#this is why al said no to the polycule

[urproblematicfav-arsonk]

Vox does the emoboi "omg bby dont do this to urself nooo ur beautiful bby" thing when he sees Alastor's scars even though the scars are obviously from being maimed by dogs

[hadesknockedupintheunderworld]

What was the prime tails polycule first kiss like?

Oooh ooooh I know this one!

Now I can't tell you which exact order all these happen in, but here are some first kiss ideas I have between each individual pairing within the polycule

(But under the cut because this ended up longer than I expected to answer haha)

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Tails/Nine

I definitely don't think this pairing would come first if I were forced to come up with which individual pairings within the polycule shared their first kiss first to be honest 😂. Why? Well, while Nine does have some issues over not being the "only him" so to speak, I personally think canon Nine doesn't have nearly as many issues with Mangey and Sails as he does with Prime!Tails, and that some of his issues with Mangey and Sails really began with Tails. I think before actually meeting him Nine would have this idea of Tails as Sonic's "perfect little buddy". In this case, he would assume that Tails is nice and sweet and always does whatever Sonic wants and is Sonic's perfect little supporter that always helps Sonic but never has opinions of his own or opposes Sonic in any way. Essentially, I think to him Tails is everything he is not, the "perfect" partner in Sonic's eyes, and also a doormat. Tails is both the fox he can never be (jealous) and the fox he can never be (derogatory, "I'm better than you"). Prime!Tails, meanwhile, knows everything he knows initially from Sonic most likely, and after everything...I think Sonic would have a lot to say about Nine. That's all to say that Tails would get that Sonic cares about him a lot, would get that Nine probably liked Sonic a lot, would probably see him in a similar light to Shadow, and may see some of Nine's actions as "over the top" due to only knowing as much as Sonic knows or actually says. So initially I think Nine would be jealous of Tails while holding onto some of that strong dislike, and Tails would be secretly jealous of Nine, but ultimately seeing him as a guy who is rough around the edges, intelligent, and perhaps a bit unstable.

That also being said, I think it would do the two of them good to actually talk about themselves and open up to their insecurities/pasts to each other. I think becoming more open and talking about those things would allow the two to understand each other (and exactly what makes them so different and similar) much better, but I also recognize that something like that's going to take a long time and is probably not going to happen all at once. Realistically, unless he specifically feels like doing it at one point or another, getting Nine to explain himself and his story is going to be like pulling teeth for the most part, and I can see Tails being the type to try to relate to him while straying away from using specific examples (since Tails isn't the type of guy to me that goes around talking about what happened to him either). I think that what's revealed will probably happen over time in bits and pieces, and maybe at some point someone will manage to work one or the other into feeling comfortable enough to vent a bit.

With that in mind, I think that when the two properly meet, it'll surprise them just how far off they were in their characterizations of each other (mostly Nine, but you get it). So I think their first learning curve would be dealing with any jealousy between them + any identity crisis + Nine instinctively not wanting to let go of that version of Tails he made up in his head easily + learning who the other *actually* is.

So...their first kiss. I can't see it being at any other point than a bonding moment between them—something that combines the vulnerability of opening up (which can bring hearts closer) and the ongoing jealousy causing tention to snap. Tails has learned bits and pieces about Nine by now about him being "picked on" as a kid and being tormented until he eventually created a way to fight back (no deep details), or what it was like living in the place he grew up in. Likewise, I think Nine would also know very little about how Tails was also picked on, about how he used to follow Sonic around, etc. Aside from that, I think they'd start to gather more about each other's true personalities by actually hanging around each other or by both happening to be on missions with Sonic at the same time. I think Nine would come to realize that Tails has no problem meeting Sonic sass to sass or telling him that he's being an idiot (mind you, depending on the situation Tails is likely to be softer about it in the way where he explains what he's thinking and asks Sonic what he thinks without specifically saying Sonic's idea is stupid), and that when Sonic isn't rushing in without a plan he's looking to Tails for direction and advice. Likewise, I think Tails would start to realize that Nine is a bit deeper than he assumed and wonder more about what exactly happened to him.

But, of course, the question is how they actually start opening up, and to that I say: Sonic? Sonic. To me, Sonic is both the elephant in the room to them and a shared interest. So...I can see the two hanging alone. Maybe Tails and Nine were both on an adventure with at least them and Sonic going to stop Prime!Eggman's plans, and maybe Sonic is seemingly fast asleep at their camp on the way home. Sitting by the fire with Tails, having just finished eating, Nine can't help but think back to his first meeting with Sonic (when Sonic was explaining how there's nothing like eating a chilli dog with your best pal when everything's said and done). Then, he thinks about Sonic, conked out in the tent and patched up. Sonic's lucky he has such a good natural healing factor, otherwise he wouldn't be able to be as reckless as he is, Nine thinks. Sure, his actions earlier stood the best chance of defeating Prime!Eggman so he didn't have much choice, but still it shouldn't have had to come to it.

And yeah, Sonic being reckless or self sacrificial isn't a foreign concept to Nine. It's just that now...after everything...he can’t help but be afraid of what will happen if something actually does Sonic in one day. So, he asks Tails aloud, "How... How do you deal with him like this?"

"Sonic?"

"He's always so... He doesn't always listen, he's reckless, he's always pulling those dangerous stunts right at the last second. Even I think it's a miracle he hasn't–" Nine cuts off, and the two sit in silence for a moment.

"Sonic is...like that, you know? Frustrating at times? Yes. Stubborn? Absolutely. Even now that he's...changed a bit, he still pulls off those grand stunts and brushes off my advice sometimes while practically begging me to tell him what to do others. He's much better at the whole teamwork thing than he used to be, but he's still Sonic."

"I know all that. I know all that stuff about how he's stubborn and frustrating but always comes through when it counts and turns things around, but that...that wasn't the question."

"You deal with him, don't you?"

"It doesn't mean I can't be– Doesn't mean I don't...worry sometimes." Then, Nine adds, "And don't tell me you don't."

Then one thing leads to another in the back and forth and Nine is like, "When I met him...I thought I'd found the exception. Everyone else only thought about themselves, about living day to day and taking everything out on those smaller or weaker to feel powerful about themselves. But Sonic... He almost made– makes you believe in hope. And then... Then I found out that he was as stubborn and selfish as anyone else."

Tails chuckles a little at that.

"Not that any of that matters now," Nine adds.

After a few moments, Tails opens his mouth. "You know, I thought the world of him too, once."

Huh, is all Nine thinks.

"Of course, I still think he's cool now. But back then I remember... He used to run away when he noticed me following him, so I had to do whatever I could to catch up. And for a while...nothing mattered. He was my hero. That was all."

"So...he's not now?"

"Well, I suppose he always will be it's just... Well, I only wanted to be around him, so how he acted didn't matter."

"So you thought the world of him, but you were let down, and you decided to stick with him anyways?"

"I mean, well. It's more complicated than that, but... Isn't it the same with you?"

Nine sighs, looking down at his shoes. "I...suppose."

Tails shoots a look at the tent before casting his gaze down at his own shoes.

"The point is...I get it. I don't like worrying about him either, but...I've made peace with it." Then, Tails adds with a chuckle, "As well as I can, anyways."

"...Not as if there's anything else you can do," Nine agrees.

There's a moment of silence, then, before Tails smiles. "Well I'm sure we could try, but nothing stops Sonic the Hedgehog from doing anything—not when he sets his sights on it."

Nine chuckles weakly, remembering bitter and fond bits of memories alike. He can concede that this is true. After all, back then, as the universe was falling apart, Sonic would never give up on the universe's inhabitants just as he never gave up on him.

"One time, there was this hot pepper eating contest in Station Square. It was a promotional thing for a new restaurant or something. And the moment someone mentioned that the prize could involve chili dogs..." Tails shakes his head.

"Like a lifetime supply?"

"No, I think it was... Ah... I don't exactly remember. It was probably a gift card or something. Those people were probably just saying the restaurant had chili dogs—which turned out to be true. But you know Sonic!" He laughs. "Didn't read the terms. Just entered as fast as he could. I tried to tell him that we had to meet up with the Chaotix on business, but..."

"So...let me guess. He made a remark about how it'd be over fast because speed is his thing, implied the contest would be easy as cake, and overestimated his ability."

Tails looks to Nine. "Yeah, heh. You've pretty much got it. The whole time, though, I couldn't convince him to quit."

Nine nods, still facing forward. "The trademark stubbornness. Good at times, not so good other times."

"Heh, yeah. I'm pretty sure he thought it was one of those contests where you try to eat the most, because his impatience was palpable. The contestants would eat a pepper one at a time in rotation, and they all took their time."

"And you were late to your 'meeting'?" There's a bit of an edge to Nine’s words, but it’s a genuine question nonetheless. He doesn't fully understand the point Tails is trying to make by telling this story, but, eh... Talking to Tails so far is...better than sitting in silence. At least, that's how Nine feels about it.

Tails laughs, and Nine turns to him at the sound.

"No, not just late! He was sweating, nearly about to pass out. I had to rush him to the agency, Vector put him on the desk, Charmy pulled a leaf from somewhere to fan him with, and all the while Espio was off getting a 'traditional shinobi remedy' or something. All of that for a prize he didn't even win."

"Pffft. Sounds like him."

And so eventually the two end up trading stories of Sonic and his stubbornness (some funny and others concerning), Nine ends up smiling a little, and the two don't realize how close they are until everything stops. The only light illuminating their faces is from the fire, and neither of the two can see the stars, too focused on the others' face. And, perhaps, one of them decides to take that step on a whim. The kiss is chaste, but reciprocated (much to the surprise of them both).

And that night, as the two lay in the tent, Tails is surprised. When he first met Nine he hadn't thought things would progress like this, and yet...it's something Tails doesn't mind. To him Nine has become fascinating (both in his familiarity and in his alienness), and he's begun to suspect something with the way his heart warms at the prospect of simple things—Nine's happiness, his laughter, his enjoyment. In fact, I think it's possible for Tails to have (in hindsight) been waiting for this to happen. I think it's hard for Tails to balance mild jealousy and his growing interest in both Nine and making sure he (and the other variants) have a chance to coexist in this wide universe without becoming even a bit attached or starting to care more genuinely. So (especially if he's kissed the other variants before now), finding out he likes kissing Nine wouldn't really bother him. If anything, he's likely to be...pleasantly surprised it happened. He'd be a bit pained if Nine rejected him, but he'd be happy if things...continued as they are now (just with some added traditionally romantic stuff).

Meanwhile, I think Tails would be Nine's first kiss out of all his first kisses with the variants. Why? Well, I think if Tails is Nine's first, then it makes everything else a bit easier. Resolving his hangup on Tails (by learning about his true self and having him kiss Tails about those feelings) is something I think that could allow him to feel more comfortable in accepting any feelings for the other two. So I'd like to think that Nine's head races while he lies in the tent. He has to grapple with the fact that he liked that kiss, and it shakes him a bit that it was with someone he'd once held resentment towards. But I'd like to think that he ultimately doesn't reject the kiss or those feelings, not after all the time he's been spending getting to know Tails.

Maybe Nine moves on, thinks about that kiss every once in a while, and their relationship just eventually progresses at a natural pace. One day they're making out in Nine's lab in The Grim or Tails makes him breakfast in the morning (causing Nine's heart to squeeze) and Nine doesn't know how they got here.

So uhhh yeah anyways. Tldr; no matter what I think Nine and Tails have this slow burn relationship, so it takes a while before they kiss. I think they kiss over the usual getting closer to someone/caring for them stuff + their shared Sonic interest. I think their first kiss is on a whim, after they bare their hearts to each other a bit, and I think it's a gateway to future kisses.

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Tails/Sails

Hmmm you know... I think these two shared their first kiss cause they decided they wanted to see what it would be like. Either it's the first kiss out of the entire group because they decided to try it for science (because neither is holding out for anyone else to kiss them (specifically non-tails variants)), or it's not the first, but it’s "for science" (aka, an excuse to kiss each other to see if they like it).

If it's in a situation in which they kiss because they've never been kissed before and aren't holding out for it to ever happen (in what one might consider a traditionally romantic way anyways), then I envision this happening well into the sort of mentorship Tails ends up starting with Sails. By that point I can see them becoming friends after sort of bonding over what makes them similar (and I think Tails would research pirate culture just to understand Sails better).

If it's a situation in which they kiss "for science" as a clear excuse, well. That one's a bit self explanatory. They're kind of grappling with the confusing not exactly clear platonic or romantic nature of their feelings, and they both hope a kiss will clear things up and want to use it as a safe excuse to kiss the other without it necessarily having to be serious if the other doesn't like it (essentially, at least if they enjoy it and the other doesn't, they can pretend it doesn't mean anything).

With that all being said, to me they're the type to be more casual about the affection and the kisses most of the time, but once in a while they get in the mood to participate in...less casual kissing.

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Tails/Mangey

I've said once before in a previous Tailscest post that I feel Tails would be the jealous type deep down (the kind of guy who's jealous and possessive, but also has learned to keep it under wraps for the sake of his image and for not tying Sonic down). Specifically, I also mentioned a theoretical happening in which Mangey hides behind Sonic on instinct when scared, Sonic comforts him, and Tails can't help but see himself in Mangey (because that's what Sonic used to do for him when he and Sonic were both younger).

I think, at first, Tails would be...baseline nice to Mangey. He's another version of him, so he has no reason to be mean or anything outright. At first, though, he's not sure what to think of Mangey I think, so I think his gateway to understanding him is relating to him. This means that, early on, I think Tails kind of thinks of Mangey akin to a largely nonverbal, younger version of himself—an opinion that will shift and change as Tails properly gets to know Mangey better.

As for Mangey, he has no reason to dislike Tails. Sonic has only good things to say about him, and Tails being nice off the bat gives Mangey a good impression. So I think Mangey would start to learn more about Tails by following him around, tasting the food he likes to eat (could this mean that he may eat off the guy's plate, lick the plate later, or out of the trash? ...maybe), sitting in while Tails is working in his lab, etc.

I envision their first kiss going...like this more or less. Either Tails is on a solo mission and Mangey decided to follow him, or Mangey is sitting in on one of Tails' late nights. And then...thunder strikes, scaring them both. Before Tails knows it, Mangey is curled around his legs, shaking.

Thunder strikes again, Tails tenses up, and Mangey yelps. Tails is scared, he can't deny that, but he can't help but be conscious of Mangey. So, practically running on instinct, he sinks to the ground slowly, whispering to Mangey about how "it'll all be okay soon" and if he could "please let go for a second" so Tails can kneel down. Tails wraps his arms and tails around Mangey, pulling him closer, just before the two hear thunder again.

Mangey all but throws his arms around Tails, whimpering, as Tails tries his best to keep his cool (this long running fear of his has never failed to make him feel...a bit dumb for it). And then, as Mangey is whimpering and Tails is trying not to tremble or cry, his thoughts drift to where they always do when he's afraid or hopelessly alone.

I wish Sonic was here.

And then...a moment of clarity. Despite the fear, despite how his brain is just barely affording him the braincells to act rationally, he remembers how Sonic has always calmed him down (ever since they were younger). Still holding onto Mangey, Tails slides a hand up Mangey's back and kneck, resting it around the top of his head. He begins to scratch Mangey just begind the ears, ever so gently.

"I-I'm here. It's... It's going to be okay." In an attempt to calm himself down further, Tails takes deep breaths. "You're not alone. Y...You have me, okay?"

It takes a little while of this, but soon Tails is able to tune the sound of the thunder out a bit better, and Mangey stops whimpering. The two are still afraid, but each other's presence (and Tails' attempts at comfort) manage to make them both feel more comfortable.

And then, once the thunderstorm has passed, there's a moment of utter silence. Tails shifts his hands to Mangey's shoulders, and he lifts up just high enough on his knees to press a kiss to his forehead. At that, Mangey makes a sound—a barely audible purr. Tails strains his ears just a little to hear it, but it causes him to smile nonetheless.

Soon enough, Mangey unwinds his arms and tails from Tails. Though he had already grown interested in Tails, this event serves the purpose of allowing him to grow closer to Tails emotionally too. To me, this event in particular takes place after the Mangey/Sails first kiss. So, Mangey sits on his knees, mirroring Tails.

Tails pulls his hands to his sides, only watching as Mangey settles his hands on his (Tails') shoulders. He assumes Mangey is just repeating his actions from earlier, but, to his surprise, Mangey leans forward, pressing his lips to Tails' own instead.

Mangey lingers at Tails' lips for a second or two, but he doesn't pull back before swiping his tongue across Tails' lips.

An act as bold as this causes Tails' face to heat up, and he can't help but cover it in embarrassment (especially once Mangey begins to giggle).

Now, while I don't think Mangey would be as clingy with Tails as he is with Sails, I think the two would be able to hang out more casually than before (whether this means Mangey curled up across Tails' lap, or the two engaging in parallel play in the same room), and I think Tails has an easier time becoming accustomed to Mangey's presence from this point forward. In addition, I think that while Tails still can't help that jealousy, he kind of adopts a more protective stance when it comes to Mangey (which is to say that he can't help but relate to Sonic and the kind of fondness Sonic must have for him as well), where he knows Mangey can take care of himself but perhaps...takes care of him or begins to spoil him a little more than the other variants (if not because Mangey is cute and Tails is both heavily relating to him now and sort of projecting himself in Sonic's role of the "person and their little buddy duo" phenomenon).

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Nine/Sails

Okay so I'll be real with you. My immediate brain thought is telling me that it would be really funny if Sails kept debating Nine over stuff like "Is water wet?" or "Is a sea dog a sandwich?" and they kissed to break the tension or something.

But, for you anon, I will cook up more of a serious answer 😂

Now, aside from culture differences (and of course, uh, after resolving what Nine tried to do to Sails), I think they would come to be like colleagues. To me, they'd have scientific discussions (over different subjects, though, because, despite the shared prowess with technology, the two would be obsessed with different fields of study in my opinion), Sails would share a bunch of riddles with Nine, Nine would show off some of his technology and give Sails some advice for his own contraptions, and Sails would ask questions like "is water wet?" just to argue with Nine about it. I think that Sails would consider Nine as fun to mess with, but also as someone he ultimately likes hanging out with (if not for keeping his mind sharp). Likewise, I think Nine would consider Sails annoying, but hold respect for him deep down and would consider working on inventions *with* Sails once Sails improves a bit. And I'll be real with you, anon. I think that just like how getting closer to Sails and Mangey would assist Nine in getting close and vulnerable enough with Tails to share a kiss, he allows himself to open himself up a little bit more (both emotionally and with uh the idea of kissing other versions of himself) to Sails and Mangey.

With that in mind. If Nine finally kissed Tails as interest and jealousy intertwined, then I think Sails and Nine would kiss...more out of self interest. Sure, Nine deals with the jealousy involving Sonic, same as Tails, but he and Sails are (more or less) friends despite their shared interest in one hedgehog. This means that they do start to spend time together outside of him probably even sooner than Nine does with Tails. So if I had to imagine their first kiss...

I can imagine the two out on an island on a beach in No Place, both chilling under artificial shade. Out of nowhere, Sails decides to start up one of his "discussions" to annoy Nine a bit for fun. So, he makes a blanket statement of something he believes—something he's sure Nine will oppose him on—but Nine doesn't.

Rather, to Sails' surprise, he keeps agreeing. But it's not ingenuine either. If anything, it’s probably a coincidence.

Nonetheless, Sails' repeated attempts to say something annoying taper off as the two enter genuine discussions about the topics (why they each think what they do/agree, their experiences, the history of the thing, etc).

And it's moments like these that they both remember why they enjoy each other's company.

So they talk and info dump and become enamored with the other's knowledge and all of that, until finally, as one is looking at the other (listening intently), the other turns at the right moment.

Actually, perhaps Nine is info dumping before just so happening to look at Sails, and Nine...tapers off. Something pulses in Nine's heart as the two lock eyes, and Sails leans in, sliding a hand up to cup Nine's cheek.

Sails moves slowly, as if giving Nine every chance to refuse this, and Nine...never does. So Sails presses his lips to Nine's, squeezes his eyes shut. Nine allows his own eyes to fall closed, relaxing into the kiss. Most likely, these feelings between them have been building for a little while, so Sails steals a few more before pulling back, opening his eyes to look at Nine as if he's waiting to see his reaction.

But to Sails' surprise, Nine only smiles before leaning back in the chair he brought with him.

There's something about the kiss that makes them both feel a little giddy, and yet...it feels normal. Maybe, as they spend their last moments they can alone (devoid of responsibility), the two interlace their fingers, relaxing.

Quite easily (although Nine perhaps keeps it as secret as he can for a while), I think they'd fall into kissing casually or making out while alone. Depends on the mood.

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Nine/Mangey

Now, in terms of relationship, while I think Sails giving Nine a chance (and of course Nine being apologetic) definitely made things easier than they could have been, I don't think Mangey is as initially comfortable with Nine as he was with Sails and Tails. So I think more often than not (in the beginning) Mangey sticks to watching Nine from afar or being cautious around him.

As for Nine, post Sonic Prime canon I think he holds some genuine respect for Mangey and does recognize him as a capable and formidable adversary (even if Nine thinks himself to be better than him). After everything too, he's a bit apologetic (as I said earlier) and can’t really blame Mangey from being cautious (although he probably finds the spying annoying. Nine is the kind of guy who wants to let someone in on their own terms rather than just deal with them staring over his shoulder or intruding in his space). If anything, he's grateful (and surprised) that Mangey and Sails decided to give him a chance and form some kind of relationship with him despite everything he (Nine) did.

In this case, I think Nine and Mangey are able to grow closer (and Mangey grows to trust him more) just by the proximity, how well Nine and Sails' relationship progresses (starting with the friendship aspect of it), and just by the fact that Nine (despite still being "rough around the edges" so to speak) isn't actively betraying anyone.

Now for their first kiss...

I'd like to think that Mangey (when he feels like it) gets in one of those "if I do this will you reward me?" moods sometimes. And sometimes that means he's asking for berries or snacks, and sometimes it means he's asking for something special, and sometimes it means he wants a little kiss as a prize. I also think that Mangey started the "kiss as a prize" thing after his first kiss with Sails.

So while it's not uncommon for Sails and Mangey to be working on a project as partners, it's also not uncommon for Mangey to play assistant on some of Sails' solo projects. Likewise, I think Sails and Nine grow accustomed to working on separate projects in the same lab (or partnering on one) eventually. So, imagine

Imagine Nine, Sails, and Mangey in Nine's lab in The Grim. Sails has grown much more proficient with technology and inventing since being mentored by Tails—enough now that Nine feels comfortable trying to build something with him. Mangey is playing "lab assistant", so Sails plays along, asking for Mangey to fetch things for him, and then giving him a berry when Mangey inevitably holds his hands out for his reward.

Now, Nine generally prefers to fetch things on his own, but he's worked in the same room with Sails and Mangey enough now that he isn't as afraid to trust Mangey when he needs to. So, Nine asks Mangey to fetch something for him.

Of course, to his mild annoyance (since he's used to this now) Mangey points to himself as if to say "What will I get it if I do it?" Then, Mangey pulls his hands behind his back.

"Kiss?"

It's not the first time Mangey's asked, and it won't be the last. By now Nine's learned that if you don't give Mangey a reward while he's in this mood, he won't do the thing, and trying to make him only makes things worse. So, usually, he just sort of brushes the kiss offer off and figures out some way—any way—to fetch the thing on his own (in which his last resort is calling Alpha Grim Sonic to his location and asking him to help).

This time though (for the record, this would occur both after the Tails/Nine and Nine/Sails first kiss), he decides to just do it. So Nine gives Mangey a forehead kiss.

Mangey (although he does clearly enjoy this, given the fact he's got a smug smile on his face now) shakes his head.

"What?" is the first thing out of Nine's mouth. "I gave you a kiss."

Mangey shakes his head again, and points to himself.

And after a bit of back and forth, Sails shakes his head, and informs Nine that Mangey will only do it with a kiss on the lips.

Nine rolls his eyes, he procrastinates, he sighs, he stares, but eventually...he beckons Mangey closer and slowly (and a bit embarrassed, though he wouldn't admit it) presses a kiss to his lips. Nine turns away after that, face warm, and neglects to turn to look at Mangey when Mangey gives him whatever it is he asked for.

Sails probably teases Nine about it later😂

Nine is largely touch adverse, but he's generally okay with it if he's the one who starts the physical touch or if someone asks first, and if he's used to someone he can handle their sudden touch a bit better. With this in mind, I think out of the three Mangey would be least clingy to Nine, but, as they grow closer and more used to each other, Nine starts to become more comfortable with Mangey snuggling up to him (both if he wakes up and Mangey is suddenly there, or in the case Nine offers for Mangey to chill with him). This, I think, also leads Nine to being a bit more proactive in going on solo journies with Mangey or hanging out with him alone in Boscage Maze.

With that all being said, though, I think for a long while Mangey has to trick/convince Nine into giving him kisses (and has fun doing it) until Nine becomes more used to the casual intimacy and accepting of his own feelings.

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Sails/Mangey

For these two (especially after the s3 interactions) I can see their first kiss being a more sweet and casual endeavor. Like...I can imagine Mangey at Sails' side, assisting on one of Sails' projects. They're up fairly late, and Sails has just decided to take a short break and put it all down while Mangey's sitting nearby. After Sails puts it all down and turns around, Mangey runs over and winds his arms around him. On a whim, he brings their faces closer, swipes his tonge across Sails' lips, and buries his face in Sails' chest. Sails, although a bit surprised, wraps his arms around Mangey in turn. He supposes if he thinks about this a bit it could be a little weird, but it feels...normal. Honestly, what's more pressing to him is that that's Mangey's idea of a kiss. So Sails chuckles softly, presses his lips to the top of Mangey's head. And perhaps, next time he gets the chance, Sails shows Mangey what a "real" kiss looks like (even though Sails barely knows better than Mangey does).

With everything they've been through together, I can imagine Mangey as a little clingy when he's with Sails. Likewise, I think Sails comes to enjoy just chilling with Mangey. I can imagine them as a pair that just sort of clicked with ease, so while their first kiss isn't at all planned, it opens them up to more kissing as a form of casual intimacy (and possible participating in "practice kissing"). Compared to the Tails/Mangey relationship, I feel as if Sails and Mangey consider each other more of equals and are a bit equally protective over the other and their well-being.

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Thank you so much for the ask, anon! I really love talking about the Tails variants and my Tails/Tails variant ships, so I enjoyed answering this question quite a lot😊💖

If you'd like to know any other thoughts/headcanons I may have on the prime!polycule or its individual members/pairing combinations feel free to shoot me another ask

[ingravinoveritas]

cloud-based-and-rainpilled replied to your post "So...I'm a little bit behind, with this being…"

@ingravinoveritas Not to go full conspiracy mode (as she goes full conspiracy mode,) but methinks Anna & Georgia’s recent underhanded critiques are directly related to resentment from David & Michael hanging out for the past 4-5 months

@cloud-based-and-rainpilled I don't think it's a conspiracy when it's now visibly, demonstrably noticeable to multiple people. It's been amazing to me to see people talk about how much things have changed recently in terms of the fandom and the discussions that are happening, but somehow not make the connection to what else has been going on the last six months (because I think it was November when Michael first relocated to London, for Nye rehearsals).

None of this was happening when Michael was still in Wales. Georgia and AL's social media posts were completely different and nothing like what we've seen since Michael and David have been together in person. Not just together in person, either...but neighbors. Who could now see each other at their leisure. And all I have thought is that not one of the four of them were prepared for what it would be like when Michael and David would be in close physical proximity.

I'm just hard-pressed to think of any other reason why the passive-aggressiveness from both Georgia and Anna has ramped up so much, especially over the last months (and which is reflected in the change in tenor of their Insta stories/posts and the seeming abandonment of the whole "wife" thing). It does raise the question as well of why either Georgia or AL would feel such resentment. Michael and David are best friends, as we know, and the supposed narrative is that Georgia and AL are also "besties" and that they're all one big happy polycule...so if that is the case, why would Georgia and AL be making these comments, especially if said comments are related to Michael and David spending so much time together?

It just seems like there is something that doesn't add up, or that there is a piece of this that is missing. And I'm fascinated to see that a lot of people seem to be noticing it now, in and outside of the fandom. I'd love to hear from folks with your thoughts as well...

[invisibleraven]

Going grocery shopping together for the Greater Polyphantoms Polycule?

"You got the list?" Carrie asked.

Willie held it up. "Yes boss-lady!"

"I've got the bags!" Reggie yelled from the mud room.

"I've got coupons!" Flynn said gleefully, showing off her trove of coupons-she was the thriftiest one of them, always looking for ways to save money, which was funny since half of them were famous musicians and they lived in a literal mansion.

"Alright, let's move out," Carrie said, sliding her sunglasses over her eyes. Sure it was silly for them to go get groceries on their own, but they preferred to be real people rather than have an army of assistants do everything for them. Plus most people left them alone while they were getting food, and the few that didn't were content with the odd selfie or autograph.

"What a date night," Flynn remarked as they pulled up to the grocery store.

"Sorry, but it was our turn," Reggie said, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Plus we needed to get the stuff for those pumpkin cookies you wanted me to bake."

"I'm here because I'm bored," Willie said with a shrug. "With Alex off at his sister's for the weekend, I needed something to do with myself."

"You could have gone with him you know, Livvie would have been fine with it," Reggie reminded him.

"I know," Willie assured him. "But he wanted to break the whole poly situation to them and felt it would be better for it to just be him."

"I'm only here to make sure Flynn doesn't come with three trays of soda and you two don't stock up on sweets," Carrie stated as she grabbed a cart.

"We need tofu and apples too, I would have made sure we got those," Willie said with a pout.

"Yeah, and a metric ton of candy," Reggie said under his breath.

"Not like you'd be any better," Flynn remarked. "Only you'd skip the tofu for frozen pizzas or bacon."

"Not my fault I like meat," he said.

"But two of your partners don't eat it, thus me being here," Carrie stated. "So let's divide and conquer so we can get in, out, and Reggie can make us cookies."

Carrie of course, realized this was a mistake as she stuck to the list, Flynn grabbed anything they had a coupon for, even if it was something none of them liked. Willie got most of the produce, but he also lumped in a jar of peanut butter.

"Alex's allergic," Carrie said.

"Ales is not here, I can so polish this off before he gets back," Willie promised.

"Well you better share it with Reggie."

"Share what with Reggie?' Reggie himself asked, arms laden down with junk, and oddly, a pineapple on top.

"Secret peanut butter," Willie replied.

"Don't let Julie catch you, she'll be so pissed," Flynn said, helping the guys arrange items in the cart, half of which Carrie secretly took back out.

"Luke will be even more pissed if you don't share," Reggie cautioned.

"Fiiiiiiiine," Willie sighed, extracting the jar and sadly put it back on the shelf. "Farewell Skippy, you and I could have been great together."

"Alright, let's get out of here," Carrie said as she checked off every item on their list as she surveyed the cart.

"Can we get smoothies on the way home?" Flynn asked.

"D'uh," Carrie replied. "But you're paying miss coupon queen."

"Why do you think I asked?" Flynn said, pulling out yet another coupon.

Sure it wasn't a great date night, but it was necessary, and Carrie found she didn't mind doing it given she got to spend time with some of her favourite people. But the discounted smoothies didn't hurt either!

[agena87]

.@adelarsims asked me about the relationship dynamic between my four boys. And well, I don’t think I ever really explained it. Not in too many words, at least, so here we are (or maybe I did, but I can’t remember, and if I did, it’s probably divided among tons of posts, most stuff in tags, so…). It’s not easy to explain as a whole, so I’ll divide this post by writing about each duo. Also, I’ll probably go into tangents, as I’m wont to do (the joy of autism). I’ll go by alphabetical order, because… well, because I love alphabetical order.

(I'll put everything under a cut, 'cause it's kinda long - and rambling)

But first, a quick-ish reminder of who’s with whom, and how they came to get together:

Al, Mal, and Wolfie are one polycule, each of them being in a relationship with the other two. Jeb is only with Wolfie. All parties are aware and willing, there is no adultery involved; they communicate. With words. I know, it’s surprising given the people involved.

Officially, Jeb and Wolfie were the first to get together when Wolfie went to Windenburg and met Jeb in Evergreen, after he stopped there instead of going to the capital city like he initially planned. But, despite Wolfie calling it a “no-string attached fling between friends”, he was with Mal first (after an ill-advised one-night stand with Al which is the root of said fling with Mal, and his departure for Windenburg); that’s when Mal realized that he was in love with not only Al (as was Wolfie), but with Wolfie too. What a mess! So, Jeb and Wolfie were happy together when Al contacted him to invite him to his wedding to Kiyoshi. Both went to Henford for the occasion, Wolfie apprehensive to see the person he used to be in love with, but relieved to know that he wouldn’t see Mal, who wouldn’t be there, as his daughter was bound to be born around the same date as the wedding. Of course, things didn’t turn out as expected, and Al got nearly murdered by his jealous fiancé (who saw Wolfie among the guests and immediately flipped) and ended up in a coma. So, Wolfie and Jeb stayed in Henford for longer than planned, with Wolfie spending most of his time in the hospital, Jeb by his side. That’s where he was reunited with Mal. Jeb, who has always been a very perceptive person, saw immediately that there was some unresolved tension between the two friends, and understood that Wolfie wouldn’t come back to Windenburg, even if he would convince himself that it was to help Al during his recovery, and not because he was harbouring some deep feelings for Mal. So Jeb just told him to stay in Henford, and not deprive himself of being happy with Mal. Of course, Wolfie tried to do just that, but after a few weeks, and several calls to Jeb, he and Mal got back together (now with the addition of a little baby girl, Joy). Wolfie and Jeb never stopped being friends, and not once Jeb show any jealousy or bitterness regarding his ex-boyfriend’s relationship (he really was glad that Wolfie found happiness with Mal; that’s how good a man, Jeb is). Fast-forward a couple years, and Jeb is about to publish his first novel, and he asks Wolfie to design the cover. They met in Wolfie’s studio some time later, for Wolfie to show what he had done, and… they kissed. Of course, Wolfie was a mess and immediately confessed to Mal. So, Wolfie got back with Jeb too. It's not until a few more years have passed that Al joined the polycule. It took multiple confessions on both Wolfie and Mal's sides to get to him (he did love them then, but he was scared, which is quite understandable after what happened with his former relationship). It was Wolfie who first managed to get through to him, and while Mal was a bit down that Al was apparently still not interested in him, he accepted that Wolfie started a relationship with Al; after a few days, Al went to Mal, asking why he was so distant with him, weren't they supposed to be together now? Apparently, Mal missed the memo that Al wanted/loved both him and Wolfie (what an idiot!). And now, everyone is in a happy relationship with the person(s) they love.

Al + Jeb: Despite Al being the latest to officially join the little family, he’s the one after Wolfie (of course) that Jeb is the closest with. Since both of them have a traumatic past (Al, being the victim of domestic violence and attempted murder; Jeb… maybe I’ll talk about it some other time), they understand each other rather well, while Mal and Wolfie can only empathize to a certain degree. When Al has one of his worst days, Jeb is usually the one who gets him to talk, though he never forces him to. They are good friends with a few common interests, especially botany, and spend most of their time together taking care of plants; they also dance together from time to time.

Al + Mal: Mal is very protective of Al (he is with Wolfie too, but not to the same level). He also tends to let Al do whatever he wants, and can’t refuse him anything (even if he knows that it’s bad for Al: like telling him where Wolfie hid the alcohol). Though very loving, their relationship tends to revolve a lot around physicality, especially sex, more than anything.

Al + Wolfie: Wolfie’s the one who managed to get Al to finally accept that yes, people can love him and not want to hurt him, and yes, Wolfie and Mal are such people. Wolfie has always been Al’s best friend (other than Tabitha – just like Al is Wolfie's best friend as much as Morgan is), and they share a very special bond, partially due to their shared experience as non-binary people. After Al broke their friendship (or tried to, as only communication was really broken; both were still thinking of each other as best friends) back in Uni, and Wolfie left the country for Windenburg, most would have thought that they wouldn’t be able to have the same relationship, would they ever be reunited, but on the contrary, when Wolfie came back (and after Al emerged from his coma) they immediately went back to being joined at the hip, despite Al trying to isolate himself. Their relationship with each other is one of absolute trust and tenderness, but also a lot of (misplaced) guilt on Wolfie’s part, who feels that it’s his fault if Al was abused for years, since he was who rejected Al when they were fifteen, claiming that he wasn’t queer (he was still in denial of who he was at the time), allowing Kiyoshi to get to Al. Of course, Al keeps repeating to him that he is not to blame, and, little by little, Wolfie’s starting to believe him.

Jeb + Mal: They are polar opposites, and if not for Wolfie, they would never interact. It’s not that they don’t like or respect each other, it’s just that they have nothing in common. Plus, Jeb is very ill-at-ease with Mal’s chosen career as an OnlySims model and general attitude regarding nudity and provocative apparel (some might say that to some level, Al and Wolfie are worse than him when it comes to showing some skin, but somehow, it doesn’t seem as provocative/sexually-charged as when it’s Mal, so it doesn’t irk him as much), given his own repulsion toward anything sexual.

Jeb + Wolfie: Puppy love! Those two are the cutest when together, probably because their love is more intellectual than anything, with nothing more physical than cuddles, hugs, and a few chaste kisses here and there. For Wolfie, Jeb is a breath of fresh air; the lover that doesn’t expect anything physical from him (not that Mal or Al would ever ask him to do anything he doesn’t want; it’s just that sex is not a priority for him in a relationship).

Mal + Wolfie: Mal and Wolfie never imagined they would ever be together; they always thought they'd be great friends, and if one of them was lucky enough, he would end up with Al. But it seems that Fate has other plans for those two. And those plans involved a little girl that Wolfie helped raise from birth and involuntarily caused her father to propose to her Vatti. Yes, Mal and Wolfie are engaged to be married. And yes, both Jeb and Al are OK with that (weeeeell, Al has a debilitating phobia of anything wedding-related, so he's not really OK with the wedding part, but he's OK with them being married, if that makes sense?). The proposal (and answer) was kinda spur of the moment, but they talked about it with Jeb (they weren't with Al yet when it happened) later, telling him that if he was opposed to it, they would not do it, but of course, Jeb was OK with it, especially after Mal explained to him what prompted him to ask in the first place. Mal and Wolfie relationship is one of devotion and absolute adoration, which verges on worship on Mal's side. Mal is also the only person who Wolfie accepts (and believes) compliments from (not even Mila can claim that) for some reason.

So. Yeah, here it is, my rambling sorta explanation of the relationship between my boys. Not sure that I make much sense, but I'm still suffering from debilitating pain from facial neuralgia, so my brain is a mess (even more than ordinary). Anyway, I'm happy to answer any questions, if you have any.

[birbleafs]

[ficlet] unconventionally, ever after

Series: Genshin Impact Characters/Pairing: Kavetham Rating: T Summary: Al-Haitham and Kaveh cogitate over the benefits of a consensual staged union. No strings attached, of course—they're divorced, not married, thank you very much. A/N: Based on Liz's tweet-prompt "Al-Haitham stages a Fake Relationship AU with Kaveh ('for the tax benefits') because he'd read it in a novel once" + my own self-challenge to write an entire scene just using dialogues alone, with little to no action tag or descriptive prose. Each dialogue line needs to be distinctive enough so that it's obvious who the speaker is, even without being named. This was a pretty fun challenge and I think I sort of managed? I love writing dialogues for these two lol. Can also be read on AO3. ※※※ “For ‘tax benefits’...? Huh! Bold of you to desecrate the sanctity of marriage for your own convenience with such frivolity. Wouldn’t this just be considered illegal anyway?” “It’s not illegal if it’s willingly consensual between appropriately informed adults. What a married pair—or a married polycule, in some cases—does within the confines of their home and with each other is no one’s business but their own. You’ve already told everyone we live together, after all.” There's a drumming of fingers, a wearisome sigh after a tensed pause; and then— “All right, fair enough… N-No, wait, wait! That’s not the same thing! Did you really think I would agree to fake-marry you just for the benefits?! What do you take me for!” “Well, I still do retain the additional staff benefits that I received while I was the Acting Grand Sage. Benefits which, coincidentally, extend to the spouse and immediate family members, and which also provides a stipend for travel and meal allowances, even for personal matters outside the purview of the Akademiya.” “You mean… I would be able to claim allowances for all the desert expeditions and work assignments I take on?” “Within the approved budget limit, of course.” “Huh, that would be convenient. Ugh! I loathe that I’m even considering this. I’m appalled, Haitham—how dare you dangle all these enticing benefits to my face like one would dangle Harra fruits before a famished Sumpter Beast! At least have the decency to offer it with a proper fake-proposal! Even if this is doomed to remain a false relationship, did you think I would be as uncouth about romance as you? Hmph…. W-Wait, stop, what are you doing? W-Why are you kneeling down right now?!” A tilt of the head, a questioning but unwavering teal gaze.  “Hm? You said you wanted a fake-proposal. So, would it feel more authentic to you if I propose everything I said earlier while being down on one knee now? Frankly, I don’t really see the point since my intent remains true and the same regardless, whether I’m standing or kneeling. But if you still insist…” “……..” “?? Kaveh, why are you dragging me out the door? I haven’t finished proposing yet.” “We’re going to the Sanctuary of Surasthana to find Lesser Lord Kusanali, and we’re going to request her assistance to officiate this marriage right this instance.” “I see.” “For the record, you’re still the least romantic person I know. It’s almost disgusting how much I put up with you.” “Ohh? But I’ve never strived to be perceived as such. So, really, that’s more on you.” “S-Shut up. Stop talking already!” Kaveh doesn’t glance back as he continues to drag his roommate down the street after him, missing the ghost of a smile, the hint of unvoiced affection that flits across Al-Haitham’s expression now. —End— _______ End notes: - This was first drafted in early December in script-form. But I decided it reads better as proper dialogues and editing the scene for posting here.

- In the original script-form, the final line is basically just written as " Al-Haitham: :) " lmao.

[blackwolfflame]

Why Wriothesley and Neuvillette go to Inazuma for holidays.

Traveler is called Thomas/Tom in this fic, but he is still Aether. Tom is his human name, because he's kinda based off of me personality wise.

The marriage was a couple weeks ago. The ten of them kept the ceremony small, with only Thomas' twin sister and older brother, Baizhu's daughter employee Qiqi, the Arataki Gang, the Fortress' head nurse Sigewinne, and the Kamisato siblings as guests.

Dispite Neuvillette and Wriothesley's pleads to go somewhere other than Fontaine for the honeymoon, due to Itto's history of antics, that ruled out Liyue and Inazuma. Kaeya didn't want to go to Mondstadt, because he works there every day, and the same was said for Kaveh and Al Haitham in Sumeru.

So, here they were, walking the streets of Fontaine.

Of course, Thomas was being mindful of what everyone was saying. One slip of the tongue, and-

"Hide!" Thomas hissed, pushing everyone into the alleyway. "Tom? What's going on?" Al Haitham asked, suspicious. "It's Charlotte." He said, and Neuvillette tensed while Wriothesley sighed. "Again? It's like she's stalking us..." Wriothesley looked at Neuvillette, who nodded. "Who's Charlotte? Why is she so bad that we have to hide from her?" Gaming questioned, as Thomas glanced around. "She's not bad, just... too nosey, that's all." Kaeya laughed at Thomas' hesitation. "My my, the Traveler, the Duke of Meropide, and the Chief Justice are all terrified by a simple reporter?" "Kae, she's crazy! She tried to get me to blab all of Wrio's secrets to her after I was in the Fortress on a missing person case!" Thomas snapped. "Thomas, please calm down..." Baizhu said softly. He never liked conflict, especially between his partners.

"Guys...?" Kaveh looked around, nervously. "Where's Itto?"

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

The very next day, The Steambird's headline was 'Chief Justice and Duke of Meropide Married in a Polycule of 10?!' and the front page was plastered with pictures from the wedding, that Charlotte had obtained from Itto.

What followed for the last days of their honeymoon were inappropriate questions, rude comments, and judgmental stares. Of course, Itto was apologetic. He didn't know that Charlotte was going to publish his ramblings to the newspaper, he just thought someone wanted to hear how The One And Oni, Arataki Itto, had gotten nine fantastic husbands from different nations.

Let's just say, Wriothesley and Neuvillette prefer to go to Inazuma for holidays now...

@jammyjams1910 @just-an-emily-existing @selfshipper-alex

[cannibals-and-radio]

al when you said 'he asked me to join his team' did that actually mean you turned down vox's invitaion to join the World's Most Dysfunctional Polycule ?

Why yes, unless you’re someone I much more appreciate like Rosie or Charlie then I don’t see need to form any partnership with others.

[cthonicascendant]

About

Welcome to the [redacted] Hive

Body Name: Blue Body Age: mid 30s Collective Pronouns: It/Its | He/Him System Type: Praesigenic Median

Boundaries

Things we will block you for:

Sending us shipcourse.

Asking us about incest/pedophilia/etc.

Sending hate messages, threats, or doxxing.

We're also fairly liberal with the block button, so don't be too alarmed if you are blocked and didn't do anything on this list. We will block people just for vaguely annoying us on a given day. (If you ask nicely on anon and we really can't remember or find why we blocked you, we'll probably lift the block.)

Dropping the all asks will be answered policy whether Vee likes it or not because we have a massive backlog of the damn things and I can't promise when we'll get to them. We are still not publishing donation requests, though; that hasn't changed.

The trolls do not mind and in fact actively welcome other Homestucks - other fictives, kin, etc. you're all fine. (They do not mind RP blogs but do ask that you respect this is NOT roleplay for them.)

We are pro-endo and are not accepting syscourse at this time.

We are queer and polyamorous. (We are not accepting polycule applications at this time.)

Some of us use typing quirks, but we can turn them off to varying degrees. That said, for the most part you should probably filter "typing quirk" and "untranslated typing quirk" if quirks bother you, since the bulk of the posting around here is done by Voidsong. (Although I question why you are following us if quirks are an issue. /polite /genuinely curious)

Speaking of tags, we're not very consistent about tagging beyond the typing quirks. We can't promise that we'll be able to consistently tag for anything, so if you do need something tagged we may not be the blog to follow. (We do not mind being asked to add a tag to something, just be aware we may not remember to tag for that subject in the future.)

For the most part you can ask for a specific hivemate/alter and we're willing to switch, but please check individual boundaries.

More about individual hivemates under the cut.

The Main Crew

Voidsong Pronouns: He/Him/His Age: 15 sweeps (approx. 33 years) Typing Quirk: 5phinx of black quartz judge my Vovv Ask to pilot: If he's not already here, don't ask unless you're very close. Additional Boundaries: None.

Crow(ley) Pronouns: Sey/Sem/Seir/Semself Age: 33 years Typing Quirk: «sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.» Ask to pilot: Most likely already here as well, but doesn't mind coming to the helm if not. Additional Boundaries: No flirting - if you're interested in Crow please be direct with sem. No feminine terms.

Mierco Pronouns: It/Its | Ey/Em/Eir/Emself Age: 19 sweeps (approx. 40 years) Typing Quirk: >.sphinx of black quartz. .judge my vow.< Ask to pilot: Yes. Additional Boundaries: No unsolicited advice.

Diakto Pronouns: Xe/Xem/Xer/Xemself Age: ?? sweeps (young adult) Typing Quirk: ≈sssphinxxx of black quartzzz, judge my vow.~ Ask to pilot: Yes. Additional Boundaries: No nicknames other than D(ee).

Aiclas Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Age: ???? (adult) Typing Quirk: The quick brown fox jump6 over the lazy dog. Al∫o u∫e6 ∫ in place of lowerca∫e S in the middle of word6. Ask to pilot: Any time! Additional Boundaries: None.

The Moth Department

Aletheia Pronouns: She/Her/Hers Age: 37 years Typing Quirk: None. Ask to pilot: Only when the body is not high. Additional Boundaries: Platonic affection only (e.g. no kissing or flirty touches).

Zeke Pronouns: He/Him/His Age: 37 years Typing Quirk: None. Ask to pilot: No. Additional Boundaries: None.

Melara | Havocfey Pronouns: Any Age: 10 sweeps (approx. 21 years) Typing quirk: I-O Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow. O-I Ask to pilot: Yes. Additional Boundaries: None.

Glitch Pronouns: It/Its | Any Neopronouns Age: ???? Typing Quirk: No, but it communicates solely in quotes, memes, and pop culture references. Ask to pilot: Yes. (why?) Additional Boundaries: None.

The Labs

Harry Pronouns: He/Him/His Age: 54 years Typing Quirk: None. Ask to pilot: You can, but he may not respond. Additional Boundaries: No flirting, no displays of affection, and no nicknames.

Grub Pronouns: She/Her/Hers | Grub/Grubs/Grubself Age: 7-12 years Typing Quirk: None. Ask to pilot: No. Additional Boundaries: In the event Grub ever gets to go on this blog (unlikely), please treat her similarly to a regular child.

Bill Pronouns: He/Him/His Age: ∞ Typing Quirk: IF ALL CAPS COUNTS AS A TYPING QUIRK, THEN YES. Ask to pilot: Sure. Additional Boundaries: None.

[galaxygalthemess]

Hey, this is gonna get sad. My new partner is making me realize how bad old ones are without trying, and IDK how to tall to others about it. to vent post I guess?

tw: assault, coercion, and just all the bad relationship things besides physical abuse, kinda (I thought I did, turns out it was defense

I hope the read more added

So I have been dating this person for only 2 ish months. we are in the same friend group, and are poly ( I have met all of their partners and those in the polycule that are not their partners, they are also in the friend group and we have hung out before and after we started dating. Just want to be clear, we all know wo is dating who, and have clear boundaries) and so am I, so this works great. they live with another partner, the one they have had the longest, so I only really get a date night once a week when the live with partner sees another partner and has an overnight. It works great, as I don't have a lot of time in my days to do an in person one on one, but I do not feel neglectful of them by just texting or calling the rest of the week.

So in this small amount of time, they have been treating me so well I want to cry, not from happiness, but from anger. because The basic decency they give I had to bed out of past partners, and how others before and still (when we are not together) treat me they consider rude to a partner or even friend at best, and assault and/or abuse at worse.

Like, last time I slept over, I said I wasn't in the mood for sexual intimacy and just wanted to sleep. they made one verbal joke about me being a brat all night (not uncommon for me lol, and no heat to the comment) and then rolled over to sleep as we cant cuddle and sleep comfortably. I was so confused, as I am used to having to bargain to what I am willing to do that night or 'make it up' to them the next day. They just said 'you said you didn't want to' like that's al it took.

another time, during some sexy time, I safe worded. I was starting to ache and was just going to take a quick break, because usually partners don't want to stop completely, when they just said 'we can stop for now if you want' like it was no big deal. and even more, they held me after making sure I was ok with that and made sure I was OK. they do it like it's second nature.

I don't have to worry about being grabbed by them in public, or asking not to be held close due to over stimulation being seen as I am upset. When I ask to stop or not be touched there or like that, they just listen.

Last week I met someone new and they groped me multiple times. I used to have to scratch and scream to get people to stop tickling me after I said I do not like it and I will hit to get them off. don't even get me started on how people treat my phobia. I am 'cute' when angry, and I guess fun to mess with. I hate flirting for real or discussing sex with others, even though it's a special interest, because If I cannot do what they want, they are upset. I get quilted into doing things with grown ass people since I was 15, and it never ends. I dress femme and how I like, and because I don't want someone to get violent so am not rude or genuinely think they just want to talk them when suddenly they have a hand on my ass, I get this every day.

I am so angry at how others treat me. I used to think it was wierd you had to ask to touch someone, because why should it matter? now I understand,My no is not respected. I so badly want to name those who assaulted me, even just (and doesnt that sound so wierd to say in this) those from agressive comments or groping nonconsensually and especially those who did more. I want to hurt the next person who does it, even though I know they will likely hurt me back. I wat to scream at people who claimed to be friends and left me with known sexual abusers alone. And sometimes, I wish I felt comfortable in longer clothing. but the textures are wrong, it's constricting, I overheat, and I just like to dress up.

Why can I not be heard when I have an opinion? friends and family do it to. like, ya, they hear when I have a preference on drink or food. but when I go nonverbal from a flashback? nobody notices any change or even try to talk to me, They don't care to converse. feel unsafe? they feel fine, so who cares I have to rely on them not to be assaulted and I have to hope they stay close. I have a terrible body image? shut up, you look great, I have real body issues.

Ya, I'll be vocal about minor shit. but anything that actually hurts? why bother? I can't make it funny and it doesn't fit their image of me. And if it's an inconvenience to them, me asking is my fault, but an inconvenience to me, me saying no is my fault.

I just want to stop being viewed like an object. my partner has shown me that's all I've been to many people. Why can't anyone else see that? I am not a doll.

[yellowocaballero]

Opening Line Tag Game

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

Tagged by @actualbird, who did not mean to bait me with the opportunity of director’s cut, but he absolutely did. I’ll just go through my last 15, which are all  for The Magnus Archives. 

Opening Lines: 

1. Most people who were unlucky enough to meet Jonathan Sims assumed he had no friends. This was true, up to a point two months after Jon became a researcher at the Magnus Institute: afterwards Jon had no friends, except for Sasha James. (Fahrenheit 101)

2. Jon had one final dream, then. (Hope, Etc. (Dickenson et al.))

3. It was a perfect day for his wife’s funeral. (Sucker’s Bet)

4. Monday morning, two hours into their brainstorming session into how to rescue Daisy from administrative labor, the Archives received a package. (Solitaire, part 3 of Roleswap AU)

5. The act of object reacquisition was a subtle and refined technique. (The Crow’s Funeral)

6. Jon was reasonably sure that his History teacher was a time traveller. (The Monster at the End of This Book)

7. “I don’t care what Elias says,” Melanie said, watching Basira uncap her dry erase marker with a vengeance, “we aren’t letting that pig Stoker into the polycule.” (Minesweeper, part 2 of the Roleswap AU)

8. In Melanie’s defense, she wouldn’t have had to do it if working at the Magnus Institute wasn’t so freaking boring. (Space Cadet, part 1 of Roleswap AU)

9. “Our boss is an immortal psychic vampire and I can prove it,” Tim told Sasha two weeks after the worm incident, barging inside her office after hours. (Human Relations)

10. If asked, Martin would say that he became the shadow director of the Magnus Institute by accident. (Feste)

11.  Martin dreamed that night of opening the door to the Archives and walking down slimy cement steps, stopping in front of a wood oak door. (Martin and the Dream Boy)

12. [My Chemical Romance lyric but I’m not counting that] Ah, Jon thought, unlocking the door to his house. Just what any thirty three year old man loves to hear upon returning home from a long day at work: the sweet, dulcet sounds of My Chemical Romance peeling the paint off the walls. (No Sin But Ignorance)

13. Jon was reading out sections of Georgie’s battered copy of Encyclopedia on Ghosts out loud just to bask in the sound of his own voice when he heard a knock on the door, quickly followed by a choked scream, and a thump. (Bell, Book, and Candle)

14. Daisy woke up to Jon standing over her with a knife.  (Attempted Assasinations)

15.  Jon woke up at 5:45 AM Monday morning with what, at the time, he assumed to be a head splitting hangover, despite the fact that he was not a known heavy drinker and could not recall partaking last night. (theatre of the absurd)

Thoughts: 

If you want advice on writing opening lines, Zak “Actual Writing Major” Bird gave good advice. I find writing opening lines to be really similar to writing summaries, and you kind of have to play the same game with all of them.

I’m going to agree with basically everything he said, as I do the same thing - especially with the orientation, and then the cliffhanger. As Zak said, opening lines especially have to play many different roles. I tend to apply that ‘triple time’ rule to scenes, because I want every scene to play a plot/thematic/suspenseful/character-building role, but if you’re a better writer you can get it down to the lines. Here’s what I was typically trying to do with my opening lines:

1. Orient you in space and time. Where in the canon am I? Who is the point of view character? What’s going to be the problem we’re facing? This is doubly important because I tend to pretty much exclusively write AUs, so the first thing I want to establish is that it’s an AU. The BBC line establishes that Jon’s living at Georgie’s place pre-S3, and that something exciting’s about to happen that didn’t happen in canon. The NSBI opening line establishes that Jon is...living a happy domestic life, presumably with a teenager?. In Space Cadet, you get that this is when Melanie’s working at the Institute but...it’s boring? What’s going on?

(For a non-fanfic story, this kind of orientation would establish setting and character.  I also tend to do that, but it’s more important in fic that you’re grounded in where we are)

2. Establish that SOMETHING WEIRD IS HAPPENING??? My stories have a lot of ‘weird’ factor, or so I’m told, and I want the opening line to establish that. I often pull that ‘what the fuck is going on’ further into the story into the entire first scene, so I’m always hitting the ground running and waiting for the reader to catch up. Why is Jon standing over Daisy with a knife? What do you mean Martin’s the shadow director of the Institute? What does arson have to do with anything?! It’s a cliffhanger, and you’re already presented with this ‘question’ in the first line of the story. Evilcon’s a good example of a line that does 1 + 2: you understand immediately that this story is about Jon, who is probably a child in school, and that he’s having a very canon non-typical encounter with the supernatural. Same with Sucker’s Bet - the opening line brings up so many questions: we understand that we’re at a graveyard and probably not in canon, but Jon has a wife? His wife is dead? Why would it be a perfect day for a funeral?

3. Set tone. You can pretty much tell instantly from these lines which are comedy and which are not. The (relatively) serious ones start out with some kind of action or engagement - Martin’s walking down stairs, Jon’s waking up with a hangover, Jon’s standing over Daisy with a knife. In contrast, the more comedic ones kick off with a joke, some dialogue, or a relatively whacky moment. Crow’s Funeral is more thoughtful and atmospheric. My style of comedy is very machine gun and incessant, so when the story starts off with a joke and just doesn’t stop, then you know what you’re getting into. 

4. Just punchy. Don’t get too long, or too fancy, but make it sound good. I do typically try to get them to stand on their own in an interesting way. Maybe only half of them have particularly snazzy opening lines (which tend to get used in the synopsis), but typically I either open up the document with a snazzy line or a snazzy scene in my head. A lot of the time that’s all I got. 

Actually, I’d say that it’s super similar to writing synopses. A lot of these rules also apply to first scenes. I do remember a writing teacher when I was 20 telling me about a bunch of rules for opening lines but I don’t remember them. As usual I’m vibe based. Anyway, uh...Hannah get your butt over here I know you like talking about this too @lazuliquetzal.

[the-cornerstone-six]

an (incomplete) introduction to the people you'll meet on this blog:

Jonathan Oak: best boy, narrating character, artist and music lover, tenor with a highly developed falsetto voice,

Pronouns: he/him

Race/Ethnicity: Black

Gender: boy

Orientation: demisexual

Favorite Character(s): Miles Morales, Aled Last (Radio Silence), Jane Seymour (SiX)

Signature Color: grey

...

Eliza V. Espinar: sweetheart who takes no shit, photographer (will take candids of her friends at will),

Pronouns: she/her

Race/Ethnicity: Latine, Colombian specifically

Gender: girl (butch)

Orientation: bisexual

Misc: she is Deaf & uses hearing aids & speaks ASL

Favorite Character(s): Regan Abbot (A Quiet Place), Spooner Cruz (Legends of Tomorrow), Luisa Madrigal

Signature Color: orange

...

Ruby Wilson: absolute queen, psychology major who is going to write the FATTEST book on why being trans is normal, actually, likes to jump-scare people with her lower voice sometimes,

Pronouns: she/her

Race/Ethnicity: Black

Gender: girl (trans)

Orientation: lesbian

Favorite Character(s): Princess Shuri, Wolf (KatAoW), Lt. Nyota Uhura,

Signature Color: red

...

Makwa:

Pronouns: she/her

Race/Ethnicity: Indigenous, specifically Ojibwe

Gender: girl

Orientation: asexual lesbian

Favorite Character(s): K Howard (SiX), Isabela Madrigal,

Signature Color: pink

...

Caden Cohen: lover boy, definition of little shit, always has a meme for every situation

Pronouns: he/him

Race/Ethnicity: White

Gender: boy (trans)

Orientation: bisexual aromantic

Religion: Jewish

Favorite Character(s): Peter Parker, Luke Skywalker, Steve Rogers, Max Owen(Magical Boy webcomic)

Signature Color: royal blue

...

Jules: fashion queen, world record for most cosplays made when she should be sleeping,

Pronouns: she/her

Race/Ethnicity: Rromani

Gender: girl

Orientation: asexual aromantic

Favorite Character(s): Dick Grayson, Lucy Grey Baird

Signature Color: emerald green

...

plot knowledge necessities:

- note that Cornerstone doesn't have a singular overarching plot, but many smaller ones.

- this story centers around the characters' experiences with different deities and mundanely magical occurances in their everyday life.

miscellaneous:

this story has a pinterest board:

this story has a playlist:

housekeeping things:

- this is a sideblog; i follow back from @evergreen-lyricist.

-all characters are tagged with "[name] my beloved" when they're mentioned

-posts referring to whole group are tagged with "the whole squad my beloved"

-posts about Jonathan, Caden, & Eliza as a polycule will be tagged with "this triangle is fully functional"

-some posts are tagged with "[name] vibes" when they remind me of said character(s)

-there are three different eras of this story: high school, college, and adult life. they are tagged as "[time period] era"

-this blog sometimes runs on a queue.

-here is the link to the incorrect quotes generator i use:

note: this post will be updated over time, but it will always be pinned so that newcomers, and eventual old-timers, will know wtf is going on. this blog is mainly incorrect quotes or vibey reblogs relating to the OCs mentioned above. please feel free to ask me about them!!

double note: please feel free to correct me if i ever say something offensive or incorrect in relation to my character's marginalized identities. i am not white, cis, or straight, but i know i cannot speak for every marginalized group. thank you in advance and have fun here!!

[jmtorres]

for reasons definitely unrelated to the time, "sleep" for the wip meme?

in a surprising twist, i actually have prose for this one? from The Alchemist's Wife:

Ed was too tired to argue or care, willing to go back to the train station and bunk down on a bench like he had when they'd had to wait overnight for a connection on their trip to Central, but Al, who didn't even sleep, was apparently going to argue on his behalf.

--

"I didn't ask if you'd found what you were looking for," Mustang pointed out, tone soft in a way that made Ed uncomfortable. Maybe he was just sleepy, barely woken, and that was why his voice held no sharpness.

--

"I'm glad he answered, though," Al said. "You need to sleep in a real bed."

--

Bunches and bunches from the polycule fic chatlogs, ed having a hell of a time with the concept of a polycule:

at some point ed makes a comment about the vast experience roy has with either attraction or actual partners and roy is like "probably not as many as you think. are you judging me" and ed's like "no that wasn't supposed to be like a comment on your character" and roy keeps poking him like "but you think who a person sleeps with is a matter of character?"

--

but you know. ed keeps occasionally asking roy invasive questions like so do you only sleep with the hugheses or do you sleep with other people or

--

(answer:)

meanwhile ed is busy giving roy the cold shoulder for sleeping with Havoc.

--

roy trying to work through that one:

like yes Ed is in his house all the damn time now, yes they are making a body together, yes they have talked about so much personal shit, yes he absolutely thinks about what Ed will say about him sleeping with anyone,,,, but at the same time he didn't actually think Ed... wanted that from him?

an unexpected literal usage! Hawkeye on military-mandated therapy:

If they ask you about how you're sleeping, you say fine--that one's a trap, if you say you can't sleep they give you pills and take you off active duty.

eventually, eventually! ed might join the polycule. but roy's gonna be super pedantic about it.

and roy is like, "It's a good idea to have ground rules any time you sleep with someone, but there's sort of standard set of assumptions you can apply in... standard situations. Since this isn't a standard situation for a number of reasons, including the age range, gender, number of participants, and hmm, authority issues, we're not starting there"

ed is like "what do you mean authority issues"