#if it ain't broke (squid)

[xamiipholia]

Horizon Machine Idea - The Abyssal

Lv. 55 Combat Class Aquatic Machine. Real-World Megafauna: Mesonychoteuthis

The Abyssal, like the Floodrage, has been designed as a countermeasure to Quen naval supremacy. Imperial expansion has lead to mass systematic machine harvesting as the Quen empire and their need for resources has grown - the abyssal was created by HEPHAESTUS to impede the culling of aquatic machines and is able to destroy aquatic vessels with alarming speed and brutality.

The Abyssal has been built using some of HEPHAESTUS' newly-integrated Zenith tech that allows it to have a semi-decentralized nervous system. Dismemberment will not render the arms inert - they will reanimate after a brief period and can be reattached by the abyssal using Zenith nanotech if left alone for too long. Any dismembered limbs or removed parts must be damaged beyond functionality as quickly as possible.

The Abyssal is armed with twin electrical flails, two crusher arms equipped with grinder saws, auxiliary shock coils, Purgewater jets, an adhesive jet that uses an electroconductive variety of machine adhesive, and a radar jammer. It uses two pairs of dorsal-mounted repulser turbines for propulsion and three-dimensional underwater mobility.

When the Abyssal has firm hold of a ship, it can divert power from its weapons systems to overcharge the thrusters, allowing it to drag vessels underwater.

Extremely dangerous. Do not engage without a machine mount or ship-mounted heavy weaponry.

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Okay actually this was super fun and I don't think I've ever done something quite like this before. It took a week on and off and gave me a chance to play around with a bunch of new painting tools. Still getting used to digital but - happy with some progress.

Horizon font found here: https://fontmeme.com/fonts/horizon-font/

[dragon-doodling-gal]

Day 13 If it ain't broke

Wanna play a game but don't know what. Something cozy and survivally. There's like a billion to pick from tho. Buh

Daily dragons 2025 Month 1: Bugs January 13th Prompt: Silverfish Specific Variety Chosen: Firebrat Dragon Name: Firebrat

[raeloganthesonic06fangirl]

"Shadow Generations" is so funny from Mephiles' point of view.

Imagine getting erased from the prime timeline, spending who knows how long is some sort of limbo void as your essence leaks out around it, spending all that time plotting your revenge, waiting for the right time when your target finally arrives

I mean, Mephiles already had a grudge against Shadow for that paradox they were stuck in back in Sonic 06, where it's basically Mephiles was sealed by Shadow in the Scepter, but Shadow only has the means to do so because Mephiles broke out in the first place to attack Shadow, who goes back in time to seal him, blah blah blah repeat repeat repeat, so of COURSE Mephiles ain't missing his chance to catch him off guard

Presumably, Mephiles spent his countless length of Time in White Space, fantasizing about finally taking down Shadow, planning his attacks, his counters, maybe even his quips just to throw some references back in Shadow's face

Then it finally happens, Shadow finally shows up, and he takes his chance

Sure, Shadow doesn't remember him, but what else is new? At this point, Mephiles is probably considering the possibility that Shadow just has memory problems or something because, wow, this is like at least the third time he's been forgotten even though he's pretty sure been enough of a nuisance to stick in Shadow's brain.

No worries, he's got Shadow's moveset memorized, he knows all his weakness, he's been primed for this exact moment, there's absolutely no way Shadow could possibly scrape by without getting significantly damaged-

And then Shadow turns into a squid.

Mephiles absolutely cannot with this guy

[dr-spectre]

WE DID IT!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!!!!! This is such a big milestone. Halfway until 1000 followers... that's absolutely insane!!

This will be the last follower update until we reach 1000. But, I wanna share something special with you all and get rather personal...

So, about a year ago, I wanted to learn how to draw because I was feeling depressed about "not being productive enough." Basically I got sucked into the bullshit productivity self help stuff that wants to turn your life into a cold calculated work obsessed nightmare, rather than living in the moment due to fear mongering about the future and how "if you don't grind now you WILL be a failure and die alone and get no pussy." (No wonder I picked Team Present for the Grand Fest...)

Plus I dropped out of uni at the time and welp, to put it lightly, I was feeling fucking god awful and I was scared into basically "putting in the hard work" by all these self help channels and other bullshit online. Whatever the FUCK that vague shit means, my autistic brain still doesn't get it.

It was BY FAR the worst period of my life, but, at least I tried to do SOMETHING. And I wanna show you all some of the things that I drew last year....

This was between October 2023 to February 2024. I stopped drawing due to it causing me much frustration and anger.

So yeah! Uh... enjoy?

So.... not the best work you've seen, right? HAHAHAHAHA!

Would you freak out if I told you that I got upset and damaged a book and a fan because I got so mad at myself over not being able to draw or do anything right?...

I feel like this ain't for me, and you know what? That's okay! I've learnt that it's okay to try new things, it's okay to experiment and if shit doesn't work then it doesn't work. Plain and simple. It's perfectly fine to give up and try something else.

You are not a robot, you are a human being. Don't feel like you "gotta do something everyday otherwise you'll die alone and you'll be broke and you'll never be successful and you'll be forgotten!!"

Do feel pressured to feel like you have to "find your thing" or "be productive" or whatever kind of... heh.... BRAINWASHING you hear online.

I wanted to draw because I was jealous of others, including my friends who are skilled artists... and I did it for the wrong reasons which is why I stopped in February.

I am very happy that I've decided to actually focus on what i like doing and what gives me energy. A quote that has stuck with me for years now is a quote by Jordan Peele from an interview, and it's basically this-

"Follow the fun." And you know what? He's right. Following what gives you that good good boost of dopamine while also feeling like you're accomplishing something is one of the best feelings EVER!!!! Whether it's art, writing, modelling, sculpting, architecture, making music, acting, clay sculptures, etc. FOLLOW THE FUN!! FOLLOW THE SHIT THAT EXCITES YOU!!! I literally always have multiple projects spiralling around in my head all the time and cycling between them at every given moment.

I'm not even saying do only what makes you comfortable or be lazy either, do shit that makes you go "BRING IT ON!!!! I WANNA DO THIS!!!" Get that blood pumping!!! Challenge yourself fairly!!!! There's healthy and unhealthy stress. Healthy stress should make you feel like a fucking PREDATOR!!! AN ANIMAL ON THE HUNT!!! While unhealthy stress makes you feels like you're the prey, the one who's being chased by an unknown force that's out to get you!!

I feel like I'm kinda rambling... anyways!!! ENOUGH WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL BULLSHIT!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!!!! 99% of you have been awesome and incredible!!!

It's also been an honor to get to know so many people who feel the same way as I do about a certain squid lady and her best friends.... before I went onto tumblr I genuinely felt so alone and so insane. I felt isolated, I felt like no one saw these characters the way that I do... I thought my perspective of a certain squid lady and her rebel phase was invalided and false... But now I know that I have people who have my back and understand what I'm trying to express...

One final time, thank you. I'll keep going.

STAY FRESH!!!!!!!!!!

[epickiya722]

You know what, season 2 broke a lot of our hearts, didn't it? Well, here's some moments I thought were funny, heartwarming and just off the wall to lighten things up!

Starting with the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death Arc and if y'all want, I'll do a part 2 for the Shibuya Incident!

NOTE: I may have talked about some of these moments before in other posts.

Utahime, just all of Utahime in the first episode. She's awesome, I adore her. "SHOOOOKOOOO!!"

Chibi Satoru and Suguru. Especially the part of Suguru walking up the stairs as the others were talking. "Urusei."

"SENSEI, I SAY WE STOP THIS HUNT FOR THE CULPRIT!"

"SO IT WAS YOU!"

"Blegh!"

Shoko dipping out.

Suguru was really about to jump Satoru with a curse!!!

The fact that Suguru even went from wearing regular-waist pants to high-waist ones from manga to anime is glorious. Whoever decided that knew Suguru was meant to be a fashion icon.

Digimon

That WALK!!! Y'all, those are Special Grade sorcerers!

Suguru scowling Satoru on his behavior, also... "Satorrruuu~" Did he have to purr? That was a purr!

I love Satoru Gojo, I do. But with those glasses, he really do be looking like one of the Three Blind Mice from Shrek.

I don't know how but Toji somehow made saying he took his wife's last name scary. Like, he was very intimidating that it bypass me the first time of how cute it is that he loved Mamaguro a lot.

They actually added Suguru fixing himself a cup of tea in the anime!! This teenager really had that man captured by some Kissing Curse, told him he couldn't be a rice farmer and had himself some tea. Iconic.

Ooh, Satoru didn't have to do Bayer like that. But I applaud him for taking such a selfie!

Shoko trying to explain how RCT works actually irritated Satoru... which is rare!

Riko actually was the first to defeat Satoru. Did him dirty!! Suguru actually laughs at Satoru getting slapped while in the anime he looks shocked. Either way, his reaction is funny as hell.

"You look like a liar! And what's up with those bangs?" Then Riko got jumped for that!

Suguru's bangs ain't that bad, come on!

Knowing how Suguru turns out, it's something he's the one to tell Kuroi that she's Riko's family. Years later, he had his own "family". It's actually heartwarming he tells her that.

That old man didn't even get touched yet and he was already seeing his dead dog from 50 years ago!! Man's life flashed right before his eyes and he even says that! The whooping Suguru put on him was so bad that he was having visions!!

The one time Satoru is shown to have some sort of charm is with a bunch of school girls. The teacher should be locked up though.

Baghead man really had on the All Might cosplay.

Toji didn't have to say a word to that man and he still scared him shitless. Alright, Toji, I see you being all scary!

Satoru really be carrying kids like they're bags of groceries. Did it with Yuji, he did it with Riko.

"I failed!"

Kuroi being rescued! Satoru really stomped on those guys!

The plane scene. Satoru checking each passenger all with a glare. Meanwhile, Suguru was just chilling with a book, sitting there all pretty.

The whole beach scene!! "IT'S A SEA CUCUMBER!!"

Teen Kento having that hairstyle and his dynamic with Yu is just too adorable. He looks like he has Wii music playing in his head all day. Such a good kid!!

I cannot believe that DIO's VA is also Toji's. It's funnier when Toji has had beef with Satoru as a kid and DIO has had generational beef with the Joestars.

I just know that Worm Curse was having the time of its life on Toji's back while he was jumping around and being tossed about. Also, Toji smiling the whole time while fighting.

Suguru actually has mad hops! Did y'all not see that long ass jump?!

Squid gun. Speaking of, where in the hell did all those squids come from?! I need a story on that one!

Toji talking about how he fights for a while before Suguru tells him to shut up and die.

"Am I pretty?" "Sorry, you're not my type." Okay, well, damn.

The Worm Curse pretty much "NOPE" at Suguru.

That kick was fucking personal, I just know it! Also, the fact that Toji actually thought about the curses inhabiting Suguru's body is something. Especially, given later. I actually question that when Suguru dies in JJK 0, did Satoru have to deal with any curses?

Toji remembering Megumi.

Also, if you pay attention to the Worm, that thing sometimes matches Toji's expressions. It's like Reki and his headband (SK8 the Infinity).

Satoru standing all menacingly outside for Toji.

"Is he high?" Well, given that a few moments later he'll be floating in the air.

The fact that people have described Toji's death as "turned into the Apple logo" to "the Rengoku treatment". Y'all are out of pocket! And he looked so disappointed, too.

"Mommy... hug me..." That scene is just...

"I like girls with healthy appetites!" Yu, never change!!

Yuki's reaction to what Suguru tells her about what he has heard about her. "She's pouting."

"I heard you the first time. That's why I said 'huh'!" Bro was just that mad.

Shoko. Just Shoko when she and Suguru meet in Shinjuku.

Heartbreaking as the scene is, you had one lanky ass teenager looking deranged on one end and the other with the "I'm going to the store real quick" fit on having this fight in front of KFC. Becomes even funnier when you remember the slogan "finger lickin' good". What does this have to do with anything? Think about Yuji.

One, where did Suguru get the robes from? Two, given he was born the following year in February after Satoru, if I did my calculations right... Suguru really started a cult at 17. No wonder there were objections. After he killed that guy, I'm sure everyone was like "oh, he's unhinged".

Okay, but the head rubs he gave the twins were so cute!! Look, they may been raised as killers, but it's sweet that they were Suguru's family. He adored those girls and they adored him!

The first meeting between Megumi and Satoru!!

Satoru waking up and seeing his students was just so heartwarming!!!

[deepseasquidbro]

Introducing the Squid Bro!!

Another Thunderbirds RP blog by @squiddokiddo

Hey!! This is supposed to be my pinned post but I literally have no idea what I'm doing so I'm just going to copy @thunderfledgeling because I can.

Name: Gordon, Gords, Gordo, fishface, depends who's asking.

Age: Hey man, I ain't telling you that. Just know I'm old enough to rent a car yet still young enough to be ID checked for everything.🙃

Gender: Squidboy lol.

Pronouns: He/Him but I'm chill with They/Them too.

Fave Color: Bet you can't guess.😏

Home: I live under a rock it seems since it took me this long to make a blog here... In all seriousness, I live on Tracy Island with the big bros Scott, Virg & John (if you consider the section of outer space above us as part of the island that is), my little bro Allie, our sister Kayo, Grandma, our good buddy Brains and the lil baby sib Squirt.

Career: (Damn, this kid really thought to put EVERYTHING on here huh...) This is gonna be super obvious but I am International Rescue's Aquanaut and pilot of the best Thunderbird. I also work with multiple ocean preservation and clean up charities doing talks at big events from time to time, raising awareness and getting stuck in and picking up trash and checking in on the creatures they've rescued... And paperwork...

I also spent some time in WASP and on the US Olympic swim team but that's ancient history lol, we're focusing on the here and now.

Hobbies: Swimming, surfing, scuba diving, beach combing, little bit of guitar and ukulele, keeping little gremlins in check, volleyball, sometimes crafting (yeah the squid also has a creative streak) destroying Alan at chess, being destroyed by John at chess and the occasional cooking.

Strengths and flaws: Literally have no flaws, I'm perfect and that's a strength... I'm kidding!! I can definitely be little oblivious sometimes, I also get bored easily and I struggle to focus on anything that I'm not interested in. I also have no idea how to bake a perfect crust on a pie, I have tried it is impossible!! Idk how Scott does it!!

Achievements: Won gold in the Olympics, broke the world record for 100m butterfly blah blah blah, again ancient history... I think one of my more important achievements was getting my degree in marine biology via WASP's study programme.

My blog: (Goddamnit Squirt, why do you need so many categories??) Like the kid said, I'm here to chill and have fun, maybe answer some questions and chat with you guys, keep an eye on a certain small individual and maybe post memes idk.

[snowfieldstories]

Eighteen Sixty-Three

Kim Dokja x OC; Yoo Joonghyuk x OC Western-Civil War Era AU

Enjoy our squid and sunfish as a dashing, cowboy duo. Yee haw, y'all ོ𓂃𓃗 𐚁⋆˚࿔

Warnings: strong suicidal behavior; period-typical racial tension/racism; heavy violence, language, and sexual content; a devilishly handsome Cowboy!Kim Dokja

Masterpost ✮ AO3

Chapter 1

⋆⋆⋆

All mothers must have some given knowledge of the future, the way they warned their children from doing stupid things.

Eliza May stumbled over tree roots, skirts soiled and tears muddying the dirt on her cheeks, as she recalled the final words her mother had spoken to her before she left home.

You aim too high, my child. This world'll knock you back down to remind you of your place.

And knock her down it did. In the cold, unforgiving dirt, quicker than she could finish celebrating her achievement of being admitted to a degree program at a women's hospital up in Massachusetts.

Her great folly was pursuing medicine—not a profession people often considered dangerous. But any given thing was now dangerous in this war.

"She won't get far!"

The buzzing sting of fear was enough to keep her legs pumping as she dashed through the trees. The soldiers sprinting behind her were terrifyingly close.

Off to the right was a clearing, decidedly not a smart path to take, so she veered left, ducking under a low branch and moving through the thicket of the road less traveled. Thankfully, it was the height of summer when she made her escape that night, so with the heavy foliage overhead and down below, her tracks were more likely to be covered from the moon's reveal.

She was gaining distance. Hope, a bright, reckless hope, swelled in her chest. She would escape, she could go home, she could—

Eliza May shrieked, unable to help the sound as she rounded a tree trunk and crashed into a rough figure. The person grunted as they fell back, her momentum landing her on top of them. Moonlight broke through the trees as a breeze swept past.

It was a beautiful man.

His large eyes were luminous, a dark grey reflecting the light, and his straight nose was almost touching hers. She marveled at his face, unreasonably pretty for a man, with alabaster skin that glowed like the moon above. He must be a local cowboy, because his hat had been blown off his head when she knocked him down. A heated breath escaped his lips and she realized just how close and pressed together they were.

There was too much contact everywhere.

A commotion froze her in place. The three men that had been hot on her tail must have split up, because they now yelled to each other, and it echoed in the stillness of night.

"Can't find her."

"Look harder!"

Another slapped his thigh with a hoot. "Ha! S'ppose that skin of hers makes 'er dark as night."

"She ain't that dark."

The cowboy's eyes dropped from her wide, fearful eyes, to her skin, lingering on her trembling chin as she whispered, "Please. I beg of you."

He exhaled, a resolute sound that raised alarm in her, before wrapping his arms further around her body and rolling them into a dense bush. His black hair fell into his eyes, mussed with leaves and dried grass. It gave him a boyish appearance.

Dear, God. His hair.

"Your hat!" Eliza May hissed. It was still out there where it had fallen, and they could spot it now, sticking half out of a different bush.

Before either of them could stretch out an arm to nab it, branches cracked underfoot nearby.

"...come on! S'not my fault, she's a slippery one, that girl." A man whined as he whacked the bushes on either side of the path. The cowboy clutched her tighter against him, and her breath stilled. His belt buckle dug into her hipbone. The soldiers were terribly close.

"Captain Bang will tear you to pieces if that medic escapes for good."

"Yeah, I think he was hopin' she'd start treatin' him personally, if ya know what I mean," said the third. There was a harsh mixture of sounds as the men sniggered to themselves.

Shhwt!

A particularly heavy swat rustled the branches just above their heads. They startled in each other's arms. The cowboy pressed her face into his chest, as if to muffle any scream she might have let out in shock.

For one, agonizing moment, it seemed as though they were discovered. Then the conversation resumed, quieter, and distance was put between them and the soldiers once more.

The erratic thumping of her heart was matched with the cowboy's own.

"You're a doctor?" Eliza May tried not to jump at the warm breath on her ear. She was still afraid to speak, so she nodded. His voice was nice. It rumbled his chest without being too deep, promising comfort and an easygoing kindness. He slid back, releasing her. "Come on."

They stood, dusting themselves off. She noticed he wore a simple black shirt tucked into black pants.

"Your hat." Eliza May snatched it from the thicket and held it out. It was silver studded and a brilliant white, unsullied by dirt despite its tumble. It looked expensive.

The cowboy replaced it on his head. He smiled, and she felt something stutter beneath her breast. "Thank you, ma'am."

It was oddly formal and certainly not something anyone with her skin color was typically referred to by such men. The high regard of the title sent a flush to her cheeks. She was grateful that it would go unnoticed in the dark of night.

He led them away, through the forest, and eventually they came upon a clearing by a river. A grazing horse was tied to a tree.

Eliza May halted. This man—while her savior—was a stranger. If she got on his horse, he could take her anywhere. Do anything to her.

Never mind that she had never ridden a horse in her life.

"They're gone for now, but we should hurry." At her uncertainty, he held out an urging hand. "We need to leave this area. It'll be no good if they send out more soldiers, and I don't really want to be hung for treason...tonight, at least."

She nodded mindlessly, only half-paying attention to his words. It was unreasonable to think she could get by alone, on foot, in a wilderness unfamiliar to her. The cowboy had saved her life once—if he truly had bad intentions then he could have turned her in to the soldiers. Instead, he saved her.

Eliza May took his hand.

The cowboy hoisted her up side-saddle, passing her the lead, and he swung up to sit behind her. She was, once again, pressed flush against this very handsome man. Eliza May tried not to let that pesky observation get to her head.

"Sorry. It's a tight fit," he said.

He snapped the reins and the horse spurred into action, heading straight towards the river. Eliza May gripped the hard nub of the saddle, praying to God with all her might that she wouldn't fall off and crack her head open. The cowboy kept one arm firmly around her as he laughed. "Hold on!"

They leapt. She definitely screamed.

When she opened her eyes again, they were on the other side, galloping freely across the plain.

She was ever grateful for the strong arm around her.

"Where are we?" she shouted over the wind. "One of the Carolinas?"

"Carolina? This is Texas!"

His laughter rumbled at her back, masking the horror shaking her body. Texas?!

Eliza May was a long, terribly long, way from home. Perhaps she was foolish to ever dream of a return.

They rode for what felt like hours. Soon, the horse began to slow and a small, makeshift camp on the edge of a forest appeared in the distance. Eliza May grew jittery, uncertain of her decision at the thought of more people, but the steadying arm around her squeezed lightly.

"Nothing to fear. These are my people."

Her unease remained until she managed to spot the figure of a woman among the few individuals that moved to greet them.

"He's back!"

It was the woman who spoke, a stunning face with long, light brown hair and thick bangs. She had on a simple, brown button-up dress with a tan fringe at the hem. Her leather boots kicked up grass as she ran towards them.

The cowboy passed her the reins and hopped off, helping Eliza May slide off the saddle. Her body felt wobbly from the constant motion, and the cowboy's hands at her waist steadied her. The woman looked at Eliza May curiously. "Who is this...?"

A towering man dressed in all-black swept forth with a fierce glare on the cowboy holding her. There must have been a beauty requirement in order to join this group, because he, too, was a handsome sight cut from perfect cloth, even as his thick brows pinched in anger. The man's fingers curled around one of the two guns at his hip. "Kim Dokja. Where have you been?"

Kim Dokja.

The very name was enough to send a shock of fear strong enough to rattle her bones and reduce her legs to wilted flower stems. She collapsed to the grass with a cry. Even up in the northern United States, this name was infamous.

Once nothing but a lone cowboy, Kim Dokja had become a lucrative bandit, a crook, often called the "king of a kingless world." The Demon King. As war between the States broke out, it was he who reigned as Prince of the Wild West, along with his comrades, who, Eliza May realized with a stifling dread, must be the others surrounding her. Together, they made up the deadly and notorious outlaw group, the Kim Dokja Company.

Eliza May would die here.

"Look what I've brought us," said Kim Dokja with a cheeky smile. "A doctor!"

So, he brought her here to be used. Anger churned alongside her fear; this man was no hero to her. He probably would have tossed her back to the soldiers if they hadn't revealed her medical status.

The man in black bored into her with an unimpressed gaze, but it was the fair lady next to him that spoke. "Dokja-ssi, she doesn't exactly...look...like a doctor."

Well-aware of what she looked like at the moment, Eliza May turned her hateful eyes to the woman. She sure wasn't a doctor yet—a nurse, rather—but that didn't mean she wasn't capable of becoming one; her potential had only just begun. The woman likely didn't mean anything of the sort, though, so Eliza May refrained from speaking her mind.

Instead, she glared.

"The Rebs were chasing her. Recapturing her, to treat their men in battle as a medic. I overheard them say so. Think they might've had the right idea," said Kim Dokja, his hands sliding tight against her shoulders to lift her back up.

Someone sidled up to them.

"So, you've brought us a pet?" An older man, rough stubble peeking out from the shadow of his blackened cowboy hat—those were burn marks!—rubbed his giant potbelly thoughtfully. Eliza May felt small under his attention.

"No," said Kim Dokja. "I've brought us a medic."

"Let's hope she's any good. Take her over, then."

Eliza May couldn't hope to gather her wits and run for her life, as Kim Dokja guided her away from the trio and over to a heap of boxes, bags, and blankets. Among the stockpile was a person.

A small woman with a freckle under her left eye and crudely cropped hair was laid out on a pad of blankets. She clutched a bundle of cloth to her side—it was drenched dark with blood.

"Sooyoung." Kim Dokja knelt beside her, dragging Eliza May with him. One of his hands stroked the injured woman's hair with a tenderness unsettling for someone so infamously cruel.

Eliza May jerked in his hold. "I refuse to treat the lover of someone like you."

"Lover?!"

The gagging noise came from the injured's—Sooyoung's—mouth, and her eyes popped open to level Eliza May with a surprisingly alert stare. "I don't know what backwoods place you're from, crazy woman, but we are not lovers. Dokja, you said you'd find someone to fix me, not kill me faster with their nonsense."

Kim Dokja ignored Sooyoung's rambling and gripped Eliza May painfully. "Do it. I saved your life. Now you must save another for me. You treated enemy soldiers, so you can treat her."

"I only gave in to them because..." Eliza May shuddered at the reminder of the Rebel soldiers' threats. Her medical knowledge, and lack of time spent at the encampment, were the only things protecting her body back then. She didn't dare say the reason aloud, for fear of planting similar ideas in this demon's mind.

Despite not continuing, Kim Dokja's hand suddenly became more tender, desperate, as he grasped her hands in his own. "Please. I know you despise us, but please. She—she's my sister. She's family."

The cold barrel of a gun pressed into her neck.

"Fix her. Or I blow your head off."

The towering man in all-black, a gunslinger, by the looks of it, spoke with such a frigid tone that she flinched at the warmth of his hand that now held her in place by the back of her neck.

Kim Dokja tugged at the arm holding the gun. "Let's not be hasty."

"Kim Dokja, we don't have time for this."

She considered them for a few minutes. But really, her decision was made. She did owe Kim Dokja her life, after all.

"What happened?" she said.

"Bullet wound to the stomach," said Kim Dokja quickly. "Entry wound with no exit."

"Gather these things for me: fresh cloths, your two sharpest knives, thin tongs or pliers. And a needle and thread, if you have any. Can you light a fire, or will it give our position away?" Kim Dokja shook his head. "Good. Do that, and boil a pot of water. Toss in the tongs, one knife, and the needle and thread once it boils. Let the other knife heat directly in the fire. If those aren't sterile, then she risks a fatal infection."

Eliza May also didn't want to die. Not here, not anytime soon.

Kim Dokja relayed the requests to a few others and they began splitting up to search and prepare the goods. "A washpan, too!" she called out.

The barrel of the gun dug underneath her chin, and she was forced to look up at the gunslinger. The hand at her neck squeezed. His gaze burned into her, and this fierce, sudden anger frightened her more than his frosty demeanor from before.

"If you try anything at all, you'll be dead before you hit the grass."

Someone behind them shouted that they found a pair of tongs and would put it in the boiling water with the knife. At the mention of the knife, the tip of the gun rolled hard up her chin, her head forced to tilt back at a painful angle, and it knocked the bone of her jaw on its way. The gunslinger held the gun to her temple.

Click.

"I don't trust you." Yes, that was made abundantly clear.

Eliza May suppressed an eye roll, certain that he would take the impertinence as a sign to shoot her where she stood. She looked back to check their progress. There was a flash of something blonde by the far wagon, but then someone was blocking her view and thrusting items into her hands.

"The washpan," said Kim Dokja. "And my waterskin and some soap, so you can wash clean, too."

She was impressed that he'd followed her instructions so well as to think ahead. But then, she thought as he turned worried eyes back to his sister, of course he wants to make sure nothing will go wrong and risk her life.

The gunslinger eased back. His shadow still loomed overhead.

After scrubbing her hands, she showed Kim Dokja how to tear the cloth into long strips.

Something occurred to her. "Get me a bottle of whiskey. Or another hard liquor you have on hand."

Eliza May swiveled her gaze to the only person currently not occupied. The volatile gunslinger glared back at her, but this time, she would not be cowed. She pointed at him, stern. "Now."

Amazingly, he listened.

What a night this was turning out to be. Escaping a military encampment? Being captured by the worst gang of outlaws across the States? Now ordering around those same outlaws...?

"Pardon my reach," said Eliza May. And she felt around the small of Sooyoung's back.

Indeed, there was no exit wound. The bullet was still lodged in the woman's small body—it was an odd situation, to say the least.

The gunslinger reappeared with a bottle of amber liquid and held it out, a bit like a petulant child. She passed it to Sooyoung. "Drink. As much as you can handle; in fact, it might be better if you pass out now."

Sooyoung obeyed, belching after she'd had enough.

Eliza May wrapped her hand in cloth to hold the still-scalding tongs. When Sooyoung's soiled wrapping was pulled away, she nearly hurled at the stench.

"Damn," she said under her breath. Infection had already begun to fester on the edges. It was incredible that Sooyoung was even conscious.

A snore informed her that that was no longer the case.

"Kim Dokja," she said. The name was sour on her tongue. "Be ready to hold her down if she wakes. And give her some cloth to bite down on."

Then she dug into the open wound.

In no time, the bullet was extracted and clinked on the washpan. Then she used the knife—to which the two men flinched when she grabbed it—to cut away at the infected bits. Really, it was simply incredible of Sooyoung to remain passed out through it all.

Kim Dokja looked rather queasy at the rancid, infected flesh that now filled the pan.

She pushed a cloth into the rapidly bleeding injury and yelled for the hot knife; the long-haired woman hurried over, and Eliza May cauterized the wound. Then she began sewing it shut.

After, she wrapped the bindings around Sooyoung's torso with Kim Dokja's help, knotting it tight.

Eliza May sighed. She grabbed the bottle and took a long swig herself. At the probing look from Kim Dokja, and nose scrunch of disgust from the gunslinger, she drank a few more.

And then again.

She went to wipe her mouth, but her hand was bloody. "Let me drink. I'm having the worst night of my life."

Sooyoung punctuated the silence with a loud snore. Incredible.

A new man walked up to them. Eliza May gaped at him in terror as he spoke softly to the long-haired woman nearby.

He was huge. Mountainous, bigger, even, than the gunslinger. His hair was short under the kepi hat, and his muscles filled out a familiar grey uniform. This soldier was your typical, warmongering Confederate.

"That man."

Her shaky voice caused Kim Dokja to follow her line of sight. "Huh? Ah, that's...he only joined us a bit recently...Hey, Hyunsung-ssi! Want me to find you some better clothes?"

The soldier shook his head. "I'm fine in this."

"You see?" Kim Dokja shrugged at her. At her silence, he smiled. "He's not one of them."

"He sure looks like a Johnny Reb."

"But he isn't," said Kim Dokja with a still-smiling patience. He splashed some water on her hands so that she could try to wash them clean.

Then he joined the others all gathered round near the fire, whispering. Eliza May leaned against a crate. Her thoughts slurred and her tongue felt thick in her throat. She would just close her eyes for a minute...

It couldn't have been more than half an hour when she jerked awake.

By now, Sooyoung was chatting from her position on the pallets with the other woman. She noticed Eliza May's awareness and called over the others in their group.

Eliza May stood, wary as they seemed to circle around her. Adrenaline kicked in as her muscles twitched and her mind was tense with nerves.

The long-haired woman spoke first. "What's your name?"

"Elizabeth May Darling." She held her head up high, gleaning a pride from the sound of her own name.

"Darling? Like that old Yankee, what's his name—General-something rather-Darling?" The large soldier wasn't speaking to her, thank God, but instead the portly man in the scorched cowboy hat.

"William?"

"No, Charles, I think."

One voice drawled over the rest. "E-liz-abeth May Dar-ling. You've sure got a lot of names," said Sooyoung. She sat up now, one eyebrow arched lazily. "Most of us here've only got two. Some of us, one."

"Then just call me Eliza May. It's what everyone else does," she said, tone sharp.

The woman let loose a barking laugh. "Oh, everyone? The only 'everyone' here don't know ya proper, do they?"

There was a tense silence as the two women glared at each other. Eliza May broke first, with a huff. "I guess it doesn't matter what you call me, since you're just going to kill me anyway."

"We don't kill for no reason."

It was Kim Dokja. He came up and patted her on the back, stopping when she flinched. "And we don't have a reason to kill you—if you don't give us one!"

Eliza May crossed her arms over her chest, trying to reign in her quickening breath. His hands must have taken countless lives; she didn't want the blood staining them to touch a single part of her anymore than he had.

His smile dropped at the clear panic on her face. "Erm...I was joking..."

"How many times have I told ya? Your jokes are horseshit." Sooyoung rolled her eyes.

Eliza May swallowed hard, finding a semblance of control before she spoke. "So, what are all of you called?"

No one was given a chance to respond as the man in black stood. He moved to stand in front of the other group members. Blocking them from her. "No more names."

It left another uncomfortable silence. Eliza May took an awkward step back, right into Kim Dokja's chest. He politely moved aside at once.

"Right...let's get you somewhere to rest those pretty eyes." Kim Dokja gestured for her to go with him, and, after a brief hesitation, she did. Right now he felt like the lesser of two evils, as insane as that sounded.

There was a rustle as the others busied themselves with their own thing.

They turned left, away from the large grouping of various horses and a wagon. She realized Kim Dokja was leading her farther away, farther from the witnessing eyes of other people—even if those people were his accomplices—and her feet slowed.

Kim Dokja turned.

"Come along, Darling" His eyes glittered with moonlight and something teasing. Almost daring. It pinned her in place.

"Don't call me that."

"It's your name, isn't it?"

Eliza May fisted the folds of her skirts to hide the tremble in her hands. "It doesn't sound normal when you say it. It sounds..." Lewd. "Impolite."

"Hmm." She felt hot under his continued watch.

Ever since she was little, she had been watched by people. Pointed out for her skin, and then again when her sweeping curls untucked from her bun, too silken to stay put in her mother's hairstyles and much too unusual to grace the head of someone with her color. She then became used to some of those stares turning into want as she grew into her body, her features sharpening as the fat left her cheeks and settled in her chest and hips. Any of these stares, she could handle. But something about this Prince of the Wild West, this devilish outlaw, dug under her barriers and left her unsettled.

Kim Dokja removed his hat, turning to ruffle his hair, and she was blessedly released from his gaze.

She followed him to a horse, grunting under the weight of the pallet and blankets he unloaded in her arms. He directed her to a general area where she could lay them out to rest. Then he tipped his hat and left.

As Eliza May arranged the rough hemp blankets in the grass, she failed to notice a giant shadow advancing on her.

"Mmph!"

Her face was shoved into the ground as a person bound her wrists and ankles in rope. The knee left her backside and she struggled to turn over on the ground.

Walking away was the fearsome man in black. The gunslinger.

"Hey, you bastard! What in God's name is wrong with you?"

The gunslinger paused and tilted his head. "Sleep," he commanded. Then he continued on.

Eliza May was too dumbfounded by the sheer audacity of this uncivil man. As he walked, a breeze caught on his long coat, and his silver guns shone bright under the moon's light.

Twin silver guns.

If the rumors were to be believed—and after coming face-to-face with the Kim Dokja, Demon King and Prince of the Wild West, it wasn't hard to—then this man was Yoo Joonghyuk, the Supreme King and Kim Dokja's right hand.

It was said that he wielded his twin guns with a frightening proficiency, as if they were extensions of his own arms. He never missed a shot. The name, Supreme King, was coined from the legends of his brutality—once someone was in his sights, they were as good as dead. Like a king, he demanded much and expected to be given exactly that; it was also said that the only one with the ability to tame this beast of a man was the Demon King.

If she could, she would have kicked herself for speaking to him so boldly. His presence terrified her even more than Kim Dokja.

However, had she truly been on his bad side right now, then she would already have met her Maker.

Eliza May shuffled on the twisted blanket. Half her body was in the grass, but she felt too exhausted to properly care. That brief nap earlier wasn't enough. Now that the adrenaline had waned and the whiskey in her bloodstream still addled her mind, she allowed the pull of sleep to drag her away once more.

A/N; I googled “what happened in 1863” and the American Civil War kept popping up…so, uh, here it is. A Wild West-Civil War Era AU. This story is not meant to comment on any aspect of the war or its ethics. I just wanna see Kim Dokja in a cowboy hat (⸝⸝⸝> ᴗ <⸝⸝⸝)

[thegoofyfanaticus]

(( Art is commissioned from the incredibly talented ArtReplicant. Original story by me. ))

Tyler struck first, a vicious right hook screaming toward Greg’s head. But Greg saw it coming—the slight telegraph in Tyler’s shoulders gave it away—and he shifted just enough to let the fist glance harmlessly off his raised forearm. The mat cracked under their feet as Greg answered with a sharp jab aimed at Tyler’s chest, testing. Tyler batted it aside, sneering. He fired back with a fast uppercut, but Greg twisted at the waist, the punch slicing through empty air. For a few tight moments, it was nothing but the slap and thud of fists against arms, forearms against fists—parry, block, counter, reset. Each man feeling the other out, searching for the tiniest crack in the other’s defense. The cubs started to inch closer to the mat, but the Omegas hurriedly pulled them back to give the two Sigmas room to battle. All in the room were silent except for the occasional sharp breath at a particularly fast exchange. It was clear: this wasn’t going to be some messy, quick brawl. This was two trained soldiers with prideful egos colliding. Every Omega knew exactly how this fight would go—sharp, efficient, brutal, and till one had completely knocked out the other.

The first real connection came when they broke their initial flurry, circling each other like sharks, feet sliding lightly over the mat. Tyler’s lip curled into a smirk as he feinted left, then darted right, his fist crashing into the side of Greg’s face just as Greg swung a hook at Tyler’s ribs. The impact jolted Greg’s head sideways, sweat flying from his short hair. But Greg barely blinked. His missed hook had grazed Tyler’s side, forcing a grunt from the Marine, but the punch to Greg's jaw had been cleaner. "What's wrong, sailor boy?" Tyler taunted, circling back with a predatory grin. "Little tap to the jaw scramble your pretty Navy brains?"

Greg wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, expression calm. "Not bad. For a jarhead who fights like he’s late for mommy’s bedtime story."

Tyler laughed harshly and charged in again, an elbow flying as he tried to sneak behind Greg. "Bet you're used to getting hit from behind, huh, squid? I hear you Navy boys love it that way!"

Greg ducked the elbow and countered with a body shot that made Tyler grunt. "Better than screaming like a toddler when the real men show up," Greg said coolly, stepping back to reset.

Tyler’s face twisted in anger. "You ain't no real man. You're just another limp-d*ck fairy who thinks a couple of curls makes him look tough."

Greg parried another punch and snapped a jab into Tyler’s shoulder, forcing him to adjust his stance. "Says the guy who thinks bullying kids is 'tough.' I’ve seen tougher spines on jellyfish."

They circled again, slower this time, both men starting to breathe harder, sweat beginning to roll down their carved torsos. Tyler’s fists clenched tighter, his smile turning into more of a snarl, "You need to know your place, f*ggot. By the time I'm done, you’ll be begging me to go easy on you. Then I’ll tear into you and knock you the fuck out showing everyone real men fuck women and join the Marines.”

Greg’s smile barely touched his mouth, but his eyes gleamed with something cold. "You better hope you can finish me first and fast, jarhead," he said, voice steady, "because the longer this lasts…the worse it gets for you."

They lunged again, fists flashing under the harsh lights—two warriors locked in a clash not just of muscle, but of pride, fury, and something deeper neither would admit yet.

[dragonnon]

DDLC first impressions

so i played ddlc for the first time today, it's currently 6 AM. so first of all, Yuri is my favorite character and i love her personaility, she really cute, but i can't shake the feeling something bad's about to happen to her at any moment. also i love her normal outfit so much it's so fucking adorable and cute i love her :3 and right now i'm at the part where sayori confesses her depression to me, and oh my god i feel so bad for her, like bro my tear ducts. i felt them. i'm really scared that she's going to do something about her depression... you know, suicide. i'm scared, i got really scared when MC left her alone, i don't know whats going to happen too her im so scared. monica pisses me off ngl, i don't really like her poetry, it feels boring, except for the lady who knows everything one. that one was cool. i don't like her attitude towards the other girls, i loved the part where yuri told her to mind her god damn mf business. i ain't ever seen anyone with such a main character complex before. smdh.

natsuri, she's really adorable, i love her poetry eagles can fly, it really struck me for some reason, the meaning is succinct and straight to the point. I'm proud that she was able to get over herself and apologize to Yuri. plus everytime she talks about baking i get vivid imagery of cupcakes that i can genuinely taste so that mighhht have endeared me just a little.

i really like that moment where Sayori was all like "how could you not like squid? it's in your name, Mon-ika" and Monika is just like "that literally makes no sense in English." it reminded me of a moment in JJBA: Steel Ball Run, where a character called Gyro made a joke that makes absolutely no sense in English. it adds like this crazy feeling.

also everytime monika broke the fourth wall so far has shocked me and stuff. like i've never been so affected by a fourth wall break ever.

tbh i never played a dating sim before so it feels kinda weird, cause i just wanna be friends with everyone but they always think im trying to pursue them like nah bro, my heart belongs to yuri always, that will never change, just because i accidentally choose a word you like ten times in a row doesn't mean i have a big fat crush on you.

overall, this game is soo good and i'm gonna keep playing, and i may or may not keep live blogging, idk, sometimes i get lazy lmao.

(Also i don't know where to fit this, but i'm dissapointed i don't get to write my own poetry. it's really stupid that i am, but i actually really like poetry and whatnot so im kinda PISSED that this fucking dude is already mega good at it on day 3.)

[mateos-surgery]

alright, something I have to rant about, it ain't important but whatever.

it's about Mateo from SAW X and for THOSE WHO CARE SO MUCH ABOUT HIM Y'ALL BETTER SIT DOWN AND HEAR ME OUT ON THIS...

so...

remember a specific line Mateo said when the camera panned to each of them that were in their traps? well- besides Mateo?

he said and I quote:

"what the fucks going on?! why're we back here?!"

ya hear that? he said why are *we* back here, he didn't say "what the fucks going on, why am I back here?!" he said WE! he said WE! and I like to think that he cared about Valentina and Gabriela, maybe even Cecilia, but after finding out why they were there he quickly turned on Cecilia but not Valentina or Gabriela, telling John that *they* had nothing to do with the scam, it was all *her* [Cecilia].

and when I first watched SAW X in theaters I noticed something, when Cecilia is introducing John to Mateo, he looked nervous and..unsure of himself like he felt BAD lying to this person who is sick in the head [no pun intended], and have you ever thought that they three followed along Cecilia because THEY'RE broke too? I mean for fucks sake Gabriela has to have Mateo himself be her dealer for her drugs and Valentina has to be a PROSTITUTE! and she may look like someone who...likes it? but she probably cares more about the money than sex itself!

here's a lyric from a song:

"have you ever been, so damn broke, you'd do anything for some dough." -067 Sings A Song, a song by Aaron Fraser-Nash made about one of the characters from Netflixs series Squid Game, check it out its really good. those lyrics make sense for Valentina and the others, they are so damn broke that they'd scam poor dying people of their money just to be happy,

now back to SAW X, what I said about those three make sense, look at Cecilia she has this big gorgeous ass house! it's from the money yeah but do you think Mateo, Gabby and Valentina would be suffering in being 'broke' if Cecilia were to share the money with them? no! they'd be having parties, doing whatever, I know she never cared about them but still.

they're victims too I wanna think, not just John, and they had a will to live! Mateo & Valentina just weren't fast enough, they were terrified and Gabriela...Cecilia should've died in her trap, even Parker was hesitant on putting Carlos in the blood boarding trap with John:(

if all three [Mateo, Valentina & Gabriela] survived their fates, they definitely would've comforted eachother on their traumas and definitely would've helped John too but in their OWN helping way.

that's my conclusion on this rant :]

[afortoru]

talk the talk 🗣🎤✨️ anonie here !!aa 🫡 you can talk about Gojo × Squid Games, what roll do you think he would be in the SQ?? :]]]

Omggg so yeah umh....

I'd say his character from the outside would probably be like thanos not as nosey as the actual character but just a carefree chill guy and he'll definitely be very cautious about his teammates, he wouldn't like the bloodshed in the name of games.... he's protective of you pulling you too quickly to even let you think... he's pretty fast to think for himself and others

He's pretty much perfect at every game like the mini games... he'll play his part perfectly and give the guards a smug smile... he'll get frustrated too kicking the floor or just glaring at something or someone beside he'll calm his expressions not wanting to give away the careless act

You know what I think that he'll probably be one of the VIPs because ain't no way the gojo satoru can be broke so yeah.... he isn't interested in this bloody game but got convinced by the rich men family of the family....so instead of watching he chooses to play to atleast save some lives as much as he could and he does it...but he lets the oversmart and cocky one's die...like the one's who'll give up on others life for many....gojo is a man of dark morals...he wouldn't show too much kindness to the one's who he thinks doesn't deserves it but yeah if you caught his eyes and get his favour.... he'll be kind to you.... he'll look at your sacred and nervous face wondering if you'll make it our alive or not and he'll just put his hand over your shoulder and say "don't worry you'll be just fine... because I'm the strongest😏"

[pragmatic-optimist]

Sonia!!! It’s nice ask day and I’m here to ask what your favourite meal is please (you can give me a top 3 if you can’t choose) 💖💖

Hi Rae! Thank you for this nice ask and also for perceiving me because you know I can't pick one of anything. 😂

Top 3 meals (with pictures because I also perceive you lol 💖):

Omelets and breakfast potatoes/hash browns: Omelets are fun because they can be so versatile and are (thankfully) easy to whip up. I love breakfast potatoes (I mean, really any potato-- shout out to french fries!). Especially diner breakfast potatoes. IYKYK.

Mangú con Salami, Huevo y Queso Frito: Another breakfast item, but honestly, I've had this for lunch and dinner too lol. This is a Dominican dish, and it's mashed up green plantain puree (mangú) with slices of salami, eggs, and fried cheese. We have lots of incredible dishes, but this one is a classic and my favorite.

Fruits de mer: This dish is sadly no longer on the menu at my favorite restaurant. 😭 They updated the menu, blah blah blah. Lol. If it ain't broke, don't fix it! [I'm fine 🤣] But it consisted of housemade squid ink cavatelli, preserved lemon & chili pomodoro sauce, mixed seafood, and bread for dipping. It. Was. So. Good. I was devastated when I stopped by the restaurant late last month for a belated birthday dinner and found it was gone from the menu, but I will always remember it with adoration. Technically, I could learn to make it myself but it just won't be the same! Here’s a picture from my birthday last year, I totally don’t look at with yearning or anything. 😆

[sonneillonv]

I am the tabletop myth come to life - I played a bard who seduced a dragon.

It was a black dragon.

I did it by commiserating with him about how much better everything would be if he was in charge, and showing interest in his theories about how things should be. (Spoiler alert, he thought everything he wanted to eat should climb submissively into his mouth and everything he didn't want to eat should fuck off. Skull dragons aren't known for an abundance of intellect, comparatively.) I did a good job. He treated me to dinner. It was a raw squid he caught. Decidedly NOT sushi-grade but I pretended to enjoy it because you have to play along with dragons. And then we fucked off, because all we needed was information at the time.

Down the road, that same dragon was ousted from his position, his hoard appropriated, and enslaved because he didn't stop us. We stumbled upon this in the course of our adventures, and my bard character did what seemed reasonable at the time - declared that they were all morons who couldn't recognize genius, promised that the dragon would be rich beyond the dreams of avarice if he just stuck with me, and broke the dragon's chains.

The seduction just kind of... proceeded from there. But the thing about having a dragon as a mate is that they expect you to value the things they value. And for this dragon, because his previous hoard had been stolen, that meant rebuilding it. Fast.

To cut a long story short I was forced to invent the post office (and engage in some weekend piracy) so I could fill a sizable cave with enough copper for him to roll in. It worked though! By the time his hoard was approximately TWICE the size of the average dragon's of his age, he was declaring that I was the centerpiece of it (and trying to murder anyone who looked at me sideways). Which ain't bad if you're into that.

The moral of the story is, people aren't necessarily WRONG for choosing the Sphinx over the skull dragon - they're cranky and hard to manage, and cooking their food is not intuitive for them. But they CAN learn (both to contribute to a relationship and to cook seafood) and if you can get to that stage, I'm pretty sure the dragon is a lot more fun.

On the left, the swamp-loving black dragon! Gaunt, acidic, sadistioc, and somewhere in the 20-80 foot (6-24 meter) range in length. Note that Chromatics can't shapeshift into a humanoid, but if you're really into dragons that shouldn't matter.

On the right, the androsphinx! 10 ft (3 m) long, gruff and pessimistic with a noble heart, can control time from within its lair, guards ancient mysteries and secrets, and can summon feasts on command!

[d0rky-0utfits]

Oh my god Nintendo online is so fucking stupid. Why do I have to pay to play online???? Nintendo you ain't broke you don't need more money smh. I just want to play the gay squid game online.

[spritecranverry]

Tbh I don't even engage fandom spaces for media I like anymore because it's become more about what you can turn a work INTO rather than what the work itself is offering you in the first place. And 9 times out of 10, people miss out on shit that's like, at the core of what a fictional work is trying to say.

I think much of this tendency comes from people getting into media that's genuinely shitty or was otherwise poorly-handled, and as a result people create fanworks in an attempt to "fix" it out of love for what a story could have been.

But what happens when the thing you're trying to "fix" ain't broke? It's like redesigning a house that was already well-built: you just end up with something else that only somewhat resembles the original. You've projected onto it so much that the work and its original message gets lost and it's no longer recognizable.

As more stories like Squid Game and Encanto are released that are very situated in cultural contexts, it's been very saddening to see fandoms—often majority-white spaces—conveniently ignore, twist, or project onto these stories so as to better suit them, or just straight up not engage with the story altogether because it's "sad" or some shit.

Again, "fixing" what ain't broke.

I really don't know what else to say other than y'all need to figure out more constructive ways to engage with media, because storytelling deserves to be appreciated more than that.

[atethewriting]

"That's absurd, Johnny."

"I know, but just...listen."

"I already did listen, Johnny! I think you're going insane! There's no fucking way that's even real! Now stop fucking with me. Yuta isn't a police officer, Jaehyun doesn't smoke, and I don't know who 'Mark' is but there's no way in hell that I'm married to him!"

Hyuck stormed out of the room, leaving Johnny to sigh and fiddle with his fingers. He stared blankly at his computer screen, leaning back in his chair.

"Mark's okay...bullshit..." He mumbled, "Theres no way in God's name he's okay...you don't just brush off 14 floors, let alone disappear when you hit the ground."

Getting up from his seat, Johnny went over to his closet and opened the sliding doors, rummaging through the mess on the ground until he found a box labeled "home". Sitting on the floor, he took off the top and picked up an old cellphone. It hadn't been charged in at least 2 years. He stared at the casing, sighing and placing the phone back into the box.

A small photo book collected dust, so he took it in his grasp and blew all the dirt away. Flipping through it, he swam in old memories of his old friends...before the incident, that is.

He remembers when they took this picture. It was about a year after the first incident, and they had all gone out for lunch. Doyoung, Sicheng, Ten, and Jaehyun decided not to join in the photo. He had taken it, of course.

"Shit, man..."

㊀　㊀　㊀　㊀

"Oh fuck oh shit oh man" The artist panicked as he trampled over paint cans in his studio, landing face first into the staircase that lead to a door upstairs. A small 'you good, bro?' spoke from across the large room, which was in the basement of an apartment complex (that he didn't live in).

A friendly face approached him, helping him up with a smile. His face was completely covered in ink, as were his hands.

The area was a shared space that about 3 people used (not including the artist who just tripped over paint cans). The other guy never really showed up but he was a jerk so that didn't matter.

This guy? He's Ten. A wannabe animator who's too batshit broke to afford college. He always has a smile on his face, for some odd reason. The clumsy artist took his hand and helped himself up, wiping away the ink on his jeans.

From behind a large, stone block, a girl peeks her head out. She had a concerned look on her face, twisted with sympathetic cringe. Second-hand embarrassment, probably.

"You okay, Mark? That sounded like it hurt." She spoke, a hint of worry through her gritty voice.

"I'm fine, just messy," He sighed, grumbling and fixing his hair. "We really gotta stop leaving stuff around."

"More like Jungwoo needs to stop leaving his stuff around. Ain't that right, Snoopy?" Ten joked, putting his hands on his hips and looking back at a blond-haired man, who was spray painting a canvas in the corner of the room.

"Says the man who's always got ink on him. Looks like you came face-to-face with a squid!" Jungwoo exclaimed in a snarky way, "But it wasn't me this time, I've been focusing on other stuff. It was probably Taemin."

"That bastard" The group sighed in unison.

"Well, I should head out. Next time someone sees that bastard tell him to clean up his mess."