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areyougonnabe · 3 months

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for the polar history recap posts, i’m dying to know more about lillie…deeply tragic and i’ve also heard something about the nickname ‘ooze’ and i desperately need to know more about that

LILLIE 😭😭😭😭😭😭❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

denis (also spelled dennis) gascoigne lillie was born in 1884, making him 26 when the terra nova set off for antarctica. he was trained in natural sciences at cambridge (although he didn't do too well on his exams) and was appointed as the ship's biologist—meaning he did not form part of the shore party in the hut in at cape evans, but remained on board the ship during the winter, studying antarctic marine biology including whales, plankton, and deep-sea creatures like sponges (like the one pictured above). his nickname "ooze" comes from his job as biologist—ooze refers to a specific kind of biological marine sediment that got pulled up in seabed dredges which lillie would then examine.

in silas's diary on the voyage south, he describes lillie:

Lilley—"Hercules'" or "Sequins" is rather a dreamer and asserts he can remember his former existences in this world. Much fun can be got from him if handled properly.

lillie was noted by other members of the expedition to be a bit of a crackpot, asserting that he was a persian and a roman in his past lives. and more than that, possibly:

Lillie had decided that he was not the marrying type, claiming that he had evolved beyond it. In later years Scott’s young Norwegian skiing expert Tryggve Gran recounted that as they crossed the Equator on the Terra Nova Lillie had revealed that he was a woman trapped in a man’s body. ‘When I see a naked man I blush,’ he allegedly said as the others sprawled shirtless on the deck in tropical sunshine, ‘I am split and I can’t help it. Luckily I understand myself and have the control to avoid doing anything wrong.’ Gran was a notoriously unreliable source, and it is hard to imagine anyone having the courage to say that under those circumstances; but perhaps Lillie did.

(from sara wheeler's cherry)

usually i would not recommend anyone trust anything that comes out of gran's mouth, but honestly i do buy this, because, well... vibes.

anyway, on the terra nova, lillie was notable for his talent at caricature, and several of his rather hilariously cruel drawings appeared (copied by wilson) in the south polar times, including this one of birdie:

while the shore party was in antarctica, lillie spent two winters in new zealand studying whales, fossils, and anthropology:

Lillie has been fossilizing & is off next month for 5 months whaling with the Norwegians. He is looking very well & very happy and is ‘a dear little chap’ to use Scott’s expression.

—pennell's diary, may 18 1911

after returning to england, taking the long way round on board the terra nova to continue his marine research, lillie took up residence at cambridge again, alongside deb, silas, priestley, and griff, to work up the scientific results from the expedition.

lillie also spent a lot of time with atch and pennell in 1913, frequently accompanying them to dine and see theater in london. he also drew (probably on board the ship) the caricature of them as the "antarctic lovebirds":

during the war, he was a conscientious objector—a "conchie," refusing to go to the front. it was an incredibly difficult position to maintain in the face of widespread societal opposition. he found solace in a continued and deepening relationship with cherry (who was also not at the front, though in his case for health reasons) as sara wheeler describes in her biography of cherry:

Currently working as a bacteriologist for the military, Lillie had been one of the few visitors at Lamer during the bad months in the middle of 1916. They became unusually intimate (‘I should love to see your chubby cheeks again’), and after one weekend Lillie scrawled with typical irreverence in his note of thanks that, ‘It was only my body which left you, for my ultimate Reality still walks behind your Bath chair and meditates about the many paths of your lovely garden. With love.’

and god i just need to copy these entire sections from the wheeler in here because they make me want to sob:

In September 1916 he had been transferred to the pathology lab of a military hospital in Bournemouth, which he loathed (‘no nice cliffs or sea birds, only sand banks and orange peel’), and was appalled to learn the next year that Cherry was poised to become engaged to Christine Davis (‘being unconventional and as near to nature as I can get, it seems all wrong to me that you should have to tie yourself up for the sake of Society’), but he strove, generally, to be optimistic, whereas Cherry was permanently resigned to his destiny. In August 1917 Lillie returned to Lamer for a week. Writing in advance with details of his train to Hatfield, he concluded that, ‘if a motor does not turn up the wings of joy will waft me those four-and-a-half miles bag included. So don’t worry.’ They had a wonderful time together. ‘I do hope,’ Lillie wrote when he was back in horrible Bournemouth, ‘your throat and the rest of you continues to get well and worthy of the sunny spirit which I see under the label ACG.'

though things seemed to be going as well as they could for lillie, shortly before the end of the war in early 1918, he suffered a nervous breakdown and landed in the notorious bethlem mental institution, known as bedlam. he was there for three years, and cherry was barred from visiting him.

he emerged for a short period of time in 1921, seemingly recovered, and took up lecturing in biology again at cambridge, but by the end of that year had relapsed and was institutionalized again.

frank debenham, writing to expedition agent j.j. kinsey in 1927 to solicit funding for SPRI, gave him an update:

Poor old Lillie is in less happy circumstances, the last I heard of him was that he was never likely to get out of Bedlam, a rather ghastly end up for poor old "Ooze's" brilliant promise.

lillie spent the rest of his life in institutions, and lived until the age of 78, dying in 1963. that was four years after the death of his friend cherry—who, despite constant attempts, was never allowed to visit him.

per UK law, lillie's medical records will be sealed until 2063, 100 years after his death, but a post on bethlem's official blog about lillie briefly notes that he was "depressed, delusional and suicidal."

the post also notes, importantly, that his breakdown had nothing whatsoever to do with his antarctic experiences:

The content of his medical notes suggests that the state of mind that brought him to hospital was entirely unrelated to his experiences of 1910-1913. Indeed, they report that “on the whole he felt better during this time”.

OK, let's end on a nice note. here's a picture of him having a nice time at silas's wedding (i think) with his best friends. RIP lillie, i hope your next life is going well somewhere out there right now 🥲💓

(also another good writeup on lillie with some lovely art can be found on @worstjourney's patreon here!)

#denis lillie #terra nova #polar exploration #this marine biologist is TRANSGENDER !!!

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sweet-honey-fruit · 2 years

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Could you do NSFW headcanons for Venti, Xiao, Itto, and Zhongli (if this is too many characters just ignore this or get rid of the ones you don’t want to write for!) with a fem S/O who teases him all day just to get a rise out of him; she wears very tight short shorts and then purposefully drops things as an excuse to bend over and show off her ass to him, “accidentally” forgets to wear a bra and panties, and continuously walks up to him to brush her lips against his only to run away at the last second so he can’t kiss her properly.

Absolutely, anything for my favorite bard~ Also please ignore how my formatting keeps changing, im still trying to find what works frhjfgnre. I’ll do a part two with xiao and zhongli. The first two got deleted the first time I tried doing it so-

Teasing Headcanons

Pairings: Venti, Xiao, Itto, Zhongli

Genre: NSFW — MINORS DNI

Warnings: smut smut, public sex (venti), overstimulation (venti), dumbification (venti), praising (venti), fingering (venti), squirting (venti), sacrireligious themes (venti), marking (itto), belly bulge (itto), cervix kissing (itto), creampie (itto), hair pulling (itto)

Itto

This man was about ready to fuck you in front of the Arataki gang to teach you a lesson

The moment he saw you were wearing those tight shorts was the moment he was harder than a rock

It was frustrating watching you walk around with something like that, acting all innocent as if you weren’t trying to rile him up

He about lost it when you bent over to pick up something for Shinobu and saw the perfect outline of your ass and pussy

When you two finally made it back home, he wasted no time in picking you up and throwing you onto the bed

He physically ripped the shorts off your body, mouth salivating at your dripping hole

You tried to protest with him, perhaps thinking that you over did it a little with the way he was acting

A low chuckle erupted from his lips, as he leaned down over your body and whispered in your ear, “Oh no baby, you did this to yourself. Now you have to deal with the consequences.” His bulge eagerly rolled against your pussy. His hand came up to the back of your head, pulling your hair so hard that it caused your head to tip back. His lips attacked your neck, biting, kissing, and licking in places that made you squirm and pant

His other hand digged his nails into your hips to keep you still, pushing his now free cock into your eagerly waiting hole. He almost collapsed against you at the feeling of your pussy taking him in with ease despite his thickness. He mumbled out a small “fuck”, his grip in your hair getting impossibly rougher before he let go. He pushed up your legs into a mating press position, his hands gripping the plush of your thighs so tightly that bruises began to form almost instantly

The roughness of it all, his eagerness, his need to mark you, the way he was using you, all of it made you so fucking desperate to be fucked, and made you so fucking wet

A bulge was prominent in your belly from where his dick was deep inside of you. He pressed his hand against it, enjoying the way you whimpered at the feeling

His hips started to pound into yours at such a rough pace that it was sure to leave you limping. His moans came pouring out, showing just how keen he was on fucking you senseless. His eyes were trained on the movement of the bulge, getting impossibly harder at the sight of it. Mixed with how your breasts bounced with each slap of his hips, your flushed and fucked out face, fuck he’s never been hornier in his goddamn life.

His thrusts were frantic, the sound of flesh on flesh made you even more aroused. The wet sounds that emitted every time Itto pulled out was enough to make you cum. With each snap of his hips caused the tip of his dick to brush against your cervix. Each time it did it caused you to arch your back and moan out his name both in pleasure and pain

It made Itto laugh. His voice was husky as he spoke, a wide grin plastered on his face “That’s it, make me feel nice. You think I’m doing this for you? No no- mm- no. You- fuck- you did this to yourself baby. You made me this way. I’m fucking you for my pleasure and you’re going to have to deal with it.” His voice came out as a growl towards the end, sending a shiver down your spine

His hands gripped your hips and forced you to meet his thrusts half way. His moans got higher in pitch before he emptied his load into you. his hot cum was enough to spill out of your hole and drip over the base of his dick. It drippled down your pussy and onto the mattress. You were left whimpering and exhausted, yet you knew you were far from done when you felt how hard he still was.

Venti

He was impressed that you had the nerve to come dressed like that to Angels Share, especially since he was the one who invited you

Dressed in a tight shirt and shorts, evident that you weren’t wearing anything underneath when your nipples were prominently pressing against the thin fabric. The way he could see the outline of your pussy lips made him uncomfortably hard. Multiple times he’s tried to subtly adjust it to make it less obvious how turned on he was because of you

The last straw was when you seductively licked some drops of wine of your fingers, maintaing eye contact with him as you sucked them clean. He slammed his drink down and dragged you out of the tavern by your arm. He led you down into an alleyway a couple of streets down

He was surprisingly strong despite his scrawny stature, and that was proven when he slammed you against the wall and kept you in place with a hand on your chest

His free hand immediately went under your shorts, teasingly slipping in a finger

You tried to oppose against him, using a hand to grab his wrist to make him stop, “Venti- Venti, fuck, no no not here! Someone will see-“

He slaps your hand away. A smug grin on his face as he slips in another finger, thrusting them in and out of your wet pussy. You try your best to keep quiet but it was deemed impossiblye when he skillfully worked your hole. His fingertips brushed against that squishy spot inside of you, causing your moans to echo throughout the alleyway

“Wasn’t this what you wanted my muse? Didn’t you want your gods attention so badly that you decided to tease him in front of others?” His fingers were working at an impossibly fast pace. He curled them inside you, effectively breaking the knot that was forming, making you moan out his name over and over. Your body convulsed as you came undone, grinding into his hand to ride it out.

A laugh emitted from him as he watched you, stopping his movements. “Did you cum so hard that you can only manage to say my name? How cute, I didn’t know it was that easy to break you.” He slipped in another finger, going back to a fast and rough pace. Your moans were music to his ears. His thumb came up to circle around your clit, causing your legs to tremble

“That’s it. Doing such a good job. Let your god hear your choir of pleasure. Tell me, who do you worship?”

Your words only came out as broken syllables. Venti moved a hand up to grip your chin, making you look at him. “Come on now, use your words. Who do you worship?”

“Barbatos!”

His thumb pressed against your clit, the three fingers inside of you hitting your g-spot so perfectly that it made you squirt out, soaking your shorts. He pulled his fingers out, forcing them into your mouth and making you suck them clean.

“Such a good little saint. Here’s what we’ll do. I want us to walk home, the long way, to show all of Mondstadt the little mess I made you. Then,” he pulled his fingers out of your mouth, leaning forward and brushing his lips against yours as he continued “Then I’m going to fuck you over and over till you’re only mumbling what sounds like my name.”

#genshin impact x reader #genshin impact #genshin men #genshin men x reader #venti x reader #itto x reader #genshin men smut #genshin impact smut #venti x reader smut #itto x reader smut

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spotsupstuff · 10 months

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you've mentioned that sparrows would have reincarnated as a slugcat?

would you mind elaborating on that?

also would they have met caper again after becoming all scuggy?

heehee

hoohoo hee :)c of course i'll elaborate! it is Her ✨ Fish's little best animal friend

wonderfully enough, Sparrows and the Tinkerer were developed completely removed from each other in my head, so Tinkerer still feels like a rather separate character from Sparrows even though they somehow wound up havin a lot of similiarities. exactly how the reincarnation stuff should feel like

the Tinkerer is Sparrows! and no character in-universe will ever find out. it isn't important. nobody but Tinkerer is affected by this, and Tinktink doesn't really have the means to speak about it. but for us behind the screens that know about this it will make Tinktink's interactions with the world just a lil bit more juicy

you've sent this at a good time, too! the day ur question came in i was actually pondering how to somehow make use of this reincarnation fact and not just let it float about as a lil bonus for the people that would know about this lil tiny ultimately unimportant connection

so, the idea: as we (probably) all know, Euros is going to end up developing the Rot. this is distressing for a large amount of reasons, but the main point rn is that Euros is also a secret archive of folklore of the lower circles in the Eo group, plus maybe even a little bit over the range's borders to the east (after all, there's two more groups right next door to him n he's a phone operator chief). Euros is going to die a slow painful death and he won't be able to care for or save his collection of knowledge, which somehow manages to hurt him more than the reality of his impending doom

maybe not so surprising, considering that in his archive are the stories, the history, the spirit of his late lover's home- a place he clung to for as long as he could, the one he spent the most time in with his overseers, the one that held people he constantly wished could be his citizens instead of the vile and fake *things* soiling the streets of Ales

so one day after the Fish has properly reconnected to the Eo group, is caught up on current events and trying his *damnest* to revive Mission Self-preservation even though it is guaranteed to be useless, Euros mentions the nightmare that he's living through

"I'm a dead man walking, carrying precious treasures of people that were never heard crying out. I've held them close and safely within myself for over two thousand years. And now, when I'm fated to rot through and splatter on the ground, I fear all this time will be for nought. That I will kill what I've been protecting for so long."

"Even if nobody ever reads these- learns of them, hears them out from above their graves- I can't bear the thought of losing them."

and well Fish DOES have a lot of beef with Euros, but at this point this bitterness is starting to give away to desperation and horror of the terrible torment waiting for them in the future. he might be stubbornly still trying with the Mission, but he would go against what makes him himself if he didn't acknowledge that they are all damned for good no matter what he tries. so he gives in to the pity and hails Tinkerer to his chamber

he explains to her what he needs her to do and tells Euros about the plan. Tinktink has to travel all of this distance

to get to Euros (basically walk through the whole Europe), but dammit, she helped one Iterator that became her closest friend, she will help another one (a different Gen 2 that she loved and dedicated her whole life to in a different life)

Fish sends her on her way with a hug and a plead to keep herself safe

it takes her over a month to get there even with the help of vehicles like the barely working trains and a remshackle sky-sail that Fish guided her through fixing in their free time together. when she gets on top of Euros' structure, the dejavus start to hit. she visits the Mechanics' home, her feet carrying her to the bedroom as if it was just another end of the workshift. she looks in the cupboards she- opened millions of times- never even touched. she walks outside and then down the path to the entrance into the Iterator she's- taken countless times- never set a foot on

she saw these halls so many times she can pin point where every screw is- she's never been here, she can't understand these giant beings, they are too complex for her animal brain. that specific rhythm of beeps and pumps and water rushing through metal veins has haunted- comforted- her in many of her dreams. the Tinkerer makes it to the chamber almost like on an auto-pilot

when she enters the chamber, the slugcat finds itself disappointed, scared, confused- this isn't what this place is supposed to look like (but how does she know what it is supposed to look like-?), this isn't how she left it (this is the first time she stands here, what are these thoughts). it's supposed to be brighter. warmer. why is the puppet's plating and skin damaged by time, where is it its vibrancy, why are its eyes so tired? there are panels missing from the walls ("it's got to be the results of that Fever i once made a proj- i can fix thi-! what?"), glowing artificial bronze robins fly about or sleeping on his shoulders, tiny Rot cysts pulsate from the cracks in the umbilical arm. where has the firebird in that halo gone off to?

Euros greets her joyfully ("oh what are you trying to play at, you goof. i've known you for so long, i can tell when something's wrong. what's hurting? why are you tired? i'll get you back into shape, doncha worry love.")

"Ah, you made it! Welcome to my chamber, adroit little thing."

"Please. Your journey was a long one. I hold no doubt a very dangerous one, too. I won't march you into the job immediately. Rest up."

Tinkerer thinks he's strange. but her legs are indeed hurting, the bag strapped to her is heavy. she curls up in the corner of the room and tries to get some shut eye. she almost falls asleep when Euros starts mumbling under his breath, shooting nervous glances towards the birds. five fingered hands tremble so badly the joints rattle like a child's toy. he's scary, when his shoulders hunch up like that and those tired eyes turn frantic. but it hurts so much to see him like that for some reason, more so than it is scary. so against the better judgement of a survivor, she softly coos at him

the puppet's head snaps to her, gaze cold. the mumbles increase in volume, allowing her to understand

"...I'll tell you what. I have another mission for you, little messenger. But it has to stay a secret between the two of us. Nobody would approve, especially not the one you belong to now."

something whispers that the puppet closing in is supposed to be a comfort. the larger part of the Tinkerer instead finds itself wishing to run away

"Are you aware of the Memory Crypts that lie beneath all of us City Bearers?"

cautious nod, back pressed against the wall

"Good."

#Spot says stuff #rw #oc tag #oc: the tinkerer #oc: caper of euros #euros has fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun at the end of his liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiife

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praise-suns-and-chill · 5 months

Text

Okay I needed to write SOMETHING, and that scene how we get Ogerpon desperately needed a rewrite anyways.

End result is the same, but I feel like... there should be more options than just fighting things out anyways.

Just a small one shot, but maybe I will rewrite more scenes later!

"Kieran, you know it isn't up to you."

Jules glared at Carmine. As if she had any room to talk, considering she usually acted like everything was up to her.

"Exactly. It's up to me too, and to my Team, and if they would get along with Ogerpon as well to begin with."

Now both siblings looked at her, surprised. Jules crossed her arms in defense.

"Yes, my teams opinion matter to me too. We will all spend time together, that means we all should get along! I wouldn't want any infighting, just watching anyone in my team be stressed all the time because they need to be around someone who doesn't treat them properly." She definitely only meant her team with that. Of course.

While Carmine just looked utterly confused, Kieran stared at the ground, his hand twitching as usual when he seemed to think.

"That's... I never thought about that..."

Jules gaze was gentle when her eyes wandered over to him, and she nodded.

"That's alright. Most people don't really seem to think of that. But... they're my team, right? And that means that we all work together, not just that I boss them around without thinking about how they feel." She hoped he would get the small hint.

She looked down at Ogerpon next, gently patting her head.

"If her opinion matters for who gets to train her, then so does the opinion of the rest of my team."

She wasn't fully sure if Ogerpon could understand her, but the little ogre happily nodded along.

"Maybe... instead of fighting over it, we should let our teams decide, then."

Carmina looked between Jules and her brother incredulously.

"Are you serious? THAT'S how you will decide that?"

"Why not?" Jules shrugged.

"...I think that's fair." Kieran also nodded now, his eyes still flicking over to the green ogre, still unsure despite his words.

"On three?" Jules held up the balls her Team was in, and watched her new friend do the same.

"One..."

"Two."

"Three!" And both released their Teams all at once.

Ogerpon jumped slightly back in surprise, but her hesitation didn't last long before curiosity overtook her, just like both of the Teams.

Quaquaval just looked around in nothing but confusion for a moment, before quickly noticing all the eyes on it and starting to fix its "hair", of course, needing to make a good impression.

Her Spiritomb taking one look, shivering and promptly retreating back into its keystone. Alright, she had never been the social type anyway, that was to be expected.

Growlithe on the other hand enthusiastically jumped around, sniffing and playfully barking at all the new arrivals. While a newbie to the team, looks like he would be happy to just befriend anyone.

Kierans team started looking around just as confused for a moment, aside from his Dipplin, who was already confidently crawling over to the strangers.

Yanmega was next to follow, and soon they all started to mingle around each other, Ogerpon a bit overwhelmed, but brightly smiling in the middle of it all.

And so, their trainers simply stood by for a while, watching their teams peacefully play with each other. Kierans nervous fiddling had stopped by now, even a small smile now showed on his face.

All the while, Jules kept her eyes on him from the side, now her being the one to nervously fiddle.

Carmine meanwhile was actually being quiet for once, apparently distracted enough by the cute sight in front of her. Distracted enough that Jules scooted closer to Kieran, sitting down next to him.

He quickly looked up.

"Should we stop them now?" The anxious look was already back, and his hands gripped onto his sweater.

Jules quickly shook her head.

"No! No, we should... Still give them some time..." Her voice was hushed, not wanting Carmine to overhear and interrupt. She now mirrored the boy, her fingers nervously tipping against her shirt.

"I... wanted to say sorry."

She frowned at the ground, not quite being able to look up, as Kieran looked at her confused.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I didn't tell you right away. I wanted to, but Carmine just stopped me, and then she told me that you would probably run into the mountains, and I was worried you would actually do that too then, and I didn't want you to get hurt so I didn't tell you and the next day I just felt so bad about it and then I told you because I thought at least it was day and I could maybe come along but I had still kept quiet the first day and I wanted to say sorry there too but-"

Her words stumbled over themselves and she crossed her arms, holding onto herself as her voice got more and more quiet, as she struggled to get the words out. Despite her attempts to stay subtle, she wasn't as successful as she had hoped.

Now her Spiritomb burst out of its keystone, quickly turning and hopping over to her trainer. Of course, the ghost type would notice negative feelings first. Growlithe was next to notice, running quickly back on his stubby little legs, and soon Ogerpon and the rest of both teams followed, disrupted by the troubled Teen who was now holding onto the stone her Spiritomb had disappeared back into.

Meanwhile Kieran just stared at her, dumbfounded, as if he hadn't expected any of this.

"I..." He took a moment, not knowing what to say, and before he could continue the two were interrupted.

"What did you do, Kieran!?" Carmine looked at him shaking, but before he could respond Jules jumped up again, as if all her energy had just flooded back immediately.

"He didn't do anything, stop accusing him while knowing nothing!" The glare from her golden eyes matched Carmines, Growlithe did his name justice as he growled in defense of his trainer now, while Quaquaval looked just about ready to kick Carmine off the cliff.

"Jules, don't, I'll deal with it!" The boy held up his hands, trying to pacify the two before an argument could break out, and after a tense pause, Jules sighed and slumped back down as Ogerpon walked up next to her. The cute ogre looking as worried as could be between all three, the sight seemingly melting away even Carmines anger.

"Fine. If you say so!" Still, she wouldn't stop taking control now, looking over this assembly before settling on Ogerpon.

"So? Did you decide by now?"

Ah.

Right.

Jules seemed to slump even further, while Kierans ticks immediately flared up again. There still was a decision to be made, after all.

The two exchanged quick glances before looking away and watching the two, Carmine took over, as usual.

"So!" She clapped her hands and looked down at Ogerpon, pointing to each of the two teams after another.

"Which one do you want to join?"

"Pon?"

The green ogre followed Carmines pointers, confused for just a moment before tilting her head, thinking for a short moment.

Before she eventually wandered over to Jules, waving her hooded arms in the air, the rest of her team swarming around their new friend, as her new trainer gave her a sad smile.

If Ogerpon wanted to stay with her, she would never say no. After all the rejection, she deserved a loving, caring trainer.

But...

She glanced to Kieran, who was just hiding his expression behind his hair. Not showing what he was thinking, not saying a word.

But he, after all the rejection, deserved a loving, caring friend.

#pokemon kieran #pokemon carmine #pokemon juliana #or in this case jules #a bit unorthodox to say the least #please comment if you like it! critique is also welcome

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the-s1lly-corner · 11 months

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spot that meets a autistic reader, that is talkative to themselves, but has poor social skills because (lack of good parenting + bullys, but is very smart and loves art and engineering, and dreams to be a scientist one day.. it could began as the reader first feared him over an awkward moment? to opening up about themselves and the reader's obsessive fascination over him. two very talented ppl that only wants to be appreciated, respected and loved...💔

idk is it to much?? bruh I'm trying to be creative😭 I'd be happy with whatever happens!. aNd TaKe yO tiME!! On irl things and beloved spotty <3

Spot w/ an autistic reader!

Rubs my autistic little hands

Feeling a lil drowsy but I wanna chuck this out before I fall asleep for (possibly) the next 7 hours :3

Not proof read we die like Peter Parker <\\3 we are sleepy and tumblr wont let me save drafts for asks <\3

Obligatory "I like this character so I'm hcing him to be ND like me" touch

He gets it

Anyways

I think to help make the whole thing less jarring, or whatever, is that you may have known each other vaguely before the collider incident

You weren't a scientist at alchemax, more like.

Well shoot I just forgot the term but like, you work there, but you dont do hands on experiments, not experienced enough yet

Intern?

Maybe, idk

Obviously you don't work there anymore after the collider blowing up, so... you're looking for a new job

You knew about Jonathan, but you weren't friends

You had also heard rumors about what happened to him but you kinda dismissed it as cruel rumors surrounding his death.. I mean no one could've survived that explosion.. right?

So imagine your surprise when you end up almost getting robbed by spot

Can you blame him? He hasnt found another job since the accident and hes probably living off of pity handouts; likely homeless

Now hand over the wallet!!/j

No but on the semi likely chance that you manage to defuse the situation, given Spot sucks as a criminal, you just bluntly ask if the whole

Rumor thing is true

I mean obviously it is but confirmation is important

After a few more chance encounters, you guys both finally decide to properly sit down and talk

Its tense and awkward at first since 1. How does one even act around someone like spot? He's vulnerable but also trying to do the whole. Revenge thing... And 2. Hes desperate for human interaction and it SHOWS, it's almost uncomfortable actually

But you both trudge past it and make it work

One meet up turns into two then three; then you discover how much hes struggling and

Now you're roomates

Oh my god they were roommates/ref

Anyways, that's the set up!! It kinda felt wrong to just. Jump into it without some explanation on how yall end up in the same area consistently

Doesnt mind that you mumble to yourself, he probably does the same thing. From muttering things to keep his train of thought to having a personal monologue, I wholeheartedly believe he does the same thing

Hs understands how it feels to be. Not treated very good, he likely wasnt the most respected in alchemax so it's not uncommon for the two of you to have vent sessions where you both let it all out

You ask him about his journey to becoming a scientist and not so subtly ask for advice on how to get into the field; and touching onto the whole human interaction thing, hes more than willing to talk your ear off about his entire career history

On the chance you dont want to do physics stuff, and you wanna do another branch of science he's all ears on listening to you ramble, may even lend a hand in getting you to where you need to be career wise

Yall do at home experiments as bonding stuff

Look if spot can make a mini collider in some building then I can only imagine the type of shit yall get up to at home

Oh? You're still curious about.. him? Of all things, him?

He never thought anyone would look at him with interest; usually its disgust or fear, or both

Hes hesitant at first because what if you discover something that'll totally change your view of him?

Takes (some, a little) coaxing

Bro caves fast, he misses physical touch

"So like, these holes-" you proceed to just. Dip your entire fist into a hole and watch said fist pop out from another hole

The demons are telling me to make reader like

Make it a game to try to throw stuff through his holes but I feel like that would be really mean, no one likes stuff getting thrown at them

Please dont throw stuff through his holes :(

Random but like

Idk if this happens with yall but

If someone stims do yall. Like stim back

Like I have vocal stims and mess with my hands; and sometimes my friend will be prompted to stim if I stim??

Idk but yall do that

OHOH before I post this if you're both comfy with physical touch please please please hold him, it's been so so long since someone has hugged him and he really really needs it :(

#atsv spot #atsv #spiderverse #the spot x reader #the spot #spot x reader #jonathan ohnn #jonathan ohnn x reader

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juanarc-thethird · 1 year

Note

Top 10 RWBY females that Jaune needs to be careful of for No Nut November.

10. Weiss: I put her at 10 because she looks like the person who would be upset that Jaune is doing the NNN but she doesn't want to look desperate either. She'll drop hints at him, but they won't work. After so many failures, she would be more assertive. Jaune will last 25 days.

9. Velvet: She tries to seduce Jaune, but because she is so shy about these things, Jaune doesn't realize what she is trying to do. Little by little she tries to be more assertive until she decides to use an aphrodisiac in Jaune's food. It was difficult to get it and but it was the best decision… at the beginning. What she didn't realize is that the aphrodisiac is very powerful and is combined with the aura of the individual so it can lasts longer. And because it's Jaune, this will last until the end of the month, maybe a little more. Jaune will last 20 days and Velvet will be happy and sore for 10 days.

8. Raven: She doesn't know what NNN is, she will just open a portal to Jaune's pants and use it like a dildo. But she would only do it when she was bored or feeling a bit horny. Jaune will last between 15- 18 days.

7. Winter: At first she doesn't care. Jaune is not too fond of her and she can work without distractions. But with the days her work is more stressful for some reason. She doesn't know why, she meditates, exercises, drinks her tea, but the stress is still there. Until she realizes that she didn't take something into account, Jaune. With this new information, she will create a plan. Jaune doesn't know it yet, but he's going to give her a good dicking. Jaune will last 15 days.

6. Yang: At first she would support Jaune, but then she would miss feeling his warmth. At first she would just need to snuggle with him, maybe a little brag here and there, but over time she wants more intimacy with Jaune. She wants to feel his hands touching her body, his voice whispering in her ear, his "sword" penetrating her "walls" ~ Wink Wink. In other words he will have 2 options, he fucks her or she fucks him. Jaune will last 10 days.

5. Blake: She's not going to mind Jaune doing the NNN thing. But he cannot stop her from getting what she wants either. By the time Jaune says no to her, that guy will be so fast tied up on the bed that he won't even realize he's naked too. Jaune will last 7 days.

4. Ruby: We know that she has an addiction for cookies. With Jaune she has an obsession. Behind that sweet little face, is a beast ready to attack. The moment Jaune lets his guard down, his pants are also going down. He will only last 4 days.

3. Pyrrha: Do you think this girl is going to sit still after seeing her beloved knight sweat every time they train, seeing his muscles flex with each movement, and hearing his moans in her ear when they practice wrestling locks? Yeah I don't thinks so. She won't stop until she can hear his voice moaning her name. He will only last 24 hours.

2. Kali: She is in second because instead of going to attack head-on, she draws in her prey. The moment she finds out that Jaune is doing the NNN, she starts her plan. Imagine the milf with the biggest ass in mini shorts, short skirts, micro bikini~ Jaune is strong, but not that strong. He will only last 12 hours.

1. Willow: Scene, you have a milf who was never loved properly and you put her in the same room with a handsome, affectionate and also muscular young man. What could happen? Well you guessed it, that lady will devour him completely. Willow won't let him get out of bed until she feels satisfied. He will only last 1 hour.

Honorable mentions (This is just for fun, not to many details)

Bleiss: She fucks him in the first second of NNN. She won't let her man do something so selfish.

Eve Taurus: She waits until the last day to fuck him, just to fuck with him and watch him fail.

Cinder: She will fuck him but won't let him cum until he begs.

Neo: She would enter his room at night and take what is hers~

Emerald: She would use her semblance to inappropriately touch Jaune in public knowing that he can't do anything or she would expose him.

Vernal: She just grabs Jaune and takes him to her room. In the end, he is her property.

Salem: She takes Jaune by force and gags on his cock until he cums.

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skolworthy · 1 year

Text

Time Knows No Bounds - Part Two

Warnings: None that need apology

Info: When the font is like this, it means Ragnar is speaking in his native tongue. When he is speaking English it will just be italicized. The reader's text is just normal and anyone other than Ragnar or the reader will be in bold.

Spoilers: None, because this is completely my creation (apart from the character/legend of Ragnar Lothbrok and other historical names) it has nothing to really do with the tv series.

Plot: Ragnar, in this series, is unattached to anyone romantically. No Lagertha or Aslaug or any other baby momma's out there. No children. He has met and learned with Athelstan, because that contributes to his ability to speak with the reader. Other than that, he's just a simple gorgeous viking that lives on his farm in Kattegat, dreaming of adventure.

Summary: Now that you had a living, breathing piece of history fall into your lap...what were you supposed to do with him? Now that the brief taxi ride was over, it was time to survive the almost two hour train ride back home.

---------

The taxi ride to the train station was quieter than you thought it would be, Ragnar simply gazing out of the window and taking in everything as you passed it by. For someone suddenly thrown into a different time period, he was remaining incredibly calm. Though, you had absolutely no idea what was going on inside that head of his. The train station seemed to knock Ragnar out of his silent stupor, making waiting in line to obtain your tickets a difficulty. He had kept trying to wander off, his curiosity getting the better of him and you ended up at the point where you had a firm grip against his sleeve. Any time he began to move away from you, you gave it a tug and he would glance over at you, give that smirk and commented. "Desperate to keep me at your side?" To which you replied: "Hey, if you want to get lost in a completely different time period that you know nothing about, go right ahead." Promptly letting go of his sleeve, giving your own smirk up at him. As he had looked down at you, you couldn't help but notice a slight twinkle within his eye, perhaps of amusement due to your sassy quip, either way, it made your breath hitch inside your chest for a moment.

Despite having to be confined by your side, Ragnar still asked numerous questions about anything his eyes settled on. While you knew what everything that he was asking about was and how it worked, it was an entirely different matter when he would ask the purpose. Much like when a small child constantly asked 'Why?' when you had already answered the question. There even came a moment where Ragnar said that he needed to urinate, though he literally just said "I need to piss" and went over to the nearest potted tree in the train station and began to unlace his trousers, thankfully you managed to stop him. Again, like a toddler, you had to explain to him where to relieve himself that was appropriate and that in itself was a challenge. You had to describe the urinal and also tell him that he had to wash his hands, which he simply stared at you about. "Wash, why?" "There was a reason vikings and people from the past always died young: germs." you said as you described how the soap dispenser worked and the sink. Lord...maybe you ought to have someone that was about to go into the men's room help him out, perhaps they would believe he suffered from amnesia and forgot how to use the bathroom properly? Was that believable? Hell, you didn't know. Your mind once again went to 'Why am I doing this?' and you answered yourself once more with 'For science!'. Or at least for your huge sense of curiosity, that and you just knew that you couldn't abandon him in a cruel world like this. He would either end up dead, or...possibly even end up killing someone himself, he was viking after all and it was in their blood to fight.

The time came to wait for your train's arrival and you brought Ragnar over to the numbered gate and walked with him forward a bit, to where he was able to look down at the tracks, then his eyes moved to other trains that were on different tracks slowly running hither and yon. He pointed at the tracks and tilted his head. "This is how they move?" You gave a smile and nodded. "How?" "Electricity." He stared at you, bit his bottom lip slightly and then rubbed the back of his neck. "Eeeee...lec...tricity?" he said, actually doing a decent job with pronunciation, and you gave him a nod again. "A form of energy made up of charged particles." You knew that this would go completely over his head, but the facial expression he gave you was totally worth it and you gave a chuckle. "Sorry, I'm doing my best to answer your questions, but they just bring up more questions. This is the future, and we have evolved quite a bit since Viking times. Sometimes it's best not to ask questions, just to observe in wonder." Ragnar just smiled down at you, his bright blue eyes gazing into yours until he finally gave his own nod. "I do appreciate your effort in trying to educate me. I am afraid that I make a poor student." You grinned at him and then clapped him on the shoulder, which made his eyebrow raise a bit and his lips to curl upward more. "Don't worry, you'll catch up eventually. Or at least until we can get you back home." At this, you noted how his smile faltered ever so slightly, and a small flicker of disappointment appeared in his gaze.

The two of you stood there looking at one another for a few moments until the train passed by you on the tracks that you were standing near on the platform, startling you both. Ragnar's hand instinctively moved down to where his axe would have been, had you not convinced him to allow you to keep it in your bag. You had tagged it and bagged it, much like you would have an artifact for the museum, and once you showed the security guards your credentials and documentation from the museum stating that your team had been on an excavation nearby, they allowed the axe to remain within your bag. Not good to have a man wielding an axe board a train after all. The train came to a slow stop and then you took hold of Ragnar's sleeve again and moving him back some as the doors hissed open and people began to file out. "I have a perfectly good hand to guide me with, you know?" He said as he leaned down slightly and spoke the words into your ear, goosebumps forming on your skin from the feeling of his breath against it. "And yet, how do I know that you washed them like I told you to after relieving yourself, hmm?" At this you noticed a slight blush to Ragnar's face and your mouth opened slightly. "You didn't do it, did you?" You said, speaking to him like a mother would chastise their child. "Nothing was happening, so...I may have torn it off of the wall?" Your mouth opened more and your eyes widened. "What?!" You said in a hushed breath. "No one saw." You made a face of disbelief but then it began to contort into one of amusement as you tried to hold back your laughter, ultimately failing as a loud snort came out of you and you covered your mouth and shook your head. "I actually would have loved to see that." You said after having removed your hand from over your mouth and proceeded to giggle, your imagination bringing forth that image. Ragnar, sticking his hand under the sensor and waiting, nothing happening, waving his hand, then slamming his hand against the soap dispenser, then finally becoming so frustrated that he simply ripped it off of the wall, then shifty eyed, set it down and slid on out of the bathroom as if nothing had even happened. Oh, that would have been a sight.

You were about to turn and lead the way to the train when you noticed Ragnar looking down at you, his ever present smirk plastered on his face. "What?" you asked, your eyes shifting around for a moment. "Your laugh, I enjoy it. I am sure to make more mistakes, which I hope will make you laugh like that again." At first you thought that he was not serious, but the longer you looked up into his eyes, you were able to see the sincerity behind them. It was a good thing that you were not one to easily swoon, despite how gorgeous this man was...or how sweet the words were that came out of his mouth. He then held up his arm toward you a bit, clearly giving you permission to grab hold of his sleeve again to lead the way. Instead, you leaned to the side a bit, your arm and hand outstretched toward a sanitizing station and waited as it spat out foam upon your open palm. His eyebrows furrowed together as he watched you do this, and then you took his hands and lathered them up with yours, before you took hold of one of his hands and began to lead him toward the train door. Once the two of you had found some seats, you heaved out a sigh and sunk down into the cushion a bit, closing your eyes. Now that you were officially heading home, thoughts began to swirl within your brain of what to do next. What were you going to tell people, should they ask who Ragnar was? No doubt your friends and coworkers would check up to make sure that you had returned home safely, but now you had a man in tow. One that was strangely dressed, spoke in Old Norse (but thankfully knew some decent English), and also knew absolutely nothing about the world.

One thing was for sure: you needed to get Ragnar into some clothing that didn't raise questions, thankfully people that rode trains often saw some strange characters traveling, so the most you were met with at this point were questionable looks. First thing was first, once you were back in Copenhagen, you ought to take him to get some new (and modern) clothing. You knew that there was a nice vintage store not too far from the train station that you could easily walk to, and you knew that the staff there, while helpful, would keep from bothering you unlike a more upscale retail store. You took your phone from your pocket and began to type the store's website link into your internet browser, soon bringing up an array of clothing to the screen and you scrolled through them. Feeling a sudden pressure against your shoulder, you glanced over and up to find Ragnar leaning over from his seat to look at your phone, his eyebrows knitted together in curiosity. Smiling you continued to scroll with your finger. "See anything you like?" He tilted his head a little and then raised an eyebrow. "These are...clothes?" You grinned, still with your eyes upon the phone screen as you continued to peruse the selection. "Yes, you will need to have something different to wear, what you've got on will bring on a lot of attention in the big city." Ragnar gave a small snort. "What is wrong with attention?" "I just do not want to have to explain why you are dressed the way you are, why your hair is the way it is.." as you mentioned his hair, your hand went up and brought the braids forward a bit, looking at them more closely. You noted how it was almost like dreadlocks, bound together with cord down its length. Then your eyes went to the tattoos that wrapped around from one side of his head, around the back, and to the other side, your fingers moving from his hair to lightly trace against the patterns.

Upon looking at them, there was no mistake that they were viking tattoos, the symbols and patterns were some you had witnessed carved upon ancient relics and even upon parts of shipwrecked viking boats. There was speculation on how tattoos were done in ancient times, but there was no doubt that whatever method it was, it most likely proved to be quite painful. After a moment of further inspection of his tattoos, your eyes found his as he simply gazed down at you and you felt heat begin to rise beneath your cheeks, realizing what you had been doing. You quickly removed your fingers from his skin and cleared your throat, looking back down at the phone in your other hand. "I just do not want to have to deal with a lot of questions about where you came from, because it could go one of two ways: either they think we are both crazy and lock us up, or they will take you away and there will be no chance of getting back home." You said as your finger kept scrolling through the clothing site, until Ragnar's hand moved from his lap and took yours suddenly, bringing your attention back to him. He looked at you with what you could tell was concern. "You are serious?" You looked at his hand that was holding yours for a moment and then traveled your eyes up to meet his intense blue ones. "The world does not like things that it cannot explain." His blue eyes gazed into yours, searching them for more answers, but sadly you did not have anything else to give him other than what you knew. "It may sound silly to say this, but I think your best option when it comes to your safety, is to stay with me." Ragnar continued to look down at you, though his expression softened a bit and you felt him give your hand a gentle squeeze before he lifted them and held them upright between the two of you. You felt his breath against the back of your hand as he then said: "Then I shall not be leaving your side, y/n." It was a good thing that you were sitting down, for the way that he looked at you, and the way that he had said this, all but melted you into a puddle upon the floor.

The remainder of the train ride, you were able to put together a selection of clothing for Ragnar in your cart on the website. You purchased them and by the time that you both would reach Copenhagen and walk to the store, they would be bagged up and ready to go. Then the two of you just needed to hail another taxi and head back to your loft and at that point, decide what to do from there. The train eventually came to a stop and after letting everyone else get off of the train first, the two of you finally stood from your seats and headed to the doors, Ragnar close on your heels, apparently holding true to the whole 'not leaving your side' comment. You lead the way out of the train station, pausing for a moment once you were both outside and you turned to look at Ragnar, knowing that he was going to be in awe of the city that now surrounded you. He had been mesmerized from what he could see through the window on the train, but that was nothing in comparison to this. He did a slow turn, tilting his head to look at the tops of buildings and town homes and then finally he turned and looked at you, his mouth slightly open. "I promise, I will take you on a tour once we have had time to rest and for you to try on your clothes. I was just guessing on the sizes, so we will have to see what fits." You gave a nod of your head in the direction over your shoulder as you then began to turn to walk that way, Ragnar following suit. It didn't take long for you to arrive at the clothing store, where you asked him to stay right outside the door as you hurried in to get the bags of clothes. Thankfully nothing happened during the time it took you to do this, and Ragnar stayed put despite his escalating curiosity.

You held out one of the heavier bags toward him and he smirked, taking it from you and then followed after as you raised your hand as you stood by the edge of the road, a taxi pulling up alongside the curb not long after. Soon enough you were pulling up in front of the building that you lived in, quickly paying the driver before you motioned Ragnar to scoot out of the taxi, handing the bags that had been between you in the backseat. Then you dug in your satchel for your keys and opened the main door, holding it open for Ragnar, who had been tilting his head backward a bit to take in the height of the building before he realized you were entering it. He quickly followed after you, watching every move that you made as you went about checking your mail box in the main corridor and then headed up the stairs until you got to the top where your loft was. You unlocked the door and turned the handle, pushing the door open with your back and your foot a bit as you gave Ragnar a small smile. Once he came all the way inside, you let the door shut and then locked it once more, before letting the bags in your grip drop to the floor and you held your arms out to the side a little. "Well...home sweet home."

Tag List: @cullenswife @hypocritic-trash-baby @blueeclipsepaperstudent

*Gif not mine, credit goes to its' lovely creator: angelcb7

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neonacity · 2 years

Text

ARCANE | CH.7 | NCT DREAM X READER

Summary: When you decided to apply for a researcher post in an elusive institute, you already had the feeling that you’ll be getting yourself knee-deep into something out of the ordinary. But desperate needs require desperate measures, and so you embraced the invite, despite all the alarm signals urging you to run away. What you found out was nothing you’d ever expected.

Seven boys.

Seven human deviants granted with abilities tied to the legendary Arcana Cards.

Welcome to Project Dream.

Pairing: Various Dream Members x Reader

Trigger Warnings/Themes: violence, torture, trauma, very slight yandere themes, poly dynamics, suggestive themes, language, psychological, mystery, sci-fi. Romance will take a little bit of a backseat on this one since this is more of a suspense-driven plot, but it will still be threaded in the overall story. The concept of the tarot or Arcana cards will be loosely used throughout the series. Note that I am not a trained doctor so there may be some slips here and there about medical things. Again, this is a work of fiction and I am not implying any likeness between the characterization here of the boys to their real life counterparts. I also reserve the rights to all my work—I do not post anywhere else other than tumblr. Minors DNI.

> CH. 1 | CH. 2 | CH.3 | CH.4 | CH.5 | CH.6

Chapter Song:

Can You Keep a Secret? > Ellise

The dreams have become a normal part of your nights by now.

You already know where you are before your vision even came into focus. The sprawling, endless walls, the carpeted floor half covered with smoke, and the sole white door with the burned bronze knob welcomed you with the familiarity similar to a home you've long left behind. You've grown so accustomed to this slice of scene so much that you’ve memorized every single detail about it—or at least the ones that remain the same every time you find yourself in this imagined world.

That is probably one of the oddest things about your dreams. While you always end up in the spot you always find yourself in—within reach by the door you can never seem to open—the details around you also shifts every time in the slightest of ways. For every night you visit it, it becomes even more vivid with sharper details that weren’t there before: new cracks on the wall, a loose nail on the door frame, the sound of distant footsteps rushing on hallways you just can't see. It transforms little by little, coming into focus, almost as if this miniscule slice of moment is slowly shaping into reality right in front of your very eyes.

Today, it was the smell of something burning that you could clearly pick up.

"I don't think you should open it, noona."

You turned your head to the right to see Jisung standing by your side. This is the first time you actually had someone properly show up in your dream, though instead of being shocked by his presence, you regarded him calmly as if it was natural to see him there. In your head, there is no reason to panic or even question things.

After all, none of these is real.

"Why?" You asked the boy now as you quietly studied his profile. He didn’t look at you, his eyes set on the same white door, but you noticed how his gaze flickered at your question. He looked down as a torn expression skimmed his features.

"It's not time yet," he said simply.

"What are we waiting for exactly?"

"Nothing. And also everything."

You slightly frowned and turned your attention to the smoking door again.

"But someone on the other side might need our help," you reasoned out.

"They do. But we can't help them yet. Not right now."

The logical part of you knew that none of your conversation makes sense and yet you oddly accepted whatever Jisung was saying without another word. It was like you were trapped in a bubble that kept half of your usual emotions suppressed, giving you a false sense of security that made you accept things as they are at the moment. You did, however, turn to the boy beside you with a smile.

"Thank you for protecting me back then. You made sure I wouldn't get hurt during your drill…"

For the first time since he showed up, Jisung actually looked at you. He gave you a small shy smile, and you noted the slight flushing of his cheeks with amusement. How strange. If you're crazy, you'd actually think you were talking to the real him.

"It's okay. I wanted to do it. And I promised her."

You leaned your head slightly to the side in curiosity.

"Her? Who is ‘her’?"

The moment you asked that question, time seemed to have slowed down. Jisung's lips moved to give you a name, the sound of it making your lips part and your eyes round in shock. You heard it clearly, you were sure of it, but as soon as you did, it was dissolving in your memory as if an imaginary hand is forcing you to forget it. A ringing in your ears followed, starting first as a low hum before picking up in intensity until you had to throw your hands to cover the sides of your head to make it stop. You could barely hear yourself thinking and a splitting pain at the base of your neck made you squint in agony.

Ring! Ring!

The sudden intake of breath you sucked in knocked you out from your sleep. Eyes wide, it took you a few seconds to register where you are as you stared unseeingly at the ceiling above you. The ringing in your sleep was still there, but instead of it being in your head, it was coming from somewhere in your bed which, you realized, was half covered by stray papers and folders. Briefly, you remembered how you were trying to read some of the old test results from Project Dream's files last night before you obviously passed out judging from your awkward angle now against your headboard.

With a groan, you tried to sit yourself up on your bed to try and fish for the source of the sound. It almost took you a full minute before you finally managed to pull your phone from a pile of papers at the foot of your bed. You answered it without even looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?"

There was a brief two second silence before Kun's voice came on the line.

"You're still sleeping?"

You glanced at your clock now as you rubbed a hand over your eyes. It registered 6:30AM.

"Was. Why are you calling so early?"

"I'm at Brick and Beans. The coffee shop you said you always go to. Can you meet me here as soon as you can?"

The ache in your joints and the heaviness in your eyes were screaming for you to get more sleep, but there was something about the tone of his voice that made you swing your legs over from your bed groggily.

"I can… uhh… get there in 30 minutes. I just need to get ready. Did something happen?"

"Jaemin revealed his Arcana last night."

You froze in the middle of getting up.

"What?"

"I saw the report. It was just filed, but apparently there was an unscheduled individual test drill that happened last night and he just… showed it."

A cold feeling washed over you. Stiffly, you grabbed what you needed in a rush and gave Kun a few quick words before cutting the call.

"I'll be there in 15 minutes."

******* "I don't understand why he would do this."

Your gaze didn’t waver from the file you were reading even as you heard Kun’s whispered question. Not even a fourth of the cafe is full with how early it is, but the two of you tried to make yourselves as invisible as possible by camping on the farthest corner booth in the room. You swallowed before tapping on the screen of the tablet you were holding to read through the case summary you’ve been going over for the last ten minutes since you arrived.

‘Na Jaemin, 22, one of the uncategorized patients of Project Dream has manifested his skills during a routine sensory drill. While no physical disturbances were registered in the test room, one of the assigned staff in the control booth showed signs of hypnosis and attacked a fellow employee. The closest trigger, as reviewed in the video recording, was the patient’s vocal orders.’

“Was anybody hurt?” you asked Kun now, your voice low. The pause he made before giving an answer was full of meaning.

“Just a black eye according to Ten. I checked with him this morning, it wasn’t anything serious. I think Jaemin really was just trying to show what he can do. He could have done something much worse.”

His last statement made a chill seep into your already cold palms. That’s the thing. He could have pulled off something bigger, or he could have done nothing at all. Ever since that unexpected meeting that you had with him a couple of days back, there is one thing that you've solidified in your head with no room for doubt or second guessing.

Na Jaemin is dangerous—if not the most threatening of the group so far, for all the right and wrong reasons.

While he may not be capable of causing physical harm like Mark, Jisung, or Chenle or get inside people’s heads like Renjun and Haechan, he can pull off one of the most nefarious things one can do to a fellow human: steal their self-agency and bend them to follow his bidding.

Briefly, flashbacks of that night with him came rushing into the forefront of your mind again.

*******

“Why are you doing this?” your voice was barely above a whisper as you tried to keep your ground in the darkened room. You didn’t know if it was his smile that was making you feel so heady or if he was actually trying to put you under his spell, but you gave everything you could so as not to fold under his stare. He was barely touching you, but it almost felt like he had his hands around your throat from the way you were trying to keep up with your breathing.

He, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying every second of the moment. He looked more wickedly beautiful than ever under the limited light of the room, especially when his lips twitched at your question.

“Do what? Princess, I haven’t even done anything yet.”

“Don’t play mind games with me," you finally snapped from the tension. "I'm not stupid. You’re trying to threaten me.”

An unexplainable emotion flickered in his eyes at your words. For a quick moment, you actually thought he looked guilty… maybe even a little hurt, but the look was gone before you could entirely take it in. Was it a trick of light? Were the shadows simply playing games on you?

“You already know what we need from you… Don’t you?” he asked softly as he gently let go of the lock of your hair that he had been holding between his fingertips. Your heart stilled at the question. Renjun's tip. Of course he knew.

“It’s hard for us to trust anybody, but they said you could do it," he continued, taking your silence as a confirmation to his question. He took a slight step back to give you more breathing space and you watched him unwaveringly as he seemed to contemplate his next words. "I wanted to believe that, but if you’re going to help us, you need to be careful of who you trust too."

Your eyes ever so slightly rounded in realization. Is that why he reacted that way about Winwin?

“What do I need to do?” your voice sounded steadier now as you tried to read the emotion stirring just underneath his brown eyes. “Tell me and I’ll try to–”

“I wish I could but there are questions I don’t know the answers myself. You’ll have to be the one to figure it out for all of us. That's why you're here.”

You frowned in confusion. Before you could even ask another question, however, he had already turned and started making his way to the door. You considered calling out to him, but then he stopped and looked back at you with a smile that made you pause.

“I’m not a bad person. I just want to make sure you don’t get distracted, is all. You’re right though. I am jealous, but that’s because I’ve never been a big fan of sharing with strangers," he said with a lilt in his voice. You were just about to say something when he ever so gently cut you off again.

“Be careful of who you put your trust on, Princess. After all, the devil can make itself look like a friend.”

*******

“You knew, didn’t you?”

Kun’s voice snapped you back to reality. Glancing up at him, you quickly realized what he was talking about when you saw the look in his face. You quickly shifted your gaze away, your eyes landing instead on the second part of the report you’ve been reading. The words jumped there as if they had a life of their own.

Name: Na Jaemin Arcana No.: 15 Arcana Tag: The Devil | IL Diavolo Skill: Compulsion, Mind Control, and Manipulation

“Yes. I’ve figured it out for a while now," you replied quietly. "I’m sure you had an idea too. You saw what he did in the test drill after all.”

The look he gave you confirmed what he didn’t directly answer. He didn’t push you to explain why you decided to keep quiet about the information, and you did the same to him.

“You think he just slipped when he revealed his Arcana then?”

You shook your head confidently. “No. That’s impossible. Jaemin slipping about something is the last thing that could happen here. Do you remember what happened during the test drill? He can plant ideas in people’s heads. Make them believe things or forget something. He could have erased this from everyone’s memories if he wanted to so I’m sure he did this for a reason.”

“But what? And why now?”

You sighed before leaning slightly on the table. “Kun, what if he’s doing it because he knows we’re trying to help them? Maybe that’s the trigger that they’ve been waiting for–to look for someone they can trust within Cypher. You said it yourself, they only started acting up when…”

“When you came,” Kun finished what you couldn’t say. You simply stared at him, looking torn for a full few seconds, before you leaned back on your seat.

“I don’t think it’s specifically because of me. I think they really were just waiting for someone–anyone who they think would be willing to help.”

Kun shrugged and pulled his glasses off so he could pinch the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know. That still didn’t explain why Jaemin did it—how does showing his Arcana help us in any way? If anything, it works for Cypher’s favor.”

“We’ll just have to continue digging for the answers. You sure you couldn’t access any of their personal history?”

“Other than the fact that they were all brought in to the institute the same day, no. Other important records about them are locked from me, I even only got their date of arrival here by asking information from Ten because he had to give them a checkup on their first day. But that at least ups the possibility that they did come from only one place.”

You nodded slowly. “Well, at least we have a good start,” you said as you closed the tablet and grabbed for your bag to leave. “Let’s go. We have more work to do.”

Kun sighed loudly behind you but followed you out of the booth anyway.

“I’d use other adjectives for the start we have, but sure. Lead the way, Miss Sherlock.”

******* Your fingers skimmed over the spines of the books you passed by gently. Before today, you didn't even know that the section of this building has its very own library—let alone one with such an impressive collection. When you were informed that one of your sessions will be held here, you were expecting a haphazardly put together room with run-of-the-mill titles thrown together. The place you are in now, however, is no average study just from a glance of its books alone. Similar to Jisung's greenhouse, the space felt like there was some effort put into it, like a beloved, personal space of someone who poured all his interest in building it.

"I got this room as a sort of gift."

You stopped in the middle of reading the titles at the classics section and turned to look at the boy leaning against the bookcase a little ways from you. Blinking, you briefly wondered if you were so focused that you entirely missed him standing there, but then he smiled and you completely forgot your train of thought. You turned to him fully now but remained on your spot just in case he wanted to keep his distance. Mark noticed, his eyes following the smallest of your movements as if he was trying to read you.

"What do you mean you got it as a gift?"

He pushed himself off the bookcase he was leaning on and actually tried to approach you. Compared to the first time you met him, there was something about the way he carries himself now that seems more at ease than his usual nature. It's as if some of his walls are actually down today, judging from how he stopped directly beside you. He reached to pull a book across from where you were standing then and flipped it open to its first page.

"When I first came here, I wasn't really the most cooperative of the bunch. The coats were following a different tactic then—bribe us with whatever it is we want so that we could cooperate better. They gave me this library. They even promised me that there will be zero cameras here."

You slowly took that in as you watched him flip over the pages of the hardbound in his hands. He seemed softer than usual today, his usual silent edge gone. You can't help but wonder if this is the real him beneath the front you usually see him wear as a shield.

"That's a little surprising."

He glanced up at you briefly.

"Me being uncooperative?"

"No. You loving books."

For a quick moment, Mark looked genuinely taken aback. He stared at you before a breathy laughter finally escaped him. Your own lips twitched into a small smile as you silently noted how genuine it sounded. You realized that ever since you met him, this is actually the first time you heard him laugh.

"I’ve always wanted to become a novelist,” he explained. “Also, I feel like you have a very distinct impression of me.”

You simply shrugged.

"You're nice, but you're not exactly a ray of sunshine either."

That made him stop and peer at you quietly from under his long lashes. He finally looked away and scratched the back of his neck a little guiltily.

"I guess I wasn't. Sorry if I seemed a little aloof. It's just that…"

He trailed off as he tried to look for the best way to phrase what he wanted to say. You decided to fill it in for him.

"You feel like you have to. For them, don't you?"

The look Mark gave you was a combination of emotions you easily picked apart. There was mild surprise about you hitting it on the head, slight guilt, and—if you read him correctly—even a hint of relief.

“Is that why you came here today? To do some psychoanalysis on me?”

“Yes and no. I genuinely wanted to check on you after what happened at the arena a couple of weeks ago. But if that’s what you want to tell yourself so you could avoid my question, sure. You can believe that,” you said before you turned and settled on the carpeted floor. You looked up at him and shot him a silent smile of invite. Mark looked hesitant at first but sat next to you after a bit, close enough that your elbows were almost brushing together.

“How have you been?” you asked him again once he seemed to have settled down.

“Are you asking that as my doctor?”

“You said there are no cameras here?”

“Yup.”

“Then I’m asking it as a friend.”

You noticed the way he stilled briefly in your peripheral vision. Finally, he sighed and leaned his head back against the row of books supporting your backs.

“I’m tired.”

“Mm… feeling like you need to carry everyone else on your back can get pretty tiring, I agree. Unless I’m reading you wrong?”

This time, he actually shot you a look. You retuned it with a knowing smile. You may not have had a lot of one-on-one time spent with Mark, but if you would rank your affinity towards the boys, you would say he is pretty close to Renjun when it comes to making you feel at ease for some reason. If you look beyond this usual wall he usually puts up, you feel like you could see a lot of yourself in him.

“I don’t really have a choice,” he finally said after a beat of silence. “A lot of people are counting on me.”

“Did they tell you that?”

His lips pursed and his eyes settled on nothing in particular in front of him. When you decided that you wanted to help them, you knew that a part of what you needed to do is to break through the shells of these boys to get to the answers that you need. Mark plays a big role in that, being the glue that seems to hold the group together. He may not always stand out in the pack, but you’ve noticed the way he silently carries the foundation of this small, tight knit brotherhood they have going on. That, from your own experience, can be a huge responsibility to carry alone.

“I was always told that I have to do it.”

“By who?”

“By everyone,” he said simply. “It’s expected of me.”

“Also, because I promised... Someone.”

That last bit made you stop, your brows coming together in a frown. That was the least you were expecting to hear from him, and it doesn’t help that there was a look in his face that you couldn’t quite figure out now—a combination of deep-seated loyalty and longing that could only mean one thing. At that moment, something in your head clicked and your lips parted in surprise. It couldn’t be what you were thinking...

“Is this the someone who is keeping you and the others from leaving this place?”

Your question made his eyes slightly widen. He slowly turned to train his gaze on you but didn’t say anything else. You, on the other hand, pursed your lips in determination.

“I saw what all of you could do in that arena,” you continued, your voice low. “I’m sure that’s not even half of what you’re capable of. If you wanted to, you could leave this place anytime. There’s something else making you stay here.”

Mark remained so still as you said that, which, for you only confirmed what you just said. He looked torn, as if he was on the verge of saying something. Hesitantly, you reached out to hold his hand.

“Renjun. He decided to trust me. I want to know if you’re the same.”

Something flickered in his eyes when you touched him though he didn’t move to pull away.

“I do. I trust you.”

Your chest lightened up a little at what he said. “Then you have to help me so I can help you. Help me understand. Why are you staying here? Why is Cypher keeping you here?”

If Mark looked torn before, he almost seemed in pain now as he tried to weigh his words. Slowly, he pulled away from you, an action that almost made you think you’ve lost your window to get your answers. He looked away, and you barely stopped yourself from reaching out to him again.

“I don’t know what Cypher wants. Believe me when I say that. We’re here because that’s exactly what we want to know. Why these people are after Arcana holders like us. We can’t leave yet. Not until we get the answer to that.”

You were completely at a loss as you let that sink in. What he said made zero sense at first, but then a light bulb went off in your head and you felt your heart stop in your chest in realization. They’re here because of someone else… Like a Trojan horse sent to the enemy’s borders to infiltrate them.

They’re not prisoners. They’re sacrifices.

“That person… sent you here,” you said softly and you saw Mark’s jaw lock. “You’re doing this for them.”

His hands balled into knuckles on top of his bent knees. “We needed to do something. Or else, people like us will never live in peace.”

“But being here might hurt all of you sooner or later. This person you’re talking about, where are they? Do you even know what their plan is? Are they helping you out?” The rest of your questions got stuck in your throat as you felt his hand wrap around yours all of a sudden. It was different from the way Renjun held you back when he was the one giving you hints. Unlike the other boy’s gentle touches, Mark’s was firm and with command, as if he was silently asking you to really listen. It was the way he looked at you, however, that really made you stop.

“That’s why you’re here. You have to help all of us. We can only do so much being locked up here.”

For a moment, you didn’t really know what to do. Everything was overlapping in your head and you can’t help the rising feelings at the back of your mind towards this stranger Mark is blindly trying to follow. Who are they exactly? Do they really care for these boys?

“You’re doing this… all of you, just because one person told you to?”

Mark’s face softened at your words. He looked down, right at your interlinked hands with an expression you couldn’t quite read. His next words, unfortunately, left you more confused than ever.

“Yes. I trust her. You won’t get it... but I’ll do anything for her. ”

******* “Are you okay?”

You blinked awkwardly as Winwin’s voice broke through your thoughts. You didn’t know how long you have been spacing out, but you couldn’t help the guilt that overtook you now as you saw him looking at you with a slightly concerned expression from across the kitchen island you two were currently camped on. You were at his apartment, in the middle of trying to cook dinner with him, after a rather impromptu invite he sent your way after work. You looked down at the bowl in front of you now and cleared your throat shyly as you resumed mixing the marinara sauce you’ve been trying to finish for the past fifteen minutes already.

“Yes. Yes, I am. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to space out,” you mumbled apologetically as you tried to avoid his gaze. You hated how you’re acting right now, because the last thing you wanted is to make him feel as if you’re not enjoying his company at all. It’s just that, after the talk with Mark earlier, you haven’t been able to keep your focus on one thing without going on an overthinking spree. Maybe you should have just stayed home instead of saying yes tonight. Locked yourself up in your room instead of being a shitty date.

At the very least, Winwin seems to be very understanding of it all, as he waved your apology with a smile. The light of the laptop he had opened in front of him almost gave him an angelic glow as he leaned his head against his hand while he looked at you.

“That’s fine. Tough day at work?”

You shot him a small smile as you moved over to cutting some of the vegetables you’ve entirely forgotten about from earlier. “What can you say? We do work for the same company,” you replied vaguely, hoping he wouldn’t press for more information.

That made him laugh. “I can’t say I don’t understand. Not with me still trying to work when I also should be paying attention to you. Are you sure you don’t need help with that?”

Now that made you genuinely smile. You shot him a glance as you worked through the rest of what you were doing. “I’m no chef, but I can sure make a salad on my own. What are you trying to finish anyway?”

“Ah… you know, just some routine checks on the systems. I’m just scanning the database framework of the office right now. Making sure there are no bugs.”

“I didn’t understand any of that, but those were some sexy talk coming from you, mister,” you teased as you finally finished what you were doing and wiped your hands with the kitchen towel after. Sicheng threw you a playful look, his eyes dancing behind his glasses.

“You find that sexy? You better come here then, take a look and maybe you’ll fall in love with me.”

You rolled your eyes at his words jokingly to cover the way your stomach did a somersault at what he just said. That’s the thing about Winwin—he does have this thing about him that can easily distract you from everything else, regardless of how bothered you are. Coming over to his side, you easily fit into the space he made for you so you could stand beside him. He was sitting on a bar stool just big enough to accommodate him, but that didn’t stop the two of you from getting close to each other as he threw a hand over you, his fingers coming around your hip. You, on the other hand, pressed himself closer to him, your eyes set on his laptop screen. There were lines of codes running on a small screen that he had opened, while half a window showed what looked like a complex framework of folders moving upwards slowly.

To be honest, none of that actually left much of an impression on you, not when you could feel his body heat warming up your side now. You could smell his shampoo from how close you are, that and a hint of mint as he moved his face closer to yours when he ducked to point at something on his screen.

“You see that? Those are all the folders that hold all the files Cypher keeps in its database. My team used to say we can run a full rebellion against the corporation if we want to by opening just a few of those. Dig through all their dirty secrets.”

You didn’t have any idea if he was as distracted as you with how close you are to each other now, but you thought his voice sounded lower against the shell of your ear when he said that. You didn’t want to make a fool out of yourself though, and so you forced yourself to focus on the screen to keep your thoughts from flying off somewhere else. Your gaze landed on the numbers and codes there, some of them blinking green.

“So you have access to everything? Even the restricted projects?”

“Mm… Yes and no. Technically we do, but the highly confidential files are hidden away from us. We can break them since we are the ones who create their ‘containers,’ but that would be considered hacking already since that’s not part of our job.”

You were about to give him a teasing remark about that when an idea suddenly made you stop. You froze.

He has access to everything…

Even information you and Kun cannot exactly unlock.

“You said you work for Project Dream, right?”

His question made your eyes snap at him. Your heart was pounding hard in your chest for an entirely different reason now, and you had to use every bit of your concentration to keep him from noticing. Slowly, you nodded.

“Yes. I do,” you said in the steadiest voice you could muster. Winwin keyed in a few commands on his keyboard and pulled up a new window that showed a smaller number of folders inside.

“There you are. All of your files are there. Pretty cool, huh?”

The pounding of blood against your ears almost drowned out the sound of his voice. You wanted to bombard him with questions, but something in the new window he opened caught your attention. You stilled, your eyes set on one particular spot on the screen.

“What’s that folder beside ours?”

Winwin followed your line of sight and quickly read the file name underneath the drive, a set of what looked like jumbled letters and numbers. His face cleared up not soon after.

“Oh, that? Usually, that’s a database for a sister project that’s being done under the same sequence. I think that one’s the first phase of what you’re working on right now. It seemed to have started six months earlier than Project Dream,” he answered as he pointed towards the sequence of tagged numbers on top of the folder. “You see that? That’s the code for its start date.”

Your palms went cold after that. You didn’t know that what you’re working on right now is connected to anything else, and you doubt Kun had an idea about it either. You were still staring at the screen when a loud beeping sound suddenly filled the room. You barely registered Winwin’s hold on your hip loosening as he stood up from his seat.

“I think the chicken’s done. I’ll get it.”

You barely registered him leaving your side with your attention still hyper focused on what was in front of you. You felt like you were at a crossroads, the possibility of unlocking something new making you almost dizzy. The next thing you know, your eyes were lifting to check on the boy in front of you as your hand moved over to the mouse control on the table. Winwin was currently bent over the oven, his body hidden behind the counter to take care of the food.

You hovered the cursor over the folder next to the database node of Project Dream and double-clicked it.

A mini homepage popped on the screen at your command. Your eyes made a beeline on the short codes written on it.

Project Date Start: 11-05-21 Phase Tag: Stage 1 Sequence: First Phase Category: Restricted Participants: Arcana users - FIRST BATCH.

Operation Name:

Project Irregular.

*******

“You told her?”

Mark didn’t have to turn around to know the owner of the voice. The once calm air in the library sizzled with an unexplainable force, similar to the way two opposing forces would push and pull against each other. He ignored it right now, his eyes set on nothing in particular in front of him.

“I did.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s about time we do,” his voice was still calm when he said that, though he knew the other boy could notice the slight edge tingeing his tone. “We’re running out of time. She needed to know so she could help us.”

Silence briefly hung in the air after that. Mark knew the words coming after, but it still didn’t stop the painful flinching in his chest when he finally heard it from him.

“You’re only going to hurt her.”

For the first time since the other joined him, he finally turned to face his visitor. He was standing on the same spot Mark sat on earlier with her, still as death.

“Why are you so against trusting her, Jeno?”

“Because she shouldn’t be involved with us anyway.”

“She’s the only one who can help us,” he said with a frown. For a brief moment, Jeno’s unreadable mask actually gave way, his jaw tightening as he heard those words. Mark watched him carefully, wondering if he would snap, but the look of chaos was soon gone from the other’s eyes as swiftly as it came. His voice, however, kept the same troubled current when he spoke again.

“Just because she can, doesn’t mean she should. I know you’re doing this for the stupid promise you made to your fiancee, but that doesn’t mean you should be messing up other people’s lives for her sake alone.”

His words were like a direct stab to his heart. For a moment there, Mark thought he was the one who would actually lose control, but then Jeno turned around and started making his way out the door. He called out to him—a stupid move— because he knew nothing will go through the other regardless of what he’s going to say.

Still he did it. He needed to say it.

“You don’t understand. I can’t betray her.”

Jeno stopped just as he was about to turn around the corner. He didn’t say anything, the heavy silence in the air on the verge of collapsing from tension again. Finally, he looked at Mark, his eyes piercing when he said the words he knew his brother and friend already knew.

“I understand you more than anyone else, hyung. Because I love her too.”

CHAPTER 8

----

A/N: I feel like this chapter is too vague and messy but please bear with me. Even my head is hurting from the plot I made, juseyo. :’)

Taglist [OPEN]: @negincho, @jhornytrash, @aaasteroidsky, @huangberryyy, @marijmin, @ashkuuuu, @reluctantserpent-101, @huskyhunny, @domojoo, @anaveragefangirl, @lostlovesoul11, @dreamisfelix, @lomlwoo, @coconuttiez8d, @jaehyunenthusiastsworld, @shininginthemoonlight, @bettyschwallocksyee, @w3bqrl, @smolpeyy, @chenlejjang, @kunssouschef, @thesunsfullmoon, @kpopstanforlifeuwu, @chokopocky

#mark nct x reader #renjun x reader #jeno x reader #jaemin x reader #haechan x reader #nct dream yandere au #nct dream imagines #nct dream superhuman au #nct imagines #nct mark fic #nct renjun fic #nct haechan fic #nct jeno fic #nct jaemin fic #nct jisung fic #nct chenle fic #kun wayv fic #winwin fic #nct dream yandere fic

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sugarmapl · 10 months

Text

bet on it (cytham)

reposting this on here for anyone who wants to read it while ao3 is down :3

Summary:

Some new recruits within the matra have come up with an interesting wager. Whoever is the first to bed the intimidating and fearsome General Mahamatra wins. Little do they know that they lost the bet before it had even begun…

{fluff and humor - rated M}

—

After the old sages were overthrown, the Akademiya itself needed a good thorough cleansing. Many of their old spies and loyal devotees needed to be weeded out in order to move forward. Cyno and Alhaitham worked closely together on that very task. Within the first few weeks of the new regime, much of the Akademiya staff had been replaced.

That included the matra, which Cyno was in charge of. He was a bit disappointed with how many of his subordinates were secretly loyal to Azar and the other old sages. It was a painstaking task sorting through them all, but eventually, he managed to rummage up a good number of new recruits to replace them. Cyno left his most trusted subordinate, Nayab, to train the newbies.

Although many of the newcomers joined the matra out of a sense of duty and justice, there were still a few that joined simply because they weren’t cut out for the rigorous academic life. The Akademiya could be extremely mentally draining, and becoming a matra was a nice way of still becoming employed by the Akademiya while enjoying greatly reduced mental strain. That being said, some of the recruits who fell under that category were not the most… properly motivated.

Unfortunately, Cyno and the other, more experienced matra couldn’t afford to be picky at the moment. They were in desperate need of the numbers since taking significant losses in the recent power struggle, so most new recruits with a fairly spotless record were accepted. Cyno figured he would just have Nayab whip them into shape and get their priorities straight.

How could he have predicted the depths of their degeneracy? The General Mahamatra was an extremely busy man, especially with the rebuilding of Sumeru’s political landscape. He hardly had time to interact with the new recruits at all. As a result, they only saw him sparingly here and there, and his reputation as a cold and intimidating senior returned in full force.

With the previous matra, and the ones who had been there a long time still knew this, Cyno had taken great pains to shed his intimidating aura by telling jokes or talking at length about Genius Invocation TCG. He had put in a lot of effort to break that ice and make the other matra feel more comfortable around him. But since there were so many newcomers, and he hardly had the time to try out these ice-breaking methods with them, Cyno felt like he was back to square one.

He complained about this very subject one day to Alhaitham as the two were meeting in the scribe’s office. “I heard all the new recruits find me difficult to approach. I wish I had more time to bond with them so that they weren’t afraid to ask questions or report back to me.”

“As long as they do their jobs, what does it matter what they think of you?” Alhaitham replied, not even pausing as he scanned over a document in his hands.

His work as Acting Grand Sage had also been tiring him out and leaving him little time to get to know the new Akademiya employees. Unlike Cyno, however, Alhaitham preferred it that way. He saw no point in forming personal connections at work. He was only concerned with clocking in, getting his work done, and clocking out. And maybe coming up with excuses to see the General Mahamatra in his office a little more frequently during the day, but nobody had to know about the last part.

“I want to be someone they can look up to. A role model of justice,” Cyno explained. “But it’s difficult to do that if you’re not well-liked.”

Alhaitham finally stopped what he was doing to glance up at the other. Cyno was perched on the edge of the scribe’s desk, seeming especially small as he swung his legs back and forth absentmindedly. Cyno was holding a document of his own, though he wasn’t even pretending to read over it anymore, turning to meet Alhaitham’s eyes.

“You put too much merit into other people’s opinions,” the scribe told him flatly.

Cyno rolled his eyes. “I forgot who I was talking to.”

Alhaitham stood up, circling the desk until he was in front of Cyno. “Besides,” he said, cupping the smaller’s cheek, “I already like you plenty enough.” With that, he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on the General’s lips, which Cyno reciprocated gratefully.

“That was smooth,” Cyno said after pulling away. “But I still would prefer the matras’ opinions of me to be a little bit better.”

“Fair enough,” the scribe relented. “Maybe you can spend more time with them when you get back.”

The General Mahamatra hopped off the edge of the desk, taking slow steps towards the exit. “I should get going for the desert mission now. I will probably return tomorrow or the day after, at the latest.”

“I look forward to it,” Alhaitham replied with a wink, and then Cyno was gone.

Meanwhile, Nayab was busy with the new recruits. They were having an orientation of sorts where he handed out the manuals and uniforms, and was just going over some of the matra duties when someone raised their hand.

“Yes? Question?”

“What’s the General Mahamatra like?” the recruit asked.

Some of the matra who had clearly been tuning out earlier suddenly sat up with renewed interest at the mention of the General Mahamatra. Many of them had yet to see or meet Cyno. Nayab had almost expected this, though he really wished they’d saved their questions for the end. Still, he saw no harm in answering it now.

Cyno was already somewhat of an infamous figure in Sumeru, but after rescuing the Dendro Archon and overthrowing the previous Akademiya hierarchy, he had become even more so, his renown soaring to unbelievable heights. Many saw him as a hero, but tales of his strength were often accompanied by over-exaggerated descriptions of his appearance or demeanor.

“Lord Cyno is a fantastic leader. He is the very pinnacle of justice, and he is what all of us matra strive to be like,” Nayab told them honestly.

“But what is he like? How’s his personality?” the recruit asked again, not satisfied.

“Yeah, is he really as scary and intimidating as people say?” someone else chimed in.

“Of course not,” Nayab rushed to explain. He hated when people misunderstood Cyno’s character. “He is extremely kind. Though he may seem a little tough on the outside, he has a generous heart and cares deeply for each of his subordinates.”

The crowd of young matra seemed fascinated by that response, eager to know more. They continued pressing Nayab for information, much to his dismay.

“What about his appearance?”

“I heard he was six feet tall and super jacked.”

“Can he really lift a sumpter beast with one hand?”

“Is it true he walks around half-naked?”

Nayab struggled to keep up with their questioning, tackling their curiosity one at a time.

“He is actually rather on the small side… Uhhh he is very strong, but I wouldn’t say jacked, more like lean… I wouldn’t be surprised if he could really do that…. The General Mahamatra does have an unusual choice of clothing, so he may seem a bit underdressed at times…”

Finally having enough, Nayab dismissed the recruits to continue their training tomorrow. He seriously needed a break. He appreciated the display of trust, but why did Lord Cyno leave him of all people in charge!?

That night, some of the new matra gathered at a tavern to blow off steam. They huddled around a small table, leaning in close as they discussed in hushed voices what they had learned that day.

“Do you think it’s really true? The General Mahamatra is actually tiny?” one of them asked his friends in disbelief.

“All the older matra said the same thing, so it must be,” another one answered.

“I also heard from one of my upperclassmen that he’s, like, super pretty.”

“What? No way!”

“Seriously! And some other senior scholars said the same thing!”

“Hmmm interesting,” the one at the head of the table hummed before breaking out into a smirk. “Fellas, I have an idea.”

They all turned to him with their full attention. He must have been the leader of the little pack.

“The training has been super boring so far, so whaddya say we spice things up with a little wager?”

“A wager? What kind?” the one who originally spoke first asked, though it was clear his interest was peaked.

In all honesty, the first few days of matra training always revolved around rules and regulations. While it wasn’t the most exciting of topics to discuss, it was very important in assuring the matra conducted themselves professionally and within Akademiya guidelines. Still, for recruits who were too dumb to become Akademiya scholars, they felt nothing but pent up frustration towards long lectures and required readings.

“How about we bet our first months’ salaries?” the leader proposed.

“On what?”

“Whoever bangs the General Mahamatra first wins,” he said with a sleazy grin.

“You’re crazy!” the others laughed. “Are you that desperate to get laid?”

The leader laughed along with them, but didn’t drop the idea. “And you’re not? Besides, think about the bragging rights you would have if you actually pulled it off. The hero of the Akademiya, the brave and fearless General Mahamatra, pillar of Sumeru, spreading his legs for you.”

That actually shut the others at the table up, some even clearing their throats and sitting up a little straighter.

“You’re serious?” one asked.

“Absolutely.”

“Then… count me in.”

“Me too.”

“Me too!”

One by one, the new recruits agreed to the obscene wager. They hadn’t even seen the General Mahamatra’s face with their own eyes yet, but it was enough to stoke their competitive spirits and stave off boredom for the meantime. They laughed over the topic over a few more rounds of drinks, discussing all the ways they were going to lure Cyno to their beds. All the while, they were completely oblivious to the man at the bar who was eavesdropping on their every word.

Alhaitham sighed. He only wanted to enjoy a nice post-work glass of wine, but now he also had to listen to those idiots talk about all the ways they planned to fuck his boyfriend. Of course, he knew it was never going to happen. Cyno would never go for such a thing, and he would certainly never cheat on Alhaitham.

The scribe’s only worry was that Cyno could be a bit… obtuse at times. He would often mistake flirting as friendly banter, and the scribe didn’t want Cyno’s inherent gentle nature taken advantage of or going to those matras’ heads. He would just have to keep an extra close eye on him once he got back.

The next day, Cyno returned late afternoon as promised. He looked exhausted as he trudged through the Akademiya, no doubt having spent the better part of the past day battling Eremites in the desert. His body was slightly battered and bruised, and he had the faintest of bags under his eyes. The tiredness actually softened his usually stern features, only making him appear all the more vulnerable. That was when the first of the matra decided to strike.

“Lord Cyno!” they called as they jogged up to him. The young recruit had pale blonde hair and freckled skin. He was not bad to look at at all and he knew it, which gave him an unnecessary ego boost.

He had to admit, when he saw Cyno enter the Akademiya, the General Mahamatra surpassed his expectations. Of course, he’d heard the rumors that the other was small, but he would never have guessed just how cute Cyno really was. He had beautiful long white hair and stunning red-tinted eyes. Even beat up, he couldn’t help but think the other was extremely pretty. Seeing the General in person only served to increase the young matra’s motivation to win the bet.

“Welcome back!” he continued, tone friendly. “Are you alright?”

Cyno looked at him confused for a moment before seeming to realize who he was. “You’re one of the new recruits, correct? I’m quite fine. I’m sorry to meet you in such a state,” Cyno apologized, extending his hand to shake.

The young matra excitedly took it, shaking it with enthusiasm. It seemed that Nayab was right. Cyno’s true nature was rather polite and pleasant. In that case, the bet would be a piece of cake.

“Believe me, you still look incredible,” he said with a flirty smile.

The General Mahamatra paused awkwardly, retreating his hand from the uncomfortably long handshake. There was no way the kid meant it like that, right? Cyno was probably just misunderstanding him. The other was being friendly, and it gave Cyno a chance to get closer to his new subordinates. Still, all he could muster up in response was, “Oh, uh, thanks.”

“Are you sure you’re okay, though? Do you need help with anything? I can assist you!”

Cyno felt bad. The kid seemed so eager to please, he probably just looked up to Cyno and wanted to become a good matra. Cyno didn’t have the heart to tell him that he was just going to report back to (and possibly make out with) the Acting Grand Sage. He was about to make up something for the other to help him with so that they could bond when said Acting Grand Sage seemed to pop up out of nowhere.

“I-”

“General Mahamatra, you’re back,” Alhaitham said calmly. He strode up confidently, addressing Cyno while also completely ignoring the other matra that was standing there.

“Acting Grand Sage. Yes, I just got back,” Cyno replied, seeming to brighten up a bit.

“Excellent. I am eagerly awaiting your report. Let’s head back to my office together, shall we?” the scribe asked. Before waiting for a response, he gently circled his arm around Cyno’s shoulders and guided him away toward the elevator.

The young matra recruit stood there frozen in momentary shock. Did he just get cockblocked by the Acting Grand Sage?

The next morning, Cyno was in the library doing some research into a case he was working on. One of the new matra happened to be in there studying his manual, delighted at the appearance of the General Mahamatra. Cyno stopped in front of a particular bookshelf and began scanning the titles in search of something. The matra took the opportunity to spring into action.

“General Mahamatra, I hope I’m not bothering you,” he said as he approached.

The matra recruit was confident in his looks, much like his friend. Though, while his peer had more of the boy-next-door vibe, he was more of a tall, dark, and handsome type. He was also much taller than Cyno, and so he was sure that he had the bet in the bag.

“I’m one of the recently recruited matra, so I just wanted to introduce myself.” As he spoke, he gave a slight bow. Cyno seemed surprised at the action before waving it off.

“No need to be so formal. I’ve been meaning to get to know all the recruits better anyway,” the Mahamatra assured him with a smile.

The young recruit felt his heart skip a beat. “Great! If that’s the case, would you like to join me for some coffee?”

Cyno looked slightly apologetic. “Unfortunately, I am a bit too busy at the moment. Perhaps in the near future?” he suggested instead.

“Absolutely!”

The entire time they spoke, Cyno had never paused in his scanning of the bookcase. Finally, it seemed he found what he was looking for, but he frowned with his neck craned up. The book he needed just so happened to be on the top shelf. He reached for it half-heartedly, knowing he wasn’t going to be able to get it with his height.

The young matra was elated. It was like fate had given him the ultimate chance to make a move on the General Mahamatra. He would be his knight in shining armor, pressing close to reach the book and make Cyno’s heart flutter. Then, it was only a matter of time. Smiling to himself, the matra moved to carry out his plan, extending his arm and-

A blur of black and green suddenly appeared in a flash. A tall, handsome, silver-haired man crowded in close to Cyno and retrieved the desired book before stepping back and handing it to the tiny general. Cyno looked slightly flustered by the action, and the young matra quietly cursed the man in his head.

“Alhaitham? What are you doing here?” Cyno asked.

“I came to see what was taking you so long. We have a morning meeting, remember?” the scribe reminded him.

Wait a minute, Alhaitham!? The matra stared in awe at the man in front of him who was, allegedly, the Acting Grand Sage. He could be upset at anyone else interrupting him, but if it was Alhaitham, then it was probably for something important. But… why the hell was the guy totally ignoring him altogether!? He acted like the matra wasn’t even there! In the blink of an eye, the Acting Grand Sage had whisked the General Mahamatra away.

That same day, another incident occurred. The leader of the young recruits had come up with a plan. He heard from the other matra and older scholars that the General Mahamatra was absolutely obsessed with Genius Invocation TCG. And so, the matra had spent all of the night before putting together an impressive deck in order to challenge Cyno to a duel.

Using a shared interest, he would grow close to the General Mahamatra before eventually taking him to bed. Maybe he could even speed up the process by betting with the General on a round of the card game. The rumor was that Cyno couldn’t say no to Genius Invocation TCG, after all. And if the matra happened to cheat by hiding a few cards up his sleeve, no one would have to know.

He was all ready to set the plan into motion. He would bump into Cyno in the hallway at the Akademiya, thus spilling his TCG cards ‘by accident’. Then, after peaking Cyno’s interest, he would challenge him to a duel during which the matra would seduce the unsuspecting General. It was the perfect plan, and he expected to have the General spreading his legs by nightfall.

The matra had studied Cyno’s schedule, and knew that the other usually had a meeting with the Acting Grand Sage at that time. Then, Cyno would exit down the same hallway on the way back to his own office. The matra hid around the corner in said hallway, waiting for the tell-tale sound of Cyno’s footsteps. They were easy to identify since the General Mahamatra was almost always barefoot.

He steeled himself, then flung around the corner, only to smack into what felt like a brick wall. He hit the ground hard, spilling his TCG cards all over the marble floors. Oh well, not exactly to plan, but he could still make it work. He glanced up and saw the muscled figure of the Acting Grand Sage looming over him, looking down with an unphased expression.

The General Mahamatra was at his side, at least having the decency to look slightly concerned. “Are you alright?” Cyno asked.

No, he was definitely not alright. Why was the Acting Grand Sage built like a freight train!? He felt like he just got run over, but he had to play it off in order for the plan to work.

“Yes, yes, I’m alright. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going,” the young matra said, trying to sound guilty.

Cyno smiled at him. “It’s okay, just be careful next time,” he said gently.

Alhaitham looked unamused. “Yes, rushing around the Akademiya halls recklessly is unbecoming of a matra. If I were anyone else, they might have gotten hurt.”

What a fucking asshole! If anyone was hurt here, it was the matra he just bowled over! But the young recruit plastered on a fake smile, moving to scrape up his scattered cards off the floor. “Of course! I’m so sorry, Acting Grand Sage,” he apologized again through gritted teeth.

“Do you need help?” Cyno asked, beginning to bend down. “If you value your cards, you should keep them in a protective case. I can recommend you some-”

However, before Cyno could actually scoop up a card, Alhaitham stuck out an arm to stop him. “Let him clean up his own mess. This is a learning experience for him,” the scribe said coldly. “Let’s go.”

And then, just like that, the Acting Grand Sage and the General Mahamatra were gone. The young matra cursed Alhaitham a thousand times in his head as he picked up the last of his deck and stomped off. His fool-proof plan had been ruined.

That night, the group of matra recruits reconvened at the tavern. After talking about their various experiences, they all came to the same conclusion: they had all been cockblocked by Alhaitham. While frustrated, the leader was determined to not give up on the bet, and his passionate enthusiasm soon inspired the others. They all planned to double down on their efforts starting the following day.

A week passed by that way. Each day, the young matra recruits would do their best at attempting to seduce the General Mahamatra. But each time, their efforts were thwarted by the Acting Grand Sage. Even when the blasted scribe was busy, Cyno seemed to be assigned to some mission or another where no one would be able to see or find him. Cyno himself seemed completely oblivious to every pass at him whatsoever.

It was growing increasingly frustrating, but the matra were stubbornly determined. They were convinced that they just needed to get the General alone and he would break. Finally, on Friday, it seemed that the bet was over. Cyno came into work wearing much more clothes than usual, a black cloak covering much of his visible skin. All of the matras’ attention immediately honed in on the General Mahamatra’s neck, where the traces of a love bite could be seen just barely peeking out of his choker. Cyno was also walking with a slight limp.

Immediately, they knew the bet was over. Someone had won, now they just needed to find out who. They crowded into a secluded corner in the House of Daena, away from prying eyes and ears. Once they all had gathered, the leader clapped once to draw their attention.

“All right, fess up. Who did it?”

Silence. The matra recruits looked around at each other with accusatory glances.

“C’mon it’s obvious that somebody won the bet. He clearly got fucked last night. Don’t you wanna claim your prize?” he prodded the group.

Still, no one confessed.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Wasn’t me either.”

“Nope.”

Everyone’s analytical gazes turned into ones of confusion. Why would the winner not want to own up to such a feat? Unless… it was none of them.

A sudden, slow clapping startled them as someone rounded the large pillar they were standing next to. None other than the Acting Grand Sage emerged, looking faintly amused for the first time. The matra all stood there in shock and slight fear, not knowing what to say. How would they even begin to explain themselves? Before anyone could speak up, he beat them to it.

“So, I believe you all owe me your first month’s wages, correct?”

#genshin impact #genshin fanfic #cytham #haino #cyno #alhaitham #fanfic #reposted from ao3

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fanstuffrantings · 5 months

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I am curious for each strength and weakness for the teams I your AU:

For example , for team rwby strength they have unique semblance that can turn the tide of battle.

However there weakness is that they can be too gun ho for battle that it can backfire.

Team CRDL strength: powerful and very good at close combat but weakness is that they don’t have good range to win against the others

What is your version of their leadership between the teams?

Slightly longer post in coming. This did cause me to pause a bit to think on their differences as leaders. Under the cut:

Pyrrha is very good at being clear on what she expects from her teammates. Her training is intense but effective, from the minute she's leader she has a plan to ensure her team is efficient and tight. But she also tends to expect everyone to run the same way she does and because of that it takes her time to really understand how to get on everyone's level to lead them properly.

Her biggest struggle is with Jaune because while yes eventually he becomes the most important person at Beacon to her, initially he's a weak link who can hold and swing a sword, but that doesn't mean he can use it. Her need for perfection means that when teammates don't do something right the first time she'll often handle it herself. She's very smart and knows how to take down enemies, but leading a team who needs space to grow is new.

For Ruby, She can be impulsive, childish (she is only 15), and have trouble connecting with people often looking at their weapons first. In missing 2 years worth of schooling by being catapulted into Beacon I believe Ruby also misses out on some important lessons involving team work. She's not used to the idea of teams and doesn't run ideas by anyone before executing them. She can look at people and note their strengths and skills, but she doesn't see the people beyond that or really know how to connect with them on a deeper level. The nevermore fight does prove that she is capable though, and despite her flaws this potiential is what Ozpin wants to foster growth in.

Ruby being bad without her weapon in this case is explained as her almost having an anxiety attached to being without it. Her entire life is weapons, so to go without one feels like getting her arms hacked off.

Cardin's weakness is much more clearly that he's quick to anger and egotistical. Pyrrha's good at hiding her ego, Cardin doesn't exist in classmate's minds without it. At the start he has a survival of the fitest mentality that is at the core of his family and he's a bully. When his team doesn't listen he will storm off or scream at them.

But when the team is working on the same level he's very good at leading and directing. His parents raised him on battle tactics and famous military people so being tactical with his team is second nature. One thing that we'd see from his arc is that he's the leader capable of noting when a plan will go wrong right before it does and pivot his team to adjust for error incredibly quickly. When he gets over himself he is also an incredibly caring leader who wants his team to come back healthy and in one piece.

I think in terms of enemies they'd struggle against: pyrrha is weak against people who fight dirty. She's proud and wants to win duals the right way so when people stoop to low level tactics she tends to fumble.

Ruby's weakest enemy: human enemies in general are her weakness, killing Grimm is one thing but people are different. She pulls her punches because she doesn't want to hurt them.

Cardins weakest against enemies who exploit his anger. Insult him a bit and he's off his game. His semblance requiring concentration means that he desperately needs to improve how much of an effect people have on him when he's fighting them. It's also partially why having sky on his team works, because Sky gets under people's skin for fun. Cardin gets practice.

#rwby rewrite #rwby #molten rambles #honestly ruby changes the least because i dont have problems with her #ask #grooveguylove #i will add in that a lot of these thoughts might get adjusted if i think of ways to differintiate them more #the teams themselves ill have to think about #i got caught up on the leaders

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maple-writes · 11 months

Text

WHG 20 - Training (the rest of it)

WHG tag list: @concealeddarkness13 @ratracechronicler @pen-of-roses @grailfish @forthesanityofstorytellers @pied-piper-of-hamlet

featuring @pen-of-roses' Silver, and also I stole Hugo from @ratracechronicler briefly!

I didn’t sleep after the peacekeepers dumped me back to our floor of the tower, instead taking Ginger’s tablet she’d left on the table while she’d headed out for the night, and searching every database I could think of, reading and jotting notes from any article even tangentially related to anything that might help Primary. Gods, real or false, ancient or modern, anything that might give me at least a slight lead. My wrist ached from gripping my pen and scrawling note after note, citation after citation, through Ginger’s spare notebook as my handwriting slowly went less and less careful.

The sun rose gradually outside, shining in through the windows and reflected off the other glittering buildings on the Capitol. My eyes stung, my reading slow now as my brain fogged, fuzzy from reading paper after paper but there had to be more. Had to be something. I’d found more than I expected, more that I thought I would this soon but there was something missing. Or maybe I’d have to look at my notes again, find something I missed. Something that would free Primary from their stasis without destroying all they’d worked so hard to create. They said they didn’t care, but what about after? What would they think when it was all said and done and they stood before everything they once created, everything they must have once cared for, dead and gone by their own hand?

Would they feel the same as I did, seeing Cirrus watch me in fear, seeing him run, seeing Kyra put herself between me and Striker for his own safety? Would it feel the same as my hand around Striker’s throat? The same as returning to dead grass and trees and knowing it was my fault? To knowing I could never undo what I’d done?

I couldn’t let them face that. Not if I could help it.

A gloved hand fell on my shoulder and I jumped, twisted to see Ginger frowning down at me.

“Asher, what’s going on?” Her eyes flicked from me to the papers scattered on the table. “What is this? How long have you been up?”

I set the pen down, massaging my aching wrist. “Remember the god I was telling you about, the one that kept part of themself in Ares?” I paused, waiting as she nodded. “They, peacekeepers and a scientist, they took me to them last night and tried to make me their new vessel and I didn’t let them but Ginger, they,” I swallowed, throat tightening and eyes burning with tearful pressure. “They’ve been there for thousands of years, alone, stuck in a state they called stasis and I can’t just leave them like that. They’re lonely, and desperate and angry and say they’re willing to destroy everything they created but I, I don’t believe them.” I shook my head, tears escaping, slipping down my cheek, remnants from last night not dispersed by sleep. “I don’t know if I can fix it in time before the games so I need you to promise you’ll try for me.”

Ginger’s brows furrowed further as she tried to follow along. She reached for the notebook and tentatively flipped through, pausing on the page I’d done my best to sketch the corpse on, arrows and annotations pointing out what I couldn’t capture properly. “A god hm?” She tucked a loose strand of hair back as she studied the diagram. “It’s not going to be easy to do anything to a god, but I don’t want to say yet that it’s impossible. You already managed to destroy a fragment of it so I’m leaning towards not impossible but I’ll take a closer look at your notes later.” She sighed. “Right now I’m worried that it’s not a process I would be able to do alone, if this god is considerably powerful or stubborn.”

“I was told there might be a chance of escape.” I shouldn’t just be blurting this out, but my head spun, exhausted and without second thought. “Triel reached out to me the other day and invited me along. She has a plan and outside help.” I’d told her I wasn’t sure if I could handle it but now I had to. “I, I’m going to try as best I can to keep it together, to stay on her good side so I can come back.”

She nodded, uncharacteristically quiet as she looked between me and the notebook. When she spoke it was strangely soft, quiet. “You’re set on this aren’t you?”

“I, I am.” I leaned back in my chair, curling my shoulders. “I, I don’t know. I can’t just leave them there. I don’t think the scientists there have their best interests in mind, or they would have tried something besides presenting countless people as potential vessels.” I swallowed, wiping my face with my sleeve. “After what I felt there, I can’t just leave them there to suffer. It’s not right.”

Ginger set the notebook down. “Alright, I’ll see what I can do. If it gives you a reason to focus on surviving then I promise I will help you with this.”

“Thank you Ginger.” I took a long breath, shaky and weak. “For everything.”

“Like I said, I wasn’t about to let you face this alone.” She gently took the tablet from in front of me, out of my reach. “Get some rest. Training can wait.”

Could it? There wasn’t much time left. Half a week and I’d already wasted most of the first day so less than half a week to figure out how to survive long enough to escape and come back. “I’ll be okay, I’ll take it easy.”

She gave me a doubtful look but didn’t argue. “If you insist.”

Maybe I should have taken her advice. I swayed as I stood in the doorway of the hall just long enough to get my bearings before making for one of the stations. Noise buzzed in the background and it the images of plants blurred slightly but I could still make just enough of them out to try and figure out which was what, and which were poisonous. I took the quiz at the end and got most wrong and moved on.

I tried the next station, and the next, with about the same result. Some I remembered, like how to sharpen a blade and how to climb an easy tree, but most came as a blur and I left another station in the same way, wandering to see if anything else caught my eye. It wouldn’t hurt to try and improve my fitness before the games but how much could I really hope to achieve before the end of the week?

Another tribute brushed my arm and I turned, following a few steps behind them. They weren’t sure what to do. Weren’t sure if they could-

No, no. I turned around, fast enough my head spun and hurried in the opposite direction. I couldn’t start. Couldn’t start that again. I had to keep calm and controlled for the next few days and then the next foreseeable future. I could do that, right? Right?

—

The next day proved harder than I thought. My head spun all day. Fears and trepidations were dialing up with only a couple days left of training, sharp and choking through the air. What ifs and nerves and for some excitement. My heart skipped walking past others and too many times I had to force my head down, hold my hands together and flee away, anywhere but next to a tribute with just enough vulnerability that i could have tried to exploit. Had to hold my tongue, hide away in some dark corner away from curious eyes.

Twice I had to bite my tongue hard enough it bled, iron coating my mouth as I nearly ran back to the elevator. Bracing on the walls and panting, gasping as my heart raced and the lights flickered and my hand shook wanting to press the down button again. To find an easy target, an easy victim who wouldn’t see it coming. Twice I stumbled, shaking and snarling into the apartment.

Once while Cirrus was unlucky enough to meet me. I lunged at him across the table, plates and cups shattering on the ground as I caught him by surprise with claws digging into his arms and a growl in my throat and spitting on about how his mother disowned him and he was hardly a prince at all and he was an idiot to think anyone would ever care about him. That I never in my life would care for him.

But he’d heard it all before and he was stronger than me, throwing me off and sending me sliding across the marble floor. Throw me across the floor and sit by me as I realized what I’d done. What I’d done again.

“For fucks sake give me some warning next time,” he huffed, sitting close enough my shoulder brushed me arm.

He offered his hand and I took it, squeezing hard as his steadiness seeped in through his skin, calm, familiar, safe. Cirrus knew, he knew I didn’t mean it, but guilt gnawed at my stomach along with hunger. When was the last time I ate? I could hardly remember what day it was, what time, how long I’d been here for.

I shouldn’t have needed it, but he picked me up off the floor and carried me to my bedroom, tucking me in and hand delivering a tray of finger foods from the dining room. He sat with me, eating and talking but listening as I cried on about Primary, about Chess, about how I didn’t know if I could make it.

He listened, quiet, removing the tray when it was done and tucking himself in on the other side of the bed. “Like I said, maybe resistance isn’t what’s going to work for you.”

How could he know? How could anyone know? He held me from behind as I curled up in the bed, sniffling and teary eyed yet again but it was warm, and if Cirrus was here I wouldn’t have anything to be afraid of.

“How could I?” I mumbled, sleep pulling at me yet again. “I can’t do those things to people, I can’t just let it happen.”

He hummed, noncommittal. “Who knows. Might not hurt if someone’s in your way though.” He paused adjusting a pillow or something out of my view. “What if you just didn’t say anything?”

I sighed. Maybe. Maybe that would work but who could say for certain? I wouldn’t put it past myself to try something else even if I lost all ability to speak. I’d still find a way, find a way to torment whoever caught my attention next.

But it was harder and harder to dwell, with soft evening light shining in through half-drawn curtains, and Cirrus warm and solid and steady at my back.

—

Another day and I tried again to venture into the training hall but the air buzzed higher, sharper, electric with anticipation and wariness and the looming dread that it was coming. Coming sooner rather than later now. How many days? How many days until they sent us off now? What day was it?

I didn’t want to risk asking anyone, to risk asking and opening them to what I might say. There were so many tributes, people, and not all of them sure of themselves. Standing at the edge I found myself eyeing anyone who passed, as if crouched in waiting for wounded prey, someone I could sink my teeth, my words into, to twist what they thought against them. To see the hope dashed from their eyes, the fight drain from their body and I took everything I could, took it to be destroyed.

Fuck.

Without thinking too much I headed to the pool. Someone told me these jumpsuits were good for the water. Or maybe that was a dream. I couldn’t remember anymore. I walked straight in, plummeting into the deep end. Sounds came muffled and far away under the water but I couldn’t stay under long before my lungs burned and I swam to the top.

The water was too warm, overchlorinated, but it was better than nothing. Moving to stay afloat made it harder to think about the weakness that a man who’s name started with an H but didn’t come to me, might have had as he floated by on a makeshift raft fastened from materials nicked from other stations across the hall. I spread my fingers in the water, clawing through it with uncoordinated strokes. It felt nice between my fingers, satisfying as I splashed downward, clawing and scratching at the top of the water and kicking out behind me.

H, Henry? No, not quite, on his raft watched with the look of a lifeguard deciding if he got paid enough to intervene just yet as I opened my mouth, biting down at the surface and letting the treated water flood my mouth. I coughed when some got past my throat and it burned my nose, but I didn’t stop. Biting and splashing down and bobbing above and below the surface.

A rope slapped the water ahead of me and I kicked to turn, treading water clumsily. H had the other end in his hand.

“Don’t think you’re supposed to drown until later.”

I coughed again, clearing the last of the burning water from my mouth and nose. “I, sorry. I’m alright.” My cheeks heated, flustered. What the fuck was I thinking doing all that in front of everyone. “I’m just uh, I’m just playing around. Thanks, though.”

He shrugged and reclined back on his raft. “Carry on then.”

I paddled a little farther away before resuming, and diving down and up and down and up feeling the water trail behind my strokes and bubbles tickle my hands when drawn down from the surface. I must have lost track of time, alternating between splashing and diving and paddling lazily because one of the trainers shouted at me that it was time to go, waiting impatiently as I hauled myself up out and made my way back up to my floor dripping wet.

It might have been the last day now. I had to ask Ginger before heading down, head fuzzy and not sure what day it was anymore. She said it was.

Tonight there were tests, tomorrow there were interviews, and the next day the games.

Swaying on my feet I stumbled through the training hall trying to cram as much left as I could. Jumpy when anyone spoke to me I kept answers short, finding some excuse to hurry away when I wasn’t sure what I would say next. Today at least, hopefully others would assume my demeanor was nerves and nothing else. Nothing dangerous. Nothing that had to be looked out for.

Until I saw her again. Chess. Standing with her back to me, looking over a station next to someone I didn’t recognize. Vulnerable. Weak. A monster. My heart skipped and beat faster, my eyes locked on the back of her head. She didn’t know I was watching her. Watching her, stronger than her in conviction. I could feel my teeth sharpening as I took an unsteady step. Whoever was with her couldn’t protect her. I could take them both, talk them both down if I tried hard enough.

I walked slow, silent, eyes locked on her as if there was nothing else. I could finish what I started. It was so close last time. Just a little more and—

And what? I froze, every hair on my skin standing on end. No. Not again. I couldn’t do this again. Not when, not when I promised. I swallowed, blood cold as I backed up, away, away.

The elevator was past her. I would have to go past her. Would that be a good idea? No, no probably not. I couldn’t let her see me. Couldn’t let her see me and tell Triel or get hurt or.

Somewhere else.

Legs shaking I stumbled away, searching for somewhere to hide. Just in case. Just in case I saw her again and I didn’t notice what I was thinking in time again and…

A box-like room in the corner, a sound booth used for identifying bird song and other animal calls that might come in handy. There was a door. No one would hear me and I couldn’t hear anyone. Couldn’t see anyone, couldn’t touch anyone, couldn’t find anyone to hunt. Couldn’t find anyone to hurt.

My hand shook as I fumbled with the doorknob. I pushed the door open and stepped in and froze.

Someone was already here. They sat in the back corner, staring back at me. “Oh, sorry.” I glanced back over my shoulder. Could I make it? Could I risk it? What it, what if… “Mind if I join you?” It wasn’t worth it, wasn’t worth figuring out if I could handle myself right now.

They winced, pulling their shirt up over their ears as they nodded and quickly waved me in. The air around them buzzed, erratic and I clenched my teeth against the urge to scream, to yell, to start the birdsong training and turn the volume louder, louder, to slam the door, instead forcing my hands to move slow, to close it softer than it opened. I wasn’t here to hurt anyone. I didn’t, now wasn’t the time.

I sat at the other end of the booth, wedging myself into the far corner. Eyes shut tight I took breath after breath, slowing my racing heart, running my fingers over the smooth pearls around my wrist. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I didn’t want to hurt Chess, or any of the other tributes. I didn’t want to scare the tribute hiding in this booth. Didn’t want to make them cry, not like before. I was supposed to get through this alive, and to do that I couldn’t hurt anyone. I wouldn’t be like him. I was better than him. Better.

Slowly the soft quiet eased the tightness in my chest, the twitch in my fingers to grip and claw.

The tribute sitting there, they wouldn’t expect it. Wouldn’t expect me to come after them. They were hardly even watching, already hiding from something. All I had to do was brush their skin and I—

No, no. I held my hands clasped together in front of me and forced another, longer breath. They hadn’t done anything to me. I’d hardly seen them before now. I didn’t want to hurt them.

I sighed, letting my eyes open and drift towards them. Something wasn’t quite human about them, something unfamiliar. Not something I’d seen before, but it didn’t seem to be unusual in this batch of tributes for someone to be not quite human nor something I’d seen before.

“Sorry if I scared you,” I kept my voice barely a whisper, even that carrying within the sound proofed walls. “My name’s Asher.”

“Silver.” They whispered back, voice rough and hoarse. “Didn’t scare, could hear you coming, just, loud.” They motioned at the door.

That would explain what they were doing hiding here. I sighed. They were right too. “It’s… A lot.” A lot of commotion, a lot of sound, a lot of feelings drifting and mixing in the air and finding their way to me.

Hopefully I didn’t make it too much worse, bursting in like that. Across the booth there were chairs, sturdy looking but not appearing too heavy for even me to move. I sat up, glancing between them and the chair. “Want me to block the door?”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to have to deal with anyone else right now either. At least Silver seemed content for each of us to keep mostly to ourselves.

They did something with their hands and nodded, sign language maybe? Then they sighed and added in a whisper, “please.”

I got up and reached for the nearest chair, face illuminated with the blue-white light of one of the monitors showing a muted video of a grouse calling in a prairie. Would there be a prairie in the arena? I shook the thought from my head as I lifted the chair and propped it against the door. I hovered my hands just beside it a moment as I let go. If it fell and crashed that would be the last thing Silver needed, but it held steady. Good. I sat back in the corner, leaning back and letting my eyes wander up to the dark ceiling.

If only I’d figured out this little booth existed earlier, maybe then the week wouldn’t have gone by in such a blur. I hadn’t had a chance to think about what I might be doing tonight to try and prove myself a competitor, or I would even bother. I wasn’t particularly good at any of the stations I’d tried, and if not for Triel’s plan I wouldn’t have any reason to hope that anything would work out.

I hadn’t seen Silver around before now much, had anyone told them? I sat up a little, turning towards them. “Has anyone told you there might be an escape plan?” Maybe I should have eased into it. What if they were the type to tell the wrong people? I’d just have to trust them.

They nodded, shifting a little as they visibly relaxed now that another interruption was unlikely. “Triel. Admit I’m still skeptical, but,” they shrugged, “rather try than die-“ they broke off, eyebrows furrowed for a moment before shaking their head.

“Me too.” Even if Triel lied, or if it didn’t work, the potential to survive was better than nothing. I sighed, shoulders sloping as I leaned harder into the corner, tucking my legs in. “I don’t want to get too hopeful, but it’s more a plan that I have.”

“Hope’s better than nothing. Least, that’s what Calla says.”

I curled up further, drawing my knees up to my chest and resting my arms on top. “Yeah, I guess that’s all we really have right now isn’t it?” Especially in a couple days, when we were sent in with nothing and told to kill each other. Nothing but hope, potentially misguided, but hope that maybe it wouldn’t be the end. That something would work out.

But how? Even now my head felt fuzzy, eyelids growing heavy. The games hadn’t even started and I was already teetering between tired and exhausted at any given time, already probably lost weight forgetting the last time I ate between overwhelm and focus. How would, how could I make in the arena when this was already as hard as it was? Even if I did make it, survive, would I just be a threat to everyone else?

Silver slumped a little, biting at their lip. “Maybe we could…” They shut their eyes, voice trailing quieter and quieter, “eachotherto…help. Too.”

“I…” Could I? What could I do to help? “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I’ll try.” I didn’t think I could protect anyone, from myself or otherwise.

“You… Make things quieter. Already helping.” They smiled, cautiously holding out a friendly hand. “And I can… Help you. Or try. Ifyou… Want.”

I swallowed against the vice closing my throat and the tears burning just behind my eyes. I was? I was helping? If only they knew what I was thinking, what I almost thought to do when I stepped in and saw them here. If only they knew what I was running from in the first place, what I could do to people. What I…

But I hadn’t. I hadn’t done anything, not this time.

Maybe I shouldn’t be surprised, that I was helping, that they trusted me. Everyone at home, they knew what I was, saw what I’d done and still trusted me. Still cared for me. Maybe it wasn’t so impossible I was still the same man they loved, the same one they’d all come and see off, the same one Ginger and Cirrus would drop everything just to stay here with. They all knew I was never what Vena wanted me to be, they all knew who and what I was and they stood by me and knew I would give whatever I could for any of them.

Maybe it wasn’t crazy to think I was still the same Asher even here, even now.

I took their hand with a long, unsteady breath. “I... Thank you, Silver.” They trusted me. For better or worse they trusted me.

Their smile widened, teeth just a little too sharp in the low light from the monitors. “I’m not… thebestwith… words. But yeah. Goodto notbe… alone.”

I returned the smile. “It is. Hopefully we run into each other again.” It was good to know there be a familiar face.

“Canstay here.” They nodded, sitting back. “’Till they dragusout least?”

That sounded like a very good idea. I leaned back, yawning and letting my eyes slide closed. In the muffling quiet of the booth the low, barely audible hum of the monitor filled the still air, soft and lulling. My head drifted, leaning against the soft sound-insulating wall as heaviness tugged at my eyes and body. It was peaceful, the quiet and knowing there was someone else sitting here with me. Nice to find someone who didn’t mind the quiet, someone a little less intense than some of the other tributes, friendly as they were.

I didn’t notice falling asleep until a trainer nudged me with his foot, the same one who’d rushed me out of the pool the other day. Silver must have gone sometime before, missing from the booth and the chair displaced as the trainer hauled me up and walked me back to the elevator, cursing under his breath but otherwise indifferent.

“Don’t sleep through your assessment.” He crossed his arms as he waited for the elevator with me. “They’ll send someone when it’s your turn. Shouldn’t be long since you’re from district one.”

I nodded, yawning and trying to shake myself awake. “Do you have any suggestions?” I glanced at him. “For what I should do?”

The trainer frowned. “You know, no one’s ever asked me that.” He thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Not swimming that’s for sure. I doubt anyone’s going to be impressed if you know some birdsong either.” He scrunched his face, tilting his head. “You know, I bet if you tried something flashy even if it wasn’t actually that useful they’d buy it. You know how it is.”

Maybe if I manage to make the lights flicker or something they’d think it was impressive. “I’ll keep that in mind, thanks.”

The elevator doors opened and he nodded towards it. “Well, good luck out there.”

#whg 20 #Asher Sang #Silver #Hugo #Stole him because I thought it would be funny in the scene #hopefully that's okay!

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