#hybrid to the ninth

[peachesobviously]

Gideon Nav from 'Gideon the Ninth' by Tamsyn Muir

p.s.: i took some artistic liberties, mainly handcanon-ing that gideon has a ton of freckles because she is a ginger also, i know the face paint is suppose to be black and white but i don't really enjoy working with greys so i went with that kind of hybrid purple/grape/desaturated magenta/wine grey colour instead which felt like a good alternative, sorry if it is sacrilegious to some

[shomixremix]

HERDING THE CATTLE ♥︎

i saw something about this prompt on here like two years ago and it's been stuck in my head ever since ♡︎

tags: Arataki Itto, afab! reader, cow hybrid! reader, smut, fluff, marking, mating, rough sex, petnames, cowgirl, breeding, creampie

-> you are a small cow hybrid auctioned off to a slaughterhouse since you couldn't produce enough milk and were never calm. the arataki gang saved you, and your new master - the one and oni Arataki Itto - knows just how to keep you in check.

reqs open ♡︎ | minors DNI

"Ahh!! Itto! Itto-ooh! Mh! I-Itto!"

You whined as the Oni bounced you on his cock like you were weightless, watching in amusement as you cried in overstimulation. What was this, your ninth, tenth time cumming? You lost count. Itto never let you rest, not even for a second, bouncing you on his lap through every orgasm.

"Aww, you'r' so cute, love bug... Such a cute little cow, ain't ya'? Don't cry now, sweets, this is what ya' wanted, yeah? Only way I can tire you out, baby~"

Your master cooed, teasing you about being so restless. Oh, how you wished you could take everything back! No, you weren't bursting with energy like you said earlier, no, you couldn't go on forever - your legs were practically jelly at this point, your limp body completely at mercy to Itto.

He used you like a cocksleeve, dragged on his dick whenever he wanted and for however long he wanted - and you loved it. Life was good in the Arataki gang: you always had food, a place to sleep and protection provided to you, at all times. You also had a very tall, very strong and very handsome demon filling you up and breeding you almost daily, making sure your cushy womb was never empty.

The space where you connected was a mess. A glorious mess of both your and his juices seeping out of your hole, being fucked back in each time Itto would trust back. Just as every other day, your gummy walls pulsed around his length, making him shoot yet another load inside you.

"Fuck, baby... Makin' me lose my mind and shit..... So good.... Give me a little taste of that milk, will ya'?"

His large palms left your hips, greedily grabbing at the fat flesh of your boobs. As soon as he squeezed down just a tiny bit, a small stream of milk burst out, hitting Itto in the face. You were instantly mortified. Itto was your master, he saved you from certain death, and now you embarass him like this-

"I'm s-sorry Itto-! So sorry! Didn't mean to, I r-really didn't mean to!"

Instead of scolding you like you were sure any other owner would, the Oni burst out laughing. His laugh was like a roar, shaking his entire body - and with him, you as well.

"Hah, those jerks at the farm jus' didn't know how to milk ya', sweets, 'cause you look full of milk to me!"

It was true - even though you were sold to a slaughterhouse for failing to produce milk, you started leaking like crazy the moment Itto took you as his. That vet back at the farm you grow up on always said that you'd start producing milk if they paired you with a bull, and what better bull than a large, demon one?

Their loss, anyway. Now, all your milk belonged to Itto and his warm mouth, and not to some sketchy farmers who were only interested in selling it.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the feeling of his sharp fangs on your nips, greedily sucking at the flesh and gulping down the sweet drink. His dick twitched inside you as he continued feasting, your own arms tightening around his head to pull him closer.

The second he detached himself from your chest he thrust out harshly, in the process accidentally completely pushing you from his lap. Even though Itto was mighty and strong, he wasn't exactly the sharpest. There was a slight possibility that he was so occupied with whatever he was doing that he forgot you were on him.

You watched as he stood up, leaving you sitting on your knees on the ground. The Oni spit a bit of your milk on his palm, then using that same hand to roughly jerk his cock. It was more than obvious that milk was one of his kinks.

Oh, but why would he jerk off with milk as lube when you were right there...? On your knees, right next to him, ready and waiting and... Oh, Archons, were you not enough for him anymore..?

When Itto first saved you, the deal was that you'd stay in the Arataki gang until they found you a new home. However, Itto insisted they keep you, even proclaimed you as his own "pretty girl that no one can touch!" He kept you all to himself, fell asleep with you in his arms at night, brought you any awesome flowers he found, even took you on good, honest dates when he'd get a little Mora! He even acted on his demon urges and sunk his fangs into your neck, mating you!

But what if he didn't want to spend the rest of his life with a little, useless cow? What if that wasn't even enough for his sexual urges any more..?

"I-Itto..." You cry, big tears pooling up in the corners of even bigger eyes, threatening to spill at any moment.

At the mention of his name the Oni turns to you, shocked to see you crying.

"Hey, hey, hey! Baby, what's wrong?!"

"Need you.... P-please..."

Not another word needed to be said. Itto immediately reacted, grabbing your soft, much smaller body and seating it once again on his lap, entering you in one swift trust until his tip was snuggly kissing your cervix.

"Shhh, sweets... Let your Oni take care of ya', hm? No need to cry! I thought you couldn't go on, love bug, that's why I stopped! But you really are a restless one, huh, calfie?"

You smiled warmely at the nickname as your head went fuzzy. You laid your pretty head on Arataki's chest - like always - and let him have complete control of how he fucks you.

Each one of his thrust was faster and more brutal than the last. Your pussy was already crying out, threatening to cum just from the first few thrusts. Itto noticed, pinching your puffy clit between his claws and rolling it around.

"OH, ITTO!" You scream in ecstasy, riding your high.

Your master wasn't going to be able to last much longer. With you bouncing on his cock the way you were and how your sweet little cunt was so tight that it was milking him dry, Itto lasted only a couple more thrusts.

"Hah... Haaah... Fuck, love bug... Really wanna milk me too, don't ya'? Ahh... Mmm.. Gonna breed you.. Hah... Gonna breed ya' so good, sweets.. You'll be all nice and full, and you'll get pregnant with my calfs, yeah? Put all that milk to good use, hm? Yeah, yeah!"

He started cumming as well, shooting rope after rope after rope of his sweet release inside you. You were filled to the rim, juices leaking out of your satisfied hole. Arataki didn't let any of it go to waste, his fingertips catching whatever's left and pushing it in.

As soon as you were filled, your hands reached for him, seeking comfort in his warm arms. Itto obliged instantly, carrying you like you were weightless, to the nearby camp they set up. Your master entered his tent, the biggest of the bunch, wrapping your body in a soft blanket and once again settling you in his arms.

"There ya' go, love bug. Comfy?" You nodded, which made Itto break out in a toothy grin. "Well, of course it is! The great numero uno Itto is at your service, baby, of course everything is awesome!"

You chuckled at the way he tooted his own horn, kissing his cheek and hiding your face in his large neck and shoulder.

"G'night, Itto.. Thank you..."

The Oni found your actions adorable, cooing at you: "Awww, sweets, no need to thank me! You know I always gocha. Thank you for being so good f' me, yeah? You're such a good, pretty little cow... I don't know how I got so lucky!"

He pressed a loving kiss on your forehead, caressing your legs with his large palm.

"G'night, baby.."

[jinnie-ret]

FIC RECS

Ok so someone in my asks box asked me for some fic recommendations and I tried to add some gradually but my asks have been so weird recently so I've had to make a new post for them!

First of all ty anonnie you words were really sweet, I hope you stay healthy too!

Also just to preface I will list sfw and nsfw recs so pls if you are a minor, do not explore the nsfw recommendations, these blogs will most likely have a mdni statement so pls respect that and don't go against that :)

Now, enjoy!

SFW

Enough for you - @mixtape-racha (poly ot8 angst comfort)

We love an angst comfort fic and this is one of my faves. Take caution reading this one and read the content warnings at the top just in case! But this one is simply amazing and I wish I wrote it the end.

The Field Trip - @dreamescapeswriting (Seungmin X reader)

Seungmin and reader are teachers in this and if you follow me you may have seen me reblog this one before bc I love it and want this, also this blog has so many imagines you will be fed for days

Warm blankets - @jiniret-writings (3 parts, hurt comfort poly ot8 x reader)

I felt so emotionally invested in this story when I read it, like I felt readers pain 😭 gorgeous

jack-in-the-box -@junicai (angst, ninth member reader)

Set in kingdom. We hate mnet. Skz are very protective and reader gets the comfort she deserves in the end, love this sm!

@hyunjinsbelovedamericano - lots of headcanons and reaction type fics on their MASTERLIST, give it a look!!

Simptober 2023 - @skz-streamer

Fluff for days!!! pookie rly worked hard on this one so go and show some love because you've got so much to read here

Skz text aus - @channiesbakery

These are so so funny I cannot cope. Also explore the other fluff posts too bc they're really cute!

More text aus - @diddybok

Same goes for this blog too, explore their other stuff!

@hannahhbahng has some rly cute fluffy reads on their masterlist

@hanjiquokkaaa check out their skz reactions! My pookie slays every time

Skz fluff fics - @wooahaes

So much fluff to pick from! I fall in love every time!

Warm milk and honey - @horanghoe (poly skz x reader)

One of my fav skz comfort fics of all time, it's so so good, recommending again bc I should

In his arms, unexpectedly yours - @cheesemonky (Hyunjin x reader series)

This is a new series which I'm excited to see my pookie write !!!

@astraysimp for dad skz!!!

Nicholas Ross - @dean-a-mean-tae (skz ninth member male oc)

Love their ninth member writings so definitely check it out if you're looking for male!oc who is the ninth!

In my past, I find you and in the future, I still have you - @yangbbokari (Chan x reader)

Heartbreaking, like so angsty but it's gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous

Princess treatment with SKZ - @j-oneproduces

Each individual member x reader has a drabble and I love it so so much, very accurate imo

@skzoologist read their imagines on their ninth member oc Bae! They also have a fic called unfamiliarity using the same oc :)

I like the view - @mirisss (hybrid ot8 skz X reader)

I rly need to reread this one because I loved what I read so far on it!!!

NSFW

Rabbit hybrid reader - @authorofdanger (hybrid skz x hybrid reader)

I've linked a masterlist, I'd recommend the fic dominance and then the first few fics which are to do with reader as a rabbit hybrid! slight warning that woojin is mentioned

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Red Moon - @lixiepeach (omegaverse series)

this is one of the first skz omegaverse fics I read and it is done so beautifully, as it says in the description of the series, it deals with more adult content than just smut, and the way it is explored is written so well, couldn't recommend highly enough!

Inked Petals and Message Tones - @leviackermanscleaningbuddy (poly smau with real life)

this is an ao3 skz fic which changed my life. I can't explain how much I love this, it had me on an emotional rollercoaster fr fr like it's amazing!

n.h.i.e mini series - @hyungszn (smut ot8 x reader)

damn this one really has me on my toes like the chapters are chefs kiss and it's such a good read!

Bold - @hyunsvngs (American footballer minsung x reader)

Wow wow wee wow. This one made my brain go brrr and evaporate and melt and wow the storyline in it is so so good too. Juno rly has such a good relationship with anonnies and moots and it's so lovely to see. A jupiter stan right here!!

Sanguis Limerence - @jl-micasea-fics (vampire skz x reader)

This is one of the first series I was fully committed to reading on this all and constantly checking. It's insanely amazing, I can't put it into words and now I wanna read it all back again 😭

waiting for us - @kkami-writes (smau poly ot8 X reader)

I'm in love with this!!! Perhaps my fav skz smau like the character development as well is really nice to see and it's an easy read if you find it easier to read it in text messages form

Anger management - @2chopsticks2eyes (minsung x reader)

This is so hot and the way the storyline progresses as well is beautiful

@1-800-shedevil I'm in awe of her and her blog. Gorgeous writer, gorgeous writing. Her posts about body positivity rly are so helpful and her words are so comforting

Sharing = caring - @cbini (ot8 X reader)

This is unbelievably good and if you haven't seen it yet? Do you even Tumblr? Love how ems has such a good relationship with moots and in answering asks too! cbinian for life

Better than revenge - @lixie-phoria (smau Jeongin x reader)

I'm so obsessed with this series so far, putting it here bc there's smut to be added in the future. But I'm in love with it so far wow!!!

[foxy-alien]

have you ever thought about house swap aus? gideon and harrow in third, ianthe and corona in ninth, or etc. could be a drawing request for your take on this or just an ask :3

I can only see harrow working in a rigorous 6th environment and I love the idea of Gideon and harrow working like Pal and Cam.

Harrowhark being interested in Antiquities and lyctors of old. An Abigal Palamades hybrid. And Gideon learning the rapier to be Harrows Cav but choosing to spend most of the time with the longsword.

I also think Jeanmarie and Issac being from the 9th house is interesting with their paranoia machine running.

I have NO IDEA where anyone else would fit, maybe Corona and Ianthe being 7th? Judith and Marta being 8??

[solitaryearthperson]

I’m so lucky

Summary: The reader comes back to the compound to find an angry Klaus waiting for her.

(The reader is 18+ and uses she/her pronouns. The ethnicity/race is preferably black.)

Bloody 2 in the morning, Klaus mentally grumbled, as he continued to read from his book on the couch. Or at least, he tried to read from his book. His mind was racing with different thoughts of what you could be doing, and none of them were comforting in the slightest. "Who does she think she is," he muttered to himself, turning a page.

"Well, I think she's a woman, not a child." 

He didn't have to look up from his book to know that the statement came from Elijah and that his brother more than likely had an amused grin upon his face as he entered the room. "Has she not returned yet?" He asked, sitting down on the couch across from Klaus, amused at his brother's annoyance.

"No, she hasn't. Not one call or text." He tried to keep his annoyance out of his voice as he turned a page, not registering any of the words on it.

"She has to put up with this family and you, Niklaus. She deserves a night out."

"A night out ends when night ends," Klaus responded, giving up on reading his book and slamming it shut. "It is past midnight and now morning. She should be home."

Grinning, Elijah tried to not chuckle at his brother's frustration, but couldn't help letting a bit of it slip out which quickly caught the angry hybrid's attention.

"You find the worry for my love funny, Elijah," His voice began to rise as he watched the grin on Elijah's face grow.

"What I find funny, brother, is you forget that (Y/N) is a woman, not a child, who doesn't need your permission or approval on how late she returns. She can take care of herself."

"Always the feminist, Elijah," Klaus remarked, rolling his eyes. He took out his phone for the ninth time that night and checked the time again. Only 2:20. I'll leave and find her when its 2:30.

Even though Elijah was annoying him with his amusement, he knew that his older brother was right. At the beginning of your relationship, you made him agree that he wouldn't try to control you or become overprotective of you and let you have your freedom and at the time, he completely agreed, but he didn't think that that freedom involved you hanging out with your friends all night, leaving him worried. Each second that passed, he began to get more and more paranoid that something bad had happened to you.

"Let her enjoy a night out away from your scheming. She deserves it."

Yes, she does, Klaus mentally agreed, sighing.

"Yes. I admit she-"

The sound of a distant giggle stopped him and he quickly stood up from the couch and left the room to see you entering the compound, drunk and barefoot, holding the heels you were wearing earlier in your hand.

You were tiptoeing, letting out little giggles as you tried to be quiet. Your appearance was not that different from when you left, but Klaus could still spot a light sheen of sweat on your skin from all the dancing you did. Even though Klaus was ecstatic to see you again and to see you completely fine, he couldn't help but let his anger get the best of him as he made his way to you.

"Do you know what time it is," Klaus asked, his footsteps hurrying over to you with an angry frown upon his face.

Anyone else, when seeing that look on him, would have instantly become scared and begun cowering and apologizing, but not you. Even in your drunken state, you knew that Klaus would never hurt you and because of the alcohol still in your system, the only response you gave to his angry question was another giggle.

"You had me worried me sick," he continued, taking your heels out of your hand and placing his hand in yours. "Let's go to bed." He began pulling you in the direction of the stairs, but you quickly pulled your hand from his and hurried off to the kitchen.

"(Y/N)," he groaned, speeding after you and stopping in front of you before you could fully enter the kitchen.

"I'm hungry," you whined drunkenly. "I want a sandwich."

"You'll get your sandwich when you go to bed," he told you, ignoring the pout that grew onto your face at his words. He turned you around and gently nudged you to leave. "Go on."

Groaning, you took slow, sad steps towards the stairs, looking over your shoulder still pouting, giving him the best puppy dog eyes that you could make in your state.

"Love, go on," Klaus urged, trying to not to smile and give in to your pouting.

"I'm going," You said angrily, quickening your steps.

You didn't know it, but the look in Klaus' eyes as he watched you drunkenly walked barefoot to the room screamed nothing but love.

"I take it she had fun," the voice of his brother made him turn his eyes away from you (something he absolutely hated) and turned them on Elijah who looked at him, still amused.

"Yes, she did," Klaus sighed before turning around and entering the kitchen, placing your heels on the edge of the counter.

"What're you doing," Elijah asked, following him and taking a seat at the counter.

"Making the silly, drunk girl a sandwich."

His answer made Elijah smile even wider as he watched Klaus begin to pull out slices of bread and bologna and other things. Finally Niklaus has found his true love.

~

“Oh,” you groaned, opening your eyes and lifting your head. It was pounding terribly and you felt that your eyes were sore and heavy, even after waking up from sleep. Sitting up, you pushed the cover off your body, about to stand up, when you had to stop yourself, feeling an unpleasant rumbling in your stomach. 

Shit, you thought, placing a hand on your stomach. Another rumble made you get up from the bed, and run to the bathroom, quickly lifting the lid, and emptying your stomach of all contents from last night. 

You were too busy vomiting that you didn’t hear Klaus enter the bathroom. The sudden feeling of fingers in your hair and lifting it from your face made you look up to see your hybrid lover looking down at you with concern.

“You alright, love,” he asked. 

Seeing you nod, he grabbed some toilet tissue and wiped your face clean of any left over vomit, then flushed it. Gently holding your arm, he lifted you from the floor and walked you back to the bed, where he placed you on the bed. Before you could do it, he pulled the covers up and around you and you found that your sore eyes were beginning to feel heavy.

“Take this love,” he told you and you opened your eyes to see him holding a pill in one hand and a glass of water in another. 

“What is it?”

“For your head.”

You picked it up and placed it in your mouth and drank the water, swallowing it with a wince as your throat now felt sore. 

“If you’re hungry, your sandwich is right there,” he told you pointing to beside you, and you looked over and saw sitting on the bedside table was the sandwich your drunkenly requested last night. 

I must’ve fell asleep, ‘fore I could eat it. Klaus lightly placed his hand onto your forehead, getting your attention and making you turn back to him.

“If you need me, I’ll be painting in the other room. Just say my name and I’ll come.”

With a kiss on your forehead and another look of love at you, he left your side and exited the room, leaving the door open to hear you.

Feeling your eyes get heavier and heavier, you began to slowly drift into sleep and as you did, you couldn’t control the smile that spread across your face as you thought of your boyfriend. Fuck, I’m so lucky.

[yxnjinsduality]

◻ Straykids Links .

Full house - by @kkami-writes

pairing. OT8 x gn!afab!reader

synopsis. Your life since your parents died has been mundane, your routine never changing. It wasn't that you hated your day to day schedule but you had to admit that there was something missing, an empty void in your heart. So when you come across a pretty white ferret your life suddenly become a lot more interesting.

genres. written series. hybrid!skz, human!reader, kinda coffee shop!au, so much fluff, lots of domestic fluff, light angst, romance, eventual smut, honestly a fast burn

cw/tags. member x member relationships, polyamory/polycule, smut!, referenced abusive past owners, wolf!bangchan, cat!minho, bunny!changbin, ferret!hyunjin, squirrel!han, cat!felix, puppy!seungmin, fox!jeongin,

MY YOUTH | SKZ NINTH AU - by @jinnie-ret

stray kids x ninth member!reader (platonic)

summary. In which Sunny wakes up, but not in the bed she knows. Instead she wakes up in the dorm of her favourite kpop group Stray Kids, and they're not all too alarmed to see her there. To them, she's always been there, right from the very start.

How will she adjust to the idol life she's already been living in this universe? Will the members notice something is up? How long will she be able to keep this secret?

genre. fluff

School of Mysteries Masterlist - by @imagine-a-life-like-this

Synopsis : They were just regular university students living their everyday lives when everything changed. No one is safe and everybody's a suspect.

Genre : murder mystery, horror, romance, smau, 18+

Warnings : This au will be dealing with mature and violent subject matter such as : murder, blood, drinking, swearing, obsession, kidnapping, sex, and more. Reader's discretion is advised.

🐺🔮 WOLVES! STRAY KIDS SERIES by - @lettersfromaphrodite

[journeytothewestresearch]

Zhu Bajie's First Wife

In JTTW chapter eight, Zhu Bajie tells Guanyin that he inherited his cave from a mysterious figure:

It's called the Mountain of the Blessed Mound," said the fiendish creature, "and there is a cave in it by the name of Cloudy Paths. There was a Second Elder Sister Egg originally in the cave. She saw that I knew something of the martial art and therefore asked me to be the head of the family, following the so-called practice of "standing backward in the door." After less than a year, she died, leaving me to enjoy the possession of her entire cave (Wu & Yu, 2012, vol. 1, p. 212). 叫做福陵山。山中有一洞，叫做雲棧洞。洞裡原有個卵二姐，他見我有些武藝，招我做了家長，又喚做倒蹅門。不上一年，他死了，將一洞的家當，盡歸我受用。

I'm surprised that I've forgotten this "Second Elder Sister Egg" (Luan erjie, 卵二姐) considering how many times that I've read JTTW.

Yu (Wu & Yu, 2012) confirms that Zhu and this figure were married, for the practice mentioned above is a "colloquialism of the Huai'an region, referring to a man living in the woman's house after marriage" (vol. 1, p. 517 n. 31). This means that Zhu had a wife prior to "Green Orchard" (Cui'lan, 翠蘭) from chapter 18.

I was interested in learning more about her and found this Baidu page. It mentions that the luan (卵, "egg") part of her name is actually a transcription error, for the original 1592 edition of JTTW shows a different but similar-looking character. I checked my own copy, and found that it reads Mao erjie (夘二姐, "Second Elder Sister Mao") (see the right side of page 105 here).

Like Baidu, Pleco notes that Mao is the fourth (of 12) earthly branches, which is associated with rabbits. Therefore, Zhu's first wife could have been a rabbit spirit. Can you imagine the kids? They would be a strange pig-rabbit hybrid, pretty much an aardvark.

The Baidu page also mentions that their pairing may be an allusion to yin-yang theory since the fourth earthly branch, Mao (夘/卯, rabbit), is associated with yin wood, while the 12th, Hai (亥, pig), is associated with yang wood (i.e. they complete each other). This kind of stuff is over my head, so I don't plan to delve into it further. But this page does give an overview of the stems and elements.

On a related note, if we were to apply this yin-yang/earthly branch dating approach to Wukong, his partner would be a chicken! This is because the ninth earthly branch, Shen (申, monkey) is yang metal, while the 10th, You (酉, chicken) is yin metal.

[itracing]

First Look: The Ferrari 296 Challenge

On the eve of the Finali Mondiali, which take place at the Mugello Circuit between October 24 & 30, Ferrari will present the 296 Challenge, the ninth model in the history of the Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli.

Due to debut in the Europe and North America series in the 2024 season, the 296 Challenge introduces a slew of new features with respect to the Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and, in certain respects, is a revolutionary design.

The new 296 Challenge is the embodiment of an innovative new philosophy that has seen far-reaching work carried out on the road car to optimise its specifications for track use. Both in terms of performance and lap consistency throughout a race, the 296 Challenge rewrites the parameters of the Prancing Horse single-make series, offering solutions that closely mirror the specifications of the 296 GT3, which made its debut this season.

Derived from the 296 GTB, the 296 Challenge ushers in substantial modifications on the power unit, aero and vehicle dynamics fronts, all aimed at guaranteeing maximum performance on the track. It is the first car in the history of the championship to be powered by a 120-degree V6: the new model sports the 2992cc twin turbo engine without the hybrid component, a choice also made for the 296 GT3. The engine unleashes 700 cv with maximum torque of 740 Nm, with the result that the 296 Challenge sets a new power record for the segment with 234 cv/l.

The 296 Challenge’s aero package delivers downforce figures unprecedented in the single-make series’ history, ensuring the maximum efficiency in all conditions. In fact, the 296 Challenge generates in excess of 870 kg of downforce at 250 km/h with the spoiler at its maximum angle of attack.

The car sees the debut of ABS EVO Track, a specific adaptation of the innovative system introduced for the first time on the 296 GTB. With the addition of new CCM-R PLUS brake discs, both braking performance and consistency are improved. New, specifically-developed Pirelli 19” tires have also made a substantial contribution to the car’s handling and performance.

[dangerous-realms]

@violentemperor

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Kao, a massive plant that's also the ninth plant away from the twin sun's Yiltor and Valaistus. Nestled between Gekagua and Crozimia in the realm know as Eadrothra, the planet is currently bustling with life despite it being night time. Such being indicated by the burnt amber sky and the presence of the planet's three moon, NeoNeo, Gealach, and Deabos.

Hovering vehicles move about on the road as other beings go about their day, so walking, some flying with their wings. Kids going to school chatting, older boys showing off their strength to the girls, the girls rolling their eyes with little smiles at the boys attempts, little kids showing off the cool things they can do with their magic energy before they get scolded by their parents. There are many draconic people here by the looks of it, though there are other species too, most likely being hybrids due to the gravity of the planet.

Large creatures, a huge military presence as more often then not someone with dog tags walked by, there happened to be those in their teens and older citizens with them as well. Delicious smelling food wafting from the restaurants and cafés to the street, a couple casinos.

Yes, Kao happens to be very wealthy and powerful planet. Someplace that one could call a home away from home.

[sepublic]

Interestingly, there seems to be an even 50/50 split of witches and demons amongst the coven heads. You’ve got four demons (Hettie, Vitimir, Osran, Eberwolf) and four witches (Raine, Darius, Terra, Mason) with Adrian being the odd one out, numerically speaking... As the ninth he should be a tiebreaker, except he seems to be a hybrid of both! Belos really said he was gonna equally discriminate against and wipe out both witches and demons huh.

[adventure-showdown]

What is your favourite Doctor Who story?

ROUND 2 MASTERPOST

synopses and propaganda under the cut

Face the Raven

Synopsis

The Doctor, Clara and Rigsy are trapped on an alien street in London, that is hidden from the rest of the world.

Ashildr, the immortal hybrid-girl, is taking care of some of the most dangerous creatures in the universe. Not everyone will get out alive; one of them must pay the price and face the raven.

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

The Eaters of Light

Synopsis

What happened to the legendary Ninth Legion of the Roman army? Bill and the Doctor both have ideas of what happened, but who is right? What is that strange creature lurking in the dark? And why are people suddenly disappearing?

Propaganda no propaganda submitted

[ardentbonkers]

If you’d like to know the opinion of a rugby player, I’d say Cam would be a good 6 or 8 but Harrow would actually be a good 9. Or 10? They tend to be bossy, mean, smart, and very in charge.

Someone on Reddit commented on my post and they made their own list of the cast with details! You both said the same thing for Harrow, here is the full list they've made if you're interested or would like to give your own opinion :>

1 - Crux - The old Warhorse. Absolutely irreplaceable and immovable, is so bloody stubborn that it's beyond a joke.

2 - Marta the Second - battler, a crack shot with her line-out darts.

3 - Magnus the Fifth - just solid. Also got that dad bod all good props should be carrying.

4 - Coronabeth the Third - the athletic lock, much nimbler than her engine room partner.

5 - Protesilaus the Seventh - Ball carrying lock, in the mould of Big Will Skelton. Just a lumbering beast who will ruin you.

6 - Gideon the Ninth - she's big, she's strong, she's really fucking annoying. All the qualities of a flanker.

7 - Judith the Second - battle-hardened and crafty in a way that all good openside should be.

8 - Aiglamene - hard as nails, no nonsense, will fuck you up. She's got years on her, but age is just a number.

9 - Harrow the Ninth - Diminutive, but canny. Shrewd decision maker, and is swift and incisive when she needs to be.

10 - Dulcinea the Seventh - is playing 4d chess with everyone, can see 5 steps ahead, and knows how to manipulate an opposition defence.

11 - Isaac and Jeannemary the Fourth - both of them because the jersey is too big for just the kne. Full of beans, loves a cheeky wee side-step, and are a lot tougher than they look.

12 - Palamedes the Sixth - strong link with Dulcinea comes in handy here, but it's the almost telepathic connection with his outside centre that makes him dangerous.

13 - Camilla the Sixth - runs hard lines, and is excellent in both attack and defence. Almost telepathically linked with Pal, her inside centre. Loves Going Loud.

14 - Babs - doesn't do a great amount of work, and loves to just be passed the ball so he can score and take credit after everyone else's hard work.

15 - Abigail the Fifth - calm, cool, and collected, the definite traits of a good fullback.

EDIT: Switched Ianthe for Corona, she'd make a much better Lock. Same height, but with more weight behind her carries.

Ianthe is more of a 10/12 hybrid in the mould of Owen Farrell for England. I'd put her on the bench, and bring her on for Dulcie in the second half.

[intuitive-revelations]

I wonder if the Toymaker saying "I made a jigsaw of your history" is RTD's way of saying everything is canon now, and everything can be welded together. Once he released "Doctor Who and the Time War", he stated "all stories happened, all are real."

Yeah I'm still puzzling - pun unintended - over that line too. I know a bunch of people (mostly anti-Chibnall-ers unfortunately) have suggested it's acknowledging and/or retconning the Timeless Child storyline. While RTD clearly doesn't want to wipe the slate, I do think there's a bit of a connection there? Part of me likes to think it's also meant to be why, for example, The Star Beast can coexist with all the EU Beep the Meep stories.

I've been thinking about Doctor Who and the Time War too. Especially with this little comment in the light of Shalka appearing in Rogue (screenshot cribbed from @doctornolonger):

[ID: Instagram notification linked to an RTD post on "Doctor Who and the Time War" reading: "russelltdavies63 liked your comment: "Fantastic read! Please tell me that the Ninth Doctor here could also be interpreted as the Shalka Doctor or the Rowan Atkinson Doctor for the hat trick of alternative Ninth Doctors?""]

Personally, while the show (even post revival) has never been too solid on its continuity, I hope this flexibility is something we continue to explore.

One thing I've been thinking ever since The Timeless Children is that now would be the perfect time for some sort of Unnatural History spiritual adaptation. To me, that kind of thing would be the perfect way to acknowledge that backstory and make it solidly part of the Doctor's possible on-screen history, while also reconciling it with everything it contradicts and allowing people to prefer other origins. It also would be a fun opportunity to bring up stuff like the half-human hybrid reference in Hell Bent and question how that reconciles with the Doctor's 'new' origin.

[aclowntiny]

In Every World- Vernon x Gender Neutral Reader

Just a short little reverie I wanted to record 😌

Word Count: 1392 | Bookstore Date, Established Relationship, Fluff | Warnings: none really~

“Do we really need this many?”

Vernon’s deep voice chuckled into your reverie, the fog and beauty of the scent of paper and leather and all that comes with the shelves of volumes you perused. You were practically hypnotized by the bookstore, strolling idly and dreamily through it as if under its spell and falling harder with every spine you stroked.

Gallant as he was, Vernon had offered to carry your purchases or purchase candidates, but that decision had come from a certain ignorance on his part- it was his first bookstore date with you. He hadn’t known you in childhood as your summers filled with weeks of repeatedly taking the maximum number, stack barely doable for you and your mother, had only heard jokes that the bookstore was a dangerous place to take you.

The joke was about your wallet, sure, but Vernon couldn’t help the feeling that it was about his arms, which were starting to strain a bit at having to hold eight books up for as long as you walked around.

At his words, you swiveled on your heels, facing him with a ninth book in hand and eyes half amused, half shining with pity. “We don’t need them, no, and I can cut them down. I shouldn’t get that many anyway. Want to go sit at one of the tables? I’ll try to be fast.”

At that, he shook his head. “No, I want to stay with you. I’d like that better.”

“Then let me lighten your load, please.” He’d insisted on carrying it all for you, but no matter how much fight he put up or even how nonchalant he acted, you knew it was getting tough and that was not fair.

Sighing, button-up shirt rising and deflating with his shoulders, he nodded, relenting and relaxing his grip as you sorted through your candidates again. Skimming the synopses once more, you decided one might be a little uncomfortable, one a bit more generic than the rest, and another frankly too expensive.

Your eyes darted up from the books into the warm brown of Vernon's own irises. "There. I should probably get less than four, so I guess I'd better take-"

As soon as you reached for another, though, Vernon's hand closed over yours, holding it still. "No, it's fine," he told you with a shake of his head, "I want to read that one, so I'll get it."

Your face lit up, bringing forth a chuckle from Vernon, who was already reshelving your most recent grab...and re-elimination. "And that'll bring me down to my usual limit of three!"

"With a freebie," your beloved reminded you teasingly, waving the romance-mystery hybrid tale you both had eyes on in one hand.

“Thank you.”

Vernon waved his newly-emptied hand, the other still clutching his future purchase. “Don’t worry about it. I want to read it together.”

“We can read that one first, then,” you said with a smile as he joined your side again, hip bumping yours gently, affectionately but mischievously towards the shop’s checkout counter.

~

The air was all wind and wash, the showers having faded since morning and leaving behind just enough of a pleasant dew to the sky. The day’s chill was negated by the warmth you shared with Vernon, who gave you his arm and walked down the lane with you pulled to his side, your cheek occasionally falling to brush against the soft suede of his coat.

When you got to the car, he went around to the passenger’s side with you, opening the door and ensuring you were seated before returning to his seat and starting up the drive. One of your hands gently ran over your most ornate purchase’s textured cover, feeling the smooth, cool raised metal designs pressed onto the hardcover, while the other fell atop Vernon’s the moment he rested it lovingly on your knee.

He gave a smile, eyes crinkling, and pulled out his phone to plug in. “Want the aux?”

You shook your head. “You had to deal with carrying all those books! The least I can do is let you pick the music.”

“Cool,” he said with a nod, but you saw his head bob in excitement as he played his newest favorite album, glancing at you with soft eyes whenever you sang or rapped the words you know. You played an air guitar solo at one point just to see him smile and chuckle at you, barely able to keep up with the music, but making your own in the process.

When you arrived home, you pulled your new purchases from their bag, setting them on the coffee table like a trophy on display. Tossing the bag in the recycling, you met back up with Vernon in the bedroom, where he was setting his own signs of the day down.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

Confidently, he gave you a nod and a wide smile. “Oh, yeah.”

And with that, you both set off for the closet, eyes and hands roaming hangers for the perfect find, which they soon locked onto. Vernon exchanged the white button-up he had tucked into his jeans with his favorite red hoodie, the one you insisted smelled the best. Otherwise, he’d have had a different preference altogether. You had a cozy matching top and bottom set you loved- and Vernon didn’t think was so bad either- that you changed into, relieving yourself with a sigh from the going-out clothing you’d been draped in earlier.

“So,” you inquired, hand falling into his with a squeeze, “yours first?”

“If you’re alright with that,” he replies with two squeezes back.

“Of course I am. I think you could read me anything and I’d enjoy it.”

He cocked a brow at that. “Anything?”

The hand that wasn’t interlaced with his gave him a shove as images of countless ridiculous, possibly even scandalous, things he could be thinking about dashed through your mind. “Don’t push it. I almost bought yours, though, and you did, so it must be special. Come on.”

You allowed Vernon to lead you back down the hall into the living room, where he dropped onto the couch’s plush surface first, and giving you a tug brought you down with him, laughing a bit at the squeak of surprise you gave as you tumbled into his chest. Holding you across him with one arm, he searched your coffee table with the other, finding the book he’d chosen.

You settled in as he reached over you gently to open the covers, voice fluttering over you alongside his heartbeat beneath your ear as the romantic tale began.

~

You’d gotten to the point when the love interests, a pair of soulmates though only one of them knew it, met when you paused, granting your beloved’s vocal cords some reprieve.

After confirming you were enjoying yourself, you hummed, the side of your head now firmly pressed to Vernon’s chest.

“What?” His voice reverberated over your warm skin, swelling the flush there that much more.

"Do you think we'd be soulmates in a magical world like that, bound by words or stars or something of the sort?" You sat up slightly, palming the softness of your couch as your eyes bore into Vernon's, soft brown seeming to melt as his eyelashes drifted faintly shut and open again.

He surges forward, lips pecking yours lightly at first, ramping in intensity at your eager response, leaning in again and again. Your lips meet repeatedly until you're apart inhaling deep breaths, gazes unfaltering as you drown in each other, Vernon suddenly pulling you back into his chest with both arms, his heartbeat entering your range of hearing once more.

"You're so cute," he mutters, "what would I do without you?" With a shake of his head, he speaks again. "I wouldn't. I think my character would be like this one. I'd find you even if there were no soulmates. In every world."

Your heart swells, chest feeling as if the swirling air has grown it three sizes. The kisses had been dizzying, certainly, but those words were what took you on that soaring fairyland journey of love. "I love you," you said, "in every world."

"That's why we explore them all together, right?" He smiles at your loving eyes, nodding to the book. "I love you, too, (y/n)."

[hwaightme]

Feels Like Home (part 1)

(part 2)

pairing: seonghwa x fem!reader genre: fluff, slight angst, doctor!seonghwa, graphic designer!reader, slice of life summary: What is home? Perplexed by this notion, you spent many years looking for your own answer, moving and running from your past. Your new neighbour, Park Seonghwa, might just be the key to discovery. wordcount: 5.7k warnings: language, mentions of food, mentions of the pandemic, anxiety, mention of past abusive relationships a/n: thank you all so much for the love <3 beyond grateful for you, and am inspired by you! Here is a work on the longer side, so I will be splitting it into two parts, stay tuned~

You lucked out. After having spent over two years migrating from one disastrous excuse for an apartment, to another, you finally felt like you could relax. No more leaks, no more creepy crawlies threatening to fall right on your face in the middle of the night… you shuddered at the memory; no more landlords that enjoyed screaming down the phone at you… you could finally achieve your domestic dreams and lounge at home to your heart’s content.

The apartment itself was on the more ‘compact’ side, located on the ninth floor of a complex in a quiet residential area. The living room, dining room and kitchen were combined, but not overwhelmingly so – everything still had its own area, and in no time did you set up your rather wild collection of plans by the sliding windows. Since the building was fairly new, you did not need to invest much in any repainting or cleaning of the apartment, and by the grace of the landlady who took a liking to you, the deposit was equally reasonable. It was almost worth it going through all the terrors after university, just to appreciate this place.

This was the place that made you understand why some people never wanted to leave their house or area – to be frank, you were turning into one of them. Only leaving on the days you had to, your hybrid work as a graphic and brand designer was becoming better and better, and finally you managed to get rid of the nickname your colleagues gave to you: “true businessman”. Your old place had gotten you used to spending some nights in the office common room, just to avoid the seedy neighbourhood, cracking walls and windows that were threatening to fall out at any second.

Really, it was heaven and earth. What was another very welcome change was the difference in neighbours. Whilst before there was that one elderly couple down the street that ran a tteokbokki stall, sure, they couldn’t exactly make you feel continuously welcome and safe, not when you quite literally had a loan shark knock on your door that one time, and then go “oops sorry wrong address, keep your money in a bank, kid”. Since that day you became the most loyal out of your friends to filling out taxes and budgeting.

In this apartment complex, there was the receptionist downstairs who, without fail, would give you the most reassuring nod humanly possible and then with a rough clearing of the throat, would go back to solving puzzles in the newspaper he subscribed to. There also was the family of four, man and wife and their boy and girl, who lived right down the corridor from you (and who you did hear on occasion, but this was nothing) – total sweethearts, the types of neighbours who left you alone, but in a good mood. And of course, him.

Park Seonghwa.

Lived two doors away and across the corridor from you. Worked as a junior resident at a hospital. A dream of a man. You two clicked instantly; maybe it was the circumstances of your first meeting that did it. You, in an oversized puffer coat, scarf wrapped up to your very eyes and a hat completing your disguise, only the crinkling of the plastic bag in your hands revealing why you were out and about at two thirty-five in the morning. Him, eyes slightly bloodshot, beanie tugged off to reveal a mop of black hair, and what looked to be a while lab coat protruding from layers of rained-on outerwear. Needless to say, both of you made quite a fascinating impression.

“So, what did you cook up in the labs this time of night, good sir?” you tried, too sleep-deprived to not fulfil your need for entertainment.

“Probably something that you were buying, good madam.” Seonghwa shot back at the speed of light, spinning on his heels to face you. You had stopped him right when he was about to unlock his front door. You noted the smirk that was appearing on his lips, and at that moment you decided that he was your type of man.

In your full incognito Mr. Stay-Puft glory you sashayed over to your neighbour, reaching into the bag and taking out a tightly packed cylinder.

“No wonder kimbap is so addictive.”

“Oh no! Not the ultra-classified prototype! Society is in danger!” raising his hands up, acting every part the diva in a low-budget, trashy horror flick, Seonghwa began to charm his way into your heart. So you did what no introvert had ever done before and, upon loosening your scarf slightly, took the risk and… introduced yourself.

“L/N Y/N. Your neighbour from… that door over there. Pleasure to make your acquaintance.” You bowed your head, momentarily concealing your shy smile.

“Park Seonghwa. The neighbour you just intercepted, and the pleasure is all mine.”

That night you had also made the gutsy move to offer to snack on the kimbap together, which led to the pair of  you having one philosophical discussion after another all through the night, ranging from the basics like ‘how come we did not talk a single time until now’ to the more insightful ‘what hope of yours would you want to reignite’ to the showstopper ‘why was there sound in the Star Wars intergalactic battles’. Probably the last one could be considered your first argument, but you were adults who knew how to communicate over even the most critical matters.

Steadily, you and Seonghwa became practically inseparable and were orbiting around one another even if outside of the complex. Your work schedules somehow complemented one another, and where he had to work night shifts or catastrophically long hours, you would be ready with a comforting meal and a completed chore or two – otherwise mundane and tiring but seeing a grown man giggle because he heard you took the trash out was beyond and became your choice of entertainment. Likewise, if you had project deadlines or particularly stressful client negotiations, Seonghwa would be right at your door, ready to take care of, quite literally, anything you would point at. Not that your friend from college would ever find out, but he was the one texting her back about what laundry detergent she should buy.

As time went on, you also got to see each other at your worst and lowest. His transition into being a full-time medical doctor was met with crash courses in intense epidemiology and volumes of patients unprecedented to him. Returning home after days of barely sitting down and intermittently losing consciousness for minutes of sleep had become a horrendous routine at a certain point. Seonghwa had crashed just about anywhere one could think of. His apartment, yours, even the corridor. And every time, your heart broke just a little, and you would climb close, flinging his arm around your neck and shoulder, and be his guide to a haven.

Though you would never understand the exact pain he felt, nor what he had to see out there and what choices he was forced to make, you tried your best to support Seonghwa how you could. Need more personal protective equipment? You were on it. Need hand sanitiser and antibacterial surface cleaner? Done and stocked up. Need to sit on the floor in silence for an hour and wait until the cacophony of the day stopped echoing in the mind? You were always ready.

It was the night of the 3rd of April, yet Seonghwa did not feel even a little bit happier, nor smarter, nor like he had the right to celebrate. For the most part, he had suppressed the fact that it was his birthday, instead pouring himself out at work until he could barely stand. At that point, like an automaton he followed the command of the doctor on call and trudged home, to the complex. He fell asleep twice on the metro, nearly missing his stop, and could barely walk up the tiny hill that now seemed to be a mountain.

He was fed up. Everything was too much. His own body was an unbearable load he had to carry. How did he fall victim to the illusion that the life of a doctor was one where he would feel gratitude and honour? The longer Seonghwa studied and worked, the more confident he became that no one ever said thank you to a medical professional. No, only blamed them. Blamed them for mistakes they did not make. Blamed them for the risks they did not take. Blamed them for when they tried their hardest, but that still was not enough.

Seonghwa thought of his family. How proud they were when he left his hometown to pursue his dreams at a prestigious university in Seoul. It used to bring him joy to think that the next time he would return for the holidays, his parents would show him off to anyone they could, and his brother would give him a congratulatory pat on the back and share the words ‘I knew you could do it, little bro’. He desperately wanted to return to the time when he still knew little about the field, so that it would not yet be tainted by the true colours of the world.

The wind was unusually cold for April, as though the winter had decided to return for a spring break. The young, fatigued man was fighting a losing battle against the gusts which did little to prevent tears from welling up. Not much longer now. One foot in front of the other. He was attempting to encourage himself to get across the little square in front of his building. In a confused panic when he almost lost his footing because of a hidden rock on the path, he raised his head, pleading for something better than this. Searching for a light.

There it was. A warm hue. Cheerful rays housed in four walls, hinting at a life behind the curtains. The sun that set only when you decided. The windows of your apartment, facing the square. He could imagine you swaying to whatever new release you had discovered, humming along to mask that you did not know the lyrics, cooking away. That was his guiding star.

In brighter spirits, Seonghwa managed to make his way to the ninth floor, where he was promptly greeted by your front door opening, and you in an oversized hoodie inviting him over for dinner once he was done with his second de-scrub and cleaning. Relief washed over him. After you had officially met and cemented yourselves as more than just neighbours, you had been nothing but kind and understanding of him. His work-induced lifestyle did not matter much to you, and you had not commented a single time that he should ‘change his ways’ or ‘go into a different field of medicine’. Over dinner at a local restaurant Seonghwa had explained to you his dreams of being a neurosurgeon, and you had merely lit up in admiration and commended him for his determination and strength.

This evening, too, you were right there for him. Once he had cleaned himself up and was at your door, he was greeted by an array of dishes that you had painstakingly been preparing for a few hours. From the traditional miyeok-guk to pajeon, you had done everything in your power to celebrate Seonghwa, even if it was just for a little, until midnight. That was when the swelling of his heart became too much, and he collapsed onto one of the dining chairs, head in his hands. The tears that had been on the verge of falling for the hours he was working were finally set free, and he could not help but want to hide.

You were taken aback. Never before had you brought anyone to tears. Especially for doing something that you would consider nice. But your intuition told you that there was something more to this, you were not one to judge. Seonghwa had been under pressure for an astonishingly long time, and his ability to still function blew you away. You did not know his whole story, but you wanted to ensure that he could get the happy ending he wanted.

Silently you poured the fragrant seaweed soup that you made, trying to follow a variation created by a cook from South Gyeongsang province, and set the bowl in front of him. You sat down across from the birthday boy. When he failed to move, you nudged his elbow with a plate of danmuji you had bought. When he finally looked up at you, eyes watery and red, you mustered your brightest grin and whispered:

“Don’t over-salt the food, Seonghwa, I want you to try it as is.” Hearing his chuckle was music to your ears. You reached over to pass him his cutlery, and before moving away, softly squeezed his forearm in reassurance. The gesture was meant to be brief and non-invasive, but Seonghwa had other plans and wrapped his fingers around your forearm, letting time stand still. He was aware that you were in a relationship with some good-for-nothing, so did not overstep any boundaries (though his body was screaming at him to act), but the touch had triggered a shutdown of his rumination. Right there and then, he was home.

“Thank you, Y/N.” He released you, only to pick up the spoon you provided and dig into the soup.

“You are very welcome, Seonghwa. Happy birthday.”

Not long after that, about a year and a half of you knowing one another, your neighbour turned closest friend had comforted you through loss of love; something you had initially attempted to hide, seeing as the loss Seonghwa had to witness day in day out was gut-wrenching on a different level, but he wanted to hear none of it. That same moment that he had managed to pry out of you the reason for your melancholy, he called into work claiming an emergency day off. He had stormed into your apartment with a mission to make you smile at least once, or at least to make you feel lighter – he did not have to try too hard, you had to admit. Part of you was certain that it was exactly because you had Seonghwa you could walk out of your ex-boyfriend’s apartment with a smile on your face.

The waves of bitter regret had hit you only after you came home. Replaying every scene in your head, you never thought yourself to be the one who would, one, be able to put up with someone, in retrospect, so judgemental for a total of three years, and two, be the one who was cheated on and then cussed out. The magical world of the new apartment complex you lived was shuddering under the heaviness of your dark mood.

The few weeks before Seonghwa had fully committed to treatment had passed agonisingly slow, with you hurling your phone across the living room in an attempt to silence the spam from your ex and existing on mere inertia. Getting up because you had to. Breathing out of habit. You had been struggling to keep your focus during meetings and had notified your team that you were to be exclusively online for the next couple of weeks due to being under the weather. By grace, your boss was more than understanding. And that was when you stopped being bothered to draw your curtains or to take care of yourself. Your ecosystem rapidly decreased in size until it was mashed into your apartment. Seonghwa was the one to see the signs. You were convinced that it was because he was a doctor and thus had a sixth sense, but he did not dare explain why he was acting the way he was. At least it was not the right time.

You healed fast. And got back into the pleasant lifestyle of amiable banter and housekeeping with Seonghwa. However, a few things had definitely changed since overcoming the various plot twists life had thrown at you. Probably one of the most obvious ones was that neither of you were hesitant to share stories about one another to your respective circles. Moreover, both of you would chat away even when unprompted, which had earned you a few sighs already. To express gratitude and satisfy your curiosity for where Seonghwa worked, you surprised him by bringing him a boxed lunch he had been raving about. This had set off a couple of rumours about you, though they were dispelled very quickly by your neighbour’s squadron of ambitious, wild, and hilarious doctors. They were quick to state that you had ‘old married couple energy’ and were asking if you could adopt them so they could get good treatment too. While you were laughing, you failed to notice the proud and warm grin that danced on Seonghwa’s lips and made his dark eyes gleam.

This was your shared rhythm. Your shared feeling of home.

☼☼☼☼☼

“Hey, do you need me to pick anything up on the way home?” your neighbour asked, his voice turning static for a split second as you switched the call to speaker.

You were currently hidden away in your home office – a tiny closet of a bedroom that you had converted to something of a studio for your creative deeds. So far, it was simply a desk and chair facing the window, a shelving unit housing random prototyping and art materials as well as being a pedestal to a potted English ivy to your right, and an overfilled corkboard to your left. As Seonghwa had commented, it was a manifestation of your creative and professional self. Truer words could not be said – it explained why you were constantly thinking of ways to update the interior.

As you repeatedly dragged and clicked with your mouse, scrutinising the vector image you were in the process of designing, you mumbled your resident partner in crime a response:

“I think I am good for now…”

“Really? So, we are just going to brush over the fact that you ran out of onions last week?”

You chuckled. The name under which you had him saved, ‘Mother Hwa🖤’ was very appropriate right that second. Nevertheless, these were the moments when you felt the most at ease. There was someone taking care of you, even though you were away from your childhood home, away from your old friends. There was someone right beside you, who you knew would return any care and affection a thousand-fold.

“See? You somehow know the contents of my kitchen better than I do. Please bestow some more knowledge upon me, dear Mars bar.” You countered, not looking away from your screen to pretend like you were still concentrated on work and not a soft mushy mess.

“Well… there was that one seasoning you had… you know the one in the red packet with the TV show host guy randomly in the corner and-” you tilted your head at the sudden pause “…since when am I a Mars bar???” you had to purse and suck in your lips to prevent a loud giggle from spilling out.

“Because you are a snack, Seonghwa.” Your success at a deadpan delivery sent the man on the call into a state of ‘error.exe’, even though the joke was outdated and highlighted how both of you were not quite the peak of modernity among the youth.

Before you had attained the status of singlehood, you were a lot more reserved with your jokes and flirtation, and understandably so. You had not wanted to appear to be a player, not give anyone false hopes. Seonghwa had to admit that it had been slightly easier to talk to you when he felt as though he had no chance. Now, more often than not, your comments reduced him to nothing more than a pained expression and flaming cheeks. Believing that there could be something, a tomorrow, hell, a whole future with you, really sent him into a mental frenzy.

“…okay… then I won’t get you the bbungyeoppang that is on sale since I am enough.” He whispered. Nothing much, but a shiver still ran down your spine at the sudden sultriness in his enunciation.

“Why not spice things up and add a plus one, especially since they are so willing?” you countered, mirroring him.

“Oh you- ah sorry, I have to drop the call, duty calls. Hongjoong is asking for a consult. Then I’ll pick up the groceries on the way, see you later Y/N.” Seonghwa rushed, jolting you back to reality. That’s right, you were still in your tiny room, in front of your set up, hand hovering above the mouse.

“Sure, got you. See you later, Seonghwa!”

As soon as you ended the call and watched the phone screen fade to black, you spun around on your chair, doing a miniature wiggle dance. These domestic interactions had never failed to give rise to pure glee within you. It was a tad unconventional to be pretty much sharing living space with someone who, technically, was just your neighbour, but it felt more than right. Oh, the wonders of having powered through life struggles and global crises together.

While you continued to work away at a brand re-design portfolio deck, Seonghwa was left standing in one of the many passageways of KQ Hospital where he worked. This particular one was almost fully glass, connecting the emergency centre to the main building. Whenever he felt like shooting you a quick text or to slow down after doing rounds and more training, Seonghwa would come here. To some degree, the location reminded him of the apartment complex – people bolting across, on a mission, never stopping to admire the setting sun that the glass captured, turning the linoleum floor into a carpet of glistening gold. People greeting each other with a curt nod, posing as good colleagues when in fact they had no idea what the other’s name was, nor why they felt obligated to follow societal norms and not ignore one another. Seonghwa, too, was guilty of this, especially in his first rotations when everything was a huge blur.

At one point he had even ceased to reach out to his friends – those in the exact same rotation and doing the same shifts as him, let alone those with whom, on top of exhaustion, there were other excuses. Funnily enough, it was you who pulled him out of this pattern, preventing him from losing himself and who he held dear. You reminded him that even in this vast world where one can never quite know anyone’s full story, you can find those whom you wouldn’t mind co-authoring with. One of these people was Hongjoong, his best friend since the first year of medical school and colleague he could count on. The shorter man was standing at the entrance to the passageway, arms crossed, his mobile phone dangling between two fingers.

“No wonder I couldn’t call you, Hwa. You were flirting with Y/N again.”

“Come on, man, I wasn’t flirting.” Seonghwa waved his friend off, hiding his phone in his scrubs.

“Then what was it, digital first base?”

Seonghwa could imagine the mischievous expression on Hongjoong’s face, one not dissimilar to that of a dad figuring out that his son was talking to someone in a very happy tone. Sighing deeply, he chose to not look to his side and continue walking, hands in his pockets. Seeing that the joke did not quite land, Hongjoong backtracked and added:

“If it is going to make you actually respond to me, I can start paging you, I don’t mind. I have gotten pretty good at dialling up the numbers at lighting speed.” This made Seonghwa shudder and turn dramatically.

“Oh, you would not dare, Kim Hongjoong, I am still getting flashbacks from the time the senior resident just decided to give me three pagers on a Friday night shift.” He proclaimed, placing a hand on his chest.

“You’ll deal with it, better train those nerves up for when you become a neurosurgeon.” Hongjoong poked him in the arm, then fell into the same stride as his friend.

That was how it had been through out the years they had known each other. Through thick and thin, on caffeine or suffering through withdrawals. They had sworn to support one another through the thorned path that was medicine, and somehow had managed to deal with each other’s nonsense. At this point they could be called brothers, having only moved into different apartments by mutual agreement to not drive each other insane 24/7. Interestingly, their opportunity to spend some time apart, forming their own habitats and lives not directly related to careers and studies, had enabled them to be even better attuned to each other’s changes. This was how Hongjoong knew you were someone who Seonghwa could rely on. In a matter of weeks after ghosting those closest left and right, he had walked into the staff common room with an apologetic smile and coffee for all his friends who he had gathered prior. And, upon being taken aside by Hongjoong for a miniature interrogation, brushed any suspicions and hypotheses aside, only saying that ‘he had found home’.

Needless to say, when the bond between you two began to grow stronger, and you had, evidently, not left his side for the duration of the worst parts of the pandemic, nor did Seonghwa abandon any hopes as he had previously done when it came to even hints of relationships, for Hongjoong you were instantly approved. Bonus points for having returned the next day after bringing Seonghwa lunch that one time to feed his friends too. It was frustrating that his best friend was not yet aware of the necessity to make the final move and make things official. For a doctor he was unbelievably thick in matters of love, or was a classicist and was afraid of rejection.

“You know…” Hongjoong began as they were approaching the elevators, “I think you really need to seal the deal, Hwa. Time goes by fast, and it is unfair to both of you if you don’t neither time nor the feelings you obviously have.”

Seonghwa expected that this conversation would happen at some point. His friend knew him too well. Maybe even caught him looking at your pictures that he had saved on his phone in a separate album of his gallery. He took a deep breath and shrugged, pressing the button to call the lift.

“True, but at the same time, things are going so well right now and-”

“Hate to rain on your parade, buddy, but that is how you messed up with your first girlfriend. And your second… oh wait a minute, even the blind date I set you up on did not work out, guess why?”

“Okay, okay, I got it. Fine.”

“No, you ‘don’t got it’. I can see you are scared. But you know why? Because you are being given a chance by the universe to hold onto something so precious and fragile that you know you cannot be the same without. But your self-doubt and anxieties wake up and torment you, day in day out, saying that you cannot step up and be responsible and commit.”

Seonghwa fell quiet, all attention on the painful monologue that was cutting up his psyche into small pieces, arranging it into a clearer bigger picture that he was trying to hide from himself.

“Take this, if you were not ready to step up, you wouldn’t have her as your emergency contact – don’t ask how I know. And, and you sure as hell would not be rushing home after a day shift just to make it to the bakery she likes. You would not be so worried for her even if everything was okay and you would not drop everything just to help her. You, my friend, are denying what is so blatantly obvious and is right in front of you that I seriously want you to call ophthalmology.”

“I swear, it is almost as if I was the one who called you for a life consult.” Seonghwa retorted as they watched the numbers blink in ascending order.

“See how lucky you are? Doctor Kim is blessing you with love wisdom for free.”

“Yeah… yeah… And I am trying my best to apply it.” If only destiny was so kind so as to give him an opportunity to just… get the awkward stuff over with and be able to wrap you in his arms – he was getting ahead of himself. Again. Seonghwa ran a hand through his hair. Way to go, declaring to another doctor he was ‘self-soothing’. He cleared his throat and decided to fully switch topic.

“Now, oh wise one, what troubles did you wish to talk to me about?”

“Oh, okay, so there is this one patient, complaining of episodes where their surroundings start spinning uncontrollably and they get a splitting headache and waves of nausea-”

“Vertigo?”

“Exactly, care to check it out?”

“Sure, lead the way.”

They ambled onwards, having fully moved on from conversing about you, however Seonghwa was still clouded over, pondering what you were up to. He was meant to have a full day off soon, and his infatuated self was inclined to conjure up plans exclusively involving you. But first, this patient…

You had not moved much in the time of Hongjoong’s and Seonghwa’s chat, nor for the two hours after that. Having found the perfect position in your chair, you were an unstoppable force, bashing out page after page of innovation for a re-branding that a late-stage start-up had requested. Their market focus reminded you of Seonghwa. Neuro-something or other. Maybe you should show him a sneak peek of one of your designs, just to see what the impact would be, though the non-disclosure agreement was hanging right above you like a guillotine. Yet another cause for your having been accustomed to asking well-crafted questions about your neighbour’s day – patient confidentiality was not too far off, style-wise. Like serif and sans serif fonts. Or two font families that could be mish-mashed together and no one would mind.

It was obvious that you had spent far too long doing some ‘font shopping’, as you liked to call it. Another hour, to be exact. However, you pushed the initial wave of guilt away pretty quickly, reminding yourself that, thankfully, this, too was part of your job. You yawned and stretched, taking a look at the time.

“Right, time for a snack!” you exclaimed out loud, and with a huff pushed yourself to your feet.

It was already getting dark outside, and temperatures were dropping in true autumn fashion, so after much deliberation you settled for a decaffeinated latte and a yogurt you found in your fridge. You moved to your sofa and turned on some random drama to play in the background while you zoned out scrolling for inspiration on your phone. After not finding anything too impressive but liking things for the sake of it, you clicked on your own profile to reminisce on the memories you captured. Funny how more and more of them appeared to involve the doctor next door.

After you proudly deleted any traces of your ex from social media, you vowed to be careful about the people you included in photos. So, none actually revealed the identity of be it a shadow or an extra mug or the holder of a ticket, but for you each scene was crystal clear, and replayed with ease. There was the picture Seonghwa had taken during your ‘supposed to be spontaneous but was planned weeks in advance’ getaway to Daejeon – you looking particularly cute while scrutinising an exhibit at the museum of art. There was the snapshot from one of your late-night trips to the convenience store, when you two were snuggled in oversized hoodies, sprawled on plastic chairs. And one of a completed Lego build, completed in three hours, mainly with you observing and searching for any stray piece that had gone flying across your neighbour’s living room.

You were also glad for the time you had to move on. You had a problematic relationship previously, you had to admit, and rushing into anything more would have had you repeating patterns you did not want to remember. Yet now, all you were hoping for was for a new chapter. An evolution of what you had been cultivating. Your instincts were telling you that you and Seonghwa were approaching a sort of crossroads, or a breaking point, and depending on what decisions you two would make, your future could be rewritten, and the world around the apartment complex either bloom or wither.

It was not that complicated a conclusion to reach – your ex had been bothering you incessantly with messages, voicemails and even direct messaging on social media, leading you to block him almost everywhere. He was going through the usual routine of pretending to care for your wellbeing, demanding attention and then on a night when he was probably shitfaced, saying he loved you and then proceeding to call you a whore. Prince charming indeed. You were disgusted that you had ever associated yourself with that sorry excuse for a man.

Tonight was no different. After deciding to post a ‘throwback’ story, he was back. It had been months since you last shared a full conversation, and it appeared that he was more communicative than ever. Was this what the memes you had seen online were talking about, where two people in a breakup often had radically different grief processing schedules? You were tired. You wanted to forget what and who you had moved away from. You wanted to build your new home in peace, and here was a ghost, howling and wishing to haunt you.

[do not answer!!] hey

[do not answer!!!] I know you are seeing this, you have read receipts on

[do not answer!!!] Y/N… come on I just want to talk things through

[do not answer!!!] I don’t think we have ever really had a chance to go over things

[do not answer!!!] you know, understand each other’s perspectives

[do not answer!!!] Y/N! seriously give me a chance I want to just TALK

[do not answer!!!] anyways, I am on my way to your place so… I guess talk soon?

[azure-za-raid]

To start of our ToA Reimagined, a little summary,

Hybrid Complex is a series that I created and am currently creating the story and comic for.

Hybrid Complex is a series about a supernatural world fill with magic on the brink of destruction following a ever-growing anomoly. Specialized groups have taken action, but the progress is slow. The story follows multiple characters and the perspectives on the rising problem as it begins to affect their lives

This project is essentially taking the Ninth Configuartion and placing them into this universe. For each character, I’ve altered them to fit within the universe while also trying to keep them recognizable

Here is Jim Lake Jr.

Next

Jim’s Story:

James “Jim” Lake Jr., son of James Lake Sr. and Barbara Lake, ordinary teen.

Or at least he was until he was roped into a mess he knew nothing about, all stemming from trying to save someone

Looks like now he and his best friend, Toby D., have to situate things

Jim in this universe starts as a human and becomes a incomplete Superhybrid,

(More info on Superhybrids here!),

following an accident that results in him and Toby getting involved in the supernatural world, meeting Blinky, AAARRRGGH, Draal, then eventually Merlin, who sees Jim as the best chance he has against Morgana and her forces

Merlin gives Jim a MultiTool of his creation containing the Daybreak Suit, a specialized suit that converts solar energy into magical energy stored within the suit, Daybreak, the primary weapon of the MultiTool, and its various other weaponry