#names redacted for the normal reasons

[freddieandersen]

just did a “huh. wonder what she’s up to” fb search of one of my dance friends from high school and yup another win for lesbians. [redacted] school of irish dance absolutely churning out future gays. of the six of us who danced into hs at least four are gay and/or nb now which is. statistically anomalous

[mothmvn]

fellas you truly do not know how insane you can get until you have Bugs in your house

[mosaickiwi]

14DWY As a Drama AU

Hey remember when I said I’d post this in February oopsies!! (don’t ask me about demon!ren i will cry)

Open at your own risk this thing is LONG. Tried to give everyone at least a little something! upon putting this in my drafts i realized olivia exists i'll add her at some point uhhh. Also you can tell how much I love Elanor... hehe

14 Days With You is an 18+ Yandere Visual Novel. MINORS DNI

The cult classic romantic thriller, 14 Days With You, is now a drama! Coming to all your favorite streaming platforms this summer. A whirlwind romance gone right and wrong that you DON’T want to miss.

Cast List

[REDACTED]

🖤 Quiet kid that used the after school theater program to delay returning home. Never wanted to perform, but loved doing costumes, make up, and correcting others (in his mind) on how to portray their roles. 

🖤 Spent a little extra time perfecting the costumes of a certain someone who didn't even know they existed. He always traded house chores with his sister so she'd sit in the audience to solely film Tree #2's performance.

🖤 Was an apprentice special effects makeup artist after graduation at first, particularly for horror films, but it didn't exactly pay the bills when they left home.

🖤 Easily rose to the top in their acting career due to his dedication for crafting characters to perfection. 

🖤 Dolly Parton/Lady Gaga-esque in their separation of work and life—completely unrecognizable in their regular civilian attire. Paparazzi have never gotten a picture of them in all their years trying.

🖤 Has zero issues getting into character, but does "method acting" on occasion to make sure people leave them alone on set. And also to fuck with directors and producers they don't like. Notoriously difficult to work with because of it + their overall attitude towards others, still gets hired somehow.

🖤 Got offered the role as the main love interest in 14DWY without an audition, thanks to a previous manipulative pink haired character he played in a film that ended up never being released. (2017 Ren because it's funny)

 Angel (you!)

💜 Participated in the same after school theater program as [REDACTED] and Leon for a few semesters before you got bored of it. Curiosity for acting resurfaced later in life.

💜 Newbie actor at the recently formed talent agency of your friend. Only starred as non-speaking roles or background characters in small productions until the drama. You moved back to Corland Bay after uni for the better industry prospects.

💜 You initially auditioned for a very small role in the drama as an employee in a seaside shop at first, but somehow you wound up as the lead? (un)lucky you.

💜 Feel free to fill in the blank for any whys and hows you think of to fit your OC/self/sona as you so please <3

Elanor

💖 Normally an actress and casting director, first time as an executive producer for the drama. Dreams of bringing her own romantic screenplays to life. Hasn't quite proven herself the way she wants in the industry to feel confident enough in them. 

💖 Catalyst for the drama being made. A "friend" mistakenly recommended the 14DWY book to her. She absolutely loathes all the psychological horror of it but sees the potential it has.

💖 Also the reason [REDACTED] was immediately cast, and you as well once she saw your chemistry with him while reading for a minor role. He hadn't shown a fraction of as much interest when reading lines with other potential candidates, so she decided to take the risk of an untested talent as the headliner.

💖 Refuses to use her family's name to get her stuff made. She wants her works to speak for themselves. Very picky about who she works with due to her family having hands in most of Corland's entertainment industry so she hardly gets a genuine interaction beyond ass-kissing.

💖 Always partial to working with Conan's small studio since he was the only director to give her any sort of criticism in spite of her family, as gentle and polite as it was. She still cried a little in the dressing room though.

💖 Genuine confusion when Conan wants her to act as both a producer and assist with direction. She only intended to bring it to his interest. But how could she say no to someone whose judgment and opinion she respects so much?

Conan

💖 Runs and owns a small scale studio in the Bay that seems to pick and choose its productions at random. It is in fact Alice sneaking into her dad's home office and putting scented stickers on the ones she likes. (She only reads the titles)

💖 Extremely proud of Elanor for getting so far on her own, and would take on one of her dozens of scripts no questions asked if she'd only work up the courage to show him one. So imagine his surprise when she comes to him with a romantic horror instead of one of the fairy tale romances he sees her scribbling notes on during breaks.

💖 While he’s the one with the final say, he does try to let Elanor have as much free reign as possible on the project in the hopes to boost her confidence.

Kiara

💖 A super-star actress and model that got her start in Corland’s local industry, but quickly hit it big. 

💖 When she isn’t drowning in work, she’ll swing through town to check in on her sister.

💖 Desperately wants to star in one of Elanor’s productions, but respects her sister’s desire for independence. Though she does like to tease about certain casting decisions on the drama when made aware of them.

the rest of the cast are unfortunately very silly i couldn't resist

Moth

💖 Started a talent agency out of spite for the terrible castings in their favorite media. Got further invested upon realizing they could read the scripts before the movies or show adaptations were even announced.

💖 The one who pushed you to audition for a minor role in the production once the rumor about who was cast as the main love interest reaches them. They've heard all the horror stories about [REDACTED] so wanted the inside scoop. Horrified and fascinated to find out you get the lead role. It’s like watching a train wreck.

Leon

💖 Joined the theater program initially because of you, but got really into it. Moved away to attend a performing arts school until his mother got sick.

💖 Took every wacky infomercial or street performance gig he could find to pay the hospital bills until Teo found out and swooped in.

💖 Eternally grateful for the burden of financial ruin being relieved, so he always accepts the jobs Teo gets for him. He definitely won’t complain since he’s not dressed in an animal costume and shouting nonsensical slogans for cleaning products.

Teo

💖 Met Leon through a shared production and quickly bonded. Attended a different performing arts school and met Jae as a child.

💖 Almost the exact opposite of his game character purely for the funnies. Shy, introverted, can’t flirt to save his life. Still a nepo baby but he can hold his own in acting. Doesn’t like his character much, but is extremely jealous of the confidence he oozes.

💖 Leon and Jae are his only friends in the industry so he uses his sway to get them parts if they haven't already gotten a call back. Gets REALLY nervous on set for certain roles so he needs their support.

Jae

💖 Attended the same school as Teo when they were kids, and is constantly pitching intentionally bad ideas and joking on set to reassure his friend.

💖 A little bit of a thrill seeker, so does all his own small stunts if he thinks he’s capable. Stands there and gawks watching the more extreme stunts, loudest to clap when they go well.

💖 Kept bringing Maple to the shoots cause how could he even think about leaving her at home? She would occasionally break her leash and wander into a scene for head scratches and kisses. The film crew always booed when a PA came to take her off set.

Violet

💖 Completely terrible at caring for plants. Inspired by her role, she starts vlogging about her plant mom journey before shooting even begins. All her advice is completely wrong and terrible. Her personal assistant keeps her in the dark by tending to the plants themselves to fix her mistakes.

💖 Finds out she has a talent for flower arrangement, though. Does thank you vases for the cast and crew on all her future productions that last a lifetime because her PA made sure all the flowers were fake.

Exposition

(silly on set shenanigans)

🎬 Scenes get retaken quite a bit, since you’re still extremely new to it all. Most of the cast and crew expect anger out of [REDACTED] after the 4th call for a re-shoot on the first day’s library scene, but he’s surprisingly cracking jokes about his dye job and reassuring you that you’re doing great. The infamously ill-tempered actor is smiling somehow… even being patient? Not glaring down his co-star for minor slip ups? They cannot recognize this person.

🎬 Violet and [REDACTED] naturally butt heads on set. She respects their acting, not the actor. Zero hesitation to snap back if he’s getting snarky with a PA. You’re the one people have to beg to separate them, and you’re completely baffled that [REDACTED] doesn’t treat others as nicely as he treats you.

🎬 Even though Elanor is a nervous wreck about the first real thing to ultimately make or break her career, she’s scarily efficient on set—as long as no one distracts her. She does get sidetracked once in a while, only because she loves chatting and answering any questions the cast or crew might have. She even brings one of her own cats to set during a slower day to see if they can get along with Maple. Leaves Conan in charge when the horror scenes are being shot. They’re both put off by how vivid they feel, but Conan at least can grin and bear it. 

🎬 You and Leon manage to catch up on set while [REDACTED] is otherwise occupied shooting said horror scenes. You tease him about a few infomercials you saw when looking up his actor reel, and Leon teases you back about your unlucky streak of being a tree or a rock in every play the theater program put on when y’all were younger. Laughs even harder once he finds out your most prominent roles until then were “unnamed zombie #5 at the bottom of the pile” and “sleeping train passenger.”

🎬 Try as he might, [REDACTED] doesn’t convince Elanor to change up a few crucial parts of the script for his benefit. His offhand threats of leaving the production fall on deaf ears, as she is all too happy to do re-shoots to make Teo the lead. His innocent hints to you about the shoddy script fly over your head for some reason! You love how it's turning out, what does he mean?

🎬 Super shy Teo prefaces and warns his co-stars before acting in every scene of his character being excessively flirty. Most of the actors have worked with him at some point or another beforehand, so they let him go through his routine without issue. Some crew members love the whiplash of him switching between overly courteous and smarmy, others vastly prefer the flirty character and mourn the loss as production comes to a close.

The Build Up

📺 The higher ups pressure Violet to start a short-lived streaming career to boost interest, since she’s hopeless with plants. She amasses a cult following for her MMO reviews, blind raids on new patches, and her wild ride of a Minecraft playthrough. In the end she winds up preferring to play games off stream, but once in a blue moon she’ll do a first time raid stream so her more dedicated fans can join and watch her alliance get wiped. Creative trolling is highly encouraged.

📺 Teo, Jae, and Leon appear on a late night TV show for promotion. It was meant to be for Teo and [REDACTED] at first. (Where’s the leading lover? [REDACTED] refused all promo appearances or sit downs without you being involved in them.) The host plays a clip that Teo’s particularly embarrassed about, and he hides his face in shame when the crowd hoots and hollers praise about his portrayal.

📺 [REDACTED] comes across as doting and overprotective of you once you’re pushed into the spotlight of celebrity, and shows increasingly concerning behaviors as the premiere looms closer. Depending on your response, they’ll back off to a point or dial it up. Interviewers and consumers mistake it as the eccentric actor’s “method acting” so the red flags just slide right past.

📺 Elanor and Conan guest star in a podcast for off-the-cuff romance enthusiasts. Their strangely cagey and joking comments like “there were so many retakes we couldn’t keep track of what was meant to be the actors messing around or part of the final cuts,” and “we’ve actually sent all the reviewers 1 of 14 versions with completely different endings,” leave listeners all the more curious to see the film.

The Climax

🎉 Reception is huge, in good ways for most. The majority of the cast see a surge in popularity if they didn’t already from the hype. 

🎉 Teo bemoans his endless offerings for sarcastic pretty boy jobs, Leon makes enough to get picky about his roles (and pay Teo back), Jae somehow cons a studio into an action film starring Maple—and subsequently adopts every single one of her stunt doubles. 

🎉 Moth throws the agency away to start adapting anime and manga themselves. Elanor finally feels validated enough to bring one of her romantic screenplays to the big screen, starring her sister Kiara and a very enthusiastic Violet as the leading couple. 

🎉 Conan’s studio is overloaded with scripts, and Alice runs out of scented stickers that much quicker. They are severely backlogged send help.

🎉 One determined conspiracy theorist sets out to prove those missing 13 versions of the ending are real, based on minor cuts and inconsistencies purposefully left in the public release.

The End, Roll Credits

choose your own ending

Bad End 💔 - A Falling Star

💔 If you respond negatively to [REDACTED]’s demeanor during shoots and promo: he plays the waiting game, uses his connections and blackmail to make sure all your roles without his name attached don’t garner nearly as much attention as the ones where you’re co-stars.

💔 Your negotiating power quickly plummets as you fall out of demand and end up begging just for the non-speaking roles you once loathed.

💔 The careers of anyone you got close to on set fall apart much faster than yours, before they’re outright blacklisted in the industry.

💔 You begrudgingly call up your last option. He can’t do much for your friends, but their offer to help you make a comeback is always open.

Neutral End 💌 - Just One More Try

💌 If you respond indifferently to [REDACTED]’s demeanor: the drama leads to you getting more offers, though a handful are for playing opposite of [REDACTED], as the on-screen chemistry was too much for studios to ignore for cash grabs.

💌 Elanor has rid herself of the drama’s subsequent rights, despite positive reception, so a sequel sprouts up in the works at a different studio. One that doesn’t mind catering to the whims of their actors when it comes to script integrity.

💌 You arrive on the set to find that not just one, but all of your cast mates except for them were written to have much smaller parts in the sequel. In fact, you rarely find a scene in the revised script where [REDACTED] isn’t alongside you.

💌 Sadly the contract is air tight, just put up with it until it’s over… What’s this clause about further sequels?

Good End 💍 - Off Into the Sunset

💍 If you respond positively to [REDACTED]’s demeanor: you’ll sadly announce at the post premiere press conference that acting was a one-and-done adventure for you. Retired effective immediately, no farewell interviews.

💍 You’re spotted around town for a few weeks in a mask with a tall, darkly dressed companion at your side before you disappear from the public eye and Corland Bay all together.

💍 A few of your friends at least have an idea of where you are, and they meet up with you whenever you're in a nearby city. None of them can recognize the man glued to your side, though. Not that he'd say anything to clue them in.

💍 After months of near inactivity, [REDACTED] mysteriously deletes their socials without a word, sparking confusion and outrage among hardcore fans still desperately hoping for a sequel.

[yander-city]

Loading resident information…

Yandere husband/kidnapper

Pyriv Falor

——————

Proceed…?

—————————————————————————————————————

Name:

Pyriv Falor

Appearance:

Dark reddish-blonde (HAIR)

Light hazel (EYES)

Light-medium tan with olive undertone (SKIN)

Occupation:

Management consultant

Age:

[UNSPECIFIED]

Known family:

Dahlia Falor (MOTHER)

Alejandro Falor (FATHER)

Personality [Host’s experience]:

“Pyriv is astonishingly normal on the surface, I had no choice but to scan his storyline to spot any proper reason as to why we should've admitted him. It's bold of me to declare that this is one of the worst cases I've laid eyes upon since [REDACTED]. This location makes an adequate home for him, he lives normally among everyone else as a proper citizen, unfortunately, I just can't shake the information I read from my mind…”

Found background:

According to the background check, there are no signs of Pyriv having a troubling childhood. He grew up in a loving household, with loving parents who care about him. The only “troubling” thing we could find is how attached his parents were to each other, causing Pyriv to see things he shouldn't have.

What had caused Pyriv to be the disturbing individual he is now? Speaking with uncertainty, it could have been exposure to excessively adult content and speech as a teenager. There is little evidence proving this.

To the present day, Pyriv is forcefully your husband.

Trivia:

Pyriv frequently works from home, only attending work in person if absolutely necessary.

Pyriv is a dominating and physically threatening person, he attempts to remain kind and soft to ensure your trust. But everyone has their limits.

Pyriv craves a traditional family life, double the amount of children.

More information will be implemented…

Feel free to ask questions…

[yukidragon]

Sunny Day Jack - Amnesia and the Need for Identity

When playing the new demo and really thinking about Jack and his situation, it's hard not to see why he's so obsessed with his sunshine.

If all Jack remembers is being Sunny Day Jack, then what is he now? He suddenly appears before this depressed adult, only able to interact with that person. He can't interact with children to teach them. MC didn't have any real purpose in summoning him, except it was probably a subconscious desire of theirs because they were lonely.

The previous identities Jack used to go by are gone now. Joseph Cullman is a name that he abandoned when he ran away, and the new identity he chose became [Redacted] from history when LambsWork Productions erased his memory and the memory of the show. Because of them, there was no show, and thus no actor by the name of [Redacted] Haberdae.

The memories of being [Redacted] are a source of trauma for Jack, as evidenced by the worst ending in the yogurt minigame. He's buried them, so then... what's left?

What's left is the reassurance Jack gives himself that he can be whatever he wants to be.

In a sense, Jack's life with MC is a brand new start, a whole new identity. A clean slate. He can just take Sunny Day Jack and use that lore as a template for who he should be as a person now. After all, it's all he is willing to remember related to himself.

In a way, Sunny Day Jack might have been a form of escape for [Redacted] when he was trapped in hell. He had 40+ years of solitary confinement. All he had was the cold and his thoughts to keep him company. There was no break to this solitude, no company and no escape in dreams.

A few days in solitary confinement can break people. Jack faced decades of that, far more extreme than any prisoner ever endured, without even a second to escape it.

It's a wonder that Jack is as sane as he is, really.

It makes me think that Jack's sense of self became a mostly blank slate as a result. Maybe he could build on the lore of the character in a desperate measure to stay sane, but in the end, that lore stops really applying after MC plays the tape.

MC isn't a friendly clown companion character. This isn't CloudyTown. There's no child audience to teach. MC is an adult, not really in need of guidance and instruction like a child is. This is a world 40+ years in the future, with technology different from both the world of 1984 and the fictional world of CloudyTown. Even if Jack used his memories of the real world as [Redacted], he would still be out of place.

So what does Jack do with himself now? What would Sunny Day Jack do? Why is he here? Does he even know? Is this even real? This world is so different, and he's out of his depth. Did his waking dreams finally become so realistic that he's convinced himself that he's finally no longer trapped in hell?

What if Jack is initially unaware of his abilities or the "rules" behind whatever allows him to be in MC's life and what might make him lose his newfound freedom from hell? What if he's learning about it all as they go along just like MC is? He might not even be aware that being able to read their mind/emotions isn't normal, or even realize that he's doing it at the start.

So then... what now? MC didn't expect Jack to just appear in their life like he did. They're not commanding him like a servant or expecting him to do anything. Hell, they question if he's even real or if he's just their imaginary friend.

Ironically, Jack could be questioning the same thing in reverse, wondering whether the world and everything in it is real, or if MC is someone he dreamed up because he was so painfully alone in hell.

Without a direct purpose given to Jack from MC or whatever force brought him there in the first place, it'd be up to Jack himself to decide what he should do. Unfortunately, his options are limited due to his situation as a ghost(?). He doesn't want to be alone, so he has every reason to want to stick around MC, regardless if they're vital for him to stay in the real world or not. Without MC, he has no one to talk to. The world certainly better than the hell he had been trapped in, but in many ways he'd still be painfully alone.

So what does Jack do with his life? What would Sunny Day Jack do?

Well, the character was a teacher. His goal was to teach the kids every day, simple and straightforward. Sunny Day Jack didn't need any loftier goal than that. He existed just to give life lessons to the kids and entertain them, simple as that.

[Redacted] had actual goals for his future. Beyond being an actor, the psyche interview showed that he hoped to be a father someday. No doubt he had other goals as well, dreams and desires that he worked hard towards or even just wished for. He certainly overworked himself to fulfil his goal of being a good role model for kids and a TV star.

Jack isn't a star anymore. Maybe he is aware that Sunny Day Jack talked to the kids through the TV at home, but there's nothing like that now. He likely can't even be filmed since he can't appear in reflections, and no one can hear or see him but MC. He can't be a teacher, he can't be a TV star, he can't educate kids...

So what is there for Jack to do?

MC tries to get answers, but gets dead ends. Jack helps as best he can, but he knows very little, mostly just show lore and more or less what MC knows, it would seem. With only dead ends and no leads, the two of them are stuck just with things being the way they are. They just have to deal.

Jack is no longer in hell. He's in a place full of light, but limited warmth. People look through him. They avoid occupying the space he does, but don't notice him at all. He can't interact with them. He can interact with objects, at least in MC's presence, but to what end?

Without answers, all Jack can do is just keep on living this new life, if it can be called that, with only MC for company. They're the only one he can interact with and touch. They're the only thing keeping him from being utterly alone in a world full of people who will never realize he ever existed.

So it's only natural Jack latches onto MC. What else does he have? What sort of future can he look forward to without them? Even without the threat of going back to hell, staying forever in the world in this state would be a different kind of hell.

MC is probably the only thing keeping Jack sane.

It'd be obvious to Jack that his sudden appearance in their life would make MC uncomfortable. It probably was awkward for him too at first. Still, he no doubt tried to be friendly and helpful as best he can. He's embraced the Sunny Day Jack persona completely after all. That behavior is the "correct" way to interact with others. After all, it's what he taught kids way back when.

So acting the way Jack does to MC would be simply natural to him. He wouldn't be treating them like a child by doing so, but just trying to be the best person he can be.

Really, that's all Jack has to offer MC, isn't it? He only has himself to give. If he doesn't make friends with MC, then he has no one. There's no future for him that isn't a lonely hell, with or without other people in it. If MC disliked his kids show host persona, then he would probably try to change his behavior, be whatever they want him to be. Just so long as he isn't abandoned and forgotten.

I think MC longed for that nostalgic encouragement that Jack showed them, so they responded mostly well to the Sunny Day Jack persona. They were in a bad place, and being taken care of like when they were a child, being told what they needed do to take care of themselves by someone who wanted them to be happy and healthy... it feels so simple. They don't have to spend so much mental energy remembering they need to brush their teeth or get something to eat when someone is taking care of them.

And Jack does sincerely cares about MC. He goes out of his way to try and brighten their mood, encourage them to take care of themselves, tell jokes, make sure they get up on time for work, etc. He's not talking down to them by talking the way he does. It's likely just the best way he knows how to show he cares. He's sincere in wanting to be there for them, to take care of them, and to be their friend.

In a way, that's all Jack has. If MC doesn't need them... does he even have a purpose? Why else is he there? In fact, that very sentiment has been there from the start, as shown in this concept art by Sauce way back when Jack was first created.

Credit, as always, goes to Sauce for their awesome artwork, story, and ideas. Please consider supporting them and the rest of the SnaccPop Studios team on their patreon.

Obviously a lot of things have changed since the initial concept, but there is one line that really sticks with me after playing the new demo.

"If you don't need me... What am I??"

Does Jack even know what he is now? He's not a ghost. He doesn't quite function that way. He acts like he's alive, able to breathe with a heartbeat. He could probably eat if he wanted, though it's not a necessary thing, and he certainly can have sex if he wants to.

Does Jack even remember enough of his life to have unfinished business like ghosts tend to have? He's buried his memories of his life as [Redacted], so whatever regrets he had back then, he probably doesn't even want to remember.

The only thing Jack has is MC. The only person he can interact with is MC. Their presence changed everything. He doesn't necessarily have a goal of his own, so all he can do is follow their lead.

If MC doesn't want or need Jack... why is he even there? What's his purpose? What kind of life can he live now if they don't feel a need for him to be in it?

This makes MC getting distracted from Jack and his presence in their life even harder on him. What if they forget him? What if they don't need him? What then? What happens to him then? Does that mean he'll be alone again... forever?

Then of course there's the fear that would come the first time MC grows distant from them. When keeping their distance in the "don't make it weird" option, he felt colder, grayer. When they distanced themselves with the "no" choice, they suddenly couldn't touch him anymore.

If even MC can't touch him anymore... imagine the fear Jack would feel.

Imagine how desperate Jack would be to keep the only person saving him from an eternity of solitude.

Even if Jack doesn't assume that he'd be sent back to hell - though let's face it, that'd be a very natural fear for him to have - what if MC stops being able to see him too? What if they, like everyone else, no longer see, hear, or touch him? They'll just look through him, forget him, and he'll be powerless to stop it.

All Jack can do is just give everything he has to MC and pray that it's enough to keep them.

I imagine that if the final game's story decides to drop Jack's power to connect with MC's mind/feelings from his supernatural abilities, it'd leave him feeling even more insecure and alone. I mean... it's very easy to feel insecure when you have no idea what the other person is thinking or feeling. At least with mind reading/empathy powers he always has at least some sense of what they want/need, but without it, he's left far more vulnerable to self-doubt and insecurity.

It makes the way I have set up his abilities for Sunshine in Hell pretty kind in that regard. Jack might not always be able to pick up all the thoughts Alice has, but her emotions come through clearly. From the start, he can feel her concern for him even as she's wary and scared of him.

Jack also has the mercy of having at least a few answers. He had this instinctive knowledge of how to forge a deal with Alice to escape the hell he was trapped in. He knows why he's there and what his purpose is, even if it's the one they made together. He knows the promise they made, even if she forgot it.

Alice is unquestionably why Jack is there. She made the conscious choice to save him, for no other reason than to save him. He offered her anything she wanted, and all she really wanted was for her act of kindness to not lead to any pain.

Alice just didn't want to be hurt by someone taking advantage of her kindness again.

Jack is fully aware of her fears and can understand them. He has a better sense of purpose at the start. He fell in love with Alice instantly for being his savior, an angel who saved him from hell despite knowing that doing so put her at risk. He wants to repay her kindness with his own, be her friend and companion, help her as much as he can. He owes her his life, so it's the least he can do.

They'll get closer, Jack is sure of it, because Alice is so kind. She cares even for a stranger like him, and he'll do everything in his power to make sure that kindness isn't misplaced. Sunny Day Jack is a great person. He would know, he spent decades obsessing about the character. He'll be the greatest friend Alice could ever ask for, because Sunny Day Jack is the greatest friend anyone could ever ask for. He won't ever let her feel even a moment of regret for choosing to save him.

The more time Jack spends with Alice, the deeper he falls in love with her. It goes beyond gratitude mixing with love and his loneliness that led to love at first sight. She's sweet, funny, and just a joy to be with. Their interactions are fun, playful, and full of genuine affection for one another.

Alice is also familiar too in a way that fills this empty hole inside of him, a place that he vaguely remembered was filled before in the past, but he long forgot what or who it was. She makes him whole in a way that he hasn't felt in so, so long... maybe ever for all he knows. He can't remember life before hell after all.

It's naïve of Jack to assume that just because he fell in love at first sight that it was inevitable that Alice would eventually return those feelings. In a way, it's a simple formula, a classic trope of couples that find their other half, like in shows and stories for kids. It's as reassuring as a comfort character. At the same time, he's not wrong to feel this way. Being with her feels natural... as if he was waiting all this time for her to find him again, so that they could be together forever.

Being privy to her emotions gives Jack this added sense of security and purpose. Alice, for as hesitant, confused, and concerned as she is, enjoys his company. They quickly fall into a new rhythm of life. Sure, Jack can't interact with other people, but Alice is mindful of that, and his feelings. She helps compensate for his disability and does her best to help him function in this world that doesn't acknowledge him. Eventually, she'll broaden his world, help him interact with others too, including Shaun. She'll make sure that he'll never suffer alone again.

That, in a sense, was the purpose Jack was given in Sunshine in Hell. He's here because Alice didn't want him to suffer alone in hell anymore. The only thing he is required to do is not betray the kindness she showed him.

Jack gave himself the purpose to make Alice happy and save her from her own hell of loneliness. It only made sense after all. It was the most natural thing to do, especially given the circumstances. It quickly becomes a very satisfying purpose because being with her makes him happy too. It also leads him to creating new dreams, even reviving a few old dreams he had as [Redacted].

Of course, that's my headcanons at work crafting the story in the way that feels right to me. Sunshine in Hell is a story about two broken people healing together, which leads to their happy ending. The game itself, well... it has many different routes, some with happy ends, and some with bad ends.

Alice will choose Jack because they just fit together. They're soulmates and my OTP.

MC has the option not to choose Jack. They can decide the situation is unhealthy, not what they want, not worth it, is too good to be true, or a myriad of other things. They could simply just ditch Jack because they want one of the other guys and don't need him anymore. Jack is then left trying to desperately prove that he's worth keeping. If he can't win MC over with himself alone, if his words and actions aren't enough for them, then he has to somehow stop others from interfering.

Even if it means doing something that Sunny Day Jack would never do... and something I don't think Joseph/[Redacted] ever would've wanted to do either.

Something is indeed wrong with Sunny Day Jack. He doesn't remember who he was, doesn't want to remember, and he doesn't have a future or a purpose beyond what he has with MC. His world is so small, just a few steps above that hell of sleepless solitude and cold. This ray of sunshine in his life is the only hope he has... even if the only reason he has them is because Ian left them broken and lonely.

Jack can be a rebound for MC. He can be an easy solution, but one that doesn't fulfil them. He can try, but maybe they just don't click. If that happens... what else can he do but fix it? What else is there if all he has is MC?

What else can Jack do but desperately hold onto the only thing he has left?

Jack loves MC. He cares for them deeply. He'll do anything for them. He wants to take care of them and see them happy. He wants to see them smile and bask in their warm, happy glow. He's sincere about that. I think he's so sincere that he would probably drop the whole Sunny Day Jack persona if that was what they needed from him instead. If they're happy, then he'll find happiness with them.

He can't be alone anymore. Never again.

The situation is a delicate one. It can become something so toxic for for both of them. It has the possibility to lead to unhealthy attachment, obsession, betrayal, and all the dangerous bloodshed involved in the yandere genre.

Maybe it could lead to Jack deciding that his place... is where he used to be, replacing the person who dared try to replace him. If there's no place for him by MC's side, then perhaps all he has left is the place in the spotlight that was taken from him...

It could also lead to a story about healing what is broken. MC being the only real thing in Jack's world doesn't have to stay that way. They don't have to be the only thing keeping him from being alone. His world can grow, bit by bit, because of his sunshine's love for him. He could grow stronger because of them, maybe strong enough to make the world finally see him again, hear him. Certainly, it could lead to something dangerous, as hinted in this monologue, but it could also lead to his growth as a person.

Maybe it'll help Jack become human again.

Jack has the potential to grow to be someone who doesn't have to rely on MC to exist, but still have the freedom to choose them... or the freedom to let them go and still find his peace and happiness. He could find a way to no longer be lonely without forcing MC to be the one to keep them company if they don't want it.

For Sunshine in Hell, Jack will always choose Alice, and she will always choose him. For other MCs, well, it's up to the players and the way they guide the story in the different routes in the game. Not to mention all the AUs and alternate continuities from the fandom.

There's a lot wrong with Sunny Day Jack, but that doesn't always have to be the case. What's broken can be mended, even if there are scars left behind. Jack has the potential to go even more wrong in desperation to keep what little he has, or he can heal and gain so much more than he ever dreamed.

Jack can be whatever we want him to be, and our choices in the game will decide that.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur @kurokrisps

[thebibliosphere]

Hello! A long while back (it's had to have been at least a year at this point), you and Mothman came into where I worked with the lovely miss Holly Mop (she had fur stuck in her eye and was squinting it; we rinsed it out and sent her home). I recognized her from your blog, but didn't know how to say I knew you and read (and loved!) your work without it being awkward, since things like legal names automatically come up in our system, and I didn't want you to be worried about it? But I've (1/3)

also felt bad since then about not telling you because idk, I feel like you deserve to know if someone Recognizes You from the blue hellsite. So I guess I just wanted to say: you and Mothman were very lovely, and Holly is genuinely the cutest shih tzu I have ever seen irl and that is saying smth bc I have seen a lot. I also made a point to make myself forget everything else from that appointment, so I also have no idea who you are beyond your pen name. (⅔)

Sorry if this worries you at all - it was absolutely not my intention, I just feel you deserve to know. And I’m sorry for not telling you at the time that I recognized you. I do not expect a response from you at all, I just wanted to let you know, especially if it makes you uncomfortable and would want to block me for it ;v; I hope you have a fantastic evening, and thank you guys for being so kind to your veterinary staff. (3/3)

----------

You're going to laugh when I tell you this, but if you're who I am thinking of, when you took Holly Mop away, I turned to Mothman and said, "I think that person knows me. Or maybe they've just got Tumblr vibes. I think it's the hair."

So if you are who I think you are, you have great hair, and thank you so much for taking such good care of Ms. Holly.

She normally comes out of veterinary rooms traumatized, and our visit to see you at [redacted] was the first time that didn't happen.

It was one of the reasons we signed ourselves up for the waiting list to move her primary care there, which we just have! Holly is now an official primary patient where you work (provided you are still there), so if you see us in the future, please feel free to say hi! (if you want to, no pressure) It makes us feel better to know she's in safe hands with people who care about her and who don't set her anxiety off.

And also, please don't feel bad about not saying anything the first time around. It can be hard to walk up to someone -- especially at your job -- and be like, "I like your shoelaces" (though it has happened to me a couple of times at Target, Walgreens, my hair stylist, lol) and don't worry about knowing our identities. There's a handful of people on here who know my legal name vs my preferred name -- all we ask is that it not get posted anywhere.

Thank you for letting me know though, and thank you again for taking such good care of Holly Mop. We really appreciated it, and you made her feel so much better. 💖

[mikiuu6]

I'm yelling with the Smile and Café yandere. Could you do one for Kuai Liang/scorpio ?

¡sure! here it is :)

i'm sorry for making you wait too long.

♥︎‹ 𖤩 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘 𝐒𝐎𝐅𝐓 .

TW: dark concept and "savior concept", yandere themes, mildly violent descriptions, unhealthy jealousy, obsessive protection, non-gender specific (yiii) and song lyrics (not at all). Maybe redaction for explicit (¿.

kuai liang (scorpion) x reader. (yandere version)

✦ tomas vrbada version here!

✦ johnny cage version here!

✦ rain version here!

✦ liu kang version here!

a/n: he's my favorite of the 3 but don't tell the others... hehe...

＞﹏＜"You always knew that Kuai Liang had feelings for you, but you never imagined that those feelings would make him commit terrible things in your name, but they had a reason. Behind that sweet man there was something dark hidden, a dark wish that he was willing to fulfill."

🔥▋୨★« ་. 01.- Kuai Liang always tried to keep up appearances with you, in a way it wasn't completely a lie since it was part of his person, however he didn't like lying to you even though it was the best for both of you and to maintain for the moment the friendship that existed between you.

🔥▋୨★« ་. 02.- If there was anything that bothered Kuai Liang, it was seeing you with other people, especially other men. He repressed his jealousy but not his desire to leave whoever was with you dead and that's how it is; Every man you've been close to for even 2 seconds is a dead man the next day. There could only be one God for you and that was him.

🔥▋୨★« ་. 03.- He liked to know everything about you, down to the smallest detail about your life, no matter how small or insignificant the event that happened in your life was, he must know it and will know it sooner or later. Don't try to hide anything from him because it won't stop him from knowing or you might even provoke him and… you don't really want that do you?

🔥▋୨★« ་. 04.- Whenever he can, Kuai Liang brings you gifts which you accept, that makes him soften a little, he likes to see that you stay soft but not that they take advantage of you. Even if he knew that this type of action was normal by nature, he was not going to allow it to continue happening. If you were nice and soft you were only going to do it with him.

🔥▋୨★« ་. 05.- He doesn't know if the feeling was mutual between you, at first he would try to convince you or even persuade you when confessing his feelings, he would never hurt you if you didn't do what he wanted against your will, he was capable of everything except that but if it was necessary forcing you will do it.

EXTRA: ¿do you accept my confession?

> you have accepted kuai liang's confession.

You have reciprocated Kuai Liang's feelings, he is very happy to know that you have reciprocated which makes both of you have a good ending, especially for you, you will be able to be together! Not even death will be able to separate them, they will always be united even in the afterlife. Now he had the right to make you his, connect as one. Finally, he takes the first step by kissing your lips and you reciprocate. You let yourself be carried away by the moment, as if you too had loved him for a long time. Little by little he placed his hands around your hips and then one of them went down to your intimate part, you felt a chill run down your spine which you liked to feel and you unconsciously reacted by moving your hips forward. He notices it and looks at you with a warm but mischievous smile.

──── "I see that you are eager to start, I will not make you wait any longer..."

He will be your support, he would be able to burn things, all for you. Now he will be your new god.

"You'll be fine" he said.

[eight-cats-in-a-box]

Lore for my Phoenix!!!! Long post so it's under the cut OwO @dandorime

Agent Phoenix, also known as [REDACTED], is the Agency's best operative, with successful missions numbering in the dozens under their belt. This file requires Level 5 security clearance.

[CARD ACCEPTED]

Agent Phoenix, hereafter referred to as either "Phoenix" or "Agent", also known as Leonidas Orion Bates, is the Agency's best operative, with their unique gift of resurrection allowing them to complete missions without a fluke- perhaps not the first time, but it's only a matter of time and iteration until they can complete it.

Phoenix had a fairly normal upbringing, with nothing of note occurring until their eighteenth birthday, when they were kidnapped by Zoraxis operatives on their way to a party. They would spend the next five years captive there. It is unclear why they were chosen, and Phoenix has declined to comment.

During those years, Phoenix was Pavlov'd into complete obedience by [REDACTED], their Zoraxis handler. [Note from R.C: Their handler was a horrible person, and quite frankly, I'm glad she's dead.] This was accomplished with a high-voltage shock collar. Phoenix has declined to elaborate further, for good reason.

They were renamed "Sicarius" ["killer" in Latin], and used as an assassin/executioner for Zor themself. This left Phoenix quite damaged, both physically and mentally. They have expressed a fear of harming their loved ones, and although the scars from the shock collar have faded, they're still visible on occasion.

Phoenix showed up at the Agency Headquarters in London on 04/09/XXXX, looking exhausted. They were taken into custody, and promised to give freely the information that they had on Zor's plans in exchange for sanctuary.

Their first Agency handler necessitated a transfer. It took a long time for them to trust their second Handler, due to mistrust not only from their Zoraxis handler, but their first Agency handler as well. [Note from R.C:I made sure that [REDACTED] got fired. What they did to Phoenix was inexcusable.] However, post-Operation: Death Engine, they opened up a bit more, and the two are now fast friends.

Phoenix has expressed a concerning willingness to kill, maim, and otherwise maul the enemies of those they are close to. This has been kept in check by their handler, but there are occasions on which they are permitted to...let loose. [See Incident Report 089.]

Post-Operation: Rising Phoenix, Agent Phoenix's handler, Reginald Crane, had informed Agency Director Ricardo Morales that if Phoenix were truly dead, he would be handing in his resignation, effective immediately. Two weeks later, the Agent initiated the Recommunication Protocol at Control Point Babadag. [Note from R.C: To say I was ecstatic would be a gross understatement.]

Post-activation, Phoenix informed Crane that none other than John Juniper was in their custody, and they were helping him recover. Juniper was later taken to an Agency hospital to recover, and allow Phoenix to focus on thwarting Doctor Roxana Prism, who had recently allied with Dr. Zor.

[Note from R.P: The two seem to have a dynamic similar to that of siblings. Phoenix regularly instigates arguments with J.J, and vice versa, but they have started all-out brawls because of someone else bullying the other. It's very strange. See Incident Report 087.]

After Operation: KBOOM, Prism was taken into Agency custody, but was released after both Agent Phoenix and Crane threatened to leave the Agency if she were not released.

Phoenix eventually befriended and even wooed the Doctor, and they have a very healthy relationship. Crane has expressed his approval, although Juniper was seen "shovel-talking" Prism. It seems he is rather protective over Phoenix, as Phoenix is with him.

Phoenix also stole the kinesium the Agency confiscated [namely, the sample taken from Robutler], and returned it to Prism, along with Right Robot. Phoenix returned to the Agency HQ looking quite smug, and declined to comment on their disheveled state.

Phoenix currently resides in California, with Prism, Right Robot, Robutler, and several cats. [Note from A.P: Their names are Buzz, Gracie, Lucy, Betty, Cheddar, Bill, Frank, Honey, Flip-Flop, and Sandal.]

INCIDENT REPORT 087

INCIDENT FILER: [REDACTED]

Agent Phoenix has left no less than four agents in critical condition, and at least ten more with non-serious injuries after an all-out brawl they started in the canteen. When asked why, they simply replied, "No one is allowed to bully Agent Clover [John Juniper] except me." [Note from J.J: Aww, they do care.]

Disciplinary action has not been taken, as their Handler has interfered.

End report.

INCIDENT REPORT 088

INCIDENT FILER: [REDACTED]

Agent Phoenix, who has now returned to normal, was reported as seeming rather dazed and looking around as though they had lost something at 17:26. They left the building at 17:32, and Doctor Roxana Prism reported seeing them at her doorstep at 18:49, with symptoms similar to that of Zor's Project Eidolon. [Glowing eyes, bigger physical presence, oddly robotic movements]

However, when Prism opened the door, Phoenix did not attack her, as other Eidolon were wont to do. They instead told her that they were "awaiting commands." [Note from R.C: I've always said that not even God himself could make Phoenix harm Roxana. It's nice to know I'm right.]

This loyalty/obedience lasted until Phoenix was returned to normal, and save for more sass, there hasn't been much change. [Note from A.P: Because there wasn't, really. I'd do anything for the ones I love. I think the only thing that changed was my accent, honestly.]

End report.

INCIDENT REPORT 089

INCIDENT FILER: REGINALD CRANE

Doctor Roxana Prism, who is currently recovering in the medbay of Agency HQ, was recently kidnapped by Zoraxis, possibly as a last resort due to the failure of Project: Eidolon. Agent Phoenix and myself found her at Zor's base in Jasper, Nevada. The place was crawling with guards, so we made a plan.

Phoenix was already on edge, and getting twitchier every second. So, I allowed them to clear the way for the both of us to rescue Roxana.

It was...brutal, to say the least. To say they were covered in blood not their own would be an understatement. [Note from R.P: I didn't exactly mind, honestly. The dry-cleaning bill was awful, though.]

Roxana was extracted without further incident, and the Zoraxis base was demolished.

End report.

INCIDENT REPORT 090

INCIDENT FILER: Agent Clover [John Juniper]

Agent Phoenix has recently landed themself in the medbay (again) after attempting to down three entire bottles of moonshine on a bet. Suffice to say, they won. Unfortunately, the upgrade the Agency provided them with (that was supposed to be for poisoning) did not hold up to the stress.  I had to hold their hair back while they vomited for nearly half an hour, and as both their girlfriend and their Handler were busy, I had to take care of them as well.  I will be sending the Agency my dry-cleaning bill.

End Report.

INCIDENT REPORT 091

INCIDENT FILER: [REDACTED] Agent Phoenix is currently recovering in the medbay after a massive brawl between them and at least seventeen other agents, as well as security, which left them with a broken nose and three broken ribs. When asked what their motivations were, they declined comment, but a bystander said that they had apparently over heard someone mentioning Doctor Roxana Prism's history with Zoraxis, which enraged Phoenix to the point of picking a fight with an agent nearly twice their size and his group of friends. [Note from A.P: I don't even have a defense for this one. Love makes you do stupid things, and I love Roxy more than I love fire and alcohol.] Doctor Prism declined comment.

End Report.

[justadeadreaper]

// OPERATOR-BIO: JACK-POT //

Man’s best friend, a creature that will be most loyal to its master, a dog, the word befitting of Makarov’s bodyguard. The only member of Konni or the Inner Circle that could be described as more loyal than Andrei to Makarov and his cause, a man who would do anything to see it come to life. No matter what was thrown at him, he always came back; no bullet or grenade could keep him down or dead for long as he would just get up again and fight once more; it is no surprise that he earned Makarov’s favour. A giant that uses his strength for the wrong cause. A man who sees what he does as a mission from God as he aims to build a new world, one that Makarov controls. A man who uses his talent to create technology to wipe out cities to forge a path to his only. A man who became the face of Konni, so at least if he was taken in, Makarov could still concoct what needed to be done. A man who smiles as he beats in the skull of his enemies. Makarov’s jackpot. 

Divider used, by: @mmadeinheavenn (Please support him as he made the amazing divider I will be using)

CALLSIGN: Jack-Pot

ALIASES: Behemoth (by Taskforce 141), Makarov’s (sometimes attack or guard) Mutt (by Makarov, Taskforce 141, and others), Nephelim (by Makarov’s associates), Big Bastard (by Soap)

CITIZENSHIP: Russian

LANGUAGE(S): English, French, Biblical Hebrew, Latin, Russian

FRACTION AFFILIATION: Konni, The Inner Circle, The Ultranationalist Party, Zakhaev's Arms

STATUS: Active

AGE: 29

NAME: [REDACTED] “Remus” Belladonna Matthew [REDACTED]

PLACE OF BIRTH: [REDACTED]

DATE OF BIRTH: 26.06.1995

SEX: [REDACTED] Male; [REDACTED]

BLOOD TYPE: O-

HEIGHT: 7’11”

WEIGHT: 503 to 533 Pounds

BUILD: Stocky, well built

SCARS, TATTOOS, AND MARKINGS: Healed skin grafting covering most of the left side of his body -predominantly on the front of his body even if it goes onto his back- from his face to his torso to his arms to his legs with a few patches dotted around the right side of his body, missing most of his left ear, teeth marks across his right hand, scars across his back that seems to be from something like a belt, a long surgical scar above his heart, surgical scars across his body (more specifically his knees, hips, ankles, and shoulders), scars from knife and bullet wounds across his body, scars across his right arm, a scar across his lower back around his tail bone that looks like something was carved off of his skin, a scar around all of his neck that has a crown of thorns above and below it, a massive snake tattoo that loops around his right leg to his back and chest with the head resting on his chest, a tattoo of a dog on the back calf of his left leg, a tattoo of a kingfisher styled queen chess piece on his right arm, a tattoo of a spider's web over his heart that is made of webbing and flowers (specifically forget-me-nots, bleeding hearts, larkspur, and lavender) with a redback spider resting on it, tattoos of thieves' stars on his shoulder blades, a tattoo of a cathedral on his lower left back to the side of his torso, and a tattoo of the words 'Владимир Анатольевич Родион Макаров' on his V-line

HAIR: Just past his shoulders, extremely curly, ginger but with streaks of grey

EYES: Brown

COMPLEXION: Medium Beige to Medium Tan

RACE: [REDACTED]

NATIONALITY: [REDACTED]

OCCUPATION: Makarov’s bodyguard

[REDACTED] “Remus” Belladonna Matthew [REDACTED] was born to mother, [REDACTED] and father, [REDACTED] of the acclaimed [REDACTED] family of [REDACTED]. 

An unwanted child straight from the womb. [REDACTED] was given to his [REDACTED] at the young age of five with his [REDACTED], just like his [REDACTED] before him, after suffering years of abuse. The reason given was due to the fact of him being a [REDACTED] instead of the “normal” son they wanted. An extreme bond formed between the only three people who he knew to love him as his two [REDACTED] lived under the tyrannically religious rule of their [REDACTED] even if she loved them like her own children even. An unhealthy bond formed with religion from that point acting as more of a reason to live than a lifestyle as it was one of the true comforts they could afford as he grew to develop an unhealthy view of relationships and how to act in them as none of them stopped him.

[REDACTED]. Giving him nearly all the scars that riddle his body and leading him to run away at the age of sixteen.

[REDACTED]. 

That was until he met the acclaimed Vladimir Makarov. A deal was made between the two, in exchange for protection, he would work for the terrorist doing any act that the leader asked of him. [REDACTED].

[REDACTED].

Despite the eccentric, terrifying persona he plays when out in front of the public as he performs another terrorist act for Makarov whether it be blowing up another building or crushing a man's skull, when he is with his men he is known to still be terrifying but also a caring and somewhat goofy leader as neither Andrei or Makarov want to deal with every little complaint that they had.

Every team bonding activity is planned by him as Makarov sees it as a waste of time but he knows that forming strong bonds is extremely useful in the world he has found himself in where it is not uncommon to find themselves being stabbed in the back. He listens and resolves their problems as he earns their trust to seem like a genuine, caring leader, but to him, it is not as genuine as everyone thinks it to be. Yes, he cares about his men but he learnt from his family and from living this life for so long to never be attached and to always gain people’s love for when you need to use it. An optimist on the outside but a true pessimist deep down, but he has learnt to bury those feelings long ago. The only people he has ever shown his genuine true side to, the caring, soft, but funny side is what is left of his family and his best friend Infrared who knows to look past the terrifying act he puts on.

The only other notable thing that most Konni soldiers have learnt about their unofficial leader is his morals, hatred of Milena, and undying loyalty to Makarov. They have watched how he rapidly goes to defend Makarov and kill any man who has been disloyal before running off to check on their Komandir; it is why they all believe that Makarov trusts him the most out of all as he knows that Jack-Pot will be loyal to his death like Makarov is holding something against him even after all the years that Jack-Pot has so effectively served him. They have watched his side eyes and scoffs whenever Milena talks or tries to command someone and how he so easily argues with her to the point of having a game with Infrared where they throw stuff (mainly slippers or flipflops) at Milena whenever she walks by, but in the end he has to let her do what she wants as she is his Komandir’s wife -even if she is the only one who can not see that Makarov only married her for her money and not because he loved her- and he hates to disappoint Makarov as it physical pains him.

What he has left of morals has been crafted by his faith and upbringing. They all know that he will refuse to do certain things as it is against his teachings and he has rules for his soldiers based on his own beliefs whether it be to not desecrate a corpse but instead give them a proper burial or to turn the other cheek unless it is so disagreeable that violence is needed. Most do not mind as he does not force them to participate in his religion with him but they have grown to understand that he will not break his morals unless Makarov calls for it; they all know he feels enough Catholic guilt for other things and do not want to make it worse.

-One item of clothing you will never see him without is his rosary; it is normally tucked beneath his shirt so that it will be pulled on whenever he is in a fight but when casually around base he tends to have it out on display. The rosary has been in his family for countless generations, which can be seen by how the gold and ivory have gone dull but to him, it is one of the most important items in his life that once when a recruit had made the foolish decision to steal it he had beaten their brain in with his fists before putting the rosary back around his neck. It was a warning to others who were forced to witness the twitching body of their fallen comrade as he lived through his final moments while Jack-Pot walked off to pray.

-Unlike what his size would make you believe, he is incredibly smart. He is known to even give Makarov advice when his Kommandir is concocting their next plan, but his intelligence is most clear when he relaxes in his workshop surrounded by his inventions. A savant when it comes to anything mechanical. Makarov paid for his robotics, engineering, and mechanics degrees when he saw the potential that Jack-Pot exhibited when he was able to fix up a getaway car in a matter of no time. Makarov still pays for any degree Jack-Pot requests to do that relates to machinery as it only means they will have access to more complex machinery; it also means that it keeps the giant busy even if it seems like he gets through them in no time. Nearly everything mechanical on the base is made by Jack-Pot, from the security cameras (which he watches and treats like they are a live-action soap opera) to the air conditioning and heating systems that make the base just a little less unbearable. His skills are that trusted that he was even allowed to make the robotic prosthetic for Makarov and control the device that lets the arms do certain actions.

-He has a love of orchestral music, that any song he likes he will try to find an orchestral version of it, but if he can not find an orchestral version, he will normally settle for an instrumental version. He can not explain why he does not like the vocals of a song; he just shrugs and says that he has been like it since he was a child; the only exceptions to this rule were his older brother and grandmother, whose singing he adored but they normally sung hymns and nothing more. Despite his lack of love for hearing people sing, he is a talented singer even if he does not sing often; the only few times people have heard him sing is when he thinks he is alone or when he is dragged into singing by a drunk Makarov when Konni are celebrating another victory. His musical abilities are not just restricted to singing but also are extended to the piano as he is a very talented player who can play any song he wishes too after enough practice. Although, he loves Bruno Mars. It seems to be one of the only musicians he can listen to sing and there is a joke that if you catch Jack-Pot in the middle of the night raiding the Konni fridges that you will be hearing him sing one of Bruno Mars’ songs or another guilty pleasure song on his playlist.

-Despite his size, he is impressively fast and flexible. It is common to see him do stretches before all of his workouts as he tries his best to keep his flexibility from when he was much younger and smaller. When he was a child to a teenager he used to do ballet and still knows how to do some of the routines from when he was younger as it was always something he enjoyed as it first got him into fitness. He also trains his speed as he does not want to be slowed down by his size as he has learnt from prior instances and Makarov that a few seconds can be a matter of life or death.

-Although he hates to admit it, he is quite deaf and blind with his left eye and left ear suffering the most. He wears an “earpiece” in his left ear which is actually a cochlear implant that Makarov had paid for him to have which allows for him to make use of what is left of his left ear. When he takes the outer piece off he becomes deaf to the world in his left ear with his right ear being only a bit better that most at Konni know to either use sign language or shout loud enough for him to hear. Meanwhile, his left eye is his biggest blind spot due to not bein able to see through most of it and the bits he can see being blurry; when reading or building another invention he wears glasses so the blurriness does not stop him from doing what he loves.

-If you were to look up the definition of a hopeless romantic you would see his face as the first thing that pops up. Due to his religious upbringing and the only books he had as a child being passed down fairytales where the prince and princess get their happy ending it gave him a distorted view of love where he wants the happy little family of a partner and children where he gets to adore his partner endlessly and they adore him just as much. This has also led him to be quite... obsessive when he falls in love to the point of doing anything for the person he adores as they become his drug as he always chases the happy pipe dream he was sold.

-No one has ever heard his real accent. It has been noted by soldiers higher in Makarov’s favour and rankings that he has one “real” accent when talking to Makarov but two other accents when speaking to his main “assosiate”. When speaking to Konni soldiers or any other member of the public he puts on a Russian accent but the people who have heard his other accents have described them to either be British or American. The few brave souls that have brought it up to Makarov due to their concerns have either mysteriously disappeared, been sent on suicide missions, or were left terrified that they never wanted to speak about it again.

-Apart from the professional trainers Makarov brings in, Jack-Pot also helps to train the dobermans. While the professionals train them to attack the enemies with no remourse, Jack-Pot trains them to be loving dogs towards him, Makarov, and other Konni soldiers that are not deemed as traitors. The dobermans are like his babies as he has given each one a name for when they are with him apart from ‘Attack Dog Number 7’ and has beds for them in his office and in the blank space that he calls a bedroom.

-His love of animals is not only reserved for the dobermans that Konni have on base and conventional pets but it expands to unconventional pets as well, particularly snakes. Connected to his workshop is a room reserved just for his pet snakes where he has made extremely large vivariums with his own hands for them to live in. He has dozens of different types of snakes from none venomous to extremely venomous that Makarov has let him collect over the years. He uses the venom of his snakes on people that they are torturing for information; diluting the mixture as much as he can so that it hurts but does not kill the person. He also has the horrendous habit to put the less venomous snakes into Milena’s room so they can have some exploration time even if he knows Milena is terrified of snakes as he despises the woman. But, on a more “wholesome” note, he likes to wear the none venomous and more friendly snakes around his neck like a scarf when walking around base on a sunday doing chores as the only one who does not have to work; especially his absolute favourite Big Bertie a Burmese python that Makarov gifted him for his birthday one year to keep the giant company.

-Due to his size and needing to eat tons upon tons of calories he has learnt to be an amazing cook if you have a spice tolerance like his. As he needs a lot of protein and carbs to keep up his physique he has learnt how to butcher all kinds of meats and cook them in all different kinds of ways so he is able to get everything he needs without getting bored of his meals. He is best at grilling the meats on a grill or frying them but tends to stick to the later as it is easier to make bigger batches that way when he wants to share with other Konni soldiers who are fed up of the base’s food or do not want to be poisoned by Milena’s slop. He even knows vegan meals with high amounts of protein and other nutrients so he can have it on a friday but these meals tend to be more relaxed and cheat meals as he loves to fry the mushrooms he uses as a replacement for chickens.

-Anyone who wants to get on his good side or bond with him knows that the best thing to do is not give him some form of alcohol like every other soldier on that base but to instead sit down with him to watch whatever shitty soap drama he has found. He absolutely adores watching them no matter which country it comes from or how shitty it is as long as it is dramatic and has the craziest of twists in the love category. His most notable favourites are some telenovelas he saw when he had been dragged along to Mexico to talk to a cartel leader to ask to make an alliance with her or some old ones he found on VHS in Makarov’s mother’s face after he stayed to help her clean up after fixing her severely outdated freezer and improving it.

-Like anyone of his size he is constantly warm which has caused him to much prefer cold environments to hot ones. He has no issue walking around base in a compression shirt and sweatpants or even going into the snow with just those clothes on to go fetch something that blew away while others at Konni have to go outside in at least three layers to walk through the Antarctic weathers of the land of the barren, snowy part of Russia where the base presides. If you are ever cold he would give you his jacket as he is always “too warm” in his own opinion and he does not mind it when others stay closer to him to keep warm from the heat he radiates. However, even if he tans impecicably and can stand the heat he still hates it. Yes, he can last in the heat without complaining outwardly but it makes him feel uncomfortable and makes his headaches worse as he is already naturally warm but if you bet him that he could not stay out in the Sun then he is staying out there tanning to just prove you wrong even if he needs to take enough paracetamol to euthanise a horse to deal with his headache.

‘С нами Бог.’

‘I know a few cannibals we could send them too. My main associate hasn’t tried gangster flesh yet, I think. Why are you all looking at me like that?’

'Time walks in hands with the Devil as they eat all of God's children, there is no changing fate unless you want to disregard God's plans, we’ll all die in the end whether we agree to it or not. It's why we make the most with the time we have; we make the biggest impact. We let our legacy dictate how this Earth will turn out even if it means we will have thousands of corpses laying that path.'

'A dog that has only known beatings for its whole life will only know to bite. Any man that comes near will be bitten. It knows it can only fight to survive. Its maw is its weapon; it's what it knows it needs to survive. But, to muzzle it will cause it to whimper in fear.'

'Showing a beaten dog some kindness will change its life. A loving hand compared to an abusive hand that feeds seems like Heaven. It will become loyal to that hand even if it becomes abusive as that was the only thing they knew to be kind.'

'Any man that is kind enough can create a deadly weapon. His dog will be loyal to the core. It will attack anything that tries to hurt the man. Using the maw for fighting to now protect. It will give its life for its new master even if it means they will never run free again.'

‘Breathe... breathe... just breathe and calm your arse down. We’re out of it now, we aren’t going back to it. Nothing will drag us back.’

‘Did the dingo set you up for this? Sorry love but I’m not a big fan of azaleas, more of a lavender man myself.’

'You missed? Again?! Next time I'll crush your skull to use the fragments for bullets!’

‘Nice arm you have here. Pretty tattoos as well. I’m sure you don’t mind me taking this back for my Komandir.’

‘If I hear that those Brits and Scots have blown up another one of my gardens I will personally go to their base and blow up everything!’

'You think a little bullet will hurt me? Hehe, Komandir's put me through worse.' 'I’m going to go pray. I need you all to stay here for two minutes while I ask God to give me patience since if he gives me any more strength, I’m going to kill all of you.'

'Why should I pay a few thousand rubles for this crap?! I can go home and by next week I'll have it done and I'll have only paid a few hundred max. ...robbing bastards.' 'Shhhh, I need you to quieten down. Komandir is cold. He needs the world to burn to stay warm and fat burns so easily.'

'Make me a promise, okay? If you have to lay me to rest before they put us both in our final places, remember, if you bother to give me a headstone, plant an apple tree behind it and lavender around it. I want to know that when you miss me that you'll visit and I can still provide you with help to sleep and I'll still be able to feed you. I'll always l...care for you even when I'm in Hell.'

Normal; Due to being one of the highest-ranking soldiers at Konni he wears an identical uniform to Andrei except for the fact that everything in the uniform from the groin protector to the compression shirt to the vest has been tailored to accommodate his gigantic size. The biggest difference between the two uniforms can be seen with the mask that Jack-Pot wears and the small additions that have been added. He wears a choker around his neck that holds his microphone with additional patches across his uniform apart from the Konni patch to display his rank. Meanwhile, his mask is based on the skull of a wolf as it lays on his face in two pieces, the lower jaw bone that moves with his own jaw and the upper piece, which takes more liberty in its design but looks like the face of a wolf, that is attached separately so that it can stay in place which allows him to still use his teeth when attacking enemies in close combat.

Casual; Based on what he wears when he is on base and not working as he prefers to wear something simple and comfortable which just so happens to be a very basic pair of grey sweatpants and a black compression shirt that he had Konni’s tailors personally make or he would be forced to go around naked.

Medusa; Based on its namesake, with this skin, he wears a white floor-length chiton that goes over the left shoulder and leaves the top right side of his torso exposed to show off the head of the snake tattoo as it curls around his body. Between the curls of hair now lay king cobras with some curling around his neck that will spit venom at anyone he commands as the scales on the snakes match the scales that now lay in place of the skin graft. While around his ankles and wrists are now golden chains that lead to somewhere...

Seraphim; Based on his deep ties to his religion in this skin he is the biblically accurate depiction of an Angel, specifically a Seraphim. He is dressed in a mixture of both white and red robes similar to the chiton he wears in the Medusa skin with golden chains coming from both his wrists and from under the robe. He has six pairs of wings, one main pair with a smaller pair above and below it -the top pair can be used to hide his face- as golden eyes cover the wings and cover parts of his body. His hair is replaced by flames as his tattoos are now made of golden while he cries golden tears.

The Bear; Based on his more feral side in this skin all he wears is a pair of bloodied combat trousers with no shirt at all as to show off his pecs and the tattoos and scars that riddle his chest as it is also covered in blood. Replacing his wolf mask is instead a bear skin with the paws attached to his arms with the rest of the pelt trailing down his back and the bear’s head on top of his own head which obscures his eyes.

The General; Based on what I imagine him to look like in an AU where he is a General for Zakhaev and much older, his hair is filled with more greys with more wrinkles across his face as he wears a traditional General’s uniform -the hat, jacket, shirt, and trousers- in black paired with black leather gloves and a black cloak with a gold chain and clasps that keep it on his shoulders and a gun holster on his belt.

The King; To be paired with a Makarov skin I have thought of that suits him, this skin is based on the king piece in chess. With this skin, he is decorated in ornate golden armour that is decorated with jewels and engravings and a crown upon his head as the armour is fashioned to resemble the king chess piece.

Purple Nymph; Based on the Nymphs of Greek mythology he is completely naked but sexless in this skin as his tattoos are now different shades of purple with his hair now being made up of the hyacinths and lavender that also bloom out of his skin and petals spill out from between his lips.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

[Text: Tell me, what do you think of people actually liking the character development in season 4-5 and the show's treatment of mental health? [Redacted] thinks that and she's the mother of a teenager]

Re liking the show: I generally assume that they have poor taste and/or media literacy.

Re the mental health rep: I generally assume that they're incredibly privileged and/or ignorant.

I'm posting this as an image and not an ask response specifically because I will not participate in fandom drama or shaming. This blog exists specifically so that people can actively choose to engage in my content and so that I can post critical thoughts without dragging their source into some petty fight. So I'm not going to talk about the named individual. Instead, I'll replace them with the show's head writer and talk about him in a similar context.*

He's pretty famously denied that Chloe suffered any abuse, ignoring her obvious neglect, which came from both parents, just in different forms. When you pair that with how the show handles people like Gabe and Jagged Stone, we see a clear pattern of the show ignoring the devastating effects that abandonment and neglect can have on a person, especially if they're a child.

Now you could look at that and say, "The head writer condones abuse! He's a monster!" But I prefer to go the more likely route and assume that he's a privileged middle-class cis white man who has never had to deal with those issues or support someone who has, so he has no idea how to handle them properly or that they even need to be properly handled. There's every chance that he's a loving, kind man and a fantastic father who just happens to not be very good at writing a complex topic that he clearly has no understanding of or desire to learn about. I apply similar logic to fans who share his opinions. Never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence or ignorance.

And all of the above is assuming that we're talking about someone who thinks that the show is objectively good or that the mental health rep is good, which are big assumptions. It's fully possible to enjoy a piece of media that you know is objectively bad or even "problematic" in some way.

Personal confession time: is Loonatics Unleashed an objectively terrible show that you should never, ever watch? Absolutely. 100%. Are Rev Runner and Tech E. Coyote two of my favorite characters who will live rent free in my head until the day I die? Yep! I pulled up a YouTube highlight real as I was writing this and those dorks still make me smile even though the show is terrible on multiple levels and I know that I'm not alone in that sentiment. Those two clicked with a lot of people for some reason.

A piece of fiction need not be good for you to love it and you don't need to justify your love for a piece of fiction if you're not claiming that it's good. Similarly, people hating that piece of fiction or pointing out flaws in it is not a reflection on you in any way shape or form. You can even agree with their criticism and still love the piece of fiction. This approach to media - loving a thing in spite of its flaws - is normal and healthy and I'd really love to see it make a comeback in younger fandoms.

Like, I cannot emphasize this enough, most fandoms consider it perfectly normal to have lots of fans who are critical of the source or who have even lost interest in the source for one reason or another, but they still like some element of the source enough to want to create/consume fan content for it. These more critical fans arguably make some of the best fan content because looking at canon and saying "That's nice, let me show you how I'd do it" often leads to some of the most complex stories that you'll see in fandom spaces. Stories that can often blow canon out of the water for TV shows and movies since fanfic isn't limited by budgets or studio policies or marketability concerns. Fans who think that the source is perfect tend to just write fluff or romcom type fics, which is not a dig! I love bother of those genres! But woman does not live on fluff alone.

Obviously there's some complexity here because who decides if a show is bad? Saying "it's okay that you like a terrible thing" can certainly sound like an insult and prompt a feeling of needing to defend the thing, which is why I don't fight with fans who like the show. There's really no need to convince them that the thing they like is bad. Do I think it is? Yes. Does it matter if they disagree? No, not really. At worst, they create stories with similar issues and, well, they're not the only ones and fighting with them isn't going to stop them. You're much better off focusing on creating your own good media and trying to get that popular. Heck, even if you made the head writer see all of Miracuous' flaws, it wouldn't change anything. The show is already made.

So, yeah, I don't really assume anything bad about people who think that miraculous is good. I know lots of wonderful people who have terrible taste in media and I'm still friends with them. I just don't take recommendations from them.

It's important to remember that, when you're online in a fandom space, a person is condensed down to a very tiny snapshot of who they are and judging a person solely off of their thoughts regarding a poorly written kids show is a dangerous path to tread. Like, looking at this blog, you might assume that I spend all of my time thinking about miraculous and obsessing over its flaws, which is very much not the case. I actually have this blog specifically so that I don't obsess over miraculous' flaws because I've found that, when something is bothering me, writing it down or talking to someone about it is the best way to stop thinking about it. Even then, most of my posts are reblogs of stuff I come across while browsing my tumblr feed, which is not solely miraculous content. I mostly interact with the show by creating non-salty fanfic that I honestly enjoy writing and find to be a relaxing, positive outlet.

It's human nature to judge and it's totally normal to think that a person's an idiot because of something they post online, but be careful to not lean into those thoughts too hard. At the end of the day, Miraculous is just a stupid kids show that will fade from the popular consciousness a few years after it stops airing. If it and/or the fandom are negatively affecting your mental health, then it's okay to step away for a while or use the block button. It really is your best friend. I enjoy being critical about Miraculous specifically because it's not that important. While I do think that kids deserve better media, I don't think Miraculous is some terrible evil harming the youth. I'm not horrified when a kid watches it, it's just not a show that I'd encourage them to watch and, if the kids was close to me, we'd spend a lot of time talking about the bad things that the show showcases from time to time. There are lots of episodes that are fine and I can think of way worse kids shows. Shows that tell their horrifying morals really well, making a kid far more likely to pick up on them and internalize them.

*Note that I only feel comfortable talking about the head writer like this because he's a public figure with an active social media presence AND because I'm not @ing him. If he was a private person or if he was not a professional creator, then I would not talk about him like this and even in that context I try to avoid it whenever I can. You can think that he's a terrible writer, but he's still a human being and, as far as I'm aware, nothing he's done deserves people harassing him.

I absolutely understand how devastating it can be to see a story you love get ruined by the creative team. The first time that happened to me, the life lesson I came away with was, "I will no longer put my happiness in the hands of another creator. I will enjoy stories, but I will temper my expectations and remember that they're just another human being and it's completely possible that their vision for this seemingly awesome story may end up being terrible."

[intrepid-fictioneer-7]

Somewhat detailed sypnosis of Fate/school life, the 4-koma spinoff of Fate/stay night following the regular lives of the Homurahara students, specifically the track team trio. A manga that has never been translated into English, and so is largely unknown in the English fandom. This would largely not be a problem, except Fate/strange Fake is set in its continuity, or close enough, which makes its allusions to it and important plot points derived from it incredibly confusing.

Not my work, this sypnosis was exclusively typed up by Comun (@kaibutsushidousha​ here) on Beast Lair:

Ok, I have time now. Here's what the general deal with HimuTen is. Himuro no Tenchi is a yonkoma manga starring the normal girls of the track trio + Mitsuzuri, and the much less normal Sajou Ayaka from Fate/Prototype. As the "Fate/school life" subtitle implies, it's wholly slice-of-life, featuring its cast involved in everyday situations, the many original games they play, and supernatural shenanigans that they don't realize are supernatural thanks to Rin or Ayaka cleaning things up neatly.

Publication started in 2006 covering a story set 9 months before the Grail War, but then during its 2015-2017 run, it covered the Grail War from the perspective of people who didn't know the Grail War happening, and is currently set after the Grail War.

In terms of timeline, the main point of divergence that defines HimuTen is Kotomine's handling of Tokiomi's property. Like in the Fsn timeline, after the 4th Grail War, Kotomine was in charge of Tokiomi's finances until Rin grew up, but he made categorically stupid decisions on what to sell and what to keep, and his disastrous management was the cause of Rin's current money problems. But in HimuTen's timeline, while the outcome of Kotomine's poor management was still the same, what specifically he chose to sell was different. This results in two major consequences that separate HimuTen from Fate/stay night:

1)A lot of Tokiomi's less practically useful artifacts and Mystic Codes were sold to Makidera's father's antique shop, which often results in Makidera and her friends being involved in strange phenomena that Rin needs to take responsibility for.

2) A plot of land directly above Fuyuki's best leyline was sold to Sajou Hiroki, causing him to move with his two daughters to move to Fuyuki in 1994. By 2003-2004, Manaka already moved away from her father's house, and Hiroki himself never appears because he's always out of Fuyuki either meeting up with his mage buddy from Tokyo or dealing with Manaka situations, but Ayaka is a main character in this story, so that obviously has many ramifications.

Also, Ayaka's and Manaka's characters in HimuTen are pretty different from their Prototype counterparts. Fake Ayaka is about as much of a self-hating introvert with no self-esteem as Proto Ayaka, but she didn't get from the real Ayaka of this timeline.

The younger Manaka still had the same propensity to set the world on fire for her Prince Charming, but direct quote: "Her excessive omnipotence caused [REDACTED] to [REDACTED] because it was [REDACTED], thus [REDACTED] went completely off-rails, resulting in the collapse of her most confident plan. Catastrophic shipwreck. She learned that picture books are pictures books are for a reason. The Prince Charming of her dreams wasn't real. Disheartened, she [REDACTED]. [REDACTED]. She turned harmless."

Meanwhile, since Manaka never found her ideal hot man, this Ayaka has none of her Grail War trauma. Instead, she had the experience of witnessing depression turn her highly competent sister into an unproductive failure of a human being, and built an actual self-esteem from training in Fuyuki's best leyline, so she internalized that she needed to be the responsible sister.

And, relevantly to /strange Fake, Ayaka also left Fuyuki in the July-August 2003 period for a student experience in the Clock Tower. Waver naturally got interested in a new student with the same last name as Manaka, so they met and she was a temporary student in his class, where she also got to realize her Formalcraft talents from Proto and was advised to specialize in plants since she was so opposed to sacrificing animals.

The last major thing to talk about is the Grail War arc, although I think this was already discussed in the thread when FsF being a HimuTen sequel first came up. Due to the premise of the manga, we don't see anything of the Grail War actually happen, but from its consequences to the people around the track trio (Kuzuki's disappearance, Mitsuzuri's assault and hospitalization, Zouken's death, the Ryuudou family needing to move to the Semina Apartments after the collapse of the cavern under their temple, Medusa's post-war presence, Shirou's survival and relationship status with Sakura, etc.), it's completely that HimuTen follows Heaven's Feel Good End except for the minor divergences caused by Ayaka's presence. And those are only two:

1) During the weeks of the Grail War, Ayaka was teaming up with Ciel (yes, Ciel was there, but she isn't a character in HimuTen, she's just an incognito figure you find, exclusively during the Grail War chapters, talking to Ayaka in the background, appearing on the corners of pages, group shots, etc. and what is up with her cameos is only revealed in profiles outside of the story proper) to kept outside scavengers from interfering with the Grail War. Mashin's official statement is that together the thwarted 9 out of 10 invaders, and the 10th one that slipped past them would have consequences later in the United States. (This seriously implies that the Fsn timeline had a bigger number of scavengers profiting from the Grail War, which certainly will come up in some spin-off, probably the El-Melloi series)

2) Shinji lost a bet to Ayaka during that week, so he had to wear a magical wig that copied his hair, but slightly off-center, making people think he was wearing a wig all along. This protected his head from Sakura's attack, so in this timeline, Shinji was only injured rather than killed.

I suppose I could also talk about Tsunokuma since he cameoed here and how the reveal that the real Ayaka is currently studying in Romania is an extension of Manaka's and Celenike's relationship in HimuTen, but I'll stick to the Ayaka parts to keep this post as short as it can be.

[mortumslab]

My first attempt at Fanfic for the Fallen Hero universe. I am a science nerd in healthcare, so I'd like to try the first Dr. Halabi note as a SOAP (physician) note at Dr. Mortum's facility for my Sidestep (Arya).

Arya, as Retribution, is an anarchist set on justice and has been revealed to the Rangers, but Sky-Raider got her out before any of the Rangers could make a move.

__________________________

Note: These records are for internal use ONLY. Disclosure of these forms will be met with swift recourse.

Date: 5-10-21 

Facility: Mortum Site 01

Patient #: 2344

Patient Name: Arya Skovsgaard

Gender: Female (She/Her)

Attending: Dr. Halabi, MD

CC: Traumatic MVA

HPI:

Arya Skovsgaard is a 30 y.o. AFAB transferred to Site 01 two days following a motor vehicle accident. Per LDPD reports, the patient was restrained, and airbags were deployed. The patient appeared to be driving down the opposite lane on a two-lane highway and struck an oncoming truck. The larger truck was undamaged, but the vehicle the patient was driving was no longer operable. The patient is a known telepath (T12345678), Alpha level. She is known to be capable of operating other individuals through telepathy. The patient was transferred from the care of the Los Diabolos’ Rangers prior to arrival at Site 01. Previous to this, they were at Memorial Hospital under the care of another, unknown physician, wherein lower extremity injuries were treated. The patient chart was consulted prior to transfer. During their stay at this facility, the patient was discharged to inpatient care with a bilateral tibial fracture along the mid-diaphyseal line and a right femoral fracture at the mid-epiphyseal line. Lastly, physicians at the Ranger facility note left SI joint disjunction. It is not known if the accident was intentional, but the Ranger discharge notes allude to this as a possibility. For this reason, the patient will be under constant security detail. 

HPI is incomplete due to the current AMS.

ROS:

Patient arrived to facility in a state of alterted mental status leading to an incomplete ROS

Head: Positive for trauma

ENT: Negative for dental trauma

MSK: Grossly apparent damage to bilateral lower extremities

Integumentary: Positive for abrasions, lacerations, ecchymosis

Psych: Altered mental status

Neuro: Loss of consciousness

Physical Exam:

Physical exam from Dr. Petroza at time of surgery and reconstruction is included as a separate document. Below is Dr. Halabi’s secondary PE upon admission to Site 01.

Head: Trauma noted to bilateral orbitals. Ecchymosis around orbitals with classic appearance of trauma.

Neck: No trauma noted

Lymph: No abormalities noted.

Musculoskeletal: See diagram. Dr. Petroza and team applied bilateral leg casting to patient from femural head distally to ankle. Difficult to assess. Otherwise noted 

CV: No murmurs, rubs, gallops. Normal rate, rhythm. 

Respiratory: Some wheezing. Imaging from Ranger HQ shows no pneumothorax. Brusing to ribs, possibly due to CPR on scene.

GU: No abnormalities noted

Integumentary: Diffuse ecchymosis and bruising to regions visible, patient has [REDACTED] on skin noting them to be [REDACTED].

Psych: Unable to assess

Neuro: Unable to assess. Known telepath.

Assessment:

Agreement with prior disagnosis of bilateral tibial fracture along the mid-diaphsyeal line and right femoral fracture at the mid-epiphyseal line with protrusion from the medial right femur and bilateral media tibia.

Dipostion:

Inpatient discharge.

Progress notes:

5-20-21

2320: Call recieved that patient is en route.

5-21-21

0023: Patient arrives to Site 01.

0024: Dr. Halabi, attending, in room and performing phyical exam. 

0100: Patient woke briefly and [REDACTED] attacked them - they were removed from the premises. Security was tightened on the room.

0300: Patient awakens and requests food. Dr. Mortum in room and discussion plan with patient.

0800: Phone call received on patients cell phone from number listed “Julia.” Voicemail left. 

TRANSCRIPTION: “Arya, I know you’re out there. I… I’m glad. We’ll talk when you’re ready. I know you don’t want me to be around for this - but we need to talk. I want to help. I had some time to think… you might not have gone about this in the way I would have expected, but I think you have the right idea. Please call me. I love you.”

0830: Patient requesting discharge to their home. The Site will send her with an escort.

Electronic Signature:

Dr. Halabi, MD

This report is to remain within Site 01. If it is found outside of these servers, it should be destroyed, and the aforementioned party should be warned.

[thienvaldram]

Silurian Speculative Ancestry

Edit: Updated to add Silurians from the 30th Anniversary Calendar

Prelude – Meta-Origins of Silurians

It is of note that the Silurians, upon original development, were very much intended to effectively be ‘dinosaur people’. With their reptilian appearance being indicative of the pre-Avian, pre-Jurassic Park reptilian dinosaur conception. Though with JP-style avian dinosaurs being depicted in both Dinosaurs on a Spaceship and Deep Breath among others, as well as the newer designs of the Silurians themselves, make such an origin retroactively very tenuous in Universe.

Their two names from their first couple of stories, ‘Silurians’ and ‘Eocenes’, reflect two eras of history in which they are implied to originate, though both raise massive chronological problems with regards to how their depicted, especially in later works but even in their early ones. The Silurian era (444-415 million years ago) predates the emergence of reptiles entirely (310-320 million years ago) whereas the Eocene (56-34 million years ago) postdates the Dinosaurs but also still predates humanity (300,000 years ago), the homo genus (2.8 million years ago) and Hominids (22 million years ago).

And the ‘Silurian dating controversy’ only gets worse the more Silurian stories got written over time, as various pieces of media date them anywhere between less than 1 million years ago to 65 million years ago to 1 billion years ago (Which is pre Multicellular life). This exacerbated by the idea that the Moon’s capture was the reason for the Silurian hibernation, a theory that was since superseded by the Theia impact theory in modern scientific consensus and either way would have been dated to the early Solar System.

Thus for the interest of Speculative Biology I have thrown out all specific absolute dates and specific geological events associated with the Silurians in favour of hashing together an origin that makes conceptual sense for the Silurians as a prehistoric sentient Earthbound species based on what knowledge of modern biology I happen to have, as well as what jives with the overall ideas of the DWU.

Speculative Evolution

Speciation

Template

Scientific Name – Colloquial Identifier for this writeup (DWU Name/Origin Story)

Genus

Bipeslacertia – Reptilian Kindred (Earth Reptiles)

Species

Bipeslacertia vehemenus – Primitive Ancestor (Primitive Ancestor)

Bipeslacertia volans – “Winged Kindred” (Winged Earth Reptiles)

Bipeslacertia diabolus – Sea Devils (Sea Devils)

Bipeslacertia homines – Silurians (Silurians)

Mondasian Parallel Evolution

Bipeslacertia diabolus abastrius – Sea Kings (Mondasian Sea Devils)

Bipeslacertia homines abastrius – Lizard Kings (Mondasian Silurians)

Subspecies (Winged Kindred)

Bipeslacertia volans mortuus – “Paleocenes” (Winged Species – Adolescence of Time)

Bipeslacertia volans malakhi – Wyrm Callers (Wyrm infected Paleocenes)

Bipeslacertia volans vivus – Luadans (TM: A Morphology/Reign of the Reptiles)

Bipeslacertia volans aurori – Zori (Reign of the Reptiles/Revelry of the Redacted)

Subspecies (Sea Devil)

Bipeslacertia diabolus sicutsimiae – Late Sea Devils (Comic Sea Devils)

Bipeslacertia diabolus sicuturtus – Early Sea Devils (Normal Sea Devils)

Bipeslacertia diabolus reditius – “Devolved Ones” (Inhabitants of the Nameless City – HP Lovecraft/Faction Paradox)

Subspecies (Silurian)

Bipeslacertia homines malus – Serad-dur (Serad-dur)

“Scholar” Caste

Bipeslacertia homines augurius – Fair Folk (Fair Folk- The Shadows of Avalon)

Bipeslacertia homines sapentia – “Senior” Silurians (Chibnall’s original classic style redesign – Cold Blood)

Bipeslacertia homines rostrata – “Middle” Silurians (Warriors of the Deep Silurians)

Bipeslacertia homines gravius – “Horned Kindred” (Bulky Horned Herbivorous Silurians – TM A Morphology)

Bipeslacertia homines labia – “Early” Silurians (Original Classic Who Silurians)

Bipeslacertia homines venefica – The Silurians from the 30th Anniversary Calendar

“Warrior” Caste (Alternatively “Hunter” Caste)

Bipeslacertia homines anguis – “Junior” Silurians (Silurian Hunters – Supremacy of the Cybermen)

Bipeslacertia homines sapiens – “Late” Silurians (New Who Silurians)

Notes

Bipeslacertia vehemenus is considered by the Reptilian Kindred to be an ancestor species and not part of the ‘Reptilian Kindred’ themselves, it is however considered to be in the same genus biologically.

Bipeslacertia volans mortuus was the earliest sapient subspecies to diverge from the Reptilian Kindred and the first to develop a civilisation, but was however rendered extinct by the Wyrm (Alongside the Wyrm mutated Bipeslacertia volans malakhi)

The Reptilian Kindred consider themselves to have five extant ‘Classes/Castes’

Sea Devil

Scholar

Warrior

Winged Kindred

Serad-Dur

And do not consider any greater subgroupings such as the ‘Silurian/Sea Devil two species grouping’ or the ‘Scholar/Warrior single species hypothesis’ as valid, from their perspective, the five main classes are considered the maximal groupings of Reptilian Kindred outside of the sole group that includes all of them, with the term ‘Silurian’ (Alternatively Earth Reptile or Saurian) being used to refer to all five rather than just the Scholar and Warrior castes.

The original Reptilian Kindred diverged from the ancestor of the Helodermatidae family of venomous lizards in the late Cretaceous, with the Bipeslacertia genus itself diverging from the rest of the family with the origin of its bipedal stance in the early Paleocene, just after the KT Extinction Event.

Most accounts of Reptilian Kindred-Dinosaur cohabitation are either later palimpsests (The Reptilian Kindred were a time active power during the Time Wars era, with an individual of Bipeslacertia homines sapiens appearing in the Alliance of Races alongside Rassilon) or instances of Reptilian Kindred bioengineering in the Eocene and Oligocene rather than true Jurassic-Cretaceous era native Reptilian Kindred species.

Their technological civilisation emerged in the Eocene, after the divergence between the “Scholar” and “Warrior” castes of Silurians but before full speciation.

Their full classification is

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

(Potential Clade: Toxicofera)

Suborder: Anguimorpha

Infraorder: Neoanguimorpha

Clade: Monstersauria

Family: Bipeslacertidae

Genus: Bipeslacertia

The emergence order of distinct subspecies was as follows

Cretaceous (145-65 mya)

Split of Bipeslacertidae from Helodermatidae

Paleocene (65-56 mya)

Bipeslacertia splits from the rest of the (extinct) Bipeslacertiadae genera, they are separately characterised by their bipedal stance as opposed to other lizard species.

Spilt of ancestor species from the rest of Bipeslacertia

Bipeslacertia volans splits from the rest of Bipeslacertia

The Zori split from Bipeslacertia volans before the full development of wings

Silurian-Sea Devil Split

“Paleocenes” split from Bipeslacertia volans, “Paleocene” civilisation forms (mostly) above the clouds.

“Paleocene” extinction at the hands of the Wyrm

Reptilian Kindred Civilisations first form.

Extinction of ancestor species

Eocene (56-34 mya)

Serad-Dur split from Silurians

“Early” and “Late” Sea Devils Split

Scholar-Warrior Split, emergence of Scholar Third Eye

Reptilian Kindred Civilisation reaches technological level

Fair Folk Split after Silurians are transported to Avalon

Oligocene (34-23 mya)

“Senior Silurians” split from Scholar caste

 Scholar Caste splits into “Early” and “Middle” Silurians

The Inhabitants of the Nameless City split from the “Early” Sea Devils and devolve, eventually disappearing entirely under the shallow seas of north Africa.

 “Junior” and “Late” Silurians split

Miocene (23-5.3 mya)

Speciation begins to slow down due to civilisation technological advancement

Reptilian Kindred civilisation enters hibernation due to disaster (Either the newest Moon or a planetoid close passage unrelated to the Moon)

Pliocene (5.3-2.6 mya)

Various apes modified and bred by the Reptilian Kindred begin to develop to fill the ecological niche left by the Reptilian Kindred’s hibernation.

Pleistocene (2.6 mya – 11,700 ya)

Evolution of Homo Sapien Sapiens (humans).

Holocene (11,700 ya – 1712)

Various sporadic reawakenings that are almost always killed off by the newly developed humans.

1500 BCE – Atlantis is destroyed, the Nameless City is forced above the ocean in Africa and the inhabitants are rendered (mostly) extinct

Anthropocene (1712 – 500,000 yf)

(22nd Century) Reptilian Kindred civilisation reawakens and is forced to cohabitate the planet with the human civilisation.

Relinquecene (500,000 yf – 2 myf)

Reptilian Kindred and humanity mostly abandon Earth for the first significant geological time (Previous abandonments had happened temporarily for much shorter timespans), whilst they would make sporadic returns, from this point onwards the Earth was allowed to evolutionarily develop without its previous intelligent species. (This is when the Haemovores evolve)

Perdicene (2 myf – 10 myf)

Earth was lost, and began being known by different names including Ravalox, Orphan 55 and Tellus. This is the point in which the Reptilian Kindred became no longer tied to Earth as a homeworld beyond as a cultural factoid (Unlike humanity who consistently returned and remained conceptually tied to it until its destruction in 10 myf and the start of the Posthuman era).

This document for the most part, only covers the Extant subspecies of Reptilian Kindred and does not account for the unknown species and subspecies that went extinct prior to the Anthropocene (nor the other extinct Bipeslacertiadae genera) with the exception of Bipeslacertia vehemenus, identified only due to Vastra’s devolution into one during ‘The Evolution Episode’ due to exposure to temporal radiation and Bipeslacertia volans mortuus, an early intelligent extinct species documented by Bernice Summerfield and Peter Summerfield.

The Mondasian Parallel Evolution species (The Lizard Kings or Bipeslacertia homines abastrius and Sea Kings or Bipeslacertia diabolus abastrius) which were documented by both the Homo Sapien contra (Mondasians) and the Mondasian Cybermen are considered to be parallel evolutionary counterparts of their Earth twins and aren’t included, it is speculated their evolutionary tree is identical to that of Earth’s.

Despite being considered distinct castes by the Reptilian Kindred, the ‘Early’ Sea Devils (The Sea Devils), the ‘Middle’ Sea Devils (Warriors of the Deep) and the ‘Late’ Sea Devils (Legend of the Sea Devils) are considered to all be local or climate variations of the same subspecies of Sea Devil, Bipeslacertia diabolus sicuturtus.

I basically ignored most direct years given in DWU sources when doing this in favour of trying to work out something that conceptually made the most sense (IMO). Since DWU sources give Silurian origin or even civilisation years as far back as 450 mya, in the Ordovician, Pre-Reptiles, which is not conducive to trying to actually do speculative biology with, and the less said about 'They predate complex life entirely' the better.

I went with Eocene - Miocene because references to the Dinosaurs can always have been post-Cretaceous genetic engineering stuff (They have the tech) but references to "apes" should be theoretically constrained to early human evolution in the Miocene and Pliocene, and the idea that the Silurians existed for the entirety of the Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, Permian, Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene and Miocene was... kinda ridiculous IMO for this exercise.

Subspecies Visualisation

Bipeslacertia vehemenus – Primitive Ancestor (Primitive Ancestor)

Subspecies (Winged Kindred)

Bipeslacertia volans mortuus – “Paleocenes” (Winged Species – Adolescence of Time)

Bipeslacertia volans malakhi – Wyrm Callers (Wyrm infected Paleocenes)

[No visualisation]

Bipeslacertia volans vivus – Luadans (TM: A Morphology/Reign of the Reptiles)

But the wreck, first seen from the air by a migratory tribe of the flying kindred en route from the tropical swelter of the Oriental Archipelago to the temperate climes of the Austral Spur, had confirmed to the profile of no known vessel from any of the saurian kindred, and Morrahaurm had been the only specialist available. And so, with many misgivings, she had embarked.

(Winged Kindred - The Book of the Enemy)

The globe was held by a creature like a mythical devil incarnate! Its oily green, needle-fanged head hovered just above the luminous sphere, the hellish red eyes darting from side to side in search of the intruder; and where the shoulders should have been were hunched lumps that made the man think of folded wings. The body and shuffling feet were invisible; the claws appeared in silhouette on the surface of the globe that the monstrosity held before it. A little it resembled a gigantic lizard, and the fanged snout, if not the same one, was at least practically identical with the one Sanders had seen in the room of horror. Only now it had lost its super- natural and diabolical aspect, appearing still hideous but only in a reptilian, scaled way. It propelled itself on hissing, leathery wings, and its sinuous body was clad in a blue, silken robe. About its ugly brow was a jewelled diadem; its claws were alight with jewels.

(Luadans - Reign of the Reptiles)

Bipeslacertia volans aurori – Zori (Reign of the Reptiles/Revelry of the Redacted)

He was a Zori, a subspecies of the Reptilian Kindred with vestigial wings on their backs that were useless on Earth, but perfectly adapted to low- gravity environments.

Revelry of the Redacted (The Book of the Snowstorm)

Subspecies (Sea Devil)

Bipeslacertia diabolus sicutsimiae – Late Sea Devils (Comic Sea Devils)

Bipeslacertia diabolus sicuturtus – Early Sea Devils (Normal Sea Devils)

Bipeslacertia diabolus reditius – “Devolved Ones” (Inhabitants of the Nameless City – HP Lovecraft/Faction Paradox)

They were of the reptile kind, with body lines suggesting sometimes the crocodile, sometimes the seal, but more often nothing of which either the naturalist or the palaeontologist ever heard. In size they approximated a small man, and their fore-legs bore delicate and evident feet curiously like human hands and fingers. But strangest of all were their heads, which presented a contour violating all know biological principles. To nothing can such things be well compared - in one flash I thought of comparisons as varied as the cat, the bullfrog, the mythic Satyr, and the human being. Not Jove himself had had so colossal and protuberant a forehead, yet the horns and the noselessness and the alligator-like jaw placed things outside all established categories.

Subspecies (Silurian)

Bipeslacertia homines malus – Serad-dur (Serad-dur)

“Scholar” Caste

Bipeslacertia homines augurius – Fair Folk (Fair Folk- The Shadows of Avalon)

[No Specific Description]

Bipeslacertia homines sapentia – “Senior” Silurians (Chibnall’s original classic style redesign – Cold Blood)

Bipeslacertia homines rostrata – “Middle” Silurians (Warriors of the Deep Silurians)

Bipeslacertia homines gravius – “Horned Kindred” (Bulky Horned Herbivorous Silurians – A Morphology)

Her mass alone would have made Morrahaurm the most conspicuous individual on board, even without the horns and crest majestically adorning her high forehead. Among her own she was known as a beauty, a graceful dancer and no mean athlete: here she was simply a bulky, lumbering target.

(The Book of the Enemy)

Bipeslacertia homines labia – “Early” Silurians (Original Classic Who Silurians)

Bipeslacertia homines venefica – The Silurians from the 30th Anniversary Calendar

“Warrior” Caste (Alternatively “Hunter” Caste)

Bipeslacertia homines anguis – “Junior” Silurians (Silurian Hunters – Supremacy of the Cybermen)

Bipeslacertia homines sapiens – “Late” Silurians (New Who Silurians)

Notes on the Meta-history of Earth Reptiles

The natural evolution of most species on Earth was a by-product of the anchoring of the thread, when the Time Lords locked down the rational Universe and rewrote all of history to suit their new rules. In the pre anchoring Universe, humanity was created using Time Lord Looms by the Original Mammoths, a powerful, psychic and magical sapient species that rivalled the Time Lords in the pre-Universe.

Whilst we have pretty much no knowledge of the Silurians from that era, we do know that they were a Time Active power in the Alliance of Races during the Time Wars era, shortly after the anchoring. Implying some kind of time active power, which would explain their appearances in eras of Earth history predating the one in which they originally developed in the Time Lord dominated rational Universe. It is, however, also of note that the vast majority of other more recent (in Universe) accounts depict the Silurians as a mildly advanced mostly stagnant species with very little space travel capabilities most likely indicating at some point between Gallifrey’s ancient past and relative present that the Silurians time active civilisation was erased from history. It is possible they experienced some equivalent of the Ghost Point (The point in which humanity became culturally sterile and stopped meaningfully advancing as a civilisation) though more extreme as humanity was still able to traditionally, if not conceptually, advance whereas the Silurians grew complacent and stagnant for presumably millions of years.

It is of note that New Who consistently depicts the Silurians as both coexisting natively with Dinosaurs and knowing humanities Ape ancestors despite an ~60 million year gap between the two eras. There are numerous potential explanations for this including human evolution occurring over a much longer period in the DWU relative to real life, the effects of the Last Great Time War on the history of Earth, genetic engineering resurrection of Dinosaurs in the Eocene-Miocene and potentially Silurian related dates being actually in months rather than years.

[thehistoriangirl]

Not Just a Summer Affair [1/3]

I’m alive  👍 (a bit at least)

Important: Part 2 and 3 will be NSFW. Sooo... you know, do as you wish with that.

Viktor x Fem!Reader-----------2.6K----------SFW

> Second Part [NSFW] > Final Part  [NSFW]

Summary: Assisting to this planned vacation by the beach wasn’t the best idea Viktor has had, but at least he can have an excuse to spend time with you. Hoping that, maybe, he can gather the courage to confess the feelings he’s been trying so hard to bury. 

Tags: Longing| Denial of Feelings| Beach AU-- is that a thing?| Crushes| Friends to Lovers| Eventual [redacted]| Fluff| 

Viktor wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to have come on this trip, but it was too late to back away, now surrounded by sand and waves and an unforgiving sun that was just as restless as his mind.

He had tried to rationalize the reason behind his assistance, only to find himself empty-handed for the answer he wished to have. A normal answer; to take a rest for the tight schedule he had wriggled into, to gaze at the sea after all these years not to. Sure, he enjoyed swimming, his body limp as it was lulled by the swinging currents, but the heat and the sunburn weren’t worthy enough to be the sole reasons for his stay.

“Viktor?” he heard, the familiar voice tugging at his calm heartbeat. The real reason why he was here, no matter how much he tried to deny it. His golden eyes peeked from over his book, right leg tingling with upcoming cramps when he settled it in on the warm sand, sitting on the lounging chair.

Viktor called back your name, a bare mutter that you couldn’t hear, but it was all that remained of his breath after taking you in. A stunning sight, with the sun sending hues around your hair, the light dress twirling around your legs when you waddled through the sand, where he could peek in the form of your bikini underneath.

He couldn’t help the blush that settled on his cheeks, his mind only used to see you and imagine you in the formal academic uniform you wear every day for work. Here where coats and long-sleeved sweaters were replaced by skirts that let his eyes follow the soft outlines of your thighs, halters, and strapless shirts and dresses that showed the curves of your shoulders he was used to patting amicably.

Part of him thanked the dressing code back at the Academy because otherwise he’d get distracted very easily. Like right now.

“Hello. Eh, excuse me, did you say something?”

Your step halted, eyes blinking in confusion for a moment. “Oh, no, no! I just thought you were napping.”

There had only been four days since you four had settled into the rented house with two master bedrooms and a backyard pool next to the beach. And despite his attempts to avoid you, he had started noticing little details that would make his silly fantasies more solid, when his mind slipped at night at the thought of you.

Thinking about how your clothes would feel against his bare chest if he dared to hug you while lounging at the beach; if your hair would feel as soft as it looked when it fell on locks around your shoulders. If you would like him to stay next to yours when you liked to stargaze, admiring the myriad of lights flicking shyly that couldn’t be seen in the city.

By then, Viktor would be cleaning the dishes on another slow night when Mel and Jayce were on one of their romantic getaways, looking at you slip out your dress to lounge in the pool while he pretended that the backyard door wasn’t all made of glass, that part of him wished to be bold enough to join you in there.

The summer breeze sent the sweet and citric aroma of your hair that felt to him as familiar as the smell of his detergent, and for a moment he pondered to ask you if the essence you left behind was your shampoo or a lotion.

“Jayce told me to give you this,” you said once you were in front of him, pulling him out of his thoughts with a bottle of sunscreen in one of your hands. Your face was flustered from the heat, cheeks round with a friendly smile like the myriads he’d seen at the lab during lunchtime when one of his quips was funny enough to make you laugh. “And I brought you some sliced coconut while the meal is done cooking.”

You offered him the plate of cold porcelain, fingers brushing slightly. “Uh, thank you. That’s… eh, very thoughtful of you.” Viktor wished to say something more, perhaps to say that he liked the way the purple dress looked on you—but then he had to admit to himself that he had been stealing glances at you every time his mind registered your presence in the vicinity. “Have they left already?”

Because yesterday Jayce told you they had a date at a fancy restaurant, so the house will be all yours until very late at night.

You nodded. “Yes. I’m just putting on the stove what Jayce helped me prepare for lunch today. I think it may be ready in an hour… but I’ll call you once is done just to be sure,” you said softly, already backing away as if his presence made you wary.

And he only got himself to blame for that.

Ever since arriving, Viktor got into a routine that consisted in going out of the house, swimming, or reading in one of the three lounging chairs in the backyard, while you stayed at the shoreline or to swim in the pool all by yourself.

The second day, Jayce and Mel had returned before planned, finding the depressing scene of you, half-asleep on the pool, with Viktor’s figure dipping in and out of the water while he practiced snorkel.

“I didn’t invite her here for you to ignore her, Vik!” Jayce had nagged at him when he joined him in the open sea, the waves muffling the sound of his voice to be heard from too far. “I thought you wanted to spend more time with her. What happened? Did you fight?”

It wasn’t that. Perhaps if Jayce had chosen another destination, he could be normal about it. One in which you weren’t wet and flustered half the time, maybe.

“It’s fine,” he simply said. “We prefer to be alone.”

He took the sunscreen, brushing his palms together before starting to apply it on his face which must be looking as red as a shrimp.

“You missed a spot,” you said, chuckling, your index brushing against the inner curve of his jaw up his left cheekbone.

Viktor blinked, his back stiffened in surprise. You waved him goodbye soon afterward, with Viktor closing his eyes when you walked away, jumping around the sand  up toward the house, the marine breeze erasing your essence from the air too quickly for his liking.

He looked down the shoreline when he had seen you sat for hours, just looking longingly at the sea, hands busied in building fickle sandcastles erased by each upcoming tide, aligning seashells that ended up back in the sea once your design was over.

What a curious activity, one that Viktor was too afraid of interfering with. For all he could know, maybe you were avoiding swimming with him, preferring to settle with staying on the shore, or in the boring pool.

That's why Viktor couldn't bring himself to confess to you, not only dreading the mockery of rejection but also fearing losing one of his few friends. Even when you were difficult to come by, unluckily for him, because he wished to seek you out to have lunch together—which was all confirmation Jayce needed to know about how important you had become for Viktor. Despite being Jayce's hired assistant to help him fulfill his role as a counselor, you didn't visit the lab as much as Viktor would like you to.

And yet, he always slipped some candy from his secret compartment toward you when you were about to leave.

He had memorized the rhythm of your heels echoing on the marble floor, welcoming in the sound of your voice breaking the silence of the lab as you settled packages of food on his desk, greeting him with a pat on the shoulder before leaving a pile of paperwork in Jayce’s.

“Have you eaten lunch yet?” Viktor would hear himself saying over his frantic heartbeat. “Maybe we can visit the cafeteria two blocks from the Academy? I’ve heard today’s special is chicken and dumplings.”

You’d smile, telling him that you couldn’t bring yourself to say no to seeing him out the lab for once; and then he would keep a stupid smile for the rest of the day. One very obvious to notice if you knew where to look at.

“You should ask her out someday, Vik.” He had heard Jayce tell him a dozen times after you were gone, all the new memories carefully tucked inside Viktor’s heart, his cheek still tingling in the exact spot where you had kissed him goodbye.  

Viktor couldn’t, all gathered courage flowed out of his grasp when you entered the lab the next day, your steps cornering Jayce to throw him dates for meetings and invitations to public events that Viktor always declined to assist, because you usually weren’t there either.

And now you both felt so close and so far from his reach, with you sitting all alone on the coast, with Viktor observing you every time he turned a page of his current reading. He promised himself that he will go toward you when he reached page 150 of this book, perhaps page 200. Then the book was done, dusk already settling, and you were busy in the kitchen. Another lost day.

He could postpone it all his life if he wished to. But the thought of just sitting idle and seeing you go in and out of his life until you were no more brought a sour taste to his mouth.

You called him for lunch then, probably the first one where you couldn’t have it on a makeshift table looking at the beach from the lounging chairs, a drizzle tinting the sky lead grey, painting the fabric of your dress a deeper purple when you accompanied him back to the house, hair dripping.

You two had eaten in silence, relishing in the sound of the rain tapping against the roofed pool, echoing in the empty house.

“Did you like it?” you said, cleaning your lips from any remaining crumbs. “I helped Jayce to put together the chicken salad.”

You stood out of your seat, your feet muffled in the cold mosaic floor when you opened the fridge, producing a new lemon ice cream bucket. “Do you want dessert?”

He couldn’t say no to you, even if he preferred milk-based ice cream.

While eating the ice cream, Viktor caught you watching at the seascape outside the backyard door, the lamp hung over the table reflected in your eyes, soaking in the relaxing sight of the waves lazily lapping at the shore, their rhythm lulling you at night while he remained restless, thinking that having you sleeping in the same room as him was the contrary of a ‘relaxing vacation stay’, as Jayce liked to put it.

“Eh,” he muttered, which made your attention snap back at him. For a moment, he imagined himself not saying anything, or improvising to say something about the weather. His hand grasped the empty spoon too forcefully. “I wanted to ask you something.”

You blinked, the corners of your mouth curving upwards. “Sure, what is it?”

Here it was, his opportunity to at least spend time with you, even if Viktor decided to let his fear stunt him, to keep his feelings buried.

She’s your friend, he thought, obliging his heartbeat to calm down. This is what friends do.

“Would you like to go swimming with me?” he said softly, his golden eyes focused on the finger that was playing with one lock of your hair. “I mean, when it stops raining, of course.”

You looked at him, eyes wide with sudden surprise. “Ah,” you stutter, feeling your face growing hot. “Well, I don’t… I haven’t swum in a long time. I probably don’t remember how to do it correctly.” Despite your embarrassment, you smiled. “I wouldn’t like to slow you down. You can go though, don’t worry about me.”

“Uh… alright…” he mumbled, his voice low from disappointment. Of course, he had to see it coming. “Well, then… perhaps I can join you in the pool?” Viktor said, the new idea popping into his mouth before he could lock it inside his mind forever.

What if you just rejected him because you didn’t wish to be in his company now that you weren’t obligated to, contrary to what you were back at the Academy.

You licked the spoon of ice cream clean, and Viktor had to remind himself it was rude to stare. “Really? Wouldn’t that be too boring for you?”

He shrugged, playing with the handle of his cane. “I can doze off on the pool without fearing the waves will adrift me away.” And without sunburn, too. “But it’s fine if you prefer to be alone.”

“Hmm,” you muttered, your words making his heart pick up speed. “Perhaps you’d like to go soak in the pool now? You can tell me about that book you were reading earlier, too.”

Viktor smiled. "Of course, I just finished it. Though maybe it's a bit boring…" he muttered, because it was some research about bioengineering, and he was already planning all how he could apply such knowledge to Hextech.

“Working during vacation? I’m not as surprised as I should be,” you told him, which made him laugh. “I don’t think there’s something that could be boring if you’re saying it,” you added, the strange, charged silence settling between you two making you jump out of your seat to wash the dishes.

He gulped all the remaining ice cream down, hoping the sudden cold would conceal his growing blush. “Why don’t you clean the table?” you told him, pretending to ignore the pink hue dusting his cheeks down his neck when he nodded.

Around twenty minutes later, with the table spotless and the dishes all cleaned and dried, Viktor slid inside the pool, warm water soaking his swimsuit. The only thing he disliked about pools was that the calm, clear water let him see the fabric of his shorts float around like balloons, that his eyes seemed to be drawn to your figure that was also clear between the ripples of your movements along the pool as you moved toward the deeper end.

He sat in the shallow part, where the water reached around his stomach, watching you tiptoeing in the deeper section, looking at the rain sieging the sea, Viktor’s brows slightly pinched when he noticed that you preferred to waddle around instead of swimming.

Viktor called you, your head dipping underwater to soak in your hair. “Yes?”

“Can I ask you something?” he said, and you moved toward him until the water was around your chest. By then, the wind had started blowing, moving the nearby palms as your arms got covered in goosebumps.

You nodded, sitting next to him to refuge against the cold air.

“Would you like to swim again?” Viktor asked, lowering his gaze when you sat next to him, maybe too close, with how some locks of hair were brushing his shoulders. “If you’re too afraid to do it alone, I can accompany you. And we can start practicing in the pool. Of course, you can say no—I just noticed that you like the water, so perhaps you’ll enjoy this vacation more if you start swimming rather than staying at the shore.” Despite the cold breeze of the afternoon, he felt his cheeks hot. It was the bolder thing he ever thought he’d say to you.

But it was the perfect plan to spend time with you, and part of him hoped that if he dared to offer you help to swim, he could be able to ask you out on a date before you return to the city, to the routine that Viktor seemed incapable to break.

You chuckled, and the sound made his stomach flutter. “I would like that very much, yes.”