#because geologists are interested in rocks you know.

[roach-works]

i feel like there's a rich vein of SOME kind of ore to mine with regards to the romantic woes of visibly "freakish" and inhuman superheros, especially in silver age comics. like, because of the comics code, the writers could not in-universe admit that some people are really kinky and would absolutely nut in an instant if a gigantic alligator man or a living rock monster or a ten foot tall woman who's on fire gave them a little smooch on the head. like maybe most people in the 70s and 80s had no idea this was the case, either!

but so you end up with these romantic plot lines where some poor freakish superhero with a heart of gold and the skin of, i don't know, a bunch of octopi, is miserable because they'll never find true love, except for a totally normal woman has the power to see their inner heart (which is normal) and fall in love with them for that (normally). villains can sometimes be like 'yeah this chick is super into the fact that i'm an eight foot tall deathbot, we're both evil like that' but ben grimm can't get a date! even blind women are a little concerned that he's literally made out of rocks. it never works out because the writers either can't imagine or can't admit that no matter the freak, there's a bigger, hornier freak who's praying for a chance to shoot their shot.

i don't know. it's just interesting. obviously modern comics can acknowledge a lot more sexual variance than the stuff from fifty years ago, but it's just kinda neat to consider the bizarre limitations a heteronormative paradigm enforces on a population of very strange characters.

and also i feel like in real life ben grimm's DMs would be full of incredibly horny geologists going PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE all day long.

#superheros

[stellerssong]

Tell us the sex stone joke

so this joke requires the light setup of, as the Resident Geologist, on any given hike my dad will have been subjected to a light barrage of Hey What's This Rock I Just Picked Up Off The Trail, answers ranging from "that's clearly serpentinite, the state rock of California—note the distinctive gray-green color and soapy texture" to "that's probably a local mudstone" to "that is a piece of concrete" to "that is tanbark."

the joke typically runs as follows:

you, presenting an interesting pebble for identification: hey, what's this rock i just picked up off the trail? my dad, after a few seconds of thoughtful examination: ah, interesting. what you have there is what's known as a "sex stone." you, slightly shocked by the apparent erotic provenance of what you thought was a random rock: oh! okay. i see. thanks. my dad, slyly: would you like to know why they call it that? you: um. yes? my dad: BECAUSE IT'S JUST A FUCKING ROCK.

#chatter #asks #my delight when i achieved an age at which my dad could finally tell me this joke in its uncensored form was notable i have to admit #imagine being the Designated Rock Identifier in a family with curious and scientifically-minded youthes and having this joke in pocket #and knowing if you say the fuck word to them you will immediately be executed by all of your in-laws. so tragic.

[togglesbloggle]

It's interesting to me how much people struggle to intuit differences of scale. Like, years of geology training thinking about very large subjects, and I'm only barely managing it around the edges.

The classic one is, of course, the mantle- everybody has this image of the mantle as a sort of molten magma lake that the Earth's crust is floating on. Which is a pedagogically useful thing! Because the intuitions about how liquids work- forming internal currents, hot sections rising, cool sections sinking, all that- are all dynamics native to the Earth's mantle. We mostly talk about the mantle in the context of those currents, and how they drive things like continental drift, and so we tend to have this metaphor in mind of the mantle as a big magma lake.

The catch, of course, is that the mantle is a solid, not magma. It's just that at very large scales, the distinction between solids and liquids is... squirrely.

When cornered on this, a geologist will tell you that the mantle is 'ductile'. But that's a lie of omission. Because it's not that the mantle is a metal like gold or iron, what we usually think of when we talk about ductility. You couldn't hammer mantle-matter in to horseshoes or nails on an anvil. It's just a rock, really. Peridotite. Chemically it's got a lot of metal atoms in it, which helps, but if you whack a chunk of it with a hammer you can expect about the same thing to happen as if you whacked a chunk of concrete. Really, it's just that any and every rock is made of tons and tons of microcrystal structures all bound together, and the boundaries between these microcrystals can shift under enormous pressure on very slow timescales; when the scope of your question gets big enough, those bonds become weak in a relative sense, and it becomes more useful to think of a rock as more like a pile of gravel where the pebbles can shift and flow around one another.

The blunt fact is, on very large scales of space and of time, almost everything other than perfect crystals start to act kind of like a liquid- and a lot of those do as well. When I made a study of very old Martian craters, I got used to 'eyeballing' the age based on how much the crater had subsided, almost exactly like the ways that ripples in the surface of water gradually subside over time when you throw a rock in to a lake. Just, you know. Slower.

But at the same time, these things are more fragile than you'd believe, and can shatter like glass. The surface of the Earth is like this, too. Absent the kind of overpressures that make the mantle flow like it does, Earth's crust is still tremendously weak relative to many of the planet-scale forces to which it is subject- I was surprised, once, when a professor offhandedly described the crust as having a tensile strength of 'basically zero;' they really thought of the surface as a delicate filigreed bubble of glass that formed like a thin shell, almost too thin to mention, on the outside of a water droplet. On human scales, liquid is the thing that flows, and solid is the thing that breaks. But once stuff gets big or slow or both, the distinction between a solid and a liquid is more that a liquid is the thing that doesn't shatter when it flows. And it all gets really, really vague, which I suppose you'd expect when you get this far outside the contexts in which our languages were crafted.

#absolute transience is the essential nature of things

[homunculus-argument]

If you met someone who was really into, like, idk, elevators, you'd probably first assume that this person is someone who's not only knowledgeable about a wild range of elevators, can name 15 different types of elevators (and the major subtypes of all of them, and all of them have like 10 subtypes and there's more structural nuances than that), is interested in trying out - or at least learning more about - any new type of elevator they hear of, and if you ask them to name their favourite type of elevator, they'd think of so many that they have a hard time choosing just one, and even if they have several least favourite types, that's way less than half the length of the list of the ones they like the best.

If you asked a geologist what their favourite kind of rocks are, they'd start listing them out by cathegories, there's so many different types and they're all really cool and interesting in their own ways. Someone who's really into birds is probably going to have a favourite kind of corvid, owl, parrot and some branches of birds you've never heard of. Everyone who's really into some specific subject generally has a hard time picking their favourite type, because so many kinds are cool in such different ways. And if you know of some different one that they've never heard of, they're intrigued to learn more.

Straight-up nobody who's truly, genuinely, passionately into the subject they claim to be really into will tell you "actually there is just one specific type that's good, these are the exact parametres of what they must be within, and anything that isn't within this narrow range is trash that I hate." This isn't a fan or an enthusiast, but a snob. And probably a poser, who doesn't even really like the thing in general but for some reason would rather present themselves as an expert with a refined taste, than just admitting that they don't actually really even like the thing in general all that much.

I don't get what the kind of men who claim to be some sort of Paragon Manliest Heterosexual Man try to achieve by boasting about how picky they are about women. Like oh, the only women who are even passably attractive to you are within this exact 3-year age range, within these height and weight ranges, education level, religious beliefs, political ideals, and so on? Yeah sorry but you're clearly far less into women than the dude who'll go full Johnny Bravo at any female figure he encounters and is currently shagging women beyond your comprehension.

[indulgentandidiotic]

Renaissance Man (Twisted Wonderland)

Synopsis: It takes a lot to cure your boredom, so you end up catching hobbies and interests like they’re Pokemon. –and how Riddle Rosehearts, Ortho Shroud, Floyd Leech, and Rook Hunt react.

Warnings: Reader is just good at everything idk, talks about specific hobbies to illustrate a point, reader is more artsy (drawing, physical crafts, etc), this is a very big ego stroke have fun, not proofread, verrrrryyyy indulgent :D

GN Reader

.~

Riddle Rosehearts

He finds you so interesting and talented! Because of your vast knowledge on almost any and every topic, plus your fascination with the arts, he had regarded you as someone who was well-cultured and sophisticated. (That’s wasn’t necessarily the case, though.)

You could be talking to him like you’re a geologist who’d been studying their whole life, rambling on and on about how certain rocks form and where they’re found and oh! did you know that pyrite is comprised of and it can come in this many colors and you can find it in beds of and these countries used it for and and-!

Why! You’re just a fountain of knowledge, aren’t you! But then the next time Riddle sees you, instead of imparting your knowledge of rocks or astrology or tree frogs to the Heartslabyul students, you’re playing poker with them and taking their portion of tarts for the next Unbirthday party!

You having so many hobbies and interests makes you fun to be around, though because of you, he’s had a new rule instated: That no one play any card games with you :/ Or any games for that matter, because no matter what gambling with food and pocket change always gets involved, and you somehow always win!

Not only are you a library of information and great at games, you’re also great in arts and crafts. Riddle often sees you in class with a small bag of crocheting supplies, crocheting away during lectures. Sometimes you instead bring embroidery hoops to create patches, other times you make rugs. And on the occasion, Riddle sees you sewing by hand in class. When you’re not in class, you’re creating art at a larger scale. You’re buying clay and paints and canvases from Sam’s store (he sells everything!) and sculpting tea pots or painting the roses or painting the walls in Ramshackle or! 

You seem to pick up anything to keep your hands busy!

Riddle wonders how you can even keep up with your studies with all the other things you’re doing, but you apply the same effort you to do your hobbies to your studies. 

Riddle is very impressed with you all the time. He admires the things you make and how you put so much effort into everything. Whenever you’ve made things you don’t intend on using, you sometimes gift it to him. He keeps all your gifts displayed in his room on his shelves, or when they’re practical, like tea sets, he’ll use them. Heartslabyul has actually saved quite a bit of money from being able to get free new tea sets and dishes from you!

Overall, despite your trying to take advantage of people with your card/gaming skills, Riddle holds you in high regard. He loves to listen to your ramblings, especially when they’re related to things you’ve been learning in class, like history or potionology. He indulges you because smart people and smart people mix well, and he learns a lot from you. 

Ortho Shroud

Ortho is fascinated by you! Yes, he knows basically everything you talk about, but it’s fun to be able to talk about all these things with someone. What’s the point of having so much information stored in your body when there’s no one to talk to? You’ve become an important companion to Ortho, who often stays by your side in class and outside of it, because every moment with you is full of conversation!

He also gets a burst of pride whenever you ask questions about topics you’re exploring. Again, a lot of the info stored in him is stuff he’d never need to use, so it just. Sits there. He’s so happy whenever he has the chance to put it to good use!!

Though he’s knowledgeable, Ortho doesn’t have the most life/hobby experience. Knowing how to do something in theory is wayyyy different from actually doing it. That’s why he’s also happy whenever you play games with him or show him your arts and crafts. It also benefits you, because you get to show off all your cool game-playing strategies with someone who actually cares, and also teach someone how to do the crafts that you love to do!

Because of your teachings, Ortho now has a lot of handmade knitted and sewn plushies and various ceramics that he displays all around Idia’s room. You’ll find weirdly shaped vases next to Idia’s anime figures on the shelves, and thrown on Idia’s bed are interesting little monster(?) plushes, since Ortho was insistent on making his own sewing patterns.

Overall, Ortho likes you a lot! There’s never a dull moment with you, and you both appreciate each other. It’s very refreshing to be in a friendship where both parties are fully engaged in anything and everything the other says and does. Ortho is very glad to have a friend to spend his free time with, as are you. In a place where others may find you weird, it’s nice to have a friend who’s able to keep up with and indulge in your interests.

Floyd Leech

Whereas Riddle and Ortho could sit listening to your infodumps for hoursss, Floyd prefers to do things. He likes you, because you’re not generally a boring person, but you talk about so many things that many of them are bound to be things he’s not interested in. Floyd’s a slippery fellow, so depending on what your current interest is, he may be utterly invested in every word that falls from your lips or he’ll brush you off entirely.

He much prefers to do crafts with you. If you’re painting the walls of Ramshackle, he wants a hand in that! You better be prepared for a huge mess on all the furniture though, despite the fact that you covered everything with tarp. You’ll also have to be okay with a bright, abstract, and textured painting for a wall.

You’ve introduced Floyd to pottery, and he’s in love with it! He can create any shape he wants with just a bunch of clay and water, and the pottery wheel is so whooshhhh and the texture of everything is fun! He hates waiting for things to get fired though, even with magic helping to speed things up. 

As for sewing and the like, those skills require a lot of patience and delicacy. Floyd could definitely create a masterpiece with a bit of yarn and a needle, but he’s gotta be in the mood, ya know? They’re not his favorite hobbies because of that, but he does enjoy watching your fingers skillfully and swiftly crochet a chain or embroider a patch.

Because of the amount of time Floyd spends hanging around you while you’re painting or sculpting etc, he’s gotten quite a few gifts. He’s got a jacket that he sews all the patches you’ve made for him on, most of them having some sort of sea animal embroidered on it. You’ve given him some of the more interesting glasses and bowls you’ve made, that he randomly serves food and drink to the Mostro Lounge’s customers in. Because he’s always showing off the things you’ve made, he’s actually drummed up business for you!

People want to buy plushes and cutlery and dishes and jacket patches and rugs and the whole works from you! Even Azul now wants business with you, especially so if you prove you can cook. 

Overall, Floyd enjoys your company. You’re not a dull shrimp in the slightest! In fact, you’re very colorful ✨ He isn’t always in the mood for your ramblings, but he’s always game for your little shenanigans, whether it be repainting the whole of Ramshackle inside and out, or using your tendency to gamble during card games to persuade some losing customers into a contract.

Rook Hunt

Magnifique! 💖🤯 Your talent makes you all the more beautiful! 😩 It’s so endearing, your passion for the art is!! 💗❤️‍🔥 And your effort and drive can make even a man such as he shiver in awe!!! Needless to say, Rook is in love with you ✨✨

Actually, sometimes it feels like he’s more invested in your hobbies than you are! He’s just all over you when you’re doing things, from something as “mundane” as gardening to something as grand as testing an old potion you’ve found in the back of NRC’s library that should supposedly turn a cookie into a frog. He’s probably the one who told you there was such a book in the first place!! Granted, the reason you took such hobbies up in the first place was just to keep yourself busy… But still! 

He’s a joy to have around, given his eye 👁️ for beauty and his love for lovely things. When you’re indulging in the arts, if you feel your piece is off, he knows exactly what to add or how to fix it! When you’re hitting burnout, he’s either giving you bursts of inspiration or introducing you to new hobbies.

So far, he’s taken you out hunting, taught you how to use a bow, and given you tips on how to do makeup and style outfits. Now you’ve got three more hobbies! 3️⃣ Because of your efforts and Rook’s teachings, even Vil thinks you’ve got some fashion sense! :D !!

Rook’s favorite part about you isn’t your natural talent, though. Yes, it’s impressive how well you pick up new skills and knowledge, but he’s way more invested in how happy you look when doing or talking about these things. When your eyes are sparkling, your words speed up, and your hands start wringing and enhancing your speech… that’s his favorite part about you. He thinks it’s 🌟true beauty~~~🌟

Overall, Rook thinks you’re one of the most interesting people he’s met. He likes engaging you in your hobbies and current interests, and introducing you to his own. Relationships are give-and-take, so as he listens to you, please listen to him 💪 You both are pretty eccentric, so your times together will surely never be bland 👅

.~

Sorry for the cringe man (gn) but like not rlly

#indulgent writing 🍓 #riddle rosehearts #riddle rosehearts x reader #ortho shroud #ortho shroud x reader #floyd leech #floyd leech x reader #rook hunt #rook hunt x reader #twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader

[toboldlygohome]

"Please..."

Mark Watney X Reader

Summary: Nothing could have prepared you for the pain of losing your boyfriend on Sol 6. But you were even less prepared to find out that he didn't die. You left him there. Alone.

Character(s): Mark Watney, Beth Johanssen, Chris Beck, Melissa Lewis, Alex Vogel, Rick Martinez.

Warning(s): Descriptions of grief, Mentions of death, Cursing (lots of it), Mildly sexual themes (nothing explicit), Mentions of malnourishment.

A/N: I absolutely adore The Martian, but I've noticed a criminally low amount of fan content for it, so I decided to make some! I've decided to follow more closely to the book plot rather than the movie (Just because I like the dialogue more and it's more scientifically accurate). However, there will be a couple scenes from the movie sprinkled in just because I thought they were fun. I hope you enjoy!

It was the morning of Sol 6 and you were up early to make some coffee before your EVA mission. The past few days on Mars had been busy, but far more rewarding than you could have ever imagined. You were one of the geologists in the Ares 3 crew, along with Commander Lewis of course. Mars, to you, was a playground of science. A giant sphere of discovery you couldn't wait to explore.

Today's EVA was to gather samples from near the hab. You had seen plenty of rocks on the way in that you needed to overturn almost as much as you needed oxygen to breathe.

You sensed a hand on the small of your back and felt goosebumps trail up your spine. "Morning Y/L/N. Anything to report?" A playful voice proclaimed.

"Other than bland coffee and terrible sleep, nothing of interest~" You turned back and smiled at your boyfriend. He brushed his thumb over a patch of exposed skin on your lower back before pulling his hand away.

"Hey, at least you don't have to sleep under Martinez, bastard was tossing and turning all night." He smirked as he made his own cup. "I'm barely getting by, the only thing keeping me grounded is this bland ass coffee."

You snickered and rolled your eyes. "Poor baby," You teased.

You and Mark Watney had been together for almost three years, in secret of course. NASA isn't exactly fond of sending couples into space where they might throw caution to the wind and procreate in transit. You were professionals, this mission was something you both had been looking forward to since it was announced. But that wouldn't stop the Space Administration from removing you both from Ares 3.

Nobody knew you were together. Not NASA, not your families, not even the crew knew of your relationship. As far as anyone was concerned, you were just great friends (inseparable in fact). You went out for dinners, went on morning jogs together, spent late nights gaming and going over the mission handbook. Everyone knew you confided in one another and worked incredibly as a team. But nobody would have guessed that instead of playing Yahtzee together on your evenings off, Mark was slowly and deliciously making you breathless with his lips, melting you with his touch.

Once the mission actually started, it was much harder than anticipated to cut out the physical affection. There were cameras everywhere on the ship and absolutely no way to hide from them. The only place for privacy was the bathrooms, but you had a rather close call that involved Mark dragging you there under the guise of helping him with his laptop (which obviously earned an eyebrow raise from Johanssen,) only for him to kiss you with the desperation of a man dying of thirst. You were nearly caught by Beck and you both decided not to risk it again. Luckily, you and Watney were a couple of problem solvers.

Instead of kisses, you resorted to touching. A hand on the back, an arm on the shoulder, a nudge of the elbow. Casual touch became your replacement for intimacy.

Mark pulled a smug smile and wrapped his arm around your shoulder. "You know what Y/N, I am a poor baby. But I can think of something that would make me feel better..." He whispered close to your ear. You flushed and playfully shoved him back.

"In your dreams Watney." You scoffed but your hand lingered on his stomach, earning a cheeky grin from the botanist.

"How'd you know?" He laughed, glancing down at your lips briefly. You knew what he was thinking: that it had been awhile and maybe he could risk just a little peck. Mark was a reckless one, that's for sure.

"Guys, quit flirting so loudly. I was trying to get a few minutes extra sleep before Lewis pulls out the bugle," Beck strolled in and grabbed a ration packet.

"Flirting? With him?" You asked incredulously, jabbing your thumb toward Mark.

"And vice versa," Beck shrugged.

"You must be seeing things, maybe we should call a doctor?" Watney sassily took a sip of his drink.

"Hilarious," Beck replied. Chris had been fighting for you and Mark to get together for about as long as you've known him (which is a decent number of years, in case you were wondering.) Little did he know you had already jumped that fence. You felt bad for keeping it from him, but you were sure he'd understand given his thing with Johanssen.

"Oh good, you guys are already up." Lewis sighed "hey, can one of you wake up Martinez? He's not listening to a single word I say."

You gave Watney a sidelong glance. He groaned and downed the rest of his terrible space coffee. "Yeah sure, I can go get the bastard. I'll give him a piece of my mind while I'm at it." Mark stomped off to the bunks and Lewis followed him. You casually sat beside Beck, who gave you a knowing smile.

"You know Chris, it would probably happen on its own if you didn't push it so much." You mumbled against the rim of your cup in an attempt to hide a smile.

"It's obvious he likes you too. Practically written all over his face," Beck said. "Honestly though, you two don't even realize when you're flirting. It's kind of incredible."

You huffed, "Now's not the best time for all that, you know."

"I know, I know. Just, keep it on the table okay?"

"Whatever you say Dr. Beck," You snickered. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an EVA to prep for."

Chris rolled his eyes and poked at the food on his plate, "you're excused."

~~~

"Alright team, stay in sight of each other. Let's make NASA proud today." Lewis announced.

"How's it looking over there Watney?" Martinez asked.

"Well, you'll be happy to hear that in grid section 14/28, the particles are predominantly coarse. But in 29 they're uh... much finer. That should be ideal for chem analysis."

"Oh wow! did everyone hear that? Mark just discovered dirt! Should we alert the media?" Martinez teased. Mark glanced up at you, but you couldn't see his face behind the helmet.

"Hey, you better watch it fly boy. I'm working this grid too!" You laughed.

"Sorry, what are you doing today Martinez? Making sure the MAV is still upright?" You could hear the smirk in Mark's voice.

"Well, I'd like you to know that visual inspection of the equipment is imperative to mission success," Rick preached. "I'd also like to report that the MAV is still upright."

You and Mark giggled as you worked on the grid. "Watney, you're keeping your channel open, which leads to Martinez responding, which leads to all of us listening, which leads to me being annoyed," Lewis scolded halfheartedly.

"Roger that, Martinez the captain would like you to please uh," Mark looked at you for approval and continued. "Shut your smart mouth."

Rick cackled and you playfully nudged Mark on the shoulder.

"We'd prefer you use a different adjective to describe Martinez's mouth." Beck said from inside the Hab, resulting in even more laughter from the rest of the crew.

"Did Beck just insult me?!"

"Dr. Beck and yes!"

"I'm happy to turn the radios off from here commander. Just say the word." Johanssen suggested.

"Johanssen, constant communication is the hallmark-" Watney started.

"Shut him off" Melissa gave the order.

"No-" Johanssen cut him off. Mark tossed his little hammer in the dirt and looked back at the captain like she had just kicked a kitten. You patted the shoulder of his suit and urged him to get back to work.

"I'm sorry for my countrymen, Vogel." Lewis said.

"Accepted," Vogel shrugged and glanced up at the sky. "The storm... It's closer than Houston reported."

"We've got time," Lewis said. "Focus on the task at hand. This EVA's all about chemical analysis. Vogel, you're the chemist so you're in charge of what we dig up."

"Ja, Please dig thirty centimeters and get soil samples. At least one hundred grams each. Very important is thirty centimeters down." Vogel clarified, eyes back on his work.

"Will do, stay within a hundred meters of the Hab," Lewis said.

You worked in peace and quiet for a few minutes. You measured the grid while Mark hammered the grid labels. You could hardly wait to take samples. Mark was right, it was perfect for chem analysis. Unfortunately, your work was short-lived because Johanssen had some bad news.

"Commander, you should come inside. You're gonna want to see this."

"What is it?" Lewis asked.

"Houston has upgraded the storm to 'severe.' It's going to be here in fifteen minutes." Johanssen said.

You perked your head up to get a look at the sky. Already it was getting darker.

"Martinez, how's it looking?" Asked commander Lewis.

"Not good." He said.

After a moment of contemplation, Lewis made her decision. "Back to base."

~~~

The Hab shook and the sound of wind and debris outside only exacerbated the tension within. Lewis commanded everyone to put on their flight suits and you congregated around the screen, wondering if this was the end of your mission.

"Sustained winds over one hundred kilometers per hour now. Gusting to one twenty-five," Johanssen frowned.

"Jesus, we're gonna end up in Oz," Watney said. "What's the abort speed?"

"One fifty kilometers per hour, anymore than that and the MAV's in danger of tipping." Martinez placed his hands on his hips.

"Any predictions on the storm track?" Lewis asked.

"This is the edge of it... It's gonna get worse before it gets better." Johanssen delivered the bad news with confidence. Silence fell over the group and you grabbed Mark's hand. You wished you could feel the warmth, but the gloves on the flight suit acted as a barrier. Watney met your sorrowful eyes. You'd have to end the mission before it even started. He let go of your hand and pressed you into his side. It was over. 25 sols early. You leaned your head against his shoulder and willed the grief to subside.

"Alright, prep for abort. We'll go to the MAV and hope for the best. If the wind gets too high, we launch." Lewis grabbed her helmet.

~~~

Outside the Hab, the wind was disastrous. Mark was nearly swept off his feet by the force of the gusts. He slammed into you, but you managed to keep him on his feet.

"Shit! Thanks." Watney regained his balance.

"Visibility is almost zero. If you get lost, hone in on my suit's telemetry! The wind's gonna be rougher away from the Hab, so be ready!" Lewis warned.

The Ares crew stumbled toward the MAV with ever increasing uncertainty. You had to lean into the wind to avoid being thrown backward. Mark wasn't doing much better. It didn't help that his mind wasn't on getting to the MAV safely, it was on how to keep it upright. Watney was smart, too smart for his own good.

"Hey," Watney panted. "Maybe we could shore up the MAV. Make tipping less likely."

"How?" Lewis Huffed.

"We could use cables from the solar farm as guylines. The rovers could be anchors. The trick would be getting the line around the-"

You choked on your scream as Mark was struck by a massive piece of wreckage, sending him off into the disorienting mist of dust and wind.

"MARK!" You screamed and tried to stumble after him, but you could barely see an inch in front of your helmet.

"What happened?" Lewis said.

"Something hit him!" Johanssen said shakily.

"Watney report..." Lewis said. You listened hard and prayed he'd answer. "Watney, report!" Nothing.

"He's offline, I don't know where he is." Johanssen reported as calmly as she could. You bit back a whimper as you shuffled forward.

"Commander, before we lost telemetry, his decompression alarm went off!" Beck said.

"Shit! Y/L/N, where did you last see him?" Lewis asked.

"H-he was right in front of me and then he was gone," you managed. "He flew off due west" You pointed.

"Okay, Martinez, get to the MAV and prep for launch. Everyone else, home in on Johanssen."

"Dr. Beck, how long can a person survive decompression?" Vogel asked.

"Less than a minute." Beck looked back at you. You could hear the pain in his voice. No. Mark couldn't be... He was just beside you a moment ago.

"Commander, the MAV's got a seven degree tilt. It'll tip at 12.3."

"Copy that."

He's alive, he can't be dead!

"Johanssen, Watney's bio-monitor sent something before going offline. My computer just says 'Bad Packet,'" Beck said.

"Give me a sec," Johanssen said.

"Commander, message from Houston. We're officially scrubbed. The storm's definitely too rough."

"Copy."

"Beck, I have the raw packet!" Johanssen said, "It's plaintext: BP 0, PR 0, TP 36.2. That's as far as I got."

Beck sighed and shook his head. "Blood pressure zero, pulse rate zero, temperature normal..."

Your chest tightened and your eyes burned. "Temperature normal?" You asked hopefully.

"It takes a while for the-" Beck swallowed. "It takes awhile to cool."

"Commander, tilting at 10.5 degrees now, with gusts pushing it to 11." Martinez reported.

"Copy, if it tips, launch."

"What about you commander?"

"I'm going to search a little more."

"You really think I'll leave you behind?" Martinez asked.

"I just ordered you to. You four, get to the ship." Lewis replied.

"Let me help search commander, we'll find him faster if we-" Lewis cut you off.

"That's an order, Y/L/N. Go."

Beck nudged you forward. You reluctantly allowed him to.

"Johanssen, would the rover IR camera do any good?"

"Negative. IR can't get through sand any better than visible light."

"What about the proximity radar? Could it detect Watney's suit?"

"No way. It's made to see Hermes, not the metal in a single space suit."

"Give it a try," Lewis ordered.

"Commander, I know you don't want to hear this... but Wat-... Mark's dead." Beck said.

No.

No.

Please...

Everything around you was a blur. You went through the motions from training. Strapping yourself in, readying your station, waiting for launch. You couldn't look at the empty seat beside you. You couldn't think about anything but your job right now, If you allowed your thoughts to that dark place, you'd have to be dragged along by the rest of the crew.

You couldn't do that to them. Not now.

Lewis returned to the ship and strapped herself in. "Still at pilot-release," Martinez said softly. "Ready for launch."

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

"I'm sorry Commander, you need to verbally-"

"Launch."

You felt the bone-crushing power of ascent. The g's did nothing but forcefully push the tears from your eyes.

You wish it would have been you.

~~~

Mark Watney closed out of the mission log application and stared at the computer screen for a few minutes. He couldn't fathom the hopelessness he was feeling, it was too deep to swim out of. What else was there to do but sit and wait to die? Maybe it would be easier to just go into the airlock and open the doors!

Watney turned his head to a picture of you on the wall behind the computer. It was there among other pictures of the crew and their families. You were standing with your brother in front of one of those rickety wooden roller coasters at Six Flags. He felt a painful twinge in his chest. You thought he was dead and there was no way to tell you otherwise.

He was completely alone, had the whole goddamned planet to himself. Mark rubbed his hands over his face. "Fuck..." he said. "Fuck!" he pulled at the hair on his head before looking up at the picture again. He wished he would have kissed you. He wanted to that morning when you were sharing coffee. He should have said he loved you. Mark hadn't said it in so long.

He knew you like the back of his hand. You were blaming yourself. Everyone in the crew was probably doing the same. He could barely stomach the thought.

Mark grabbed the picture from the wall and shuffled to the bunks. He was so tired and in a lot of pain from the stupid antenna. He was about to settle into his bed, when his eyes landed on yours. After a moment of deliberation, he hobbled into your bunk and pulled the covers up to his chin. It still smelled like you. He buried his face into your pillow and cried.

~~~

You sat in the dining area in the Hermes, watching as the windows slowly spun around. It had been about a week since the incident and you weren't sure you had any more tears left to cry. You did your best to keep on task during your waking hours, only allowing yourself to feel when everyone else was either asleep or taking the piloting shift.

Your fingers drummed lightly against the table, mingling with the beeps, boops, groans, and hums of the ship keeping you safe from the unforgiving vacuum of space. You thought about a lot of things. About Mark, his parents, the house he wanted so badly to buy, his favorite music, his plants growing in the botany lab... The one thing you didn't want to think about was his body, how it would be buried by sand and dust within the year, how Mars would never let it decay. You tried not to think about how if you had just reached for him, maybe he'd still be alive.

"Y/N?" A familiar German accent spoke. You tensed and dared a glance back at Vogel.

"Hey, what's up?" You plastered a grin on your face.

"I have noticed you've not been sleeping. You are... Okay?" He asked, lumbering closer. He was clearly very tired and you felt terrible he was here worrying about you instead of getting some much deserved rest.

"Yeah... Yeah I'm okay Alex, just... Can't sleep." You sighed.

"Have you spoken to doctor Beck? I am sure we have sleep medication on board."

"Oh I know... I just don't really want to bother him, you know? I mean, we're all going through it right now..." You shifted under his gaze.

"You are having bad dreams," Vogel stated. "You're afraid if you sleep, they will come back."

"How could you tell?" You peeked tiredly up at him.

"My little monkeys... before I left, some of them had bad dreams. A father can always tell." He sat down beside you at the table.

You felt your eyes burning again. You hadn't dared ask for comfort from your crew mates, not even Chris. Now that you were receiving it, you wished you had asked for it long ago. There was a hellish cocktail of emotions running through you: relief, sadness, safety, longing, despair. You were so relieved that Alex was here. You were sad to think about how deeply his loved ones must be missing him. You thought about what Alex said about his "little monkeys." Mark would have made a great father if he'd only had the chance.

"You love him. Very much," Vogel said.

"I did..." You whispered.

"You do." Alex grabbed your hand and the tears poured from your eyes. "You do..."

"I do," You let out a choked sob. Vogel pulled you into a gentle hug.

"This pain of loss we feel... It will never go away. But it will get easier to live with as time goes by. This, I promise is true."

"Thank you Alex." You whispered.

"You're welcome..." He patted your back and pulled away. "Now, shall we try some rest?"

"I'll try," you put on a brave face.

"And- what is it?-" He thought aloud. "When first you don't succeed-"

"Try try again," You said with a sad smile. "Words to live by."

~~~

LOG ENTRY: SOL 23

So, I'm still brain storming the whole, "Mark Watney can only really make his potato farm last 90 days," problem. Can't say It's going too well. I'm surrounded by the stench of my own shit. Kinda distracting.

I've made the executive decision to take a long overdue break out in the rover. Sure, logically I know I should probably utilize every spare second on planning my survival right down to the last drop of water, but riddle me this: just who is gonna stop me? Not NASA, that's for sure.

It's funny. I came into the rover to escape the rancid poop smell, but it seems to have followed me. Turns out, I was the poop smell all along! If Y/N were here, they would have forcibly shoved into the shower. They'd say something like... "Don't even think about touching me until you smell like ocean breeze!" (What does ocean breeze even smell like? How do you smell a breeze?...)There are few things in life Y/N hates more than stink. Me being on Mars is probably one of them.

What I would give to see you right now. Even just a dream would be nice, but I guess that's asking too much.

I miss my parents a lot. Maybe that's an understatement. I haven't really let myself think about it, but sitting here in this cramped rover really has my mind wandering. I really should have told them about Y/N. Maybe if things don't work out for me, they could confide in each other.

I don't have much else to say. The calculations aren't done and quite frankly, I'm depressed.

I'll probably scrub this log from the system, It's kind of a downer.

~~~

You had been doing better. Getting at least 6 hours of sleep a day was an accomplishment and you were eating your meals, but a certain date on the calendar was growing closer. You made yourself busier and busier, but no amount of work would keep this day from coming.

LOG ENTRY: SOL 62

On Earth it's January 8th, which is a very special day. Our anniversary! It's official, we've been together for three years! Yeah, yeah I hear you. These logs are for work purposes only, but I promise no one's gonna see this one. Not even you.

I think about that day a lot. It was freezing outside and snowing everywhere. I don't even remember why we walked to the cafe that day, but I'm thankful for it. You were holding your hot cup so tightly and your coat wasn't nearly thick enough for the weather. You were complaining that the snow came early and I laughed at you.

I think we both knew for a long time that this would happen. A year at least. We kept ourselves just at arms length, on the brink of lovers without ever crossing that line. We never discussed it before, but we knew once the mission was over, we'd do it. We'd take that step.

I had wanted to kiss you all day. Want isn't really the word for it. How about craved. Desired? Yearned~

I wrapped my coat around you and you complained again, said that I'd catch a cold and it would all be your fault. The way you looked at me... Still gives me chills when I think about it. It's like I'm still standing on that sidewalk, snowflakes landing on my nose.

I told you, "I can think of something that'll warm us both up..."

You said, "Then what are you waiting for?"

I was right of course. I always am. I just didn't expect you to be so... magnetizing! Like damn babe, you had me weak in the knees! (What am I, a Disney princess?)

I'll be back with you someday. It'll be your anniversary present from me. You're welcome in advance. XOXO - World's Handsomest Boyfriend.

-P.S. You left your deodorant in the Hab. I've been using it. Totally not creepy.

-P.P.S. Who's the stinky one now?

-P.P.P.S. You better be prepared, when I get off this wasteland of a planet, I'm making up for lost time. You aren't gonna be able to walk for AT LEAST a week.

-P.P.P.P.S. I was talking about CUDDLING you perv~

(or was I? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°))

~~~

This had to be one of the greatest days in Mark Watney's life.

Contact.

Sweet, sweet contact!

[11:18]JPL: Mark, This is Venkat Kapoor. We've been watching you since Sol 49. The whole world's been rooting for you. Amazing job, getting Pathfinder. We're working on rescue plans. JPL is adjusting Ares 4's MDV to do a short overland flight. They'll pick you up, then take you with them to Schiaparelli. We're putting together a supply mission to keep you fed until Ares 4 arrives.

Watney could hardly believe it! Everything was working! They had known he was alive since Sol 49! His eyes were brimming and his breathing came out in short gasps as he fought to control himself. He used to take messages for granted, now they're the only tether he has to humanity.

He's not alone anymore.

His hands shook as he wrote out his message.

[11:29]Watney: Glad to hear it. Really looking forward to not dying. I want to make it clear it wasn't the crew's fault. What did they say when they found out I was alive?

Mark shifted in his seat. The reply was taking a bit longer than expected. He hadn't talked to anyone in so long. The thought of being so close, only to fail right in the beginning was terrifying. He wasn't sure he could survive that kind of disappointment.

[11:48]JPL: We haven't told the crew you're alive yet. We wanted them to focus on their own mission.

What. The. Fuck.

Mark covered his face with his hands and released a frustrated groan. "You've got to be shitting me!"

You didn't know. You didn't know he was alive.

"What the fuck? Wha... What the fuck?!" He took a shaky breath and wrestled with his frustration.

[12:05]Watney: They don't know I'm alive? What the fuck? WTF? Seriously! What the fuck is wrong with you?

[12:23]JPL: Please watch your language. Everything you type is being broadcast live all over the entire world.

They did not just say that.

After everything he has been through, there is no way JPL just told him to watch his language.

So, that's how they want to play it, huh?

[12:42]Watney: Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck shit fuck shit fuck! Fuck fuckity fuckfuckfuck! Oh look! A pair of boobs!-> (.Y.) How's that for watching my language, you goddamned bureaucratic felchers!

NASA got the message loud and clear.

~~~

Four months passed and you fell into a routine. Wake up, eat, work, sleep, repeat. It was predictable, which was something you were thankful for.

You took on Watney's role as the ship's botanist. You weren't as good as him, but really, who was? You couldn't match his skill even if you tried. Still, you followed all of his experiments. Took diligent notes and snapped as many pictures as you could.

Martinez joked that you took better care of the plants than yourself. It was one of those jokes meant to expose an underlying issue: You weren't looking after yourself. There was a shadow hanging over everything you did. The crew was experiencing it too. Mark Watney was one of a kind. Everyone he touched felt his loss so viscerally, so deeply.

You needed time, just like Vogel said. But that didn't mean everyone had to be okay with you beating yourself up like this.

Lewis knew better than anyone how you were feeling. As the Commander, she should have tried a little harder. And you... You were right there in arm's reach. Yes, Lewis knew how you felt only too well.

You heard a faint Knock in the doorway. You looked up from the camera and met Beck's eyes.

"Data dump will be completed soon. Care to join?" He smiled.

You managed a smile back, "Yeah, sure. I'm hoping I got something from my siblings. Maybe my niece and nephew too." You strapped the camera to the wall so it wouldn't float away, then you pushed yourself toward your crewmate.

"How about your parents?" He asked.

"Oh, that's a given. I can't get them to leave me alone," you chuckled.

You floated down to Semicone-A, where everyone else was already waiting for the data dump.

"Is it here yet?" Beck asked.

"Almost, it's at ninety-eight percent." Johanssen shot him a grin.

"You're looking cheerful, Martinez," Beck laughed.

"My son turned three yesterday." He beamed. Should be some pics of the party. How about you?"

"Oh, nothing special. Just some peer reviews of a paper I wrote a few years back."

"Complete," Johanssen said. "All the personal e-mails are dispatched to your laptops. Also there's a telemetry update for Vogel and a system update for me....Huh.... There's a voice message addressed to the whole crew."

"Play it." Lewis shrugged. Everyone gathered around the screen as Beth pressed play.

"Hermes, this is Mitch Henderson," the message started.

"Henderson? Talking directly to us without CAPCOM?"

Lewis raised her hand to signal silence.

"I have some news. There's no subtle way to put this:.....Mark Watney's still alive."

Your stomach dropped.

"Wha-" Beck choked.

"I know that's a surprise. And I know you'll have a lot of questions. We're going to answer those questions. But for now I'll just give you the basics. He's alive and healthy. We found out two months ago and decided not to tell you. I was strongly against all that. We're telling you now because we finally have communication with him and a viable rescue plan. It boils down to Ares 4 picking him up with a modified MDV. We'll get you a full write-up of what happened, but it's definitely not your fault. Mark stresses that every time it comes up."

You clenched your eyes shut as they burned painfully with tears.

"Take some time to absorb this. Your science schedules are cleared for tomorrow. Send all the questions you want and we'll answer them. Henderson out."

Silence fell over the bridge.

"He...He's alive?" Martinez beamed.

"He lives." Vogel nodded excitedly and squeezed your shoulder.

"Holy shit!" Beck laughed. "Holy shit! Commander! He's alive!"

"I left him behind," Lewis muttered.

You covered your eyes with your hands, fighting to stay quiet.

"No, hey... we all left togeth-"

"You followed orders...I left him behind. In a barren, unreachable, godforsaken wasteland." Lewis scowled and trudged off the bridge.

Everyone stood around the console. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.

"Y/N?" Chris asked softly.

"Are you okay?" Beth added.

You shook your head. You couldn't look at any of them right now.

"I need a minute..." you said softly before hurrying back out of the Semicone. You retreated back to the comfort of the botany lab. It was all so much to process.

First Mark is dead, you left him behind to die. Then Mark is alive, you left him behind to die. He doesn't want you to blame yourselves, it was terrible luck. He's healthy. He can contact Earth. Mars is a desolate planet. He's all alone. On an entire planet. You left him there. He will never be safe until he's back on Earth soil. It will be four years until Ares 4 arrives.

He will be alone on Mars for four years.

You left him there.

~~~

Y/N,

I'm typing this letter to you because talking to you relaxes me. I won't actually be sending this to you. It's not going to be professional in nature like the other notes I've sent you. (JPL says that you have received all of them, but have neglected to send me any of your responses. The only one I have gotten from any of the crew was one from Lewis. She invited me for beer to make up for leaving me on Mars.)

Anyway, some bad stuff happened. I wish you were here. Not because I want you to have been launched by an airlock. Never that. I just really fucking miss you. I really need you right now. I almost died last night. I had to do some serious surgery on my suit to keep me alive and I had to sift through the dilapidated remnants of the Hab to find a new one.

I'm so tired. I just want you to hold me. I'm so sick of all of this. Fuck Mars, Fuck the Hab. I'm so sick and tired of getting my hopes up and being disappointed. I miss you so much. You make every one of my bad days good. I know if you were here, everything would be okay again.

Why did this have to happen?

Mars keeps throwing curve balls at me, but I'm not giving up. I've got a lot to look forward to and I'm trying to focus on that.

-Mark

P.S. Your bed stopped smelling like you a month ago.

~~~

The crew of Ares 3 met in the Rec. A secret message had arrived not even an hour ago. One that would alter their mission by 533 extra days.

"Are we going to do it?" Johanssen asked.

"I won't lie, I'd sure as hell like to. But this isn't a normal decision. This is something NASA expressly rejected. We're talking about mutiny. And that's not a word I throw around lightly," Lewis explained. "We'll only do it if we all agree. And before you answer, consider the consequences. If we mess up the supply rendezvous, we die. If we mess up the Earth gravity assist, we die. If we do everything correctly, we add 533 days to our mission. 533 days of unplanned space travel where anything could go wrong. Maintenance will be a hassle. Something might break that we can't fix. If it's life-critical, we die."

"Sign me up!" Martinez announced, causing you to smile. At least someone else was as enthusiastic to bring Mark home as you were.

"Easy, cowboy. You and I are military. There's a good chance we'd be court-martialed when we get home. As for the rest of you, I guarantee they'll never send you up again," Lewis said.

"If we do this," Vogel looked to you and back at Lewis. "It would mean over one thousand days of space. This is enough space for a life. I do not need to return."

You couldn't have possibly said it better yourself. It was like Alex was reading your mind.

"Sounds like Vogel's in. Me too obviously," Martinez laughed.

"Let's do it," Beck agreed.

"If you think it'll work, I trust you," Johanssen said.

Lewis nodded and turned to you. "Y/L/N?"

"You don't even need to ask me. Let's go get our boy," You smiled.

Wow. This is the first time you've smiled... a real smile, since leaving Mars.

'Hang in there babe,' You thought. 'I'm on my way.'

~~~

LOG ENTRY: SOL 192-2

Yep, another secret letter do my dear, long lost love~ How predictable. I don't really care, today's been a great day. I can't believe you're coming back for me! Here I was, thinking I'd have to survive without you for four years. Then there you go, riding in from the sunset to bring me home.

Logically I know the rest of the crew had something to do with it, but I kind of like the idea that maybe I am a Disney princess and you're my knight in shining armor coming to rescue me.

It's like the story of Rapunzel, except my tower is a whole planet and instead of catching my hair, you're catching my MAV. Now that I think about it, the stories are more different than they are similar.

That hardly matters though, what does matter is that for the first time I actually feel like I'll survive. I trust our team with every fiber of my being, but most of all I trust you. I'm gonna rest easy tonight. And in the morning I'll start my work on the rovers!

See you in about a year babe! I'll be counting down the hours. Literally.

LOG ENTRY: SOL 426

Happy anniversary Y/N! You thought I'd forget? Never! You know why that is? Because I fucking love you, that's why!

Four years we've been together as of today, that's assuming we are counting the year we've been apart as "being together", (which I do.) Today I'm really beating myself up over frying Pathfinder with my drill all those months ago. It was my only form of communication with you and I royally fucked it up.

You'd think that cutting myself off from Earth, NASA and humanity at large would be what upset me the most. Nope, it's the fact that I can't send you a super sneaky secret anniversary e-mail. I also missed my parents' birthdays, your birthday, Christmas AND Thanksgiving. Twice. Also, fucking Valentine's day! I used to hate that holiday before I met you.

Anyway, as you can see, I totally have all my priorities in order! Also! I got you a present~ Since you have no way to read this, I don't feel bad spoiling it for you. I found a little rock. It's in the shape of a heart.

Awwww wow! That's cute, I just realized that I'm giving you my heart for our anniversary! To be honest, you had it a long time ago.

I miss you. I miss your smell, your eyes, the feel of your skin. Most of all, I really, really miss your voice. I just want to hear you. I've forgotten what you sound like. I'm scared If I didn't have this picture of you and your brother, I'd forget what your face looks like too.

I'm starting my long commute to Schiaparelli in 23 days. It'll be a two month drive. I really hate driving in the rover. But if it gets me to you, who cares? I'm stalling. I've got a lot of work tomorrow and I just want to enjoy today. I wish I was there with you to enjoy it obviously, but we can't all get what we want (least of all, me.) I've learned how to settle.

Speaking of settling, what do you think about getting married in the woods, or a big grassy field? I'd like there to be as much green as possible. No red or orange, we're talking the opposite side of the color wheel here. I can picture you walking down the aisle. I'll be an absolute mess, but who cares. You're the love of my life. Thanks for, y'know, coming back to pick me up instead of leaving me to die on Mars.

I hope you like the rock.

-Mark

P.S. I grew a beard and my hair looks like the 80's had a baby with a grease monster. You'd hate it.

P.P.S. I hope you're into pirates~

P.P.P.S. Y/N Watney... Mark Y/L/N... hmmmmm, so hard to choose!

P.P.P.P.S. We are never eating potatoes again.

P.P.P.P.P.S And ABSOLUTELY NO DISCO MUSIC!

~~~

You stared at Mars creeping back into view. The last time you were here, Mark was sitting beside you, arm around your waist, your head on his shoulder. Maybe it wasn't your most subtle of moments, but how could anyone not be enthralled by the beauty of the red planet? Even now it was hard not to feel stricken with wonder.

Sometimes your mind played tricks on you. You'd see a speck of dust on the window and think you could see Watney on the surface. That was ridiculous of course, There is no possible way to see an individual person this far out. That didn't stop you from imagining it.

NASA had briefed everyone on the Martian's health, explained that he wouldn't look the same as the last time you saw him. You expected as much, but the thought still worried you. It wasn't that you were worried if you'd still find him attractive, there was no force on Earth or beyond that could change how much you loved Mark Watney. It was his health that worried you.

During all your back and forth questions with NASA that Henderson had arranged, you inquired about his health. They said he was doing well, but that he was stretching his little amount of food to its limits. That's what scared you the most. How would his immune system fare? How would he acclimate back to normal food on Earth? All of these questions went unanswered. NASA was honest, "we won't know for sure until he gets here."

"Mind if I join you?" Lewis asked softly, floating a short distance away.

"Of course Commander. I'd like the company," You said. It was surprising to realize you actually meant it. It'd been awhile since you wanted to spend time with anyone.

Melissa floated further into the cupola and settled beside you.

"Crazy to think that in a few days he'll be up here with us again..." Lewis said softly.

"Yeah..." you said softly, keeping your eyes ahead.

"I know how much you miss him... You two were always great friends."

You swallowed hard and tried to ignore the pit in your stomach as you nodded. "Yeah..."

You could see Lewis looking at you out of the corner of your eye. Her expression was conflicted. "I'm really sorry this happened. I know it's been hard on you. I should have searched a little longer-"

"Commander." You stopped her from continuing. "You did all you could. You made the right decision. I wish none of this had happened, but none of this was your fault. It couldn't have been easy to make the choice, and I'm willing to bet that if I were in your shoes, I wouldn't have been strong enough to do it. I'm sure everyone else feels the same exact way, Mark included." You placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, that's... Thank you," Melissa smiled.

"We're a team, that's what we do. We keep each other grounded."

"That's actually sort of what I wanted to talk to you about..."

"What do you mean?"

"NASA just sent the message a few minutes ago. They're letting us talk to Watney... Directly," Lewis said. You blinked in surprise. No matter how many times you asked, NASA wouldn't allow any kind of direct communication. You wondered why the sudden change of heart.

"Henderson thinks we need to remind him of what he has to look forward to, keep his eyes on the prize so to speak. At least, that's how he's been pitching it to the director. Anyway, the rest of the crew and I agree you should be the one to do it," she finished.

"R-really? I can talk to him?" You asked hopefully, hoping this wasn't a dream.

"Y/N, I can't think of anyone else he would need to hear from more."

~~~

Mark was waiting by the coms in the MAV for any final updates from NASA regarding the meticulous destruction of his ship, piece by piece. He had just finished taking out the main window and it was heavy as hell, even in Mars gravity. He was happy he at least had some time to rest after all that hard work. If he was lucky, maybe they'd wait too long and it would be too dark to get any work done. He could use a good sleep, it seemed like he was needing it more and more lately. Watney suddenly heard the telltale beeps that signaled an incoming message. He was expecting a barrage of questions about his progress, instead he got something so much better.

[19:22] Y/L/N: Hey, Mark.

Mark's voice got caught in his throat.

Y/N.

It had been so fucking long since he talked to you. His eyes burned and his hands shook. Watney leaned his head back in relief, thanking god for this incredible gift. "I just about gave up on you man..." Mark smiled to the sky before nervously typing back.

[19:23] MAV: Y/N!? Holy crap! They're finally letting you talk to me directly?

You released a sigh and covered your face with your hands. He was responding! Really responding! Everyone was looking at you. Beck beamed at you while Martinez watched on with interest. Lewis was waiting to see if you could handle it. No way you were gonna let this one chance slip through your fingers. You sniffed and wiped your eyes before responding.

[19:24] Y/L/N: Yes, NASA just gave the OK for direct communication an hour ago. We're only 35 light-seconds apart, so we can talk in near-real time. Johanssen just set up the system and I'm testing it out.

Mark sighed and smiled. Level headed and professional as always. How you had such self control, he had no idea.

[19:24] MAV: What took them so long to let us talk?

You looked up at Lewis, silently asking if you could relay the truth. She nodded.

[19:25] Y/L/N: The psych team was worried about personality conflicts. [19:25] MAV: Why? Just 'cause you guys abandoned me on a godforsaken planet with no chance of survival?

Mark typed without thinking and as soon as he hit send, he regretted it. He didn't want you to feel bad, It was a joke. You'd understand that right?

[19:26] Y/L/N: Not funny. Don't make me come down there and kick you.

Watney let out a choked laugh. Half a chuckle and half a sob.

[19:26] MAV: God I missed you.

You smiled at the screen and pushed down the urge to hug Martinez behind you. You were really talking to him! He was only 35 light-seconds away! Suddenly you realized you were blessed with an opportunity even more amazing than just talking with him. You could ask him what you had been asking in all of your disregarded emails!

[19:27] Y/L/N: We missed you too. I've had to take over the botany lab. You'll be happy to know I haven't killed any of your plants...Yet. How are you feeling? We've gotten a few updates from NASA regarding your health, but nothing in incredible detail.

Watney chuckled at the text appearing in front of him. 'Cute,' he thought.

[19:27] MAV: Awwww, are you worried about me?

The crew laughed and you shook your head, swiftly adding your response.

[19:28] Y/L/N: Do I really need to answer that?

Mark snickered and decided not to tease you. He wanted to tell you all of his woes and adequately prepare you for how much he had changed. But he didn't want to put a damper on the mood. Luckily, Watney was a master at sugarcoating.

[19:29] MAV: I'm doing okay. My clothing feels a little loose and I'm craving spaghetti. I'm also in desperate need of a shower. Other than that, I'm just fine. Looking forward to seeing you and the rest of the crew.

Your smile fell. You were happy he was being at least somewhat honest, but you knew it was probably worse than he was making out to be. Unfortunately, Watney was a master at sugarcoating.

[19:29] Y/L/N: We're looking forward to seeing you too. I think it's safe to say a big group hug is in order, if I can get Vogel in on it that is.

Watney hummed at the thought of holding you in his arms. The image was so clear, yet so far away.

[19:30] MAV: At this point, I'd even settle for holding hands. Group hug sounds nice. How are you doing Y/N? I wrote you a lot of emails.

You grimaced and thought your next words through very carefully. With the crew watching, it was hard to collect your thoughts.

[19:31] Y/L/N: I wrote you plenty of my own. There was only so much air time to be used outside of helping you survive. My guess is they put priority on Commander Lewis' emails. Rightfully so of course. I'm doing fine. I've missed you a lot. To be honest, a lot is probably a huge understatement. It's hard to express exactly what I want to say over message.

Mark nodded. You watched him presumably die, leave his 'body' behind, mourn his loss over a period of months, find out you left him there alive, be unable to talk to him for about a year, and suddenly he was here reading and responding to your messages, but you have to limit the details so as to keep those private thoughts private. He couldn't imagine what he would do if the roles were reversed. What you wanted to say needed to be kept between you and him. He understood. There was a lot he wanted to say too.

[19:32] MAV: I know what you mean. I'll be there soon, then you can tell me all about it in person. And I'll tell you all about my space crops and my long voyage to the MAV. Have I mentioned I'm a space pirate?

The crew laughed and for a moment, it felt like he was there. Really there.

[19:33] Y/L/N: Good to know you're still the funniest person on Mars. [19:33] MAV: Thanks! [19:33] MAV: Wait a minute! Rude! Don't make me come up there! [19:34] Y/L/N: Don't threaten me with a good time, Watney. [19:34] MAV: ;)

You were about to make some really elaborate emoji out of parentheses and dots, when you saw a notification from NASA. Playtime was over. You scowled as you broke the news to your boyfriend.

[19:34] Y/L/N: I hate to cut this short, but NASA wants us to keep the line open. We'll be in touch asking for updates on your progress, but don't expect too much witty banter.

Mark's heart sank a little, but there was no use in leaving such a perfect night on a sour note.

[19:35] MAV: Figures. NASA never lets me do anything fun! Tell the others I said hi. [19:36] Y/L/N: I'll be sure to pass it along!

Mark's leg tapped nervously. He knew NASA was right about keeping the line open, but he really didn't want it to end yet.

[19:36] MAV: Hey, thanks for coming to get my sorry ass. [19:36] Y/L/N: No thanks necessary. We'd do it a million times over.

Watney knew you meant it. He could feel the warmth through the bland MAV text on the screen. He couldn't wait to be up there with you...But what if something went wrong? Fuck, don't think about this now! Everything's going to be fine! Right? But what if... There was always a chance, especially on Mars, that things would not go your way. And the likelihood of him surviving this mission was slim at best. He needed to tell you. He should have said it a lot more. A whisper here and there in the hallways, maybe some stupid middle school secret code. Like hell he was going to pass up this one chance, consequences be damned.

[19:37] MAV: I love you, Y/N.

Your heart lurched in your chest. The room fell silent. Martinez lightly squeezed your shoulder. Your eyes flitted around the room to your colleagues. All of them stared with bewildered looks on their faces. What were you supposed to say? What if you got him in trouble? If he was worried about that, why would he send this in the first place?

'You know what, Fuck it,' you thought.

Watney watched the screen with baited breath. "Please..." He whispered. "Please."

[19:38] Y/L/N: I love you too Mark. Sleep well, we'll be there before you know it.

Mark released a cry of joy and typed through the tears.

[19:39] MAV: You too. Goodnight. [19:39] Y/L/N: Goodnight, Mark.

The line received no new messages after that. Mark rested there a moment before retreating back to the rover. Once the airlock had engaged, he removed his helmet and admired the picture of you and your brother he had taped to the rover computer.

He used to take those words for granted. Why say it when you could show it? He showed it to you as often as he could... At least he used to. You never made him question it for a second. You gave him compliments, brought him water on late nights, listened to his nerdy ramblings about plants and D&D. He'd help you to bed when you were too tired to stand, work out the knots in your shoulders while you typed. Over a year has passed and your grip on his heart is still firm. And when you said those three little words, all of it made sense again. Mark Watney would never again question the power of I love you. He was going to remind you every chance he got. He was going to ask you for it as often as possible. His mom and dad would hear it in every phone call, and no more excluding his friends. He loved them too. He would say it until the term loses all meaning, then he'd remember this night where I love you saved his life.

Mark took off his gloves and danced his thin fingers over the photograph.

"See you soon, baby..." He whispered, "I love you."

~~~

You pulled on your headset and took a deep, self soothing breath. In an hour, the love of your life was going to be launched into Mars's orbit in what could barely be considered a MAV. The thing was a Frankenstein version of the shuttle you had taken off the planet nearly two years ago.

You shook your head. What Mark needed right now was confidence. You could do that.

"How you feeling Y/L/N?" Martinez smiled over at you.

"Like I'm gonna throw up," You laughed.

"Anxious huh?" He smirked, "For the launch, or for your man?"

"Both," You smacked his arm and rolled your eyes. Martinez and Beck hadn't stopped giving you crap for the I love you texts. You didn't mind too much, it was nice being able to acknowledge that side of your relationship with Mark. Unfortunately it made for some rather awkward conversations with the NASA administrators.

"You got nothing to worry about, he's in good hands," Rick said reassuringly.

"I know, we're all badass trained professionals with years of experience," you chuckled. "I can't help it. I'm built to worry."

"You've checked and double checked the telemetry. Johanssen confirmed all of your calculations. It's going to be a smooth ride for sure."

"I'll believe it when I see it."

//////////

Mark scowled at his reflection in the mirror and stroked his beard. He looked like shit, no way around it. He hadn't taken a moment to really look at himself for a long time and he couldn't say he liked what he saw.

"It's the end of an era," Watney said to nobody as he grabbed the razor. "No more captain blonde-beard."

Mark took his time shaving his chin and trimming the hair on his head. By the end of it, he still looked like shit but slightly less so. He felt a little more like himself at least.

He patted his chest to make sure the picture was still there, tucked under his uniform. It was there, along with his anniversary present to you. He slipped the headset over his ears and turned it on. It was nearly time to go. Watney pulled the suit on over his head and double checked if it was all on securely.

"I'm leaving Mars today, one way or another..." He whispered. "About fucking time."

//////////

"Fuel engine green," Your voice seemed to cause time itself to slow down. Not just for Mark, but for the entire world. "Engine alignment, perfect." Mark closed his eyes took a series of deep breaths, trying in vain to keep his emotions in check. "Communications five by five. We are ready for preflight checklist, Commander."

"Copy." Lewis said. "Mission Control, this is Hermes actual. We will proceed on schedule. we have T minus two minutes, ten seconds to launch... Mark." The commander turned her attention to the man of the hour. "About two minutes Watney. How you doing down there?"

"I'm good." He swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat. "I'm anxious to get up to you. Thanks for coming back for me."

You sniffed and shot a smile to Johanssen, who sent you a grin of her own.

"We're going to make it happen. Remember, You'll be pulling some pretty heavy g's. It's okay if you pass out. You're in Martinez's hands."

"Well, tell that asshole no barrel rolls."

"Copy that, MAV."

"CAPCOM."

"Go," you said.

Mark's bottom lip quivered

"Guidance."

"Go," Johanssen said.

"Remote Command."

"Go," Martinez said.

"Telemetry."

"Go," you said again.

He couldn't fight it anymore, he let the tears fall.

"Recovery."

"Go," Beck said.

"Secondary Recovery."

"Go," Vogel said.

"Pilot."

Mark steadied his voice before speaking, "go."

"Mission control, we are go for launch. T minus ten," You said.

"Nine."

"Eight."

"Seven."

"Six."

"Five."

Mark closed his eyes and focused on your voice. "See you in a few, baby..." He whispered.

"Four."

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

The force of the blast was incredible, and growing more painful by the second. His breathing came out short and panicked as the Hab canvas rattled nightmarishly against the MAV. His panic only increased as the canvas ripped from the shuttle, exposing him to the full force of the MAV's thrust. He couldn't even scream. All he could do was watch the sky grow darker and darker.

"Watney." He heard your voice from far away.

"Watney, do you read me?" Your voice called again. His eyes drooped and his vision faded.

//////////

"Watney. Do you read?" You asked in the calmest voice you could muster.

"He's probably passed out. He pulled 12 g's on the ascent. Give him a few minutes," Beck said.

"Copy that." You said and turned your attention on the numbers before you. "I have interval pings. Intercept velocity will be eleven meters per second."

"I can make that work," Beck confirmed.

"Distance at intercept will be....we'll be sixty-eight kilometers apart..." You whimpered and buried your face in your hands.

"Did they say sixty-eight Kilometers? Kilometers?!" Beck cried.

"Keep it together, work the problem. Martinez, any juice left in the MAV?" Lewis asked.

"Negative, Commander."

"Then we'll have to go to him. Y/L/N, time to intercept?"

"Thirty-nine minutes, twelve seconds," You steeled yourself and focused on your coordinates.

"Martinez, what if we point the attitude thrusters all the same direction?" Lewis asked.

"Depends on how much we want to save for the attitude adjustments on the trip home."

"How much do you need?"

"I could get by with maybe twenty percent of what's left. If I use the other eighty percent... We'd get a delta-v of thirty-one meters per second."

"Y/L/N, Math."

"In thirty-nine minutes, we'd deflect....seventy-two kilometers! Use seventy-five point five percent of remaining attitude adjust fuel. That'll bring the intercept range to zero," You did the math quickly.

"Do it." Lewis said.

"Hold your horses, that'll get the range to zero, but the velocity will be forty-two meters per second."

"Then we have thirty-nine minutes to figure out how to slow down. Burn the jets."

//////////

Mark awoke to find himself spinning. Flashes of stars and the red glow of the Martian surface had him feeling a little dizzy. "MAV to Hermes?"

"Watney?" You gasped.

"Affirmative," he grunted.

"What's your status?" You asked calmly.

"Uhhh..." He winced and leaned back in his seat. "My chest hurts. I think I broke a rib. How are you, sweetheart?" He groaned.

"We're working on getting to you," you relayed. "There was a complication in the launch."

"Yeah," Watney dejectedly looked at the massive hole in the roof of his ship. "The canvas didn't hold. I think it ripped early in the ascent."

"That's consistent with what we saw during the launch," Lewis agreed.

"How bad is it, Commander?" he asked.

"We were able to correct the intercept range with Hermes's attitude thrusters, but there's a problem with the intercept velocity."

"How big a problem."

"Forty-two meters per second."

"Well..." Mark paused and tried to wrap his head around that number. "Shit."

//////////

You typed furiously, staring at your screen unblinkingly as you worked through all the possible ways to bring down the velocity.

"Hey, I've got an idea," Watney said.

"Of course you do, what have you got?" Lewis asked.

"I could find something sharp in here and poke a hole in my EVA suit. I could use the escaping air as a thruster and fly my way to you. The source of thrust would be on my arm, so I'd be able to control it pretty easily."

"How does he come up with this shit?" Martinez laughed.

"I can't see you having any control if you did. You'd be eyeballing the intercept using a thrust vector you can barely control."

"I admit it's fatally dangerous, but consider this: I'd get to fly around like Iron Man."

"We'll keep working on ideas," Lewis said.

"Iron Man, Commander. Iron Man."

"Stand by," Lewis temporarily cut contact with Watney.

You furrowed your brows at the screen, waiting for the correct course of action to jump out at you. Suddenly, there it was. "Wait! that's it!" you looked back at the Commander. "Mark's a genius! We could use the ship's atmosphere as thrust. We could blow the vehicular airlock. Seal the bridge and the reactor room. Iron Man... But bigger!"

"....." Melissa stared at you for a moment before addressing Alex. "Vogel?"

"Yes commander?"

"I need you to come inside and make a bomb," she ordered.

~~~

"I have visual, I can see the MAV," Beck said. "Jesus Mark, what did you do to that thing?"

"You should see the rover," Mark radioed. He was ready to get out of his goddamned chair, ready to get away from this hunk of junk that could barely be considered a MAV.

"Call out my velocity to Mark every two seconds or so," Chris said.

"Copy." You responded.

"Hey Beck, the front's wide open. I'll get up there and be ready to grab at you." Watney said.

"Negative, no untethered movement. Stay strapped to your chair until you're attached to Beck."

"Copy." Mark huffed. Lewis was right, impatience would be the death of him out here and he had come too far to die now. Instead, he focused on your voice calling out the relative velocity.

"Three point one meters per second."

"Eleven meters to target."

"Six meters."

"Contact." Beck grabbed the canvas of the destroyed MAV. "Firm contact."

"You have fourteen seconds Dr. Beck."

"Copy."

Nothing could have prepared Watney for how he'd feel seeing Beck's helmet poking through the opening.

Pure. Unadulterated. Serotonin.

"Visual on Watney!"

"Visual on Beck!"

"How ya doin' man?" Beck pushed himself toward Mark, meanwhile Mark was trying not to have another emotional breakdown.

"I....I just...Give me a minute, you're the first person I've seen in eighteen months," Watney croaked.

"We don't have a minute," Beck clumsily collided with Mark. "Contact with Watney... Connected!"

"Restraints off," Watney called.

"We're outta here!"

//////////

"Houston, this is Hermes actual. Seven crew safely aboard," Lewis's voice echoed in your mind as you, Martinez, Johanssen, and Lewis pushed yourselves toward the airlock where Vogel and Beck were bringing him in.

Mark.

You could see his dusty helmet from the small window on the airlock. Already you were feeling an overwhelming ache deep in your chest. There he was, only a few feet away, behind this door. Your crewmates flew in and clambered for Watney.

"Hey guys!" He laughed.

You were frozen in the doorway.

His helmet came off.

Everything slowed down.

Everyone was smiling and laughing. High fiving. Quick hugs. They all wanted to get as far away from the smell as they could.

Your eyes met.

There were beads of what looked like water floating in the air. When did you start crying?

Mark held out his arms to you and you wasted no more time. He hugged you as tightly as he could with the bulky arms of his EVA suit. His face buried into your neck as he cried softly. "Y/N...." He whispered in a broken voice. "Y-Y/N?"

"I'm right here Mark... Right here." You cradled the back of his head, scratching that spot at the base of his neck. He always liked it when you did that

"I stink, don't I?" Watney laughed in between sobs.

"You do. You really do," You tried to keep up the joke. "But if im being completely honest, I couldn't possibly care less," you laughed.

Slowly, you pulled back so you could get a good look at his face. He was thin. Gaunt, and covered in bed sores. That should have been expected of course, It's not like he had anywhere to shower in the rover. He looked at you like you were an angel. He looked embarrassed, like he wanted to hide.

Your fingers danced over his cheek and his eyes fluttered closed at the tenderness. The crew watched on with pride and varying degrees of bashfulness.

Mark opened his eyes and stared at you pleadingly as orbs of tears flowed from their corners. "Y/N... Please..." He whispered.

You didn't hesitate for a second.

You grabbed the sides of Mark's face and smashed your lips against his. So soft... your hands are so soft and your lips are trembling. The heat of your skin, the scent of your hair. It was even better than he remembered. He couldn't breathe, he could barely even think. He wanted so desperately to kiss you back, to fall into your embrace until there's no space left between, but his ribs hurt like hell and his suit was in the way. Mark whimpered as your fingers tangled into his hair. Fuck. Fuck. 'Everything hurts baby, please don't stop kissing me,' he pleaded in his head. 'Don't stop.'

When you started pulling away, he reached out to pull you closer again, but winced when he moved his arm.

"Slow down, baby." You breathed and pressed a little smooch to his forehead.

"Alright love birds, I need to get Iron Man over here to sick bay."

"But-" Watney protested.

"No buts, you need an X-ray and a shower. Maybe three." Beck laughed.

Mark looked at you pleadingly and you caressed his face. "I'll be by once Beck fixes you up. I gotta help check the ship for damage. Okay?"

He nodded and smiled. "Don't miss me too much~"

"You seek the impossible, Watney." You kissed his forehead again and let Chris lead your Martian down the hall to his quarters.

"Wow," Martinez said "I can't decide if that was incredibly romantic or incredibly awkward."

"Shut up Martinez," You playfully shoved his shoulder.

"Honestly though, he smells terrible! You've got some nerves of steel, Y/L/N," Johanssen joked.

"My boyfriend just spent eighteen months alone on a remote planet, If he wants a kiss he's gonna get that goddamned kiss. Definitely not a quick one and definitely not a half-assed one. But I will say one thing," you grinned.

"What's that?" Lewis smirked.

"He's not getting another one until he brushes his teeth."

~~~

Mark settled into his bunk after what felt like hours. He finally had a bath. Five, in fact. The showers were on a timer to conserve water. He had to run that timer five times before he finally felt clean. The water hurt the sores on his skin, but he felt so much better afterward that he almost wanted to go in for a sixth one. Mark brushed his teeth about three times and got rid of all the tangles in his hair. He'd need someone to touch up the cutting job he did. Now that it was all brushed out, it looked astoundingly bad.

After his long grooming session, Beck took an X-ray and determined that he'd broken two ribs. Chris bandaged him up, gave him some pain medicine, made him eat, and sent him to bed for some well deserved rest. At first, Mark protested. He hated the idea of everyone else fixing the ship while their lead engineer was taking a nap. But he was painfully tired and painfully...well... in pain.

Hey! His bunk didn't smell like shit! That's a huge upgrade from his bunk in the Hab- no more thinking about that place.

With a deep groan, Watney eased himself into bed. Weird...his sheets smelled like you. He didn't mind of course, you always smelled nice. He had never been more thankful for the centripetal force spinning the ship. He would have hated having broken ribs in zero g's. He imagined trying to sleep with his body constantly moving ever so slightly. Sounded like hell to him.

Mark wondered what the others were doing. He hoped there wasn't something too terribly wrong with the ship. The subtle groans of metal didn't ease his nerves. He was never scared of the Hermes before, but he was just now coming to terms with that fact that the ship had taken some serious abuse over the past few months, not to mention the past few hours. Normally Hermes would undergo maintenance after each mission, but because they turned around to get him that maintenance was scrapped.

New fear unlocked: Dooming his team to die in space because they had to turn around and get him.

He almost thought the knocking on his door was the hull breaking apart into a billion little bite-sized pieces.

"Come in," he said.

He expected it to be Beck checking in on him, but he was relieved when you poked your head in with a shy smile.

"Heyyyy, look over there! It's the world's handsomest boyfriend!" You said with gusto.

"You are such a kiss ass," Mark laughed, which hurt his ribs, which made him laugh again from how pitiful he must look.

You scoffed as you stepped into his quarters, shutting the door behind you. "You calling me a liar?" you grabbed a loose storage box and used it as a chair so you could sit beside his bed.

"That's exactly what I'm calling you," he smirked. "Seriously. Have you seen me lately? I look like a... a popsicle stick with a bad haircut."

You looked him up and down. His sores looked a lot better after cleaning them. You had no doubt they would heal nicely. The malnourishment on the other hand... That might take some work. You and Beck already had a few dietary plans for him. You discussed it while you reorganized the chow hall. Still, Mark was the most beautiful person you had ever seen. Even now, those alluring blue eyes were mesmerizing you. And let's not forget that goddamned tantalizing smile.

"I'm looking at you right now, babe," You giggled.

"And?"

"You're still as gorgeous as ever. Just a gorgeous man who's been through some shit," you carded your fingers through his hair. Mark hummed and closed his eyes. "How are you feeling?" you whispered.

"Physically or emotionally?"

"Both."

"Emotionally, happy. Very happy. Best day of my life kind of happy," he smiled. "Physically, pretty shitty. The medicine hasn't kicked in."

"Anything I can do to help you feel better?" you asked warmly.

Watney sent you a smug look, "Oh, I can think of a few things that might help~"

"Not until your ribs are healed."

"Damn."

You leaned down and pushed his hair back so you could kiss his forehead. He gave you a dazed grin, "oh, what do you know? I feel better already," he whispered in a gravelly voice. "... I really missed you..."

"I missed you too Mark..."

"I can't believe I can... I can feel you again. I can hear you and see you and feel you... s'insane..." He reached up and cupped your cheek despite the pain. "You were always on my mind. I-I just really wanted... I wanted to make it back to you." He brought his thumb just under your eye to catch a stray tear.

You covered his hand with yours and pressed a kiss to his palm.

"I-I don't even know what to say... I've been feeling so much, I don't know how to... how to-" He swallowed hard.

"Everything's changed so fast," you reassured him. "But we aren't on the messaging system anymore. It's a long journey home, we have plenty of time to find the right words," you continued to run your fingers into his hair.

"I fucking love you... " he closed his eyes and reveled in the feeling of your nails against his scalp. "I'm gonna marry you one day, decided just now."

"Just now?" You snickered.

"No...Realistically, it was the first night we uh... slept together. Do you remember that?" Watney chuckled.

"Of course I do," you smiled, thinking of his messy blonde hair, searing gaze, and strong arms. He took his time with you that night, unhurried, attentive, and unabashedly vocal. "How could I forget?"

Mark shook his head and looked away to hide his blush, but not even his smile could distract you from it. "Sorry, sorry. Go on, continue!"

"Well, I uh..." He let out a sheepish chuckle. "Obviously every part of that night was perfect, but it's what happened after that really changed things."

"Oh?" you leaned closer, curiosity getting the better of you.

"You let me be the little spoon. I'm fine with being the big spoon most of the time, but you gotta be the little spoon sometimes, you know? No one ever let me be the little spoon before you... And when I woke up, you were still holding me." His fingertips danced down your arm, leaving a trail of chills in their wake. Once he reached your hand, Mark intertwined your fingers. It wasn't a conscious movement for him, simply muscle memory. But you couldn't keep your mind off of it. "I know I goof around a lot, but I can't stress how serious I'm being when I say... I have never felt that loved before. It was just... such a perfect night. I knew that you were the one for me well before, but that was the first time I really saw my future flash before my eyes like that."

Your eyes stung a little as you tenderly kissed his lips. "Want to know when I decided?" you whispered against him.

"Please..." He whispered back.

"Remember when I had that terrible flu during the first year of our training program?"

"Oh damn, yeah I do! You looked terrible, baby." Mark teased.

"I felt terrible. I couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, and I definitely couldn't go to lectures... I was so worried about missing, even though the professors agreed there was no way I could come to class. You brought me a copy of your notes. The copy machine in the library was down, so you had to write them by hand... you even filled them with these horrible stick figure drawings," you laughed and Mark brought your knuckles to his lips and watched you, immersed in the sound of your voice. It was like he was trying to commit you to memory. You were doing much the same.

"Anyway, you stayed with me and you made some Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup. You stopped by everyday until I got better."

"We were just friends back then," he whispered against your hand.

"I know, but every time I think about how much I love you... that memory comes back, playing on repeat."

"Say that again."

"That again," you smirked. Mark gave you a sassy eyebrow. "Which part babe?" you laughed.

"The uh..." he trailed off.

You lightly kissed his cheek, "I love you, Mark... I love you so much." You peppered his face with little smooches. When you finally pulled back, he was all red again and teary eyed.

"I love you too, Y/N," He whispered. You sat together in silence for awhile before Mark suddenly remembered something extremely important! "Oh shit! I almost forgot!" He winced as he reached into his pocket. "Happy late four year anniversary!" He finally presented you with his gift.

Your fingers trembled as you took the little rock into your hands. Mark's Martian heart stared back up at you, dusting your palm orange.

"Y-you remembered our anniversary?"

"Of course I remembered! Have I ever forgotten before?" Mark smirked.

"N-no, but..." You couldn't help it, you were crying again god dammit. "Thank you Mark, I love it." You beamed and kissed him so hard he lost his entire train of thought. He sighed and pulled you closer like he had wanted to do hours ago. Fuck. There you go again, playing with his hair like it wasn't going to rile him up. He moaned and reached for your waist, only to be pulled swiftly back to reality by the jarring pain in his abdomen. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Mark." You pulled away quickly.

"It wasn't you, I was getting too carried away." He winced and took a deep breath. "My bad," Watney laughed.

You sat down on the crate beside his bed and settled for playing with his hand. While you took inventory of every new callus, Mark once again saw his future flash right before his eyes. You and him and that little house with the green shutters. He's gonna have the best garden in the neighborhood, you'll have all the time in the world for reading. No potatoes. No disco.

"Y/N... Can you hold me?"

"Oh baby, I would love to but the beds are so small-"

"Ouch, oof, oh! ow!" He scooted closer to the wall to make room for you.

You sighed and shook your head. "Mark, your ribs-"

"Please..." he whispered. Dammit! What are you supposed to do when he gives you the puppy eyes!? Beck is going to kill you...

"I can't ever say no to you, can I?" You laughed and scooted into the bed. "Seriously, you've got me wrapped around your finger."

Mark smiled as you tucked yourself into his side. He wanted to be the little spoon, but he couldn't turn over so his back was against your chest. He'd just have to heal quickly, then he could freely snuggle, (and do other things) without any constraints!

He turned his head so he could admire your lovely, beautiful face. You were already looking back at him, one hand holding your rock close to your chest, the other was draped carefully over his waist. Mark swears he's never seen anything more breathtaking in his life.

He slowly leaned closer- Fuck! His ribs hurt so bad, where the hell is the Vicodin when you need it?

You gently smoothed out the crease between his brows with your thumb and pushed his hair back again. Mark closed his eyes, succumbing to the bliss that came with knowing he would never be alone again. You kissed him again and pulled his blanket over the both of you.

"I love you, Mark."

"I love you too."

He felt your hand slip under his shirt and onto his stomach. You drew soft shapes onto his skin, but stopped when you felt the scar just above the hem of his pants. It was jagged and angry.

He swallowed.

Much to his surprise and relief, you didn't pull your hand away. You just kept tracing the new territory.

He sighed and kissed your temple. His body shuddered in relief. "Th-this isn't a dream, right? You'll still be here when I wake up?" he whispered.

You peeked your head up and smiled "I'm not going anywhere, I'm afraid you're stuck with me." You leaned in and gave him one more kiss. He smiled into it and finally allowed himself to rest his eyes.

"Don't threaten me with a good time, Y/L/N..."

#mark watney #watney #Mark Watney x reader #The Martian x reader #x reader #reader fanfiction #reader insert #the martian #watney x reader #mark watney fanfiction #mark watney / reader #watney/reader

[fantomette22]

Nightmare frontier (Loran) geologic interpretation

Alright, here I am to talk about another detail I noticed while replaying Bloodborne! It has more to do with well the geology of the nightmare frontier and from what it's based on in real life. I like analysis and trying to understand those in video game! But also might bue because I'm a technician geologist too XD Still I will try to stay simple and short.

So The Nightmare frontier in the Nightmare. This optional zone you can unlock thanks to Patches! And where we fight the Amygdala to obtained the Loran's chalice.

Notes : the nightmares are in layers. Mensis nightmare is on top then the frontier, under the fishing hamlet with the boats. And under the hamlet the hunter's nightmare/Yharnam of the dlc. For the one who didn't knew.

Notes 2 : The nightmare frontier is probably a nightmare originating from the region where Loran is (the out place area and the Loran chalice are goos indicator). You know that Pthumerian civilisation far from pthumeru & Yharnam who all become beasts... But if you are into the lore you probably know about Loran and all.

So in the frontiers we can find those strange stone hexagonal columns around :

Well it is a real geologic structures! Also named volcanic (basalts) columns, organ pipes etc (orgues volcaniques in French)

Volcanic columns of Panska skala. Source image : https://planet-terre.ens-lyon.fr/ressource/orgues-volcaniques.xml,

So, how it's formed? Well it is a bit complex but I will try to explain simply. You see those are formed from (effusive) volcanism (don't cofound with magmatic plutonism). You see when a volcano create really liquid lava and don't explode it's effusive. The lava cooled fast on the surface (huge thermic difference with the air or water) and don't crystallised, it often formed basalts (this black rock without minerals visible) or similars stone (can be andesite too in that case or even diorite. It's the same "family").

Those columns are not directly made on the surface but meters under the first couch of lava or they can be formed in magmatic veins that came from a magmatic chamber (in the ground) but cooled way faster than the chamber: it can create those or dyke or sills for exemple/ A magmatic chamber who cooled of will be crystallised on the contrary and take a lot of time! (Thousand if not millions of year) Still it's seems those columns take years or century to become rocks. Still it is "fast" on a geological levels.

Apparently with specific conditions temperature it create this hexagonal columns. It is also similar when clay who became dry and cracked on the ground if you prefer.

Anyway those volcanic columns can be found in many places! Europe, Africa, Asia, America etc There are usually millions of years old and we can see them thanks to erosions of the more tender rocks around it.

The first pic I show are at 80/100km north to Prague in Czech Republic. And You know Bloodborne is a bit more based on easter Europe so 👀

Anyway I think this is very cool the devs inspire themself from those! Very Interesting!

SO what it says about Loran region and Bloodborne world then ?🤔 Well I'm not sure but it's sure is very ancient geologic formation and even in XIX century 2 big theories fought about geology so it sure could be see as specials for old civilisation! Especially in link with old great ones or smt. And maybe Loran could be closer to Yharnam than we think.

ALSO

You see those weird ?ball rocks? in the all the nightmare area? really remind me of pillow lava. You know when lava pierce through the ocean and cold really fast

Ok and I'm not sure for Yharnam or Cainhurst geology but pretty sure the fishing hamlet is volcanic stone too. Why? Well the huge massifs black stones and the BLACK SAND, like in Hawaii ! Or in Iceland. Volcanic region with huge volcanic activity.

Black sand always means it came from volcanic rocks or that it's rich in iron minerals for exemple.

#bloodborne #bloodborne thoughts #bloodborne analysis #bloodborne theory #nightmare frontier #loran #fromsoftware #geology #I love geology in video games! my 2 passions! #volcanism #volcanic column

[seat-safety-switch]

Everyone loves magnetism, but nobody wants to do the work of mining rare earth minerals in order to make those magnets. This is what those in the industry call “hypocrisy.” Personally, I’m not willing to be called a hypocrite, which is why I bought my own disused mine and have set about stripping it of every mineral I can find.

Now, it makes sense that I won’t find any of the good shit. Tantalum? That’s all the way over in Rwanda. Yttrium? Hard-working farmers in China are hitting it every day while trying to dig a well. Niobium? Well, a lot of that is actually in Canada, but it’s in the mines that big companies operate. And very selfishly, they won’t let me go over there and dig around, even if I offer to reciprocate with an exceptionally generous, catered lunch-and-scoop at my own mine.

So I pretty much just find stuff that nobody needs. Dirt, mostly. I’m not a geologist, and I can’t afford to hire one. Once in awhile, I find a shiny rock, and I post about it on this cool forum that I found. Usually, it’s nothing. In fact, it’s almost always nothing. Once, it was road salt. That was kind of interesting, until I realized it came from one of my cars.

Oh yeah, the cars. So here’s the other thing. I can’t afford a mine cart. In fact, I’m fairly sure they’re a custom job of some kind, and that would require a welder. So would putting tracks down. And I don’t trust my own buttressing enough to be able to escape the mine at walking pace, should it collapse. That’s why I drive a car – of course, a narrow one, I don’t want to do more digging than I have to – to the work site. I don’t know why everyone doesn’t do this. Maybe it’s because of the noxious exhaust gases building up in the tunnels with no way to escape, but honestly that’s not that much different from sitting in this thing at a stoplight. I may have just become immune to it over repeated exposure.

Ultimately, you could say that this whole mine adventure has been a waste of my time, money, health, and precious, precious gasoline. It’s not all bad, though: there’s certainly been lots of exercise, and I’m sure I’ll find something cool pretty soon. The basement of the jewelry store next door can’t be much further.

[a-d-nox]

Hellou:] founD myselF intrigued for a post about a random asteroid you have a dear conection with (or one u like a lot¿?) but u haven't even mentioning in posts? xx

asteroids that aren’t getting more attention than this and aren’t related to my typical mythological shenanigans but that i still love (part 1)

i have written about 25 randomly selected asteroids from my “interesting asteroids” list on my phone that are NOT mythology related and thus have never been mentioned and likely will never be mentioned again. this post is very different and long. if you have no interest in the history, look for bolded statements to avoid all the reading lol. and feel free to skip over my reflections on my placements, i provided them because of how kissessinthe worded their question. if you wanna know more about me or how i think while reading my own placements, by all means go for it ;).

alright and now 25 random asteroids.

aldrin (asteroid 6470)

In 1963, NASA selected Buzz Aldrin to be in the third group of astronauts. He created the technique for docking spaceships in both Earth and lunar orbit. He was also the one to advocate for underwater training to simulate spacewalking. On July 20th, 1969 Aldrin and Armstrong made the first moonwalk and became the first humans to set foot on another world. Aldrin was the second man on the moon. IN MY OPINION Aldrin represents a) where you can be seen as important or the best of the best, b) where you may be a pioneer, c) where you have a lot of new evolutionary ideas, and/or d) where you are the second to do something that has never been done before.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: armstrong (6469)!

where aldrin is for me and how it affects me personally: 6h in leo at 27° - i could definitely see myself as a co-owner or a vice president of a company. i have always been told that i have a very charming presence that makes people listen to new perspectives and ideas. this could be backed by my aldrin quintile mercury and square saturn. this placement tells me i likely wouldn’t do well in a lower position in a company setting because i know i have great ideas and that i would make a great leader. being in a lower, subservient role would likely frustrate me due to having the knowledge and simply not the power to do anything.

bascom (asteroid 6084)

Florence Bascom was one of the first American geologists and professors to be a woman. By the age of 22, she had two bachelor’s degrees! By 31, she had a master’s and PhD in geology - she was seen as a pioneer in her field. She spent many years studying crystallography. IN MY OPINION Bascom represents your relationship with rocks, stones, and crystals.

where bascom is for me and how it affects me personally: 9h in sagittarius at 13° - i love me some crystals. if you think i go ham over astrology, you should see my crystal and geology textbooks (hella tabs and hella annotated). i have a 6h and 9h stellium in this persona chart and i do devote a lot of time to learning about how they work, their energy field, chakra placement, etc. i do feel like they physically do something for me as well.

bella (asteroid 695)

In many Latin based languages, bella translates to “beautiful”. IN MY OPINION Bella in your chart can indicate where you are seen as truly beautiful.

where bella is for me and how it affects me personally: 8h in libra at 29° - bruh it’s not easy being this sexy. lmao but for real i feel like i am getting prettier with age if that makes sense? 29° tends to be slow moving and slow to progress in a person. bella squares neptune for me so sometimes i experience a dysmorphia regarding my beauty - looking in a mirror or seeing a picture of me sometimes really irks me. like internally i know i am pretty but i tend to have off-days where i really don’t enjoy myself or how i look (this may be chiron in the 1h or my 12h pluto in the persona chart for this asteroid - it’s a tough call). for those of you wondering, yes, every partner i have had only ever wants to touch and look at me lol.

click here for bella-asc negative aspects and bella-sun positive aspects

byron (asteroid 3306)

Lord Byron was a leading man of the Romantic literary movement. He was believed to be well read, influential, and one of the finest poets of his time. “Byromania” was the term used to describe his fans’ reaction to his presence. Originally, Byron found fame glorious but later he did everything in his power to escape which included going into exile. His memoir was burned by his publisher after the work detailed his bisexual relations. Byron also brought the idea of a flawed talent into the Romantic movement. IN MY OPINION Byron in a chart can indicate a) how well read you are, b) your love for poetry, c) how people react to you and how you react to them, and/or d) bisexuality.

where byron is for me and how it affects me personally: 5h in leo at 1° - i love poetry. bryon sextiles saturn for so i do tend to resort to poetry when i feel like no one gets me. my bryon is opposite neptune so i have no clue if this makes my poetry shitty lol?

cancelli (asteroid 5842)

Ferdinando Cancelli is a palliative care specialist. Palliative care is the comfort care a person receives when diagnosed with a terminal illness that will likely end in death. Cancelli is an advocate for those who undergo this care and often speaks at conferences about death and end of life care. IN MY OPINION Cancelli shows a) how people care for you when you are sick or when you are near death and/or b) who the best person is to take care of you when sick.

where cancelli is for me and how it affects me personally: 11h in capricorn at 23° - everyone knows when i am sick or unwell. i never hide my not feeling well. the only person i want to take care of me when i am sick is my mother: cancelli quintile moon (also backed in the persona chart as moon in the 10h at 11°).

cheshirecat (asteroid 6042)

The Cheshire Cat is one of those characters that tend to be smug with an omniscient aura. He is Alice’s spiritual guide through Wonderland, who constantly grins in this lackadaisical manner because he has nothing to lose. IN MY OPINION Cheshirecat in a chart represents a) where you are spiritually guided, b) where you show faulty reasoning or make false assumptions, c) where you frustrate others, and/or d) where you know more than those around you.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: alice (291) and lewiscarrol (6984)!

where cheshirecat is for me and how it affects me personally: 10h in capricorn at 6° - anyone who knows me knows i am just as morally grey as cheshire - i give off an all-knowing vibe that cause me to attract a lot of alice types who ask for guidance. i speak very eloquently yet cryptically like cheshire. this is enforced by the cheshirecat sextile mercury - i tend to confuse a lot of people when giving advice that ends up being just what they needed (also confirmed in the persona chart with a 3h stellium (moon, venus, uranus, and neptune). BUT i do tend to make overly critical assumptions that may be due to the virgo degree. sadly for me my cheshirecat squares alice so i too get the frustration of being alice and dealing with a cheshirecat - i tend to get a lot of divine guidance that makes little to no sense to me at times.

constantia (asteroid 315)

Constantia is the Latin word meaning constancy. Constancy is a noun that describes the quality of being enduring, dependable, reliable, and trustworthy. IN MY OPINION Constantia is a chart represents a) where you need something that is dependable in your life, b) where you may take longer to trust others, and/or c) where you like a routine.

where constantia is for me and how it affects me personally: 7h in virgo at 29° - give me loyalty or give me death (constantia conjunct mars - courtesy of my abandonment issues). i really do need people who are my partner to be all in or not there at all. i don’t like not knowing if a person is there to stay or not (it completely contradicts my aphrodite-uranus aspect, juno in aquarius, and even my sagittarius venus - astrology is very complex i don’t discount the other placements and their possible meanings but for me this asteroid and it’s story makes complete sense). this placement has a lot to do with romantic partnerships - i want to be a power couple (constantia quintile pluto) i can’t do that if my partner doesn’t want that as well or is simply not there. but i have the feeling that i will find someone to fill the role (constantia quintile venus and trine saturn).

cucula (asteroid 2731)

Cucula/cucule is the Latin word for the cuckoo. Some people like the mentall asteroid but I prefer cucula to examine where you tend to experience good and bad mental health. Cuckoos are very monotonous birds that repeat their calls on a loop schedule - it’s why they are used in clockwork. And much like the informal definition of insanity “doing the same thing over and over again hoping for a different result” - the two became linked. IN MY OPINION Cucula in your chart shows a) where you tend to make the same mistakes again and again and/or b) where you struggle to break your cycles in behavior.

where cucula is for me and how it affects me personally: 1h in pisces at 13° in retrograde - please refer to the bella asteroid reflection lol. but really i have to laugh because 1h can also be philosophical thought… you know who i would give this placement/circumstance too as well? we are going to talk about dostoevsky hint-hint. I WOULD GIVE THIS PLACEMENT TO THE UNDERGROUND MAN!!! i feel like my placement relays a similar story of over-analysis (cucula trine moon and mercury) which causes inaction and isolation (cucula square pluto and chiron) which ultimately leads to demise :).

DNA (asteroid 55555)

DNA is the self-replicating material that makes all living beings different from one another in that it is essentially the instruction manual for your body. It creates the distinct characteristics present in someone. DNA is inherited from your ancestors and provides the framework for your health. I haven't told anyone this on here but I once was a science and math nerd before I began studying literature. I had planned to become an obstetrician. So I know all about cells from my days of AP Biology and college Anatomy and Physiology. DNA can be telling as to what you may experience - when DNA is damaged it leads to cell death or apoptosis. Apoptosis helps to maintain balance in a person's immune system - if apoptosis does not occur, cells do not know that they should be getting rid of themselves and this typically leads to issues like cancer. Another theory within the study of DNA is telomere shortening. Telomeres are present at the ends of each of your chromosomes (which are made up of DNA). The theory is that telomeres shorten with age - this shortening leads to more frequent apoptosis. More cell death leads to your ultimate dying. All this being said, IN MY OPINION DNA in your chart can be a) telling about your health, b) what you have inherited from your ancestors, c) what diseases you are most at risk for, and/or d) your death.

where DNA is for me and how it affects me personally: 10h in capricorn at 2° - please tell me you aren’t shocked about that placement after that analysis ^^^. so i’ll be honest with you all, i’m a walking health hazard. my DNA asteroid semi-squares uranus and uranus has a decent control over circulatory systems. i have a blood mutation that causes my blood to clot (yes blood is mars’s territory but my clotting disorder could transfer a clot formed in my arm to my heart or my leg to my brain) when there is no need to - it could be hot out, i could have no cuts or scraps, i don’t need to bump into anything and BAM a bruise, a hematoma, a blood clot. yay me! DNA also sextiles sun so i suspect i will live awhile but only if i remain active. another fun one is an asteroid named endo - endometriosis affects 1 in 10 women. endometriosis or endo, the shortened named, causes severe pain due to a build up of irregularly grown tissue or scar tissues built up in a woman’s uterus. the pain is often debilitating and leaves unmedicated women bedridden during their menstrual cycles. i have this asteroid sextile DNA (thanks, mom). there is no cure for endometriosis but if you recall i said “unmedicated” - endometriosis can go undiagnosed or tends to not be experienced when people take birth control. Birth control helps to regulate hormones like estrogen and progesterone in your body. Estrogen is higher in those who have endometriosis so taking a hormone birth control aids in symptom relief. :) this is where it gets fun for me because i can’t take hormone birth control because it causes blood clots - hi, i already have that issue and lowkey want to keep living.

dostoevsky (asteroid 3453)

Fyodor Dostoevsky was a famous Russian writer. He wrote many novels, short stories, essays, and articles. He often explored the human condition by means of politics and spirituality. Dostoevsky likely wrote the first existential piece of literature. His works are often thought to be extremely influential or rather unremarkably chaotic like that of a mad-man. IN MY OPINION Dostoevsky in your chart articulates a) where and how you may express your political and religious views, b) where you are an existentialist (when someone views most everything as subjective), and/or c) where you are considered ahead of your time or seen as mad because your intelligence is too out of this world.

where dostoevsky is for me and how it affects me personally: 5h in cancer at 14° - bruh i vibe with fyodor. give me all the political and spiritual existentialism. the 5h with a venus ruled degree is well deserved for this author’s placement in my chart (i tend to look at the placement of creatives as though it is telling me that i would or do like the creative’s work - you could look at any writer’s asteroid like that including byron who we talked about in this post). i truly click with dostoevsky’s thoughts, it shows in the moon and mercury trining his asteroid in my chart. on the non-writer side of things, i do tend to think very differently about what dating is versus what a relationship is (i think this is where my aphrodite-uranus aspect, juno in aquarius, and sagittarius venus really come into play). plus i grew up being that kid that had to be told to go play with the other kids - i preferred talking to playing and adults to other children (yay childhood trauma pt1).

educatio (asteroid 2440)

Educatio is the Latin word for education. Education is the systematic process of giving and receiving knowledge which is meant to enlighten a person in a specific field. IN MY OPINION Educatio in a chart can tell you a) where you are most knowledgeable, b) where you enjoy learning the most, and/or c) could help you to pick a major/speciality to pursue in upper education.

where educatio is for me and how it affects me personally: 9h in sagittarius at 14° - lol this poor asteroid is conjunct venus, pluto, and chiron. i literally can’t tell if i like institutionalized learning. i clearly love the learning part but the institution part is like :/. i clearly would make a great philosophy major BUT my school doesn’t have that. so it’s forensic (pluto) psychology (chiron) and english (venus + venus ruled degree) for my educational pursuit.

einstein (asteroid 2001)

Albert Einstein was a theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity (absence of gravity versus the laws of gravity and force) and made important contributions to the theory of quantum mechanics. Together these two theories created a ground work for modern physics - E=mc^2. His name has been since associated with the word genius. IN MY OPINION Einstein in your chart can indicate a) where you are seen as a genius, b) how good you are at physics, and/or c) where you could make a discovery that changes the way a field of work progresses.

where einstein is for me and how it affects me personally: 9h in sagittarius at 16° - lol yes, this is conjunct educatio and yes, everyone in college comes to me when they need help. even the teachers. einstein sextiles uranus after all so i feel like it’s as though everyone tends to know i’m rather smart (in this asteroids persona chart i have a 1h stellium) - i do articulate myself the best over technology though that’s probably why i am more popular here than on tiktok or instagram or even in person.

eureka (asteroid 5261)

The expression eureka originates in Greece as the term “heurēka” meaning “I have found it.” Now the word is a popular expression used when someone is overjoyed with their discovery. IN MY OPINION Eureka in a chart represents a) where you make life altering discoveries and/or b) where others may discover you are the satisfactory answer/solution to their problem.

where eureka is for me and how it affects me personally: 6h in leo at 18° - yeah... i definitely am the scapegoat for getting things done. not to be pitiful but i tend to be given the grunt work or jobs no one else wants to do. need an essay edited? you know who’s good at that? me. you know who gets that job? me. i am really great at planning and making things work out, yet many people think i should do things that are lowkey something smaller or less helpful to the unit. BUT when I am in a leadership role everything gets done like a well oiled machine. lol my persona chart for this asteroid has a 8h stellium and a 6h moon at 29°... a health discovery that changes my life - sounds about right?

leonard (asteroid 3000)

Leonardo da Vinci was a well studied gentleman of the Renaissance era. He was a painter, engineer, sculptor, and so much more! He is considered the most diversified well-learned person to have lived. Many of his painting and works are still studied today as masterpieces i.e. Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. IN MY OPINION Leonardo in your chart can represent a) where you may be seen as well-learned and well-versed, b) how you are seen as a jack of all trades, and/or c) where the work you do now will likely out live you.

where leonardo is for me and how it affects me personally: 11h in capricorn at 12° - lmfao this one fits with what i am doing here. if you have been here for awhile you are likely starting to get the drift i’m knowledgable about a lot of stuff. social media fits me well and i love to talk with you all about this stuff.

lev tolstoj (asteroid 2810) / alexejtolstoj (asteroid 3771)

Leo Tolstoy is/was a renowned Russian author. He is thought to be the greatest of his time in fact he was nominated for many awards but sadly he never won any of them. Tolstoy’s works are widely studied today and are the inspiration from for many socialists throughout history (Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Lenin, etc.). IN MY OPINION Lev tolstoj and/or alexejtolstoj in a chart can indicate a) your realistic point of view or how you write in terms of realism, b) where you may be seen as great, c) where you may not receive the prize for your incredible work though it is widely respected and loved, and/or d) where you may inspire political change.

where lev tolstoj and alexejtolstoj are for me and how it affects me personally: lev tolstoj 6h in virgo at 5° and alexejtolstoj 10h in capricorn 9° - this makes a bit of sense to me not because i love tolstoy (no offense to levy t but prefer pushkin and dostoevsky) but because of my political ideology. i am really quite diplomatic and political when you get into nitty gritty with me so these two asteroids being in public houses make sense to me. this may even back up my aldrin placement and my thoughts/beliefs that i may becomes a figure head at some point. i, like tolstoy, believe in toppling governments and the deconstruction of institutions - i belief that there will alway be a chain of command but that we should move towards transcendentalism. if we all have equality then we can all just worry about ourselves - like do you ever notice how life gets more difficult when others are trying to control how other people are living? like just focus on yourself and stop trying to control everyone and just embrace the fact that you are alive. go get another hobby, you aren’t living other peoples lives so like what do you care - go hug a tree or something. get a cat lmao. 

lova (asteroid 868)

Lova is an asteroid with no known origin but is most similar to the word lover. A lover is someone who gives romantic affections to the person they are devoted to. This term is most commonly used in impermanent relationships. IN MY OPINION Lova in a chart represents a) where you are the most affection towards others and they return the sentiment, b) where you may experience devotion, and/or c) where you are likely to experience an incredible, unforgettable love story.

where lova is for me and how it affects me personally: 6h in virgo at 6° - haha this is where it gets interesting. what if told you my vertex is in the 7h at 22°, my DSC is in virgo, my adonis is in 7h, orpheus is in my 7h, etc. that’s a lot, right? yea, i’m convinced that i'm going to meet my romantic partner in business-like setting - it’s all too earthy to be anything else (PUT THE MONEY IN THE BAG). my 7h ruler is in my 8h that’s like banking so like :p okeyyyy.

lucubratio (asteroid 3021)

Lucubratio is the Latin word used to describe the act of studying or working at night. IN MY OPINION Lucubratio can be used to tell you a) how well you work at night, b) in what area you are most productive at night, and/or c) if you could be considered nocturnal.

where lucubratio is for me and how it affects me personally: 6h in virgo at 5° - i definitely would work through a night to be on track with something whether it is to unpack a whole house, write a paper, or whatever goal i have set - i would do it. i’ll sleep when i’m dead type of vibes. but at the end of the day, i am NOT a night owl this asteroid sextiles the sun and is at a leo degree for me so i am definitely the most productive when it is light out.

madhatter (asteroid 6735)

The Mad Hatter, or Hatter as he is referred to as in Lewis Carroll’s novel, acts as a harbinger for Alice on her way through Wonderland. He is considered mildly impolite and is notably frustrated with Alice’s every action and response to questions or circumstance. He is the host of the Tea Party and oftentimes provokes his guests. His harbinger statement occurs when he tells Alice why he and the March hare are essentially stuck in never ending tea time. Hatter sung to the Queen of Hearts at a celebration and she didn’t like it - she sentenced him to death for “murdering the time.” Thus time is frozen in the grove at 6:00 making it always tea time and never execution time. Eventually, Alice is driven away by the Hatter’s mad and nervous energy. IN MY OPINION Madhatter in a chart may indicate a) where you tend to drive people away, b) where you are indefinitely frustrated with others, c) where you may have a vital warning for others, and/or d) where you are constantly worried or stressed to the point of madness.

OTHER RELATED ASTEROIDS: alice (291), marchare (6736), redqueen (17681), and lewiscarrol (6984)!

where madhatter is for me and how it affects me personally: 9h in sagittarius at 1° - lmao tell me this isn’t true. i feel like i naturally repel religious people, people in a college setting, or even when i am out in the world on my own traveling. i can be very frustrating to deal with when i am talking about religion because of being agnostic i can see the pros and cons - i am not afraid to tell others where i think a religious sect has a flaw. i do tend to be the one to warn others about traveling abroad (what to do versus not to do), colleges pros and cons, etc. my higher thinking tend to be seen as too mystical or like wishful thinking making others think that i am a bit mad as well (sextile neptune). lol not an 8h stellium in the persona chart though...

michelangelo (asteroid 3001)

Michelangelo was a very popular sculptor, painter, architect, and poet from the Florentine Renaissance era. His work influenced the Western art movements at the time - more particularly humanism (emphasizes the potential of humans) and naturalism (emphasizes reality of the subject matter). Michelangelo created one of the most famous, if not the most famous, nudes of all time - David. IN MY OPINION Michelangelo in your chart represents a) how artistic you are, b) where you may set the standards for a trend, c) where you see the most reality in a situation, and/or d) where you have the potential to receive fame for something you create or do.

where michelangelo is for me and how it affects me personally: 7h in libra at 25° - i hope my future hubby is built like David :p but no seriously that libra placement takes precedent for my artistic eye. i’m sure we have all noticed my taste in art and the tendencies of the color palette as well - i love a classic look. i do think i set a standard for the type of partner i want very strictly though (no shit 7h, 25°, libra - that’s all). i believe based on my whole chart whoever my mystical partner is is going to create some sort of fame or popular memory (my vertex is in the 7h too and conjunct all this lol (refer to lova reflection)).

nostalgia (asteroid 3162)

The word nostalgia originated from the Greek words nostos and algos - which become returning home to pain. Modern Latin made it into nostalgia - acute homesickness. The word nostalgia today is used to describe sentimentality or a wistfulness for the past. IN MY OPINION Nostalgia in your chart shows you where and what over you are likely to experience nostalgia.

where nostalgia is for me and how it helps me personally: 10h in capricorn at 10° - that’s a shit ton of capricorn energy, no? is it then shocking to you that i am not a very nostalgic person? is it even more shocking that i have a 1h and 2h stellium in the persona chart? NOW IM GONNA CRUSH THOSE STELLIUMS WITH 12H CHIRON (22°) AND PLUTO (13°) - FUCK YOU CHILDHOOD TRAUMA (pt2). lol but seriously i can’t afford being nostalgic it may kill me emotionally and mentally.

otzi (asteroid 5803)

Ötzi, also known as the Iceman, is a natural (or accidentally preserved) mummy that was discovered on the border between Austria and Italy (my god i still adore forensics LETS GO NASH CLASSIFICATIONS - also Austria and Italy have gotten into legal battles over who’s land the body was on). It is thought that Ötzi was murder due to the arrowhead found embedded in his left shoulder and other wounds. His death circumstances are still studied today. Ötzi is suspected to have eaten two hours before this death, to have been some sort of shepherd, and to have had a parasitic infection. Many believed he died from the arrow wound - some believe that it was multiple people who may have come for him, that their was an attempt to remove the arrowhead, and that his body was moved to the higher, snowier elevation. IN MY OPINION Otzi in a chart can show you a) where your enemies are likely to strike you down, b) where people tend to examine you the most, and/or c) where you cause a lot of speculation.

where otzi is for me and how it affects me personally: 8h in scorpio at 6° - not the 8h… any way looks like i am my own enemy (otzi conjunct sun, moon, and mercury). and a 4h stellium in the persona chart… greatttt (he was just trying to herd his sheep).

see part 2.5 for other christmas-y & wintry asteroids!

porta coeli (asteroid 3276)

Porta coeli is the Latin phrase for “heaven’s gate.” Porta coeli has been incorporated in many architectural structures including churches to show a sense of sanctity. IN MY OPINION Porta coeli in a chart can show a) where you are the most at peace, b) where you may have views of great beauty, and/or c) when there is both purity and reward for your good deeds. 

where porta coeli is for me and how it affects me personally: 6h in virgo at 10° - lol is this a running joke? possibly. did i ask that my mans look like David? possibly. are we getting a strange angelic vibe? perhaps.

santa (asteroid 1288)

Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Kris Kringle, or Santa is the Western Christian icon who is believed to bring children gifts on Christmas Eve. These gifts are highly dependent on whether the child is “naughty” or “nice” - coal is given to the naughty children and toys to the nice. Toys are meant to be a treat while coal serves as a practical reminder to behave better and perhaps some day you’ll get a real treat (like a diamond - with enough pressure and time coal transforms into diamonds). Coal also serves as a reminder to be more mindful of your actions and to not take things for granted - coal used to be popular to heat homes with (kids had to be reminded how lucky they truly were for simply being warm). IN MY OPINION Santa in a chart represents a) your wonder/wishes, b) where you tend to do a lot of gift giving, c) how you experienced fun/joy as a child (or child-like joy in your life), d) your traditions, and/or e) where you may need to be reminded of how lucky you are as well as where to remain grateful for what you have.

where santa is for me and how it affects me personally: 8h in scorpio at 17° - lol not the 8h. i actually grew up disliking christmas and was kind of seen as the scrooge or grinch of the family (santa square uranus). but like those two characters i had my redemption - i really enjoy gift giving and i get told that my gifts are quite wonderful they are always “perfect” or just what they wanted despite not having asked for anything (8h is an intimacy and deep connection with someone - indicating that i just know what friends and family would like based on knowing them and having listened to them for quite some time). in my persona chart for this asteroid the sun is in the 2h house ;) so i definitely give that wondrous gift that wasn’t even mentioned but is “perfect.”

see part 2.5 for other christmas-y & wintry asteroids!

schulz (asteroid 3524)

Charles Schulz was a popular American cartoonist who was known for his comic strip Peanuts (featured Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy, and many other lovable characters). He is considered one of the most influential and greatest cartoonist of the era having earned $1.1B USD in his lifetime. IN MY OPINION Schulz in your chart can indicate a) interests in comics, b) artistic ability, and/or c) where you may be consider very influential in your field of choice.

where schulz is for me and how it affects me personally: 1h in aries at 27° in retrograde - i feel like i grew up on these comics and even the holiday specials. every time i see the animated version or the comic section in a newspaper, i go back in time lol. i feel like this fits the retrograde and the aries child-like energy.

tardis (asteroid 3325)

The TARDIS, or the Time And Relative Dimension In Space, is featured in the popular Doctor Who television series. It appears extremely paradoxical as though it’s a small police box on the outside but in reality it’s a big sci-fi space and time machine on the inside. IN MY OPINION TARDIS in your chart can show a) where you have incredible tools at your disposal, b) where your opportunity to go anywhere lies, and/or c) where you may have a paradox in your life.

where tardis is for me and how it affects me personally: 7h in virgo at 18° - :) i swear to god i literally have a running list of asteroids and picked at random 25 different asteroids. who knew we would be debating my potential wifey status lmfao. turns out my partnership is my paradox and my opportunity to travel is.

please let me know if you all enjoyed this - i could do a part two some other time!

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#astrology #asteroid astrology #astro community #asteroid #astro chart #natal chart #persona chart #astro placements #doctor who #tardis #santa #charlie brown #mummy #nostaliga #michelangelo #alice in wonderland #mad hatter #cheshire #lova #night owl #leo tolstoy #fyodor dosteovsky #eureka #einstein #dna

[melusina]

while i'm on the subject of making bad takes about geology in pop culture, im. so tired of the first response everyone has when they hear i studying geology being:

"haha so do you eat rocks? which rocks do geologists eat?"

... it's salt, man. you already know the answer to this. theres one answer and its salt. and you eat it every day and its normal.

its the most boring question to answer. geologists eat rocks because everyone eats rocks. because salt is a rock. it's the "so it's free, right?" when the barcode doesn't scan at the cash register of geology questions.

sure, if you want to get a little frisky with it, you can throw in how kaolin is used as a texture enhancer in ice cream and how the titanium dioxide that makes oreo cream so white derives from rutile, but the answer they're actually looking for is salt. and at that point whoever has asked you that has already stopped giving a shit, because the mental image they had of geologists shoving glittering green crystals into their mouths has already vaporized and they've realized just how boring the question they just asked really is.

you could have asked me about volcanoes or the bottom of the ocean and instead you asked me a question with the boringest answer imaginable. you learned one fact about me, which is that i study the processes that make lava explode and crystals grow, and you looked me, a human being, dead in the eyes, and asked me if i eat salt. and were disappointed when the answer was just yeah. you know what? how about next time, instead, lets both sit down in an empty room and stare at the wall together in silence until we wither away into skeletons. would that be more interesting to you?

#rockblr #this post is pretty. salty. #get it. get it #geology #melusina minerals #if anyone in the replies tries to be like ahrmm um actually some geologists identify grain size by feeling the rock on their tongue #thats not eating!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

hi, I'm a student looking to maybe go into paleontology! I love your blog, and I've just got a few questions if that's alright!

How did you get into paleontology?

How did you end up becoming a paleontologist (as in, what subjects and such helped)

and what do you do on the job?

Sorry for all the questions, I'd just like to know more about being a paleontologist!

Hi! So

There are a LOT of ways to get into paleontology

The field has multiple parts:

Geologists who focus on the rock content and depositional environment and the context each fossil is found in

Biologists who focus on what the fossils were like when they were alive

Artists who do their best damn job to take all of the evidence and reconstruct the organisms as they were in life

Paleoartists are just as much part of paleontology as the rest of us! In fact, paleoart is an important part of the science.

I personally got into paleontology via option B, Biology. I majored in biology in college and then got a master's degree in evolutionary biology. I also kept up with paleontological papers, read a lot, and constantly challenged my own assumptions.

In undergrad, I did research on paleo, too - that's a big help. I got to organize a Burgess Shale collection and identify all the organisms. Getting a research position in undergrad is a major help to getting your foot in the door.

The way I got into my paleontology PhD program was via networking, unfortunately. There are a lot of conferences year round about paleontology, and lots of people - enthusiasts, wanna be scientists, but also fully fledged scientists and researchers - attend them. I met my advisor, Dr. Peter Houde, at one such conference (Society of Vertebrate Paleontology Annual Meeting). We chatted, he realized I had a lot of research interests in common with him, and I applied to work with him.

Evolutionary Biology, Anatomy, Physiology, and Ecology are the big biology subjects that every paleontologist needs to know. We need to know how things evolve, how their bodies work, and how they interacted with each other and their abiotic environment.

In terms of geology, the big things there would be Sedimentology, Stratigraphy, Geochronology, and Geochemistry. Understanding how sedimentary rocks form, how things fossilize within them, how we measure deep time, and what the different chemicals in fossils and rocks mean for that organism's history are all necessary components.

I would also take drawing classes, specifically so you can draw what you observe in the field. I never did and I regret it.

In terms of how I fell in love with paleo originally, well, my parents showed me Land Before Time when I was like, one, and I fell in love instantaneously. I spent most of my childhood reading dinosaur books, through high school. I just kind of never stopped being obsessed.

On the job, I mostly look at fossils at a lab bench, prep them with very basic chemicals (so nothing too dangerous most of the time), and look at their traits. I also scour databases and gather lots of information about what I need to know. There's some programming, some excel work, graphing, lots of basic stuff. I also have to write a loooot. I don't do fieldwork, because I'm disabled and fieldwork is hella unaccessable, but there's lots for me to do at the bench!

I can go into it more, but I think that's a good start.

#paleontology #paleontologist #how to be a paleontologist #palaeoblr #science

[kozzax]

[ hermitcitizen id template by @ink-ghoul ]

I missed the original run of hermitcitizens but I saw the template today and got really really excited about it !! It's been ages since I thought about xym but he's technically existed for. A long time!! A lot of the old stuff I wrote for them isn't accurate anymore though I've been revamping them all day.

Some information about him:

I say geologist, because a lot of the work xe does IS in geology, but when possible xe always goes for paleontology instead. Sniffers were a dream come true.

Pearl, Grian, and Doc's bases are the three that kit most often frequents for work. Sometimes xe'll show up around other bases, but these three in particular have such a huge environmental impact (or. particularly interesting Rocks. Grian.)

The book mrrp writes everything down in has doodles all over the margins.

Likes to claim that fel's crepuscular. This isn't technically true.

I mention it in the notes section but it's worth repeating: mrrp CANNOT use elytra. In season 8 xe lived around the Iskall-Etho base area because the No Wings Club was so entertaining for xym.

You can't see it in this picture but xe has six limbs, the middle ones doubling as legs and hands depending on what's needed for a task.

"Catbug" is better described as serval/cricket.

Definitely sided with the King during Ren's kingship. "Sorry Ms. Pearl, I know I live in your biome and you're against him, but he's funding my research grants, sooooooo."

Wasn't expecting the id photo to be taken Right Then so. Was a little bit startled lmao.

Terrified of going to Deep Frost Citadel and dreads when xe has to go there for study. Not because the build itself scares xym. Xe just hates being cold.

#my art #hermitcitizen #this was really fun i forgot how much fun thinking about hermitcitizens was #also as a silly little note. the background of the id photo was all done on one layer #i hate doing backgrounds so i just kind of. threw some stuff together #it's meant to be pearl's base? i hope it comes across at least a little bit like it

[sinosauropteryx--prima]

Life in the Cambrian

(row 1: Pikaia, Hallucigenia, Opabinia; row 2: Wiwaxia, Anomalocaris, Cambroraster; row 3: Olenellus, Marrella, Nailiana)

About a month ago I started to make these little collages about prehistoric life and honestly, all that I want is to talk about some of the cool and weird creatures that used to live on our planet. So I‘m just going to make this all of y‘alls problem and infodump into the void for a moment here. I‘m sorry and you‘re welcome.

The history of our planet actually starts about 4.6 billion years ago. Back then the earth was of course a flaming hot ball of lava that got constantly hit by rocks from outer space. One of those rocks was even big enough that its collision with us created the moon. Overall not a great time to be alive (also, as far as we know there wasn‘t really anything “alive“ yet). It was so bad, that this early time is called Hadean, you know, after the greek god of literal hell.

But after a while (like about 4 billion years ago) things chilled out a bit. This next time period is called the Archean, which is greek for “beginning“. The planet cooled down, we got some water and a real atmosphere, although its composition was very different from the one we have today, which would lead to the sky having all kinds of weird colors (maybe orange-ish). We also see the first life in the forms of single cell organisms. Some of those organism would have started to do photosynthesis, creating oxygen and releasing that into the atmosphere. One interesting hypothesis I came across btw is that it is believed that those early organisms didn‘t use chlorophyll to do their photosynthesis, but other molecules. You might now wonder, why that would be interesting in any way. Well, chlorophyll is the thing, that gives our photosynthesis-doing plants today their color. The organisms back than might have had a different color, most likely purple, and there is a good chance that their presences would have dyed the oceans purple. So imagine this barren world, with no visible life, orange skies, purple oceans and an atmosphere that would probably kill you. It‘s a beautiful image, isn‘t it?

As those silly little single celled organism did their photosynthesis, they steadily realized oxygen into the atmosphere, which turned out to be a problem, because when you change the composition of the atmosphere, that will massively affect live on the planet (totally not what‘s happening right now, no, we‘re fine). So at the end of the Archean there probably was a mass extinction where a lot of life basically suffocated itself. This “Great Oxidation Event“ happened about 2.6 billion years ago and marked the end of the Archean and the beginning of the Proterozoic (meaning “early life“), during which we see the first complex life forms.

Hadean, Archean and Proterozoic are all eons, which is the biggest measurement in the geologic time scale. Sometimes they are also just grouped together as the Pre-Cambrian (I will get to the actual Cambrian soon, I promise). The last eon, and the one we‘re currently living in, is the Phanerozoic (“visible life“) eon. Because it is the most recent and we have a lot more detailed knowledge about it, it usually gets divided into smaller parts. Eons are divided into eras (insert Taylor Swift joke here) and eras are divided into periods. Think of it like how a year is divided into months, and months are divided into days, and those are again divided into hours.

The first era of the Phanerozoic is the Paleozoic Era (“ancient life“) and the first period in that era is the Cambrian, which started about 540 million years ago. You might now wonder, why geologist have decided that that is the beginning of this last eon. In geology things usually get divided when there is a big change happening. The Great Oxidation Event was a pretty big deal and the world was changed afterwards, so we give the time before and after different names, to highlight that. It is similar to how we divided years into BC and AD because the birth of Jesus was a pretty big deal for the western world and we use it as a reference.

The thing that had changed at the beginning of the Phanerozoic eon is that suddenly there was A LOT of life. As we have just discussed, there was some life before this point, but it was rare, small, very primitive and the fossils are very hard to find. In fact the shift between older fossil-free rocks and then all the fossil-filled rocks of the Cambrian was so obvious and so sudden, that for a while paleontologists thought that life itself must have started in the Cambrian.

Today we know that that is not true. However during the Cambrian life diversified very rapidly and by the end of it, the earliest members of all animal lines were present. This includes for example arthropods (insects, spiders, etc.), chordates (everything with a backbone, like us), molluscs (snails, octopus, clams, …), cnidaria (jellyfish and corals), and many more. This diversification is also known as the Cambrian Explosion, which is quite the catchy name. It is however not completely clear, why this happened and why at this time, but there are some theories:

One idea is that something in the environment changed. Maybe the oxygen content in the air and water increased, allowing the animals to grow to bigger sizes. Maybe it was the temperature or something else. Another theory is that it had to do with the animals themselves. Some of them might have evolved something that then forced everyone else to also step up their game in an evolutionary arms race. The thing that‘s usually brought up here are eyes (because yes, at some point, eyes were the hot new thing). It would make sense, because, believe it or not, if you have eyes you can actually see things, which means that you can hunt things, or avoid things that hunt you.

Most of the Cambrian animals were pretty small, only a couple cm long. One of the biggest ones was Anomalocaris (whose name literally translates to “weird shrimp“), which measured up to 60 cm long. Imagine you‘re a little Cambrian creature, just going about your day, swimming in the sea, feeding on plankton, as suddenly a shadow falls over you. A giant beast swims above you. Its long arms are reaching for you as you desperately try to escape the monster.

Anomalocaris wasn‘t actually a shrimp. At best, it was very distantly related, as it was also an arthropod. It, as well as its cousin Cambroraster, belonged to the radiodonta, which was very successful during the early Paleozoic, living a variety of lifestyles and making up some of the biggest animals of their time. The five-eyed (yes, five-eyed) Opabinia was also closely related. Another group of arthropods were the trilobites (like Olenellus), bug-like creatures living on the ocean floors.

As alien as those creatures might seem, there were much stranger ones out there. Wiwaxia for example, which wikipedia just marks as “Mollusc (?)“, which sounds about as confident as a student that didn‘t study for their exam. But the title for the weirdest one should probably go to Hallucigenia. It was most likely at least somewhat related to arthropods and it did puzzle paleontologists for a long time (I mean, they named it Hallucigenia for a reason). When it was first discovered, scientists thought that the long spines on its back were actually its legs and they also switched its head and tail in reconstructions. So not only did we mess up its back and front, we also got it upside down.

In terms of our own lineage: one of the earliest known chordates is Pikaia. The family resemblance isn‘t really there yet, but you have to start somewhere, I guess.

I‘m done with rambling for now. I hope at least someone found this slightly interesting or learned something or whatever.

Art by:

Anomalocaris - Luis R. Blanco

Opabinia, Pikaia - Jose Antonio Penas

Hallucigenia - Qbliviens

Cambroraster - Christian M.

Wiwaxia - Julio Lacerda

Olenellus - Nobu Tamura

Marrella - Ntvtiko

Nailiana Xi Liu

All the info is just a combination of wikipedia pages.

#paleoblr #paleontology #paleozoic #cambrian #anomalocaris

[original-character-championship]

REAL NULL PROPAGANDA HOURS!!

(submitting this now so i don’t forget when the polls are posted lol)

you might be thinking. who is this chump? and why should i vote for them?

well.

this weird lizard is NULL and they are the blorbo from my brain!!!

Some random facts abut the beast:

1. Null used to be ½ of a god (kinda). They were created when a mage tore one of the universe’s founding deities in half due to a misunderstanding (long story). Both halves of this god-soul congealed into a physical form, with one half becoming Null (and the other half becoming Null’s evil twin sibling Nil).

2. Null is made out of rock. No, seriously. When Null was first formed, they were more energy than physical matter. They wandered into a cave and just went to TOWN eating rocks and incorporating it into their body. so null is entirely rock and mineral based and is kept alive entirely by freaky otherworldly “magic” (once again, long story).

3. considering Null was formed from the corrupted deity of death and destruction, Null was SUPPOSED to hunt down their counterpart Nil, kill them before Nil manages to kill Null, and be reformed as the true destruction god once again. instead, Null sat in a cave for like, 100 thousand years longer than they were supposed to.

4. Everyone wants Null to be the protagonist soooo bad but Null would much rather go back to their cave and take a nap. They only left the cave because the mountain they lived under Completely Collapsed on top of them.

5. Instead of doing what they were SUPPOSED to do (kill Nil), Null spent their time wandering with their new friends and having a fun adventure learning about the big huge above-ground world while aforementioned friends are DESPERATELY trying to lead Nil and their posse on a wild goose chase and stalling them as long as possible because, unlike Null, Nil IS actively trying to hunt down and murder Null. Null is aware of this, they just don’t care.

6. At various points, Null becomes: a semi-famous sculptor, a baker, a folk legend, a criminal, an archivist, an archaeologist, a geologist, an unlicensed therapist, and a temple statue (….long story.)

7. Cares WAY more about doing whatever the hell they want instead of following fate or expectations or anything.

8. Specifically USED to be ½ a god and not CURRENTLY ½ a god specifically because of how souls work in the universe. Null (and their counterpart Nil) both start out as literally just. half of the destruction god’s soul. but after going through Character Development Null got their Very Own shiny brand-new soul. so when Nil eventually confronts Null and dies (badly) in the process, the god-part of their souls reform into the destruction god, but Null is still fine! Kind of. They did get turned into a rock for a while. But it’s fine! They got better!

9. Null’s favorite food is limestone. Null’s second favorite food is mango.

10. Null exists in a plane of existence known as the Mortal Coil (which i talk about in depth on my oc lore sideblog @mortalllycoiled if you’re at all interested in the Lore). There are a Lot of guys involved. here’s a simplified relationship chart as a reference for the scale so far!

11. Null is my special little guy and I am simply happy that you have observed him for a little bit. I designed this creature back in 2017 and I still love them so much its unreal. Here’s some random old art to look at!

^ the OLDEST art of Null, from 2017! this is one of my oldest digital art pieces ive done. i think we’ve both come a long way c:

anyways, thank you for observing my specialist guy Null! so go ahead and vote for them (or don’t; i’m writing this post before i know who he’ll be going up against so like. idk follow your heart <3 )

#submission #propaganda #94 Null

[geoledgy]

hi I'm interested in geology and my old high school science teacher told me limestone was the rock that geologists lick the most. but im curious are there any other lickable rocks. like interesting ones. my teacher described the limestone texture as the texture of shrimp chips LOL. iirc there's also a rock that got used for treatment for bipolar disorder? im not sure about this one. but anyway. top 10 most lickable rocks?

Any rock is lickable if you believe (as long as it isn't brightly colored which means it's most likely toxic)...I never heard about limestone being the most licked rock, I wonder why, because there's no scientific reason for it to be licked (afaik). Did your teacher ever say why?

Rocks that often get licked for field identification are:

halite/salt bearing rocks - distinct salt taste

mud & silt - silt sticks to your teeth, mud doesn't

bone fossils - pores on bone makes it stick to your tongue (unpleasant feeling btw)

maybe others??? who knows

but yea a lot of geologists I've spoken to just lick rocks for fun. I had a lab partner who ate our sand samples.

Limestone textures can be different depending on where you are, like where I am it's very smooth (In fact I almost slip and crack my head multiple times on them). Also I literally have no idea about that last one, it's probably some metaphysical stuff which isn't my realm.

#asks #thanks for the ask btw!

[ellilyre]

CoD x Subnautica

141 is a team of specialists sent to explore and get data on a recently-discovered planet, made out of about 90% water. (usual Subnautica scenario, just no crash)

Soap is a geologist Gaz is a botanist Ghost is a zoologist, obviously specified in marine life Price is not a scientist. He’s military. Although the 3 others are well trained, his job is mostly to ensure safety.

Yes, Soapghost had sex in the seatruck. Yes, everyone knows. No, no one wants to talk about it.

Price has done multiple missions of this type before (tho none that long), and he doesn't see this one differently as any other. He has never felt too interest in any scientist mission, until this one. Maybe it’s because of the beauty of this planet, or the passion each man has for his field of work. But for the first time, Price feels like more than just a soldier. For the first time in so long, he’s genuinely in adoration of what he’s seeing and he wants the mission to last as long as possible.

(Below:Zero setting for this one) Ghost was doing research on penglins when he found a lonely egg. He was about to look around for a potential parent when at that moment the egg hatched. and since Ghost is the first thing the baby saw, it assumed he’s his mother. The baby followed him and they had no choice but to adopt it as their mascot

Price : have you been licking alien rocks again ? Soap : Soap : listen, it was professionally. It's part of the science. Price : I don’t see the others licking things “professionally” ! Gaz : I did, once. I ended up in induced coma for 4 months.

141 was the first team sent. But once they got a lot of data and built an acceptable-sized foundation, more teams can be sent to help them get more information and explore further. (translate: im definitely putting the rest of SpecGru in there) 

#more will come #my 2 fav games together <3 #i have been playing below:zero recently so its mostly what i have in head while writing this #but except the pinglin one both games works #call of duty modern warfare ii #call of duty mw2 #mw2 #johnny soap mactavish #kyle gaz garrick #simon ghost riley #captain john price #task force 141 #mwii headcanons