#the stainless steel rat wants you

[all-action-all-picture]

Peter Elson artwork for the cover of The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You! by Harry Harrison.

[electricboogaloosstuff]

I read a bunch of early science fiction a few years ago for research, and amongst the slop of misogyny raised The Stainless Steel Rat, in which the protagonist tells to the hot criminal girl : "I don't care if you used plastic surgery. I did too and now we're both hot. Wanna make out ?"

[deviousdeliciousness]

Not a Mouse Pt. 1

And here's a lil' drabble from a giant's POV this time; Unintentional Fear Play, here we come! :333

~~~~~~~~~~

Of all the times for the power to go out, it just had to be in the middle of the night right after Jack was sure he'd seen what had to be a mouse ducking behind his toaster.

Yeah, he'd wandered into the kitchen for a late night snack - unusual for him already, since he tended to go to bed early - and he'd snagged a couple pop-tarts from the counter 'cause he didn't want to bother with anything requiring more prep than they would. Then, as one does, he'd looked up as he headed to the toaster. Only, he did so just in time to see something dart behind the stainless steel appliance. Something had had definitely been too big to be any kind of bug. Which meant that it was probably a mouse - or worse, a rat.

To make matters even more terrible than they were quickly summing up to be, Jack didn't have time to do more than inhale in shock before a thunderous boom practically shook the house along with an accompanying crack of thunder, and all the lights went out, pitching the world into darkness.

Fuck.

He blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to adjust to the sudden loss of light while unconsciously shifting into a defensive position, his still sealed pop-tart held up like a weapon.

He quickly compartmentalized. One, the power was out, and by the loud crash nearby, it probably wouldn't be turning back on anytime soon. Two, there was a rodent in his kitchen.

As if to reinforce his thoughts, his ears pricked at the sound of a tiny, barely audible scuff, and he squinted his eyes in the direction of the sound, his brows furrowing low on his forehead when he realized it was from the same direction where he'd last seen his intruder, undeniably confirming its existence.

There was no way he was gonna be able to go back to bed while knowing that he had a damn rat in his apartment. Just the thought of it crawling all over his stuff, getting into his food, crawling over him while he slept - eugh. He shuddered in revulsion.

Hey, alright, he didn't have anything against mice or rats, not in general, but wild ones were known for being prime disease carriers for a reason: because they were. So he was very much against having one of the things in his home.

There was another little noise - it was sort of sharp and almost like a barely-there breath - and Jack steeled himself as he realized what he'd have to do.

He'd have to catch it - and fast. Before it had the chance to get away and do whatever it was that rats did after finding a home to inhabit. Like invite its little rat friends over or have a hundred baby rats in his walls. Yeah. No thank you.

Fumbling around in the dark (which was thankfully not completely pitch black to him anymore as his eyes finally began to adjust), Jack grabbed one of the plastic food containers from the drying rack at his side, simultaneously dropping his pop-tarts back onto the counter.

The Tupperware was rectangular and of a decent size. He was sure the rat would fit comfortably inside once he caught it.

What he would do with it after he caught it? Well... he'd figure that out then.

Clutching the container tight in his hands, he crept closer to the soft little scuffling sounds that he was able to better pick up on as he approached his invader, and the noises seemed to pick up in their urgency the closer he got. His muscles tensed in preparation as he scoured the near-darkness for any little figure out of place, his heartbeat picking up its pace in his chest with both nerves and thready anticipation.

He roved his eyes over the countertop, and -

There!

A small blob of shadow - smaller than he'd been expecting - moved, and he reacted. His arms came down from above his head to slam the lidless Tupperware container down over of the thing, and he almost winced at the sound of the plastic slamming hard against the countertop.

In the exact same instant, a sharp, piercing cry cut through the air, and for the life of him, he couldn't help but think it sounded far less like a squeak and disturbingly more like a high-pitched, terrified scream.

~~~~~~~~

Dun Dun DUuuun.... Pt 2 ya think?

[k-marzolf]

Seeds

Canon typical violence, blood, threats, intimidation, past with sexual abuse (both reader and Billy), kissing, dark themes, fem!reader

Rabbit Heart Masterlist.

1,022 words.

“How’d Russo get a sweet piece of ass like you?” asked a balding, short man, leering at you as he approached you in the hallway.

You stopped in your tracks, you’d been on your way to see Billy in his office.

Men made you nervous, and you flinched when he touched your arm. “I want a taste,” he smirked, as your hand jerked and you slapped him. Hard.

His head snapped to the side, and he looked angry, a red handprint on his face. “Bitch,” he spat hand tightening on your arm making you claw at his face with your other hand, as Billy’s office door opened.

You were shaking, and Billy noticed, as his eyes lazily turned to Morty. Like a cat ready to pounce on his prey. “Morty,” he greeted, casually. “What’re you doin’ here? And take your goddamn hands off her.” He asked, hands in his jeans pockets, moving over to you.

“Rawlins wants—“ Morty said, letting go of you, but was cut off immediately.

Billy bared his teeth, “I don’t give a fuck what Rawlins wants. He’s a dog looking for scraps at his master’s table, and you’re just a rat with the courage of a rabbit.” Billy said roughly.

And something about the casual way he handled Morty, had you pressing your thighs together. You’d never seen him working or in action.

“Fuck you, Russo. Maybe I’ll visit your girl tonight—“ Morty didn’t get to finish his sentence.

Billy unsheathed his hidden blade, and struck him in the shoulder, faster than a snake strike, making Morty scream as Billy pushed through bone, unsympathetic, a warning. “You touch my girl, and I go for your eye next. Match your master, huh?” Billy asked, getting his face, blade dripping with blood as he carved a mark under Morty’s eyes, making him grit his teeth.

He pulled back, pulling out a cloth and wiping his blade, “You can tell Rawlins I ain’t interested in what he has to say.”

Morty looked hatefully at Billy, blood dripping down his face, spitting at him, before pushing past, holding his bleeding shoulder, and leaving the country house.

You felt sick from Morty’s touch, he had reminded you of your uncle, rat like and pushy. How he’d watch you in your bedroom while you slept in the chair in the corner, or go through your undergarment drawer, and steal some of your underwear. He’d blackmailed you with that one. “I’ll say, look at what my niece gave me.” He had taunted, making your heart drop. Or the way he’d touch your arm softly, fingers moving along like a spider crawling along your skin.

Billy followed you down the hall, his combat boots squeaking a little bit, as you made your way into the kitchen. It was huge, but sunny looking. Beige colored walls, with light colored wood cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. There was a sliding glass door that led outside, bringing in the sun making it seem warm inside, even the winter.

You wanted something to eat. You’d always eaten when things got tough, especially carbs. You craved those often. It was why your father always said you were fat, that no man was going to want you if you didn’t cut back a little.

Billy didn’t seem to give a fuck about your extra weight, he often pulled you into his lap while he read over paperwork, or his men gave reports. Anvil was a cover for his criminal operations, and you hated when he had to go to the city and make an appearance.

Billy watched you grab some pomegranate seeds, and asked; “Did he touch you, bunny?” His voice was low, seething at the thought, but he didn’t touch you yet, knowing you might be triggered. He understood, the word pretty still made him uncomfortable after all these years. He still gets a pit in his stomach like a stone.

You’re never the same after someone violates you, and takes away your autonomy.

“Just my arm. I slapped him.” You said, biting into the seeds, sighing at how good they tasted.

Billy grinned, “That’s my girl.” He said, kissing your forehead, and you leaned into his touch.

You replayed Billy stabbing Morty, his casual way he handled him, like a cat toying with a mouse, and pressed your thighs together. “You were kind of sexy, the way you handled Morty.” You said, juice dripping down your chin.

You moved to wipe it away, but Billy caught your hand, and leaned in, his mouth lapping up the juices, making you whine softly.

You and Billy had never consummated anything, despite the teasing, and the fooling around. He didn’t want to push you knowing you’d been sexually abused. And he was surprised he was uninterested in other women, despite never having taken you to bed.

He enjoyed the companionship, the soft press of your body to him at night with your fingers in his hair, the sweet things you’d do for him, or reading together with your feet in his lap, and the conversations late at night.

He pulled back, “Sexy, huh?” He asked, lips turning up. You were so goddamn cute.

You bit into another seed, and god it was taking everything in Billy not to have you against the counter, to hear the sweet sounds he knew you’d make just for him.

“Tryin’ to tempt me?” He asked in a low voice, caging you in against the counter, you let the juice drip down, and he caught it with his tongue again, kissing your mouth this time.

You clutched his green sweater, returning his kiss, leaning on your tippy toes to taste the whiskey in his mouth. He gave you soft kisses that left you breathless, and hard kisses too, that had you aching for him, his fingers tangled in your hair, pressed against you. You could feel every inch of him.

You both spent the rest of the afternoon sharing pomegranate seeds, and kissing, both content to let it go no further.

But you realized with an ache between your thighs you were ready to trust Billy with yourself.

[tarrenterror25]

i wanted to request something with the reader being arrested and black mask storming gcpd to get them back. or breaking them out of either arkham or blackgate. anything like that really!

Jailbreak!

TW: Canon typical violence, Hurt reader, Cursing, GN!Reader, Gun(s), Blood, prison environment Word Count: 1.1K

Notes: I wrote this up really quick and you can kinda tell where I rushed, I'm sorry! I don't usually do requests like this, but I hope you like it! I'm also really sorry it took so long!

~~~

The tallymarks etched on the wall of your cell indicate it's now been two weeks that you've been in Blackgate...

Roman has answered your call every single day and swears he's working on a way to get you out.

Damn the bastards who managed to get you locked up. Roman's always got his ass covered, but this time, it was you who fell through the cracks. And just to spite Roman, they sent you to Blackgate Penitentiary.

Fuck.

Meanwhile...

In a high rise office building, Roman sits in his office. He pinches the bridge of his nose as a few of his men stand before him.

"We've tried everything and no one is shaking loose," one of the guys says, a bit nervously.

Roman growls and stands from behind his desk. He speaks harshly, his voice slowly rising, "If you fuckheads don't start making progress with this, I'm going to start personally signing off on some termination letters."

He gets in the face of the guy who spoke and produces a shiny stainless steel 9mm.

"Now," Roman purrs as he brings the weapon closer to the man's face. "You gonna actually try to do your job or do I need to find a replacement?"

"I-I'm on it, boss," the man says with a few quick nods.

Before Roman can change his mind about using the gun, the man walks off, roughly nudging the others to follow.

The crime lord sighs and goes to look out the window of his office that overlooks the city.

He has every kind of person in his pocket from politicians to cops, but no one in Blackgate.

He used to.

Roman had a few prison guards on his payroll, but he recently learned that they had been....dispatched by some inmates. Now he would need to find someone else on the inside which shouldn't be hard, he's offering a lot of money with little risk to them, but no one's taking the bait. The longer you're in Blackgate, the more nervous Roman gets.

You should have never ended up there, hell, it should have been him, honestly. But he was stupid and arrogant, he admits that now.

He'll get you out.

Soon.

Back at the prison...

After your usual visit by a few guards, you're thrown back into your cell.

You smirk and spit out a blob of blood in the direction of one of the guards. It lands right in front of the bars at his feet and he look disgusted which makes you chuckle.

"When he gets here," you say with a bit of a wheeze due to the blows to your ribcage that you clutch. "I'll make sure you're the first to go."

The guard scowls. "Black Mask can't get you out of this one. All his rats are long gone."

You steady your gaze on the guard and read his nametag. "Stephen," you say as you rise to your feet and stumble closer to the bars until your face is pressed against them. "You don't get it." You can't help but laugh again. "There's nothing he can't buy."

Stephen scoffs. "They should have tossed you in Arkham."

The guards have their fun with you; taunting you, pushing you, making your life hell in Blackgate. Most of them have beef with Roman and are just way too confident that there is nothing he can do to get you out.

As you lay on your cot facing the stone wall of your cell, you start to question what is taking so long...

He should have been here by now...

The next time you get Roman on the phone, you ask him.

"What's the hold up?"

"Calm down," he says over the phone. "I'm working on it."

You sigh and there's a pause between you. He's got nothing.

"How you hangin' in there?" he asks.

"Oh, just great!" you say sarcastically. "I've made tons of friends, you know. The guards are totally friendly and the enrichment here is-"

"Alright, alright, I get it," he says.

Another pause.

"Look," he says. "I'm not sure when...you know I'm just..."

His voice is telling you he's expending every resource he can to get you out, a clean break. No point in getting you out only for you and him to end up there.

A few more days pass and finally, he catches a break.

Everyone's got a price, he thinks to himself smugly as he starts to set everything in motion.

You can tell Roman's influence has reached you because for starters, the food you're getting is way better than what everyone else has and secondly, you haven't seen Stephen around or any of the guards who have given you a hard time.

And then a guard enters your cell and tosses you a security uniform.

You slip it on over your jumpsuit and put on the hat to help conceal your face. You follow the guard who leads you to a security room. Inside is Roman, black mask and all, and a couple of other guys standing behind a very shaken security guard. Clearly, he's not any muscle with his glasses and thin frame, he just operates the cameras, doors, and such. He trembles like a leaf as Roman holds a gun up to his head.

Roman sees you and grins. "There you are," he says.

You approach him and smirk. "Took you long enough," you said.

"Well, wouldn't do any good to come in here guns blazin', now would it?"

"Hasn't ever stopped you before," you scoff.

"You've never been caught before. I don't want this coming back on us." He turns his attention the the guard in front of him and presses the gun harder into his head. "The footage. Delete it and hand over the drives."

The guard gulps and starts to say, "I-I can't just-"

"I really don't like to ask twice," Roman seethes.

A few clicks on the keyboard and the guard erases any evidence that Roman was ever there or that you escaped. Then he goes over to the server tower and begins to retrieve the hard copies.

"What happened to all the other guards?" you ask.

"Sent their asses to Arkham," Roman says as the guard hands him the hefty piece of tech. Roman just passes it to one of his guys who pockets it.

Once everything is sorted, Roman puts his arm around you and briskly leads you out of the prison with the help of the security guards that he's bought.

Once outside, it's a brisk walk to the getaway car. Roman helps you inside and as soon as the doors shut, the driver takes off. You let out a breath you didn't know you were holding, your body relaxing at the successful escape.

Roman also relaxes and runs a hand over his mask and removes it with a heavy sigh. After a moment, he chuckles and starts to laugh. He looks to you with a half smirk and says, "Let's not do this shit again."

You grin.

"No promises."

[little-pondhead]

Fenton Family on Vacation (part 3)

Original Post

Part One⬅️➡️Part Two

(This is kind of a filler cause I’m trying to get an AO3 account set up, but Elle fighting a rat just got stuck in my head and I couldn’t get it out.)

Lights come on in a studio. Two people sit behind a glass desk, expressions neutral. 

"Good evening, and welcome to C3TV. It's 6:45 p.m. central time on August 4th, 20XX. I'm Kimberly Anderson."

"And I'm Frank Meyers. For today's Fifteen Minutes of Heroes, we'll focus on one man in particular; The Flash."

A screen turns on behind the news anchors. 'Fifteen Minutes of Heroes' is written in bold letters. The screen cuts to a close-up picture of the Flash.

"That's right, Frank. Our city's protector is not often in the spotlight, so let's get down to business."

"Right you are, Kim. To start with, Captain Cold was spotted outside the Flash Museum earlier today. It is still unknown why he was there first, but Flash was quick on the scene and chased the rogue through the downtown shopping district."

A blurry photo of Captain Cold is shown.

"What stopped Flash from arresting him immediately?"

"Well, Kim, according to CCPD reports, a recent delivery of high-alloy austenitic stainless steel was stolen at a checkpoint before it could make its way to S.T.A.R. Labs. It's now known Captain Cold was the culprit and used the metal to produce new weapons. These new weapons gave both Flash and civilians alike a scare, as the rate at which they generate ice is astounding."

An image of S.T.A.R. Labs comes up. It switches to the silhouette of a crate with a question mark, and then a silent video appears. The video is of the recent destruction in the downtown area and captures crowds of people milling around. Some are cleaning up debris, and some are trying to evacuate their families and neighbors. Several emergency service trucks are lighting up the whole street. One man has a flamethrower and is trying to thaw out his car. 

"Yes, traffic was horrible on the way to work. This new ice has a particularly high melting point, so its removal is still ongoing. Flash was spotted chasing the captain but frequently had to sidetrack for quick evacuation. Captain Cold was shooting to hurt today. There was no regard for civilian safety or public property. It seemed like he wanted to cripple the city. A few neighboring counties will pitch in for relief efforts; more at eight."

Snippets of their fight all over the area are edited together. Pictures of the destruction show up.

"Reports say their path took them west through the district before making a sharp turn on Roanoke Parkway and doubling back to Central City Plaza. There, Flash cornered the rogue. You can see the two arguing through nearby store cameras, but no audio can be provided. Captain Cold is visibly angered and takes a hostage at one point. The hostage, one Lacey James, was under threat for less than a minute before the Flash stole her away and returned her to waiting police officers. Cold is upset by this and douses the whole plaza in a thick ice sheet."

A virtual map follows the path taken with a red line—the screen changes to an out-of-focus storefront video. Captain Cold has a blonde woman at gunpoint, but Flash disappears with the woman too fast for the cameras to follow. Flash returns a few seconds later. Captain Cold seems angered, and the cameras short out soon after. 

"Uh oh, we all know how hard it is to walk on ice. Captain Cold obviously wanted to slow down the Flash, but why?"

"We're still not sure, Kim. I mean, it's his thing. But does anyone know why villains do what they do?"

"You have a point, Frank. But that's not why we're here today."

"No, it is not. While the Flash did his best, bless his heart, a few civilians were stuck inside the plaza with the two supers. No deaths have been reported citywide, and only a single person has been admitted to the ICU due to a case of hypothermia. More about this young soul can be found on our website and the link to their family's GOFUNDME. But aside from that, one of the civilians managed to get an interesting part of the fight on video. None of the stores in the area had working cameras at this point, so let's look at the video now. Please be warned, viewers' discretion is advised."

The video opens showing the face of a young teen. The video is obviously from the point of view of their phone. The teen is swearing, and viewers at home can hear a long string of beeps. 

A voice from off-screen: "Yo! Are you getting this??"

The teen swears one last time, but the video's perspective is changed. The camera is peeking out into the plaza between a car tire and a chunk of ice. "[beep], it's so cold, man. It's [beep]ing August. I hope that kid is okay."

"It was nice of you to give that family your flannel."

"It was that or let that kid freeze, man. Now shut up. I'm tryin' to hear what they're saying!"

The two teens pipe down. The camera is adjusted a few times, but eventually, the audio is picked up. Flash can be heard arguing with Captain Cold, although the dialogue is spotty due to the range.

"-can't do that!"

"The-[beep]ing [beeeeeeep] upstairs--hospital-----"

"-new procedure-----s West--gone clean---"

"NEVER! THOSE---[beep] this, GG---home--too sick---"

"-can help! S.T.A.R. Labs---new meds--won't------"

Flash is cut off by a scream of frustration from Captain Cold. The rogue begins to point and shoot at Flash, who has to zoom out of the way. Viewers can tell there are many close calls, as Flash stumbles more than once due to the slick ice.

Suddenly, a swirling green portal appears and spits out a figure right into the Flash's path. A loud smack is heard when they hit the ground face-first. One teen behind the camera sucks in a sharp breath, and the other whispers, "Ouch, that had to hurt."  Flash has no room to stop and trips over the body.

"[BEEP]!" Flash face-plants and doesn't get back up. Captain Cold pauses, staring at the two on the ground. A loud groan is heard a second later, and the figure raises its head. The camera zooms in. 

The figure was a glowing little girl with white hair and unnaturally green eyes. Glowing green blobs circle her head like cartoon birds. Bits of asphalt are stuck to her face, drawing green blood, but her skin heals as viewers watch.

The girl seemed disoriented, staring blankly at Flash and then at Captain Cold. The teen holding the phone can be heard scooting closer. The video shakes violently for a few seconds, but now viewers can listen to the conversation more clearly. 

"Uh...hi?" Small animal noises are heard, and viewers realize it's coming from the blobs, whipping around faster than before. 

"Where the [BEEP] did you come from?"

Whispers of astonishment come from the teens as the girl pushes herself off the ground and into the air, visibly struggling to stay afloat. "Hey, watch your [beep]ing language, dude. Children are present."

Captain Cold spluttered. "Wha-??"

The girl ignored the villain and turned towards the Flash. She bends over him, placing two fingers on his neck, presumably to check his pulse. Viewers see the girl wearing a big, black backpack in the shape of a ghost. From the camera's distance, it was difficult to determine what else she was wearing, but one of the teens said, "That's a sick outfit. I love the boots. Big 'Prometheus' vibes."

A scoff. "Yeah, no. I'm thinking 'Star Wars,' for sure." 

An argument begins behind the camera, and the view tilts a bit since their attention is no longer on it. 

A thin whine draws back the attention of the teens and the audience. Captain Cold is pointing a gun at the girl, who has a bemused expression on her face. Over the sound of the weapon, their quiet conversation cannot be heard. 

(Later, a famous child psychologist would do a ten-minute interview for Beefood's new show, 'Cohabiting with Cryptids.' Analysis shows the child was actually terrified at Captain Cold's actions and more confused than she let on. Some comments point out that the girl attempted to put herself between the Flash and the rogue, proving that she hadn't meant the Flash any harm.)

Suddenly, the girl scoops up Flash into a fireman's carry and dodges an ice blast. The teen filming the event swears and drops their phone. Shuffling and more gunshots can be heard. 

"You gotta chill out, man!"

"Ah, [beep], the screen cracked-"

"What?!"

"I can't-"

"Maybe a little shock therapy will get your Christmas spirit going!"

The shooting pauses. "It's Aug-AAAAAUGH!"

A scream startles the teens. It's coming from Captain Cold, and viewers can tell he's in pain. 

The screen is still black. 

"What the [beep], what the [beep]-"

"Is that lightning??"

"She's electrocuting him. How-"

"It's pink!"

"That's not what you should be focusing on right now!"

"But it's PINK LIGHTNING."

"She is literally burning holes into his parka, what the [beep]."

"Do you think Flash can make pink lightning? Should I ask him?"

"I don't [beep]ing know! She's going to kill him!"

"No, she isn't; look!"

A quiet moment. Captain Cold has stopped screaming, but small groans can be heard instead. 

"She stopped, see?"

"How much electricity was that??"

"I dunno, but obviously not enough to kill him."

"You're very calm about this."

"Don't worry. I'll freak out later."

"Oh, Jesus-"

"Look!"

A clatter. "Sorry about that." The camera finally refocused, although it was shakier than before. The girl was hovering over the prone form of Captain Cold, still holding onto the Flash. Viewers could hear her voice tremble. "On the plus side, a few of your screws may have been knocked back into place from the electricity. Anyways, see you later, [beeeeep] Ice Prince!"

The camera swings around to face the second teen. Their eyes were lit up in fascination. "New life goal: Pull a Zarina from 'The Pirate Fairy' and figure out how to make pink lightning."

"Oh, my [beep], Lynne! Why-"

The video ends abruptly, and the news anchors fade back into view. 

"Well, that was...interesting." 

"I'd say so. We have seven minutes left; let's discuss the theories."

-----

Dani stared at the tv. A quick re-run of the video from Fifteen Minutes of Heroes was playing. It was well past ten now, but she'd managed to hole up in someone's party shack on top of some apartments. And while she refused to touch the poorly-hidden weed, Dani had no qualms about raiding the stash of (packaged) food and flipping on the old tube tv. She'd turned on the local news channel to learn more about this new world since wandering around for a few hours didn't tell her much. 

And she'd learned a lot. 

This was a world of superheroes. Dani didn't know how to feel about that. On the one hand, she thought it would be easier to care for herself. She wouldn't have to try as hard to hide her powers-hell, she was being featured on the news! And these people weren't discussing her imminent capture. No public warnings about reporting her, nothing about being a danger to society. These news reporters were doing their job, relaying the facts and throwing out theories about her identity and powers. Was she a super? A rookie? An alien? A meta? What was her name? The people on the screen flashed a phone number below and asked if anyone spotted her please call their hotline. Not to hunt her down but because she was a kid. A superpowered kid whom no one knew the identity of and seemed to be very much alone. And yeah, Dani knew there were people out there with malicious intentions. But the fact that she was on the news and not in a bad way was baffling. 

(On the other hand, Dani knew her dad. A world full of superheroes meant a world full of supervillains that normal humans couldn't fight back against. Dani hoped with all her core that he'd stay away from the fighting. His Obsession wasn't protecting people, thank the Ancients, or they might never find each other.) 

At the very least, Dani expected one or two comments about her 'horrible intentions' to hurt their city hero. Still, Flash himself came on in an interview earlier that night and said while he woke up in a really weird place, he did not have any injuries besides the ones he caused himself. Flash noted that "The kid even tried to make me comfortable. She made a cardboard nest for me to lay on and tried hiding me in a private location. Sure, that location was a dumpster, but it obviously worked because no one found me until I'd already woken up."

"In this picture, you're seen with a pair of-heh-handcuffs. Any idea why the girl might've attached you to that pipe?"

"If I had to hazard a guess, the kid is scared. I saw the footage. I know I got knocked out pretty quickly. But that girl did her best to defend me from my enemy and get me to safety. However, it's obvious that knocking out two men twice her size has her spooked. Those handcuffs were probably an attempt to restrain me so she could get a head start. Probably thought I was mad at her. She even left an apology note. But don't worry, Spooky. I'm not mad. Thank you for saving my hide, and I'm sorry I tripped over you."

Dani's eyes were glued to the screen. Those last words, Flash had addressed towards the camera. They were for her. But she told him her name, her human name. Why use Spooky? 

Fuck it. I'm too tired for this. 

-----

Whether she liked it or not, it was too easy for Elle to get used to life on the streets again. She'd done it before; stealing food, sleeping in alleys, squatting in abandoned buildings, always looking over her shoulder a second time.

She knew her family wasn't happy about her time on the streets-Danny especially. When they first separated, she could feel the pain from his core. He hated sending her away. But it was that or risk worse from the potential backlash. At least this time, she had an extra pair of eyes. Or five. 

Blob ghosts were a common thing, especially around Amity. The more ecto-contaminated you were, the more blob ghosts tended to hang around. They weren't the weakened souls of the dead but more like collections of intense emotions imprinted on ectoplasm. Elle usually got a whole hoard following her back home, but in this new universe, only five managed to find the strength to follow her. Elle thought it was only appropriate to claim them as Hers and give them names. 

So now, Noodle, Buffy, Preston, Shaniac, and Boogara were a part of her little fright. And as such, they became extremely handy in her city exploration. They were her scouts, her lookouts, her moral support. They could not, however, help out much when she was in a big fight, like yesterday. They just had to hide in her hair. 

But with the smaller enemies, they really came through. For example, she was having a nasty brawl with a particularly ugly rat over a breakfast sandwich at the moment, and her blob buddies were being a huge help. 

Yes, you heard right. 

Elle was hungry. She'd been hungry before, and it was nothing new. But the fight and panic attack yesterday took a lot out of her. She'd barely touched the food at that weed shack, too afraid it was laced with something. So after picking an alley and transforming back into a human, Elle started looking around for something to eat. Her search led her to a small café, where she used the last of her allowance to buy an egg and ham breakfast sandwich. Which she promptly dropped onto the ground after face-planting for the second time in the past twelve hours. She was close to another alley, and Elle could only watch with wide eyes as a giant rat darted out into the sunlight, snatched the corner of the wrapper, and dragged it away. Why'd she fall? Elle tripped over a chunk of ice from the café doorway. ICE. 

I should have kicked that man in the dick. Elle thought, scrambling up to chase after the rat. Her blob buddies led the way, harassing the rat as best they could to slow it down. They cornered it in a box. Buffy was chittering especially loud, leading the others. 

Elle knelt and reached in blindly, grasping for anything. One of her knees was bleeding, and bits of broken glass were getting into the cut. "Where are y-ouch! Motherfucker! Did you just bite me??" The rat screamed and bit her again. "Oh fuck no! Get your ass out here, you little-"

The rat ran out, still dragging the wrapped sandwich. Elle tried stomping on it but missed. Noodle was handing around the rat's neck like a rope, trying to restrain it. Shaniac and Boogara were tugging at the sandwich, and Elle managed to snatch it up a second before the rat escaped into a shoe. Without hesitating, Elle punted the shoe into the street like a football. 

She snorted in satisfaction when the shoe and its passenger were lost in the crowd. 

"I can't believe that just happened." Elle whirled around but didn't see anyone. "Up here!"

Above her head, watching the whole thing with an amused expression, was a woman sticking her head out of a window from the second floor. The woman had tight brown curls and an equally tight face that looked strained when she smiled. 

"You're that Spooky kid from the news, right?" The woman called. How did she-? Elle scrunched up her face. Right, blob ghosts. 

"No!" Yeah, that was believable. "Anyways, mind your own business!" She stalked out of the alley, hard-won sandwich in hand, and did her best to ignore the woman's stifled giggles she could still hear two blocks away. 

Okay, maybe staying as a ghost will be easier in this big new city.  

-----

@passivedecept @lehana37 @kobol1 @cat-in-a-fedora @starkcravingmad

[threetrenchcoatsinatrenchcoat]

"What can humans do that machine learning can't? Can you prove it? Prove that machine learning can't!" I've seen a lot of versions of this question now, and it's often framed like the progressive take, like someone who can't consider the shiny AI future is the close-minded one. What makes humans special basically. This is the question. This is called science now. And we all agree here that underpaying artists and propagating stereotypes via AI is bad, but this specific question is personally really hard to actually answer. Lack of intent and responsibility and dependence on plagiarism are answer enough for me, but it's fuzzy. I want a stainless steel discussion devourer.

The computational linguist Dr. Emily Bender has written a lot on the limits of large language models, and if anyone has a definitive answer, I thought it'd be her. But she doesn't. When it comes to the outright question, she actually refuses. "I'm not going to converse with people who won’t posit my humanity as an axiom in the conversation." (interview with Elizabeth Weil, New York Magazine) I was disappointed at first, but I've since processed this as the mark of a professional at asking the right questions. The wrong question is the provable difference between a human and a computer; the right question is why so many people are asking that wrong one. The right answer to the right question is labor.

"Eighteen-century race theory saw, within the human category, a hierarchy of races. And of course, the architects of this theory were white Europeans, so they modestly placed themselves at the very pinnacle of the human category. The lower edges of the human category merged into the apes, according to this way of looking at things." -David Livingstone Smith (interview with Neal Conan, NPR). He discusses in the same interview slavery, nazis calling Jews rats, and ancient Mesopotamian political dehumanization. Animals are cheaper labor and are easier to slaughter. When there is profit and conquest to be had, people start asking if there really is a difference between those other people and animals. This was called science then.

These "other people" can't be pointed out so publicly now. And yet, thanks to advancements in neoliberal theory, the bigotry persists along the scenic route. It goes like: dehumanize all humans without regard to race, but especially humans' labor, which targets the working class, and therefore the rich get richer anyways. Diversity win! It starts with art and prose, but these arguments are being wheeled out to underpay people in every industry. I thought the question inconveniently annoying when it seemed useful for rentiers and ceos. Now I believe the ruling class indirectly created the question. So I refuse to answer it too. Except to say this: Humans are already doing the work, all of it. Human labor is proven.

[yourslave7777]

The Altar Pt. 1

The slave woke to a tugging feeling on its chest. It opened its eyes, but the blackness was as encompassing as when they were shut, a blackness so complete that the sight of it gave a strange feeling of weightlessness.

The tugging continued, moving in increments down the slaves’ body to its feet and as it did a tightness that was enveloping the slave relaxed. The slave could hear faint sounds, but they were low and muffled, like rats in a wall, then it stopped for a moment and a new sound entered the slaves mind, slightly louder than the first and wholly different. It was the sound of zipper teeth releasing their grasp of one another, growing from a faint purr to a roar as it quickly inched closer to the slaves’ face and ending at the top of its head.

A sudden release followed by a cooling sensation gave the slave a sense of relief. The slave still could not see as the sleep sack was opened because Master ensured that even in the sack the slave was fully hooded and this hood, of which there were many, had no eye holes. It did, however, have two holes in the nostrils and large one that exposed the slave’s entire mouth. Inserted into the slaves’ mouth was a cock shaped rubber gag that had a strap wrapped around its head and locked in place, securing it so the slave would not be unable to push it out with its tongue.

Around the slave’s waist was a 4-inch-wide black leather belt that was dotted with stainless steel studs all along the length of it that led to fasteners which were located in the small of the slaves back. On either side of the belt set just above the slave’s waist were stainless steel rings fastened to wrist cuffs that held the slaves’ arms in place. The belt was worn over top of the rubber suit that the slave was also still wearing inside the sleep sack.

These extra measures of security such as the locking rubber suit, the cuffs, and the gag were unnecessary as the sleep sack itself had locks on all 12 straps that covered the outside of it, and it was tight enough that the slave could only squirm when locked in, but its Master took pleasure in inflicting this little torture on His slave’s mind. “No escape.” He would whisper to the slave before locking it in.

The sleep sack had another feature built into the section that wrapped around the slave’s head, extra padding and sound proofing material covered the ears so that when the slave was encased, not only was it utterly blind, but it could only hear anything directly in its vicinity and only if it was loud enough. Were the doorbell of the complex to ring, or if the Master had a bunch of loud friends over, the slave would never be the wiser. That is why the slave did not wake from its slumber until the Master had already unlocked and removed 4 of the 12 straps.

The slave was relieved to be free of the sleep sack for now, though it knew it would be back in it again one day when the Master wanted to punish it for a transgression, or simply because the Master was in a mood to torment it for His own amusement.

Now that the slave was able to hear again, though not clearly as its inner hood still covered its ears, the Master said in a loud voice, “Did you learn your lesson, slave?”

The slave made a snorting noise in response.

When gagged the slave was to make a snort like a pig as an affirmation, and a moo like a cow as a negation, when the Master asked a question. The latter never remotely sounded like a cow due to the gag and rather came out “ewwwww”, which entertained the Master immensely.

The Master unlocked the slaves’ cuffs which the slave knew as the sign to get itself the rest of the way out of the sleep slack and sit on side of the cot. Still blind the slave shuffled its feet out, pushed the sack open even further, sat up, put its feet on the floor, and placed its rubber clad hands on its rubber clad knees.

Master started to tug at a lock located on the back of the slave’s head, once it was unlatched, he undid the strap and removed the gag. As the 3-inch rubber cock came out of the slaves mouth it was followed by a thick trail of slime that stretched out from deep inside the slaves’ mouth. The rope of saliva broke and fell on the slave’s oily black rubber chin, dripping onto its stomach.

The Master took His fingers and wiped up the slime with them then He stuck three fingers into the slave’s mouth so deep it made the slave gag and shift uncontrollably in its seat. Without warning the Master began face-fucking the slave with His saliva lubed fingers making the slave grunt in protest. Ashamed suddenly of its reaction it relaxed and pushed its face forward to accept its Masters’ fingers.

The slave enjoyed the flavour of Masters’ unwashed hands, it was thinking to itself. The taste of car oil, dirt, and maybe even a bit or urine. The Master slowed down to stick a fourth finger in, pushing His hand all the way to the thumb. He used His fingers deep in the slave’s mouth and throat to examine the slaves’ tonsils, uvula, the back of its throat, under its tongue, and around its gums. The slave knew this was one of the Masters’ many ways of showing the slave that it had no rights, no freewill, and was the Masters’ personal property to do with it as He saw fit. That thought sent a warm feeling through the slave that flowed over it like a gentle stream over stones smoothed from years of erosion. The slave could feel water well in its eyes and it wasn’t sure if it was from the rough prodding of its throat, or the bliss that came from being its Masters’ favourite toy.

The Master pulled His hand out from the slaves’ mouth, leaned in and started kissing the slave, His tongue prodding just as fiercely as His finger were.

This rare gift was intense for the slave. The slave could feel its mind shutting down and giving into its Master fully and unequivocally. The slaves heart began to pound in its chest and its cock stiffened in the metal tube containing it, sending a pulsing river of pain and joy throughout the slaves’ body.

Master grabbed the slaves head and the slave dared to kiss its Master back, risking punishment for such an act, but the Master did not recoil, their tongues intertwining like dancers embracing and twirling in a magical ballroom of lore.

The slave wanted to reach out and touch its Master, to feel His arms, the back of His neck, to run its fingers through Masters’ short hair and down His chin but He did not dare. The slave knew that this type of unusual but not unheard-of affection could only mean one thing, and the slave would soon have its chance to explore every inch of its Masters’ body.

After what felt like an eternity, as it seemed that time slipped away into an abyss where it was no longer relevant, the Master pulled gently away, rubbing His hands down the length of the slave’s body. The slave could hear the jingle of those very familiar keys that were used to unlock the hood, which the Master did and slipped it off, tossing it to the ground at the slaves’ feet.

[strelitziareginaee]

FROM SORA: He's by the sleek stainless steel stove, poking idly at tuna sizzling in a pan in front of him, eyes a little glassy as he hums softly--surprisingly, Sora can be a reliable cook when he needs to be (though Remy the famous rat chef had been an invaluable teacher, whom gave Sora all the new tips to really take his cooking to the next level). Beyond that, Sora has known how to sear fish nearly his entire life--poking meat over a stick and watching it simmer along a fire had felt like a skill he had been born with the moment he blinked open his eyes on Destiny Islands...

It's a little surreal to put all of these different lessons together here in Quadratum, however. It might be why he's a bit more quiet than usual, despite Strelitzia hovering nearby as a sort of impromptu sous-chef.

He tilts his head a little thoughtfully as he recalls Destiny Islands... and then his pondering drifts off to Riku and Kairi (how are they doing without him...? he hopes they aren't worried, even though they must be) and then to his mother left behind without a word yet again...

He glances up suddenly at Strelitzia, eyes wide and gleaming, his mouth popped open as if he has a truly striking question to ask...

But all that slides from him eventually, as he softens at her and chuckles gently as he asks instead, "Um, hey--was it one clove of garlic or two, I forget...? You mind checking the recipe for me, Strelly?"

He smiles at her before returning his blue gaze to the fish, he shuffles the two slabs about in the oily pan.

"Should be almost done, I think. Hm, I hope the rice is ready soon too," he murmurs mostly to himself, leaning away from the stove to glance at the rice cooker steaming happily on the counter, though he can't spy the digital timer on its face due to the fluorescent lighting of the kitchen. "You ever have dried seaweed on your rice before, Strelitzia...?"

He flashes her a more sincere, excitable grin then.

"It's the best! On Destiny Islands we call seaweed like that nori and guess what?" He steps from the pan to whip out a small glass bottle from a cabinet next to him. He rattles the green flakes at her merrily. "They have it here too! ' Furikake ', huh? It's a lil different with the sesame seeds and is that... salt in here too...? Wanna try this with me?"

She never thought she would become so comfortable with the boy she was meant to watch over.

When Sora slept, it had been fine. His arrival to Quadratum had been a quiet one and Strelitzia was given time to assess this new development, figuring out how she wanted to go about living with a boy she was essentially spying on.

The first few weeks were difficult though, and thinking of those days reminded her of her purpose and why she was with Sora in the first place. Every day, it felt like she was holding her breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop, as one says. But it never came. The Master of Masters never showed his face or appeared, never giving Strelitzia her next instructions.

The one day, Sora woke up and his light was as bright and shining as the goofy smile on his face. It warmed Strelitzia's anxiousness away, and any intimidation she once felt melted away with each passing day. That's when she started to relax, believing that maybe, just maybe, the Master of Masters had moved on to better things (though she knew that was unwise to consider).

Now the two of them were like any other pair of roommates, friendly and co-existing in the same place without casualties or clashing. Strelitzia grew to enjoy each passing day, thriving in an environment where she felt safe with another person. It reminded her of her days when she would talk to Lauriam; like having a brother again.

"Hm?" She looked up from the bowl of cookie dough she was in the process of mixing, blinking. Then she quickly scrambled to the open book near her, scanning the page for how much garlic they needed. "Uhm, it says here that it needs two minced cloves.." She replied, though she personally thought one could never have too much garlic in their foods.

The tuna Sora was cooking already smelled amazing, and Strelitzia inhaled deeply. She couldn't wait to eat. She was starving. Even the cookie dough smelled good, despite not being in the oven yet.

Freshly baked chocolate chip cookies didn't exactly go with tuna and rice, but it's what she wanted, and who was she stop herself from delighting in a delicious sweet treat after dinner?

"Seaweed on rice?" She lifted her gaze again, having returned to the bowl she was mixing once more and began to scoop up the sticky dough into individual balls, placing them on a sheet. She watched as Sora moved away from the pan of tuna and pulled a small glass container from the cabinet, shaking the flakes. She didn't even know they had something like that in their spice cabinet, but then again, everything in the apartment had been stocked by the Master...

"Hm, well-- I'm going to trust you, but I'm not sure. If you say it's good though..." She said, hesitant to try something like seaweed on her meal. Though Daybreak Town had been near the ocean, it wasn't as though they ate things like that often. At least she didn't.

[pestcontrolperth]

What You Should Know About Rodent Control

Rodent Control is an important pest control service that focuses on eliminating and controlling the rodents that are living in and around your home. Rodents can be destructive to your property, and they may also carry a variety of diseases that are harmful to people.

The most effective rodent control is prevention, and a combination of preventive measures is often used to reduce the number of rodents that invade your home. These include sanitation procedures, rodent-proof construction and population reduction techniques such as trapping, baiting and fumigants.

Sanitation

Keep garbage in tightly covered containers and make sure that food is stored properly. Leaving garbage out can attract rodents to your property and cause them to enter into your home.

Eliminate or reduce the food sources that are attracting rodents such as compost, animal feed and bird seed. Store grains and pet food in rodent-proof containers, preferably in a secure storage area.

Maintain a weed-free perimeter around your home, especially at the foundation of the building and where it connects to other structures. This will discourage rats from entering your home and may allow you to detect infestations more easily.

Seal small holes and cracks in the walls, including in the corners and windows where the pests can get inside. These areas can be sealed with stainless steel scouring pads or caulk.

Rats are known to chew through wires, wood, metal and plastic pipes that they use for drinking and sanitation. This is why you should hire a professional to inspect your home for possible entry points and to fix them.

Exclusion

Every hole that could possibly let a rodent into your home needs to be located and sealed. This prevents any future infestation from recurring.

Removing and disposing of dead animals is also an essential part of rodent control, as these provide nesting sites for mice and rats. Remove discarded animal carcasses, feces and nesting material from your home as soon as you see signs of infestation.

Creating a Rodent-proof Environment

Keeping a clean, 3-ft weed-free perimeter around your home is one of the most effective rodent control practices available. The weed-free area is also the perfect place to place traps and bait stations, which will help you catch and kill any remaining rodents that may have found their way into your home.

Trapping

The most effective method of rodent control is trapping. If you have rats or mice in your home, set out several traps at different locations around your home. Choose traps that are the right size for the animal you want to catch. You do not want to use traps that are too small for rats or too large for mice because they will not work effectively.

Inspect your home regularly to identify any potential food sources that could be a source of infestation, or any areas where the rodents are nesting. If you discover these, begin a regular trapping and sanitation program to control the rodents.

Half Price Pest Control will take care of everything your needs in Pest Control Services in Australia. Call our team today to book and Half Price Pest Control will help you to combat these creatures with speed, efficiency and at a cost that is the lowest in the business.

[trashcancleaners]

How to Clean a Garbage Can

Getting your garbage can clean isn’t the most exciting thing in the world, but it’s essential to maintaining good sanitation practices and keeping pests out. Dirty or unclean trash cans attract flies, maggots, and rats that will feed on your waste and decay if you leave them unattended for too long.

Cleaning a garbage can doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming, but you should do it at least monthly. The longer you wait, the more bacteria and mold can grow.

When cleaning, make sure to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands and prevent rashes. Then, use a sturdy brush and soapy water to scrub the inside and outside of your garbage can.

For a more thorough cleaning, spray the inside of the garbage can with your favorite cleaning solution. A mixture of distilled white vinegar and dish soap is effective for removing food residue, stains, and grime. You can also sprinkle some baking soda on the inside of your garbage can to deodorize and kill odor-causing bacteria and germs.

Once you’ve sprayed your can with your favorite trash can cleaner, you can give it a vigorous scrubbing. A nylon-bristled scrubbing brush will help you get into hard-to-reach areas and remove stains. Rinse the can thoroughly and then dry it with a microfiber towel or paper towels.

If you’re using a stainless steel trash can, you can try a paste of cream of tartar and a few drops of lemon juice to remove small rust stains. Just be careful not to let it sit for too long since lemon juice can corrode stainless steel.

To clean a ceramic trash can, you can spray it with your favorite all-purpose trash bin cleaner and scrub it thoroughly. You can also use a mild, scented disinfectant to keep your can clean and sanitized.

Before you begin, make sure to empty any trash bag from the can before you start scrubbing it. This will avoid any leaking and will help keep the trash from getting into your hands.

If you want to use a disinfectant, be sure to check the label to ensure it doesn’t contain chlorine bleach or other harmful chemicals. These can cause skin irritation and breathing problems when used in a trash can.

You can also use a spray-on product that contains natural enzymes to break down the mold and bacteria in your garbage can and kill them. You can find these products at your local drugstore or supermarket.

When you’re done, rinse the can thoroughly with clean water and then wipe it down. You may need to repeat this process several times to completely remove all the germs and bacteria from your trash can.

Decorative plastic and stainless steel trash cans may need a more thorough clean than kitchen, bathroom, or outdoor trash cans, so be sure to check the label before you begin. Scrubbing a stainless steel can with abrasive scrubs can damage the finish, making it more susceptible to rust and corrosion. Visit this website at https://www.britannica.com/technology/refuse-disposal-system for more info about garbage.

[emidioschiavone]

After I divorced my male God -- Shi Jiuyuan

Her soft apology immediately extinguished Yang Shuai's anger. He felt that something was wrong. He watched her cautiously, but found that she looked very calm, with a small soft light in her eyes and a remember your number.. The light in Yang Shuai's eyes suddenly softened, pinched her small chin and raised it: "Then you have to memorize it in the future." Tang Chuchu really nodded obediently and agreed. Yang Shuai suddenly raised his eyebrows and said, "Shouldn't you come over when you put your car there?" Tang Chuchu looked at him and said in a low voice,stainless steel hydraulic fitting, "I went home again." Yang Shuai took a step back and looked at her again in the same shape as a drowned rat. She was wearing the same clothes as when she left in the morning. She didn't even change her shoes. The only difference was that Yang Shuai's eyes froze for a few seconds. She had a watch on her wrist, which he risked his life to give her the night of the accident. Yang Shuaiwei narrowed his eyes and said, "I went home and didn't take a bath by the way." Tang Chuchu shook his head. Didn't you change your clothes? Tang Chuchu still shook his head. Finally, Yang Shuai stared into her eyes and asked earnestly, "Just put on the watch?" At this time, Tang Chuchu slowly raised his chin,hydraulic fitting supplier, his bright eyes were as bright and moving as the stars, so he looked back at him, and then nodded his head lightly. At that moment, great joy suddenly crashed into Yang Shuai's heart. He smiled at the corners of his mouth. First, he lowered his eyes. Then, when he raised his head, he looked at her with reddish eyes. In an instant, he rubbed her into his arms so hard that his voice trembled with excitement: "Grind people." Chapter 46 Tang Chuchu usually does not take a bath and change clothes in the hospital, she usually goes home to take a bath and then comes back, after all, stainless steel needle valve ,pipe fittings manufacturer, before and Yang Shuai is still friends, this is very inconvenient. But today she hurried to come over, even did not change clothes, Yang the bed and motioned for her to go over. She went over and sat at the end of the bed. Yang Shuai looked at the chess she brought and said to her, "Aren't you going to play chess?" So Tang Chuchu took out the animal chess and asked him, "Can you play animal chess?" "I've never played this before." Tang Chuchu spread out the chessboard, then took the instructions and carefully studied the rules of playing chess. Her hair was a little wet, her body was filled with the soft and sweet fragrance just after bathing, her eyelashes were half drooping, and her white face was moist. Yang Shuai curled his eyes at the couple's watches placed side by side at the head of the bed, but he still this time let him go to heaven to pick the moon is estimated to be able to agree. So he seriously mentioned to him that he went to the police station today, and then asked Yang Shuai's opinion, do you want to ask the boss for compensation? Chuchu is actually quite angry, although the loss is not big, but because of this matter they almost hung up, and the boss is too bad, do not compensate for their anger. But to compensation, she is afraid of the boss with her nonsense, Tang Chuchu is a very afraid of trouble, more than one thing is better than less of the character, so she is really a bit puzzled. Yang Shuai thought about it and suddenly asked her,14 tube fitting, "Is your dance studio enough now?" "I can turn around for the time being." "What if there are more and more children in the back?" Tang Chuchu thought about it, but Yang Shuai said directly: "Just take the next door." "You mean.." The restaurant next door? Yang Shuai nodded. Tang Chuchu immediately sat up from his arms and looked at him: "The boss is very fierce and will not let him, and his contract has not expired." 。 chinaroke.com

[pinerboomer]

The outer worlds secrets

You will get this quest by talking to Velma Ballard at the warehouse in Stellar Bay, Monarch. She'll want to know what happened to him. The people living here are cannibals.Įdgar and his family won't let you leave alive You found a butchered corpse with an ID for Braxton Hecht in Edgar's house. You can't discern the body's identity at a glance, but it may carry some form of identification. There's a headless corpse in the third-floor room. The people living here say they don't know of anyone named Braxton Perhaps you can find him or an indication of where he might have gone next. She asked you to go to his apartment and send him back to the saltuna fishery.īraxton was making a delivery to a house south of Stellar Bay. The Secret People Objectivesīraxton hasn't shown up to work in a couple of days, so Velma's pulling extra shifts. Side Quests are optional quests that players can chose to complete in order to obtain special rewards, XP, or reputation.īraxton hasn't been to work in a few days. Loot the corpse to get Braxton Hecht’s Work ID, then grab the unique weapon Supper Time.The Secret People is one of the Side Quests in The Outer Worlds. Pick the locked door and you’ll find the corpse of Braxton on a bed. At a cursory glance it seems fairly nondescript, but you can look through a hole in the wall opposite the bed to see the hints of a fairly grisly scene. Note that there’s a lock door just opposite (southeast of) the stairs which will take you outside and two bedrooms here, one contains a bin (Lizzie will get angry if you snoop around in here, accusing you of stealing her “rocket candies”, although nothing comes of it) and the other has a journal you can read, which is an indictment on the Mather family’s declining literacy.įrom Lizzie head northwest up another flight of stairs and into a bedroom to the southeast. Pass a check for some XP, after which she’ll talk about some man from the city who delivered these “candies”, who they apparently had a falling out with. Head upstairs and turn northeast to find Lizzie Mather, who will mention some “rocket candies”. You can chat with Levi Mather and Martha Mather and they definitely seem… weird, and have an odd infatuation with your presence here, and dinner. Go through the first door and you’ll be greeted by Edgar Mather, who will kindly invite you to dinner and attempt to deflect on getting the front door opened. Enter it and note that the front door has been locked behind you, requiring a key to escape. The house you’re looking for is just southwest of the bridge that divides the western ruins and the southern ruins. He clearly expected to be back soon - another quote from the note - so you’ll probably find him in the belly of some raptidon along the way.Įxit out the southeastern gate and follow the road south, then west to reach the marked house, blasting canids and marauders as you go. Read a note on the desk to find out that Braxton was dropping off a “care package” to the Mathers, who somehow dwell in the “old runs south of Stellar Bay”. Head to the apartment complex along the southern edge of Stellar Bay and search the southeastern apartment upstairs - that’s right, the apartment of the delinquent worker is right above the crime scene in the apartment below (see The Stainless Steel Rat). The first lead in this quest is sensible enough: go check his apartment.

[zippocreed501]

The late artist Peter Elson's cover for The Stainless Steel Rat Wants You (1978)

[yomgert]

Infatuated with this book at my grandparents house

[metalbuckaroo]

ALRIGHT! YOU WANTED AN AU THAT YOU HAVEN'T DONE YET AND I AM HERE TO PROVIDE! HOW ABOUT A LITTLE HORROR AU WITH BUCKY?!?

Got some prompts for ya, love!

“this is the opposite of what i told you to do.”

“did i ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?” <-thought maybe you could do this one if they're hiding in a small space together 👀🥴

“that was, by far, the stupidest thing you’ve ever done.”

Don't Listen

Summary// A cry for help has you stopping the car to check it out

Warnings// Usual horror movie warnings, mentions of violence, guns, weapons, injury, nightmares and death, could possibly be considered dark since it's horror movie themed (just in case I did tag it dark) there's a tinge of fluff in there, cursing.

AU// Horror Movie!AU x Cop!Bucky x Reader

Note// this was a lot of fun to write and I'm soooo happy that you had this idea 🥺 as always, requests and asks are open. Though this doesn't include smut, 18+ only

Masterlist

Moodboars by: @commonintrest

Just like every other Friday night after Bucky's shift, he took you with him on a drive on a backroad. The same back road as always, one that wound around and had houses that were a mile or more apart.

Windows down and light music playing to unwind from the long work week both of you dealt with.

"Wait-wait-" You grabbed Bucky's arm to stop him from pulling away from the stop sign. "What?" He sighed, looking over at you. "Did you hear that?"

Bucky nearly stopped breathing to stay quiet enough to hear what you were talking about, the only sound he could hear being the quiet music from the speakers and soft mechanical whirring of his left arm.

You could've swore you heard a woman's voice screaming from the abandoned house you drove by every week. The one that looked to, at one point in time, doubled as a junk yard from the rusted out cars that littered the back and front yard, along with the tree line in the back of the house.

He shook his head, furrowing his eyebrows at you. "I don't hear anything." He shrugged. You still didn't move your hand, listening intently.

Bucky nearly choked on his own spit when you suddenly got out of the car, making your way up the walkway to the run down house.

"Godda- what the hell are you doing?!" He barked after you, jamming the car in park and opening the glove compartment for his gun.

"How could you not hear that?" You huffed, trying to peak in the cracks of the boarded windows as Bucky secured his gun into the holster on his belt. "You going crazy on me? It's an abandoned house, babygirl." He said, gently gripping your wrist in the metal of his left hand.

"Then you won't mind going in to check it out, Deputy Barnes." You sassed, poking a finger into his chest at his title.

Bucky rolled his eyes, going to the door to twist the handle open; knowing it'd be useless to argue with you.

The house was completely dark, Bucky clicking on his flashlight to peer around the living room at the old, torn up furniture that was covered in dust and dirt.

He exhaled and turned back to you, seeing you chewing on your bottom lip. "See? It's just an old, vacant house." He assured, getting ignored as you pushed pass him. "Yeah, yeah." You dismissed, taking his flashlight to look for yourself.

Bucky followed close behind as you went towards the kitchen, different types of bugs and rats scattering when the light would land on them.

"C'mon, back in the car. Need to get ya home." He went to grab your arm again and you moved away to a door that was cracked open, a dim light peaking through. "Hey-" He let out an aggravated groan and followed you down the stairs that the door led to.

"This is the opposite of what I told you to do." He snapped, looking at your completely froze form at the bottom of the stairs.

When he reached the bottom, he looked into the lit room. Everything was completely new, stainless steel tables, glossy, concrete floors and plastic sheets on the walls.

"What the fuck..." Bucky grumbled, walking further into the room. There were different hallways, meaning the bottom of the house stretched much farther than the main part.

He looked over to your wide-eyed face, nudging your arm. "Go back to the car." He said softly, stepping further into the room. "What? No, I'm going with you." You said, furrowinf your eyebrows at him.

"You really are going crazy." He huffed, going to one of the hallways, your footsteps following close behind. "Are you still hearing- whatever it was you were hearing?" He asked, looking over his shoulder at you.

"No, but that doesn't mean that nobody is down here."

Peaking one of the doors halfway down the hall open, there was a dark closet on the other side; Bucky opening the door more to flick on the light. "Nothing." He exhaled, looking behind the door.

A sudden slam of a door made you suck in a sharp breath and grip onto Bucky's sturdy metal arm; both of you standing completely still.

A tall, slender man covered in blood stood by one of the sets of metal drawers, pulling out different sharp instruments and whistling an upbeat tune as Bucky shoved you into the closet with him. Shutting the door as quiet as possible.

"Shit..." He cursed under his breath, pressing the heel of his right palm into his forehead. "What are we gonna do?"

Bucky huffed a breath at your question and shook his head. "I don't know." He mumbled, looking at your scared expression. "You're the one with a metal arm and gun. Fucking do something." You blabbered before his hand clamped over your mouth.

"Shut the hell up, you're gonna get us killed." He hissed, staring down at you for a moment as he listened for any movement. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful your eyes are?" He said, squinting at you.

You swatted at his hand and huffed a breath. "Now is not the time." You mumbled, raking a hand through your hair to help think of how to get out of this situation. "This was, by far, the stupidest thing you've ever done." Bucky snapped in a hushed voice, cracking the door open so he could peak out.

"Do you see him?" Bucky nodded his head at your question, hand on the handle of his gun again, just in case as he shut the door again. "All of these hallways, there has to be another way out." He sighed, rubbing his metallic hand down his face.

"Maybe we can make a break for it down the hallway while he's not looking?" You shrugged, the nervous look on Bucky's face making you worry more and more. "No, that's a terrible idea."

The woman's voice you heard earlier echoed into the room, making you grab for the door handle. "What are you doing?" Bucky said in a whispered yell. "I hear someone, they need help, Buck." You choked out, trying to keep your voice quiet as you pulled at his metal hand that held the door shut.

The cry for help was close to driving you crazy, echoing into your ears as you pulled harder on his arm. How could he not hear it? It was so loud, the woman might as well have been in the room with you.

"Hey, sweetheart. C'mere." Bucky cooed, grabbing both of your hands in his left hand, his right lifting to hold your chin. "Don't listen to it. Okay? Don't listen to it." He muttered, trying to soothe your fidgety form. "Bucky, there's someone else down-"

The grip on your hands tightened when you tried to jerk them away from him. "We'll deal with it when we get outta here. Can't do anything if we're dead." He said through gritted teeth.

You were starting to panic more. Trapped in the basement of some house, no way to get to the phones or the car that was still parked at the side of the road outside.

"This is my fault, I should've never got out of the car. I'm so sorry, Bucky. I'm sorry." Bucky had to think fast to silence your quiet crying and apologies; to find a moment to think.

His lips found yours for a brief moment, making you turn your head to break away. "You idiot, this is not the time for that." You huffed, Bucky's hands going to the sides of your face.

If this was the last bit of time he had he needed you to know. "Sweetheart, listen to me. I love you, I never told you before because I'm a fucking idiot. But, I love you." He said quietly, steel blue eyes dancing back and forth as tears welled in your eyes.

"We're gonna die aren't we?" Your shaky voice broke his heart. He shook his head, looking down at you. "No, no. I promise, I won't let anything happen to you. I swear, I wont."

"What the hell do we do?" You exhaled, pressing the heels of your palms to your eyesockets. "I... I'm going to do something and I need you to run. As fast as you can, up the stairs. Don't worry about me. Okay? Just fucking run until you get to the car, get in and drive. I'll be fine."

It was finally your turn to look at him like he'd lost his mind. "You're fucking stupid if you think I'm leaving y-"

Bucky's hand left hand clamped over your mouth again when heavy footsteps started down the hallway, free hand clicking the light off.

You squeezed your eyes shut as the footsteps got closer, waiting for the moment the door was jerked open and all of it would be over, with so much that was left unsaid.

You let out a breath that had been trapped in your lungs when the footsteps passed the door, Bucky leaning to talk as quiet as he could in your ear. "You have to. Go to the station, a neighbors, anything. Just get out."

You nodded in agreement and he lowered his hand, taking his gun from the holster and opening the door.

Your heart pounded in your ears as he stepped into the hallway cautiously, gesturing for you to come out. "Straight to the car and drive away." He ordered, a loud slam of a door making both of you look back down the hallway.

"Bucky-" You started, going to grab his arm before he aimed at the lanky figured at the end of the hallway.

A single shot was let off, going straight into the man's chest; but he still didn't stop his long strides towards the two of you. "You can't escape." His ominous voice chuckled, echoing against the walls.

Bucky swallowed thickly and aimed again, firing each round into the sinister form before shoving the firearm back into it's designated spot and grabbing your shoulders. "Run."

Your eyes tore away from the menacing saunter the man kept as you darted towards the end of the hall where the large room started; Bucky following.

A loud, heart wrenching scream made your stomach churn, looking behind you to see the man pulling a knife from Bucky's side. You froze, not sure if you should try to help Bucky, or run for help as he grew closer to you.

A shake of Bucky's head as he fumbled back to his feet sent you up the stairs, a hand wrapping around your ankle and jerking your leg from under you; your chin smacking one of the wooden stairs making you whimper.

You blinked away the fuzzy feeling in your vision and gripped onto the splintering wood, pulling your body forward as you brought your knee up and rammed the bottom of your foot into his face; getting out of his grip long enough to climb the last of the stairs.

Jerking the front door open, you stumbled off the porch and down the driveway. The car was right there, nearly in your reach as your legs worked fast to carry you closer to it.

The keys were still in the ignition, but the engine wouldn't turn over; the starter clicking again and again as you sobbed and screamed for it to start.

Pounding on the steering wheel; you cursed and screamed before you gripped it as you took a deep, shaky breath, looking to where the two phones once sat in the cubby hole under the stereo. "Fuck!" You cried, pulling yourself from the car.

The front door was jerked open again, making you stop in your tracks and look to who it was.

"Buck-" you felt a tinge of relief paint over the fear that surged your veins, his once neat, clean uniform shirt now torn on his side and blood soaked. "Go! The woods! Go!" He barked, making his way down the broken down porch steps as fast as he could to follow behind you.

Lungs burning, tears streaking your face in fear for your best friend and legs threatening to give out each time your feet pounded against the dirt, you glanced over your shoulder to see where Bucky went; arms suddenly encasing your mid-section and pulling you to a near by tree.

A scream tried to rip from your chest, the familiar coolness of metal clasping over your lips stopping it. "Shhh!" Bucky hissed, bruises blooming on his face and blood coating his teeth from the cut on his lip.

Breathing heavily through your nose, you let your eyes close. The thundering of your heart making it hard to hear anything. "There's a neighboring house just outside the treeline. You can make it there." He said once he was sure there wasn't anyone close by.

"What about you?" You said once he moved his hand, voice shaky and hoarse from how raw your throat felt. "I'm gonna try. C'mon."

He pulled you along behind him, feet moving fast over logs and vines that littered the ground.

Bucky suddenly stopped, tugging you to go infront of him and urging you faster; the break in the woods getting closer and closer, finally walking into the neighboring yard.

A middle aged man answered your frantic knocking, shock and fear etching across his face at the sight on his front porch. "Deputy James Barnes, we need to use your phone." Bucky said holding his badge up.

A simple nod and he moved aside to let the two of you in; locking all of the locks on his door before going to where his home phone sat. "Honey! Can I get some help down here?! Sit down, my wife is a nurse, let her look at that." The man said, handing Bucky the phone and gesturing to one of the dining chairs.

"Are you okay? Do you need some water?" He asked, reaching a hand towards you. "Yes, please." You croaked out, still on edge that the man could come through the door at any moment.

"Oh, my god." A woman gasped from the bottom of the stairs. "What happened to the two of you?"

"Long story." Bucky groaned, letting her lift his uniform shirt to inspect the gash on his side. "I'm calling it in, we'll be outta here soon. Okay, sugar?" The promising look in Bucky's eyes added hope back into your heart. "Yeah."

Soon, ambulances and patrol cars filled the road, Bucky insisting on going with Steve and Sam to search the perimeter again; no matter how many times you protested. Only getting promises that it'd be fine as the paramedics ushered you to the ambulance.

Every second felt like an hour as you waited for the three men to appear back from the woods, Bucky limping this time as he walked to stand in front of you.

"Are you okay?" You said, lifting your hands to his blood and dirt covered cheeks, seeing him wince slightly. "I'm fine, we're fine." He said, giving a light smile and taking your hands in his, holding them to his chest. "You're staying with me tonight. Alright, babygirl?"

You gave a soft nod, pressing a tender kiss to his busted bottom lip before leaning your forehead against his. "'M so tired." You sighed, Bucky's hands moving to massage the tops of your sore thighs. "Can stay as long as you want and need."

______________

Two weeks passed, you still hadn't left Bucky's apartment to stay in your own. Every time you slept you could hear the woman's voice that hadn't been found; Bucky being right next to you when you'd force yourself awake seemed to help.

He never mentioned the incident after all of the reports and paperwork had been finished, he didn't want to bring back any memories you had managed to lock away.

But, he was worried, it affected you a lot more than it did him and it scared him. He watched you scrub the clothes from that night so many times before just throwing them away.

He didn't want you to leave the safety of his apartment or his bed for your own. It was the only thing to ease the constant uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Bucky saw the pained look on your face everytime you'd see the crooked scar on his side, it was completely different than the loving way you'd look at the one on his shoulder. So, when you'd trace it with your fingertips he'd always make it a point to tell you it wasn't your fault and how much he loved you.

He swore to himself that nothing would be left unspoken again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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