#they're wading birds

[kedreeva]

Do you eat peahen eggs? If yes, what do they taste like?

My wife raises geese and their eggs are huge, 3x the size of a hen’s eggs, and are generally fluffier and delicately sweeter.

I do! They taste like an egg.

I'm not allowed to answer anything more, apparently

[eufezco]

BIRDS OF A FEATHER༄

the tva erased you from your timeline when logan died, you've been living in the void since then.

angst + fluff. no use of y/n. english isn't my first language (!)

you couldn't take your eyes off them.

you were at the table sitting next to logan, on his other side was laura. he held wade's dog while she played with it and you couldn't take your eyes off them. you couldn't believe it. you had to pinch yourself a few times to confirm that you weren't dreaming.

you thought you'd never see a scene like that ever again. the two of them together. how many times you had looked at the sky and cursed the universe for not giving the three of you more time?

when your logan died, the time variance authority decided that the sacred timeline didn't need you anymore so they erased you and sent you to the void. you preferred it that way, you didn't want to live in a timeline in which he was gone but you were also angry because they didn't have to drag little laura to that place with you.

you didn't remember how much time you spent in the void but seeing how laura had grown into a woman, you guessed that it had been a long time since you left your timeline.

when you got to that place, she was just a child. scared, angry, who had just lost the most important person in her life. and you were just the same, except that you were not a child and you had to take care of both of you. no matter how much you wanted to die, you had to stay alive for laura. but also for logan, for the way you both cried and held his bloody hands while he died and for not letting her be what they made her for.

and no matter how strong your mutations were, you didn't know how long you would have lasted there if it hadn't been for elektra, johnny, blade, and gambit. they found you when you were escaping from alioth and let you into their hideout. they explained to you how things worked there and eventually, they allowed you to stay with them.

until one day you walked into that same hiding place, and there he was, drinking gambit's alcohol and wearing a yellow spandex suit. you felt your heart beating so hard that it seemed to be fighting to get out and reach him. you brought a hand to your chest to feel it. it had gone so long without beating that way that sometimes you thought you left it buried with him in your timeline.

logan also felt his heartbeat accelerate but he quickly took his eyes off of you and drank a long sip from the bottle. he wasn't alone, a deadpool was with him, you recognized the suit, they were quite popular in the void. he shook his hands and gave little jumps of excitement. you looked at him confused, did you know each other?

—of course, you are here! there's no you without logan and there's no logan without you! do you know how hard it's been to find a proper wolverine? there are so many fucking timelines without one because you died! —deadpool exclaimed when he saw you. —and this one is not even a proper wolverine! you know they call him the worst logan? and he won't tell me why they call him that, can you believe it?—deadpool acted offended, you didn't know what to say. —wait... —he turned to look at logan. —was there a she in your timeline? i didn't get to meet her, they're usually nicer than you.

logan ignored the question and simply drank from the bottle again as he stormed out of your hideout.

he avoided you as much as he could. he did not look you in the eyes, he did not address you when he spoke. how could he? the last time logan saw you, your lifeless body was piled up next to scott's. shame consumed him even at the thought of just approaching you. his hands trembled, a knot formed in his stomach, his pulse quickened.

you came over to talk to him that same night.

logan was sitting in front of the campfire, alone, with a bottle of liquor in his hand. how many had he drunk? he saw you approaching and tried to convince you that he wanted to be alone but you still sat next to him.

—what was i like?

logan took a long sip of alcohol when you asked. he said nothing, just stared into the fire, so you decided to take the turn. —you were grumpy, i guess that doesn't change in any of your variants, and you wouldn't have worn that yellow spandex suit in a thousand years.

he looked at you with a frown when you said that. the same way your logan would have looked at you. you continued talking. —you were stubborn, never asked for help, and you were tired all the fucking time because you worked your ass off to get us out of the shitty place we were living in.

he stared at you in silence while you talked. the person you were describing definitely sounded like a version of him.

—you always said that i didn't need to wait up for you but i know you liked it when you came home late at night and i was there and i know you hated the way i folded your shirts but you never said anything because you knew i didn't know how to do it any other way.

you felt a lump forming in your throat. you turned your head, hiding your face from logan so he couldn't see how you used your thumb to wipe away the tear rolling down your cheek. —but you were so brave, and caring, and i loved you with all my heart. you always looked after me even when you were fucking dying with each passing day.

by the tone in your voice and how well you remembered every detail, he guessed that your logan was suddenly taken away from you. oh, he knew that feeling so well.

you were about to get up and leave, you didn't want to bother him anymore and you had already overshared enough with him, when all of a sudden, he started talking.

—you were the sweetest. fuck, i never knew why you were with me. i always thought you deserved better, but there was no way to get you off my ass —. he closed his eyes and shook his head. —and i tried, i tried to push you away and get you to find a guy who deserved you, but there was no way. and i didn't really want you to do it because i was so fucking in love with you.

logan drank from the bottle, trying to let the alcohol sliding down his throat drag with it the tears forming in his eyes. —you liked to read in the garden of the mansion on sunny days and when it rained you'd open my bedroom window to listen to the rain and get into my bed while i was sleeping so i could keep you warm.

there was silence as logan took another sip, almost finishing all the alcohol. —and i left you to fucking die.

the worst logan. at that moment you understood why he was called that, you didn't him to explain it. wade said that in all the timelines he had visited, there was no you without logan and there was no logan without you.

however, in his timeline there was logan but there wasn't you.

he was called the worst logan because he was doomed to live in his timeline without you.

you grabbed the bottle from his hands and drank the alcohol left. —yeah, i couldn't save you either.

you kept each other company that night. most of the time in silence, watching the fire consume the wood, other times you commented on the situation, you talked about cassandra nova, the people you had met there in the void, he even asked you about laura. and at the end of the night, you were sitting next to him with your head resting on his shoulder and him watching you sleep peacefully.

the next morning you headed off to fight cassandra nova. you knew that logan would end up joining you, it was in his nature.

you and laura managed to remove the helmet from juggernaut's head and you ran to give it to wade. when cassandra opened the portal using strange's ring you were there, you could've left with wade and logan, but you couldn't leave laura there. cassandra's allies had pulled themselves together and she was struggling to fight back.

before you went to help her and logan jumped into the portal, he wrapped one of his big arms around your waist and pulled you into a kiss. you rested your hands against his chest and closed your eyes, enjoying those few seconds of your lips pressed together.

—oh, fuck. seriously now? i know how important fan service is for marvel but we literally have a chance to get the fuck out of here—. wade complained.

—i'll get you out. you and the kid, i promise i won't leave you here —. he said as he started walking backward towards the portal. you nodded, if there was one thing you were sure of, it was that no wolverine in the multiverse would break a promise.

and just as you were right about all wolverines being grumpy, you were right about that too. agents from the time variance authority went into the void to get you and laura that same day and now you were having dinner with him, laura, wade, and his family.

you couldn't take your eyes off him.

he had the same look in his eyes. that little sparkle in his deep brown eyes. he was happy, smiling as he played with the dog and laura, calm knowing that you were by his side. you looked away from him when he caught you staring.

—what is it?

you shook your head and pressed your lips together, showing him a little smile. —nothing.

—come on, spit it out.

—it's just... i feel i could fall in love with every version of you.

logan nodded slowly, his eyes were now fixed on yours. —i've had the same feeling.

wade, who was distracted with vanessa but not enough to not be paying attention to your conversation, decided to intervene. —oh honey, wait until you meet the crucified one. you will want to take that back.

you and logan looked at each other confused.

[herpsandbirds]

Hi! Love your blog and the information you share. Can we see some black herons? They are elegant goth water birds with beautiful plumage. They're also kind of goofy with their canopy feeding method, like a goth with a black parasol. Most people probably recognize them from a BBC series as the "Nighttime! Daytime!" bird. Recently, Ze Frank's True Facts featured black herons, "I mess with the fishes!" We need more black herons in our dashboards. Thank you!

Hello yes, absolutely, every hair on my body this is a really wonderful wading bird…



Black Egret aka Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca), family Ardeidae, order Pelicaniformes, Lake Naivasha, Kenya

Photograph by Tony Castro



Using its wings to create shade, which may attract some small fish, but also reduces the glare over the water making it easier to find prey,  Marievale Nature Reserve, South Africa

Photograph by Derek Keats

[incorrect-poolverine-quotes]

Wade: I am an expert at identifying birds.

Logan: Okay, what about those ones flying over there?

Wade: Yeah, they're all birds.

[hedgehog-moss]

In my neverending quest to keep Pampérigouste from achieving her dreams, I have launched a formal investigation into her last escape, which I had no explanations for at the time.

I figured it out! At the far far end of her pasture, near the road, a few fence posts have become more or less horizontal (the ground is quite wet / muddy there so they've never been very stable, especially with Pirlouit using them to scratch his forehead)—so instead of a high jump + long jump combo to get to the road, Pampe just had to clear the long jump over the ditch. Which is still impressive.

I also suspect that she chose to escape from this place near the road on a snowy morning as a deliberate strategy, knowing the snow plough would erase any traces of her jump, thus preventing me from discovering where the weak spot in the fence was. Well done.

You need 2 people to fix these fence posts so in the meantime I decided to kill two birds with one stone: cut all the broom and thorny bushes in this corner of the pasture and use them to form a discouraging barrier. I set to work earlier this week, and here's the same place as above, mid-process:

When I texted my mum to tell her about my new thorn-based anti-Pampe plan of action, she said "Like the Maasai who make fences with thorny acacia branches to keep out lions!" and it made me feel even more confident. I mean, I have neither acacia nor Maasai fencing techniques but my thorny shrubs are pretty aggressive, they pricked my fingers even through my thick work gloves—which felt satisfying in an anticipatory way. Excellent! prick Pampe's nose exactly like this. How could a llama not be deterred by a fence material that deters apex predators?

Vexingly enough, she seemed quite supportive of my efforts. At one point she breathed some warm air against my shoulder in a gentle, patronising way.

We were engaged in psychological warfare all afternoon—every time I stepped away from my vegetal fence, feeling like it was now good enough, Pampe would immediately come to inspect it, cheerful and impatient, which sapped my confidence so I would go and add a few more shrubs. (Note that I sort of plaited the first / biggest shrubs with the pre-existing fence so they don't go flying on the road, and so Pampe can't just push them aside.)

On the right: Poldine, looking for little fresh leaves to eat amidst the chaos. On the left: Pampérigouste, thinking.

(At this point the barrier was only 20% thorns, and 80% broom—the fact that she waded through it without a care and didn't prick her belly made me go and add more thorny shrubs, and pack them more densely)

It's kind of fun watching Pampe think, honestly. Can I jump over this? Do I have enough visibility? Can I eat my way to freedom (again)? But these shrubs are disgusting. Am I above exploiting my daughter's lack of culinary discernment to achieve my goals? Maybe I should go back to my calculations re: probability of wild boar destruction. I may have pincushions for hands after handling prickly bushes for two hours but I'm helping stimulate my llama's intellect and creativity and that's so important.

I tried to alternate broom and thorny branches so that the non-thorny broom became tangled up with thorns and brambles to form an impenetrable and incomprehensible wall. I will call it this method the salmagundi-fence.

Poldine is in awe of my vegetal installation.

Can I just say, compared to Pampérigouste who constantly has a devilish glint in her eye, Pampelune's face exudes wholesome politeness and moral goodness. It's still hard to believe they're mother and daughter.

I went home once my fence started looking like Maleficent's forest of thorns and Pampe had long stopped trying to wade through it, but I still felt antsy and ended up coming back one hour later to have my apéritif with the llamas so I could keep an eye on Pampe until nightfall.

... where is Pampe?

Oh. Here. No worries!

Still staring at the road. Still thinking.

...

With all that said, please admire my beautifully delirious Forest of Thorns-fence and let me know what you think.

[luveline]

i see ur thinking abt the marauders and i was just thinking abt them too!! i just saw a thread on twt abt how much men hate their girlfriends but wont break up with them (😖😖) and couldn't stop thinking abt how james would be so BAFFLED reading it!! would you be able to write something for that? its perfectly fine if not!! ily <33

I luv you! I'm not sure what thread you mean but I made a guess, sorry if it's not right ♡ fem, 1k

modern au. cw mention of toxic/hurtful relationships

"What is that?" James asks, pushing the sheets back as he climbs in beside you. His bowl of cereal is heaping, upwards of ten weetabix doused in milk, sugar, raspberries, blueberries, and a generous squeeze of honey.

"What?" you ask, showing him your phone screen. 

James leans over you to scroll back up. "Men who hate their girlfriends?" 

"Oh, it's like, people posting their screenshots, I think." You click on the tweet he'd been pointing at and show him the replies underneath. "It's just boys who act like they don't love their partners but won't break up with them either, there's loads on there." 

"What?" he asks, holding his bowl in one hand. "Can I?" You give him your phone happily, watching as he reads through some of the examples, screenshots from different websites and forums. "'Recently had to tell a friend's bird that he was calling her all sorts of names. I'm loyal to my friends, but you could hear the hatred in his voice sometimes. She left him two days later and he was surprised, for some reason.'"

James' eyebrows pinch. He continues, "'Am I in the wrong for asking my husband to stay awake with me during my early morning labour? He keeps bringing it up.'" James shows you your phone screen. "Like, he's mad she didn't let him sleep through the birth of their child?" 

"You know, there was a video on there a few weeks ago where a girl had put together a compilation of her boyfriend play fighting with her, and each video got nastier and nastier." You reach for the spoon to his bowl to start chopping up the weetabix the way he likes. "He was kicking her legs from under her and she was laughing it off. Once or twice, I'd think it was funny, but he wasn't even laughing himself." 

"Why the fuck?" James asks. 

"I don't know. Can I have a raspberry?" 

"They're in there for you to steal…" James watches you chew. You try not to pay too much attention to his staring, plopping your phone down in the sheets between your legs. "Why are these boys getting with women they don't like?" 

"I don't know, Jamie," you tell him honestly, wading through his bowl for another raspberry. "I think they get comfortable." 

He accepts the spoon back from you and you slouch down the fabric headboard together. James eats his weetabix slowly, the TV sending a light blue light into your otherwise dark room. "It's a bit late for supper," you murmur. "Were you hungry?" 

James puts his bowl on the nightstand. Coils of curls brush your forehead as he leans down, one big hand on the back of your neck and the other stretched across the shoulder furthest away from him, holding you in place as he kisses the top of your head. It's a weighty kiss, full of love. "I love you. Don't ever let anyone treat you like those boys on your phone, yeah?" 

You hum lightly. "That's what boys are like." 

"I know. I'm just begging you not to let people do that to you." He rubs your shoulder roughly, a massaging that hurts in the good way. "You know, if you can. I get that it's not their choice." 

"Yeah. I think people want so badly to be loved that they'll take the pretend kind. I was lucky to find you before you found someone else. You always make me happy." 

"This is what I mean," he whines, resting his cheek on your forehead. You sigh happily at his touch, more than ready for a night of his arms around you, a heavy leg thrown over your hips to lock you in. "You think you're lucky because of those dickheads." 

"No, it doesn't have anything to do with them. Just you." 

James sits up to turn your face to his. "Love you," he says, kissing you quickly. 

"Love you too. Don't stress about the phone, babe, you're not the audience they're looking for." 

James hears your teasing tone toward the end, poking your side. "What's that for?" 

"Nothing, just, you tried to follow me into the bathroom last night even when I told you I wasn't showering. If you're that eager to sit with me while I pee, I doubt you'll be the kind of guy who ends up on that forum." 

"It wasn't about the peeing, stop trying to shame me," he grumbles, again pulling you in for a hug, "it was separation anxiety. I miss you."

"I get why these women end up like that, though," you say quietly. "I get why they stay. If you started shoving me for a laugh or whatever, I'd think about this, because you love me. Does that make sense? I'm so happy right now that I wouldn't want to believe that you didn't love me anymore." 

"I know. It's fucking sad. I can't believe they do shit like that, it's pure selfishness." James settles back in his pillow. "I wouldn't ever do that shit to you. I know everyone says that, but I have to say it anyway." 

"I know, Jamie. Don't worry. I'm not worried about it, only talking." 

You offer him your hand. James takes it, rubs the back of it, brings it to his lips for a barely felt kiss. "Is there anything happy on that app?" he asks. 

"Uh, I saw a video of a baby girl who only stops crying when her cat comes to check on her. Or a pregnancy reveal where the boyfriend starts crying and begging her to get married." 

James rests his face on your shoulder, snuffling into your skin contentedly, "Ah, so my future. Put it on, angel." 

[eloquentlytired]

— when the time comes, part two

pairing: logan howlett x gn! reader

part one is here

drabble,fluff, wade is briefly here <3 and blind al (slay)

summary: perhaps logan’s wish to find you in a different timeline comes true. and this time he doesn't only find you, but wade as well.

author’s note: I was wondering if I should add laura somehow to this scene but I think it came out perfect like this! what if I make a part three for the dinner/table scene where they're all together with wade though enjoy babies !!! this low-key made me cryyy... as always reblogs & likes & conversations are sooo welcome ^_^

“this is logan.”

you turn around as wade’s voice echoes within the small apartment. you'd been roommates for a while since you both were struggling with rent and this sort of arrangement had been quite beneficial. your friendship with wade had flourished in no time and you had somehow managed to become less anxious with his help, always having silly laughs and finding nice things even in the toughest situations.

you begin moving away from the kitchen area as you hear a dialogue going on — wade, al and a voice that didn't remind you of anything.

“finally, sweet cheeks. thought i’d have to start a new pissing ritual for you to show up!” wade chimes while placing a hand on his hip and looking straight at you. Whatever follows after, it never reaches your ears.

you stand there frozen, spatula falling from your hands, as your gaze stares at the man behind wade. you don’t know him but at the same time you do. that messy hair, that beard and those eyes. whoever that man was, he must have felt what you were feeling as he also stills by wade’s side. the silence that follows is long and awkward for the others but not for you and this man; at least that's what wade points out and ruins the moment. “right. if you're done eye fucking each other — and by the way sweet cheeks I thought we had something special — but yes if you're done..” wade walks towards you and gently pushes the goofiest dog ever in your hands. what the fuck?

“—I have a bath to run. gotta get those pores unclogged before my big party.” you tried to protest but wade was already gone and al was leaving as well, muttering something about holy sugar time.

the pair of eyes across you never leave yours. you stare back at the strange man named logan; at least that's what you'd heard wade call him. “I...nice to meet you.” you finally whisper while slowly setting the dog down, your hand instinctively reaching towards logan. the taller man leans forward as well and holds your hand, shaking it in the process. “i’m logan. thanks for having me.” he murmurs and for a man his size, you didn't anticipate such simplicity and gentleness in his voice. your eyes fill with unshed tears and for an unknown reason logan reaches out to wipe them away before they stain your cheeks. you shudder at the strange familiarity of those warm digits upon your skin. logan swallows thickly. “do I know you?” he asks and you look at him with wide, sparkly eyes. you were the prettiest thing he'd ever seen. ��it feels like it, doesn't it?” was the only reply you could offer him as he nods.

a moment passes. then two. logan drops his hand from your face, realizing the boundaries he's crossing. not that you really minded his touch. you quickly compose yourself and wipe the remaining wetness from your face before shifting your gaze in between logan and the kitchen.

“are- are you hungry,logan?” you suddenly ask, your voice kind of shaky.

the surprise on his face lasts briefly before a small but genuine smile settles on his features. “yeah. starving actually.” you chuckle. he does too.

as logan follows you into the kitchen, and despite wade’s awful singing coming from the bathroom, you think about the cheapest bed you can buy tomorrow for the third addition in your family.

[inkskinned]

your phone is still saved in my car's bluetooth memory and my phone still has nick's speakers system saved and every time i switch my pillowcases i do it the way regina taught dominic who taught me how to do it too.

i still flinch because of how [ ] hurt me yeah but a few weeks ago alex and i sat on their floor and talked about how i am able to touch the people i love now, when four years ago i couldn't stand any human contact at all, horrified by the way it made my skin crawl

i didn't remember about the trip we took once up into the rivers and mountains, how you'd been there too, wading deep in the water, how i gave you a rock after. i was scrolling in my instagram history trying to find something else completely and then all the sun of the day came back, how you and me and crisco and maddie all howled songs in the car the whole ride home, my foot to the floorboards, absolutely speeding. i take a lot of pictures because my brain barely holds my own name (it's like the scene in spongebob all the time up there, i tell ziara, because i talk on the phone now, a lot, the way you taught me to enjoy) and the pictures are really good because they're filled with my friends and my activities and the light in my life and the pictures are also really bad because sometimes i am reminded that i used to be horribly in love with you, the kind of love that blots out the sun and moon, no matter how many times other people said she's not good for you

so i go through my memories carefully like stepping through a blackberry bush because i don't know if im embarrassed or hurt but it doesn't feel good and my spotify still has the playlist saved from your birthday party like four years ago and google maps still remembers alison's old address on melrose street even though she moved like forever ago and in my notes app i have like 106 non sequiturs i can no longer parse but they must have been important enough to write down so i don't delete them just-in-case their meanings reveal themselves like fog parting over the bluegreen hills

the birds are singing and i know how to identify a robin because of edie and i know how to make a souffle set properly because molly showed me, her hair untangling from her high bun, gentle and pretty; and i know how to bake because my mama taught me and i had forgotten i wrote you a love poem but then onedrive says today in your memories

[lil-tachyon]

I want to clarify I don't mean that it looks like it in terms of "it looks like you're aping it" or anything like that, but your art gives off intense vibes similar to Moebius' work. Just the way it's kind of instantly recognizable. And how you somehow convey soooo much form and shape and weight with what seems like the absolute bare minimum amount of light and shading necessary. Hmm you said to send you asks. What's your favorite animal?

Thank you for the kind words!!

Favorite animal is hard- it's a question where my answer drifts a lot over time and if you asked me again a year from now I might say something completely different.

I really like salamanders in general. They're very pretty and they just like to hang out under logs and rocks. Red-backed Salamanders are pretty common where I live and this drawing is based off a photo of one that I took (although the colors are waaaaay off, I was a little rusty with the markers).

Growing up in heavily suburbanized central New Jersey I don't get to see a whole lot of wild megafauna with two exceptions: deer and herons. The Great Blue Heron is a fairly common sight along the Raritan River and its tributaries. I think because there are so few other large animals around, especially birds, it still feels like a treat to see one flying around or wading in the water. They're big and elegant and beautiful.

I've always thought horseshoe crabs are really cool. They bring a real "Cambrian Explosion" vibe to the beach that would be very lacking otherwise.

Anyway, I guess the theme here is "animals that feel out of place in New Jersey but live here nonetheless."

Thanks for the ask!

[knight-a3]

Humanformers: Soundwave and fam

Soundwave: "Walt" Walter Saunders aka "Mr Sounders"

TFP Soundwave: Wade Saunders

Rumble and Frenzy: Rufus and Frankie(Franklin)

Ravage is a large black cat, Buzzsaw is a "pet" crow, and Ratbat is a pet rat(I couldn't justify a pet bat). Lazerbeak is TFP Soundwave's "pet" raven. The boys named all the animals. The birds are "pets" because I don't think it's legal to have them as pets.

More under the cut

These guys have become some of my favorites to play with in this silly Humanformers AU thing. Soundwave/Walt is so tired. He's a pretty chill guy, but he's got his weird cryptid younger brother (who lives in an underground bunker in the woods, wears a formal suit all the time, wears a weird mask, and hardly ever talks), then he's got his twin boys, who are a... handful. Don't ask who the mom is, I do not know. But they are actually his.

Walt is a musician streamer called MrSounders, but part of the appeal to his audience is the nonsense that happens in the background. Usually the twins do or say something insane. Like, they once decided to play "piñata" with their friend, Samson(OC), which consisted of tying up Samson and hitting him with a bat. They didn't mean it maliciously, they're just stupid. Walt stopped it before anyone got hurt.

Nobody is sure what Wade's deal is. He's got surveillance on the whole city, but why....?? And the suit???

[afyrian]

ch. one - deep blue memories masterlist

    "today, we're separating into your usual groups and you'll take turns examining each of the specimens. your goal is to figure out what's ailing them and how you would solve the issue. there will be multiple answers for some of them, so don't be worried if there's disagreement within your groups," your professor stands in front of you, a thick notebook settling into your arm, small marks forming on your skin. 

  you've done this more than once before, but with it being your final year in the program, there's even more pressure to perform. you peak over at the turtle habitat, the beautiful colors on its shell catching your eye. the professor then steps off to the side, "group one, you're with the dolphin. group two, you're checking out the sea turtle. group three with the octopus and group four with the squids."

  the number two always seemed to be your good luck number, because the sea turtle was ultimately what you wanted. you find your way through the group to your closest comrade, atsumu miya. knowing him through high school would have never made you think that he'd go into marine biology. his love for volleyball seemed as though it would last through college, but now he stands beside you, watching a turtle. 

  his enthusiasm, however, carried over and now it's all he can talk about. truthfully, you enjoy watching him smile as you compare homework answers. "so, initial thoughts?" you stare down at the turtle, watching as it turns around in the small enclosure. 

  brown and beige colors intertwine along the turtle's shell. the length appears a little over a meter long, the length and appearance of the shell leading you to believe it's a green sea turtle. "well, green sea turtle for starters-"

  "yes... what else?"

  "if you would so kindly let me finish, i was going to say, it looks like there's something on its fin," atsumu raises an eyebrow, leaning against the railing of the enclosure. 

  a couple of your other teammates mutter in agreement, one of them mentioning how it looks tumorous. your eyes narrow as you stare down the spot, fingers just barely dipping into the water. the cool temperature grasping at your fingers remind you of a simpler time. baby sea turtles struggling to make their way through the sand. 

  seagulls picking at them as they form lines in the sand, your fingers grappling at them to help them to the water. 'honey, you have to let them take the journey on their own. you can guide them, but you can't just drop them in the water,' your mom kneels beside you, lowering her sunglasses to meet your eyes.

  she grabs a hold of your hand, leading you to swat away any birds that come close, waiting until they're just barely in the water. her hands moving yours into the cool ocean water, draping the baby turtles with a little freshness-

  "you okay? you've been staring off into the distance as i monologued on how i would solve this mystery," he turns his body towards yours, watching as your fingers wade through the water, eyes focused on the growth.

  you look back him, eyes flickering back to the turtle in front of you. there was always something interesting about the ocean, something that intrigued you about life within the water. "yeah, just cycling my mind through the different things that cause growths on green sea turtles. there's always fibropap... what is the full name of it?"

  "oh what is that, fibropapilla?" atsumu narrows his eyes, pursing his lips as the gears turn.

  "fibropapillomatosis... it's a tumor-causing disease," a voice pipes up, one that sounds unfamiliar to you.

  everyone in your class has been going through the program for years together, making it hard to not know a member. especially when you look up and find that there's something truly unforgettable about the nearby individual. his dull blue eyes appears similar to that of the ocean as you venture deeper in the water. 

  he stands a couple of feet behind you, his clothes matching that of an employee. "it can be found in all green sea turtle species. while there aren't currently treatments available for it, we can try to remove it in the hopes that it'll help," the mysterious man takes a step towards the tub, arms wrapped around a clipboard. 

  despite his apparent knowledge of the turtles, it's clear that he doesn't want to get close to the water, for unknown reasons. "right, you're totally right. we'd have to test and see, but yeah. uh, are you a new transfer student?" you furrow your eyebrows, clean hand scratching at your jaw line.

  "no, just visiting," his gaze meets yours, and the longer you stare into his eyes, the longer you want to drown in them. 

  "well, thanks for the help, visitor," atsumu comments, hands resting on his hips, biceps just barely flexing as he stares down the mystery guest.

  you look back at your closest confidant, eyebrows raised. while atsumu can be a little hostile around new people, you couldn't help but feel a little annoyed at how he immediately chooses passive aggressiveness. he looks back at you and shrugs, eyes flickering between you and the visitor.  

  the visitor swallows, clearly a little bit more nervous at atsumu's actions. before you can read the little name tag that is written on his lanyard, he's turning around, moving to the next group. he walks around a bit awkwardly. it seems as though he has a limp or something that affects his walking abilities. 

  you turn back to atsumu, pursing your lips. "i get you have that intuition thing going for you, but you just met the guy. come on," you lightly slap his upper arm, shoulders dropping.

  "something just seems off about the guy, that's all."

  "just be a bit nicer, especially if he is going to be here for a bit. for all we know he could be finding people for an internship or a job once we graduate. don't ruin your chances if that's the case," you push your finger into the upper part of his chest, bringing your hand back to cross your arms over your chest.

  atsumu raises an eyebrow, shaking his head. "alright, just don't let his good looks blind you from your studies..."

  "oh you're ridiculous," you look back at where he stood; however, he seemingly disappeared from the other group. 

  for a second, a part of you longs to know where he's run off to. however, you quickly turn back to your own group and remember what you were doing in the first place. fibropapillomatosis... such an interesting term.

a/n: ahhh i hope people like this first one! taglist: @zombriesworld

[moonytoast-x]

my lovely collection of fanfic recs summarized by yours truly <3

✨all the young dudes✨: canon, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/10057010/chapters/22409387

dress up in you: muggle au, remus is a hot bassist and sirius is so gay for him, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/13990401/chapters/32213229

atyd sirius pov: self explanatory (complete work) https://archiveofourown.org/works/34577035

text talk: muggle au, text fic, remus has chronic illness and sirius texted the wrong number, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/1651109/chapters/3501239

you wouldn't like me: muggle au, trans sirius, wolfstar, set in like 2005, very vibes, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/45502642/chapters/11449071

blends: coffee shop au wolfstar <3 (complete work) https://archiveofourown.org/works/7869079/chapters/17970910

on another ocean: wolfstar goes on a trip across europe together and has incredible sexual tension, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/39128118/chapters/117226243#workskin

choices: jegulus/jegulily, mostly canon compliant, takes place during hogwarts years all through the war (REALLY FUCKING SAD WATCH OUT), complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/30170643/chapters/74332617

tigerlily and wolfsbane: lily pov of hogwarts years https://archiveofourown.org/works/33079969/chapters/82118059

wading in waist high waters: gbbo au wolfstar, sexual tension, sirius used to be in a boyband, remus is a welsh nerd (I love him), complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/36896740/chapters/92052442

dear your holiness: remus is a priest and a bassist and sirius is incredibly gay and also confused, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/35105491/chapters/87450694

the hand that feeds: canon compliant dorlene (be prepared to sob), complete work, theres also a part two that focuses on emmeline vance and mary https://archiveofourown.org/works/38287942/chapters/95669569

nothing fades like the light: zombie cowboy jegulus, shortish, so sAD, has some black brother feels </3 (complete work) https://archiveofourown.org/works/43550415/chapters/109497873

bury our secrets shallow: marauders+slythershits muggle small town au with black brothers sorting their shit out, also wolfstar and jegulus I think (complete work) https://archiveofourown.org/works/49550836/chapters/128345881#workskin

bird set free: wolfstar figure skating and all the sexual tension (major second hand embarrassment but it's kinda funny the second time you read it), complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/44271820/chapters/112378375#workskin

like real people do: muggle au where remus has epilepsy and works at a coffee shop, and sirius is raising harry bc jily still died (😭😭😭) and they fall in love, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/44399764/chapters/111670651

crimson rivers: hunger games au, really long, really fucking angsty, SO GOOD, complete work https://href.li/?https://archiveofourown.org/works/39760044

we can take it out back if you promise to give me a kiss after you take me down: rosekiller muggle au, wip, they're dramatic little shits and theyre going thru it https://archiveofourown.org/works/50777170/chapters/128269429

just lovers: no war au with starchaser and marylily and rosekiller and wolfstar and general happiness and wholesomeness, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/38344720

intermission: cute rosekiller side plot from just lovers (your honor I love them), complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/39437451/chapters/98704770#workskin

I'm not gonna teach him how to dance with you: rosekiller trying to stop barty from getting into an arranged marriage, in canon-without-the-war, lots of slythershit shenanigans, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/41378289/chapters/103762113

annoying: rosekiller wrong number text fic (like text talk but even funnier and less wolfstar), complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/44115820/chapters/121605580#workskin

kill your darlings: college hockey au, jegulus and wolfstar and marylily and barty x evan x cerci, very angsty most times, truly amazing, complete work https://archiveofourown.org/works/40038048/chapters/100269270

[dc-marvel-crossovers]

The DC/Marvel Crossover server is proud to present our summer Pool Noodle Party! Celebrating the rarest crossover pairs, both platonic and romantic. Courtesy of this post about ships that are too small to count as ships:

For our purposes, a “pool noodle” is a relationship tag that comes up with less than 30 hits on Ao3. Platonic (&) relationships count! Any and all crossover pairings with under 30 existing fics are welcome.

We have six themes. Each theme will have a week for posting creations and a week for celebrating — giving feedback and leaving comments. We’ll share everything that was created the previous week and try to spread the love, but also post rec lists of our favorite older fics that fit the theme.

For anybody who's interested in creating fanworks for existing fic, we'll be posting a list (soon) of fics whose authors have given permission for podfic, moodboards, art, and playlists inspired by their work!

Themes are relatively loose, so your ship might fit multiple themes — that’s fine! Entirely up to you when you post.

Check out the prompt lists! Keep in mind that fics do not have to fit a particular prompt, only the general theme for the week they're posted. These are just for inspiration.

Hackers, Paleolithic weapons, interplanetary romance, etc.

Robin Hood AU 

Mia Dearden & Kate Bishop

Eddie and Venom work at the Daily Planet 

Tony and Roy in rehab

Venom finds a new host 

Kree identity shenanigans

“I’m a doctor, not a _” 

Oracle & Jarvis 

Clint and Dick knew each other in the circus 

Starfire meets the Marvels 

Not necessarily femslash, but woman-centric!

Natasha Romanoff/Talia Al Ghul

Birds of Prey crossover 

Genderswap 

Amanda Waller puts together an all-female team 

Captain Britain Peggy Carter

Powerpuff Girls AU 

Diana Prince in SHIELD 

Selina Kyle as a Widow  

Coulson recruits Cassandra Cain

Blorbos who have been resurrected, who live in Daredevil territory, who deal with demonic shit, etc.

Lazarus Pit side effects

Priest!Jason 

"I think they came back wrong."

Dumpster bros 

Buffy crossover 

Nelson & Murdock in Gotham

Orpheus and Eurydice retelling

Angels and demons AU 

Clint Barton/John Constantine 

-powers, -heroes, -villains, -boys, -girls, and/or -soldiers!

Conner Kent gets adopted 

Powers/serum are sexually transmitted 

Loki joins the Legion of Doom

“Wait, I have powers in this universe?” 

Power swap 

Kryptonian biology quirks

Marvel character gets a Lantern ring

Supernatural crossover

Murder as a love language, or at least as a career.

John Wick AU 

Ronin!Clint / RedHood!Jason 

Outlaws team-up 

Gun/knife play 

Wade & Slade Wilson are related 

Marvel character trains Jason during Lost Days

Someone kills the Joker

The other Winter Soldier

Frank adopts Jason

Alternately, found family! Anything to do with relationships involving more than one person.

Band AU 

Team as family (or team as relationship)

Midnighter/Apollo/someone

Werewolf AU   

Biker gang AU 

“God help us if they ever join forces.” 

Teen Titans meet the Young Avengers 

Accidental alien planet multi-marriage

"Everybody lives in Clint's apartment building" civilian AU

[cruisie]

You can't hide, Bug.

(Based on the song You can't hide by Ck9c. Specifically, the time stamp 1:12 to 1:40)

This version of Bug the hunter runs from the boys as they try to navigate their way through and out of the trap filled swamp called Silverbend. Whilst running, they run into what seems like help. In a dark and feathery form that says nothing. 

(I think of this as an alternative path on how the Blood moon episode could've gone. Left ambiguous on how it concludes, but it seems that our water bug has run out of options.)

The pounding of a frantic heart was deafening in the inexperienced hunter's ears as they clawed their way through thick, untamed brush and swamp mud as they fled from a unwanted fate. They heaved as they climbed atop roots and waded through the murky water, ignoring the shooting and almost immeasurable pain in their right leg, anguished and hurrying to escape the ones who laughed from what seemed like just behind them. Willing to take their chances against whatever lurked just beneath the surface of the water if only to avoid the swamp denizens' searching eyes. 

They knew stopping to catch what breath they had left was an awful idea. A dangerous one that might have them at the mercy of one of the beings they had encountered. Two Alligator half-bloods, one who called himself Bodie and the other who remained nameless. Between the two, Bodie was the larger one, thick heavy scales covering multiple parts of his body and knowing desperate yellow eyes. The second unnamed gator was smaller, with seemingly sharper, more pointed scales and longer curled hair. His eyes, a bright golden color, almost glowing enraged eyes that shone with the intensity of the most chaotic sunset.

Both inhabitants of the swamp followed the hunter they deemed the name "Bug" into the swamp after they managed to escape their confines of Bodies shack. To say it scared the now named Bug was an understatement. They had no clue as to whether or not their team survived, the pain in their leg was only growing more intense the farther they ran. They didn't even know where they were in the swamp. The engorged moon above that bathed the entire world in a violent red light was no help as it reflected off the water, painting it a vibrant crimson. Ragged breaths spilled from dry lips as they slowed their pace, reaching a large tree and leaning against it. Pressing their shoulder against the bark to rest, they grasped at their chest to slow down their thundering heart.

They scanned their surroundings quickly. Tears were threatening to fall before faint voices emerged in the distance. 'Oh gods, they're close.' 

Almost as soon as the thought came to be, it was quickly forgotten as a sudden sharp caw jolts them from their action. They jump at the noise that rustles from behind them, whipping around to gaze at the source. Their eyes lock onto the culprit. 

Surprise takes place of fear as they spot a small, dark figure jumping from one twisted root to the other. Big beaded eyes stare back as feathers turn visible when it jumps in the light, head turned with small croaking noises emitted from deep within its small body. 'A..raven?' More laughter from the younger half-blood erupts from not too far away, sending more fear into the individual. The terror filled human bites back a whimper. 'Be quiet. Be quite. Don't. let. them. hear. you.' A chant forms in their head, pushing themselves off the tree and holding themselves as steady as they could, searching for a path of escape. 

The hunter turned prey clenches their jaw. Taking one step forward, then another, ignoring the pain radiating at each step. The raven that was only watching as they walked away not but a second ago lifts its wings, a harsh call emitted from its beak. Bug freezes at the noise, turning harshly at the bird and held their breath, listening intensely as it echoes outward into the uneasy silence that made the ambiance. Body tensed and agitated. 

"Don't do that!"

Bug hissed out, looking around before taking another step. 'Damn it. They're gonna give me away!' 

Said bird flapped its wings, launching itself forward, curving around the human and landing front and center, its head bobbing up and down. Lifting its wings, it then makes a deep clicking noise before hopping to the ground. It muffled the click of its clawed feet against the soft earth as it looks up at the hunter. Another harsh caw. Then a flurry of feathers as it takes off. 

Eyes follow the corvid as it circles above their head thrice before soaring away and landing on a low branch, only to turn back and cry out once again. 

Furrowing their eyebrows and wincing at the jarring sound, they changed from their original trajectory to follow the black feathered beacon, irritated and hesitant to tail the animal. Thoughts raced through the exhausted being as they tiredly navigated around wooden spikes that riddled the clouded water. Contemplating their choice of action. To put your trust in the hands of a bird or risk running back into the hands of your captors. It wasn't wise to delay deciding. Not when options were so limited. 'What other choice do I have? Running blindly ain't gonna do nothing but get me even more lost. Gods forbid I step in another trap,' They reasoned in their head, nervously scanning the ground as they trailed the creature that seemed unnaturally quiet now. 

In fact, everything was quiet. It was only noticeable now that they had gained control of their breathing, adrenaline fading quickly and being replaced by a deep fatigue that seemed to weigh heavier and heavier with every step. The now still air held a tension that seemed to seep into Bugs' very heart. 

No crickets. No frogs. Even the water appeared to freeze solid. The only noise audible being the light flapping noises that occurred when the raven overhead flew another short distance and the splash of wading water when they trudged through a shallow area of it, disturbing small insects in their wake. 

Deafening silence continues to ring as they limped further and further on. The raven now staying completely silent as they flew into a tiny clearing of solid ground before lighting down on an exposed root, turning its head expectantly cocking its head to see if the hunter was still following.

Bug stayed at the edge of the open space, staring at the blackbird in confusion. They hesitate for a moment, body quivering as they limp forward slowly. 

Something completely depleted their body of energy as they stepped closer and closer to the avain. Every move was heavy and tiresome, blood loss and overexertion finally kicking in ever so slowly. 

They stood on unsteady legs in front of the feathered friend and stared at the dark creature, breathing slowing as their vision fades in and out of focus.

All they wanted was to fall, and all that was keeping them up was a mixture of desperation and hope. 

They stare at it, perched still and unmoving, following its gaze, pointed at an area beside the clearing where the blood stained light couldn't quite seem to reach. Bugs gaze stays there, focused as a figure grows more and more discernable as their eyes adjusted. A relaxed and laid back figure that leant against the trunk of a large massive tree. Through the small gaps in the branches, the crimson moon light bled through, exposing long black hair, scale spotted skin, and a widening sharp toothed smirk.

The human jolts back in an attempt to back away, managing to stumble a few steps before their leg finally gives in. They collapse backwards onto their rear, visually shaking as they observe the now standing visage and risk a glance to their side. Hoping for a way of escape but only to be met with two more figures that became more recognizable as they crept closer. 

"Well, hell," says the smallest of the three. "I gotta give it to ya, you definitely gave us a run for it." 

He creeps ever so closer his fallen prey, eyes trained directly on their wounded leg. Bodie followed quickly, making his presence know by taking a large step forward and revealing an upset scowl as he breached into the moons violent glow.

"All's I said was that you had to stay in one place, Bug. Guess I gotta be more careful when it comes to keepin' an eye on you." 

All three figures seemed to spin as the water bug's vision turns to black. Voices becoming muffled and muddled as their grip of consciousness releases and they give into the darkness. Their last thoughts echoing quieter and quieter, until nothing remained but a faint whisper of hope. 

A hope that only asked that the fate that waited for them when they awoke wasn't unpleasant.

(I am very sorry if this is trash. This is the first fic I've ever posted.)

[kedreeva]

Regarding your post about how big Bug’s toes are, is there a way to tell how big Peafowl will end up growing before they’re mature, like with measuring bits of the leg on a horse or the size of a puppy’s paws?

Nope! You can kind of compare between hatch mates if you have them (like Io was fucking gigantic by the time he was 3 months old), and you can get a pretty good idea by the time they are 8-12 months (comparing Helios to his father as a yearling). Feed when they're very little matters a lot; if they are well fed with good protein when they're little, they tend to grow out bigger as adults. But genetics help. What you want to look for early, more than size, is shape; is the skull shape looking good, are the legs long and strong, is the neck long and unkinked, are they strong enough to carry their wings up, do they carry their tail high, are they growing in strong color early?

I've seen a LOT of people argue about giving peachicks a lot of protein when they're little. People will say it twists their legs because their muscles or tendons grow faster than the other (it varies which people say, "muscles grow faster than their tendons" or "tendons grow faster than muscles" or even that their bones grow faster than whatever). But in my experience, it's not a problem with the protein level. It's a problem with the space those people provide their babies, as well as a problem with a) what KIND of protein and b) ratio of protein to fat.

Most people are feeding only dry chow to their babies. This is... okay. But peachicks prefer moist foods, as anyone that's ever put water in some chow can tell you. So they'll EAT a dry chow but they won't eat a LOT of it, they'll eat the minimum to not die, and so even though the chow may be "nutritionally complete" (and that's another can of worms on its own), they don't get enough of it to grow to their potential. Most dry chows also get their protein from soy or corn, neither of which should make up a peafowl's primary protein source. We make do with what we can get for now, but it would be a LOT better if they were to make a peafowl chow that had fish/krill meal as a base for protein instead. I've heard of a few breeders offering krill oil in wet mash, and how much nicer it makes the colors on their birds, which doesn't surprise me. Fish oil is likely an essential to their diet in the wild- and hilariously (sadly) a lot of owners will straight up and vehemently tell you peafowl don't eat fish... despite direct evidence to the contrary in wild observations. Yes those long leggies help wade through tall grasses, but you don't see pheasants or quail on stilts. Even turkeys don't have the long legs of peafowl.

It's because peafowl are out there doing this:

But I'm rambling. The point is, a lot of people underfeed their birds on less than ideal proteins to make up for not providing them enough space to run and fly, things they NEED to be able to do to grow properly. This makes it very difficult to judge what size a bird will be as an adult and, in addition, hard to judge what size offspring they will throw. But even under good circumstances, most of the time it's just wait and see.

[aut2imagineart]

During my Hawaii trip, I was inspired by one of the native bird species called the Hawaiian Stilt. They made me think of a species for my Pangea Ultima project that would fill a similar ecological role and thus the Stilt Mantis was born. This long legged insects wades through shallow water, their widened feet prevent them from sinking into the mud and their sharp gaze focused downward for signs of prey. If it spies evidence of burrowing, it will use its hooked forelimbs to probe the mud and scoop up their prey to their hungry maws. As it mainly focuses on smaller prey, the hooks on their forelimbs are greatly reduced though it will occasionally snatch swimming animals if they're manageable.

Though my next installment of my Pangea Ultima project is still intended to focus on mountain rages, it was nice to brainstorm an organism for a future wetland environment.

As always, comments and critiques are welcome.