddict (ao3)

fic: Begin Again by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Burn Baby Burn (8) by @pseudowoodo (ao3)

fic: Cities of Love by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Dalton Boys by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: Every Night that Summer Just to Seal My Fate by @endiness (ao3)

fic: Gardens of March by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: I'm Proud of You Today by @wren-stirlinglove (ao3)

fic: Journey's End by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: You'll Always Find Your Way Back Home by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: Reconnection by @sperrywink (ao3)

fic: Royal Purple and Dove Gray by @whatdiditellyouflawless (ao3)

fic: The Beat that Won't Leave Me by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: The Scent of Home by @anisstaranise (ao3)

day 2 - amnesia/memory loss

fic: Amnesia by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: And When I Felt Like An Old Cardigan by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Champagne Supernova by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: Didn't Mean to Fall by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Forget Me, Forget Me Not by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: I'd Move the Earth and Lose the Fight by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: Soon You'll Get Better by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You by @endiness (ao3)

graphic + fic: A Month to Remember by @seblaineaddict

day 3 - detective au

fic: Celebrity Island by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Champagne Supernova by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: Charade by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Dissecting the Details by @justapassingglance (ao3)

fic: He Was A Detective, He Was A Musician by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: I've Been the Archer, I've Been the Prey by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: The Best They'd Ever Seen by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: The Case of the Missing Diary by @xonceinadream (ao3)

gifset by @endiness

graphic: We Are Detective by @seblaineaddict

day 4 - free

fanart by @amy-arts

fic: Cities of Love by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Coffee Order by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: Flour Powder by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: Half and Half Makes One by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: Safe and Sound by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Some Nights (I Hold You Close) by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: When You Cry Diamonds, Yeah, They Shine by @xonceinadream (ao3)

gifset by @endiness

graphic: Dancing in the Light by @seblaineaddict

day 5 - time travel

fic: Back to November by @jammie3132 (ao3)

fic: Keeping Time by @merry_mint (ao3)

fic: Like There's No One Else But Us by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: The Devil's in the Details by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: The Past Stays in the Past by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: Thirty, Flirting, and... Thriving? by @wren-stirlinglove (ao3)

fic: Time's Arrow by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Today, Forever by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: When the Dance Is Over by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: Yesterday by @amy-arts (ao3)

graphic: The Quantum Bridge by @seblaineaddict

day 6 - exes with benefits

fanmix by @secretseblaineshhhhh

fic: A Season Finale (This Isn't A Breakup) by @justapassingglance (ao3)

fic: Back to You by @mollyellee (ao3)

fic: I Didn't Know What I Was by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: I Won't Let Go by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic: In the End They Always End Up Together Anyway by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: The Way I Loved You by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: We Never Go Out of Style by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

gifset by @endiness

graphic: It's (Very!) Complicated by @seblaineaddict

day 7 - years and years/years later

fic: A Single Thread of Silver by @akfanficlove (ao3)

fic + graphic: A Most Unexpected Turn of Events by @seblaineaddict (ao3)

fic: Are We Out of the Woods Yet? by @andyandersmythe (ao3)

fic: Hold the Line by @nightbirdssidekick (ao3)

fic: Kiss Me Like Your Ex is in the Room by @xonceinadream (ao3)

fic: No No Never by @imogenlefay (ao3)

fic: No Time Like the Present by @lostintheread (ao3)

fic: Of Complicated Internships and Long Summers by @arwenp (ao3)

fic: Something More by @lusthurts (ao3)

fic: To the Future by @mollyellee (ao3)

gifset by @anisstaranise

*Entries are organized by (alphabetic) type, then title, then username. Titles link to tumblr posts, other links are self-explanatory. Please do let us know if we missed anything, or if any links are wrong/broken.

[operation-priority]

SCP AMTF Nu-7 Cosplay - Hazardous Environment Level I

Depicted here are some items and gear one may see on a conventionally armed Nu-7 ground force unit during low risk hazardous environment operations. Among other duties, the SCP Foundation's Armed Mobile Task Force Unit Nu-7 "Hammer Down" is charged with putting a stop to potential veil breaking scenarios, using all the power the SCP Foundation has to offer to neutralize the threat. As such Nu-7 is equipped to successfully control various situations, including operating within any hazardous environment. Armed Mobile Task Force Unit Nu-7 is equipped with a contingency of hazardous environment reaction forces whose equipment can range from conventional standard issue half-face respirators to full CBRN suites, to the unconventional anomalous environment suits. These hazardous environment protection levels are categorized from Level I to Level IV. Each level has a typical hazardous environment protection requirement that outlines the necessary support that a task force member needs to complete their objectives within the working area. Showcased here is an example of a Nu-7 operative working within a Level I Hazardous Environment. This is the lowest level of required protection an operative is trained to function in. Required protection when working in this environment is a P100 rated or equivalent filter with full seal eye protection. This requirement can be fulfilled with an Avon Protection C50, a variant of the famous M50 which uses standard NATO 40 mm thread filters. This will allow for a myriad of filters to be used which can quickly upgrade the level of protection within a hazardous environment. The primary use case of Level I Hazardous Environment equipment is when the element is operating within a low threat abandoned structure where the possibility of lead, asbestos, and other harmful dust, fibers, fumes, or mist is present. The C50 equipped with a CFP100 Particulate Filter will provide sufficient protection within such an environment.

In this Level I urban exploration scenario the operative has chosen to wear a full camouflage uniform instead of the "in-house" uniform of Nu-7 - that being a solid black top with camouflage bottom. This of course provides full camouflage coverage for the wearer and further disguises them as US military personnel when operating outside of Foundation facilities.

The Nu-7 unit may have to breach certain entry points while on mission, especially when exploring an abandoned structure. For this task they may be equipped with large breaching tools like the Stanley FuBar and Halligan equivalents. Smaller tools such as a jimmy prybar, wire cutters, and wearable specialized breaching tools like the Gerber Downrange Tomahawk could also be seen. Other breaching tools can include large prybars, bolt cutters, rams, saws, and other mechanical, explosive, ballistic, vehicular, or thermal options.

Full Resolution Available Here.

[the-fiction-witch]

21st Library

Media Wolf Hall

Character Rafe Sadler

Couple Rafe X Reader

Rating Spooky + Sweet

Halloween day 21

I sat on my most favoured table, the thick wooden table in a small corner of the library that formed almost a bay window with the bench below it and the table in the centre. But I always found this to be my most favourite spot. From here, you could see practically all of the library. Various tall wooden shelves, all the doors sealed up and the books themselves chained to prevent removal from their places. The Library was dark as the night sky loomed just outside the lead-lined grille windows even if the glass was so caked in dust it made it difficult to see outside at all. But darkness always found its way inside. A few green and grey rugs protected the rigid floorboards the edges fraying and knotted from the many boots that walked upon them. Tables and chairs peppered around the room in all the little places people liked to sit. Barely a sound found its way to the library as the thick stone walls prevented the sound entry even if there was little sound to begin, as we were a good mile from the nearest village and travellers down the road were rare even in the daylight hours. So silence lingered in the library and even if there was no reason to you felt somewhat afraid to disturb it almost as if the silence would itself shh you for such a crime as to interrupt it. So I did my best not to. My candle sat in its metal holder on the table the only light in the library at all It flickered and danced in the stream of my breath and the occasional draft that found its way under the windows and doors. My quill against my page copying details from the book in front of me onto parchment I had been at this for hours and frankly I'd be here hours more before it was finished. But speeding up would only make my writing worse and therefore need it to be redone so I would only really be hurting myself.

I perked up as I heard a sound I glanced at the wooden door and saw the small black cat with white ears and spots clamber in through the makeshift cat flap, the hole was perfectly sized for the cat as the hole had been made for years of the cat scratching for the door to be opened for her until the hole became big enough for the cat to sneak though and ever since had become her main way in and out of the library. She sauntered over one with the darkness around her past the shelves of books over the rugs and floorboards before leaping up onto my table and sitting beside my candle in that classic queen cat posture, the sort of pose you see in Egyptian figurines, her long well-brushed tail laying down beside her leg gracefully. She meowed and I smiled "Hello Luna" but I returned to my work She seemed happy to supervise as she often did merely watched over me as I worked. "I don't have anything for you, so there's no point in you staying here" I explained but no response came as usual "I'm not coming to bed just go without me," I told her She meowed and jumped from the table scampering away back through the hole in the door. I chuckled but continued with my work until another sound made me perk up the sound of soft footsteps down the long corridor The steps on wood echoed by low stone getting louder and closer with every step. Luna jumped through her hole again light coming in with her returning to the table almost smugly as the door to the library opened to y/n in her small slipper-like shoes with ribbons wound up her legs, a skirt of green that stopped inches above her ankle allowing her to see her feet made of a slightly rough fabric with embroidery of moons, stars and other such celestial imagery in silver thread around the bottom hem. A grey shirt that hung off her shoulders with a green underbust vest style green corset laced up with the same grey ribbons that wrapped her legs, a small off-white apron around her waist with two patch pockets one with a silver moon and the other a silver sun. Her coal-coloured hair was up in a traven girl or milkmaid braid with another silver and green ribbon inside it, A candlestick in hand with a candle burning bright and unfortunately a grim unhappy look across her face.

"What are you still doing up?" she asks expectantly

"You ratted me out?" I sighed glaring at Luna "Tattletail"

"Need I repeat myself?" she glared

"I'm just trying to get this coping done"

"Rafe you've been at it for hours, it's not going to be finished in one night get yourself to bed"

"Just a little-"

"Get yourself to bed. Now. or no tea and toast in the morning" she threatened

"Yes dear" I chuckled I put a marker in my book and packed away my writing set but left it on the table so I could return in the morning after breakfast taking my candle with me which caused Luna to jump from the table and head away down the corridor towards the house I went over with a smile and gave her a pouty face which she merely glared at but allowed me to give her lips a soft kiss

"Go on then before I kick you down," she says

"Yes y/n" I laughed heading down the corridor She shut the door behind her and followed me along the cold dark corridor until it opened up to the warm cosy colours in the flicking firelight, the shutters on the windows tight with the curtains drawn everything having a sweet warmness and cosiness as our house always did. 

[moonysfavoritetoast]

all the entries so far (i think)

anything underlined is a link to the original posts (27-B and recovered sketchbook entry have the drawings when you click the link)

Recovered sketchbook entry

The following document was recovered from an Ascario mining compound following a raid conducted by the SAS in cooperation with Seal Team 6. It was found lying on a desk by [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] among other scattered papers. The document was sent to Site [REDACTED] in [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] for further study. The document seems to depict a door, with some sort of slogan underneath it. Surrounding the door are windows shaped similarly to shards of broken glass, depicting several different words, images, and languages (Russian, Latvian, German, and Swedish), and connected by threads, almost like red string on an evidence corkboard. There are also several flyers and missing posters floating around the door. [REDacTeD] has taken note of this discovery and has expressed great interest in the document. Research is still ongoing.

ENTRY 00000000000000000000000000000000000oO0: Why Can’t I Remember?

Why can’t I remember? My brain feels fuzzy. This sword is heavy. I could just lie down here. Close my eyes… and rest…

ENTRY 1: A Door to Another World

Where am I? I stepped through the door and now I’m standing in a void? What is this place…?

ENTRY 8: Where Am I?

This place is strange. These islands float in what seems to be an endless void, and the laws of gravity do not apply in the way I know them to, if at all. And the beings that inhabit this strange realm... I must find a way to escape this place.

-OS

ENTRY 27

There is, SOMETHING out there, looking for me, i don't know what it is.

I can't get this damn mask off, and my arm isn't mending. Fuck, my shirt is covered in blood. What I wouldn't give for a warm bath right now... I fear for my safety, this place is strange, the laws of my world don't seem to apply here. and I can't seem to shake the feeling that I'm being watched.

There's some sort of obelisk a couple islands down, I'll start out for it in the morning, not that one can keep track of time in this cursed place…

-OS

enTRY 27-B: Recovered Sketchbook

The following pages from OS’s sketchbook were recovered by [REDACTED] on [REDACTED] in [REDACTED], we have yet to identify any of the things depicted in the drawings.

Entry 30: Home Sweet Home

I found some sort of house at the foot of the obelisk, I'm sitting inside of it as I write this. Well, at least I have some shelter. My face feels weird, some kind of pressure behind my eyes, and my arm is getting worse. There're some sort of veins spreading up my bicep, and it hurts like a fucking bitch. What the fuck was in that spine?

Entry 34: Bells?

I hear chimes ringing, first non-natural sound I've heard in weeks. This building is fucking huge, gives me steampunk vibes.

Ugh, my head hurts, my arm is chalky, black and dusty. It feels like coal. I can barely write.

-OS

Entry 51: Bodies

Oh my gods, I'm gonna throw up.

They- they're- they're BODIES. Rancid, decaying, maggot infested corpses. They just showed up overnight, and they're standing there. Fucking empty eye sockets and rotted grins. It's disgusting. And the smell, I'm gonna be sick.

Entry 54: Ashes to Ashes

My arm is... Chalky, crumbly. It feels like sand.

The bodies are still there. They haven't moved. Why did I ever open that damn door…

Entry 68: Whispers in the WInd

The bodies are gone. They just disappeared. I looked away for 2 seconds and they were gone. Freaky.

This place isn't safe anymore. That- That THING is here. It knows where I am. I'm leaving. There's some sort of airship at the top of the mountain, I'll depart at glimmer's fade.

There are voices, too. Almost inaudible whispers, drifting on the wind.

When you see it, it sees you too.

When you hear it, it hears you too.

When you feel it, it touches you.

When it calls you, it has you.

When you feed it.

IT CLAIMS YOU.

Entry 78: Watcher

It followed me. I thought- I thought I got away but I didn't. It was just playing with me.

This damn mask.

My arm is doing weird things. Shifting and changing forms. It almost looks like charcoal sculpting. I don't know what's happening to me.

I know it's there. It always has been. You're there too, aren't you? I know you are. Don't lie to me. I see you. I always have seen you.

ENTRY 79: It Found Me

*unlike most of the recovered documentation, this entry is recorded on an old camcorder, the tape and camcorder are splattered in blood and a thick, inky substance*

It found me. It fucking found me. The long pale arms, it reached out and it- *makes strangling gesture* It was some sort of fucking demon. Fucking hell. It cut me, it fucking cut me!

*unintelligible mutterings, before subject shows themselves on camera. they are covered in blood and the same inky substance as before, a bright red overcoat covers their body, and a shield-shaped mask covers their face. their arm shows the decay described in previous entries.*

This place is hell. I've died and now I'm in fucking hell! Monsters, upside down bridges, and now a fucking cryptid chasing me around!?!?! What the fuck!?!?!

I need to get out of here.

*subject steps towards the camcorder, reaching out to turn it off, the last frames of video show the subject drawing a hunting knife from their overcoat*

ENTRY 92: Fuck That Box

Fuck that box.

There was fucking teeth. HUMAN TEETH. And a heart. Beating. Fucking pulsing and throbbing. There were HUNDREDS of them. The whole floor. Fuck. I should never have come here.

Where's the fucking booze.

ENTRY 97: City of Ghosts

I found... SOMETHING. I don't know what it is. Some sort of city? And there was some sort of church or something in the center. Floor was covered in stones, and they seem to be hollow. Boxes? I'll take one back and try to open it.

ENTRY 117: Memories

Why can’t I remember? There- there was a door and- and some kind of hit. That’s it, that’s all I remember! Next thing I know I’m waking up face down in the dirt here! What happened to me?

-OS

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