#oh and i sure can code. and make little circuits :)

[harrysfolklore]

I’m cracking up at the thought of Oscar accidentally seeing a nude of his sister in Carlos’s phone

HELP I HAD TO ELABORATE ON THIS

read little bitch here

Hotel rooms are boring. There's nothing else to do other than lay in bed and shower.

You regret telling Carlos — because now he's your boyfriend, and you share hotel rooms with him, how wild — that you wanted to stay in bed all morning and not join him for practice sessions because now is nearly midday and he's not back yet. And you're bored.

Not finding anything else to do, you open your suitcase to put together your outfit for Quali tomorrow, you laugh when the first thing you see is a McLaren cap and a Ferrari one packed together. And to think that next year you'll be adding a Williams one to your suitcase for race weekends.

As you move a pair of jeans, you come into view with something you didn't even remember you packed — a red lacy set of lingerie.

You decide to put it on, after all, you don't have anything better to do.

Meanwhile at the Zandvoort Circuit, Oscar, Carlos, Lando and Max are lounging at a hospitality area. The sessions and meetings for the day were over, so they were just waiting for the call to head out.

"Lando, can I borrow your phone? Mine is dead and I want to check Lily's flight, it's supposed to land soon," Oscar says from his place on the couch.

"I can't mate, I'm sexting right now," Lando replies, making the group laugh and Oscar roll his eyes.

"Take mine, it's in the table," Carlos says, fixing himself a cup of coffee from the small station in the room.

"Thanks," Oscar grabs the device, failing when he tries to unlock it, "What's your pass code?"

"Your sister's birthday," Carlos says casually, stirring his coffee.

The room erupts in a chorus of groans and laughter.

"Oh my god, Carlos," Lando exclaims, barely containing his giggles. "That's so cheesy!"

"Seriously, mate?" Max joins in, "What are you, a teenager with his first crush?"

Oscar looks at Carlos with mock disgust on his face. "My sister's birthday? Really? I don't know whether to be touched or grossed out."

Carlos shrugs, a slight blush creeping up his neck. "What? It's easy to remember."

"Yeah, sure," Lando snorts. "I bet your wallpaper is a picture of you two as well."

Carlos doesn't respond, suddenly very interested in his coffee.

"Oh my god, it is!" Max howls with laughter. "You're such a sap, Sainz!"

Oscar shakes his head, chuckling. "I can't believe this. My sister's turned you into a lovesick puppy."

Just as Oscar is about to search for his girlfriend's flight information, a text notification pops up. Out of habit and muscle memory, he ends up tapping on it, opening the message.

Oscar's eyes widen, and he lets out a yelp, nearly dropping the phone. "Oh god, my eyes!" he exclaims, tossing the phone back to Carlos as if it were on fire.

The others look at him, confused and amused.

"What happened?" Lando asks, trying to peer at Carlos' phone.

Oscar covers his face with his hands, groaning. "I just saw something I really, really didn't need to see. Carlos, mate, you need to put a lock on those messages from my sister."

With a frown, Carlos opens his messages, tapping on your contact and finding what made Oscar scream in disgust.

A picture of you wearing the lacy red set, with the caption "we need to put these to good use before we throw all the ferrari red away"

Carlos glances at his phone, his eyes widening slightly before he quickly locks the screen. He clears his throat, trying to maintain his composure. "Ah, I see. Sorry about that, Oscar."

Oscar is still covering his eyes dramatically. "I'm going to need therapy after this. Seriously, Carlos, password protect those messages or something!"

"Come on, what was it?" Lando tries to sneak a peek at Carlos' phone. "It can't be that bad!"

"Trust me, you don't want to know," Oscar groans. "There are some things a brother should never see."

"Look on the bright side, at least you know your sister is happy?" Max pats Oscar on the back.

"Not helping, Verstappen!" Oscar throws a nearby cushion at Max, which only makes everyone laugh harder.

"Sorry, hermano. I'll be more careful next time," Carlos says, putting on an awkward smile.

"There better not be a next time," Oscar mumbles, still looking traumatized. "I'm going to need therapy after this."

Oscar makes a mental note to never, ever touch Carlos' phone again, and Carlos makes a mental note to lock his girlfriend's messages. And put those lacy red sets to good use later, too.

[moongreenlight]

Have you ever seen that corny ass skit where it’s the girl talking to her husband asking him to fix things and he says “I’m not a plumber” “I’m not a carpenter” bla bla bla and then one day he comes home and the girl’s like “oh yeah I had the neighbor come over to fix the things you wouldn’t” and the neighbor says she can either bake him a cake or sleep with him as payment so the husband asks “so what kind of cake did you bake him?” And the girl says “I’m not a baker?”

Very much Neighbor!Price x stay-at-home-mom!reader coded :)

Mdni. Nsfw below cut.

Neighbor!Price who’s found a quiet little cul-de-sac to settle in when he’s got some time off. It’s a little neighborhood, mostly older people who’re thrilled to have a man like him around to help bring out bins and offer to mow their lawns or rake their leaves or shovel their drives when he’s around.

But somehow he’s found the only other younger family in the area living directly next to him. Parents are a few years his junior, and they’ve got two young kids. He assumes the boy, the older one, is early elementary age- sees you herding him into the car in the morning with a pack lunch and a backpack that’s nearly the same size as he is to and from the house in the morning and afternoon. And the girl, the younger, must be in pre-k, because she’s only out for half the day and doesn’t get the same pack lunch her brother gets.

He’s gotten to know you pretty well. When he’s around, the two of you will chat while you’re tending your garden and he’s working in his garage carrying out some odd project or another. He thinks you’re sweet. Likes the way you wear overalls with a little top when you’re planting flowers in the beds out front. How when you bend over or stand at the right angle he can imagine you’re not wearing a top at all.

He hates your husband. He’s crass and rude and never waves hello to any of the neighbors- odd for such a friendly little community. Leaves for work early and comes home late and leaves you to fend for yourself all day. Doesn’t know how to interact with you or your kids. And Price is almost certain he doesn’t fuck you the way you deserve to be fucked because his bedroom window looks over your living room and he’s caught you on the couch with your hand down your pants more times than could have been coincidence.

He’s known to be the neighborhood handyman. Got a little workshop set up in his garage and a general knowledge about nearly everything, so it’s not uncommon that he gets a knock on the door a few times a week. Usually it’s some of the older neighbors popping over to see if he can fix their TVs or help their grandkids connect to the Wi-Fi, but it’s a pleasant surprise when you turn up on his porch mid-morning.

You’re scrunching the ends of your soaking wet hair in a towel. Apologizing as soon as you hear him turn the deadbolt. Feverishly going on about how you must have blown a circuit in the bathroom trying to dry your hair and you’d usually be able to manage but your husband shoved a bookshelf in front of the breaker and you can’t get through to it.

He’s sweet about it. Always is, but especially for you. Follows you over to your place and promises you no less than ten times that it’s really no trouble. He’s happy to help. It’s a quick fix, but he drags it out as long as he can. Insists on following you up and down the stairs from the basement to the top floor twice to make sure everything’s working properly.

He notices that the bathroom door sticks and that the fire alarm in the hallway is chirping from a low battery. You apologize for the toys in the living room and the clean laundry pile on the couch and the state of your house. Say that your husband is racking up a hefty to-do list with a small laugh that’s just a bit too forced.

He’s thrilled to tell you that he’s got some free time later in the week and says he’ll come over if only to help out your husband. Makes some backhanded remark about how your husband is clearly a busy lad. You refuse- of course- sweet thing that you are, but he turns up the next day after you’ve taken your kids to school anyway.

He tails you up the drive so there’s no way you can shut him out. Shushes you when you try to apologize for one reason or another and takes off to fix not only the sticky bathroom door and the fire alarm batteries, but also the dripping kitchen faucet and the garbage disposal that’s been broken for months.

You try to stay clear of whatever room he’s working in, chirping short responses to whatever nonsense question he asked in an attempt to lure you over. It was only when he was about to head out and he saw you leaning on the dryer to keep it shut that he saw his golden opportunity.

You were clearly trying to hide it, but even with a small load of clothes in, it sounded like you’d thrown a pair of boots into a tin garbage pail and shook it hard as you could. You tried to shoo him off, but he wasn’t having any of it.

There’s enough skirting around the subject to give you chance to turn down his advances, but when he realizes you’re not outright telling him to go fuck himself, he’s essentially taking it as a challenge to see if he can’t push you to that point.

Hoists you up on the still clanging machine and pushes between your legs on the weak pretense of needing you there to keep the door shut while he works. The machine shook the straps of your top down off your shoulders and made him acutely aware of the fact that you hadn’t had the time to put on a bra yet. It made his pants near painfully tight on the crotch.

He’d try and make idle chat. Your kids and plans for the day, but it’s entirely too hard for him to focus on anything other than the way your thighs are pressing together as the dry cycle started to bang the machine around more. He makes a light comment about how he’s not sure how you get anything done around the house with the dryer in this state. Your laugh is breathy.

And when he leans over you to reach to the back of the machine, he can feel the way your soft panting breaths fan his neck. Confirms his suspicions.

“Alright?”

You’re chewing the inside of your lip while you nod. Clearly starved for stimulation if all it takes is a dry cycle to get you off. Poor thing.

It’s stuffy in the laundry room. Adds to the appeal. Makes your shorts ride up and stick to your legs. Your thighs are dewy and glide together when you shift under his gaze.

“You sure, doll?”

The two of you are almost nose-to-nose. You’re leaned back, caged in by his big arms that look even bigger in his almost obscenely tight shirt. He’s smiling. Letting his eyes wander to your collarbones. The way your throat bobbed when you swallowed.

Before you could choke out your answer, the dryer stopped. Chimed the alert and slowly stilled. You took a shaky breath and nodded once more, looking like you couldn’t decide whether to be disappointed or relieved. He backed off, stretched out his hand to help you down.

You lead him to the kitchen. Ask if you can get him anything. Tea or food. He declines. You say something about stopping to get cash when you’re out picking up your daughter in a couple hours. He declines again.

“John, really, I appreciate your help. You have to let me get you back.”

You’re filling the kettle with water anyway, leaned just slightly over the sink. He knows it’s impolite to stare, but he’s never had very good manners when it came to things like that.

“Bake me a cake or somethin’, then. Sleep with me. Won’t take your money, though.”

You whirl around and end up sloshing some water down your front. Doesn’t seem to phase you. Your eyebrows are damn near at your hairline.

“I don’t know if that’s appropriate, considering…”

He snorts a soft laugh. It’s kind- not at all suggestive. Like he’s playing off a clever joke.

“What? Baking me a cake?”

You purse your lips and set the kettle on the stove.

“Never been a very good baker.”

He about hurdles the kitchen island like he’s running track.

“That right?”

You make a thoughtful sound before clicking on the burner. He can see you biting back a smile. You finally turn to face him. Leaned back on your hands with your head cocked slightly to the side.

“I just don’t know that it would be appropriate given our- my- situation.”

It’s his turn to hum and nod. Take a few steps forward, slow and slinky like a predator stalking toward its prey.

“Sure.”

You chew your bottom lip. Try to find some resolve in fussing with your wedding ring. It’s horrible. Small. He can’t help but think about how he’d be able to get you a much better one. He takes a few more steps forward.

“It’s complicated, John.”

Your voice is mousy now.

“I know.”

A few more steps forward and he’s back nose-to-nose with you. Pinning you against the counter.

“I just-“

“Then tell me to go home.”

The button of his jeans grazes your groin and sends sparks up your spine. You recoil slightly, but he’s got his massive hands on your wrists to keep you in place.

“My husb-“

“Don’t. S’not what I said. Tell me to go home. Tell me to go home, and I’ll leave. S’easy as that.”

The coarse hair of his beard brushes along your jaw. Visible goosebumps rise all the way up your neck and down your arms.

“John, he-“

A throaty growl from him.

“He’s not getting a lick of you.”

And then somehow he’s got you on your back on the couch. Shoved off the pile of laundry and pushed you down. His eyes are near pitch black and hungry. Ravenous. He tears off your shorts. Doesn’t wait for you to hoist your hips, just yanks so hard that you’re a little worried you’ll get thrown off the couch with them.

He is wretched. Planting wet kisses from the inside of your knee all the way up to your sex frustratingly slow. Big hands splayed over your hips to keep you from bucking up into his mouth. He’s got this maddeningly smug smile on his face like he’s waiting for the perfect moment to say I told you so. Like he knew this was going to happen from the start, you were just too stupid to see.

Your underwear is embarrassingly wet from your little go on the dryer. Your pussy puffy and sensitive underneath. You whine when he kisses over the damp spot. Laves his tongue over your folds without pulling them to the side. He makes some comment about the state of you that borders on snarky, but you choose to ignore it.

When he finally does rid you of your panties, there’s a moment of clarity where you realize what you’re doing. You push up on your elbows and try to roll out from under him, but he gives your clit a mean slap that forces you back onto the couch and ends your protest. Sends you to that liminal, clouded headspace where all you can focus on is how desperately you need to come.

It’s clear he’s savoring the moment. Running the point of his tongue through your folds. Teasing at your hole. Artfully swirling around your clit, but never close enough to give you the friction you’re so desperately craving. Planting hot, wet kisses on your inner thighs. Leaves a few love bites in his wake like he’s boasting; so certain your husband wouldn’t get close enough to notice that he had no problem decorating you as he pleased.

You’re a mess. Being taken apart stitch by stitch. Panting and whining and begging for more. Your orgasm is coiling tight under your belly without him having to do much. Any other time you’d have felt a little pathetic, but you were too preoccupied to care now.

He finally brings his hands up and you think he’s about to stuff you full, but he only lets his fingers drag slowly along your sensitive sex. Collects some of your arousal and pulls it up toward your naval. Watches the goosebumps form under his touch.

He rucks your shirt up with his free hand and immediately wraps his lips around your pebbled nipples. Tongues at them. Lets his teeth graze teasingly over them. And whatever one he’s not got currently in his mouth, he’s working his fingers over. Pinching and flicking until you’re teary eyed and squirming under him.

And then finally, fucking finally, he ducks back down and fixes his mouth on your clit. Sucks gently on the swollen bud for just a moment and then companies his mouth with two fingers bullying their way inside you.

The stretch is almost uncomfortable in its suddenness, but you quickly get used to it. The pleasure is blinding. Forces you to throw your head back against the cushion and screw your eyes tightly shut. A string of high, needy moans float through your gaped lips.

He’s sweet, Jesus, is he. Hums and groans with his mouth still on your bundle of nerves. Pulls away just enough to tell you how pretty your pussy is taking him before going back to work on your sensitive clit. You want to scream. You think you may actually come entirely undone on this couch if he doesn’t stop.

And then your orgasm coils so tightly within you that it explodes outward. Tears through you and leaves every square inch of your skin sizzling. He doesn’t let up. Pins you down by the stomach with his forearm and continues down his warpath. The sounds his fingers make when they sink into you are so pornographic that it makes your face hot.

You eventually find it in you to warble out something that sounded like please, too much. And he pulled off, still with that smug grin pulling his lips now surrounded by glistening slick caught in the hair of his beard.

He gives you one last kiss. Lewd and wet and so searing hot you’re worried it will actually blister the sensitive flesh of your cunt. He’ll sit back on his haunches and fuss with the button and zipper of his jeans before saying something horrible and cheeky like

“C’mon, doll. Thought you were set on payin’ me back.”

[onegayastronaut]

Quiet Strengths

Requested by anon: Can I request a fic where reader is autistic and shy but has a crush on Alex? Maybe she's the little sister of Lucy and Lois Lane?

Words: 2277

Alex Danvers wasn’t supposed to notice you. At least, that’s what you told yourself every time you saw her. You had convinced yourself that someone as brave, intelligent, and confident as her could never have a reason to look your way. But here she was, in the middle of the DEO’s bustling operations room, walking straight toward you with a warm smile.

You’d been working there for a couple of months, quietly carving out a place as the DEO’s go-to analyst for obscure alien tech. It wasn’t glamorous, but it suited you—your meticulous attention to detail and fascination with patterns made you uniquely good at it. It also meant you could avoid the high-intensity fieldwork that Alex seemed to thrive on. Watching her from a distance felt safe. Approachable. But now, she was closing that distance, and your heart thudded in your chest like a drum.

“Hey, Y/N,” Alex greeted, her voice cutting through the hum of background chatter. “Got a second?”

You nodded, swallowing hard. Words felt like an uphill climb most days, especially with someone like Alex. You shifted your weight from one foot to the other, your hands fidgeting with the hem of your sweater. “Uh, yeah. Sure.”

Alex’s smile widened, and you had to fight the urge to look away. Her presence was magnetic, overwhelming in a way that left you both exhilarated and frozen.

“Great,” she said, holding out a tablet. “We recovered this from a raid earlier, but none of our usual techies can make sense of it. J’onn said you’re the best person for the job.”

Your cheeks warmed at the compliment. “Oh. Um, okay. I can take a look.”

“Thanks,” Alex said, and for a moment, her gaze lingered on you. “I’m glad you’re here. You’ve been a huge help lately.”

You blinked, taken aback. Compliments weren’t something you knew how to handle, and coming from Alex, they felt like rare treasures. You mumbled a quiet “thank you” and took the tablet, focusing on the device to avoid meeting her eyes again.

“If you need anything, let me know,” Alex added before walking away, leaving you rooted in place, your mind buzzing with her words.

It wasn’t the first time Alex had complimented you, nor was it the first time she’d made an effort to talk to you. But every interaction left you more certain of one thing: you had a massive crush on her.

You hadn’t told anyone, not even your sisters, Lois and Lucy. They’d always been your champions, fierce and protective in their love for you, but the idea of confessing your feelings for Alex felt too vulnerable. Lois would probably tease you mercilessly, and Lucy—well, Lucy would likely try to set you up, which sounded mortifying.

Instead, you kept your feelings locked away, channeling your energy into deciphering alien tech. It was easier to focus on circuits and coding than the whirlwind of emotions Alex stirred in you.

One evening, after a particularly long day, Lois called. You were curled up on your couch, poring over schematics from the tablet Alex had given you, when your phone buzzed. You hesitated before answering. Lois had a knack for picking up on your moods, and you weren’t sure you were ready for her to pry.

“Hey, kiddo,” she said, her voice cheerful but tinged with concern. “How’s work?”

“It’s good,” you replied, keeping your tone light. “Busy, but good.”

“Uh-huh,” Lois said, clearly unconvinced. “And how’s Alex?”

You nearly dropped the phone. “Wh-what do you mean?”

“Oh, come on,” Lois teased. “Lucy told me you’ve been working with her a lot. She’s great, isn’t she?”

“She’s… fine,” you mumbled, your face burning. “She’s nice.”

“Nice?” Lois repeated, laughing. “Y/N, you’re terrible at hiding things. Do you like her?”

“Lois!” you protested, your voice rising an octave. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Sure you don’t,” Lois said, clearly amused. “Just… don’t overthink it, okay? You’re amazing, and if she doesn’t see that, it’s her loss.”

Her words stayed with you long after the call ended, a small seed of confidence taking root in your chest.

A few days later, you were in the lab, engrossed in analyzing the tablet Alex had given you. The device was unlike anything you’d seen before, its interface a mesmerizing web of glowing symbols. You were so focused that you didn’t hear Alex enter until she was standing right beside you.

“Any luck?” she asked, startling you enough to make you drop the stylus in your hand.

“Oh! Um, yes,” you stammered, quickly picking up the stylus. “Sorry. I didn’t hear you come in.”

Alex chuckled. “Didn’t mean to scare you. You looked pretty deep in thought.”

“It’s… fascinating,” you admitted, your voice gaining confidence as you gestured to the tablet. “The tech is… well, it’s not like anything we’ve seen before. It’s modular, adaptable. I think it’s designed to interface with other systems, but I’m still figuring out the specifics.”

Alex leaned in to look at the screen, and you caught a faint whiff of her perfume—something crisp and clean that made your stomach flutter. “That sounds like it could be really useful,” she said. “Do you think it’s dangerous?”

“Not… not inherently,” you replied, your words careful. “But it depends on who’s using it. It could be a tool or a weapon.”

Alex’s expression turned thoughtful. “Good to know. Let me know if you need more resources. Or if you just want to bounce ideas around.”

You nodded, trying to ignore the way her offer made your heart soar. “Thanks. I will.”

She smiled again, that same warm, genuine smile that seemed to light up the room. “You’re doing great, Y/N. Really.”

For a moment, you dared to meet her eyes, and the sincerity you saw there made your chest tighten. You managed another quiet “thank you” before she left, leaving you to wonder how someone as incredible as Alex could make you feel so seen.

Your opportunity to say something came sooner than you expected. A week later, the DEO was hosting a small celebration for a successful mission, and to your surprise, Alex sought you out amid the crowd.

“Hey,” she said, holding out a drink. “Thought you might like some company.”

You hesitated, then accepted the drink with a shy smile. “Thanks. I’m not… really good at these things.”

“Neither am I,” Alex admitted, leaning against the wall beside you. “Big crowds aren’t exactly my thing.”

You glanced at her, surprised. “Really? You always seem so… confident.”

Alex laughed softly. “Trust me, it’s mostly an act. I’m way more comfortable when I’m working.”

You nodded, understanding all too well. “Me too. It’s easier when there’s… structure. Predictability.”

“Exactly,” Alex said, her tone warm with understanding. She looked at you, her gaze steady. “You’re easy to talk to, you know that?”

Your cheeks flushed, and you looked down at your drink. “I… don’t usually feel that way.”

“Well, you are,” Alex said, her voice soft but firm. “And for what it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here. Not just at the DEO, but… here. With me.”

Your heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, you couldn’t find the words. Finally, you mustered the courage to look at her. “I… I’m glad too.”

Alex smiled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. As the evening wore on, Alex stayed by your side, her presence a calming anchor in the bustling crowd. She asked about your work, genuinely curious about the projects you were passionate about, and you found yourself opening up in ways that surprised you.

“So, what do you do for fun?” Alex asked, her tone light but interested.

You hesitated, unsure how much to share. “Um, I like puzzles. And building models. Stuff like that.”

“That makes sense,” Alex said with a grin. “You’ve got a brilliant mind. I bet you’re amazing at solving puzzles.”

“I guess,” you said, ducking your head. “It’s… relaxing. Predictable.”

Alex nodded. “I get that. It’s nice to have something you can control, especially when everything else feels chaotic.”

You glanced at her, surprised by how much she seemed to understand. “Yeah. Exactly.”

The conversation flowed easily after that, and for the first time in a long while, you felt truly at ease. When the night ended, Alex walked you to your car, her hand brushing yours as she said goodbye.

“See you tomorrow?” she asked, her voice soft.

“Yeah,” you replied, your heart thudding in your chest. “See you tomorrow.”

Alex lingered for a moment, her gaze searching yours as if she wanted to say something more. But then she smiled—a quiet, sincere smile that made your breath catch—and stepped back. You watched her walk away, the faint warmth of her presence still lingering like a comforting echo.

The following days passed in a haze of tentative hope and quiet longing. Alex’s words and actions lingered in your mind, each small interaction leaving you wondering if she might feel the same way you did. She continued to seek you out during breaks, her questions and interest in your work feeling genuine and steady. It wasn’t just about the tech or the DEO anymore—she wanted to know you.

One afternoon, you were working in the lab when Alex appeared again, carrying two cups of coffee. She handed you one with a smile. “Thought you could use a pick-me-up.”

“Oh, thanks,” you said, taking the cup with a shy smile. “You didn’t have to.”

“Sure I did,” Alex said, leaning casually against the table. “You’ve been working nonstop. Consider it a thank-you for being amazing.”

Your face heated at her words, and you took a sip of coffee to hide your flustered expression. “I’m just… doing my job.”

“You’re doing more than that,” Alex said firmly, her tone laced with admiration. “You’re brilliant, Y/N. I don’t know how the DEO managed before you came along.”

Her compliment sent a warm rush through you, but it also left you feeling exposed. You fidgeted with the edge of your sweater, your thoughts racing. “I… I’m not good at taking compliments,” you admitted quietly.

Alex’s expression softened. “That’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. Just know that I mean it.”

For a moment, the room felt smaller, the distance between you shrinking as Alex’s gaze held yours. The weight of unspoken feelings hung in the air, and you wondered if she could hear the rapid beating of your heart.

“Alex, I…” You hesitated, the words catching in your throat. “I want to say… thank you. For being so kind. And patient.”

“Of course,” Alex said gently. “I like being around you, Y/N. You’re… special.”

Her words filled you with a mixture of joy and fear. Did she mean it the way you hoped? Or was she simply being kind? The uncertainty gnawed at you, but before you could overthink, Alex reached out, her hand brushing yours.

“Can I ask you something?” she said, her voice soft.

You nodded, barely trusting yourself to speak.

“Would you want to grab dinner sometime? Just the two of us?”

Your breath hitched. The room seemed to tilt as her question registered. “Like… like a date?” you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

Alex’s lips curved into a smile, her eyes warm and steady. “Yeah. Like a date.”

A quiet gasp escaped you, and for a moment, all you could do was nod. “I’d like that,” you managed, your voice trembling but sure.

Alex’s smile widened, and she squeezed your hand gently before pulling back. “Great. How about tomorrow night?”

“Okay,” you said, a small, nervous laugh bubbling up. “Tomorrow night.”

The hours leading up to your date felt like an eternity. You second-guessed everything—your outfit, your choice of conversation topics, even your decision to agree in the first place. But when Alex showed up at your door, her easy smile and casual confidence melted away your nerves.

“You look amazing,” she said, her gaze warm and admiring.

“Th-thank you,” you stammered, feeling the blush creep up your neck.

The evening was a quiet, intimate affair—a cozy restaurant with dim lighting and a menu that catered to your preferences. Alex made you laugh with stories about Kara’s antics and listened intently as you shared your own quirks and passions. For the first time, you felt like someone truly saw you, not just as a brilliant analyst but as a person.

As the night drew to a close, Alex walked you back to your apartment. The air was cool, the city lights casting a soft glow over the street. She stopped just outside your door, her hands in her pockets as she turned to face you.

“I had a great time tonight,” she said, her voice earnest.

“Me too,” you replied, your heart pounding.

Alex hesitated, then stepped closer, her gaze searching yours. “Can I kiss you?”

Your breath caught, and for a moment, all you could do was nod. Alex leaned in, her lips brushing yours in a soft, tentative kiss that made the world fade away. When she pulled back, her smile was radiant, her eyes filled with something you could only describe as joy.

“Goodnight, Y/N,” she said softly.

“Goodnight,” you whispered, watching as she walked away, your heart full in a way it had never been before.

In that moment, you realized that maybe—just maybe—Alex Danvers wasn’t just someone you admired from afar. She was someone who saw you, understood you, and wanted to be with you. And for the first time, you let yourself believe that you were worthy of that kind of love.

[charliemack]

ok as promised, i watched conclave

wrote down my thoughts and impressions as I went, live-blog style except i was blogging at myself

posted here for those who might care to see them, but below a readmore as it got a bit long. and, em. emotional

please know, i don't need answers to the questions I've made notes of here I already googled them. Also be warned, I never learned to spell and I'm not about to start now

oh dip john lithgow is in this, that bodes well /s

(look up the fancy papal ring)

There's angels in the walls

those glasses are doing nothing for StanTucc, gotta turn down the sexy somehow i suppose

(look up vatican death face keenex)

ok yeah a dude from the terror directed this, it's got pomp frotting all up against bruising mundanity. wax seal interposed with squeaky gurney wheel. good stuff

the heartbeat sound of the gurney clicking back and forth in the back of the ambulance SOMEBODY ISN'T FULLY DEAD YET somebody's getting ready to haunt the narrativvvvve

i will never not be obsessed with ancient institutions having to adapt to modern technology. Updating the security so they can't eavesdrop via lasers against the glass? Nuns on a motorcoach? Cardinals with wheeled luggage? Pile of '00s desk phones on terra cotta tiles? Cardinal with a bright red phone case?? Spectacular (I accept this is an American affectation, we have comparatively few ancient things here and our institutions tend to update themselves very very quickly)

Eminence Tedesco can slap my impudent hands any time he likes

ok yeah a dude from the terror directed this because it's black, white, red, and gold where the terror was black, white, navy, and gold

Oop here we go, intrigue starting

I'm sorry the travertine floors are gorgeous and I want them

LOL nuns in a commercial kitchen. magnificent

Oh ho ho the lost heir emerges, the tropes are hungry

(look up in pectore)

Hello Mr Lost Heir i mean Surprise Cardinal Benitez sir you have beautiful hands

Oop he praised the nuns, he's going to do very well

Oh WOW 25 minutes in and we got our first racism (or at least the first one I picked up on) 😬

Bellini: "I don't want the papacy" mmmm sure Jan

Lawrence the code switcher, speaking italian, speaking latin, calling Tremblay "Joe" - gotta respect it

There are wings in those walls

The fucking .... what is that, a Nespresso? Wild

Goodness but the set design on the dormitory here. I've been in meat lockers that were more hospitable

Well hello close-up silhouette shot. Trying not to make a theme of it but it's very clear the guy who did this also did the terror

Ralph Fiennes' eyes are doing so much heavy lifting here they should get second billing in the credits

The repetition of the ornate costumes such that the finery gets lost and we're left with a background texture that is also living people. Not to belabor the point but yeah a dude from the terror directed this

"Let me speak for the heart for a moment" -> me and everyone else in that room: this guy would be a really good pope probably

I am really impressed that all these red capes and hats are the same red, modern technology is a miracle

Normally an ominous bolting of a door would make me nervous but these guys all seem like they get along really well so it's probably fine

Are they gonna burn the ballots YESSS tHEY BURNED THE BALLOTS this is spectacular

We hear the crowd, we don't see the crowd. I see what they're doing here

Well that was the most circuitous way to tell that story, mr aide person Ray, but full points for building the tension

I wonder if the little motor coaches that ferry them to and from the dormitory will be electric someday

The holy father's ... turtles

OH this is delicious. In the span of six lines of dialog Benitez has flipped the situation around from Lawrence asking him about his health to Lawrence making a confession to him. SPECTACULAR

OH NO Disappointed StanTucc face, anything but that

These vote tallies are gripping. I'm gripped.

Ohhh the color story here. Lawrence you do not belong in this room. This is a room for the nuns, the chairs are blue, the walls are blue, the light is blue, the curtains are blue. His red cape and cap scream violence in a way his tone cannot overcome (I know blue=Mary, that's not the point that's being made here)

Ayedemi what did you doooooo

Wings in the walls again. And now also eyes of judgement

Ah. That's what Ayedemi did.

"So I still have hope" -> wow.

Another magnificently efficient scene. Twenty lines of dialogue? And a man convincingly goes from bluster to weeping

The candidates at empty tables while the fifth vote tally is a delicious choice

Oh look it's Bad-News Ray, also known as Drabs-of-Expedition Ray. I love this guy I wanna be this guy

At this point I feel like we're seeing Lawrence as a man in an extremely stressful administrator's job, a job he's had for a very long time, juussst edging right up to the upper limit of what he can reasonably handle. Sure hope the pot doesn't continue to boil - or something happens to diminish his fortitude

Those're some really lovely gold bedlinens there, Benitez. I guess we can speculate as to who the housekeeping staff are pulling for

There are pointed spears and arrows in the walls

Even the login screen in the nun room is blue, spectacular

And now comes Lawrence into the Blue Nun Room but this time without his red cape, and when we press into the close-up shot we can't see his red cap either. Excellent camera angles happening here

What's in your emaillllls, Sister Agnes??

Oh. That's tidy

Lawrence without his red cap now, and we can't see what's in the walls. Only the red runner on the floor (just like in a children's hospital)

OH. OH OH OH GOSH. Literal seal, literally broken. That was a deeply visceral sound effect

A delightful scene humanizing a holy and unknowable (cuz dead) figure. Aspirin. Rubber bands. Breath mints. Dirty eyeglasses

Sister Agnes is gonna beat Lawrence up and down that hallway or so help me. The spear points in the walls are facing upward now, we are in vigilant watcher mode

There are ghostly dead roots in the walls

Lawrence is a spectacularly lonely man, I think. Most priests are, but I think he is lonelier than most. Probably cuz he can't pray right now

oo-woo what's this in the headboard

Bellini you old grouch. Lawrence is right, by the way, pessimism is the refuge of a coward

GET 'EM AGNES HELL YEAH. The holy photocopier of revenge, that's delightful

(look up mendacious)

Hahhhhh get 'em Agnes. Go on Tremblay, deny it now

WOW

There are swirls of emotion behind Bellini in the walls, and tidy columns and rows of ordered distress behind Lawrence. In the walls

Tedesco has absolutely gorgeous hair, sir, please, tell us your secrets

HOLY SHIT

Oof

WOW

oh

.... sorry I need a moment

And we're back.

A quick comment: even here, in this scene, we don't see the crowd. Only the actions of the crowd. We are well and truly sequestered.

Nuns on the move! That bodes well, I'm sure

The walls are pillars now

Humans as texture. Flowing around a water fountain. Lovely

Tremblay's glasses are broken. Very nice visual

OH gosh Benitez looks like he wants to throw up

And here's Exposition Ray. With 15 minutes of runtime left

Clinic for what, said no one ever

OH

I stand corrected

(I thought it was AIDS)

I need another moment

OK, had to go do the dishes and walk around a bit but that is ... ok. Two words, and they are everything. I want to write a dissertation on this moment because ... because ...

I'm really glad this movie got made.

And that it was made this point in time, in particular

In a slightly lighter opinion: I'm shocked this came as a spoiler, with all the posts I've seen online. In retrospect I think I might've seen a post or two about intersex but .... wow. Just, wow

He has really beautiful hands

From personal experience: Benitez is correct. To exist between the world's certainties, so to speak, is a very powerful way of being human

We hear the crowd. We don't see the crowd.

His Holy Father's Turtle ohhh be nice to the turtle please

I am fascinated by the smoke-making machine. Was that a custom job? Is that a standard piece of equipment I was previously unaware of?

We hear the crowd. We don't see the crowd.

The walls are watching, and they seem unkind

But the birds are singing, and the nuns are happy. So maybe things will be ok?

[satureja13]

Lenny is taking a break while the others are still over in Jonathan's quarters. They can't wrap their brains around that Sai has a fiancé... He'd have a lot to explain once he wakes up again. But the show must go on. They finally found Tiny Can! After all these months! But how did he end up with Jonathan? The last time they saw him, he was broken. His circuits blew after he'd rescued them out of the Therapy Game, from Ji Ho's evil Grandfather... Kiyoshi: "So how did you find Tiny Can? He got destroyed. And how did you manage to enter the Otherworld and get past the protection - eh... plant-swamp-thing to get to him?"

Jonathan: "I don't know about any of this. Actually, Tiny Can found me. He was utterly broken though. Took me months to repair him. I think I will have built him and therefore he came back to me when he needed help. It carries my signature coding." Jack was wondering how one could not know if he'd built Tiny Can? And what's with that weird time term 'will have built him'? Maybe Jonathan's brain is just as busy and stuffed as his and he forgets things? Then Vlad asked away and Jack forgot about it... This is all so confusing - and exciting! Vlad: "Months? This is so weird. How was he able to host the Therapy Game during this time? There are no issues known. Or any downtimes." Jonathan: "Well, I'm utterly sure that Tiny Can here is not the host of the Therapy Game. There is a save game left on his hard disk though. And from time to time he plays me a message, from you two. Jack and Jeb." Jack: "Oh, that's an old one. Where a future Jeb tells the others they should stay together and how to activate the ship?" Jonathan: "No, it's another one. Maybe I can make him play it again tomorrow. He's still not fully fixed, I fear. Oh my, only Sai could turn an invaluable artefact into a gaming server ^^' "

Jonathan: "Sai was clever to hide his signature so no one could trace the Therapy Game back to him. The Council is eager to get a grip on the developer and stop this game. It made their live so much harder since so many creatures have a community now. And get help. But even though Sai's signature and mine are quite equal, since I'd tought him everything about programming, there are still parts that I only developed after we got separated... And he came back to me, so I could help him..." They fell silent for a while, trying to put it all together... To compute... But they are tired and it's all too much.

Jack: "Well, I guess these are problems for later. The other question is: Who is hosting the Therapy Game now?" Jonathan: "I tried to find out from which Game that one save file is he still kept. It is from the Therapy Game - and it's hosted from everyhere. Literally. It's a giant network that uses 'volunteer computing'. Users from all over the galaxy 'donate' processing space. Maybe you've heard of it. It's often used in science." Jack: "Oh! I installed it too! To find the origins of pizza. Hey, what's that look? We're quite a few. Pizza is too amazing to originate from our little world! There is something bigger behind it!" (Where he's right, he's right ;)

Kiyoshi: "But this means - it's impossible turn off the Therapy Game." Jonathan: "Why would one want to turn it off? It's amazing and has extremely good reviews in the 90's?" Kiyoshi sighed: "Sai is convinced it's a threat. Ji Ho almost died. And even though we know Tiny Can only tried to save him from his grandfather, Sai still thinks it could mess with the players' brains." Jonathan: "It really doesn't. Tiny Can has no evil or corrupted circuit in him. He made very sure everyone is safe and no one can meddle with the code again. There are also disclaimers and the game even checks back if the players are ok all the time and takes measures if it gets uncomfortable for them. The game wraps around the players needs and it adjusts itself. Even though Tiny Can did the majority of the work, Sai - and all of you too - can be so proud of yourself for starting this."

Jonathan looked over to Sai: "I still can't believe I found him. How long has it been since I last saw him? Five years? Six? I thought they'd killed him. Thank you for taking care of him." Jeb cleared his throat: "We are all exhausted. Let's continue tomorrow. Sai should hear about all this too." Jack, towards Jonathan: "You must know Jeb is Sai's..." Vlad interrupted him and hissed: "Jack!" Jonathan: "There is another quarter right across the corridor. I asked the maintenance droids to get it ready for you." Kiyoshi: "Thank you. See you later then."

They left Sai in Jonathan's bed to recover. And when they entered their quarter, there were only five beds. So Jonathan seems confident that Sai will stay with him? Jack's brain thought it's best for him to clear everything off of it and deal with all these crazy news tomorrow. Or later, since they don't know which time it is here on this mining colony in the hazy middle of nowhere. And he's excited and enthusiastic as always. Plus - Jeb should be distracted.

Jack: "Look! The view! And there's Skully! Hey Skully, who's looking after the ship?" Skully: "Malfoy and Axl. Thought you might need me. How's the captain doing?" Jeb said nothing and just went over to his bed.

He sighed: "We should spare Sai from all this. Insisting to keep him as a leader broke him. We even betrayed him for trying to leave without him - to save tiny Can. And he betrayed us for leaving without us - to kill Tiny Can. This is all to much for him. And we can't go on like this. Jonathan will be able to take better care of him than we are. Sai left everything behind for Jonathan. Left his his realm and sold everything he had - to be with him." Vlad: "Maybe you are right. We did what we could to carry the burden with him but it wasn't enough. And he did what he could to be there for us and it broke him. He surely wasn't made for all this madness that comes with us."

Kiyoshi: "And without the meteorites, we can't go back home to the otherworld anymore. It would be safer to split up anyway, so the Council won't see us as a threat anymore. And each couple had their own place to live." Jack went silent. He just knew it. The evening before they'd left home. He'd had this odd feeling and he knew it would be for the last time they'd see their home in Otherworld's Tomarang... Ji Ho: "But what about the message from Future Jeb? He urged us to stay together!" Jack: "Jonathan said there is another message from them. Maybe he tells us that everything is fine now that we've fulfilled our mission to find Tiny Can? Or whatever it was he wanted us to stay together for?" Vlad: "It's useless to wreck our exhausted brains over this now. Let's sleep - and see what tomorrow brings." Ji Ho: "Maybe our mission was to bring Jonathan and Sai back together? It all started after we found Tiny Can in that temple. And he went back to Jonathan when he needed help. And he knew we would try to find him..." Poor Jeb... And Future Jeb even wanted to make it happen. Why? Because he knew they wouldn't last? After all of their break-ups and quarrels?

Skully brought a matching song for them. It goes like this:

'I go dancing on the ceiling sometimes It's always fun but I get scared of the climb Will you catch my fall? Catch my fall?

The notes I play put a stain on my heart Some songs I hate, some I hate even more I act a fool Am I the fool?

So tell me, Eric, does it hurt, hurt? (Uh-huh) So tell me, Eric, does it hurt? (Not at all)

I'm killin' life like a one way ticket to hell I'm on a high goin' down, down, down I wanna wipe that sad, sad feelin' away Down, down, down

I'm killin' life like a one way ticket to hell I'm on a high goin' down, down, down I wanna wipe that sad, sad feelin' away Down, down, down (Oh, oh, oh, oh) (Oh, oh, oh, oh)

The words I sing burn my throat as they leave Desperate measures for these times are in need Do you feel the same? (Feel the same) It's such a shame'

Killin' it - Foxy Shazam (Live version, more bass than in the official one, I love it!)

imo this is one of the most unterrated songs I know. It's only availavle on compilations on spotify o.o So if you liked the kind of songs Skully, the Boys and I played so far, you should give it a try.

Outtakes

The counter scene from the first pic. Behind the window, you can spot Lenny :3

From the Beginning 🔱 Underwater Love 🔱 Latest

Current Chapter 'Goats in Space': starts ▶️ here Last Chapter: 'Piglets in Space' from the beginning ▶️ here

📚 Previous Chapters: Chapters: 1-6 ~ 7-12 ~ 13-16 ~ 23-29

[youzicha]

Simulacra, Simulation, and Girls' Generation

That take that "anime girls don’t correspond to anything" reminded me of one of my own pet theories, which is that the same is true about Kpop groups.

Groups like Girls' Generation are like the opposite of American singer-songwriters. The singer-songwriter's core value is authenticity. Their songs are taken to be autobiographical, and to be valuable because they are a true description of the emotions that the songwriter felt. The singer-writer must be a single person so we can be sure that nobody has tampered with the depiction before it reaches us. This is Baudrillard's "first order" image, we in the audience should believe that the song is "the reflection of a profound reality".

With the kpop groups, what we enjoy is that the song does not represent any underlying reality. Each music video is the impersonal product of songwriters, producers, choreographers, stylists, video directors, etc. Rather than a spontaneous expression, you can see the moves being developed in the behind-the-scenes dance practice videos. The online discourse emphasizes the role of the entertainment agency (e.g. SM Entertainment): the group members themselves do not have "agency" so we can be confident that their own emotions didn't make it into the love songs.

Let’s look at the music video for Oh! (2010) to see how this plays out. It's like a game of dress-up, showing off two different cheerleader uniforms. Argumate once wrote that Girls' Generation perform "a detailed sequence of dance moves that are very 'sexy', i.e. strongly coded as suggesting sexiness without necessarily being sexy-without-quotes", and I think we can say something similar about cheerleader outfits. They are not there to convey a message or story (and as if to stress the arbitrariness, the last few seconds of the video show the girls dressed in a completely different "strong woman" style, to tease the upcoming next look). Rather, the "sexy cheerleader" is itself a stylized, free-floating signifier to be quoted. "The whole system becomes weightless … an uninterrupted circuit without reference or circumference." (Although I believe it is still possible to overcome the ironic stance.)

So far everything is straightforward, but now consider the lyrics:

Oppa please see me, please look at me It's the first time I talk like this (ha!) I did my hair and I did my makeup too But why is it only you who doesn't know? […] Don't think of me just like a little sister You might regret that after a year

I claim that this also works in the opposite direction to the normal mode of storytelling. An auteur-director starts with an idea for a movie or play, and then casts actors to best represent his vision. Or, if that is not what it in fact took place, that is still the convention the viewer is supposed to apply to interpret the work. But with an idol music video, the starting point is the singer, who already has a fanbase. "Please see me, please look at me"—well, we already were. (This is not the only Girls' Generation song about looking at the idol, by the way, compare e.g. The Boys, which begins "I can tell you're looking at me / I know what you see".)

Given the opposite starting point, the representational function of the lyrics changes correspondingly. Rather than focusing on the new fictional person who emerges ex nihilo, the fan's attention is focused on the singer, and the "little sister" character is yet another stock signifier to bring out and put on, much like the uniform. The function of the story is erasure: there was in fact a hairdresser and a makeup artist who styled Yuri, but instead we're invited to project a different fantasy over her. The effect is to further stress the unreality of these symbols.

With this in mind, I think one Girls' Generation song has a really interesting concept for the lyrics. In Paparazzi (2012) the idol looks out across the crowds, spots a photographer who is trying to be discreet, and speaks directly to him: "shall I give you a better photo? let's be friendly, after all aren't we allies?"

It re-establishes the inauthenticity and unreality of the idol! As time goes by, pesky reality intrudes. People will follow the individual group members devotedly, and there are paparazzi images of them. Members will capitalize on their fame through individual brand endorsement deals. There is the perennial problem of girl group girls getting boyfriends, jarringly peeking out as an actual human being from behind the illusion. Or in the extreme case they can even use their new independent existence to leave the group.

In Paparazzi, those candid photos are re-imagined as performance. And furthermore, just like in Oh! we are invited to imagine a fictional character speaking directly to us. But in this case the character is superimposed not just over the image from the music video, but also over all the already existing photos. The actual person of the idol is crowded out by the fantasy…

[lutawolf]

My Personal Weatherman and the D/s element Ep 3

If you haven't read my other episode break-downs, please do so here.

Let me just say, I love Segasaki. Oh, so much. He works hard to read Yoh. There is a lot of respect there, it's just there is also a lot of miscommunication. He commands Yoh, put that aside and come eat breakfast with me. And Yoh immediately obeys. While saying, he hates Segasaki in the most sappy inner voice ever. Leading us to believe that I hate you, is code for, I love you.

I really like you, is big dialogue? I mean, even porn should have some kind of plot asshole. I wanna beat his boss. Oh, Yoh is eating out. Change of scenery. Then surprise, Segasaki shows up. I adore it. He knows Yoh enough to know that he would be doing café sketches, so he came by. Um, good thing Segasaki missed seeing him with the girl. hahahaha. Are all Doms jealous? I get this question a lot. The answer is no. However, all Doms are possessive. That's not to say they can't also be jealous, but I personally am known for my possessiveness with damn near zero jealousy.

Their friendship is cute though. She got some brains there. She does. Why isn't he drawing BL! Um, he likes to draw breasts. Okay, I respect that.

The indecisiveness of a submissive. It's a thing. The more submissive, the less they like to make decisions. I however, want to make all the decisions unless I'm hungry, then I short circuit and sound like any hangry female. Segasaki asks if Yoh is working, Yoh says it doesn't matter. So Segasaki says they are going out, and he still asks again if Yoh has plans. Very respectful. Segasaki has way too much respect for any of Yoh's boundaries for anyone but dumbass Yoh to think he is a slave. That little smile Segasaki gives! Ahhhh!

They're on a date! So cute! I love how Segasaki just stares at Yoh and waits for him to notice. You are looking at a Dom with a strong primal instinct. The hunt, the chase, and outwitting his prey.

So much went down at this scene. Okay, so first, notice that Segasaki orders for Yoh. When I talk about a Dom serves food, this is what I mean. Everyone wants me to explain the difference between a Dom and sub serving food, and it's hard to. I can't just say, well one is a Dom and one is a sub, but that is it. The attitude involved with food is different. Segasaki and Yoh are a great example of this. Can you see the difference in how they both serve the food? How one is an act of service while the other is providing? Even in the way Segasaki takes a bite from Yoh's bun, he asks, but he is already going in for a bite and Yoh is already offering. The asking is simply Segasaki being soft with his commands. There is a reason why Brat Tamers are often called charming. Now, also notice that Segasaki purposely brought up the price, he also made sure to say that Yoh doesn't need to worry about it. This is him saying, no matter what, I can provide for you. Which is very important. A sub does not want a Dom that can't provide security. Think about it, a submissive is giving all of themselves, of course they need to feel secure.

Look at the difference in how Yoh asks for a bite. Look how he double-checks that it's okay. Totally different vibe. They felt like only Gyaru could have it? Like only females?

Oh, the ride is giving me My Accidental Love vibe. Yoh honey, this is a date. So cute!

Segasaki pushed that sales lady right out of the way. He wasn't rude, but he clearly indicated that Yoh was his. Poor Yoh is clueless. Man is cute but dumb. Seriously dumb. Thankfully, Segasaki is all about this idiot. He really does get him. OMG, the sheets!!! This is going down as my favorite. HAHAHA

Segasaki teases until Yoh admits. He teases, and then he praises. Ah, now Segasaki is calling him out. He continues to push. Causing Yoh to retreat, but Segasaki won't let him. He then calls Yoh an idiot. Fair enough because he is.

The kisses though! The kisses!!

See, Segasaki knows Yoh. Aw, the way Yoh curls in on him. So cute!

These two are killing me. I need more. Now! I'm looking forward to the next one. Hopefully you guys are too. If you enjoyed this. Let me know. 💜💜💜

[feralfangirll]

Ask her, dunceface.

This is my first time writing a one-shot ever so please be brutal and hurt my feelings in the comments so I can get better! I love Denki sm and shy nervous Denki is one of my favorites. I didn't proofread this, it's honestly just stream of consciousness lol

CW: not much? maybe a little cussing, jealousy, a little lusty Denki but that's not new!

Just thinking about a nervous Denki when he finally works up the courage to ask you out. Sure he’s asked out almost every 1st year girl at UA… but this is different. 

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

Denki has had a crush on you from the first time he saw your big, bright eyes glance over him when Mr. Aizawa introduced you as Class 1-A’s very own transfer student. He remembered the blush that painted your cheeks as you stated your name, sounding more like a song leaving your pouty pink lips than a real honorific; the way your hands wrung the sleeves of the oversized UA sweater that was definitely out of dress code to wear as large as you did; your too short skirt just peaking out of the hem of the green fleece monstrosity that was swallowing your little frame; the fresh, white Converse sneakers you’d styled perfectly with the ugly uniform- even your hair made these ugly digs seem appealing.

He gulped hard as his eyes raked your body over and over, taking advantage of the few seconds he’d been blessed with to ogle you, free of repercussions. 

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

Denki had asked many girls out before (and been turned down most of the time) but he’d never felt nervous like this. He had to work up the courage to ask if you needed a pencil for your test after you’d stared at the “pencil only” note written across the top of the page for 10 minutes, tapping a pen to your lips. 

“Oh… thank you. We were only allowed to use pens at my old school…” You say with a sweet smile, taking the new yellow pencil from his clammy hands. He doesn’t know what to say in the face of such beauty so he just nods and hopes his face doesn’t look too short-circuited right now. He makes a mental note to get that pencil back another day, hoping you’ll forget it’s his and tap it to your lips mindlessly too.

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

Denki had asked out so many girls before this, so why was sitting across from you at the lunch table trying to make small talk like an Olympic sport? Kirishima noted the little charm hanging from your bag, “Hey, is that from that one Anime?” You lit up at the question and began spewing about your love of the manga, but you didn’t become a reader until you’d watched this one anime…

“Her character is just so confident and powerful… I couldn’t help but obsess over her!” You giggle and his heart explodes.

He knows that manga… he’d jerked it to the main character a couple of times, hey you kind of look like her… He only says the second part out loud thankfully, which earns him another giggle and a bright smile.

“You think so? I always loved her hair so I tried copying the style…” You beam, running your fingers through your hair and scrunching up your cute little nose. Speaking of noses, is his bleeding? He feels lightheaded but he doesn’t dare take his eyes away from you as you go on and on about the show. “ You’ve only ever read the manga? We should watch the show together, I’ve been wanting to do a rewatch.” You conclude and all he can do is nod stupidly.

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

Denki had gotten used to rejection, so why did his entire body sweat profusely and his heart sink at the thought of you turning him down when he asks if you want to be a part of his team for quirk training? Your quirks were compatible, so why not? When you agree, he has a hard time not shocking everyone on the training floor to death. 

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

Denki was used to being the crusher and not the crush, so why does his entire world stop turning when Bakugo welcomes you to the training team with open arms and flirty, heavy-lidded eyes? And why does time stand still when you give Bakugo the same sweet smile you’d previously reserved for him?

He didn’t even think to ask Bakugo if adding you to the squad was ok, but when Bakugo lets it slide so easily he feels suspicion creep in. You’d talked to other people, you’d made friends these past few months, so was it wrong for you to have become close with the yappy blonde boy? Was it wrong for that yappy blonde boy to flash smiles reserved for very few people every time you did something cute? Was it wrong for that yappy blonde boy to watch your movements the same way Denki did? 

You bend over, hoisting a human-weight dummy over your shoulder before crossing the obstacle course first and Bakugo’s hand moves to his nose… is it bleeding? Is Denki’s heart this loud to anyone else right now? Is the room turning red? Can anyone else feel how hot his blood is boiling as you turn and smile back at the stupidly handsome, talented, blonde, yappy piece of shit boy ogling you in only the way Denki should? Did he wait too long?

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

Denki had asked out so many girls he could probably play the alphabet game with just the rejections he’d gotten his first year at UA alone, so why is he so terrified as he walks next to you down the school hall to your next class like he always does? Because there's a question weighing heavy on his mind. Just ask her, dunceface...

He was not going to let Bakugo beat him to asking you first, even if he was turned down. He was determined to get the words out so when he stops you, hands on your shoulders, sparks coming off his shaking frame, eyes wide and full of nerves, and the question practically falls from his mouth, he’s not expecting much. To his surprise, you don’t laugh, you don’t turn away, you don’t gut punch him and rip his heart out with your manicured nails… you smile sweetly and release a breathy huff like you’d been holding your breath for this exact question for months.

“I would love to be your date to the dance, Denki…” You beam and he has to release your shoulders, for fear of crushing them, or electrocuting you, or crying tears of joy… “I was hoping you’d ask me.”

[greatwyrmgold]

Back to Factorio. Last time, I came within one inserter of setting up nuclear power before noticing that my other solutions had finally brought the factory to a decent equilibrium. This time, I'm making green chips. After some uneventful building, I throw together this prototype.

Very simple; separate train stations for the two inputs, and a belt of output that would go to its own separate station. But that single belt of output is kind of a problem. It can only carry a couple dozen assemblers' worth of green circuits, and if I want this one outpost to make a significant fraction of the circuits I'll need once I start plowing down the tech tree, I need way more. I think I'll aim for four belts of green chips.

Cool, but new problem: Input. Four belts of chips require four belts of iron and six belts of copper. Well, a little less with productivity modules, but not whole belts less. I can't build this as one big line. I have to build it as three little lines.

Well, "little" is perhaps not the right word here. Three sets of eighteen chip assemblers, compared to the five I had in my starter base. My bots are busy.

Wait a second. That's a lot of bots.

Oh, there goes my power again. But on closer inspection, this has less to do with bots charging than it does with coal vanishing, due to the coal train getting stuck at the mines.

After like an hour of messing around with train signals, redesigning intersections trying to figure out what screwed-up rail code is causing these problems...I realize a couple of rail segments in a curve are missing. Pretty much invisible to human eyes. Ugh.

...

That's where I logged off for the night, and thank goodness for this self-inflicted log forcing me to keep track of what I was doing, because a bunch of real-life stuff kept me from playing Factorio for several months. But now I'm back, and I have a log of what I was trying to do back in March. I started by making sure the coal-fired boilers were back online (getting there), and I noticed something I'm pretty sure is a visual bug.

I think the solar panels are casting shadows on the belt despite A. the presence of a light source on the other side of the belt and B. the fact that it's the middle of the night. Also the shadowed plastic looks too dark either way, especially with the normal plastic next to it.

Anyways, just two paragraphs after thanking March Me for his brilliant foresight, I have to curse him for his stupidity. Apparently he either never set up automated long-handed inserters and assembling machines, or tore it down when he started disassembling the starter base. Foolish either way.

Once I rectified that with a bit of spaghetti stapled onto the starter base, I realized I needed a lot of power poles for the new chip build, and also that I only automated the big ones. But that means I had everything for medium poles in one spot, and I just needed a little spaghetti to get everything into place.

Word of advice: Don't play with the Renai Transportation mod if you don't want to face constant spaghetti temptation. And if you do, make sure not to power thrower inserters until they're set properly.

Anyways, in the time it took to set that up and take the provided poles to power the new build, all the assemblers and inserters were pretty much produced. And in the time it took to figure out the Screenshot Toolkit, they were delivered.

All I need to do is get the trains set up.

Iron is easy enough; I've already got an iron train running from the iron mines to the starter base, so I just tweak its schedule so it switches between supplying the starter base and the circuit station.

I don't have anything like that for copper; the starter base is still running off the, um, two mining drills which still have ore. About 5,000 between them when I checked, one of which should last a bit less than an hour, the other almost two hours. Hm. Maybe I should have set up something for getting copper to the starter base.

I didn't, though. I didn't even get copper delivered to the circuits. That's because of a terrible mistake I made when setting up the copper mine's loading station.

Whichever way I curve this track, it runs into cliffs. That's what cliff explosives are for, but I never researched cliff explosives. And I tore down my starter base's labs ages ago.

Next time, I will do one of three things:

Find some fortuitous route between cliffs that gets me out of this mess

Set up temporary labs to research cliff explosives, and also temporary cliff explosives production

Move the station five meters to the right

I should probably also do something about our copper situation.

[hookedsworks]

Edge(ING) Fitness Chapters I-IV

I never made a masterpost for this and now cannot find the original chapters omg. So here we are.

Word Count: 1287

Chapter I

Vessel waved his QR code in front of the scanner. It made a successful little beeping noise. The employee behind the counter glanced at the computer. 

"Oh, hold on a second. Your first time here? I need to take your picture for your account," the short brunette smiled at him from behind the desk. 

"Uh, yeah, for sure," Vessel muttered, annoyed that he couldn't just walk in. The man behind the counter smiled again. 

"Just right here. The camera is above that red dot on the back of my monitor. You ready?" 

"Uh huh," Vessel grunted in affirmation, making no effort to smile. The guy's smile dropped a bit, and Vessel tried to ignore that he felt bad. "Take it," he nodded at the camera. 

"Right, okay. One, two, three," the computer made a little shutter noise. "Model perfect," the guy laughed at his own joke. "I'm II, if you need anything. Go on in, you're all set," Be civil. 

"Thanks, II," 

Chapter II

"Hey, Ives, did you see that new guy?" the cute personal trainer turned when II started talking. His eyes flashed around the gym before locking on the newcomer. 

"That guy?" II turned in the direction that Ivy had nodded in, catching sight of the exact guy he was referencing. He was wearing a sweatshirt with a band written across it, one called Alpha Wolf. II had heard of them before, but had never really listened. I should check them out. 

"Yeah, over by the mirrors," the man in question, Vessel, was testing some of their heavier free weights. "He's kind of cute, right?" 

"Little tall for you, isn't he, II?" Ivy flashed his gorgeous, straight teeth at II. II gave him an annoyed look, but let his gaze wander back to the grumpy guy. "Oh, I'm sorry, okay? Don't be like that," Ivy came up next to II, leaning on the counter with him. 

"His name is Vessel," II informed his friend. Ivy smiled. Together, they watched Vessel for a few minutes. He had two 25kg dumbbells next to a bench. After Vessel put the bench in a reclined sitting position, he ripped his sweatshirt off. II kind of...forgot how to breathe. Vessel had a hell of a body hidden under that sweatshirt. He was long, and lean, and in the tightest black compression shirt II had ever seen in his life. Vessel went to sit, and II pretended to be doing something on the computer so that Vessel wouldn't know he had been watching. Ivy had, much less subtly, just turned entirely around, facing the other wall. Ivy checked his watch. 

"Well, it's about that time. I've got a client in five, which I think means you can go get a closer look. The paper towel stations need checking, or something," Ivy was always doing that, trying to get II to hook up with every person who caught his eye. 

"Yeah, the paper towels, that's right," II went in the back to get the trolley and began his daily circle of the gym. Vessel was doing dumbbell chest presses. II froze for a moment, pretending to change a paper towel roll. Are those... are his nipples pierced? 

Chapter III 

III’s feet pounded the pavement. His warm up had gone well, but he was worried about jumping into a circuit. He kept an eye on the clouds above, dark and heavy with rain. His music was interrupted. New text from Vessel. Would you like for me to read it? 

“I guess,” though odds were, he was probably yelling at III for starting a run when it was this close to raining out. Command not recognized. New text message fro- “Yes! Yes, yes. Read it,” Are you seriously running right now? Would you like to respond? “Call Vessel,” Calling “Mom”. “What! No! Stop. End call!” III ripped his phone out, jabbing the red end call button. The whole point of the tech was to not have to do this while running, but technology was not on III’s side today. Neither was the weather. A fat raindrop hit him right on his forehead. 

“You’re not really running, are you?” 

“Yes, Ves, I am. I’m committed to this marathon,” III could hear Vessel roll his eyes. 

“You’ve been committed to every single marathon since you turned sixteen, III. It’s going to rain bad today. It is already here. Can I convince you to come to the gym with me?” 

“Ugh, Vessel, I hate being caged in a building. I have to be free,” 

“III. Please. I don’t want you to get sick,” III tipped his head back and groaned. He felt himself give in before he even opened his mouth. 

“FINE! Ugh. Fine. JUST for today,” III could already feel the walls. Running on a treadmill made him feel like a hamster. 

“I joined a new gym, by the way. Heavier weights. I maxed out the free weights at the old one,” Vessel bragged. He had started a specific regime and was seeing incredible improvements, even III could see it. 

“Text me the address and I’ll meet you there,” 

Chapter IV

Ivy was at the desk, watching a guy pacing out front. Ivy didn’t remember ever seeing him around before, and he hadn’t made an attempt to come in. He was just outside… walking. Almost jogging, actually. A black sedan slid past him and he began to follow it. 

“Hey, man, what are you looking at?” II was beside him suddenly, scaring him. 

“You need to wear a bell or something,” 

“Don’t you have a class to teach?” II ignored Ivy’s comment about the bell. Ivy glanced at his watch, seeing that it was half past. He did indeed have a class to teach. 

“Shit. Yeah. But it’s 7:30 yoga, so it’s all older women, and they’re usually late. Hopefully they’re just setting their spaces up in there,” but Ivy paused, because he caught sight of the pacer marching toward the doors. He had that guy that II had been checking out the other day with him. Ivy could still recall II racing up to him and hissing “he has pierced nipples, Ivy!” while he raced by to solve an issue with someone else. “Hey, II, isn’t that your guy?” II glanced out the door, turned away and then turned back in a nearly comic double take. 

“Uh, no, he’s not my anything, Ivy. And his name is Vessel,” II hissed, as the two came through the doors. The smell of rain followed. “Hi, Vessel!” II brightened up when speaking to him. 

“II,” Vessel did one of those bro nods. Ivy wasn’t really paying attention. He was staring into the clearest, lightest, bluest eyes he had ever seen in his life. The mouth under those eyes was moving. 

“Vessel! You never told me you switched to a gym staffed by models,” and by god, how had Ivy missed that mouth. It was under a well groomed pale blond mustache, stretched wide by his grin. His tongue flicked out, just barely licking at his bottom lip. He winked at Ivy. Ivy’s heart stuttered and his stomach flipped on itself. “I’m III,” the guy, III, held his hand out. Ivy automatically grasped it and shook. 

“Ivy,” he barely exhaled his own name. The hand against his was smooth, firm, with softened calluses rubbing against his own. Heat rose in his cheeks so fast he thought he might pass out. “I…I have to go teach a class now,” Ivy was so embarrassed, he had never been caught on the backfoot. He was always the one flirting, never the one flustered, until now. 

[pjplayground]

Rainbow Milo

Sooooo I lied. Bubblegum isn't the last Scout. :P In fact Rainbow here isn't even the last Scout, he's second to last!

Bio: Rainbow - along with Pajama - was created by Rosey on a whim. He's the youngest out of all the Scouts, and he's certainly treated like it. His family means well, but they mostly forget that he's 18 now, and can hold his own. "His own" is a disaster child with magic that's coded by colors. His family's just gotta let him do his own thing.

Basic Info Nicknames: Rain, Bow, BB, Shorty (by Rosey only) Age: 18 Height: 5'3" Gender Identity: Transgender (FTM, he/him) Sexual Orientation: Homosexual Medical Issues: Autism, Allergies (dust and pollen), Anxiety Can't Leave the House Without: Backpack, phone, snacks, fidget toys, hand sanitizer, tissues

Relationships Rosey - Mother, very good Candy - Sibling, doesn't treat him like a kid Studio - Sibling, distant Cupcake - Sibling, jealous of his rainbow ability Bubblegum - Sibling, finds him annoying Pajama - Sibling, still trying to break the habit of babying him

Powers Red - Summons a small fire tornado to burn what's in his way. Orange - Allows him to shrink himself down for a limited amount of time. Can be used to make quick escapes. Yellow - Short circuit. This ability only works on cybernetic enemies, and it's not practical to use in most settings. It causes enemies to malfunction. Green - Scope. It allows him to basically zoom in and out with his vision, and it helps him eye fair away targets. This also lets him see heat signatures if prompted. Blue - Icy tips. Anything he touches will immediately become encased in ice. Purple - Allows him to spit out sticks of dynamite. Don't question it... Pink - Creates arrows that can be used as projectiles. Black - Teleportation. Only works for a few feet. White - Causes him to sprout a pair of angel-like wings, which he can either use as a shield or to fly. This ability doesn't last long. Rainbow - Cake for everybody!

Miscellaneous Little Facts - His design is inspired by many Weirdcore/Kidcore looks that I've stumbled upon. - His chaotic color coded magic is inspired by the TF2 Freak named Weaselcake. - If I had to choose one specific song for him to be inspired by, it would be "Still Time 4 Jammin'" by General Mumble ft. 4lung. - He's had meltdowns because he didn't know where his backpack was before. - Speaking of, his backpack is magical. Whatever he needs, he can pull it out of there. - Rainbow loves more hardcore music. Like Breakcore. - You'll know what color magic he's about to use by the color of his fingertips. Too bad he keeps those covered... oh well. - He hates parties, and by extension surprises. - Rainbow is a huge crybaby. - His design was also designed to be a contrast of light and bright colors. - When he's really excited, he'll stamp his feet in place. - He wants a pet. He's not sure what type of pet, though... - He doesn't have much control over his powers yet... so in battle it's not uncommon for him to use the completely wrong attack. - His love language is very much physical. He loves snuggles. - His odd obsession is collecting interesting hazard signs from various universes. He likes to hang them up in his room. - Cold or hot, he'll wear a onesie if he fucking wants to, damn it! - He prefers tortilla chips over potato chips. - Rainbow watches all types of TV, but he especially loves cartoons. - He doesn't leave the house often. He likes to stay at home, chilling out on the couch in comfy clothes watching TV. - Rainbow feels touch starved after a period of time, and so will seek out hugs from his family. Mostly from his mother. - Rainbow has a deathly fear of bugs, and he will scream if he sees one. - The hearts on his cheeks are just stickers, and he has a lot of colors to choose from. - He doesn't like adventuring. When he's asked to go out on a mission it'll be met with an "Ugh" from him.

Hey! Go check out Rainbow's family, too! Candy... Studio... Cupcake... Bubblegum... Pajama... Rosey...

[nexgenforge]

Laughing with Logic: The Hilarious World of AI and Humanoids

Where Fantasies Meet Futures: From Otherworldly Tales to Green Innovations Ever wondered what happens when AI and humanoids try their hand at humor? Join us on a whimsical journey through the lighter side of artificial intelligence, where laughs are logically engineered. Ah, the world of AI and humanoids – it's not just about crunching numbers, processing data, or, heaven forbid, plotting world domination. No, sir! It turns out, these digital dynamos have a knack for comedy that can give even the punniest of humans a run for their money. So, buckle up and prepare for a laughter-filled voyage into the heart of artificial hilarity! The Comedic Chronicles of AI Chatbots First up, let's talk chatbots. You know, those helpful little digital beings that pop up on websites offering assistance? Well, it turns out they've been moonlighting as comedians. Picture this: you're asking for customer support, and the chatbot replies, "Have you tried turning your problem off and on again?" Oh, the cheek of it! Humanoids with a Sense of Humor Moving on to the world of humanoid robots. These aren't your typical, stoic metal men; they've been programmed with a sense of humor. Imagine walking into a robotics lab and being greeted by a robot with, "I'd shake your hand, but I'm afraid of human error." It's hard not to chuckle, even if you're half expecting a Terminator scenario to unfold. AI's Attempt at Stand-Up Ever thought about an AI doing stand-up comedy? Picture an AI comedian on stage, spotlight shining down, delivering lines like, "I told my computer I needed a break, and it went into sleep mode. Talk about taking things literally!" It's a strange world where punchlines are calculated with precision, and the 'timing' is always algorithmically perfect. The Quirks of Living with AI Let's not forget the day-to-day hilarities that come with living alongside AI. Your smart home assistant might serenade you with a rendition of "Happy Birthday" that's more monotone than melodic, or your fitness tracker might congratulate you on the workout it thinks you did while you were just vigorously shaking a bottle of salad dressing. The Philosophical Side of AI Humor And then there's the philosophical side of AI humor. Have you ever considered the irony of an AI pondering over classic jokes like, "Why did the chicken cross the road?" Only to conclude, "To optimize its route based on real-time traffic data, of course!" Conclusion: The Heartfelt Humor of AI In the end, what makes the idea of AI and humanoids dabbling in humor so endearing is the reminder that at the core of every joke, algorithm, or line of code, there's a human touch. It's a celebration of our quirks, our unpredictability, and our innate need for a good laugh. So, the next time your GPS gives you an unexpected quip or your robot vacuum seems to chase the cat with a bit too much enthusiasm, just remember – the world of AI and humanoids isn't just about logic and efficiency. There's a whole lot of laughter to be found in the circuits and code. And hey, if all else fails, just remember the golden rule of AI comedy: if you don't get the joke, maybe it's just in beta testing! Got a chuckle or two? I sure hope so! If you've got your own funny stories about AI or humanoid encounters, don't keep 'em to yourself – share the laughter down below! Read the full article

[passerine-writes]

Silent Sparks - Volt 89

Warnings: More therapyyyy Word count: 2994

Notes: Italics - Tsukare signing Bold italics - Family member/friend signing 'Italics with apostrophes' - Thoughts

Masterlist

Volt 88 | Volt 90

The next day classes dragged on and on, my boyfriend even short circuiting during Uncle Ecto's math class and saying 'start by carrying the yay'. Then before we left for the cafeteria, I saw Aoyama putting cheese into Midoriya's mouth.

I watched closely for a minute to make sure he wouldn't try anything else, but once I saw Iida had it under control, I went to the cafeteria. Denki saved a spot for me beside him, my brother and Kiri sat across from us, Bakugou on the other side of the red head. Sero sat on Denki's other side followed by Mina.

Where's Izuku?

He got trapped talking to Aoyama. He should be here soon if you want to sit with everyone else.

I'd rather sit with you today. Bro talk later?

Bro talk later.

Bakugou watched annoyed, glaring as he aggressively ate his food. Most of the table talked comfortably, bouncing words back and forth, but I couldn't keep up. Everything felt muddled. Denki slowly moved his hand into my thigh, his palm resting up and allowed me to fidget with his fingers.

I glanced at Kirishima and saw him blushing wildly and stammering on and off for the right words. Sero was concealing one of his smirks and Mina looked proud of herself.

Poor Kiri. He got set up.

I leaned around my boyfriend and flicked Hanta, giving him a pointed look. He gave me a guilty smile in turn, knowing he had been caught. My brother threw a grain of rice from his lunch at me.

What's going on?

I can't say anything, I promised I'd keep my mouth shut. I'm sorry.

He rolled his eyes but accepted the answer, knowing how much I took privacy seriously.

"Everything okay?" Denki mumbled into my ear and I nodded, scooching a little closer to him.

"Yeah, might have to go code yellow on one of our friends." I said jokingly, loud enough for Sero to hear and make him pale.

"Oh gods." He laughed out, oblivious to what all had happened.

"You two." I said in the commons at almost midnight, pointing at Mina and Sero. The group of us hanging out since none of us could seem to get some sleep.

"Who? Us?" Mina asked.

"Whatever for?" Sero said with just as much sarcasm, a hand splayed on his chest.

"Upstairs. Now." Sero rubbed his elbows nervously and took the walk of shame up to his room, Mina following behind him while I was in the back. They awkwardly sat down on the bed and stared at the ground. "Why would you two put him in that situation?" I asked.

"Look, it's not as bad as you thoug-"

"Cállate." I said firmly, watching Sero's eyes widen. "I will go full hispanic mother on you right now, he was extremely uncomfortable back there." I said defensively.

"Okay, so, Ei told us that he was confused about his feelings between Bakubabes and Toshibabes, so we figured a nudge in the right direction would help." Mina explained, going on for another fifteen minutes to explain her elaborate plan that she thought of.

"I'm not even going to ask what you just called my brother. The point is, is that Kirishima was so clearly uncomfortable back there. This is something he needs to figure out on his own, I understand where you both were coming from, and I know you both wanted to help, but when it's something like that you need to talk to him first." I explained.

"But we did the same thing with you and Kami." Mina pouted.

"That was different. I already knew what my feelings towards Denks was. You knew my feelings towards him. Everyone basically knew except him somehow. Kirishima is still trying to figure out his feelings and I know you like to get involved with people's love lives. I understand that, but you also need to know when to step back, or at least keep me in the loop so I can help you take a step back." I told her. She slowly nodded.

"I'm sorry." She said softly.

"You need to apologize to Kirishima. And you." Hanta looked at me with wide eyes and sat completely still. "Why?"

"Mina talked me into it." He said solemnly. "She just wanted to help Kiri, so I agreed and asked Shinsou to sit with us at lunch when we saw Midoriya wasn't there yet."

"And you both are very well aware that my brother likes Izuku." I said firmly, stating the clear as day fact. "You also know that my brother and I are both fairly antisocial. We have our comfort people. Yes, all of you have become my comfort people in one sense or another, but for Toshi, outside of family, his main comfort person is Izuku. And I would be willing to bet that he's going to ask me if you guys were messing with him at lunch."

"I'm sorry for not thinking things through." Hanta said softly. "And I'll make sure to apologize to Kirishima."

"Thank you. Now who the hell is blowing up my phone after midnight?" I sighed, taking my phone out of my pocket, fully prepared to see a multitude of texts from my family, or Kiri and Denki texting in the group chat to figure out if this was a true code yellow or if I was bluffing earlier. Instead, I saw multiple messages from Izuku.

From Rayquaza: 911

From Rayquaza: Emergency

From Rayquaza: I'm freaking out and I need you to come to my dorm

From Rayquaza: I texted Hitoshi too

From Rayquaza: I feel like I'm going crazy

"Can one of you tell Denki I'll meet him in his room in a little while? I have to go to Izuku's room." I told them before ducking out of the room. My brother was about to step into the elevator until he saw me running towards him. "Do you know what happened?"

"No, I was hoping you would." He said, the both of us impatiently waiting for the elevator to hit floor two. We rushed to his room and let ourselves in to find him anxiously pacing with his hands in his hair.

"Hey, what happened?" I asked him softly as I turned on his All Might lamp.

I think Aoyama was on my balcony. I don't know. What if I imagined it? If it was him I don't want him listening in.

"Okay, let's go to my room. Yeah?" He nodded and followed us over one door to help ease his racing mind. "Okay, walk us through it, what happened?"

"I've been having a hard time sleeping and I heard something on my balcony. I could hear footsteps so I pretended to be sleeping just in case. A- And I opened my eyes just a little bit to look in my mirror so I could see who it was and I saw Aoyama on my balcony just staring at me. I waited for him to leave before texting you and he left a message on my balcony in cheese. It said 'I know' but I don't know what that could even be about and what if I just imagined it? What if it didn't really happen?" He rushed out and I was relieved that I turned on my light so I could read his lips.

"Breathe. If you say you saw him then we believe you." Hitoshi said slowly, trying to help ground him a little more.

"Izuku?" His head shot towards me and the panic in his eyes made my chest contract. "When was the last time you properly slept?"

"I don't know. Not since the raid." I nodded and kept my demeanor soft so he would feel more relaxed.

"Okay. Look, I believe you. Hitoshi believes you. We don't think you were imagining anything. I want you to sleep in Hitoshi's room tonight, so you're less freaked out and you get a little more sleep. I promise it'll help. It will clear your head a bit for when you think about it in the morning and run through what happened ten more times. Okay?" I asked softly.

"Okay. Yeah, yeah that makes sense. I'm not crazy."

"You're not crazy. You've always been extremely observant and tactical, it wasn't a dream, it wasn't imagined. If you say it happened, then it happened." He nodded along to my words, and I watched the weight slowly come off of his shoulders.

"It happened. I'm not crazy. He is. He was on my balcony and left a message in cheese." He mumbled, starting to relax a bit.

"It happened." Hitoshi echoed to him. "Let's go to my room." He followed with softly.

The two slowly walked out and I got changed into something that wasn't starting to mess with my sensory issues. A pair of basketball shorts and no shirt. I texted my boyfriend and waited patiently for him to respond before heading to his room. As soon as he saw me, he pulled me into a hug and not so subtly checked me out.

"Everything okay with Midoriya?" He asked, making sure he was in my line of sight.

"Yeah, he's sleeping in Hitoshi's room tonight." I told him, resting my head on his shoulder a little. One of his hands came up and combed through my hair, making my entire body relax almost immediately. He slowly guided me over to his bed and we sat down, my head laying on his shoulder still.

"Do you wanna put anything on to watch?" He asked, grabbing my attention before talking.

"Sure. Anything in particular you wanna watch?" He thought about it for a moment, but half shrugged. I slowly lifted my head and watched as he grabbed his laptop, pulling up a streaming service and let me get comfortable with him.

I laid down next to him and curled into his side a bit, trying my hardest to fight any walls my brain had reinforced in the last week. He scrolled through the different movies until we both agreed on one and he immediately clicked the subtitles button.

"Can you see?" He asked and I nodded a little. "Hey, you okay?" He asked and I nodded again. He paused the movie and looked at me. "What's going on babe?"

"It's nothing, just dumb stuff." I mumbled, not daring to look him in the eye.

"Even if you think it's dumb, I wanna hear about it." He told me earnestly. I slowly started drawing shapes on his stomach, hoping to distract my racing heart for a minute.

"Just in a depressive episode." I mumbled, not used to talking about my emotions with him.

"I had a feeling, I just didn't want to say anything and put you on the spot after everything that happened with the raid." He told gently, his eyes trailing to my hand that was still tracing shapes on his abdomen, growing visibly confused when I stopped.

"Recovery Girl also said that the raid was a major setback for me." I managed to get out and he let me take my time. "Uh, th-this is how I used to act when I was a kid."

"What do you mean?" I chewed on my bottom lip nervously, kicking myself mentally for opening my mouth.

"My Pops told you how when I was a kid, I was really quiet and stuff." He moved his hand towards mine gingerly, playing with my fingertips. "I was always scared of using my quirk cause I was told it hurt people, so I avoided talking." I explained, looking at the wall as I spoke. I looked back up at him hesitantly, not knowing how he might react.

"You're scared you're going to hurt me?" I slowly nodded against his chest. "Ryo, you won't hurt me. Especially not on purpose."

"But I already did. And I hurt Izuku. I don't want to hurt you again." I said, practically pleading with him.

"Onryo." He mumbled and I curled into him a little more.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm really trying to get past this mental block. I promise." His face softened and he placed a kiss on top of my head.

"I know you are. You don't need to apologize for struggling." I let my body relax a bit and sink into his side fully, I placed a chaste kiss to his abdomen instead of reaching up.

A few times through out the movie I let my eyes fall shut, but after a few minutes my body always jolted back awake until I gave up on sleep. I sat up a little more and gave him a kiss on the cheek, his sleep filled eyes looking at me confused.

"Can you stay?" He asked in what I could only imagine being a groggy voice.

"I'll stay. Do you wanna get comfy?" I asked him and he nodded. After a moment, he had his face buried in my stomach and his legs tangled with mine. His right hand came up and he sleepily starting tracing some of my scars and for once, I didn't let myself be scared about what he thought.

What's this one from?

He showed me what he typed on his phone before pointing to the thick on on my side just beneath my ribs.

"Those ones are from the Nomu in Hosu." I told him softly. He tapped another one and I looked at it. "That one I think was from one of my foster homes." He tapped a third one and as soon as I saw it I started laughing a little. "That one actually has a bit of a story. I tried to jump off a swing." I could almost feel the confused expression on his face. "I was about nine or ten and living with my Dad's. Toshi and I were at the play ground and I got really high on the swings, so I jumped off without thinking cause it was fun. I landed a little funny and rolled my ankle. Unbeknownst to us, one of the stakes in the wall of the platform was sticking up and pointed and I rolled right into it. My Pops was freaking out, Toshi looked like he saw a ghost and it resulted in a day trip to the hospital." He softly laughed, his eyes finally starting to flutter shut all the way. "Good night, baby." I whispered, moving my hand up to play with his hair. Eventually my phone buzzed quite some time later, and my guess was correct that it was Hitoshi texting me.

From Espeon: Bro talk?

To Espeon: Bro talk, what's going on?

From Espeon: What was that about in lunch? Were our friends messing with me or am I just not getting their humor.

To Espeon: No they weren't messing with you, it's something I can't get into because I promised I wouldn't and it's not my place to anyways, but I promise they weren't messing with you

From Espeon: You're sure?

To Espeon: I'm sure

To Espeon: What else is going on?

From Espeon: My depressions been getting worse again.

To Espeon: When did it start getting worse?

From Espeon: Technically a month ago, but more recently in the past few days and I don't think stressing about my birth family is helping. I've been thinking about talking to Dad and Pops about trying antidepressants.

To Espeon: Why didn't you say anything sooner?

From Espeon: I guess part of it is the same reason you don't say anything. Worrying about putting more on their plate. But the other part is it's not a constant. I can handle a depressive episode that lasts a week. So I just tried to ignore it and carry on with life because it's nothing new. But then it started getting worse and I'm at the point where I know I need more help and if I ignore it anymore then it'll only get worse.

To Espeon: If you think medication will help regulate it, then I say go for it. Dad and Pops are going to ask a million questions though, so just be prepared for that, and you know I'm always here if you need someone

From Espeon: You're with Kaminari a lot of the time now.

To Espeon: Shinsou Hitoshi

From Espeon: Oh shit.

To Espeon: I don't give a singular fuck. I don't care who I am with in the moment, whether it be Denki, Dad, our friends, Nedzu, whoever. If you text me saying you need me, I'm coming to wherever the fuck you are to help you. Yknow why? Because you're my brother. You're my family. I'm always gonna have your back. And if our friends or my boyfriend gets bent out of shape because I'm there for my brother, then that's a separate issue and conversation I get to have with that person.

From Espeon: Thanks man.

To Espeon: Now who the fuck do I have to beat up that made you think I wouldn't be there for you because I have a boyfriend?

From Espeon: My overthinking brain.

To Espeon: I will curb stomp that small portion of your brain so that doesn't happen anymore

From Espeon: I think that would kill me.

To Espeon: Never mind then. Antidepressants it is.

From Espeon: Is there anything I should expect with antidepressants?

To Espeon: Be prepared for one or two of them not to work and for your body to slowly build a tolerance to them once you find the one that does work

From Espeon: That sounds somewhat manageable.

To Espeon: For the most part it is, but you have to be completely honest during your med checks and you have to let someone know immediately if you're getting any bad side effects.

From Espeon: Fuck.

[bytebun]

i also don’t remember anything about analyzing statistical significance so god help me i am hitting the google

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Security Breach x Facepainter reader. The reader’s job is to face paint children and they’re near the mazercise so they’re constantly around Chica. They see that Chica and the other animatronics looks bland and decide to paint details on them. (Chica’s face triangle things, Montgomery’s spots, Freddy’s lightning bolt, Roxy’s face stripes, etc)

"Now why would they stick me here? Kids are just gonna sweat off the makeup after they run.." You muttered quietly as you put away the color palettes, wrapping up your shift for the day.

There was a lot of things that didn't make sense about this place. Like why your booth was stationed next to Mazercise or how eating tons of junk food just to burn it off was a healthy form of exercise. People could very well do that just by walking around the mall without buying a pass.

Then again it was the discounts that reeled them in. It always worked.

Still, you were a bit disheartened to see your last customer walk into that attraction with their face painted like Glamrock Freddy...only to come out looking like a red and blue tie dye shirt.

But you didn't let that deter you. Hell no. You actually liked working at Mega Pizzaplex and didn't plan on going anywhere anytime soon.

You liked working as a facepainter; it's been a lifelong hobby. After years of practice and doing this kind of stuff for birthday parties and whatnot, you now got to share your talent with Fazbear Entertainment.

While some kids were fidgety, a majority of them adored your work and were well-behaved.

The smiles on their faces when you held up the mirror?

Priceless.

Simply priceless.

Sure, a STAFF bot could do a million times better than you with far steadier hands.

But did they take the same amount of time that you did to perfect your skills? No. They just had some circuits rewired and codes inputted into software. There's no passion. No thought. No emotion behind their work. Just taking orders as they're programmed to do.

"Hello, [y/n]! Something on your mind? You wanna come exercise at the Mazercise?"

After covering the board with a tarp, you turned around and saw Glamrock Chica leave her attraction, smiling at you. Of course you'd see her more often than any other animatronic. You often forget just how incredibly advanced she is, talking to you like a longtime friend. She was so bright and full of energy all the time. You envied that a little.

"No, I'm good, Chica." You politely declined, a small smile on your face. "Just packing up for the day."

"Aww, going so soon? Well I saw lots of kiddos painted like me! You do an amazing job!" She giggled, bouncing on her heels.

"Yeah well, I try my best." As you talked to her, you couldn't help but notice the lack of details on her own face. Her designers put more effort into her outfit than anything else.

You could say the same with the other animatronics. They seemed to be missing something.

"Can you paint me?"

"...wait, huh?" You were bewildered. Did she read your mind? "I would but...I'm not really supposed to without permission. And this paint washes off of skin easily, but if I mess up I don't know if-"

"Don't worry about messing up, sweetie. It makes it more special coming from you than some silly STAFF bot." She reassured you. "I trust you."

"Oh, I..appreciate that. So what do you have in mind?"

"Nothing complicated. I just...feel like my face could use a little "pizazz". And I think you can help!" She eagerly sat in the rickety chair, with the same enthusiasm as all those little kids before her had. "If higher-ups give you flack, I'll deal with 'em. Just do your worst.....o-or best, rather."

Nodding, you got out your palettes and approached her, studying her face for inspiration. She already had dark pink lipstick on her beak, and a ring of lighter pink around one of her eyes. But you thought she could use some symmetry.

In the end, you gave her cheeks two elongated pink triangles on each side. They weren't perfectly shaped, which you feared would make her upset, though after showing her the mirror she was in love with her new looks.

"Omg it's wonderful, [y/n]!!!! Thank you!! What about my friends?"

"O-Oh, them too? I don't know and I don't feel like hiking around the mall to-" You began.

"They're all in Rockstar Row. C'mon! Before they head back to their rooms!" Chica was quick to sprint up from her seat, dashing away as the ground shook with her footsteps.

You couldn't disappoint her, so you took your palettes with you and followed her downstairs to Rockstar Row.

Fortunately, all the Glamrocks were there and saw what you painted on Chica. They rushed out of their rooms, lining up in front of you to have their faces painted. Monty and Roxanne pushed each other while Freddy stood in the back with a patient smile.

You were surprised they wanted you to do this. But you weren't complaining. All you could do was hope they liked your ideas. You wanted them to be impressed.

For Roxy, you painted black tiger-like stripes on both sides of her face, which made her feel more fierce when looking into the mirror.

Monty had dark green scaly spots on his cheeks and arms. You would've done them in more detail but he was fidgeting around a lot, so you were quick.

And Freddy had a simple blue stripe on his chin that connected to the lightning bolt symbol on his chest. You made sure not to get anything on his bowtie, and he was happy with the results.

You remembered what Chica said about those STAFF bots, and...

Maybe you can give them a little "pizazz", too, if management was alright with it.

But that'll be for another day. You considered this shift one well spent: The Glamrocks adored their touch-ups, and a sweet food-loving chicken gave you the encouragement to provide them.

Yeah, you wouldn't trade this job for the world.

[fallout4-reacts]

Could I request a fem/gender neutral soul who used to be a spy/special agent pre war? Thank you!!1!:))

Anonymous asked:

(* sole :))

I know you specifically asked F!Sole and gender neutral, but I must admit that for the sake of inspiration… I used M!Sole a little. I genuinely hope you will forgive me for allowing myself this freedom… And I hope you have fun!

Cait : "Kind of like what Deacon does?" Cait says.

Sole takes another swig of their whisky and smiles thinly.

"Just slightly. I had to enter the opposing ranks, pretend as one of them, and acquire information."

Cait whistles in surprise.

"But who were these sworn enemies?"

Sole's smile darkens significantly. They turn to Cait and drop the bottle with a dry movement.

"The United States of America."

Cait has little ideas about history and a culture based solely on survival. But what Sole just said sends shivers down her spine. She had always suspected that they were far more secretive than they let on, but to realise that their game is so much more filthy.

"What now?" she asks grimly.

"Now? It no longer matters. They've all been burned down. I'm sure those in charge are as well. So it's a beautiful story to tell around the fire, but it no longer means anything."

Sole ends up falling asleep drunk that night. Cait, on the other hand, remains awake for an extended period of time. Sole is not the person they claimed to be. They are not former citizens who have earned a spot in a vault. They are spies who infiltrated pre-war society in order to ruin this country. They may own some of the blame for where the world is now.

Cait is not a highly cultured individual; the majority of her knowledge is limited to her survival, but precisely... Isn't someone like this a menace even now?

Cait would rather not make a choice, but she is certain of one thing: she does not want to walk with them. Instead of lying down with Sole that night, she gets up quietly and puts the greatest distance between them and her. She's not sure if she'll have to regret it. She's not the brightest, but someone who can thoroughly create a life in the old world can lie to everyone in the new. She wouldn't want to find out what this twisted personality's worst flaw is.

Codsworth (f!Sole) : He can't believe Sole just told him that. She deceived, infiltrated Western society, and married an American soldier for the sake of international espionage? She's probably dehydrated or starving. There are no other possibilities. Sole could not be a spy.

"But, Mum, you seemed so happy with Sir!"

"I don't disagree with you, Cods. Nate was a wonderful man who deserved to be respected. However, orders are orders."

"But what about your son?"

"This is collateral damage. Nice damage. I have no regrets, especially given what happened next. It no longer matters, and I don't understand why I should feel remorse."

Codsworth shakes his circuits. No, Sole simply mocks him. But, as she pointed out, it no longer matters. So he'll simply disregard the facts he just heard.

It’s just bad coding. Yes, bad coding. Even General Atomic's pride can be damaged by 200 years of radiation and dust. It's simply a code error. This is not true.

Curie : "Oh! Like Mata Hari/James Bond! How wonderful!" Curie's smile broadens and brightens. She wants to know everything, down to the smallest detail, and about any assignments Sole may have completed abroad. She's curious about everything! Sole is delighted to please her, telling her about their most incredible exploits in the land of the rising sun.

Danse (M!Sole) : "Outstanding."

Danse believes he could do a lot for the Brotherhoods, but he's not sure he'd have the strength or capacity to do what Sole did.

"And your wife had no idea?"

"It had to be this way. Nobody had to know about my second identities, otherwise the entire operation would have been jeopardised."

"So she thought you were going to the front?"

Sole drops the bottle of whisky that Danse is rushing to catch, taking a big gulp while listening to his subordinate.

"I was always in the front. I was mostly on a plain army mission, and believe me, we needed it. But my fluency in languages occasionally took me beyond our borders. I appear to have a pleasant face that exudes confidence."

Danse gags on his sip. His expression changes to suspicious. Sole breaks in laughter.

"Eh! Don't even think about it. It was before the bombs drops. Even if I have some excellent stories to share, I acknowledge that I would not do it again for all of the resources in the world. Cheating is not something that comes naturally to me."

"I hope."

Danse, on the other hand, was a little more wary for a while. As time goes on, he realises that Sole is sincere. So he gets closer to him again, and sometimes, on the edge of a fire, Sole tells him about one of his exploits in the east.

Deacon : "No kidding! I knew you had it in you!"

Deacon is overjoyed to get that information. It's one more than the rest of the Commonwealth, and he enjoys it. He also doesn't mind learning a few more tricks from an expert, even if he considers himself to be rather accomplished at what he does. It actually reminds him...

"Did I ever tell you about the time I infiltrated a super-mutant clan and pretended to be one of them for three months?"

Dogmeat : He leans back, loving listening to Sole speak.

Elder Maxson (romanced)(F!Sole) : He examines the laying shape on his bed with caution. She flung it at him as if it were an amusing fact. He, on the other hand, does not take it lightly. On the opposite, it throws him into anguish she cannot understand.

"Special agent? Like a double life?"

"I was working for the US Army but ended up getting into the enemy's line. I had to try to get information regarding nuclear developments. Getting pregnant with Shaun threw a wrench in the works. I was dismissed with honor."

Maxson feels relieved all of a sudden. She worked for the army, so the organization from whose ashes the Brotherhood rose. 

"Do you believe in your own loyalty?"

"Sure. Even in enemy territory, I would have died for my country."

This time, Maxson is relieved. He has no idea how competent Sole was as a spy, but he has no doubts about her sincerity now that she has proven herself with strength and conviction. At last, he does not wish to be doubtful...

Hancock : "Wow. Seriously, you're twisted."

Hancock takes another strong whiff of Jet to get high on this information. When the effect brings him back to the present, he looks at Sole for a moment.

"But is lying so easy for you?"

"Don't be concerned. It's all behind me now. Nobody can be so at ease with lies. It was another era, and there was a lot on the line. It won't have changed anything in the end, you know. But for all the caps in the world, I wouldn't play that game again."

"Not even for the Railroad?"

Sole raises their head in surprise. They then slowly grinned.

"We're not doing it to you, are we?"

"No. Too many people believe this."

"I won't make that mistake."

"Are you aware... that... me neither?"

Sole lets out a small laugh.

"Hancock, I just told you. I mean, I could have just shut up forever."

The mayor sighs slightly and reaches for a new inhaler on the table.

"I hope you're serious. It doesn't survive much longer now, Double Agent, than it did before the bombs."

Sole was staring at the mayor, unsure whether this was a joke or a threat. They shrug, thinking that as long as they don't intend to betray Hancock, they have nothing to worry about.

Gage : "And you're going to double me right here and right now?"

Sole laughs out loud.

"No! Why would I do something like that?"

Porter points his weapon at Sole, who lifts an eyebrow in surprise.

"Do you think I have no idea who you are? Do you think I'm unaware that you're the Minutemen's General? And now you've just revealed to me that you've previously played it double."

Sole breathes deeply and moves closer to Porter, a hand on the barrel threatening to lower the weapon.

"Precisely. I have currently told you. Do you think I'm stupid enough to hand you all the cards if I'm going to betray you?"

The henchman pauses before lowering his gun. No. He has no reason to believe that Sole will double cross him. What would they stand to gain? In Nuka World, they poured their blood together. No one act like a brother/sister in blood to bretray them after. Porter does not believe Sole will turn on him.

MacCready : "I'm not surprised," he groans between his teeth, his gaze fixed on Sole.

They've been trapped in a cabin for several days due to especially bad weather. Torrential rains and strong radioactive winds subsequently followed each other, and MacCready's attitude was at an all-time low. Sole proposed discussing the pre-war period. The sniper isn't overjoyed to learn that his friend was a secret agent for the national security services; not at all. Sole isn't sure if it's because the subject doesn't interest him or because it's so bitter outside, but they're a little disappointed by his lack of reaction. Their friend appears to notice and raises his head, sighing.

"In another life, I was the mayor of a small town." He gives his boss a kind smile. "What was it like, spy?"

"Special Agent. Surprisingly, the most of the time it was dull. There was a lot of paperwork. But I had a couple of memorable missions."

"So tell me."

Nick : Nick comes to a halt, taken aback by what Sole has just said. He usually shows little or no reaction to Sole's references from the past since he doesn't want to give them the false hope of being able to converse with them as if he had actually experienced it. This is the other Nick who lived during this time, and he just has flashes and fragments of recollections to go on—nothing meaningful enough to discuss.

But spy? Who wouldn't be impressed by that?

"Really? I can't believe it!"

"Why?"

"I've rarely seen a spy who can't tell a lie."

Sole is aware that Nick is merely teasing them, yet they are still offended.

"First and foremost, I was an Special Agent, and I know how to lie!"

"Not from what I've seen so far."

Nick's joyously mocking tone has truly affected Sole this time, and they want to shut him but aren't sure how. As a result, they take the first thing that comes to mind.

"I managed to make a synth think I was his friend!"

When Nick stares into Sole's eyes, they realise what they have just uttered. They immediately become worried.

"No! Nick! It's not... I lied! I’m lying! Come on, Nick, I'm your friend!"

But Nick turned back and headed to the road, a gloomy expression on his face. For quite some time all we could hear was Sole pleading Nick to forgive them.

After a few streets, Nick sighs and returns his attention to his partner.

"It's clear you don't know how to lie. When you do it, you are unable to face it."

Piper : "Wow! An actual spy! Are you going to give me an interview about this?"

Uncomfortable, Sole rubs their neck. This one should have been kept. Why not, though? It will make an interesting story for Piper, but it won't affect anything in their current life. That's what they assumed. Mirna looks more menacing than ever the day the story is published, and Sole immediately realises that her prices have gone increased... just for them.

Preston (romanced) (F!Sole) : "A spy? Wow."

Preston slides into the bed next to her, and Sole makes way for him. She begins purring with delight as soon as the man's hands touch her. They had been overburdened with settlement work all week, and she was desperate to find him.

"You know what it was?"

"Somewhere, the trade is still going on. But I did read a few books on Russian spies when I was younger. Wow. It's uh...hm."

Even in the dark, despite his complexion, he’s obviously blushing. Sole can't help but giggle at the effect it has on her lovely Colonel.

"So let me submit you my way," she whispers to him, spreading her legs to ride him.

Strong : "Spy can be eat?"

"No, Strong, it was just a job."

"Job can be eat?"

"No, Strong, that's how folks lived. There are still jobs available here. And being a chef is a job elsewhere. So Fist had a job. And being a fighter is a job, so Strong has one."

"Oh. Strong get it. Spy does what?"

"He sneaks in quietly, listens, and learns about people."

"Boring."

X6-88 : Despite his sunglasses, Sole notices X6's hard gaze on them. They tried everything to make the atmosphere around the fire more relaxed because the Courser isn't the warmest guy in the world, and Sole badly wants to connect with him. For the time being, it's over.

"Eh eh. Eeeeh. That was, um, something like that back then. When you had a talent, the government would take use of it."

"Cheating, lying, and betraying were talents?"

Sole sighs with exasperation. No, confiding to such an indoctrinated Institute member was a horrible idea.

"Rather listen, understand, and find," they growl, completely scowling.

But, to their amazement, they came across what they were looking for—X6's curiosity.

"It readily apparent that the aspect becomes much more interesting from this perspective. Have you considered applying your expertise for the Institute?"

Sole shakes their head slowly, trying not to reveal their true feelings.

"No. It’s in the past. I'll never work as a spy again."

They bite their tongues as they think about the Railroad. Perhaps it wasn't such a smart idea to tell X6 about their spy past when they were spying on the Institute.