#maybe due to stress or other factors?

[pseudonemisis]

Found my first gray hair today!

[polyglottishthings]

Why TF do people act like Korra's trauma arc comes out of nowhere???? Like, season one is entirely about her learning how to cope with and even process fear. She is not used to being afraid and doesn't know how to handle it. She has recurring memories and nightmares about Amon within the first few episodes of the show and people wanna act like her post traumatic stress was bad writing or random??? Like umm. To ignore that part of her character would actually make less sense.

In fact I think the main reason trauma wasn't heavily addressed with Aang after he woke up in the iceberg is because 1. He was always characteristically in touch with his emotions for the most part, as much as a 12 y/o can be (and his friends mention his unusual maturity/wisdom more than once); 2. He had seen the world and experienced much more than Korra ever had bc she was essentially locked up in the South Pole, giving him a wider emotional bandwidth than Korra (imo) and 3. It was clearly directed toward an audience of younger children whereas TLOK seems to be directed toward older children/teens, meaning it's more appropriate to address some darker themes in greater depth than they could in ATLA

ALSO... The obstacles that Aang faces are mostly the same through the show too, where he has to find someone to teach him, he's being chased by the royal family, and ultimately he has to fight the Fire Lord. This isn't to say he's not afraid, but the villains in TLOK, particularly in season 3, were much more intense than the ones in ATLA. Aang never had someone even threaten to take his bending away, let alone display to him that they could do it whenever they wanted, when it would suit them best. He wasn't betrayed by a trusted family member like in season 2 of TLOK (of course due to the nature of his situation this wasn't even really possible but the point stands). He wasn't chased by literal supervillains who had been locked away for years. It's the elements of fear and manipulation that makes Korra's story more intense to me. These were grown ass adults trying to terrorize, kidnap, and/or kill a 17 y/o. To me, in ATLA it was children beating each other up in a rather straightforward way, until the very end of the show.

All of this is to say that Korra faced a barrage of terrifying opponents and situations, back to back, after of lifetime of being sheltered that understandably left her traumatized. I think people just get so used to seeing shows/movies/video games where the main character doesn't even blink about traumatizing stuff that they think it's cheap writing when the writers actually decide to address that the protagonist has in fact not suffered happily lol.

[rayraelleaizawa]

They say something hurtfull in an argument

TW: sad, slight angst, fighting

Characters: Shanks, Beckmann, Mihawk

Side note: a bit ooc cause they'd never say something like that but we live for angst

Part 2: Making up after an argument

Shanks

"Why do you always have to be drunk?" i asked him as he woke up with yet another hangover. Being together with Shanks is amazing, he loves you, he gives you everything you could wish for and more, but there is one thing you hate about his beheaviour: the constant drinking.

"Because we are pirates, we have to party" Shanks answered with a grin before he groans due to his headache.

"This drinking will kill you one time, do you know that? It's also a huge downturn in bed when i want to kiss you and all i can smell is alcohol on your breath." You kept on complaining, tired of this. "Alcohol damages your body so much, do you want to die so much earlier or what?" you snapped at him.

"Maybe I need something to make me feel better about your constant bickering." Shanks said with a growl, the grin disappearing.

You halted in your tracks. A look of hurt crossed your face as you shut your mouth close. Sadness welled up inside you at the thought, that you were also a reason why he kept on having this extremly unhealthy habit.

"I'm sorry then" you said quietly and walked out of your shared quarters, now probably only his quarters, cause you werent sure if you want to go back there and sleep next to him.

You were just worried about him, why didnt you notice that you were annoying him with that? You never said anything, helped him out of all his problems that he caused by himself with his childish demeanour, you only scolded him when he hurt himself. He never hurts others, he only lets himself get hurt. And that frustrated you beyond believe.

Didnt he know how much you cared for him? Did he even care? Are you even enough to make him start to look out for himself?

Tears rolled down your cheeks as you hid yourself in an empty room on the ship. You tried so much to accept his drinking habbits, you didnt even ask him to stop, just to not be drunk 6 and a half days of the week, and that every week.

You burried your face in your knees and cried. Where you that insufferable that he hurts his own body just to be able to endure your company? If you left, then he wouldnt do this to himself anymore, right?

Benn Beckman

"Really? Another one?"

You say annoyed as you watch your boyfriend light up another cigarette.

"Yes. Another one."

He plainly answers. You guys had this discussion before. You wanted him to smoke less, he said he'd try to but the amount doesnt get any less.

"Benn this really damages your lungs. Cant you please try to smoke less?"

You asked again, and he sighed annoyed.

"They help me relax."

You started to get annoyed by his short answers.

"You could relax with other stuff. You could take a bath, or i could massage you, or we could just spend time together."

You suggested as he sighed out audibly annoyed.

"And you think after all the work and stress I have the whole day I want to spend it around a person which constantly nags on me and where i cant let my mind settle even a bit?"

He snapped, looking at you angrily. You looked at him with an unmoving face before you adverted your eyes. You didnt want to show him that his words hurt.

"I'm sorry, I didnt know you couldnt let your guard down around me."

You said defeated, turning around and slowly walking away. You could hear him say your name quietly but you didnt want to turn around. You just walked under deck and into your cabin. You sat down on your desk and started working, tears running down your face as you felt a coldness within you.

Does he not trust me enough? I didnt know that I am a stress factor for him.

Dark thoughts pleagued your mind as you tried to just work through your feelings. You tried to not be even more of a burden. Tears ran down your face, some of them hitting the desk and some hitting the papers with the lists and research about the treasures your crew had gotten lately.

Benn works so hard, and I never made him feel better. I just added to his stress. He'd be better off alone, right?

Dracule Mihawk

"Could you please tell me when you plan on leaving?"

You said to Mihawk as he came back after two months without telling you that he'll be gone.

"Why? I have my own free will if i remember correctly."

"Because I worry about you when you just suddenly disappear! It isnt that hard to just leave a note or something when you cant tell me in the face that you have to leave."

You were angry at him. What did he think? He was your boyfriend so why couldnt he just tell you when he left for weeks?

He puts down his hat and went to get some vine but you stopped him. Him not even looking at you makes you feel like you're unimportant to him, that this whole matter is of no interest to him.

"Do you really care so little about my feelings? Or am I just a nuissance to you right now that you cant even stop walking when I talk with you."

He then looked at you, annoyance but also a sign of being unbothered on his face.

"You're acting like a child. If I leave again and dont come back you'll at least know why now."

He said that so matter of factly that you were stunned about his coldness. He moved around you to the kitchen to grab some vine, and you just stood there.

Did he really just say that I am the reason why he doesnt want to come home anymore?

You shook your head slightly, recalling his words again and trying not to be hurt by them. As you hear his steps starting to come back, you hurried out of the room and into your shared bedroom. Tears streamed down your face as you tried to make it make sense.

When did he start hating to come back to you? What exactly was so annoying about you? Why didnt he just tell you that he didnt like your behaviour anymore? Does he even like you anymore?

All those thoughts were running through your head as you packed the little clothes and stuff you owned. You didnt touch a thing that he bought for you. If he wanted to leave and not come back, then you will make it easier for him and leave on your own. That's what he wants, isnt it?

After you finished packing you quietly stepped out of his castle and made your way into the woods. Tears were still streaming down your face, but you ignored them. This was for the best, right?

[rinbowaman]

HI, I LOVE UR WRITING SO MUCH!!

can u do something,like a oneshot Or something for heeseung where because of being an idol he can't date but he's also a hormonal man so he gets hot and bothered due to stress and other factors often but now it's gotten to a point where he can't concentrate, he needs pussy. So he tells his manager who pulls him aside one day to ask him what's wrong with him. Now the manager arranges someone (YOU) as a stress reliever for heeseung. U can continue the rest hehe:)

”The Arrangement.”

Warnings: Idol HS and y/n, oral (fem receiving), reader is getting paid for sex, hints of rough smut.

“Heeseung, come on! More energy! Bring out Ethan Lee! Concert is in a few hours, we need everyone on point.”

Heeseung’s hands remained firm on his hips as he rolled his eyes and caught his breath. He was frustrated, angry, and disappointed, mainly because there was a lot of truth in the staff’s words, he wasn’t as lively or energetic…in fact, he was slacking. 

“Yeah….got it. Can we do another take?” 

The staff and creative director all nod and aired the track as the boys performed their routine. “Yes! Just like that! Keep doing that Heeseung!”

“Nice wink, Jake! Do that more!”

“Sunoo, more smiling!”

“Jungwon, tilt your chin down more on this part.”

“Nice one Niki!”

“Jay, too sexy! Tone it down just a tad.”

“Sunghoon, do that thing that the girls like, you know, lick the fangs. That drives them crazy, and we want them to go ballistic during the concert.”

By the end of the hour, the group had completed a lengthy six hour session, with only ten minutes to spare before hair and makeup. “Changeover!” the staff yells out, already herding the young men backstage. 

“Heeseung…you good?”

“Huh?  Oh…yeah….”

“You sure? You seem to be out of it, I know it’s hard to get rest when we’re busy on tour…just a few more days and we can finally get a break.” Jake was always understanding, and normally he could guess the issue and provide the motivation as a resolve for everyone, including the eldest. However, this time…he wasn’t guessing correctly. 

“Yeah…thanks.” Heeseung merely stated before changing into the first outfit. He wasn’t tired or feeling restless, maybe to an extent, but that really wasn’t the cause of his lack in performance. The man was yearning; hungry for a desire that could not be fulfilled by the pampering treatment of first class air tickets, the rising fame of popularity, or the lavish hotel stay. He needed flesh, and badly. 

While it was customary for idol’s to keep things hush-hush as far as their personal lives went, it didn’t mean that they could indulge, so long as it never reached public sight or hearing. What with the frequent dates he’s gone on with many of the most well known female idols, some younger or older, the rigorous tour schedule had kept him from maintaining anything steady, and for so long he had been running dry. He wasn’t necessarily desperate, just needed the warmth and comfort of a suitable woman. 

The concert ended, and as always, the group had served well and performed fantastically. The energy was thriving and the atmosphere was filled with screams as each member waved goodbye. 

Finally, it was all done. 

“Well…we got two more days here until we fly back. We gonna do anything?” Jake inquires openly as he high-fives each member. 

“Niki and I were going to go try out this restaurant. They charge $300 per steak.”

“Oh I heard about that place. Don’t they have a year-long waitlist?” 

“Manager got us in.”

Heeseung pretended to be asleep, propping his head against the window as his arms remained firmly crossed against his chest. His ears pricked up as he overheard the ongoing conversation inside the van. 

After arriving at the hotel, everyone went into their respective rooms. As usual, Heeseung had a room entirely by himself, which he and the members were instructed to tell the fans that it was all due to chance of winning “Rock, Paper, Scissors” when in reality, the eldest of the group receives such privileges as customary within the industry. But for the sake of reflecting the bond and “softness” within their image, the company deemed it better to lie about the room assignments. 

He tosses his leather jacket aside as it flops onto the chair backing. Exhaustion took over his entire body as he threw himself on the bed. His eyes slowly open as he reaches for his phone, half of his face still buried into the plush bedding as he explores his pocket and dig it out. There was no way he could spend another night alone, taking care of his needs by hand. WIth as many callouses he had, there was no way he could even make it feel natural or good, there wasn’t enough lotion in the world that could cover up and mend the roughness of his hardworking skin. 

“We need to talk.” was all he types in before sending off the message. 

A few moments pass before he hears the knocking at his door. “Well that was fast…Mr. Manager.” he softly whispers while lifting his body off the bed. 

“Heeseung, what’s up?”

“Need you to come inside for a second.”  Heeseung nonchalantly spoke out as he turned and lazily plops himself on the couch. HIs manager followed closely behind and took a seat across, looking at the young man intently before raising the concern yet again. “Everything alright?”

“You really have to ask?” Heeseung peeks from under his elbow as he drapes an arm over his eyes. He really didn’t like to make eye contact when it came to the topic of girls and dating…and this wasn’t going to be any easier. “I need a woman…”

“.....you mean….a date?” his manager tries to confirm, before a snappy Heeseung gently corrects him. 

“Not to date….I need a woman…I need skin…flesh…hair….and nails to dig into my skin with a feminine voice to scream out my name.” 

“....so you want a prostitute?” 

“NOT A PROSTITUTE!” on the verge of losing it, Heeseung sits up rather abruptly as he squares his gaze over to his manager. He really wasn’t trying to be impatient or unpleasant, he was in a vulnerable state of mind. No man should ever go so long without feel the pleasures of someone else’s body, especially someone who is constantly surrounded by all these pretty little fans that were filling his mind with all sorts of sordid thoughts….them with their perfect makeup, the sweet fragrances of their perfume and those damn long and elegant acrylic nails. Day in and day out, he’s surrounded by feminine energy, it all contributed to this sexual demise he was falling into. “I’m just going to put it this way….if you don’t find me someone that can keep their mouth shut, and spend one night with me, then I am going to lose it. I’m on the verge of doing reckless things, and I can’t control it. Just find me someone that isn’t a prude but isn’t desperate.”

The manager knew Heeseung well enough to know when the young man was on the road to destruction, this was one of them. The heat of anger coming from his eyes was enough to tell him what he had to do. The hardest factor about this thing is finding someone suitable, not only in appearance but in their manners; he’d have to be cunning and covert. 

Five hours in, he nearly fell to the ground in defeat when suddenly…

“Excuse me, Sir?”

“Hm? Yes?”

“You dropped this back at the last walkway.” 

“Oh!...Thank you….”

You turned to  continue on with your own business when the gentleman spoke out in haste, you had assumed it was because he wanted to thank you once again for returning his wallet, but the tune of his wording made you realize that that wasn’t the case. 

“Young lady, I have a proposition for you…do you have a minute?”

…………………….

A half hour later, after an internal hesitant debate, you caved in at the young man’s offer. You weren’t the type to ever hook up with a random man, even an idol, but the fact that you had been running dry since your last break up over a year ago, and not to mention the exquisite monetary offer that would cover three months of your rent, which would leave you that much stress free from everything else going on. Your final year in college has been more demanding than the previous, so much that you had to quit your part time job, which left you struggling financially. All of this led to the perfect combination of desperation, sexually frustrated, and mentally drained. By the time he mentioned that a non-disclosure agreement would mandate that both you and the idol would refrain from exposing your identities, you accepted. 

Expressing that you wanted to get it done and over with, the man took you to the lavish hotel room, the most expensive in your home country. You weren’t entirely sure how you felt, being taken to an extremely fancy hotel room to meet a young and handsome performer and spend one night with him…for sex. Should you bail out now? 

“We’re here. Here’s the key card, it’s on the third floor, room number 306.” 

You take the key card and paused, thinking for a moment if you should just tell him that the deal was off. But the subtle push over towards the elevator pretty much sealed your night. 

You walked through the narrow corridor, staring at the gold engraving of the numbers on the key card. With a deep breath, you gently knocked on the door before inserting the key. “Hello?” you gently speak out as you open the door. The entire room was dimmed with a golden hue with no one in sight; the massive bed topped with goose feather pillows and comforter sets up an enticing welcome as you breach closer to the main layout. 

“Well hello.”

You turned in haste upon hearing the deep voice from behind, and saw him. He was leaning back against the wall, behind the door panel side. No wonder you didn’t see him when entering, the wide door swing provided enough cover for him to remain elusive yet still having enough sight to observe how delectable you look. His manager outdid himself. 

“Oh…hi…I’m sorry…my name is–”

“Y/N…”

“Y-yeah…”

The manager must have already texted the idol your name. You couldn’t lie, this entire thing was uncomfortable, and you were on the verge of backing out when the man started to walk over, stepping into the warm light. He had a handsome face, and was tall…very tall, but of all things that got to you, was the glaring look he had in his eye. He looked hungry, famished even, with the way he stroked his finger across his lips as he tilted his chin downard, arms loosely crossed as he took each step steadily. 

“Um…I’m not sure…if I should–”

“You’re already here…might as well get it going.”

He grabbed onto your shoulders, proceeding to walk forward as he herd’s you backwards until your back meets the opposite wall. He really was hungry, and unfortunately for you, it was contagious. WIth the way his hands roamed all over our body, the way his mouth immediately latched onto your throat, and the way his fingers ripped your blouse apart, sending buttons flying all over, he was a demon tainting every sense of rationality in your mind and you loved it. Still, you were experiencing hesitancy, but the moment he peeled your bra down and began sucking on your nipples, leaving squelching kisses the soft skin on your mounds. “W-wait…”

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he drags you down onto the ground, pushing you back to lay you down, leaving you completely vulnerable. He had to be hurting with the way he was feasting on your body, so much that you wondered exactly just how long he had gone without it, and was it longer than you? 

“I-I…” was all you could manage to stutter when he started to lift your skirt, ruffling it around your waist as he fingers the damask lining of your thigh high stockings. With a mouthful of your skin, he muffles his burning desire. “Stop trying to push me away…I’ve been hurting for so long.” 

You ignored his words as you continued to create some distance. You were torn, he felt so good rubbing your curves but also made you feel scared with how pushy and forceful he was becoming. You nearly screamed out when the sudden warmth of soft, plush lips tenderly kissed your clitoris. Being so caught up with his mannerisms, you hadn’t realized that he dragged and tore your panties off, leaving you bare and exposed. The way his tongue circulated around and pressed in between the folds of your womanhood caused you to drop your hands to your side, no longer putting up any resistance. He kept going, licking and twirling his tongue around, making your head spin vigorously as he committed the only gentle act of the night, which was placing his hands on your inner thighs and pushing them apart as he buried his face deeper into your core. 

You moaned out in extreme ecstasy, arching your back and digging your hips downward. You gulped down hard swallows as you try to catch your breath, but the sensation of his nose and mouth inducing the most pleasure you’ve felt in over a year had you inadvertently suppressing screams, choking on your own breaths. 

“O-oh!...Oh my God! P-please!” You dug your fingernails into the floorboard, squinting your eyes shut as you gasped out your moans, he went in faster and flickered his tongue deeper while shoving it inside your cavity. Groaning out his pleasures, he growls as he thrusts it in and out. He closes your legs together, pressing them closer to your chest as he wraps his arms around your thighs, still slurping and thrusting his oral muscle. Propping his stature on the caps of his knees, he hugs your thighs close to his chest as he lifts your derriere from off the floor as he brings you closer to the edge. HIs face shoved in against your taint, his slick tongue going in and out at a vigorous momentum, the faint echoes of his cheeks slapping into you as the impact caused your body to shift up while he had you partially levitated did you in, and you screamed out your moans. With your thighs shook, lips quivered, and chest heaving, you laid restlessly as the hot stream of fresh tears escaped from the outer corners of your closed eyes. Your heavy breathing became a rewarding sight as he remained in his kneeling position, unbuckling his belt. A smirk creeps up on his face as he sheds off his attire, chuckling in a demeaning manner as he looks down at you, somewhat pitifully and yet adoringly. 

“Oh pretty thing…the night is just getting started. Got a lot of pent up frustration in me, and unfortunately, I’m about to take it out all on you. Now…grab it…and scream out my name.”

……………………..

Days had passed since that night, and you still felt sore in between your legs. It was stingy, yet the pulsating rampage also reminded you of the greatest pleasure you had felt in all your life. Not even your ex-boyfriend, the one who was known to frequent the college campus girls, could even make you feel remotely as good. Must be an idol thing, either that or there must be something in the water in South Korea. Too bad you’ll never see him again. 

You were making your way over towards the bus station ahead, when a large crowd blocked your way. 

“Oh come on…” you tilted your head left, and right, all to find a small loophole within the bustling groups of young girls screaming their heads off and flashing dozens of pictures. You shuffled your way through, not paying any mind to your surroundings, when all of a sudden a young fellow dressed in black approaches you.

“Miss y/n?”

“Yes?...who are you?”

The man declines to answer, instead, he hands you a folded piece of paper. You unfolded it to read the contents, looking rather confused. 

‘Hey pretty thing, you free tonight?’

Looking up, the staff member smiles as he points to the side, indicating for you to look in that direction. Turning your head over shoulder, you were stunned to see the man from the other night, the idol who violated you with his tongue and cock, had you begging for more until the wee hours of the early morning. It was him…

“Oh my God is he looking at me?!”

“No he’s looking at me!”

“Heeseung! Heeseung!” 

All the girls waved and jumped, but the direct eye contact and small smirk told you of who he truly was looking at. He sends off a wink which had all the girls pool into an emotional and hormonal mess, leaving only you standing upright, with his eyes still looking directly into your own, he silently mouths out the words to you. 

“My…pretty….thing.”

[craftingcreatures]

Today I want to talk about the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus (Octopus paxarbolis).

OK, so for those who don't know, the PNW Tree Octopus was an internet hoax created in 1998 consisting of a website detailing the animal's life history and conservation efforts. It's completely fake - saying that up front. This animal never existed.

But if you look at this from a speculative biology standpoint? It's genius.

There is one, and only one, thing preventing Octopus from colonizing and being hugely successful in terrestrial environments in the PNW, and that's the fact that no cephalopod has ever been able to overcome the osmotic stress of inhabiting freshwater. We don't know why this is; other mollusks evolved freshwater forms just fine. But if you hand-wave away that one, single limiting factor, the PNW is just primed for a terrestrial octopus invasion.

The Pacific coast of North America is an active tectonic boundary, meaning the coast transitions pretty much immediately into the Cascade and Coastal mountain ranges (contrast with the east coast and its broad Atlantic plain). It's also a lush temperate rainforest, with very high precipitation. This means lots and lots of high-gradient mountain streams with lots of waterfalls and rapids and cold, highly oxygenated water, and not as many large, meandering rivers.

This has important consequences on the freshwater fauna. For one, there are not many freshwater fish in the Pacific Northwest - the rapids and waterfalls are extremely hard to traverse, so many mountain streams are fish-free. There also just isn't much fish diversity in the first place - there's sturgeon in the big rivers, salmonids, a few sculpin and cyprinids and... that's pretty much it. These cold northern rivers are positively impoverished compared to the thriving fish communities of the Mississippi or Rio Grande.

Few fish means few predators, and depending on the size of the first freshwater octopus, salmon and trout just wouldn't be much of a threat. And while these rivers don't have much in the way of fish diversity, there's lots of prey available - crayfish, leeches, mosquito larvae, frogs and tadpoles, water striders, and other aquatic insects, just to name a few. So the first Octopus pioneers to invade the rivers would be entering what essentially amounts to a predator-free environment with lots and lots of food and no competition. Great for colonization.

These ideal conditions get even better once you get up past the rapids and waterfalls, since there's no fish whatsoever in those streams. Octopus, with their sucker-lined arms, are perfectly equipped to navigate fast-moving, rocky-bedded streams and climb up cliffs. They'd also be well able to traverse short stretches of dry ground to access even more isolated pools and ponds. In fact, once Octopus overcome the osmoregulation problem there's nothing at all preventing them from colonizing land in earnest, since the PNW rainforests are so wet; there's no danger of drying out.

Finally there's the question of reproduction. Octopus are famously attentive mothers, because they need to keep the water around their eggs moving and well-oxygenated. In a mountain stream, this wouldn't be an issue, because the cold, turbulent water holds lots and lots of oxygen. Breeding in high mountain streams would be ideal, and the mothers might not even need to attend to their eggs, freeing them up to evolve away from semelparity and allowing them to reproduce more than once in their lives; their populations would thus increase rapidly and dramatically.

I think, if octopus managed to invade freshwater ecosystems in the PNW, it would dramatically change the ecology much like an invasive species. They'd be unstoppable predators of frogs, bugs, slugs, maybe even larger animals like snakes, birds, and small mammals. Nothing would eat them except maybe herons, and things like bears and raccoons would give them a wide berth due to their venom. They would rule that landscape.

The tl;dr is that the PNW is primed for invasion by cephalopods, if only they could manage to overcome the osmoregulation problem and live in freshwater. If the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus really did exist, it wouldn't be a shy and reclusive species on the brink of extinction; it would be a pest, an invasive, overpopulated menace you couldn't get rid of if you wanted to. I can just imagine them crawling up onto people's bird feeders and either stealing the nuts or luring in unsuspecting sparrows and starlings. They would sit in the trees and throw pinecones at hikers for fun. They would be some unholy mixture of snake and slug with the personality of a magpie and I am incensed that they only exist in fiction.

[internet-sadass]

Totally Medical and Professional Knotting (dogboy! Leon Kennedy x doggirl! reader)

Blurb: Of course, Leon would absolutely dote on the older officer who happened to be the only other dogkin at RPD. And, of course, he'd be more than happy to help her 'get over' her heat when she runs out of her suppressants one day.

Warnings: smut (p in v), unprotected sex, omegaverse, breeding kink, knotting, workplace sex, dogboys/girls

A/N: I guess this is my own ‘take’ on omegaverse shit so dont come for me. Also 'dogkin' refers to dogboys/doggirls, thats just the term I've personally always used to describe them.

On his first day at the Raccoon City Police Department, Leon had fully been expecting to be the sole dogkin there. It wasn't like dogkin typically went into police work, nor were they really made welcome there. However, when he was introduced to you, the more senior officer whom he’d be shadowing, any anxieties about being bullied or rejected due to his species went out the window. You too were a dogkin, with a well-groomed, fluffy blonde tail and perked-up ears. Not to mention, canine features aside, you were certainly very pretty and gave Leon a sweet smile when the two of you were introduced. 

“Nice to meet you, Leon.” You’d said, shaking his hand. Your voice sounded so warm and kind to him, and the mellow, floral scent of your perfume mixed with the natural pheromones omegas gave off was intoxicating to him. His tail had shyly wagged in response to you introducing yourself and telling him, in that gentle voice of yours, that he needn’t be afraid of asking ‘stupid’ questions because there was no such thing.

From that instant, the young rookie had been pretty much enamoured with you, following around (literally) like a lost puppy. Even when the two of you went out on patrol or to investigations and were under stress, you never lost your temper with him, never raised your voice. Other officers could be quite cruel to Leon, berating him for making mistakes, but never you. Even if you had criticism to give, it was always delivered in such a calm manner. Aside from being a fellow dogkin, you were also a good few years older than Leon, and had a slightly maternal nature towards him, which he didn’t mind at all. 

All these factors, your kindness, your patience, your protectiveness over the rookie, and (of course) those plush curves of yours led Leon to develop a crush on you. When he got home after a shift, more often than not, he’d have another ‘task’ to deal with, though not one you knowingly set him. He’d rut into his hand, whining as he squeezed his knot, imagining how good it would be to claim you as his omega, give you however many litters of pups you wanted, and feel your slick coating his cock. He was aware that you were older and probably had many eager, more capable older alphas coming on to you, but somehow, Leon believed you’d pick him. After all, you hadn't been claimed yet, you hadn't had any pups yet (you’d disclosed this to him at one point), and you’d certainly complimented him enough times to indicate (in his eyes) that you were interested in him. 

Leon was desperate to tell you, confess ALL of these feelings and desires to you, but he knew it was absolutely not professional to go up to his superior, who’d he’d known for just around two months now, and tell her he wanted to claim her as his omega, give her as many pups as she wanted, and take her out on a romantic date to that fancy restaurant she’d mentioned several times. He didn't want to risk losing his job or losing the respect you clearly had for him. There was lingering doubt in the back of his mind about whether or not he’d read those signals from you correctly. Maybe you were just doing your job and coaching the rookie, and there was nothing romantic or sexual about how you acted towards him. Leon desperately wished that wasn't the case and prayed that you’d make the first move. He was an alpha, sure, and technically it was his job to make the first move, but he wanted the all-clear from you before he made a fool of himself.

Luckily for Leon, that day did indeed come, just not in the way he expected.

The moment he set foot into the office the two of you shared, he could sense something was off. And then the scent hit him and he knew. Before he could even open his mouth to say anything, you’d got up from your desk, strode across the room, and slammed the door shut behind him.

“Leon-” You started, struggling to even speak when you were this close to him, the distinct heavy scent of a young alpha assaulting your senses. Deep in your belly, the cramps intensified in response to his scent. Sweat was already breaking out across your forehead and you felt another wave of nausea wash over you. You cursed yourself for not just taking the damn day off until your emergency suppressant prescription (hopefully) came in that afternoon.

Leon looked like he was about to say something so you raised your hand, silencing him in an instant. 

“I am aware that you're aware of my current…state. However, I’ll have my medication by around three p.m., so we shan’t have to deal with this…issue for too long.” It took every ounce of your willpower to keep your shit together and stay professional and in control. 

Leon was a very handsome young man at the best of times, and you certainly weren’t immune to his charm, as much as you tried to be for professionalism’s sake, but right now his good looks were not helping. He was perfect: young, very fertile (you could smell it so clearly that day), and had never claimed another omega. And God his scent! That musky masculine smell, indicative of a young alpha, mixed with his minty body wash. You felt your insides twist, your cunt growing even more slick as it prepared itself to be penetrated. 

No , you told your reproductive system, not here and not now. We just have to wait until three, then it'll be fine. Just a few hours.

Already, in those few moments you'd paused to try and get a grip on yourself, Leon's expression and demeanour had changed. The look in his eyes was very clear, but you could tell he was holding back, desperately, as always, trying to be good. It’d be so easy for him to pounce on you, pin you down, and sort out your ‘current state’ (as you’d so politely termed it) himself. It’d be easy because you wouldn’t resist. At this point, you’d accept anything to make the nausea, cramps, dizziness, and the ever-rising temperature of your body go away.

Get a grip, for God’s sake! The last remnants of your rational, less-canine side mentally shook you by the shoulders, snapping you out of your daydreams. You cleared your throat.

"I can arrange for you to work under someone else for today. I don't want to hinder your ability to do your job or make you uncomfortable all because I forgot to refill my prescription."  You continued, half-hoping he’d say yes, and you would be left alone to deal with your heat yourself. At least its intensity would lessen slightly if you weren't trapped in your small office with the literal embodiment of the ideal mate for your kind.

"N-no, it's fine. It'll be fine." Leon stuttered out, managing a watery smile as he dug his nails into his palms. He could feel his whole body getting warm, those familiar feelings of tension and arousal stirring in his lower regions as his body slowly descended into a rut. The two of you went to your desks on opposite sides of the small room, both willing yourselves to ignore the roar of your natural instincts and just focus on getting through the day.

***

The scent of your heat was like a miasma in your office, utterly inescapable and hanging thickly in the air. Leon could smell the slick wetting the crotch of your panties. Even with nothing to stimulate you, you were dripping already. He took note of how you kept crossing and uncrossing your legs, those delicious thick thighs pressing together in an effort to relieve some of that endless tension inside you as you read over case files. He also couldn't focus on the files he was supposed to review whilst the pair of you waited to be called out onto an investigation. All the words on the page just blurred together and his mind would instead entertain him with visions of you under him, your legs wrapped around his waist as he pummelled into you, saying his name over and over, begging him to claim you as his own and give you litter after litter of pups.

It eventually got too much. Leon stood up from his desk and walked over to you. You didn't even turn to look up at him despite sensing his presence next to your desk. In your current state, which had already worsened, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that just looking at him would send you spiralling and make you lose the fragile self-control you had over yourself right then.

"Um...Officer?"  He started, fidgeting with his fingers as he looked down at you. He noticed the way you were trembling, your tail swishing in frustration as you repeatedly shifted in your seat , unable to sit still.

Leon had to choose his words carefully here. The last thing he wanted to do was anger you, especially when you were so clearly on edge.

"I...please let me help you. You’re literally shaking, I…I know omegas can get really sick and pass out if they don’t get some relief during a heat. Especially if they’ve been on suppressants for a long time.”

The younger officer had obviously been doing research if he knew that the main danger of omegas using suppressants was that, if they suddenly stopped using them, they were at a higher risk of going into shock from the sudden onset of intense heat.

“And…I mean, I really like you, I’d be happy to help you. I don't want to see you suffering like you are right now.” He continued, stuttering and stumbling over his words as he essentially asked permission to fuck you.

Would it really be so bad to let him fuck you? Would it really be such a crime to let him do what he so obviously wanted so you could get some relief from the agonising combination of hot flushes, nausea, and constantly growing tension between your thighs? 

The feral part of your brain, the part which was ruled by canine instincts, said yes. Leon was right, this was the sickest you’d felt during a heat since you’d started suppressants five years ago, and there were still another five hours at least until your prescription would maybe be ready to be picked up. Passing out or going into shock because of the intensity of your heat was the last thing you needed, especially as you knew the higher-ups at RPD would use it against you, declare you as unfit for your job, use it as an argument for why dogkin are ‘useless’ for the force to employ. At least if you got this heat over with now (even if that meant fucking the rookie who was under your charge), you wouldn't be passing out or going into shock. You could just get on with your work and still have a job by the end of your shift.

"Leon." You said finally, with a sigh, rubbing the sweat off your forehead. His floppy ears perked up and his tail gave the subtlest of movements. "Go lock the door." 

You got up from your seat, wincing as more slick leaked out of you during the motion of getting up from your desk.

"You have to promise me, absolutely promise me , that you will pull out before you knot me. We're doing this just to get me through this heat so we can both focus on work and so I don’t get sick. Not to have a litter or signify that we are coupled now, understood?" Your tone was dead serious, almost cold, as you grasped the rookie by the shoulder to emphasise your point. 

“This is a totally medical, professional arrangement. Nothing more. Do I make myself clear, Leon?” 

Disappointed though he was that you weren’t inviting him to claim you, Leon nodded eagerly, his excitement coming out in his blonde tail swishing back and forth. Lifting his chin slightly with your fingers, you leant forward to kiss him. His lips stayed frozen against yours for a few seconds, confused and a little startled, before he reciprocated. The movement of his lips over yours was hesitant and sloppy. You wondered how many people he’d kissed before. Maybe only one or two, judging by his technique. It didn't matter though, because the feeling of his curious hands roaming over your well-starched uniform shirt, groping at the squishy flesh of your breasts before heading down to squeeze at your ass had you moaning into his mouth. Any touch at this point was welcome and brought about a taste of relief. 

You could feel the firm press of his erection against you, even through the rough fabric of his slacks. It was hot and throbbed in time with his quickened heartbeat. At that point, you were very much aware you’d sent the poor young man into a rut, especially when he arched into your touch as you palmed him, whining and grinding himself against your hand. It’d be cruel to keep the poor young alpha waiting any longer, so you pulled back from him and hastily undid your slacks, yanking them and your panties down below your ass. Wasting no time, you bent over the desk, pressing your chest against the cool wood and arched your back, spreading your legs slightly, causing strings of slick to break between your thighs as you parted them. Your wonderfully fluffy and silky tail curled off to the side, which was the universal dogkin signal that an omega was ready to be mated with. 

Leon froze for a few seconds, staring intensely at how you were presenting yourself to him, his eyes catching on your pink cunt, the plump lips glistening in the harsh light of the office. This was like something out of his fantasies, and he caught himself swelling with pride that you were presenting yourself to him. Not some other older, stronger alpha. Him. with jittery hands, he undid his belt, shucking his trousers and boxers down his thighs. Freed from the suffocating confines of his boxers, Leon’s length bobbed as he lined himself up, the tip shiny with the precum which was dribbling down the shaft. The flared head brushed against your lips as Leon tried to figure out what to do and where to put his hands. you moaned in response, pushing back against him, forcing the tip inside your deliciously hot and wet pussy. The young alpha shuddered in pleasure, placing his hands on the desk either side of you before rolling his hips, sinking his length into you, feeling your body eagerly accept him, sucking him in. The noise you made in response to this action was nothing short of pornographic; as you let out a long wail of pleasure.

Finally, instinct took over, and Leon began fucking you just as any young alpha who'd never claimed an omega before would: his thrusts were quick, short, and shallow, his nails digging into the desk as pounded into you. His breath was hot against the side of your face, his cock heavy and hard inside you as it stretched you out, driving in and out of you in an imperfect rhythm. In your current state, you couldn’t care less about technique. All you cared about was that delicious stretch, the feeling of being full, the sensation of him hitting up against that deep, soft part of your cunt that made you see stars. Already, the sickness of your heat had died down, instead being replaced with utter pleasure as your rational brain shut off and was replaced by the dumb canine one which only cared about being bred and having your hole stuffed with cum. You did, however, have enough sense left in your head and opted to cover your mouth with your hand, fearing that your salacious moans and whimpers would be heard by every member of staff currently in the building. Your efforts were in vain, as even if they didn't hear you, they'd probably hear Leon, who was making no effort to keep his voice down.

"P-please let me give you pups! I'd be so so good, such a good alpha for you." He whined in your ear, kissing and laving at your neck with his tongue, clearly desperate to mark you, to claim you as his own. There was nothing Leon wanted at that moment more than to breed you, make sure it's was his pups that filled your womb. His knot swelled in response to his desire, getting dangerously close to becoming stuck inside you already. You were so tight and wet around him, your body practically begging him to press himself all the way into you, to pound you until he came and filled your pretty little pussy up with seed. You were wet as anything too, the slick coating his thighs and balls, and your sloppy cunt made a distinct squelch with every roll of his hips.

You didn't answer his pleas, only giving a muffled moan when he rutted his head right up against the soft ring of your cervix. Already, the little bit of precum he’d released inside you had made your heat calm down to a far more tolerable level. However, it was now being replaced by another instinctual drive: to have your cunt filled until it overflowed, until you were well and truly bred, until there was zero chance of you not having a litter with Leon. Any thoughts or concerns about what getting pregnant would mean in terms of your career had vanished, as your canine brain had entirely taken over. 

"Please!" He whined again, almost wailing as he continued to rut into you feverishly, desperately trying to bring himself to completion so he could shoot his seed into you before you could reject his proposal to get you pregnant and so claim you as his. He gave another pathetic moan as his pace increased, his lean hips desperately pumping, colliding with the fat of your ass. His hands moved from scratching up the wooden desk to gripping your hips to get more leverage to rail you even harder and (hopefully) manage to shove his knot into you before you could pull away from him and escape. 

You let out another wail of utter pleasure, followed by whines and yelps as Leon kept on bullying his cock into you, the head thudding against your innermost point to an almost painful degree. You’d never been fucked like this before, not even by other alphas. Perhaps it was because you were actually in heat whilst having sex, which was something you’d never done before due to the risk of pregnancy and not finding an alpha you liked enough to want to do something so intimate with. 

Giving in, you couldn't hold back any longer. 

“L-Leon.” You panted out, turning your head slightly to look over your shoulder at him. 

He was quite the sight; his face was flushed, his blonde hair dishevelled and slightly sweaty, sticking to his forehead, his eyes clouded with lust. You felt lucky to have snagged such a handsome younger alpha to be the one to claim you. 

His gaze shifted from where his hands clutching onto your hips to your face.

“Yeah?” Leon’s response was breathless, as he didn't cease thrusting into you for a second. 

“Just…take me. Please. I want…ah, fuck!” Clearly, what you were saying was going down well with the younger man as he didn't even let you finish, instead picking up his pace. No more words were needed from you. 

You arched your back more, spreading your legs further apart so Leon could get even deeper into you. Taking the hint, he leaned over you, placing his hands on either side of your shoulders, and gripped the collar of your shirt in his mouth to ensure you didn't try to wiggle your way out from under him if you changed your mind. With two sharp rolls of his hips, he managed to shove his swollen knot inside you, causing you to cry out. He was so deep inside you, filling you to the brim, and the stretch of his knot inside you stung. You could feel it throbbing and pulsing with need.

With his cock now well and truly stuck inside you (with no hope of sliding out, not with how tightly your cunt was gripping into him and how engorged his knot was) Leon shifted his hips slightly, grinding them against your ass, trying to coax his climax to come. It didn't take much before he practically exploded inside you, his cock pulsing as spurt after spurt of his thick seed pumped into you, filling your womb with its warmth as he emptied his full balls into you. You groaned against the table, eyes nearly rolling into the back of your head as you felt delicious relief wash over you, a deep primal satisfaction.

Leon let go of the collar of your shirt before mumbling in your ear as the last dribbles of his semen left his slit.

"M'gonna give you...ah...so many litters. As many as you want.”

He was feeling his own primal satisfaction of claiming an omega and, he hoped, fathering a litter of strong, healthy pups. 

The pair of you stayed stuck in the same position, bent over your desk, Leon’s chest pressed against your shoulder blades as you both waited for Leon’s knot to shrink enough for you to be able to release yourself. In his post-coital bliss, Leon's tail wagged lazily, giving away his simple feelings of satisfaction and pleasure that he'd got to (hopefully) knock up and claim his superior as his omega. You knew it was highly likely that he had, considering that he was a young, healthy, virile dogkin and you were in the peak of an intense heat. Right now, as Leon hummed against your neck, kissing at it whilst his cum settled in your womb, the idea of having a litter (or two, maybe even three) didn't seem all that unattractive. 

[lovestaysblogs]

ooo also would love a minho x reader where they are sort of enemies in the friendship group/ think the other dislikes them and maybe reader needs help/ ends up hurt or drunk and minho comes to help and they realise they didn’t actually hate each other and the group is glad they’ve finally stopped being blind (I think i have an angst obsession)

unfortunately i like you too

pairing: college au!lee know x reader word count: 3306 genre: not really friends/ rivals to lovers, fluff, angst, unrequited (but not really), hurt to comfort warnings: description of unintentional self-harm (pressing your fingernails into your palms), alcohol network: @skzstarnet request by: @missvanjii

When I first met Lee Minho I thought he was a piece of shit. And that’s just me putting it nicely. 

We were placed in a group together in our first year for Introduction to Computer Science.

He was always correcting me with his stupid signature smirk on his stupid face, wearing his stupid glasses, and laughing his stupid laugh while I struggled to retort his reply. In fact, if my stupid body had some backbone and I wasn’t so unfortunately attracted to him, and if I didn’t hate how much I got nervous when he would come from behind me and click my mistakes away, I could easily respond to him.

In that class I also met two of my closest friends now. Felix, another international student and Nayeon, both who had the brightest smiles. After completing our assignment, the four of us unintentionally formed our own little friend group.

At times we meet at a coffee shop not too far from campus to get some work done. It was a perfect day to meet up. With how chilly it’s been, the sun finally showed herself after days of rain. 

The quaint coffee shop turned out to be our favourite spot off campus. The simple designs mixed with the smell of coffee were calming factors for us. After coming here almost every week, the owners now know our orders and always have our table ready for us.

Felix and I were the first to arrive. He barely waited til we sat down properly for him to pull out his laptop, plug it in and start typing rapidly. His forehead formed rare lines as his eyes moved rapidly to the screen. 

After getting our order, he turned his laptop to me and asked me to see if I could fix his worries.

“Lix, I have no idea what to do to fix that program,” I said.

Felix sighed as he turned his computer back to himself. One could see how stressed he was. His face was wearing a foreign frown as he typed quickly.

“What program?” A voice that I recognized way too easily, said sitting down in front of us. 

I glanced up at Minho, we made eye contact and he smiled. I looked away and rolled my eyes at his presence. Since it was just the three of us, Nayeon as usual was late.

The owner brought over his order, he smiled and thanked him while slightly bowing, making his bangs fall onto his glasses. After taking a quick sip of his coffee, he quickly fixed them before asking again, 

“So what’s this program you’re talking about?”

“The program for my Analysis of Algorithms class. I’ve been working at it for days and it’s due tonight and I asked Y/N to look at it for me –” 

“But Y/N’s more of a UX designer Lix,” Minho interrupted. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked.

He laughed, “Nothing, just that your focus is in UX design, so I wouldn’t be surprised that you wouldn’t know how to fix it,”

I know what Minho said wasn’t inherently bad, but the playfulness in his eyes alongside that stupid ass smirk made me know that he knows he’s pissing me off.

I squinted my eyes at his response and opened my mouth to answer him but Felix interjected.

“This is due tonight. I don’t have time for your bickering back and forth as a badly concealed  attempt at flirting,” He groaned, placing his fingers at his temple.

“Felix!”

Minho laughed and took Felix’s laptop and started typing.

“What? It’s true. You do it every time we hang out and I’m too stressed to have that right now,” He pouted, placing his head on my shoulder.

I started to pat his hair and said to Minho,

“Look at what you did to the poor child,”

“Me?!” 

Before he could continue, Nayeon finally entered the coffee shop with a smile on her face. She said hi to the owners and waved at us from the counter. 

She sat down beside Minho and pulled out her laptop as she said,

“What did I miss?”

“Nothing much, just Y/N and Minho bickering again,” Felix said.

“Oh so the usual,”

Minho snickered at that.

“We do not argue that much. Y’all just lucky I can tolerate his ass,” I said, rolling my eyes.

“Careful with rolling your eyes all the time babe, they might fall out,” Minho said looking up at me.

“Ughhh, can you not! Have you finished fixing my program, you’re over here flirting?” Felix groaned again.

My eye twitched, “He was not… flirting,”

Right? He calls me these silly nicknames all the time. And as much as they make my heart speed up a little, it means nothing to him. 

Minho turned the laptop back around to Felix, “I’m finished with it Lix. You must have not noticed but you skipped out on a couple lines of code and also had some of them in the wrong places,”

“Have I ever told you I love you? Because I love you,” Felix exclaimed, lifting his head off my shoulder to check his laptop.

Minho laughed at his theatrics but he just had to pipe in, “Also, I wasn’t flirting,”

Nayeon rolled her eyes, “Sure, whatever you say,”

Minho chuckled before opening his own laptop, “Why would I flirt with Y/N?”

“You guys are blowing shit out of proportion. He was just being a dick as usual,” I said.

“Yeah plus, she isn’t my type anyways,” He shrugged. 

The air stilled. I stopped typing after hearing his words.  Nayeon and Felix locked eyes before simultaneously looking at me. Must be to see how my face might have changed upon hearing his words.

They’ve told me once before that as fierce I might try to present myself on the outside, with the dark makeup and dark clothes, I’m as soft as a cloud on the inside. And sometimes that bleeds through. I’m unable to hide my emotions to protect myself and I get figured out. I don’t think either of them know about my unfortunate crush on Minho. Well, if they do, they haven’t told me.

“That’s a bit much Min,” Nayeon said.

She reached for my hand on the table, gently unclasping my fingers that were pressed so tightly into my palm. I didn’t even notice I was doing it.

Minho looked up and our eyes met when Nayeon spoke. It’s like he felt the shift in the energy. He blinked rapidly, as if he was slowly processing what just happened. One would think he would stop talking at this point.

Wrong.

 “Y/N knows not to take me seriously,” He said with a slight smile looking right at me.

My throat closed up. “Right,” I forced out, “Because you don’t take me seriously either,”.

His eyebrows pushed together as if he was surprised at what I said. Or maybe it was how I said it. His eyes latched onto mine. His mouth slightly opened, as if he was searching for what to say.

Felix placed a hand on mine, to comfort me but to warn me to be cautious as well. Now I know I must have been wearing my feelings on my face again. 

After I could trust myself to speak, I raised my face and tucked my locs behind my ears. I started packing up my stuff.

“I forgot I had to do something back on campus. I’ll catch up with you guys later,”

Walking out of the coffee shop, I cursed myself over and over again. We do this all the time. We argue, we bicker, we insult. But it wasn’t personal. And the feelings I felt for him that made me so frustrated with myself, never came up. 

It’s not like I expect anything to come out of this.  A relationship with Minho was the last thing I thought of. But to hear him blatantly say I never even had a chance, hurt. I didn’t even know I wanted one.

The noisy street to the bus stop did not help to drown out my thoughts. In fact with how loud it was inside my brain and outside, I wish something would shut up. I felt enclosed and uncomfortable. Maybe I was wearing too many layers. But it was too cold to go without a jacket. Tears brimmed my eyes and I started pressing my fingernails into my palms again, simply hoping to relieve some frustration.

A hand gently stopped my pressing.

“Lix?”

“Hey,” He said softly.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave like that. My mind is just so loud right now and God –”

He smiled gently, “You don’t have to apologize Y/N,”. He interlocked his fingers with mine and squeezed my hand as we walked to the stop.

We sat down and waited for the bus to come. The once bright blue skies quickly turned gray under the influence of the month of May.

“It’s okay to feel, you know Y/N? You don’t have to be this tough girl all this time,” He frowned. 

“When I do feel, it hurts Lixie,” I placed my head on his shoulder.

He patted my head gently, “I know love, I know. I just wish the both of you would stop arguing and actually realize how you feel”.

“He feels nothing for me. Didn’t you hear what he said?” I said.

Felix only sighed and said nothing else.

The next time our group was together, was at the club on Friday night. Nayeon and I were in the bathroom checking our makeup while the guys got drinks. We both matched in our black little dresses, accenting our figures. My locs were in a high bun with two framing pieces out. I reapplied my liner and lip gloss and glanced over at Nayeon whose light makeup contrasted with my dark one. I smiled at her through the mirror and nudged her.

She caught my smile and began laughing, “We’re literally twins babe,”

I nodded and hugged her, “We are,”

She looked at me a bit more seriously, “You know I love you right Y/N?”

“Of course Nayeonie. I know,”

“Good. I also straightened out Lee Minho after you left,” She said, fixing her hair.

“You did not!”

Maybe I heard her wrong over the blaring loud music.

“I did! I told him that I know y’all argue but that was pushing it,”

“There’s nothing wrong with him not having feelings for me,”

“It’s not that. It’s how he said it,”

I reached over and gave her another hug, “Well either way, thank you for protecting me Nayeonie,”

She hugged me again, “Always, my Y/N. Let’s go dance and get really drunk now!!” 

Her smile was devilish.

Walking over to the bar, we saw the boys with our drinks. 

Felix handed over mine and said “What were you guys doing in there? Took so damn long!”

I giggled and downed mine, “What happens in the girls bathroom, stays in the girls bathroom,”

“Whatever, let’s go dance.” As he pulled me into the crowd, I locked eyes with Minho.

We haven’t really spoken since the coffee shop. He gave me a small smile and nodded at me, which I returned. 

Anyways, I wasn’t here to focus on Minho and my failed attempt at not checking out how good he looked tonight under the flashing lights. 

After some time and ten more drinks later, I lost the group. I stumbled out of the crowd and sat at the bar. I reached into my purse for my phone and tried my best to find one of their numbers.

“Hey,” An unfamiliar voice said. 

I looked up at the owner of the voice, “Do I know you?”.

He laughed, “No, but you can get to know me. I bought a drink for you,”.

He slid a bright red drink over my way. With the slight consciousness I had, I shook my head.

“No thanks,”

He sat down next to me, “Come on, I’ve been watching you all night and now I’m finally talking to you. Just take the drink at least,”

“You’ve been watching me?”

“Yeah” He said with a smile, “I think you’re cute,”.

I smiled back at him and took the drink in my hand, but before it could even reach my head, a hand snatched it from me. 

I looked to see Minho pouring the drink on the ground.

“Yeah, she’s not drinking that,”

“Excuse me? Who are you?” The stranger said standing up.

Minho scoffed and had his stupid signature smirk on his face, “You wanna find out?”

Minho took a step forward, as the guy took a step back, “I didn’t know she was your girl. Sorry about that man,”

The guy then left without sparing another glance at me.

“Do you hate me that much?” I said as Minho turned back around to me.

“Wh-what? Y/N, you were not seriously going to take a drink from a random ass guy,”

“What if I wanted to?!” I stood up and yelled over the music. “Is it so jarring to you that someone actually wants me?”

Tears brimmed at my eyes, “Or do you just want to humiliate me, every chance you get?”

“No Y/N what?” Minho said, startled. 

I shook my head and started to walk away, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me through the club.

We walked in silence to the nearest convenience store. I didn’t fight or even yelled when we reached outside. He simply just told me ‘Let’s go for a walk,’ and for some reason I listened. I sat down outside on one of the stools. Minho went inside, saying he needed to get something. 

You could barely see the stars tonight. What wasn’t covered in clouds was covered by the bright lights of Seoul. Reminds me of how conflicted I felt about Minho. He’s a good person, I know he is. And that makes me wonder how good he would be as a boyfriend. But he doesn’t see me as anything but a friend.

“Drink,” He said, handing it to me.

I struggled with opening it and he took it from me, opened it and then put it at my head. 

“What makes you think I would want to humiliate you?” He said when I was finishing drinking, taking a seat right next to me.

God, I could barely focus on his words. He slightly turned his body to me and the white button down shirt with the few buttons open at the top distracting me.

“Y/N?... Babe come on, answer me,” He said, bringing back my attention to his face.

“I don’t know Minho, I don’t know,” I said.

He ran his hands through his hair, “I know what I said in the coffee shop was uncalled for. And I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to push it,”

I shrugged, “Thank you, but I didn’t expect anything else to be honest,”

His eyebrows furrowed, “What do you mean?”

“We don’t really like each other. We don’t necessarily say the kindest things all the time,”

“You think I don’t like you?”

I nodded, “Yeah, I mean… you never proved otherwise,”

“I was just teasing. I thought you were too. I liked annoying you because… I liked getting a reaction from you. I liked knowing what pissed you off and knowing I’m the only one that can get on your nerves in a certain way. I like you Y/N… a lot. And I’m sorry for not paying attention to the weight of my words,”

“You like me? If you’re just saying that to piss me off more Lee Minho I swear,” I rolled my eyes and started to turn away from him.

I couldn’t allow myself to get hurt once more and much worse to show how hurt I was right in front of him.

“No, no” He turned me back around and reached for my hands, “This isn’t a joke, I promise.” He said as he looked right into my eyes as if he would die if he looked away.

“But you said I wasn’t your type,” I said softly.

“That was me deflecting. Felix called me out on my flirting and I felt nervous. I didn’t know what to say, but I shouldn’t have said that and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry Y/N”

“Yeah… you shouldn’t have,”

He scratched the back of his head, “Did you really think I didn’t like you? Does that mean you don't like me either?”

I didn’t know what to say.

“Damn, and here I thought it was just some freaky foreplay we were doing?”

I slapped his chest, “What?”

“I mean, we were bickering all the time but I just thought it was playful, so I didn’t take it seriously. I just thought that the bickering would eventually lead to a confession,”

Now all those nicknames he called me made sense.

“So, is that what you want? A confession?”

“Is it selfish to say yes? I do really like you Y/N. I was really hoping you’d feel the same way,”

“What do you like about me?” I said. 

I looked up at him and gosh my heart was speeding. 

“Your creativity. God, the way your brain works is so mesmerizing. Everytime you send a mockup to the group chat, I’m in awe of how creative it is. I like how kind you are. Even though you portray this really tough act, your heart is soft. You’re always trying to help someone out and it’s always with the utmost genuinity. I like your eyes. I like how they tell your emotions so well, especially when you’re trying to hide them.”

“Minho,” I said softly.

“I can go on,”

“You don’t have to. You don’t have to, because unfortunately I like you too.”

He laughed. He laughed his stupid laugh. His stupid eyes formed pretty crescents and his stupid head tilted slightly back.

“Why are you laughing at me?” I pouted.

“I’m sorry baby, you just confessed in the cutest way possible. ‘Unfortunately’?” He laughed again.

My face got hot. He looked over at me with a soft smile. His hands cautiously but gently reached for my face and lifted it up for us to meet at eye level. 

“Unfortunately, Y/N I can’t let you go after experiencing what it’s like to be close to you. Unfortunately, I can’t see you without the endearment of how adorable you are. And unfortunately that comes with the affection I have for you, waiting to be shown, if you’d let me,”

“Show it,” I said, my voice no higher than a whisper. “Show your stupid affection. Whether that be in the way you tease me or hold me, unfortunately I want you either way as long as you’d let me,”

He blinked a couple times as if he was processing my words. His eyes travelled down to my lips at which I leaned closer. He reached down and pressed his on to mine. 

Our group met again at our designated coffee shop. Felix and I were sitting across from each other, discussing the class we just had. 

Lee Minho walked in, with a smile, “Hey baby” He leaned down to give me a quick kiss.

When I turned back to Felix, his mouth was wide open. Minho laughed, his cute laugh as Nayeon finally entered.

“What did I miss?” She asked.

“You wouldn’t believe me,” Felix said.

As he tells the shocking discovery of our new found development, loud squeals and giggles could be heard from outside our coffee shop.

I glanced at Minho as he wrapped his arm around me, telling our best friends how this all happened.

You know now that I think of it, he isn’t that bad after all.

a/n:

reblogging helps writers work to be found so please reblog if you liked it!! i wanna say first i'm so so sorry for taking long with this request! T.T life happened and i started writing it then i hated how it was turning out so i redirected and now honestly i think this is the best fic i've written.

i really do think i've improved in my writing. so thank you for this request! i love when i'm given request because it really forces myself to write within that perimeter so i hope i've fulfilled it :))

my requests are still open so if anyone would want to send anymore feel free!

also i have 15 followers aaaa. i know it might seem small to some but it means a lot to me! honestly my goal isn't numerical but just to have black girls feel seen in the fanfiction especially kpop fanfiction world.

okay i've talked too much now. i have a lot of wips that i'm excited about :)) i'll see u soon ! sending lots of love and happiness y'all's way<3333

[y-rhywbeth2]

Lore: Gnomes #1

Link: Disclaimer regarding D&D "canon" & Index [tldr: D&D lore is a giant conflicting mess. Larian's lore is also a conflicting mess. You learn to take what you want and leave the rest]

Culture | Homelands | History | Religion ---WIP

Today we remember that the Forgotten Folk exist.

Featuring whatever scraps of their culture I could get my hands on while digging.

Including gnome and halfling solidarity; gnome weddings; birthdays; the toaster and some other stuff.

Then the three distinct groups: Svirfneblin, Forstneblin and Rock Gnomes who don't have a fancy gnomish name as of now.

-

Amongst themselves, the gnomes refer to themselves as the Doamun - roughly translated to "Us-who-endure," and their language is munthar ("us-talk"). The gnomish accent is something of a brogue; soft and quieter, described as having a humming or murmuring quality. Pronunciation is mostly flat, with a firm downward emphasis on stressed syllables.

Amongst outsiders the doamun are often referred to as "the Forgotten Folk", because history and the vast majority of non-gnomes often totally overlook their existence.

In the Realms there is a form of short-hand sign language that developed amongst workers in noisier industries to quickly communicate basic, vital information using arm and hand gestures. Gnomes and halflings have both adopted this into their everyday speech when conversing amongst themselves, and are capable of adding extra information or carrying on two conversations at once (one verbally, one by sign). The two races also have a tendency to co-opt human slang and make their own variants while living in cities, so that they can “talk in front of humans without humans knowing all that’s said.”

Gnomes deliberately keep to themselves, to avoid the violence and other trouble that often seems to plague other races' societies. Due to their lack of enmity with any particular faction, and their dedication to political neutrality, they also make useful intermediaries when there's friction.

Some call gnomes cowards, which would be incorrect - gnomes have martial traditions and the willingness to use them if they must, it's simply that gnomes as a whole have absolutely no interest in territorial borders, or having land be considered "theirs," or wielding power. These social constructs are foreign and irrelevant to them. Gnomes are largely content to live in their towns and villages hidden away from the world. Humans have begun to shake this ages-old neutrality, however, as the never-ending expansion of human settlements has begun to encroach on the peace of gnomish homes.

This desire for peace and privacy is a factor in the fact that gnomes heavily favour the school of Illusion when it comes to magic.

Their lack of interest in riches and glory means that should a gnome achieve those things, the famous adventurer can expect to return to a nonplussed community that places no value on these things and sees them as just some guy. Maybe one with a head too big for their shoulders after spending too much time with the Big Folk.

-

Tidbits of overarching gnome culture:

Gnomes have a unique form of traditional dance called "slap-dancing" - the audience forms a ring around the dancer, and both they and the dancer slap the front of their upper thighs to form a syncopated beat between the steps.

Doamun history is an oral tradition, preserved by women in the form of traditional chants.

Gnomes are the master inventors of the realms, and have invented numerous clockwork gadgets. Including a kind of clamp that works as a toaster.

A birthday is a day to reflect on one's ancestors and departed loved ones while the individual is "still here" for another year. Visiting graves and telling the departed how you're doing is a common way to celebrate. (That doesn't mean there won't be a party though.)

While not on the same level as dwarves, gnomes can definitely hold their liquor.

The Doamun and the Hin ("halflings") appear to have had significant cultural exchange;

They both have the knowledge to concoct a very powerful painkiller called meerithaele. This drug is only used in the most circumstances, when the patient is suffering extreme physical trauma, or to ease the suffering of the dying.

When a gnome would count with their hands, as humans do with their fingers, they instead count the backs of their knuckles.

Apparently the Realms has a tradition of ancient magic based on runes, and the Doamun have their own form of it, but I can't find any more details. It's an old, dying art that most people know nothing about, even amongst the gnomes themselves.

Their famous philosophers include Nith Foelkor (884-929 DR) who wrote a treatise called Yoan Drae, roughly; "The life of a gnome." He posited that the only concrete truth of existence is what one perceives and feels.

Other traditions they share with the Hin include very similar wedding ceremonies:

While there are traditions for weddings, they're not that big a deal and the partners tend to invent their own customs, or at least their own spin on tradition, unique to themselves and their relationships. There is no standard dress for weddings, and the bridal veil is not a concept in their culture.

The traditional structure is as follows:

There will be an officiant, and the vows will be said in a setting of natural beauty - such as a glade or by a stream. The officiant will begin the wedding by beginning the "calling song", which will signal the couple to step forth - if it's a m/f couple then traditionally the groom will step forth, if it's a same-gender couple then the oldest of the pair is the first to step forward. These rules are not set in stone though, and the couple may chose to mix it up. There are many traditional calling songs, which are often customised to fit the couple. Sometimes couples write their own.

Once the two are standing face-to-face you have the usual "does anybody here object?" - It is not socially acceptable to actually object, unless there are legitimate legal issues (such as if this marriage is taking place in a realm/amongst a clan that doesn't recognise polygamy.) Naturally, many romantic dramas feature the romantic lead standing up and declaring their undying love at this point, but in reality that wouldn't be acceptable behaviour.

There will be a brief sermon on love and marriage, and a varying degree of religion, depending on how religious the couple/clan is. The couple exchange speeches they've written for each other (as before, either the groom or the eldest traditionally goes first).

The couple then spit on their left palms and raise them up to hold hands as the officiant begins a lucky chant to bless their wedding. The bodily fluid is usually spit, doesn't have to be - you could use tears of joy, or blood, for example. They will then embrace, kiss and exchange tokens. These tokens can be anything, including rings, though those are not the default.

Then the reception; dancing, music, food and then the couple goes off to enjoy some private time - said private time may be anything from planting a new seed as a symbolic ritual to going on some kind of quest/adventure together.

-

According to their creation stories, the first gnomes were born when Garl Glittergold came across a cavern rich with minerals. He breathed upon them, and they opened up to reveal the first gnomes.

Forest Gnomes The forstneblin live for around 400 years. They stand at a range of 2'1" - 2'10" tall and they none ever reach 3 feet, making them the smallest of the Doamun. They are the only gnomes that live almost exclusively above ground, and according to the creation myths were born from emeralds, which are sacred to them.

Forstneblin have made no mark whatsoever upon the history books, the most they've done is shut down logging companies and other incursions in their home forests, and even then their work and settlements are so well hidden by illusion magic that nobody realises they were there in the first place. Other defences include the local fauna, as forest gnomes put their innate ability to speak with animals to good use and use them as an information network. Nature and life are sacred to the gnomes, and clerics are as likely to have injured animals brought to them for healing as villagers.

They have no quarrel with or even a mistrust of outsiders, they simply do not believe that either party has anything to interest the other, so they don't make contact. When they do approach an outsider, they'll use illusions to pass themselves off as a member of the outsider's own race. They are shy in their interactions, but pleasant enough and easy to befriend, and when it comes to outsiders they generally get along best with the races whose cultures share their love of the natural world; other gnomes, elves, and halflings. Humans, they tend to be wary of, as human industry rarely keeps the welfare of the environment in mind.

Their communities are rarely more than 100 people strong, and are sustained through foraging and a small bit of hunting. The entire hamlet is carved inside the trunk of a still-living tree, carefully constructed so that they are hidden within the boughs and almost impossible to spot. The homes are spaced out enough to afford the occupants sufficient privacy, and all sport cylindrical windows to allow plenty of light in. Each home has a passage down into the earth below the tree-hamlet, where a communal chamber has been excavated as a public space.

Forest gnomes have a great respect for their elders. The leaders of these communities are the eldest gnome in them, and they have no divisions of labour based on gender; everybody is treated the same. This leader wields no authority, they are simply afforded respect and their advice is valued on account of their long life experience.

Religion is important in forest gnome society, and clerics and druids are common. Their patron deity is Baervan Wildwanderer, who has charged them with the protection of nature. The gnomes, who love said nature dearly, are incredibly grateful to the deity for entrusting them with this.

Childhood is a time to run wild and do as you like under the careful, but unobtrusive observation of one's elders, and children usually learn the ropes of adulthood simply by observing their parents.

The age of majority in forest gnome culture is 20 years old.

As with all gnomes, forest gnomes have a love for gemstones and enjoy crafting with them. Forstneblin jewellery often features motifs depicting the beauty of the natural world.

-

Rock Gnomes Despite not having an official name, we do have the pattern for the names of gnomish subraces, and the word for "rocks." I would hazard a guess it's Cammarneblin, though obviously that's a headcanon. Rock gnomes are associated with diamonds, and favour those sacred stones in their craftswork.

Their homes tend to be underground, in "burrows." If they live in a human city, they'll usually buy a house and start extending the basement (or make one, if none is available). Human cities with a significant gnome population may end up with some kind of underground warrens populated by the gnome community.

They live for 350-500 years, and stand between 3' - 3'6" tall. Rock gnome children have hair that can be any range of colour, including the ones seen on humans, or any other colour on the light spectrum - however their hair will begin to turn white or grey once they reach adulthood. Their skin comes in any shade of brown, although they don't tan or pale.

Rock gnomes are the most commonly encountered gnomes, and the ones you'll find in human cities (although the vast majority of them have no interest in living there).

Their culture places great emphasis on the importance of the journey over the destination. It's the learning and the joy of creation that makes things like jewelling, and gem cutting, and alchemy, and magic, and inventing so wonderful, not whatever the end product is - although it's certainly nice if that product is beneficial. Life itself is one big journey, and it is to be enjoyed as much as possible. Play is just as important as work, and if those can be the same thing then that's all the better.

As with their forest cousins, children are given free reign to explore the world at their own pace. While all young rock gnomes are expected to learn basic self-defence, and a useful trade, they're also encouraged to dabble and experiment until they find something that suits them. Youths are given a long time to explore what the world has to offer, and what they want from it, and rock gnomes aren't socially considered adults until they're 40. And then there's a party.

There is always a party. Rock gnomes do not need such silly things as reasons for parties, though a flimsy excuse can probably be found somewhere, if required. Said parties are wild, out of control, and may last for tendays. Part of the reason for that is that the rest of the time is spent working for tendays on end, and after stepping away from the workbench or the mine, working out what month it is and getting the cricks out of one's neck, what one really needs is clearly to blow off some steam.

Rock gnome religious philosophy holds that life and the world at large is a puzzle, meant for solving. The greatest joy lies in the study of that puzzle and the onward march of science.

While they hold great affection for their gods, attend services regularly, and often talk about them in daily conversation, they don't tend to be religious as a culture. To a rock gnome, the gods are present and reachable everywhere and always, and specific buildings and pomp and ceremony are just toys to wave around.

Prone to inquisitiveness and a highly sociable society (overly so by some people's standards), a common trait rock gnomes are infamous for is that They. Do Not. Shut Up. Ever.

They get along best with dwarves, who share their love of craft and creation; and halflings, who they share similarities like a love of a simpler life, home and family, and a good time. The fact that the Big Folk tend to literally and figuratively look down their noses at all three of them doesn't hurt either.

They are infamously bad cooks (rock gnome cuisine is either too bland or too salty), but their alcohol is considered excellent. They also make rock candy. Between their skill as brewers, their love of fun, and the dedication gnome musicians have to their crafts, gnomes are the best guests or hosts you can have for a good time. You are, however, entirely to blame for whatever shenanigans happen if you get drunk with them.

They're also the inventors of the firearm (gunnes), and the only people who've mastered their use. It is in fact common to find a rock gnome bearing a pistol.

-

Deep Gnomes The the shortest lived of the gnomes, with an average lifespan of up to 260 years. They stand between 3' - 3'6" tall, and tend towards a scrawny frame, sometimes described as "gnarled". They look like they're made of bone and sinew, although said sinew is actually a significant amount of muscle mass and deep gnomes are heavier than they look (average; 45lbs). Their skin takes on tones of earth and rock; brown, grey or brown-grey. AMAB svirfneblin do not grow hair on their scalps, and AFAB gnomes grow stringy dark grey hair (which may be dark enough to seem black). Likewise their eyes are dark grey to black.

According to legend, the deep gnomes were born of rubies, and prize those best.

The reality of survival in the Underdark means that deep gnomes are far more reserved and practical than their cousins. Their society functions on strict male and female gender roles, with each work force answering to the King and Queen respectively. The men make up the miners and the armies, and are responsible for expanding city limits, trade, and other vocations that require leaving their carefully hidden homes. The women take on the roles of maintaining their settlement and society; the water and food, fishing and farming, city services and maintenance, crafting, raising and educating the children, etc. Women rule inside the city, and men outside of it. It is possible to find svirfneblin outside of these roles, but it is very rare.

Their governments are monarchies, with the monarchs being advised by a council of elders. The monarchs are elected from amongst the city (anybody is eligible, but status within the community plays a large part), and rule only by the consensus of their people - deep gnome communities must be able to trust each other and cooperate to survive so deep into the earth, there is no room for selfish tyrants. Everybody has their place and their role, and everybody does it so that all may live. Kings and Queens are not necessarily married, though it is possible for a married couple to both be elected or for a governing pair to get married on the job. Regardless, these are simply jobs, and no relationship between the two is inherently involved.

Despite their practicality and apparent sullenness, the deep gnomes do not lack for creativity. They love gemstones and take joy in working with them to create art as much as any gnome; it's for the sake of their craft and the gems that they came to and remain in the Underdark.

Each svirfneblin settlement is unique in its design - featuring anything from smooth rectangular cuts to undulating waves and curves in artistic places. Their cities are well fortified fortresses, built near mineral veins. Homes are carved into the walls of the cavern, consisting of a series of small rooms with windows overlooking the city. The rich gnomes live in hollowed out stalagmites. Cities are much larger than the homes of other gnomes, often hosting over a thousand residents. As light and heat could give away their location, the deep gnomes simply don't use any such thing. They navigate purely by darkvision, and their world exists only in greyscale. On that same note, sound also carries, so these civilisations tend to be eerily quiet compared to what one expects from a lived in settlement.

Deep gnomes don't bother with keeping history or tracking the passage of time. The closest they get are two holy days; the Festival of the Star in winter, and the Festival of the Ruby in summer. The festivals celebrate the svirfneblin ancestral ties to the surface world, as well as their descent into and continued survival in the Underdark.

Naturally, they don't trust their Underdark neighbours, not any outsider really. The common practice of slavery disgusts them, and they would rather not deal with any society that partakes in it. Nevertheless, they are willing to engage in careful trade when required for survival, and Underdark trade being dominated by the drow, interactions with the dark elven merchant clans are a necessary evil. Surfacers tend to assume that svirfneblin are the "evil counterparts" to surface gnomes - as duergar to dwarves, or drow to elves - and respond to them with similar hostility and violence. Even if they're not assumed to be evil, deep gnomes are so used to being on guard for danger from strangers that they're sullen and suspicious of anyone they don't know, and many people write them off as rude and miserable.

Amongst themselves, deep gnomes tend to be warm and affectionate, and they're fully willing to adopt friends into this circle once they've proven safe to trust. When one of the community betrays their neighbours they will be brought before the monarch and council - whether it's the king and male advisors who presides over the proceedings, or the queen with her female advisors, depends on if the crime took place outside or inside the city. Rehabilitation of the offender is preferred, and punishments escalate in severity from shunning, to incarceration, banishment or execution. If banishment is the punishment then the exile will be armed and given supplies in the hope that they won't die. If the offender is deemed a security risk then banishment will not be considered.

Svirfneblin children are treasured and doted upon. Once they start puberty they will begin their apprenticeship, and at about 20 they will be considered an adult. There is no celebration or any note of the occasion; you know you're an adult when you graduate and start working. There is no retirement age, you work until you die. Gnomes live with their parents until they get married, at which point they'll move out.

Their lives aren't devoid of joy - the priesthoods are responsible for morale, and often declare an impromptu holiday when they feel the people need cheering up. Clerics of Segojan Earthcaller, god of the deep earth and the dead, also take on the task of caring for the elderly.

Deep gnomes tend to come across many lost, ancient magical artefacts in their excavations, and cities tend to preserve these treasures.

Their books tend to be crafted from lizard-skin and bioengineered fungi cultivated for the purpose. Svirfneblin fashion tends to sport a lot of gems and jewellery. Due to the lack of fire, they don't tend to cook. Fungi, raw fish and rothé meat all feature heavily in their diet, and most outsiders find their cuisine unbearably salty. They have two unique beverages; a unique, nameless brew made from fermented fish, and Gogondy which is a crimson wine made of... something, and apparently includes crushed rubies amongst the ingredients. Drinking it is said to induce visions, and is likely to knock you out after a few mouthfuls.

[yan-lorkai]

Hello! How would yandere twst react to the fact that reader cannot get pregnant in any way, and thinks that she has infertility, but how did it turn out later that it was yandere who suffer from infertility? How hurt will they be by the fact that they will not be able to give what reader wants, who is now demanding an end to their marriage due to their infertility and has already found herself a new candidate by making contact with him?

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ A/N: Hii anonie! I wasn't sure if you wanted all the characters from the babytrap hcs so I just picked Malleus and Leona, but let me know if you wanted the others too I'm more than happy to write them! :D

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Warnings: Yandere content, Infertility and talk about pregnancy/children, imprisonment, possessiveness, malleus using his UM

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Malleus is determined to try a thousand times if need be, the thought of building a family still circling his mind as he hopes to get you pregnant this time. Several factors may be preventing you from getting pregnant such as stress, lack of vitamins or health problems, so Malleus changes your routine to a calmer one and brings the royal doctors to you to find out what the problem is.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Even though he's a little delusional, Malleus can see that maybe there's a problem he didn't foresee: you're infertile. But even if you're infertile he still loves you dearly, if you can't have kids biologically then he's sure maybe you could adopt.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ But when does he find out you're not infertile? Malleus doesn't quite know how to feel, he knows that it only means one thing and that the problem is him. And the world trembles under his feet, the sky is swept clean of any sign of the sun as thunder crashes to the earth, Malleus hadn't considered the hypothesis that he might be infertile and even though royal doctors talk about this or that, he doesn't catch a single word. He can't, he can't give you what you want, he can't fulfill his role as a husband and he fears your reaction to his hypothesis.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ That night he comes to lie beside you, quiet, and he holds you tenderly against his chest, stroking your sides and looking at you like it's the first time he's really seen you. And he shares his suspicions about his infertility with you, watching each expression pass over your face, expecting you to yell at him and storm out of the room, but you don't. You stay there and you both tremble in each other's embrace, and Malleus thinks for a second that maybe you don't care either and that maybe nothing will change in your relationship.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ But as time goes by he realizes that this is not the case. And one day he enters your shared room to notice that your bags are packed and that you intend to leave, Malleus doesn't need you to tell him why, he knows, deep down he knows why you're leaving him. And he feels a terrible pain go through him, especially when you tell him how you've been exchanging letters with another man and that you didn't want to be with him anymore. And if Malleus were just a little less selfish, maybe he would have let you go and live your dream of having a child, but he can't think of that and he loves you too much to give you up, so he puts you to sleep with his magic, trapped forever inside your own body.

⠀⠀⠀

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Leona feels that he has failed you and him, especially if you have high expectations of having a child with him. No matter how many times you try, none of the attempts are fruitful and he can hear the servants' mean comments in the corridors, he can see what those whispers and giggles do to you. Until one day, his mother suggests that one of the two of you may have some problem that prevents you from conceiving and Leona is terrified of the thought. He could grunt and murmur that Cheka bothers him, but he wanted a child and when you married him Leona imagined what that child would be like, would they have your eyes or your smile? Would they be as beautiful and graceful as you?

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ Knowing that maybe they can't be born because one of you is infertile breaks his heart as much as yours, but he stands strong to support you during this delicate time as you visit the medical wing.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ And honestly, the confirmation that he was infertile leaves him stunned and afraid, as if he were just going to be a hated boy again and that no one believed he was worth anything. And he knows well the look of disappointment that passes over your face and it hurts him more than he lets on, he would expect this from anyone but you, this is not something he can control but maybe there is a treatment or something he can do. And he starts to plan as the two of you return to your room.

.⁠｡⁠*⁠♡ He knows as he watches you spend time with Cheka or other kids that this is something you wanted to experience and something you won't be able to have if you stay with him, he knows that at some point you'll leave or maybe stay long enough until your relationship deteriorates. He just didn't expect it to hurt so much when it happened, with you throwing divorce papers in his face while announcing loud and clear that you're leaving, that there is another man in your heart who can give you what you want and how you've been exchanging letters with him this whole time. But he can't let you go, no matter how much you scream or cry or how much you run from him, you're his and there's nothing you can do or anyone to turn to for help.

[sleepiexx]

Hiii I hope your doing ok! 🫶🏼 Feel free to ignore this if it’s not your cup of tea. But your fic of Alejandro and Valeria was so good 😩 I need more of them 🙏🏼

What if Valeria brought weed so her and Alejandro start to smoke it. The reader is a little hesitant but with some convincing from them, she takes a few hits and then they all are stoned. Maybe something Smutty too if your up for that? :)

Get Me Out of My Mind

Valeria Garza x fem!reader x Alejandro Vargas

Note: I love this idea sm!! Sorry for any inaccuracies, I don’t smoke so it’s all just research lol.

Summary: Y/n had a particularly hard time balancing her military duties and her free time, Valeria and Alejandro answer her prayers for a much needed stress reliever.

Warnings: smut, use of marijuana (I don’t condone smoking if you are actually in the military, you can get dishonorably discharged so don’t do it!!), they have sex while they’re all high but it’s explicitly consented to while they’re all sober, nothing else

Word Count: 3486

Lieutenant Vargas and Lieutenant Garza did not always get along, in fact, the two had a long standing rivalry. That much had only changed because of two factors. The first was their shared love of one of the new corporal’s on base, Corporal l/n. It took a lot of arguing but once they realized their mutual goals, they caught the affections of the girl and realized a few things they had in common along the way, one such thing being the second reason, and their favorite way to unwind: smoking weed.

Now, whenever they got the free time, they found themselves sharing a joint or passing around a bong in either of their respective apartments off base. This was one of the only activities that they shared without y/n.

That is until the day they got the brilliant idea to share this tradition with her.

It started as normal as possible, Valeria and Alejandro were in Alejandro’s apartment grinding their weed so that they could roll and enjoy themselves a joint. It was their typical Saturday night, that is until a knock so quiet they questioned if they had heard anything at all sounded at their door. Their heads shot up at the noise, neither expecting anyone to come over while they were smack dab in the middle of their activities. Alejandro, realizing it was his apartment so he had to deal with it, cautiously answered the door.

There, at the doorstep, was y/n, still dressed in all of her gear, sunken shoulders looking like they could barely hold the weight she carried. Her eyes seemed darker than the last time they had seen her, likely due to the dark circles that resided under them, which made her exhaustion evident.

“Can I come in?” She asked, as if it was even a question.

“Of course, mi vida.” Alejandro replied, a million questions on the tip of his tongue, all falling short.

She stomped in, combat boots heavy on her tired feet. The second she found a blank wall, she slid down, taking her helmet off with jerking movements and tossing it gently to her side. Her boots came next as she sloppily untied the laces, fingers getting caught and tangled in them, she grew increasingly frustrated. The texture of the laces wasn’t quite right against her finger tips, yet neither was the polyester of her uniform which rubbed up against her skin in all of the wrong places. She honestly just wanted to rip all of her clothes off and curl up in a ball, that much could easily be read by the twitching of her nose and eyebrows.

Valeria kept her eyes glued to the girl from her seat on the couch, “did something happen?”

Y/n hummed, acknowledging that Valeria had said something despite being too overwhelmed to respond. Finally, her shoes were off so she could sit semi-comfortably against the wall, ignoring the uncomfortable uniform she was still wearing. She cradled her head in her hands, smoothing down her baby hairs and rubbing her burning-hot face.

Valeria and Alejandro glanced at each other, before Valeria made the move to get off the couch and crouch down in front of y/n. “What’s wrong, princesa? Are you okay?”

The dam that had been struggling to hold all of y/n’s frustrations nearly cracked those three words, frustrated exhales leaving her lips. She could hardly hold herself together, but Valeria and Alejandro knew exactly what she needed. Valeria pulled her into a hug, leaving her to bury her head into her shoulder. Alejandro came over on the other side, rubbing soft shapes into her back.

She mumbled an unintelligible sentence into Valeria’s sleeve.

Valeria pressed a soothing hand to her cheek, trying to coax her to pull away slightly, “we can’t hear you cariño, will you look at us?”

“We can do whatever you want, mi amor, just tell us what’s wrong.” Alejandro chimed in.

She pulled away, ever so slightly, eyes glaring at the floor, as if eye contact with either of the two would make her disintegrate.

“Just-“ she huffed, rubbing her forehead, “just really stressed out with work, even when I’m home. I’m just running on soldier time all the time, I don’t know how everyone else can just relax so easy.”

Both Valeria and Alejandro went to say something, but y/n cut them off, “I don’t need advice or anything, just needed to be around you both. You make me feel better.” She shook her head as if she were shaking the bad thoughts away, finally making eye contact with the two, “anyways, uhm, what were you guys up to? I don’t mind just chilling while y’all do whatever.”

“We were just about to roll a joint, come sit.” Despite having never really shared their activities with y/n, Alejandro didn’t hesitate to tell her the truth. He patted the couch between him and Valeria so she would finally rest her feet after what seemed like a very long day.

Y/n nodded, pretending not to be caught off guard at the discovery of the two’s hobby. She had heard all about weed in stories from her stoner friends, so she wasn’t unfamiliar with the substance per say, still, she never suspected her partners of being the type. Naivety on her part, Valeria and Alejandro were very obvious about their pastime.

Nonetheless, as she tried to focus on the tv— which Alejandro had switched to play her favorite show, promptly after getting her to move to the couch— her eyes couldn’t help but flit to Valeria rolling a joint and Alejandro lighting it up. Ever observant, Valeria caught on to their audience. She met her girlfriend’s curious stare with a smirk, “You want a hit?” She offered, holding it out.

Y/n shook her head, “I don’t know the first thing about weed, it’s probably not a good idea.”

Alejandro’s head perked up from where it was rested on the couch, “Actually it’s probably a very good idea. You said you’re stressed, no? What better remedy?”

Y/n stared at the joint dangled between Valeria’s fingertips once more, tempted, before looking back at her lovers. “What are the effects?”

Valeria began to list, “well, it can help with sleep and anxiety, make you feel good, and it could possibly make you horny beyond belief, which might also be a good stress reliever.”

Y/n nodded along, doing a double take at the end, “What?”

“Some strains can make you really horny,” Alejandro chimed in.

“Can we have sex?”

Valeria smiled, almost giggly at the courteous nature of the girl, “yes, we can have sex.”

Y/n looked to Alejandro, receiving the same response, “of course we can have sex, is that even a question?”

Y/n nodded, finally accepting the joint from Valeria. She went to put it up to her lips, but was quickly stopped when Alejandro grabbed her wrist. She stared in confusion.

“It needs to be lit first.”

Her eyebrows scrunched, “but I thought you already lit it earlier?”

“It went out when you were debating trying it.” Valeria explained.

“Sorry,”

“Nothing to be sorry for.” She reassured.

Alejandro grabbed the joint in one hand, his zippo in the other. Gently, he placed it between y/n’s lips, lighting the end. “Alright, inhale,” he instructed.

She did as told, holding the undivided attention of both of her lovers, she took a small, cautious hit, stopping the second she felt it hit her lungs. As she pulled the joint from her lips, Valeria spoke up, “make sure you hold it in your lungs for as long as possible after.”

Y/n nodded and followed her advice, only exhaling when her throat felt uncomfortably tingly. This, of course, resulted in a small coughing fit. Valeria took the joint from her, placing it in the ashtray on the coffee table as Alejandro tilted y/n’s head back so he could give her some water. She accepted gratefully.

“How do you feel?” Valeria asked, cautious eyes watching the girl.

Y/n wiped a little excess water off her lips, “alright, just a little light headed.”

Valeria caressed her thigh, nodding reassuringly, “that’s normal, me and Ale are going to take a few hits and then it’ll be your turn again, get you good and high, sound good?”

Y/n got comfy on the couch, sitting in a way that she could watch the two of them, “Yeah.”

She glanced on, mesmerized by the two passing around the joint. Some part of her was incredibly attracted to the way they inhaled and exhaled the smoke, she felt grateful to be a part of this experience.

Before she knew it, Alejandro had placed the joint back between her lips. She imitated the movements she’d done before, adding in small habits she picked up watching Valeria and Alejandro. Albeit not totally seamless, she had gotten a better understanding of it since her first hit. This time, however, she had gotten more confident, taking a large hit. She could hardly hold it in her lungs more than three seconds before she started choking out smoke. Valeria and Alejandro laughed, patting and rubbing her back.

“Someone’s eyes are bigger than their stomach, huh baby?” Valeria teased.

She merely shook her head, chugging water in between choked coughs.

This time, she could feel the effects in fuller force. The first hit started to kick in as the second made her more light headed than she’d ever been in her life. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, attempting to gather her bearings, before opening them to see Valeria’s amused grin.

“You feeling it yet, baby?” She asked, smiling knowingly.

Y/n nodded, “mm-hmm, how can you tell?”

“Your eyes are all red and droopy.”

“Really?”

Valeria pulled up her phone camera, facing it toward the girl, “see for yourself.”

Y/n stared at her reflection, “holy shit,” she didn’t stay focused on her reflection for long though, feeling her stomach growl. Her head seemed to spin in circles and she could barely keep a single train of thought running, but she knew for a fact that she had developed an appetite.

She laid back on the couch, attempting to catch her bearings but failing miserably. All she could do was stare at the wall and acknowledge her fleeting pangs of hunger.

“You know what sounds really good right now?” She mumbled, turning her attention toward Valeria, hoping to get the thought out before it went away, “cheese pizza with like the cheesy crust ‘n shit. I feel like fuckin’ scooby doo right now, I’m so hungry”

Valeria reached over and took back her phone which had been forgotten about, laughing and standing from the couch, as faced toward the kitchen. “I’ll go get you some more water and some snacks, get those munchies of yours cured.”

Y/n nodded, sitting obediently on the couch, waiting for her love to come back.

That is until Valeria took far too long making snacks and y/n’s eyes caught Alejandro who looked so perfect in her haze.

“Ale?” She whisper-yelled, trying to get his attention as though she needed to do so in secret. He hadn’t looked up, “Ale!” She whispered louder.

He finally acknowledged her, “yes?”

She looked down, suddenly shy now that she actually had his attention, “will you kiss me?”

“Of course, sweet girl.” He muttered, making his way towards her spot on the couch. He crawled on top of her and caged her between his strong triceps, smiling teasingly down at her. He leaned down and captured her lips with his own.

Her eyes shut almost instantly, smiling into the kiss. It was likely one of the most sensual kisses she had ever had. Lips mashed together, moving in a careless rhythm that Alejandro led. If she could, she would melt into him, press their skin so close together that they fused. But she couldn’t, so she settled for feeling him up instead. Her hands wandered, caressing his biceps, then his pecs, before they fell down to his toned stomach, lightly pushing up his shirt so she could have some skin on skin contact. Had she not been so high, she would have noticed the effect that her touch had on him, but for now he would let her feel him up with not a care in the world.

“Your abs are nice,” she mumbled dreamily against his lips, hardly parted as he still chased her lips with his own. She tugged at the bottom of his shirt, “off, take it off.”

He did as commanded, tossing his shirt to the side. She ogled him shamelessly, trailing her hands over his muscular torso.

At that moment, Valeria came back with the snacks. She leaned up against the door frame, watching for a moment as y/n and Alejandro made out passionately, groping each other, before she decided that she too wanted to grope their girlfriend. She cleared her throat, causing both heads to shoot towards her, “having fun without me?”

Y/n stared, dumbfounded, before vigorously shaking her head, taking Valeria way too seriously, “mm-mm, baby come here I’m sorry, wanna touch you too.”

Valeria shook her head but sat down nonetheless, patting her thigh as an invitation for y/n. Y/n rolled out from under Alejandro, making him scoff, only stopping short as he watched her climb into Valeria’s lap rather sensually.

Y/n leaned in, nose to nose with Valeria, “hi,” she whispered, smiling.

Valeria smiled back, “hi.”

Y/n nearly erupted into a fit of giggles, only stopping herself by meeting her girlfriend’s lips with her own. Valeria grabbed her hips, tilting her head sideways to deepen the kiss. A small, but unexpected pinch to y/n’s thigh had the girl gasping, opening up her mouth and giving Valeria the perfect opportunity to shove her tongue in. Instinctually, y/n rolled her hips against Valeria, desperately searching for friction. Once Valeria realized why she was squirming so much, she moaned, pulling y/n closer and rolling her own hips up against the girl.

Alejandro, desperate to get in on the action, tugged y/n backwards ever so slightly so that her and Valeria would separate but she was still situated on her lap. With the new leverage, he tugged the bottom of her green shirt off over her head.

“Giving me quite the show.” Valeria smirked, staring dead center at y/n’s bra covered chest.

Alejandro smirked back, unclasping the back of the bra and trailing down y/n’s arms as he took off the straps, “anytime.”

Y/n, who was usually rather afraid to be shirtless in front of her partners, could only think about the love and adoration in both of their eyes at that moment. God, she loved weed. She did a little wiggle on Valeria’s lap so her breasts would bounce and sway, an open invitation for the two to absolutely ravage her.

Alejandro was the first to touch, arm wrapping around in front of her body to gently squeeze one of her nipples. She let out a yelp, shivering slightly. Alejandro and Valeria gave a knowing glance at the reaction, pleased to realize just how sensitive their girlfriend had become, and without words formulating a plan.

Valeria’s tongue darted out, licking a stripe up the unoccupied nipple. When met with a similarly grand reaction, she latched her lips onto it and sucked.

Alejandro moved to sit beside them, placing his hands on y/n’s hips and positioning it so that he was behind her once again, Valeria moved in sync, causing y/n to be squished between the two on the couch. Without a second thought, Alejandro slid his hands to the waistband of her camo cargos, unbuttoning and unzipping them then pushing them down to about mid thigh. Valeria took over from there, grabbing the top of y/n’s underwear and pulling them all the way down and off her legs along with the pants, leaving y/n completely naked.

Valeria resumed working over y/n’s nipples as Alejandro’s hands traveled dangerously close to y/n’s heat. He made contact with her vulva and she moaned, bucking her hips in search of friction.

“Fuck, Ale, please,” she whined, head thrown back over his shoulder in pleasure from the sensation of having her nipples sucked.

Valeria nipped at her for begging him, it was her doing all the work, not stupid Alejandro. In her inebriated state, the pain had y/n seeing stars, finishing without any contact on her other than Valeria working at her nipples. She moaned loudly at the intense feeling of her orgasm.

Valeria parted from her when the feeling had clearly subsided, smiling all smug. “You just came without either one of us having to touch you.”

Y/n shook her head, panting out in protest “no, you were touching me. Touching me s’much.”

“Just right here,” Valeria murmured huskily, tracing y/n’s nipple once again with the pad of her thumb.

As her attention was caught by Valeria, Alejandro traced his middle and ring finger up the center of her wet cunt, causing her to gasp and arch her back, “didn’t even touch you here.” His mouth was so close to her ear that he couldn’t stop himself from licking a stripe up it, making her shiver.

“So sensitive, baby.” Valeria cooed.

Alejandro began rubbing tight circles into y/n’s clit, making her spread her legs wider and attempt to grind on his fingers. It worked, partially, but mostly it just had her grinding up against Valeria’s torso making her even more wet and horny. As Alejandro moved his fingers to her vagina, Valeria’s hand found its way to her clit, replacing Alejandro’s. He circled his finger around where she needed him before finally giving her what she wanted and slipping it in. She clenched hard as Valeria continued rubbing her clit while Alejandro curled his finger. The feeling very quickly became overwhelming.

“Oh god, oh fuck,” she whimpered, legs beginning to shake.

“Are you going to cum, sweetheart?” Alejandro asked as he added another finger, pumping them in and out of her.

She shook her head, frustrated, “can’t, ‘s too soon.”

Valeria sped up her motions at the statement, ever so slightly peeved at the girl’s hesitance, “there’s nothing hotter in this world than making you cum too fast, let it go sweet girl, let it go.”

Y/n followed her lead, relaxing into their pleasurous touches and finally letting go. She felt like she was on cloud nine, like she had melted away, or died and gone to heaven. The orgasm high mixed in deliciously with the weed high as it went on longer than she felt it usually would. The only thing that stayed on her mind were her boyfriend and girlfriend, enveloping her with their love. They filled her senses, their smell, their looks, their touch. Nothing could ever compare to this.

She jolted at a tap to her thigh, she must have spaced out in the heat of the moment. Valeria and Alejandro smiled down at her on either side, she seemed to be laid down on the couch now.

“You with us?” Alejandro questioned, rubbing up her side with fingers that, unbeknownst to her, had recently been licked clean.

She nodded.

Valeria’s smile widened, “do you feel good?”

Another nod, “I think I’m still high,” y/n mumbled. The lightheaded feeling and the floatiness never left her.

“It’s only been an hour, I’d be surprised if you weren’t.”

Alejandro disregarded the conversation and moved his arm under y/n, getting ready to help her up from the couch. Valeria positioned herself on the other side so they could make it a team effort. They both knew how squirmy y/n could get after sex, too sensitive to be picked up without doing everything in her power to make herself fall to the ground, they both assumed this would only be amplified by the weed. So together, they helped her walk herself to the bed, rushing to grab some important aftercare items after they got her good and situated on the bed.

They took all the usual aftercare steps deemed necessary, washing up, making their girlfriend drink water, and praising her, all before succumbing to her demands for cuddles.

“Will you please just hold me?” She had begged, teary red eyes blinking up at them, hardly understanding the need for the ridiculous wet washcloth and the stupid cup of water.

Those glassy eyes were the only reason they had not said “hold on” like any other time they had been intimate.

So for the millionth time that day, they took their rightful spot on either respective side of the girl, cradling her in warm, loving arms, and whispering sweet nothings until she fell asleep.

[cepheustarot]

What awaits you in October?

Attention! This reading is for entertainment purposes only. This tarot reading does not give a 100% guarantee that all the described situations will occur. You build your own life and destiny.

Choose one or more cards. Trust your intuition.

Card 1: The first event will be that you will find yourself in a problematic situation, the solution of which does not depend on you and you may be in an unstable state, be nervous and overthinking yourself. It is also possible that you will have to work for some time or be with a person who is very hot-tempered or very sensitive and literally takes your every word to heart. In this case, you will have to constantly control your flow of words in order not to offend a person, and this is very stressful and there is a high risk of quarreling with a person. The second situation will be a change of workplace! You will get tired of the old job with its conditions, or you have lost interest in it and decide to try yourself in another field. You will definitely find something that you will like; perhaps they will pay less at this job, but at least this activity will be genuinely interesting to you. If you are not working, but studying, then change your specialty to another one. You can also stop getting carried away with what has been of interest to you for many years and discover something new. The third situation indicates a change in the social circle! This is probably due to the fact that you decided to change your field of activity. In any case, you could be forced to communicate with someone you don't like and this month you will to dot the «I», break ties. If there are no such people, then in any case you have a high chance to meet new people, you will literally attract to yourself, people themselves can approach you, start a conversation, make a lot of compliments. You will be in the spotlight!

Сard 2: I see that you planned to see your family, mostly your grandparents, but this meeting will not take place, because force majeure will occur, some problem that will need to be solved as soon as possible and this is exactly the situation that will disrupt your meeting. I also want to note that a person with experience will come to your aid, a creative personality, prone to empathy, emotional, sociable, maybe it's you or your friend / acquaintance. However, you will definitely find a way to solve this problem, although this unexpected situation will cause you great excitement and stress. Also, the second situation speaks about big spending in money. Alternatively, your finances may go to solve the problem described above. Otherwise, you will spend this money on an expensive gift to some person, or you will arrange a party or any other event that will require a lot of money to organize. Perhaps you will be preparing documents for the purchase of real estate, cars, businesses, etc., in this case, I advise you to pay special attention to the terms of the contract, since there is a risk of being deceived and investing in something that may not pay off! This month you will also work hard or study hard. Perhaps you will have a stuff at work or you will need to do your work before the end of the deadline, there may be a similar situation at study. Your boss or your teacher can make a lot of comments, get on your nerves and generally not accept the work done. Or you can work together with someone in a team and your partner can pull you down, which is why your common cause will not be as successful as it could be if you acted alone.

Card 3: The first situation is that there is a factor that causes your plans to collapse, but! You will successfully eliminate this factor, as you will find a solution to fix the situation, you are very smart and resourceful, so you will definitely cope with difficulties. However, if you were the one who was going to disrupt someone's plans, then you will soon be exposed, do not think that you can get away with it.

The second situation will be the opportunity to pause, take a break and relax after all the difficulties in life. Most likely, there was a period in your life when problems were only getting worse and all your strength was spent only on solving them. Fortunately, this month you will have the opportunity to relax and unwind, it will be a good time to pay attention to yourself, take care of yourself, do what you have been putting off for a long time, but could not do because of the circumstances. The third situation indicates a meeting with close people with whom you have not seen for a long time. It can be your family, relatives, childhood friends or your lover. The meeting will be wonderful and you will be satisfied, it will be a pleasant memory for you for a long time.

Thank you for reading! I will be glad of any feedback <3

[enderwoah]

so i had a bit of a think. a few thoughts, if you will.

(he was my favorite when i was a dsmper i will never let him be normal OR happy. my stress ball. my little squishable. i hope everything bad happens to you ever /loving)

(in my head, howlites are like pearls that can fight. slightly more sturdy personal "guards.")

gemcyt au by @chrisrin, as always!!

WARNING: SILLY LITTLE THING UNDER THE CUT

LOG DATE 4 26 3

The first step of the experiment was a tentative success. Both damaged halves of the two howlites were severed from the undamaged halves and disposed of. The undamaged halves of Facet-1126 -R4N and -B0O were then sealed together to create what is, hopefully, a perfectly cut, undamaged howlite. The relative softness of the gem was almost certainly one of the most dangerous and beneficial factors of this experiment, as it made the halving process very easy and the fusing process very stressful. The gem is currently regenerating. Will update when it reforms. Demantoid, out.

LOG DATE 4 27 3

Reformation was a resounding success. The resulting howlite (RB) seemed to be fully aware and functional, especially compared to other fusion experiments that have been performed. It does not speak, though I'm rather sure this is due to personal preference rather than ability. It is split perfectly down the cente, black on the left and white on the right to reflect the gem. There are no other defining features. It seems to fly into panics and/or states of emotional turmoil, which is a good sign to indicate coherent thoughts. I can't say yet whether this success is due to -R4N and -B0O knowing and having a positive relationship with each other beforehand (though that shouldn't be the case, as both gems were rejuvenated prior to the severing) or whether it is due to the perfect formation of the new fusion gem, but if the latter is the case, this could be absolutely revolutionary. Cracked or maybe even shattered gems simply need to be reassembed with matching parts and they will be perfectly functional again. No waste. Demantoid, out.

LOG DATE 4 35 3

They never told us there were rebels on this stars-forsaken planet. They took everything. An egregiously tall fusion, a nepherite, a lapis and an emerald, for starssake, infiltrated the base and utterly trashed the place. Gems have been poofed and shattered just about everywhere—it has been utter anarchy for the past several hours. And when I came back to the lab to try and scavenge what I could, RB was missing. We're requesting a search squad to locate these gems and bring me my experiment back. He's too valuable for this nonsense. Demantoid, out.

[lilac-den]

I might be wrong but in the sole reminiscences wasn’t there mentions of self harm? And if that is the case can we self harm in the story due to stress and many other factors? Or is that a no go? Sorry if this made you uncomfortable.

No worries, anon!

As for the self harm: No, you cannot self harm in the story. But in the past, during the dystopian world MC was in? There will be flashbacks of MC's past and maybe I'll add in how MC had dealt with their previous life. The reason why I add that warning is because there might/will be mentions of such.

Thank you for the ask!

[being-of-rain]

I wasn’t really a big fan of The Giggle by the time I finished watching it, and I liked it less the more that I thought about it. Which is a real shame, because I think it was full of a lot of great ideas that were squandered with poor execution. I didn’t really want to just post pages of negativity, so I’ll quickly skim through a list of things I think could’ve been done better, and maybe I’ll expand on some of them later or if I’m asked about them. Still, this is your warning for negativity.

The whole 'screens are evil and making everyone think they're right' felt so shallow and cheap, especially because it was set up as the main obstacle and then largely ignored. A lot of the characters at UNIT really didn't do much (I totally forgot about The Vlinx after my first watchthrough) but I think that didn't bother me much while watching because I was used to Chibnall regularly ignoring characters like that. It was nice to see Mel again, but she didn’t really serve much purpose.

RTD’s take on the Toymaker is quite similar to his take on the Master, which was sometimes fun and sometimes annoying (specifically the German accent, which lost its appeal pretty quickly for me). But he felt pretty hollow and full of wasted potential beyond that, feeling like he was there just to give the episode a villain. Although speaking of the Master, his brief inclusion was hilarious and an easy way to write him back into the show later, nicely done.

The last third of the episode had some many intriguing and potentially awesome ideas behind it. The new Doctor turning up partway through a story? Cool! The Doctor defeating his final villain alongside the next star of the show? Fun! The Doctor getting self-care and words of wisdom from his next self? So heartwarming! One Doctor retiring to be happy while his next incarnation travels off to continue the adventures? A fun use of the show's format!

But for me these ideas just didn’t work or didn’t fulfill their potential, and it’s mostly because there’s no narrative justification for them. No cause and effect. There’s no given reason for the Doctor to bigenerate, it just happens. There’s no particular reason that it was the Doctors rather than the Toymaker who won the game of catch to save the world, it just happens. Without any narrative reason the third act feels so unsatisfying, like spectacle for the sake of spectacle, and (I don’t say this lightly) incredibly lazily written.

That lack of story reason also undermines the ending, clearly the thing RTD was most interested in, by making it feel unearned. Like a first draft script that worked backwards to make it happen. The retirement ending itself I have mixed feelings about, which I’m not sure I can fully articulate. One thing I love to see is that RTD can actually do a genuinely happy ending rather than making every ending a tragedy. But said happy ending feels a little too ‘married-with-kids-and-a-white-picket-fence’ to me – though obviously I can’t stress enough how relieved I am that romance didn’t factor into it. It just felt like it wasn’t set up well enough. I’d probably like it a lot more if they made clear if Tennant’s Doctor was going to turn into Gatwa’s Doctor or if they’re just separate people now. It was sweet of RTD to try and bring a conclusion to the ‘Doctor is traumatised’ thing that he introduced to the show 18 years ago, but he did it poorly. At least it offers interesting new possibilities for the show going forward!

With all that said, in the end The Giggle felt to me like RTD retreading some of his biggest flaws as a writer, and throwing in a few borrowed from other showrunners for good measure. It was a disappointment both because of the good ideas just below the surface, and because it came after a very fun first episode and an incredible follow-up.

But like I said, I’m excited to see what the show does next! I saw talk that there’ll be lots of mythical and unnatural creatures turn up due to the Doctor’s salt thing, which is super cool. And obviously I’m excited for more Gatwa! I haven’t really felt a lot of reason to be excited about Ruby yet, but as always I’m ready to fall in love with the new companion quickly!

[pelgraine]

Because I am a sucker for classic tropes and apparently cannot ever switch that part of my AU headcanon producing brain off, I've been thinking how a soulmate bond AU might work in the Halo universe.

Whether it's the classic soulmate tattoo with the name(s) or first words of your soulmate on your skin that can potentially be physically removed, or something like daemons a la His Dark Materials with an invisible connection that can be severed, I think it would be interesting to explore how Halsey might have dealt with that in the Spartan program, and how John might react to discovering the existence of soul mates and that Halsey had, in essence, burned his and all his fellow Spartans out (somehow). I can imagine John's memories when he touched the artifact potentially including discussions with his parents about the existence of soulmates, and because he has only the buried child memories of it perhaps even if he's aware in some fashion of their existence then he's justified the idea in his mind that it's just a myth or fairytale that doesn't happen to people like him, or to Spartans. Maybe Halsey tells them all that she's collected the children together because they're all in the bondless/without soulmate minority and she's doing the right thing by bringing them together and giving them the family they would never have otherwise, or something to that effect.

It would undoubtedly be very effective psychological conditioning of the Spartan IIs if they're all repeatedly told as children that none of them were born with soulmates. Maybe Mendez and the other trainers are also in the minority and born without soulmates and were chosen for the role to train the Spartans in part because they couldn't talk about or accidentally refer to the soulmate concept. I also wonder if it was the case that the general age of 12-14 for getting a soulmate mark, for example, then when the Spartan augmentations occurred they discover those few who had soulmates among other Spartans and instead pretend they washed out of the program and let their respective soulmates think they're dead or something like that.

Assuming platonic or familial soulmates also exist, it could easily be a factor why Ackerson hated Halsey so very much. If his soulmate was his sister Julia, then it makes a twisted sort of sense to keep creating the flash clones to torment Halsey with. Ackerson's mistake there was thinking Halsey has emotions like other people - I reckon by that point Halsey's emotions and empathy are shelved away or buried so effectively as to seem non-existent.

Maybe part of the reason why Halsey would never allow Miranda anywhere near the Spartans is because she discovered that Kai and Miranda were soulmates early on. Perhaps due to the stress of Spartan training or because they met as very young children, Kai's soulmate mark materialises well before she undergoes augmentations. Halsey has it removed while it's small enough not to cause Kai additional harm, not knowing that soulmate marks can and will grow back at a later date when the pellets she embedded in their spines are removed and their emotions and bonds are unsuppressed.

Maybe Kai's mark is in a spot she's never really examined closely in all the chaos that occurs post John's discovery of the Covenant artifact. Maybe Riz sees it first on Kai and doesn't know how to process it so she goes to Louis for advice, (one of the few living ex-Spartans she knows) and Louis explains the concept of soulmates to her (prior to the events of Riz's injuries in canon.)

John tells Kai of everything Halsey has done to them while Kai recovers from her injuries during the battle at the dig site. Tells her that he doesn't seem to have a soulmark anywhere, though Cortana seems to think he has a bond but doesn't know who it is yet. Kai, stewing in her rage and sense of overwhelming loss, eventually goes after Halsey to make her pay for what she's done and to keep her from escaping, asks for her true name because she knows that most soulmarks are the full name(s) of their soulmate.

Halsey tells her her name is Kai, giving her that much because she knows it's the only name she's ever found on Miranda's skin. Kai doesn't know that part because Miranda, at that point, is still discovering how to think for herself about the Spartans and too busy trying to get out from under Halsey's shadow to ever really consider whether her soulmate could possibly truly be the same Spartan who shares the name.

Maybe John saves Corporal Perez on the hillside because there's a trace like an old scar on his skin that vaguely resembles her last name. Maybe he doesn't believe that Spartans have soulmates, but there's a tiny optimistic voice in his head (that sometimes sounds a little too like Cortana even when she's not actively with him) that tells him there could be a chance, that saving Perez from the Elites even if he dies in the process would be worth it if means there's even a small chance his potential soulmate survives.

[devsgames]

Hi there, sorry if this is an odd question. As someone with experience in the industry and as an indie dev (you), is it even worthwhile these days to be wanting to work in the games industry? either as an indie or otherwise? I ask due to the very state of things, Professionals are not safe from layoffs, indies have insane high bars to reach to even hope to be sustainable, it would seem better to maybe choose another career path in life (if you don't have an attachment that is). I say this as a long time hobbyist, occasional dreamer, but things have changed so much over the past decade that I often wonder if it should be anything but a hobby(speaking personally for myself). Like many indies I still love games and the craft itself, but it truly is like a roll of the dice just to stand out in such a naturally highly competitive field. that's not even mentioning the sometimes demanding volatile nature of the games community, or the work itself.

I guess it's all just kinda getting to me and bringing me down, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on the matter, thanks.

I'll be frank: there are parts of this question I am simply not equipped to answer because there are so many factors that influence decision making like this. It's like someone asking you "should I have a child" - like I dunno, it depends on your whole life's situation and your personal values and priorities!

"Is it worthwhile" to get into game development entirely depends on what you want to get out of it in the first place, how far "in" you want to get, and in what capacity. As much as I wish I could tell people to go into games and have it just work for everyone, it depends far too much on what you value in life. It's impossible for me to reliably tell someone to do it or not to do it.

Generally, is it financially smart? No. Is it easy? No. Is it a safe bet? No. Does it take a lot of time and hard work? Yes. Does it offer stability like other careers? No. Is it fair? No.

Is it rewarding? Depends what about the craft you find rewarding. Is it better than something like factory work? Depends what type of work you like. Is it a good career choice? If you don't mind low pay and periods of instability. Is it stress free? Depends on where you work and with whom.

The industry is a shitshow right now with all the mass layoffs. This is true. It's The Thing on everyone's mind. It's undoubtedly going to make job seeking 100x more competitive and challenging for basically everyone hunting around the market right now in an industry that is already notoriously competitive, especially to juniors. Many people who got laid off likely are never going to work in games again, either for trauma or instability. It's taken the latent abuse and issues with technocapitalism and exposed it for everyone to see. If you get a job in games, you will possibly get laid off down the line. It happens to many of us.

However, it has always been this way. There were mass layoffs in '07 during the housing crash, and people got through that. Getting a job in video games has been an incredible challenge for the lst 20 years, and people have made it work. People have been making games in spite of shit working conditions, oversaturated market and lousy pay since modern games were invented. There are people whose lives have been dramatically changed by these layoffs, and some will never work in games again. It's increedibly heartbreaking.

Yet people will still keep working on games. I don't see that changing.

I've personally never had any illusions that games were somehow an easy path in life, nor have I minced those words with people seeking to enter the field. It's hard, time consuming and in many cases soul-sucking. I've always respected anyone who hung up their hat and went off to do something else with their life.

I know some people who left games to go work for banks where the pay was better and the industry way more stable. I know people who have dropped out of school because they realized job prospects were weak and they wanted to start a family down the road. I know people who left gamedev school because frankly they were broke and couldn't afford the massive debt that seeking a job in games would likely cost them. I know people who left games because frankly they just hated making games.

I don't blame any of these people for making these types of decisions because at some point it's a question of balancing your ability to survive with the ever-increasing demands of a needlessly aggressive industry (and it's a shame these factors - as any brought on by capitalism - weigh heaviest on folks on the margins). Sometimes I worry I'm too real when I talk to students about this stuff, but I think it's a survival skill to internalize these sort of things and factor them into your decision-making.

The point here is I can't in good faith tell any one person if going into games or not is implicitly a good or bad move because it's such a personal decision based on their personal contexts. All I can do is advocate the costs and risks associated with trying to tie it so intimately into your life - I think as long as people can see the cards they will have to find out how to play them themselves.

Same as above, I can't in good faith stand here and tell people whether they should or shouldn't do something like indie dev, because it has just as many risks as a regular dev career, if not more. Volitile game sales, highly competitive market, lots of work, little pay, self-management, etc.

I talk about this all the time, but unless you're the 1% of indies who suddenly get blown out of the water and everyone talks about, odds are good you won't be making enough money to survive on it. Way way way too many people who only hear of the most successful games treat them as the rule, not the exception, and then are shocked to find their game only making like, $30 a month. I generally don't think anyone should treat indie dev as a 'career' but rather more like a side hustle that might eventually turn into a career. Like, right now I have shipped 4+ games in various capacities, and my game sales are only enough for 1/2 a rent payment per month. It's why I took a part time job! Indie dev """fame""" I think is also a hidden factor that motivates people (why? Who knows), but it too is a lot like the money element, in that it's not really common and doesn't matter anyway because it doesn't put food on the table. Take these factors into account and weigh them as you weigh indie dev too. I

However I will say that I think like any craft, the current state of the industry surrounding the craft shouldn't (and in many cases won't) affect interest in the craft itself. I think if people want to make games and like doing it, they're going to do it no matter how easy or profitable it is, and no matter how fucked up the industry is.

I make games not because I want to be an indie dev or make money, but simply because I enjoy doing it and want to keep doing it. In fact, the times I've hated it most was when I was using it solely to make money from it to survive. It's why people still weave tapestries or practice weird obscure hobbies. It doesn't make enough to eat and usually they have regular lives and jobs on the side - they do it because they just like doing it.

People are gunna keep making games, because game development is not actually implicitly tied to the games industry in any way. You can make art no one plays. You can make art no one buys. You can make art for the sake of it. You can work as a line cook and make art in your free time. Game dev is easier and more accessible then it ever has been before. People will still keep doing it.

Sorry this all boils down to "it depends" but sometimes for big life and career decisions it does indeed just depend. I hope that no matter what choice you end up making that it involves making games regardless. Life's too short not to make art!