#gadget model 2

[vath-and-such-vinluv-s-stuff]

Go-Go-Gadget my Penis is forever a Bone

[artsyannierose]

Do you think it’s in-character for Sonic to like Amy back? I’m curious because some may think it’s not. I’d love to know your thoughts!

HELLO ANON IM GLAD YOU ASKED I HAVE AN EXCUSE TO RANT ABOUT SONIC’S CHARACTER BC I LOVE HIM A LOT AND I FEEL LIKE NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO THINK ABOUT HIM ON HIS OWN!!

short answer: absolutely BUT whether it’s in-character depends on the way his feelings are portrayed.

long answer: Have you ever wondered why everyone has their own personal love language? In this essay I will-

anyway

let’s take a step back and just overview sonic’s character a little bit:

(amy got him those…btw…)

Essentially, at his core, Sonic is a character who values his freedom and the freedom of others at his very core. His main drive to keep moving is motivated by his love for adventure and that thrill of adventure. Romance is never and will never be his top priority, it’ll always be adventure, so y’all gotta understand that first. But his friends come to a close second.

And that’s where the line between romance and friendship starts to blur a little bit. What do I mean by that?

Well let’s look at his relationship with Amy purely as a platonic relationship: Sonic and Amy are the best of friends.

Argue with the wall if you don’t agree idgaf

They hang out quite a bit more than Sonic does with other characters, and Amy is the closest non-sibling relationship that Sonic has. Tails is his little brother; yes they’re close and yes they hang out a lot, but again it’s a very sibling-like bond. That’s not necessarily a bad thing and I’m not dismissing it—I really, REALLY appreciate Tails and Sonic’s relationship. It’s very cute and a very mutual thing in my opinion. A lot of people might say that Sonic only inspires Tails while Tails provides gadgets and brainpower for Sonic, but that’s just not true. FOR ONE SONIC’S CANON IQ LEVEL IS LIKE 178 IF IIRC HE’S SMART GUYS. HE DOES NOT NEED TAILS TO BE HIS BRAIN. HE MADE HIS OWN FRICKING PLANE. But Tails is the person he can always rely on and pretty much talk to about anything. PRETTY much. But there’s also that small underlying role model that Sonic should be for Tails to some extent, because he is Tails’ older brother.

Knuckles is #2 out of Sonic’s closest friends, and his main role is being a rival/challenge to sonic without being a threat to him. They’re still extremely close friends who would die for each other after all. They bicker and Sonic does love to tease knuckles quite a bit since knux is so quick to get angry. But they still respect each other and know that they can rely on each other. Also lowkey they’re kinda the not-so-friendly homie relationship; if tails and sonic are wholesome homies, knux and sonic are the “we beat each other up /aff” homies

and then we have Amy. Sonic’s closest female friend. genuinely argue with the wall if you can’t see that. SONIC DOES NOT HATE AMY HE VALUES HER AS A FRIEND AND CLOSE COMRADE sorry i hate people who say sonic can’t stand amy are you guys THAT media illiterate

So Amy is the closest thing that Sonic has to a friend who is a complete equal to Sonic, and let me explain why I say that AMY is his equal, and not someone like Metal Sonic or Shadow.

First off, Amy is not in any way a rival to Sonic. Sure she’s been paired against him multiple times in Team Sonic vs Team Rose, but it’s all on friendly terms and sillies. Second, she’s the one of the ONLY character who shares the exact same thirst for adventure that Sonic does. Heck i’m pretty sure one of her opening lines in Sonic Adventure was something along the lines of “it’s so boring when Sonic’s not around.” She doesn‘t care much for a normal, mundane lifestyle anymore than Sonic does. yes she’s a little more grounded than Sonic is in general and likes doing stationary things like baking and gardening, but she still gets bored easily. Her idea of fun can consist of picking flowers or decimating badniks (i love her sm)

Lastly there’s no strings attached to her love for Sonic, she just loves him for who he is and who he inspires her to be. Her favorite thing about him is his free spirit, which heaven forbid she ever tie down. The second she expressed that to Sonic, he was IMMEDIATELY became much more comfortable around her, because he understood where she was coming from and what her true intentions were. After that he started hanging out with her way more often and he was also really comfortable with her in general (i’m talking specifically about the idw comics here). He can talk to her about just about any problem because she understands; she’s been with him much longer than most others. Bro she was introduced before Knuckles, technically speaking…and she’s gone through the same experiences and adventures that he has. The only thing that Tails has different from Amy in terms of being able to talk about problems is that in the past I feel like Sonic has wanted to protect Tails from certain things (though this seems to have changed in Frontiers with Tails’ whole thing being more independent and growing up) but he really doesn’t have to do that with Amy because he doesn’t have the same older sibling urges if ykwim.

tldr: amy’s sonic’s bestie that is most like him who’s also on equal footing with him

(rip tails in the bg)

Okay then, now let’s talk rOmAnCE

Sonic’s history in the romance department has been….messy to say the least. Always baffles me because Amy has been right there the whole time…

And it seems to me that each time Sonic is depicted in a steady, strong relationship, at least some part of his core character is sacrificed for that. I feel like this is especially evident in the Archie Comics, like, you mean to tell me Sonic willingly accepts becoming king and staying tied to a kingdom?? Like that’s not inherently wrong but that’s definitely not game Sonic—that is Archie Sonic AND THATS FINE. its just a different iteration of Sonic, like how movie Sonic is drastically different from game Sonic

yeah this?? i hate this. a lot. why was he such a ladies’ man in the pre-reboot archie comics 😭 ALSO DONT TELL HIM TO SLOW DOWN STOP THAT

DONT KILL ME HANG ON, I ACTUALLY LIKE REBOOT SONALLY. I THINK ITS VERY CUTE

this? this is adorable and feels like sonic⬆️

this?? sorry i cant take it seriously

im not talking about sonelise tyvm

And that’s why I don’t even like the idea of sonic really settling down with amy perse idk if that’s a hot take 🫣

he needs someone who’s willing to basically either drop everything and travel wherever he goes or be willing to tag along whenever needed even if they’re busy, and amy does that pretty well

Amy doesn’t mind following Sonic to the ends of the earth and to hell and back if needed. which sonic team knew exactly what they were doing crafting her character to fit sonic’s its literally a match made in heaven aksjfnhehgfrlsfnegraojvr

Anyways’s the big question:

Is it in character for Sonic to like Amy?

Well why don’t we look at a few examples where his feelings are either strongly hinted at or outright shown

Ima start with Frontiers cause it’s the most recent mainline content we have

I hope we all know about the (scrapped?) open-world voicelines…

”Wish we were sharing an umbrella Amy…”

…sir?? sonic?? sonic the hedgehog?????? WOULD YOU LIKE TO REPEAT THAT-

sonic is originally japanese. sharing an umbrella in japan means you’re a couple. i rest my case.

I REST MY CASE

do i. even have to elaborate.

thanks sonic for being so dense for 3 decades😒

so essentially that indicates that he HAS made up his mind now? and it’s pretty obvious as to what considering the way he treated her pretty much the entirety of Frontiers

mostly the thing with frontiers sonic is that all of this is to himeslf, like a soliloquy…more on that in a sec

~

We could talk about the IDW comics but most of that is a little too subtle for me to call really “returning the feelings” and im lowkey too lazy to go find the panels im thinking of so maybe i’ll do that some other time

however i’ll just leave this:

casual familiarity how i adore you (HE JUST GRABS HER NO SECOND THOUGHTS IM CRYING)

~

you think i was gonna make a long essay post on sonamy and not talk about sonic x?? did you?? DID YA???

*explodes*

HOW IS IT THAT THIS WAS LIKE IN 2003 AND WE STILL HAVENT GOTTEN A BETTER SONAMY MOMENT THAN THIS ITS TRULY TIMELESS…

BIG INHALE OKAY SO i think the major takeaways from this are

This is a private moment

Amy matters a LOT to Sonic

Sonic’s not one for words but rather actions

One, yeah, this is something that is special to Amy and Sonic, to the point where even the audience doesn’t know what he said to her because its muted (stellar choice in my opinion because it adds a lot more weight to them) but its pretty obvious that he either said “Aishiteru, Emi” or “Daisuki, Emi”, both of which mean “i love you Amy” on a pretty deep level. But the point is that its between them and between them only. Even later in season 3 when Amy talks about it, she’s deliberately cut off before she can repeat what Sonic said to her that day. Obviously this isn’t supposed to be public knowledge

Two, the context is that Sonic has literally been stuck on another planet for quite some time, and most people either gave up on him ever returning or thought he was dead. But not Amy. And guess what? The first place he goes to—he literally BEELINES there as Super Sonic—is straight to Amy’s house. He wanted to see her first and likely reassure him that he was okay because he knew that she’d be worried sick. Also I think he just missed her in general…

Three, he knows what a white (or lavender idc) rose means and deliberately chose that flower to give to her upon his return. And again with the muted words, his actions speak louder to us as an audience than a simple “i looooove you amyyy” and this is generally a common theme with Sonic, especially in Sonic X (probably the most accurate representation of Sonic outside the games).

btw this can be taken as platonic but man do i want to yap about it:

amy KNOWS sonic can’t swim and even in her barely conscious state she tells him to basically leave her for dead. HIS SAFETY IS STILL HER TOP PRIORITY. but does sonic listen? nahhh. there were literally hundreds of other people perfectly capable of rescuing amy but noooo he went in and dove after her because HIS top priority was HER safety

again, actions speak louder than words

also the whole thing how he didn’t just restring the bracelet she made him, no, her tied a new string to the original ones and went and got more shells?? that are found next to his biggest fear??? yeah that speaks volumes about how much he treasures that lil gift of hers

lastly its kind of small but i really appreciate how he just lets her hug him and reciprocates too? it’s very adorable

so more sonamy huggies for the soul <3

THE “AMES” GET ME EVERYTIME AAAAAAAAAAA

and actually sonic doesn’t really do physical intimacy that isn’t teasing, like remember when TAILS’ GIRLFRIEND JUST D I E D AND HE DIDNT HUG HIM (i have a bone to pick with sonic here)..

idk sonic is generally a not very emotional character; he can’t cry, he doesn’t get angry, he can’t blush, all these mandates indicating he keeps his emotions to himself

the largest range of emotions we see in sonic are whenever he’s with amy; confusion, fear, embarassment, flusteredness, etc.

~

most other iterations of sonic are some sort of au or canon divergent so i wont talk about those buuut lmk if i missed something im sure i did

SO. IN CONCLUSION.

what have we learned? (i sound like a teacher)

Sonic values freedom over everything

amy doesn’t want to take away Sonic’s freedom, she wants to join him

Sonic doesn’t mind Amy’s affection as long as she’s not overwhelming

sonic is pretty private when it comes to his feelings or intimate moments with amy or anything else really

and i have one final thing that i want to bring up to drive my point home that some people may not take as canon but hey it exists

well there you go! that’s sonic’s characterization. yes he likes amy but isn’t showy about it. that’s essentially what i’ve been building up to.

he’s not gonna go yell to the world that he loves his girlfriend sososososo much but like in private? hell yeah (though rn its more like they both know that amy loves sonic, duh, but they also both know that sonic likes amy and they’re just chilling with it, not quite dating but two friends that know they like each other)

And me personally? i like to see them as top notch battle couple with an hair tearing amount of romantic tension lol cause yeah thats my jammm

oh and then theres boom sonamy with the most amount of sexual tension ive ever seen between cartoon hedgehogs

So to answer your question directly: yes it’s in character for sonic to like amy as long as it’s mostly a private thing between him and her <3

my lang teacher wishes i could write with this much passion on my argumentative essays

ok bye thanks for coming to my ted talk have an absopositively splenderrific day 🙈

[o-pandora-o]

What in Hell is Bad? Kings! Steamer AU! Part 1 (Satan, Mammon, Leviathan, Beelzebub)

In the demon world where streaming is a trend, what would the kings stream?

a/n: I wrote this because I had inspiration from HCs (from HSR). I'm trying my best to be interested again in WHB, will post more Hcs and fics this year, I promise. I have several fics that are WIPS and now I'm just writing the ending of several parts. I will probably do and post the ones I have most interest in, as apparently first come first serve isn't working for my brain LMAO.

Satan

🩸 Satan would be a streamer that plays multiplayer online battle arena games (MOBA) (e.g. League of Legends, Dota 2, etc.)

🩸 He mostly uses DPS/Atk based characters. If he needs to change roles (Tank/Support) it's still on DPS/Atk build. You're asking him to revive you? Nope. He's killing the enemy team using a healer. You're asking him to tank? Nope. He's gotta be the MVP (enemy deaths, not as support).

"Hah face me like a man, you scaredy cat!"

🩸 In terms of his setup, it was a simple gaming setup with LED lights and a decent gaming chair. The background was simple, a few posters, Gundam Models, and a few figures here and there.

🩸 Invites and plays with mammon often (and streams it). One time, he invited Mammon to play League (it was Mammon's first time playing), he raged when Mammon became the MVP and doesn't know the significance of it.

"YOU TOLD ME THIS WAS YOUR FIRST TIME PLAYING??"

Mammon laughs heartily "Hahahah it was! I kind of enjoyed it"

"YOU FUCKIN-" Satan's mods muted his mic for sa safety of the ears of the viewers.

🩸 Hosts one of those games where viewers can also challenge Satan. Of course no one beats him.

🩸 Satan is secretly called by his fanbase as "Sahua", which was short for Satan Chihuahua.

"Sahua gettin mad, get yo popcorns ready" A viewer commented.

Satan saw this and asked "Who is Sahua?"

The chat flooded with 'Uh oh..." "he's onto us...."

Satan got more curious and said "Okay ya'll are hinding something! Who the $%&# is Sahua?"

One anonymous viewer commented "Sahua = Satan Chihuahua"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLIN CHIHUAHUA?!" his mod, Sitri, decided to cut the connection before Satan decides to ban his viewer one by one.

🩸 His fanbase and viewers are called Warriors of Gehenna (he named himself).

"It's kinda cringey..." Beelzebub says

"TF YOU MEAN IT'S CRINGEY, YOU $=#£"

Mammon

🪙Mammon would be the type of streamer that plays Gacha games (similar to Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, Wuthering waves etc.) and Casual games (Stardew Valley etc.).

🪙Tartaros being the lead country of technology, he owns the MOST expensive gaming PC and chair known to mankind, his chair even has the built in massage function.

🪙Once invited Satan to one of his streams while playing Stardew Valley. Satan once commented to "stop being a wuss" because Mammon played Stardew Valley but little did he know Satan was becoming hooked.

🪙Hosts one of those events where he pulls on viewer's accounts. Ofc you can trust him with your account because he's hella rich.

🪙If he loses on a viewer's account, he'll ALWAYS swipe because he feels bad.

"Oh. I lost the banner." After a while....*insert recharge noise* "Alright, where were we?"

"Congrats y/n for winning the limited character banner!!!" he said as he laughed heartily.

🪙He also hosts one of those Minecraft Realms that is open to the public. Though his server mods, Bimet and Valefor, occasionally bans players who uses cheats.

🪙He hosts giveaways and competitions for his fanbase. For giveaways, he picks fans randomly from his livestream. For competitions, it's mostly art competitions (despite of being one of the people who have the best gadgets and pc, he hates AI work).

🪙He appreciates and keeps all of the artworks of him. He currently has a gallery filled with all the artworks and even a TV that plays his fanbase's creation of him whether it be memes, best videos of him (edited) or even animations.

"Oi. How come you have a lot of artworks from your viewers?" Satan asks, a bit jealous.

"I don't really curse at them when they lose at games" Mammon smiles at Satan

"WHAT DOES THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN, HUH?!"

🪙His fanbase and viewers are called Mammy's, which is a cuter and shorter name for Mammon's (get it? Because he own's all of you...).

Leviathan

⚰️"Streaming? Why would I please other people? They should please me for giving them an ample amount of my time. No, they should hang themselves for wasting my time!" Leviathan said as he set up his camera.

⚰️He does vlogs instead of streaming. He mostly creates a series of "Daily Life in Hades", which is honestly just the camera pointing at him while he signs documents.

⚰️In some occasion, viewers can see a naked Barbatos running around the garden (which results in Levi hanging him), Glasylabolas recommending Caskets and Torture devices (which Levi covers the camera), and Leviathan getting caught into Orias' traps and schemes kill Leviathan (in which Foras covers the camera instead).

⚰️In a rare instance, Leviathan plays games (preferably mind games such as Chess) with viewers.

"Pfft you call that games? Hah. Boring!" Satan scoffs.

Mammon laughs heartily and pats Satan's head. "Call it boring but he still makes an effort to entertain his viewers" Mammon states as Satan tries to bite off his hand.

"Why are you idiots here and why are you talking about what I do?! Get out or I'll hang you both!!"

⚰️The viewers and fanbase call levi as Levianyan because of his similarity to a cat; beautiful, sassy, and just a tsundere.

"Stop calling me that! I'm not as weak as a cat! I'll hang all of you one by one!" Leviathan glares at his chat

"Hah! Look at this one getting called a cat by his fanbase! But you know it's kinda cute if your fanbase gives you a nickname" Satan smiles smugly.

"WHY ARE YOU STILL HERE?" Leviathan covers his camera and all of you can hear small explosions and fighting.

⚰️The fanbase and viewers also call themselves "The Levianyan Club" while some...extra lively viewers call themselves "Leviathan's Skincare Routine" (Leviathan does me before going to bed)

"Skincare routine? That's a lively fanbase Hahahaha" Mammon comments on his recent live stream (just a casual talking stream)

"Ugh don't even ask, Mammon." Leviathan glares as he responds to Mammon's chat.

Beelzebub

🕶️He does both streaming and vlogging. He plays cooking mama and some adventure or open world games. While he sometimes vlog about his daily life, travels, and usually ASMR mukbang (eating tons of food).

🕶️He plays cooking mama and recreates the recipes with his own twist. Fried chicken with ice cream? Yeah he does this. Hotdogs and pancakes as hotdog buns? Tastes good! However some recipes.... aren't as good.

🕶️He also plays open world games like Genshin Impact or Minecraft. He lets the viewers join him but there are instances he left the game open and gets distracted by something else.

"Imma go get more food and soda!!" Beel said hurrying.

After a while the chat goes "Beel?" "OML he left us again!" "That's Beel for you....a fly"

🕶️Most of the time Bael will go take over, saying the stream has to stop because Beel decided to buy Pizza...in another country. "Uh Chat....the stupid king can't continue the stream. I apologize for the inconvenience..." You all heard Bael say, as he rubs his temples while facing the camera.

The chat goes "Can you play with us instead, Bael?"

"Me? Well... let's look at his character first...LEVEL 30 AT A WORLD LEVEL WITH ENEMIES ARE 60?" Bael had a migraine.

-Sometimes play with Satan and Mammon but...well you know the drill....he often gets distracted, and leaves the game (irl).

"Bell we need help here? Where are you?" Satan asked as he's focused in killing the enemy in front of him.

"Bell?" Mammon asked while in voice chat.

They both died because of the enemy.

"BEELZEBUB WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU? BELL??" Satan screeches and Mammon laughs as they both know he's gone.

🕶️There were times wherein he live streams mukbang, he stands up to get a drink and ultimately forgets about the stream LMAO. Which leaves him accidentally streaming 'a daily life in Avisos'.

"We got the new menu from House of Avisos! Fried Chicken with Angel Blood, Devil Noodles with extra sauce, and Magma Cakes!! Oh wait we can't forget the drink now!!"

🕶️If he accidentally leaves the live stream open, you can see: Amon drooling at the food that was left, Naberius and Stolas running and flying around, and Bael screaming on top of his lungs while holding a shit ton of receipt "BEELZEBUB COME BACK HERE, I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE!!!"

🕶️Beel would most likely start the stream, Bael would take over and end the stream. Is that what we call friendship?

-His fanbase and viewers call him "Fly King", while they (fanbase) call themselves "Flies".

"Fly King? Suits him well." Leviathan comments

"Jealous, Levianyan?" Satan sneers as he typed.

"Stop calling me that!" Leviathan glares at Satan's comment.

[dock57]

[By far the strangest thing I took the time to screenshot was Beebs switching between each 'mode' of the little gadget he pulls out from his little "Arm Nipple" that Shrike refers it to as.

It goes by so fast that I was curious what else can that little gadget do that Beebs pulls out. Besides his main go to, his hammer, looks like we have a prongs of some kind, a pickaxe, a screwdriver or a spatula, and lastly the flashlight he uses in this EP. I got to say- Beebs really has a versatile cybernetic arm.

Plus, he can summon smoke bombs as well as shown in EP 1.

Gosh, look at that smug smile... ANYWAY, looking back at these screenshots from EP 2, I find it crazy how in EP 4 that Queen Tyneen calls his cybernetic arm a piece of scrap.

When this bulk of a cybernetic arm is really, really useful. The only time it was not cooperating was when in EP 3, the cybernetic arm itself was damaged from the previous EP, and closed up due to short circuiting. It might be a bit outdated, as I believe I have said, Beebs doesn't seem like the type to update something unless it's broken, but it sure can do a lot. To be frank, compared to Queen Tyneen, I find what Beebs can do with his to be more useful in different situations. Sure you cannot technically give the bird, but being able to program different tools for different tasks? I wish I had something like that on me all the time. If I try, I have to carry around a heavy bag 24/7. I would not call that cybernetic arm some piece of scrap. As for weight, well, Tyneen only has her forearm missing, Beebs has his whole arm missing- it probably would be a lot different in weight if Queen Tyneen had a whole cybernetic arm.

This scene does remind me that there is something else I would like to talk about from here... lots of things really. Too much to talk about...

Also enjoy this screenshot of far away Beebs and Shrike- I love these models for them.]

[spicedwatermel0n]

The "guys" (quotations because 2 of them aren't dudes and the one who is wasn't even born a dude, #transrights) now in crude and exaggerated style

I wanted to do a gothic horror project with these in an AU that explores the concept of the KND falling into corruption and dictatorship, and I do actually have an entire base plot laid out + shitty sketches for the "girls" and what all their designs would be in the story (the ones in the drawing here would only depict flashbacks, they're just my usual designs in the style I wanted to use) but I'm not sure if anyone would care enough to see it lol

As for the basics of the plot I was sort of leaning into the idea of Nigel being manipulated into splinter cell-ing. The dictatorship is run by somebody, currently undesigned, who spreads the concept of total adult annihilation to the entire KND. Nigel, being manipulated into believing this was the right thing to do, rats on Hoagie and Abby for being against the new leader's ideas. Abby escapes and becomes the leader of a rebellion against the new order KND, but Hoagie is captured and sent to a maximum security mental institution run by the KND where he spends most of his time being treated like a psychotic, delusional horror to the earth. We're talking straight jacket, muzzled, and unable to consent and forced to have somebody else consent for him. This person consenting on his behalf is consenting on his behalf to him being experimented on. Not crazy ass mutations or screwy stuff, but they do a lot of cognitive tests related to the dictatorship to see if it can get Hoagie to become loyal to the new order KND. He's a bit twitchy and has the type of vibe when speaking to him that you'd expect your stereotypical "crazy" person to have but he's actually considerably sane and is really only having issues speaking because he's being withheld interactions with people, and because he's been left alone for days on end with only his pure rage towards Nigel for betraying him. You know, probably the same case that's going on with most people you'd call "crazy". Abby is a lot less chill or cool headed and can usually be described as twitchy, paranoid, and excessive. She's pretty pissed off at Nigel, but she's a lot less pissed at him than she is at the higher ups who turned things into the way they are. Hoagie being locked away matched with the reports of how people are treated at the mental institution he's at is also fuel for her desire to topple the KND as it is in its current state. Kuki is a spy for Abby, and she pretends to be loyal to the KND to get intel. This is where Abby gets her information on Nigel, and how she gets information about Hoagie's current wellbeing. Abby wants to get things done with but for the safety of everyone involved with rebelling, she doesn't rush it when it shouldn't be... However, she says that if anything happens to Hoagie or Kuki, such as reaching the point of insanity due to mistreatment or being killed, she'll disregard all plans of taking things slow and fight face to face with the new leader, taking them down with her. Wally is considered missing, but Hoagie will tell you that Wally visits him and appears inside the facility to check on him sometimes. Kuki will tell you she thinks he's around somewhere, because she always feels like somebody is watching her through the trees. Abby has her suspicions that Wally is the secret weapon donor that has been anonymously leaving 2x4 technology for the rebellion, sometimes entirely custom made models or gadgets.

[rongzhi]

I am entranced by the material girl xiaoyumn’s videos. I imagine they take awhile to translate because so much happens in them. Are all of her very busy ad videos on trains? Does she give a list of all the products mentioned or are viewers stuck longing after that hand roller thing (that I kind of want)?

No, some of her other videos are more like regular shortform vlogs without many products, per se, but still showing off a lot of lifestyle items/fancy furniture, etc. Going through her douyin, she doesn't link affiliates, either. In the 11 hour train ride video, if it was an ad, then the main product would've been the double sheet mask she name drops, but the only pinned comment on the video (I went back to check) was a comment by OP saying that she made the video to pass the time and assuring everyone that she cleaned up after herself/didn't cause extra work for the train sanitation workers. She also explained that the folded piano was a gift from a friend before her trip and she took it out as a bit of fun. Her bio says she is a retired model and from the looks of her other videos, she seems like she might be independently wealthy, hence why her videos are largely focused on selling an aesthetic rather than any particular product.

If you want the hand roller, you can just look up "acupressure finger roller" or something like that. They are pretty easy to find!

The first girl I posted a couple months back on the other hand (the 2hr trip) runs an account that is also mainly vlogs, although she does post a lot more affiliate links and shows off more kind of niche gadgets/products throughout every video. Again, though, no listing of any products outside of a few brand names being shown or mentioned here and there (not always, and her bio says she's currently not part of an agency and not doing e-commerce livestreams, either (implication being that she may have in the past, or may in the future).

For both channels, the comments don't really seem to be asking about products, either, so I don't know if they have bots that PM affiliate links or shop links, though it's possible/likely. My understanding is that that's what people do on tiktok. One only has 2 items in her shop and the other doesn't have a douyin shop.

[mando-fando]

The Other Man Pt. 2

Pairing: Miguel O’Hara x Wife!Reader

Words: 2.8k

Interdimensional travel is a tricky thing. Miguel discovered that when he was working the bugs out in his gadgets and researching everything he could about alternate universes.

The first anomaly appeared in Peter B Parker’s universe. It was long before the Spider Society existed. Just a 50’s style, cartoon Vulture that popped up in the middle of Peter B’s NYC. Miguel followed the Vulture and found himself with some assistance in returning the flapping bird to where he belonged.

Peter and Miguel hit it off right away. Soon, Peter B had his own watch and access to Lyla’s vast database. Miguel and Peter still didn’t know the extent of the damage that Kingpin’s collider had done to the multiverse; they were simply playing it by ear.

He stumbled across you almost accidentally. In your universe, Peter Parker was still a kid, a few years out from getting bitten by his spider. For the time being, your universe was relatively normal. So, Miguel didn’t really have a reason to watch you, your husband, and your daughter.

Overnight, it seemed, your lives were always playing in the background on his monitor. He watched you and became obsessed with the normalcy of it all. He took solace in knowing that there was a universe out there where a different Miguel woke up every day and did everything right.

Your universe became essentially a control group for Miguel. He began developing algorithms to predict when the next anomaly would show up, using your universe to feed the algorithm data.

He would have the algorithm predict what you’d make for dinner on a random day, what your husband would do at Alchemax, and what questions your daughter would ask in class.

After a few months, it was spot on.

He knew your family’s routine like the back of his hand, but he could never look back on your past. He could only watch what was happening in the present, and use the algorithm that he and Lyla developed to predict your future. Miguel only had educated guesses about where you and your husband met, how long you’d been together, and the idiosyncrasies of your family life.

One day, as he was watching you cook breakfast for your daughter, the computer alerted him to an unusual event that was set to follow the next day: your husband’s death. A panic went through Miguel for you and your daughter. Your life was perfect, there was no way that something so catastrophic could happen to you. He tweaked the model, assuring himself that there was a problem with the coding.

Time and time again, your husband’s death was predicted. He looked over at you and Gabriella on his monitor, and his heart sank. You two were going to undergo such a tragedy, and there was nothing he could do.

An irrational thought crossed Miguel’s mind. He studied your husband’s likeness, his clothes, his mannerisms for months. He could…could he?

Should he?

The next day, he donned a white, collared sweatshirt and some slacks, the same thing your husband put on before heading to work. Miguel watched all three monitors like a hawk: you, your husband, and your daughter’s respective daily routines.

Night fell, and he watched your husband divert from his usual commute home to head to a panaderia in a sketchy part of town. He was getting some pan dulce for his daughter’s breakfast after hearing that she aced another spelling test.

It happened in an instant. A woman screamed, your husband’s sense of justice kicked in. Moments later, he lay in a pool of his own blood. A tie had been severed.

Miguel portaled in, almost without a second thought. He methodically emptied your husband’s pockets and donned his wedding band. A few hours later, Miguel walked in your front door as if nothing had happened. You jumped into his arms, and he felt himself fall for you in a heartbeat.

Guilt had wracked his brain every day since. He knew you were suspicious. He’d seen you watching him out of the corner of your eye. He saw the way you narrowed your eyes at him.

You started becoming cold towards him. You were less affectionate, less interested in his touch or kind words. Even if you couldn’t put your finger on it, you knew there was something amiss.

You were smart. You claimed that science wasn’t your strong suit, but Miguel saw you catch on to complicated subjects quickly when you helped Gabi with her homework or asked him about his day at work. A part of him thought that you might understand if he explained that he was from another dimension.

Today, you were being particularly cold towards him. You’d taken Gabi to your parents’ house for a weekend camping trip, and you were in the kitchen. It almost seemed like you were trying to find something to do so Miguel wouldn’t bother you.

The emotions he felt about the whole situation were so complex; he didn’t know how you’d react, and he couldn’t blame you. He’d stolen your husband’s life, essentially. Would you care that he only did it to save you and your daughter from devastation? Would you be able to love him the way he loved you?

Miguel walked into the kitchen and placed a gentle hand on your shoulder. You wrenched your body away from his grasp. “Don’t touch me.”

Miguel took a step back and put his hands up defensively. “Amor, I want to talk to you about something.”

You whipped around with an irate expression. “Do you finally have an explanation for how insane you’ve been acting?”

“I… I do, actually.” Miguel watched you lean your back against the counter and cross your arms. “It’s going to sound outlandish.”

“You could tell me that you’ve been abducted by fucking aliens, and I’d believe you. I’m sick of not knowing what’s going on with you!” You raised your voice at him.

“Okay. Before I begin, I want you to know that I didn’t do anything with malicious intent. The complete opposite, actually.” He tried to gauge your reaction and carried on. “I’m not the Miguel

O’Hara you married, but I think a part of you knows that already…”

You eyed him suspiciously, but kept silent.

“I’m from a different dimension. I was born in a city called Nueva York. I was a geneticist, just like your husband. But, when I was in my late 20s, I had an accident at Alchemax which changed the nature of my DNA. In my dimension, I’m a hero named Spiderman.”

You were surprisingly calm. You looked at him with a skeptical expression, but you wanted to hear more. You needed an explanation, any explanation, of what the hell was going on. You were pregnant, and that was all the proof you needed that you’d been sharing your bed with someone else.

“Why are you called ‘Spiderman?’” You asked.

Miguel continued to search your expression for fear or incredulousness. “The genetic sequence that my DNA was spliced with was half spider.”

A disgusted look flashed across your face.

“In my universe, there were quantum theorists and physicists who were on the verge of interdimensional travel. I took the research that they did and combined it with my own knowledge of biomechanics and created this,” Miguel pulled up his sleeve and showed you the bulky contraption on his wrist.

“As far as I know, I’m the first person to ever make an autonomous jump to another dimension. Once I had been to a few different universes, I started to research and document the differences. That’s when I stumbled across your family.

“I enjoyed knowing there was a version of myself out there that was happy. My life in my dimension was pretty miserable sometimes, but things were a little easier to swallow knowing that I was capable of humanity somewhere in the multiverse. I wanted your family to have the perfect life that you deserve.” He paused and looked away for a moment.

“There was a prediction from my model that your husband was going to die.”

Your eyebrows shot up in concern. “What?”

Miguel sighed, knowing how badly you were going to take the news. “He was going to get pan dulce across town after work. A woman was getting mugged, and he intervened. It cost him his life…”

You felt your heart break in your chest as you gasped. Suddenly, your legs collapsed from beneath you. Miguel caught you before you hit the floor.

Your husband. Your darling, lovely perfect husband was gone, and some monster had taken his place.

You couldn’t see past the tears that flooded your vision, and you couldn’t help yourself from pressing your face in the chest of the man who looked just like him.

“I know…” Miguel caressed your hair. “I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

Your love story had come to an end. Every shared glance, every evening doting over your daughter, every morning tangled in the sheets was gone. The pain was unlike anything you’d ever felt before.

Miguel carried your sobbing, screaming figure to the bed. He laid next to you as a tear slid down his own cheek. The screams that emanated from you were haunting; he still heard them in his nightmares to this day.

You wore yourself out so profoundly that you simply lost consciousness. Miguel’s mind swirled with doubt and guilt. He thought back to the moments he’d witnessed on his monitor between the two of you. He was never able to find a flaw in either of you, nor your daughter. Now, he’d thrown a huge wrench in everything. Maybe he’d made a mistake in taking your husband’s place.

You stirred in bed next to him a few hours later. Your face was puffy and your voice was hoarse, but you looked at him with rage. You leapt out of bed before Miguel was fully awake. Instinctually, he activated his suit. His talons and claws shone under the digital fabric.

You screamed again in fear and confusion. Miguel deactivated the suit, returning to the normal clothes he was wearing.

You slid down the wall, cradling your knees. Fear, exhaustion, confusion, and heartbreak clouded your mind.

“It’s okay, it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you!” Miguel looked panicked. He took a step towards you cautiously.

“Why did you come here!?” You screamed at him.

“I- I don’t know. I couldn’t handle the idea of Gabriella being without a father.”

“You’re NOT her father!” You stood up and took a step towards him.

“I know…”

“I’m pregnant.” The words spilled from your mouth before you had a chance to think. “That’s how I knew. That you’re not him, I mean.” You were rambling. “My husband had a vasectomy. When the test came back positive, I had proof…”

A wave of nausea hit you as you realized the man you slept with wasn’t your husband. You ran to the bathroom and Miguel followed.

He was speechless. He held your hair back as you gripped the sides of the toilet, and he rubbed your back as his mind raced.

He was thrust into uncharted territory. How would a baby with parents from two different dimensions fare? How would you fare? He couldn’t even begin to comprehend the ramifications of his stupid actions.

Miguel had seen you and your husband’s intimate moments before. He had always wondered why Gabi never had a sibling, but he made the assumption that you had some sort of contraceptive. The idea that your husband had a vasectomy never even crossed his mind.

You sat up from the toilet and wiped your mouth with the back of your hand. Miguel stood up quickly to grab you a washcloth.

“Aren’t you going to say something?” You asked as your chest heaved. You could feel a migraine beginning to set in.

“I need to go back to my lab and run some tests.” The lack of emotion in his voice cut you.

You remembered your husband’s reaction to your first pregnancy, how he lit up so brightly at the news. To the man in front of you, your pregnancy seemed to be a liability and nothing more.

You glared at him as you took the washcloth. You pressed it to your forehead. A long moment of silence passed.

He reached out slowly and touched your cheek. “I’m sorry…”

“People die all the time, you know.” You said flatly. “You make it sound like my husband’s death was predetermined. If that’s what fate had in store for him, and for us, then that’s the way it was meant to be…”

You stood up and looked at yourself in the mirror. Miguel stood, too, and watched you. “Gabi and I would’ve figured it out. We would’ve gotten through it together.”

“I know you would’ve. You’re an incredible mother.” You watched him stare at you in the reflection. He was looking at you with sympathy and love. You felt your heart flutter. Guilt followed immediately after. The rollercoaster of emotions was exhausting.

“Go figure out what the fuck is going to happen to me.” You turned to look at him. “We need to know sooner rather than later. I could use some space from you, too. I’m still upset.” You crossed your arms and looked away from him.

He took your comments in stride and gave you another look of sympathy. He activated his suit and tapped away at the device on his wrist.

You covered your ears as a loud mess of colors and lights tore a hole open in your room. Miguel was gone in an instant.

Miguel tore through the portal and stepped into his lab in the building that would eventually become the Spider Society.

“Lyla,” he called as he walked over to his computer.

“Look who’s back? How’s married life treatin’ ya?” She asked sarcastically.

“Contact Peter and prepare the lab. We need to run some tests.”

Hours later, Miguel and Peter were driving themselves mad trying to find a circumstance where tissue from two different dimensions remained stable. The results were grim, time after time.

“Miguel, this is-” Peter began.

“Don’t even say it.” Miguel growled. Peter had never heard him take that tone before.

Every possible multi-dimensional combination ended in decay.

The facts stared back at Miguel, and he had to face reality. He pinched the bridge of his nose when his computer alerted him to an anomaly in your universe. Then, another. And another.

Hundreds of bizarre events were occuring in your universe. The tides stopped, gravity changed, and worst of all, things and people all over the world were glitching.

A massive hole opened underneath your version of Brooklyn.

Miguel and Peter suited up and ran in.

“Go find your wife and daughter, I’ll see what I can find out!” Peter called. Miguel nodded and ran at a breakneck speed towards your home.

He found you on the ground, half concious.

“Amor,” he called. He held you in his arms, and he knew he was too late.

“Miguel,” you tried to smile, but you glitched in his arms and groaned out in pain.

He picked you up and began to run towards the campground where Gabi was.

It felt like every cell of your body was on fire. You stared up at him, and a part of you knew that he had something to do with your universe tearing at the seams. Slowly, you were slipping out of his grasp like sand.

Miguel kept his gaze trained on you. He had no idea how he was going to fix this.

“Find her. Save her.” Those were your last words. Miguel blinked and you were gone.

Shock overcame him. He found himself on all fours hurdling towards your daughter. He heard her in the distance, and swooped her up before swinging the opposite way.

He saw Peter in the distance and ran from the white emptiness that began consuming the city.

If he could save Gabriella, it might have been worth it.

He ran, pushing his superspeed to the limit as Gabi screamed in his arms.

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” He tried to reassure her as he tucked her into his chest. He saw people in front of him simply vanish, and fear gripped his heart like a vice.

If he could get away from the crowd for just a minute, he could portal away with your daughter.

He continued running, seeing an opening in the distance.

“Papa!” Gabi cried. He looked down, and she was gone. He stopped dead in his tracks. To him, there was nothing left worth saving. The whiteness enveloped him, and soon, Miguel and Peter stood in a vast, empty nothing.

“Miguel, we have to go. We don’t know what’s going to happen.” Peter tugged on his arm.

The words fell on deaf ears. Miguel was still staring down at his empty grasp, wondering where his daughter had gone.

Peter dragged him through the portal.

Time was a blur for awhile after that. Lyla analyzed every scrap of data, Peter recruited more spider-people, and the canon was discovered.

Miguel swore to never let it happen again.

[katy-133]

How Do Spy's Disguises Really Work? [TF2 Lore]

This is NOT a tutorial nor guide on how to use disguises in the game. This is a Team Fortress 2 essay about Spy's ability to disguise, how it works in-universe, and some implications we can deduce through it.

(This essay contains spoilers for the TF2 comics Old Wounds and The Naked and the Dead, and the Valve animation, Meet the Spy.)

Note: As of the time of writing, issue 7 of the comics has not been released.

Point 1) The Disguise Kit's Backstory

The Spytron 3000 is the personal device assistant Spy uses to disguise as the other 8 mercs. This name is listed in TF2's official website's page for Spy, while in-game, it's named as the Disguise Kit in your inventory. We also see the name Spytron 3000 printed on the model in-game.

The Disguise Kit is made to look like a cigarette case, and Spy keeps his cigarettes in it. Evidence that Spy smokes cigs kept in this case is seen in Meet the Spy, Expiration Date (seen pulling a cigarette out of it), and in-game (when you Taunt while holding the Disguise Kit, and animation can play of Spy smoking and flicking the cig away).

(Image: Meet the Spy)

(Image: Expiration Date)

The Sniper Vs Spy Update gives us this image, which is a catalogue advertising spy gadgets, with (assumedly) Spy circling the gadgets he wants to order.

(Image: Sniper Vs Spy Update)

The Dead Ringer (pocket watch) and the Cloak and Dagger (wristwatch) are items Spy can use in-game.

Another section on the same image shows Spy's catalogue order:

The Disguise kit doesn't appear here, but this image implies that the Disguise Kit came from the same manufacturer. This is significant, because it means that the Disguise Kit is something that Spy didn't make himself, and therefore has to rely on someone else for the Disguise Kit to provide what he needs from it (as he may not be able to edit or change the way the Disguise Kit works by himself). Keep this in mind going forward.

Point 2) How the Enemy Sees Disguises

In-game, enemy players see disguised Spies as whichever merc they are disguised as, from whichever team (as you can also disguise as one of your own teammates to fool the enemy). Enemy buildings (Sentry Turrets, Dispensers, and Teleporters) are fooled by this disguise.

In-game, as disguises are being activated, you can see smoke appear around an Enemy spy disguising. Remember that for later.

(Image: Weapon Demonstration: Disguise Kit, OfficialTF2Wiki, YouTube)

But what about outside of the game? In the comics, we see Classic BLU Spy (from Team Fortress 1) disguised as RED Heavy. The disguise is so flawless, it fools everyone. When he undisguises, there's a smoke effect.

(Image: Old Wounds, TF2 comics)

What about the animated shorts? Meet the Spy is the only example where we see a Spy use disguises in a Valve animation. In this example, a RED Spy is fighting a BLU Medic alone and Spy shapeshifts into Medic.

(Gif: Meet the Spy)

We see the following details in this scene:

Rows of red stripes of light appear over Spy.

Heat distortion (also called a mirage).

Smoke appear around Spy.

Spy's face changes into Medic's.

Let's break this down step by step.

I think we can infer that the stripes of light are red because it's a RED Spy disguising. This means that if a BLU Spy disguises, the stripes would be blue.

The heat distortion (the wiggly lines of air you see when you're looking past hot air) implies that there's some sort of release of heat that happens when Spy disguises. Another word for this is a mirage effect. Mirages are associated with illusions and being deceived.

The smoke implies something is burned when Spy disguises. It also adds significance to the Disguise Kit being disguised as a cigarette case (smoke = lighting a cigarette).

Then Spy's face changes to Medic's. It happens less like a morph and more like a liquid (or layer of a soft material) covering over Spy.

So the takeaway is that Spy's Disguise Kit allows Spy to look exactly like another merc, through some sort of process that involves extreme heat creating a cover over Spy. What is this heat and why does it change Spy's appearance?

In-universe, the technical mechanics behind Spy's shapeshifter effect are left vague. But we can look to another Valve game for inspiration to finding a possible explanation: Portal 2.

Poral 2 includes a technology described as hard light. They are used to create bridges in the game. Touching them is described as feeling "like standing outside with the sun shining on your face. It would also set your hair on fire," (according to GLaDOS). It is made from natural sunlight.

(Image: Hard light bridge in portal 2. Image from the Half-Life Fandom Wiki)

My theory is this: I think Spy's disguises are created using holograms that work in a similar way to hard light bridges in Portal 2. It is light bending around Spy, changing his appearance, feeling solid, and creating intense heat to form and unform.

Point 3) How Teammates See Disguises

In-game, teammates see disguised Spies wearing paper masks with an image of the merc they are disguised as.

(Images: Team Fortress 2 Official Wiki)

Why is this? How does this work? How does the Disguise Kit even produce the mask? Does it print it out? What is the smoke for?

Team Fortress 2's developer commentary includes this insight by lead designer Robin Walker:

"With nine classes of characters, and so many weapons and unique abilities, one of our biggest challenges was exposing all these combinations to players without overwhelming them. […] We tried to avoid attaching 2D elements to the HUD as much as possible, since we wanted players to be looking at the 3D world we'd built rather than some abstract representation. For example, players always see their own team's spies as a spy, but they need to know how the spy is disguised to the other team. We tried a quick hack where we put an icon representing the spy's current disguise floating above his head. The icon proved baffling to playtesters. When we tackled the problem by putting cut-out paper masks on the spy, it not only fit the humorous style of the game, but it let players get all pertinent information directly from a quick look at the spy's model, thus keeping them focused on the characters and on the action of the game." —Robin Walker, Hydro Map Developer Commentary

This is practical, because it stops teammates from trying to attack their fellow teammates whilst also being able to see what class (merc) the Spy is disguised as. Even teammate Sentries are not fooled by your disguise, and won't fire at you.

This is a play on an old trope in storytelling where a character is wearing a disguise that obvious to the audience, but fools the fictional characters. This prevents the audience from getting confused or fooled themselves. The TV Tropes dot org article for this is called Paper-Thin Disguise, making Spy's masks really on-the-nose in a funny way.

So can all teammates automatically see through disguises if the Spy is on their team? In-game, it appears so. What about outside of the game?

In the TF2 comics, we see just the smoke effect used. We never see Spy wearing a paper mask at any point in the TF2 comics. Nor in any of the Valve animations.

In The Naked and the Dead, Spy disguises himself as Tom Jones, which fools Scout. When his disguise vanishes, he emits smoke.

(Image: The Naked and the Dead, TF2 comics)

This is interesting because they are both RED teammates, but Spy was still able to fool Scout. This indicates that Spy can choose to have his disguises fool his teammates.

A Detour About Quantum Leap

Let's talk about Quantum Leap. It's a 1989 time travelling series about a man (Sam) who, through a sci-fi mishap, leaps into the life of another person each episode. Sam is always played by the same actor (Scott Bakula), but when he is seen in mirrors, we see another actor in his place. This other actor is how everyone else (the other characters) actually see him:

Scott Bakula as Sam pictured screen-left in both images, looking at his reflection.

(Images: Quantum Leap, 1989)

How does this work? The actor always being Scott Bakula is for the benefit of the audience. He is the main character in a revolving door of different settings, plotlines, and time periods. He is the anchor of the show that unifies episodes, and that's comforting for the viewer. It's non-diegetic.

Diegetic refers to an element in fiction that exists in-universe of the story and is able to be perceived by the characters. It's the soundtrack if the characters complain that it's too loud. It's the camera if they bump into it. It's meta.

So non-diegetic is something that doesn't exist in-universe and is perceived by the audience but not the characters. It's the title of the movie overlaying the screen without the characters commenting on it. It's a stage musical swapping set pieces as the characters talk and don't notice. It's for the benefit of the audience. It values encapsulating a feeling of something, over how something literally is. It's vibes.

Aside from the Quantum Leap example, there are other works of fiction that have done this type of visual style of using multiple actors for mirror reflections. Another example that springs to mind is the 2011 sci-fi film Source Code. In the film, the main character has to re-live a time loop whilst in the body of another passenger on a train in order to figure out which passenger left an explosive on it.

So in Quantum Leap, Sam still feels like himself (and is thus shown that way to the audience), but is actually projecting an "illusion of [the person's] physical aura" (Sam's words) through sci-fi tech that makes everyone around him see the person he's "leaped" into, instead of him.

Why am I talking about Quantum Leap? I think something similar happens when we see Spy disguised in-game.

The paper face masks are for the benefit of the audience. They don't exist to any of the characters.

Point 4) How Spy Sees Himself Disguised

In-game, he sees himself as himself. If you're playing Spy disguised, you see his (undisguised) hands and the weapon he's holding.

You also see a little portrait of the merc he's disguised as (at the bottom-left corner), so you (as Spy) still know how you appear as to enemies.

So Spy perceives himself as himself. He doesn't see his own body as changed.

Point 5) How Voices Work

When Spy is disguised, he also gains the voice of whoever he's disguised as.

In Meet the Spy, Spy disguised as Medic doesn't speak, so we don't get an example of this in any of the Valve animations.

In the comics (issue 5, Old Wounds), Classic Spy speaks as RED Heavy, and fools RED Spy, so we can assume Classic Spy was imitating Heavy's voice (as the webcomics, while they include scripted panel changes, don't include audio).

In-game, when you're disguised, all voice lines switch to the merc you are disguised as. If you call for Medic, you yell as the merc you are disguised as, etc.

This leads to two theories:

a) Spy can imitate voices himself and therefore can imitate voices while not disguised (example: He's on the telephone, he could imitate voices before he joined RED/BLU and can do it without the Disguise Kit)

b) Spy is only able to imitate voices using the Disguise Kit and can't imitate voices without it.

Both possibilities lead to interesting potential plot ideas.

It's worth noting that while on fire, Spy will still sound like the merc he is disguised as. This leads me to deduce that it's the Disguise Kit, as why would Spy bother to maintain the voice impression? He's already been caught and he's possibly about to die.

Point 6) How Spy Undisguises

If Spy's disguises by using technology, how how does he "turn it off"?

There appears to be two ways: Unintentionally or intentionally.

Unintentional examples would include getting hit with Sniper's Jarate in-game. It's like the liquid somehow disrupts or "short circuits" the disguise. Another example would be Spy getting shot while disguised in The Naked and the Dead comic, which seems more like an emotional/psychological/physical response (in this case, pain).

Intentional examples include trying to attack in-game, which instantly undisguises you as Spy. And Spy's disguise fading away after fooling Scout with it in Naked and the Dead. He doesn't say anything or make a motion, he appears to simply will the disguise away.

So it may be that Spy has some sort of "connection" with the Disguise Kit that lets it detect his intentions.

Point 7) Is This Body Swapping?

So when Spy is disguised, is he actually in a copy of the body of the merc he's disguised as? If so, there's multiple implications:

Does he need glasses when he's Medic?

Does he no longer have a right hand when he's Engineer?

Does he lose an eye as Demoman?

How does the clothing swapping work? Can he remove clothing, or would it cease to exist if it travels too far from his body/the Disguise Kit's influence?

There's multiple counter arguments suggesting that this is not the case and Spy is not body swapping:

Spy can switch weapon items of the other merc when he's disguised by switching to his other items (and pressing B).

If Spy was actually using Medic's real glasses, that would presumably mess with his vision. And Spy has no visible issues with his vision.

Spy can't run as fast as Scout, nor double jump, so he doesn't gain Scout's physical capabilities.

As mentioned in Point 4 earlier, Spy sees himself as himself. His body doesn't change from his own POV.

In the comics, when Spy is shot in the leg while disguised, he keeps the same injury afterwards. The person who he was disguised as was Classic Engineer. Who has metal prosthetic legs. And therefore wouldn't get injured from a shot in the leg at all.

(Image: The Naked and the Dead, TF2 comics)

In Meet the Spy, Spy's missing Medic's glasses when he shapeshifts into Medic, but that may have been done to make the scene cooler (he steals Medic's glasses after defeating him).

(Image: Meet the Spy)

Spies also can't use weapons of the merc they are disguising as. Attacking instantly undisguises the Spy. This implies that the new weapons Spy holds when he is disguised are the same weapon with an illusion cast over it, not a weapon swap.

It not being body swapping also opens the door to the potential that Spy can disguise as a person who doesn't exist, allowing him to create an entirely new persona.

Point 8) Spy-Checking In Game

In fiction, shapeshifters often have a "tell" of some sort, where they can't quite perfectly mirror the individual they've shapeshifted as. On TV Tropes org, it's called "Glamour Failure," in reference to glamour, an archaic term used in mythology for a type of beauty spell, or a spell to make the shapeshifter appear human. Common glamour failure examples in fiction include the shapeshifter's eyes being the wrong colour, or their reflection revealing their true form.

(Gif: The Little Mermaid, 1989)

Does Spy have a tell? Well, in Meet the Spy, the audience is surprised by Scout being the Spy. He looks like Scout, sounds like Scout, and acts like Scout. What makes the audience twig on that it's not Scout is when he does a trick with Spy's balisong (knife). Scout wouldn't do a knife trick with a balisong.

And I think that's illustrative to how you can detect a disguised Spy in the game. It's (in part) spotting a teammate acting oddly. Medic running around not healing anyone, that sort of thing.

Other ways to Spy check in the game (but not limited to) are:

You can't walk through enemy Spies like you can with teammates.

Teammate attacks don't hurt teammate Spies.

Sniper's Jarate instantly ruins an enemy Spy's disguise if it splashes on him.

Spy mimics the speed of the merc he's disguised as, but can't run as fast as Scout.

The speed difference between Scout and Spy is notable. Is the Disguise Kit making Spy slow down, or is the speed change just Spy trying to act more like the merc he's imitating? Could he run faster if he needed to? It's unclear.

There are also in-game support-type effects that affect disguised Spies differently:

Teammate's Sentries will always be friendly to disguised Spies. Enemy Sentries will fire at Spies unless they are disguised.

Medic's crossbow heals teammates and hurts enemies. It hurts disguised enemy Spies.

When Soldiers activate a banner, nearby teammates that do not emit a glow are disguised enemy Spies.

If Spy is disguised as an Engineer with a Beep Boy cosmetic, it will always appear with a sad expression, instead of happy with various emotions.

(Image: A Beep Boy with a sad, pained expression)

This means that some forms of technology are fooled by Spy's disguises, but others are not.

This raises the question of whether Spy's disguises can sometimes/always be seen-through by animals. Maybe the dove Archimedes isn't fooled by disguises?

Related to glamour failure, there is a trope in fiction where dogs, cats, pets, etc. are not fooled by disguises because they can sense the morality of the person in a way that humans can't, or because they know their human so well. (The TV Tropes article for it is titled, Evil-Detecting Dog.)

Point 9) Other Characters/Things Using Disguises

Can other characters who are not Spy use the disguise kit? What is stopping them?

Aristotle is a raven Spy has on his shoulder as a cosmetic (an item you can wear in the game). This raven is wearing a tiny paper mask with an image of Archimedes (Medic's dove) printed on it. This implies that other characters are perceiving Aristotle as Archimedes, which is very funny. This also means that other characters can use disguises. It's just that Spy is the one who uses the Disguise Kit, as it's part of his job.

(Images: Aristotle, left. The Counterfeit Billycock.)

The Counterfeit Billycock is an in-game hat disguised as another hat. This being an example of objects using disguises.

This also infers that inversely, Spy can use disguises to appear as an animal or an inanimate object. We just haven't seen him do that yet.

This leads us to...

Point 10) A Note on the Disguise Kit's Interface

In-game, a screen overlay appears when you select Spy's Disguise Kit. This shows the different merc disguise options, but it's for the benefit of the player. It's not what Spy sees in-universe.

What Spy sees is what's behind this overlay: His Disguise Kit being opened. As written earlier, it's made to look like a cigarette case on the outside. The inside of the case includes a screen and three buttons below it. I interpret the interface as a screen displaying portraits of different mercs, with the two yellow buttons being left/right keys, and the red button (or blue button for the BLU Spy in Meet the Spy) being the select key.

(Image: Meet the Spy)

So we can come to the deduction that what stops Spy from disguising himself as someone other than the mercs is the same reason we can't in-game: He isn't given the option in the interface. Not that he has the option, but he chooses not to. Or doesn't think to do it. Or a situation hasn't come up where doing so would be useful.

This doesn't explain how Spy was able to disguise himself as Tom Jones, but maybe the option was given to him at some point near the start of the comic series.

If only Spy were given upgrades to his Disguise Kit for plot reasons, hmm...

Point 11) Applying Canon to Fan Works

So with all this canon information, we can take this knowledge and apply it to fan works to create something new. This includes fan fiction, animations, webcomics, etc.

So let's start asking questions. In the restrictions of established canon, can Spy…

Disguise as another character, such as Saxton Hale, Miss Pauling, or the Administrator?

Can Spy disguise as an animal, such as Archimedes?

Can Spy disguise as an inanimate object? … without contravening canon?

Spy Disguising as Saxton Hale, Miss Pauling, and the Administrator

(Image: Jungle Inferno)

Saxton Hale is not one of the mercs (he's the owner of MANN CO., which RED/BLU get their weapons and hats from) and is much larger than Spy. Maybe Spy can't disguise himself as non-mercs? Again, size does not appear to stop Spy from disguising as Heavy, and Spy has canonically disguised himself as Tom Jones, who is not a merc. So in theory, Spy could disguise as Saxton Hale.

(Image: Meet the Director comic)

Miss Pauling and the Administrator bring up the question of whether or not the Disguise Kit allows the user to disguise as someone of a different gender. Spy's teammates are men, with Pyro's gender being unknown. So Spy disguising as another gender does not contradict canon, it's just unknown if he canonically has done so already.

(Image: Expiration Date)

While not a disguise, we do have official Valve art of Spy wearing the gold/blue "colour illusion" dress (the original dress being designed and manufactured by Roman Originals) in celebration of Steam's 20th Anniversary.

While wearing a dress is not the same as shapeshifting into a woman, this illustrates that Spy has not been stopped by gender expectations of the 1960s from presenting himself more femininely.

(Image: Steam's 20th Anniversary. Art by Claire Hummel)

So the thing stopping Spy from disguising as Saxton Hale, Miss Pauling, or the Administrator would not be because the Disguise Kit is incapable of ever doing so, but because the kit doesn't provide those options, out of the company's benefit. Remember back in Point 1 that the Spytron 3000 is an (unknown) company's invention that was shipped to Spy? It would not be in TF2 Industries' interest to give a merc the ability to disguise as one of their bosses or boss's assistants. It would be a infiltration liability waiting to happen.

Spy Disguising as Animals

This once again falls into the realm of size not stopping Spy from disguising as something, just in the opposite direction. Spy can disguise as Engineer and other mercs shorter than Spy.

Is there a limit to how small? Can Spy disguise as a mouse? A Spycrab? Again, it's just unknown if he can because hasn't happened in the canon.

(Image: Spycrab cosmetic)

Spy Disguising as Inanimate Objects

There's a reoccurring joke I've seen in different fan works of Spy disguising as a lamp by wearing a mask that has an image of a lamp printed on it. I saw it enough times that I had assumed it was from canon, but I couldn't find a canon example of it anywhere. I'm unsure of its original origin in fan works, but it has since been embraced by the fandom.

Another example of a fan work letting Spy disguise himself as an object is Fortress Film's (the creators of Emesis Blue) fan film, Spy's Disguise. In this 28 minute animated film, Spy figures out how to disguise himself as a sentry gun.

(Gif: Spy's Disguise by Fortress Films, YouTube)

12) Conclusion: So How Do Disguises Actually Work?

In conclusion, Spy's disguises can be interpreted as a smokey aura or hologram that surrounds Spy through a piece of tech known as the Spytron 3000.

It is a perfect visual and audio disguise to all the mercs, both for teammates and enemies. We see Spy's paper mask for the benefit of the audience and is possibly non-diegetic (metaphorical and not existing in-universe). The paper masks are not seen by any of the mercs, teammate or otherwise.

A teammate Spy can choose to allow teammates (and possibly enemies) see through this aura, whilst still knowing that the Spy is disguised, and who he is disguised as.

Nevertheless, part of the fun of fan works is that they can deviate from canon. Want Spy to body swap? Yes! Want Spy to be able to remain disguised while attacking someone in a fight? The power is yours.

Fan work is universes within universes.

[lillaydee]

Matchmade Part 3

Millionaire! Joel Miller / Reader

Having experienced traumatic, life altering events, a freshly divorced Joel worked to repay his debt to the person he owed his life to.

WARNINGS:

Good Parent Joel (The Last of Us), Soft Joel (The Last of Us), Joel Needs a Hug (The Last of Us), Joel Lives (The Last of Us), Protective Joel (The Last of Us), Alternate Universe - No Cordyceps Outbreak (The Last of Us), Character Death, Fluff, Angst, Eventual Smut.

SERIES MASTER LIST

Part 2

---

She had been a surprise baby. You were shocked to say the least. At fifteen, the idea that your geriatric (to you, at least) parents were still having sex - while you were sleeping right next door - gave you so much cringe you went around the house shivering and pulling a yucky face anytime your parents touched each other. And after being an only child for almost sixteen years, the idea that your parents’ attention was about to be split between you and a new baby did give you pause.

But the moment you saw her, all that disappeared. She was the most perfect little baby you had ever seen. They named her Allison, Allie for short. That first time you laid eyes on her, you were a goner. You loved you baby sister so much, your mother had to pry Allie off your hands every single day. You couldn’t get enough of her. You enrolled in the nearest college so that you could stay at home and see her every day, despite getting into Ivy League schools. You were besotted with your baby sister. She looked for you when you were out, squealed when you got home. You used to make good money babysitting in your neighborhood. All that stopped when Allie was born. You couldn’t possibly look after another child when she was home, waiting for you.

You had been the favorite in the neighborhood. The reliable one of all the other children on the street. You were the one who didn’t drink, who got good grades, who didn’t go on joyrides with the boys, and was great with kids, despite not having any siblings for most of your life. There was no risk of you partying, or getting drunk, or talking on the phone, or bringing boys over while babysitting. You were the responsible one. Needless to say, people were disappointed when you stopped babysitting.

Your parents were not as well off as the rest of the people on the street, despite the area being a rather upper-middle class one. They had inherited the house from your maternal grandmother. You father was a janitor at one of the private schools, and your mother worked as a tailor at one of the clothing warehouses. You were taught since infancy to eat what you were given to eat, to wear what you were given to wear, and you don’t complain. Be thankful for what we have, your parents used to tell you. We are not like the other people on the street, never forget where we came from.

So when others followed the trend, wearing whatever was ‘in’ at the time, you wore whatever you already have, or most of the time, whatever your mother had sewn for you. Others got the latest gadgets for their birthdays; you were happy to get books. Others had a good amount of money every week as an allowance, you ate what your mother packed for you for lunch and babysat and tutored for extra money.

When others received a brand new car on their 16th birthday, you had bought your secondhand car with the money you saved, realizing that your parents needed the money they would have spent on your first car for the new baby, when others your age would have splurged on nonsensical things. You got into a good program in college, all set to pave your way to a bright and successful future. You became that girl that people point out to their children as a good role model. Look at Addison, she’s a good girl. Be like Addison.

Of course, this didn’t gel well with the girls your age on the street. Some of them got sick and tired of people singing you praises, everyone became a bad role model when compared to you, not that it was your fault. You were simply living the way you were raised. Even when you got with your first boyfriend, it was with the role model boy, the jock with good grades and great manners. The moms kept comparing the rebellious boys their daughters dated to Jimmy. Why can’t you find someone like Jimmy? He’s such a well-mannered boy. Not like those boys you kept bringing home. If you were more like Addison, maybe you could get a boy like that too.

Most of the girls didn’t blame you for this, they knew you weren’t malicious or anything, you were simply being you. But some did begin to hate you in secret, hating you for being the model daughter every mother on the street wished they had, namely your best friend growing up, your next door neighbor Tanya. She slowly cut you out of her life, preferring to hang out with the cool kids instead. But her mom, Mrs Anders, was always kind to you, and remained so to this day.

You had great parents who raised you well, the perfect baby sister, the perfect boyfriend, your bright and shining future all laid out in front of you. Your life was perfect.

That day, the first time you were left alone with Allie, as you were getting into bed, you received the phone call that changed your life forever. It was your 18th birthday, 12 years ago. It was also your parents’ 20th anniversary. You remembered waving goodbye to them as they left the house after the whole family had celebrated your birthday, driving to a seaside resort in the next town for the weekend to celebrate their anniversary, just the two of them. That was the last time you saw your parents alive.

All you remembered from that night was clutching on to a sleeping Allie as you stood outside the room in the morgue, telling the doctors and cops that yes, they were your parents. Yes, you were 18. Yes, you will take custody of your sister.

The next few months were a blur of funerals, soothing a crying Allie, crying yourself to sleep, lawyers, appointments with CPS, adopting Allie officially, reading of the will, everything that made you realize being 18 was nowhere near old enough to be able to handle all these. You were overwhelmed. But you had to do this. You didn’t have any family, not anymore. Allie was all you had; you were all she had. You needed to step up. You needed to take care of her.

Allie became everything. Your parents were not rich. All you had to your name by the time everything was settled was the house you had grown up in, your car, and a few thousand dollars you had saved up. You decided there and then, your parents meagre savings should go to Allie – start a college fund for her. You needed to get a job. Raising Allie on your own was not going to be easy. Your parents made sure you were never without despite their tight financial situation, and you would make sure Allie would never want for anything too, even if it killed you.

You dropped out of college, got a full time job at the furniture store near your house, the pay was alright, it ensured that you and Allie had insurance, and it had daycare facilities for Allie while you worked. You got part time jobs here and there, tutoring, editing students’ work for their theses and assignments for extra cash. You broke up with Jimmy, feeling that you were not being fair to him, you hardly had any time for him; you needed to focus on Allie.

Your social life was almost non-existent, aside from the occasional coffee with your old friends, where Allie was always tagging along. They didn’t like that, they wanted to talk adult things, and having a child with you killed the mood, so slowly but surely, they forgot to invite you for these get togethers. You were all work and no play. You counted pennies every month, the house, the bills, Allie, your priority. You could do without. You wore your mother’s clothes, while making sure Allie was always well dressed, you bought secondhand things for yourself, while Allie always had brand new. When Allie started school, things got a little better. You got a seniority-based promotion, Mrs Anders next door offered to watch Allie after school, no charge. She was lonely, and Allie loved her. Tanya had graduated and gotten a job in the city, coming home late at night, so it really was no problem to watch Allie for a few hours in the evenings.

When your friends graduated from college, you had to watch as one by one, they moved away from your town, off to a successful career somewhere, while you were still there, raising your baby sister, working a job where you were reminded, more than once, that you would never ever be at their level. When Tanya eventually got a job where you worked, she was making five times your salary at entry level, a cushy office job that didn’t require her to get her hands dirty at all, thanks to the college degree she had, while you were still working on the floor, wearing a bright colored vest and the company shirt daily. The first time she saw you, she gave you a hug, look at you in your little vest, she said. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. I thought you would be doing your master’s or PhD by now. You swallowed her insults and smiled. She continued being friendly with you throughout the years but couldn’t resist the veiled attacks on the fact that you were nowhere near successful as everyone thought you would be.

As the years went by, her bullying got worse. But you couldn’t say anything. She kept talking about what an inconvenience it was for her that Allie was staying at her house after school, all the groceries she had to buy to feed Allie. Wouldn’t it be bad if that arrangement were to stop? You couldn’t afford for Allie to lose that care, so you started packing lunch for Allie, made sure she didn’t eat anything at Mrs Ander’s house, although Mrs Anders, who suspected her daughter’s influence in your decision, told you not to worry about it.

About two years after Tanya joined the company, Jimmy started working there too, in the HR department. He was still single. You were still in deep ‘Allie first’ mode, so you politely rejected his suggestions that you two got back together. Tanya pounced, made her move on him. He didn’t reciprocate, but she was relentless. Her bullying got worse, convinced that he rejected her because he was still hung up on you. He eventually moved on and accepted that you and he would only be friends. He dated here and there but refused Tanya’s attempts to date him. He eventually began dating someone from college, a nice lady who was always nice to you whenever you ran into them in town. Tanya blamed you for him escaping her grasps. Cue the endless complaints about you from her friends posing as customers, although Jimmy, knowing you well, had always managed to back you up, she had no evidence anyways.

Life went on like that for you for years. You endured it all, not caring that people called you a pushover, a failure, so long as Allie was dressed, schooled and fed, a roof over her head.

And then one day, four months ago, Allie left for school, and never got there.

You received a call from your neighbor who was walking his dog and found Allie in the drains by the road. His dog brought his attention to Allie, who couldn’t be seen from the roadside. She had been hit by a car. She lost consciousness and drowned in three inches of water. The paramedics got her heart to start working again, and she had never woken up since then.

The police launched an investigation, classified it as a hit and run. There was a CCTV that should have caught the incident, but the recording mysteriously went missing, adding salt to the already substantial wound.

She had extensive head injuries; her brain activity was choppy. She could only breathe with the aid of a machine, but until her brain injuries resolved itself, there was no telling if she would be able to breathe on her own again. You didn’t leave her bedside, your heart in your mouth, begging her to wake up. She didn’t respond at all, no squeezing your finger, no movements. You sat there, day in, day out, made sure to move her so her muscles didn’t atrophy, read her stories, talked to her as if she could hear you.

You took paid time off work, only going back to work after a month or so. But Allie’s condition fluctuated, and you had to leave work in a panic more times than you cared to count. About two months after the accident, the company let you go. They had turned a blind eye at first, you were a loyal and much valued employee. Everyone knew your situation and looked the other way. But someone – who wished to remain anonymous - was unhappy with your absence and lodged an official complaint against you, and when that happened, there was nothing anyone could do, this time, even Jimmy couldn’t back you up.

In the space of two weeks since you lost your job, Allie’s medical bill had cost you all your savings and her college fund, not that they were substantial in the first place. Without a job, no bank would loan you money. But Allie was improving. Her brain function got steadier. Doctors were optimistic that she would wake up. You were over the moon, trying to figure out how you could scrounge up the money for her bills, anything, as long as she got better. You were desperate. You had to make a decision, so, about a month ago, you put your house up for sale. It was snapped up in no time, you were forced to take the first offer due to the time sensitivity, and they could pay cash. Now, you had less than six weeks to move out. Mrs Anders had assured you that you and Allie would have a place at her house until you got sorted when the time comes to move out. A move Tanya didn’t appreciate but couldn’t do anything about.

You had left her room to get a cup of coffee from the pantry. When you came back, two men and a woman you had never met was standing by Allie’s bed. The man in the hospital gown told you how Allie had saved his life – twice in the past three weeks.

As you listened, your mind kept going on and on about how this could be a scam. You couldn’t believe the number of scammers who managed to get in your head, telling you of things they could do for Allie for a small fee. You were, luckily, able to chase them away, but the fear of being scammed was fresh in you, you kept waiting for ways this man could lie to you, influence you somehow, and let’s be honest, his story didn’t make any sense.

So, you asked him and his friends to leave. He begged you to let him speak to Allie, but you were not having it. He seemed shocked when you told him she had been in a coma for four months and left without any fight.

But something about him made you feel bad. He seemed so desperate just to say thank you to an unconscious girl, he actually looked like he was about to cry. But you were not going to let a strange man you had never met go near your unconscious, underage sister.

The next morning, Allie coded. The doctors came in and told you that her organs were beginning to fail. You should prepare yourself for any possibilities. You wouldn’t hear it. Allie was strong. She will get through this. You needed her to get through this.

You went outside to get some air. You sat on a bench, watching people walk in and out of the hospital, trying hard to make sense of what was going on. This could not be it. You could not give in to this. You worked hard to make sure Allie had a good life, a life that should not end at 14. You were deep in thought, when a man stood in front of you, asking you if he could talk to you.

It was him. The man from the ward.

---

Joel couldn’t sleep. Again. He needed to make sense of it all. If Allie had been in a coma for four months, how was it that he had been seeing her everywhere? So now, he fully accepted that he didn’t actually see her, not physically, at least. But there was no doubt in his mind that she was there, she saved his life. And he found her, but he didn’t get the chance to thank Allie, you didn’t want him there, and he had to respect that.

He knew what it looked like. A grown man spouting bullshit about a comatose girl saving his life. A grown man who went into her room and stood near her bed. Heck, if someone were to do that with Sarah, he would go mental. He couldn’t blame you. even he had a hard time believing what he was saying.

But he couldn’t let it go. He needed to understand why Allie came to him, in whatever form she did, why she saved his life. There must be a reason.

When he went out for his walk that day, he saw you sitting alone outside, a blank look on your face. And thankfully, you didn’t react badly when he approached you.

He introduced himself, offering a hand for you to shake, which you politely took. You didn’t offer your name, so he sat himself down at the other end of the bench and addressed you as Ms Williams.

He told you everything, again, in case you missed it the first time, of the injuries he had, how he should be dead. But miraculously, he survived, all because ‘Allie’ was there. Told you about the attempted murder. Again, ‘Allie’ warned him. And he survived. Even if he had conjured her in his head, she was his guardian angel, his savior, what happened was nothing short of a miracle, at least in his mind.

“Ms Williams, I am not trying to scare you, or do anything inappropriate to you or your sister. I just need to understand what is going on. Maybe I did imagine her. But she was there, if that makes any sense at all. I would be dead, twice over, if she hadn’t been there. All I want, is to say thank you to her, and repay her, in any way I can. I have a daughter. She’s three. She still has a father because of Allie. Please, I just need five minutes. You could be there, if you are worried. I just… I need this. For my own peace of mind. Please.”

You listened, and suddenly all became calm and clear to you. Head injury. He was concussed and saw things. And now he strongly believed that Allie had helped him, the poor nutjob. It made sense now. He was seeing things. The cuckoo lad, he really believed this. You drew a deep breath and gave it a thought. Allie was a kind kid. It made sense that she would help someone in need, even if the man who needed help was bonkers and was literally seeing things. But, what the heck. The guy looked wrecked with guilt and unease. So he wanted to speak to her for a few minutes… was that so bad? Better that than have him bother you and Allie the rest of your stay here… just a few minutes… why not? But no way were you leaving her alone with him.

So you got up and waited for him to follow you. He seemed relieved and gave you a thankful smile. Damn. Cuckoo lad was handsome, you thought. Shame he’s a cuckoo. His equally handsome brother followed behind. This Joel guy was walking a bit slowly, he was still recovering, it seemed. He made idle chit chat with you, talking about the weather and cafeteria food, you didn’t really pay attention, your mind still haunted with Allie’s worsening condition, despite her improvements these past few weeks.

Until he said one little thing.

“She told me how she hated that her name started with an A. I have to say, Ellie with an E does suit her better.”

He laughed softly, as if reminiscing about the time he spent with her.

You kept quiet, but that little tidbit caught your attention.

She had always labelled her books with Ellie. She hated that her name was spelled with an A.

How would he have known that?

You walked into her room, and stood at a corner, trying to give him some privacy while still being there to make sure he didn’t do anything funny. His brother stayed by the door.

He sat on the chair right next to her bed. He placed his hand next to hers, looking at you, asking you if it’s okay for him to hold her hand for a bit.

You don’t know why, but you nodded. Your instinct told you that you needed to let him do this.

He gently placed her hand in his, just took her entire hand between his thumb and the rest of his fingers. He didn’t move his hand at all, just… held hers.

“Hey Allie, it’s me, the old man.”

That’s a coincidence. This man was what, in his early 30s? around your age. A lot of kids call people your age old, right? She called you Oldie when she found out you turned 30 this year. But… like… that’s normal, right? So… he’s still cuckoo, right?

Joel kept speaking to Allie, his voice low, calming, steady. He thanked her for saving him, he didn’t know why - if she did really save him - she did that for him. But he’s thankful, he will not take his life for granted, he will use this second, third chance he had at life for good, he promised. He wished her well, that she would recover, and when she wakes up, if she could remember him, to come find him. He would love for her to meet his daughter and family.

He squeezed her hand a little and gave it a little pat with his other hand.

He looked at you and said thank you with a smile. You smiled too, nodding your head. He looked relieved.

The monitors suddenly went berserk.

Joel tried to get away from the bed, wanting to allow access for the doctors.

But his hand.

Allie was holding on to his hand.

Doctors and nurses were rushing in. They pried her hand away from his, with much difficulty. You kept asking what was going on? The nurses escorted the three of you out of the room. When they opened the door back up, she had stabilized. Her heart rate skyrocketed, seemingly for no reason. But it was back to normal now, and they will be monitoring her closely.

You heaved a sigh of relief, and went back in. Joel contemplated going in with you, but Tommy suggested they leave. Let Allie rest, let you get yourself sorted. Let’s not bother her, he said. Joel nodded and peeked in to say thank you one more time to you, telling you he would be back to check on her tomorrow, if that was alright with you. You nodded, and with teary eyes, thanked him back, and went back to staring at your beloved little sister, relieved that you hadn’t lost her.

---

The next day, Joel was discharged. He went to the 4th floor to say goodbye, but the nurses told him Allie was in surgery. He wanted to wait, but Sarah called and asked when he would be home. So he went home, and the little girl didn’t let him go all day.

And the day after that, as well as the day after that.

Before he knew it, a week had passed, and when he walked into that room on the 4th floor, the room was empty. He asked the nurses if they had moved Allie. They looked at him with sadness in their eyes.

“I’m sorry sir, but Ms Williams passed away six days ago.”

---

Part 4

[acrisius-ii]

Musings on Cooldown

There's gotta be a better way to do it. There has to be. Every game has it's own things that are on cooldown. Doom grenades, halo shields, even (shudder) league of leg.

But in TTRPGs, the mechanic always seems to fall flat! Or at least it does to me. Cooldown tokens, recharge tokens, whatever-- everytime I'm playing ttrpgs online and I use a thing, at the start of every turn I find myself going "gog. digdt i evgen tagke off the tokgen." (the caffeine and lack of eating paired with intense tactical mindset have at that point made me delirious.)

Yeah, it could probably be really easily solved with physical gaming sheets and tokens or like pennies or something, but do I really want to print out gaming sheets? and gather pennies? Spare a thought for the printerless and paperless and pencilless and penniless. When I play a game, especially a wargame, I want the work to be done right after I make my models. To be fair, the sheets and tokens are still a very easy, very fast solution, but I am stubborn and i want my cooldowns cool and different.

Currently, DEATHMATCH suffers from this issue-- how you know if your frags are ready to be thrown again? Or your flashbangs. molotov, corruptor, the list goes on.

Couple answers:

Active Recharge: I didn't really like Gears of War 3, but the active reload was a pretty interesting mechanic. In honor of the game, the Active Recharge is dubbed. Basically, the thought is that we still have cooldown tokens, but you remove one everytime you capture a point, kill an enemy, move more than a couple inches, harvest-- whatever. Certain actions remove cooldown tokens. If you want, you can take 2 actions (which is all the actions in entire turn in DEATHMATCH) and remove all the tokens instantly from a single gadget.

Action-Based Timing: Everytime you take an action, any action, any action at all, remove a cooldown token. Gotta do more stuff if you want your other stuff back.

Manual Recharge: You want your Frags back? Fuck you. Removing a single cooldown token from every item is an action. Oh what's that? Cooldown 5? That's gonna take you three turns? Gonna cry? Like a little baby? Fuck you, shoulda brought the Overcharger.

But hey. it's very late over here, i'm tired-- you could probably think up more stuff than me, and you should tell me all about it!

By the way, DEATHMATCH update coming out. Dunno when, but soon. If a month goes by and it still isn't out someone poke me about it.

[ivyyisbored22]

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭— 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐅𝐅

Note: Check Description and other chapters first to understand the story ^^♡

Chapter 17

Bang Chan

"Your files are secure Chris."

click click tap

"There's no way he'll be able to get through this" Seungmin's fingers were flying over his laptop keyboard in such speed, his hands were basically going invisible.

"Are you sure?" I took a sip from my glass of bourbon, the liquid burning slightly as it went down.

The room was filled with the soft hum of his computer set up and the occasional beep from the various gadgets he had around the place, it feels like I stepped into a server room instead of his penthouse.

"Are you doubting me?" Seungmin looked up, arching an eyebrow, my hands immediately went up in surrender. He narrowed his eyes at me and then looked down at his screen, his fingers flying across the keyboard again.

"I've doubled the firewalls, encrypted the sensitive data, and set up real-time monitoring. If he even tries to breach the system, we'll know."

"Well, then good" I nodded, feeling a bit of the tension ease from my shoulders. At least the digital side of things was secure. After that bastard's visit 2 days ago, I was positive it was Victor who must have tried to access our files to leak information about the launch.

Relief washed over me after Min assured about the security, I looked around at my friends gathered in the living room at his place this afternoon. If I spent another hour in my office I'd definitely lose my mind, so I made plans with Seungmin to talk about the file security and we decided to invite the guys over as well since we didn't meet after Christmas and New Year's.

"So," Hyunjin said, breaking the silence with a grin. "Someone disappeared for a long time during Mr. John's party"

The guys' eyes flickered to Hyunjin then me, I shifted in my seat taking another sip of my bourbon while having Hyunjin smirking at me without an end.

"Oooooh," Han interjected, leaning forward with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Spill the tea, Hyunjin. What happened?"

"Nothing happened" I said defensively. The last thing I needed was for them to turn this into a grand drama. But it wasn't like they were gonna stop anyway.

Hyunjin leaned back, stretching his arms on the head of the couch. "Well, I was just chatting with Aria, you know, making polite conversation. Then Chris here comes over, looking like he's about to rip someone's head off, and next thing we know, the two of them disappeared for the rest of the night."

The room went to a chorus of oooohs, Changbin bursted laughing, slapping his knee, the sound echoing through the whole room. Sometimes his laughter was funnier than the joke itself, contagious and impossible to ignore.

"Oh man, did you get jealous? Of our Hyunjin?!" Changbin managed between laughs, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.

"The hell? No I didn't."

Yes you did.

I kept my glass on the table with a soft thud and looked at him, "I just didn't like the way this guy," I gestured at Hyunjin, narrowing my eyes at who was supressing his laughter, "was looking at her"

Felix chuckled. "Sounds like jealousy to me. You were worried Hyunjin would sweep her off her feet with his charms."

Hyunjin closed his eyes nodding proudly. "I mean, can you blame her? I'm the Versace Prince after all."

Ever since he got crowned Versace Prince by Donatella Versace herself, it's been impossible to shut his mouth about it. Not that I blame him. I'd be crazy flattered if I were to get crowned in only a few months of modelling for them.

"I wasn't jealous." I said firmly. "I was just concerned"

Han wagged his finger at me. "Sounds like someone's got it bad. You actually care, huh?"

I sighed, shaking my head, pinching the bridge of my nose. "It's not like that. I just wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Sure, keep telling yourself that," Lee Know said with a smirk.

"But disappearing with her for the rest of the night? That's a bit more than just 'making sure she's okay.'" His fingers air quoting as he spoke.

The guys laughed, but I couldn't stop from playfully scoffing at their teasing. If I told my old self who was erratic and carefree in Europe that I am now married and my friends giving me shit, calling me out on being 'jealous', that Chris would have asked me if I was high on crack.

"We heard about the whole 'wife calling you during a meeting' thing. Bet that was a first, huh?"

My head immediately turned to Seungmin as Changbin's question remained unanswered, the guy was hiding his grinning face behind that screen, trying to avoid my glare.

Seungmin glanced up, feigning innocence. "What? It's not like it's a state secret."

I rubbed the back of my neck and cracked my knuckles, "She never calls me, so I knew something was wrong."

Felix leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "And you rushed home like a knight in shining armor, didn't you?"

"Shut up, Felix," I glared at him. "I did what anyone would do."

"Yeah, right," Han chimed in, nudging I.N. "Our fearless leader, dropping everything for his lady. It's almost romantic."

"Almost?" I.N raised an eyebrow. "I'd say it's pretty damn romantic. Next thing we know, he'll be writing her love letters."

"Or serenading her with his guitar," Lee Know added with a smirk.

"You guys are impossible. It wasn't that dramatic." I grabbed my glass again and chugged down the remaining liquid, coughing lightly. Jack Daniel's is better.

"Sure it wasn't," Felix said, grinning. "Just admit it. You were worried."

"Not worried," I corrected, trying to maintain some dignity. "Just concerned."

"Concerned, worried, same thing," Lee Know said, waving a hand dismissively.

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my cool. "What we do in private doesn't need to be involved in our conversations."

"Right," Changbin interjected, a sly grin on his face. "Because what happens behind closed doors is where the real magic happens, isn't it?"

I rolled my eyes. "You guys have way too much time on your hands"

"Since you're the only married person among us and constantly need advice, it very much is an interesting topic," Seungmin added, glancing over the top of his laptop with a smirk.

Despite their relentless teasing, there was a warmth in their banter that reminded me why these moments felt kind of good. Friends who give you shit and still have your back, they were the best.

Hyunjin clapped me on the back getting up from his spot, “Just remember, if you ever need guidance on how to keep a lady happy, you know where to find me.”

“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass." I kept Aria happy enough— probably not in the best way, but I'd rather step on a thousand Legos than see her that close to him again.

What the fuck. Am I actually jealous?

As I leaned back on the couch, my mind swirled with thoughts. I'm beginning to hate the way I'm starting to feel around Aria. Getting too close to her will only make it harder for both of us when our...deadline reaches.

Which is in exactly seven months from now.

This was a problem. Not just because of the ticking clock on our arrangement, but because I wasn't supposed to feel this way. I shouldn't feel this way. We had a clear line drawn between us. But lately, that line was starting to blur.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair, the weight of my thoughts pressing down on me. Although at the same time, I'm starting to actually like how there's someone to go home to. Unlike last year when my mansion was empty, my housekeeper and butler spent more time there than I did.

It was unsettling how quickly I'd grown used to her laughter echoing through the hallways and her presence filling the emptiness. The way her cheeks swell when she smiles or how good she feels in my arms. And how quickly I'd come to look forward to it.

"We'll figure this out"

"And you won't. You've come this far"

Aria's words replayed in my head again, the way she reassured me. There was a warmth in her voice, a sincerity that cut through my defenses.

She believed in me, in us.

It was more than I ever expected from this arrangement.

I stared at my friends who were engrossed in their own worlds. Min's head glued to his laptop, Hyunjin, Changbin and Lee Know gaming, Felix texting and scrolling his phone while Han and I.N snacking, engaging in a conversation.

And my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. I was used to control, to having everything in its place. But Aria had a way of dismantling my rules without even trying. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time.

Part of me wanted to push her away, like I did with almost everyone except for my parents and my friends. To keep the distance that had always been there. But another part of me, a part I was struggling to ignore, wanted to pull her closer.

I shook my head, trying to clear the fog of confusion. This was a dangerous path. Letting my guard down, letting her in, could only end in heartache.

But as much as I tried to convince myself otherwise, I couldn't deny that she was becoming a part of my life. More than just a contract and a part I wasn't sure I wanted to let go of when the time came.

With the launch and fucking Victor trying to bring me down, my life had become a balancing act on a razor’s edge. Every decision, every move felt more critical than ever. And now, with Aria in the mix, it was getting harder to keep everything on track.

I leaned back on the couch, staring up at the ceiling of Min's living room, the sounds of my friends' laughter fading into the background. The weight of my thoughts pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.

Seven months.

That was all the time I had to figure out if I could let go of the woman who was turning my world upside down, or if I was willing to risk everything for a chance at something real.

"Are sure you want to have your Pre-launch event in this Venue?" The sudden voice felt like a splash of cold water, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What?" My voice got caught in my throat, I turned to see Han, standing next to me scrolling his phone without looking up.

"The venue. Are you sure you wanna have the event there?" He asked arching an eyebrow, removing his eyes from the screen.

"Yeah." I replied, trying to refocus. "This place has the right mix of elegance and exclusivity."

"Cool. I'll email you the details by tomorrow and the guest list?"

"Jane has it set. She should have sent it to you by now" I said, shifting slightly on the plush sofa. Han nodded, his fingers moving swiftly as he made a note.

My father suggested we hold a Pre-launch event to build hype and attract potential investors for the upcoming line. He always had a knack for these things, knowing just when and how to create a buzz.

He also suggested I speak with the event host he has been working with over the years but I knew better to trust Han with my event.

Just at the age of 23, Han managed to host successful events for multiple brands and had quickly built a reputation as the go-to guy for high-profile launches. His attention to detail, coupled with his ability to anticipate what would captivate an audience, made him invaluable.

"Just make sure everything is flawless. No room for errors," I reminded Han, though I knew I didn't need to. His track record spoke for itself.

"Don't worry," Han replied, his tone confident. "I've got everything under control. This is going to be the talk of the town."

I nodded at him and took a moment to look around at the guys. Seungmin, was the tech genius, which makes sense why his penthouse looks more like a micro data center rather than an actual house, who made sure my digital security was airtight and of his other clients as well.

Changbin, lounging comfortably, was the CFO of Tommy Hilfiger, his sharp mind for finance keeping budgets and investments on track. Lee Know involved shaping trends and setting new standards in luxury fashion was the Creative Director of Gucci.

Felix and Hyunjin, the dynamic duo, were renowned models for Louis Vuitton and Versace, while I.N, with his magnetic presence and social media savvy, served as a brand ambassador for Bottega Veneta.

And I, currently am COO but the future CEO of Aurelius.

As the evening sun painted the penthouse in golden hues, the excitement and anticipation among us were palpable for the Pre-launch event. I glanced at my watch, it was almost 5pm, I did kind of promise Aria I'll be home by the evening.

Since I truly suck at telling how I feel, I might as well treat Aria a bit more...nicer, for the remaining six months before we have to part ways. For some damn reason that thought made my heart clench, it was a heavily uncomfortable feeling.

With a sigh, I stood up from the plush sofa, catching the attention of my friends.

Changbin raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Off to be the dutiful husband, Chris?"

I chuckled lightly, rolling my eyes as I straightened my shirt. "Something like that."

"She'll be coming to the party won't she?" Felix asked, sitting down on the couch holding a glass of water. Him, I.N, and Han never drink when it's not a weekend.

"Yes," I tried to keep my tone casual.

"Better watch out," Seungmin who finally laid down his laptop, gestured at Hyunjin, "Or this guy might steal her away again" said with a smirk spread across his face as he poured himself a glass of bourbon.

Hyunjin grinned mischievously. "Like I said, can you blame her? I've got irresistible charm."

The guys chuckled, and I could feel the heat rising to my face. "Don't push your luck," I said, my voice was tinged with annoyance.

"Why not? It's not like it bothers you" He let out deep chuckle, somehow that only irritated me more.

"She's my wife."

The room fell into a silence like a sudden drop in temperature, leaving the air thick and tense. The words slipped out unexpectedly, surprising even myself, the guys exchanged glances, then all their eyes fell on me as I stood their as if I was rooted into the floor.

"About time you admitted that" Lee Know chimed in, clinking his glass with Seungmin, a cocky grin playing on his lips while bringing his glass up.

"Let's not make a big deal out of it." I muttered, slipping my phone and keys into my pocket, I could feel the weight of their scrutiny, their eyes on me like lasers. 

"Too late for that," I.N's amused expression was hard to miss.

I could feel the weight of their gazes, their smirks, and the unspoken words hanging in the air. Their reactions only fueled my desire to get out of here.

"See you guys later." I grabbed the jacket off the couch and headed for the door, their laughter and teasing followed me. But I didn't bother to defend it. I didn't want to defend it.

As I made my way towards the elevator, that same unfamiliar feeling settled in my chest.

The lights flashed as I clicked the key to my Porsche, the engine roared and I swifted into the streets. The sun began descending in the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and yellow, the nightlife beginning to stir as I drove by.

A flower boutique caught my eye as I drove through the bustling streets, I went past it, then without thinking, I U-turned. I pulled up to the curb, parked and stepped out into the setting evening air.

I haven't stopped at a flower shop before, hell I never had a reason to buy flowers in the first place.

The bell above the shop door chimed softly as I entered. The place was surrounded by gorgeous flowers, filling the air with the sweet scent of fresh blooms. A young woman behind the counter looked up, smiling.

"Good evening. How can I help you?"

"Hello. I'm looking for tulips," I said, my voice sounding almost foreign to my ears.

"Of course," She gestured me to a vibrant display of flowers, and there they were, their petals a mix of pinks and purples sitting in delicate glass vases. I stepped closer, the sweet fragrance enveloping me.

She wrapped a neat bouquet of purple tulips delicately and tied it with a satin ribbon as I searched for my wallet.

"Someone must be very special," She commented as she finished wrapping it.

"Yeah," I replied, taking the bouquet, feeling a slight unfamiliar flutter in my chest.

"She is"

I handed a hundred dollar bill, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of it before she quickly composed herself.

"Sorry sir, we can't break a hundred."

I smiled slightly, holding out the bill. "Keep it," I said. "It's a tip." 

Her expression shifted to one of surprise, then gratitude, her cheeks flushing slightly as she accepted the bill. "Thank you," she replied, her voice sincere.

I nodded, barely acknowledging her thanks as I turned my attention back to the bouquet in my hands. The tulips were delicate, almost fragile, their colors vivid against the darkening evening outside.

I walked back to my car and placed the bouquet on the passenger seat, it's soft fragrance mixing with the scent of leather. The city lights flashed past in a blur as I drove home as the flowers rested beside me.

Once I pulled up to the driveway of my mansion, my heart began thundering in my chest like a like a drumbeat echoing through an empty hall.

I took a deep breath and got out of the car grabbing the bouquet, and walked inside, the cool evening air brushing against my skin. The house was quiet, the only sound was my footsteps on the marble floor and the door slowly closing shut behind me.

"Aria?" My voice echoed, bouncing off the walls, only the lights from first floor and the living room were on, Aria was no where to be found until she came out of the guest room holding her tablet.

"Oh Chris, Hey. You're home early."

"Yeah I was with the guys and um," A hand embarassingly went behind my neck while the other came from my back, holding the bouquet.

When the hell did I hide the bouquet behind my back?!

"I got these for you." I handed it to her, my heart racing at the speed of a runaway train.

Aria's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, she just stared at the flowers. Then, a soft smile spread across her face as she took the bouquet from me, her fingers brushing lightly against mine.

"Oh Chris, thank you."

I shifted uncomfortably, not used to these kind of intimate gestures. "You're welcome. I know they're your favorite."

She looked up at me, her eyes shining with genuine appreciation. "They are."

Feeling the awkwardness of the moment, I cleared my throat, it felt like I had a cactus shoved right down it. "I know that we are a bit... complicated"

Dear fucking heaven. Why was talking to my own wife so hard?

Her eyes were glued to me, then fell on the tulips, then back to me. Good God, I might explode here out of sheer discomfort. I felt like a teenager fumbling through his first confession.

"I just wanted to, you know, show that I'm, I don't know. Trying."

She smiled softly, her fingers tracing the petals of the tulips. "I can see that, and it means a lot."

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of relief and tension. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. I'm not exactly Mr. Romantic."

She laughed gently, a sound that was both comforting and nerve-wracking. "I won't. But it's nice to see this side of you."

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to ease the tension in me. "Thanks. Don't expect too much."

She just shook her head, chuckled and walked near the vase that was on our coffee table removing the roses and putting in the tulips. Okay, since when did we have roses in the house?

And that's it?

Whatever. I didn't care. I took a deep breath and walked to her, her presence was genuinely comforting and terrifying at the same time, I started to wonder when did I get so affected by her.

She glanced up from the vase, her expression soft but curious. "Want dinner?"

A knowing worked its way onto my mouth at her question and right as she turned away figuring out my intentions, I grabbed her wrist, pulling her to me and lifted her up on my shoulder.

"CHRIS!"

"Oh yes sweetheart, I do."

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

Taglist: @bowsnbang @bangchannie97lov @hwasmints @laurenalpha123 @mrs-hwangh @greyyeti @sociallyawkward18 @stephanieeeyang @piscesrising01 @jaquisos @de-uns-tempos-pra-ca

If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know <3 (If I missed someone please lmk)

Thank you for reading!

xx,Ivyy

Next Chapter

[dcdreamblog]

for Sandman

i dont Really Know much About You so i dont Really Have much to Ask But i Have 2 Things to Ask

How Does The gas Work and What is It Made Of?

and is It Ture That You Are/Where Made Of sand or am i Thinking Of another Guy?

Sandman: "Unfortunately that one is gonna have to stay a trade secret."

Me: "I figured as much."

S: "Wes originally invented the gas as a weapon of war. Or at least a weapon to soften war."

M: "He tried to sell it to the Defense Department didn't he?"

S: "It was called the Department of War back then, but yes. Obviously the brass didn't want anything to do with it. Or at least they didn't want to use it for peaceful ends." M: "Easier to shoot everybody on the other side when they're all asleep, I suppose." S: "Exactly, so when he started to be haunted by his dreams he already had the mysterious weapon in his back pocket, so to speak. I often wonder if that was fate interceding"

M: "He had a few variations as the war went on though right?" S: "It was our bread and butter."

(He stands up and we walk into an adjoining hall. I am unable to contain an audible gasp as I look upon the entire wall showing a glass case, every variation of the gas gun modeled in perfect display)

S: "The classic sleep gas. Heavy, stuck around the ground. Served as both disorientation and cover. This one was based on Sodium Pentothol" M: "Truth Serum?" S: "People thought so at the time, really its just a strong depressant. It could get people to talk but only real low rent thugs who weren't very attached to the information in the first place"

M: (Looking closer at a plaque) "Nightmare gas?" S: "For when we really wanted to make a point. They'd be out like a light and have the most vivid night terrors of their born days. An overdose would place them in a hellish coma of violent hallucinations. Last resort option, fascists only."

M: "And these boots?" S: "We always kept a panic capsule in the heels of our boots. Click the heels and stomp down HARD and a pressurized burst comes out. Like I said, disorientation and cover all in one."

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

2. (Sandy holds out his arms, clenching it into a fist and I watch him begin to...lose cohesion. Like a rigid sand sculpture beginning to slough off at the behest of merciless gravity. The color of his clothing fades into the brown grit as it falls in a dusty heap in front of him)

S: "Wes was always trying to get the next leg up. He was just some guy with a fancy gadget, some of those bruisers like Captain Nazi kept him up a night"

M: "His journals say he was mostly concerned for you."

S: "I didn't get to read the journals until...until he was already gone..." (Pause) S: "His magnum opus was an experimental silicate gun. Firing a blast of tiny crystalline particles with the spread of a shotgun and the kick of a tank blast. Theoretically it could have been used to conjure crude constructs of sand or glass"

M: "But the test went wrong" S: "Blew up in our faces, I was bombarded with radioactive silicate. I should have been killed but I..." M: "Changed." S: (nods) "I changed. In a massive monster made entirely of sand. I couldn't think. I was just hurt, and angry, and I couldn't hold my body together. Wes sedated me, kept me under lock and key for decades just trying to find a way to help me. He did, eventually, I left just to see the world I had missed."

M: "You didn't think you'd be seeing him for the last time" S: "No. But his funeral called me home. And showed me where I was supposed to be."

[blindbeta]

Hello, I've been looking through all the links in your pinned post, but just to be sure, is it okay if I ask a few questions regarding on 2 of my prominent characters?

1) One of my characters' eyesight had been degrading since they were young, and though they now take special antiobiotics and treatment to prevent further loss of vision, they're only able to perceive shadows, light, and colors (which largely depends on contrast and lighting of the surroundings). Their cane is their main mobility aid in day-to-day life, but when in combat, they use a device similar to the Focus from Horizon: Zero Dawn. Moving targets like enemies or allies are highlighted/outlined with bright colors to indicate where they are, the colors symbolizing who they are. The device is also capable of scanning text or objects and transcribing them in audio form through an earpiece. I've done my best to research how my character's device can be useful for their lifestyle, but not negate or make their blindness an easily bypassed part of their life, but I'd love to hear your thoughts on it.

2) One of my characters has partial blindess caused by a serious injury to the left side of their face. Their injured eye can only perceive some light and shadow, which affects their depth perception quite a bit. Relying on only one eye has caused strain on their uninjured eye, so they have nearsightedness and need glasses to prevent further damage. This character felt more comfortable to write for me because I'm also nearsighted, although to a lesser degree than my character, and my glasses are mostly to protect my eyes from worsening. So far, I've used my own habits and experiences to describe my character's, but since they are partially blind (which they compensate for by memorizing or mapping out their surroundings, training and practice to determine actual distance, and guides (family and close friends)), my own experiences are hardly enough to make my character seem more realistic. I'd like to ask if there are any mistakes I've made with writing them?

For the first one, I suggest adapting already-existing technology, such as the OrCam MyEye or the Sunu Band. OrCam is worn on glasses and is a device that can already detect surroundings and read text. It can also tell you when someone you know is approaching, such as a neighbor whose face the device recognizes. I don’t know how accurate it is, but I find it helpful to acknowledge that some of these gadgets already exist for realism and accuracy. They are not made up devices that might hypothetically help blind people; they are real and usually invented by people in the blind community themselves.

You can explain that you modeled it after the OrCam or it could be a specialized version of it that includes other features. Color coded enemies and teammates also seems plausible considering OrCam’s recognition feature.

Here is a video demonstrating the OrCam My Eye Pro. You can also go to their website here or look them up on YouTube for more videos.

Please note that some of the features can be found elsewhere or replaced with techniques. For example, someone who folds or organizes their money a certain way or uses a money reader probably wouldn’t need the money identification part of the product. Certain people will like certain features more than others, which could also provide characterization.

While this product is not an option for everyone due to the price, it may be accessible in the scenario you described.

You can also avoid negating their blindness by showing how it impacts them in other ways. A few examples may include navigation techniques, lighting preferences, home layout, assistive devices used at home, how they choose to read (audiobooks, trying to find Braille books they like that are actually available), eye strain, sensory issues, stimulation seeking, interactions with the blind community, sports and activities, etc.

Glasses for protection and the other stuff you outlined sounds good to me.

I love that they use a cane during the day, but what about orientation and navigating uneven ground? I ask because the technology you plan to use during combat scenes wouldn’t help with locating uneven ground or steps.

Could they use the cane for navigating in combat?

While on the subject, a Sunu band might also be helpful. It detects objects at and above waist level. However, it is not a replacement for a cane.

As for your second character, eye strain and fatigue are absolutely going to happen as you described. Your character might sometimes cover their injured eye to reduce strain. They may also need more frequent breaks from use of their uninjured eye, such as when reading or doing desk work.

Taking breaks from screens helps. Managing lighting also helps, such as having enough light to avoid strain, although nothing too harsh. For migraines or eye pain, they might carry medication. At home, they can use hot or cold compresses in addition to eye masks to rest their eyes.

So far, what you have described sounds good. Your own experience should be useful in writing this character. However, I also suggest considering how they navigate stairs and uneven ground when walking. Another common obstacle that arises for people with no depth perception is accidentally dropping cups. To circumvent this, it is helpful to use high contrast, avoid glass, and/or intentionally set the cup on the counter before releasing it.

Lastly, I wanted to add that people with partial vision will often be expected or pressured to rely on it. This character might need to self-advocate, as they could still benefit from audio descriptions, screen-readers, and other assistive technology.

If anyone else has ideas, feel free to share in the notes.

Hope this helps.

[coolfire333]

Still thinking about the mercs as parents...I'm being really indulgent and assuming they're all good with kids in their own way, in the sense that they really would love a child of their own (even if they're terrible influences or let their kids do dangerous things) but anyway here's my thoughts on each of them as dads:

Scout: not used to being responsible for someone else since he's everyone's favorite youngest child of 8. He's a bit awkward with it and scared at first but he'll catch on eventually. He's not the best influence though and definitely teaches his kid things that shouldn't be taught to young children. Family means a lot to him considering his own dad left early in his life so he'll always try to be there for his own kid

Soldier: who let this man have a child. He loves his kid with all his heart but he is a terrible influence in the sense that he doesn't understand how fragile children can be until they get older. He tries his best and likes roughhousing and playing strategic games like capture the flag so at least he's fun to be around

Pyro: surprisingly good with kids! He's got a childish whimsy that translates very well into keeping children entertained. He'll probably play pretend with his kid for hours if you let him. He'll teach his kid all about the usefulness and beauty of fire (and probably commit a ton of arson in the process so he's not exactly an ideal role model)

Demoman: very loyal to his family (despite how messed up his backstory with his parents is) so he'd do anything for his child. Not the most attentive dad in the world but he tries his best and would never do anything to hurt his kid. He is very chill and goes with the flow when it comes to parenting. He's fun at parties and would love to pass the time having a drink with his kid on the porch in the evening

Heavy: he grew up with little sisters so he loves kids and pretty much knows exactly what to do. Most responsible merc when it comes to parenting by far. Loves his family so he'd really find it special to have a kid of his own, he'd probably worry a lot but once the initial fears subside he'd be a great dad. If he has flaws it's that he'd very much baby a kid past an age where that'd be appropriate or wanted so that may seem a bit condescending (he's only doing it because he's extremely protective though)

Engineer: he doesn't entirely know what to do at first but he's very genuine about it. Loves helping his kid make things and playing music together. Would totally kill it at a parent-child science fair making all sorts of weird gadgets that do new (and probably terrible) things. He's got a pretty big heart and is generally pretty tolerant of things that other parents would be annoyed with

Medic: who let this man have a child (part 2). Besides the obvious concerns of him using his own kid as a guinea pig for all kinds of weird experiments he'd actually be an ok dad. Very proud of his child and pays very close attention to stuff like growth milestones. Also would totally kill it at a parent-child science fair. Probably helps his kid make all kinds of weird Frankenstein-esque, cobbled-together toys and is very blunt about the whole "circle of life" thing

Sniper: oh man he has no idea how to do this properly, he's just gonna try to remember how his parents raised him and give it his best shot. He's a bit distant but always makes sure to spend quality time with his kid even if he doesn't say much. Probably takes his kid out for archery lessons, just in case his talent runs in the family. He felt awkward growing up (never knew he wasn't actually Australian by birth) so he makes sure to never treat his own child as less-than

Spy: oh boy. Assuming he actually sticks around to raise a child (this time), he'd actually be a decent dad. He definitely overthinks things, is very strict and overprotective, and is kinda a "no fun allowed" type compared to the other mercs in that he wants his kid to have the most normal and safe life possible. Spends time and effort on a good education, especially regarding the finer things in life. He prays that his kid doesn't "end up like him" despite not really elaborating on what he means by that. Overall he doesn't trust himself to raise a child properly but if forced to he's actually more than capable of it

Anyway these are just my thoughts. Again this is probably not the most realistic but I'm oddly optimistic about this kind of thing, plus I think it's interesting and kinda funny tbh imagining how the mercs might be as fathers :)

[hyperch1ptune]

yk i’ve always wanted to do something like this on tumblr,,,in addition w me being extremely fixated to where I have a lot of ideas I wanna infodump about

ULTIMATE FIDGET & DIGIT HEADCANON SHEET LETS GOOO

•••

Overall Info

—

They were both created by Penny, but not just to be extra defensive weapons for W.O.M.P. ; if anything, Penny found it to be a good excuse to add some extra members to the family.

They’re the twins of the family!! (Fidget only being 30 minutes younger technically due to the early testing & waking was done on Digit first)

(Speaking of, once they were tested in a small room for their first 1 on 1 meeting, Fidget introduced himself to Digit using morse code..he was still very unsure which language was his default)

Although they have the data to know every language, some of their mains are as listed: English, Español, Français, Sign language, Morse code, and Binary code.

(They like to scare Nozzaire sometimes with them knowing french)

Aside from most of their traits being taken off by Gadget, they both have they’re own unique personalities that bounce off of each other naturally.

This was given to them via a unique AI chip she created personally; making the robots being able to feel. One chip has much more intense power than the other, making them individual.

She also downloaded them with as much old & recent info she could by the time they were fresh, giving them a mouthful of knowledge all ranging from history to pop culture; a century full at best.

Because of this, they have the mentality of 20 year olds (Ranging from 20 to 25) having them act reasonable when needed, and a little immature when overwhelmed.

Both robots are agender!!

Digit believes since they’re not human they aren’t as deserving of being put under a specific umbrella; even with pronouns given to them.

Fidget also feels they don’t fit under certain categories, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t embrace it. If anything, he’s the most to experiment with different clothing whenever given the chance.

(Attack Of The Killer Bee’s & Help Wanted are good examples)

(This one’s kinda webcomicy implied but idc i’m impatient)

(Don’t mind how it’s mEssy as well)

From the beginning to the end of GATG, their skeleton has been updated CONSTANTLY for some sort of improvement. With extra tweaking being done as well from another character (wink wink), this is what their functions look on the inside for now.

The main middle surface has been heavily influenced from “The Ultimate Weapon”, where the aftermath has left Digit overwhelmed with a system like that overall, while Fidget still thought it was extremely stimulating.

(Digit still finds Fidget really gross for liking to eat)

To replace the stomach, a little storage cabinet was built inside Digit for a much comfortable fit; in addition giving him more room to collect random objects.

Fidget on the other hand got a whole update to the first stomach model; it now consisted of an elastic bag filled with much stronger acid, stronger than a humans at least (Battery acid). The size of it has increased as well, a request from Fidget really so he can spend more time stuffing himself without feeling discomfort.

Cushions are for extra defense around their gadgets & differentiating middle areas.

(The cushions and middle hatches both have separate openings, meaning the cushions can act like “skin” whenever it’s only the hatches open)

(Fidget enjoys having his stomach rubbed because of this)

(It’s also better defense for Digit overall if the cushions so happened to break if the evidence is spiked. 2 layers is honestly like a backup for him)

The smaller storage unit was implemented from “Claw’s Collection”, basically a little area where the gadgetinis can store small objects such as magnets or chip pieces.

The Danger sensor evolved more into a heart chip for them, taken from “No Such Thing As Ghosts”, usually from it intensifying whenever the both of them stumble upon something “frightening” & what not.

The speakers are a way the gadgetinis are able to take in and hear information: from them being hunks of metal to begin with, they don’t exactly have proper ear drums..Fidget experiences a lot of distortion from one of his speakers being loose though.

The Poison/Gas identifier & AI chip’s are just fun additions!! The chips giving the gadgetinis more “realistic” interactions, and the identifier making it more easy to see if something’s been spiked or if the air was being poisoned.

(At least thats a easy way 2 make sure their stoves don’t explode)

They’re body parts consist out of heavy metal, and water proof wire coating. This makes them both bullet proof indestructible to water..they still don’t dare to breathe water in due to the risk of their circuiting inside.

But even with these in mind, they’re still at huge risk if they ever get electrocuted, or overheat. They’re circulating can easily go haywire, and have them be broken for a good while.

They both weight 300 pounds respectively (Fidget only weighing 35 more) from all of the wiring & metal connected,,no way would they weight lightly.

(No way IN HELL am I listing off all of their gadgets,,,they showcase a new one every episode & that’s a whole different list on its own. I can say though all the main apartment’s are in they’re arms, legs, hat, and middle)

•••

Digit

—

To start off, he focuses more on the role of being a robot more intensely than his brother.

Maybe a little too much as well..he’s extremely insecure when it comes to failure or flaws within his work or actions overall.

(He’s the type to sit and ponder on situations that don’t go as good as he hoped; not reacting as intense physically, but would probably stay quiet for a good couple of days until he feel the needs to vent.)

It’s a main reason why he bickers about Fidget & his “human” feelings, a self indulgent problem.

He bases his whole personality off of being servile, so showing or feeling genuine emotion has him think he’s imperfect in some way; easily beating himself over it.

(He’s probably envied another robot & their strengths before.)

Him overthinking about it in general also has him thinking it’s something he shouldn’t be doing, so he usually masks it with a nonchalant, strict, or sarcastic attitude.

With these attitudes he’s started to like the feeling of being praised more often, but he never gets selfish about it..he just gloats a lot.

Even with this in mind, he’s still extremely loyal whenever it comes to anyone in his family.

He cares for all of them an overwhelming amount, and doesn’t back down on cheering up or caring any of his family members. Seeing them happy always put him in a better mood overall.

If ANY of the Brown/Gadget family was put under any danger, he comes quick to serve to destroy anyone and anything putting them in a terrible position.

This makes him a good parental figure at best, having him watch & look over anybody underage and or untrusting for wanting to do something “dangerous”.

Because he’s quick to serve, he never says no to any request he’s given..professionally/forcefully speaking.

If a dumb enough of a request was given to him he’d probably turn it down (Or if it’s just something he’s unable to do)

Even if he keeps himself together, he can be easily more frightened than Fidget if you time it right. He never admits to it even if someone tells him about it.

This also plays into the fact he’s EXTREMELY sensitive to loud noises. Even if he knows it’s coming, it hits him like a truck with how overpowering the echos are in his ears.

This doesn’t mean he doesn’t enjoy metal/rock all that often..preferably nothing heavy, but still “dark” enough on a pop fan’s ear. This is one of those moments where he excuses how loud the music can be.

He gained a small habit of collecting things from the extra storage compartment, usually being specific items every time he’s off collecting.

This hobby is usually kept private, but he doesn’t mind showing Fidget some of the small trinkets he’s collected & infodump about their differences.

He likes to infodump to Fidget about random stuff overall, he really enjoys seeing him getting as intrigued as he is with his own hobbies & interests.

Digit’s a Aroace Homoplatonic (Or however you’d call a aroace gay person,,)

He never truly understands the appeal of love, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t interested in getting in a platonic relationship of any kind.

In addition to him not feeling “attraction” to anyone feminine, he usually gets more intrigued in a person if they were as professional as him so they have something to bond over.

•••

Fidget

—

Fidget on the other hand thrives off of his emotions; he doesn’t think much on profession, & overall he’s just having a fun time!!

It’s strangely beautiful for him to not have anything natural to a human but still feel certain pains, emotions, and strengths as would a human.

He isn’t scared on showing whatever it’s feeling; maybe it being pain, hunger, sadness, excitement, he’s gonna show it one way or another.

He’s also the more dramatic and or teasing character, although it’s all in good fun if he’s poking fun at someone close.

He does get a little insecure about his feelings whenever Digit says something on him being unable to do something, but it’s like a small sting he’d feel for a couple minutes.

He usually processes negative emotions more intensely, making a whole fit during the moment until he eventually gets over it.

This doesn’t mean he isn’t emotional, Fidget is extremely sympathetic & worrisome overall.

Usually his mind goes into areas that’d seem silly to scare himself over, but there are times where he uses those feelings for anything more “heavy”.

His brother is a good example of this, with Fidget feeling terrible over Digit giving himself such a strict mindset for as long as they both could remember.

Speaking of, Digit is a huge role model to Fidget aside from the lieutenant. Most of what he dose he’d always think what Digit would do or say in the situation.

(Mostly it’s just a bunch of funny bits where he’d get reminded of how comedically sarcastic he can be)

This is another reason he feels so awful on him beating on himself over the smallest “flaws”, Fidget doesn’t care how Digit acts because he’s apart of family. No matter how he was he was still going to care for him equally.

He does try & get a little bit out of Digit once in a while, usually starting as a fight & them slowly turning into them both comforting each other.

Fidget is scary good at comforting whenever he isn’t in a panic, maybe it’s just a certain tone he uses, but if he’s trying to cheer someone up their in good hands.

If he is in a panic or rush, it’s gonna be really messy with whatever he says; really it’s him trying to find the right words he can’t see.

(He’s the silly one of the duo! Someone’s gotta do it!)

Fidget’s equally loyal about his family as is Digit, but he dose get a little scared at time of what they may be facing off. Piss him off enough & he’ll get just has defensive IF NOT MORE than his twin.

Even then he’d usually be in the one in the trouble..if he ever needs to save someone outside of the lieutenant or Penny he’s probably getting tricked in some way.

(He’s smart enough to not fully fall into the bait, if anything the idea of someone being used as bait for him makes him mad enough)

Type of guy to enjoy hot temperatures, preferably anything that steams, like a hot towel!

It massages the outer plates of his body, as well making his circits more loose to where he could melt like putty. As he’s said before about steam: “It relaxes him for the whole day” (Help Wanted reference again hi)

Although he enjoys consuming many things, this guys a MAJOR sweet tooth.

Anything sweet, rich, sour, chilled, creamy, milky, choc-y even he easily melts over. He’s the type of guy who could eat a cake whole if he wanted; and given his agility, he very much can.

Because of a specific icon of MAD, he’s got a tad bit of fear for most cats..it melts away once he finds out if a said kitty is nice.

His MAIN fear is anything paranormal

Fidget’s a Pansexual-romantic (or just an asexual pansexual!)

This robot understands love much more than intended, almost anyone appealing enough makes his heart race. But even then if someone outside of his family fed him he’d probably think about that longer than intended..

Even with this being the case, he’s never comfortable with anybody getting close-close with him, he’d be confused either way with him not exactly being equipped for what others find appealing. Just some close cuddling & he’s all good.

•••

don’t mind how this got a lil messy around the end,,,but dAmn was this fun to write

[sniffingcinnamon]

My Splatoon OCs!

Ivy (She/Her) (Neo Agent 3) (14)

Ivy is an amateur engineer who enjoys making gadgets!

Although those gadgets often have exposed wiring & circuitry, meaning that she can't feasibly use any of them outside of the workshop she set up in Alterna.

She always says she'll work on a second model, but it usually never happens.

She's native to the Splatlands.

She's the one who first met Smallfry.

She doesn't have parents, and she's spent most of her life with Smallfry.

She lives in one of the train carriages seen in the character select and tutorial.

She has an active disdain for Grizzco, especially the employees that take active joy in their job.

She got clawed near the end of her one-on-one fight with Mr. Grizz and experiences partial internal fuzzification because of it. (More on that here)

She was on Team Future for the GrandFest.

"Change takes time. And considering my position, I'm going to need a lot of it."

Basil (He/Him) (Agent 5) (14)

Basil is a... historian you could say? He collects ancient human music and attempts to translate it into inklish.

He does this with a group of friends he had before joining the NSS. (I'll talk about them later)

He lives in an apartment in Splatsville with said friends.

He's also native to the Splatlands, but frequently leaves to search other areas of the world.

He found Alterna on his own, and got recruited by the squid sisters and Captain.

The main reason he joined was so he could explore Alterna and look for artifacts. He was later told that this was actually helpful to the NSS' research, so he didn't even need to hide it.

He was on Team Past for the Grandfest.

"I translate ancient music, why wouldn't I pick Team Past?"

Neo (They/Them) (Neo Agent 4) (14)

Neo is mainly just here for their friends and turf war, and not much else.

Neo was one of the inklings who moved to Splatsville after the Finalfest in Splatoon 2.

Funnily enough, the were one of the earliest to hop on the trend, you could say before it even was a trend.

They also live in an apartment in Splatsville, although it's not the same one as Basil's apartment.

They mainly do turf war and ranked to pay the bills, but they used to work at Grizzco until Ivy talked them out of it.

They knew Ivy before the events of ROTM.

They joined the NSS alongside Ivy because they decided to follow cuttlefish together.

Neo was on Team Present for the Grandfest.

No matter what, the only guaranteed time we have is now! I have to make the most of every moment!

+some extra pictures of them

Keep in mind that these are their ages at the time of ROTM, so they're 16 by GrandFest.

Anyways, feel free to send me asks about these guys, I'd love to answer them!