#gt july free day

[awkwardgtace]

Secrets Exposed

Day 31 Free Day. Well I am insane so here's the first one of today's stories. thank you @skmayor for giving me an idea that I wound up wanting to do as both familial gt and romantic gt!

Rhys has a secret his foster parents just saw so he runs

Secrets Exposed

Rhys had to run. If he didn’t get away they’d find out too much and they couldn’t find out any more. His body had started to burn long before he got to the woods. He was going to lose it soon. It would leave everyone upset. No one could know what he really was. They almost caught him, well they did catch him. So he had to get away.

“Rhys stop!” Vitus called. Usually he would stop, but he couldn’t. They would hurt him now. Everyone always hurt him, he didn’t belong. He never belonged.

“Rhys! Let’s go home!” Dabria yelled. She sounded wrong. Her voice was wrong… It was too close. He had to move faster.

Thunder crashed from the sky. The storm would make it easier to lose them. He’d hide, this wasn’t the first time anyone saw exactly what he could do. It was the first time in a foster family. Up until now the other foster parents would just complain about his behavior. Too destructive and always disappearing. It wasn’t on purpose. Sometimes they just made him so angry and then he’d get big… Or they’d make him so scared and he’d get too small.

A branch brushing against his head made him gasp. He was too big again. If he didn’t get smaller it would leave too much of a trail. It was hard to calm himself enough to get small. They would find him, they might hurt him. It almost felt like he’d found a family this time. Brothers, a sister, and parents…

“Rhys, please!” Dabria called again. 

Rhys tripped over his own feet. A scream escaped him as he fell to the ground. It should have been a quick fall and back on his feet, but his power decided to work again. He fell and fell and fell until he landed heavily on the cold dirt. It was hard to push himself up, but when he did he saw the same tree he’d touched towering far overhead. Tears fell from his eyes, he’d been doing so good too.

“Rhys!” Vitus’s shout vibrated his body. If they found him now how would they act? Kill him? Someone else tried once, but they failed. He was lucky it had already hit a point where people thought they were insane. He was just put in the foster system. Thankfully all their claims were ignored.

It felt like a miracle when he was sent to Vitus and Dabria. They introduced him to Felix and Ryder right away… The three of them would be brothers. Then Delphia… She was older than him, but acted like he was the big sibling. It was almost like she knew there was something about him that was different. She would just smile and check on him. Ask him if he was ok, it made him feel wanted.

Another crash of thunder deafened him. Using all the strength he had he pulled himself towards some tree roots. Things were going so well. He fought with Felix sometimes, but it was always fine in the end. Felix even helped him fix clothes he ripped… He helped without asking anything. Even the times it was clearly a tear that didn’t make sense.

More thunder, Rhys whimpered. Ryder would play games with him. Video games and anything he came up with. It was so fun. Ryder had a bunch of fake weapons for them to use, he made a lot of them too. Felix was going to help them make costumes to go to events…

A crash that was too close, one that couldn’t be thunder. Rhys tried to disappear into the tree. Dabria would have him paint with her. They’d spy on the others sometimes too. The best were the times she’d let him grab a snack before dinner. Usually it was when he’d grown that day, it always left him so hungry. Dabria didn’t even care, she would just smile and make him promise not to tell.

A series of crashes that surrounded where he was, they couldn’t find him. Vitus was nice too. At first Rhys thought he was terrifying. Eyes that saw too much, Delphia had them too. It was wrong though, Vitus was nice. He’d help when Rhys struggled with homework, and that was a lot. The few times he broke something Vitus would fix it before anyone else found out.

“Rhys!” Dabria and Vitus called his name at the same time. The loud voices were right around him… Right above him. They’d kill him if they found him. He was small and vulnerable. He held his breath to try and stay hidden. Not a single sound. It would be fine.

“Damn it,” Vitus growled. Rhys almost yelped when a loud slam shook the tree he hid beneath. “Where did he go? His steps stopped here.”

“We’ll find him,” Dabria’s voice was still wrong. Almost… sad. “We’re not letting him run away.”

Rhys hugged himself. They were going to hurt him. If only he hadn’t gotten comfortable. Everyone was supposed to be out. He wasn’t supposed to have anyone else in the house. He wasn’t even supposed to be home. It was the perfect time to just let go a bit, get a little bigger. Just big enough that nothing would break, but he wouldn’t feel tense. It would be obvious when anyone got home and he’d be the right size again.

Another set of crashes near him. Muffled voices and someone running off. Maybe he could wait them out. He closed his eyes. They weren’t supposed to be home. It should have been fine for him to sneak out of his room for a snack. Size didn’t matter when no one was home. He hadn’t calmed down since they said his name… since they saw him.

“Where did you go…?” Vitus mumbled again. A new crash as the man sat on the ground nearby. That didn’t make sense. They should keep looking. If he was alone he could try to get bigger and run. Avoid being big enough to leave tracks… He was stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

A new bang of thunder caught him off guard. A shout left him and the world stopped. Maybe Vitus didn’t hear. Maybe… maybe the thunder was too loud or they’d think it was impossible. He was supposed to be big, not small. A new crash, a crash way too close landed near him. A new scream came out. There wasn’t an escape. Not when the crash came from the hand near him.

Rhys curled up as small as he could. The hand would come in and grab him. Squeeze him until he cried. Then, if he was lucky, he’d get a chance to get big again. A chance to run. Heat from the hand came close, he couldn’t stop his tears as fingers started to close in. If only he wasn’t so stupid.

“Rhys?” Vitus’s voice was quiet. Rhys knew it was a lie. If he answered, the massive fingers would close around him. Squeeze and squeeze and squeeze until- “Are you hurt?”

It had to be a trick. He wouldn’t be stupid again. They would hurt him, kill him… He lost the first family he thought he had in a long time. All because he decided to be home when he let go for once. He should have just run the first time someone caught on. It would be smarter to give up on living with normal people.

“Can you move? Should I grab you? I don’t want to hurt you more if you got hurt.” The steady rumble was cruel. He heard how angry the man was before. The tree shook from his anger. It didn’t matter. A sigh actually blew over him and convinced Rhys to look at the human near him.

It wasn’t what he expected. The green eyes were filled with worry. The white hair had come undone and fell into the mud. Rhys didn’t even realize the rain started. Slowly he looked up, the fingers weren’t prepared to grab him. They gave him a shelter of pale skin as rain pelted it. Keeping him dry.

“Rhys, what’s going on? You can talk to us,” another rumble of the commanding voice. It couldn’t be real. Still Rhys was going to be stupid again. He sat up, only noticing then how bad his ankle hurt. The big worried eyes didn’t move. “I can get Dabria back here. I know she’s easier to talk to.”

It was stupid. Rhys was stupid. Yet he shook his head. He stared at the worried eyes for too long. Nothing changed. Even as the mud grew worse, sticking to the clothes and hair of the normal sized man. It was stupid. Rhys was stupid. Yet he put a single hand on the fingers around him. Yet he pointed to his ankle… Yet he was going to let a giant hand hold him.

“My ankle hurts,” he said. Green eyes went wide. He tensed. It was stupid. Rhys was stupid. He’d get hurt. The one who tried to kill him was nice. Talked him out of a hiding spot. Acted concerned. Then they hurt him. Called him a monster. He’d been lucky.

“Can you walk?” Vitus’s eyes stayed kind. Rhys shook his head. Narrowed eyes before they disappeared. A hand replaced them. It would be like he expected. Rhys was stupid. The hand stopped near him. Warmth radiating, warmth he was tempted to reach for. “Can you climb on my hand? Do I need to pick you up?”

Rhys tried to stand on his feet, falling instead. His ankle hurt too much. He stared at the pale flesh… As big as trees and yet offering a way out. He shouldn’t trust this. It was stupid. If he followed they’d turn on him. He’d be hated, ousted. That was if they didn’t kill him. Yet…

“I can’t stand!” he shouted. It came out like a whine. It wasn’t how he meant it. Yet the hand in front of him was pulled away. The eyes came back to stare at him. His shelter from the rain moved closer. It could crush him.

Instead the fingers currently bigger than him slowly wrapped around him. Gently moving to encompass his tiny form. The warmth was nice and that only made it worse. The pain that would follow would be worse. Except… the pain didn’t come. The fingers stopped, holding him loosely against the palm. That made even less sense.

“I’m going to pick you up, let me know if I’m hurting you.” 

The voice vibrated Rhys again. The fingers around him pushed the strength of the voice into him. He hated this. It was a lie, even if he screamed the gigantic fingers would only get tighter. The loose hold grew tight enough he was pressed firmly into the palm. Slowly, maybe even carefully, the hand turned on its side. Rhys was forced onto a palm through gravity and he wished it worked the other way around.

All the work he put in keeping his tears back died. It didn’t matter. He was too scared to get big. They’d get to do whatever they wanted to him now. As Vitus pulled his hand back Rhys begged for things to move quickly. He expected the rain to pelt his face, but instead a shadow that radiated warmth came from above. Vitus was still protecting him.

It didn’t change anything as the hand holding him left the ground. He was brought up and up and up until the green eyes were in front of him. He couldn’t stop himself from shaking as the fingers holding him down moved. It was almost instinct as he sat up, matching the movement of the uncurling fingers.

“I’m glad we found you,” Vitus said. The expression on his face was soft, but Rhys wouldn’t trust that. “Once we get home and take care of your ankle we’re going to have to talk about this.”

“Wh-what do you mean?” Rhys was trying to sound confident. He was good at lying, pretending it was fine. Acting like he was in pain from a stunt and not being one size too long.

“I mean,” the hand moved until he was in front of a broad chest, “you shouldn’t have felt like you had to run for being different. We’ll figure this out.”

Rhys was moved slowly towards the chest. Plenty of time to try and get away or call out for this to stop. Instead he let it happen. Let Vitus press him over a giant pounding heart. Let his tears fall more as he grabbed the cloth of the man’s shirt. As he buried his face against the giant and wailed. Even if it turned out he was stupid, this would be worth it.

“Vitus!” Dabria’s shout reminded him there wasn’t just one normal person looking for him. He started shaking all over again as the heavy crashes of footsteps came close. When the rain pelting down disappeared, hitting what sounded like an umbrella. “It didn’t look like he’d gone home. What if he doesn’t come back all night? I don’t want to send a search party out if he was scared of us seeing him. I don’t want our son getting hurt out here.”

“It’s ok, he’s right here,” Vitus’s hand moved a bit after the rumble of his voice. Rhys looked up to see ruby eyes staring down at him, shining. Ebony hair sticking out of the tight ponytail it was tied in, that it wasn’t in when he ran. This was stupid. He was going to be killed for sure.

Hands with fingers just as big as the ones around him slipped around him. He was pulled away from the shirt he clung to. The little bit of comfort he found disappeared. It was better, he shouldn’t let himself hope. He tried not to let his fear win as he was brought up and up to her standing height. As she stopped with him near her mouth. As a host of fears he never considered entered his mind… ones that came from movies he saw living with them.

The hand holding him moved and pressed him firmly to her cheek. Salty water landed on him and made him sputter. It tasted weird. He was rocked as a sob escaped Dabria. The pressure behind the hand holding him to her face increased. It scared him, but it wasn’t painful. It was warm and soft… and something he didn’t think could be real.

“Rhys I was so worried,” she sobbed. “I thought you might get hurt out here on your own.”

“I-I… My-my ankle is-” he tried and failed to say. The hand holding him pulled him away from her and in front of her eyes. 

“Your ankle!? What happened? Did you fall? Was it us? I’m so sorry you thought you couldn’t be honest with us. We’ll talk about this when we get home and I’ll make those cookies you love too.”

“I…”

“Dabria,” Vitus’s voice was firm. Too firm. Rhys would be killed now. Dabria’s hands moved again until he was dropped back on Vitus’s palms. He’d die… “Rhys… can you go back to a bigger size? I don’t want us hurting you on the walk back.”

“Why…”

Dabria’s finger tapped his head. He looked at her, finding a warm smile. “Because you’re our son, of course we want you safe.”

“Aren’t you mad at me? I was… I’m a monster.” Fingers curled up around him and he was forced to stare into green eyes.

“No, you aren’t. You’re a child with some special skills. That’s all.”

Rhys’s lip started to quiver. He wouldn’t cry. They had to be lying. The nice room they gave him. The smiles and laughs. The fun adventures. All if it had to be a lie. He wasn’t what they wanted and now they’d make him go away. Just like everyone else. They’d find out the times he broke things were him being big. The times they couldn’t find him were when he was small.

“Liar!” he shouted. The tears fell. He couldn't hold it back anymore. Everyone who found out about him hated him. This couldn’t be the truth. They would hate him and yell at him and send him off again. The anger he was able to build up let him get a bit bigger. Big enough he was taller than the fingers around him.

“Rhys, why would he lie to you? We haven’t done anything to hurt you, have we?” Dabria asked. Her hand came close and, as much as he didn’t mean to, flinched away from her. He got smaller again too. “Oh, sweetheart…”

“Rhys, has someone hurt you because you can do these things?” The fingers curled up, he got smaller again. He was back to smaller than when Vitus picked him up. They’d hurt him soon. The niceness wouldn’t last as they realized what he could do. Despite that, despite his past, he  wanted to trust them. They were so nice before so… so maybe it wouldn’t change.

“The one before you… they said I’m a monster, because I am a mon-” Two massive fingers covered his face. He’d grown again without noticing it. Enough that they only met half his face, his eyes were left clear. Clear enough for two sets of eyes, both burning with anger, to stare into his own.

“Don’t finish that sentence Rhys.” Tears dripped from the ruby eyes. “You aren’t a monster just because you can do something special. There’s nothing wrong with you.”

“We will talk more at home. Once you’ve gotten cleaned up and we’ve taken care of our son’s ankle.” Steely green eyes. “Are you comfortable at this size?” Rhys nodded. “Alright, then let’s head home.”

The hand he was on moved down to Vitus’s chest again. He wasn’t small enough for the fingers to cover him anymore, but leaning against the man’s chest felt nice. He’d forgotten about the rain until Dabria held the umbrella over them. At some point the two had moved beneath the branches. That was probably why Vitus called her name. The steps they took reached him on the hand. It was strange. Rhys had felt steps on the ground before, but not when someone let him lean against them like this. It reassured him.

The entire time Dabria kept glancing his way. It felt nice. Like someone wasn’t seeing anything wrong with him. For the first time in his life he kind of liked being small. Held by people who cared about him… People who saw him as their son… Held safely by parents who wanted him.

The steady beat mixed with steps had his own heart calming down. It started not to feel stupid to try and trust them. Maybe this time it would really be ok. Maybe they could be trusted. He could have parents, brothers, and a sister. Maybe Felix would keep helping fix the clothes that ripped when he changed sizes at the wrong time. Maybe Ryder would keep playing games and they could use his size for them too. Maybe Delphia would actually accept what he was and let him be a big brother in the only way he could.

“Hey Vitus!” someone called just as they left the woods. Rhys tensed, he didn’t want anyone to know about him. About what he could do. Would the people he wanted to trust show him off? Someone else tried to do that once too…

The nerves died when Vitus moved. Turning to face Dabria who had her own palm near her heart. Rhys was nudged off one hand onto the other without a word. He scrambled to face Vitus, curious about the look he shared with Dabria. Then the green eyes were at his level. Warmth was in them.

“I’ll be right back,” Vitus mumbled. 

Before Rhys could think the man’s face came closer and he got a kiss on the top of his head. Vitus had done that to Felix, Ryder, and Delphia a lot. Something Rhys wondered about for a while, but he thought wasn’t for him. He wasn’t important enough to have that bond. Another hand came up to hold him against Dabria as Vitus walked away.

“You know, he’s been wanting to do that,” she whispered. Her voice didn’t vibrate like Vitus's; it was something softer, cooler. “He was worried you weren’t happy with us. You always seemed so nervous. Like you didn’t feel comfortable in your own skin. Maybe he was right. I should probably listen to him more.”

Dabria laughed as they waited for Vitus. They were worried about him. Chased after him when he ran in fear. Kept asking if they were hurting him. It was nothing like he expected. He was positive that if this family learned about him they’d never accept him. They were proving him wrong. 

Vitus was walking back already. Rhys couldn’t tell how much time had passed. Exhaustion hit him, too many size changes too quickly. When Vitus got back he took the umbrella. A soft smile sent down at him as they kept walking. He was so tired.

“...can I…” he started. The idea was stupid. He couldn’t ask them that. They would change how they were treating him.

“What is it? You can ask us anything,” Dabria’s words were so kind. Too kind to doubt.

“Can I call you mom and dad?”

Vitus stopped walking and Dabria followed. Rhys was nervous as the tall man crouched a bit to look at him. A hand came close. He snapped his eyes shut, but a single finger rubbed his head instead.

“Of course you can,” Vitus mumbled. Rhys reached up to grab the finger and hug it to his chest.

“...I’m really tired, can I…” Rhys took a deep breath, “Can I sleep with you tonight? I don’t think I can get big again… I get scared on a bed alone when I’m small.”

Vitus stood back up. Rhys watched his parents, his first parents who liked what he did, share a look. Then smile down at him. It was followed by the two massive heads nodding. He knew tears fell again as soon as their expressions changed. He knew he didn’t need to cry, but this wasn’t how he ever expected this to go. They don’t mind, they still care, and they want him around.

“Thank you,” Rhys mumbled, turning to bury his face in  his mother’s shirt. For the first time in his life he fell asleep around other people without fear he’d wake up the wrong size. His parents didn’t seem to think he had one.

[narrans]

Stellar Allies | Part One

GT July | Stellar Allies | Part One

Words: Studying, Plush, Behemoth, Shipwreck, Alien

Sirens blared all around him. Lights flashed, creating blinding sparks left and right. There was no choice now. The vessel needed to land – and now. The controls and steering mechanisms groaned and tugged against his grip.

This landing wasn’t going to be pretty.

“Just another mission. In and out. Routine. Yeah, routine my juthez! Make contact with the team. It’ll be easy. Communication breakdown is common. Juthez! This is bad!” These thoughts wouldn’t do any of them any good now.

With all his might, he threw himself backwards and attempted to level off the ship, but the damage along the edges of the wings was irreparable. Whatever had hit them knew exactly how to incapacitate their ship to force a landing.

“It’s no use!” the captain pathed. “Get to the escape pods! Coordinates have been sent. Go!”

“Captain!” The second-in-command was shot a single look, which silenced her. The captain leaned over and tapped a few lights on the console, giving the ensign a determined look.

“You heard the order. Get to the pods. I’ll be close behind. Go!”

Relinquishing the controls was the most difficult thing he’d ever done, but it was the captain’s orders and the longer he waited the less of a chance the captain would have to get out safely.

“See you soon, captain,” the ensign pathed as he slid out from the chair and ran to the escape pods. It took only two seconds to slide on the emergency suit, even though it felt like an eternity, and the ensign slid into the pod, slamming it shut behind him. The other places were vacant, showing the other members of the crew had already ejected.

He was the last one other than the captain.

Leaning back and scanning in, the pod rumbled around him before ejecting. The space craft was igniting rapidly from what little the ensign could see as he sped off through the atmosphere and to the ground far below. The wings broke off. The shields were obviously failing. The ensign watched with wide-eyed horror as the ship continued to burn up as it entered the atmosphere.

Something broke free from the ship. Was it the other escape pod? Was it just more debris? There wasn’t time to think about it as the ensign’s escape pod clipped something else, making it spin and spiral.

The ground far below was spinning out of control. Everything was blurring. Nausea swelled inside him. As the pod entered the atmosphere, the ensign blacked out, hoping beyond hope that his pod would arrive at the same emergency destination as the others after hitting some unknown thing in orbit and not somewhere completely off course.

How quickly those hopes would be dashed….

~~~^*^*^~~~

Space. An unlimited source of curiosity. The ever expanding abyss that exists all around us. It is the Dark Forest. It is the potential for greatness. It is the terror of the unknown.

It was here that Clifford Neilson found his true fascination. He had been studying it for years. Well, he and his best friend Jaxon Warner. Both boys were obsessed with the idea of going into space. They stared up at the Nevada sky for hours upon hours once it was supposed to be lights out for bedtime just to gaze at the night sky. They’d memorized the constellations and made their own telescopes before their parents bought them each one for their thirteenth birthdays.

Their love of science and the enjoyment of many of the same media forms made them best friends from early on in their lives. They were inseparable from day one of elementary school and they were still so in the summer before their first year of high school.

So, as they gazed up at the summer sky admiring the view, they naturally were in contact with one another. It was the time for the Perseids Meteor Showers, and naturally both boys were glued to their windows. As a massive streak lit up the sky, Clifford reached over toward his desk and fumbled for his walkie-talkie.

“Cliff to Jax. Cliff to Jax. Do you copy?” hissed Cliff into his walkie. The mechanical button clicked under the pressure of his fingers and a light static filled the air by his ear. There was a click and the sound of jostling on the other end of the line before his best friend’s voice filled the air.

“Jax to Cliff. I read you buddy. Did you see the tail on that last one?” asked Jax. “And don’t forget to say ‘over’ when you’re done talking. Over.” Cliff rolled his eyes, which almost made him miss the next shooting star, as he clicked the button onto his walkie again.

“Copy, and I definitely did see it. I can’t believe how many we’re getting tonight. And don’t you lecture me about radio etiquette. I’m the one who taught you about using ‘over.’ Over.” Cliff’s elbows ached as he continued to lean against them as he absorbed the sky above him. The billions of twinkling lights above him was absolutely mesmerizing. He already knew he’d be asking for an astrophotography set that was compatible with his telescope for his next birthday.

“Hahaha sure buddy. Big ole’ 10-4 on that. Anyway, you logging all of these? I’m trying to guestimate the length of the tails and approximate where they’d land if they collided with earth. Over,” Jax replied. His mocking laugh on the other side of the line would have gotten under Cliff’s skin if not for the next series of massive meteors falling from the sky making beautiful arcs as they burned up in the atmosphere.

“I haven’t actually. That’s a good idea though. We’ve got some record breakers tonight,” muttered Cliff, mouth agape as he stared up. A twinge in his neck as he craned it backward to keep a full view of the sky made him groan. He pulled his eyes from the sky to try and massage the area.

“You okay dude? Over?” asked Jax. Cliff glanced down at his radio and noticed he hadn’t fully released the “talk” button. Jax probably just heard a garbled moan from his side of the radio. Leave it to a friend to call me out on this stuff Cliff thought.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry. Just a tweak in my neck. Didn’t mean to cut out on you. Over,” replied Cliff. He heard his friend scoff over the line and, before he even said anything, Cliff already knew what Jax was going to say.

“From looking up? Shouldn’t you be used to that since you’re always looking up? Over,” stated Jax. Cliff felt himself shaking his head and laughing silently as he understood his friend’s meaning; and it wasn’t just a looking up at space joke. Cliff had achondroplasia, so he was usually looking up at the people around him. It was said in jest and meant as a joke between them, along with the frequent joke of, “You’ll always look up to me,” stupidness, but it still made Cliff smile.

Jax was one of his only friends who didn’t treat him any differently than anyone else, and the jokes that he made were ones Cliff genuinely thought were amusing. He rolled his eyes and clicked his button again.

“Yeah, ya’ big oaf. I can only imagine how your neck must feel. Do giants have neck problems? Over,” grinned Jax.

“Naw, man. It’s in the knees. Always in that deep squat to talk to everyone. Gotta get that replaced. Know any good doctors? Over,” asked Jax. Cliff opened his mouth to retort when a massive streak ignited the sky. All words abandoned him as he gazed up at the dazzling lights. “Woah! Man! Are you seeing this? Over!”

“Yeah,” he mumbled, mind barely registering that he had squeezed the “talk” button as he watched the tail ignite the sky. Cliff’s eyes fixated on the meteor, but then something caught his eye. There was something about how it was breaking apart that didn’t seem like a normal meteor.

Thinking fast, Cliff redirected his telescope to the sky and the place where he could see the tail. He had just gotten it in his sights when he saw seven different pieces break off one by one. What was interesting was the fact each one of the pieces broke off separately with little bursts, each propelling it away from the main body. It was a behemoth of a meteor, at least for average size measures, and was sure to make the news the next day.

Cliff nearly continued tracking along the main body of the meteor but paused when one of those fragments broke off and, to his sheer excitement, saw it hurdling toward him. He pried himself away from his telescope and looked back out the window eagerly, heart pounding a hole right through him.

Sure enough. The piece he saw before looked like it had broken off and was arcing right for the ground and, if he was right, it was probably going to land close. Cliff watched with baited breath as the larger mass continued toward the ground far to the north while the smaller fragment he spotted spiraled and crashed. The teen boy was practically throwing himself against the window as he realized where the meteorite had impacted.

“My dude! Did you see that? Did you see it! It landed! We’ve got a meteorite in the fields! It’s in the park! It’s gotta be!” Cliff was sprinting around his room pulling on a jacket and his science bag while shoving his radio clip through the side pocket. He was pulling on his headphones when he heard Jax’s reply.

“I know! I know! And you didn’t say over! Over!” Jax said. From the rustling sounds Cliff heard in the background, he guessed his friend was also pulling on his clothes.

“I’m on my way down the block. Meet me there on your bike. We’re going after it! Over!” hissed Cliff eagerly. Despite his excitement, the teenager was able to slip out of his childhood home past his parents’ room without issue and, within a minute, was on his Joni peddling his heart out.

He beat Jax by only a few seconds as the two boys turned their attention to the fields that led to the national park right across the way. Both boys gazed in the direction they saw the crash and grinned at one another eagerly.

“You think we can actually make it?” asked Jax. “Before anyone else I mean. I can’t imagine we’re the only ones who saw that.”

“Only one way to find out. It’s probably a few miles in. Fastest peddling will get us there in fifteen to twenty minutes if we’re really going at it,” estimated Cliff. Jax grinned and pushed his unruly hair out of his eyes and under the rim of his helmet.

“Then we’d better get moving,” he said firmly.

Determination and excitement fueled the two boys as they turned their bikes to the swath of desert that lay in front of them. The terrain was tricky and navigating in the dark was also a bit of a beast. These boys, however, were undeterred. With their monochromatic lights geared for seeing in the dark and their knowledge of the terrain, their adventure felt short lived despite nearly thirty minutes passing since they’d left the safety of their home to charge out into the midnight lit desert.

Jax and Cliff both huffed and puffed as they pushed their bikes up the final part of the hill. The entire way, the smell of burning stone filled their nostrils. They knew they were close, and they had the right gear for the job. They’d done their research and had several of the essentials including gloves, tongs, aluminum foil, and even multiple containers to put it in. They’d figure out how to divide it up later.

As they crested over the hill, they saw it – a small crater. It wasn’t very big, but neither of them expected something massive. It was just a meteorite fragment after all. The bigger piece was far to the north, and it was way too far away for them to go after tonight. This piece, however, was going to be perfect for the aspiring astronauts.

“Almost… there,” puffed Jax. He hopped back on his bike and rode the hill all the way back down. Cliff did the same. The bumpy terrain shook Cliff up one side and down the other, but he didn’t care. This was going to be his first adventure harvesting a meteorite. The first of many if he had anything to say about it.

Cliff was trembling with excitement as he and his friend abandoned their bicycles a few hundred feet away from the flickering, fiery mess burning in the ground.

“Safety first,” Cliff instructed as he pulled off his backpack and put on a filtered face mask that he’d used for chemistry class. Jax did the same before handing Cliff a pair of heat resistant gloves.

“Nice and careful. You get the aluminum foil and I’ll get the tongs,” directed Jax.

“Hey!”

“I’m only saying that because my arms are longer. I don’t want to get too close to the fire. You should be happy you get to hold it first,” Jax pointed out. Cliff rolled his eyes, wanting to be the one to use the tongs, but relented with the alternative of being the first between them to hold a meteorite.

“Got it. Ready?”

“Ready.”

They crouched and cautiously stepped forward. The ground crunched under their shoes as they crouched and inched their way closer and closer to the burning place on the ground. Thankfully, nothing nearby was burning to create a dangerous fire.

Their hearts were hammering faster and faster, both glancing nervously at one another as they approached their target. Cliff wondered what the texture was going to be like. Was it going to be rough or smooth? Would it have ridges or be like an ocean smoothed stone? There were so many different reports of what it could be like.

But, as they approached, the boys began to notice some irregularities. For one, there wasn’t a distinct crater. There were skid marks that were parallel that looked more like that of a docking boat in sand and stone. Jax glanced back at Cliff, who noticed his friend looked just as confused as he felt.

Neither spoke and continued to approach. Cliff felt his hands starting to get cold and clammy within the protective gloves he had on. The hair on the back of his neck began to stand on end, and there was something unsettling in the air. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but there was something off about this area.

Now nearly thirty feet away, they could better see their target, and it made them stop in their tracks. What they expected was a hunk of rock from space, but what they saw was far from that ideal image.

The parallel skid marks didn’t lead to a rock, but a cylindrical tube that was the color of liquid mercury. Something was hissing and whatever it was looked a bit banged up, dents creating odd imperfections in the surface making it look like scuffed silverware. Jax turned around to look at Cliff, mouthing “what on earth” before looking back at the tube.

For a moment, Cliff contemplated turning back or getting Jax’s attention to plan a new strategy, but he knew his curiosity would always get the better of him and already he and his best friend were stepping cautiously forward toward the metallic cylinder. The hissing was starting to subside and, now that they were closer, they could see that it was hissing because there was a small section that was open along the side.

Jax crouched down and, like a military sergeant, he held up his hand with a closed fist, signaling that they should stop. He turned and, in a hushed voice, asked, “Do you see this? It looks like a shipwreck.”

“Yeah. It does,” muttered Cliff as he inched forward toward his friend. “Should we get closer?”

“I mean, I think so. I’m just worried about the hissing and stuff. Like, what is it putting in the air?” asked Jax. Cliff glanced around at the smoldering brush nearby and the tiny flames that hadn’t extinguished yet.

“Well, it’s probably not toxic. Look,” he said as he pointed to the fire. “The flames are still orange. If there were other chemicals in the air, the fire would probably change color.” Jax gave his friend a disbelieving look, actually swinging his head over to stare at his friend before fixing his eyes back on the flames.

“That’s only a little reassuring. There’s a million other explanations for that,” Jax pointed out.

“I know, but it’s what we’ve got. We’re either turning back or investigating. So? Which is it?” The ultimatum made the decision an obvious one. Swallowing dryly, the boys inched forward once again, this time with the intention of moving forward.

Both of them were quaking in their shoes as they were now close enough to glimpse inside the small section of the metal cylinder. Just inside, they could barely make out what looked like some kind of odd plush made of a reflective leather. Tongs in hand, Jax’s trembling hands reached forward and nudged the slit in the metal cylinder open.

The hatch clicked and hissed again as it slid open, parts of it grinding as it clicked open and revealed what was inside. The boys’ jaws went slack as the realization hit them. Neither could tear their eyes away from the sight.

It was an alien. A real alien.

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

Continue

~~~~~^*^*^*^*^~~~~~

@gianttol #gtjuly #gtjuly2024

[mouzeinsoup]

aand day 31: (free day)

gt july has been completed!

big thank you to everyone who enjoyed my work, I love you all 🫶

[blametheeditor]

Day 24 | Western

Gt July Prompt List

First | Previous | Next

When stranded on an uncharted underwater planet, alone and surrounded by hostile lifeforms, there are only two possible outcomes: adapt and survive, or die trying.

Spoilers: For the game Subnautica

Content Warnings: Cursing. Mentions of death and violence. Mentions of drowning and suffocation. Referring to someone as 'it'. Mentions of dehumanization, experimenting on people. Being held against someone's will.

________________________

David didn’t like this whole ‘island exploration’ in the slightest. 

But does anyone ever listen to him? No. Because if they did, they never would’ve lost Fritz and Scott. Vincent would never have panicked when he realized that’s exactly what happened and had them swim around the entire rock. Never would’ve realized there was another leviathan lying on a beach where certain vulnerable humans could’ve ended up. 

But they hadn’t, so here they are. Humanless, with an angry Vincent yanking a leviathan David has never seen before out into the open water.

Despite their size, it’s clear the leviathan isn’t a real one. There’s no wings on their back, yet they’re transparent like a ghost. There’s tentacles reminiscent of a dragon, but it’s the wrong color with absolutely no glowing scales. David doesn’t know whether to feel offended there’s nothing reminiscent of a reaper, or glad the abomination can’t try and claim to be one. 

It can certainly try and claim to be human, though. No horn on the face. No scales along the back or arms. Eyes that have pupils instead of being one solid color. 

If all of that wasn’t bad enough, even though he’s never seen this abhorrent imposter, Vincent certainly has. 

The ghost can’t deny it when the first reaction is to smile when they see their attacker and yell “Vincent!” 

Before Vincent can give a response, this thing lunging toward the ghost and sending both of them tumbling through the water. By the end of it Vincent’s tail is wrapped in the tentacles much like a certain dragon does to gain the upper hand. 

David’s too stunned to do anything but watch. Stares at the fact that while Vincent’s angry, he’s not panicked. Almost seems like he was expecting this. Including the part where the leviathan, abomination, whatever it is plaster’s itself to the ghost’s back to keep from getting shoved away. Wraps an arm around Vincent’s throat with a victorious smile. 

The realization of that being a move to kill finally breaks David from his daze. Starts to swim forward to rip them to shreds when a purple hand taps at the arm. “’Mike’, gills.” 

“’Shit’ sorry,” is apologized not in leviathan, but in the human’s language. Said at the same time Vincent’s quickly freed. 

What. Is. Happening. 

David’s want to demand an explanation is stopped by the familiar sound of something falling into water. Looks above him to see Scott swimming forward. Hates to admit he’s relieved to see the human he’s not incredibly fond of alive. If that one’s alive, that means Fritz is too, only reason. 

There’s fear in the miniscule face until it spots him and relief appears. “Vincent?” 

A hand gestures to where said ghost has his hands full. “Fritz?” 

“Up there,” is all he’s given before the miniscule thing turns his back and swims toward the surface. 

The overwhelming need to protect the humans who had left them and appeared in the same spot some thing was has David slowly move toward the surface as well. Watches as Scott gestures at something he can’t see. Growls lowly when Fritz doesn’t jump into the water. 

Reaching up, he gently pinches the human’s leg between his first finger and thumb. Carefully drags Scott under. Raises an eyebrow at that frantic movements to try and escape. “David, no, please! ’Let’ me go!” 

“Calm down,” he huffs as he frees the struggling thing in order to cup his hand around the tiny figure. Pins Scott to his palm with a single thumb. “I know what I’m doing.” 

And just to prove it, something else jumps into the water not even a second later. Something with bright red hair. 

David smiles as he reaches forward to grab Fritz, intending on never letting the guppy go ever again. But he freezes when there’s yet another splash. Narrows his eyes as he tries to figure out what it could possibly be. Attempts to explain away the two fins, the suit exactly like the one’s Scott and Fritz wear. But he can’t. There’s no denying it’s an unfamiliar human swimming above. Because of course it is. 

He comes to a decision of what he should do with them the moment it’s realized what exactly was waiting in the water. It’s too late for the third figure to swim away as David lifts his hand above the surface in order to carefully cup it around both humans, bringing them down to where Scott hasn’t stopped his struggling once, the force of being pulled deeper keeping them in place against his palm. Once his hands are together, he pins them all down. 

Now none of them will be idiots and get themselves killed. 

“N-N-No!” 

“David wait!” 

“Okay,” the reaper forces out, trying and failing to keep the glare off his face at the pain of speaking the odd, gravely language. Hoping to come off as comforting, especially with Scott acting like he’s killing them. “You’re okay, I won’t hurt you, calm down.” 

“Calm down!” Scott shouts. “Calm down! ‘Let’ us go and we won’t need to calm down!” 

“And let you get eaten?” David growls. “Not happening, you’ll thank me later.” 

“Like ’hell’ I will!” 

He ignores the yelling to focus back on Vincent, glad he can finally focus on what’s really bothering him. 

“So,” the reaper calls to gain the ghost’s attention, uncaring that he’s interrupted a heated discussion between the two. “Would you like to explain yourself, Vincent?” 

The purple leviathan has the audacity to look annoyed. “About what?” 

“Oh I don’t know, how about whatever that is?” 

That suddenly flashes David a smile. “My name’s ‘Mike’. Nice to meet you, ‘douche bag’.” 

A couple things. It can apparently understand him, it speaks human, and it’s using words Fritz has never used before. Claimed one of them as a name instead of giving one in leviathan. 

This thing is human. 

“Vincent?” 

The ghost hesitates when it hears the terror David’s trying his hardest to hide. Because how can a human be their size. How did it get tentacles. How long has Vincent known about this and never told him. 

Who was used to make something like this? How close was Vincent to being killed and becoming part of it? Could Fritz have been turned into this abomination if he stumbled into something he shouldn’t have? 

Will it all be starting again? 

“He was built, David,” Vincent murmurs. “I saw the whole thing. He’s not what you think he is.” 

David looks over at Mike. He’s only stared back at. 

There’s a bubble in his throat as he tries to speak. “When.” 

“When I was.” 

...so it’s not starting again. Mike isn’t new. Just new to David. 

His anger rises at the reminder this had been hidden from him. From everyone. Tenses when he feels something tap his finger. 

A soft voice saying ‘air’ has him obediently lifting his hands to the surface. He keeps the three in hand, refusing to let any of them go despite the pleading shoves. He can’t trust anyone but himself right now, in more ways than one. 

The distinct feeling of Fritz punching his palm has him lowering them back down to hold protectively close. Ignores a second punch from who he assumes to be Scott. 

“Mike’s a terrible name,” David finally glares. 

He’s given a wide smile. “Agreed.” 

The reaper growls. “David.” 

“I kind of liked ‘douche bag’ more.” 

Vincent chuckles, and David realizes he’s being made fun of. Looks down at Fritz because he clearly can’t rely on the ghost anymore. “What did he call me?” 

Instead of being given the information needed, the tiny thing suddenly looks nervous. “Um...” 

Scott suddenly kicks at the nearest finger. “It’s a ‘curse’ word.” 

“A what?” 

“’Curse’. Words used to insult someone. ‘Slang’. ‘Expletives’. Take your ‘pick’.” 

He’s going with the insult one and not because that’s the only thing he understood. Turns back to Mike with a scowl. “If I’m that then what do I get to call you?” 

Apparently that was the worst thing he could’ve said despite having been sure it was going to be taken as a proper challenge. Though, in hindsight, maybe it is better the abomination didn’t chase him. Not with his literal hands full. 

He would’ve preferred taking the chance of loosing a human or two over Mike assuming they’re becoming friends, the smile saying this is entertaining rather than annoying. “How about ‘dumbass’?” 

“Great, we’re ‘westernizing an unchartered’ ocean ‘planet’.” 

See, this is why he doesn’t like Scott. At least Fritz knows not to comment and distract him when he’s trying to deal with an apparent ‘dumbass’. Makes sure to use words he understands when he does interrupt. 

“Am I still in hot water?” Vincent asks. 

David fixes the ghost with a long stare. Upset he wasn’t told about something as serious as this. Angry he let himself get tangled up in this mess. Frustrated he’s still being treated like a guppy. Terrified at the thought of there being other secrets that haven’t been shared. 

“Scott’s mine now.” 

“What did you say!” 

The ghost tries to hide his panic with a smirk. “Until we get back to the shallows?” 

“Nope, full time.” 

Vincent sputters. “That’s just cruel, you can’t punish me like that!” 

David betrays no emotion as he looks down at Scott struggling again. Spots the new human he had completely forgotten about. Earns a squeak that sounds exactly like a peeper when he focuses on them. 

“I’m keeping the third human, too.” 

Mike’s snickers turn into a double take as his eyes widen, meaning David’s guess of who they belonged to a correct one. “Not ‘Jer’!” 

“Not ‘Jer’ wh-wh-what!” 

David doesn’t respond as he turns to swim around the island, not bothering to look behind him to see if the two were following. It takes a moment to spot Fritz’s metal fish, but when he does he snatches it between his mandibles without slowing down. Starts the long swim back to his territory as he keeps an ear out if there’s a need for air. 

The faster they’re back in the shallows, the better. Vincent has a lot of explaining to do. 

[avareiahgt]

Feeling like I was spying a private moment as I was writing it. Sorry for the poor quality since i made it half at work and half at doctor's appointment on my mobile phone.

Hope you will like my boys!

_______________________________________

GT JULY PROMPTS 2024

DAY 3: PLUSH

As a family, we didn't have something like "movie night" or so, but our rituals were as well as unmoveable. It was, if any member of the family was watching a movie, whatever movie it was, every other member that crossed that room would stare at the TV for a moment, put an end to everything they were doing at the moment and sit down to watch it. It didn't matter if the movie had just started a minute ago or if it was three minutes away from the end. We would just sit there and watch it.

Well, I was the one watching the movie this time. An adventurous one I found some time ago but wasn't in the mood to give it a try. My favourite spot was on the top of the right cushion, exactly on the end of the couch and next to my dad's airchair.

My small form was relaxing on the dark red cushion but couldn't keep my eyes on the screen as I heard the sound of feet, as little as mine, over my head.

I looked up just in time to see an unusual shrank Jamie throwing himself down from the railing of the wooden platform that crossed the living room -and the whole house-.

Time seemed to slow down itself as he smirked in the middle air while free falling only to grow full at once, in the exact position to avoid crushing me but landing a few inches next to me.

I contemplated his enormous chest as I was pushed so high with a scream burning up my lungs until it burst out from my mouth. I flew and, for a second, I stood at Jamie's eyes height, looking at me while maliciously smiling. Then, gravity reclaimed me and I started my way down.

I thought my brother's hand was on its way to save me, but I expected too much. I hit the cushion face first and was about to squeak from pain but I stopped myself at the last second. The fall on the cushion. It wasn't painful. Quite scary, but the material was so well done that it felt like a plushie or landing on a stuffed animal.

Right there I understood why Jamie didn't even bother to keep me from getting scrambled.

-What are you watching?- he inquired as if nothing had just happened.

I pushed my head up and found his hand ready to surround me. His massive fingers held me as I was being moved into a sitting position again, this time resting my spine on his chest like a backrest.

I hugged a finger on my lap and we quietly stayed there while I i was trying my best to remember the film's title.

[neonthewrite]

Orange You Glad

(I can't think of another title now that that one's in my head, sorry not sorry)

Day 5 of GT July is "Caught" and well, I'm back with Borrower!Chase. It was only a matter of time, honestly. Hope you enjoy reading how Caught might apply to the tiny king of impulsive idiots.

Forbidden Fruit Snacks | Fried Potatoes | Minnie’s Supply Run | Nailed It

~~~

Chase’s failure to secure snacks on the counter was two days ago. In that time, he and Minnie had managed one supply run to the cabinets, specifically the ones over the fridge where the human kept things like rice and oats and other long-lasting bulk items. Essentials, certainly, but quite safe and worst of all, plain. There was no glory, no finesse to those ones.

Minnie always pointed out that they didn’t need anything fancy, and they didn’t need some daring story to come with every supply run. But lately she said it with a faint smirk and a subtle nod to the spoils of her most recent escapades on her own, the chocolate caramel that Chase knew had come with some kind of intense adventure she refused to tell him. The trouble with the two of them living in secret was that no one else could witness their shenanigans. So whatever they got up to on their own stayed with them unless they deigned to talk about it. Minnie never wanted to share her adventures, no matter how Chase tried to wear down her resolve.

To that end, he was back in the kitchen with the aim to outdo her. Not knowing what exactly she’d done, he simply aimed big and would go from there. Chase Lisong could not let his baby sister outmaneuver him.

Some fresh produce ought to quiet her down for a while. At least, that’s what he told himself as he surveyed the plastic mesh bag of tangerines pushed against the back of the counter near the fridge. Their resident human didn’t bring those home very often, but with the warmer weather outside they would be a refreshing change of pace. The air conditioning wasn’t designed to cool their home in the walls, and things could get stuffy in there.

Chase’s only roadblock now was to get one of the darn things into the walls. They’d be able to fit into his door behind the toaster (he was about 80 percent sure). Their round shape would make them easy to move, no matter that most of them came up to his chest.

He hadn’t accounted for one thing, though. The mesh bag. It didn’t have an opening like most other bags; it was stapled over with a brightly colored flap of plastic with the branding and nutrition labels on it. The human hadn’t opened up the bag yet, which usually meant something was entirely off limits to them. They couldn’t risk him suspecting anything. But if Chase could figure out how to undo just one of those staples, well, it would simply look like the bag had torn.

 No suspicion, plenty of risk, and an incredibly good reward. It was the perfect mission. “Top that, baby sister,” he muttered as he strode over to the stapled part of the bag.

Their human was out for the day. He had a pretty good routine during the week. He had work, or maybe classes, that kept him out of the house all morning and into part of the afternoon. There was so much time to make this happen, and Chase dove into the task with a healthy amount of optimism.

~~~

“Come on, you stupid…!” Chase muttered, straining at the mesh. He’d managed to free a couple inches or so from the stapled plastic flap. His hands ached from tugging on the thin plastic for so long, but he was so close. One more bit of that grid free of the staple and he’d probably be able to get one of those stupid oranges out.

“Eyes on the prize. Eyes on the prize.”

A bit more of the mesh slipped free, and Chase pumped both fists in the air. He wasn’t done with his task by half, but he couldn’t help the relief of getting past the hard part. Chase massaged his palms with his thumbs, but even that soreness couldn’t dampen his spirits.

Moments later, he ducked a bit to clamber into the mesh, watching his steps so as not to tangle his feet. Once he was in among the oranges, he scanned the pile for the smallest one he could easily see. They didn’t need too much, and besides he wanted to make the next task as easy as he could on himself.

The modest pile of fruit, altogether, was bigger than their house in the walls. Chase spotted one about halfway up the pile that could only be two inches across. Quite big to him still, but definitely simple enough to move, and an easy climb besides. Even with the mesh bag restricting some of his movement, he scrambled up to it fairly easily.

Giving it a shove, Chase discovered that it wasn’t as easy to move as he anticipated. He and Minnie had found themselves with a lot more strength than they’d ever expected relative to their size. If they were still human, they’d definitely be able to push furniture around a lot easier than anyone might expect out of a pair of petite siblings. Moving the oranges around shouldn’t be an issue.

This one was a little more stuck among its fellows than Chase anticipated. After setting his sights on it, though, he wasn’t about to take no for an answer. “Come on, Chase,” he muttered to himself. “Minnie’s face, shocked at your audacity. You can manage that.”

He gave the orange another shove, and it shifted. One shove more and it was free of the pile, spilling right towards the opening he’d worked so hard to make. It’d be perfect if it didn’t also come with a small avalanche of oranges that Chase couldn’t quite dodge. With a yelp, Chase tumbled to the countertop, plastic mesh beneath him and the inexorable weight of several tangerines on top of him. He could barely push himself up on his arms to survey the situation.

This sucked. It didn’t hurt, but Chase couldn’t really move. In front of him, the red mesh taunted him with how close he was to freedom. He glared at the orange he’d pushed free as if it had personally betrayed him rather than the simple force of gravity collecting on his hubris.

And then, just when Chase was about to think to himself that it could be worse, the apartment door opened.

“You gotta be shitting me,” Chase grumbled as the undeniable sound of their human coming home echoed from just the other room. Keys clattered onto the side table. A plastic bag of something dropped to the floor. The lock slid shut. All normal sounds that Chase did not want to hear while he was trapped in a mesh bag under a bunch of oranges.

He squirmed with renewed energy, shifting his legs to free them from under the fruit. He didn’t have a lot of time. Glancing back, he managed to maneuver himself in a way to get mostly unstuck. He wriggled free, tiny inch by tiny inch, until his back was pressed into the mesh and his legs were no longer weighed down at last.

Hell yeah! He thought to himself. With that optimistic thought ringing in his head, he glanced over his shoulder.

And found a tall human standing in the kitchen doorway, staring right at him.

[reborrowing]

siblings and secrets (Stranger Swap)

For GT July - Secret

I live on the west coast! I have 15 minutes left of day three!!

Hollow secretly checks in on his outcast younger sibling when he has the chance and finds out Val has been keeping a much more dangerous, exotic secret from the local borrower colony. Word Count: ~1800 content warning for fear and hand stabbing, I guess. Stranger Swap main post

Hollow snuck along the attic rafters to the far east end of the apartment complex. Whenever he was supposed to go out and meet with traders, he got up early to run this errand first. He didn’t think anyone had ever noticed. Val certainly hadn’t, even though it was Val that he was checking on.

He dropped down and followed a pipe to the cavity overhanging the kitchen. It was a comfortably cramped space, kept at a good temperature by an overhead duct and had easy access to both a water pipe and the most important space in the inner apartment. Some day he or Chai or someone was going to have to talk to Val about installing real security, but for today he just took advantage of how easy it was to get into the loft.

He slowed as his eyes adjusted to the dim light. Val had left an electric tea light flickering on the table. A cap full of crushed mint gave a pleasant smell to an otherwise musty space. The pantry shelves were satisfactory, though the contents were bland. No perishables, nothing too fresh, and not particularly balanced, but Hollow wasn’t concerned with any of that. He wasn’t trying to ensure his sibling was living in luxury, he just wanted to make sure the runt was keeping themself alive.

In the next room over, Hollow had expected to find his sibling curled up in the corner, given the early evening hour but the bed was empty. His hackles rose as he swept through the loft more carefully, checking every nook a nervous borrower might choose to curl up in. He found Val’s  bag slung over a cork stool and a knotted harness hanging on the wall, but no Val.

He tried to convince himself that it was nothing to worry about. Val didn’t need to be home, they were free to live life on their own weird, daytime schedule if they wanted. But Hollow had a gut feeling that he couldn’t ignore, that something was wrong. It had been just a few months since Val had said they’d been discovered, hadn’t it? Those tenants had left, but what if it had happened again? Or worse.

Hollow followed a stapled ladder down into the apartment and squeezed through a hole carved into the back of the cupboard. The sounds of the apartment grew less muffled and he paused. Someone was home, he could hear them chattering and moving around. They weren’t close, but they were here. It would be smart to simply come back later once the lights were off. But he was already here on the wrong side of the complex, and he had other plans for the night that he couldn’t put off without someone asking what he was up to. And he’d gone dumber places to do dumber things, really.

He picked a careful path through the cupboard. It was such a tightly-packed mess that it was difficult to maneuver through, even at Hollow’s size. He wove around haphazardly balanced packages towards the door panel and forcefully shoved his shoulder against it to get the latch to disengage.

He froze as the conversation in the apartment picked up again. The voices were still distorted, but they were much louder. A large shadow passed over the thin line of light where he’d cracked the cupboard open and Hollow drew back. How had he missed the footsteps drawing so close?

“Seriously, it’s not that hard, I promise. Kids do it, you’ll be fine” a woman said.

“You bought a fire extinguisher after last time.”

Hollow’s stomach sank. That was Val. He didn’t know what they were talking about, but that was Val’s voice. They didn’t sound afraid or hurt, at least, but that only mattered so much. Too much of anything was dangerous. And humans were too much of everything. Even their kindness could smother and crush.

Not to mention that the colony would probably kick them out of the complex if they found out Val was breaking the main rules again.

The woman with Val laughed.

“I should’ve had one before! But besides, this is basically just boiling water, you can’t mess it up. It’s barely even cooking,” the woman said.

“You said that about the eggs.”

“And now I’ve had second thoughts about how much you’ve never had to know, and came up with something easier.”

A set of fingers dug behind the door just below and Hollow staggered back into the mess of the cupboard. He dove into an empty space as light flooded into the compartment. In his rush, he tripped over a bag of chocolate chips, sending a box overhead teetering and crashing into the newly opened space where the human stood.

Val grunted and Hollow automatically leaned forward with concern. It wasn’t enough to get himself seen, but thought he could steal a look at the tenant and what the human might be doing with his sister. At first, all he saw was a downturned head of curls.

“Sorry! I keep meaning to clean that out, especially since…well, you,” the woman said.

“It’s fine,” Val sighed.

The face tilted back up to scan the cupboard and Hollow jerked backwards in horror. It wasn’t just the idea of being discovered, he was still sure that he hadn’t been seen. It was…His thoughts kept shattering before they could finish the very impossible thought.

He knew that face. He recognized it. Or, flashes of it, because it refused to add it up to a whole. The dark curls, the angle of their jaw, the tawny skin, the unusual golden eyes. Their mothers’ nose, the same shape as Hollow’s own. 

As he edged further into the shadows, his elbow rubbed against the same bag he’d tripped over a few seconds ago. The rustling sound was soft, barely noticeable. Those golden eyes flicked right towards it. Right towards Hollow. His heart skipped a beat as they focused on him and flashed with recognition, then shock. The two stared at each other without moving for several long seconds.

“Hollow?” whispered the thing that looked like Val.

This wasn’t happening, this wasn’t possible.

This wasn’t worth getting caught over.

Whatever had actually happened to Val, whatever this thing was, Hollow would deal with it at another time. He bolted and if something wasn’t between him and his escape, he didn’t care to think about it. He went much quicker now that he didn’t care about knocking things over or making noise.

“Wait!”

Humans’ speed was always surprising, given their size, and Hollow could swear that this thing was even faster. They hopped onto the counter for better reach. Massive shadows danced overhead as they tore apart the contents of the cupboard.

“Woah, hey! What’s hollow? What are you doing?” asked the woman he’d heard earlier.

“There’s someone in there,” they answered as they dragged away a plastic bin that had been just in front of Hollow.

Hollow stopped suddenly, his stomach twisting with dread. They weren’t ripping away pieces of cover at random. They knew where Hollow was going. They knew more about how to get back into the walls of this unit better than Hollow did and they had a good headstart getting to them.

“Hollow, I won’t hurt you. It’s just me,” Val said softly.

They could hardly be just anything if they had figured out how to turn themself into a human, let alone just Val. He didn’t want to know what someone would have to do to become such a monster.

“You know them?” the woman asked.

“We’re siblings,” Val said.

There was a pause.

“They live here too?” the woman asked, sounding guarded.

“Not here-here, no, but closeby. I don’t know what he’s doing here,” Val said. “Hollow, could you please at least answer me? Can we talk?”

Several seconds passed. Hollow felt his throat drying out and swelling shut, he couldn’t imagine what he was supposed to say. The two weren’t close anymore. He didn’t know how he was supposed to reconcile his memory and mental image of timid, fawning Val with the giant standing in the apartment. He grit his teeth and tensed to try and keep himself from trembling.

“Hey, I’m sorry,” Val said.

Too late, Hollow realized that it was a warning.

His stomach lurched as Val’s fingers wrapped around the box behind him. He panicked at the idea of being exposed, at being grabbed again, and rammed the blade of his prosthetic into the nearest finger.

“Ow! I’m not grabbing you, shithead, just the—you don’t have to stab me!” they snapped.

They flinched backwards, yanking Hollow off the stable floor of the shelf before he could manage to free his blade. He smacked against the side of the box as Val knocked it over. He landed against a paper bag that showered him in a cloud of sugar for a few dazed seconds. Val—it wasn’t fair—runty Val had just flung them across a cupboard. Reflexively. His chest tightened as he pushed himself back up to run while they were dealing with their hand.

“He stabbed you? Are you okay? Is he okay? Oh my god, you’re bleeding!”

“No kidding!” they hissed.

Hollow risked a glance back. Val pressed on the wound with their other hand, graciously giving him the space he needed to make it to the hole in the wall and escape. Val took a breath and squeezed their eyes shut for a moment to keep their temper down.

“I’m fine,” they said. “And he’s…shit, stop! Hollow!”

There was a long, defenseless moment when Val could’ve easily grabbed him. That crack in the wall was narrow and it took time to squirm through. His heart hammered in anticipation as he fully expected to feel something clamp down around his legs and pull him back into the light. He flopped safely onto unfinished wood. His heart kept racing as half-expected those massive fingers to try to pry their way into the walls.

He didn’t sit around to wait for that to happen and got up to sprint for the ladder. He stopped to catch his breath once he reached the loft and ended up sinking to the floor in tears as he tried to make sense of what just happened. He had just wanted to make sure Val was safe. He wasn't sure how to answer that now.

The wall of the loft shuddered as something on the other side tapped against the drywall. Hollow slithered in the opposite direction.

Of course.

Of course Val knew where their own damn loft was.

“Look, I don’t know what you're doing here, if you're spying on me or... I get it if you don't want to talk with me like this. Just, don’t tell anyone about this. Please,” Val said.

As if anyone would believe me.

[thebrigeedadraws]

Day 31: Free Day

the joke is dead

long live the joke

ya'll voted for this

Happy Gt July everybody

see ya next year

[creatorofuniverses]

Gt July Day 8 – Dream

I’ve actually been meaning to write this short drabble for a while now; though I intended to title it “Nightmare”.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

In the dream, Rowan was in danger.

He felt it in his bones, in the deepest most instinctual part of him, adrenaline numbing his limbs even as it urged him to flee. He couldn’t- his foot was stuck, thick rope pulled tight around his ankle, the other end driven into the ground with a stake nearly half his height. It was one of Ember’s snares she set up around the forest, to catch rabbits and other such creatures in. Now Rowan was the one caught, struggling helplessly and gasping out too-quick breaths, as huge footsteps shuddered through the ground beneath him.

His hands dug into the ground, pulling uselessly, doing nothing to help him go anywhere. Those enormous, powerful footsteps, shaking him with each thud, stopped just behind him. Shaking with fear, heart pounding pitifully in his chest, Rowan turned over, further tangling himself in the rope, and looked up.

It was Ember, looming and terrifying. He couldn’t see her face, couldn’t read her expression from where he lay trembling on the ground. One huge hand retrieved a knife, as long as Rowan was tall, from her belt. He heaved with breath, too petrified to move or beg as she knelt towards him. Her face was still unreadable, her demeanor impassive, unbothered. The featureless grey sky beyond her offered no hope.

The hand not holding the knife reached towards him. Rowan couldn’t so much as scramble away, his limbs jelly, tangled in the rope. That huge hand pinned him to the ground and an agonized little whimper caught in the back of his throat. Her index finger slid up under his chin, baring his throat. His heart beat as quickly as any rabbit’s, his end soon to be just like theirs.

“Thank you,” Ember murmured, her voice a low, dispassionate rumble. The knife flashed downward.

Rowan woke up with a scream caught in his throat.

He flailed, tangled in the handkerchief he used as a blanket. The would-be scream came out as a choked little noise, full of fear. He somehow managed to get himself free, heaving with breath, only to violently flinch and let out a strangled shriek as a large finger brushed against him. With the fear of the dream still flooding him, instinct took over, and he scrambled away from the looming, unseen hand as fast as he could. He didn’t stop until he hit a wall.

The tent. He could feel the thick, coarse canvas behind him and it grounded him somewhat, enough for him to at least try to take some deep breaths. His heart was pounding madly in his throat and he swallowed thickly, trying and failing to push away the fear.

“Rowan?” Ember asked, her voice thick with sleep. Rowan couldn’t make himself respond.

After a moment of silence, in which Rowan sat trembling in the complete darkness, there was a great deal of rustling. The sharp snik of a match being struck broke through the quiet, firelight flaring from feet away, and then Ember lit the lantern. The entire tent, huge and cavernous, bloomed into vision. So did Ember, who was looking at Rowan with bleary eyes and a furrowed brow. “You okay?” she asked.

Rowan forced himself to swallow, regain some of his composure. This wasn’t the dream; he wasn’t in danger. But he still crossed his arms to hide shaking hands, and couldn’t meet Ember’s eyes as he answered, “Fine. Um. Just… just a bad dream.”

“…Okay.” Ember stared at him, he could feel it, but he didn’t stare back. Then, however, she reached for him, and the sight of her hand coming at him keyed right into his already frazzled psyche and he flinched away, digging himself into the canvas wall of the tent. She hesitated, before pulling her hand back. “Oh,” she realized quietly. “I was the bad dream, wasn’t I?”

A weak, shuddery little shrug was all Rowan could muster for a moment. “Sorry,” he mumbled. It wasn’t really her fault. He had just seen her take the life of too many animals, only to turn around and hold him in those same hands. His brain couldn’t help but mash the two together.

He still couldn’t look at her – didn’t really want to see her expression – but her voice was soft and firm as she told him, “Rowan, I will never hurt you. Do you understand?” Rowan closed his eyes, quivering, but nodded. She sighed lightly but didn’t push the issue. He tried to hold onto that, to that consideration, to try to wipe away the image of her from his dream. “Do you want to come back to the bedroll?” He shook his head. “Alright then.”

Her hand returned, slowly this time, holding his handkerchief. Rowan couldn’t help but tense, though he didn’t flinch this time, and watched out of the corner of his eye as she set it down a few inches away from him. He reached out with damnably shaky hands and pulled it closer. Getting it arranged into something resembling a bed at least reminded him that he was exhausted, if nothing else, and provided a solid distraction from Ember’s staring and the lingering memories of the nightmare. Once he had lain back down, his back against the wall of the tent, Ember quietly said, “Good night,” and blew out the lantern.

The complete darkness of the night returned. Rowan sucked in a shuddering breath and did his best to relax, to let it all go. It was just a dream. Ember would never hurt him; she had promised, and if nothing else, she was a woman of her word. He knew that well enough.

It took a long time, but when Rowan finally got back to sleep, he didn’t have any other dreams.

[smolghostbot]

GT July: Cursed / Melancholy

Yep, a second Melancholy, it was too good to resist. ... Honestly this... isn't even really a G/t piece since Melody doesn't even interact with Patch until the literal last sentence... but I felt like it was important to me to make a piece that goes into Mel's motivations. So many of the writings this month have had Melody just be the solution to Patch's problems, but honestly Patch is also the solution to hers, in a way.

(It was also kind of a vent piece. Both Patch and Mel have parts of myself in them, after all.)

This is technically an interquel between the full story's Spring and it's epilogue, which sets up their relationship for Summer. (Not that this means anything to people right now)

Word Count: 700 Character bios in my pinned post CWs: Vague reference to transphobia, and a lot of negative self-talk.

========

Was what happened yesterday real? Surely it was. Wouldn't be the first time Melody had driven somebody away… but definitely the worst. That may have been the universe's gift, a glimpse into a magical other world, and she squandered it.

Putting her phone away, she got out of bed and tried to stretch the regret away, to pretend like she hadn't accidentally kidnapped some kind of little fae by being… herself. The memories rushed back, her accidentally hurting him, bringing him inside without asking… trapping him in a misguided attempt to help… if she wasn't so… overbearing, and obnoxious, and rude-

Knock it off, Mel, no spiraling.

Mel sighed and walked into the main room. There was a morning routine to do. They went to the kitchen, got some water, and walked over to the shelves of plants. These plants understood her. Greeting each one, they gave them a healthy drink and checked for any dead leaves.

It was a lot of work, keeping so many plants alive in a place as soulless as a dim city apartment, but truthfully, they needed it. Having that little bit of green in her life was as close as she could get to an escape from the mundane as she could get. At least… aside from him…

Maybe they could find him and apologize? Nah, what would the odds be, he probably ran miles away after what they did. Sighing, they continued getting ready for a boring day at work. On her way out, though, she couldn't help but to place an apple slice in the flowerbed where she first saw the little stranger. Just in case.

They paid no mind to the missing apple slice when they came home. Probably a rat took it, or a bird, or something. But the next morning, they still found themself leaving another one. Just in case.

After a few days, the apple just became a part of the routine. Wake up, water plants, apple slice, go to work, come home, sleep. It's not like there was anything else to be doing. At the library, she kept the loneliness away by researching, desperate to figure out anything about the stranger she met. At the least, he proved there was something out there, even if Melody would never see any of it, since she was too awkward, and overbearing, and pushy, and weird, and-

Knock it off, Mel, no spiraling.

Finally, the weekend hit. As they had been all week, they left the apple slice in the usual spot. Going inside, they spent the day doing their usual. Reading, watching TV, anything to feel less… isolated. But that was the story of their life, really. Isolation. The joys of not having any friends, or family… Her eyes glanced over to the little trans flag sitting in one of the flowerpots, but she quickly took a deep breath and tried to not think of that. 

The last thing I need is to cry about the past.

Sure, their coworkers were cool with her, at least enough to be polite, but they weren't really friends. As far as Melody was concerned, all of their friends were in here, the plants and books. Actual friends were for people with social skills, people who didn't ruin every relationship they came into contact with like a social plague.

Well, with the afternoon free, and the boredom of isolation starting to set in, they could at least get some chores done. Gathering the trash from throughout the apartment, they headed to the apartment's dumpster, back in the alley. As she took in the dark, monochrome alley, the very image of the mundane and boring life in the city, she noticed something moving. Probably just a rat…

But wait… that's definitely not a rat, unless the rats around here learned to use little denim backpacks… Oh.

What should she say? Would he hate her? He should. Is he going to run? Probably. She would run too if she was being stared down by such a giant, careless, awkward, weird-

Knock it off, Mel, no spiraling.

"Oh, Patch! I, uh… hello."

[gianttol]

I really like your GT July Prompts List!! It's lovely!!

I wanted to ask if it is okay to do G/T recommendations with the themes in the prompts list (book recs, webcomic recs, etc.). I was thinking of writing a little bit about why I like the rec, and how it relates to the day's prompt!

I really enjoyed looking at peoples' creations last July! 😁

However, I have some wrist pain, so I thought of doing some rec posts instead of daily art or writing this July.

Would you like me to not tag my posts with the GT July hashtag if just do G/T recommendation posts?

This is a great idea! Feel free to tag with GT July. I’m always happy to see the different ways someone could use the prompt list, whether it’s digital art, traditional art, writing, etc

I think posting reccs is a great way to be involved and to share some already made works <3 plus you get to keep your wrist! lol

Thanks for checking in and have fun! <3

[awkwardgtace]

Princess and Protectors

Day 31 Free Day. Here's the second one of today's stories. thank you @skmayor for giving me an idea that I wound up wanting to do as both familial gt and romantic gt!

Alessia and Ash are carrying Delphia home after she took a trip to a human city on her own again. She's caught up in her memories for much of the walk (Using the same world as Enchantment or Curse)

Princess and Protectors

“I still don’t see what the big deal is,” Delphia crossed her arms and huffed. The fingers around her twitched, clearly upset that she was pouting. It didn’t matter, she wanted to know more. It was boring being trapped all the time.

“We just don’t want anything happening to you. It's still hard for you to fly, isn’t it?” Alessia’s musical voice was relaxing. Delphia’s wings were sore. Traveling all the way here alone had been hard. Especially since her wings were still healing. It wasn’t always easy to keep herself off the ground.

Ash’s finger ran down her wings. It made her shiver. Delphia looked up at them, they were clearly worried. The warmth of their skin against her wings always soothed her. She leaned into the finger, getting a chuckle from their. Their voice always reminded her of thunder.

“We worry, flower, people know you now,” they whispered. She frowned at that. They always worry. The two worry about everything. It didn’t matter that people knew her, nothing would happen because of that.

Delphia had always been fine on her own. It was her favorite thing to visit human towns. When she did there was so much for her to learn. Visiting the towns brought her to Ash and Alessia. She’d never forget that day.

Ash found her right after she got cut by some wire. Her arms were mostly fine, but her wings were in an awful state. Almost shredded. It would have been impossible to get home. When she saw Ash approach she was convinced she was going to be trapped. Instead they crouched down to get closer to her. They made her curious.

Eyes of green and blue that reminded her of the clearing she loved to play in. Short hair neatly cut close to their head that reminded her of tree bark. Dark brown skin that radiated warmth. When they brought their hands close she couldn’t stop her shaking, but all they did was wait. She could see on their face how lost they were. It had taken everything for her to admit she needed help… and everything to accept that this person wasn’t about to hurt her.

Their hands were so soft despite the calluses on their skin. That day when they touched her wings they twitched and she whined. It left them with a look of worry as they pulled her close. Their heart was racing more than her own. A steady and fast beat that made her feel safe. She wasn’t scared of them at that point, they weren’t a human to fear.

“Really Del, just tell us and one of us can go with you. Both of us sometimes,” Alessia said. “Humans might… might crowd you if you’re alone.”

It pulled Delphia from her thoughts. Ash’s finger hadn’t stopped petting her wings. It was deceptively kind. She pulled her wings forward and away from them. The pair of sighs the humans gave made her almost feel guilty. Almost. Alessia started to walk as soon as Ash pulled their hand away. Delphia let out a sigh of her own. Alessia always said that, but no humans showed her any interest. They wouldn’t crowd her.

With her own sigh she settled back into her memories. It had been odd, as Ash carried her. They didn’t say a word that day, not until they set her down at least. All they did was rush somewhere Delphia couldn’t see. She’ll never forget how amazing it sounded when Alessia and Ash both spoke.

“Ash, what’s wrong?” Alessia had asked. It was like music.

Concern dripped from the words, but Delphia grew scared. Another human could mean the one holding her left. The fear died when the dark brown flesh that blocked her vision moved. When she saw the beautiful plump woman looking down at her.

Eyes a warm brown that seemed to lock on her tiny form. Hair the color of the night sky tied back in a bun. A face with rosy skin and plush lips that slowly contorted into concern. Loud words were said, words she could barely comprehend. Ash moved, putting her down on a table where she was at the mercy of them both.

“She hasn’t spoken yet,” Ash said. Their voice that day was a thunderstorm. She’d always liked thunder. “Some wire was above her. I cut it down after I picked her up. Look at her wings…”

Alessia crouched down to Delpiha’s level. Ash followed suit. Meeting their eyes she felt safe. Humans had always interested her. Two were staring right at her. Her wings needed to be taken care of, the cuts on her own pale skin too. She looked at her wings, their blue glow was too weak. She grabbed her black hair, pulling it forward and away from her wings. She would ask for help.

“Perhaps we can plan a trip to the capital?” Ash said. Another time her thoughts were stopped. Alessia’s fingers had flattened a bit. She could see more of the world. They chose to take the long way home. The way that let her see all the beautiful flowers. “Once your wings are more recovered.”

“Really!?” she cheered. That was somewhere she couldn’t get before. It was too far from home. Too far from her family and her role. 

“As long as no one argues, although we could probably convince them. Especially if you stop pulling stunts like this so your wings heal,” Alessia smiled. Delphia’s wings twitched, but she could try and avoid flying to see the capital. So many humans always talk about it… Ash and Alessia talked about it when she met them.

“Should we take her to the capital?” Ash asked. Delphia tilted her head. Rhys and Vincent had gone there.

“I don’t know. She might not be related to the one meeting the king-” Alessia said.

“My brother went to that place, but he said I shouldn’t go there,” Delphia said. It caused both humans to stare at her. Crouching to meet her again. They’d taken care of her arms and legs, but her wings were still shredded. That needed time and magic. Both of which meant she had to go home. She couldn’t get home on her own.

“Here I had started thinking you couldn’t talk.” The melody of Alessia’s voice made her twitch her wings. One of Ash’s hands reached for her, stopping before touching.

“Careful of your wings. Is there a way we can help those heal?” The thunder of Ash’s voice made her feel safe.

“...I have to go home.” Delphia stared into the two sets of massive eyes. Eyes that made her feel safe. It was the first time someone she met saw her and not a princess to use. “Can you take me?”

“What are you thinking about, little love?” Alessia laughed. The melody pulled her thoughts away. 

“When we met,” Delpha smiled. She laid back on Alessia’s palm to stare up at her and Ash. They were amazing.

“I wish we could have done more that day,” Ash whispered. They brought a finger close to her again, gently brushing her hair from her face.

“You two are the only reason I can still fly. It would be a lot worse if you two hadn’t found me… What’s the real reason you don’t want me going to the city alone?”

“Worry, that’s all.”

The walk continued in silence again. Delphia couldn’t stop wondering about the truth, but she’d learn eventually. There were too many things she didn’t know about humans. A lot Ash and Alessia protected her from. Rhys and Vincent did too. The day the two came back to find two humans in the flower field holding her had been a mess.

“Who the hell are you two?!” Vincent’s shout had scared her. He was the reason she started to be curious about humans. They way his eyes burned when he saw her in someone’s palm had been terrifying. “What the hell did you two do to her?”

Vincent grabbed Rhys as he tried to fly closer. Ash was holding Delphia that time. The silent way they passed her to Alessia’s hand was strange. Comforting in a way. They looked down at her and their eyes somehow promised she’d be kept safe. Safe from what, she didn’t know.

She watched Ash walk right up to Vincent. A conversation she couldn’t hear, but Vincent let Rhys go. He flew straight to her, landing in Alessia’s hand. Healing magic came from him immediately. Her wings burned, but the healing started. Enough she knew she could fly again once the burning was gone.

“Are you alright, Del?” Rhys asked. She nodded. Ash and Vincent came closer. Delphia jumped up. Her wings were strong enough, but Rhys flew up to help her stay flying. 

“Thank you both for helping me,” Delphia said. Looking at Ash and Alessia. “I’m Delphia.”

“I’m Ash,” Thunder that made her shiver.

“Alessia, can I call you Del?” A song that made her wings twitch.

The start of something amazing. The start of love that she didn’t plan to find… If her wings hadn’t started to shine a green and gold no one would have believed her. The special spell to help her find her true love or in this case loves.

Alessia knocked her from her memories again. Sliding Delphia off her hand and onto Ash’s. Both had an intense look she didn’t understand. They had this look a lot of times after they took her from the city. They wouldn’t tell her why. A quick kiss between the two giants she loved before the attention switched to her.

“Take care of Del,” Alessia whispered. She crouched down to Ash’s palm. Delphia wanted to argue, but giant plush lips stopped her. She was pressed down by the lips into the warm, firm palm. When Alessia pulled away a faint blue glow lit up her face. “I’ll be right back.”

Alessia ran off and Ash turned away. Delphia tried to fly off their palm to see what was going on. They stopped her. A look on their face kept her from trying again. She sat back, lying against their chest. Someday the two would tell her why they were so worried. Why the times this happened she heard voices and metal clashing. Why sometimes Alessia came back looking hurt. She didn’t understand humans, but she’d keep trying so she could understand the humans she loved.

Ash looked back before staring down at her with love, “Don’t look so worried, little flower. Just know we’ll always protect our fairy princess.”

[borrowedtimeandspace]

GT July 2023 Masterpost

@gianttol

I liked this idea last year, since things can easily get jumbled on Tumblr. Every prompt I fill is also put on Ao3 for ease of reading. Larger AU are added to chronologically, and smaller AU/scenarios are updated the same, just in a larger prompt collection. Whenever those get big enough, they're moved to be their own proper story.

Basically, instead of things being updated in terms of when they were written, I do my best to arrange things by when they take place in a given story. I hope to avoid confusion this way if people stumble on my Ao3, or find me through these posts.

EDIT 2024: Once again implementing AU markers for BTaS (my doctor who g/t verse) and BAU ( @brothersapart ), the two main things I write here.

Enchanted (BTaS AU)

Bird (BTaS AU)

Impulsive [BTaS] [BAU]

Stargazing (BTaS AU)

Caught (BAU)

AU (BTaS AU)

Thief (BTaS AU)

Dream (BTaS AU

Rainy Day (BTaS AU)

Ancient (BTaS AU)

Melancholy (BTaS AU)

Video Games (BAU)

Banter (BAU)

Instrument [BAU] [BTaS AU]

(Break)

Celebrating (BTaS AU)

Home (BTaS AU)

Fire

Intimidate (BTaS AU)

Trickster (BAU)

Secret (BTaS AU)

Garden (BAU)

Weapon (BAU)

Memory (BTaS AU)

Pajamas (BTaS AU)

Tangled (BAU)

Jewelry (BTaS AU)

Cursed (BTaS AU)

Element (Good Omens/Doctor Who g/t)

Self Care (BTaS AU)

(Free Day)

[ns-games]

Computing on a Budget

I wanted to talk about the story of my old computer.

On July 23, 2008 I acquired a Dell Vostro 200 from the Dell Outlet website. This computer cost around $800 (with an extended warranty) at the time. I was looking for something low cost that I thought was capable of running games, and could be used for future projects

The computer came with the following specs: CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E4600 GPU: Intel GMA RAM: 4x 1GB DDR2 Storage: 80GB Western Digital Black HDD OS: Windows XP Professional

And at first, this computer turned out to be a pretty good powerhouse for my needs. I knew it wasn't the best computer by any means. But with the budget I was on, it would get the job done. Plus my mom helped out with around half the cost as a high school graduation present.

Later on, I decided to purchase The Orange Box as I wanted to look into playing games like Portal and Team Fortress 2. And while I was able to get Portal to work, when I tried to join a game in Team Fortress 2, the game would simply crash on me. It turned out that to run 3D graphics like that, the built-in Intel GMA card was not going to cut it.

So, I took a trip to my local Best Buy. Taking a look at the graphics cards they had on sale, I found one I could afford for around $60. The Galaxy NVIDIA GeForce 8400GS.

And it worked... but just barely. Later on I started to expand my Steam library. And there was on game in particular that gave me some trouble with this card. Left 4 Dead 2. It turned out that the 8400GS isn't great a drawing hundreds of zombies on screen at once. And my system would lag any time a horde would start chasing my party. But I still kept this card going for as long as I could, cause I couldn't really afford to upgrade. That and any money I did have for upgrades went to other accessories like drawing tablets, and a desk to house everything in.

Don't let that picture fool you though. Everything here was done on the cheap.

On January 18, 2013, I installed a 1TB Western Digital Green HDD into this computer and installed Windows 8 as a secondary operating system. And yes, I know that the WD Green drive was not the best option as it only ran at 5400RPM. But again, this was on a budget. And plus my dad offered to buy it for me for Christmas the previous month. I also managed to get Windows 8 for a low price, as Microsoft was offering the Pro version for only $75 at the time. I managed to pickup the license from Target using some gift cards I acquired over Christmas as well. I later performed the free upgrade to Windows 8 on October 18, 2013.

Around Memorial Day weekend that year, I ended up getting hired by an electronics retailer, and a bit more money started coming in as a result.

On April 8, 2014, Microsoft officially discontinued security updates on Windows XP. A month or so prior, after fiddling around with rebuilding the Master Boot Record on the drive I had Windows 8 installed on. I retired the WD Black drive that had run Windows XP for me since 2008.

Some time around July 4th of 2014, I woke the computer up from sleep mode and heard this really nasty grinding noise. It turns out, that little fan running the 8400GS finally gave out after years of trying to run games it couldn't handle very well. So I knew it was time to not only replace that, but to start thinking about replacing the whole computer, now that I had a bit more money in the budget.

Looking at my options for cards. I didn't want to go with the "latest and greatest" since I knew the computer was starting to age. So, I went with an EVGA NVIDIA GeForce GT 630. On the box it recommended that it be run with a 500W or greater power supply. The one that the Vostro came with was only 300W. So, I also ended up swapping out the power supply with a Thermaltake TR2-600W power supply unit.

Finally, on April 30, 2015, I retired the Vostro 200 after I decided to build my own computer.

So, why do I bring up this story?

The reason I wanted to talk about this is because I know there are a lot of people out there that are computing on a budget. Something I constantly run into during my career as a computer technician are people telling me they can't afford the latest and greatest. That upgrades don't typically happen until they become absolutely necessary. And that's something I can understand and sympathize with.

And while I've stressed the importance of upgrades as time goes on in the world of computing. I also understand that there's times when we need to keep the current technology in front of us working for as long as possible. So when people come to me saying "I can't afford a big upgrade right now" I always try to do my best to let them know "what can we fix", "what can't we fix", "what parts can be saved", and "what parts need to be replaced."

And if you're finding yourself in this situation right now. The one thing I want to say is, don't worry. At the end of the day, acquiring computers parts can be very simple and inexpensive if you know where to look.

[avareiahgt]

I did write a short one while we were car travelling...

=========================

GT PROMPTS JULY 2024

DAY 7: OVERBEARING

I didn't have a single idea of carpentry, reforms or construction, but took seriously my boss role.

Some days ago Alec had bought some wooden and metal pieces to work with during his free time so we could install some platforms, railings and stairs for me to make it easier my stay at his house.

Shivers got me when I imagined myself walking through the whole house without having to be carried by some human skyscraper.

I was doing my best trying to help Alec on the duty, not that I came up with any useful ideas.

-I don't think that stick should be there- i said to the architect sitting on the floor, feeling stupid the same second I did.

-It's for counterweight- he simply answered.

-Oh...- I muttered like I did understand what that meant- Well, I want some corridors in the kitchen!

-Stones would burn up if I do that wrong- he didn't even look up at where I was.

-Then do it better, clever!- I commanded the colossal men in front of me.

-Where do you want them then?- he inquired while cutting some pieces for assembling.

-One that connects with the kitchen island would be wonderful. And a staircase to the main cabinets. And...

-That's impossible, Hanna- he never stopped working.

-It's not! You just have to think of other way to do it!- standing there, pacing and giving orders, I waved at the kitchen.

He didn't answer. Without a sound, he got on his knees so his nose was at level with me. I stopped pacing when a finger acted like a tollgate on my way. It rolled up around my waist and got me closer to his face. So close that I bumped into his nose like I was hugging it.

-Does this mean I'm getting my kitchen passage?- I petted his nose.

-Whatever you wish, boss.

[neonthewrite]

Interrupted At Work

July is here already, and with it the GT July Prompt Challenge! Day one is "Enchanted", and I had a hard time deciding what to do with this one. I landed on the tiniest court wizard Adrian has ever had in his employ, Colfax! From there, the story really came together.

Takes place sometime after the Trust AU "A Little Bit of Magic", cowritten with @creatorofuniverses!

~~~

“Wizard! You’ve been summoned to the council room.”

Colfax didn’t turn right away. He had his focus on the blackboard, where he had a complex spell circle taking form and several scribbled notes around it. His criss-crossed rope bridges swayed a bit from the back and forth pacing he’d been doing, and he probably had smudges of chalk on his face from absently tapping his chin.

He was close to figuring it out. He’d been studying these runes and their possible applications for a few days now. If he could get things tuned properly, he’d have a brand new spell.

“Wizard!” The gruff voice was louder this time. This time, he turned to face the door of his lab just to be safe.

Most of the people who lived in the royal castle knew not to enter the court wizard’s lab without invitation. For one thing, they ran the risk of getting caught in some spellwork while he experimented. For another, there wasn’t a lot of room for the standard human-sized person to move around in the lab.

At around six inches tall, Colfax required some extra walkways and bridges to access the different sections of the lab. The chalkboards alone sported a grid of walkways and ladders so he could make use of their full spans. Bridges and stairs extended between the large middle table and the shelves and counters along the wall, spaced out well but definitely creating a web for the bigger folk to navigate.

That was fine. They didn’t need to be able to get around the lab as much as he did.

The man in the doorway was some council representative or something. Colfax would probably remember his name and title if he tried, but the man had broken his concentration and refused to use his name. So he’d meet that energy in kind.

“Yes?” Colfax asked, already making his way to one of the bridges that’d take him to the central lab table. “What am I summoned for?”

The man huffed. “You are summoned by the Prince and his council. What does it matter what for?”

Colfax paused on the bridge to fix the man with a scathing look. As if he was just some performer that could be called upon at any time and not someone with his own job to do in the castle. The man frowned back, but eventually relented. “An artifact has been discovered by one of the royal research teams. They want to know if it’s enchanted.”

Colfax continued down his bridge. At least that sounded like an interesting interruption. “Acceptable. You can expect me in the council chambers shortly.”

He stepped onto the broad lab table, covered in a maze of potion implements, open books, and more walkways for Colfax’s use. Most of the things he’d realistically need for a task like this would be tucked away in the bag he carried at his side, but it wouldn’t hurt to grab a few extra items.

Not that he had a chance to go get any of them.

A shadow fell over the table, and Colfax could only whirl around before a gloved hand descended on him, long fingers wrapping inexorably around him and forcing him against a palm. He grimaced as the man hoisted him off the table far too quickly and then turned to exit the lab with him in tow.

“This is an urgent matter,” the man explained as he walked, carrying Colfax in front of his chest in an uncomfortably-tight grasp. “I will bring you to the council chambers.”

Colfax narrowed his eyes and squirmed a bit, at least enough to free one of his arms and settle it on the man’s knuckles. “You do not have the right to carry me like this,” he warned, keeping his voice remarkably calm considering the seething annoyance that built in him with every step the man took. “I have my own ways of navigating this castle. Put me down.”

He was used to this. All too used to people disregarding his ability to do things on his own. It hadn’t happened in a while, since getting himself really established as the court wizard. The prince had made it clear that people were to respect Colfax’s autonomy. If it meant waiting a little more time for him to respond to a summons, so be it.

This council representative, or attendant, or whatever the hell his actual title was, hadn’t gotten that memo. “This will be much faster. This could be an urgent discovery.”

“Could be?” Colfax echoed. “So you’re manhandling me and you’re not even sure it’s worth it.”

The man had the gall to roll his eyes. At least, by the directions he took through the halls, he was telling the truth about where he was bringing him. Colfax settled in to wait for them to arrive at the council chambers.

He’d been to the room where the royals held council with their various lords and representatives and such many times. He’d had to give and hear dull reports once or twice as part of his office as Court Wizard. It wasn’t as ostentatious as it could be, at least. The tall ceilings and large round table gave a certain official feeling to the place. The high backed chairs all seating very important people added to that.

The conversation in the room faltered as Colfax’s would-be escort stepped forward and deposited unceremoniously in the middle of the table, near a sealed wooden box. He stumbled, barely managing to catch himself as all eyes fell to him.

Adrian, seated in the seat with the highest back and with more papers and folders in front of him than anyone else, looked appalled on top of the shock everyone else wore. “What‒”

“I’m told I was summoned, Your Highness,” Colfax interrupted, not offering a bow. After a moment fishing in his bag, he retrieved his wizard’s staff. “To verify any enchantments on an artifact. It could even be urgent. Hence why I was brought straight here.” He knocked the end of his staff on the wooden box and got a resounding thunk in return.

Adrian’s cheeks turned a bit pink and he took a slow breath before turning his attention to the man who’d brought Colfax to the council room. “My apologies, Wizard Colfax. This summons was not meant to be handled in this way.”

Colfax glanced over his shoulder and was pleased to find the man who’d brought him looking rather sheepish. “Understood, O Prince,” Colfax replied, ignoring the few offended looks he got from the other dignitaries at the table. “I forgive you.”

That got a wry chuckle out of Adrian, if not anybody else at the council. “Very magnanimous of you, O Wizard. As this council has interrupted your work, we could cede the floor to you as long as you should need. If you like.”

Adrian was giving Colfax a chance to make this room full of lords listen to him for as long as he’d like. By the looks on the faces arrayed all around him, they knew it too, and couldn’t go against the prince’s words. Colfax was so, so tempted to take his sweet time testing the artifact there and then for possible enchantments rather than the basic checks they probably expected when they sent for him.

Luckily, he didn’t actually want to spend more time in a stuffy meeting than he absolutely had to. He shook his head. “No need. I feel residual magic coming out of this box, so there are enchantments on the artifact. If you need a full assessment and report, you know where to send it.”

Adrian smiled again. “Much appreciated, Wizard Colfax. You have dismissed yourself.”

Colfax nodded and turned, waving a hand at the others in a flippant goodbye. “Councilors.”

The great thing about being a wizard was that he didn’t need help to make a grand exit no matter how small he was. Already he was preparing a spell to get to the door without anyone laying a hand on him. “I will see myself back to my lab.”