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phan3145 · 4 months ago

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Title: Slippery Slope. Fandom: Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Rating: T. ( Cursing, almost drowning) Pairing: Eventual Noa x Human!Reader.

**Notes: Probably no regular updates until the end of March, but it’s good to be back.

Chapter 14: Mother Knows Best

Noa

He and Anaya travelled back to the village in silence. Anaya, for his part, seemed to be satisfied with the point he made, wanting to return to his nest for the night. His Sunset Brother’s satisfaction was not shared. Instead, his mind raced with thoughts of what he had witnessed, as well as past events of the day. He could not sleep, though he did try. The deep breathing and snores of the apes around him would break his concentration, anger slowly building within. For the first time, he envied the ease of which the rest of the clan slept. He turned from his back to his side, shifting for probably the eighth time.

Another moment and he puffed out a sigh. He sat up, glancing to the sleeping apes around him, before pushing himself silently from his nest and heading outside. He needed to do something with his hands, as he could not silence his mind. There were multiple projects within the Eagle Tower he had left unattended since meeting their Echo; nests that needed to be repaired, fires that had gone cold, and beams that needed reinforcing.

It was a quick climb for him. Once in the tower, he approached his crafting table with a quicker gate, letting the relief of having something to focus on wash over him. He hummed, picking up his whittling tools for the new beam supports. This was long overdue. After a few moments though, a handful of wood chips in front of him, his attention drifted to the objects placed carefully on the back corner of the table. The dark piece of cloth, tenderly nestled next to the crown he had so diligently crafted at this very table, were suddenly out of place within the tower.

He huffed, shaking his head at the thought and returning to the task before him. Two more branches would need to be chiseled after this one. The nests would be easy fixes, the supply of silk over flowing since most apes had to wait an extra season to make their climb. With a final slice, he finished the branch in his hand. He blindly reached for the second branch, still inspecting the finished tip in front of him. Nodding in approval at his work, his gaze was unfortunately drawn once more to the Echo objects. His fingers were around the new branch, pulling it towards him, yet he was unable to look away now from that corner. He pinched his eyes closed, shaking his head, and fighting the urge that was rising up inside of him. He began to vigorously shave pieces of wood from the branch, halfway done before he stopped, sighing to himself. He dropped the branch then, reaching for the scrap of cloth.

It smelled of their Echo, the scent tickling his nose in waves as he ran the pads of his fingers over the shredded edges of it. He was unsure why he had kept it. Their Echo did not know he had taken it that day, and there was no real reason for him to keep it. At the thought of getting rid of it though, he was reminded of the look on their Echo’s face when she told him it had belonged to her mother. He remembered then, how attached he had been to his mother’s shawl when she had been taken from him.

He clutched the cloth even tighter, realizing that she had never told him what happened to her mother. She had trusted him with the worst year of her life, the death of her friends and her…partner, but she could not bring herself to talk about her mother. From that alone, he guessed it was nothing good. She had left with their Echo, travelled far from their clan if her story was true…but at some point, something must have happened. Something terrible, to have left their Echo all alone.

Suddenly being reminded of her lack of clan, only made his stomach feel empty. Something in him could not accept her being alone. Like with anything broken within the village, the urge to fix her situation clawed it’s way through his mind like a starving predator. It had not been so strong before, not until he saw her in pain. Not until he thought he would never speak with her again.

Flashes of images played behind his closed eyes, the impact of the days events weighing on his shoulders until he hunched forward. He rested his arms on the table, cradling the cloth along his cheek as his head fell heavily into his hands. He did not know what he was doing. He felt torn between his clan and their future, and their Echo. He wanted more for both. He wanted what Raka and Proximus had described, prosperity and evolution. He wanted what Caesar had. He was unsure how to go about it though, not knowing if the path he was currently on was the correct one.

Their Echo was angry with him, the elders were bickering amongst themselves, and while he was trying to do what was expected of him, he was failing at every turn.

“You always…had trouble sleeping…when thoughts burdened…your mind.”

He turned then, finding his mother standing next to him, a comforting smile greeting his solemn expression. He puffed out a breath, watching her pick up his finished branch and inspect it. The torch in her hand was held a safe distance away as she seemed to scrutinize his work. He watched her, worried she would disapprove, unconsciously shifting closer. Her eyes jumped to him then, that same small smile greeting him as she placed the branch down, walking passed him.

He turned quickly, following close behind as she made her way towards the burned out torches of the east wall. She lit the first, turning her head to him as she lit the second, “What troubles you…why do you…escape here?”

He could not meet her eyes then. Shifting in place, he hesitated to admit, “I…do not…know…I am…jumbled…the clan…then the Echo…she was…is…angry with me.”

His mother remained silent, leaning in closer and brushing her fingers against his chin. He hissed, a low growl of pain slipping past his throat, before hooting an apology. He took a step back, his own fingers searching the tender skin to find a scabbed over cut. The muscle hurt underneath more than the cut itself. His mother seemed to straighten, tilting her head back a bit, and fixing him with a stare he learned at a young age meant she discovered something he had been trying to hide.

“Hard lesson.” She guessed. He hesitated, but nodded. She nodded her head with him, waiting another moment before asking, “Did you…learn from it?”

He huffed, a sigh escaping him as he poked at his cut again. “I do not…think so…tried to help…made it…worse.”

His mother hummed, leaning closer, “What…help?”

He did not want to repeat himself. He did not want to repeat the Echo’s story again, but his mother was one of the wisest apes he knew, let alone trusted. He needed her guidance, so she needed to know everything. Not just their Echo’s story, but how she saved his life. More than that, he wanted her to understand why she was so important, why he cared for her so much.

So, there they stayed, in the Eagle tower. The rest of the clan slept peacefully below, while he recounted the worst year of their Echo’s life, and the best season and a half he can recall since becoming Master of Birds. His mother listened patiently, lighting the rest of the torches and giving him bits of silk while he mended the damaged nests. He was carving his third branch, back at his work table, when he finished. His mother did not ask any questions, remaining silent the entire time. Now that his story was done, she hummed, reaching her arm across the table.

He expected her to scrutinize his second branch, just as she had the first. Instead, her grasp travelled further, past the branch, and landed on that torn black cloth. He stopped carving then, watching his mother examine the cloth, just as closely as she had the branch. He could not tell what she was thinking, only that she was. She took the cloth in both hands then, stretching it as far as it would go, eyes focused on every rip and fray of the material. Finally, she grunted, carefully folding the material and returning it gently to it’s place on the table. She treated it as precious and as delicate as eagle’s egg.

Her eyes found his then, and he felt his throat go dry. Instead of confusion or anger, emotions Soona and Anaya had displayed, his mother chuffed, a hand patting his shoulder, “Do you know…why raising Eagle…is the final rite…of passage before…juvenile…is considered…adult?”

He felt his brows turn down and his mouth gape, struggling for words. He did not understand the purpose of her question. What did Eagle have to do with Echo?

Noticing his confusion, his mother explained, “Eagles are delicate…from egg to…hatchling…they take…gentle touch…but firm will…to be raised…the right amount…of silk…the right amount…of food…of water…then they mature…they need guidance…must have trust…to spread their wings…to know…they are safe…and you…can keep them safe…only then…do eagles fly.”

He huffed, looking away from his mother as he argued, “Echo…is not Eagle…Echo is mature…can care for…herself…not the same…as bonding.”

“How…would you…know?” His mother challenged, still with that patient tone of hers.

He opened his mouth to answer, but she held her hand up to silence him. She took a deep breath, sighing through her nose, “Since birth…you have been…different…Noa…your heart is pure…your spirit strong…your mind…soars high above sky…like eagles.”

He felt his shoulders pull in tighter, that feeling of not being enough starting to creep back in. Still, his mother continued, “You have…always wanted…to be like…other ape…yet you…do things…own way…pass…all other apes…do things different…faster…better.”

He turned his head then, brows narrowing, “I do not…understand.”

His mother hummed, “It is…good thing…but…fast can be bad…you have never bonded…with Eagle…you never grew…from juvenile…to adult…you bonded with…adult Eagle…forced to become adult…through fire and pain…forced to be…Master of Birds…before you were ready.”

He said nothing, shame overcoming him. His own mother could see he was not ready. He was an embarrassment to his father’s title. Before he could sink further down into those thoughts, his mother nudged a hand under his chin, grabbing his attention once more. “You can…care for egg…raise hatchling…but you do not…have patience…that Eagle needs…you can not…make her fly…before she is ready…she must choose to.”

“The Echo.” He guessed.

She nodded, “You can not…force her…to not be…afraid…she trusts you…but she was not…ready to spread…her wings…you pushed…and she fell…sinking talons…into you…in return.”

It suddenly made sense, and once again he considered his mother the wisest amongst the village. Honored teacher, could always explain things in ways he could understand. He pursed his lips, nodding along before asking, “How do I…mend things?”

“Time,” his mother said, patting his shoulder. She hobbled towards the exit of the tower, looking tired suddenly. “Trust is…earned again…start small…let her spread her wings…on her terms…respect your new…bonded…and she will…respect you.”

“We are not,” he began, watching his mother pause in the archway. “Echo…is not Eagle…we are not…bonded.”

She smiled, nodding once, “Yet you will…learn the same…as if…she was.”

With that, she left him to his thoughts. His mother was wrong, but she was also right. He needed to change his strategy when it came to helping their Echo overcome her fear of apes. He yawned then, feeling tired now that the night had waned enough to be closer to dawn. He paced over towards the spot he had made to nest in on nights he could not sleep, choosing the comfort of the eagles over the company of his Sunset Brother and Sister. He should have asked his mother how he should start small, but both of them were tired. It had been a long day. She probably did not have any better ideas than he did. Knowing now what the problem was, he was sure they would come up with a few ideas together.

Until then, it was time for sleep. He would mend things in the morning. He hoped to dream, dream of things that would inspire him to start out small. Instead, no sooner than he closed his eyes, he was awoken by Soona’s screeching.

“Noa! Wake…Noa!” She urged.

His sat up with a screech of his own, noticing it was just a little after sunrise, “Soona…what is…wrong?”

Soona grabbed his arm, hauling him to his feet roughly, “A youngling is missing.”

That got his attention.

…

He set Eagle Sun to the forest near the edge of the creek. His mother and the other younglings said they did not notice the youngest of the apes wander into or near the edge of the water. No one saw her leave at all. That was unlike his mother, not to notice a youngling wandering off. He could hardly blame her though, she had little sleep last night due to his own jumbled mind. So, he would fix this, if he could. He would find the youngling and bring her back to his mother.

Though riding would have covered more ground, he chose instead to climb the trees. He periodically hooted his clan’s call, scanning the ground beneath as he leapt from one branch to the other. Soona spoke of the youngling’s continued muteness, too young to have found her voice yet. She was born late in the season, so late the clan feared she would not survive. Elders of the past must have taken pity on her, not only did she survive, but she was smarter than most her age. That was why his mother had suggested she start learning now, many seasons sooner than she should have. What concerned him now, was how small the youngling was. He feared he would miss her if he did not search carefully enough.

He chose Anaya to keep watch over the perimeter of the woods surrounding their home, hoping maybe she would scent her way back. It would be a little too advanced for someone her age, but his mother did not share praise often. He hoped it would be that simple. Still, he sent Soona downstream with his mother’s eagle, while his mother stayed put with the other younglings. He could not imagine the young ape traveling much further from their home, but a smarter one would not have wandered off in the first place.

He huffed, glancing up to the sun. It was early yet, not close to midday, but he worried over their Echo. He did not know where to meet her, and he did not wish to keep her waiting. He let out a low growl, leaping from his current tree to the larger one a few feet away. He opened his mouth to call out again, but stopped when he heard the cry of the youngling. It was one of terror. He snapped his head in the direction of the noise and snarled, eating up the distance as he leapt from tree to tree. The branches trembled beneath his palms from his sudden weight, leaves falling like rain from the force of his movement.

She was close to the water, and he feared the worst. He panted, arms straining to throw himself further, faster, towards where the screech had come from. He heard it stop suddenly, and he feared he was too late. That was, until he heard a familiar voice.

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Their Echo

“Okay. I’m going to come to you. I’m going to walk up to the bank and sit with you. Alright?”

He moved once more, landing on a branch strong enough to hold his weight. He dared not take another step towards the tree line, should their Echo spot him. She was with the youngling. He wanted to see what she would do. He was…curious, about the gentle voice she spoke in towards the young ape.

He watched her rise from the water as if she were made of clouds. The water did not weigh her down. Her clothes were wet, but they did not resemble the ones she normally wore. Were these special? Were they meant to be worn in water? Did they help her achieve her weightless appearance? One thing was for certain, he had never seen their Echo so bare before.

He could not help but stare at her, noticing small scars along her shoulders and legs that would normally be hidden by her clothes. The skin was a different color, not unlike ape scars. So different, and yet so similar. He noticed the youngling taking in her appearance as well, head falling back so far the youngling’s whole body nearly toppled. She seemed as dazed as he was by the soaking wet Echo. She recovered before he did, distancing herself from their Echo, while he was distracted by her face. Their Echo’s eyes held a warmth, her expression an openness, which he rarely saw other than when they were alone.

She was not scared.

He was delighted, watching her slowly sink to the ground in a non-threatening position. It was tense between the two. He silently begged and pleaded, urging the youngling to show courage. Just take small steps, a single step towards her would be enough. Please. Show mercy to her.

Then, as if she could hear his thoughts, the youngling inched towards their Echo. She brushed careful knuckles over her exposed thigh, flinching back quickly before their Echo smiled, letting out a breath and signing, Friend. Safe. Protect.

He felt his chest swell then, a strange sense of pride coursing through him. That seemed to have been enough for the youngling as well, who proceeded to climb into their Echo’s lap. He winced, waiting for her fear to set in, and though he could see her face twitch, she did not react otherwise. Perhaps, it was the fact the youngling was so small, so vulnerable. He noticed even the youngling’s curiosity regarding her strange body did not deter her from treating the ape with tenderness. And, if he was honest, she was touching their Echo far more than even he would permit were their roles reversed. Still, he remained motionless, a warm type of calm settling into his being.

That is when the thought occurred to him. He did not bring Eagle Sun with him. He should be alerting the clan that the youngling was found. He would…but just another moment first. After that moment, he will reveal himself and take the young ape home, before returning to their Echo.

Speaking of their Echo, he heard her small cackle, immediately drawn back to the spectacle on the ground.

“Do you know where your parents are?” She asked, slowly.

The youngling slowly processed her words before shaking her head in response.

This seemed to stress their Echo, causing her to take a deep breath before asking, “Do you have a name?”

The youngling signed her name, Eden. It was too fast, and as if realizing their Echo might not understand, did it several more times in a slower glide of her fingers. The name seemed familiar to him, but he could not quite place why. Of course he knew the names of every clan member, but had their been an Eden before her? He was sure there was another…somewhere distant in his memory.

He had no time to dwell on the thought, noticing their Echo shake her head, trying to explain that she did not understand. A stab of guilt turned his stomach, they had taught their Echo basic words in sign, but not how to recognize names. Eden snorted through her nose, frustrated at being unable to communicate. He thought this was the best moment to collect the young ape, but before he could, she did something that nearly caused him to fall out of the tree.

“E…E…E.” The youngling screeched, the first sound he had ever heard her produce. It was not a screech of an ape, but that of the letter E, the first sound in pronouncing her name. He could not believe it.

Their Echo was possibly too close to the sound, wincing and holding up a hand to plead, “Okay, okay, easy there. Don’t strain yourself. You can’t talk yet, that’s okay. E is good enough for me.”

The young ape seemed to be satisfied with that as well, returning to inspecting the Echo’s body. He could not see what she was so fascinated by, jumping silently to the next tree. He craned his neck, attempting to get a better look. Then, someone called their Echo’s name.

Soona

She began to screech and hoot in delight, running towards the two on the ground, “You…found her.”

“Her?” Their Echo parroted.

Soona pointed at Eden, then signaled to his mother’s Eagle to return to the group and let them know the youngling was found safe. Eagle Rock flew away quickly as Soona explained, “Wandered off…have been searching…long time.”

Their Echo seemed confused, if not a little angry, as she questioned, “Wandered off? Your village is far from here, how did she get this far by herself?”

Soona shook her head, falling down next to their Echo with a sigh of relief. She had worried herself into exhaustion. She had been searching non-stop since Eden went missing. He could not blame her for taking a break. She stretched her feet and toes as she explained, “Not from…village…from group of…younglings…upstream.”

Soona held out a hand, which Eden grasped as a form of greeting, but when Soona attempted to take the young ape, Eden screeched at her. It was obvious she did not want to be taken from their Echo, and to accentuate her point she shifted to the opposite side of their Echo’s body, completely out of Soona’s reach. He was surprised, Eden did not trust most apes outside of her parents and his mother. To choose their Echo over Soona at this time was…different. Strange. He had never seen an ape choose an Echo over another ape before.

In fairness, he had chosen Mae over Proximus, but those circumstances had been different compared to now. Eden was young, naturally she should want to cling to a female of her own kind, of her own clan, after being separated. Instead, she shunned Soona and chose to play with their Echo’s wet, matted hair that fell below her shoulders. She stood on two legs now, pulling and tugging at the long strands. He leaned closer, towards the edge of his branch, watching the way their Echo reacted to Eden’s rough treatment of her hair.

Creak

He jolted back, his weight threatening to break the branch he was standing on. That noise had been enough to catch Soona’s attention. She turned her head slightly, mouth opening to say something but he quickly stopped her. He shook his head violently, arms waving slightly as he signed, Do not reveal. Echo mad. Ignore Noa.

Their Echo noticed Soona’s attention towards the forest, ready to question her when she stiffly turned back to their Echo. She turned her head in curiosity, distracting their Echo as she asked, “You are…better…than yesterday?”

Their Echo seemed to avoid Soona’s eyes then, her attention placed on Eden. He chuffed, Eden had been taught a few moons ago how to weave a basket. It seemed the young ape was practicing her skills on their Echo’s hair.

Another moment of silence and then their Echo shrugged, “I guess. I hope you know that I never meant to offend you, or your clan. I’m sorry if you were expecting me and I never showed. I just wasn’t…prepared to see your village.”

Soona hummed, “Noa…should have told you…should have told us…sooner…I am…sorry…that apes have not…always been kind…to you.”

He winced. She spoke true. He should not have pushed their Echo to visit their village, and he should have told Anaya and Soona what had happened to her. He would do everything in his power to fix his mistake now. He could not do anything about the past, only learn from it. Humans often spoke of moving forward in their books and stories, in their Echo’s case, she had done just that. Maybe she could assist him in learning to do that as well?

Their Echo looked to Soona then, a small smile on her lips as she stated, “There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. It wasn’t you who was un-kind to me. You, Anaya, and Noa have been nothing but kind to me…for the most part.”

“You are…still angry…with Noa?” Soona asked, somewhat hesitantly. She was not asking for her benefit and he knew it.

Their Echo puffed out a long breath, thinking, the silence stretching so long he was afraid she would not answer at all. Finally, she sighed, “Can anyone truly stay mad at Noa?”

He felt relief he had never truly known before overtake him. He felt the corner of his mouth tilt up in a smile he could not fight, distracted for a moment before hearing their Echo add, “I understand why he did what he did. I don’t like it, but I understand it. The real problem that day…well…it’s just…. I know there are barriers between our species. It’s more than just speech, and I…I mean, these problems probably have carried over from hundreds of years of differences. You three have been great, but the part that upsets me is that Noa seems to choose to ignore the fact that apes and humans don’t normally co-exist peacefully. We do, but I’ve also experienced the other end of the spectrum between our species. And Noa just…”

He hung his head once more. They were different. He could not deny that, but where their Echo saw that as something bad, he could only see it as good. She was not as strong as him, but she was just as brave. He was not as…creative as she was, but he could fix things just as well as she could. And together, the two of them…they were good together. He was unsure how to describe it, but he wanted it. He wanted the differences, he wanted to learn and to teach each other. He wanted to grow with her. He wanted-

“Noa does know…what it is like…to be betrayed.”

The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, one he was unprepared for. What had caused Soona to say this? He had been too lost in thought, missing the conversation. Their Echo looked surprised, brows raising before lowering just as quickly. She seemed doubtful, asking, “By a fellow ape?”

Soona shook her head, “By a…Echo…you are not the first…that could speak…that Noa has met.”

He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling uneasy. Their Echo seemed too eager as she questioned, “There are other humans around who can speak?”

“There was one,” Soona answered, still speaking carefully. She knew he was there, and she knew this was not her story to tell. “We do not know…where she went…left five seasons ago…have not seen her since…her name was…Mae.”

Their Echo nodded slowly, voice lowering as she asked, “What happened with Mae? You said she…betrayed Noa? How?”

Soona sighed, “We do not…normally speak of her…she was a source…of much pain and…confusion for Noa…think…you should know.”

Soona hesitated, each second of silence feeling like an entire season. His heart was beating so loud he almost missed her next words. “There was ape…Proximus…he was king of apes…he searched for Mae…killed other humans that…were with her…wanted to get inside…a human vault…it held great weapons…that would make Proximus…more powerful.”

He saw their Echo’s immediate reaction. She seemed afraid, looking unwell, as if she had eaten bad berry. Her next question caused his own bad reaction. “Who was Sylva to Proximus?”

How?

How did she know that name? How did she know any of this? Something cold caused his hair to stand on end, a small thought in the back of his mind trying to make it to the front. He shook his head, refusing to hear it. Still, it remained. Quiet now, but there all the same.

He watched Soona, her surprise matching his. She did not speak of Sylva to their Echo, which only left two others that could have. Though surprised, Soona answered, “Sylva was…his General…not sure if that is an ape word…or a human word.”

“It’s human,” their Echo was quick to answer. “Proximus seems to have already been an advanced ape.”

Soona curled more into herself then, “He was….we all were afraid…if not for Noa…and Mae…Eagle Clan would not…be here.”

“Proximus ordered your clan to be stolen, and Sylva carried out his orders.” Their Echo, clever as always, was quick to make sense of their ape structure. “What happened to Proximus?”

“Noa stopped him,” Soona answered without hesitation.

Their Echo remained silent. He had seen that look on her face before. She was…processing. She was trying to make sense of what Soona had just told her. While she did this, Soona snuck a quick glance to his hidden location. They locked eyes, and she signed behind her back, Continue?

He grunted, signing back, You must now.

Soona hummed to herself, before letting out a grunt to recapture their Echo’s attention. “Noa says…Mae hid from Proximus…in our village…Noa accidentally…lead them to us…the entire clan was taken…Noa tracked us…for many days…Mae followed…Noa did not know she could speak…until she called his name…Sylva was close…she was scared…she chose Noa as…lesser of the two apes…to fear.”

“So, she lied.” Their Echo said in a flat tone.

Lie. To be untrue on purpose. He still was grasping the concept of the human word. He let loose a breath, admiring their Echo’s ability to see things as they were. She acknowledged the right and wrong without details to cloud her mind. Not like ape…not like him. Her experience with humans more than likely lead to this ability.

In that same, flat, straightforward tone, their Echo continued, “Noa was betrayed by her traveling with him, but he didn’t know she could speak, or that Proximus was hunting her.”

Soona nodded, “More than that…when Noa and Mae…were taken to Proximus…he learned she shared…the same goal…as Proximus…she wanted to…get inside…get a book…that could help humans…learn to speak…again.”

“That…”

Their Echo hesitated. That caught his attention. Why? He carefully took another step forward, feeling that same branch start to give way, but he had to get closer. He stared intently at her face- her eyes. Processing again. She was thinking…and there was something wrong. She seemed jumbled…but more. Like she wanted to say more, but stopped herself. Like she knew something, but did not want to speak. Like…like…

Like Mae.

Like Mae when she hid the truth.

He felt his teeth pierce his gums, his jaw tightening. He did not want to think that way, not after yesterday. Not after knowing what he did about her. She was not like Mae. She was not. Would never be. She may keep some things to herself, but it is never information that could hurt anyone. She has only ever hidden her own pain.

She shook her head then, finishing her original thought, “That sounds incredible. Did she find what she was looking for?”

He took a deep breath. Perhaps he had misjudged her intentions. Maybe the jumble, the pain, was hearing of something she could not understand. He certainly did not understand when Mae first mentioned it to him. Still, that nagging thought in the back of his mind remained there. Crouched in the shadows, lying in wait for the time to strike.

“Noa…”

The sound of his name brought his attention back to the conversation, catching Soona’s eyes as her attention shifted to him once more. She seemed nervous, as if seeking his permission once more. For what, he did not know. He saw their Echo become confused at Soona’s sudden shift, brows raised as she waited. He urged Soona to speak, not wanting to draw attention to himself.

Soona turned away from him, body rigid as she explained, “Noa was…different…after meeting Mae…is different…with you…now.”

Their Echo did not seem surprised by this. Did not ask for better understanding. Instead, asked, “Does Noa think I’ll turn out to be like Mae? That I’ll betray him? Hurt him or the clan? Is that why he’s always watching me, always careful around me?”

He did not always watch her, he grumbled to himself. Of course he was careful with her, she was fragile. Perhaps she confused the two.

Soona shook her head, “Noa knows…you are not like Mae…you are…what he wished…Mae was…wants to make sure…he does not become….like Mae…to you.”

He looked away then. Soona spoke true…though he did not wish to admit it to himself. He was more than careful with you, because he wanted to keep what companionship the two of you had built. The same way he had wanted to keep it with Mae. It was impossible with her. Too much had happened. He would never be her enemy, but they could never progress together. But with you…he wanted…he wanted to keep you.

He heard their Echo sigh then, ashamed, “I…I threw a rock at him yesterday. I made a mistake…I already hurt him. He shouldn’t think that I’m not like her…I could be. I’m human after all.”

He wanted to argue, protest against the thought, but Soona beat him to it.

“Human…does not mean bad…ape…does not mean good…Noa says…wants others to learn…we are better…stronger…good and bad…together…more alike…than either side…wants to speak of.”

He sensed the shift in their Echo’s emotions, watching as she and Soona embraced. It was unlike a human hug, and unlike an ape sign of affection. It was a strange blend of the two. He saw rather than heard their Echo say, “Thank you, Soona.”

Then, there was silence, no more to say between the two. He on the other hand, felt he had much more to say. In time though. Not now. This was a time of peace. Of course, it did not last long. His mother’s bird swooped through the trees, and as he attempted to stop her, he forgot where he was standing.

Crack

His feet gave out beneath him, the weight of his body carrying him down. He mashed his teeth to smother the screech he wanted to release, hands scrabbling for purchase on branches as he descended. He caught one, enough to slow him down, before it too snapped and he landed face first into the dirt below.

He grunted, pushing himself up enough to see over the underbrush. As he did, he saw their Echo’s head lower from its raised position, down towards him. He stilled, as if caught in the gaze of a predator, the very breath in his lungs freezing. Her eyes met his in an unseeing gaze, her hand raising as he realized the sun blocked him from her sight. His breathing resumed, pain blooming in his chest. He was reminded of his fall as their Echo’s attention was now on his mother’s bird.

He sat up carefully, pain in his chest slowing his movements. He watched as Soona stood with too much urgency. Something was wrong. He turned in the direction she was looking, forcing himself to his feet as he saw his mother and her group of younglings approach Soona and their Echo. She had no idea. He needed to get to her, he needed to be there to help her.

He took a step, hands clenching at the pain before he heard Soona beg, “Do not…be scared…do not run.”

Their Echo jumped up, clutching Eden to her chest in a single fluid motion. She was terrified. He made to move forward, but Soona discreetly held up a hand. She looked at him with the same determination he had seen before they made the climb in Proximus’ kingdom. She shook her head, signing, Wait.

He did not like it, but nodded all the same. His breath came harder, faster as the younglings approached. Eden heard the group approaching, stirring and hooting to call them closer to her. Their Echo did not know this, only knowing distress as she tried to backup. Soona stopped her then.

“I am…here…trust.” Soona spoke, not only to their Echo, as she halfway shielded her from the approaching group.

Their Echo stilled, swallowing around nothing as he scented her fear from deep within the canopy. After another moment, she nodded at Soona, who shrieked at the younglings to slow and stop. She might not have had to, as each one completely stopped in their tracks upon seeing their Echo. He remembered then, that they had never seen an Echo before, and that was including silent ones. The second their Echo opened her mouth to speak, the younglings might all just faint…or run.

He hoped they did not see her as a threat. He was prepared if they did though. One of the eldest stepped forward then. He scented their Echo to the best of his ability, senses still undeveloped. He hobbled closer, enough to scent her legs, and he must have picked up on her fear. His confusion was obvious, head tilting as he saw their Echo flinch back from him. He observed Eden, clasped closely to her, though she wanted nothing to do with him. With the anger of a child ignored in preference to another, he demanded, “Why does Eden…get to be carried…by the Echo?”

He heard their Echo release a breath that sounded more like a gasp. He could see her shoulders begin to shake, Eden sensing the rise in her fear, leaning down from her grasp to holler and hiss at the youngling before her. Surprisingly, the youngling backed away, hissing back as grumbled, “Newborn.”

This almost brought a smile to their Echo’s face, watching Eden snort in reply. Then, another voice broke through the crowd, “I believe…you have…found my…youngling.”

His mother.

Teaching staff in hand, she hobbled towards their Echo, the crowd of younglings parting in respect so she may pass. Though their Echo remained afraid, she took one look at his mother and nodded. She knelt then, slowly, to the ground. She softly urged Eden to release her hold on her hair and clothing. Though reluctant, Eden complied, walking hesitantly on all fours over to his mother. He expected her to be scolded, but was just as surprised as everyone by his mother’s next words.

“Well done, little one. You were very brave.”

What?!

“What?” Their Echo parroted his own disbelief, the sound causing an audible gasp and reaction from the rest of the group.

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wauzmons · 6 months ago

Text

My Plans for Elysian Eclipse 0.5.0

As most of you already know, the next release will be a major update, introducing the foundation of tribal stage. Here's a quick overview of what I want to achieve during the next 2 months.

Building System: Since the hut editor is functional now, the logical next step is allowing you to place those huts in the world. For this the construction menu, used to place nests in aquatic stage, will be further expanded in various ways.

Day / Night Cycle: We already tested a small scale version of the day night cycle in the Blorb Zone. Now it will be fully integrated into creature and tribal stage, including a time and weather display, aswell as cheats to change the current time.

Unit Selection: Instead of being a top-down view like in Spore, you'll still play from the perspective of a creature. You'll be able to freely swap between a few different tribe members. Not only will you be able to control multiple creatures, but also ...other things.

Interaction Menu: The interaction menu will be a multi-purpose system to interact with other creatures or objects. Only the base of this system will be implemented for now, but in the future it will be used for stuff like trading or crafting.

#elysian eclipse

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gallusrostromegalus · 2 years ago

Note

How does trash pickup, Recycling centers, &/or Hazardous Material Disposal work for Soul Society in AEIWAM? Is there a Kido-based ritual to break things down into Reishi? Are there Tech Repair Shops?

Sewage in Soul Society works really well but very dangerously because those fucking idiots built the city directly on top of an active supervolcano.

Let me back up:

There isn't a good consensus on how big the Seireitei is (Yoruichi says it takes 10 days to walk 1/4th of the way around the circumference, but whether that's her speed, the average person's or how long a patrol group takes is unclear), Or any real maps of the place, but it's generally agreed that

the city is LARGE. Yoruichi says it would take her and the kids ten days to walk to the next gate 1/4th of the way around the city. Maybe that's 8 hours average human walking speed minus 'trying to herd a bunch of teenagers' but that's still a long trip!

Even before the Seki-Seki stone wall was put up, the city was pretty much circular.

Unlike pretty much every real city, there's no river running through it. Where are they getting their water?

There is a Small but substantial and TOTALLY ISOLATED mountain in the middle of the city made of apparently hard-to-mine rock. A Lonely Mountain, one might even say.

The only visible natural sources of water I've seen evidence of are hot springs in both the Yoruichi/Urahara Super Secret Training Ground/Love Nest and the first division grounds.

Soul Society is run by jackasses and if there's a stupid way to do things, that's the way they're doing them.

In fact, the Soul Society as a whole is almost suspiciously Amestris-shaped, but instead of nefarious alchemy, it's negligent civil engineering

...all this leads me to believe that Seireitei is built DIRECTLY ON TOP OF the caldera of an enormous supervolcano. The city gets it's water from the aquifer of rainwater that's collected in the underground cracks and fissures of the Caldera, and the seki-seki stone wall is set up around the really convenient geographic barrier made by the rim of the caldera.

"Hey!" I hear some of you nerds objecting "Aren't calderas usually concave? Seireitei is convex, if anything!"

You're right! Most Calderas are concave! But they will absolutely fill in with sand and dirt over the true floor of the caldera over time and develop Mounts like the thing at the central part of the city and start to rise WHEN THEY'RE ON THE VERGE OF A CATASTROPHIC ERUPTION.

So yeah! The Gotei-13 has an almost infinite supply of hot water, and probably less than a century to figure out what to do before The Big Kaboom.

Anyway, back at sewage:

There's been a city where the Seireitei is since time immemorial, and even though it's done the istanbul-not-constantinopple shuffle a few times, very little of the actual infrastructure has changed. Empires rise and fall but the desire paths stay the same.

This is especially true in Seireitei, because unlike very nearly every major IRL Municipality, it doesn't have a river running through it, something that usually necessitates Sewer updates By Force. But compared to a river which is constantly moving around in it's bed, a volcanic aquifer doesn't move much until it moves a whole fucking lot real fast, so the undercity of the Seireitei has really had time to... Develop isn't quite the right word.

"Ferment" is closer.

Above-ground waste management is the provenance of the actual local city government- yes, there is a Mayor of the Seireitei that the Gotei-13 has to pay property taxes to. Yamamoto maintains a lot of goodwill with the Mayor by dint of sentencing ill-behaved shinigami to shore up the municipal labor pool, and by knowing the mayor's family for the last millennium. So you'll see Shinigami doing things like trash collection and street-sweeping, but they're just there on probation.

-But nobody wanted to deal with the undercity. It's got a soul of it's own. Washington DC, which is less than 500 years old as a city and on top of a swamp, has an undercity that goes down over half a mile. Imagine how deep the sunken buildings, abandoned secret tunnels, and sewer system of a city that's millenia old, not sitting on actual mud and constantly subjected to high levels of magical background radiation might develop.

An Appetite, for one thing.

The 11th likes to talk a big game, but the reason the 4th is in charge of sewer maintenance is because the only people with the guts for it were people who got degrees rummaging in the guts of living people. Sewer maintenance really is a lot like abdominal surgery, if you were able to walk around inside the patient.

It was Retsu Unohana's idea, actually. Chigiri was a battle medic and aged rapidly for a shinigami. She was old when the court guard finally went from "Yamamoto and his gang of assholes" to "A for-real governing body". Her successor, Kirinji was more interested in traumatic injury recovery than preventative medicine, for obvious reasons- his triage was constantly full of combat casualties and early kido experiment victims Blood Loss was still his #1 Killer.

But Retsu had been reincarnated in and spent her youth in South 80, in the utterly undeveloped conditions there, and held deep, personal grudges with Dysentery and Cholera. For all his talk of healing waters, Kirinji had no sense of the importance of water sanitation, and it was a continuous point of contention between them for her apprenticeship.

"FINE!" He shouted one day after a particularly nasty row. "IF IT'S SO GODDAMN IMPORTANT TO YOU, YOU HANDLE IT! FORM NOW ON, YOU'RE IN CHARGE OF SEWAGE, SLUDGE QUEEN!"

She made her first descent the next morning.

She did not return for six weeks, and Kirinji almost thought he'd resloved that particular problem when she reappeared from the depths, a changed woman. That long in the darkness, alongside the buried secrets and skeletons of the city, with the horrors that did not dare brave the sunlight- it would change anyone, and most would come up looking at least mildly haunted.

Retsu Unohana is not most.

She looks radiant, almost like The Kenpachi again, covered in the horrors of the underground as she used to be covered in blood. She thrives on a challenge, and excels at the art of purification, and now, she has been given the single greatest challenge of purification in history. There is something beautiful and terrible in her eyes as she explains that it does down at least five miles, look at this, she thinks it's from the neolithic era, and there are incredible boneyards of thousands of skeletons, and fungi the likes of which she's never seen before- She is ecstatic- a creature kept in captivity, finally released into it's natural habitat.

It's hardly a surprise, if you consider Minazuki. Stingrays are benthic creatures, right at the bottom of the river, deep in the muck and decay.

It's been a little over eight hundred years into her tenure as a medic, and she has tamed much of the beast. The upper levels are well-mapped and have been made clean and well-lit, enough that even the civilian sanitation forces of the city can regularly enter and work in them without any particular unease. Infant and preventable disease mortality has dropped astronomically. Nobody's had cholera since the 1800's . While they have other jobs, all members of the 4th division are required to take at least one tour in the depths of the undercity.

Horrors still lurk in the depths.

They're pretty sure they lost Tokagero Kenpachi chasing one of those, shortly before Unohana became captain, and she's been reluctant to let other divisions assist since then. The Fourth Division's Fourth Seat, rumored to be the unluckiest post in the entire Gotei-13, is permanently stationed underground, and she loves it that way.

It's only recently that the 11th has been allowed to come along on descents, after Zaraki vanished for two days and then emerged victorious from a manhole in the 5th division with a tentacled horror she'd been tracking for decades that lived at least three miles down. He apologized- he had meant to come up in the 4th to present it's corpse to her directly, but well, you know what his sense of direction is like. Anyway, I saw it scuttling around in the rain aquifers and we don't need it tracking literal shit into the water supply so I went after is and d'ya think maybe I can take the lads down sometime? They' get lazy between deployments and you have a triage up here to manage.

Charmed, she agreed.

---

Hm. I just re-read that ask and it's actually about dry waste managment.

Sorry. I got very excited about the sewers.

I am now about to get worse about trash.

I don't think they have plastic in soul society- given how bug-themed the 12th division is, I'm pretty sure the casing on Rukia's soul pager is made of Chitin, and if you break it, it bleeds. Also it makes people with shellfish allergies break out in hives.

Since pretty much all the waste in Soul Society is either recyclable or organic matter, I think those trash pits Yumichika and Ganju were fooling around with are really more like Kido-enhanced composting centers. All waste goes into them and the bottom of the pit is pulled out in a tray, like with a vermiculture tower, if the worms were eighteen and a half feet long and hungry enough to swallow anything that falls in the pit, because Mayuri is incapable of making anything that is not at least slightly awful.

The compost is then shaken out for any spare glass or metal that made it into the compost and that's sent off to the 12th division forges to be recycled. it's baked to kill any dangerous pathogens and Giant Garbage Worm Eggs so they don't breach containment, and measured for nitrogen, phosphorus and other important plant nutrient content. Based on it's composition, it's then shipped out to farmers in the upper districts of the rukongai because "Free, A+ grade fertilizer if y'all don't start revolutions, pay your taxes and give us first dibs on crops" is an amazing incentive for rural farmers to not start backing the local warlords.

It was 12th division founder Uhin Zenjohji who came up wth the scheme- he remembered the lengths upper-district farmers were willing to go through to make sure their land remained fertile, what kind of demand Nitrogen was in, and the ravages of phosphorous runnoff, so he could kill two birds with one clod of shit by supplying farmers with 'free' fertilizer that kept them loyal to the court and was tailored to that area's nutritional needs and watershed capacity.

The fact that it kept a lot of swamp and waterway areas pristine so he could indulge his birdwatching hobby was a nice benefit too :).

NORMALLY, those pits are covered, clearly marked, and usually the site of a major traffic jam because that's the local collection point, but when Ichigo and friends arrived, Aizen had whipped everyone into believing they were being invaded by an elite force of super-assassins and not like. 4 high schoolers and a furry. All the street signs and markings came down, civilians shuttered themselves inside, and generally made the Seireitei as difficult to navigate as possible.

I wonder how much Zaraki's rotten sense of direction was exacerbated by that.

ANYWAY! That's my thoughts on trash! Deep undercity horrors and giant compost worms over an active volcano!

#AEIWAM #an elephant is warm and mushy #bleach #bleach fanfic #Retsu Unohana #zaraki kenpachi #tenjiro kirinji

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salt-clangen · 17 days ago

Text

Moon 19 bonus scenes

Leaf fall

Here’s all the non plot related updates from this moon

Whenever Wolfstar takes Coralpaw out for her mediator lessons, Dropletpaw keeps herself busy by studying any object she can get her paws on. Recently it’s been rocks, she’s been grinding them up to study the differences in the powders and the various ways to crush things.

Here she is showing her powders to Sandpaw

Speaking of Coralpaw, she’s been lagging behind with her lessons, even with everyone helping out. Here’s Nightleap ditching her while she’s kit sitting, of course her mentor waited for the one moment Thistle wasn’t around to yell at her leaving.

Lately, Thistle has been getting even stronger in her back, she’s finally progressed enough that as of Moon 20 she can return to her warrior duties post injury and birth. She’ll still live in the nursery and her tasks/patrols will be incredibly scaled back than a normal warrior, but she can finally leave camp. Both her and Shadow enjoy quiet, fast patrols in the morning and he’s invited her a few times to join him marking the borders.

She may not have been in the main story much, but Sandpaw has been working hard. Her hunting training with Shadowdive has been going great, she brought home a huge amount of prey.

Rippleclaw however managed to beat her four times in a row while sparring, it would’ve been five but Shadowdive cut it short to spare her. She sulked the entire evening.

But by the next patrol she’s back to her old self, helping Kelppaw scavenge the tide pools while Snowspeckle marks the borders.

Nighthowl tries to make friends with Thistle since she’s on nest rest, waiting for her kits. For the most part they get along, not super close, however one night Nighthowl decides to confess to the smaller molly. She had developed a crush on Wolfstar, Thistle almost laughs, if it weren’t for how awkward this was. She’s quick to give her opinion though.

Rippleclaw might be mostly deaf, but Mallowstripe sure the fuck isnt. He easily overhears the new warrior complaining about how he doesn’t help enough. Several deep breathes and a list of pros and cons later, Mallow decides to let the issue go.

Dropletpaw is on kit duty for once and she’s freaking out, luckily there’s only one kit to worry about. Unfortunately that won’t be for much longer as Nighthowl is due any day now. Hopefully her kits will be as well behaved as Briarkit.

#clangen #warrior cats #wc #saltclan #saltclan moon update #bonus scenes #moon 19

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mariacherry · 3 months ago

Text

Hours of long work and sleepless nights, and it's done!

Made with 💖 @leebbi04 💖

🐔MEGA-UPDATE THE "RURAL LIFE" KIT

Sims will be able to grow and harvest fruit crops, which will later turn into a fragrant stew!

WHAT'S NEW? 🌿 The set now has two versions: combined and separate; 🌿 All build objects have been translated into Russian, errors in scripts have been fixed, sorted by prices and moved to the "flowers" category; 🌿 Some objects have become functional: The Scarecrows is a training dummy Guiding board - Jacoban board Bulletin board - Jacoban board Bread shelves - refrigerator 🌿The build interface has been changed to simulate collections:

To do this, the icons and names of the following categories were replaced: flowers, gates, stones, community objects (spoiler for the following sets); on english and russian only 🌿Added many more themed objects for building and creating sims; 🌿The accessories have new previews;

🌿Low-level plants can now collect everything; 🌿A gardening mod has been developed! Modifies herbal spawners so that edible products or herbs can be obtained from them:

Modifies herbal spawners so that edible products or herbs can be obtained from them.

From the former wildflower spawner, you can get: Seeds, parsnips, figs, cabbage, nuts, wheat, turnips, potatoes, small potatoes, leeks, yellow onions, just onions, garlic, pears, apples.

Wildflower was transferred to the Eagle's Nest and Blood root spawners.

This mod is based on the mod for new recipes, books, alcohol and the former gardening mod by Forsaken. But with big edits. It also removes the fact that products do not spoil longer in order to win more often to engage in gardening and cook more often.

If you are using this mod, then do not install any other mods that add something to the purchase mode, recipes, etc.

How to do gardening:

Buy crop plants (which visually resemble crops)

Study the plant and then you can collect it.

Get a crop from a plant (randomly) and it will disappear

It will grow back in a few days.

DOWNLOAD (Google):

Merge version | Separate version

INTERFACE (recommended with any version)

Credits: murfelee, MartasSimsBook, ATS, DOT, Toreno, Lily, Elitisim, Missyzim, Cezanne, simaddix, gosik, enablellamas, altogetherx, Severinka, Sauris, SIMcredible, soloriya, omedapixel, wavingwheat, rachel-homeanddesign, simlicious, latoya, lollabelle-sims, jooj45

I hope I haven't forgotten anyone._.

#tsm #the sims medieval #sims medieval #kits #leebbi

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sol-consort · 10 months ago

Note

Regarding the human kink thing when it comes to turians, some people actually do be nesting, omega-verse style. Imagine being a human assigned to a turian ship, and you just over here in your bunk, innocently arranging the pillows and stuffies, while these guys are just standing there, slack-jawed and harmonizing their subvocals lol

[updated post]

A/B/O is not for me, but I dig the concept of aliens being intrigued by plushies. They are weird when you think about it.

The weird part isn't the plushies–it makes sense for warm-blooded mammals who value skinship to enjoy cuddling soft things, hugs are fundamental for your health—No, The weird part is how the most popular plushies aren't human shaped.

You could argue dolls, but dolls aren't used as plushies. They're more hard and sturdy, something that can withstand being played with. they have joints and brushable hair. Dolls are puppets to tell a story with, a psychological form of play through creativity.

I want you for a moment to imagine an advanced civilisation of bears with me.

With metropolises and bustling economy, they haven't mastered space travel yet but they've been eyeing the planet closest to them, bringing back rocks from the moon, etc.

In one apartment complex, there lives a bear family. The furniture is more accommodating to their larger build, clothes are more of an accessory to them considering their luxurious fur coats keeping them warm.

It's nighttime, tomorrow's a Sunday and mom bear has to leave to work early, she's currently washing the dishes leftover from the wonderful dinner the family just had. Her wife, however, is putting their son to bed. it's his second week in elementary bear school! he's unhappy with his seating arrangement in class however, the teacher placed him too far from his best friend.

His mother promises to have a chat with the teacher about it when she drops him off tomorrow, the son bear is very delighted and roars happily. A big yawn escapes him as his eyelids get heavy.

In his arms, there lies a cotton friend. His most beloved treasure, the most precious inanimate object to his heart. His plushie!

He adores it. It makes him so happy. It helped make him feel safe when he first started sleeping alone after his moms got him his own bed.

Now, I need you to tell me what does the plushie look like?

For me, these are the options that instinctively came to my mind when attempting to imagine what sentient bear cubs living in a 21st century would gravitate towards in a plushie.

A) a teddybear, more fluffy, abstract, and cartoonish looking

B) a plushie in the shape of a honeyjar

C) a plushie in the shape of a fish–more specifically, salmon or trout

D) fuck idk man leave me alone

When compressed down to their core, in the most simplfied form, the choices are:

A) Identity

B) Food

C) Food

D) How did you get into my house?

With that long analogy out of the way, when you compare that limited selection to the actual things humans have already turned into plushies, it just doesn't make sense.

Food, yes we have plushies of food but also of animals we do not eat. rabbits, cats, dogs, dolphins, bugs. We have plushies of predetors even, things that once hunted us down, beings that still could very well kill us if we meet face to face, tigers, sharks, bears themselves even.

Animal cartoons are much more popular amongst kids. Fables about talking animals have been a stable genre ever since humans invented writing. Animal plushies are popular amongst adults too.

Plushies of inanimate objects, of plants, of fictional characters and fantasy creatures.

I'm willing to bet that humans already made plushies of verans since the first year they came into space, that they sold out on earth immediately. Hell, I'm sure there are plushies of reapers, of protheons and even of turians and other species.

Not even abstract ideas were spared from being into marketable plushies! isn't there a series designed to raise awareness for mental illness?

The whole meme of "turns your fav into a marketable plushie" spread so much because it is true. If there is one thing humans love, is making plushies of anything not human.

And that's the weird part to aliens, the big boy of human anomalies. "Why do they want to cuddle literally everything in this universe? and how come plushies of other humans is the last thing on that list"

You try to explain it to a salarian once but they just look at you in confusion. What do you mean you sleeping with plushes resembling your species is "weird"?? Don't you humans like hugging each other so much? Yet cuddling the soft imitation of a reaper each night isn't weird to you????

That's not even mentioning how the bear society analogy is flawed because we are biased by nature. We projected the bear society onto our human agriculture and based it upon our own popculture.

When in reality they would hold very different values, a different emotional range. They'd be as diverse as the other alien species in mass effect, sharing more resemblance to them than to humans.

We see someone sad, and we have this need to touch them, pat their shoulder, rub their back, hold their hands, and give a hug. Bears let their children walk on their own while we carry our young more, much like aquatic birds in more ways than we'd think.

A/B/O nesting isn't my cup of tea, but with turians, it's easier to digest. Yeah, they are birds. It would be literal nesting. That's kinda cute.

We like caves, it's also cute. Would turians prefer the top bunkbed? Anyway.

Birds usually throw clutter away from their nests, anything that's not a straw or building material is disposed off to make space for their eggs.

While we like the opposite, clutter fucking rocks! at least for humans.

We have a mattress, then a mattress cover, then a sheet.

Then we have pillows, stuffing, then pillow covers, decorative pillows.

After it, multiple blankets! a soft one, a heavy one, an airy one. Sometimes, blankets come with blanket covers.

Finally, the plushies arrive. Multiple of course, some for decorations, others well worn with cuddles. Sometimes a gaint big one to fully wrap all of our limbs around.

Sometimes our beds have crumbs from food we eat in it, othertimes it has a stray sock we took off while in bed and forgot.

Most of the time it has our phone in it, a pet joins us there, book we're reading, laundry we were supposed to fold but forgot, a bag, or several outfits as we get ready to go out.

That's a cave, much like bears leave the skeletal remains of their prey, we have crumbs from the cookie we suddenly craved at 3am.

Nests are neat and clutter-free, at least the bird ones, always getting cleaned from waste. Eggshells are thrown out as they hatch, baby birds waste are immediately disposed of.

Lizard nests aren't that different.

Because the equivalent to a nest foundation isn't the blankets, plushies, or pillows. it's the house foundation itself!

The concrete walls and the sturdy floorboards. The whole bedroom is already a well-built nest. The bed is just an extra cushion. The fluffy material and loose feathers birds leave at the very top, so the twigs don't scratch the fragile eggs.

So, in conclusion. Turians and Salarians would get VERY overwhelmed in a human bedroom, let alone a human bed with plushies, stuffies, and blankets.

They're like, "Are you expecting a baby???" When they notice what their brain consider is extra protective fluffing for eggs.

Turians even more because of their lack of skin nerves, hard plating, and all. Their outershell makes it hard to appreciate soft things, let alone hugging them, when they can barely feel it.

Salarains? They're softer, more squishy, and they might enjoy the way it feels against their skin. Most reptiles do, and they're the closest thing for reference.

They're warm-blooded, but they do originate from a fully tropical planet + they're amphibians and might have used to be semi-aquatic? Meaning that while they still produce their own bodyheat, it wouldn't be that much to begin with. Space is definitely much colder to them than to a human.

That's why hugging a human is so nice to them! They can leech off of your body heat as their very own sun–or at least a substitute for a heatlamp.

But plushies and blankets are a different story. With blankets, they might make them cold or freeze since they blocked whatever light or heatlamp the salarians must need for sleep when they're not wearing their temperature adjustment suits.

And if you sleep next to them under the blanket, your trapped body heat will cause the temperature to rise above what's comfortable for them and risk overheating them. Same with the fluffy sheets, pillows or plushies.

there's the risk of overheating them with your body as the blanket traps in the heat. it will happen slowly, but that just makes it more dangerous. A slow simmer of rising body temperature as they realise what a death trap a human bed actually is.

Plus, salarians only need one hour of sleep per cycle, it seems very excessive to them that you'd build a whole room and make the biggest piece of furniture in it solely for the purpose of sleep. All of those plushies just to hug to sleep?

Drell, who breathe through their skin, would view blankets as a total nightmare. Their clothes already need a lot of adjustment to accommodate their conditions, only certain material is airy enough to allow them to get a lungfull, and you want to suffocate them with cotton or polyester?

They know you only breathe through your nose, but it still...makes them feel uneasy. Seeing you covered completely in stuffies and thick blankets, only your head poking out. Much like what it would feel for us to see someone go to sleep underwater with a flimsy mask connected to an oxygen tank. Now, this is truly a death trap–the salarians were right.

As long as you forgo the blanket and...allow them to fully strip down, they will give this whole human bed thing a try. Silk or satin sheets and pillow covers feel the best against their skin, smooth surfaces that seamlessly glide, air particles passing through it with little trouble.

Anything fluffy, feathery, or with fur will irritate their skin. It's like something brushing against your nose. They sacrifice a lot of comfort when it comes to indulging the human need to cuddle, but most drell rarely complain as they accommodate to your need, even if it meant you'd be slightly cutting off their air circulation.

Maybe their society is exceptionally polite? Maybe devotion and sacrifice for the ones you love are just ingrained in their biology? It would explain their endless royalty to the hanar despite how staying on that planet is literally killing them.

Oh yeah, owning a humidifier in your room will cause them a lot of pain and discomfort. Turn it off, or if you really want to woo a drell, get a dehumidifier.

Krogans would fucking love our beds tho. Might make fun of it at first, but they secretly also want a soft mattress and plushies to cuddle with.

Get close enough with a Krogan, and they'll start crashing in your room and taking naps on your own bed whenever the chance presents itself.

Don't the asari sleep in pods? I'm thinking of that sex scene in ME, she fucks you in a pod. That's something. At least...Liara gets used to human beds?

Anway! having established all of that definitely vital and necessary world building, I can finally talk smut about the turians! the original context of this request!

One look at a human's bed and their minds are definitely going south. First of all, human, you're in desperate need of a mate because your nest is a mess! Why do you have so many different fabrics? Aren't you worried you'll suffocate yourself with a plushie or too while sleeping?

Second of all...they didn't know humans were this soft. You mean, most humans sleep like this? In very comfortable beds? Even like...the army tough ones? Oh, that's why they get so excited for shore leave? so they can return to their actual comfortable nests–sorry yes "beds" and have some decent sleep?

huh.

And none of you are expecting children, correct? This is just how the average adult human goes to sleep?

Turians don't have the heart to tell you that they associate soft beds–ones like yours—to the human equivalent of a heart-shaped bed with rose petals scattered around, candles illuminating the room and a very deliberate lack of condoms.

They try not to...think about it whenever they come into the room. A bluish hue adorning their cheeks, trying to avoid eye-contact as they explain that uh...fuck, they accidentally glanced towards your bed and forgot what they came here to say.

I talked before how jarring it's to them that humans easily allow others on their bed, be it human or not. You just casually invite your friends to sit on it? The same sheets you sleep on each night? the one so heavy with your delicious scent they can practically smell it the second they stepped foot into this room?

And now you're telling them to take a seat, even handing them one of your plushies to keep in their lap. What's a friendly gesture and a show of trust is being very very badly misinterpreted by their brain chemistry, their biology going haywire at what they consider the declaration of "Get me pregnant" Whether you're actually capable of it or not.

Sidenote, the angara might be the only ones to share our bed preferences, not only that but show enthusiasm at the mention of plushies.

The only difference is that their society values plushies that resemble people more, angara like them. The dolls and plushie lineup are very intertwined.

Cuddling very intimately with someone isn't sexualised either, nor presented under a romantic light necessarily. Their society prides itself on love and affection; they're direct with expressing their emotions.

A single angara family can have many mothers and fathers, tens of sisters and brothers. Cuddling and sharing a bed is very normalised even far into adulthood.

They might be the ones giving humans the wrong idea by immediately inviting them back to cuddle on their bed after only the second meeting. Just because they decided they like you :) It's the equivalent of going out for coffee.

Protheoans, meanwhile, fall on the opposite spectrum. Javik doesn't have a bed, does he? He never asks for one either. They're a society of warriors, they value strength and abhor tenderness. Brutal honesty is their forte.

But...they also read each other's emotions through touch.

While beds are a foreign concept, plushies are not. Javik can sense the history of a room just by directly touching its floorboards. Plushies and other sentimental objects must be valued very greatly in their society, doesn't he hold onto the disk of memories from his time back before being frozen?

He understands why his own species came to value plushies, but why the hell does yours do it? You lack his abilities, all humans do.

You try to explain it to him, but it just sounds like you're describing vague and badly done emotion reading with extra steps.

He concludes that humans must hold traces of these abilities. It just translates into safety and the need to cuddle others. Also, it is clearly inferior to the protheon's advanced ability, so yeah.

Javik dislikes your bed but likes your plushies and actually welcomes cuddling. He remains stoic throughout it but you can feel him poking through your memories.

Same with your plushies, he asks that he may keep one as a relic. A piece of your soul, your history is encased in it like an artifact in amber.

Touching it almost feels exactly like travelling in time to meet your old self, getting to part the curtians of space itself and get a front row view on the person you used to be.

Plushies immortalise you to protheans, who would've thought.

I had so much fun with this an analysis it <333 I know it isn't exactly what you had in mind anon, I'm sorry, A/B/O is listed as a "no" in my requesting list. But the concept was so good I had to approach it in a different direction.

I hope you still enjoyed it!

#☆humans #☆human kink #☆Javik #☆turians #☆Krogans #☆salarians #☆character study #☆drell #☆protheans

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silverinkbottle · 1 year ago

Text

Cover me in flowers..or glitter?

Summary: What's an Overlord to do after dealing with a shitty day of downed networks. Come home and bitch about it of course.

Word Count:4.5K

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Velvette x F!Sphynx!Reader

Warnings: Sexual content ahead. Female oral sex. Foul language (it's Velvette, I got to) references to drug use and self harm. 18+ only!

A/N:Hello dearest readers! Here is the promised Velvette x Reader fic I managed to spin for yall. It was extremely fun to dive into the more 'true' side of Velvette as we have seen during her private moments with the other Vees. Taking off the 'mask' as #THATBITCH. Is it too soft? Maybe? But all the same, enjoy!

Side Note: My REQUESTS are open and I am determined to tackle each of the colorful Hazbin cast in some form. It can be X Reader or not! Let me see what I can spin up! enjoy!

Hell was a fucked up place. Like watching your neighbor get devoured by a roving pack of cannibals sort of daily occurrence. Murder and mayhem went hand in hand. Yet, somehow that rush of adrenaline was preferred to your current situation. Buried under a mound of blankets, winter clothes and anything else to make a nest in as you sulked in the depths of fabric. Spoiled, you had gotten spoiled since Velvette took you in. A thin little stray that happened to fall into the satin lap of luxury. All because you intrigued the Overlord one day. Your powers wreaking havoc on Vox’s spy network of technology as you blipped in and out of existence. However, that talent came with certain limitations rapidly draining your energy if you stepped ‘out’ for too long. It wasn’t long before you had been cornered by an irate Vox and a few select underlings, the technomancer screeching about a raging headache over the phone.

Vox wanted your head, Valentino wanted your body to break on camera and Velvette, well she found you fascinating. Cameras flashed in your face as soon she met you, provoking the question on social media. Who was Hell’s Cheshire? A thief, a backstabber and all other lovely connotations. Eventually, the youngest Overlord settled on something else entirely, a useful tool for her arsenal of networks. Able to slip in and out unnoticed if you chose so and entirely willing to come at the ring of bell. Most of the time.

Your phone had been buzzing non stop since Hell went back online after Vox’s tantrum. You couldn’t imagine the headache that Velvette had to sort out for hours after. Patching up rumors and demolishing negative news with a flick of her fingers. It was fascinating watching her work from home as data zipped across the screen in a dazzling display of lights. Pushing trends for Voxtek, doxxing competition with scathing inbox drops and above all keeping her own social media red hot. Your distaste for that particular task was evident as you dodged the socialite’s flashing phone at all hours. The Overlord’s photo album was like a riddle of segmented body parts. A flash of your stomach getting inked with a fresh bloom of daisies, followed by a blurred hand reaching out to take the offending object.

There was a quiet ding of the penthouse elevator as the pile of clothes shifted an inch with your movement. Moving a scarf out of the way, you now had the perfect vantage to see Velvette streaming as soon as she left the elevator with a bright smile.

“Apologies about the little system update to the electrical grid lovelies. As you can see we are now back online! Please reset your Voxbox if further problems continue. We here at Voxtek hope to continue providing our best quality service.” Her voice was sugary sweet as your ears flicked waiting to hear the break in her act.

Five.

The small melodic beep as the stream ended.

Four.

The defiant click of the phone shutting.

Three.

A sigh.

Two.

The smallest click of heels against the floor as Velvette walked towards the couch.

One.

The delightful stream of profanity that was screamed into a pillow.

“THAT MOTHER FUCKING TWAT GOT HIS KNICKERS IN A TWIST ALL BECAUSE OF THE OLD FUCK BEING BACK. KNOCKED OUT THE SYSTEMS AND HIMSELF FOR THREE HOURS. DOES HE HAVE ANY IDEA HOW I HAD TO MANAGE THAT MESS” Velvette’s yowl bounced around the penthouse as you could almost see the steam coming off her head.

“Babes, are you listening to ME!” Velvette shrieked at your cloth fortress of solitude as you reached your hand out in a supportive thumbs up. It wasn’t enough as you hear the distinct sound of glass shattering as something heavy had been launched at the elevator’s glass door. It dinged in submission as Velvette let out another shriek of rage.

Now was the time to intervene before she grabbed another object to destroy as you hastily shot your hand out to grab her by the wrist. Her expression twisted in surprise as she was pulled into your pillowy sanctuary. A low purr rumbled in your chest as her floral perfume curled around you. Her heartbeat thudded against you as your cat-like pupils dilated from the close contact as she heaved a heavy sigh before curling under your chin. Now an air of calm floated about the shelter as darkness and your rumbling purr enveloped the enclosed space.

“Hello, you. Seems like you had a hard day.” You muttered as Velvette exhaled through her teeth as if you couldn’t have chosen the most delicate word for it. No, you knew from her more colorful vocabulary she had far more words to describe it.

“And what did you do? Take cat-naps through the entire shitshow? Must have been nice.” Velvette said tartly as you lightly carted your sharp nails through her hair. You didn’t want to pick a fight, not if she was already so burnt out from the affairs of the day.

“I spent my time building this after the power went out. Can’t stand the cold you know.” You hummed. Velvette rolled her eyes as she knew better than most that you needed climate control to be comfortable. It was a myth that Hell was boiling inferno. Even if it was, your plane shifting seemed to keep an icy grip on your soul as if wanting to drag down with it instead of allowing you to leave.

“Oh, the poor lamb, what a hardship.” Velvette’s words would have cut through the hardiest of steel, but for you, the dripping sarcasm rolled off your back with a nonchalant shrug. You did hiss in protest as she cruelly kicked off a stabilizing pillow from the stack. It all came down in a slow tumble as your arms curled around Velvette who let out a protesting whine. She was taking away your source of heat, she better be willing to provide her body heat as a compromise.

“You’re hopeless. You know that.” Velvette muttered as a faint smile ticked over your features. What happened to that wry stray Demon that evaded the Vees for months. Forcing them to ‘old’ and ‘outdated’ methods of tracking in person. All because your talent piqued their interest.

“Hm. I wouldn’t say that. I managed to keep you here.” You muttered as Velvette’s lips met yours. Gentle, soft, a silent reprieve from the madness of the world outside. Pain flicked from your ears as her fingers prodded the latest piercing at the tip of the pale ear. The cat-like features were a delicious irony from your death. Drowned in a sack like a litter of unwanted kittens. All because you had owed a drug dealer a bit too much, well, stole, thumbed the cops at him. Nasty business it was as it took months for you not to flinch at the sound of running water.

Unfortunately, keeping up your hygiene is more important compared to other demons. Your skin itches like it was swarmed by mosquitoes if you let the practice get away from you. A fucking Sphynx’s skin accompanied a bare tail and fuzzed ears. If it weren’t for the benefits of your stealth, you would have gone mad a long time ago. Much to Velvette’s fashion distaste, you preferred full body coverage of sweaters, dress suits and the like. Anything to keep your sensitive skin from the outside world.

“Testing a new experiment again? Velvette questioned as your pierced ear flicked irritated as her sharp nail ran over the reddened skin. A low hum answered her question as you gently redirected her probing hands to the edge of your sweater. Her gentle smile turned a tick towards feral as her hands slipped under the fabric, nails dragging over the sensitive skin of your stomach. It was almost a sheer reflex as your back arched underneath her touch, a delicious mixture of pain and pleasure at her touch.

“Off. I want to see.” Velvette barked as her impatient hands pulled at the fabric, easing it over your head with a single pull. Your body was a canvas for ink from piercing black to bursts of bright colors. Inky flowers planted in your fleshy parchment as Velvette’s eyes flicked over older works, trying to find the newest flower in the garden. A small singular tulip curled around your third right rib as her nail tapped it as you confirmed with a nod at her guess.

“Seems like a bit too purple, babes.” Velvette critiqued as a sigh escaped you. It had been far too long since either of you had seen the thing, but of course she remembered them as a dull little thing.

“If you insist, mistress of gardens.” You retorted with a grin. Velvette soon collapsed into a fit of giggles as you and her had shared plenty of woes about your pasts. Neither of you could grow anything green worth shit. All it took was a single glance for the flourishing flower to turn brittle and lifeless the next day. While you seemed to be overwatering or underwatering, memory turned into mush as soon as you got your fix.

Now in your afterlife, only the tattoo artist’s needle plucked away at your skin. Contaminating the sensitive pigment in an array of colors. It did seem to help or was it merely a placebo effect. Regardless, it was an interesting pastime to have as Velvette was more than willing to start off sketches or chime in about color patterns. What would you do after the canvas was full? Well, there was more than one way to skin a cat. The regenerative properties of Sinners were infamous after all.

“I know that look. We aren’t trying that yet.” Velvette protested as she jabbed a pointed nail into your cheek. A weary sigh escaped you as your past issues with your skin didn’t need to rear its head back into the quiet moment. The look of horror and shock on her face when she discovered you in the midst of flashback, sharp nails digging into the flesh of your arm. Dragging it down to tear through skin and muscle. Pain grounded you, you weren’t stuck in that bag, lungs bursting, wanting one more gasp of air that never came.

“I am sure one of the geniuses at Voxtek would be able to figure out some sort of anesthesia process” You proposed as Velvette’s smile flickered to a frown. Right, work was a touchy subject as you cupped her pouting cheeks with a gentle kiss to her forehead. Your tail elegantly twisting out her reach as you stood up from the couch, leaving her sulking against the cushions with a huff.

“I’ll run us a bath? We can use one of those glittery bath bomb monstrosities you insisted on buying last week.” You proposed as you turned the corner into the master bedroom, rolling your eyes at the loud squeal of joy that echoed after you. Double oak doors lead to the grand bathroom as numerous skin care products littered both sides of the countertop. Serums, lotions and the like, your nose wrinkled as something lilac had been spilled earlier in the morning.

It was sheer reflex for you to suck in air through your teeth as you turned the brass knobs on the jacuzzi-like tube. At least your hands shook less as you eased off your sweater. Your tail swished in warning as you heard the faintest click of the camera. Velvette and her fucking photos as you held out your hand in a silent request.

“It isn’t a bad shot, Lette. “ You praised as she smugly smiled at your approval. The cream background of the bathroom title, stark green of sweater and the pale gray of your skin. All drew the viewer's eye to the bramble of crimson roses and sharp thorns encircling your upper back. From brambles, pale forget-me-nots caressed the side of your breast, tiny yellow pea flowers branching off downward. Most importantly, your face was covered by the fabric of the sweater being pulled over your back. You liked to keep what privacy you could when it came to living with the social media Overlord.

“I did threaten to sew Valentino’s mouth shut after that comment he left last time.”

“Oh, aren't you sweet.” You cooed as her jealous streak ran as deep as the river Styx. She got to post you in all states of dishevelment with your approval. It sent gossipers into a frenzy trying to deduce who the Overlord’s lover was. All while Velvette dropped several keywords into each post about this product or that. Sex sold afterall, it was something she and the pimp moth agreed upon.

“He did speak to me about copycat videos though. Just to stir up a little tizzy with the clientele.” Velvette yawned as you rolled your eyes at the notion. Tattoos were unique from each stroke and you paid your artist an extraordinary privacy fee to keep the designs private. Now, it would be amusing to see Velvette pitch a fit in the pimp’s private studio as she critiqued each little ‘paint job’ on the copycats. Did Valentino want to make you look like a cheap fucking whore. Velvette wouldn’t let that stand as expenses and delays piled up around theoretical productions that made the moth demon’s head spin.

“Oh, now that is just cruel, love.” You teased as Velvette smiled wickedly before rummaging in one of the lower cabinets beneath the sink. Clapping her hands together as she presented her find as your ears went flat in displeasure. Oh, it was going to be a glittery mess as she ‘accidentally’ dropped the orb into the warm water.

“You know I would be running for the hills if it was any other day.” You grumbled as she flashed you a bright grin before reaching for the button of your slacks. Carefully stepping out the attire, you skittishly kept out of reach of her groping hands.

“Yes, I touched up my thighs. You don’t need to guess that.” You scoffed as Velvette’s gaze flickered over the pristine white petals of the moon flower. It’s dark vines crawling up your upper thighs as its flowering bud bloomed over your navel. Right above the soft curls of your sex.

“So, I don’t get to touch it?” Velvette pouted softly

“Not with your kit on, I don’t need another lecture on what water and other fluids can do to the material.” You tutted as you spun your finger around in a silent suggestion for her to turn around. Buttons, so many fucking buttons started from her tailbone to the back of her neck as you diligently undid the snaps with practiced patience. There wasn’t a need to rush as you could see goosebumps prickle down tanned skin as a single finger brushed over her spine.

“Oh fuck this-”

“Lette, don’t you dar-”

Your warning was an absolute failure as her arms curled around your waist, sending both of you tumbling into the vast bath. Your eyes turned into thin slits as you emerged from the water, trying to keep your breathing at slow and even pace. The gentle ripple of water as your tail lashed about with irritation as Velvette leaned comfortably against the ramp-like edge of the bath.

“Oh, you look like some sort of garden fairy, Babes, very aesthetic.” Velvette cooed as you glanced down at your soaked form. Glitter, so much fucking glitter stuck to your tattoos, your hair, and you didn’t dare ask where else it clung to.

“I hate it. I am throwing out all those damn bath bombs as soon as your back is turned.” You threatened as Velvette scoffed at the seriousness of your tone. Her finger crooked asking you to come closer as you did with a huff.

“This is going to take forever to get off.” You hissed as Velvette’s body gleamed with the fragments of glitter. Your thumb gently rubbing over her lower lip as the sparkle refused to give way to the gentle pressure.

“So, you better get to work then.” Velvette teased as she leaned further back against the cool surface, her eyes dilating as your fingers ran over a dusky nipple. Pretty little things, round and firm, but no larger than the center of your palm. The softest cooing sound slipped from her lips as the rough surface of your tongue dragged over the center of her left breast. For what felt like the hundredth time in a row, the tantalizing idea of little glimmering bar bells drifted lazily through your mind.

“You know. It would amplify-”

“It would limit my looks, babes. No. Once again. Ah fuck, do that swirling thing again.” Velvette’s protest shifted into a whine as your tongue twisted against her pert nipple. Her legs all but curled around your wet and glittery form as if it would bring you any closer. You could feel her heartbeat thud under your finger twists as it stuttered when your sharp canines dragged over the edge of her breast. Her plait form softened with each touch as the stress of the day melted away from her.

This was your Velvette. Brash, crude with an unbreakable will of steel, but at the same time, she all but melted under your attention. Until you chipped away at the sharp exterior to reveal the quiet creature beneath the rampant demands of her work. Her lips parting as her tongue curled over your fingertips. Goosebumps curled over her form as the cool saliva traced down her stomach, brushing aside the little fluff of curls as her legs twitched from the first contact with her clit.

“I can be extraordinarily convincing.” You muttered against her lips as you kissed into her smirk. Her mouth opened in a quiet pant as friction dragged over her clit. Slow measured strokes as you wanted to draw her out like a taut string. At least at first before you sent her galloping over the edge as her fingers dragged through your scalp when your toying flickered counterclockwise.

“Don’t do that.” Velvette hissed as you winked cheekily before reverting back to the same pattern. Of all things, she liked your touch in a consistent motion as she could feel each bump in her road to the ultimate goal.

“Hey, no, wait-” Velvette let out a small yelp of protest as you slid her further back onto the edge of the tub. A mere inch away from falling as her legs spread further apart trying to brace herself on the inside of the tub. You brushed against her cunt’s curl as cat-like eyes blinked lazily up at her. A silent request that was answered as her hand slid over the back of your neck, pulling you closer.

The little bundle of nerves felt like something different every time. The little ridges engorging in an endless unrecognizable pattern as your tongue swiped against it. Your own excitement rising as Velvette’s sharp nails felt prickly against your sensitive neck. Her delighted cry when your attention shifted a little to the left, the scent of her fluids lingered on your face as her orgasm built. The involuntary shudder of her thighs around your face as your hand slid up her stomach feeling it snap back and forth like a bow string.

“Close, close, close-” Velvette’s words turned into a quiet chant as her voice reached a new octave as your lips sealed around the throbbing nerves. The harsher pressure was all that was needed to topple the last bit of restraint as her insides burst with white hot heat. Your tongue brushed over her core to taste the almost sweet nectar as she weakly tried to protest with a wave of her hand.

Oh, she was out of it as her legs went flat against the tub. Her hormone flooded mind , breaking the chain of command to her muscles as she let out the smallest of cries as gravity took over. You could only watch in surprise as she fell backwards out of the bath, head first as her crumpled form shuddered with surprised giggles.

“Shit, sorry, I-” Your apology was cut off by her sweet kiss, her perfumed hair falling in your face as she deepened the kiss. All it took was the smallest shove like a stalk in the breeze to allow her to crawl into your lap. Glitter be damned, nothing could interrupt the moment as wet skin felt like silk against you.

All except the telltale chirping of Velvette’s phone as it obviously sang out it’s little song.

“Fuck, don’t-” You protested as Velvette scrambled off you with a new sense of urgency. Her shining backside dripped water as she clawed at a towel with exasperation upon seeing the caller id on the glowing screen. The telltale jabs of her fingers as she typed a scathing text, only for a chirp to follow moments later.

“MOTHERFUCKER, NOW. HE WANTS-”

“Bath is over, I am guessing.” You deadpanned as Velvette’s agitated expression flickered like a dancing flame as you swept past her with a single kiss on her pouting cheek. Despite your clothing restrictions, somehow your closet always seemed close to bursting as you idly ran your fingers over the dark blue cloth of a suit. Freezing as damp hands slid along your waist, Velvette’s lips gentle against the back of your neck in a silent apology.

“It happens Lette, I get it.” You hummed as you could her lips twitch from a pout to a smile against your skin.

“A tie is a must, babes. How about that red one?” She proposed as she waved you aside to do what she did best. Making you absolutely stunning for the entire Pride ring to fry their brains over and then some cells for good measure. Her fingers were gentle as she smoothed out the collar of your blouse before buttoning the suit jacket with a satisfied pat.

“Studs or small hoops, you think?” You asked as Velvette’s gaze blinked up from her phone for a moment before holding up a single finger. The golden studs it was then as you knew there wasn’t going to be a word out of her until she returned to the office. The blue glow of the screen was impossible to ignore as you strained your neck to try and make sense of the rapid flicker of data. The strength of her taps increases with each swipe and view as her left cheek twitches in silent irritation.

It wasn’t at your conspicuous spying, no it was about the absolutely shoddy camera work of the source. Like it was filmed on a flip phone for Hell’s sake as you could make out the barest minimum of details in the footage. A massive red building, hazy smoke and something else that flickered like disjointed images.

“Was..that a wall?”

“Yes.”

“And what the fuck is zipping across the screen like sooty tumbleweeds.”

“A fucking headache. That’s what.” Velvette growled as the ride to the office remained quiet after that. Your polished Oxford’s tip brushing comfortingly over her bare ankle as the motor of the limo broke through the small clicks of the keyboard. Oh, she was pissed as you couldn’t help but count the beat of her heels on the floor as she threw open the conference doors.

“NOW WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON. I WAS DOING THINGS.” Velvette demanded as you leaned against the door as a silent shadow. The coffee cup near Vox threatened to topple over when Velvette’s fist struck the table as her answers didn’t come as fast as the texts she sent.

“Don’t get yourself all worked up, babydoll. Seems like those things are willing to wait.” Valentino grinned as you could all but feel his scrutinizing gaze see through you like you weren’t dressed in a three piece suit, undershirt and another camisole for good measure. Or was it the flickering sheen of glitter on your throat. Its’ sparkle defiantly pierces the dark seeds of the sunflower’s center, its pale yellow petals dragging over your jugular.

“Not important.” Velvette snapped as Valentino chuckled through an exhale of smoke as he gestured the cigarette holder towards Vox who’s fingers steepled together with a twitch of impatience.

“So, as you can guess, our little loser of a spy was caught out-”

“The fucking failure failing, call me shocked.” Velvette deadpanned as she waltzed in one of the free chairs, immediately placing her feet on the desk with a cool expression. Oh, she was pulling out all the stops to irritate Vox as you quickly hid your smile behind a cough.

“Yes. But we still need surveillance on that flophouse of a hotel. Fucking prick made it clear that he wasn’t going to let something on the inside in terms of video feed. Gave me a fucking headache when I tried to-”

“Yes, yes, we know the Radio Demon seems to have sixth sense for you. Aren’t you special?” Velvette jabbed as Vox’s expression shifted from neutral to stiffening irritation. Her painted nails clicked against the firm metal of the desk as her smirk crawled onto her features.

Waiting. She was waiting for the control freak’s nerves to settle. Before dragging the proverbial dagger over his heart as Vox fixed his perfectly straight type.

“We need-”

“Not the correct word, darling.” Velvette sang out as Valentino let out a dry chuckle as there was a glitch in Vox’s screen for a split second. She intended to make this as painful as possible as your ears twitched in anticipation.

“Please have her-” The first word was spat like acid as Vox’s screen twisted in your direction. Almost uncomfortably slow as you waggled your fingers at the compromising overlord.

“Observe the hotel from the streets while we come up with a better plan.” Vox growled as Velvette clapped her hands together in childish glee as if she were a spoiled child being given a new toy.

“Done.” Velvette chirped as her arm craned up with her phone. Snapping a selfie of her, with the piercing red edge of your tie in the background. #Takeyourbabestoworkday #Voxtech #IWIN, the post hit the ground running as you approached the table, arm resting atop the chair with a casual posture.

“Not done.” You retorted

“But-”

“No more glitter bath bombs. Shit is sticking to my tongue like sand” You muttered as Velvette rolled her eyes but nodded all the same.

“Give me twenty-four hours then.” Your words came out like a slow haze as the cool sensation washed over your body. The first time it happened you thought you were dying again, but now it just felt like sinking into a cool bath. Within a blink of the eye, only the three Overlords remained.

“So, what exactly were you doing before this?” Valentino quiered with a lecherous grin as Velvette plucks a larger fragment of glitter from her hair with a scoff.

If he could only imagine.

#hazbin hotel x reader #x reader #x reader fic #velvette x reader #hazbin hotel velvette #silverinkwrites

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space-mermaid-writing · 7 months ago

Note

Prompt: Alpha-dragon Stephen and omega-dragon Tony adopt Peter after the kid's village got burned down by other dragons that weren't part of Stephen and Tony's pack and they're both very protective over him, especially Tony because Stephen and Tony's eggs had gotten stolen years ago from hunters and Tony always had that guilt even though it wasn't his fault. (Tony was at the nest but he was too weak to protect them after having the eggs and Stephen was hunting during that time)

Dragon!Stephen my beloved ♥ (and dragon!Tony as well!) I covered most of the prompt. I couldn't squeeze quite all of it in. But I already have ideas for a second part...

Beta by @harpywritesfic. Thanks again for that, dear!

Ko-fi | Read it on AO3 | IronStrange Masterlist | Word count: 0.9k

Update: Part 2 here

The smell of smoke was so strong, it made Tony snarl when he landed.

He looked around; the once charming village lay now in utter ruins. Buildings that had stood proudly, adorned with vibrant flowers and bustling with inhabitants, were reduced to charred skeletons and piles of rubble. The remnants of joy had been annihilated; a once-welcoming community, now turned to ash, devastated to its very core. What had not been burned had been torn down with force.

That was the work of a dragon.

Tony felt a deep well of anger rising within him, boiling just beneath the surface. And his heart ached for the lives that had been taken; carelessly wasted as if they were nothing more than mere objects. The anger turned into a guttural growl that erupted from deep within his chest, a raw and primal reaction to the sight of ruin before him.

He heard the soft sound of another pair of wings flapping as he felt a familiar presence land right next to him.

It was Stephen, who, having sensed Tony's distress, nudged him affectionately in an attempt to provide solace amidst the chaos surrounding them. His mate knew how much he valued all life and cared for it, and the gentle gesture was a reminder that he was not alone.

“Whoever did this, will pay for it,” Tony blustered. He took this very personally. The village itself was only on the outskirt of their lands. Still, an attack on this village felt like an attack on them.

“We will find them,” Stephen agreed; the face of the blue dragon just as grim as the red one’s.

It was rare these days for dragons to slay without reason. Wisdom and restraint were valued over impulsive violence However, there was nothing rational about this. This stank of blind rage and a senselessness that immediately turned their stomachs with a bitter aftertaste.

Disgusting.

As they walked through the remnants of burned-down houses, the soft crackling of shattered bricks and fractured roof tiles under their claws was a haunting sound. Each crunch resonated like a ghostly reminder of the lives once lived there. Dragon fire spared no one and nothing, and melted even the hardest metal. But maybe some villagers had been able to flee and thus survived.

“Stephen.”

The blue dragon looked at the omega. Tony had his head tilted, listening.

Stephen stopped walking and concentrated on their surroundings instead. Then, he heard it: the muffled sob of a human.

Tony walked towards it, down what used to be a street.

A part of a wall from one of the collapsed houses was still standing amidst the rubble. The sobs were louder over here.

Tony shifted into his human form; brown hair, amber eyes and a hint of red scales at the small dip between his neck and shoulders.

Stephen kept a watchful eye on their surroundings. Dragons were much more vulnerable in their human bodies, and they didn’t know what deadly surprises may still lurk around here.

Tony stepped around the brick wall and found a small boy cowered right next to what looked like it had been a cabinet or cupboard once. Now it was barely a few charred wooden boards hanging together by a few nails. The boy had his knees pulled close to his body, and his face buried in his arms, in an attempt to be shield from the world.

Tony approached him slowly.

At the sound of another presence, the boy paused, peeking out from his concealed position. When he saw the unfamiliar man, he tried to get even smaller.

“Hey buddy,” Tony stopped a few feet away and lowered down to appear less threatening. He offered him a guarded smile that radiated warmth and understanding. “You okay there?”

It was a rhetorical question. Of course, the boy was not okay. The dragon saw it in his big, watery eyes.

“I’m Tony. What’s your name?”

The boy bit his lip. “Peter,” he mumbled with a hiccup.

“That’s a nice name. Say, Peter, are you hungry?” Tony tried to coax him out, but the boy merely shrugged, clearly overwhelmed by the whole situation.

In the meantime, Stephen waited patiently, yet still alerted in case that other humans or creatures made an appearance.

Tony's steps on the gravel were familiar to him and Stephen didn’t need to look up to know it was him. But when he turned his head to him, the alpha narrowed his eyes. Tony was carrying a child in his arms.

As he took in the details, Stephen's heart sank for a moment; the boy looked no more than ten years old, his small body delicately nestled against Tony’s chest. A fleeting glance at the child's face showed an exhausted slumber - he had probably been through more than anyone his age should experience.

Still…

“No.” The refusal slipped from Stephen's lips instinctively. “We’re not taking him with us.”

“We cannot leave him here,” Tony said with emphasis.

Unwavering in his resolve, he met Stephen’s gaze with an intensity that left no room for compromise.

Stephen knew that voice of his mate; the omega wouldn’t accept any objections.

He sighed and nodded.

“Get on my back. I will carry both of you home,” he offered.

Stephen would do anything his mate asked him to – even bringing home a human pup.

#ironstrange #stephen strange #tony stark #alpha Stephen Strange #omega Tony Stark #stephen strange x tony stark #dragon Stephen Strange #dragon Tony Stark #mermaid writing #supreme family #doctor strange #marvel

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wouldntyou-liketoknow · 2 months ago

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The Pentas Shoal

WELP SCREW WHAT I SAID EARLIER ABOUT WAITING—

That’s right! I’m gonna try my hand at MerMay for the very first time, and of course it has to involve my murder-blorbo-fanegos in The Pentas Family!

For this AU-Within-An-Au, the mob is made up of various types of merfolk and coastal harpies (because I just had to be so damn specific and give certain characters signatures that just literally would not work underwater).

Admittedly, not a whole lot else has changed; since I’m a proud Urban Fantasy Bitch, there’s still organized crime galore. It’s just…a bit more watery/nature-based.

Hit-jobs being handled in and around the ocean. Illegal stuff being stashed underwater or transported across the water. Murder tapes starring kidnapped targets being filmed in sea-caves or on distant piers, sort of like a horror movie and nature documentary combined. That kind of stuff.

Much like my masterpost for the original stuff, this is a list of info and headcanons made specifically for this month. Once May is over, my writing/characters will go back to their usual selves. (Updates and/or corrections will be made over time, if I see fit.) And, as always, I'm more than happy to answer questions about all this!

___

The Boss

Species: Selkie

She’s based on the ribbon seal, since they’re considered very clever in using their environment to their advantage. (Also because I just really want to reference Celine somehow.) Despite her seal-form’s distinctive appearance, all the merfolk working for her have sworn off hunting seals in general to show some extra respect.

She’s a bit of a distant-yet-familiar figure in the city; plenty people know of her, but no-one outside of the family really knows her. She holds ownership of the local boardwalk and wharf—as well as the remains of an abandoned aquarium just across from them. (Very convenient how all three are so close to that huge cove at the edge of the beach.) Many people can’t agree on how she got said ownership (some say it was inheritance, others aren’t so sure), but that’s just fine. It’s enough information to keep most outsiders from trespassing. And those who do…well, things never go well for them.

She usually only goes swimming in her seal-form once or twice a week, unless business requires her to travel across water. This is mainly out of need to keep up appearances for the mob (since she’s one of very few members who can fully pass for a human), as well as gather clients and supplies. Even with the other air-breathing members helping carry that stuff out, there’s just so much business to oversee. So, most of the time her pelt is worn as a shawl. (And trying to steal it from her is an absolute death-sentence, whether by her own hands or those of her peers.)

Murdock Mallory

Species: Harpy

He’s based on the osprey, since they’re known for having incredibly strong and sharp talons (I mean, Murdock would obviously use talons in the place of knives no matter what bird you go for, but ospreys specifically check the aquatic box for this setting).

In my opinion, harpies would have distance-sight on the same level as regular birds of prey (eagles, hawks, etc.). However, I feel like it would also make sense if this caused some harpies to have a sort of ironic near-vision problem (i.e., seeing closer objects as blurry). Murdock would be one to have such a problem in this setting, and that’s where his black-tinted glasses come in. (The Boss gave them to him shortly after he started working for her.)

Much like my headcanon for original Murdock, this one is also a bird-lover. To the point where he sees the crows, pigeons, and seagulls nesting near the local beach as his pets. And while seagulls typically answer to no god, Murdock still has his ways. (No, this does not mean he does anything to stop those seagulls from attacking beach-goers.) The only exception to this is pelicans, because Murdock doesn’t see any respectable qualities in them. He’ll usually just kill them on sight unless he’s focused on something else.

The Newcomer [aka Y/N]

Species: Human

Much like The Boss, their personal history is pretty vague, and they don't mind keeping it that way. At one point in the past, they studied marine biology, and while they were on a scholarship, certain money-problems caught up with them and eventually drove them out of their program. This, of course, led them down a path that grew darker and darker until Murdock found them crashed out on a much rockier part of the beach. They’re not sure why he decided to take them with him that night (and neither is Murdock, if he’s completely honest), but now they have a new life. They have a job, a purpose, and a family that’s WAY more interesting than most other people could afford to run with. So, they can’t really complain.

Much like the original version, The Newcomer mainly assists Murdock and the others with their work. Sometimes they’re the one to lure a target too close to the water. Sometimes they’re holding the camera for the odd murder-tape or two. Sometimes they’ll run around town to relay messages or plant certain things in certain places. And sometimes they get right in on the action, whether being carried through the air by one of the harpies (usually Murdock. He is their main mentor, after all) or swimming alongside the merfolk. Sure, they know how to pilot most vessels, but they like getting in the water whenever they can afford to. (Because otherwise, they would’ve stolen their set of scuba gear for nothing.)

Remember that abandoned aquarium I mentioned? Well, plenty of the other mobsters have made a home there (mainly the harpies roosting in certain old exhibits) and The Newcomer is no different. They’ve made what used to be the gift shop into a sort of apartment. Whenever they aren’t involved in outdoor work, they’re usually running around the halls to help organize supplies/products.

Caliban Crawford

Species: Mershark

He’s based on the mako shark, since they’re infamous for being one of the most intelligent types of shark out there, which they use to be even more of a menace to society.

Due to events in his past, he has a slight fixation on human teeth. So, whenever he’s assigned to harvest organs after a hit-job, he’ll always remove the teeth first; they’re the only parts he won’t agree to sell. He’s gathered a collection of them from his targets, his favorite of them all being a silver piece. (He used to just keep them in a little bag hidden in his lair, but The Newcomer helped him arrange them into a necklace sometime after they met him.)

Also, Snare is still along for the ride! In this universe, he’s a cookie-cutter shark; not just that, but a rare leucistic cookie-cutter shark. Unfortunately, his coloring has led to a few instances of him almost being trapped by researchers. But courtesy of Caliban, those researchers tend to have a bad habit of never making it back to land. (And yes, I know I’m missing a big pun-oppurtunity by not just making him a sea hare, but those things just wouldn’t really work as pets.)

Azalea Crawford

Species: Cecaelia

She’s based on the blue-ringed octopus, since that can reference both poison being her signature method, as well as irl Ro’s height. All the better to grin at whoever decided to underestimate you as they convulse, right? (Though, keep in mind that she wouldn’t actually be tiny. In my opinion, while merfolk in general would be somewhat bigger or smaller than humans, they also just wouldn’t be the exact same size as certain regular fish, since they’re humanoid.)

Yes, she and Caliban are adoptive siblings in this universe instead of biological siblings, but that doesn’t make their bond any less genuine! In fact, since both sharks and octopi are on their own right after birth, there’s a chance neither of them would have survived to adulthood if they hadn’t found each other. (Certain tooth-based events forced Cal to hide out in the same coral reef Aza was using for shelter at the time. Their relationship started off as a bit symbiotic, but that became more and more caring/respectful as they matured.)

Despite her venom-warning-colors, her size and flexibility makes her a shockingly effective spy. It helps that she’s also one of very few merfolk-members who can actually survive on land (granted, she can typically only stay out of the water for thirty minutes or so).

K.O./Kaiser Oasis

Species: Mer-crustacean [I couldn’t find any actual/hypothetical terms for a creature like this that sounded right, leave me alone]

He’s based on the peacock mantis shrimp because of course he is! It’s probably the only thing in the ocean that literally punches its prey to death! Naturally badass! (Working with the same logic I talked about with Azalea, he’d also still be human-sized.)

When it comes to illegal fighting matches, he actually has to hold back a lot of the time (because, again: MANTIS SHRIMP). Sure, he’s usually assigned to kill his opponents. But certain fights just need to last longer (example: ones that are being recorded to be sold on the Dark Web), so he’ll have tp begrudgingly go “easy” in the first half.

Despite being humanoid, he still has twelve color-receptors in his eyes. Part of him is understandably smug about being able to see so many things that most other creatures just can’t. Another part of him is sad that he can’t find a way to put those colors on the stuff The Boss arranges to be sold. Yes, impossible colors would make contraband even more tempting/expensive for clients. But then the impossible part comes in…

Garret Wyre

Species: Mereel

He’s based on the moray eel. Now, while eels technically don’t suffocate their prey like snakes do, they are apparently known to wrap themselves around said prey, basically tying a knot to make escape more difficult. (Plus, this version of Garret still has big, strong hands, even if there’s webs in-between the fingers.)

He almost never goes up to the surface—scratch that, he hardly ever leaves the reef he primarily inhabits (good thing it’s pretty close to the cove). Even when he’s assigned to carry out a hit-job, he’ll go out of his way to stay underwater as much as possible and then, once everything’s said and done, swim back home as fast as possible. So many things could go wrong if he stayed out longer than necessary, right? (Because of this, his work can't to be recorded like many of the others. Although it might be a different story if you offered to use a scuba camera.) The only exception to this is business meetings with The Boss, which usually include the rest of his peers. Other than that, it’ll take a lot of cajoling, bribing, and occasionally fighting to convince him to peek out of the water for something.

While all the merfolk members play a part in hiding or transporting contraband, Garret is the best at it (his paranoia helps. It’s efficient, but it can occasionally lead to even more problems than there were in the first place). He has all sorts of hidey-holes in and around his reef.

Parker Thenope

Species: Naga

He’s based on the banded sea krait, since they’re cool and…well, I figured I already had enough harpies in here. Ironic, since his name is referencing one of the Greek sirens, who were originally depicted with wings, but eh. (Besides, original Parker is all about drowning his targets, and a naga would have more of an opportunity to take his time with that stuff.)

He’s still very fond of music in this setting (he can still play instruments just as well, too; you say “claws” he says “built-in picks” lol). While he could still work in the industry here—again, I’m an Urban Fantasy Bitch—he’s aware that he doesn’t need a job to survive, thanks to instinct and living semi-feral environment for most of his life. So, he’ll get his music-fix via sneaking into a studio near the beach at night, after all the employees have clocked out. (And while he tries to cover his tracks when he leaves, he still isn’t always successful, so now some of the aforementioned employees are convinced the studio is haunted.)

Much like irl Nate, he hates dolphins. None of his peers know why (sure, dolphins can be assholes, but there’s gotta be something specific for Parker to have such a particular attitude about them), and he doesn’t plan on elaborating. He’s just glad that dolphins typically don’t come into the mob’s territory…although, if they do, he’ll be the first to try running them off.

Val Ocitie

Species: Harpy

They’re specifically based on the peregrine falcon, since as far as I know, those birds are still considered the fastest on Earth. And since original Val specializes in bullets, it’s only right that this version of them can move as fast as one.

They have an even more competitive relationship with Murdock in this setting. If they have enough free time and hear that the same goes for Murdock, then they’ll almost always try to challenge him to some kind of competition. Luckily for them, the hitman pretty much never turns down because he’s an adrenaline junkie whose need to show off has replaced some of his common sense.

Unlike Murdock, Val tends to avoid using their talons for hit-jobs. Yes, they know talons are quick and effective, but so are gunshots. Yes, firearms can be hard to come by (and even harder to stash), but sometimes you can’t afford to take the body somewhere else. Sometimes your carnivorous friends aren’t available to drag it underwater. And in such cases, bullet holes are a great way to make potential corpse-discoverers immediately think a human perpetrated the crime.

Two-Toes Johnny

Species: Mergrouper

He’s based on the goliath grouper, since they’re certified Big Boys who take absolutely no shit from anyone.

Plenty of jobs involve the target being on the wrong boat at the wrong time. While any of the other can sabotage vessels, sometimes that’s just not enough. Sometimes things get so dicey that there’s no option except to just ram the vessel until it tips and sinks. Whenever it comes to that, Johnny’s the guy to turn to (...although he’s also the one to suggest just doing this in the first place, no matter what the job entails. To his credit, it technically is the most surefire way to success.)

Much like Caliban’s thing with teeth, Johnny has an interest in alcoholic products. He still enjoys classic books as well, but you can’t exactly keep collections like that underwater. (Side note: according to my research, fish can indeed get drunk. To be clear, YOU SHOULD NOT TRY TO GET FISH DRUNK FOR ANY REASON BECAUSE ANIMALS DESERVE RESPECT, but it’s possible. Look it up for yourself and then imagine how that would go with merfolk.) Since most of the mobsters in this setting don’t have to rely on money to survive, they often take their payment in other ways (either just the thrill of a hit-job or…luxuries, let’s say). Johnny typically requests either novels or various types of liquor—the stranger/less common, the better. (The Newcomer integrates this into their typical errands, so they’ve gotten plenty of favors out of him.) He owes plenty of favors to The Newcomer, since they tend to. He likes experimenting with them (mixing, aging, etc.), and he’s well-aware of their potential use in jobs.

Phoenix Rhong

Species: Harpy

She’s based on the black kite, since they’re one of those species that will intentionally start fires in order to flush their prey out of hiding.

Out of all the harpies in the mob, Phoenix is the most enamored with shiny things. So, if a target happens to be wearing jewelry at the time of their death, and if said jewelry is deemed not valuable enough to sell on the Black Market, she’ll volunteer to take it. (Plus, shiny things can be the perfect tools when you need to be at least a little subtle about starting a distraction-fire…unless that fire has to be on a boat to force targets to jump in the water. There’s no way to really be subtle about that stuff.)

She has a bit more of a public presence than most of her peers in the mob...sort of. Let me explain: if harpies were to exist in modern society, it probably wouldn’t be uncommon for humans to try pulling them aside and asking them stuff in the event of a disaster or the like. (Y’know, since harpies are in the air so often, so they could definitely see way more than others can. Also because humans just have to stick their damn noses in everything.) And if anyone would take advantage of something like that to mislead potential witnesses, it’s Phoenix. She is one of the most skilled liars in the mob, so she’s gotta do something with it.

Miles C. Peyote

Species: Harpy-adjacent [or…a distant cousin of harpies. You’ll see in a sec]

He’s based on the fish-eating bat, or Myotis vivesi, since they’re known for using sophisticated techniques to hunt. Adaptive echolocation would certainly help Miles in setting his traps and making sure targets fall into said traps, no? (Plus, if you have wings and know how to use them, then there’s really nothing to stop you from having any damn vantage point you want to watch shit go down.)

Since a few of the pools in the abandoned aquarium were drained a long time ago, Miles had claimed them as both his trap-building workshop and trap-testing studio. He just likes being prepared before he has to set aforementioned traps up in outdoor job-sites.

While he’s still just as quiet as in the original setting, he’ll pipe up whenever the mob decides to hold onto a target for a while. Because captive targets make excellent lab rats to test his work. (And if a whole target isn’t available, then a spare limb can still work.) Otherwise, he’ll settle for The Newcomer bringing stuff from the old gift shop. He’s sometimes hesitant to use plushies, though, since they make nice decorations for his personal roost.

Howie Thetaxi

Species: Harpy

He’s based on the albatross, since, much like Miles’ case, they’re very clever when it comes to solving problems and navigating via ocean winds.

While all the harpy mobsters here can watch/follow targets or enemies, Howie can usually pick up the slack if the others are busy, since he can travel hundreds of miles (thousands of kilometeres, since irl Ryan is British, lol) in a single trip, as well as locate vessels from a similar distance.

Where original Howie tampers with cars, this Howie does the same with boats. Sabotaging engines, snatching certain parts to replace with counterfeit ones, the works. Plus, if you time it right, if can be shockingly easy to sneak off with smaller boats or jet-skis and the like. Sometimes Howie finds himself doing just that to help The Newcomer whenever a job calls for them to sail instead of swim.

Jay Aienyouess

Species: Swan bachelor [I only say that because apparently “bachelor” is the masculine equivalent to the word “maiden.” You'll see, just keep reading]

So. Most of you already know the whole deal with selkies. Well, some myths portray shapeshifting creatures with pretty much the same abilities, only they’re swans instead of seals. Most of those myths were centered around women, but I’ve still seen some things about male selkies, so why not have swans that can turn into men and back again? (And since Jay is based on Thomas Sanders, it helps that 20% of swans are gay, lol.) Plus, during my research of bird species for the harpies here, I wound up learning that some swan species are adaptable enough to live on beaches and swim in saltwater (particularly mute swans).

Anyway…much like The Boss Jay tends to stay in his human form most of the time, wearing his feather-skin in a nice, fluffy jacket. Whenever he does go into swan form, it’s usually part of a plot-and-coordination scheme. Since so many people don't see swans as threatening, it's not too hard for Jay to get a target to follow him off the beach and into the water so one of his mer-peers can take care of them. (Plus, no-one would ever suspect a wandering swan to be listening in on their conversations...)

That’s just one of the ways this version of Jay might be even more dangerous than the original. Swans are clever, vicious, and protective. They send plenty of people to the ER each year and at least one killed a man. I think Casual Geographic said it best: “...where geese are all talk, swans can actually do damage. You could try to humble a swan by grabbing its neck, but you’re still risking your entire way of life if this angry Q-tip Tweety goes for your eyes.”

@sammys-magical-au @the-matpat-ever

#my writing #my fanegos #fanmade egos #the pentas family #(my au)#mermay 2025

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melinoelabs · 1 year ago

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Why do we get results where the competition doesn't?

Well, I'll tell you.

We treat the strange, anomalous and extranormal with all the dignity and respect it deserves.

And not a drop more.

Sure, we could be like the Wal-Mart of extreme sciences, spinning an ever-expanding impossibly huge web of lies and coverups while trying desperately, futilely, to lock up and control it all to keep normalcy afloat.

But I ask you, what has normalcy ever done for us, really? It maintains the natural order? Newsflash, Scippy, the natural order is neither of those things and, quite frankly, it sucks to boot!

Be the strange you want to see in the world, that's our motto! *

The reverence for the mundane is a truly sad form of idolatry friends, empirically verified in the bottom 10% of idolatry experiences by multilateral studies.

That's the real 001 you're trying to keep locked down. The World. Object Class: Bemused. Containment Class: Sisyphean.

Tell me, what's more "normal":

Spending millions watching and waiting for a bunch of redcaps to turn some suburban family into organic dye, send in a squad to wipe out the nest, drug the witnesses, and pretend the whole thing never happened just to do it again the next week...

Or selling easy to use, affordable Puck-Off Brand™ live-capture traps to an alerted populace?

Remember, we were all terrified by the internet at first and now it's just annoying. Same principle applies.

Anyhow, stop trying to kidnap my pet. Walbert is not an 'anomaly', he's a very sensitive purebred New Cheddland dromiceiomimus, with papers, and is a very good boy.

Kindly,

Director Maria Kleinheart

*If you are in possession of an unused portion of any previous mottos, return the unused portion for an updated replacement and complementary antidote.

#melinoe laboratories #melinoe labs #unreality #microfiction #SCP foundation #scp fanfiction #statement of purpose #mad science #extreme science #director kleinheart

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auncyen · 1 year ago

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and another little scene THIS IS THE LAST ONE I'M POSTING UNTIL I UPDATE ON AO3 JUST BECAUSE I REALLY SHOULDN'T SPOIL MY OWN FIC THIS MUCH but like. I'm also just excited that I'm writing. And the mental image of this scene has been in my head for way too long lol

"You're…real this time, right?"

Siffrin has always been on the quiet side, but this question could have been whispered by a mouse. You nearly miss it; Isabeau reacts first while you're still parsing it. "Sif? Of, of course we're real! Can't you tell??"

Siffrin flinches away, shrinking into their cloak with a faint "sorry", and you know.

They can't. They can't tell. Not well enough to be sure.

Have they been hallucinating? How long, that they're doubting their own sight right now? "I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry," they whisper. "I'm sorry, I lost you. I'm sorry, I have to make sure you're fine, I have to be sure, I have to loop back--"

"Siffrin," you say loudly, just as their hand lights on their dagger. Why is he reaching for his dagger if he's going to loop back? No, no, that's not the issue right now. The issue is that they cannot loop back. You'll forget everything. He won't tell you again, not if this is how things end. You cannot have him looping. "If--If you can't trust that you're seeing us," you say, thinking quickly. "What if I touched you?"

Your question works in that it distracts Siffrin. His eye widens as they stare at you, the surprise clear as crystal on his face. "Huh?"

His hand falls away from the dagger.

You don't like that it was there to begin with, but you need to convince them while you have their attention. "If you're doubting sight and sound, touch would be the next logical option. It may be distasteful to you, but…" You raise your left hand with a deliberate slowness so that it's clearly in their vision. "If I touched you, would that be enough reassurance?"

He stares at you for a moment. The 'no' is already ringing in your mind. If he goes for the dagger again you'll need to use your Craft to slow him down and grab him--or hope Isabeau grabs him--but why would he reach for the dagger? He said he was going to loop, he said he was going to loop last night, how does he choose when to loop when he's made it clear he can't control the looping itself? The only answer coming readily to mind is abhorrent--

His hand moves up, further away from the dagger. Both of his hands reach up to the top of his head, snatching his hat off to hold by the brim as he stares at you, light eye unblinking.

"You want me to put my hand on your head?" you guess, trying to make sense of the silent response. The question elicits a nod, and it seems…logical enough--their cloak and gloves would mute any touch on his body, and the face and neck would likely feel too vulnerable--so you move your hand toward the bird's nest of hair, still slowly, not wanting to alarm them. He's so tense. "Breathe, Siffrin." You don't want them panicking, and you certainly don't want them fainting, either.

He breathes deeply in a familiar way. In and out. He still stares at your hand as it approaches, but at least he knows it's coming. Both his hands are occupied with the hat and won't make a Craft sign by accident. He has time to object, either with words or a gesture, if he realizes it will be too much.

You lower your hand into his hair in a waltz count, one-two-three. Immediately you encounter tangles and take care of where your fingers go in his unkempt hair. He tenses up even more, his breath hitching, but otherwise doesn't move. You hope that means they trust you.

"I'm real, Siffrin," you tell him, putting all the self-assurance you can muster into your voice. "As are Isabeau, Mirabelle, and Boniface. We're fine. We were only separated for a few moments."

"…Anything could have happened," they whisper.

"Nothing did. And even if it had, we're a bit hardier than that."

He winces. "I'm sorry I lost you."

You can't help the dry exasperation that creeps back into your voice. "Then don't storm off again. Straightforward enough, don't you think?"

He quickly nods several times, the motion frantic under your hand.

"We're here, and we're okay. You're…" They're not fine. You can't bring yourself to say that they're fine when it's plainly untrue, especially after how often they've misused that word in the past day, but you need to reassure them somehow. "You aren't alone. We're here with you. Do you trust me?"

The nods are less frantic this time. He seems to be calming down. He's still rigid, though. Touch has done its job and now it's only making them uncomfortable, so you start to take your hand away--

And then they bunt your hand with their forehead. Their eye darts up to look you in the face before it widens in horror. Siffrin takes two quick steps back, his gaze dropping back to the floor as he jams his hat back on. "Sorry! Sorry!" With his shoulders hunching up, his cloak and hat eclipse his entire expression.

"Siffrin?" Mirabelle asks. Isabeau and Boniface are both looking at you, likely trying to gauge what Siffrin did that they're apologizing. You're trying to figure that out yourself. The way he moved…certainly, you're not harmed. They tapped against your hand with only a little bit of force; if anything, it reminded you of how one of Ka Bue or Poteria's many friendly stray cats, comfortable around people, would sometimes ease up to you as you were reading in the open and bunt your hand to signal they wanted to be pet.

You doubt that was anywhere near Siffrin's intention. They hate being touched. Still… you wonder what that expression meant. Before he'd gotten scared, the expression he'd given you had been almost…

The only way you'll figure it out is if you ask. And if, hopefully, you get a straight answer. "What are you apologizing for this time?"

#siffrin #odile #in stars and time #in stars and time spoilers #act 5 au

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dottielovegood · 9 months ago

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I am ravenous for the next chapter of “heat”🤩

You take the time you need, but you got me checking daily for it!

Thank you for your writing!❤️

Thank you for this message! 💕 I'm so glad you're enjoying the fic 😊

I really needed to hear this today because I've been feeling a bit shitty about not being able to update sooner. My life is just really busy and I don't have a lot of time to write anymore. But I am like 70% finished with the chapter! Here's a little sneak peek just for you:

The one tip that was mentioned most often for alpha-less omegas was to make a nest and buy a good knot-dildo. Elain had never in her life bought a sex toy, but just thinking about the pain and the need and the slick had her googling dildos for the first time in her life. One of the first purchases she made when she moved to her new apartment was a blue knot-dildo. It arrived in a brown inconspicuous box (thank god!) and when she opened it, she had taken one look at the massive, penis shaped object and promptly hidden it in the back of her closet.

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gojirarity · 4 months ago

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Isolated

A quick one-shot Soojin update for her birthday.

Genre: Smut, End of the World, Mutual Masturbation

900++ words.

************************************************************************

It was all quick. One day Soojin was performing in front of a small crowd. She thank the crowd and stepped down to the stage and into her dressing room to take off her make-up and wear casual clothes. Her manager and make-up stylist then took a quick breather. After a loud sound she heard from outside, she quickly steps out. She scouts the venue. Suddenly everyone's gone. She quickly do the first thing she always did when she didn't know what to do, contact her manager. No answer. She tries to contact anyone from her company, family, and friends. Still no reply from any of them. She tried calling the police, just a beeping sound from the other line. Made a social media post so everyone can see, no one commented, not even a single view from her posts. "It can't be right? Someone's must be out there?", she thought to herself.

Approximately three month after, she went down from a hotel room that she made her own room after everything that happened. She already accepted the fact that she is alone and going to be this way, up until she walks down the sidewalk and saw a car with a person in it. She's found you sleeping in the driver's seat of your car, sleeping. She became happy, seeing another person. She checked for your vitals, after knowing that you're healthy, she wakes you up. Soojin: Hey. Wake up. Can you hear me? Y/N: Hmmm.... Hey... Soojin: Are you okay? Do you feel disoriented? Y/N: No. What time is it? Soojin: 8:40-ish a.m. Why? Y/N: Oh shit! I am late for work. She sees you searching for your phone. You realized that your phone is back in your unit. You then stepped out of the car and realized that there's something weird going on. The roads are dirty. Lots of animal nests in the streets and some other wastes were scattered. Most importantly, no people other than her. The eeriness that the silence evoked rests on him. Soojin saw you looking at the streets, building and where you two stand.

Soojin: Do you have a name? Blank: My name's Blank. W-What's happening here? Soojin: Well, Blank, welcome to the apocalypse. Blank: Wait, what do you mean? Soojin: Everyone else disappeared. I still don't know why. Hell, I am still confused that you are here.

You did the same thing she did when she saw everyone else disappeared. Checked on friends, family or anyone you know. Checked the internet. Checked the police. None. At this point, you panicked. Soojin: Listen to me, all we have is each other for now. I think it is important if we stick together. ************************************************************************ Months turned into a whole year. You two were more casual now than before. Everyday, you scout a nearby place to see if there are any food that you two can bring back home to the formerly lavish hotel. On lucky days, you will see a good canned food. You two traded stories of how you two were living your life in the past. She considers you as a friend now, and you consider her as your closest confidante. One afternoon, after scouting the nearby supermarket, you hear a sound from her room.

Blank: Soojin? You good?

Worried, you quickly went in her room unannounced. What you see shocked you. She's naked in her bed. Her left hand is in her left nipple and what seemed to be a phallic object inserted in her cunt. She was shocked to see you. She stopped for the moment. But she just continued. As a matter of fact, she became more aggressive on pleasuring herself.

Soojin: What?! First time seeing a hot woman masturbating? Blank is speechless. He never saw her in this light before, let alone almost nude. But he felt his body heating up. Soojin: Fuck! Yes! Just watch me Blank. I want you to see me at my dirtiest! Yes. I'm such a slut! Oh..... Soojin's right hand became faster at fucking herself with the dildo. Her left hand is now pinching her exposed left breast roughly. Blank just watched, amazed at her friend getting high in lust. It is too far from the usual shy but soft-spoken Soojin. Soojin: Fuck! Oh yes! I'm so dirty Blank! Blank's cock throb, urging him to join her. He slowly stepped in front of her and unbuckles his pants, and pulls down his cock, revealing it to Soojin. Soojin: Fuck! Stroke it for me. I want your cum dripping on me. Blank: Where? Soojin: I don't care! Just pop that cum in me! Blank stroke his cock right before Soojin. Soojin became more motivated and close to cumming now. Her stare goes back and forth at his face and at his member. Blank feels he is close to orgasm. His hands went faster. He aims his cock at her face. Soojin: Yes. Sully my face with your cum darling. Blank: Fuck Soojin! I'm close! Here it is! Soojin: Me too! Fuck yeah! Blank's cum squirted in Soojin's face. It landed on her cheeks, forehead, and eyes. She even tasted some when she shouted as she cums on her own. She squirted on Blank's leg. The two take a breather. Blank: I'm so sorry to barge in here Soojin. I thought you were in trouble. Soojin: Don't. I don't regret anything that just happened here. Blank: Oh.... Soojin: As a matter of fact, want this to be a regular thing? With that, both your cock and her nipples stiffen again. You two are ready for more.

#gidle smut #soojin smut #kpop smut

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the-and-sign-anon · 10 months ago

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The Third Independent: 4

Word Count: 1,793

Series Masterlist

Thirty Years Post-Fall

It wasn’t easy to be alone again. You’d managed for the first three years after the Big Fall, with only the bugs for company. After Vash left and everyone went into cold sleep though, it felt crushing. You’d spend most days wandering around the ship cleaning everything, ensuring not a single surface or object got too dusty.

When you would finish with that, you’d start reading the files on the ship. Luida had given you the access codes to anything you wanted to learn. You took a liking to reading up on flora and fauna from Earth, finding yourself wishing you could have seen the planet before it was stripped bare. While it left you with conflicted feelings, it was a pretty good distraction.

Now that you thought about Vash constantly, you needed a distraction every day.

More and more often, when your eyes burned from staring at screens, you went out to the Worms. They would lift you up, spin you around, and glow brightly in the air above the ship. Your soul sang with them. In the end, your mind always drifted back to what you lacked, what you once hadn’t known you were missing.

“Hey, Mayfly.”

You looked down from your perch atop the ship where you’d been watching a swarm of Worms and leapt down immediately to greet him.

“Dove!”

Your arms wrapped tight around him as he tucked his face into your neck. His toma was looking aged, tired from the years of travel. He looked the same as always, except for the shine in his eyes.

“You made it back!”

“Of course I did. Couldn’t leave my Mayfly to the Worms forever, could I?”

You grinned so hard your face almost hurt. His little nickname for you had evolved that tiny bit over the last few years. It was a small change, but incredibly important. It was the best he could do to tell you how he felt when his words failed him. He still hadn’t managed that three word phrase since the night you first shared a nest.

“Okay, you have to tell me everything. For the logs, of course.”

“Of course.”

You were keeping logs of everything Vash found in the years he was gone, trying to help Luida plan for how to expand the flora once it was ready. That, and you loved hearing Vash talk.

He sat down in your room as always, settling on the edge of the bed while you held a tablet on the floor. He told you about each town he visited and the people there, watching you rapidly scribble down notes. He always paused at the right moments to let you catch up with what he was saying, then continued when your eyes flickered up to him.

This was his favorite part of his return trips to Home. Most of the time, Luida and Brad were still asleep, so he’d only see you. Not that he minded, considering you were the best part of Home anyway. After updating his logs, which gave him time to admire you in your intense focus, you’d bring him back to the dome to show him the progress made with the flora.

You always regarded the dome with such reverence. Vash had been lucky in his childhood to see the greenery Rem kept on Ship Five, but it was all new to you when Luida started the project. You would step slowly into the grass, barefoot as always, feeling each blade move around you. Vash would follow close behind, watching every slight motion with complete adoration.

Next, you threw yourself down, letting out a small ‘oof’ as you hit the ground before sprawling out to feel as much of the grass as possible. Your hands reached out at your sides, caressing a fresh bloom of bright red. Some of the first flowers you’d managed to coax to life so far.

Vash joined you, much more slowly, and laid on his stomach, supporting his face with his hands. He didn’t allow himself many luxuries, but he couldn’t help admiring you at every opportunity. Your eyes reflected the false sky, your chest moved slowly with your steady breaths. You were perfect.

“You’re doing a great job with this, Mayfly.”

“It’s all Luida’s instruction. But I have to say, this does feel better than that cold room.”

You were always more open about your feelings than Vash. While you certainly hadn’t addressed the state of your relationship, he did know how you felt. You didn’t shy away from telling him you missed him, or that your nest suddenly felt a little empty when he was gone.

He hadn’t had the nerve to tell you he’d begun nesting on his travels. He wasn’t very good at it, in his opinion. He didn’t know how to make it as cozy and comforting as yours, with firm bedding to act as a foundation and soft, worn materials to wrap around him and keep him warm at night. He knew the real problem was that he didn’t have you.

“When did they go to sleep last?”

“Last time you were here. So… about seven years ago. They need their rest, so I try not to wake them up unless it’s an emergency.”

“The Worms still hang around, right?”

You nodded softly as your eyes traced the support beams of the dome. Your friends were just beyond it, always gathering outside Home to see you. You still sang together often, but it all just felt a little emptier. Vash had certainly done a number on you, him and his humans. You didn’t like to be alone so much anymore.

You remained in the dome for hours. The artificial sky darkened eventually, set on a timer Luida created to mimic day and night. She explained to you once how the plants could use a break from constant sunlight, when you asked why it wouldn’t just make them grow faster.

The colors changed from blue to violet, pink, and orange; then faded to midnight. The only light you could see from here were the small ones on the door, always reminding you this wasn’t real. You weren’t outside, you weren’t just relaxing with Vash on a normal day. This was a little bubble of fantasy. You hated knowing it was bound to pop.

“Do you… miss this place…?”

Your voice was low, soft, more so than Vash was used to hearing. It surprised him every time, how your rough edges could smooth out when you got nervous with him. You were rarely so gentle with anyone else.

“Of course I do, Mayfly. You’re here. Luida and Brad are here.”

“I know, but you always miss people. I mean,” You turned your head to face him as he looked up at the artificial stars, “do you miss this place? Home? The ship?”

He was quiet for a while. You wanted an answer, but not if it made him uncomfortable. You were about to apologize and retract the question when he answered in a soft voice.

“I miss having a place to stay all the time. Don’t get me wrong, I love the towns I get to see, and the people I can help. But it’s not easy to go back to scrappy little motel rooms at night. It’s not easy to look at all those humans and know that, no matter how much I try to pretend, I’m not like them. I’ll outlive them, and their children, and their children, and maybe even the towns they’re building.”

Vash shuffled to lay on his side and look at you.

“I miss being around someone like me. I know Luida named this place Home, and I’m glad she did. But more than this ship, you are what feels like home to me. So… to answer your question… as much as I care about this place…”

Vash was already backing down, getting nervous and letting his eyes drop to the grass. You gently reached out and held his chin in your hand, guiding him back up to you.

“Go ahead, Vash.”

“... I could leave it behind in a heartbeat if you didn’t want to be here anymore. Wherever you decide to go, that’s the only place I really want to be.”

You wiggled closer and pressed your forehead to his. You wouldn’t let him shy away this time. Your Plant lines began to glow, tracing through your body from your eyes to your toes. Vash locked his gaze on you and began to glow as well. Everything in the dome seemed lighter, more lively; not that either of you saw anything in the moment but each other.

“I love you, Vash. This place… it isn’t home without you. I’ll wait as long as I have to, but please promise you’ll stay someday. That you’ll stay with me.”

“Anywhere you want to go, Mayfly. I’m all yours.”

You smiled in the light of your shared lines. You knew he couldn’t stay. Not yet. There was too much to do. Too many people and Plants to help. And Knives was still on the loose. Tonight though, all that mattered was you and him, your hands intertwined in the thick green grass of Home.

Neither of you could make yourselves move for hours. It wasn’t the most comfortable place to rest, but it was as if you’d pulled each other into a trance.

You got him for two months that time. Every single night was passed in each other’s arms. Every day was spent tending to the flora, running around with the Worms, and wandering Home. Your schedule hardly changed, but having Vash there made all the difference in the world.

With each day that came and went, you dreaded hearing him say goodbye again. Every time he did, you had a harder time letting him go. It would be selfish of you even to ask, and he’d already promised to come back when things were over, so you held your tongue when he slipped his bright red coat back on and headed for the door. You sealed your lips when he climbed back up on his toma and let his hand slip from your grasp. You furiously wiped away your tears when he disappeared on the horizon and turned to go back inside.

He’d come back someday. He’d stay someday. The promise he made, whether he could truly keep it or not, was all you could ask of him. All you could ask of a Plant who’d long since cuffed himself to humanity and thrown away the key. A promise you forced yourself to believe in as you burrowed into your nest and sobbed so hard you fell asleep to the comforting calls of your sisters.

#vash x reader #vash the stampede x reader #trigun x reader #trigun stampede x reader #trigun x plant! reader #vash x plant! reader #the third independent #my writing

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