#they work together like a portuguese man o war
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This is the intro of my longest fic this year and I'm publishing for this amazing week~. The cover is a drawing I prepared before but the story sees the light now~. Hope you like it and Happy EngPort Week!
Spanish version here.
Thanks to the amazing @imdedlikeu for helping me with the translation~
Day 1 (May 8th) ~ Surprise/Gift @engportevents
1 . O presente
At some point in human history, that had seemed an excellent idea; especially considering he had never been able to really see himself as he was, except at the beginning of time, through blurry reflections of lagoons and rivers.
Now, he wasn’t so sure nor happy with the image the mirror reflected.
“Querido, are you okay?”
The voice on the other side of the door, along with the gentle tapping of knuckles against wood, snapped him back to reality. The last couple of nights he was restless; a sensation he hadn’t felt for centuries, when wars awaited him at dawn, or when he’d embark on conquests at sea. The knots in his belly felt just the same.
“Yes, darling. I’ll be out.”
England rolled down the cuffed sleeves of his shirt, slipped into his coat and buttoned it up. He smoothed his hair, and walked out only to face a confused Portugal, who watched him expectantly.
“It’s been half an hour since you stepped into the bathroom, is everything okay?”
“Gabe, you know I like making myself desired“ he half-smiled, dispelling the worry from his own eyes - the other one could read him too easily.
“Are you playing at not telling me? Okay.” He asked with an arched eyebrow. Resigned, he stood with his hands at his waist. “We have some things to do.”
“Of course.” the blonde agreed automatically, he quickened his pace, moving forward.
Their masks slid on as they took a turn around the corridor, they walked side-by-side, a calmness that only kings seemed to own. Smiling with kindness and exquisite courtesy to those present; mortals of both nations working on the celebration of the Anglo-Portuguese alliance.
Many brave folks walked up to meet them and shake their hands; their first time they saw them under the Secret of the State; others were relieved they were there supervising everything, even if it seemed like a trivial tour.
“We’d like for you to see the preliminary inventory senhor Dos Anjos” a woman said speaking in Portuguese and holding a tablet, thin like a lectern.
“The celebration will the whole week with an event per day, Lord Kirkland.'' another man commented to the blonde, showing him on a cellphone with the chosen locations. He was unable to hide his excitement at being able to speak to his Fatherland.
It was a busy month, adding more work to what they usually had as nations. Eternal labor like themselves, navigating between mortal generations; meanwhile, those who show their support for what they were, at the same time, linked the countries together.
It was strange how the universe worked.
The british slowly began to drift from reality; on the one hand, while his consciousness was able to answer with his voice and mouth, registering what was being said to him, the shine in his eyes indicated he was looking at something else, within himself. Movement that the country at his side didn't miss.
“If you’ll excuse us, we must continue with our day,” the Portuguese said in perfect english. “Everything we’ve seen is perfect for us, so please continue as you have. Shall we, Arthur?”
“Of course, Gabriel,” his companion answered following his lead, “Later I will go over the details of the Tower of London. Proceed.”
“Yes, sir.” The small group answered, happy with the partial approval of Kirkland.
Taking it as a sign, the Lusitanian took the other’s arm and took him to one of the private offices he owned at the Portuguese Embassy, those where they met most frequently in London. The Anglo closed the door, leaning against it.
“Please, marido, tell me what’s going on. You’ve been lost all morning.”
Arthur walked quietly towards the other’s desk, sitting on the edge to better look at him.
“I apologize, I know I’ve been out of sorts.”
“Is there something wrong with one of your facets?” Portugal asks, wanting to make sure. “They seem to appear on days like these.”
“No, nothing like that. Everything is alright.” He answers calmly, making the other raise an eyebrow.
“Then?”
“Well… I was wondering, what sort of gift a husband gives on a six-hundred-and-fiftieth wedding anniversary?”
The Lusitaian’s eyes widened, and he laughed.
“All the zoning out and dramatic silence, because of this?” he walked towards him, calmer.
“It’s not just anything…” he defends himself with a childish pout, his cheeks puffed. Gabriel nods, getting closer and adjusting the blonde’s bangs.
“Of course it’s not, amor. But you behaved in a manner that made it much more serious.”
“It is serious. I don't know what to give you.” The brunette smiles more.
“We’ve celebrated many anniversaries at odds or upset with each other; sometimes even with an oceans distance between us.” He lovingly kissed his forehead “You know I’m happily content with your undivided attention and company alone. The privacy of intimacy is something that becomes more and more expensive in these times, especially between us.” He traces the other’s face with his finger, “A nice dinner, some wine, walking hand-in-hand alongside the beach and sailing at night…”
“Of course we’ll do that.” Arthur agreed, serious. “However-“
“It’s not enough.” The other finished. The blonde only nods. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” He shrugged, looking at him, unblinkingly, his eyes shine intensely. “Every fiber in my body is telling me this year we should do something more.”
“Is it the side of you that is human, or a premonition of the Old Magic?”
“A little bit of both.” He smiled, both bashful and mockingly. “I couldn’t give you any kind of gift last year.”
“What we did as a delayed gift was compensation enough” the dark-haired man added in a lascivious smile, touching the other’s silk green tie. “Especially when yo-“
“Don’t challenge my modesty, my dear, or I'll be forced to embarrass you here at the Embassy.”
“You seem so sure of that, Kirkland.” The other whispered.
“You know I am good at winning bets; I made it very clear when I was a pirate adorning his gypsy with jewels an-”
“Don’t try to change the subject, Artie.” Gabriel insisted. “Do you have an idea why you feel this way?”
“There will be a Blue Moon on our anniversary.” He said slowly, blinking, to appear more human. “You know what that means for my brothers and me.”
“Yes, the opposite of the Red Moon.” He answered bitterly, trying not to think much of it. “Do you have to stay on the Isles?”
“Of course not! It’s the day I celebrate with you, you fool.” he said in an obvious tone, tapping the other’s chest, slightly offended.
“Oi, don’t behave like a criança.” He sighted, “Then?”
“There will be an immense amount of Ancient Magic flowing from the surface of the veil, like Samhain.” He answered, excitedly. “And I was hoping we could go to Windsor Castle, in the west tower, there’s still-“
“Wait, the old room still exists?” He pulled back a bit, surprised.
“I’ve always conserved the old room, it was the first nuptial bed we shared together, why would I take it off?”
Gabriel’s blush was so sudden and intense, it made his husband laugh. The other one kissed the tip of his nose in response.
“I thought the tower was destroyed in 1853, after the fire.” He smiled slightly incredulous. “That's so… romantic, Arthur.” England showed his thanks through a gesture of pride.
“It is one of my many secrets; and since they’re mostly related to you, I can usually reveal them on special days like these.” His expression softened, holding him comfortable by the waist. “I think the memories that were made in that room will make the trip easier.”
“What trip… ?”
“I don’t want that old bed for something so banal,” he began, raising a thick brow, “of course I would be happy to do it, but there is something much more interesting.”
He smiled more.
“Let’s celebrate that day in the Lightning Wasteland!” Portugal’s eyes widen in genuine surprise.
“Wait... in the Dreamworld? But what about the events for this week that the humans have prepared? Will we not be attending?”
England made a dismissive gesture, “We’ll go, yeah, we’ll just be late…or have you ever seen a King or an Empire arrive anywhere on time? It’s in our blue blood, my love. Like I said before, you need to be desired.”
“The world doesn't work like that anymore, Arthur…” he sighs resigned, then the blonde laughted.
“It’ll work as we want it to, Dos Anjos.” His expression was mischievous. “Our alliance, our marriage, is the longest in history, let it be the ones to say how things are done. Mandates are not forgotten.”
Portugal blinked, smiling with amusement; he was well acquainted with Arthur’s sly attitude, when the Englishman was planning something mischievous. However...
“Okay, let’s do it.”
After six hundred fifty centuries, the human world was running out of marital surprises.
But nothing stopped his husband.
~~~~
#aph portugal#aph england#engport#porteng#engportevent#engportweek#engportweekevent#hws england#hws portugal#axis powers ヘタリア#hetalia#fanfiction#hetalia axis powers#aph#hws
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Not many people know this but Spamton is actually a colony of smaller organisms working together in harmony like a portuguese man o’ war jellyfish
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It was 5 o clock and Tom had escaped the mess hall for the third night in a row. He probably had one more before Jag and Lynx force fed him. He just couldn’t bring himself to after...his thoughts trailed off as a helicopter thundered towards them. It was clearly American from the insignia on the side but no one made any defensive moves so it must be approved. Just as it touched down a single man jumped out, holding a duffel and a wooden case tight to his chest. He motioned something to the pilots who waved and took back to the air as the man scrambled away from the downblast. Sand swirled around him, obscuring him for small periods before he was gone, likely to the commander’s hut. He shrugged off the occurrence, settling back on the crate under the canopy that he had taken as respite from his overbearing teammates and the rest of the mass of sweaty, irritated men stuck in the desert with him.
He had just started to drift off when he heard the rattle of glass. The stranger from earlier had sunk his crate into the sand and sat staring out at the base with him. He seemed familiar but Tom couldn’t quite recognize it.
His companion rooted around in the duffle bag and extracted a bottle. He expected the man to pop it open and take a drink but instead it was held out for him. Tom used it as an excuse to study him - tan skin, dark black hair and bright hazel eyes. Maybe a local? No, he didn’t have a beard so someone from the government but why would they be in an American helicopter in a British base?
For his part the man didn’t seem bothered at his examination waiting for recognition but when none came smiled “Heard you had your first kill” Alex. Of course it was Alex.
“Please tell me you didn’t come all this way to try and talk me down.”
“I didn’t, I have a mission but even if I did I would not be here to talk.”
“No sage advice from ‘6s best killer?” Tom was being cruel. Alex had a job to do at the cottage and had made sure his team was safe. Others had not been so lucky from what he heard. He could probably attribute his attitude to his dark mood after…he shut the thought off quickly
“No advice.” Alex’s answer was firm “not unless you want it. I’m not here to talk, Tom, I’m here to listen.”
“Stag” he corrected instinctively
Alex nodded back “then Orion”
Tom took the hint and opened the bottle, taking small sips of whiskey straight out of it. It was the good stuff, not the cheap slag he shared with Lynx after patrol. He offered it to Alex who held up his hand in the universal symbol for ‘pass’
“Don't drink?”
“Only to maintain cover and even then I prefer vodka. I blame Gregorovich.”
They fell into silence, Alex content to let Tom handle the course of conversation. After half a week of everyone throwing their thoughts and perceptions at him it was refreshing.
“What was it like? Your first kill?”
Alex seemed to consider this “On accident or on purpose?”
“Does it matter?”
“Quite a bit, the accident one is funny in a dark kind of way if that helps make up your mind.”
“Let’s start there.”
“It was my first mission. The man I was up against kept a Portuguese man of war in a glass tank behind his desk. When my cover was blown I ended up in the tank. Thankfully, our gadget master had given me a cream that dissolved metal cleverly hidden in a tube of zit cream. I destroyed the girders holding it together. His assistant was too close when it came down and the man o’ war landed on top of her. I’m pretty sure it killed her but she was still twitching when I left to finish the mission.”
“Jesus, Orion, what other shit have you been in?”
“Animal wise? Piranhas, crocodiles, sharks, gorillas, tigers, snakes, rats, scorpions, of course.”
Tom rolled his eyes “Revenge?”
“Technically, it was while I was still working for them. One of the board members had a prior relationship with my father. She tried to kill me and the scorpions were supposed to be a message.”
“What happened?”
“Yassen made me hunt her down and kill her and her right hand. With scorpions.”
“Of course” Tom supplied and they shared a wry smile “What about your first kill, on purpose?”
Alex shot him a sidelong glance “You sure you want to hear? It’s not going to make you feel any better.”
“Can’t get any worse”
“Alright” he sighed “I was apprenticed under Dr. Three he was the world’s foremost authority in torture and information extraction.”
“What happened to him?”
Alex looked up sharply “I killed him” then paused “he wasn’t my first kill, though. We were doing live dissections in the lab. My subject was particularly vocal. He kept begging, pleading, screaming. Yassen had me on a sleep deprivation schedule so that I would break down and finally kill. I don’t know specifically what brought it on but after 3 days I finally slit his throat. Blood went everywhere. I was soaked in it. The good doctor congratulated me and pointed out easier, cleaner ways I could have ended it then made me finish the exercise before I could clean up.”
“That’s how they taught you to kill”
“That’s how they taught me to be a killer. I learned the art of killing in the shooting ranges or the sparring mats or the botany and demolitions classrooms. I excelled in the art of killing - top of my class. It was the act of the kill that I struggled with - Yassen fixed that defect. Painfully.
“So they made you kill prisoners?”
“That’s how it started.” Alex shrugged “all in all the process from ‘I’ll never kill’ to shooting a man point blank in cold blood without hesitation lasted 6 months and I pretty much killed once a day toward the end.”
They sat in silence as Tom turned that over in his mind. 14 or 15 and forced to kill everyday. Fuck. Tom could barely handle killing to save a teammate. Alex held his hand out and Tom obliged, Alex deserved a drink after talking about that, after living through that. His own story was a shade by comparison but he felt like he should share something.
“We were pinned down in the heart of town. Backup had gotten hit by an IED around the same time the insurgents had blocked off our inward route with their own barricade. To get out we had to go back and who knows what they had set up. The streets are narrow, only one Humvee at a time, not enough room to turn around. So to extricate we blew the corner off the apartment or shop or whatever it was. The owner came out and Boar our comm tried talking with him, and things were beginning to escalate. The man was angry and pulled a gun. I shot without thinking. His kids were right there hiding in the stairwell. I can still see them.” He finished softly.
Alex didn’t say anything just passed the bottle back over. They sat in silence as the desert sun set. Finally, Tom broke it. “What’s your advice, then? Everyone else’s given me some.”
“Are you sure you want it?”
“I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t”
Alex nodded with a small smile “You won’t get over it but don’t let it consume you. You’ll feel it for the rest of your life. If you’re lucky you’ll live long enough to add others. The fact that you regret it makes you human. Don’t lose that.”
“Have you lost that?”
Alex didn’t respond just gestured for the bottle and Tom handed it over without another word.
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Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis)
The Portuguese man o' war is a marine hydrozoan found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is one of two species in the genus Physalia, along with the Pacific man o' war. Physalia is the only genus in the family Physaliidae. Its long tentacles deliver a painful sting, which is venomous and powerful enough to kill fish and even humans. Despite its appearance, the Portuguese man o' war is not a true jellyfish but a siphonophore, which is not an individual multicellular organism (true jellyfishes are single organisms), but a colonial organism made up of many specialized animals of the same species, called zooids or polyps. These polyps are attached to one another and physiologically integrated, to the extent that they cannot survive independently, creating a symbiotic relationship, requiring each polyp to work together and function like an individual animal. The Atlantic Portuguese man o' war lives at the surface of the ocean. The gas-filled bladder, or pneumatophore, remains at the surface, while the remainder is submerged. Portuguese men o' war have no means of propulsion, and move driven by the winds, currents, and tides. This species is responsible for up to 10,000 human stings in Australia each summer, particularly on the east coast, with some others occurring off the coast of South Australia and Western Australia. One of the problems with identifying these stings is that the detached tentacles may drift for days in the water, and the swimmer may not have any idea if they have been stung by a man o' war or by some other less venomous creature. The Portuguese man o' war is a carnivore. Using its venomous tentacles, a man o' war traps and paralyzes its prey while "reeling" it inwards to the digestive polyps. It typically feeds on small marine organisms, such as fish and plankton.
photo credits: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Joi Ito , Biusch
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#portuguese man o' war#Physalia physalis#zoology#biology#biodiversity#science#wildlife#nature#animals#cool critters
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hannibal questions! 🍖🔪
@nietzscheantrout @horrorlesbians and @hanniba1 wanted me to answer these hannibal questions and i wrote too much but oh well! thanks to all 3 of you ilu!!!
favorite episode and why: oh we’re just goin straight to the hard questions huh um OKAY so i think i can only do an ep a season
- s1: SORBET SUPREMACY! you get to see the exact moment will looks at hannibal and thinks “.........shit. it’s him isn’t it. he’s The One. SHIT.” and that is so important to me
- s2: this one is really hard maybe naka-choko? it’s so fucking gay and sexy. but tome-wan... but mizumono............ yeah idk
- s3: torn between digestivo and the wrath of the lamb cuz they both hurt SOOO good much; i love will breaking up with hannibal and hannibal manipulating the situation so will can’t leave asldkjansk it’s so toxic we have to stan..... and for twotl i mean do i really have to give a reason every scene LIVES in my mind and it contains my favorite shot in the whole show:
that is LOVE baby! that is DESIRE! that is being ENTHRALLED!!!!
least favorite episode and why: i feel like they’re all so necessary that it’s kind of impossible to say but probably antipasto. i get sick of hannibal and bedelia’s shenanigans really quickly and as much as i hate to admit it... i miss will. i also think it was an extremely weak season opener and i blame it for getting the show canceled sjshshsgsg the resentment...
favorite side character: chiyoh or jimmy or actually wait— RANDALL TIER 🖤
if you could bring back one character who died, who would it be?: RANDALL FUCKING TIER. i want there to be a weird thing with him and hannibal and will going on. but also i love what his death did for will so idfk, other than him it’s gotta be beverly
dish prepared in the show that you would like to try eating/making: i was supposed to make hannibal’s osso bucco recipe like 3 weeks ago but it completely slipped my mind so i guess i’ll get on that my next grocery trip
which side character would you kill off?: chilton just because for god’s sake just let the man DIE ALREADY poor guy <- i’m taking ava’s answer because YEAH
was there any scene that you didn’t like to look at?: nah. the skin ripping scenes at the beginning of either kaiseki or sakizuki (idk i don’t remember, i hardly watch s2a) are particularly brutal but i tough it out
biggest ship: i mean do i even have to say
why did you start watching hannibal?: my wife, who was my girlfriend at the time, and her dad were watching it as it was airing and i was like “oh cool hannibal lecter origin story” but due to inconsistent access to the episodes i would just watch it randomly and that is... not the way to watch hannibal. i gave up around the end of s2 but knew hannigram was It regardless. i decided to watch s3 for the first time earlier this year just to have finished it and was like HOLD UP and did an immediate rewatch that left me... well, how i am now
favorite hannibal fic if you’ve read any?:
oh boy. yall ready for this? all of these can be found on ao3 obviously (i’m so sorry this is so long but i guess i’ve been asked to put together a fic rec anyway)
as soft, as wide as air by blackknightsatellite, the ladders series by emungere, blackbird by emungere, consenting to dream series by emungere, taken for rubies by emungere, at first meeting by emungere, protect me from what i want by @alienfuckeronmain, god of the cold, cold wars by highermagic, the abyss smiled back by highermagic, pomegranate seeds by highermagic, absolute zero by highermagic, in the truly gruesome do we trust by sidnihoudini, TKO by sidnihoudini, oh dear by lunarwench, each according to its kind by chapparral_crown, a flood in our hearts by nanoochka, let me sinful be by darlingred, uncomplicated by stratumgermanitivum & youaremydesign, good bones by @damnslippyplanet, like they do in babylon by @damnslippyplanet, your obedient servant by kareliasweet, past our satellites by shotgunsinlace, only the tender meat by isagel, the shape of me will always be you by missdisoriental, a white-walled room by rodabonor, spleen et idéal by rodabonor, the paper doll series by rodabonor, a common point of interest by rodabonor [i do NOT like a/b/o stuff but if i did... it’s this fic], just thought you should know by earthsickwithoutyou, the sacrificial lamb by princesskay, transcendent suffering by itsbeautiful, not something polite by moistdrippings, leave your message after the tone by onewhositswithturtles, holes in the floor of the mind by feverdreamblood, crossing caina by feverdreamblood, the archipelago series by melusine10, but seas between us braid hae roar’d by kareliasweet
have you watched any of the hannibal films?: yeah all of them except manhunter! i grew up watching silence of the lambs because my mom loved it and i went thru a big edward norton phase as a teen so i’ve seen red dragon like 10 times
have you read the thomas harris books?: no and i’m not going to lmao #fakefan
favorite murder tableau: if we’re talking just hannibal’s- the judge. if we’re talking Murder Bad But Kinda Pretty like in general probably the mushroom people or the totem
favorite blood spill: will imagining hannibal while he beats randall to death or The Gutting of Will Graham
what’re some of your headcanons?:
- will is good at shibari (backed up in canon: his fishing knots, the firefly man’s full body hishi karada harness)
- hannibal rarely listens to modern, non-classical music but he’s a björk fan and he saw one of her chapel performances during the vespertine era and was Moved
- will listens to classic rock (zeppelin, the doors, pink floyd) with some classic country (patsy, merle, johnny) and blues (billie, muddy, bessie) thrown in. he’s also a sucker for early/mid-90s college rock/alternative/grunge
- will plays the piano (because of the piano in his living room) and the harmonica (because he’s country white trash); he’s kind of shit tho
- hannibal fell for will somewhere between “my thoughts are often not tasty” and “you won’t like me when i’m psychoanalyzed” (love at first sight! at last sight! at ever and ever sight!!!)
- will’s circumcised, hannibal isn’t 🤪
- hannibal’s a gemini!!!! adaptable, creative, intelligent, outgoing, impulsive, etc
- will’s an aquarius!!!!! analytical, a loner, temperamental, unique, compassionate, etc
- will’s mom was jewish go read my fic about it https://archiveofourown.org/works/26774326
- hannibal is an agender man (tbh i think of this as canon, it’s just unstated/undefined)
- hannibal can speak russian, spanish, and a teensy bit of portuguese in addition to the other languages we know he speaks (lithuanian, english, french, italian, japanese)
- will speaks limited amounts of french; he learned it as a kid in louisiana
- ED TW will sometimes has a Difficult relationship with food due to food instability by the way of poverty as a kid and goes through periods where it’s hard to keep himself fed, but hannibal is so good for him in that way because he keeps him from going hungry 😓 (yes this is me projecting but also it makes SENSE)
- hannibal typically bottoms but THEY DEFINITELY ARE BOTH VERS and will never stops being surprised by how much he loves catching a dick. every time is like religious experience. okay? okay
- they’re also both very kinky and switches but tbh.... will was made to Dom hannibal like that’s the reason he exists he could drag that old bitch around by a leash and hannibal would be in heaven HANNIBAL WOULD CALL HIM SIR
- the first time they have sex hannibal comes like immediately but he isn’t embarrassed because he’s hannibal fucking lecter and hannibal lecter doesn’t get embarrassed
- i have a hc for their favorite sex positions but i’m not gonna put that here because i don’t want yall calling me crazy any more than you probably already do but if you wanna know just DM me all i do is think about them fucking it’s a curse
- okay no more dirty stuff abigail called hannibal “dad” on more than one occasion and it was half-joking but it also felt comfortable to her; she never thought to call will “dad” because he’s a weirdo and never knew her as much as he knew his idea of her
- hannibal taught her to play piano at the cliff house
- beverly is pansexual!!!
- brian and jimmy kissed one time when they were drunk and they NEVER talk about it EVER
- chiyoh is straight probably. i know, i know, everyone says she’s a lesbian and if she’s a lesbian to you that’s awesome! she’s a lesbian! but idk i just think she’s SO fucking straight and tbh i mourn bc that’s my wife. she could MAYBE be bicurious...
- chiyoh is non-monogamous and doesn’t do serious relationships, she doesn’t like the idea of being tied to one person ever since she left the lecter castle
- she helped hannibal and will escape after The Fall; she told hannibal she would continue to watch over him and i think she did, she got them a boat and got them the fuck out of there
- MOLLY IS DOING SO MUCH BETTER WITHOUT WILL. SHE’S SO GLAD SHE GOT OUT OF THAT WHEN SHE DID. she has a good, long talk with alana and finds out all the shit about him and hannibal that will never told her (and it was a lot), gets drunk and burns all his shit, and then washes her hands of the whole thing; moves to a different state, gets a girlfriend, and never thinks about will again
okay i’m capping it there or i’m never gonna stop!! i’m not tagging anyone cuz i think everyone has done this by now lmao but if you’re a mutual who hasn’t and you want to just do it and say i tagged you!! mwah!!!!
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Despite having been kidnapped by Sinister at a young age? Mami is very much attached to him. She’s had an infinite amount of knowledge and lived so many lives that she, honestly, doesn’t remember her real parents-- and is left with Sinister being her only family. Which, yeah, it sounds awful considering the kind of person he is-- but because she tends to pick up her personality from whoever she bonds with? It probably took around a month or two (exceptionally long for how she works-- but this was the first time she ever bonded) before she was, literally, a tiny little mini me (like any child) of Sinister. I oddly imagine it didn’t takes past that second month for him to ever have to punish or correct her of things he didn’t like again.
I mentioned her probably having a little cape like his-- and I stand by that. I also imagine, at least once, she dressed up fully like him and told him how she hopes she’ll be just like him. It didn’t take her long at all to start referring to him as her father-- and while he did a Hell of a job keeping her hidden away from everyone? Well-- she didn’t really mind. She was happy to be around him and learning for the years she’d been alive. He was probably the only one to see her grow from a tiny child to an adult and seemingly not age again past the age of 26. That being said? She’s far older then that. Perhaps not being with him since he was gifted his powers-- but being around for a good part of it.
The Prime, which no one really gets to interact with because she’s hidden away in Bar Sinister, actively is just a mini Sinister. She’s catty, egotistical, very much intelligent, and a master of deception. She’s a real piece of work.
Discussing it with @defyxoblivion -- The prime absolutely has a gem backup for Sinister located both inside of her body and another that probably has a place on her forehead just like he has. The prime body, Virion, is VERY MUCH protective of Sinister and, man, if someone so much as speaks ill of him? She will become a total monster to defend him. Literally.
---------
Let’s give some childhood information about the DC Universe version of Mami as well. Where the whole kidnapping occurred for Marvel Mami? In DC she was around for the death of her parents and ended up living with her grandparents after their deaths. She took a great interest in microbiology and genetics and swore to herself that she was going to find a way to heal the problems that they had died from. --her mother deciding that health care wasn’t necessary for a case of pneumonia she had gotten after a simple case of common cold-- and her father decided to not seek treatment to cancer.
In the story of a lot of DC doctors-- one of her studies actively went wrong which adjusted her genetics. Much like in the Marvel universe for her? Her cells are more like single celled organisms that come together to make themselves a big multicellular creatures. I use this comparison often-- it’s, very much, like a Portuguese Man-o-War-- a creature called a hydrozoan. She isn’t, actively, evil-- she’s, if anything, just curious to help and learn from others. (Just like her Marvel verse) But, unlike Marvel, her main body is actively being kept hidden away in her own underground lab. Left in a tank and in a state of suspension.
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🤳 WELCOME TO THE SELF TAKEOVER! 🤳 Many of you have asked about the origins of @bijules. Who is the 🧙♀️ behind the diamond curtain? 💎 I am @juleskim and here’s my story as a storyteller and jewelry creative... 🌊 Interconnectedness 🌊 Since 2002, I have struggled to balance my personal and professional lives. Fast forward to now and I can boldly claim that my professionalism is deeply personal. My person and my work are both interconnected and one does not define the other; in fact they benefit and endorse my mental health and productivity as a whole. Today, while meditating on the beach, a big ass jellyfish washed on shore as I contemplated these words regarding “interconnectedness” and the roles of co-existence. Dumbfounded at this real life coincidence, I reiterate the importance of shared goals and community as essential to the pursuit of happiness. 🐠🧜♀️💍🐙🐬🐡🐋🐠🐙 The Portuguese man o' war is a single being and a community: each man o' war is composed of many smaller twins that hang in clusters from under a large, gassed up “sail”. This sail floats on the surface, catching directional wind and riding the tide while reproduction, digestion and hunting are done underwater by various groups of attached tentacle beings. All the while illuminating bioflourescence like opals and diamonds. 💎 What the actual fuck?! 💎 How is this beautiful floating thing an animal composed of animals coworking to accomplish life together? What a concept;) #droppingknowledge #selftakeover #whoisbijules #juleskim #bipocjewelrydesigner #storytelling #twin #halfie #hapa #storycontinues #taketheplunge #trendsetter #bijules #bijulesjewelry #commitment #interconnectedness #nocoincidence #bioflourescence #diamondflourescence #belemniteopal #badrool #tentacles #portuguesemanowar #inspiration #diamonds #mentalhealthawareness #stopaapihate✊🏻✊✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿 🐠 🐟 (at The Ocean) https://www.instagram.com/p/COyfy2oD7zy/?igshid=nachq5oj8jg2
#droppingknowledge#selftakeover#whoisbijules#juleskim#bipocjewelrydesigner#storytelling#twin#halfie#hapa#storycontinues#taketheplunge#trendsetter#bijules#bijulesjewelry#commitment#interconnectedness#nocoincidence#bioflourescence#diamondflourescence#belemniteopal#badrool#tentacles#portuguesemanowar#inspiration#diamonds#mentalhealthawareness#stopaapihate✊🏻✊✊🏼✊🏽✊🏾✊🏿
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The man o' war, often thought of as a jellyfish, is actually a siphonophore. There are two species: the Portuguese man o’ war (Physalia physalis) and the Pacific man o’ war, also known as the Australian blue bottle (Physalia utriculus).
A siphonophore is not one single organism but rather a colony of many specialized animals of the same species called zooids. Each zooid has a special purpose such as defense, reproduction, or digestion. They work together in a symbiotic relationship and are unable to survive on their own.
Man o’ wars have a sail-like, gas-filled sac that allows them to float on the ocean surface with venomous tentacles trailing below to collect fish and plankton to feed on. In the event of a predatory attack from above, the sail can be deflated so the man o’ war can submerge.
(Photos by Getty Images, Jayjay P, Francis Mariani, and Biusch)
#animals#ocean#nature#curators on tumblr#science#man o war#portuguese man o' war#australian blue bottle
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The Portuguese man o' war (Physalia physalis), also known as the man-of-war, is a marine hydrozoan found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is one of two species in the genus Physalia, along with the Pacific man o' war (or Australian blue bottle), Physalia utriculus Physalia is the only genus in the family Physaliidae. Its long tentacles deliver a painful sting, which is venomous and powerful enough to kill fish and even humans Despite its appearance, the Portuguese man o' war is not a true jellyfish but a siphonophore, which is not an individual multicellular organism (true jellyfishes are single organisms), but a colonial organism made up of many specialized animals of the same species, called zooids or polyps. These polyps are attached to one another and physiologically integrated, to the extent that they cannot survive independently, creating a symbiotic relationship, requiring each polyp to work together and function like an individual animal.
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SATAN’S BALLOON ANIMALS
guess what, it’s time for another episode of Weird Biology! today we’re going to learn about a creature that looks like a stained-glass window, but stalks the oceans with toxic might powered only by the wind like a sailing ship of old.
that’s right, it’s the devil’s own shopping bag-
the name is almost longer than the animal.
The Portuguese Man o’ War is a floating jellyfish relative called a Hydrozoan. it was named after the 18th century sailing ship, apparently by a blind person. "oh, it looks like a sailing ship under full sail” no it doesn’t, shut up. it looks like a rogue walmart shopping bag that blew into the Atlantic and makes a living by strangling innocent sea turtles.
but like the aforementioned plastic bag, the Man o’ War uses its lovely blue-purple air sac to catch the breeze. it wanders in groups through the warm waters of the Atlantic, driven along by the wind and tides. kind of poetic, really.
as long as you don’t look underwater, anyway.
I’m about to ruin it for everybody, hang on.
like so many other things in life, it’s not what you see on the surface that’s important but what is underneath that counts.
in this case, what’s underneath is up to 165 feet of venomous tentacles. it’s like that thing they say about icebergs, where you only see the top 10% and the rest is an invisible ship-killing nightmare? it’s exactly like that.
except with poison tentacles.
the Man o’ War is basically a biological fishing trawler, trailing these stupidly long tentacles like a fine mesh net through the water. and when an innocent fish who probably has a family at home comes into contact with this “net”, specialized cells called Nematocysts are triggered to fire tiny poison harpoons into the victim, causing instant death or paralysis.
the tentacle then reels itself upward into the body of the Man o’ War like a fishing line, dragging its helpless victim upward to be digested.
so, uh, actually not like a fishing trawler then, not like a fishing trawler at all.
unless the fishing trawler was designed by Junji Ito.
though the Man o’ War may look like a jellyfish, it’s definitely not. in fact, it’s not even a single animal! it’s actually four separate organisms jammed into a venomous trenchcoat like three best friends trying to sneak into an R rated movie.
“how the fuck even”, I hear you say. and that’s a valid question! it’s not everyday that we discover that what we thought was a single animal is actually four smaller animals living communally to form a larger, more dangerous animal. it would be like discovering that opossums are actually comprised of 17 rats each.
no word on if they do a silly dance and tap their fingers together to fuse or what though.
in the Man o’ War’s case, these four individual kinds of “polyps” that comprise the complete final form are the air sac polyp (gets the gang around), the digestive polyp (converts murdered fish into energy for the whole gang), the reproductive polyp (makes small clones of each individual gang member), and the tentacle polyp (murders things indiscriminately for the sheer joy of it).
that’s right, the tentacles are a separate animal! you might be wondering if they sometimes come loose, wander off, and just sting people/animals randomly when they drift into populated areas. what a silly question!
yeah, happens all the time.
SHIT.
while rarely fatal, Man o’ Wars stings can seriously injure humans. this is a big problem in areas where Man o’ Wars are common, because storms and predators can knock the tentacles right the fuck off. the tentacles drift away, only to wash ashore and sting a hapless beachgoer weeks later. that’s right, rogue tentacles can still sting for days or weeks after separation! even if the Man ‘o War is beached! isn’t that neat! fuck!
the discovery of a beached Man o’ War usually closes the entire fucking beach, for this reason. would YOU want to go fuck around in the sand if it might be full of over a hundred feet of poison spaghetti too fine to notice with the naked eye?
if the answer is yes, I have great news about a bridge I'd like to sell you.
if all this information upset you, I’d like to offer my deepest condolences. but buckle up for one last upsetting fact, and here it is: Man o’ War are spreading.
usually restricted to warm waters, climate change has driven the Man o’ War as far north as Great Britain. that’s awful awful awful news for any country that touches the Atlantic ocean, which is lots of them.
luckily, we have dependable allies in this fight: sea turtles and the Mola Mola! (which I’ve written about before) unfortunately just about all we can do at this point is to cheer these awesome devil-balloon-munchers on from the safety of shore, while trying to invent a Man o’ War-proof barrier net.
for now, watch out for anything that looks like a floating plastic bag.
and for god’s sake, watch where you step.
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thanks for reading! you can find the rest of the Weird Biology series here.
if you enjoy my work, maybe buy me a coffee or check out my Patreon to see extra content and support Weird Biology.
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IMAGE SOURCES
img1- National Geographic img2- The Garden of Eadon img3- Sean Nash img4- Enrico Villa img5- livescience.com img6- diply.com img7- Daily Mail img8- Sun Sentinel
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31st King of Portugal (11th of the Bragança Dynasty): King Luis I of Portugal, “The Popular”
Reign: 11 November 1861 – 19 October 1889
Acclamation: 22 December 1861
Predecessor: Pedro V
Luís I (31 October 1838 in Lisbon – 19 October 1889 in Cascais), known as “The Popular” (O Popular) was a member of the ruling House of Bragança, and King of Portugal from 1861 to 1889. The second son of Maria II
and Fernando II,
he acceded to the throne upon the death of his brother Pedro V.
Infante D. Luís was born on October 31, 1838, second son of Queen D. Maria II and her consort, D. Fernando II. Although his condition as a second son did not predict that D. Luís would ascend to the Portuguese throne, his education was painstaking and shared in large part with his older brother, Príncipe Real D. Pedro: he was in charge of councilor Carl Andreas Dietz, who had been a tutor to D. Fernando, his father, until April 1847, when Dietz was forced to leave Portugal on charges of meddling in national politics associated with his Protestant religious affiliation, having been replaced by Viscount da Carreira,
aided by Manuel Moreira Coelho.
D. Pedro and D. Luís divided the time between the palaces of Mafra,
Sintra,
and Vila Viçosa,
in addition to sporadic stays at the Palace of Belém.
As the second-born son of the royal couple, D. Luís embarked on a naval career, having been named the square of the Companhia dos Guardas Marinhas and recognized in a ceremony at the Navy Arsenal on October 28, 1846, when he was only 8 years old.
He was to be successively promoted to second lieutenant (1851), captain-lieutenant (1854), captain-of-frigate (1858) and captain-of-the-sea-and-war (1859). He had his first naval command in September 1857, at brig Pedro Nunes, on which he made a cruise on the coast of Portugal and a trip to Gibraltar. He was appointed, by brother D. Pedro V, commander of the corvette Bartolomeu Dias, on June 21, 1858.
At the command of Bartolomeu Dias, he came to carry out nine service missions between the years 1858 and 1860: he led the expedition to the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores; was responsible for transporting Prince Jorge of Saxony
to Lisbon, where he married Infanta D. Maria Ana,
his sister; led the couple to England; went to Tangier; and, in 1860, Angola; he went to Madeira again at the behest of Empress Isabel of Austria;
and brought Prince Leopoldo de Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen
from Southampton, to his wedding with Infanta D. Antónia,
after which he took the bride and groom to Anvers.
D. Luís inherited the crown in November 1861, succeeding his brother D. Pedro V for not leaving any descendants, and was acclaimed king on December 22 of the same year. On September 27 of the following year, he married, by proxy, with D. Maria Pia de Sabóia, daughter of King Vitor Emanuel II of Italy. As an infant he served in the navy, visiting Portuguese Africa. He exercised his first naval command in 1858.
Luís was a cultured man with a polite education, like all his brothers. Of great artistic sensitivity, he painted, composed and played cello and piano. Polyglot, he spoke some European languages correctly. Translated works by William Shakespeare.
In 1869 he did not want to be monarch of Spain and made a point of making it very clear both to the Council of Ministers, chaired by the Duke of Loulé, and to the Portuguese people. Two days after his patriotic letter was published in the Government Gazette, it was time for publication in the Diário de Notícias, thus serving the Casa Real to deny the rumor that there would be abdication: "I was born Portuguese, Portuguese I want to die", proclaimed D Luís, on the first page of the DN on September 28, 1869. D. Luís, if he accepted the Spanish crown, he would have to abdicate in Portugal to D. Carlos, the son of only 6 years old, with D. Fernando II as regent, opening the possibility of a Iberian Union in the medium term. After the refusal of D. Luís the Spanish throne was handed over to Amadeu de Saboia.
During his reign and, as a result of the creation of the general consumption tax, which public opinion received badly, the mutiny that was called Janeirinha (in late 1867) originated. Also on May 19, 1870, there was a military revolt, promoted by Marshal Duque da Saldanha
and which intended to resign the government. To the revolt of May 19, the monarch replied on August 29, with the resignation of the Saldanha ministry, calling to power Sá da Bandeira.
In September 1871, Fontes Pereira de Melo
came to power, which organized a regenerating cabinet, which was maintained until 1877. The Duke of Ávila followed, who did not last for long because he lacked a majority. Thus, and after the parliamentary conflict that broke out in 1878, Fontes was called again to form a cabinet. Consequently, progressives attacked the king, accusing him of scandalously sponsoring the regenerators. This episode constitutes an incentive to the development of republicanism. In 1879, D. Luís called, then, the progressives to form government.
In his time the Quimão Coimbrã (1865-1866) arose and there was the initiative of the Casino Conferences (1871), to which were linked the names of Antero de Quental
and Eça de Queiroz,
the exponents of a generation that stood out in the intellectual life Portuguese. With a calm and conciliatory temperament, he was a model of constitutional monarch, scrupulous respect for public liberties. Of his reign, special mention should be made of the start of works on the ports of Lisbon and Leixões, the widening of the network of roads and railways, the construction of the Crystal Palace in Porto,
the abolition of the death penalty for civil crimes, the abolition of slavery in the Kingdom of Portugal, and the publication of the first Civil Code.
In colonial affairs, Delagoa Bay was confirmed as a Portuguese possession in 1875, whilst Belgian activities in the Congo (1880s) and a British Ultimatum in 1890 denied Portugal a land link between Portuguese Angola and Portuguese Mozambique at the peak of the Scramble for Africa.
Fertile in events, it is during the reign of D. Luís I that some of the Portuguese political parties are founded: the Reformist Party (1865), which came to power in 1868, the Portuguese Socialist Party (1875), with the name of Partido Operário Socialista , and the Progressive Party (1876), which comes to power in 1879. In 1883, the Congress of the Republican Party Organizing Committee takes place. At the end of its reign, the Republican Party is already presenting itself as a perfectly structured political force.
D. Luís was mainly a man of the sciences, with a passion for oceanography. He invested much of his fortune in financing scientific projects and oceanographic research boats, which traveled the oceans in search of specimens. He successfully practiced photography.
Luís followed in the footsteps of his mother - D. Maria II, ordering the construction and founding of cultural associations. On June 1, 1871, D. Luís was in Seixal (a village founded by his mother), to witness the founding of Sociedade Philharmonic Union Seixalense. That same day the Franco-Prussian War ended.
He died, after a long suffering, in the citadel of Cascais, on October 19, 1889, a few days before his 51st birthday. His son D. Carlos succeeded him, under the name of D. Carlos I of Portugal. It lies in the Royal Pantheon of the Bragança Dynasty, in the Monastery of São Vicente de Fora, in Lisbon.
On 6 October 1862, Luís married Princess Maria Pia of Savoy (16 October 1847 – 5 July 1911), daughter of Victor Emmanuel II of Italy and Maria Adelaide of Austria. They both had a deep love at first, but Luis's countless mistresses led Maria Pia to depression. Together they had two sons who survived childhood, and a stillborn son in 1866.
Dom Carlos, Prince Royal of Portugal (28 September 1863 – 1 February 1908), successor as King Carlos I; murdered by the Carbonária.
Dom Afonso, Prince Royal of Portugal (31 July 1865 – 21 February 1920), Infante of Portugal, Duke of Porto, Viceroy of India, and after 1908 Prince Royal.
Miscarriage (1866)
The King also fathered one illegitimate son, also named Carlos, who was born in 1874 in Lisbon.
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Survey #221
“god is making fun of me; he’s up there laughing, i can see.”
What type of toothpaste do you use? Crest.
What is your favorite color(s) of eye-makeup? b l a c k
Are you sexually active? No.
Do you have sensitive skin? I guess?
Are you egotistical? I have the self-esteem of like... a blobfish.
Do you have an older sister? Multiple.
Favorite song by Owl City? I like "Fireflies" and "Hot Air Balloon."
What color is your mum’s car? White.
Where do you keep your kitty litter box? In the hallway that connects the bathroom and kitchen.
Are you a lighter complexion than your father? I AM MUCH MUCH LIGHTER. My dad is really dark-skinned from being a mailman for all my life. Always being outside does it. His arms especially are really really tan from sticking them out the window.
Do you like apricots? Noooo.
Do you like kinky sex? Never tried anything kinky before, so wouldn't know.
What country were you born in? The U.S.A.
Solid soap bar or liquid body wash? LIQUID. Bar soap grosses me out, even though it's... yeah, soap. Like multiple people (if you live with others, anyway) are rubbing that on their body, no thanks.
Do you believe being gay is a choice or a “disorder”? Neither; I believe it's a mutation.
How many birds can you name just by looking at them? Uhhh jaybirds... cardinals... bald eagles... crows, ravens... vultures... peacocks... Victoria crowned pigeons... barn owls, horned owls, snowy owls... probably others. There's so many, I'm not musing over it forever.
Which birds are most common around your neighborhood? I don't live in a "neighborhood." But you see lots of crows in this area.
If you don’t understand a reference in something, do you look it up? Sometimes. Depends on what it is, how interesting it is.
Are you the kind of person to look at accident sites, when passing them by? Morbid curiosity gets the better of me here.
Did you ever make dolls or hand puppets in primary/elementary school? Yeah.
When you were little, what sorts of make belief did you play? Y'ALL I did the weirdest shit. I remember I loved mimicking A Bug's Life by taking a leaf and placing things like seeds and stuff on it, my little sister and I enjoyed "cooking" with plastic food and our oven set, we liked playing house with friends, OMG I FORGOT ABOUT HOW WE USED TO LOVE BEING MERMAIDS IN THE POOL, uhhh. Idr, there's other stuff for sure. I was really creative as a kid and loved playing make believe.
Has a friend’s parent ever given you a present just because? I don't think "just because."
What do you do with clothes you can’t wear anymore? We donate them, give them away to friends if they like something, or, when it comes to our favorite shirts, my mom has actually been working on creating a big blanket out of them since we were kids. I hope she finishes before her time's up.
What is something you’re very particular about? How my food is prepared.
What is your dearest stuffed animal that you own? Why is that? My moose Brownie from Cabela's in Ohio. I ALWAYS slept hugging him as a little kid and even teenager until Jason got me Rebel the meerkat. He's still on my dresser.
Name something awesome from another culture that is not part of yours: Oh man, idk.
When at a Chinese or Japanese restaurant, do you use chopsticks? I have pretty intense tremors. I could NEVER use chopsticks.
What’s something you can’t wait for about growing old? Um, nothing? Nothing about being elderly seems fun.
How do you expect your life to go like? How are you ensuring that? Ideally, it would be defined by contentment and success. I want to know financial peace, stability, and pride in what I've accomplished. I'm trying my damnedest to ensure this by going back to school, trying as hard as I can to push my photography, and work on my mental health.
Or do you just wing it as you go? NO. I've always had plans and goals, and I act on the desire to achieve them. The only time I was truly "winging it" was during my suicidal depression phase after the breakup. I was literally too busy wanting to die but being too afraid to and so lost and hopeless that I didn't know what to do.
What’s a yard game that you still enjoy playing as an adult? Hunny I don't go outside rip.
What do you think is the most interesting sea creature? Portuguese man-o-war, probably. They don't have a fucking brain yet are alive????? And deadly as a mfer?????
How do you reset your head to zero, so to speak? Sleep.
Have you ever gone exploring an abandoned building? Well, shacks.
Are there any foreign television shows you enjoy watching? Some anime.
What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend? I don't think I have a set "favorite" way.
What’s your “Death Row Meal”? I mean, it'd depend on what I wanted at the time?
Do you like going to the movies or prefer watching at home? I strongly prefer going to the theater. Don't really know why, though... I guess the setting, being in the dark and watching on a huge screen?
When you were a kid, did you eat the crusts on your sandwich or not? Yeah. I've never minded crust.
What activity instantly calms you? Car rides where I can blare my music.
Ideally, how would you spend your birthday? It'd depend on what I was up for that day. But definitely doing things with friends and family.
What’s the best joke you’ve ever heard? Idk. I don't really like traditional jokes. Be witty.
What’s the career highlight you’re most proud of? Ha.
Do you think you’ll stay at your current company awhile? Why or why not? N/A
How would your 10-year-old self react to what you do? That's like the most depressing thought possible lmao.
What do you remember most about your first job? The fact I can't do customer service. All I remember is the anxiety.
Did you start working immediately after finishing school? Why or why not? No. I just wasn't ready.
What’s the worst job you’ve ever had? I lasted two hours in a deli in a constant state of panic. Guess.
What’s the best career decision you’ve ever made? Going back to school for a degree.
What’s the worst career decision you’ve ever made? Trying the deli.
How much time do you spend with your family? Like... none, almost ever. We all live in different places.
Who do you most like spending time with and why? In my family? My mom, because we relate on a lot and just generally get along.
Were you close with your family growing up? My immediate family, yes.
How do you define your family now? Distant.
What traits are most important to you in your family members? Being accepting and open-minded. And supportive.
Who are you the closest to and why? My mom. I live with her and she's supported and loved me through everything.
Do you want a family of your own? Why does "family" always have to mean including kids? I don't want any. I just want my s/o and pets.
What’s your favorite family tradition? We don't really have any anymore.
If you could change your relationship with a family member, would you? If so, with whom? Yes, with my oldest sister. She pretty much disowned me at one point, we reconnected, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't like me again. We are VERY similar according to Mom, so it'd be nice to be close with her, but.
What’s your favorite family memory? As a family... uh. Idk. Probably some times we were all in the pool together when my parents were still together, having fun.
What TV family most reminds you of your own? *shrugs*
Do you ever wish you were raised differently? In some ways, yes. Chores absolutely needed to be more enforced.
What’s the best piece of advice a family member has given you? Idk, I'm sure something my mom said about moving on from things.
Do you wish you had more siblings? If so, why? I wish I had a little brother, but one I was still relatively close in age with. I would've rocked that protective big sister over slightly-younger bro jazz. It would've been cool to have another kid to play with, especially a guy instead of a relatively girly-girl; not trying to make any pre-judgments about an imaginary kid, but you get it. Stereotypes and all. It would've been nice to have a more boyish sibling.
Did you ever hide anything from or lie to your parents? Yeah.
If you had a family business, what would it be? That would never happen in my family.
Do you and your family have any nicknames for each other? Nothing out of the ordinary; ex. they usually just call me "Britt," but it's clear and reasonable why.
What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family? I mean it varies. My parents are divorced and best apart so we're never really "together" unless we're at my older sister's house for birthday parties or holidays. That's the only time we're really *all* together.
How do you show your family you love them? Always being there to listen or offer a signature bearhug.
Have you ever been to a family reunion? Noooo, our extended family is littered all throughout the country.
What’s the most important holiday you spend with your family and why? Christmas. It just reminds me of being a kid again.
Who in your family would you describe as a “character”? Ho boy, my grandma. It's hurting lately to think of her as a "character" now though, seeing as she's dying of cancer now. She starts chemo soon, but this one's a death sentence regardless. It's spread too much. My relationship with her is strained and difficult, but I care for her nonetheless, and I worry that I'm really going to feel it all crash when she dies and I probably won't be there due to distance and school.
What’s something your family would be surprised to learn about you? Shit, my family doesn't know most big things about me, I think; not because they don't care, but because I'm embarrassed of hobbies and interests and thus secretive. Only my mom knows mostly everything. I guess more than anything, uhhh... I'm no longer a Christian? I was raised religious, so most probably just assume I still am, and I don't just go around talking about how I dropped my faith.
Which family member do you confide in most? Mom.
If you had only one sense (hearing, touch, sight, etc.), which would you want? Sight, I think.
What’s the first thing you look for in a partner and/or friend? A friendly, likable personality.
When was the last time you shaved your legs? Oh wow, not since... around my birthday in February.
The last person to say they loved you? Mom.
Last thing received in the mail? For me, school textbooks.
Do you have any famous relatives? Only ancestors. I consider "relatives" different/closer.
Have you ever had sex in a public place? No.
Have you ever been searched by the cops? It was either staff or police who did so the numerous times I went into the hospital and ER for my mental state.
Are you any good at math? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
Do you draw your name in the sand when you go to the beach? No.
Have you ever been awake for 48 hours straight? No. Well, I think.
Do you remember the most naughty night of your life? Yes.
Have you gone to college/uni? What is/was your major? I'm in college now! My major in this school is organismal biology because they don't have zoology. I'm getting what I need here and then going to a university for zoology.
What color is your best friend’s hair? Brown.
Where were you going the last time you were a passenger in a car? Yesterday otw home from school.
Have you ever dated someone who had a kid from a previous relationship? No, and I wouldn't.
What was the last event that was a turning point in your life? Going back to school! :')
What’s your favorite setting in nature? (mountains, beach, desert, etc…) M O U N T A I N S M O T H E R F U C K E R
What hair color is most common in your family? BROWN. Almost everyone is brown-haired.
For how long has your favorite band been your favorite? Damn, it's been Ozzy Osbourne since 6th or 7th grade, and I'm 23 now. He probably always will be. I'm hopefully seeing him next year and I'm!!!!!!!! not!!!!!!!!!! prepared!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you have any photos on your refrigerator? What are they of? Yeah. There's numerous of my older sister and her fam, plus my grandmother and her husband. Maybe others, idr.
What color are the pillows on your couch? We don't have pillows on there.
Have you ever gone more than 5 years without going to the dentist? No. My mom always makes sure her kids keep up with health check-ups.
Do you have a hard time sleeping when you’re away from home? It depends on the emotional and physical comfort of where I am, really.
Do you know anyone who got engaged while still in high school? I believe so.
Are you friendly to retail employees? Honestly, fuck you if you're not for no good reason. Half the shit you complain about isn't their goddamn fault.
Do you know anyone who litters? Not regularly, no. I wouldn't associate with them, I don't care how simple that sounds. However, I kept my mouth shut at my nephew's last b-day party because the kids let balloons up into the air; they tend to end up on beaches or in the ocean, so technically, it's littering, but I didn't want to seem like an asshole. I'm certain my sister didn't really think about that though, or else she wouldn't have allowed it.
Do you think your neighbors have any complaints about living near you? No. We don't do any harm. The dogs bark sometimes, but not obnoxiously loud to where you can hear it if you're in your house.
What was the last kind of soup you ate? I tried canned vegetable soup when my tongue piercing was healing, but I didn't like it.
Where do you usually buy groceries from? Wal-Mart or Harris Teeter, depending on a few circumstances.
What’s your favorite candy? Reese's if you include chocolate, strawberry Sour Punch Straws if not.
Have you ever gone to a strip club? No, not my kinda scene.
Are you jealous of anyone? *Envious, yes.
Last song listened to? why????? do i like????????? "love rhymes with fuck you" by j star???????????
Do you take vitamins daily? No; only on Sunday I take a vit. d pill because otherwise I'm severely deprived.
Is anyone jealous of you? I HIGHLY doubt that, homie.
Last CD you listened to? Metallica's "Ride The Lightning" album when Mom and I were otw to my therapist once and my iPod wasn't working. This was FOREVER ago and I'm pretty sure it's still in there, lmao.
Is there something you want to tell someone? I'm going to die wanting to see Jason one final time and apologize to him for how I treated him after the break-up.
When you eat Frosted Flakes, do you add sugar in it? NOOOOOOO not a fan of Frosted Flakes.
How many kids do you want to have? Zero.
Have you ever gone behind your parents' backs? I actually don't think so...
Who’s the biggest hugger you know? Ashley's huband's grandma will give you a hug even if she met you for only five seconds. Not a bad thing, it's just kinda uncomfortable.
Where did you get your worst scar from? Surgery.
Do you name your stuffed animals? Some.
Have you ever been to Disney World? Yes.
What is your favorite roller coaster, and where is it? My ass will not sit in a roller coaster, probably ever.
What is your favorite state? From what I've seen, I find Utah the prettiest.
Do you own any form of a Gameboy? I have a red Gameboy Advance that somehow still works.
How is the world going to end? I find a meteor striking to be most likely, or we're swallowed by a black hole.
Do you have any pets? Do you want any/more? Yes, and I do want another ball python morph, as well as a bearded dragon. Though if/when Sara and I move in together, Doris will be enough for a beardie, oml I love that sassy baby. :') <3
How did you find out about Myspace? Probably my older sister, or classmates.
Are you careless with your information on the internet? "Maybe by some people’s standards." <<< Change "maybe" to "probably" for me, lol. I'm trying to improve, though.
Have you ever owned a lava lamp? No, but my older sis had one as a teen. I want one SO BADLY.
Is it better to color with markers, crayons, or colored pencils? Colored pencils, by far.
Do you like to draw or write better? Write. I get more satisfaction out of drawing something I like, but I draw so rarely because I'm painfully critical over what I make.
Do you have a favorite cousin? No.
Can you knit? No.
Are you interested in more than one person at the moment? Nope.
Who are your last three missed calls from? Mom, Mom, and a number I didn't recognize.
What’s the biggest upcoming event for you? I dunno.
Have you hung out with any guys recently? No, but I miss Girt, so I should invite him over some time soon.
Do you like your school? I love my school. They are very invested into their students' success, as well as being a community.
Who’s the weirdest teacher at your school? I wouldn't know, I've only been here a month.
Do you have nightmares often? Apparently. Mom sleeps on the couch right outside my door, and I spook her quite a lot by waking up screaming or attacking my bed, she says. Thank God I don't tend to remember them. Clarification, they're not night terrors or anything like that. I'm just pretty active in my sleep, such as talking and such.
Can you remember how old you were when your appearance started to matter? I was kinda self-conscious in middle school 'cuz BOY was I an ugly duckling.
How frequently do you pee at night? I almost without fail get up once a night to go.
Do you name your pet fish, if you have any? N/A
Do your parents care about you cussing? Dad doesn't, but Mom does about "severe" words, so I try to censor myself around her.
Who is your favorite person in the world? Sara.
Who do you spend most of your time with? I live only with my mother, so.
Is there a stuffed animal you still take places with you? No.
Last insult you received? Idk.
Have you ever eaten Pop Rocks and drank Coca-Cola at the same time? Yoooo I think I did once at a b-day party, but not a lot bc I was scared lmao.
At concerts, do you buy merch? I've only been to one, but I did. I would if I went to more. I've missed some fucking amazing bands' concerts this past year, and it's really annoying me now.
Are you gullible? Not really.
Do you get excited easily? No.
Are you a headbanger? No, I'd get dizzy with a headache on board.
First concert you went to? Alice Cooper.
What venue was that at? Somewhere in Raleigh, idr.
Have you ever been out of state for a concert? No.
Are you fascinated by outer space? I don't know a person who isn't. It's very intriguing.
Do you shop for new clothes each season? No.
Is your hair dyed right now? If so, what color is it? No, but damn I want to. I wanna dye it lilac. I just need a professional to do it.
Do you look up your symptoms online whenever you have a problem? Not "whenever," no. I typically just ask Mom.
Do you eat enough fruits and vegetables? No. Definitely not vegetables.
Do you have dreams that you’re not giving up on? Being truly content with my life one day.
Do you think your hair looks better up or down? It's too short to go up.
Do you like bare trees or green-leaved trees better? I prefer autumn trees.
What season would you want to get married in? October/November, preferably, when the trees are all pretty. <3
What does your favorite stuffed animal look like? I have three "favorites," those being Brownie, Plum, and Rebel. I've already talked about Brownie the moose, then Plum is a stuffed snake from Sara that she'd had growing up, and Rebel is my stuffed meerkat from Jason that I always slept with while we were together and for a very long time after the break-up. He was a big comfort to me, and though he's a bittersweet stuffed animal now, idk. A lot of memories. His fur is all matted and you can just tell that fella has seen some love.
Do you collect anything? Meerkat & Silent Hill stuff.
What was the last book you read? I'm almost done with The Handmaid's Tale for school, and it is fucking phenomenal, coming from someone whose love for reading slipped away long ago. I have never in my life read a book with such vivid imagery and description.
When was the last time you moved to a new house? The beginning of 2017.
How long was your longest relationship? 3 1/2 years.
Tell me about how your parents met. How old were they? They met through work. Idk how old they were, somewhere in their 30s, probably.
What makes your bedroom special to you/what is your favorite part about it? It is VERY personalized; my room is looooaaaaded with shit relating to me and my interests, and that's what I love about it. It's very homey to me, surrounded by my passions.
When washing your hands, do you wet your hands or put soap on first? I put soap on first.
When was the hardest you ever cried? What was the circumstance? I think the night of the breakup, when Mom essentially dragged me home from trying to walk to his house to talk. I entirely fell apart.
When it comes to school, how motivated are you to work? It depends on where I am, actually. I'm at school for hours most days because my schedule fits into Mom's to avoid driving back and forth, and while I'm waiting in the library, I'm very motivated, even a bit obsessive. Meanwhile, at home, I don't want to work like... at all. I'm so used to this being my chill place.
Do you know any high school sweethearts? How’s life treating them? My sister and her husband dated for a while in HS, actually, and they seem just fine. I'm sure my former friend and her husband are still together, and they've dated since middle school. I haven't had contact with her for like a year or so now though so idk how they are.
Where do you usually buy your clothes? HotTopic or Wal-Mart.
If you had to be a school teacher, which subject would you teach? Science, probably. But God FORBID I ever be a teacher; I wouldn't last.
Which is the scariest ride you have ever been on in a theme park? Whatever that ride is where you sit in a bunch of chairs in a circle, go up way too damn high, and drop. I did it as a yolo even though I was terrified, and yeah, I screamed way too fucking loud. Never again.
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hohoho PLEASE tell me more about your worldbuilding project it sounds Incredibly Cool
oh shit oh shIT
okay so
the sentient dragons got split off from the Moon o’ War worldbuilding wip, my OG wip, and the removed dragons eventually evolved into the eldritch-dragon wip, but now I’m reverting Moon o’ War back to its original form, which means that sentient dragons are getting reintegrated.
but, the dragons-never-stop-growing idea has such a desolate feeling to it that I don’t want for the stories of this world, so I can’t take that new feature back over with it. if I want to use it, it’s going to still need its own world. I had a story idea for it, but it has such big tone problems that it can’t stay in that world, so if I want to use it, I’m going to have to come up with an entirely new story for it also. I’m gonna see if that happens.
in the meantime, here’s some rambling about ~Moon o’ War~
Deities
there are two main deities in this universe, a spirit of the sun, and a spirit(s) of the moon. the moon spirit(s) is a portuguese man o’ war. yes the title is a pun. I have no regrets.
I r e a l l y want to have the different cultures in-universe have wildly different views on the base deities, but the general gist is that the sun spirit represents chaos, fire, the unpredictablility of life, and other morally-ambiguous things, while the moon spirit(s) represent cooperation and consideration.
the cooperation is bc man o’ wars are actually four different creatures that are bonded together (ahaha that’s why I had the (s)’s) for the good of the whole, and the consideration is because they never tried to make life bend to its whims, signified by the fact that the only creatures they made were some man o’ wars early on, while the sun spirit decided Fuck It I Want Sentient Dragons No Matter The Toll On The World
I’m thinking that all of the gods/goddesses in the world are somehow aspects of the main spirits, either literally or in spirit (hehe), which limits my pantheon-making abilities but makes the whole thing much more cohesive which is a Good
so far I’ve got a sunrise goddess who is the First Life Ever and sort of the child of the spirits (she’s born from the first “meeting” (sunrise) of the spirits). she’s like a billion years old
the death deity’s probably going to be a sunset god tbh, but I like just came up with that while writing this so uhhhhhh
Dragons
there are sentient dragons and non-sentient “””dragons”””
the people of the world stumbled across big flying lizards, which they mistook for actual dragons until they realized they were dumb as rocks. they also realized that true dragons might get offended that they’re calling scaled dogs “dragons”, so everyone thought “How About We DON’T Die” and promptly started calling the reptilian toddlers “false dragons” as to not get stomped
Various
I need to flesh out the world a LOT more, but the more developed ones rn are
Chirapa, a continent based off of South America, which is where my Inca research goes
and Wuqing, which.... okay, imagine if New Zealand had no indigenous people, and China colonized it, and then the colonists revolted, and then they started an eco-fascist nightmare state, and also if NZ had dragons (the non-intelligent kind)
it’s p rough, but here’s an unfinshed sketch for ~The False Dragons of Wuqing~
they are Tusked Bats and I love them
side note: idk if you remember the post I made about the hummingbird dragon design I had, but that’s now been incorperated into Chirapa! the design’s changed a little, and they’re now Not Dragons and instead Horrific Symbols of Death that I’m calling Kitakinti (which hopefully means “wild hummingbird” in Quechua). I unfortunately do not have concept sketches yet,,, but I’m gonna /work on that/
that’s all I got rn. it’s almost 2 am and I’m dyinggggg
you’re totally welcome to ask follow-up questions! I just don’t,,,, have the energy to organize any more of my thoughts right at the moment ahsdgkasjhdgs
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The Scientist (Chapter 24)
Summary: In the events following Asgard’s destruction, Loki finds himself on Earth seeking refuge to await the inevitable. Much to his surprise, it comes from a source he would never have expected.
AO3 Link
The Soundtrack So Far
Warnings: some insecurity
Word count: 4.3k
A/N: We are here! Finally! And it's yet another long boi! Been waiting for a while to write this one so I'm happy it's here. I hope you folks like it. I did put some personal stuff in here so please don't hate it.
Masterlist
A comfortable feeling settled throughout the apartment space. Loki sat at the counter, enraptured by a book on jellyfish, and Luna stood at the stove, preparing a vegetable rice dish and swaying along to The 1975’s ‘Somebody Else.’ It was a brief time of bliss and peace for the two unlikely friends, and they appreciated each second they could spare.
“Did you know these creatures have no brain?” Loki spoke, too occupied with admiring the artist’s rendition of a Portuguese man o’ war to look away.
“Mhm. Nor do they have hearts,” Luna replied, glancing back at him.
Loki turned the page, revealing another for his enjoyment. “Amazing how they can be considered a living being.”
Deeming the food done, Luna turned the stove off and bent to get an insulated Tupperware container.
“From a biologist’s view,” she called to him, “an organism has to do three things to be considered alive: produce waste, expend energy, and intake some kind of fuel. For example, take a single algae cell.” She opened the container and carefully scooped the fresh food into it. “Though it is only one cell, it takes in light and carbon dioxide as energy sources, produces oxygen as waste, and expends energy through its cellular processes. Now, take a virus.” She turns around and places the filled container on the counter in front of Loki, pressing the lid down. “Even though it can infect its host and lie dormant for many years, it doesn’t do any of those three biological activities. So, it’s not alive.”
“Yet it can kill so mercilessly.”
“Yeah. Pretty freaky, right? I love it.” She grinned. “But don’t get me started on bacteriophages. I could go on and on about those, and we have somewhere to be really soon.”
Loki closed the book and folded his hands together. “You can tell me in the car.”
Luna nodded a little and let her smile fall as a strange sense of dread flowed over her.
“Do you think they’ll like this?” She asked. “I mean, I haven’t had or been to a proper Thanksgiving in forever, so I don’t know.”
“I wouldn’t know either, but by the look and smell, I think it would be appropriate.”
Luna leaned closer. “Do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, to go? I'm not family, and I'll probably be intruding on their good time. I'm basically the same as a teacher's assistant at Peter's high school, and the thought of me being at their table for Thanksgiving is just weird. What do you think? Is this weird?” She rambled, her nerves getting the better of her self-control. Loki tapped the counter and looked to where her hands rested.
“I will be honest, this is all new to me as well, but the boy did invite us to his home to spend time with the people he considers his family. He seemed rather confident when asking.”
Luna’s smile returned, albeit smaller. “Yeah, he’s getting better at that every day.”
Loki knocked thrice on the new apartment door. He and Luna didn’t have to wait long for their teenage friend to open the door and greet them with his trademark $100 smile.
“Hey, you guys! Come in, come in. May is the in the kitchen, and Ned's already here,” he chatted as he led them into the living room. “It’s so great you both could make it.”
“I’m just honored you invited us,” Luna said. She lifted the Tupperware in her hands. “I did bring something if that’s ok.”
“Oh yeah, awesome. You can put it wherever it needs to be.”
“Alright. I’ll go set it in the kitchen and say hi to your auntie.”
“Cool, cool. We’ll be here.”
Once Luna was out of earshot, Loki and Peter spared about five seconds of awkward silence.
“I must say, you have a lovely home.” Loki smiled down at him.
Peter chuckled lightly. “Aw, thanks, Mr. Loki. Here, let me introduce you to Ned before it gets weird.” Loki was ushered further into the living room. There, seated politely on the couch, was another boy around Peter’s age. As the two neared him, he stood and stepped closer, meeting them in the middle. He possessed an air of apprehensive excitement. Peter stood by his side and gestured to him. “So, uh, this is my best friend, Ned.”
Donning a charming smile, Loki put his hand out. “Ah, yes. Pleased to make your acquaintance, young Ned. I am-,”
“Yeah, you’re Loki.” Ned takes his hand. “Wow, so cool.” Loki looked to Peter, bewildered.
Peter held his hands up. “Ok, before you freak out, I told him.”
“Your hand’s touched space,” Ned breathed out, gaze locked on his hand still holding Loki’s.
Loki snickered a little. “In a way, yes.” He gently let go and straightened his posture. “Excuse me for one moment, please.” Keeping his composure, he hurried in the direction of the kitchen. He didn’t have to make a far journey as Luna was on her way to see him as well.
“Hey, there’s a bit of a situation here,” she muttered as she stared up at him.
Loki pushed his glasses and put his hands on his hips. “Make that two.”
Luna creased her brow. “Wait, what’s your situation?” Loki waved a hand.
“Come with me.” She followed him back to the two teens chatting quietly. They stopped once the duo was close enough to hear. Loki situated himself beside Ned. “He knows, about...,” Loki said, waving a hand at himself. Peter’s accompanying expression gave Luna all the information she needed.
“You told him?!” She whisper-shouted.
“Please don’t freak out!” Peter begged. Luna closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
“How long has he known?” She continued calmer, keeping her sanity for the teens’ sake.
“Since the first day.”
“Oh yeah, it was so funny,” Ned chimed in. “It was, like, nine at night and I was finishing up my Spanish homework, and then Peter calls me up and in the sassiest ‘spill the tea' voice, he's all like ‘Ned, you will never guess what just happened.' But don't worry, we haven't told anyone else.”
Luna's eyes flitted between the two boys. "Nobody?”
“Nobody,” Peter parroted.
Ned held up a hand. “Scout’s honor, ma’am. And I’m amazing at keeping secrets.”
Luna sighed. “Alright. But nobody else.” The boys shook their heads fervently. “Four people breaking the law is bad enough. What about Aunt May? What does she know?”
“Not much,” Peter said. “Only that he’s your date and that he hasn’t seen Star Wars and if you come over, he does too.”
“Wait, Peter, what-,”
“Oh, you must be Luna’s beau,” May greeted, slinging a hand towel over her shoulder. “So pleased to meet you. I’m May Parker, Peter’s aunt.” She held her hand out for Loki to shake. “You’re more handsome than I thought you would be. I didn’t catch your name, though.”
Loki smiled, turning on the charm. “It’s Louie, and please, the honor is all mine.” He shook her hand firmly.
May placed a hand on her cheek, concealing her blush. “Peter didn’t say you were from England. What’re you doing here in New York?”
Loki released her hand and held them in front on him. “Work assignment.” She nodded in affirmation.
“Uh-huh, very cool. And what is it you do?” Loki glanced to Luna. He hadn’t thought about such a thing.
“Uh, hey, Aunt May,” Luna interjected. “Shouldn’t we check back on that turkey? I don’t want it to burn while we’re working on it.”
“Right you are.” She patted Loki’s bicep. “We can talk more over dinner, ‘kay?”
“Very well, Miss,” Loki smiled. “But may I borrow Luna for a moment?”
“Oh yeah, of course. Take all the time you need, you two.” May turned and left, tossing a wink to Luna over her shoulder. Luna quietly groaned and led Loki further from the other people.
“Ok, so what did you need me for?” She asked, crossing her arms.
“I told you my situation, so what’s yours?”
“Oh yeah, right. Uh, she’s preparing a turkey for dinner.”
Loki shrugged. “And this is a problem?”
"Yes!" Luna whispered frantically. "In all the time you’ve been with me, when have you seen me eat meat?” Loki put a hand over his mouth, trying to recall any memory. He came up short. “See? Save for the occasional fish, I’ve spent most of my life without meat, and if I eat it now, I'll be up all night throwing up and trust me when I say that is not something you want to be around for.”
“Then tell her you can’t partake,” he stated.
“But it’s rude,” she whined a little. “She spent so much energy and time making a nice meal for us, so I can’t just outright refuse. I’m a guest here. I can’t be insulting.” She looked at her feet. “They’ll probably think I’m one of those self-entitled vegetarians. Most people do.” She made eye contact with him and sighed. “Never mind. I’ll deal with it.” With a wave of her hand, she stepped away from him. “We should get back to them.”
Wordlessly, Loki followed back to the living area. Luna parted ways with him and headed back to the kitchen, leaving him with the two teens. May busied about with the bird, checking and rechecking the temperature, stopping only once Luna was in her line of sight.
May leaned in close and whispered. “My god, he is so firm!” Her incredulous smile made Luna flash a reserved grin of her own. She bent her head to hide it.
“Hell yeah, he is,” Luna hummed.
May gave Luna’s shoulder a gentle swat. “You better hold onto that. He does look kind of familiar, though.” Luna waved a dismissive hand.
“He just has one of those faces. He looks like a lot of people.”
“Yeah, but there's one guy, in particular, I'm thinking of. Super famous for a little while there.” May surveyed her array of fresh spices, ready to be used to their fullest. “Alright, change of topic. Since you made that amazing-looking rice dish over there, could you be a dear and guide me along with this? I’m not the best cook.”
“Of course, Aunt May.” Luna washed her hands. “It would be my pleasure.”
In the living room, Peter knelt by the DVD box and turned it on. As he concentrated on loading their movie, Ned sat with Loki on the couch.
“Hey,” Ned murmured, getting Loki’s attention. “Peter told me that you’re kinda stranded here. I’m sorry, man.”
Loki glanced down at him, surprised by the sentiment. “Thank you, young Ned.”
“Earth is such an awful place to be stuck on. If I had to pick, it’d literally be anywhere else.”
Loki tilted his head. “Mm, I’ve been on worse planets, stuck or otherwise.” From the kitchen, the soft chatter and laughter of the two women caught his ear and his attention. “This one is alright.”
Ned leaned back and followed Loki’s line of sight. He paused, regarding the relaxed expression on his new friend’s face. “So you’ve really never seen Star Wars?”
Loki whipped his head back around. “No, I have not.”
“Oh, you’re going to really like it. It’s one of my favorite movie series ever.”
“Series?”
“Mhm, yeah. They’re in the middle of the third trilogy right now, but for you,” Ned reached and grabbed the empty disc case, “we’ll start on the first one.”
Loki let Ned slip it into his hand for him to read. “‘A New Hope.’ How fitting.” Not five seconds later, Ned let out a loud gasp, remembering something he had mentally set aside earlier.
He held a hand out and waved to Peter. “Peter! Can we ask him the thing?”
Peter turned around. “The thing?” His eyes went wide. “Oh, the thing! Yes! Yeah!” He ran over and sat in the empty spot beside Loki. “Ok, so we’re having this on-and-off debate, and we were kind of hoping you can settle it for us.”
“About?” Loki asked.
Ned glanced to Peter. “If Thor and the Hulk got into a fight, who would win? Like, a real fight. My figurative money is on Hulk.”
Peter placed a hand on his chest. “And I’m for Thor. What do you think?”
Loki looked from one boy to the other and smirked. “You know, I did recently witness a fight between them.”
Both teens paused, taken aback at the new information, and proceeded to let out a series of “What?!” “No way! Awesome!” and “Who won?!”
Loki, beyond delighted, was more than ready to tell a new story. “It was rigged, but the way it was going, Thor would have won.”
“Wait, rigged?” Peter inquired.
Ned pushed for more, their film was wholly forgotten about. "Where were they? What was happening?”
Loki eased himself up from the couch. “Well…”
Luna stood beside May, sautéing fresh garlic and onions with olive oil as May finished the mashed potatoes with the seasonings Luna helped her pick.
Luna picked a bell pepper to wash and chop for the stir-fry. “Hey, how did that date go with sticky rice guy?”
May sighed and let her arm relax. “So Peter told you about that?”
“Well, when I asked him, I guessed it right, but I want to know how it was from you.”
“It was nice. We had fun.”
“You think it’ll go anywhere?”
May chuckled. “Oh no. It was fun, yeah, but there weren’t any sparks. You know?”
“Mhm, I sure do.”
With a clean knife in Luna’s hand, the two ceased their idle talk. Once all the vegetables were cooking in the pan, May resumed the conversation.
“So, what are you doing up in that fancy lab of yours? Anything I can’t know about?”
Luna smiled and laughed a little. “Just some genetic experiments to quell my curiosity.” She sprinkled in salt, ground black pepper, and dried basil. “At the moment, I can’t tell you much else, but as soon as I do, we’ll need to have tea together.”
“I’ll hold you to that, girlfriend,” May smiles and laughs. She was blissful. Luna was a comfort for her to have around. “You know,” she started back, “you’re the main reason I let Peter keep up his internship at that big compound.”
Luna couldn’t help the bright smile showing itself on her features. “Oh, Aunt May, you’re too much.”
May nudged Luna’s elbow with her own. “I’m serious! You help keep his head where it should be.”
“I’m pretty sure that’s all you. You’re his maternal figure, not me.”
“Who says a kid can’t have more than one?”
“Well, I must say I am honored to have your approval.”
“Oh, and how is he with the...you know,” May whispered, making a webshooter motion with her hand.
“As far as I know, he’s really good. I’m sure he would tell you if anything worrisome was going on.”
“I like to think so, but he still keeps secrets. You know, he still sneaks out sometimes.”
“Seriously?” Luna said, concerned.
"Yeah. I don't know what for, and he never looks hurt, but he still does it."
“Huh. Curious.” Luna turned the heat down and covered the pan. For the time being, her work was complete.
“You’re telling me.” A raucous of animated yelling and mirth erupted from the other room. May and Luna leaned over to view the trio of boys in the living room, the teens seated on the couch and Loki standing up, arms and hands moving this way and that. He seemed to be telling a lively story; one Peter and Ned thoroughly enjoyed. “They seem to be getting along pretty well.”
“Yeah. He loves to tell stories. Never shies away from an audience.” Briefly, Luna caught Loki's eye, and he drew a small smile. She mirrored him, thrilled he was enjoying the time.
“What does he do, exactly?” May peered back out. “Is he an actor?”
Luna looked at the floor. “I’m not sure how to word it. He explains it better.”
“Woah, so you can transform?! Into anything?!” Peter chimed as Loki sat back down.
“Anything I need at the moment I need it,” Loki said with a grin.
Ned tapped his shoulder. “So, you could make yourself into a dragon that actually flies and breathes fire?”
“It’s been a while, but yes, I could.”
Peter lay a series of taps to Loki’s other shoulder. “Can you do other people?” He patted his chest. “Like, could you do me?”
“Oh, easily,” Loki said as he adjusted his glasses, a little bit smug. Peter sat back and imagined two of him swinging around New York. It was beyond amusing in his mind’s eye.
“Hey, I didn’t know you needed glasses,” Ned said, indicating Loki’s.
“Oh, I don’t really need them.” He slipped them off. “They’re just a part of my disguise. I can’t use magic, so…these.” He put them back on and brushed back a strand of hair.
Ned nodded. “Right, right. Peter used to wear glasses, but that was before he got, uh…,” Ned’s voice died out as Peter, wide-eyed, violently shook his head, “before he got Lasik. Yeah. Laser eye surgery.” Peter let out a quiet breath.
“Yup,” he affirmed. “Perfect eyesight now. Yeah, they were terrible before. Blind as the proverbial bat.” Peter laughed nervously.
“Alrighty, boys,” May announced as she walked over. “Dinner is just about ready! Would you three like to eat at the table or while you watch your movie? I’m cool either way.”
“Yeah, she’s not a regular aunt. She’s a cool aunt.” Luna remarked from behind her, drawing a short laugh from Peter and Ned. Loki, missing the reference, looked to Ned for an explanation.
“It’s from a movie.”
He nodded. “Right.”
“Could we eat here?” Peter asked. “We’ve been so busy talking, we never started it.”
“Sure! Could you help me get some plates and utensils?” May asked Peter, and like the proper boy he was, he complied and got up.
“Ooh, I’ll help!” Ned called and followed the Parkers to the kitchen. He caught up to Peter and took hold of his arm. “I still can’t believe you got Loki to come to your house! Like, the Loki!”
Peter chuckled. “Yeah, he’s kinda scary at first, but he’s pretty cool when he’s chill.”
Ned let his head fall back. “Ugh, he’s awesome. But yo, your mentor? I think he likes her.”
“The doc?” Ned nodded. “Well yeah, he better. She’s really awesome.”
“No, like, like her, like her.”
Peter’s forehead creased. “What? Nah, he hasn’t known her long enough.”
Ned paused as May handed him a stack of plates. “Dude, I remember your exact face the first time you saw Liz and every time after that. I know a crush when I see one.”
Peter opened the silverware drawer and took out handfuls of utensils. “Seriously? I think you’re the one who needs glasses. There’s no way.”
Ned quirked an eyebrow. “Alright, I’ll make a bet with you. By this time next year, they’ll be a thing. For sure.”
“A ‘thing?’ What are we, in junior high?” Peter laughed.
“You’re just chicken because you know I’m gonna win.”
Peter stopped and faced his friend. “Ok, guy, I’ll take it. How much?”
“$10.”
Peter nodded. “That’s fair. And hey, if you’re right, which you won’t be, I’ll pay twice that.”
“Oh,” Ned rushed to the table and set down the plate stack, “can you say that again for the camera?” He pulled out his phone. “I’ll need proof when the time comes.”
Peter scoffed. “Dude, later. When they’re,” he tilted his head towards the couple in question, “not here.”
“Aha.” Ned put his phone away and tapped the side of his nose. “I got you.”
Peter set his handfuls of forks, knives, and spoons down with a clatter. May brought the turkey out first and surrounded it with the vegetable dishes she and Luna finished together, and the one Luna made for the house.
May clapped her hands. “Alright, everyone help yourselves so we can have a good star war.” Ned and Peter let out a low groan, knowing full well May couldn’t pass up the moment to make a joke for the kids.
Luna and May went first, taking a bit of everything. Hovering around Loki, Luna took her portions carefully, purposefully passing over the turkey, hoping no one would notice.
May, however, did. “Luna, aren’t you going to try some of the turkey? It’s really good.”
Luna stopped her movements, looking wide-eyed at her host. “I, uh,” she stammered. Was it so difficult to say ‘no?’ Obviously.
“She doesn’t eat meat.” Loki stepped in, speaking the words for her. “Never did so it does her no good in having it now.”
Peter extended a hand to her. “Doc, is that true?”
“Eh,” she managed, shrugging a little and tilting her head side-to-side. Peter took it as a ‘yes.’
“Oh honey, I’m sorry,” May said sympathetically. “You don’t have to have anything you’re not comfortable with. This is a liberal household. Well, you know what I mean.” She smiled kindly at her guests and received ones back from them.
Luna added a few more vegetables to her plate and moved from her spot, the tension slowly leaving her body. She came to a stop in front of Loki and planted her hand on the center of his chest. "Thank you," she whispered, and let her hand slip from him as she walked to the couch.
Loki’s gaze lingered on the back of her head. He could still feel the heat of her skin through the fabric of his shirt. It was tempting to lay a hand over the spot, but he shook it away.
Peter waited for Luna to situate herself beside him so he could speak to her. “How come you didn’t say you were a vegetarian?”
She set a napkin on her lap and placed her dish on top. “When I was around your age, my friends at the time bullied me for not eating meat. Thought I would shame them and try to change their eating preferences, but lo and behold, they were the ones to do the shaming.” She turned a few carrots around, avoiding eye contact.
Peter huffed. “No offense, doc, but your friends sucked.” He lay his own napkin and picked up his plate from the nearby side table.
“None taken, kiddo. Glad to be long rid of them.” Luna smiled, drawing one from Peter, glad he didn’t offend her. He started on his dinner, taking forkfuls of the different portions at random.
“Hey, this rice is really good,” he said, words muffled behind his hand.
“Yeah, it really is,” Ned affirmed from beside him. He spotted Loki advancing towards them and scooted over to make room. Peter moved along with him, and Luna did so in the opposite direction.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad you two think so.”
“‘Think so?’” Loki quipped, sitting between them. “Dear, you weave magic in the kitchen. Even a mere fool would ‘know so.’” The words were out before he could stop them. Unnecessary flattery, but in his mind, it was genuine.
Peter coughed and grabbed the remote. “So, uh, I’m just gonna start…” He brandished it for his friends to see.
Luna nodded, thankful for the change in subject. “Mm, yeah. Do that.”
May joined her by her side, squishing her a little bit more. With Peter now having to sling a leg over Ned’s lap, the couch was quite cramped. Luna’s entire left side was pressed against Loki’s right. She still had reserves about him, as any woman would, but he kept his hands where they should be. Peter was less inhibited, allowing himself to lean more onto Loki. He may be half his size, but he’d put his fist through a brick wall more than once. He knew how safe he was and how to keep it that way.
Loki acted like a natural, but he was a stranger to the comradery. Being royal allowed him many privileges, but in a place where it got him nothing and his words didn’t help in any avenue, he hadn't a clue what to do with himself. Still, the teens to his left accepted him into their heart, and the beautiful women to his right gave him their house and home to occupy; though, one more so than the other. An odd scenario for the lost prince, but it was one he found comfort and a little bit of satisfaction in.
The mismatched quintet enjoyed the movie and the food, their hearts and bellies filled with warmth and good feelings. During the scene where Han and Luke were en route to save Leia, Luna separated from the group to put dishes away and refill any water glasses. May begged her not to, but Luna pleaded, saying it was the least she could do to thank her for inviting them. May relented and let her bus the empty plates to the kitchen. Ned took the pause to use the restroom, leaving Peter and May alone with Loki.
May was inspecting a cuticle at risk of splitting when she gasped aloud and looked at Loki full-on. “I know who you remind me of now!” She exclaimed.
Loki froze. “You…you do?”
May was elated. “Yes! That one actor from ‘The Night Manager!’”
Peter threw his hands up, groaning. “Really, May? That guy?”
May leaned forward to look at her nephew. “Don’t tell me you don’t see it, Peter.”
Peter glanced up at him, and they nervously locked eyes. “No, I do, but really? Him?”
“Yeah!” May nodded. “The voice is what really does it.”
Loki rubbed his hand. “Is he, uh, savory, at least?”
“I like him, but I have no doubt you’re better than his character on the show,” May smiled, patting Loki’s tense shoulder. Oh, if she only knew.
Taglist: @the-doctor-9-10 @pinkieperil @sherlockfan4life
#loki x reader#loki x oc#loki x ofc#loki fanfic#the scientist#loki marvel#loki#loki friggason#loki fanfiction#loki odinson#loki laufeyson#marvel#marvel fanfiction#marvel fic#marvel fanfic#mcu#marvel cinematic universe#mcu fanfic#mcu fanfiction#mcu fic#fic#fanfiction#fanfic#multi chapter#chapter 24#slow burn#luna fields
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8, 12, 22! :)
8) Is there a meaning to their name?
like, is there a reason i chose that name? or like, the actual meaning? :o because according to google it’s the french and portuguese version of ‘andrew’ which was derived from the greek name ‘andreas’, which means “man, warrior”.
i chose the name because according to this video, it’s connected to black culture from creole and i liked that comparison and felt it fit his personality :)
he had a couple names before this but andre fit the best imo
12) Do they have siblings? How do they interact with them? If not, do they wish they had siblings?
yes! he had two older sisters pre-war; amaya (the oldest) and devon (the middle child). he was super close to them but he hung out with devon more because amaya was usually busy with work :/
he and devon did a lot together; concerts, he went to her softball games, she gave her input on music he’d make, all kinds of stuff. they were real salty too and would often get high and vent about shit all the time lol
andre usually only hung out with amaya during family events or with devon in tow, but he loved her very much. she gave him a lot of advice growing up and always supported him.
22) Who was their first friend?
ever?? lol just kidding. his first friend out of the vault was probably preston. he caught andre up on a lot of things and helped him get back on his feet. preston was there for him so he’s always there for preston.
thank you so much!!
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Blue Dragon Appreciation Post
I see so many cool animals on this site, so I wanted to contribute:
This is the Blue Dragon, Blue Swallow, Blue Angel, or Glaucus atlanticus (coolest names ever) and it is a sea slug. Yes, you read that correctly. I know this looks like either a real-life Pokémon or a Patronus given physical form, but this gorgeous creature is in the mollusk family and is also incredibly badass.
They only grow to about one and a half inches in length, but these little guys are tough! They are carnivorous, and paralyze their prey with a crazy powerful sting. What prey, you ask? Well...
They usually go after the Portuguese man o’ war, which is a creature (not actually a jellyfish) made up of a colony of organisms working together. They are about a foot long and can have tentacles up to 165 feet trailing behind them. They have a very painful sting that has been known to (rarely) kill humans.
But the Blue Dragon is immune to their poison, and even steals their nematocysts (the cells that allow the man o’ war to sting) and store them for their own use in their limbs. The poison is strengthened by the Blue Dragon and is used to make these beautiful animals even more deadly.
If you see one, feel free to admire it from afar, but for the love of all that’s holy, DO NOT pick them up. Dragons breathe fire, remember? And this little guy has an especially burning bite. 😉
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