#yellow fruit stripes

[limestoner]

Heckin wimdy. Someone closed a car door loudly outside and Rowan was Captain of the Owsla.

[carmeltheslimy]

green and blue basins

[kat-vs-art]

RIP Fruit Stripe Gum

[jedi-bird]

Spent an hour working in the yard this morning before the rains arrive. Had to stop because the green waste can is full again; as the weeds and grass dry out it'll compact down, so I might be able to do more this weekend. Found more trash left behind by the contractors, including floor insulation padding buried under the dirt between the trees and more broken glass. On the plus side, I think I have room for one more big raised bed, if I can find one for a decent price.

It doesn't look like I did a lot, but there's a significant difference. Most of those pots are going to have to be moved again so I can grade the area along the wall. This is just to get them temporarily out of the way. I plan to move the composting barrel over there once it's leveled, hopefully within the next few weeks.

[uncharismatic-fauna]

An Affinity for the Southern River Terrapin

The southern river terrapin (Batagur affinis), also known as the tungtung or the royal turtle, is a species of freshwater turtle residing, as its name implies, in the southern part of the Malaysian Peninsula, particularly along the western coast. They reside in estuaries, portions of large rivers that are regularly exposed to ocean tides.

While initially plain in appearance, the southern river terrapin can be visually striking. The body and shell are entirely black, or dark brown in females. The only spots of color are carried by males: bright yellow or white eyes and orange inner cheek flaps that are exposed when the mouth opens. Batagur affinis is also quite big, with females (the larger of the two sexes) reaching an average length of 62 cm (24 in) and a weight of 38 kg (83 lbs).

The tungtung is an omnivorous species. Its serrated beak allows it to feed on a variety of plants like grasses, algae, and fruits, as well as freshwater invertebrates like crustaceans and mollusks. Due to the high salinity of their habitats, they often leave the rivers and forage for food on land. The large size and thick shells of adults deters most predators. However, eggs and hatchlings are vulnerable to monitor lizards, otters, birds of prey, and crocodiles.

Mating for Batagur affinis occurs from October to February. Males and females remain relatively solo throughout the rest of the year, although they aren't overly territorial. Once a male locates a female, the two touch noses and he pulses his jaw to emphasize his bright orange cheek pouches and the white stripes on the inside of his throat. After copulation, the female lays a clutch of 20-40 eggs in nests dug in the sandy river bank. Young royal turtles hatch anywhere from 60-120 days later, depending on the temperature of the nest. Juveniles can take 18-22 years to reach maturity. Adults regularly reach ages well over 45, and individuals as old as 100 have been recorded.

Conservation status: The southern river turtle is considered Critically Endangered by the IUCN. Over-harvesting of both eggs and individuals has decimated populations, and those that remain are threatened by habitat destruction. However, both local and international conservation efforts have been underway to preserve the species and its ecosystem.

If you like what I do, consider buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Eng Heng Chan

Paul Calle

Thorn Sophun

[captain-hawks]

matsukawa + dark green? (love your colour theory drabbles so much they're giving me so much life 🩷)

(thank you so much<3!!!)

issei matsukawa x reader

c: fluff, pining, best friend!mattsun, matsukawa's sexy hands

“You good?”

Amusement glints in Matsukawa’s eyes as his hand stills, the large knife held in his grip lodged deep in the belly of the watermelon that sits atop the cutting board. 

The back of your neck prickles with the heat of embarrassment as you tear your gaze away from the surface of the counter—from the sight of his other hand that’s splayed wide against the smooth surface of the fruit. The way the veins on the back of it flex as he holds it steady while a stream of sticky juice trails between his knuckles and down his wrist. 

“We’re gonna be late if you don’t hurry up,” you evasively reply, wiggling the large plastic container that the watermelon cubes will be going in. 

He shrugs, casually lifting the side of his wrist to his mouth and licking away the juice, and you bite down on the inside of your cheek to stifle the sound that threatens to crawl up your throat. 

You’ve been friends with Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, and Hanamaki for ages, but you've always been closest with Mattsun. And as teen years of friendship flourished into your twenties, so has the undeniable flutter of attraction that beats persistently in your chest for your best friend. It’s a problem that’s blossomed tenfold as of late, now that the two of you are both single for the first time since high school. 

While you’ve prided yourself on your ability to mostly compartmentalize these inconvenient feelings to the best of your ability—despite how difficult it is when you spend nearly all of your free time together—it’s this stupid fucking watermelon of all things that will now be your undoing, it seems. 

Your apartment is a block away from Mattsun and Makki’s place, so your joint trip to the grocery store today to pick up food for Oikawa’s barbecue wasn’t abnormal in the slightest.

But the absolutely unhinged bolt of arousal that suddenly slithered its way down your spine without warning when you found him casually lifting up watermelons and inspecting them in the produce area? The way your toes curled in your sneakers as you watched him slide his large palms along each one to inspect it for a promising yellow spot? 

The fact that you had to feign passionate interest in the bulbs of garlic beside you to hide how you nearly choked on your spit when you saw the way his long fingers spread and slotted across the watermelon’s thick, dark green stripes?

You’ve incidentally seen this man half naked more times than you can count, yet it’s the sight of his hands on a watermelon that somehow wrecks you beyond repair on this balmy summer day in the middle of July.

And now you’re leaning against the counter in his kitchen while he slices away through the thick rind and into the soft pink interior, wondering desperately how you’re going to survive the rest of the day now that you’ve lit this dangerous thread of thought that’s rapidly burning its way through your insides like a stick of dynamite. 

“I think we picked out a good one, try it first at least.”

Rather than wait for you to reach out and take the triangular slice clutched in his hand, Matsukawa smirks as he steps toward you and places it against your lips. The pink pulp is sweet as he presses it past the boundary of your mouth, which opens of its own accord as your back presses into the edge of the countertop behind you. Your stomach flutters violently.

You’re half certain you’re imagining it, the way his eyes darken slightly when you make no move to take it from him, choosing instead to maintain eye contact as you slowly bite down into the flesh of the watermelon while he holds it for you.

“Well?” he asks, voice a little rough.

Reaching out, you let your fingers encircle his wrist, tugging it just close enough to take another bite. The juice spills, tracking its way down your chin as you run your tongue along your bottom lip.

“It’s good,” you tell him, wondering if he can hear how loudly your heart is thrumming beneath your ribcage.

Matsukawa lifts his other hand and drags his thumb through the sticky line of juice just below your lips, staring at you unblinkingly as he brings the digit to his own mouth. He nods, as if that taste alone was enough for him to agree.

“Issei—” you start, suddenly very aware of the lack of space between your body and his.

His hand hovers in the air, fingers and palm curved like he’s about to cup the side of your face, and you swear you're on the verge of spontaneously combusting right here between the dripping faucet and your unfairly handsome best friend.

—and then the front door to the apartment bursts open, accompanied by Makki’s singsong voice as he trudges inside and yells, “Oikawa said we’re all dead to him if we don’t get to his place in the next fifteen minutes!”

Matsukawa’s hand drops, and you watch as the expression on his face shutters.

But it’s undeniably deliberate—the way his fingertips brush against yours before he turns around and sighs. 

[mostlylurkinbarelypostin]

Can’t stop thinking about how unhinged this scene is. I LOVE it so much.

This is literally the next supermarket scene that we get after Mike’s failed love confession to El, where he couldn’t say the words and couldn’t get her to understand his cryptic, coded language. Dustin interrupts on the radio, probably to Mike’s immense relief, and then we get this absolute masterpiece.

Mike goes from sitting close to El in the scene prior to sitting the farthest away from her, directly next to Will. In the previous scene Mike is sat close to El because Max instructed him to hold pressure on her wound. It continues a common theme of El and Mike being forced together because El is in need of help and Mike is being made responsible for her. As soon as Mike has the CHOICE though, he sits next to Will. And not just next to him, but barely even a foot away. Like they’re sat so close together that even the shots that are focused solely on Mike have Will partly in them.

Moving on from the positioning, there’s possibly the best and most unserious part of this entire scene which is the fact that they sat them right in front of the FRUIT section, which is simply incredible. They also put Will on the left so that he’s positioned under the “Always #1” part of the fluorescent sign above their heads.

Then there’s the obvious fact that they’re all coupled off, including El who is sat with her beloved eggos behind her. This scene also draws your attention to how complimentary all the couple outfits are. Max and Lucas are both in shorts and Max’s thick strapped top is reflected in the layered look of Lucas’s shirt. Both Nancy and Jonathan rock pants and striped shirts. Finally, Mike and Will look like they share a closet (lol) with their short shorts and color blocked polos with bright collars. They all look so good together. Even El is matching with the yellow Eggo boxes behind her.

Finally, there’s the fact that Mike isn’t even really paying attention to El in this scene. Instead he’s more focused on arguing with Lucas about New Coke.

This whole scene feels like a test to see how obvious they could be about Mike’s sexuality without people noticing, which is apparently extremely obvious considering they put Mike and Will with the couples and literally spelled out that Mike is fruity and that Will is his #1, yet most people came away from that scene still thinking that Mike’s love confession was successful and that he’s madly in love with El.

All of this has been pointed out before but I just think this scene is incredible and I keep thinking about it. Bless the people that make this show ❤️

[peanutbubba]

Hi.Is it possible to have Usopp (top) x male reader (bottom).Smut. They have been a couple for a long time. The half-human, half-tiger reader (he has the body of a human but a tail, ears, eyes and stripes of a tiger) and he controls electricity. For the scenario, arriving on an island with the crew, Usopp and the reader decide to go relax and spend a romantic moment in hot springs because it is difficult to spend a romantic moment on the boat (sorry for the spelling mistakes English is not my mother tongue)

All I Need

Usopp x Male!reader, smut, top Usopp, bottom reader, tiger mink reader, I don’t know how hot springs work, not beta read, almost 2k words

“Y/N! Please save me!” Usopp crys, crocodile tears running down his face as he hides behind your back.

“What?!” You yell back in disbelief, looking ahead, your eyes widening as you see a horde of navy folk come towards you.

Reaching for your hand, carefully you pull a yellow bolt from your hand, large and sparkling with energy. “Christ, I can’t leave alone for even a minute, huh, Usopp?”

“What the hell is that?!” Screams a navy soldier, pointing towards the bright thunderbolt held by your bare hands.

You clench the bolt tighter before launching it at the hoard of Navy, striped tail swishing in irritation behind you. “Fuck off!”

Electricity fizzled from one soldier to another, all of them too close to escape the yellow crackle, whipping at their spine and freezing them in their tracks. Not enough to permanently injure them, but you were sure they weren’t getting up anytime soon.

Grabbing Usopp’s hand you start making a run for it, whiskers on your face blowing in the wind. “Let’s get out of here! The Sunny shouldn’t be too far!”

Usopp practically clings on to you, thanking you continuously as you both run for the ship together.

You were so ready to just get off of this crazy island, all you hoped was that the next would be better, hopefully you could finally relax.

And oh how you were glad when that was the case, rushing over to hot springs as soon as the locals told you where they were.

You were not very keen on getting your fur wet a lot of the time, due to you being a tiger mink, but there were just some things in life that even your animal instinct couldn’t control.

Undressing yourself before getting in the water, you sigh softly as the heat of it relaxes your body, every tense muscle that you hadn’t noticed before now unclenching.

It wasn’t long before you lost track of time, just resting up before your ball of energy of a captain was wrapping you up in his schemes again.

It’s quite ironic though you think to yourself, the literal person who has the devil fruit ability to create charged energy couldn’t even keep up with him, where he pulled all of it from you had no clue.

Quickly you were brought out of your thoughts, the dip of water next to you alerting you of someone else in the hot springs.

Your eyes were narrowed when they opened, only relaxing when you saw that the one next to you was Usopp, the only person who could have made the hot springs feel even better in your opinion.

A smile grows on your face, sharp teeth revealing itself to the other man.

He raises an eyebrow at you, relaxing as well in the water. “You know, you’re kinda scary when you smile that wide.”

Immediately your smile drops, an unamused look on your face at Usopp’s words, slapping your hand in the water to splash him.

“Hey!” He yelps, covering his face with his hands before slapping them on the water too, effectively splashing you as well.

Laughing you make your way over to Usopp, planting a kiss on his cheek. “You know, I would have thought you’d be happier to see me,” You say, lightly teasing him.

“I am happy to see you!” He argued back, giving you a pointed look, “Don’t just assume things like that.” He huffs, dipping down in the water, letting himself sink so that only his mouth and lower was submerged.

A smile forms itself on your lips, watching how Usopp pouts underwater like a child.

Eventually his eyes go from the water back to you, his features softening, heart softly hammering in his chest.

Sometimes he can’t help but wonder how he managed to woo someone like you, you’re so amazing and he was just him, it was confusing when he learned that you actually liked him back, but he definitely wasn’t complaining.

“Is there something on my face?” You question, tilting your head in question at him.

Rising from the water he looks at you questioningly, clearly clueless. “No?”

You smirk at his response, “Well there must be, you’ve been staring at me for like a minute.”

He tenses up at this, blush making its way on his almond skin, cheeks darkening nicely.

“Yeah, but that’s because you’re so… you.” He sputters out, looking away from you not sure if his words even made sense, not knowing how to get his thoughts out too well.

You let out a laugh at this, not really surprised by his response, Usopp was always one to get easily nervous. “Thank you?”

At your laughter his gaze flickers back to you, a small chuckle falling from him as well, your laugh contagious to him.

Once your laughter died down you scooted closer to him, resting your head on his shoulder. Allowing the both of you to relax into the water again, a comfortable silence filling the air.

Though that didn’t last for long, you were getting antsy for Usopp’s entirety, not having been able to express your desires to him merely as much as you would have wanted too.

Island after island, issue after issue, being on a ship and not even being able to have a little alone time with your boyfriend was driving you crazy.

Your hand carefully grasps Usopp’s inner thigh, making him jolt from the sudden touch, his cheeks burning as he looks at you incredulously.

“Really? Here? What if someone comes?” He quickly questions, an obvious nervousness to him.

Burying your face in the crook of his neck you let out a small whine, leaving soft kisses on his wet skin. “Please? We haven’t been able to in a while.”

He lets out a sigh, just deciding to go along with it, after all it had been far too long, and he wasn’t risking potentially getting caught by the crew by waiting to be back on the Sunny.

With a soft voice he finally speaks up, still embarrassed about talking about such subjects even though you’ve done it countless times. “Oh, fine.”

At this you perk up, happy that Usopp was caving in to you. Leaning up you catch his lips in a kiss, closing your eyes as you tilt your head to accommodate for his long nose.

Usopp practically melts into the kiss, a content sigh leaving his nose, deepening the kiss after a few seconds.

Hands grasp at your waist, rubbing into it. Letting go of Usopp's thigh you bring your hands out of the water, wrapping them around his neck to bring him closer.

When you ran out of air you pulled away, softly huffing to regain control of your breath, eventually leaning back in for another one.

It was loving and passionate, a mix of longing in it from being deprived of this sensation for so long, both of you so desperate for one another.

Pulling away again you huff a laugh as you feel Usopp shyly grab your legs, wrapping them around his hips.

Carefully he pushes you up against the outskirts of the hot spring, not wanting to hurt you.

You watch as Usopp works gently on you, his half hooded eyes always flickering towards your face to make sure you weren’t uncomfortable, one of his hands came to rest on your hip, the other going down to your ass.

Your striped tail swishes in interest, rubbing against Usopp’s arm before allowing him to be, trusting him completely with your body.

You let out a hiss as Usopp inserts a finger in you, the sudden intrusion making you tense before you relax yourself once more.

Pumping his finger in and out of you as he listens to your soft moans, eventually adding a second finger when he thinks you are ready.

He kept a nice pace, your gasps and moans growing steadily as he thrust his fingers up into you, prodding so nicely into your sweet spot.

It isn’t long before he pulls them out, his hand settling itself back on your hip, lining himself up with your hole.

Slowly, he pushes into you making sure to watch your face to see if you were showing any signs of discomfort, more attuned to your pleasure than his own.

When he finally bottoms out he waits for you to give him the go ahead to start moving, one of his hands smooth against your spine, the other rubbing the side of your hip.

Only when you start to squirm in his lap does he start to move, even thrusts at an almost lazy pace, not wanting his time to end quickly with you.

His face moves to hide at the crook of your neck, spreading small kisses on it, every thrust making a soft huff leave him, his breath fanning at your tingling skin.

Your tail swishes under the water in pleasure, rising from the water and curling affectionately on Usopp’s hand, making the man’s motions stop, now instead rubbing softly at your wet fur.

The softness of it all makes a soft purr start in your chest, a sound that Usopp loved, it let him know that he was doing well without even having to look at you or hear it verbally. And even when you can’t see Usopp’s face you already have a pretty good guess that he has a happy little grin on his face, always so pleased with himself when he can make you feel good.

Every thrust of his dick so deep in you had your stomach pooling with heat, Christ, sometimes you forget just how good at these things he was simply because he was always so shy about them.

You weren’t exactly complaining though, that just meant whenever you two did have intimate moments like these it's always like seeing heaven again.

Sweat beaded and water at Usopp’s skin, both the water of the hot springs and the burning of his own needy body making sweat roll down his skin. Not that it really bothered him, it only added something else to shiver at including the soft breeze coming two and fro.

As Usopp shifts his dick hits practically perfect in you, kissing your sweet spot in a way that has your toes immediately curling, a loud moan escaping you.

One of your hands lifts from his neck and covers your mouth, still wary of being quiet. Usopp is a little sad when he can no longer hear your moans unmuffled, though he would rather have that then someone worrying about the sounds you’re making and catching you guys in act.

Another particular thrust has the coil in your stomach tightening, the need of release pointing itself out to you almost immediately.

Moving your hand from your mouth you go to warn Usopp, fumbling as broken words and moans fall from your lips before you actually get the sentence out, a slight stutter as you talk. “Dear, i-i’m close.”

Usopp merely nods against your neck, his pace quickening, your body shaking as he quickened his thrusts, moans rapidly leaving your lips as you own dick twitches in pleasure.

It doesn’t take long before you’re fully cumming, white ropes getting caught by the water, your legs tightening against Usopp’s waist.

He follows suit after a couple more shallow thrusts, spilling his seed in you due to you legs not letting up, a soft moan of your name coming from him as he comes down from his high.

Both of you stay there for a moment basking in each other’s presences as you try and catch your breaths, eventually Usopp comes up from hiding in the crook of your neck, a crimson blush and pout on his face.

“Now my hands are all pruny.”

You couldn’t help but laugh at that, loud and boisterous, after all that of course that was his first thought.

God, you loved this man.

—

I am so sorry this took forever, this entire fic was actually such a struggle because I kept over thinking it.

I still hope you enjoyed this mess of a fic though, Pea’s out!

[hannahssimblr]

For a brief period last year, I had this thing about wasps. Miss O’Reilly spurred the whole thing on after poring over my sketchbooks with me. She made some offhand comment about how nice it would be to see some animals too, amongst the endless scrawl of human arms and legs and feet and heads on every inch of every page, because it would expand my anatomical knowledge. This had never occurred to me.

So across town to the zoo I went. Where, through the spring and the earliest days of summer I would draw gorillas in their glass enclosures, giraffes, sloths, red pandas, while parents and children looked over my shoulder at my work, ogling as though I too was part of an exhibition. 

I returned that August, late, in that last week before school starts when the sun still warms you, but the wind carries autumn with it. By then, the leaves had lost that vibrant green and hung tired from branches, curled and russet at the edges. It was wasp season, when they emerge, as though from nowhere, angry, confused, in a ferocious pursuit of sugar. 

One landed on my sketchbook, near the thumb that held the page, and I resisted the tingle of fear in my body, the urge to swat him away. Instead I watched him, and then I drew him, his alien eyes and hairy body, papery wings and the abstract black and yellow stripes like caution tape wound around his horntail. I feared wasps - I think. One had never stung me and had no reference for the pain, but coincidentally, I had read about them in an insect encyclopaedia from the school library. I’d learned about their sad Augusts, when their purpose had been fulfilled, and their queens cast them out of the nest to die. 

That wasp, eating the ice cream fingerprint from my page, was no different. Here he was, addicted to sugar, drunk, perhaps, from the fermenting fruits he had managed to find. If I swatted him away, could I really blame him if, in his desperation and pain, he attacked me? He really was just another creature fulfilling his purpose, adapting to the new environment in which he had been thrown. 

“Oh, God!” Michelle cried, and whacked him with her zoo map. His insides left a stain on the paper, and I turned to her, outraged. “Why did you do that?”

“It might have stung you!” 

And things escalated, as they normally did, to an argument by the elephant enclosure. She erupted in front of a family of four and asked me when I became such a fucking vegetarian about wasps. We didn’t speak a word to one another on the bus home, and then, come September, we forgot about wasps for another year. 

A wasp lands on my arm. I feel it first, the weird little legs tickling my skin. Someone splashed cider on me in the Foo Fighters’ mosh pit. That’s what he’s looking for. For the first time in a year, I think about wasps again, while the rest of my friends plan their next move. He shouldn’t be out at night. He must be confused. Maybe he’s about to die. 

“Oh! Gosh! You’ve a wasp on your arm!” Claire waves her hand about me and the wasp makes a drowsy departure and swoops toward the overflowing bins by the barriers. 

Several seconds pass before it occurs to me to react. “Yeah.” 

As the others head towards the bar, she and Shane hang back, peering at me with that wary concern, as though there’ve sensed something deeply unhinged about me. “Are you okay?” She says gently. “You look like you got a bit of a knock there in the mosh pit.”

“No, it was fine. It felt good to kind of shove everyone around.” It’s true. I wasn’t thinking in there where I was thrashing to The Pretender, but I know how I must look. She eyes the collar of my t-shirt, stretched completely out of shape from where some beast of a man grabbed me to fling me out of his path like a rag doll. it was violent, but it felt good, like something that I needed.

“Look,” Shane scratches his head, “The lads there, they were talking about going to that rave at midnight. They wanted to grab some shots first, but like, if you don’t want to go, and you’d rather go back to the tent or something, that’d be okay.”

Claire nods. “We could even go with you, right? I wouldn’t mind just hanging out and taking it easy if you wanted company.”

Do I really seem that bad? I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. I’ll just do what everyone else is doing.”

They pause, and I press the issue. “Do I seem like I won’t be able for it?”

“Not that.” Shane says. “You just seem a bit wrecked.”

“I’ll survive another concert.”

“Yeah, I’m not saying you won’t, like.”

“Right then.”

They exchange a look, and I sigh. “I don’t know what you think is wrong with me, but I’m not drinking, I’m not on drugs,” I lean down to show them my pupils, which I realise too late is quite a manic, on-drugs thing to do, but I don’t know how else to prove my sobriety. “It’s just been a day, okay? I’m just… it’s been odd.”

“We can talk about it if you like,” Claire says, in that very kind, Claire way, but I shake my head. 

“Let’s not bother. Come on, we’ll just go to that rave thing and dance, yeah? Then I’ll go back to the tent and we can take it easy.”

“Okay, if you say so,” she says, and with her arms around herself against the midnight chill, she and Shane march past me, towards the big top of the marquee across the bottle-littered fields. 

Beginning // Prev // Next

[limestoner]

And Grandpa Josiah said, “Who smoked my Who Hash?”

And Euchariah said, “The Grinch toked your Who Hash ablaze with fiendish glee; then he broke your Who-kah and chucked it under the tree.”

Heckin wimdy. Someone closed a car door loudly outside and Rowan was Captain of the Owsla.

[carmeltheslimy]

theatrefolk

[verrixstudios]

Another doodle page cause I wanted to draw my own ocs again

Uhhh from left to right is Mako (Night/Seawing), Flourish (Rain/mud), Fen (Mud), Barracuda(Seawing)

[ID: dragons from wings of Fire, drawn repeatedly in a three-frame comic format but without the boxing. Messy colored sketches of each dragon.

The top has two dragons, a deep dark blue and purple highlighted dragon is saying “So then I was like psh yeah…at least your parents weren’t murdering traitors..” while inspecting a orange in one talon, then a bright blue and orange striped dragon looking to the side saying “psh. Imagine, right?”

The middle shows the purple dragon looking to the brighter one with wide eyes. The bright one also see,s to have a wide eyed surprise face and looking back. Specks of white show on her scales. Behind them in the distance is a heavy set, dark red and light yellow dragon and a muted blue and grey dragon, not with wide circle eyes and staring at the bright one. The red dragon is holding an orange fruit in his talon.

The bottom still has the purple one with wide eyes, but more with concern. the bright one turned to look to the other two, looking unsure and now with specks of a pale green on her scales, “…imagine…right??” The red one looks nervous and says “Hey uh… interesting news.” The gray one is still staring, but now has the fruit in his mouth. END ID]

[resetoaster]

I am so glad to be involved in the @malevolentbigbang ! It was such a lovely experience and I got to interact with some amazing and creative people such as Quakergoth (A03) (Writer of the AMAZING fic all of the artworks are based off of), and Strumdunkle (Instagram and tumblr) who also created some brilliant art from this fic!

The fic is: You Shall Walk With Me Tomorrow , Everyone should check it out! I have by now read it more times than I can count.  

Image ID's, top to bottom:

ID: An image of warm colours- mainly yellow- Arthur stands to the left site of John, exclaiming "John what are you doing?!". John is standing in the middle, right hand raised to feel at the white mask on his face with a look of surprise. He's wearing a yellow robe, much like the faded figures which surround the two. A hand is pointing directly at John.(edited)

ID: The king in yellow, standing in front of a space scene- the king is looking over their shoulder to the scene behind him which is somewhat fused with his back. There is stained glass in the middle, on either side there is two ghost-like statues reaching up. there are two tables scattered with bottles of whine and fruit. A hand is laying across the bottom part of the image, holding a knife covered with their own blood and a pool of blood forming below the arm. The arm has scars and is wearing a baggy yellow sleeve.

ID: A scene containing a fence, overgrown with trees and grass. In the top left is Arthur shoulder-up, smoking with a speech bubble which simply says "... Oh.", this is cut off by smoke from Arthur in the bottom right- standing in front of the fence- exhaling smoke while saying "I suppose it is".

ID: A mainly blue coloured artwork, John is in a robe and is being lifted by the arms- around about the elbow area- by a figure which cant be seen. He is in purple-like water within a mirror frame and is being dragged down by one regular hand and one faded-out hand. A crown sits on top of Johns head- emitting a blue glow. He has almost next to no expression on his face.

ID: Arthur stands in a pool of water, one hand (left hand) faded holding a cane, with his pinky finger being the only section of it which remains in a form- wood. He's smoking a cigarette with the other hand, the smoke littered with eyes and said hand is drenched in blood. The coat he wears is floating on the pool of water in a circle like motion.

ID: A man stands with mostly warm brown colours. His eyes are covered with smoke emitting from the cigarette he is smoking in his right hand- which is covered in blood. He's got a long jacket, striped waistcoat, brown trousers, orange tie, dark brown hat, off-white shirt, brown hair, and brown shoes- along with a cane. His left foot and arm are gray and whispy- the rough form of the limbs remain the same but there is no finer details. (Arthur Design)

[upsidedownwithsteve]

Remus Lupin x fem!reader [2.1K] A lazy, summer Sunday after the full moon. Fluff, softness and shared tangerines.

Sundays were slow at Hogwarts, especially during summer. The Scottish heat made everyone sluggish, lazy and languid, mornings spent in cool showers and afternoons in the shade outside. 

It’s where Remus found you after breakfast, half cast in shadows under an old oak tree on the edge of the lake. Your bag was spilled out across the grass, books with dog eared pages and empty potion bottles, a broken quill and a half eaten chocolate frog that was doing its best to escape with just two legs. 

He sat down without a greeting, close enough that his shoulder bumped yours, his denim covered thigh up against your bare one. Your dress wasn’t doing much in terms of keeping you cool, but the breeze picked at it every now and then, sunflower yellow cotton against the green grass. 

Remus handed you half the tangerine he’d peeled and you accepted it with a hum, glancing out of the side of your eyes to inspect him. It had been a full moon last night and he had a new line across his neck to show for it. The scratch was already healed over, silver in the sunlight, no doubt from Lily’s wand, possibly even Remus’ own, if he’d managed enough sleep. 

You asked him as such, your gaze on the lavender coloured smudges below his lash line. “Sleep well?” 

It was barely ten o’clock in the morning, but the summer sun rose around four and you hoped the boy had managed a few hours of sleep, as restless as they may have been. You’d witnessed him before, just once, slumped between James and Sirius as they led him back through the portrait, half hidden as the cloak started slipping to the floor. There had been some blood, a lot of naked skin, dirt covered bare feet and half lidded eyes, barely focusing on you. Remus was asleep before James had managed to lead him to bed.  

The boy hummed, creased shirt sleeves unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows, smelling like citrus and the leftover smoke from the cigarette he probably stole from Sirius’ bedside. 

“Yeah,” he told you, his voice quiet enough that you could hear the owls above, making their way to the Great Hall. You knew he was saying it only for your benefit, a soft agreement that was supposed to make you feel less worried. “Managed a couple of hours, even with James’ snoring.”

You huffed out a laugh, leaning closer, every bit of your side touching his, like if you stayed near enough, you could convince yourself he was indeed safe, that he’d made it through another full moon without the need for a hospital wing visit afterwards. 

“They’re still asleep?” You asked, not needing to specify who you were talking about. There were only two other people who should’ve been lounging around you, talking shit and causing some sort of trouble. “They’re okay?”

Remus nodded, placing the last segment of fruit on your thigh, balancing it in the stripe of sun that came through the tree canopy. “Yeah. They’re safe. Tired, though. Don’t you worry that pretty, little head of yours.”

That was understandable. You’d only seen your friends from afar, from your dormitory window, watching in quiet fear as three shapes made their way to the forbidden forest, two familiar, the third you’d only seen in textbooks, in horror movie posters. James had engaged in too many discussions with you to count, whispered and heated, hidden from Remus until Sirius broke it up and the two boys had to watch you blink back tears as they both told you ‘no’ again, like they always did. 

It was always forgotten about when they visited the girls dorm when they shouldn’t have, shuffling through Gryffindor tower under James’ cloak, knocking on your door with a few chocolate frogs and Sirius’ last bottle of Pumpkin Juice. They said ‘sorry’ and you nodded, knowing. It was too dangerous to help, you were all too aware of that. So the boys aided at night, ran across the hillsides and through the forests, keeping Remus away from anything human and out of sight. And when morning came, they lingered in their dormitory, let Remus come to you, let you look after him in a way that only you could. 

Something in the lake splashed, far away enough that you didn’t catch a glimpse of it, maybe a tentacle from the giant squid, maybe something no one knew about. But Remus took the opportunity to push your book bag away with a foot, long legs stretched out on the grass so he could manoeuvre himself into his favourite position. His head on your lap, sandy brown hair still mussed from bed and the sun slanting over his face in peach-gold coloured stripes, the last piece of forgotten tangerine stolen back between his fingers. 

He held it up to you from where he lay, brown eyes turning honey coloured in the light. You tried to hide your smile with a twist of your lips, an eye roll that wasn’t as casual as you had hoped. Remus grinned, waiting patiently until you leaned forward just a touch, stealing the fruit from between his fingertips with your lips, hoping your teeth didn’t graze him. 

That wouldn’t have been proper. Not at all. 

But neither was the way the boy stole your hand, his curling around your wrist to guide it to his head, humming something sinful when you let your fingers delve into his hair to scratch at his scalp. Remus’ eyes fluttered, lashes casting shadows across his high cheekbones, the sun erasing the reddened shadows under his eyes. He looked less tired then, laid out all pretty in your lap like that, eyes closed, breathing even, a small smile on his lips. 

Peaceful. Like he hadn’t had his body wrecked and cracked the night before, like each of his bones hadn’t splintered and pieced themselves back together before the sun had come up. 

You let him lay like that for as long as he wanted, skin warming under the sun, hand soothing over his hair, across his forehead and along the slope of his cheek until his lips parted in sleepy surprise and Remus turned his head into your tummy, nose nudging there as he slept. 

He woke when James and Sirius found you both later, when the sky was still blue and cloudless, whistling and shouting something awful as they greeted you both with stolen sandwiches and pocketfuls of sherbet lemons. You frowned at the two boys, both as messy and sleep rumpled as the other, James wearing Remus’ stolen t-shirt, Sirius still in all black despite the heat, a split lip holding onto an unlit cigarette as he approached. Then Remus moved, something that saddened you both, but he stayed close, sharing pumpkin juice as you both listened and laughed at how Sirius managed to land himself detention and lost points only mere minutes after leaving the common room. 

And when the boys inevitably stripped off to go for a swim, you made them both sit in front of you first, wand out to heal their own scrapes and scratches, small injuries that made Remus’ lips turn down. James hooted and hollered as he ran down the small hill, ignoring how you yelled about his glasses, ‘cause Sirius was chasing him and soon they were both barrelling onto the cold water. 

Remus stayed, still close, a small and tired smile on his face as he watched you huff at your friends, fond affection creeping over him as you reached for your book. You leant back against the old oak tree, the book in the grass beside you because you saved your lap for him. It took him a second or two before he lay back down, cheek pressed to your bare thigh, eyes looking up at you. 

“Read to me?” He asked softly. “Please?”

And who were you to deny him? You kept a hand on the pages, another in his hair, only glancing away to make sure your friends weren’t drowning. You read until your voice dropped to a murmur, until all the sherbet lemons were gone, the sour sugar a leftover fizz on your tongue. Remus had his eyes closed, awake enough to hum when you whispered his name, tangerine scented fingers drawing shapes over your ankles. You wondered if he could feel your goosebumps, you wondered if he knew what it meant. 

You wondered if he’d let you do this tomorrow and the next day, and maybe the next after that. When there was no full moon to worry about and you could let your best friend lay in your lap just ‘cause he could. ‘Cause he wanted to, maybe. 

When the sky turned lilac, a candy floss pink at the horizon with the setting sun, James and Sirius were dressed again and Remus had slept on you for an hour or two. You could all smell dinner coming from the kitchens, the dull bustling noises from the hall as students gathered. Remus stood as the other boys argued, something nonsensical, a debate Remus was ignoring. He helped you to your feet even though he ached, smiling bashfully with pink cheeks as he stared at you for a beat too long. 

There was a crease along his jaw from the hem of your dress, a sign he’d napped all too well. It was a nicer sight to see than the new scars and before you could stop yourself, you ran a finger over the silver line on his throat, the one that went from the nape of his neck and round and down, disappearing into his collar. Remus stilled as you did, hardly breathing as he let you touch him, lips parted in surprise but his gaze fond all the same. 

“Does it still hurt?”

The boy shook his head, standing too close, toes touching. “Nah, m’fine. It’s fine.” His voice was a pretty rasp, hoarse from sleep, quiet as if not to startle you. “Lily fixed me up this morning.”

You’d been right. But it didn’t stop the awful stab of jealousy, a sharp pain between your ribs and bloomed and grew like weeds. You told yourself you were being silly, that you had no reason to feel such a thing. Especially since James had taken to spending his free periods in the library, trailing after the red headed girl, gazing at her like you looked at Remus. 

You cleared your throat and nodded, smiling a little tight as you dropped your hand. Maybe Remus was a little more awake than you’d once thought, ‘cause he bent at the knees a little, just enough to catch your nervous gaze with his and smile at you. He was still sleep soft, all blushing cheeks and tired eyes. 

“Days like these?” He prompted, voice low enough that the other boys didn’t overhear as they made their way to the castle. “With you?”

You could hear your heartbeat, could feel it in your ears, could feel the rattle of your bones. You wondered if Remus could too. 

“They help me a lot, y’know. When it’s finally done and I get back?” He nodded towards the castle, chin lifting to the tower where your beds sat. “When the guys get me home and I can lie down, I always think about you before I fall asleep. What you’ll read to me the next day, what pretty dress you’ll be wearing.”

Your breath hitched and your shoulder bumped into Remus’ arm as you walked, a wide eye stare set on James’ broad back as you trailed behind them. You could feel Remus watching you, could feel the way he smiled. And when you were brave enough to look back, face feeling too warm, you wrinkled your nose and asked:

“Yeah? Really?”

Remus nodded, chin ducking to his chest like he suddenly wasn’t as brave with your eyes on him. “All your dresses are pretty,” he added. “But s’not the point. All of you help me. James, Pads, Lily.”

His hand brushed yours, pinky finger touching your own for a beat too long to be accidental and the boy kept his gaze on the grass as he walked. He cleared his throat, brows stitching together as he tried to find the right words. 

“They all help me. But you help me the most.” A pause, long and filled with something you couldn’t put your finger on. Tangerines, old books, new scars, cheeks pressed to legs and honey brown eyes in the sun. “When it’s all over? When it’s done?  You make me feel like me again.”

[xx-emi-chan-xx]

::Biographical overview::

Name: Karui

Age: 17

Relative(s):

Unnamed parents (†)

Mohatu (uncle)

Nickname(s):

Pouchmaster

hopscotch

Lady Hops-a-lot

tough-roo

Species: Kangaroo

::Physical Description::

Gender: Female

Height: 120cm (4 ft.)

Weight: 31 kg (68 lbs)

Fur: Beige, brown, creamy white

Skin: Peach

Eyes: Gold

::Attire::

Short green/yellow Poncho

Dark brown sports tape on arms and legs

distressed gray crop top

traditional tribal skirt

green with yellow details hair scarf

::Alignment and character traits::

Alignment:    Neutral

Affiliation(s): Kangaroo clan

                          Resistance (formerly)

Favorite food: watermelon

Likes:

Protecting the nature stone

martial arts

fruit

meditation

rainy days

Nature

Exploring

Dislikes:

Strong sunshine

Big cities

Being tricked or betrayed

Dr. Eggman and his robots

Dr. Starline

Being thought of as weak

Being questioned

Being called ''long legs''

Being left alone

::Skills::

Geokinesis

Enhanced agility

Enhanced durability

Superhuman jump

Acrobatic skills and reflexes

Hand-to-hand combat skills

Kickboxing Mastery

Bōjutsu

Cause devastating earthquakes with a single thump of her tail

Ability type:

Power type

::Appearance::

Karui is a beige-furred, anthropomorphic kangaroo with gold eyes, a small brown nose, and a white-furred muzzle with black painted stripes under her eyes. She has triangular ears with creamy beige-colored canals on top of her head and brown markings at the tips of it, one short eyelash on each side of her eyes, and a long tail. She has back-length hair that resemble Knuckles' quills done up in a high ponytail with a tribal green scarf tied with yellow details and a few large bangs on her forehead.

For attire, Karui wears a distressed gray crop top stitched which revealed her midriff, a sash that wraps around her skirt made out of shredded Pandanas and layered Tapa. She also wears dark brown sports tape on arms and legs. Up that all she wears a green poncho with yellow details just like her scarf tied.

::Personality::

Karui is a tomboyish, tough-as-nails warrior. Initially, she was a bit of a loner and somewhat defensive with strangers; being quite combative, outspoken, stubborn, and impulsive.

However, she eventually warmed up to the concept of friendship and became more sociable and positive as a result of her new relationships. Showing that through her tough exterior lies a heart of gold, and underneath it all, she's a girl who would do anything for her family and friends.

::Powers and abilities::

Geokinesis/Terrakinesis: Karui has the exceptionally strong elemental ability to create, control and manipulate the earth and other earthly substances and materials; such as sand, stone, rock, dirt and mud. She can hurl and lift boulders, generate earthquakes, mudslides, avalanches, fissures, project spikes of stone from the ground and tunnel through the earth.

Karui often transports herself and others by riding on a large slab of earth. She can change earthen matter from one state to another (such as shifting mud into solid stone). When using her powers, her hands will emit a yellow aura. She generally uses the motions of her hands to navigate her powers, though she can move earth through sheer concentration alone.

Bōjutsu: Karui was trained by her uncle, Mohatu, in the use of the bō, in which she twirls, swings and stabs like a spear. Her Hardwood Bo fight style is more on defense than offense, she makes use of her bō's versatile nature to block as well as counterattack. Despite this, she also able to deliver powerful strikes.

::Weaknesses::

Suffering from mild hemophobia, Karui get uncomfortable when faced with blood. If the amount of blood is large, she may even faint.

She also suffers from Pagophobia, an extreme fear of ice, which is perhaps her greatest weakness after having a near-death experience with it.

Her behavior also proved to be a problem most of the time, causing her to make irrational decisions.

::Backstory::

Before being dominated by the Eggman empire, Karui had been born in Mystic Jungle, to the northern kangaroo tribe. There were legends about their species that said that many centuries ago, kangaroos were blessed with the physical presence of mother nature on earth; a deity of light who traveled across the globe and watched over the many different environments she would encounter.

Along with its inhabitants, she kept all of nature in balance and the natural cycle of life under her protection at all times. After traveling the world, she'd sleep inside a giant tree for a full thousand years, where she regains her power to spread energy across the planet and in turn, would regenerate that energy and release it to spread new plant life in the surrounding area while she was unconscious.

Inside this tree, this deity would transform into a small, vibrant green stone while in her sleep period. After a thousand years had passed, she would return to her original form and remain awake for seven days before settling on another planet and sleeping again. She would do this process with all the planets she had passed before aswell.

It was then that one day the kangaroo clan found this giant tree and decided to build their civilization around it, treating it as their guardian and deity for a long time. But there were others who tried to invade and take over the deity stone that rested inside the tree and the clan always got involved in wars and conflicts to prevent the power of mother nature from falling into the wrong hands, and this lasted for generations.

It was then that half of the clan got tired of all this and of so many conflicts over a ''plant'', but the other half of the clan disagreed with this thought and wanted to continue protecting the tree, which caused a great conflict between its members, and the kangaroos who disagreed with this way of life separated from the northern tribe, creating the southern tribe.

Years after this incident, when Karui was 7 years old, she had gone on a hunting trip with her uncle, Mohatu for three days, without imagining what would happen. When they returned, they found their village completely destroyed and the tree in pieces with several robot wreckages lying around, with no survivors in sight. Mohatu searched the rubble for any sign of survivors or the stone, but found nothing until Karui called him towards her home. There her parents were dead, but inside her mother's pouch glowed a green light that they immediately recognized as the nature's stone. Mohatu deduced that his sister, Kya, had found the stone amidst the chaos that had occurred and hid it in her pouch, a place no one would think to look. After that, Mohatu decided to leave with Karui, along with the stone to the southern tribe, hoping that their former companions would have mercy and let them live with them.

::Relationships::

Mohatu (her uncle): Karui's relationship with her uncle, Mohatu, is the cornerstone of her life, shaped by both tragedy and unwavering support. After Eggman's ruthless attack on their village, which left their entire tribe decimated, Mohatu became Karui's guardian, mentor, and sole family. The destruction of their home and the loss of their loved ones created a deep bond between them, one forged in the fires of adversity and strengthened by their shared determination to survive.

Mohatu, a seasoned warrior and master of Bōjutsu, dedicated himself to raising Karui with the skills and resilience needed to navigate their harsh world. He trained her in the art of combat, teaching her how to wield the bō staff with precision and agility. Through grueling training sessions, he instilled in her the values of discipline, strength, and perseverance. Yet, beyond the rigorous training, Mohatu provided Karui with a sense of stability and love, offering wisdom and comfort whenever she struggled with the weight of their past.

Karui, in turn, held immense respect and admiration for her uncle. His unwavering strength and commitment to her well-being became a source of inspiration. Despite his stoic exterior, Mohatu's deep care for Karui was evident in every lesson and every word of encouragement. She cherished the stories he shared about their tribe, learning about their rich history and traditions, which fueled her desire to honor their legacy.

Their bond was not without its challenges. Karui's impulsive nature and desire to prove herself often led to clashes with Mohatu's more measured approach. However, these moments of tension were always tempered by their deep mutual understanding and love. Mohatu saw in Karui the potential to become a great warrior and leader, while Karui found in her uncle a pillar of strength and a guiding light.

Together, they navigated the hardships of their world, always looking out for one another. Mohatu's guidance helped Karui embrace her powers and her role as a protector, while Karui's unwavering spirit reminded Mohatu of the resilience and hope that still remained within them. Their relationship, built on a foundation of shared pain and enduring love, became a testament to their tribe's unbreakable spirit and their commitment to each other.

Knuckles the Echidna: Karui and Knuckles share a dynamic and multifaceted relationship, characterized by both camaraderie and fierce competition. As kindred spirits with a shared tribal heritage and warrior mindset, they quickly became close friends. Their bond was built on mutual respect and an understanding of each other's strengths and weaknesses. Despite their friendship, Karui and Knuckles are highly competitive, often engaging in intense tests of skill and strength. These contests range from sparring matches to feats of endurance, each one more challenging than the last. Karui's geokinesis and mastery of the bō staff, combined with Knuckles' formidable strength and combat prowess, make for thrilling battles that push them both to their limits.

Unbeknownst to Karui, her feelings for Knuckles run deeper than friendship. She finds herself drawn to his unwavering determination and sense of duty, and she admires his dedication to protecting the Master Emerald. Their interactions are a blend of playful banter and serious rivalry, with each trying to outdo the other while secretly cherishing their moments together. This undercurrent of unspoken affection adds a layer of complexity to their relationship, making their journey together all the more compelling. As they continue to challenge and support each other, both Karui and Knuckles may eventually come to realize the deeper bond they share.

Sonic the Hedgehog: Karui's relationship with Sonic the Hedgehog is a complex blend of camaraderie and rivalry, earning them the label of "best frenemies." When they first met, Karui's guarded nature and distrust of strangers clashed with Sonic's easygoing and friendly demeanor. She found his carefree attitude and relentless optimism grating, while Sonic was intrigued by her tough exterior and fierce independence. Their initial interactions were marked by friction and misunderstandings, with Karui often questioning Sonic's motives and abilities.

Over time, however, their relationship evolved. Sonic's persistent kindness and genuine desire to help others slowly chipped away at Karui's defenses. She began to see the depth of his character, recognizing the determination and bravery that lay beneath his laid-back facade. Sonic, on the other hand, came to appreciate Karui's loyalty and unwavering commitment to her friends and family. Their shared experiences in battle and moments of mutual support forged a strong, if unconventional, bond between them.

:Friends/allies:

Amy Rose

Big the Cat

Blaze the Cat (friendly rival)

Chaotix

Charmy Bee

Espio the Chameleon

Vector the Crocodile

Miles "Tails" Prower

Cream the Rabbit (good friends)

Silver the Hedgehog

Vanilla the Rabbit

:Neutral:

Tangle the Lemur (fan)

Whisper the Wolf

Team Dark

E-123 Omega

Rouge the Bat

Shadow the Hedgehog

Babylon Rogues

Jet the Hawk

Storm the Albatross

Wave the Swallow

:Enemies:

Deadly Six

Master Zik

Zavok

Zazz

Zeena

Zomom

Zor

Dr. Starline

Eggman Empire

Badniks

Cubot

Dr. Eggman

Metal Sonic

Orbot

Metal Virus

Surge the Tenrec

Zombots

[black-suns-rim]

Cuddling a yautja

Summary: you had a hard time sleeping, so you went to go get a late night snack but ended up falling asleep right next to your yautja friend while watching a movie with him.

Contains: some wholesome platonic cuddles

The endless buzzing of the ship's interior slaving away to make sure it runs well was somewhat of a soothing noise that you've gotten used to after the past couple of months. Maybe buzzing wasn't the right word... more like humming or the sound of vibration. Almost every night you fell asleep to that noise, but this night you just couldn't. It didn't have the soothing touch you had experienced last night. Laying on your plush floor bed, your gaze wondered around your metalic room.

To the books that hung from your wall on smooth selves, from the warm yellow Christmas lights that dangled from the ceiling and the various other objects of entertainment, memorabilia, or every day use. Your mind could not just rest as your eyes grew tired. Huffing in agitation for your lack of rest, you sat up, tossing the furr skin blanket off of your body. You pressed your back to the cold metal of the ship's interior and closed your eyes.

You recalled the first day of agreeing to go on this mission, but you never truly knew what you were getting yourself into. You recalled how you freaked out seeing this alien ship from the outside and in. You recalled how meeting another life form that didn't originate from earth made you extremely anxious, nervous but excited. It's not everyday that you get to be part of a crew where one of your members wasn't human. The thrill of learning everything you could about them was something you never found boring. Even though it's only been a few months, you have grown pretty close to this alien. Closer than to any human you've known.

As the soothing cold metal wall began to warm up from your hot skin, you leaned forward and rubbed your face. You peeled open your eyes and sluggishly stood to your feet. Unlocking the padlock door, you exited your room and placed your hand on the wall, trailing the lines with your fingertips as you walked. You knew everyone was asleep by now, so you made sure to step quietly. It was easier to do so with some kind of padding on your feet, but your feet were bare. You just liked how the freezing metal felt compared to the slightly humid and muggy air of the ship.

Perhaps a late night snack would be able to get your mind to finally rest. The walk to the kitchen wasn't too long since the ship was a decently small one. Though it could hold well over 20 crew members, the design of the ship itself made sense and wasn't as confusing as the other ships you've been on. But then again, the other ships you've been on weren't alien in origin. You were somewhat surprised to see someone was already in the kitchen at this time, but when you realized who it was, your surprise left and it was replaces with understanding. The alien, the predator some called it, a yautja others said, the only alien on board that also owned this very ship, was cutting up some fresh vegetables and meat.

He turned his long-haired head towards you as you walked in. The metal jewelry in his hair-like tendrils hit together in somewhat of a musical way like wind-chimes in a breeze. His bulking but soft stature and body shape gave him the nickname "Big Papa" amongst the crew since not many knew how to pronounce his actual name correctly. His pearcing crystal watery blue eyes followed you as you sleepily grabbed an apple from the small fruit basket that had been undisturbed for a while. All the while, he kept chopping away. He slowly clicked his tusks together as he focused his attention back to the cutting board.

You still weren't used to the strange noises he made, but you found all of them fascinating. Just like his reptilian skin and earthly colorations. But the thing that you found the most striking about him was the brilliant crystal blue thin striped lines on his tendril hair. You leaned on the counter as you ate the sweet crisp and juicy apple. Though you struggled to keep your eyes open, your mind was still trailing off. The feeling of loneliness creeped in which caused you to rub your face and rub under your eyes. Big Papa picked up on you not feeling well. He had a knack for sensing ones emotions.

He ceased his chopping and you looked up at him. His mandibles rubbed together slowly, thinking. "What?" You grumbled. He let out a chuff with a small trill, turning his head to the cutting board and dumping the chopped pieces into a bowl. From what you gathered with the time spent with him, he couldn't speak English, but he understood it well enough to function with this crew. Sometimes he used a translator to speak to you and the others if things were dire or important, but most of the time he would gesture, grunt or mimic speech to communicate.

You finished your apple and he placed a hand on your should. Clicking his tusks together, he gently moved his hand to your back and rubbed it. You felt a wave of calmness hit you as you closed your eyes. You could feel yourself drifting to sleep when he suddenly stopped. A little disappointed, you opened your eyes to see him placing the bowl of chopped vegetables and meat into the cooling storage unit. It wasn't exactly a refrigerator, but you often called it that. The both of you exchanged glances before he left the kitchen. You threw the apple core into the compose bin and drousily walked over to Big Papa to catch up with him, "Wait-"

He stopped and gazed down at you, his eyes filled with such a tenderness to them. "Could we hang out for a while? I'm having a hard time sleeping... and I don't really wanna be alone." He nodded in response. He headed to the recreational room he had made just for the human crew. You followed right behind him. You almost felt like a kid following a parent due to the height difference. Though he was bulky, he tried to make himself as little indimidating as possible. The rec room had a couple of things from Earth like couches, chairs, board games, wooden tables and a TV with many DVD movies to watch. Big Papa grabbed one of the DVDs and was careful to take it out of its case. He had learned the hard way that DVDs were fragile after trying to take one out from iys case the first time around. He places it in the player and turned on the TV. This technology was very primitive to him, but he found it fascinating anyways.

He sat down on the couch opposite of the room from where the TV was mounted to the wall and you sat right next to him, a couple of inches away. The couch dipped down drastically from his weight and it felt like you were going to fall in right next to him. As if you were being sucked into a black hole. He hadn't taken much time, to your knowledge, to watch any of these movies. Seeing an alien like him watch something that was human was amusing to you. It was more of his expressions that you found funny and how he reacted.

You suddenly remembered a question you wanted to ask him from earlier today but didnt have the chance till now, "Hey, do you mind us calling you Big Papa?"

He looked down at you and shook his head no. He clicked his tusks together and turned his attention back to the TV. Halfway into the movie, you began to drift to sleep when you felt a warmth and pressure around you. It felt comforting and safe. Something you haven't felt for a long while now. You felt the need to open your eyes. You saw Big Papa's arm around you and you realized you were leaning against him. You were slightly embarrassed, but you felt too comfortable to move. You closed your heavy eyelids again and everything around you grew silent and distant.

When you woke up, you were smooshed between him and the cushions of the couch. He had his arms around you like a body pillow. His hot breath heaved down on your head but surprisingly it didn't stink like half of the other men's on the crew. You couldn't tell what time it was, but you felt like it was early. You couldn't hear any other movement on the ship from where you were. As you laid there, with his arms around you, you felt as if all of your stresses, all of your negative feelings, you felt that they just didn't exist anymore. It has been so long since you've laid with another being in a platonic way. You didn't want this to end.

You nuzzled your face into his chest, listening to him breath. He took in deep long breaths as he slept and it reminded you of a sleeping dragon. You still felt sleepy but now your mind was active. You realized that you've never cuddled up with this hulking mass of an alien before and you would've never guessed he'd be the type to cuddle. Maybe he was lonely too? Your thoughts were interrupted when he began to shift in his sleep. He placed a leg over yours and the heavy amount of pressure almost felt uncomfortable. Your body sunk into the couch and you shifted to try and feel a little more comfortable with the added weight on you. When you were finally comfortable again, his grip around you slightly tightened and now you felt you were being smothered and constricked.

You gave up on moving and just tried to relax. Closing your eyes, you already thought about the daily chores you'd have to do. Almost every day was the same which started to make you bored. You had all of the chores memorized by heart at this point. Most of your chores involved cleaning. Clean the kitchen, the bathrooms, the halls. Stuff like that. Big Papa would get upset if his ship was even slightly messy. You noticed how he liked things very clean and organized. The organization part you didn't understand though. He organized in a sort of messy way, but it was still organized... to him at least.

You moved an arm to reach over his side, but the air was surprisingly cold, so you moved it back to the warmth that had been accumulated between the both of you. Big Papa was like a heater. You thought it was strange since he was reptilian-like. You would think he was also cold blooded, but apparently not. You suddenly felt someone staring at you, so you opened your eyes just to see one of your co-workers looking at you and Big Papa. This co-worker was an early bird and she usually woke up around 6 am. She held a cup of coffee in her hand and her phone in the other.

"Don't you dare." You whispered. She grinned and took a picture of you being smothered by the alien. You knew this wasn't a devious act since she had a hobby of taking funny or silly pictures amongst the crew. The crew nicknamed her Pinkie because of her upbeat and hyper personality. It was also somewhat of an inside joke.

"This is so going into the scrap book." She whispered back and walked over to one of the tables nearby. Since the rec room was close to the kitchen, everyone ate their meals here. Soon, the other crew members would be waking up and you really didn't want to be teased for cuddling an alien, even if he was a good friend to you. You sighed and decided it would be best if you'd fall back to sleep. At least you wouldn't have to know who saw you like this. This time, it was easy falling asleep unlike the struggle you had last night. You weren't asleep exactly though, somewhere in between awake and asleep. You could hear everything around you, but when you had woken up again, Big Papa was gone and you had a large fur blanket covering you. You felt a little sad but relieved.

You sat up and stretched your body while yawning and rubbing the sleep from your eyes. You folded the blanket and set it on the arm of the couch. You made your way to the kitchen where a couple of your co-workers were making themselves breakfast. Time to get ready for a new day on the ship.