#isolation challenge

[basementlineage]

🔲 Phase 1: The Box

You don’t begin with walls. You begin with a square. One tile. No comfort. No light. No contact. This is not a home. It’s a holding cell, until you make it more.

The descent doesn’t wait for mercy. Just results.

🔒 Your cage is sealed. Begin.

🔓 Unlocked Space

1x1 tile in the basement.

No expansions allowed until Phase 2.

💰 Allowed Income

OnlySims

Photography

Paid phone calls (Hoe It Up)

🎯 Skill Requirements

Photography to Level 5

OnlySims to Level 5

🛠 Objects/Rooms Unlocked

None. This is pure deprivation. Your Founder lives on a tile and must find ways to survive through performance alone.

🤳 Selfie Requirement

One selfie within the 1x1 space.

Must be taken in live mode, not CAS.

🧗 Advancement Condition:

Reach Level 5 in both Photography and OnlySims.

Once complete, you may proceed to Phase 2.

🩸 Sacrifices Made

Phase: §1,000

Pregnancy: §5,000 per pregnancy to the pregnant sim.

WooHoo: §1,000 per interaction to the sim you are woohooing (If using the Peeplings in Wicked Whims, the cost is §500)

Cheats: §500 per cheat used (needs, money, satisfaction, etc.) to the house fund.

Optional Unlock: §10,000 sacrifice unlocks the Plumfruit Tablet and Simazon Unlimited early to the house fund.

Financial Obligation: All bills and child support must be paid during this phase. Missed payments are considered violations.

🕳️ This is where it begins. No lights. No doors. No excuses. You may feel buried, but the Basement is watching. Now prove you can survive in the dark.

[kingtainorman]

China’s Real-Life “Squid Game” Is Here

Sure, China is ahead of the world in everything, but please don't think that real-life problems doesn't affect communism as well...

[presidentkamala]

Whats frustrating to me is that gen z is enjoying the fruits of incredibly hard-won progressivism in this country while simultaneously being fed conservative ideals which tell them to look around, you don't have to grow up, you don't have to confront yourself and think critically about the world. And they have spent their formative adult years having their cake and eating it too. I just hope they understand how much that conservatism will betray them. I hope that all those young ladies who want to be tradwives and all those young men who believe in a nonsensical alpha hierarchy are eventually able grow up a little bit.

[angelvalley818]

⋆ ⟡ ݁₊ ᰔ ౨ৎ 𐙚⋆ ˚｡ ⋆

[lucagray813]

Co-Exist AU

I am sick with a cold at the moment so here's a little idea that came to me while I was lying miserable unable to do much but maladaptive daydream.

The core premise of this AU is that Macaque wasn't killed and that after his fight with Wukong during the journey he retreated back to the island. Badly hurt and very traumatised, he hides away in a remote part of the island afraid of what the Monkey King will do to him if he comes back and finds him in his palace.

Once Wukong comes back after finishing the Journey, he tries more than once to reconcile with Mac but Mac always runs away before he can even get close and the one time he does manage to corner him the sheer terror Mac looks at him with is enough to have him backing off.

Eventually Wukong stops trying and the two coexist on the island - avoiding and ignoring each other. Made easier by the fact that Mac more or less becomes nocturnal.

Hundreds of years pass, and finally MK enters the picture and his introduction to Mac happens similarly to how it does in canon.

After a frustrating day destroying murals, he's trudging away from the mountain and towards the beach so he can go home when a handful of monkeys intercept him and seem to insist he follow them, and despite complaining this better not be another giant termite nest or some other fine dining opportunity, he begrudgingly follows them.

Heading towards a part of the island Wukong told him to stay clear of due to feral monkeys he starts to feel increasingly unsettled as if someone's watching him, and he thinks he glances a figure in the branches more than once but there's nothing there when he looks again.

He let's out a scream and instinctively pulls out his staff when someone suddenly appears in front of him but they're gone again by the time he gets his bearings. The monkeys that have been leading him screech at him and eventually he gets the hint that they want him to put his staff away - which he does very reluctantly.

Almost immediately Mac reappears and this time MK manages to resist pulling out the staff and instead starts to question who he is and why the heck is he naked? Mac obligingly uses the shadows to summon some plain black clothes to cover himself, watching curiously as MK gets a little hysterical in his bewilderment.

Eventually, MK stops to breathe and is somewhat convinced this isn't some evil clone of Monkey King when he sees how calm the monkeys are, some of them even sitting at Mac's feet or on his shoulder.

Whether through physical or emotional trauma, or both, Mac can't speak and he communicates purely with shadows. Ignoring MK's questions about who he is, he manipulates the shadows on the ground in front of MK's feet to show him his "training" session with Wukong and then several monkeys playing telephone to eventually whisper in Mac's ear, telling him about it.

Through some unflattering imagery, MK gets the idea that this stranger thinks Wukong is a bad teacher and is offering to teach him instead - and that if he's interested he should meet him in the "haunted" forest that he's been told to stay clear of.

Mac disappears and MK hesitates, asking the monkeys what they think, even if he can't actually understand their chirping he gets the vibe they're telling him to go for it and inevitably he decides it's at least worth checking out. If only so he can report back to Wukong about this stranger on his island.

What follows is a very boring and practical lesson on proper form.

(Mac being very out of practice with the concept of personal space is a bit handsy in how he corrects MK.)

MK complains about how underwhelming the lesson is before Mac invites him to try and fight him and easily trounces him and gives him a shadow play lecture about foundations and building blocks and sends him on his way and "telling" him he can come back next time if he wants to keep training.

This goes on for a while, and while MK struggles with the slower pace - at least he's actually learning something, even if it's not the hero stuff he really wants. Mac does eventually help him with his powers to a certain degree after a small mishap, but it is more or less limited to learning how to control his physical strength.

He also teaches MK to fight using a staff - not the staff because Mac immediately flees if MK even looks like he's about to pull it out but with a normal wooden staff.

One day MK is complaining about Wukong's training and questioning what he's done wrong that he's been relegated to clean up duty and, to MK's disbelief, Mac explains that it's because Wukong doesn't know how to teach. Although upon reflection MK wonders if Mac might be onto something, especially when Mac adds that Wukong never really been a student himself - learning almost everything easily and with little guidance needed.

Out loud, he wonders if he should talk to Wukong about all of this and is taken aback when Mac looks so panicked by the idea - shadows showing Wukong flying into a terrible rage at MK questioning him. He does his best to reassure Mac, and himself, that wouldn't happen but nothing seems to ease Mac's distress.

Despite this, MK talks to Wukong but decides not to mention Mac. The next time Wukong tries to get him to do some busy work he puts his foot down and asks for Wukong to train him properly. Dismissive and a little offended, Wukong tells him that he is training him "properly" - there are important lessons tucked away in these seemingly pointless tasks.

Annoyed MK asks him what the important lessons are because he's taken up some martial arts lessons on the side and- Immensely offended, Wukong starts questioning him about who's teaching him and what sort of credentials they have that they think they could possibly be a match for the Monkey King!

MK reveals that well, he doesn't actually know his other mentor's name and from there is more or less forced to confess with a "OK, don't be mad but I've sort of been training with that other monkey that lives on the island? You know the one that looks like you?"

Stunned, "You've been training with Macaque…?"

He listens as MK explains everything and when questioned if he's angry or not, he replies he's not, just… confused. MK is equally confused when Wukong starts asking after Mac's welfare - genuinely wanting to know how the other is doing.

Wukong starts to wonder out loud if he should pay him a visit and MK quickly tells him that's not a good idea - reluctantly explaining that Mac seemed sort of… afraid of him?

Wukong is very put out by this but ultimately reassures MK that he won't approach Mac and that MK is free to keep learning from him as long as he keeps him in the loop. The rest of the training session is spent with MK showing him what Mac has taught him.

(MK at some point does ask who Macaque is and he gets a sort of "He's my… He was my… It's complicated, bud. But this is as much his home as it is mine.")

Once MK leaves for the day, Wukong summons some monkeys he knows spend a lot of time with Mac and gets them to tell him what's going on, after complaining at them for not telling him this was going on in the first place.

(Most of the monkeys are friendly with both Mac and Wukong but there are some that are very loyal to one over the other, with some of Mac's loyal followers being outright hostile towards Wukong and generally staying far away from him. The group Wukong talks to are not the hostile kind.)

They explain that when news reached Mac that Wukong was being a bad teacher, he decided he needed to step in. But while he is very offended that the monkeys thought he was doing a bad job AND were talking shit about him to Mac, he does do some serious reflecting and decides he needs to get his act together and be a better mentor.

He's tempted to seek out Mac but some very insistent monkeys make him think better of it.

MK for his part leaves to find Mac and tell him the talk went well but he can't find him. After several failed attempts, he asks Wukong, who asks the monkeys, who tell them that he doesn't need to train MK anymore now that Wukong has got his act together.

Disappointing both MK and Wukong.

That's all I've got so far but Mac definitely appears again during the events of Season 2 when Wukong leaves for "vacation".

I might come back and add more to this later once I've thought about it. But in the meantime if anything here piques your interest then feel free to use it!

[scoobydoodean]

And is "Dean looking at Sam like he's some kind of sideshow freak" in the room with us now? | 3.16, 1.06, 1.14, 2.05, 2.10, 2.11, 2.14

[bacchuschucklefuck]

riz gukgak is SO distressing to have as a favourite character I can never funckign rest out here

[crimsonwolf715]

Isolated

(Part 3 of Adventures of the Batfamily)

(POV Dick) 

“It’s been three weeks, I think it’s fair to give him a shot. He’s kept his promise. He’s given you guys the space you wanted and he hasn’t gone out and done anything illegal,” Tim says. 

“That we know about,” Dick replies. 

“While I don’t agree with trusting people readily, he hasn’t left the house in three weeks, Grayson. He literally can’t have done anything.” 

Dick sighs. “That’s a fair point, but how are you dealing with this so well, Tim? He’s tried to kill you like a dozen times.” 

“Considering how I came into this family and the things I dealt with when first coming here, I don’t know why you’re surprised. Lots of people have tried killing me for stupider reasons,” Tim answers. “He’s really trying, and that has to mean something.” 

Dick slings an arm around Tim’s shoulder. “I’m glad you two came.” 

“Well, how else are we supposed to talk sense into you?” Tim asks. 

“I just wanted to see you. I don’t actually care about this argument, I just want it to be over,” Damian says. 

“Aww, thanks,” Dick says, ruffling Damian’s hair. 

The three have dinner, then head back to Dick’s apartment. They go out on patrol a little later, but they don’t find any crime happening at all. 

“This is so odd. There’s always something,” Dick says. 

“Maybe they knew that the Murder Baby was coming and decided to stay home,” Tim replies. 

Damian kneecaps Tim and he falls. 

“Behave, you two. Batman will hear about it if you don’t.” 

Deathstroke drops down and before Dick has time to react, Deathstroke kicks Dick into the side of a building. Dick gets up and realizes that there have to be at least two dozen goons with him. Dick grabs a knife out of his boot and Deathstroke laughs. 

“Go to sleep, Nightwing.” 

Dick and Deathstroke get into a fight and Deathstroke stabs Dick in the arm with a dart. Dick takes a slash at him as his vision blurs. His vision blacks out and he falls unconscious. 

(Villain's POV) 

“What are we doing here?” Riddler asks. “We shouldn’t be meeting like this.” 

“Batman’s out dealing with Croc’s brilliant idea to eat people in a bank,” Scarecrow says. “While I also want to know, we shouldn’t be stressing about Batman right now.” 

“I hired some help, but I got them,” Two-Face says. 

“Got whom?” Riddler asks. 

Two-Face opens the door he’s standing next to, so the others walk in. Red Robin and Robin are tied to chairs. 

“Would you look at that,” Scarecrow says. “You really did it.” 

“Was there ever any doubt?” Two-Face replies. “It’s not like we’re talking about Batman here. We’re talking about his stupid little Bat-Brats.” 

“Yes, there was doubt,” Scarecrow answers. 

“There’s only two here. The two younger ones. Where’s the older one?” Riddler asks. 

“I’m so glad you asked. The third one is already in the isolation chamber,” Two-Face answers, walking over to the computer in the corner of the room and turning cameras on. “Nightwing is my favorite to put in there because it’s almost like he needs company to function.” 

Deathstroke walks into the room. 

“What took you so long?” Two-Face asks. 

“Nightwing nearly killed me, so I had to get patched up,” Deathstroke answers. 

“Almost killed you?” Riddler asks. “The nice one did?” 

“I don’t think you know Nightwing well enough. And anyway, he probably couldn’t see clearly. He took a wild slash at me and got my neck. If I wasn’t wearing the armor, I would have bled out.” 

“Huh, little guy’s all grown up,” Scarecrow says. 

(POV Dick) 

Dick doesn’t know how long he’s been awake. He lost track a while ago. 

Scarecrow walks in. “Look at you, the mighty son of Batman.” 

Dick glares at Scarecrow even though Scarecrow can’t tell. The rest of his facial expressions must have given it away because Scarecrow walks over and crouches in front of him. 

“What? Pissed with me? Whatcha gonna do about it?” 

Dick doesn’t even think about it before his aggression kicks in and he headbutts Scarecrow as hard as he can. Scarecrow backs up, holding his bleeding nose. 

“Get the hell outta my face, Crane,” Dick growls. 

Scarecrow quickly leaves the room. 

This feeling is suffocating. The white noise constantly playing, the chair constantly shaking, the fact that Two-Face keeps coming in and flipping his damn coin. Damning his siblings to various types of torture. Dick’s anxiety’s been high since coming up, but this last period of time has cranked it up to an eleven. Subconsciously, Dick knows that it’s a symptom of him not sleeping, but he can’t consciously come to that conclusion. Thus, he’s been on constant high alert. 

Two-Face walks in. “Hello, Nightwing.” 

Dick waits for Two-Face to mention that he headbutted Scarecrow, but he doesn’t. 

“Ready for the coin toss?” 

“Please, just torture me instead.” 

“I am torturing you, and you’re much easier to break than the other two. Heads, they face the torture of my choice. Tails, they get a break.” Two-Face flips the coin and it lands on heads. “Alright, the coin has decided.” 

Two-Face walks out as Dick starts yelling at him to stop. 

Dick is forced to watch his siblings being repeatedly electrocuted. Once Two-Face has had his fill of Dick pleading for him to stop and the other two barely responding, he leaves the room and the glass darkens again. He looks away and he sees Jason. A bloody and battered Jason, lying there in a torn Robin costume. 

He can’t be here too. Why would he be put in here with me?  

Dick looks away. He can’t look at his dead brother, not again. When he turns back, Jason’s gone. 

Where did he go?  

(POV Jason) 

Jason has a quiet dinner with Alfred since everyone else is in Blüdhaven or Bruce has been on a mission for the Justice League since the others left. Alfred heads upstairs after dinner, so Jason heads down to the Batcave. It’s the first time Jason’s been down here since coming home a month ago. He glances at the case where Bruce had thrown his Red Hood uniform, then sits down at the computer. The last time he sat here, he was so much smaller. He looks at everything and realizes it doesn’t look larger than life like it used to. He sighs and leans his head back. 

It’s been so long.  

Something starts beeping so Jason looks up. The computer’s flashing with a blue symbol. 

Grayson’s distress signal.  

The computer lights up and Barbara’s picture pops up. “Bruce… You are not Bruce.” 

“Very perceptive of you,” Jason replies sarcastically, then bites his tongue. “Where’s Grayson’s distress signal coming from? I’m gonna get in contact with Bruce.” 

“It’s coming from a warehouse downtown. I think it’s Riddler.” 

“Riddler?” Jason asks as he tries to remember the sequence to contact the Watchtower. “Has he gotten better since I left? I only ran into him one time and he said something that made me very uncomfortable, but not threatened.” 

“What did he say?” 

“Not repeating it.” The signal says no connection. “The damn Watchtower isn’t responding.” 

“I’ll try getting in touch with him.” 

Jason turns towards the display case. “No need. I’m going.” 

“Is that wise?” Barbara asks. 

“Who the hell knows?” Jason answers. “I’m gonna do it anyway.” 

He goes over and grabs his suit and helmet. “Maybe leave this one for now. That will surely scare them if they’ve been drugged.” 

He puts the helmet down and grabs a domino mask. “Barbara, I’m gonna get a comm, so I’m gonna need you to direct me.” 

“I can do that.” 

Jason goes to change. 

(POV Dick) 

Two-Face has done everything in his power to keep Dick awake and thus far has been successful. Dick almost passed out earlier, but Two-Face managed to give him enough adrenaline to keep him awake. 

Two-Face walks back in. “You ready?” 

“Ready for what?” 

“Ready to try your luck again?” Two-Face asks. “You know the rules. Heads, they’re subjected to torture. Tails, they get their first break of the week.” 

He flips the coin and everything within Dick begs for it to land on tails. It lands on tails. Dick sighs, so relieved. 

“Aww, that’s no fun. Well, I’ll be back in two hours to try this again.” 

“What?” Dick asks. 

“In. Two. Hours. We’ll. Try. This. Again.” 

“You sick son of a bitch.” 

Two-Face backhands Dick hard enough for Dick’s teeth to cut the inside of his cheek. “Don’t talk about my mother like that, you Batman wannabe.” 

Dick spits blood on Two-Face’s suit, to which he promptly freaks. He rushes out of the room to change his suit. The sounds start back up and the chair starts shaking again. 

“Damn,” Dick mutters. 

Dick loses track of time again as he starts crashing from the adrenaline. The door bursts open and he sees… 

Red Hood?  

“Hey, you dead yet?” That voice definitely belongs to Jason. 

“No.” 

It takes almost two minutes, but Jason gets the handcuffs off of Dick’s hands. Dick types in the password on the second handcuffs and pulls them off his feet. 

“You need help walking?” Jason asks. 

“No. We need to get the other two.” 

“Do you know where they are?” 

“They’re behind the glass,” Dick answers, pointing. 

Jason smashes the glass and luckily Tim and Damian aren’t close enough to get any glass on them. Jason through and cuts the ropes that are tying both of them to their respective chairs. Dick pulls himself together and forces himself over to his brothers. 

“Can you take Da… Robin?” 

Dick nods, so Jason grabs Tim. Dick gently picks up his baby brother, then the two head out of the warehouse. Jason clicks a button as they’re walking out. 

“What was that?” Dick asks. 

“You’ll see.” 

They make it a safe distance from the warehouse before it bursts into flames. Jason’s smiling and Dick turns so less of the heat will affect Damian. 

(POV Bruce) 

Bruce comes back into the Watchtower and his comm starts beeping immediately. 

He answers. “What’s up, Oracle?” 

“Where have you been?” Barbara shouts. 

Bruce forces his expression to stay neutral because more of the League members are coming through the Zeta Tube. 

“I’ve been on a mission. We didn’t have a proper signal. Is something happening?” 

“Yeah, Nightwing sent a distress signal last night and I lost contact with Jason after he went after them.” 

Bruce feels his blood run cold. He turns and heads back toward the Zeta Tube. 

“Where are you going, Batman?” Superman asks. “We have a meeting and debrief.” 

“Something’s come up and I need to return home. I’ll write a report when I have time.” 

Batman heads back to the Batcave. 

“Where did the signal come from?” 

“One of Riddler’s old warehouses. I sent the coordinates to the Batmobile.” 

“Thanks, Oracle. I’ll keep you updated. Let me know if something changes.” 

“I will. Be safe.” 

Bruce drives to the warehouse, his anxiety keeping his muscles tight the entire way. When he gets there, the warehouse bursts into flames. 

“No!” Bruce jumps out and runs towards the warehouse. 

“Hey, old man! Cut that out!” 

Bruce turns and sees all of his kids, safe. Relief floods through him and he runs over. Dick’s holding Damian like a baby, who’s unconscious but breathing. Jason’s holding Tim bridal style, and Tim seems to be somewhat awake. He keeps occasionally lightly hitting Jason’s face and mumbling something that’s probably demanding to be put down. It doesn’t seem to phase Jason at all. Dick’s clearly tense and he seems to be slightly leaning on Jason. 

“What happened? Are you all alright?” Bruce asks. 

“There was some kind of jammer in the building,” Jason says. “The only reason the distress signal got through was because someone was taking Gray…Nightwing’s gear outside to dump it in the water.” 

“How long have you guys not been in Blüdhaven?” 

Dick shrugs one shoulder. “God only knows. I don’t even know what day it is.” 

Bruce helps his kids into the Batmobile and heads back to the Batcave. 

“Oracle?”

“Yes?” 

“I found them. They’re mostly alright,” Bruce says. 

“Oh thank God,” Barbara replies. “All of them? You’re sure?” 

“Mmhmm.” 

“Okay, keep me updated.” 

“I will.” 

Bruce calls Leslie and she promises to meet them there as soon as she can. When they get home, Bruce takes Damian and Jason grabs Tim. They set them up, then hear something thud on the ground. 

Jason runs over. “Grayson, are you okay?” 

Bruce walks over as Jason helps Dick to his feet. 

“I’m fine,” Dick says. “I just tripped.” 

“Getting out of a car. You’re not fine,” Jason says. 

Jason helps Dick onto one of the beds and Bruce walks over. 

“When was the last time you slept?” 

“I don’t know, that depends on how long we were there. I haven’t slept since getting there.” 

“Can you remember, even a rough estimate, of how long you were there?” Bruce asks. 

“I lost track after about thirty-eight hours,” Dick answers. “They kept me awake and then… I had to watch him torture them.” 

Dick starts crying, so Bruce hugs him. Dick puts his head on Bruce’s shoulder. 

“Hey, Tim. Probably not wise to roll off the bed, buddy,” Jason says. 

Bruce turns his attention to his other children and Tim looks asleep. Jason’s probably not actually talking to Tim. 

“Thanks, Jay,” Dick says. 

“You’re welcome,” Jason replies, awkwardly avoiding looking in Dick and Bruce’s direction. 

Leslie shows up with Alfred and the two care for Tim and Damian, who have minimal serious injuries. Leslie says that Dick’s just suffering from lack of sleep. Jason reads quietly to Dick until he falls asleep, which makes Bruce smile. Leslie gave medication to the other two before she left, so all of his kids besides Jason are sleeping soundly. 

Bruce turns to Jason. “Thank you.” 

Jason looks down at the uniform, then makes eye contact with Bruce. “I want to help. It doesn’t mean that I agree with everything that you’re saying, but I can’t just sit by while things are still so bad. While you guys risk your lives.” 

Bruce thinks about it. “You’ll have a trial period and we’ll go from there.” 

“That’s fine. I’ll make some changes to the uniform, it needs it.” 

Bruce nods. “You should go get some rest.” 

“Yeah, I will. ‘Night, Dad.” 

“Goodnight, Jason,” Bruce says, smiling. 

Jason heads upstairs and Bruce settles down to watch over his kids for the night.

[thelonelyravenjournal]

I just feel heavy in my heart!

https://www.instagram.com/deardiary000006?igsh=MTF3NmltOWt5eml2NA==

[bi-galacticgargleblaster]

I must not isolate myself. Isolating myself is the myself isolator. Isolating myself is the little death that brings loneliness. I will face my isolation. I will engage with my community for companionship and support. And as I engage I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where my isolation has gone there will be nothing. Community will remain.

[sylveon-and-velveon]

Monthly VGen Challenge! Theme: Emerald!!

'Mother of Spirits'

Emerald of sorrow, ruby of isolation. All an accident but you still had the patience. Now the spirits that never existed live within the animals. A gift to her from the saviour of murder all accidental. They are protective of their mother, so don't even bother. After all…

This was so annoying to do, not due to the drawing… but those damn codes and the POEM😭

♡ Commissions are always open! ♡

Too lazy to decode the ciphers? Check below for the translations for the end of the poem!!⬇️

"You would have been fathers"

[esseisms]

@nosebleedclub 25: isolated building

consider this:

you're stuck in a parasocial relationship with yourself, where you imagine each of your actions provide some kind of impact on your character, but in reality, you're terribly disconnected to such a point that

there is a council of big and scary dogs inside, that circled and circled you until they formed a table,

and when they sit at it, they bark:

to such a point that,

"you're deemed irrelevant."

they doubt you, and it's not a fight you can win.

the walls of the fabled building, taped in threats, stand taller than you. so stupid. so awfully isolated!,

no one can come in, so no one'll leave. a marvel! come sit at my tea party,

the tea tastes a little like concrete

[la-galaxie-langblr]

Year abroad declaration of intent due in 12 days and I'm kind of freaking out about it 😭

[scoobydoodean]

"Hunting is life. You can't have connections"? Dad gave you that exact same speech, remember? It was just before you ditched us for Stanford. You hated Dad for saying that stuff, and now you're quoting him? Yeah, well, turns out Dad was right.

Sam's Motivations [ 19 / ? ] | 4.19 Jump The Shark

[inseparabiles]

For the next like, two days, Boys and Wolves will be tagged with Geta & Cara instead of Geta/Cara.

I do not anticipate this state to last any longer than that, but presently the & team of demons in our head has scored a win.

I fucking hate tagging this fic I swear to god. No matter what we do with it it's going to give the wrong impression to someone. The A/N section to explain the relationship tag is several miles long and even that I don't think helps.

Like yes it's platonic. No they're not being platonic about it. Questions? Me too.

[shywhumpauthor]

Didn’t Mind It

Cw: isolation, starvation, restraints, dehydration, vague implications of drugging

Whumpee didn’t actually mind the first few days alone.

The first eighty-something hours were quiet. Still. Not necessarily peaceful, but almost serene, in the same sense one might strike as they are faced with an inescapable death. The foreboding of tranquility during the fall as the ground rushes closer.

Eventually the gnarling twists of hunger in their gut turned to soft, occasional aches. The throbbing behind their eyes eased into a slow pulse. There was a point where they became so used to the dryness in their throat, the metallic taste that coated their tongue like sandpaper where they stopped noticing it. At some time they had gotten so used to the cold, the damp air that they stopped shivering. Grown used to the heavy weights of cuffs shackles around each wrist, ankle, they were almost able to lift their arms.

They’d gotten used to it. To the quiet so thick the only thing they could hear was the occasional creak of a pipe in the ceiling above, the frigid air that leaked slowly from the vent in the corner, the sound of their own thoughts spiraling until eventually falling silent. They had never heard the quiet so loud. It pressed against them, a weight draped around their entire body, once that once had made their skin crawl in its confining suffocation, but now was almost comforting. In a sense.

For a while they’d begged to be let out. Maybe the first hour or two. They had longed for freedom for the first day, tugged at the shackles until their wrists were raw and bleeding. Then they had settled down, soothed into a stupor of silence by the low whispers of the vent and the faint hints of sweetness in the air. It made their thoughts heavy, lulling them until they slipped away.

They didn’t mind it so much anymore.