yearnstarved

[yearnstarved]

ENOUGH TIME HAD PASSED. If Sif had the same mindset as when she first approached him on the docks, she might've censured his advances. She knew better now that Skurge naturally spoke like that. Direct and non-threatening, usually. She settled on a soft sigh and nod of acknowledgment. "So you have noticed all the times I've rolled my eyes at you," she joked.

"They're all descendants of hunter hounds of wolves but their demeanor reflect their owners. Geri and Freki were some of the worse I've ever encountered." The recollection came with a cold shudder. "All considering, you're right. My fate is still far better than one as a dog under someone cruel, literally or figuratively."

"I would beg to differ. The dark suits you better. Makes your eyes stand out more." Skurge braced for a scoff; sometimes, his honest observations were taken as attempts at flirtation, and those always landed him in the hen house. Or worse.

"As upsetting as it must have been, perhaps it was meant to be, this intimidating presence and appearance you've been blessed with." He nudged the collar of his shirt with his boot, hooking the toe of it into the fabric so that he could drag it closer. That was enough self-baring for the time being.

"A shame. Asgardian dogs, I've heard, can be quite approachable and, to use a common word of theirs, cute. None as so big as Fenris either."

[yearnstarved]

NOVA WORE THAT SMILE — the kind that's tired and can barely hold itself up. Zed has learned that doubt feels a lot like fear. His neighbor who used to nanny him explained it as a special sense to keep zombies safe. Sensing the fear helped them know when to readjust or hide. Now he knows it's an evolutionary sense to help them hunt but he feels nothing but care for Nova. She reminds him so much of Zoey that he almost pulls her in for a hug.

"You don't have to be in charge for now at least. I'm camp counselor, aren't I?" He brushes off his shoulders with a little flair in the flick of his wrists. "We can keep hiking if you want. Addison, Willa, and Eliza are holding down the fort just fine."

@yearnstarved asked: "There's nothing wrong with you, I promise." ( nova + zed )

( gentle care )

There's many things Nova wants to say in response, 'tell that to my father', 'tell that to my own mind', 'tell that to all my worries and doubts', but she doesn't say any of it. Instead she lifts her head, meeting Zed's eyes and giving him a soft smile. "Thanks, Zed. I ... appreciate that, it means a lot hear." Because it does, that much is true, it feels like something she hasn't heard often enough. Even if it feels a little hard to fully believe him. "Hope you know that applies to you, too."

[yearnstarved]

TOMMY PEELS BACK YET ANOTHER LAYER. It's a situation Clara has considered through every direction and dimension. She even understand how fruitless tonight can end up being. They were on a pedal boat in the middle of the sea. This and the other details Tommy's digging to uncover are all truths she don't want to vocalize out loud, but she owes him a level of transparency. She blames her defensive state of mind for even thinking that he's taking some amusement from this.

Her eyes search his face for confirmation—or permission to say what felt forbidden. This first step in being honest is also a step towards him, asking him to trust her. The possibility of how dark things can, and will likely get, could push him away. Forever.

"If he is violent. If he does not stop. Then we stop him... any way we can," she says even if it still feels like skirting around the right words. "How involved do you plan to be? I don't want to make you do anything you don't want to do."

THE WORDS ‘STOP HIM’ is what really catches tommy’s attention. evidence is good, striking again is not ideal, but stopping this guy? that’s exactly what he wants to hear. but how exactly is clara planning on stopping him? tommy assumes it’s nowhere near what he’s planning, but something tells him that maybe, just maybe, this experience has awakened something in clara. something dark, monstrous.

a mischievous grin quirks at the corner of his lips as his eyes focus on the front doors of the bar, waiting for anyone who even remotely resembles her assailant to walk in or out. “stop him… how?” he asks, barely able to control the giddy feeling rising in his chest. it’s hard for tommy to trust anyone, let alone someone as good natured as clara, but if she’s thinking what he’s thinking… then this could be his opportunity to finally let someone in.

calm. yeah, she could say that. more like, unaffected. as much as tommy understands that what clara went through was terrible and unnecessary, there’s no empathy there for her. how could someone feel empathy and do what he does? no, he’s just angry. angry and calculating. calm is what keeps him under control, keeps him from murdering anyone in a trucker hat and wearing a watch. “yeah, well, calm is essential right now, isn’t it?”

[yearnstarved]

( CONTINUED FROM HERE | @spxnglr )

"I'M NOT UNREASONABLE. I left it blank so we can discuss. I'm not full of beans over it but I know it's a big part of your life. Do you often bring your work home?"

[yearnstarved]

𝐏𝐒𝐀: support your mutuals!

Reblog your mutuals’ promos; like or comment on their posts and edits! It really just takes a second. This is just a hobby, yes, but people still put a lot of work and energy into creating their blog, writing their replies, creating HCs and edits. And showing your support and appreciation to your mutuals is important.

Rp is a two way street, it’s a shared hobby. Taking the time to like a post or reblog a promo can make someone’s day! When mutuals feel supported, they’re more enthusiastic too!

[yearnstarved]

[yearnstarved]

SAVED BY THE FROYO. Zed tucks that information away for the future in more dire situations. "No, no. You're right. Froyo shops in proximity is a huge factor," he smiles down at her. Their hands swing freely in rhythm of their footsteps. "It was either Mountain College took mercy on me begging on my hands and knees or trade school back in Zombietown. My dad wasn't one of those parents who forced me to follow in his footsteps. But before the integration, I thought that was my future."

Zed waves to the familiar faces of the neighboring houses on the outskirts of campus. Few waved back. Small details like that makes him miss his hometown. It's different when he used to know every face and could ask them about Zara's piano lessons, Ziggy's glass figure collection, or Zaiden and Zayla's new zombaby on the way. "I don't think I was ever mad either," he adds, "I just accepted that my life was planned out for me until I was chosen to be part of the new zombie class at Seabrook."

"Until I met you." He leans over to gently nudge her arm. They hoped for a 'some day' together. That was the first time he dared to dream big. Now, they're here walking hand-in-hand out in the day, paving the way for monsters everywhere. "Which turn do you wanna take from here?" He asks as they approached an intersection that leads to two different strips of restaurants and other stores.

against earlier, and maybe better, judgment, addison wills herself to relax. her stomach flutters with the nervous anticipation of her early cheer days, when she'd make herself sick with anxiety before going out on the field. there's nothing to perform here. she is happy, and she is excited to go home, and she is grateful that there's an actual solution waiting for them. it's just like her pee-wee coach would tell her : be where your feet are, because it's the only place you can do something.

besides, now she's armed with 3 hours of campus-funded cpr training ! without her spark, she's gotta have something in her back pocket, and chest compressions have to count for something !

she laughs, shaking away the grip of her worries with the thought of an impromptu vocab lesson. werewolves know hair ! and while addison should be reaching out to them for their opinions, but she doubts willa would serve it up with the side of sweet talk that zed does. " very smooth, " she giggles, watching him toy with the hair she's loosened from its braid. it's a familiar sight : two kids meeting in the middle of all of the chaos.

" okay, you can't just mention fro-yo and not expect me to say yes ! " addison, sufficiently present now, takes him by the hand. she brings it to her lips for a kiss before setting off. as easy as breathing. " there are only like, three places left in the area that you can actually get it anymore, " she chatters, " and before you ask, yes, it did factor in to where i sent my applications ! "

[yearnstarved]

@danversiism / @fortn1ght

Nothing hits like "romantic couple and a third guy who's not dating either of them but is definitely a part of this dynamic"

[yearnstarved]

guess who just got ✨dommed by the narrative✨✨✨

[yearnstarved]

some organizations working on the ground in gaza right now

gaza soup kitchen

the sameer project

salam charity

watermelon relief

[yearnstarved]

( CONTINUED FROM HERE | @yourcosmichobo )

AFTER MEETING A FEW of his other faces, Clara can confidently agree with him. This incarnation of his is extremely nice by comparison. "These cybermen are a little... newer, I presume," she says, keeping her head on a swivel. "Let's say your future selves have a long CV of things other people find intimidating."

[yearnstarved]

DOCTOR WHO | 9.10

[yearnstarved]

THIS ISN'T A FIRST. Despite the various stages of Barry's hair looking... the way it did throughout his childhood, Iris always tried her best to prevent him from leaving the house looking bad. At some point after college, things shifted. She would reach up to fix his hair and know in her stomach that someone would see him—nice hair, kind eyes, bright smile—and fall for him.

Iris still thinks that way now with him being the shining CCPD forensic talent by day and superhero in all the moments in between. What's changed is that she can finally tack on his new role as her boyfriend. "Me, a superhero?" She chuckles a little harder than his teasing actually warrants. "Maybe one day, but red looks better on you."

Her fluttering touches continue as she finds it increasingly difficult to stop touching him when he's looking this cute. "Another Meta locked away. You always work hard. I'm here to make sure you make time to play hard too. The hair services are just complimentary."

@yearnstarved/iris sent ❛ comb for a non-verbal prompt

ADMITTEDLY, HIT SUIT DOES make his hair appear a bit flattened when it’s been on for an extended period of time. ‘helmet hair,’ as iris so fondly refers to it. a small price to pay for saving the city, he thinks. it’s not like he has to impress iris with his looks at this point since she’s seen him at his very worst and has still decided to stand by him—a choice he does not take lightly.

as her fingers comb through his hair, barry instinctively leans into her touch. the soft gesture is soothing to him, especially after a long day of juggling forensics and crime fighting. the comfort is more needed than iris will ever know. “i worked hard on that look,” he jests, feeling his hair become less caked as she fluffs it up.

the corners of his lips curl into an affectionate grin before he lifts a hand to rub his fingers through her long, dark hair. it’s much softer than his own and certainly less sweaty. “you try wearing a mask for a while,” he teasingly suggests, tucking some of her hair behind her ear before dropping his hand. “then we’ll see who’s laughing.”

[yearnstarved]

this is inspired by @flshnbne's headcanon about what their characters eat. it had me questioning again why cauliflower is a good substitution for brains and sent me on a thought spiral.

i. brains as a proximity to humanity

so the most straightforward answer was given to us where it most closely resembles brains. it was reinforced again in a separate interview:

"M. Manheim – We eat things that look like brains – cauliflower, eggs, orange juice – stuff like that. In the movie my breakfast is just eggs and cauliflower – we call it brains in a can."

it's the proximity and replication of the actual experience that they crave even when their innate aggression is subdued. despite all the ways the kid-friendly rating defanged the zombie lore, it's interesting to see that they kept the affinity to consume brains as a metaphor to internalize humanity in a carnal and violent manner. the connection between brains and "becoming" more human is only deepened when you look at the actual zombie script.

ii. the evolution of zombies

the production designer specifically modeled this constructed language, whether it is a syllabary or alphabet, the markings are intended to look like brain folds. colloquially, people often say what distinguishes human communication from animal communication is language. from the time the outbreak to when the z-bands were mandated, zombies went through an evolution of communicating in grunts and guttural sounds until they used form factors that was recognizable to all of them: brains!

presumably this script is created by zombies themselves. historically the script of the oppressor would be forced upon the civilization they deemed uncultured or wanted to colonize. take the french changing vietnamese to an alphabet. this means that zombies are certainly capable of complex thinking like their human counterparts.

but how far removed from humanity are these particular zombies? they lack normal blood flow given their pale complexions, and their base state is consumed by a rage that overwhelms their ability to demonstrate rational or logical thinking. yet that is not always the case as we've seen in zombies 1, where zed held himself back from attacking bucky. there was a theory eliza threw out that never got revisited where zombies may have evolved past the need for their z-band (hopeful wishing or discarded foreshadowing?)

the behavioral evolution may be theoretical, but the physical evolution of zombies is clearly presented. they age, their bodies mature. if they were truly dead in a suspended animated state, there wouldn't be a need for zed to get a hair cut.

iii. the neglected victims

let's entertain the possibility that these zombies are even less zombie-like than they present under the belief that they can evolve. for one, they aren't fully dead. by their creation lore, a lime soda was spilled at the seabrook power plant. it was the combination of human-made machinery trying to tap into a power they didn't understand or revere enough. human tech mixed with something ancient created a haze that transformed humans into zombies.

upon being turned into zombies, these seemingly brain dead victims were dumped into the slumps of the city—thus dividing the city into seabrook and zombietown. given the seabrook power plant and its incidents in real life, even if disney said there are no correlations, it's hard not to see the parallels, right? similarly to how godzilla is a critique of societal anxieties and the fall out of nuclear warfare, the existence of zombies feel like they serve the same function.

back to the zombie outbreak, the infection is never seen to be passed on through a bite. however it is passed on through the conception of zombie children. if zombies can procreate and pass the zombie infection on through their genes, the argument can be made that they aren't the titular reanimated dead. rather, they are mutants.

( i just think it's fun bc mutants have always played upon a plurality of analogies. the writers of zombies utilize the same tropes as a vehicle to expose a younger audience to prejudice, solidarity, and otherness. )

iv. so the cauliflowers?

in z1, zed is scarfing down froyo, and then again in z4, he is seen eating sh'mores (endearingly mispronounced by milo). this proves that zombies can actually eat anything they want. they really don't even need to eat as zombie mutants. but the brains-lite experience sustains that innate urge and social conditioning. because in a post-z-band world, if zombies no longer are violent to satisfy their craving, would they still need to eat cauliflower?

when zed abused his z-band to appear more human, it came with the caveat that doing so could take a toll on the body. so it's not that it's hard for the z-band to sustain, but this transformation actively hurts the zombie since it is not their natural, or "healed," state. they are mutated on a genetic level.

so when the blood fruit tree healed itself and healed zed, it healed zed to the degree of temporarily giving him back his impulse control. this sets the logical thinking version of a zombie as the "healed" state rather than assimilated and appearing human.

so in conclusion, no! i don't think they would need the cauliflowers down the line.

[yearnstarved]

A HAPPY HUM slips through his content sigh. It totally, completely, super messed up, but the silver lining to Addison not having her full alien connection is... this. The fact that she can touch him and for it to feel like comfort. But don't get him wrong! Zed's also aware of how useful her alien telekinesis could've been when trying to move the tower off the Blood Fruit roots. Beyond her abilities, beyond what she looks like, she is still Addison. Poured sunshine in the form of a cheerleader.

Zed promises he's listening even if he's fixated on the small shapes she's drawing on his skin—specifically where his skin meets metal. Her touch is a salve for all the scars buried deep beneath in his bones. All the times he's zombied out for others, their entertainment, their safety, their acceptance. All of it at least led to this moment where all monster kind can live harmoniously in Seabrook and hopefully that influence will spread. Hopefully before any of his injuries become more permanent.

"Ombre," he repeats. "I thought it's also called a... Wait for it. Balayage. Willa taught me that one." He beams, so proud of himself for nailing that word. The sounds just do not align with the stiff zombie tongue. Bonzo still can't say it to this day. "You look like a million bucks to me, so how's that for a money piece?"

He runs his hands along the two strands of hair that she pulled out. She looks just as bright and radiant as she did when she first pulled off her wig. An image forever seared into his heart. "Do you want me to walk you back? I can help you pack orrrr... Or! We can grab some froyo first."

he's doing the shoulder-squeeze thing. ordinarily, addison would let the gesture comfort her and move on. ( ordinarily, there are more pressing things on their agendas than dissecting body language : a wolf pack, an alien invasion, warring vampire factions, the list goes on. ) in these quiet, normal moments, it does little to ease her mind.

hands reach up to take his wrists, a motion to steady both of them as they attempt to balance into a new rhythm. thumb runs circles into the skin as he talks. he's fine, and they have a plan, even if that plan is for him to get chewed out by his coach on the other side of this weekend. an imperfect plan is still a plan. and she doesn't have the heart, or the rebuttal, to counter him. " trust, " she nods.

besides, she's gotta hand it to him : zed's really good at changing the subject. teeth catch on her lips in a last resort to conceal a smile. seabrook isn't just home, it's home base : family, safety, power. being away for this long is great if her goal is to fit in again ! no electric shocks, no force fields, just 'addison.' it's not so great if her goal is to actually be herself.

on the other hand, it took an entire semester for her captain to stop calling her blue. but at least she acknowledged her ! and it's better than some of the nicknames she got back in seabrook ! " the ombre is nice, but i think people are doing money pieces now. " she commits to the joke and tugs at the pieces of hair that frame her face : nothing but icy blonde. " if i figure out intergalactic hairstyling, we'll both come back with upgrades ! "

[yearnstarved]

CLARA IS STILLED by his question. It had all been clear leading up to him stepping on the brakes. She chalks it all up to gut instinct without giving a second thought of what if this attempt fails. That isn't something she is able to sit with. "Well, you know. Watch to see if he strikes again, get undeniable evidence, stop him," she replies so bluntly, but finally hearing the naivete made her roll her eyes.

"I'm assuming it won't go that smoothly. Hence, dangerous," Clara continues to explain with an unexpected casualness. One would think she's talking about a souffle recipe instead. "May I also add, you are very good at keeping calm. I know this because your calm is rubbing off on me."

TOMMY’S NEVER STALKED an unidentified person before tonight. it does prove difficult when they’re unsure who the hell they’re even staking out. every time they see someone even vaguely resembling the man’s description, the two fall into a hyper focused trance, only to be disappointed two seconds later. if he’d known it was going to take this long to find someone, he would have brought more beef jerky.

“dangerous?” a fond smile curls at the corner of his lips at the very mention of clara’s concern for him. it’s nice to have someone care so much, but he could say the same for her. if she were doing this alone, the consequences could be even worse. “what exactly are your plans for this guy?”

[yearnstarved]

AH, YES! That's what he's talking about. Step three of his twenty step plan to get things back to normal is well secured. His beautifully concerned girlfriend doing her best to not seem concerned just agreed to a road trip with him. As long as nothing else shorts out his interim Z-Band, this should be a much more relaxing ride than the last.

He rests his hands on her shoulders and gives them a reassuring squeeze since words will most likely fail him. He doesn't have a casual way to phrase it, actually. He doesn't have a choice but to go back. Despite all the best workarounds, the charges aren't delivered consistently in regards to timing and strength. At times, it feels like sticking a fork in an outlet. Other times, it takes everything to keep from drooling and growling in his native tongue.

"Everything's fine! Are you kidding?" In his book, volume definitely makes up for lack of confidence. "I'll just ask my professors for more homework so I can get ahead of class. And coach can just... Yellatmelater," he coughs.

"It's all gonna be good. Trust." He bends down to kiss her on the cheek. "Are you excited to get blue in your hair again?"

her excitement is second only to relief. in so many ways, they've found a place where they fit. or they've found a place they're trying to fit and just aren't yet. ( key word : yet ! ) their twin paths stretch out before them, parallel lines, and addison can see where they end up : professional athletes ; advocates for representation in sports, in schools, in whole towns. the hope, despite everything that's gotten in their way, lingers and flickers like the last embers of a campfire.

the z-band, addison knows, is their insurance.

she'd be lying if there wasn't a wariness that's lingered since the night of the vampires. she isn't looking at him different, she swears ! — but she can't shake the very present reality that another malfunction could be it. game over. no third chances.

" zed, that's amazing ! " as much cheerleader by blood as alien, she smothers the concern in pep. " i know mom and dad would love for me to visit, and zoe ! and bree told me that they're considering her for manager now, and — " she hesitates before getting too far ahead of herself. " are you sure you can swing it ? leaving campus for the whole weekend ? "

@yearnstarved said: " Talked to the fine folks of Seabrook Institute of Tech and they're issuing me a brand new Z-Band. How do you feel about a weekend trip back home ? "