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junhui-png · 3 months

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puppy love ⌦ .｡.:*♡

mingyu x reader x scoups? (Still figuring it out LOL)

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summary: first year of college, you literally knew no one and you planned for it to stay that way but damn were you wrong

notes: uhmmm hiii idk what this is I got rlly bored so yeah LOLL if you read this I hope you enjoy and I’ll try and update like every other day hopefully 😽

‼️disclaimer: this is not proof read so I apologize if there are any spelling or grammar mistakes ‼️

genre: seventeen college au, love triangle between scoups and Mingyu, Mingyu being on a football team, financial major scoups, angst??, fluff, cute friend ships, Hoshi, Joshua, Seungkwan, Minghao, and Wonwoo r your besties, Also besties with Yunjin (Le Sserafim) and Minnie (G-IDLE), other seventeen members are mentioned?? Childhood friends, cursing, drinking

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you were always quiet, even when you were a kid. Because of this, you had very few friends and very much struggled to make new ones. Throughout Middle and Highschool the only thing you could do was to stuff you face into books to pass time. Eventually, you being a loner helped you to getting into your dream college. You thought you would be fine all by yourself at your new university, getting a degree in Creative writing, but hell you were so far from the truth. You thought you could just ignore everyone around you and just keep your head low but god was that somehow ten times harder now that you had entered college. Soon enough you had been paired with a man in your Journalism class names “Jeon Wonwoo” You didn’t know anything about him, you didn’t know anything about anyone there actually. He has Black somewhat messy hair and a pair of black glasses to compliment his hair. Both of you were introverts so the first week of the project was painfully awkward but as the next few weeks flew by, you had successfully made you first ever friend in maybe 10 years? You weren’t even sure. Once you had finished the project (and of course gotten an A) you and Wonwoo stayed in touch and talked frequently inside and outside of class. Till he offered to invite you to meet his study group. You were of course hesitant but you ended up going and just like that you had made another 5 friends and then because of those new friends you met new people and became their friends. Before the semester even ended, you new basically everybody on campus.

——present timez————

“you finished the essay Mr.Marten assigned” Minghao askes you, slightly shifting in his seat to get a better look at your computer screen “yeah basically” you simply reply “well then…” You noticed Minghao had been really fidgety ever since you both had entered the library, which isn’t how he normally is, meaning something’s up. “You ok? Something’s bothering you, right? You turn your body to face him and his body seems to relax just a bit “ok so… I kinda..maybe, possibly told soonyoung that you would come to the party he’s hosting tonight” Minghao keeps his head slightly down “Minghao..” you sigh, slumping back in your seat. You rarely ever went out, only when it was some sort of special occasion but besides that you basically just stay in your dorm or at a library or cafe. “I know I know” he says apologetically “You never go out and I swear your gonna go insane if you don’t go out once in a while” you chuckle a little at his stupid reasoning “still I should have told you I just wasn’t thinking and now Soonyoung is all excited about you coming and I just felt bad telling him, you know?” You nod, “I guess I’ll go” you let out another tired sigh as you pack your things “really? Damn ok I didn’t see that coming” Minghao laughs, getting up from his seat “I’ll see you later than” He smiles and you smile back at him before he walks out of the cafeteria and you finish packing your things.

It’s about 7:30 when you leave your dorm and get an Uber over to Soonyoung’s house. You were dressed up for once in a while, wearing a grey denim tube top with matching jeans paried with black boots and a black bag. “It’s my first and probably last time going out for this month, might as well just go all out” is what you thought to yourself while getting ready, but now in front of Soonyoung’s house you gravely regretted your stupid decision “Y/NNNNNNN!” Seungkwan yells your name from the entrance of Soonyoung’s house “hi Seungkwanie” you giggle patting him on the back “I didn’t think you would come!” He says all giddy “A promise is a promise” you give Minghao a dirty glance, which he catches and throws you an apologetic look before rushing of to get another drink. Seungkwan leads you to the couch and plops down next to you “do you want anything to drink?” He asks and you take a moment to think about it before just saying “fuck it” and asking him to bring you whatever he’s getting and he nods, leaving you on the couch with some other girls. Your not left alone for long until you hear someone call for you “Yoo! Your Soonyoung’s friend right?” A tall man with black hair and a stunning face. “uhm yes” you responded nonchalant “You don’t know me but I’m Kim Mingyu, Graphic design major” Mingyu sticks his hand out for a handshake “I’m y/n, Creative writing major” you shake his hand, giving him a slight smile and he returns it. “Anyways imma get straight to the point. I’m interested in you. You caught my eye earlier and asked around about you and they said you were close to Soonyoung, and im also his friend and I’ve never seen you before, so I wanna be friends” The man says bluntly. Mingyu’s sudden “confession” Has your head spinning, searching for some sort of response “uhm ok..?” Is all you manage out but he seems satisfied with your answer “Alright, then go out with me this week” again this man and his blunt statements have you so lost and you can’t even bring yourself to say anything before he says “of course with Soonyoung, and Minghao and everyone” Your face gets a little hot realizing he wasn’t asking you out but in fact his grammar just sucked and you misunderstood him and he definitely got what you were thinking “You thought I was asking you out, didn’t you?” He says with a sly smile “whatever” you roll your eyes, hearing the man’s giddy laughter “IM BACK SORRY” Seungkwan squeezes through the crowd, two bottles of beer in his hand “some guys back there were CRAZY drunk” he sighs, slumping down next to you and placing the drinks In front of you. “Drink up!” Seungkwan lifts his cup up for a cheer.

“Damn girl you didn’t even drink that much” One of you girl friends, Yunjin says, trying her best to keep you up. It was well known in your friend group that your alcohol tolerance was basically 0 and that’s also another reason you didn’t go out much “CAN SOMEONE TAKE HER HOME!” Yunjin shouts over the crowd but to be met with no answer “I can!” Mingyu’s booming voice is easily heard over the loud music “Omg great thank you so much, I’ll text you her address” Yunjin pats Mingyu on the back before rushing back to the lively party, leaving you with him “let’s go then” he puts his arm over you as he helps you out of Soonyoung’s house and into his car. “You know, I think I should go out more” you proudly announce “Then take my over and have dinner with me and the rest of the group” Mingyu chuckles, starting the car “Ok!” Is all you chirp before you completely knock out.

“I swear to god y/n you better get up right now” you best friends voice echo through your foggy mind “what..” you mumble, the warm sun hitting you through the windows. You were now in your dorm room completely changed. “What happened..?” You scratch your head, still trying to process your surroundings “You tell me!” You roommate, Minnie exclaims “you tell me why, when I was getting ready to go to sleep, looking the WORST I could ever have looked someone knocked at our door and it was the most ANGELIC BEAUTIFUL SUN KIST Man I have ever seen, holding you bridal style!” Minnie exclaims once again “I WAS WEARING A FUCKING HELLO KITTY SHEET MASK” Minnie cringes at the memories of last night “damn..” you mumble, giving her a somewhat apoplectic look “ugh it’s whatever, he said you were drunk and he was just dropping you off and he brought you some medicine as well so take that before you leave” Minnie sighs, leaving you alone in your room “what the fuck is happening”.

You change into a pair of grey sweatpants and a beige like hoodie with your hair up in a ponytail “Sorry for all the trouble last night” you said, even thought you couldn’t recall anything after you had entered Mingyu’s car you knew you had probably brought hell down on Minnie night care routine “it’s fine, just take your medicine before you leave” She places the medicine on the counter before heading back to her room. You take the medicine with some water before putting on your shoes and grabbing your bag “OK BYEE LOVE YOUU” you shout before leaving the house. You rush down to campus and into your next class just a minute early “You feeling ok?” Wonwoo asks you “I feel horrible” you sit down next to him, placing your stuff down next to your seat. The entire class was just a bunch of yapping you couldn’t pay attention to because, one you were too tired and two, you were still trying to remember literally anything from last night. “You have the address right?” Wonwoo’s sudden question pulls you out of your trance “Huh??” You mumble with a confused look and Wonwoo face also molds into a confused one “For dinner..?” He tries clarifying but you still don’t seem to get it “the dinner plans??? Me, you, mingyu, Soonyoung, Joshua, Seungkwan and some other guy?” Wonwoo tries again and it finally clicks, but why was he asking you “I know what your talking about but I’m not going?” You say “really? You said you were going?” Wonwoo says and that’s when you finally remember some of last night “OH SHOT! Mingyu told you that right?” You ask and he simply nods “So you are going” he asks again and you let out a sigh “yeah..yeah I’m going” you’re tired of going back and fourth so you just let it go “ok cool! I’ll text you the address!”

The rest of the day was boring, nothing special just the usual classes than group studying, solo studying and some “HI’s” and “How are you’s” here and there. Once you had finally finished your classes for the day, you return home to get ready for the dinner. You wear a simple black short-ish dress with a black leather jacket and the converse (didn’t feel like wearing the boots) “You’re going out?” Minnie peaks through your door and examines your outfit “you look nice” she smiles “thank you” you smile back “I’ll be back at maybe 9?? 10? Not sure but I’ll text you ok?” You tell Minnie and she nods “I’m probably gonna go out later, anyways have fun!” She calls out as you shut the door. The restaurant was only a 5 minute Uber drive and you also weren’t the only person arriving at that time “Hey” Mingyu says, almost creeping up behind you. You hadn’t talked to him since Soonyoung’s party and all though nothing happened you felt awkward, like you were meeting him for the first time all over again. “Hi” you reply “And uhm sorry for the trouble I caused the day before yesterday” you and Mingyu both walk into the restaurant and spot Joshua, Soonyoung, and Seungkwan at a table “don’t sweat it, it’s what friends are for” he chuckles, leaving you behind and rushing over to the table we’re your friends had been seated. Friends is what he called you. Could you two really be friends if you had just met the other day? “Y/N sit over here!” Joshua’s calming voice calls out to you “mhm!” You responding rushing over to the table and taking a seat next to Joshua. You guys talk a bit while waiting for appetizers when Mingyu says something that catches your attention “coups said he’s outside right now” “finally god damn” Soonyoung chuckles and the rest laugh “who’s “coups”?” You ask “one of my friends, I invited him today” Mingyu says and you nod. “Sorry I’m late guys!” A voice from the entrance calls out. Everyone turns around, including you to see a familiar face “COUPS! What’s up man!” Choi Seungcheol “omg..” at first you weren’t sure but now you were a hundred precent sure that was Choi Seungcheol “Seungcheol?” You mumble, in case you were wrong. The man’s eyes shot up to you and they almost immediately soften “Y/N??” He voice changed immediately after calling your name “you two know each other???” Wonwoo asks and you slowly nod, still in awe “it’s been awhile?” He chuckles.

previous / next

part 2 coming out 01/31/24 or 02/01/24 😽

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amethystfairy1 · 1 month

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Hi it’s me I’m back. It’s been a hot minute since I’ve sent an ask in (partially bc higher education is quite draining) but rest assured I’ve been reading every single one of your stories because they’re SO GOOD I’m addicted. Checking for updates has actually become part of my morning routine lol. Anyways, I don’t actually have any questions, I just want to say that YES they’re finally beginning to run into each other in TT!!!!!!! :D YAYYYYY!!!!! Also ZEDANGO My Beloved. I’m so hyped for them both in TT and TTSBC. Literally my favorite, I’ve watched both for years and am always so happy to see fics about them (especially Zed). Also we need team Zits in TT STAT. I demand it. Poor Skizz tho! They gotta save him :(((((( anyways I also have some art for you (obviously inspired by ur fics) and then I’ll be on my way. Hopefully it bestows inspiration and motivation upon ye <3

Figure 1: Scuffed etho doodle (least proud of this one lol)

Figure 2: Zombie Cleo (she doesn't have snake hair in TTSBC, i know, but she was still inspired by that fic :P)

Figure 3: Impulse has a realization (AAAA A MEETUP HAPPENED!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!! now Zed and Tango need to add Skizz to their group and we'll have ZITS (eventually))

Have a good day :))

OHHHHH MY STARS I LOVE THEM!!!!

THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUUU

the Etho isn’t scuffed in my opinion he’s SO BADASS LOOKING with his knife going TRY IT BITCH YES!

Cleo looks beautiful! Snake hair is gorgeous too and OH SHES JUST SO PRETTY!!!

AND IMPULSE

TT!IMPULSE

He’s SO COOL! I loooove the cool cords on his clothes and his big ass battle axe looks so good and then lil shiny duo in the background AGGGH!

I can’t properly express how overjoyed your art makes me seeing you come by with anything that is inspired by my AUs is just SO WONDERFUL! I will love and cherish them. They are gorgeous! Thank you so much for sharing!!!

HIGHER ACADEMIC HELL UP TOP! 👏 me too my friend we will survive we will pull it off we will get them degrees!!! With fanfic and fanart along the way!!! 😆

Again thank you so so so much for sharing these I love them!!! 💖💖💖

#fanfic #ao3 fanfic #hermitcraft #traffic smp #through the sky blue cracks #traveling thieves au #art

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oosaoosaoosa · 9 months

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The Essential USWNT Friendship Series: Kelley and Sonnett

Who you are: a person who has stumbled across this post because you are gay, and/or someone who wants to get into the women's world cup and the USWNT but whose fandom experience requires knowledge of the Narratives And Friendships

What this isn’t: an endorsement of being weird to players in public spaces (in real life or comment sections, or on unlocked Twitter accounts)

What this is: a (hopefully) comprehensive collection and explanation of the (public!) friendship between two fan-favorite members of the 2023 WC squad

I know I’m missing stuff and it’s likely I’ll come back to add to this! Every time I try to add anything to this post the draft editor throws me an error message so consider this a part one. Please note this is a sideblog 🫶🏼

EMILY SONNETT

29 (as of the beginning of the 2023 Women’s World Cup)

Born in Virginia, but raised in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia

Attended the University of Virginia, graduated with a degree in Sociology

Was originally a midfielder, later converted to defense. Primarily plays centerback, but can play fullback on either side, and defensive mid

She is a Sagittarius (this is important)

KELLEY O’HARA

34 (as of the beginning of the 2023 Women’s World Cup)

Born and raised in the southern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia

Attended Stanford University, graduated with a degree in science, technology and society with a focus in environmental engineering

Was originally a forward (and in fact won the Hermann Trophy as college soccer’s top player, as a forward) but converted to play fullback on either side

She is a Leo (I told you it was important. Twin fire signs 🔥)

THE BASICS

Sonnett’s first cap was against Brazil on October 25, 2015–she started and played all 90 minutes as a centerback (beside Becky). Kelley was on the bench.

On Feb 15, 2016 they played together for the first time! They both started against Puerto Rico and Kelley scored!

Kelley was a good mentor to Sonny immediately, her little Georgia peach padawan

They didn’t appear to really get close until winter 2016-2017, when they trained together in Atlanta during the offseason and started to hang out in a smaller group and one on one

Eventually they played on the same team (Washington Spirit in the 2021 and 2022 seasons) and won a championship together! (2021)

It was Kelley's first NWSL playoff run and her first championship, but Sonny's second championship (she won with the Thorns a few years before)

Kelley scored the game-winner in the championship final, in overtime, as a header. She does not typically score, much less with her head (she is like 5'4'' on a good day). It was insane.

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PRE-SPIRIT

Once they were friends they were BEST FRIENDS. Kelley loves to annoy Sonnett and has since day one. Couples massage!!, training together with Moe Brian

Typical rookie/vet prank but cuter because they're besties: BOO!

They drink coffee together: Sonnett Sunday, theee Kelley O'Hara,

Sonny is secretly an artist (seriously, she can draw): Lactose Tolerant Cow

They dance together so much. Seriously, so much (bonus Rose). In the car, anywhere.

They hype each other up: Snacks at the beach, blue on navy, flexin, cutest sports girl ever, Sonnett is an undercover singer,

Even their friends have pointed out their similarities. Are they the same or are they the same?

The 2019 World Cup parade was deeply chaotic: please beer and god they drank nonstop idk how they survived, they also napped on the plane back from france with pinoe and ashlyn

they help each other out: cold towel, guest coach kelley,

They threw out the first pitch for the Braves after the World Cup (with Mal, whose husband Dansby played for the Braves at the time)

They also made an appearance at an Atlanta United game together

They were chaotic in every team picture, X,

they took on the Tokyo olympics together (feat many teammates)

they were extremely annoying in the BFF quiz while Kelley and Alex tried to win (link to the BFF quiz episode below in required viewing section)

THE SPIRITS

Sonny's e-bike is their bike, not her bike, but sometimes they biked together too

More coffee adventures, in DC this time, X + X

Mentoring rookies, but this time together

When half the Spirit got COVID in 2021 and had to quarantine at a hotel in Portland, somehow they did not get tired of each other

Exploring restaurants together

Taking pictures of each other (they called each other Rick and Morty for a while which I try to forget), & with their bikes, & with matching orange beanies, more matching orange beanies

more dancing and celebrating, even celebrating carli as a duo, celebrating moving onto the nwsl final

getting jumpscared by their own rookies...together this time

being stinky and sweaty together and generally chaotic

cheering on the braves together on kelley's couch, being very loud and annoying

celebrating the spirit championship together, X + X + schwasted dancing with Kelley's girl together, doing a tiktok with Trinity and the trophy, making memes out of their championship cellies

showing off their championship rings together and celebrating the CBA signing at Audi together

they went to DC pride with the spirits

they developed this weird euopean cheek kissing thing

clowning in huddles together and doing tiktoks with the kids

Being annoying on the player's pod they recorded with Trinity and Andi (link to the pod below in the required watching section)

Still hyping each other up, of course: nice kick!, sonny's soft spirit fingers

POST-SPIRIT

Kelley took a pic of her abs when she got cleated at the CONCACAF tournament in 2022 and in solidarity, Sonny nearly took her shirt off

still taking lots of pictures and videos of each other, mostly Kelley. (I'm putting this in post-Spirit because although we didn't know it yet, Kelley already knew she was leaving DC)

Kelley literally left the Atlanta airport during her layover to hang out with Sonny on her birthday

loving on their Spirit rookies together, even after Kelley was off to NJ, +1 (Trinity's first goal in the 2023 WWC Send-off game)

celebrating Mal's wedding together with Andi and Rose

bringing each other up in every conversation

Being annoying about Taylor Swift

Sonnett almost killed Kelley within the first 30 seconds of them playing against each other for Gotham and the Reign and Kelley thought it was hilarious

OTHER PHOTO DUMPS / COLLECTIONS

Georgia girls

Glued together in Tokyo

More Spirits shenanigans

NT Camp besties

Kelley's visit to Portland in 2019

Hyping each other up in Instagram comments

General camp/NT shenanigans including the infamous "you're so wiggly" video

2019 WC Parade ridiciulousness

More coffee! Plus a cookie (and a "cookie")

MISC PHOTOGRAPHS THAT I JUST HAVE LYING AROUND

more of Kelley mentoring rookie Sonny on the NT

Kelley and Sonny in Atlanta in 2016 or 2017 (I don't remember exactly, I also cropped Moe Brian out of this but it was 800 years ago, sorry Moe)

A moment caught in the background of a post-2019-final celebration picture

Pre-2021 NWSL championship moments: not impressed with someone's pregame speech, Sonny wore 6 for the Spirit so they were neighbors, something Sonny was saying with her mouth full was very interesting to Kelley ,

Some more Spirit NWSL championship moments: they can't believe it, Kelley was beside herself, tongues out for the gals, I would pay to know what Kelley said here, another moment where I would love a transcript,

REQUIRED VIEWING

Kelley's episode of Laughter Permitted with Julie Foudy, where a few of her best friends surprise her with an appearance, including Sonny, Allie Long and Alex Morgan

The BFF Quiz Championship, moderated by Sonnett

The Player's Pod with Sonnett, Andi Sullivan, and Trinity Rodman

1v1 with Kelley O'Hara (pre-camp 2023 WWC)

Throwing the first pitch out with Sonnett, Kelley and Mal

#USWNT #Kelley O’Hara #Emily Sonnett #FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

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herrmannhalsteadproduction · 5 months

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That Herrmann/Halstead DNA (Chapter Two)

Summary: This is Part Twenty-One of my series A Herrmann/Halstead Production. It is an AU where Christopher Herrmann's mom had an affair with Pat Halstead resulting in a baby. The series follows this OC character (Rebecca "Bex" Herrmann) as she grows up and gets to know her brothers and the various Chicago teams. It is very much an AU, just to underscore that. It doesn't follow the same timeline and characters will follow different paths.

Click here for the Series Rundown where you can find the links to read all of the previous installments (which I highly recommend you do so that this one makes sense.)

Rating: Mature

Relationships: Christopher Herrmann & Original Female Character, Jay Halstead & Original Female Character, Will Halstead & Original Female Character, Jay Halstead & Will Halstead, Greg 'Mouse' Gerwitz/Original Female Character, Will Halstead/Connor Rhodes, Assorted OC Couples

Warnings: Graphic Depictions of Violence, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Assault, Stabbing, Gunshot Wounds, Blood and Injury, Whump, Trauma, Eventual Hopeful Ending

A/N: I received my degree from the medical school of Television Drama which means while things might not (*cough* will not *cough*) be accurate, they will be exciting. *jazz hands*

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Sam

Sam jogged out of the coffee shop and passed one of the iced coffees over to Tay who was leaning up against the side of their patrol car.

“Extra shot of caramel, as requested,” he said around a slurp from his own straw.

They were having a painfully slow shift, but both of them knew better than to comment on it. That was basically asking for chaos to rain down. So, here they were, pointedly ignoring the quiet while they circled their beat and kept cool and caffeinated.

Their radios crackled to life and Tay slumped against the door, “Oh, thank god.”

Finally, some action. Hopefully, anyway.

The two of them listened carefully as dispatch reeled off the codes—an armed assault in progress, suspect still on the scene.

Sam’s heart stopped when they listed the address. “That—that’s Emery’s place,” he said and Tay’s eyes went wide. They both chucked their drinks in a nearby trash can and scrambled into the patrol car. Sam started it up, peeling away from the curb while Tay called in with them as responding.

Dispatch had backup coming, but they’d be first on scene since they were the closest unit.

Sam stepped on the gas.

Not close enough.

***

Jay

As soon as Bex screamed, Jay was out the door. Already kicking himself for stopping in the first place. Every second he wasn’t moving was another second of Bex trapped.

On her own against Ty.

He’d seen Platt picking up the phone out of the corner of his eye so he knew she’d be on top of making sure the ambulance and the patrol car Hailey had called for were en route.

Jay focused on weaving through the parking lot as he ran for his truck. Hailey fell into step beside him and he could hear the rest of the team heading for their own vehicles. He came up to the driver’s side door, keys in one hand and his phone in the other and—

He couldn’t—

He had to get in there and drive and get to Bex but he couldn’t let go of his phone. His only connection to Bex. He could hear the faint sounds of her struggling to fight coming through the speaker and he couldn’t—he had to hold on to it. She needed him on the line.

He couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut that if he let go, he’d lose her.

Hailey sliced through his crisis as she reached out and plucked the keys out of his hands. “I’m driving,” she said, pushing him toward the passenger side. “Go.”

They scrambled into the car and Hailey peeled out of the parking lot; engines roaring as everyone else followed close behind.

“I’ll get us there,” Hailey vowed.

Jay nodded, not able to speak, but he held onto her promise as he gripped his phone and hoped Bex could feel it too.

Hold on. We’re coming. Just hold on.

***

Bex

Bex danced back as Ty lunged at her once again. A streak of fire went through her side, matching the burning ache in the slice across her shoulder. She hissed and Ty laughed. Hopefully it was a shallow cut like the first one, but she couldn’t risk looking away to check it.

Bex tried to ignore the slick feeling of blood dripping down her skin.

She had to get rid of that knife.

Waiting for Ty to make his next move, she pivoted as he swung out and managed to smack his wrist. His hand was bloody enough that the knife flew out of it, clattering across the floor.

Ty growled and Bex’s head snapped back as he swiftly landed a hit. Spots blurred her vision followed by shocking bolt of pain.

No.

She shook her head, willing herself to keep it together. To focus.

Her eyes cleared in time to duck Ty’s next blow. Bex used his momentum to move in and hit him in the balls, shoving him away when he doubled over. Ty crashed into the armchair with a groan and hit the floor. The chair wobbled before falling down on top of him.

Strike and run, Hailey’s voice popped up in her brain. Go.

Right. Strike and run. Get away while you can.

Bex whirled around and took one step before pulling up short.

Emery. “Shit.”

***

Jay

Over the sound of the truck speeding down the road, they could still hear the noise of the fight unfolding. Jay’s heart thudded when Ty’s groan was followed by a large crash.

Had she managed to take him down?

He tried calling out to her. “Bex?”

There were footsteps. Then a half-sobbed curse.

“Bex!”

Hailey shot a piercing look at his phone and then bleak understanding filled her eyes. “She can’t leave Emery.”

Right on cue, a dragging noise filled the cab of the truck, followed by grunting from Bex.

“Come on,” she cried. “Come on. We can do this.”

A cough and a groan from Ty.

“No,” Bex whispering as the dragging picked up. “No, no, no.”

A screech of furniture across the floor. Heavy footsteps.

“She knows how to fight,” Hailey said quietly, fixing her eyes on the road as she picked up their speed. “She held her own against all of us.”

The fact that none of them had been actually trying to kill her hung as a heavy unsaid truth between them.

***

Bex

“You fucking bitch,” Ty’s voice rang out from the living room.

Bex looked frantically around the hallway for a place to hide or at least someplace to stash Emery, but everything was too far away.

Ty appeared in the doorway, face thunderous.

She gently lowered Emery to the floor and stepped in front of her. All that mattered now was keeping him away from her. Any way she could.

Bex’s heart pounded against her chest as she took a deep breath.

You have the element of surprise in your favour, the Hailey voice in her brain popped up again. But you can only use it once so make it count.

Bex let out a scream, as loud as she could, and charged at Ty. His eyes went wide as she knocked him back into the living room. She got a solid punch in before he rallied and hit her back.

She staggered to the side, trying to keep her feet. Before she could get her bearings, Ty was on her, gripping her tight, lifting her—

And throwing her into the bookshelf.

***

Hailey

They listened as Bex yelped and then a huge crash sounded.

Jay closed his eyes, pressing his phone against his forehead.

Hailey went right through the next red light.

***

Bex

Bex lay on the ground, surrounded by books and broken glass. Her ears were ringing and everything fucking hurt. The floor underneath her vibrated as Ty thudded closer. She opened her eyes to see him looming over her.

He smiled, revealing bloodstained teeth.

***

Jay

Jay flinched at the dull sound of every blow Ty landed. His scream for Bex to ‘stay down’ crackled through the speaker.

Jay was going to kill him.

After they got Bex out of there, Jay was going to fucking kill him.

He held onto his phone, squeezing it so tight he half expected it to crack, and startled when he heard someone talking. He tilted the speaker closer, listening.

But it wasn’t Bex.

Jay glanced over at his partner. Hailey was gripping the wheel so hard her knuckles were white, staring down the road as she whispered, “Get up, get up, get up, get up…”

***

Bex

Bex couldn’t breathe.

She was half-curled up, trying to ward off Ty’s blows, but he was relentless.

Get up, Hailey whispered at her.

I can’t, Bex shrank into herself. I can’t.

The Hailey in her brain wasn’t having any of that. You get up or you die, Bex, so get the fuck up.

Bex cried out. Everything hurt. She felt torn up and broken inside.

She couldn’t—

Oh, god, but she couldn’t die like this either.

She had to get up. She had to get.

The fuck.

Up.

Bex cracked open her eyes and caught a flash of something by her head. A large chunk of glass from one of the broken picture frames. Yes. She reached out, curling a hand around it.

Ty took the opportunity to kick out at her unguarded stomach and she slashed down, stabbing the glass into his calf.

He howled.

Fucking music to her ears.

Gathering all of her energy, Bex scrambled to her feet while Ty was crouched over, grasping at his leg. She cast around, looking for something, anything—there. Bex grabbed the lamp from the side table and smashed it over Ty’s back. He went to his knees with a grunt and Bex stomped on his injured leg.

He cried out, falling to the floor. Bex was already in motion, grabbing the second lamp and bringing it down on his head.

Ty stopped moving.

Completely.

She didn’t stop, couldn’t stop to think about what that might mean. Taking the cord from one of the lamps, Bex ignored her own aching body and pulled his arms behind his back to tie his wrists together. At least she’d hear him if he woke up and tried to get out of it.

Bex tried to stand, falling down again before forcing herself to her feet. She gripped the couch and then the wall as she made her way out to the hall.

To Emery.

“Emery.” Bex fell to her knees beside her, shaking her gently. “Emery!”

There was no response and she was—oh, no, no, no—so still. Bex reached out with shaking fingers to check her pulse.

“No,” Bex cried. “No, come on, Em. Don’t do this.” She started compressions. Her wrist, her shoulder, every part of her was screaming in agony, but she didn’t stop.

She couldn’t stop.

***

Sam

The brakes of their patrol car screamed as Sam slammed to a stop in front of Emery’s house. He wrenched open the door, slamming it behind him before running towards the front door. Sam took out his gun, glancing back at Tay who nodded at him, and they eased their way inside.

He fought to keep it together at what they found.

Emery lay unmoving on the floor of the hallway while Bex kneeled over her, sobbing her way through compressions. He took a step toward them and Tay grabbed his elbow.

“We need to secure the scene,” she murmured and Sam tightened his grip on his gun.

He knew that. He fucking knew that, but he—

He locked down his churning emotions and nodded at her. They stepped forward together, moving around the smears of blood on the floor. Bex hadn’t said a word to them yet. Sam wasn’t even sure she’d realized they were there.

Her quiet pleas followed them into the living room.

“There,” Tay jerked a nod and Sam followed her gaze to the top of a head on the floor, poking out from behind the couch. They rounded it to find Ty unconscious on the floor with his hands tied behind his back.

“Jesus,” Tay breathed out. She looked up at Sam. “I’ve got this,” she said. “Back up’s almost here. Go. Go help Bex.” He caught the faint sound of sirens drifting in through the front door and nodded, squeezing her arm in thanks.

He bounded back into the hallway, being careful to preserve the scene as much as possible and fell to his knees beside Bex.

“Bex—”

She screamed, her hand flying up and he caught it before she connected with his face.

“Bex, it’s me,” he said gently. “It’s Sam.”

She blinked and her hand flexed in his grip. “Sam?” Her eyes went wide and she shuffled back, gesturing to Emery on the ground. “Help. Help, please. You have to—I can’t—it’s not working—”

“It’s okay,” he said, moving in to take her place and start the compressions again. “I’m here. It’s gonna be okay.”

He pressed the words into Emery and prayed that they were true.

***

Jay

Jay had his door open and was leaping out onto the sidewalk before Hailey had a chance to come to a stop.

“Jay!” she yelled. A faint ‘jesus christ’ following behind it, but he was already at the porch and heading inside. The ambulance had pulled up at the same time and he left the door wide open for them to come through.

He saw the blood trail first, stomach lurching as he followed it to where Sam and Bex were kneeling beside a prone Emery.

“Bex!” Jay darted around Sam and crouched down next to his sister who was—god, a fucking mess. He fought the urge to scoop her up in his arms, not wanting to hurt her any further. “I’m here,” he said, trying to catalogue her injuries through a careful once over. “It’s okay, Bex. We’re all here.”

“Emery,” she gasped, turning back toward her with shaking hands. Jay followed, finally getting a good look at her as well and he swallowed a curse. Sam was still doing compressions and by Jay’s count, had been for a few minutes now.

Shay and Brett came clattering in with a gurney, quickly taking over. They hooked Emery up to a monitor and got Sam to halt compressions. Everyone held their breath for a moment before the machine finally beeped.

“Got a pulse,” Shay declared, giving Sam a nod.

He let out a shaky sigh, standing to move out of the way as Shay and Brett began dealing with Emery’s wounds, preparing to transfer her onto the gurney. Hailey came up beside them as the rest of their team filed in along with another set of patrol officers.

“I’ve called for another ambulance,” Hailey said and Sam shot her a look.

“Better make it two,” he said, jerking his head toward the living room to where Ty must be and one of the patrol officers immediately got on their radio to put in the request.

Jay helped Bex get to her feet as Shay and Brett loaded up Emery. “I should—I should go with her,” Bex stammered out as she jerked forward, reaching toward the gurney. “She shouldn’t be alone. She needs someone with her.”

Bex was so focused on Emery, she missed the grim little headshake Shay gave Jay.

fuck.

He stepped in front of Bex, blocking her path. “You gotta stay here,” he said gently. “The other ambo’s coming and they need to check you out.”

“No, Jay—” She kept looking between him and Emery. “No, I’m fine—”

“No, Bex." Jay tried to keep his voice even, but it broke over his next words. “You’re not.”

“Someone has to be with her,” Bex said, her voice rising as her breath started to come faster. She gripped Jay’s arm, leaving a bloody smear on his wrist. “We can’t leave her alone—”

“I could—I could go,” Sam broke in. He looked at Jay with raised eyebrows, asking silent permission. He shouldn’t leave his partner, but there were enough people on the scene—

“He can go,” Voight’s gravelly voice came from behind them. He stepped up to their group and nodded at Sam. “Stay with her and keep us posted.”

“Yes, sir.” Sam ducked his head gratefully before turning back to Bex. “I’ll be with her, Bex,” he promised. “For as long as they’ll let me.”

***

Bex

Bex watched Emery get wheeled out, Sam following close behind.

They got her pulse back. Shay and Sylvie are the best. They’ll make sure she gets to the hospital.

They would.

They had to.

Jay put a hand on her arm, pulling her out of her thoughts when a fresh burst of pain hit at his action. She gasped and he instantly let go.

“I’m sorry.” He held his hands up, stricken. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Bex said, trying to breathe and even herself out. “I’m okay.”

“We need to get you sitting down.” Jay moved to guide her down the hall and she let him steer her until the reached the living room. She halted in her tracks.

“Ty—”

“Isn’t going anywhere,” Jay assured her. “He’s still down and he’s cuffed now. Tay and Ruzek are on him so don’t worry.”

Bex risked at glance over at that side of the room and caught Adam’s eye. He gave her a solemn nod. Okay. That was—that was good. She was vaguely aware of Kim and Voight and the rest of the team scattered throughout the room.

“Come on,” Hailey said, coming up on her other side. “Come sit.”

Hailey.

Bex had to tell her—she had to let her know. “Hailey,” Bex reached for her, tangling their hands. “Hailey, I didn’t stay down.”

“I know,” Hailey whispered back, her eyes shiny. “You got up. You did so good, Bex.”

“I got up,” Bex repeated, turning toward the couch. She stumbled forward. Her legs felt like jelly all of a sudden and she couldn’t—she couldn’t stop shaking. She tried to take a breath, but it hitched, not going deep enough.

Her head swam and she looked around for Jay. “Jay—”

He stepped in front of her with a frown, trying to get her to look at him, but she—

“Bex?” He sounded so far away.

“I can't—” was all she managed to get out before everything went dark.

***

Mouse

Mouse jogged up the stairs, whistling to himself. He hadn’t finished all the files, but he knew it was just busywork Voight had stuck him with to get him out of everyone’s hair. Whatever was left could wait because he had plans.

Plans with his favourite girl.

He came around the corner and plopped the files down on Sergeant Platt’s desk. “I’ll do the rest of these tomorrow,” he said, grinning down at them. “And don’t even bother asking me to stay late because I’ve got a date.” Hey, that rhymed. He chuckled to himself and waited for the inevitable roasting from Platt, but was met with silence.

He turned to her, his next joke dying on his lips at the look she was giving him.

Her face was grey; the lines on it impossibly deeper than they’d been when he’d seen her only thirty minutes ago. “Mouse,” she began, his name a broken and choked off whisper.

“Sarge, what—” Mouse forced the question out even though he knew with every inch of his being that he didn’t want to hear the answer. “What happened?”

Click here to read Chapter Three. Click here to read Chapter Four. Click here to read Chapter Five. Click here to read Chapter Six. Click here to read Chapter Seven.

Click here to read That Herrmann/Halstead DNA on ao3:

And here is the tag list (let me know if you wish to be added or removed):

@sorry-i-spaced, @thegirlwhowishedeveryonelived, @ivyalmighty, @thewannabewriter, @lexhalstead3, @multifandomgrl08, @foxes-and-cats, @sensitivemallysix, @thebewingedjewelcat, @emme-looou,

#a herrmann/halstead production #one chicago #chicago fire #chicago pd #chicago med #rebecca 'bex' herrmann #jay halstead #oc character #will halstead #christopher herrmann #greg “mouse” gerwitz x original female character #greg “mouse” gerwitz #greg gerwitz #whump #hurt/comfort #trauma #whump fic

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oceangirl24 · 3 months

Text

20 Questions for Writers

Thanks @mrsmungus for the tag. ❤️

❣️How many works do you have on AO3?

13 total, including three fanart art gifts. The only writing I have is my current work. I'm bringing the old FFN stories over on another account.

❣️What is your total AO3 word count?

834,995- 1 million before the year's end would be nice.

❣️What fandoms do you write for?

So far only Boy Meets World. The fanart gifts have been in other fandoms.

❣️What are your top five fics by kudos? Autumn in Philadelphia Trilogy- 243

Flashbacks- 109

Christmas to Last a Lifetime- 94

Not too shabby for such a massive series with an OC as a main character.

❣️Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes. Eventually.

Ever single comment is incredibly important to me and I don't always have the spoons to respond the way I want to. Rather than rush a response, I wait until I can give it my full attention. There are times, however, when certain comments appear to go answered for months. Those are comments from people I am in touch with privately and have already thanked. I will respond to those in time as well.

❣️What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

The Darkest Night without question.

❣️What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

At this point, probably Christmas to Last a Lifetime.

❣️Do you get hate on your fic?

Is having someone throw a tantrum in your comments hate?

The writer who did this was upset over how the first part of AiP ended because they did not read the tags or summary. They also complained about my OC being better than theirs and whined about liking Audrey more as though at 11 years old I created with Aud malicious intent to hurt them 20+ years later. 🙄

This was the person who also tried to push me out of the fandom, harassed me, and stole my work.

So, hate, no. Immature, entitled behavior, yes.

❣️Do you write smut?

No it's not my thing to read or write. My story is canon compliant and I'm staying true to the content of the show as well. Since it's a 90s kids' sitcom, situations were only dealt with to a certain degree.

❣️Do you write crossovers?

Technically. lol The AiP trilogy is a crossover with BMW and its sequel show, Girl Meets World, but since it's in the same universe I don't count it.

I am in the works of doing a real crossover that I'm really excited about, hopefully soon.

❣️Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes. See the hate on fics response.

I debated how much to say since my socials are still being monitored but you know what, I don't care.

This person stole big chunks of my work from three of my stories and readers have noticed. That's how I became aware of it. Two readers brought it to my attention and just recently another mentioned it also.

I've dealt with it thanks to my dear friends who have had my back through this year + long ordeal.

And ngl, it was satisfying to see her panic and meltdown when the report was submitted and rush her ending. The subsequent attempts to cover her tracks have been popcorn worthy as they have been both comical and pathetic.

Anyone who knows me will tell you I'm too nice and give too much benefit of the doubt which is why no one outside of my friends' circle has seen the massive report on the theft and harrassment.

However, should you dear [REDACTED] try it again, I'm holding onto that report and won't be so nice the second time around. It won't be your friend who's been asking for the link since December 8th that I'll give it to either.

❣️Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not to my knowledge.

❣️Have you ever co-written a fic?

Not yet!!! But soon and I'm so excited.

❣️What's your all-time favorite ship?

As for canon ship, they change all the time, but currently it's

❣️What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

At this point it's looking like Birthday Wishes. lol I mean, I have it outlined to the end and the next chapter is almost ready to go, but I'm prioritizing Saudade and have little time for BW, unfortunately.

❣️What are your writing strengths?

I'm not sure. May be characterization? Possibly world building and character development.

❣️What are your writing weaknesses?

Conciseness. lol Also SPAG editing. My brain skips words like crazy when writing and even editing. No matter how many times I go over things, I miss so much.

❣️Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I avoid this personally because I know enough that I'd mess it up. And I only know Swedish which isn't really a language that figures into my work naturally.

As for fics I'm not writing, it really depends on how it's done.

❣️First fandom you wrote for?

Boy Meets World. First published was Labyrinth.

❣️Favorite fic you've ever written?

Ah, how to chose. Autumn in Philadelphia trilogy. I can't get anymore specific than that. lol

No pressure tags to play for: @axolotlsupremacyowo @tsunderesalty @amberlide @winterlovesong1 @justanotherpersonwhowrites @obscureobsidiandraws @stealing-your-kittens @bees-and-sunshine @ligercat

If anyone would like to be included in the tags, please let me know and I'll be sure to get you next time.

#questions and answers #writers questions #writers answer #fanfiction #boy meets world fanfiction

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finalsentence · 4 months

Text

hi everyone!! this is going to be a very simple introduction; depending on how this goes i might get fancy and do something nicer in the future!

this is my second or third time trying to create a space for myself in the writeblr community. both times i failed because consistency is hard. but i’d like to put myself out there and make friends with other writers, so i’m giving it another shot!

about me.

i’m nineteen years old and pursuing a ba degree in english literature! i have absolutely no idea what i want to do after that… if i had it my way i would simply spin my favorite characters around in my head for a living but i’ve been told that’s not how it works. :(

i enjoy reading a variety of genres, including literary fiction, horror, and post-apocalypse!

my top favorite books are: the stand by stephen king, frankenstein by mary shelley, and the kite runner by khaled hosseini. (yes, they are wildly different stories, but they all hold a very special place in my heart. <3)

my writing.

so. confession time. i am a fanfiction writer. i know how that sounds, but don’t scroll away just yet! i put a lot of care and effort into my work to make it accessible and enjoyable for everyone; so even if you aren’t in any of the fandoms i write about, you will still be able to follow my work the way you would follow someone’s original novel. all of my work is a study of canon storylines, settings and characters, but i try to present it in a way that does not assume the reader has any prior knowledge of the source. (and if you do, you get to enjoy the little easter eggs hehe.) there’s something for everyone, i promise! <3

generally speaking, i enjoy writing in the same genres that i read! i write a lot of horror and post-apocalypse, but overall i am trying to develop a more literary style. my work tends to focus on anti-heroes and their super dysfunctional relationships. and lots of my favorite characters are queer-coded!

i want to venture into writing original fiction one day, so you can look forward to that!

my wips.

i only have one active wip at the moment, so that’s what i’m going to talk about here. i might introduce some of my future projects later if i’m able to get this blog off the ground!

the book i’m currently working on is a five nights at freddy’s fanfiction suburban horror novel. it doesn’t have a title yet, because i am notoriously indecisive and i haven’t found one that fits, so until i figure that out, i’ll be using temporary tags and referring to it vaguely as ‘my michael novel.’

the story features an unreliable narrator, sketchy family entertainment restaurants, and lots of paranormal activity!

summary:

michael afton is miserable. living alone in a crappy apartment, unable to hold down a steady job, and haunted by nightmares of a tragic event in his past, he starts to suspect that things will never get better. but then, his estranged father reaches out to him with an unexpected and cryptic offer, asking him to return to his hometown and take a job as a maintenance technician at an animatronic rental facility. though he is unhappy about returning to the town where he grew up, michael dutifully follows these instructions, convinced that rekindling a relationship with his father is the key to turning his life around. however, he quickly realizes things in the facility aren’t what they seem. something sinister is hidden inside those walls, and it’s putting michael’s life on the line. in order to discover the truth about his father—and, eventually, to make things right—michael has to come to terms with his own past mistakes.

it’s not a fantastic summary; i’ll probably rework it soon, and hopefully i will have an entire wip intro to share at some point!

aaand that’s pretty much it! if you’re interested in interacting with me at all, please don’t be afraid to reach out! i am always open to chat, especially about your wips—and feel free to include me in dash games, too! i want to interact with people as much as possible, to build a little space for myself on here with some new friends, and have fun. <3

i hope you enjoy my little corner of writeblr!

#writeblr #writeblr intro #writing #amwriting #creative writing #writers on tumblr #writing community #please boost this so i don’t get discouraged and fade away within a week lmao!#i really want this to work out <3 #also if you have any posts you want me to see feel free to send them my way and i will check them out!!

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dragons-and-dwarves-are-nice · 1 year

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To the Shadows that Cry Witch /// Chapter 2

Welcome to the second chapter! As I've said before, this whole story is gonna be a bit long winded, so hopefully you're all in for the long term, hope you enjoy! <3

Summary: Magic was real, but it came at a price. So when two girls from England ended up in the one place they never thought they could reach, strange things began to happen. Good or bad? That's up to them to find out.

Tags: Kíli x oc/reader - Fíli x oc (POV to be written soon) - Thorin's company x ocs/reader (platonic) - fluff - angst - SUPER slow burn - crack - Bagginshield

Word Count: 2133

Warnings: Swearing

Taglist - comment or message to be added!

PLEASE READ THE PROLOGUE & CHAPTER 1 IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY

Want some background music? Check out my Soundtrack Playlist!

Now available on Wattpad and AO3 (please let me know if links aren't working)

< Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 >

PART 1: Chapter 2 -

I should've stayed in bed.

The Song Thrush has brown upper-parts and black-spotted cream or buff underparts. Its distinctive song, which has repeated musical phrases, has frequently been referred to in poetry.

I let out a groan as a hand tapped me repeatedly on the shoulder. I waved my arm about, eyes still shut tight until the onslaught stopped. Then came the unfortunate sound of curtains being ripped open.

“Girlie get the fuck up.” I heard.

Letting out more groans of complaint I rolled over away from the light as it poured into the dark room, only to be met with a wad of paper in the back of the head.

“Kate.” They said.

Now somewhat awake, I rolled back over and leant up on my elbow to face the perpetrator.

“What-?” I croaked in confusion.

Said perpetrator was glaring at me with wide eyes, sat on the opposite bed, arm still outstretched from throwing.

Looking down at what assaulted me, I picked up a leaflet, the front a picture of a waterfall, with the title ‘Magic of Ullswater’ printed in a bold white font. I looked back at Kay still perched on her bed, surprised that she was willingly conscious at this time of day, until I remembered our schedule.

“Ah,” I guiltily scrunched my face in realisation, “was this today?”

“Yes!” She exclaimed, pointing at the glaring number on her phone. “And it’s already seven!”

“Don’t worry, I’m up” I rolled out of bed and swung open the wardrobe doors, grabbing what I needed before heading to the bathrooms to freshen up and get ready. Within twenty minutes I was back in the room, halving my normal time since Kay being up this early meant she was truly determined to execute what she had planned. On an average day you wouldn’t see her fully awake until at least ten.

After a quick breakfast in the canteen, we went back up to ensure everything needed was packed and ready for today’s hike. After all, going to see the waterfall was one of the main reasons we had gone. You mention rocks to Kay and she is there.

We laced up our walking boots and headed outside, up the path until we reached the edge of the road where the shuttle bus dropped us off days earlier. The weather had changed for the better, the temperature hiked up to a comfortable twenty two degrees accompanied by a blue sunny sky. Perfect for today’s plans, where only summer clothes were required.

I wore my cream vest top tucked into my baggy olive green trousers, and a thick brown belt looped through, with a loose fitting chunky white cardigan left unbuttoned over the top, and of course my favourite white floral patterned socks.

Kay on the other hand, was in her cargo trousers, along with a grey cropped vest top and a thin zip up hoodie tied around her waist. Unfortunately Dr Martens and platform crocs weren’t the most suitable shoes for hiking, lest you want your ankles broken, so were replaced with hiking boots, and obviously waterproofs were packed away in our rucksacks just in case. As lovely as it was, you can never trust British weather.

Eventually, the local bus slowed to a stop. Sifting through my pockets I pulled out and counted up what loose change I had, handing it over. After stating our destination and receiving our tickets, we headed to the back of the relatively empty bus, which was surprising considering it was the middle of summer. We both placed down our rucksacks and sat on either side of the aisle, propping up our feet on the other seats. With a groan and a jolt, the bus’s engine sprang back to life, and begun its journey down the road, over the vast rolling hills.

“Hey.” I looked away from the window at the sound of Kay speaking, “Did you remember to bring the passes?”

I leant back in mock offense. “Of course.” I retorted. “Must you deem me that unreliable??”

She snorted at my reaction. “Well you forgot what day it was earlier, so I had to double check.”

I deadpanned at her, reaching into my bag to procure two sheets of paper, shoving them up at Kay so she could see the print. “I double checked at least ten times, after all this saves us the twenty quid entry.”

Kay sat back with a quiet sigh of relief, whilst I safely tucked the papers back away. Looking back, I asked her which part of the trail she wanted to visit first.

Her eyes darted around as they narrowed in thought.

“The waterfall.” She declared. “You’ve been before, is it close to the entrance?”

“Somewhat.” I answered as I picked at my lip. “Within a fifteen-ish minute walk of the car park.”

“As long as you actually remember where to go.” She taunted, before laughing at my frown. “Cuz I wanna see some stratification.” She said eagerly, tapping on what looked like a diagram in the book laid on her lap.

“Well as long as you don’t start licking the rocks as soon as we get there, otherwise you’ll scare the children off.” I tormented, ducking down giggling as the book was launched at my head.

Soon enough, we arrived, and after proving to Kay that I actually knew the route, we followed the continuous thunder until we reached the 65 foot waterfall, now towering ahead of us. Kay jogged ahead, eager to reach the moss covered bridge that curved over the deep ravine that the water had carved into the rock. At halfway she stopped to lean over the fence, facing down into the narrow abyss of water below, tilting enough to the point where her legs began to lift from the floor.

“Oi!” I cried, jogging to catch up. “You can’t swim, so if you fall, don’t think I’m going in after you.”

“Are you a lifeguard or not?” She pointed out incredulously, leaning further over in a taunting manner. “It’s literally you’re job to go after me.”

“Well it’s not like I’m being paid right now to do so.” I answered as I caught up to her. “Pay me my hourly rate and then I’ll think about going after you.”

She scoffed in disbelief at my audacity before her attention returned to admire the waterfall before her.

It wasn’t long before a high pitched trill from above caught my attention. Raising my head, I stared at the dense foliage above me, watching as it churned ever so gently with the calm summer breeze. I squinted my eyes at the flickering dapples of light that peeked through the leaves, until my attention focused on a singular bird nestled in between the gentle chaos all around.

‘A song thrush!’ I realised, recognising the bird’s brown feathers and white speckled underbelly. I watched with intent as it flittered between the treetops. Taking out the polaroid camera I was gifted for my birthday, I took as many pictures as I could before it darted away and disappeared into the trees beyond the footpath.

My eyes followed said footpath and from a distance, I managed to make out a clearing bathed in the scattered beams of the midday sun. Storing the now printed pictures in the front pocket of my bag, I poked Kay’s shoulder and pointed to what I could see.

“How about we have lunch down there?” I suggested, remembering I had managed to bring the picnic blanket this time.

She nodded in agreement, and we both made our way over. After decided what was the sunniest spot, we laid out the blanket and sat down, putting out the food we were able to fit in our bags.

“That bird.” Came Kay’s voice, half muffled by her hand that was hiding her mouthful of sandwich as she spoke. “What was it?”

I swallowed what I could of my own sandwich before replying, figuring that she most likely heard the shutter of my camera.

“A song thrush, according to some article I read a while back they’re quite common round these parts”.

“I didn’t know you birdwatched?” She pondered.

“I did quite a bit when was younger. To be fair though, I only recognised it because of The Hobbit.” I admitted.

Kay’s eyes widened in realisation, and we both pointed at each other with a grin. “Of course!” She laughed, before turning back to her sandwich. “When the thrush knocks!”

“Stand by the grey stone when the thrush knocks and the setting sun with the last light of Durin’s Day will shine upon the keyhole.” I recited without a stutter.

Kay lowered her sandwich and turned back towards me slowly, side-eyeing me with a face of suspicion. I side-eyed back.

“Your short term memory should’ve taken that in and flung it out the other side.” She disputed.

I frowned.

“And you didn’t even mess up the words once.”

Side-eyeing her once more and slowly brought my phone to my face. She glared in even further suspicion as I began to furiously type away at the keyboard. Within seconds she had enough.

“Ok what the fuck are you typing over there.” She demanded, discarding her sandwich, and speeding across the blanket to stare over my shoulder and began to read aloud. “Kay is anti-mental disorde— ??? I’M NOT DISSING YOUR ADHD???? NO. DON’T SEND THAT TO THE GROUPCHAT. KATE. SWEAR DOWN I WILL— NO! TAKE YOUR FINGER AND PRESS DELETE RIGHT NOW. NO NO NO. ROXIE WILL EAT ME ALIVE. DELETE THAT SHIT. NO. COME BACK.”

I cackled as I leaped up and ran the length of the clearing, watching as she scrambled up in a frenzy after me. I felt a buzz from my phone and held it up in front of me to read aloud any replies from the chat, interrupted every so often by Kay’s aggravated screams of frustration.

She chased me around the grass, until we both collapsed back on the blanket, too exhausted to carry the conflict further. She pointed her finger at me accusingly.

“You better delete it.” She managed between heaves. I held out my hand expectantly.

“That’ll be ten pounds.” I requested with a grin on my face.

“Oh, piss off.” She groaned exasperatedly, shoving my shoulder as a laughed.

Squabble over, she rolled over to pick up and return to the geography book she read on the bus. I did the same, but with The Hobbit, that I had coincidentally decided to pack for the day’s trip.

Later, we packed up the picnic and explored the forest for a few hours, wandering off the path a few times to look for rocks or plants.

A chilly breeze blew past and I checked the time, seeing the numbers on my phone screen tell me that it was time to turn back around.

“Hey Kay,” I called, receiving a loud “YEA?” from the bushes behind me, “we should think about heading back, if we wanna make it to the canteen for tea.”

She agreed, standing up from where she was crouched over a small stream, most likely looking for some type of mineral deposit, or whatever she was reading about in her book earlier. Slinging our bags back over our shoulders, we both began to make our way back down the path, dodging the jagged roots and rocks. A short while passed before we reached the clearing we had eaten in earlier, the opening in the trees showed that the sky had begun to change colour, causing us to quicken our paces slightly to ensure we wouldn’t get caught out in the wilderness at night.

It wasn’t long before we were back at the waterfall, and we began our crossing of the bridge before Kay slowed down again like last time. I slowed too, and we both stopped in the middle to spend a moment, taking once last look at the towering waterfall, now bathed in the orange light of the evening’s golden hour.

A familiar chirp rang out through the trees, and I spun around, scouring the branches above me.

There it was again! The song thrush had reappeared, illuminated by the glow of the lowering sun. I crossed the width of the bridge to watch it as it chirruped and trilled its final song of the day. Eventually the swaying branches and fast movements of the fluttering creature caused me to lose sight of it. Kay’s footsteps sounded behind me as I heard her wander across a few steps, before quickly falling silent again. The thrush’s song came to an abrupt stop at almost the same time, and without a second thought, I decided it was time to keep going.

“Alright,” I declared, turning back towards Kay and the waterfall, “let’s go before—”

I blinked in surprise.

Looking around with widening eyes, panic and dread began to settle in my stomach as I came to the dreadful realisation.

Kay was nowhere to be seen.

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

< Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 >

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Can't wait to see you on the 31st March for Chapter 2! Also please comment if you want to be added to the Taglist <3

Taglist:

@opheliasdrowningg @mrsdurin

#the hobbit #the hobbit x reader #the hobbit x you #the hobbit x oc #kili x reader #fili #kili #fili x reader #hobbit x reader #fili x oc #kili x oc #thorins company x reader #thorins company #To the Shadows that Cry Witch #big soup #kili durin

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antiterf · 10 months

Text

I'm uh... trying to write what hopefully will be a book in the future. The post I made a few days ago was to see if I could get more input on what I already have roughly written six pages on.

The purpose of it is to counter or rationalize transphobic arguments from terfs and gender criticals. I wasted seven years of my life doing it, the at least the first four being to deal with my internalized transphobia, so I don't want to sit as an semi information bank when it can potentially help other people.

Here are the general chapter themes so far

Transmisogyny includes misogyny for a reason - Julia Serano wrote multiple books on this but I can't make something like this without addressing transmisogyny.

Definition of a woman, the whole issue around it

Trans people are perverts, including:

Autogynephilia, Ray Blanchard & Michael Bailey

The sex binary and compulsory dyadism

Neurodiversity and "transgender madness" - Autism may be a separate chapter from this because of all the focus on autistic trans people.

Racism, which I will definitely need input on but will include the history of radical feminism and how women of color felt excluded.

Medical transition and the proclaimed rotting bodies

Doctors only going along with transition to make money

I know I'll eventually be adding more and if anyone wants to suggest something I'm all for it. I am a White disabled bisexual trans man who's always lived in America, so while I can focus on intersectionality to a degree, it's kind of obvious that my perspective is skewed on what I had to learn and how I learned it to deal with internalized transphobia.

For instance the views that trans bodies are unnatural didn't even strike me as much of an issue because I had two surgeries before the age of five and don't give a damn. Also the lack of knowledge on racism or how these things impact other countries and cultures.

Racism will need multiple chapters, radical feminist and intersectionality history, transgender and trans race, cultural significance of trans identities are the few I can name at the top of my head.

There needs to be a heavy focus on trans misogyny but I do not want to make everything a quote from Serano. Recommending voices of other trans women, especially trans women of color, non USAmerican trans women, religious trans women in non western faith, straight trans women, ace trans women, intersex trans women, disabled trans women, if she doesn't have the same exact characteristics of Serano and speaks about her experiences as a trans woman and transmisogyny I would love to hear it. This includes if you're a trans woman who isn't published or anything but wants to share.

I'm definitely doing a lot of research on my own but open to suggestions. Hell, I was told to read serano by someone on Tumblr and learned a lot of the same I reheard getting my lgbtq studies minor. I may not get back to you, unless if I decide to use your specific experience, but I always read what anyone says.

#notaterftip #not sarcasm #anti terf #antiterf

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thetravelerwrites · 2 years

Text

Noah (Drider)

Rating: Mature Relationship: Female Human Reader/Male Drider Additional Tags: Exophilia, Drider, Fishing, Outdoor Dates Content Warnings: Car Accident, Injury, Stitches, Hospitals, Babies, Children Words: 5421

A super cute commission from @floral-and-fine! A woman coming home from a work conference careens off the road and comes to a stop close to a ravine, dangling over certain death. After calling emergency services, a friendly, attractive ranger comes to her rescue. Please reblog and leave feedback!

If someone were to ask you how you thought you would die, your answer probably wouldn’t have been “stuck in a car dangling over a ravine, held in place by a seatbelt that wouldn’t disengage.”

Probably.

You’d been traveling to an out-of-state seminar for work and was driving a desolate stretch of country road on the outskirts of a state park that you didn’t know well. It was raining, and the dark clouds combined with the dense trees had made it rather dark. You took a sharp turn too fast and plowed through the guardrail, sending you careening down the wet, bumpy terrain. The car plummeted several dozen feet, but your fall was slowed considerably by the thick cluster of slender trees that sat along the edge of the ravine, the limbs of which whipped into the smashed windows to scrape your face. The front end of the car eventually hit a tree large enough to stop its momentum.

The good news was that you survived the fall, but the bad news was that you and your car were perched precariously at a sixty degree angle on the edge of a sheer drop that had to have been at least one hundred feet straight down. Every time you moved, the car shifted as though it was trying to slip over, and the tree it was stuck on creaked and groaned as if it was preparing to give way at any second.

Your seatbelt was slick from the rain that had come in through the shattered windscreen and your left side was sore and numb. You were unable to grip the seat belt release, let alone click the button with enough force to disengage it, and you couldn’t reach around with your right hand in your position. There was nothing in the car you could use to cut the belt, either, so you were resigned to wait until you could figure out another way to escape or until someone came to rescue you.

Your purse had been thrown to the floor of the passenger seat, and your cell phone was inside of it. Crying tears of terror and frustration, you tried to ease yourself over and reached for the purse’s strap, praying that the car would stay put. It took a few tries, but you eventually managed to hook the strap with your pointer finger and carefully pulled it toward you. Your cell phone was sitting right on top. The signal was kind of weak and you were scared that the rain would short circuit it, but hopefully you could reach someone before it did.

“You’ve reached Desoto regional emergency services. Do you need police, fire, or medical?” The voice asked.

“I’ve been in a car accident,” You said, sobbing a little. “I’m on the edge of a ravine and I can’t get out of the car.”

“Where exactly are you?”

“I don’t know exactly,” You replied. “I’m on Desoto Road right next to the national forest. Please help me.”

“I’m going to transfer you, okay? Don’t hang up, stay on the phone,” The woman said.

“Okay,” You replied.

A few seconds of silence followed, then you heard a masculine voice.

“National Park Ranger’s Emergency Line, this is Noah, what is the nature of your emergency?”

You repeated your predicament to this new voice. “Please help me, I’m so scared.”

“I’m going to help you, I’m on my way right now,” He said in a soothing tone. “Are you hurt anywhere? Did your airbag deploy?”

“No, it didn’t. I hit my head, and my left arm and shoulder hurt.”

“Are you bleeding?”

“I don’t know, I can’t tell. Please help me!”

“We’re coming, I promise you, we’re coming. Listen, what’s your name?”

You told him, wondering if he could make it out over your sniveling.

“Okay, listen to me, we’re coming right now. Can you give me any sort of landmark that we can use to locate you?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know this place well; this is the first time I’ve taken this road,” You cried piteously. “The car went through the guardrail up on the road, and I think I’m right below that.”

“Okay, that’s good, that helps,” He said.

“I have to get home to my baby,” You sobbed, feeling panicked. You were losing your grip on rational thought.. “I have to get home.”

“Hey, hey, don’t panic, okay?” Noah said in a soft voice. “Tell me about your baby. What’s their name, how old are they?”

“She’s just turned one,” You said, your breathing erratic. “Her name is Rosie.”

“Ohhh, I love that name,” Noah said. “I really like floral names for baby girls. I always wanted to name my daughter Peony, if I ever had one. Who’s got her right now?”

“Her Nana,” You said. You knew he was trying to distract you, but a distraction is exactly what you needed to stuff down the terror.

Noah kept you talking about anything other than your current situation, and it helped ease the fear and anxiety. It took more than fifteen minutes but you could eventually hear sirens in the distance.

“I can hear the sirens!” You shouted, almost as if they could here you from that far away.

“You can?” He replied, then you heard him speaking to someone nearby. “Hey, she can hear us, we’re close! Slow down and look for the broken guard rail!” He came back on the phone and said, “Hey, you’re not afraid of spiders, are you?”

“No, why?” You asked, perplexed.

He laughed softly. “You’ll see.”

You heard the sirens getting louder and vehicles pulling up above you.

“We’re here,” Noah said. “I’m coming down to get you. You said you went straight down?”

“I think so, but I’m not sure,” You replied.

“I’ll find you, don’t worry,” He said. “I’ve got an amazing track record. My coworkers don’t call me ‘The Hound’ for nothing.”

You laughed weakly.

“I can't see your car,” He said. "Can you turn on your hazard lights?"

"Uh..." You looked around and found the hazard button, which you'd never had to use before not. "Yeah, they're on."

“Okay, I see you now. I’ll be right down. Hold on, okay? Stay on the phone with me until I get there.”

“Okay,” You said.

You heard the sound of many feet skittering down the cliff edge and relief washed over you. They were coming. It was probably only thirty minutes that you’d been stuck alone in the car leaning over the edge, but it felt like years.

“I’m on my way down to get you!” You heard Noah shout, both through the phone and from above you. “Hang tight, honey, I’m almost there!”

“Oh, thank God,” You breathed. Relief washed over you.

Relief that was somewhat dampened by the sudden appearance of a large, hairy insectoid leg that came into view. Your impulse to panic flared for a second before you remembered his question about spiders. His face came into view then, with his cell phone up to his ear.

“You can hang up now,” He said with a grin.

You gave him a watery laugh and dropped your phone in your lap, not caring where it landed.

His human half had dark skin with a faint velvety sheen running over it, which you realized was a very fine layer of soft fuzz, like a peach. He had dark, curling hair falling around his ears and eyes, which were startlingly blue. He wore a beige park ranger’s shirt as well as a reflective orange vest, and there was a long bone pendant in the shape of a trout dangling around his neck, falling past his breastplate. He also had a two way radio on a belt around his waist, the mouthpiece of which was clipped to the shoulder of his vest.

His spider half was a paler shade of brown, with two white stripes over black chevron patterns along his abdomen. There were light tan speckles running down his legs, which had to be as long as you were tall, though his spider body was only half as long as you.

“Okay, hon, hang tight, I’m going to spin some line and attach it to the car so that it won’t slip as we’re trying to get you out, okay? There might be some shaking around, but try to be as still as possible.”

“Okay,” You said, trying to slow your breathing. He disappeared from view and you felt the car shudder. You gripped the steering wheel tightly and prayed the tree holding the car in place would stay put.

He appeared back at your window. “What are you stuck on?”

“I can’t grip the seat belt latch. There’s too much pressure on my arm and I can’t press down hard enough.”

“Okay, I’m going to use my forelegs to keep you steady so that you won’t fall forward when I disengage the belt.”

You frowned a little self-consciously, momentarily forgetting your tears. “But I’m heavy.”

He laughed. “No, you’re not. Hold still. The hair on my legs might be a little prickly, but it won’t hurt you.”

“Okay.”

Braced on his back two pairs of legs, he reared up and placed his two pairs of forelegs around you, one pair around your waist and the second pair under your arms.

“I’m gonna wrap some silk around you and make something like a harness, okay? It needs to be snug so that you won’t slip out of it, but let me know if it’s too tight or hurts at all.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, stay still, sweetie. Hang on to my legs if you need to. Don’t be afraid to grip hard; you’re not going to hurt me, I promise.”

You grabbed his front set of forelegs, carefully avoiding the bristle-like hairs on them. From the angle you were in, you could see his back set of rear legs deftly passing silk from his spinnerets forward to his human hands. He expertly crafted a harness-like garment, slipped it onto your torso without letting go of you, and secured it with more silk, which hardened like cement very quickly.

“Still okay, hon?” He asked, smiling gently and looking at your face. You nodded, staring at his pretty blue eyes as a focal point in all the chaos. “Alright, on three, I’m going to release the belt and pull you out as quickly as I can without jostling the car. Try not to move.”

“Okay,” You said, gulping down a breath as your heart rate shot up again. Your grip on his forelegs tightened, bristle hairs be damned. The car shuddered as he pulled you out carefully, his grip on you iron-strong, and as soon as your legs were clear, he danced backward quickly just as the thin tree keeping the car in place snapped. The car creaked, groaned, and plunged over the edge of the ravine, crashing at the base and beginning to smoke.

Your tears wet your face, as did the rain, as you stared down at your smoldering, destroyed vehicle.

“Are you alright, love?” Noah asked.

You were trembling from head to toe. The shock setting in, and you found you couldn’t respond.

“Hey, honey, answer me,” He said. He passed you up from his spider forelegs to his human arms, where he easily maneuvered you into a princess carry, and looked you in the face. When you didn’t say anything, he turned and skittered quickly back up the side of the ravine, using the cable he wove to keep the car from moving, to a waiting ambulance.

“She’s in shock,” Noah said quickly. His tone was sharp and commanding, exuding authority. “She’s got a wound on her head and her left arm is bleeding but I can’t see where from.” He looked back at you, though the sight of him was swirling and wavering. “You’re okay, honey. Everything’s okay.”

He passed you to the paramedics, and from that moment on, it was a blur of lights, noise, and pain, before blackness took you.

You awoke later, and it was dark. Your side was on fire and your head hurt worse than it ever had in your life, but you were dry and safe. Your mouth was bone dry and you felt super heavy and cold.

“Hello?” You croaked, but there was no answer. From the dim light of the moon filtering in from the window, you realized you were in a hospital bed. You found the call button and pressed it.

A voice came over an intercom. “Yes?”

“Where am I? I’m thirsty.”

“I’ll be right there, ma’am,” The voice said, and the intercom went silent. A few seconds later, a nurse came in and turned on the overhead light. She’d brought a pitcher of water and a cup. “You alright, sweetie?”

“Where am I?”

“You’re in the Desoto Regional Hospital,” She said, pouring you a cup of water and handing it to you. You gulped it down and handed it back, and she refilled it. “You had some nasty cuts and a concussion, so the doctor wanted to keep you overnight to make sure you didn’t have any lasting issues. There was a gash in your side that needed a couple of stitches and your arm was dislocated, but otherwise you’re okay. You’re gonna be pretty bruised up for a while, though.”

“Did anyone call my parents?” You croaked.

“We didn’t have their numbers, but Noah from the national rangers service went down and got your purse and phone from your car before it could burn out. He managed to get ahold of your family. They’ll be here in the morning to get you.”

“Thank you,” You said weakly.

“No prob, honey. Are you hurting?”

You nodded and winced.

“I’ll be right back with some medicine.”

You nodded again and closed your eyes. You heard her leave and then return, and you felt a slow, creeping warmness run through your body. You fell asleep again.

It was morning when you woke up, and your parents were sitting next to your bed with little Rosie in your mother’s lap.

“Oh, honey!” She exclaimed when you opened your eyes. “Oh, thank God, we were scared to death when we got the call last night. How are you feeling?”

“Sore,” You replied. “My left side got pretty beat up. I’m okay otherwise.” You reached out your right arm to Rosie, who squealed and waved her limbs toward you. Your mom deposited her on the bed next to you, and you wrapped your arm around her securely. “I have no idea what I’m going to do for transportation,” You said, sighing. “I was still paying on that car.”

“Honey, that’s what insurance is for,” Your dad said, patting your shoulder. “And even if they don’t cover… whatever this ends up being called… we’re always here to help out, okay? Don’t you worry ‘bout a thing.”

You began to feel emotional again and did your best to hold in your tears. “Thanks, Dad. I really appreciate it.”

Your parents sat with you for another few hours, during which time, your father called your insurance company and began to report the accident and get the claim rolling. Hopefully, if the company paid out the full amount, you might be able to get a replacement within the week.

Rosie began to get cranky from hunger, so your parents took her and went to get lunch. Your lunch wasn’t exactly appetizing, but they promised to sneak you in some goodies to tide you until you were released. While they were gone, you heard a rapping on your window and you were startled to see Noah’s face outside. You got up slowly, gingerly, and limped over to the window, opening it.

“Sorry if I scared you,” He said, wincing and contrite. “I wanted to check on you, but I’m too big to fit into the hospital.” He held up a small bag of cookies. “I come with gifts.”

“It’s okay,” You said, taking the cookies. “Thanks for these. I’m alright, there wasn’t any serious damage. I just had some stitches and bruising.”

“That’s good to hear,” He said, sighing with relief. “Well, not good that you were hurt, but good that it wasn’t bad. Well, I guess any injury is bad, but–”

You laughed as he floundered a bit. It seemed that he was far less loquacious outside of emergency situations, and it was actually pretty adorable.

“I understand what you’re saying,” You said with a smile. “I’m glad you came to check on me. I wanted to say thank you.”

He shook his head with a wide grin, his dark curls bouncing around his head. “No, not at all, it’s my job. I’m just glad we got there in time.” He scratched his neck and his shoulders hunched self-consciously. “Honestly, it’s a shame we had to meet like that. If we had met under different circumstances, I would’ve asked you out. You’re actually really cute and completely my type.” He looked down and laughed nervously.

A surprised smile split your face. “So you can’t ask me out now? Is there a rule against asking out rescues?”

He looked up at you with wide eyes. “Oh. Well… no, there isn't. Would you be up for that? When you’re feeling better, of course.”

“I’m very much up for it,” You said with a grin, and he grinned in relief.

“That’s great!” He said, a hand to his chest. “Here, here’s my number.” He reached into the breast pocket of his shirt and pulled out a business card and a pen, writing his personal number on it. “Call or text me whenever you’d like to hang out. Or if you’d like to talk. Or any time for any reason at all.”

You giggled at his eagerness. “Thanks. I’d offer to give you my number, but I think I need to get a new phone, and I may not be able to keep my number. I’ll text you when I get it.”

“Sounds great,” He said. The big happy grin on his face wouldn’t quit. “I should let you rest. I’m glad to see you’ll be okay.”

“Thanks,” You said as he danced away from the window. “I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“Okay. Take care,” He said, and disappeared into the treeline outside of your room.

You were released later that day, and you rode home with your parents, sitting next to Rosie in the backseat. You held her little hand, gently rubbing her little fingers as she dozed off. Throughout the terror of the accident and being trapped in the car, dangling over certain death, all you could think about was Rosie and the possibility of never seeing her again. If you had died, she would have grown up without her mother and wouldn’t even remember you at this age. You’d have become nothing more to her than a regretful absence. That terrified you more than anything.

Once back home, you spent a day recuperating before going out to buy a new phone. As soon as you’d found one that both met your requirements and allowed you to keep your original number, the first thing you did after downloading your contacts from the cloud was text Noah.

> I’ve got my new phone. It’s the rescue lady, by the way. :p

He didn’t respond immediately, so you put your phone away and started car hunting. You got a reply later that evening.

> Hi! Sorry I didn’t respond earlier, I don’t get great reception out here unless I’m near the ranger’s station. I’m glad to hear from you. How are you feeling?

> I’m okay. Still kinda sore, but it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.

> That’s good. Can I give you a call? It’s hard to text while filing paperwork.

> Sure, sounds good.

Rosie was put to bed for the evening, and you lay back in bed, getting comfortable and watching TV with the sound off, and chatting with Noah. Noah was easy to talk to: you both had similar tastes in music and movies, and he liked hearing about some of your hobbies that he wasn’t familiar with, like fiber arts. He told you about his favorite hobbies, like hiking and fishing, that led him to take the ranger’s job in the first place. It was like getting to indulge in his favorite pastimes at work every day. It sounded amazing.

Before you even realized it, it was two in the morning. You both apologized self consciously and said goodbye, you fell asleep with your mind buzzing with echoes of Noah’s pleasant voice.

It took nearly a month before you could move without aching, and by that time, you and Noah were talking to each other for hours each day. You were getting more and more excited and nervous for the promised date, though a day hadn’t been set yet. He wanted to be sure you wouldn’t be hurting or uncomfortable. You had a feeling that his plans for your date together involved being outdoors. You ordinarily didn’t like doing outside activities, but you had a feeling you wouldn’t mind so much if Noah was with you.

Sure enough, the next week when you two finally decided on a day, he announced happily that he thought it would be fun to go fishing. He even invited Rosie to come along, having bought a little toy fishing reel for her to play with. You weren’t sure how much you would enjoy it, but you remembered fishing with your grandpa when you were little and you hadn’t been fishing since before you became a teenager, and felt a sense of nostalgia at the thought of it.

You arrived with Rosie on the specified day wearing nice-but-comfy clothes, and Noah was there to meet you with a grill set up and a small ice chest. He’d had you come to a nearby creek that wasn’t in the national forest, thoughtfully; you’d had enough of that place for the rest of your life.

“Hi!” He said, waving as you got out and pulled Rosie from her seat and set her on her feet. She only started walking a couple of months ago, but by god, she was gonna walk everywhere she could reach, and she tested her limits constantly. In only a few months, you’d become well aware of which child proofing items were useful and which were no more effective than the twisty tie on a loaf of bread.

“Hey!” You replied, grabbing Rosie’s bag. “Are the fishing poles already at the creek?”

“Nope, no poles or hooks,” He said, shaking his head. “Not safe for the little one. I actually teach nature safety for the junior rangers and various scout troops, so thankfully I’m familiar with what’s appropriate for kids and what’s not. We’re using hand nets, simple bait, and patience today. And we’ll be using goldfish crackers for bait, so that if Rosie manages to grab one and eat it, it won’t hurt her.”

You smiled at his prudency; you had actually been worried about using hooks and small fishing equipment around Rosie, such as the rubber worms and the ball bearing weights that are perfectly sized to be grabbed by a tiny fist and shoved into a tiny mouth. His conscientiousness for your daughter was very sweet… and incredibly attractive.

Noah was extremely fast on his eight legs, so he would take three steps and then stop to allow Rosie to catch up with him, which allowed you to follow along at a leisurely pace. Rosie was cautious of him at first, as she tended to be with all strangers, but she opened up to him by the time the two of you reached the creek. When you arrived, you fastened a life vest to her body and some water wings to her arms, letting her splash in the shallows for a bit.

“She’s gonna scare all the fish,” You remarked.

Noah grinned. “Nah, fish filter out into this creek from the large river upstream to populate several ponds and tributaries down the way. Even if she scares a few, there’ll be more coming who haven’t heard her stomping around.”

He had already brought the hand nets and bait, which was a giant carton of fish crackers, waiting on the small dock, as well as a baby-sized float that Rosie could sit in tied to a small rope that was attached to one of the posts.

“The dock is a bit too small for you, isn’t it?” You asked, stepping up onto it and settling Rosie into the float. She giggled and squealed as the minnows came up to nip at her toes.

Noah laughed. “Oh, I don’t need a dock.” He pressed the flat segment at the tip of one of his legs against the water, where you noticed multiple tiny bubbles forming between each of the small, bristle-like hairs. He did this with three more of his legs one after the other, and then slid onto the water carefully, placing his remaining legs on the water one by one. After a few moments, he was standing on the water upright, without a single bit of him in the water itself.

“My race is distantly related to the dolomedes tenebrosus, the Dark Fishing Spider,” He explained. “Our legs have evolved to create denser surface tension on water. Our size and weight can be a setback, but as long as we’re careful, we can skate on the water, like this. It makes fishing almost too easy for us.”

Without lifting his legs, he did appear to be skating toward where you were sitting cross-legged, facing you and the dock. He picked up some small bags made of fine mesh and dropped some of the crackers into them, closed them, and then tied the drawstrings to the bottom of the large hand nets.

“Won’t they float?”

“Nope,” He said, and showed that the drawstrings had weights on them. “The crackers will dissolve pretty fast, but that’s actually good. It’ll carry the smell all over the creek, but the mesh bags will contain most of the mush, so we won’t have to re-bait for a while.”

“What kind of fish are we catching today?”

“Catfish. They’re terribly invasive and get huge . We try to weed them out as much as possible.”

“Are we fishing to keep or to release?” You asked.

“I figured we could fish until we find some nice sized ones to eat for dinner, and let the smaller fellas go, at least the ones that aren’t catfish. Sound good?”

“Sounds great,” You replied. “Is that what the grill is for?” You asked, nodding back toward the shore, where a small charcoal grill had been set up.

“Yep!” He replied. “Does Rosie like fish?”

“I don’t know, I haven’t tried her on it yet,” You said. “Now seems like a good time. Fish meat is soft enough for her. Thank you, by the way.”

He cocked his head at you, surprised. “For what?”

“For being considerate of Rosie and doing all this so she’d have fun, too. I don’t know many guys who’d be cool with bringing a kid on a first date, let alone go to all this trouble.” You smiled and took one of his hands in yours. “I really, really appreciate this.”

He smiled back and squeezed your hand in return. “It was no trouble at all, really. I’m glad she’s enjoying it. She’s a really sweet kid.”

Rosie did seem to be having the time of her life, watching the tiny fishies circle around her curiously and laughing in delight.

He looked serious all of a sudden. “She’s got sunscreen on, right? I brought some just in case.”

You couldn’t help yourself: You leaned forward and kissed him. With his spider abdomen pressed flat to the water, he was at perfect height for it. He made a noise of surprise, but leaned into it. It was a full kiss, despite being quick, and when you pulled back, his grin nearly cut his head in half.

“So, is that a yes?” He asked, and the two of you laughed.

The next hour or so was a calm, slightly wet lesson in net fishing, which was pleasant. When you caught your first fish in the net, he took it out and held it securely so that Rosie could touch it. She actually slapped it a bit, but she didn’t really hurt it. Noah thought that a baby slap was enough abuse and let the poor thing go free, and you agreed.

You caught five or so decent sized fish by the time dinner rolled around, and you pulled a wrinkly Rosie out of the water. Going back toward your car, where the grill was set up, Noah began cleaning and gutting the fish as you set up an outdoor playpen you’d brought along for Rosie. You expected she might fall asleep at some point, and your intuition was right; she had knocked out before the fish had even touched the grill.

“Would you like something to drink?” You asked as he lay out the filets over the coals.

“Oh, yeah, that’d be great. Can I have one of the sodas?”

You opened the ice chest and took out a bottle of soda for each of you.

“I always have this picture in my head of someone drinking a beer when they grill,” You remarked as you handed off his drink.

He chuckled. “I can’t stand the taste of beer. Besides, I never drink around kids.”

“You’re so good with children,” You said. “Is it because of your work?”

“Maybe that’s part of it, but I suppose it also has to do with how drider families function. We’re born in clutches, usually four to six per clutch, and it’s normal for drider families to have several clutches over their lifetimes. I was one of the first clutch, so I have a ton of younger siblings.”

You nodded and smiled. “Makes sense. I will say that being a natural around children is a very attractive character trait.”

He grinned. “Good to know.” He slowly snaked an arm around your waist and you leaned into his side, resting a hand on his shoulder. “Are you having a good time?” He asked, his voice low and soft, sending a shiver across your skin.

“I am having a good time,” You said, looking up and zeroing in on his lips. He picked up the signal and leaned in for a quick peck.

“I’m glad. It can be kind of hit or miss when you take someone on an outdoor date, especially if they’re not used to it. I’ve made that mistake before. Plenty of times.”

“And you almost made it again?” You asked with a smirk. “Why?”

“Well…” He shrugged. “It’s hard to do most normal dates when you’re my size. Besides that, I… I love it out here, and I’d love to meet someone who loves it too. They don't necessarily have to share that love as much as me, but maybe they would still enjoy a day like today every once in a while. A little fishing, a little hiking, a little exploring. I don’t want to have to give up one love to have another, you know?”

“I totally understand,” You said. “It’s sort of like me dating someone who doesn’t like kids. It’s just not going to work.”

“Maybe not that extreme, but definitely a similar concept,” He agreed. “So, this was good? Is this an activity we might repeat? Assuming you’d like to go on more dates with me, that is.”

You laughed. “That’s a safe assumption. I did have a great time, and Rosie passed out as soon as she touched the ground, so that’s always a good sign. I think I can certainly learn to appreciate the outdoors a bit more, especially if you’re there.”

He smiled at you softly. “Good thing I’m always here.”

“That is a good thing,” You said, and kissed him again.

The fish were done, and Rosie roused from sleep, and the three of you had a dinner of fish and grilled veggies, during which Rosie literally ate out of Noah’s hand by the end. After eating and cleaning up, the sun was going down and the two of you decided it was time to part ways. After a kiss and a hug, he saw you off with a wave and a wistful smile.

Since my work is no longer searchable, please do me a favor and reblog this story if you enjoyed it. Help me reach a wider audience! To help me continue creating, please consider becoming a Patron or donating directly to my PayPal!

Thanks for reading!

My Masterlist

The Exophilia Creator’s Masterlist

#Drider #Spider #Monster Boyfriend #Exophilia

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where-the-flash · 4 months

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"The Henpecked Duck": A Morbidly Intensive Reflection (Part 1)

(image: vcrfromheck.tumblr.com)

What you see before you is a facsimile of a VHS tape my grandmother mysteriously owned in the early nineties. The tape was specifically for my older sister and myself in the hopes that it would pacify us if we got too rowdy. My grandmother eventually donated it once we were older....without asking my permission. We're not on speaking terms at the present moment.

The videotape was entitled "Cartoons R Fun", which is embossed on a rainbow you might see arched over Mount Ararat post-Deluge. Indeed, cartoons "r" fun, if you forgive the juvenile usage of a homophonic letter as a plural present tense of the verb "to be".

Daffy Duck, proudly standing on a tan blob with thin pencil lines to signify a nest (one that's peacefully floating on a violet overcast sky), is holding a freshly-hatched, over-sized duckling in his hand, as a quaint HOME SWEET HOME knick-knack looks on lovingly. Not an accurate depiction of the advertised short, but we'll cross that poorly-drawn bridge when we get to it. However, the tilted Dr. Caligari-esque shadow of a window in the background is indicative of the mood of the short in question.

(image: vcrfromheck.tumblr.com)

The tape was top-loaded with four chortle-filled public domain follies produced between 1937 and 1941. Those amusements being, The Henpecked Duck, I Wanna Be a Sailor (see?), Robinson Crusoe Jr., and A Coy Decoy, as the tape advertises in a tacky brush font, on a showbiz marquee being lugged about by two (presumably) unpaid simian laborers, "Henpecked Duck and MANY MORE..." ("Henpecked Duck", as you might have noted, is missing a definite article, adding to the lackadaisical charm of the proceedings).

These tapes were not the best quality. I know this because the last ten seconds of A Coy Decoy are cut out, missing the all-important punchline of Daffy procreating with a toy duck. (it took me fifteen years to discover this, thanks to the miracle of www.youtube). The tape was too short so it ended on a blue screen of death. The shorts were not in black-and-white, nor are they in color, as the box cover deceptively advertises with its omnipresent "all color" rainbow. Rather, it's presented in a dusty sepia-tone (the shorts fell into public domain so I can incorrectly presume that the sepia is an after-effect of neglected film preservation). This in itself is not a bad thing. I like my cartoons to look like the first act of The Wizard of Oz. They look pristine and well-preserved, like something perfectly bronzed to a fine sheen. If I were to flick my finger, the film would make an audible 'ding'.

Anyway, the cartoon that sticks out the most (obviously, it's the main feature) is The Henpecked Duck. Released on August 30th, 1941 (about three months before the United States entered World War II....this was back when the epidemic of housewives battering their husbands with frying pans was of more pressing concern than Hitler), it was directed by Bob Clampett (the insane bad boy of the Warner Bros. animation department) and written by Warren Foster. It concerns a married Daffy Duck getting into some hot water after accidentally misplacing their unborn child. It is an intense piece of marital melodrama framed through the irreverent filter of Looney Tunes.

I've always been drawn to it. Not in any sort of substantive way (I'm not a child of divorce or anything of the sort), but in the sense that it's a piece of media that I've consumed to such a inordinate degree that it gains a kind of vague meaningfulness. It's also an overlooked short that I feel should have a little light drawn towards it, as a way of saving it from the gaping maw of obscurity. And since every piece of media has been discussed to death on the internet, I thought I could annoy you and place my minuscule stakes on this 7-minute short from 1941. Hopefully, this will be the final, definitive word on the subject. My legacy depends on it.

Let's examine this short in embarrassing, navel-gazing detail, shall we?. Not just gazing, mind you, I mean gripping my hairy belly between my two mitts and, depending on how much bendable flexibility I still have stored in my rapidly fading youthful figure, blow into my umbilicus scar, until you hear an audible plop-plop-plop.

(note: I put a sepia filter on these black & white screencaps to simulate how I experienced The Henpecked Duck as a child.)

WAH WAH WAH WAH WAHHHHHHHHHH. Doodly-doo, doodly-doo, scattily woo woo woo woo doo, doodly-doo, doodly-doo, doo doo. (That was obviously Mendelssohn playing over those overlapping rolling pins.)

The short opens on darkness, a cacophony of plaintive whinging blooms on the soundtrack. People are demanding divorces left and right. The camera suddenly springs back from the darkness to reveal the shadowy entrance of what appears to be a ramshackle barn or chicken coop. It's hard to tell considering the entrance takes up the entire frame. The lack of a proper wide establishing shot and the numerous disembodied voices only adds to the feeling of anxious dislocation. A wooden plank leads forbiddingly into the darkness. A crudely written sign hangs over the entrance, "Court of Inhuman Relations."

(A small reservation I have is the sound mixing on the voices being too loud. You can almost hear Carl Stalling's score which, from the few strains that I'm able to eke out, carry an foreboding menace).

Transition to a close-up of Porky's gavel (Porky is presiding over this raucous kangaroo court) rapping on the judge's stand with an aggressiveness too intense for the viewer to even process in these first few seconds. The camera rapidly pulls back from the gavel, to a wider shot of Porky, to an extreme low-angle long shot of the aisle as the crowd quiets down. Already, we have two instances of the camera springing back rapidly from close-ups to establishing shots, as if the cameraman was suddenly dropped out of the sky and is quickly trying to adjust to the foreign scenario he has just encountered. Needless to say, it has a startling effect.

Porky Pig announces the first case of the day: Duck vs. Duck. He orders Mr. Daffy Duck to approach the stand. There is a shot from Porky's perspective where we can see the entire courtroom with Porky's gavel and water jug hugely prominent in the foreground (they take up almost half of the frame, symbolizing the firm grip that the rural judicial system has even over the lowliest waterfowl). The courtroom is a surreal scene indeed. It consists of barnyard animals, from a duck with an abnormally long neck, to a dopey-looking black mutt, to a fat hog sitting uncomfortably on one of the benches, and a snoring elderly hen (who provide a few visual gags near the end of the short).

Daffy Duck slowly shuffles up the aisle. His overbearingly grim disposition are not unlike a POW during the Bataan Death March, with his slouched posture and hangdog eyes. Stalling's score is just as slow and methodical; a prominent trombone emitting a onomatopoeic 'wah-wah'. He walks past the onlooking crowd, eerily still and blurred in the background. The few figures he walks past in the foreground are featureless and emit a dull glow like bronze statues. The stillness of the crowd make Daffy's isolation unbearable.

Daffy approaches the stand as Porky calls up Mrs. Daffy Duck. Before I move on, I must point out a glancing detail and a naggingly under discussed trope of old 30's-40's cartoons: glassy eyelids. Daffy blinks a few times as he looks up at Porky on the stand. His eyelids have a glassy, polished tint, as if run through a shoe buffer. It is an unsettling detail, adding to the surreality of the mise-en-scène.

Mrs. Duck, unlike Daffy, charges up the aisle with a straw boater cocked at an angle, in the manner of old-time gangsters, and a ridiculous poofy ball bouncing from it (what else could one call it but a 'poofy ball'?), giving off a unexpectedly violent energy. Unlike the pathetic trombone used on Daffy, Stalling utilizes blaring trumpets, giving her entrance a martial air. I must amusingly point out that Mrs. Duck is essentially Daffy with a hat and skirt (no pronounced Minnie Mouse eyelashes either).

Shot from an intense low angle close-up, Mrs. Duck, the perennial battle-ax stereotype, chants the four most iconic words of my salad years: "I WANT A DIVORCE! I WANT A DIVORCE!" It's amazing how a single moment can be so easily etched into such an impressionable young mind. The immediacy of it (no one in real life can shout banal declarations with such dramatic relish) and its startling bluntness struck me as unusual in a Looney Tunes short. It's so dramatically heightened when compared to the more relatively light-hearted tone of other Warner Bros shorts. Though as I've grown older, I can't help but see a bit of the parodic in it; melodrama bursting to the brink of burlesque. Not to mention the almost shrill string section that accompany these outbursts.

Mrs. Duck rains a flurry of invective on Daffy (with a couple of thwacks on the head from her vanity parasol). We get a closeup of Daffy, where we get some fine acting on his end. As she twaddles on, he winces and grimaces, being verbally battered into submission. At one point, she commands him to respond. In a subtle bit of comic acting, Daffy opens his beak in an air of sarcasm (noted by the over-exaggerated intake of breath), and just as he's about to speak, he automatically snaps his beak closed just as she tells him to shut up. Henpecked, indeed, if you are unironically tickled by the avian-adjacent pun of its title.

The Honorable Porky Pig orders Mrs. Duck to calm herself and explain the origins of this particular domestic strife. I must point out that as Porky speaks, we get a two-shot of Mr. and Mrs. Duck. It's almost a still shot, except for the poofy ball on her hat, which slowly bounces until it comes to a stop, like a toy soldier winding down. It's a minute detail that adds to her energetic characterization. Even when she's still, she's moving.

At this point we are launched into the dramatic thrust of the short. We are spirited backward into the past by way of flashback. This is where the real fun begins.

We arrive at the abode of the Ducks (we get no exterior establishing shot) where silhouettes (projected on a wall of two by fours, adding to the rural decrepitude) of the couple hover over a nest with a plump half-oval of an egg nestled on top. A framed embroidered artwork of the words "Home Sweet Home" adds a touch of ironic bonhomie (the music of "Home Sweet Home" is gently playing in the background). Mrs. Duck is lovingly instructing Daffy to manually incubate the egg while she goes to visit her mother. She walks past the camera and out of frame. She then violently (and comically) juts her face back into frame (her beak thrusting like a dagger) with an idle threat of strangulation (the music suddenly turns menacing).

Daffy sits obediently on the nest, replying to every matrimonial trumpet blast with the soft-spoken yet seethingly sarcastic, "Yes, m'love." Daffy's comic acting is brilliant here. The frozen smile, the disingenuously coy eye-blinking, the listless, non-committal head nodding. Not to mention Carl Stalling's expressive soundtrack, with Mrs. Duck's dialogue highlighted by stormy percussion and Daffy's highlighted by softer staccato variations on the "Home Sweet Home" theme. When Mrs. Duck leaves, Daffy gets up off the nest and vents out his frustration, mocking her with multiple "Yes, m'love's" (we also get a sense of the wide space of their sparsely furnished house, giving it the feeling of a stage). The omniscient Mrs. Duck suddenly bursts through the door screaming, "What's that?!" Daffy springs back to the nest (the music oddly spring-like itself), a eerie moment of silence before Daffy quietly, obediently says, "Yes, m'love." Mrs. Duck leaves.

After an indeterminate passage of time, Daffy is still sitting on the egg (his arms uselessly crossed as opposed to the demure limpness he expressed when the missus was about), looking bored and restless. Carl Stalling's score here is particularly striking, giving this little interlude a weird note of foreboding. Daffy decides to examine the egg, shake it, and balance it precariously on his digit. How I relate to Daffy's fascination! There is something miraculous about that ovoid vessel. Its perfect shape and dimensions. Its firm yet fragile shell, its smell reminiscent of sticking your hand out of a speeding car window, then smelling the palm once retracted. When you put a knife to a boiled egg, you see its uniform circularity with its white outer layer and its yellow yolk (sans zygote, of course).

Daffy, in a fit of pure sponteneum, lays to rest the age-old chicken-or-the-egg conundrum by rendering it moot. We get an extreme close-up of his hand fondling the egg then pressing the egg between his palms until it is squeezed out of existence. Even Harry Handcuffs couldn't pull off a feat of such trickery. Daffy, standing confidently on his nest like a master sleight-of-hand, chants some magical hoodoo ("Hocus pocus, flippety flam, razzmatazz, and alacazam!") and the egg reappears between his two fingers (with an amusing "boing", clearly a human's voice).

He is amazed by his newfound abilities and addresses the audience with cross-eyed relish. Notice that the borders of the frame move inward so there there is a thick black outline underneath and to the sides. We cut to a wide shot of Daffy stepping off his nest (making a hearty reference to Major Bowes, an old "Gong Show"-esque radio program) and then stepping forward and out of the frame, his feet planted on the black. It's meant to be a fourth-wall gag but it's awkwardly executed because you notice the frame retracting in preparation for the gag. Frankly, I'm not quite sure why they had to break the fourth wall at that particular moment.

Daffy makes the egg disappear again. I must point out Stalling's lovely rendition of Juventino Rosas' waltz, "Sobre las Olas" (Over the Waves), a calming Wurlitzer standard, but like its title, suggests that Daffy is heading into choppy waters. He repeats the magic words and, lo and behold, the egg does not reappear. Daffy's eyes bulge out of his head and looks at the audience, shrugging with uneasy reassurance. He tries again. Same result. The tempo of the scene steadily grows faster (along with the score) as Daffy desperately tries to make the egg reappear. Daffy is now hysterically banging the floor, imploring an indifferent deity to make his unborn child whole again. Of course, it wouldn't be Looney Tunes if they didn't make Daffy break the fourth wall ("Say, is there a magician in the house?"), then immediately falling back into character (now that felt like a more appropriate fourth-wall gag than the previous one). A clock ticks on unrepentantly.

(continued in Part 2...I hoped to fool you and claim it's Part 1 as a dramatic cliffhanger for this intense marital thriller...it's only because Tumblr allows 30 images per post so I had to break it up into two parts....I apologize if I have completely demystified this [allegedly] mature and thoughtful examination)

#looney tunes #movies #henpecked duck

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kuzann · 11 months

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Guardian Moons AU: Team Flare Overview

Gonna add more to my silly Perfectworldshipping AU cause folks in the Discord were excited about it. So here’s more info on Team Flare in this AU! First post about the AU is here with general information on it. This post is kind of a work in progress since I’m sure I’ll think of stuff after posting and have to add it lol.

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Main Mission & Recruitment

Lysandre founded Team Flare so he could have backup in the form of like-minded individuals for his alien-hunting endeavors. Are they gonna do anything bad to the aliens if they find them? Nope, they just want to know about them. They have a whole database of confirmed aliens, disproved aliens, and common hoaxes to watch out for, most of it accessible to the public so they can be aware too. If said aliens turn out to be a threat to Earth then they’d work to stop them, but otherwise they’re just out for knowledge and sniffing out hoaxes. The hoax debunking is important to helping normal folks feel safe when they sleep at night, so it’s also pretty important to Team Flare too.

Though it starts as being strictly about discovering aliens and uncovering associated hoaxes, Team Flare eventually branches out to pretty much all things paranormal. It’s partly because aliens/paranormal stuff just naturally overlaps, and also because some of grunts were able to win Lysandre over by talking to him about their paranormal special interests and he got excited. Team Flare divisions have special names when they deal with a specific topic and special uniforms: for example Spectral Flare is for ghost stuff, and they look pretty goth and have black and purple uniforms.

Anyone can join Team Flare as long as they’re a good team player and treat others with respect, thinking aliens and the paranormal are cool is just a bonus. It’s high-diversity as a result of this, with members from all manner of social strata and categories mingling together and vibing over their shared interest in the paranormal--or just having fun watching coworkers be passionate about said topic while enjoying the good pay and working conditions.

The Ultimate Weapon

Upon discovering the Ultimate Weapon’s existence, Lysandre decides that it must be destroyed in order to keep it from falling into the wrong hands and makes this Team Flare’s main mission. They keep this mission under wraps so the public won’t panic about such a horrible thing existing and so they can hopefully get rid of it before any shady organizations get any ideas about what to do with it. The plan is to get it to the surface and destroy it there, since detonating it underground could cause unanticipated collateral damage if there are undetected fault lines nearby that could cause earthquakes, so Team Flare is stockpiling energy sources on top of their typical work a bit like in canon but without the harming Pokemon part.

The protags get hints that something’s up as they help Team Flare with various other and related projects and are eventually told about the plan because they’ve earned enough trust with Lysandre and the team and they’re chosen students of Sycamore’s. Luckily they arrive just in time to help out when things go sideways during the finale too.

Unfortunately and unbeknownst to Lysandre until the very end, his discovering the weapon at all is in part a ploy by AZ to get someone else to do the hard work of raising it so he can move in at the last minute and seize it before it gets destroyed. Which he does. As Team Flare prepares to bring up the Ultimate Weapon and destroy it, AZ and his followers assault their base and are able to take control of it after AZ incapacitates most of Team Flare’s members.

Science Division

The lead science squad of Team Flare have varying degrees of enthusiasm for the organization’s mission, depending on who you ask. Xerosic is here strictly for the good pay and the science and as long as he has those he’s happy. Aliana, Bryony, Celosia, and Mable, meanwhile, are big paranormal fans and they enjoy making gadgets to help Team Flare and going on missions.

Main Base

The main base is under the Lysandre Cafe, with the cafe itself being open to the public. There are regulars outside of Team Flare members(and Sycamore) who go there just to listen to the interesting gossip. Hex maniacs and psychics really like hanging out there, and they’re even a potential source of information on potential incidents that Team Flare pays attention to; anyone who is able to pass on accurate information gets free food and drink in return.

#Perfectworldshipping #Team Flare #Pokemon #Lysandre

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fionamk1001 · 2 years

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While you’re all waiting for my PasserinexDSMP Fic, I’d like to share a little bout of fiction that I did up after seeing a piece of the Eburneon!Tommy AU by bludobyy on instagram. All credit for the AU and the piece this fic is based on goes to her, so go check her out cuz her art is amazing! (Also I did this off of Pages, a writing software I use frequently so spacing might be a tad wonky since this is being post on my phone. Also if you want to be added to my taglist, just send me an ask and I’ll add you, you y’all can be notified about my work.)

Failed Provocation

———————-——————

Technoblade wasn’t sure how to feel after everything. What originally was a simple plan to bust Dream out of Pandora’s Vault, ended up costing him Ranboo’s life due to Dreams ignorance. Sure, Ranboo was still around… or at least his ghost was. Then Techno teamed up with both Eret and Tubbo to rescue Tubbo and Ranboo’s son Micheal, which Sam had kidnaped as leverage against the sweet Enderman.

Now, Tubbo was living in Ranboo’s house, which had been situated snugly on the property Techno shared with Phil. He expected that to happen. Tubbo was platonically married to Ranboo and even though Techno still had his reservations about corrupt governments, he didn’t make any further comment… plus the kid had started to grow on him a little bit, not that Techno would ever admit that to Tubbo’s face of course. What Techno didn’t expect, however, was the sight of the familiar red and white tee that always signified Tommy’s appearance. At first, the piglin hybrid expected the teenager to scream and shout at the top of his lungs, projecting Techno’s name over the harsh, snowy wasteland of the tundra, but nothing came.

Even when Techno went out to meet the teen and hopefully get an explanation as to why he was here, Tommy just seemed to stare right past him. Phil even came out to try and talk to him, though it didn’t do much except make flesh under the avian’s skin crawl with a sinking feeling.

——————————————————————————

“Mate, stop pacing. You’re going to carve a trench into your floor.” Phil reprimanded gently, wings tucked behind him on the couch as he nursed a warm cup of lavender tea.

“I just don’t get it, Phil!” Techno started, running a hand through his sakura pink locks. “This is Tommy we’re talking about. He’s supposed to be loud, full of energy, and expressive. Now, it’s like a switch had been flipped! He hardly reacts anymore and just stares!” He ranted, vermillion eyes glaring into the hardwood floors of his home. He heard Phil hum, followed by another slip and the clink of the cup touching the saucer.

“Perhaps he needs to be provoked…” Phil whispered, mostly to himself. “Just try not to push him too far, mate. I’ll talk to Tubbo tomorrow and see if he can shed any light on the matter. For now, come sit before your tea gets stale.”

Techno heaved a sigh and sat down his friends side, reaching for the other cup of tea. It was a little cold, but not by much and soon, a much warmer serving of tea took its place. Tomorrow… Techno was going to get to the bottom of this.

He didn’t know how much more of this he’d be able to take. He had been trying to get a response from Tommy all day, with no result except that same stare and complete silence. He also didn’t notice it in soft light of the arctic moon the night before, but in broad daylight, he could see that Tommy’s usual sunny blonde hair was a stark, snowy white. It was almost as if someone had bleached and dyed it to such a degree, that it erased all pigment from the golden locks of hair. It was a concerning revelation, along with the bandages covering the teens arms and new scars littering his form.

Eventually, Techno had enough and snapped.

“Quit staring and say something!” He screamed, his eyes restricting in the fading light of the tundra sunset, lighting the whole landscape ablaze in mix of fiery colors. He could feel his arm shooting forwards as his hand latched itself around Tommy’s throat. Time seemed to freeze in that moment before it resumed. Tommy stared off, as if locking onto something in the distance before his eyes flickered to Techno, eyes still wide and his face as frozen as a stone statue.

Realization dawned on Techno’s face as he felt a void grow in the pit of his stomach and his heart dropped in dread, his breath hitching in his throat. He swallowed thickly, shakily releasing his hold on the teens neck and a single concerning thought crossed his mind as the last of the sun’s light hid itself behind the horizon and voices crescendoed in his mind.

‘Nothing… He didn’t even flinch.’

#eburnean tommy #tommy mcyt #technoblade #dsmp au #philza

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neko-shinigxmi · 1 year

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.: 5 Years of Purrfect Anarchy :.

Just as the title says! It’s been 5 years since this ship started...and it’s due time for the duo to mull over that. What it means...and how the future will go.

“Can you believe it’s been 5 years already...? Where does the time go?”

“Hopefully somewhere fun,” Wrench mused, fussing with the remote. “...Very fun. Hint, hint.” A beat of silence, before, “You know, in case you didn’t catch on what I was going for, I was trying to imply-”

“You’re a dork.” Kat shot him a look from over their shoulder, but the grin on their face showed their true feelings. Well, not that “dork” had ever been anything less than a tool of shenanigans and tomfoolery; rare that words were ever weapons in their home. “You gotta keep ruining my lovey-dovey mood with your endless horny~?”

Wrench, to his credit, just laughed. “C’mon, you knew what you signed up for! I’m nothing less than honest.”

...Kat gave him a long stare and a raised brow for that line. He didn’t even need to look at it for him to laugh harder; they sighed, rolled their eyes...but an affectionate smile remained on their lips, finishing tidying up the laundry- folded and all- before making their way back to their husband, sitting beside him on the couch. It was second nature for him, lifting his arm up so they could cozy under it.

It was new to be dragged backwards- Wrench giving up on the controller for the time being- and getting a full hug-cuddle out of it. Eh, not that Kat was gonna complain about that; sighing in contentment and curling closer to him.

For a time, it was quiet. His heartbeat in their ear, hands idly rubbing their back... It was easy to let their eyes fall shut for a moment or two, soaking in the comfortable quiet. The warmth in the apartment... Perhaps their kitten- Princess Leia- asleep somewhere. The shared bed most likely.

The silence was eventually broken when he spoke up again, voice quiet and soft.

“You try and tell me I would’ve been in the best relationship of my life 5 years ago, and I would’ve called ya a liar.” They blink at first, head tilting to look up to him. It’s not a wrong thought; Kat wouldn’t have imagined feeling so good all those years ago, either. Being alone, slowly estranged from family... It’d been rough. For Wrench... Just as much, if not a little more so.

But looking up at him now... There’s a little hint of sadness in those eyes, but overwhelming it all is affection. So much of it that it chokes them up a little to see it. A reminder that, even through their awkward beginning and childish shenanigans... It all ended up here. Happiness built out of stubbornness, love, hard work, and the persistent comfort they repeatedly found in each other.

“Not the only one,” they mused softly, a little joking...a little sincere. “Granted, less I would’ve expected to be this happy... More like you were kinda a dickish clown.” His eyes lit up, grinning as he chuckled, kissing the top of their head; right at the hairline, nuzzling there a moment.

“Fuck, you got me there, baby. I was an asshole, huh?”

“Tell me about it,” they ribbed, laughing. “You’re still an asshole, though. I just love you for it now.”

“Sweet! I’m annoying and lovable!!” That got Kat to start cackling, head thrown back and body shaking at his delighted declaration. Yeah, the shenanigans never stopped in this house... Not that either would complain; especially Wrench, eyes widening in delight as Kat climbed over him, straddling his hips.

“Mhm, the worst...but the best, too.” They knew their own expression; eyes just as soft as his had been earlier, though with that playful glimmer that- by his own admission- made his heart flutter. (To a sickening degree, he mused with a laugh. Don’t ever stop it, though.) “Best of me, best of you?”

“I woulda thought I’m the worst,” he hummed, eyes glancing down. Admiring the view, looking away, hands rubbing their thighs... He could still be so shy sometimes. Like a teen who feels like he got in over his head; waiting for the perfect dream to end.

He’s still gotta stop it, though. And Kat’s more than willing to get him outta his head; leaning forward so their hands can cup his cheeks, tilt his head back up to them.

“You know how I feel about that, Reg,” they whisper softly. Thumbs stroking the roundness of his cheeks until those eyes flutter shut. “Even if you call yourself an idiot, you’re my idiot. Fuck everyone else, yeah? Don’t even listen to your own damn head; like you told me, once.”

“Yeah,” he whispered, lip trembling for a moment before he swallowed it down; though his beautiful, cloudy-ocean colored eyes would flutter open shiny with raw emotion. “...You are the best of me, though, Rach. I’m so fuckin’ lucky to have you.”

It’s been five years, and yet his hands over their own... It still makes their breath hitch. Rough in spots where callouses left their mark, but notably getting softer since they’d gotten together. Nuzzling into their small hands, smile wobbling.

“You’re gonna make me cry,” Kat admitted, tone breathless. “Can’t keep doing that, Reggie...”

“I’ll kiss them away,” he promised, eyes meeting theirs. “Kiss you all damn over, until your... Our heads shut up. You deserve the best, and fuck if I won’t keep meeting you there.”

...That got them; tears rising up as Kat laughed softly, then leaned forward. He took them into his embrace, kissing all over their face. Arms tightening a moment around their body, loosening to rub their back soothingly again. His breath with hints of soda and pizza; lunch for the two of them. Any other day, a thing that was gross and worth teasing him for... But of course, it’s a weirdly welcome one today. Mixed with the trance scents of old leather and metal and cars...

It’s fucking love. In every corner of the both of them. Kat’s hands tighten their grip on his hoodie, sighing shakily.

“Here’s to another year of us... Huh, Reggie?”

“Forever, kitten,” he purred, pausing in his kisses to mutter it directly into their ear. “I gotcha forever...and every year that with it. Not getting rid of me.”

A shared, breathless laugh between them...and they’d be curled up that way for awhile, yet.

Bonus:

“Oh, and by the way,” Kat mentioned later, overseeing the pan-cooked chicken they were making for dinner that night. “I kinda thought I was overthinking things, so it took me awhile to confirm it... But my period’s been late. For two months.”

“Damn... Is that good news or bad n-” Wrench wasn’t even able to finish his sentence before his eyes popped wide, accidentally slamming the pause button on his game to rush to the kitchen. (And almost falling over in the process; half-ramming his thigh into the dining table.) “WAIT. You’re not saying-?! That you-? That we’re-??”

“Could be,” Kat hummed, unconcerned at the thought; smiling a little in amusement, even, eyes crinkling. They were both doing a lot better these days; if this was happening... “Gonna buy a test tomorrow.”

“FUCK THAT,” Reggie screeched, running back for his shoes, keys, and mask. “I’m getting them TONIGHT. Finish making dinner! I’m getting them for you!!!”

#Aki Stories #otp; purrfect anarchy #I wanted to edit this some more #maaaybe see if I could add more wordcount #fuck it; have PA Anniversary fic already!!!#if I decide it needs to be polished later #Later Me can do it LMAO #(I'm still not feeling well)#(and kinda just want this Out There Already)

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