#if that serves as an incentive lol

[crowhyun]

hey guys 🤩 at the threat of my pride, I've decided to come here and ask for yalls help.

so, I've run out of money for the rest of the months, which is luckily only two more days, but that'd also two more days of literally having nothing for food. I didn't have much to grocery shop with in the beginning of the month, and all of that has run out unfortunately.

So, if anyone is willing to help at all, I would be so grateful for even a dollar. All I've had to eat today was hot chips, and it was my off day so I tried to just sleep the day away 😭 But, yeah, if you would like to help, I'll put my cashapp down below. <33

Cashapp: $crows0045

[teamhawkeye]

not my console deleting all my Quarry footage off its hard drive without warning...

[capitalism-and-analytics]

So, if the goal is to feed and house people, all we have to do is take the food from where it is and bring it to the people and bring the people from where they are into an available residence. Preferably not in that order I suppose lol . Fortunately we have like a shitload of food and trucks and unoccupied homes so this is something we could just essentially start doing any old time. The problem is that people will argue that we can't do that because those things cost money to do. But the whole point of money is to control who gets access to a limited pool of resources - and since we have accumulated enough resources to take care of the entire global population, we should be able to just all agree that it has served its purpose and move on from this construct. There's nothing about the natural world that necessitates money and there's nothing about money that makes it inherently valuable. It was a tool, a means to an end, and it has served its purpose.

if the goal is to feed and house people

This is a major conditional perquisite, which is not true for majority of people in the world. I understand you are proposing a hypothetical scenario, but just realize this condition is purely theoretical and the rest of your post is contingent on it being true.

all we have to do is take the food from where it is and bring it to the people and bring the people from where they are into an available residence

No that would be a massive oversimplification of the logistics and distribution complexities involved.

Fortunately we have like a shitload of food and trucks and unoccupied homes so this is something we could just essentially start doing any old time.

1/ Those surplus of resources are a result of a money-fueled economy.

2/ You are neglecting many other requirements, most notably labor, which is already in short-supply and you are recommending to remove the financial incentive, which will decrease it even further.

The problem is that people will argue that we can't do that because those things cost money to do.

Well they cost resources, money is just a more efficient way of measuring.

e.g. resources spent on food cannot be spent on housing

But the whole point of money is to control who gets access to a limited pool of resources

No, the whole point of money is to more efficiently enable the trade between resources

e.g. a tailor wants food from a farmer who needs no tailoring services or goods

and since we have accumulated enough resources to take care of the entire global population

1/ We have not accumulated enough resources to take care of the entire global population.

2/ Most of those accumulated resources are finite and resulted from money-fueled economies, therefore before "we move on", perhaps we should consider the impact of the replacement.

we should be able to just all agree that it has served its purpose and move on from this construct.

Why?

There's nothing about the natural world that necessitates money

1/ While money is not a natural concept, it is a valuable tool that enhances the functioning of modern societies and allows for the complex and diversified economic activities that drive those human societies.

2/ If humans chose to limit ourselves to the pre-existing constructs of nature, then we would most likely not be alive today.

[carefreemonk]

[ Water ] - The liquid of life, the quencher of thirst. Served in crystalline glasses. And what’s more dramatic than throwing water at someone’s face!

HM. he slowly turns the glass of water in hand, studying it carefully before thrusting it into the other's face. "i wonder!" odin muses, "from whence does this liquid spring forth? does it come from a sanctified well, or does it merely flow from the common tap, enchanted by an accursed tome or ill-omened relic? imagine if, that drip-drip-dripping we perceive as water...was actually the tears of immortal souls, paying penance for sins most dire."

Already, the monk is pinching his brow.

He is not being paid enough for all of. This.

The corners of his mouth downturned in distaste, the monk gingerly pushes the glass of water away. Away from his face. Away from his clothes. Away from the whole of him, preferably redirected in a different direction altogether.

Odin is in the midst of giving him a whole new plethora of trust issues, you see.

And also a headache.

"It shall be from the tears of yours truly we'll be sourcing the remainder of tonight's fare if you. do not. S t o p." Really, Azama might have been bored to tears just moments ago, but now he wishes he'd never taken those moments for granted. He has regrets, yes. Many regrets.

He does not function well with regrets. Life is too short, ephemeral, to be weighed down with concerns o'er the present. This, too, will pass, he reminds himself, and yet...

Perhaps the evening might yet be salvaged...?

"Actually, Mister Odin Dark," lol. what kind of a name. "Do you see that [miss over there by the wall]? I have it on good authority that she is in the know, if you know what I mean? She may well part with her secrets concerning this curious liquid of yours-" it's water, w h y can't Odin just call it water "-if you approach her with the right incentive, that is."

(For emphasis, Azama jingles the bells on his brooch. Not an invitation to exchange, no, gods no, but a hint! That he hopes Odin will take and leave with.)

[my-intrusive-stories]

Witch! Ihwa x Reader: A Pastry a Day Keeps the Hunters Away

Word Count ~ 712 Warnings: Non-Descriptive Death, but they deserve it so it's fine Notes: My phone died, so I'll add in a title picture later. I'm a literal mess rn lol

Witch! Ihwa, who shows up in your bakery one afternoon. It took a second to process that someone so blatantly witchy was walking around in broad daylight. She was wearing a pointed hat, for goodness sake! There are incentives to turn in information about Supernaturals (funded by the Hunters, of course). If she knew about the bounty on her head, the witch certainly didn’t show it.

Witch! Ihwa, who snaps you out of your thoughts by asking to buy everything you have left in stock. Your jaw drops as you contemplate visiting the apothecary about auditory hallucinations. Shakily, you ask her to repeat herself, and the witch reiterates that she wants to buy everything.

Witch! Ihwa, who watches in amusement as you try to add up the cost of all the pastries. You’re awfully cute for a human, and you could even see through her protective barrier. The way you constantly apologized for the wait was entertaining. No human had ever treated her so normally, although many couldn’t see her in the first place since they were hostile toward Supernaturals.

Witch! Ihwa, who takes pity on you (you look like you’ll pass out from stress) and pulls out a gold bar to pay. Much to her surprise, it worsens your condition as you pale and tell her it’s far too much. Most would take the gold and be done with it. She insists that you take the gold. You agree, but only on the condition that she doesn’t have to pay if she returns. Ihwa agrees.

Witch! Ihwa is delighted when she bites into a pastry. It may be the most delicious thing she’s ever eaten. The silver-haired witch bounces between savoring the food and devouring it at speeds incomprehensible. You’re a bit scared at how fast she’s inhaling the food, but you’re glad she’s enjoying it.

Witch! Ihwa, who promises to return later. Before she can leave, though, you warn her about the Hunters. She simply laughs and tells you about the spell she cast on herself that protects her from the gaze of hostile humans. Relief spreads across your face as you bid her goodbye.

Witch! Ihwa, who makes good on her promise to return a few days later. This time, she doesn’t eat as much but contentedly listens as you ramble about a new recipe you want to try. You noticed the curious glint in her eyes as you talked about the untried pastry, so you offered to make it the next time she came. It was an incentive for her to return.

Witch! Ihwa, who happily agrees to be your new taste tester. Soon, she finds herself visiting your bakery frequently, even if there’s nothing to test. There’s just something soothing about the cute little baker who always has a streak of flour on their face.

Witch! Ihwa visits one day and discovers that Hunters have trashed your bakery. Her eyes glow with rage as you tearfully explain what had happened. After you refused to serve them for free, they wrecked everything like common bandits.

Witch! Ihwa, who comforts you, then casts a spell to fix your bakery. Instantly, everything is repaired. After you thank her continuously (much to her embarrassment), the red-eyed woman tells you she has to take care of something but will be right back.

Witch! Ihwa, who tracks down the Hunters who wronged you and eradicates them. They didn’t stand a chance against the furious Supernatural. Had they not messed with her precious human, they could have lived longer lives.

Witch! Ihwa, who comes back to you holding a plate of one of your newest inventions. In the time it took for her to slaughter the Hunters, you’d taken it upon yourself to make a treat for your savior. The usually stoic witch cracked a small smile at your thoughtfulness.

Witch! Ihwa, who happily eats one of the treats, then tries to feed you one. The flustered look on your face was adorable. Eventually, you relent and take a bite of the pastry. You agree that it tastes good.

Witch! Ihwa, who then kisses you. She can taste the sugary food on your lips as you shyly kiss back. When she pulls away, she says the pastry tasted good, but your lips tasted better.

Thanks for reading!

- Mis

[deepspacedukat]

One-Way Mirror

This one is way longer than I anticipated, which is the last thing I expected given all the crazy things that happened all at once in the last few days. (Good things, I promise! Just a lot of them lol.) If anyone wants to see the version of Mirror!Shran that I’m writing about, @thylekshran made a gorgeous edit which can be found here. Also, I realize all three of these bois served on different ships/in different places, but for the sake of the story/smut we’re going to pretend they were all on the ISS Enterprise. As usual, italics indicate flashbacks. Anyway, enjoy!

Day 4: Come Inflation

SoC prompt list here. SoC Masterlist here. Cross-posted to AO3 here.

~*~

Mirror!Shran (ST:ENT) x Reader, Mirror!Soval (ST:ENT) x Reader, Mirror!Trip (ST:ENT) x Reader

[A/N: This is smut, so 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI!!!]

Warnings: Interspecies sex, Human/Andorian sex, Human/Vulcan sex, exhibitionism, voyeurism, come inflation, dirty talk, being allowed to watch as an incentive to keep a secret, all acts are consensual, slightly subby!Soval, oral sex (female receiving), mind meld, telepathy, brief mention of torture, Mirror!Archer being prejudiced against Vulcans, transporter accident because of course, Andorian orgasms are...prolific, suspend thy disbelief.

~*~

“I think it’s time you thank your hostess for so graciously allowing you into her quarters, Crewman,” Shran called from his seat on the bed directly behind me. Soval’s eyes were locked with mine as his hands slowly caressed my legs. “Go on. Give her what she needs.”

Kneeling between my open thighs, the Vulcan gripped my hips to keep me steady and licked his way up toward the dampness between them. Whimpering as his slightly-rougher-than-a-Human’s tongue finally began exploring my labia, I let my head droop backward onto Thy’lek’s shoulder. A rough moan from the side of the room reminded me sharply of Commander Tucker’s presence.

How had things spiraled out of control so quickly? One moment I was escorting Ambassador Soval back to the Enterprise from a diplomatic mission, and the next, I felt as though the air had been stolen from my lungs.

I’d swayed as the transporter room materialized around me, my surroundings flickering from the familiar bulkheads and deck plates to something...slightly off. Just before I could topple over atop the transporter pad, though, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my middle, steadying me.

“Are you alright, ma’am?” Soval asked from behind me, and when the world stopped spinning, I opened my eyes. Why did Soval have a goatee? He hadn’t had one when we requested to be beamed back aboard the Enterprise, and why the hell was he in a Starfleet uniform? He’d been in robes only a few moments before. At my confused expression, he looked almost alarmed. “Do you require medical assistance?”

“No, no, I’m fine. I...I just got dizzy for a second, there,” I answered as I attempted to steady myself on my feet.

“Are you sure? We wouldn’t want someone as important as you collapsing on us,” a second voice called, and I looked over to find Captain Archer at the controls, also wearing a different uniform. There were leather straps and odd metallic embellishments. I glanced down and saw that I was wearing something odd, as well - a pair of low-rise uniform pants and what was essentially a cropped uniform top. What the hell was going on, and why was the Captain treating me like I was dignitary? He made sure all his officers knew that we were important, but everything about this seemed wrong, including the giant yellow insignia behind him where the Starfleet logo should be. “I doubt the Emperor would forgive us for allowing his niece to be injured as soon as she beamed aboard.”

Emperor? What Emperor?

As soon as I straightened up, Soval’s hands fell away and he took a hasty step away from me as he averted his eyes.

“Another second and I’d have had to put you in the agony booth, Crewman. You should know better than to touch a Human without permission - especially that Human,” Archer said, and I blinked in confusion.

“My humblest apologies, Commander.”

“You’ll still be punished, of course.”

“No, actually, he won’t be punished. Soval, you didn’t do anything wrong,” I blurted looking between him and my Captain. Was this man really my Captain, though? And was this really Soval when he acted so subserviently? Everything seemed so strange. “He doesn’t need to apologize, and he definitely doesn’t deserve to be disciplined for helping me.”

After a slight hesitation, Archer stood straighter and nodded his head.

“Understood, ma’am. If you’ll come with me, I’ll show you to your quarters,” he said walking around the edge of the control station and offered me his hand. “There are a few propositions I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Actually, I think I’d prefer if Soval showed me the way,” I said, and both men looked at me oddly. “Unless you object...?”

“Not at all, ma’am. I’ll alert the General about your arrival. I’m sure he’ll be pleased to see you again,” Archer said as he turned to the Vulcan. The venom was evident in both his voice and his expression. “Try not to embarrass us, Crewman.”

The Captain Archer that I knew would never treat anyone with such blatant disrespect and hatred. Whatever this was that I’d stumbled into, I needed to find a way home. Quickly.

Soval had led me down two long corridors before he worked up the courage to break the silence.

“I do not mean to speak out of turn, ma’am, but I am grateful for your intercession on my behalf,” he said, and I looked up at him as we stepped into the turbolift together.

“I only did what was right, but you’re welcome.” We walked quietly for a few more moments before a scream echoed down an adjacent hall. Alarmed, I grabbed Soval’s arm and sprinted in the direction of the shouts until we came across a group of officers watching as a man screamed inside of a clear tube. Was that the Agony Booth that Archer had mentioned? A torture chamber? Stopping short, I felt my heart clench and my face twist in horror. What sort of hell was this?!

Silently, Soval placed his hand on my shoulder and turned me away, coaxing me down the corridor back the way we’d come before anyone even noticed we’d been there. Soon, we’d reached the door to what I presumed were my quarters, and the Vulcan had ushered me inside.

“Ma’am, if I may say so, you seem...unsettled,” Soval said, and I looked over at him as my breathing sped up. “Are you certain that you do not require medical assistance?”

“Of course I’m unsettled! The whole universe has gone insane in the blink of an eye!” I snapped, and Soval flinched as if he was afraid I was going to slap him. My frustration drained away, and I placed a hand softly over his chest. Lowering my voice, I spoke as carefully and deliberately as I could, apologizing in his own language. I hoped that would convince him of my sincerity. “Ni'droi'ik nar-tor. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lost my temper.”

“Du stariben Vuhlkansu?” He whispered as he blushed a deep emerald green. ‘You speak Vulcan?’ I’d been learning the Vulcan language in an attempt to show Soval that...well, that I was dedicated to learning more about the galaxy and about his people. The Ambassador didn’t seem to be the same person as the Soval in front of me, though.

“Ha, osu, tonk'peh goh wuh pi’.” ‘Yes, sir, but only a little.’ Despite my lack of further knowledge, Soval seemed pleased by the information.

“It is an honor that you would know even a single word, t’sai,” Soval murmured with something nearing adoration. “May I ask how you learned a language that is frowned upon by your own people?”

Well, this was the moment of truth. Taking a deep breath, I looked up into his eyes.

“I learned a few words from the wisest man I know - a Vulcan Ambassador named Soval...from you, osu,” I admitted, watching as his lips parted in silent surprise. “The rest I learned with some assistance from my ship’s first officer: Sub-commander T’Pol.”

As I spoke, Soval blushed and ducked his head.

“No Vulcan since Solkar has ever been an Ambassador to Earth, nor could one hold such a high rank within Starfleet. You are mocking me,” he murmured looking more hurt than I could have imagined.

Even now, I couldn’t help but marvel at the openness of his expressions. The look of near reverence that Soval gave me as he made me convulse on his tongue was so unlike that of his counterpart. His neatly-trimmed goatee tickled my skin just enough that I trembled at the sensation.

“What a sight,” Trip murmured as he palmed the bulge in his uniform. Seated on a chair not far from us, the Chief Engineer watched with rapt attention as General Shran’s lips trailed down my neck.

“Beautiful,” the Andorian breathed as he repositioned me. Soval laid back on the bed, and I was lifted onto his lap so that I could straddle his hips. The tip of his leaking lok jutted hot and ready up from his groin, pressing insistently against me. The Vulcan grasped my waist, letting out a whimper as I guided him to my entrance.

“I’m not mocking you, Soval,” I’d promised grabbing his wrist lightly with one hand and using the other to coax him into looking at me again. “Look within my thoughts. See the truth in my memories. I know you can, because you have done so with me before.”

“You speak of forbidden knowledge and acts which have been banned in the Terran Empire. You claim to know me, yet prior to today, I have only ever seen your image in reports regarding the Empire’s success,” he stated sounding shaken but hopeful. “It is...not logical to assume that you are telling the truth. You are attempting to trick me...to find a reason to punish me.”

“I’m not, Soval, I promise.” Lifting his hand to the side of my face with my own, I noted that his breathing had sped up. “Please...”

Cupping the back of my head with his free hand, Soval began to whisper the phrase I’d heard from him back home on more than one occasion.

“My mind to your mind...your thoughts to my thoughts...” Memories flashed through my consciousness as he sifted through them, then they paused on the day that I met Ambassador Soval. A wave of emotion floated across our connection, and this Soval’s voice came out rough and quiet. “That is me, but...how...?”

Eventually, he severed the meld and looked at me in wonder.

“You...are not the Emperor’s niece. You are the woman I just saw...a Lieutenant from another place...another universe in which...all species are equal,” he whispered as if it was some terrible secret. Given everything that I’d seen so far, I supposed that it was. “More than that, you care for the Soval whom you showed me.”

Nodding my head silently, I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed away the single tear that had fallen before wrapping my arms around him. He’d hesitated for barely a breath before returning the gesture and holding me close.

The contrast between Vulcan strength and the gentleness of Soval’s touch was evident then just as it was as he whimpered and groaned beneath me. Lifting his hands to my lips, I kissed his fingertips and skimmed my teeth gently against his palms. A pair of blue hands wrapped around my hips, taking turns strumming my clit. 

One of Soval’s hands slid up and cupped my cheek, easing his thoughts into my head.

“Ashaya, I give myself to you in the hopes that you find me worthy,” he thought at me just before he gave a strained shout. With a few final, stuttered thrusts, he buried himself inside me as deeply as he could and released, pulling me over the edge with him.

When I finally melted back against Thy’lek’s chest, Trip moaned, and the three of us looked over to see him masturbating to the sight of the three of us.

“It seems we have a captive audience,” I murmured, and a light, airy laugh breezed across my neck from the Andorian holding me.

“Well, ain’t that cute?” Soval and I both started at the sound of Commander Tucker’s voice. Turning slightly, I saw him leaning against the doorway that presumably led to the bathroom. That was definitely Trip, but something had happened to his face. A plasma burn? The aftermath of an explosion? Despite what may have caused it, half of his face was one big scar. My stomach churned at the sight of a man who was my friend looking so injured and...well, menacing as he pointed the tool he was using at me. “I woulda never thought the Emperor’s favorite niece was soft for Vulcans. It would be a shame if the General found out. After all, your fiancé isn’t exactly an understanding man.”

Fiancé? What the hell was he talking about? Swallowing nervously, I tried to logic out how I should approach this situation, but Soval spoke up before I could.

“Then I suppose Captain Forrest and Commander Archer should be notified of your indiscretion with T’Pol,” he stated sounding more confident than I’d yet heard him.

“You keep your pointed ears out of this, Crewman,” Trip snarled leveling a glare at him before turning back to me. “Now, how about the two of us discuss this situation like civilized Humans?”

“How about you go fuck yourself?” I retorted taking a small step toward Trip. We were so busy getting ready to tear each other to pieces that none of us heard the door to my quarters open with a hiss.

“Having a party, are we?” The three of us turned at the question, and my eyes went wide at the sight of Thy’lek standing in the doorway. He was here in this strange place - yet another familiar face playing an unfamiliar part - but more than that, he looked different. He was missing his right antenna, his left eye was a milky white that spoke of blindness, and a scar stretched across it vertically from brow bone to cheek. He took a few steps inside the room, glancing between myself, Trip, and Soval.

“Sorry, General. I’m just finishing up a repair on this shower unit. I should be finished in just a moment,” Trip said gesturing to the panel that was still hanging off the wall. “Unless you’d prefer I finish later–”

“No. Carry on, Tucker,” Shran said quietly, never taking his eyes from me. “And the Vulcan?”

Soval didn’t seem especially ready to speak after his burst of confidence moments before, so I answered in what I hoped was a steady-ish voice.

“I felt a bit dizzy getting off the transporter pad earlier. Soval was kind enough to make sure I got back here safely,” I said, and he glanced over at the Vulcan for a moment. Soval’s eyes were still downcast, as if he was in a room with superiors, or something. He’d said something about Vulcans not being equals in this Empire, so I suppose this sort of behavior was conditioned into him.

That didn’t mean I had to like it, though.

“Yes, I was alerted about your unsteadiness almost as soon as it happened,” Shran said turning his attention back to me and closing the distance between us with a few final steps. Reaching out and moving a lock of hair behind my ear, I couldn’t stop the way my breath hitched in my chest at the tenderness of his movements. Thy’lek looked at me curiously for a moment before carefully cupping my cheek. After the confusion and fear and harshness that was prevalent in this strange universe, I welcomed this instance of gentleness, closing my eyes as I leaned into his touch. When he spoke again, his voice was so low I nearly missed it. “You’re not afraid of me anymore...?”

The ease with which this Thy’lek was able to make me feel comfortable and safe was almost startling. Apparently, no matter how many iterations of him I encountered, I was bound to feel like I belonged around him.

As he lifted me off of Soval’s lok and swiftly slotted himself inside of me, I whimpered at the sensation of being stretched in an entirely new way. I didn’t get a chance to look at what exactly he was hiding beneath that uniform of his, but it was a very different shape than what I was expecting.

“Are you alright?” Thy’lek whispered, pausing to give me time to adjust to him. He trailed kisses and barely-there bites down my shoulders. It struck me that even this battle scarred and hardened version of my friend was gentle and considerate. There wasn’t a question in my mind about whether or not I could trust him not to hurt me.

My eyes snapped open at his question, but I didn’t pull away from his hand. Had the other me really been afraid of him?

“Should I be afraid of you?”

“No, but...that never stopped you before,” he murmured. “I have never known you to be afraid of anyone or anything...except me, of course. Was it my eye...my scar?”

This whole universe had to be composed of opposites. I had always felt safe with Thy’lek. Reaching up, I braced my hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

“I think it makes you look strong. That scar is a physical reminder of the difficulties you’ve overcome, the things that you’ve survived. If I was afraid of you before, then I was an idiot,” I whispered as his eyes widened.

“...Are you sure that you’re my fiancée?” Shran asked in an awed sort of voice. “I realize that the emperor ordered you to agree to this marriage. Despite rumors to the contrary, I have no intention of harming you. You’re not obliged to lie to me about how you feel.”

“Thy’lek...I’m not afraid of you,” I promised, and almost before I stopped talking, he was on me, kissing me as gently as I always imagined that my universe’s Shran would.

“General, I never pegged you as the type to be on the side of a Vulcan sympathizer,” Trip called from the side where he stood with his arms crossed and smug smirk across his lips.

Ah, shit.

The Andorian in my arms pulled back slightly, looking between myself and Soval with a renewed type of understanding in his eyes.

“There’s a first time for everything, Tucker,” Shran responded drawing himself to his full height and grasping my hands. “I’ll protect both you and Soval.”

“Why?” I couldn’t stop the surprised question from tumbling between my lips.

“You’ll be my wife in a few weeks. Besides, I’m the one who was given this betrothal as a favor from your uncle. The least I could do is protect the gift I’ve been given,” he murmured, and I blinked up at him.

Soval finally raised his eyes and looked at my fiancé in astonishment before taking a slow step toward us.

“Do you care for her, Crewman?” At Soval’s blushing nod, Shran smiled. “Then spend the evening with us. Andorians are used to having four people in sexual encounters. Three isn’t so different of a number, as long as you’re alright with that, of course?”

I was already in an upside down universe. Why not? What harm could it do to enjoy myself while I was trapped in this hell of a place? Both men were attractive in their own ways in my universe as well as this one. Besides, getting home would be difficult. If I didn’t manage it, at least I’d have cultivated some positive companionship.

“I look forward to it,” I murmured as I met Soval’s gaze, feeling my heart speed up in my chest.

“As for you,” Thy’lek growled as he walked toward Tucker, pulling his ushaan-tor from its sheath. “You have two options. The first is that I tear your head from your shoulders and claim you assaulted the emperor’s niece. Not a soul would dare question me. The second is that I give you an incentive, and you remain silent and alive. Choose. Now.”

“Do I get to pick the incentive?” The Engineer’s eyes bounced between the man and the blade.

“Choose your next words carefully, or they may be your last,” Thy’lek warned, but ‘careful’ didn’t seem to be in this Trip’s vocabulary.

“You and the little princess seem to have chemistry. Since Pointy, here, is allowed to stay for the show, I want to stay, too,” Tucker said looking me up and down. “Never seen a gal take both an Andorian and a Vulcan before.”

The General let out an incredulous huff of laughter.

“Is that all? Poor boy. Did your little Vulcan beauty give you up after her pon farr ended? You must not have been that good of a fuck, then,” Shran crooned as he pulled me into his arms. The wide-eyed look of embarrassment plastered across Trip’s face made the General laugh. “Oh yes, the whole ship knows about that. Ah well, I don’t see the harm in indulging you. Better to keep the troops happy than to have them stab me in the back. Unless, of course, you’re not comfortable with that?”

Directing his last question at me, Thy’lek gave me a smile that was eerily similar to that of his counterpart. I gave in instantly and dragged him into a kiss.

Soval sat up beneath me, and his lips met mine just as Shran’s met that sensitive spot just below my ear. As the Vulcan’s fingers brushed over my clit, I let out a muffled shout against his mouth. The General gave a few rough grunts, then stilled inside me, filling me more than I thought was possible. Looking down when I felt my abdomen grow taught, I noted with an exhausted sort of disbelief that there was a slight bulge where he’d fucked me full of his seed.

Trip let out a strangled shout from his seat as he came as well, but none of the three of us paid any attention. We were too busy catching our breath and melting into one another.

“You’re not her, are you?” Thy’lek murmured against the side of my head a few moments later as Commander Tucker took his leave. I froze. Soval’s eyes met mine, and he seemed as curious as I did about what the General would say next. “You keep looking at me like...like you’re surprised that I look this way...as if I’m not worth less than you just because I’m Andorian. She hated me simply for existing as I am. You can’t be her, so...who are you?”

“I’m her, only I’m from another place...some sort of parallel universe, I think.” I felt his breath gust over my skin at my answer, and he held me just a little tighter. “I don’t know how I got here.”

“Then I’ll try my hardest to get you home. If...If I can’t–”

“If you can’t, then I’ll at least have you and Soval to protect me,” I replied kissing his cheek. “I only hope that my counterpart hasn’t caused too much damage in my universe...”

~*~*~

Vulcan Words:

Ni'droi'ik nar-tor. = I am sorry.

Du stariben Vuhlkansu? = You speak Vulcan?

Ha, osu, tonk'peh goh wuh pi’. = Yes, sir, but only a little.

t’sai = lady, madam

~*~

Taglist:

@android-boyfriends @attention-bajoranworkers @bigblissandlove1 @darkmattervibes @emilie786 @horta-in-charge @live-logs-and-proper @slutty-slutty-vulcans @starrynightgardens @toebeans-mcgee @wafflingchemist

[zestyaahbutler]

Howdy! Since you're friends with Athena and your askbox is open to requests, I just wanna drop in a proposal for a fun writing idea to take and run with if you want to! Think of it more as a proposal than a request lol. (You draw real good, too.)

Consider writing a bit of slice of life where a fatherly Walter teaches his not quite teenaged boss Integra a bit about gardening. Shows her a bit of gardening in the hopes she adopts a new hobby and won't grow up in a completely dark and dreary place as the new Hellsing heir. Those roses could always be an estate favorite.

Those That Grow in Their Place

The successor of the Hellsing family treaded behind her butler while the dreamy morning sky was still waking up around them. Her usual confident pace was replaced with a much slower one. It could be the rubber boots that she was instructed to put on, it wasn’t something she would opt to wear on her own accord. Walter hadn’t even opted for a change in his usual attire. She could only wonder why exactly she was accompanying him to the garden at such an early hour. Integra’s hands occasionally went up to push up her glasses and rub her eyes. 

“Have you still not been sleeping well? You can always take a nap after we’re done,” he commented on her state instantly. For the past few months after what happened, she hadn’t been in the best state of mind to rest. Yet, resting was all she was recommended to do when she opened up. Any words of comfort he tossed her way brushed up against an already forming callous that served to wall Integra off.

“I’m not a child, I can manage getting up a little earlier than usual.” She hadn’t even stopped to look at him. It was scathing how prone she was to reject any sort of coddling now. Months prior, she would have begged her butler for five more minutes in bed or even admit she would take the nap.

The fear she must have experienced that day he was absent had to have been unimaginable. Running away from her uncle, someone who was advised to protect her and act as a guide. The irony of the situation was not lost on him, nor was his place of blame in the matter. But it never meant he felt no sympathy or guilt for what he organized.

What mattered was that she was fine. In one piece. If anything, with enough delusion and effort, he believed that same little girl he saw before could come back. 

“I thought you might enjoy helping me with the garden to start off the weekend, you’ve had quite the busy week so I thought it would help clear your head.” His tone was smooth as if what he was just thinking had never occurred. She didn’t say much to this, only reflecting on what occurred in one of numerous weeks of work. The two-day meeting she attended with the roundtable. As nerve-wracking as it was to attend as the leader of Hellsing with added expectations, she was still regarded as a child. Even Pennwood would look to Walter to confirm her statements on events regarding the supernatural.

“You seemed like you had a busier week than I did,” she almost pouted. Somehow what he had said soured her mood even more. The listless shuffling of her boots filled in more than she needed to express.

“I am assisting a busy young lady,” he attempted to soothe her. “It’s only natural to become busier as you become more capable, Miss Integra” Her brows softened. A tinge of hope of having diffused her mood glimmered as they came upon the gate of the garden. A large part of land boxed by white fencing. Vines from climbing hop plants lined parts of the front foreshadowed the already cultivated greenery inside. She had seen the garden before, but spring was still in its infancy so it was the first time since the late months of fall that she would see the area. Walter unlocked the gate, opened it, and motioned for her to walk through. Once inside, he shut the gate behind them and led her to the shed.

“Today you can choose your breakfast if it adds any incentive to help.”

She whipped her head at him as if he had something most unusual. 

“I get to choose?” Walter nodded to this with a small smirk. By this point, she had already caught onto his game. But she was not against humoring her caretaker. “…If that’s what it takes.”

“Then it’s settled.” He went into the shed and switched on the light. Integra squinted as she got used to the brightness of the fluorescents that lit up the entire inside. Walter grabbed an apron hanging near the door, tying it on himself while Integra stood and admired the various instruments organized. Almost none she knew the technical name for. She knew of a shovel, a hoe, or a rake, at the very least. An apron for her was hoisted over her head suddenly. She glanced up at her butler as her head was looped into the top. He pulled the braid he had done for her out of the loop before kneeling to tie it for her. Her gaze wandered down to the apron’s front which was adorned in flashy embroidery. Various flowers, insects, and even birds were sewn on alongside patterned stitchery. 

“Is the apron too tight?” 

She shook her head at this. 

“It’s just fine, thank you.” 

As soon as Integra turned around a small breath escaped Walter. She was a little tall for her age so the apron was nearly a perfect fit by now.

“The gloves should be in the front pocket, make sure you put them on.” 

Integra reached inside and pulled out a pair of floral patterned gloves. Once she put them on she noticed they were a little too big. The blonde tugged at the cuffs.

They weren’t unusable. 

The rustling of mulch caught her attention. Walter had already gotten a bag of mulch and a shovel. Walter led her out of the shed and to wherever he was taking her within the garden. Integra followed close behind, admiring the already blooming greenery. Some were native to England while others were more exotic. She quickened her pace to walk alongside him. 

“What are we doing?” Integra inquired, unable to contain her growing curiosity. He stopped near the large row of roses housing themselves in bushes.

“We’ll be mulching and pruning the roses for now” Walter dropped the bag down and cut open the bag with a simple swipe of his wire. The shovel he had brought along was dug into the bag and dumped onto the base of one of the roses before he dragged it out to the width of the bush. He did another in the same fashion he did with the first tone before tilting the handle of the shovel over to Integra. 

She gently took it from him, looked at the bag, and with a much more determined expression she stuck the shovel into the bag and brought some mulch onto the pale and dumped it onto the next base of the rose bush. A little more clumsy compared to him but nothing she couldn’t learn from. She dragged the pieces of bark out the same way and ended it by padding it a little. 

“Great, just do the same with the next one… maybe no padding” he instructed. “The mulch will break down on its own, for now, it is serving as a barrier to keep the weeds out and the moisture in when we water it.” 

Integra made an ‘oh’ motion with her lips and repeated what she had done before but more correct. Then again with the other bushes. Most were dressed in brilliant blooms of crimson while others had tint variations of apricot, peach, and lilac. Once she was done with the mulch Walter took the shovel from her and set it nearby. 

“Excellent, we’ll work on pruning next,” he said before handing her a pair of pruning shears to her while he kept another for himself. With a gloved hand, he pointed out one of many of the flowers, “This bloom is on the older side, if we don’t deadhead then it will produce a rose hip instead of more flowers that we can take and display here or in the estate.” He dragged a finger down the stem before taking it down to one of the many sets of leaves. “You find five leaves from the bloom pointing out from the center, this one is closer to the top while others may be different.” The clippers were put up to the plant, maybe a quarter inch up from the leaves and at an angle. Then snip. Integra blinked a few times at the explanation. As mild as an activity as it sounded, it felt much more complicated. “This will encourage more flowers to bloom in its place”

Integra got on her own knees and looked at the bushes closely. It felt wrong to cut off a flower. The rising anxiety of ruining the plant plagued her as she hesitantly took the clippers to it. 

“Is everything alright?” 

She paused and took the clippers back. 

“I’m just worried I may cut off the wrong ones.” 

“The one you had was just fine” he reassured softly. “These roses are Polythanas, they are much more hardy and forgiving so don’t worry.” Walter continued to tend to the bush he was on while carrying on the conversation. “Your mother had a remarkable knack for gardening but even she made mistakes from time to time.” Integra raised a brow at this. 

“Really?” 

“She is human” Walter sighed at her second guessing. “Before you were born she wanted to net off some of the fruit trees so the birds wouldn’t nest in them.” Integra started to tend to her own bush, cutting off any growth that was damaged or too old to stay. “Sadly the holes of the net were small and the bird got tangled inside.” 

“Was she able to get it out?” Integra questioned and moved on to the next rose bush for trimming. 

“Yes, but not without sacrifice.” His expression change to that of melancholy as he reminisced on the event. “Your mother was a terribly stubborn woman, I told her I could cut the bird out but she insisted on doing it herself." Seeing Integra becoming more comfortable with tending to the garden helped sweeten the mood only slightly. “The bird’s neck had broke so there was no way for it to fly away.” 

“Didn’t you say you would have been able to get it out safely?”

A slight pause occurred. Birds could be heard chirping as the sun had risen higher in the sky. 

“No, I really didn’t want her to deal with the poor thing, she was already going through enough stress.” 

“Earlier you told me that it’s fine to make mistakes”

“It is,” he seemed much quieter now. 

“Why did you try stopping her from seeing what happened?” 

“That’s…” A much heavier sigh came from him. Integra took a meek glance at him.

“Sorry.” 

“No, it’s a great observation.” Walter was able to put on a smile regardless of how much the comment pulled at his heart. Almost a decade had passed and those feelings never wavered. “Point is, the garden is a place for you to experiment: try and succeed, or try and fail.” Walter put the garden shears in the front pocket of the apron he adorned. “It’s a good hobby that may help you become a strong leader for the organization; you shouldn’t ever be afraid to fail, Miss Integra.” A giggle spawned from the young heir as she got up herself and dusted off her the front of her apron. 

“Did I say something wrong?”

“No,” she replied before even more laughter escaped her. “You sound like an old man.” 

A bold declaration. He raised a brow at her while having a much more sarcastic smile.

“Since I’m such an old man, I’ll have you fetch the garden hose,” Walter ordered. “I’m afraid I don’t have much time so I need you to hurry.”

“Oh, don’t say that.” Integra gasped after grinning so hard that her cheeks had become a little sore. She jogged off to grab what he had asked for. Walter couldn’t help but feel his mood was lifted seeing her act much more playful. Perhaps he was right in this being what she needed when growing up in such a dreary time in her life. 

A blast of cold water smacked into his back, making him stiffen. 

So much for wearing the apron protecting his clothes. 

“Ah-“ a voice squeaked from behind him.

He turned around to see Integra with a dumbfounded look holding the hose with the attached spraying nozzle.

“I was just trying to see if it works.”

A tinge of irritation shot at her excuse but he was able to blanket it under his many years of hardened professionalism. 

“While aiming it at me?”

“To be fair, you are in front of the roses, Walter” Integra looked away with a catty smile. He backed away from the roses. 

“Very well, hopefully, you can aim much more effectively with me out of the way.” 

Integra sprayed over the rose bushes while Walter stood soaked nearby. A hand ran through his dampened hair. As long as she was happy, he was fine with putting up with such petty pranks. 

“Did my father ever help in the garden?” Integra inquired with her voice a little louder to compensate for the spraying hose. 

“He was rather busy,” Walter relayed. But it was far too short and maybe would leave her feeling cheated. “As I said earlier, there isn’t anything wrong with taking a nap, she often fell asleep after gardening,” he explained his earlier point further. “your mother slept on the bench over by the fruit trees next to your father.” Once Integra finished her watering, he could see her eyes had truly lit up at the simple story he had given. Instead of the usual loneliness that ruminated in her pale cerulean eyes, they twinkled with contentment. 

“Do we need to do anything else for the roses?”

“Nope, you handled them perfectly.” He commended, giving Integra a thumbs up. “We’ll move on to harvesting the elephant garlic next.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

His lids fluttered languorously at another drop of rain hitting his forehead. Even after drifting off twice already, the rain still chose to wake him up. He at least wanted a little longer here a hand went into his pocket gingerly so as to not wake the resting madam. Her head rested practically on his chest now. 

If the rain was bothering him, how much longer till she woke up on her own? It wasn’t in good faith to leave her but neither was it to get her up from her nap. 

So what if he had his own enjoyment in the matter? 

A rumble of thunder brewed over him, contradicting the desire to stay like this.

He ran a hand cautiously through her everlong locks. It was softer than anything he was used to feeling.  

More droplets started to patter down on him. One caught itself on Amulya’s cheek and seemed to caress it as it ran down. 

Her perfume didn’t fade even after handling the soil either. 

The rain started to fall at a light steady pace. The final sign to resist any decadence to keep their relationship purely ascetic. 

[biconickyoshi]

Sorry for writing only now, but the last two chapters were very cute. Sure, there were tense moments, but the way the characters interacted - it creates a pleasant feeling. And I would like to see how Toph and Zuko become closer against the background of similar childhoods, forming a brother-sister relationship. I really liked that Zuko finally decided to improve his firebending. I hope that when Azula decides to hit Aang with lightning, Zuko will reflect it. And, as it seems to me, she may well notice their mutual love for each other, which may serve as another incentive to hit the Avatar with lightning. And I hope that you will still make the Search arc in the third book. Since Zuko already knows that his mother is alive, he and his friends may well, while they are in the Land of Fire, begin searching for her in parallel with Aang's firebending training. And since they have about a year, they will be able to find at least some trace. And I would really like to see shock and surprise, and then tears of joy and hugs from Zuko and Ursa. I would also like to tell you about one artist - waterlouper. He draws AU about Zuko the pirate and couples with him. There are mainly Zuko / Sokka and Zuko / Jet, but there were a couple of pretty interesting ideas. For example, when Katara and Toph went to Ba Sing Se to get dressed, they took Zuko with them. Or how they went to the theater production of 'LOVE AMONG DRAGONS'. And since there is a headcanon that Ursa loved the theater, it seems to me that Zuko would sometimes go there to remember that more or less peaceful time Sorry that you had to read all this and I hope for an answer.

Thank you so much for sending me your thoughts on the chapter, I’m so glad you liked it!! :) Also I apologize as well for the late response lol, once again I am not great at replying to asks on a regular basis 😅

I love that you brought up Zuko having a love for theater with his mom’s background in theater and having grown up watching plays on Ember Island! I would seriously love to somehow incorporate a trip to the Ba Sing Se opera somehow since we know it’s a thing from the Kyoshi novels with it being the origin of where her face paint comes from. Not sure how I would include it, but it’s still an intriguing idea nonetheless.

In regards to The Search, I haven’t quite gotten Book 4 completely brainstormed yet, but I’ve definitely been leaning towards including it, possibly in the place of some of the more “filler” episodes from canon Book 3 that maybe wouldn’t fit as well for my AU.

[anders-hawke]

and i don’t think gale was lying to himself about why he got the orb. he was trying to obtain it as a gift to mystra. he tells you exactly why he was doing that lol. gale tells you that he convinced himself that if he could somehow prove to mystra that he was worthy of wielding more magic that she would give it to him. like, he was groomed, of course his ambition then is going to be confined to chasing mystra’s coattails and begging for her approval. especially then because she was bored of their relationship, so he had the extra incentive of convincing her to keep him as a lover instead of discarding him and keeping him around as a trophy, as a loyal little servant like azuth and elminster. he was trying to change the ending of the most significant relationship in his life, the person who defined his entire life. he was at risk of losing what he felt he’d worked his whole life towards. he was groomed into believing that his only worth was his magic, so what does it say about him if he’s not good enough to please the very goddess of magic? that there must be something wrong with him.

that’s not to say that he’s perfect and can do no wrong and holds no blame, but i do think it’s a case of gale being in a toxic environment, being encouraged to indulge in his ambition and ego by mystra to serve her purposes. he has his vices, but we can see in the game that when he is given positive feedback and appreciated for who he is that he finds he doesn’t need to be whoever mystra wanted him to be. versus if you encourage him to take the crown, he obviously becomes utterly consumed by those vices.

mystra has reason to do that because we can see with elminster (particularly in gale’s origin) that he realizes that he was party to gale’s abuse and feels terrible about it. you get a letter from him in act 2 where elminster’s trying to right his wrong by encouraging gale to find another way to deal with the netherbrain, and in the letter he expresses that doing so should’ve been gale’s task all along. azuth is bound to mystra by his portfolio as a god and can never stray from it. gale was bound to mystra by being groomed into it and molding his vices to her confines. but elminster is not bound to mystra exactly like that, at least not anymore since their relationship ended a long time ago, so he sees things with more clarity than gale. he knows he’s going against mystra, challenging her; he has to sneak around to offer gale his real advice. mystra knows she has elminster under her thumb, though, regardless of his opinions—but she didn’t yet have gale completely wrapped around her finger, he was still rough around the edges to her.

[indigosfindings]

the thing about alien romulus (aggressively, pointedly mediocre movie btw) is that the better films in the series (ie not aliens or resurrection lol) have primed me to go in expecting, like, provocative themes and generally interesting engagement with complex subject matter--even if that engagement goes in a dumb or disagreeable direction, it's still *there*, and it still lends the (again, better) movies a much richer texture & an air of thoughtfulness. and i took that expectation into romulus, & it took me longer than it probably shouldve to register that romulus is not built in a particularly thoughtful way, either textually or stylistically (ie there doesnt seem to have been much interest in anything beyond replicating a few scenes/shots from other alien movies, the characters all come across like empty husks, and occasional flourishes of genuinely impressive cinematography are the exception rather than the rule)

and both of these factors (the movie's general thoughtlessness & my expectation of the inverse) sort of conspired to make the depiction of the android character look reeeeally bleak. like, he's the only black character in the movie & the crux of his character is devoted servitude toward the white woman protag (who refers to him as her brother but clearly perceives him as a surrogate father figure). and at first i was thinking "this cannot be accidental", like that a movie (least of all in a series as provocative as alien) doesnt portray its only black character as being owned by, controlled by, and bound to serve a white character by mistake, without intending to put this to some thematic use--so i was waiting for it to go somewhere! and then it didnt!

near the end of the movie the white lead starts to prioritize the safety of the android (seemingly as a defensive, perfunctory attempt to counterbalance this dynamic?) and this seems meant to signal to the audience that, see, there's actually nothing wrong with this dynamic!! it's totally reciprocal!!! but that feels tacked-on at best. romulus crafts this profoundly disturbing character dynamic (he is clearly framed as a subject & agent, but she owns him, he is *fundamentally* unable to pursue ambitions & priorities that dont relate to her, he can barely function in her absence, & she is demonstrated to be able to overwrite his programming at will through verbal commands) but it's totally unwilling to acknowledge this dynamic for what it is, and it thus locks itself out of being able to say anything incisive with it, or to bring it to any poignant or interesting place! no, it's worse than that actually--it doesnt seem to even see the problem at all! the chunk of the movie where the corporate module overrides his motives (in addition to playing into recent cultural anxieties wrt tech in the most have-your-cake way possible) is pretty plain in its use of him ceasing to prioritize her above everything as a telegraph for Danger & Wrongness. among the most central themes of alien as a franchise are (1) capital & bureaucratic incentives toward both violence & danger, and (2) the designation of personhood... a stark exploration of androids as (in essence) an exploited slave caste couldve been an unbelievably robust way to hybridize these themes, but that would require romulus to take an interest in storytelling, or, like, anything

[madara-fate]

that whole debacle about sasuke losing it when sakura dies is kinda funny bc you know you got a portion of sakura/ss stans upset lol

no sasuke wouldn't go back to his rogue days and no sasuke wouldn't permanently be damaged because he has sarada to help him. saying that sasuke would be a permanent mess takes the role of sarada away because she's the proof of their connected feelings, their love. and like any other parent, you also have to be with your child grieve and move on.

i'd rather see sasuke be the best dad that he is and console sarada while grieving for the loss of his wife rather than being a neglectful dad to sarada bc he's losing it and is a permanent mess of a person

if your headcanons and/or fanfics says so then go ahead but saying that's how canon sasuke would react is a big stretch and is neglectful of sarada's role as their daughter

that whole debacle about sasuke losing it when sakura dies is kinda funny bc you know you got a portion of sakura/ss stans upset lol

It definitely wouldn't be the first time I've upset certain Sakura/SS stans, and it probably won't be the last time either. I'm part of the fandom too but I'm not about to tailor my responses just to cater to what they want to hear. If they say bullshit, then I will call them out on it. Because a lot of them are prone to allowing what they want Sasuke to be like, to cloud their judgement on who he actually is.

saying that sasuke would be a permanent mess takes the role of sarada away because she's the proof of their connected feelings, their love. and like any other parent, you also have to be with your child grieve and move on.

💯

And even if Sarada wasn't there, Sasuke wouldn't just become a permanent broken mess over Sakura's death, as demonstrated a plethora of times in the story when people lost those dear to them and still pushed forward. However, Sarada would serve as the ultimate incentive for Sasuke to pick himself back up, because his daughter is his No.1 priority, and he would need to do so for her sake.

[okamirayne]

The life you breathe into every single character is honestly amazing. You give such rich personality to everyone especially your OC’s. I love Tsuno and hope we get more of his backstory (no worries if not obviously) he is so intriguing. I love that you flesh out each character and really do them justice each and every time no matter how short their appearance is. Each chapter is filled with such life, angst, and leaves me on a hella of a cliffhanger but makes me so damn excited for the next! You’re an absolutely amazing author and a phenomenal wordsmith. I truly appreciate all your hard work (!blood, sweat, and tears) for this saga of BtB. I hope you always find inspiration to keep writing this and your original works. I also hope you find rest and love in your personal life to heal and relax. Sending oh so much love and goodness to you! May you always find happiness and love in your life. ❤️ -Emilee

My dear Emilee...💖

This beautiful message perfectly illustrates the heroic category of feedback which motivates, inspires, moves, and raises me from the low burnt out places. I thank you so, so, much for sharing your thoughts with me. This matters so deeply to me and I appreciate you immensely, sweetheart. 🫶🏼💖

Firstly, I am absolutely delighted and dementedly excited to know that you enjoy my OCs *squees ultrasonic-like* - bless you for the encouragement and support that gives me, and also the incentive to share them. Insanely appreciated. If the interest is there for Tsuno, I shall endeavour to drag him out of the shadows. Thank you for your support for him!

I love that you flesh out each character and really do them justice each and every time no matter how short their appearance is.

Gosh. Thank you, Emilee. Truly. The characters, whether OC or canon, will always remain the centerpieces in the story. I literally live to serve them (lol) and its always so reassuring and comforting to know a reader connects with their authenticity...that's certainly what I will continue to strive for - thank you for the thumbs up! It's so bloody amazing and important to me.

I truly appreciate all your hard work (!blood, sweat, and tears) for this saga of BtB.

And I wholeheartedly APPRECIATE YOU for taking the time to engage with me and the works in this beautiful, encouraging, and kind way. It's the reason I output - because this type of input from reviewers allows for me to refill and helps me to shore up energy. It also gets me excited about the characters and their journeys.

I honestly wish to all the gods that there were better ways for me to adequately and fully communicate how much it means to me to receive this beautiful investment from you...I hope that I can communicate that by always bringing my A Game to whatever I output. Readers like you, who reach out to connect with me by sharing what you connected with in the work, generates so much...and I adore you for it, because without that, without you, without your engagement, I might as well be writing in a journal and shoving it in a drawer somewhere. You make it a less isolating experience, which writing fundamentally is on its lone-wolf path. So THANK YOU. 💜🫶🏼💜 Thank you for meeting me in the story and sharing what you've enjoyed. So much love coming at you for this kindness.

I hope you always find inspiration to keep writing this and your original works.

Ah sweetheart, me too. Let me tell you this message from you massively supports that by giving me the equivalent of an Akimichi food pill. 🥰 Bless you for being so amazingly supportive, sweet, and so thoughtful with your words.

I also hope you find rest and love in your personal life to heal and relax. Sending oh so much love and goodness to you! May you always find happiness and love in your life. ❤️ -Emilee

You're a beautiful human being, you know that? I'm beyond chuffed and moved to have the joy of writing for you. I feel blessed that you have reached out today. Your acknowledging touch to the heart really lifted me. Thank you for your kind words, sweetheart. And all the support over the years. Please know, your message will be printed, revisited, and cherished. May all the kindness you've bestowed on me be abundantly yours in return, with extra blessings.

THANK YOU, Emilee. You're magic. 💖💜🥰💜💖

[shadowfromthestarlight]

I had a long and very candid conversation with a partner at a local law firm the other night that I'm still processing. He was interesting because he was totally up front about what the work entailed, the firm culture, etc., which I appreciate. But his outlook on life and work was alien to me in a lot of ways.

I don't know that either of us are necessarily wrong. But he was very into the idea of staying in one place for decades on end. He said that his firm invests heavily in their people with the goal of having them stay. He also literally said being in a job was like being in a marriage and if it's working, there's no reason to end it just because there might be some other opportunity out there. I don't agree; in some jobs, you might make a commitment for a year or a certain number of years, but you're not committing your whole life, and in most jobs, you're an entirely at-will employee. You haven't publicly promised that you're going to stick it out indefinitely lol. I also think that it's very important for your career and your financial security to explore multiple interests and diversify your skillset. That's especially important when you're still fairly new to your field, because the longer you stay in one niche, the harder it's going to be to find employment in another. And further, I don't have the boomer mindset on loyalty to a company. I don't want to be "taken care of" by my boss or by a corporation; the thought of that just makes me feel icky. I don't want to rely on there being a cozy pension or a prestigious leadership role if I just grind it out for 30 years, because life is unpredictable and unfair and you have to look out for yourself. I also think that if you really are a skilled, hardworking person, you should "spread the love" and serve a lot of different people in different ways over the course of your lifetime, if that makes sense.

It's not that I wouldn't be open to spending five or more years in one place, especially if there were a lot of financial incentives and opportunities to build new skills and avoid being pigeonholed into one role. But I'm not into making any promises, either, because you know what? Your employer isn't making a promise. You can never get fired and say to your boss, "How could you? I thought we were family." You'd be told to get lost. It's hard when you're an amiable and agreeable person to face this, but in the working world, you have no choice but to look out for number one.

[happi-meals]

Had a great yet simple meal just now :-)

Steamed sweet potatoes and steamed zucchini on a bed of rice, and a turkey sandwich on wheat bread with mustard and vegan mayo.

Twas a very easy-to-cook meal as each entre and side only needed 2 seasonings + oil for the pan (salt and pepper). Actually the sweet potatoes had 3 ingredients lol: i added yummy wildflower honey with pepper and plain salt! I didnt exactly want candied yams but i do like it when theyre sweet. The taste is quite nostalgic as I grew up eating these sweet orange roots as a kid. Mama would make them extra sweet, but this time I spared myself the film of sugar on my teeth lol.

The turkey sandwhich was the protein part of my meal + an effort to stave off spoilage of the lasts of my turkey slices i got last week or so from Aldi. I worry about choloesterol now that im not vegan anymore (and havent been for several years now lol). But i think this type of meal is perfect for keeping those lvls under control bc of the low saturated fat contents and the nutriional benefits of the lean meat. Ive always liked turkey and plan to continue eating it with other meals like this. Who knew a simple lunch meat samdwhich could be part of a nice dinner? 😁

The water I explicity included in the photo bc its summer time! So while always is a good time to hydrate properly, summer is especially so. And Georgia summers can be brutally hot (which I dont mind! I love a Southern summer!). I want to get more used to drinking plain water again. When I was vegan it was easier, but now I notice I only ever have a taste for it if i'm very thirsty or add some sort of sweetening element, like sweet tea or juice. Thats not an issue in itself, but id hate for the incentive to drink water to depend on if it doesnt taste like water? Lol its not like i dont enjoy water. Its a very distinct crisp taste thats always refreshing, esp on a hot day. But getting enough water is a challenge. So making it an explcit element to this meal serves important reminder to hydrate regularly and appreciate water as is when I can!

I'm happy about this meal as it was so easy and my timing was rlly good. I started the yams first, then the rice, and lastyly the zucchini. So none of my food was too cold or too mushy or overcooked by the time it was all ready. Thats a big deal for me!

I wanted to steam cabbage as well and add a cucumber salad but alas lol. I prepared the cucumber salad though and added ginger. I dont have red onions rn but the cucumber marinating in apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. I'm excited to eat it tomorrow as part of my breakfast!

[underestimated-heroine]

tbh the only thing worse than being non-functionally depressed is being functionally depressed. Absolutely nothing could be worse than living with that dissonance, the "you're efficacious enough which means nothing's wrong with you, you just need to quit [major symptom of depression] so much, that's what's making you miserable, so just stop doing that and you'll be perfect 🥰." You mean I'd better serve your hallowed value of expediency lol.

When there's a difference between reality and a desired reality, someone carries the weight of that difference. It doesn't just vanish. Not ever. And when the weight-bearer finally does collapse under that weight, they won't even know or remember what life was like without it, so their incentive to heal again will be shot. Getting off the ground is not worth going back to that.

[sidesteppostinghours]

:33 18 and 6 for cynthia and 23 and 42 for caine? also E for both of them?

evening!! hii sammy :D (and gm to you)!

18. What embarrasses them?

oh my beloved little girl gets embarrassed/flustered super easily, its a trait many (ortega and themmy) have exploited before. broadly, something that would embarrass her is just being put in the center of attention. shes got extremely low arrogance, she prefers sticking to the sidelines whenever possible. its also a role shes more used to playing– back in her sidestep days, she was a sidekick, and even earlier than that, back in the farm, she specialized more on tailing and tracking people. she wasnt trained to act in front of a group of people that wasnt serving them, and alongside her whole,,, thing with the past, shed revisit it often and itd be a nightmare for her lol.

6. Do they consider laws flexible, or immovable?

ooh this is interesting. hmmm. id say she defaults to laws being immovable, but given the right incentive she could find out some creative ways to push them. i guess the best way to explain it is like. you know dnd alignments? yeah shed be lawful good, but resting on the trigger finger of true neutral. it wasnt like that before she met the rangers, id categorize her as lawful neutral because of what the farm taught her, but the rangers gave her a sense of purpose and morality that shifted that neutrality into good. she still gets apprehensive when she thinks about going against what shes been told, especially since she grew up with this getting drilled into her.

23. How does envy manifest itself in them (they take what they want, they become resentful, etc)? 

you know, caines not the type to get jealous over what people have, its not useful to think about what couldve been when they could be spending their time thinking about how to use the resources hes got effectively and overall hes very content with the draw life has given him, so-

*remembers mortums lab exists*

i take back everything i just said, caine would strangle god with his bare hands for the chance to play with her lab

for him though, envy ends up being more of a mix of wistfulness and awe. hes not very antagonistic when he gets like this, youll just get a lot of questions from them and possibly see the very rare caine puppy dog eyes as they stare forlornly at the item they want (which. lets be real here. is more than likely something tech related. you will never see caine as happy as when he got the chance to play with ortegas mods).

42. How badly do they want to reach their end goal? 

a reasonable amount! dont. dont look at the driven achievement. no you dont have to check their drive stat, hey stop looking at the stats-

hes willing to do what it takes to achieve his goals, no matter how badly it hurts, because he genuinely believes its that important. theyll sacrifice a lot for what they believe is the greater good. its less that he wants to reach his end goal, and more that they need to. its something that goes beyond what they feel (and thats part of the reason they attribute their motivation to fate rather than justice!).

E) Are they someone you would get along with? Would they get along with you?

Caine- theyre already very difficult to get close to usually, and hes rather aloof and hard to talk to. theyre polite, just,,, distant. i already struggle with holding conversations so itd peter out very quick. unless we somehow got on the subject of tech. in which case fuck yeah i know how to work my way through an infodump and itd probably be a fun conversation. most likely though, wed be in the same room and minding our own business lol.

Cynthia- oh i would hate talking to her. SHED BE NICE AND POLITE AND SWEET BUT GOD SHED BE SO DIFFICULT TO TALK TO. we both tend to react to the energy the other person gives off but our default state is quiet and polite, with the anxiety of a nervous lapdog. everytime id think of talking to her id probably have an anxiety spike because theres so few things to talk about, both of us require specific dialogue options to unlock character information and i could not deal with that stress 😭😭😭

questions from here!