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panstardalia · 9 months

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After the Summer #4: Method

Masterlist: here!

Content: BBU; institutionalized slavery; dehumanization; it as a pronoun; pet whump; minor whump; beating up; blood; begging; non-sexual nudity; physical torture; starvation; inflicted cold.

When cientists work, they have to follow cautiously established rules. Every step have to go according to a plan. Rat new that much, they were smart enough for that. Apparently, though, they were not smart enough to put themself aside the rules and play pretend. No matter how hard they tried, they were never smart enough to follow their Master's orders without making at least one mistake in the process.

That's because they knew they were the subject of Master's experiment.

In a certain day, Rat made so many mistakes that it didn't even seem possible. They tried to convince themself it was because of their confused mind, that they were not in a good mental state and that knowing about being a subject would most certainly change the experiment results, but nothing could justify their incompetence. Master had been crystal clear about that.

Everything started when Rat's brain decided to bring back a melody they thought was lost. It didn't sound particularly important, just a little something to hum while sweeping Master's studio, but soon there were also lyrics to sing. After two verses, Rat realized what they were singing and their chest felt dense, but not enough to stop.

"Thought I found a way out, but you never go away, so I guess I gotta stay, now... Oh I hope someday I'll make it out of here, even if it takes all night or a hundred years." they sang in whispers and held the broom tightly, looking out the window. Rat was sure they were not making that song up, so it was a memory. They knew memories were bad, that Master wanted to wipe all of them from their mind, but somehow music was one of the hardest parts to forget.

And to be honest, Rat didn't want to lose their memories. They knew a lot of them was already missing, and they were afraid of what would happen when the last one was gone. Rat was sure they had another name before that, and they were also sure they had a family of some sort. They could remember the hope that someone would come and take them away from Master, but now, even with this hope still in their heart, they couldn't recall a single name or face. There was someone... right? But who?

Rat's singing was interrupted when a wave of pain made them lose all stenght in their legs. They tried to find support on the broom, but it slipped and Rat fell down on the ground, unable to even use their hands to break the fall. The shock collar kept on for what felt like hours before Master's voice resonated distantly.

"I thought I have told you to clean up my studio."

"I-it's done, Master!" Rat quickly stated, raising themself to kneel up. "I was-"

"Shut it" He demanded, the low voice and cold eyes telling Rat everything they needed to know: he was pissed. "Why do you think you are allowed to sing around?"

Now that was a trick question with no right answer. If they said something like I know I'm not, then they would admit they knew they were doing something wrong. On the other hand, they could not lie and say they didn't know it was not allowed. Rat was trapped with no way out.

"I don't-" they stuttered. "I won't do it again, Master, I swear-"

Rat wasn't able to finish the sentence as the man grabbed a handful of their hair and yanked them to the floor. He then caught hold of their hair again and pulled them up. Rat held back a yelp, too terrified to say anything.

"And WHY, I wonder, do you keep talking with that disgusting voice of yours?!" He yelled, shaking their head.

"I'm so sorry...!" Rat whispered, trying their best not to cry. They had learned their lesson. Singing was bad, their voice was bad, they knew it now.

Master was not satisfied, though. Even when he let go of Rat's hair and told them to leave, his expression was enough to tell them it was not over yet.

They ran out of the studio with the broom, ignoring the pain on their scalp. It would be the best luck if it was the worse for the day. So no more wasting time on fear, lost in thoughts. They had to prepare lunch.

One day after another, Rat was losing their determination to hold up on the memories they had left. They were not sure for how long they have been under Master's grasp, but it already felt like forever. If there was something worthy saving among those memories, then why had nobody came to save them yet? The only thing remembering brought was pain and nothing else. Each time Rat thought of anything outside their duties as a pet, suffering and torment followed. If they weren't going to be rescued, then maybe they should't cling to their past anymore.

Table set, Rat put the cloche over Master's plate and ran back to the kitchen, sort of to hide from him, and closed their eyes to listen. Across the hall, they could hear the man typing on his computer. They knew it wasn't normal to hear that far away, but that super power had been proving itself essential for Rat's survival. They always knew where Master was (except for when they were distracted, just like earlier), his footsteps could be heard from any room in the house.

If Rat had a fear, was that Master would find out about this ability and find a way to bypass it. They could not bring themself to imagine how harder it would be to survive if he did that, the bare thought petrified them with fear.

The typing stopped. Rooms away, the office chair made a flowing sound against the wooden floor and Master's footsteps approached. With their eyes still closed, Rat could almost see him sit down on his usual chair in the dinning room. He took off the clotch and the cutterly was loud against the plate. He was eating. Rat's stomach growled as they hadn't eaten anything in the past twenty four hours, but knowing Master was eating with no complains was enough.

Now they only had to wait and keep listening. Better then letting their memories go, Rat had learned an even more valuable lession that day: to never stop hearing Master.

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Rat wondered if Master's method was working. They wondered if he knew they knew about conditioning and if was much harder to condition someone who knew they were being conditioned. "You can never outsmart me", he had said forever ago. That sentence came with a great amount of pain, enough to make them understand it was true. Even so, they could not help but ponder if he knew how smart Rat was. Not more than him... but maybe more than he would think.

There were so many maybes, so many ifs. Rat had still to decide what to do with all of it. Would telling Master show him how loyal they were? Or would it trigger his rage, for Rat was not allowed to think so much of themself? Should they keep their knowledge a secret?

"November fifteenth" they heard Master say to his voice recorder. "The progress is getting slower. I don't know what I am missing. That filthy rat of mine keeps getting its memory trigged and I can't seem to keep track of the triggers. I know I said I want to do it without chemicals, but at this rate, I'll end up with no choice but using them."

His voice was deep and Rat had a hard time recognizing all the words. However, that entry was very promising. They had to listen to every bit of it, because knowledge was power, so they tiptoed closer to the studio's closed door, knowing they could leave safely when Master finished his journaling.

"The list I keep track of its traits on is growing longer" He said with a note of frustration in his voice. "But no matter what I take from it, it seems to be just an inch deeper than I can reach. I have forbidden it from speaking Spanish, from singing, from stargazing and playing the piano. Yet, without the chemicals, I cannot reach further into its mind. It's time to reevaluate the plan and maybe draw another route."

Rat mentally took note of every word they heard, each one of them feeling like knives in their chest. Their shoulders were heavy, as knowledge was also a burden. What were them even taking notes for? It had been a long time since they had forgotten about their reasons to listen to Master's entries. Why, they wondered, should they keep holding on so tightly? What exactly were they trying to find out?

Everything Master said, plus Rat's feelings and memories, suggested that maybe they were someone worth remembering. Was it really worth it, though? Was the torture worth it? Their head hurt and spinned with so many questions and apprehensions, and Rat decided it was time to retreat.

A heartbeat too late, Rat realized they had tripped in something they shouldn't even touch: an antient chinese vase that costed half the manor's value. The shattering was so loud that everything went completely silent for a moment afterwards. They didn't hear Master's raging steps nor the door furiously opening. Their mind could only focus on the fear. Rat would be heavily punished for braking the vase, it was obvious, but would Master realize they were eavesdropping? Worse yet, would he realize they had been doing it for a while, now?

Over again, the man grabbed Rat's hair and shouted so loudly that their ears rang, unable to process the infuriated words. When they didn't reply, he threw Rat hard on the ground, on the scattered shards. It hurt like hell, they tried to get up, or at least remove some of the smithereens from under their body, but it was fruitless. Before they could even move, Master had already taken off his belt to beat them up.

He rose his voice more and more as the leather tore Rat's skin apart. They wish they could make his words make sense, but everything was nothing but a blur. Their hearing, their sight, everything felt like they were underwater. The only thing they could objectively feel was the pain, the hot blood dripping from every new wound. An eternity later, they were able gather themself together enough to articulate their own words.

"I'm sorry!!" They screamed desperately. "Please, have mercy! Please, Master, I am so sorry!!"

"Oh, now you are sorry?" He panted, not even close to finish the punishment. Rat felt the leather bruise their skin again before he continued. "What are you sorry for?"

"I'm sorry I broke your vase, Master! I know it was-"

Rat's voice failed them as Master hit them particularly hard, their words swallowing themselves in a yelp.

"You still think you are smarter than me, you filthy rat?!"

"No I don't!!" They knew they were screwed. And for what? For information they didn't even know how to use? How could they even think it would be worth it? "I am not!! I was just curious! I don't even know why I eavesdropped! Please, Master!"

"SHUT IT!" Once again, Rat's ears throbbed distressingly.

Master kept hitting them, his strenght seeming to increase instead of reducing. Rat tried to escape the belt, resulting in more shards stabbing their body. Even if they had been given the luxury of wearing clothes, they would be totally torn apart at that point.

"Please, Master!!" It was pointless to try, but Rat could not think straight anymore, nor hold back their begging. They would do anything for the agony to stop. "Please, I'm so sorry!"

A lifetime ago, they were sure someone was coming to save them. Someone would hold them tight and promise it would be alright. It felt like a ridiculous thought, right now, but if there was anyone looking for them, it would be the perfect time for this person to arrive.

"Please! Please!! Help!!" They called anguishedly, reaching for the depths of their heart. "ALLEN, HELP ME!!!"

The world stopped spinning for an eternal second. Master's hand halted above his head as his fierce eyes became cold. Black holes, Rat made this comparison once. The antecipation hurt even more than the belt. They had messed up badly this time.

The worst part was that they couldn't even fully remember who Allen was. The name slipped out their tongue so naturally, they knew it was someone more than important. Rat missed Allen so much, knowning somewhere deep down that he would protect them if he was there.

But there was only Master.

"What did you say...?" He whispered as he knelt down, and Rat's body ran cold under his breath.

"I-I don't know..." They trembled violently, too frightened to move. "I don't know, Master... please..."

His eyes shone, and Rat knew he would do his best to crush every bit of their soul. There was only one thing they could do to save themself now, because Allen could not. Nobody would.

"TAKE IT AWAY!" They pleaded, and the man paused once again, his interest piqued. "I don't want to wait for him anymore! I can't stand it! I know you're trying to erase my mind in order to turn me into a good pet! I've been resisting, but... I can't stand it anymore!"

As many times before, Rat didn't know how close to the truth those words were. Was it for real, or were they just saying the necessary to survive? Nonetheless, they had done this enough times to know that, eventually, it would become true.

"Condition me..." They begged, sobbing. "Make me a good pet, Master, please... I can't fight anymore... I surrender... I'm so tired..."

For the first time, Rat's words made him stop and think. It was so ironic. The only time they succeeded in negotiating with that man was when they gave up.

Without a word, he once again grabbed Rat by their scalp and dragged them down the hallways to the door that led outside. Helpless and exausted, they didn't even try standing up this time. They felt their thin locks give in under Master's hand as them both reached the yard.

November was so cold, so cold. Rat would trade anything for the excuse of a blanket they left in the basement. The man threw them against the wall and, when Rat reached the gound, he locked the chain attached on the bricks on their collar.

Rat tried to curl themself in a ball, shivering intensely. The blood still dripping on the grass felt even colder, now.

Master reached out and touched Rat's face, forcing them to look up. They leaned against his hand, not because his touch was gentle, but because it was warm, and it was the least violent of the entire day. It didn't last, as he pulled away and went back into the house.

The wind made it difficult for Rat to listen to his steps. They preceived he went to his room, which at that time of the day meant he went after his suitcase. Good news: he would come back and probably Rat wouldn't be left out in the cold. Bad news: he went after the suitcase.

When Master got back, he had the much hated muzzle in his hands. He put it on Rat and tightened it a little bit too much. They whimpered, lowering their head. The man, however, forced them to look up, lifting their chin, and his low voice was even more wintry then the end of the autumn.

"I'll let you think about what happened today. You can reflect on your behavior and decide if you will finally be a good pet for me, alright? I'll be back to retrieve you by dinner time, but you'll keep the muzzle for fifteen days. I'll get it out so you can eat every once in a while, when I feel generous, not because you deserve it. You are just a filthy rat and you should be grateful I am giving you the chance of being my pet. Do you understand what I am saying?"

Rat nodded vehemently, desperate. Dinner time was too far away! According to the position of the sun on the sky, it was still... no. A good pet should not know how to use the sun to tell the time, much less complain.

"In two weeks I will decide if you have learned your lesson. If you blow it one more time, I will not hesitate, do you understand? I am giving you one more chance because I have invested a lot on you already, but I can always discard you and find a better pet."

Once again Rat nodded. Master ruffled their sore head and got up on his feet. "I'll see you in a few hours" he said before disappearing into the manor.

Alone with their thoughts, Rat finally came to a conlusion they had been avoiding for too long: nobody would come for them and they had no way to fight alone. There was nothing they could do to survive but complying to the experiment they knew they were. They knew they had been someone before, but it was time to surrender and truly forget about what once was.

No more music. No more stars. No more wondering. No more Allen. From now on, Rat would focus solely on being the perfect pet. Letting go of their past was the right choice, they knew. Winter was comming and they could only hope the snow would wash away everything Master couldn't reach.

Just let go. There's no use fighting. Rat would no more dream about someone else's arms around them. Now, their only wish was for Master's embrace. When they became the perfect pet, he would finally hug them and praise them. He would tell them his efforts were paid off and would never beat them up again. This... would be perfect. Yes, there was nothing Rat wished more than that.

With this sweet daydream, they let everything else behind, on the other side of those walls.

It would be over soon.

#whumpblr #whump #bbu oc #bbu whump #pet whump #bbu #pet whumpee #Noelle Keyland #After the Summer #institutionalized slavery

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elainiisms · 5 months

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female protagonists will literally go through 30 life altering traumas at the age of 16 and you ppl still have the audacity to call them annoying bc they cry about it and act like teenage girls

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astearisms · 9 months

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a farewell to summer

#flame trees somehow manage to captivate me every summer #and this summer they were in full bloom #absolutely full with their flowers. it’s always so amazing to see. especially after a hard year #my art #fanart #demon slayer #rengoku kyojuro #kny #kny fanart #kimetsu no yaiba #kimetsu rengoku

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crow-cap · 2 months

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#idk. thinking about zoro being Hatted and what circumstances would need to arise before that could happen #this isn’t finished it’s not that polished I just threw some filters at it and now I’m running away #but the CONCEPT. man I will probably draw more like this #so many ideas. so little time #started reading one piece a month (??) ago and I’ve barely made a dent in it #SO LITTLE TIME #I will become so powerful this summer after exams are over #zolu #(?)#op #one piece #monkey d luffy #crowcraft #zoro #roronoa zoro #luffy #the colours on this one are a bit dark but it was more experimental than anything #I tried out some screen tone brushes and a heavier ink one that I used to use #and the colours aren’t as weird as I usually go for #it was an experiment! these guys are rapidly becoming my new test subjects for drawing ideas #I don’t have a caption for this. I might just leave it blank #does zoro ever get the hat put on him?? I don’t think so but I also know jack diddly about later one piece lore #REGARDLESS #ok bye bye

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firstfullmoon · 2 years

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this adrienne rich excerpt, always always

#i named my summer tag & playlist after it #w #poetry #adrienne rich

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breakbleheavens · 8 months

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No rules in breakable heaven

CRUEL SUMMER The Eras Tour — Mexico City, Mexico (Night 4) | August 27, 2023

#tswiftedit #taylorswiftedit #tswiftgif #taylor swift #the eras tour #eras tour #lover #cruel summer #flashing tw #*mine #*2023 #*gifs #1k #mine: eras tour #mine: lover #she did some different moves this time asdfkljsh and also n2 where she walked straight after the bridge instead of turning #I have watched way too many cruel summer tiktoks lol

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biggest-gaudiest-patronuses · 1 year

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you want a new kind of guy, fine, i raise you: the lady i was briefly roommates with in college who once smoked a blunt at a party and then spent an hour confessing earnestly to me that she genuinely preferred reading detailed episode recaps over actually watching the tv show in question

#she sounded so remorseful & i just stood staring like an anthropologist watching their phd thesis spontaneously manifest before their eyes #apparently she would watch the pilot episode to get a feel for the characters #and then just read a bunch of recaps & episode reviews instead of watching future episodes. what fresh steaming hell #this conversation took place like a year and a half after we were roommates btw. i had seen her maybe twice in that time period #i thought she was a standard frat girl but then 18 months later she appears in the wild grass to reveal unhinged character background to me #and i'm just standing there nodding feeling like i missed a weird opportunity i did not want or ask for #honestly thought i was the weirdest person in that apartment situation but now i'm wondering what our other 2 roommates were hiding #not my strangest college experience at ALL but like. definitely top 20 #this wasn't the same person as Aquarium Girl btw but oddly enough they were roommates actually #(not at the same time that Recaps Lady and i were roommates but at different intervals idk)#anyway i probably should have interviewed at more than one apartment before taking over a sublease but summer sess is a weird time u know #oh and this happened in Hong Kong btw

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liam-summers · 4 months

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Angel: Help! I've fallen and I can't get up! Buffy: *sigh* *goes over to pick up her giant of a man, once again*

#btvsedit #buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #bangel #buffy x angel #buffy summers #angel btvs #*gif #zanisummers #dailybtvs #usernaj #otp: how's forever?#Buffy continuously picking up her damseling old man BF is why she is the hero she is #no one messes with her BF including the floor #he's the 3rd most unsteady man in the buffyverse after Giles and Wesley #also they're the softest #and I love them

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es-3 · 3 months

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she declined, so instead he gave her a way to summon him at anytime.

#i love that little detail they added in the show #the books it kinda seems like #yeah sure he loved her #but after that summer she never saw him again #but poseidon watched out for sally #he was there when she needed him most #i love sally and poseidon #this is probably my favorite thing they’ve added into the show so far #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #pjo disney+#pjo tv show

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panstardalia · 9 months

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After the Summer #5: Tea Party

Masterlist: here!

Content: BBU; institutionalized slavery; dehumanization (mentioned); pet whump; past beating up, whipping, starvation, self harm, sexual abuse/non-con and chemical torture (mentioned); multiple whumpees; self doubt. Whumpees are going to share some experiences.

Discomfort was not a foreigner concept for Noelle, as they had been trained to ignore such things. But it was before, when they were a pet under the threats of a mad man. Now, after weeks of being treated as a human being, it was getting harder and harder to let little things slide. It took them a while to figure out what was bugging them, but it finally clicked during a movie night with everyone.

Beside them on the couch, sharing a duvet with Noelle, Allen had his eyes on the screen. Oliver and Victor were on the ground, their blanket forgotten at their feet, and their faces were not visible. On the other end of the couch, Noelle could feel two pairs of eyes piercing them constantly. Miss Lily was good at pretending to watch the movie, but Des was much less subtle. They were worried, evaluating Noelle's reactions to every scene, leading them to believe they have watched this movie before, in a past life they didn't remember.

It was always like this, they realized. Everyone was so concerned, distraught even, walking on eggshells to avoid triggering another crisis, another waking nightmare.

The old Noelle, the one from the old pictures, had straight shoulders and a bright smile despite the scars on their wrist. Their eyes were light blue and their hair looked so soft. This present Noelle, however, had a shrunken posture and opaque gray eyes, thin hair and a bar code covering the faded horizontal marks. They were not the friend the others expected to rescue, the one they missed for a year, and none of them knew how to deal with that.

The more cautious those people acted, the more cloistered Noelle felt. With Master, they were conscious of every move they were supposed to make. Obviously, the punishments were dreadful and Noelle surely didn't want to go back to, not even remember those times, but it was inevitable to compare situations: now they would not be actually punished, but not knowing what they should do was as bad as a whipping session when people you love have so much sorrow in their eyes.

Noelle wanted to know how to ease their pain so bad...

"Please excuse me..." They stood up cautiously to avoid stepping on Victor and Oliver.

"You okay?" Oliver raised his head to look at them, and his voice also had that worried tone that caged Noelle's heart.

"Yes." They whispered. "You guys keep watching. I'll be right back."

Noelle ran on their tip toes and hid in their room. With their back pressed against the closed door, they took deep breaths just like Miss Lily have taught. Even without past memories, Noelle really loved those people, the Firefly family, and felt so, so greateful for everthing they were doing. Each one of them was so special and full of light. Noelle just wanted to be light as well, to be as colorful and luminous as them, but Master was always hiding in the shadows as a reminder of everything that could never be again.

"Knock-knock" Allen's voice said on the other side. "May I come in, please?"

Noelle would have hesitated had it been anyone else. Allen was different, though. They were not sure if it was because of the romantic feelings fluctuating between them, their story emerging everytime their hands touched, or if it was because he understood Noelle better than anyone. He knew what to do when they woke up screaming in the middle of the night and when they forgot how to be a human being. He was truly there and it would never be appreciated enough.

The door opened in a silent movement and the boy touched Noelle's shoulders. They wouldn't have imagined his touch would be so comfortable after the discovery of their past together. They used to be a couple, to share kisses, hold hands and... well, Noelle didn't really know how far they both have gone. But they knew Allen wasn't demanding anything from them.

"I would never expect anything of this sort from you" he had said on that occasion. "I just want you to feel like your own person again. Then maybe one day, when you feel in charge, you will want to be my joyfriend once more. Maybe not. Maybe you will find out a boyfriend doesn't fit in your new life, or that this is not me." His smile was sad, but also genuine. He meant every single word. "No matter how it goes... I love you so much, Noelle. I promise you... I will support you every day until you can walk on your own and forever on."

This is why his touch was so warm: because it was home. So Noelle leant their head on his shoulder and let him hug them. Slowly, their arms involved his body as well. They both stayed like that for a while, hugging by the closed door, and after a couple minutes, Allen wraped a lock of Noelle's hair around his finger and muttered softly:

"I know it has been difficult for you. Painful, even. I know I am about to ask for the moon, but I need you to stay with me on this one. Is that alright?"

Noelle wondered how was that boy able to have an elfin british accent if he was asian. They also wondered how he could make them feel so seen.

As Allen felt the small nod, he proceeded.

"I think you need to talk" He whispered. "About this past year. The others, they... they don't know such violence... none of us can even imagine the horrors you suffered. It is making you feel distant, but we cannot push our way in. You are the only one who can open this door."

Noelled raised their head to look at him. His face, always so calm and sweet, still so melancholic, wasn't enough to mask what he said.

"They don't know violence." Noelle repeated. "Do you, Allen?"

He supressed a flinch in between his love's arms. "I do... but it was a long time ago... it took me a long time to trust anyone again. But I trusted you. I let you in, and now I have a family" Allen hesitated, not sure where to look at. "You don't have to talk to me, or Lily, or anyone specifically... but I think talking about it would be good for you."

The idea of vocalizing all the beating, whipping and yelling was already heavy enough, but Noelle plunged even deeper. They thought about how they felt humiliated and helpless, how they were always scared and how devoted they felt towards that man. No one would hear about it and still see a human being afterwards.

"I can't" they sobbed weakly, even though no tears fell. "I have trouble even feeling like a person... if I tell anyone about this... you would understand why I am just a filthy rat."

Immediately, Allen's arms tightened around Noelle.

"Don't you dare repeating this ever again" He menaged to sound soft, yet harsh at the same time. "You are the most lively and brightful person I know. Even now, after this long excruciating night... you are still a sweet and cozy sunshine."

Noelle didn't answer for a while. Again, they didn't feel like a sunshine, a fireplace, not even a candle or a lit match. The old Noelle, maybe. They didn't want Allen to mourn this memory.

"I wish I could talk..." they said at last. "But I can't. I can't risk it, it is physically impossible."

"Maybe..." Allen took a step back, making that adorable idea face. "Maybe you could talk to someone who understands you."

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So there they were, sitting by a thoroughly set table with cakes, breads, little sandwiches, tea and juice. It looked like a scene from a cottagecore movie, maybe a Studio Ghibli movie even, with little flowers between dishes and a very detailed tea set. It was beautiful.

There were two other people there, both looking much more at ease than Noelle. The tall and skinny boy did look like he had the sun in his chest, his welcoming smile and gentle eyes allowing them to relax bit by bit. The girl, on the other hand, was clearly as shy as Noelle, using her colored hair to cover her face. The two of them had only one common feature: the collar scar on their necks matching their own.

"I'm Henry Abels, he/him pronouns" said the boy cheerfully. "And this is my friend Violet, she/her. Welcome to the Pet Lib Unnoficial Support Club. It is really nice to meet you. What is you name?"

"Noelle. Keyland" they frowned, fishing out the memory of Miss Lily explation about pronouns. "I use they/them, because I'm neither a man nor a woman."

"That's so cool" Violet raised her chin, looking genuinely interested. "I kinda get you. I'm a girl, but everyone from my past treated me as a boy. They even made me believe I was a boy by using that drug, The Drip. But I think gender identity is stronger than brainwash."

"It looks like Violet likes you already" with a chuckle, Henry took a sip of his tea. "You see, Noelle, this is supposed to be a safe space. People like us need this. We truly understand each other's fears and pain, in one way or another. Violet, Rudy and I usually talk shit about our old masters and handlers, but today we are here to shelter you. We're here for you."

"Not Rudy, tho" The girl said with a cupcake halfway her mouth. "Where is your boyfriend?"

"He is really sorry he couldn't come today" Henry smiled apologetically. "He has a medical exam today. You know, his handlers really overused The Drip, so he still has those side effects..."

"I hope he gets better soon..." she muttered before focusing on her cupcake.

Noelle took a minute to process a new information. That boy right in front of them had just talked about his boyfriend. Bigger than that, even, his boyfriend was also a former pet. Someone just like them, who felt so far from the real world, had a real romantic relationship! It was so hard to believe, they couldn't help but having questions.

"You have a boyfriend..." they whispered hesitantly. "How is that possible? Don't you feel... too shattered for that?"

Regret filled Noelle's chest immediately. How dare tham talk to anyone like that? But for their surprise, Henry just smiled tenderly and replied in a soft tone.

"I did. When Pet Lib rescued me, I was a total mess. It was almost as bad as being under my old master's custody. I was so afraid all the time, I cried non-stop and I was even starving myself. But then I met him at the official recovery facility and... gods, he was as fucked up as I was. I'm not sure how we did that, but we bonded over this. We supported each other and everything became a little less terrifying. However, it took us a long time to feel whole and secure enough to begin a real relationship."

"They are very cute together" Violet poured Noelle some tea. "Rudy is almost non verbal due to his distrust, but he is actually a very sweet guy once he opens up. He was a Guard Dog pet, so it is understandable he doesn't talk much."

"Do you talk about your life as pets just like this?" It was difficult for Noelle to believe such a thing.

"It takes time to feel comfortable enough about that" once again Henry gave them a tender smile. "Feel free to try, to fail and try again or not."

After a second pondering about it, Noelle pressed their lips and shrugged. "Could you two, maybe... talk about yours first?"

"Me first!" If Violet seemed shy minutes ago, she was a totally different person now. Henry had said she liked Noelle, but they could not understand why was that. "So. I was a Domestic, but my owner was a mad scientist. Actually he was a pharmaceutical. Well, he used me as a test subject, so my head is pretty messed up. I was rescued some months ago, but just like Rudy, I still feel the side effects."

Her story made Noelle's stomach hurt. It sounded so gruesome, terrifying at least. They put themself in her shoes and imagined being constantly abused with different substances in their body. An uncomfortable shiver was enough to convince them to stop thinking about it.

"How about..." they decided to ask instead. "How about your memories? Did they take long to return?"

"I barely have memories from my past" Violet shook her head. "The guys from Pet Lib couldn't find my family and I remember nothing but being misgendered, so..."

"I'm so sorry..." mumbled Noelle, heart shrunken. Months, she had said, and still no memories. What if they were the same?? What if their memories were lost forever?? ... Was Noelle faded to never remember Allen and their story?

"Don't be" the girl sounded upset, but far from devastated, like it was a minor issue, not her whole life lost. "It's sad, but... I'm okay. I've recently moved out the Pet Lib quarters and I'm taking little steps towards independence. I'm finally a free girl and I have people to share this with. If the past is important, it's going to reach me eventually. It did for Henry."

Noelle turned their head to look at the blond boy, curious. He must have read through their face, because he giggled sweetly and said "It is true. Pet Lib was having a hard time finding my family, but a coincidence put everything together."

"How so?" Noelle's interest was too picked to be timid. Was he about to give them the answer?

"Well..." he took another sip of his tea. "It turns out nobody noticed I am a foreigner. Obviously, neither did I. But someone at the facility decided to watch a movie from my homeland, which is Norway, by the way, and hearing my home language triggered some memories. After that, they were able to find my dad and he came to pick me up. Since there are no qualified facilities in Norway and I was already attached to Rudy, he decided to stay here, and here I have been living as Henry Abels, the human, for the last fifteen months."

At first, his report made Noelle wither. They were not a foreigner, so his recipe to success would not work for them. On the other hand, however... he found his blood family. Maybe it was time for them to insist with Miss Lily to meet their blood family, because they were sure there was someone out there. It had to be.

"What kind of pet were you?" they said under their breath, wanting to hear more about the joyful boy.

For the first time, Henry's smile quivered. When he answered, his voice sounded tired. "I was a Romantic. For five long years. It feels like an eternity..." he hesitated, but just like he was able to see through Noelle's fears, he continued. "I still feel disgusted when I think about how committed I was to Logan. I would smile at him and the pinnacle of my day was when he touched me. Oh, was it repulsive... I wish I could forget it entirely, but he is still waiting for me in my nightmares every once in a while."

Silence fell back on the table. Noelle felt so sorry for Henry they could cry. Even if they knew what it was like to be used as a sexual tool, it felt like they would never be able to truly understand how painful it was for Henry. His story was more relatable, but everything felt so wrong.

Violet and Henry were too human to go through such dread. None of them deserved their stories, those harmful memories. Noelle, on the other hand, still felt like a filthy rat. They were not the same.

"I can now remember who I was before" Henry lowered his eyes. "I used to be a stuborn stone head child. My own father confessed I was not the same and it hurt so much. I felt like I would never be able to be human again, much less the same. But then he said I didn't need to..." he smiled, and little tears were visible in his eyes. "He said that I was back in his arms and it was more than enough. That I could be anyone, I would still be his son."

He used his hand to dry his tears. Violet touched his arm, unable to relate to his feeling. Nevertheless, she was there for her friend. Not everything about former pets was relatable, but everyone have suffered more than anyone would ever deserve. Noelle understanded it now. Both Violet and Henry, who were tortured in so different ways, and even Rudy probably, had bonded over the feeling of having lost everything including themselves.

"How can you always say the right thing, Henry...?" Asked Noelle, also wiping tears. They smiled briefly before taking a deep breath and anouncing a decision: "I think I'm ready to share my story, now."

#whump #whumpblr #bbu oc #bbu whump #pet whump #bbu #pet whumpee #whumpee #Noelle Keyland #After the Summer #whump scenario

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artbyfuji · 11 months

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#rwby #raven branwen #summer rose #ruby rose #str-crossed #my art #rosebird #featuring tai & little yang RAHHHHHH!!#rip to raven. folded like a chair but not the way she would want :(#qrow's unsent text would say “praying for you” yeah. you should.#summer rose <3 nicest person you will ever meet <3 DO NOT put her babies anywhere near your ebay weapon collection <3 #also: headcanon that tai & summer hunt down every hat with little ears they can find for ruby & yang. their little baby bears :'(((#anyway.#yang & ruby and their silly little strq family #also sorry to tai who has to replaster a wall after this.

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asterixer · 8 days

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#lies of p #lies of p romeo #lies of p pinocchio #promeo #my art #exposing all of you to my promeo agenda while simultaneously NOT working on fic #couldn't believe how long it took to colour this and why??#maybe by the summer I'll finally finish and post the fic #until then have some art #lies of p spoilers #fun but useless fact: all the references screenshots i used in game were of carlo after the real boy ending and it felt SO WRONG #felt like i was playing dress up as P and it was very uncomfortable

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caemidraws · 10 months

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#dnd #dungeons and dragons #aesthetic #fashion #ocs #from a song called 'One More Hallelujah' by Welshy Arms #u dont know it probably but the lyrics is...just right #:)#not me posting this kind of content after the incredible one from last night #i'm sorry we're getting back to the campaign tomorrow n i've been blorbing all over the place #ideal summer spent between mars and comms and mars and comms and m

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minty364 · 3 months

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DPXDC Prompt #145

Danny had a strong dislike for most of his parents inventions. Most of them would make him uncomfortable if they didn’t hurt him and his parents very much liked to hurt ghosts. Danny of course jumps at the opportunity to spend the summer at his cousin Damian’s house. Maddie didn’t tell him or Jazz a lot about her childhood but she did apparently have one more sister than Alicia and this sister was Damian’s mom. Jazz of course tags along she was going to keep her brother safe and also find and reprimand Batman if she can find him.

#dp x dc prompt #dp x dc #dc x dp #danny fenton #danny phantom #writing prompt #poor danny #Danny spends the summer at Wayne Manor #Danny and Damian are cousins #Maddie and Talia are sisters #The league of assassins wanted to keep an eye on a Jack Fenton after he posted his papers about ghosts #They sent Maddie to keep an eye on him not knowing that they’d fall in love #The ambient ectoplasm that caused the blockage of knowledge to Amity Park caused the league to forget about Maddie #my asks are open #all my prompts are free to use

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apomaro-mellow · 7 months

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Wrong Number 2

Someone said they liked when authors put their super-specific jobs in fics so I hope ya like Steve havin a (kinda romanticized) past job of mine.

For the first time in his life, Steve felt like the stereotypical young person who was always glued to his phone. Every time it made a noise or vibrated, his arm shot out like lightning, hoping with every fiber of his being that it was the mystery number.

It had been about five days since he'd sent that first message and he'd been worried about their conversations being stale. But that wasn't an issue. The only times their talks lulled was when they went to bed.

And even that was after texting late into the night. Steve would watch the clock go from 9 to 10 and promise to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. And then it would be midnight and what was a few minutes after that? Then he'd look up and it would be 2 in the morning.

Texting this guy had become the highlight of Steve's days. To the point where he didn't even realize Friday had come until one of his students mentioned it.

Then, purely out of habit, he asked: "Any weekend plans?"

"I've got a soccer game", Zach answered.

"My parents are having date night", Belinda said.

And normally Steve himself would be thinking about going out and finding someone for the night. But the idea hadn't come to him for once. He knew why, but he didn't fully process it until he got home to Robin, who was in the middle of cooking breakfast for dinner it seemed.

Steve was in the middle of replying to a text sent during lunch.

(12:15) I just realized you know about my off the wall job (12:17) But I have no idea what your 9 to 5 is (12:18) Your legally required to tell me if ur famous (12:18) Not bc im a clout chaser (12:19) But bc I might not have a clue who you are

[4:13] Not famous. Don't worry. I'm a teacher.

(4:15) As a former student I apologize

Robin opened the cabinet, looking for pancake mix. “Are you and that girl still texting?”

“Me and the who?”, Steve looked up from his phone.

“That girl? I assume you're finally setting up a date for this weekend?"

"She-" Steve racked his brain for a good excuse. But it was hard to do when the person who knew him the most was staring right at him.

"Whatever flaws of hers you're about to make up, I'm gonna call bullshit because your phone hasn't stopped pinging for days." She started mixing the pancake batter.

Steve looked down at the words on his screen. The one flaw of this guy was that they couldn't meet in person. But maybe it was time to close the distance just a bit.

"She's shy. Might just text a bit more before she's ready."

[4:19] No need for sorries. All my kids are great. But that's probably because I teach their favorite class.

(4:21) Oooh their favorite? (4:21) It's gotta be something like art rite? (4:22) Or are you being a smart ass cuz you teach like calculus or something?

[4:23] I teach cooking 😛

(4:23) Oh shit. (4:24) You're actually the favorite

[4:25] Toldja. Hey quick question and then possibly many more questions.

(4:26) Go ooooon

[4:27] How would you feel about spending the night playing 20 questions? Like are you free tonight?

Eddie bit his lip as he looked at Steve's words. He had picked his shifts this weekend to make sure he had plenty of time to talk to Steve. Which meant he was in fact free tonight. He replied as such and Steve said he wanted a little time to take a shower and then he'd be ready.

And because he was a little shit, Eddie took advantage of him being away from his phone.

(4:35) Since you're in the shower, I'm taking the first question. Boxers or briefs?

[4:54] Cheater. And I prefer boxer briefs. My turn?

(4:55) Go for it

Eddie was curled up on his couch, tv low and in the background as he waited for Steve's question.

[4:55] What's your name?

(4:56) THATS your first question? (4:56) Wait we've been texting for days haven't you saved my number? (4:57) What do you have me as?

Steve bit his lip, wishing he could lie to this guy, but he couldn’t. Instead he sent a screenshot of his phone.

(4:59) Misty? That’s the name of the chick?

[5:00] Yeah. But I guess I should put your actual name now, right?

It was a gamble. But this guy already knew Steve’s name. And by this point they’d been texting for nearly a week. He just wanted to know his name. He pushed back the part of himself that said he needed to know.

(5:00) It's Eddie.

Eddie. The guy he'd been talking to was named Eddie. Eddie with the long curly hair and the chunky rings who threw axes for a living. He was a far cry from the soft girls he usually dated. Or the preppy guys he usually dated.

(5:02) Favorite bug?

The question threw Steve for a moment but he decided to humor him.

[5:04] Bees 🐝I like how fuzzy they are. And I like honey. [5:05] What rings do you have?

A couple minutes later, Eddie replied with an image. It was taken from above and showed his hands lying flat on a coffee table. Steve zoomed to make out the details of each ring. He was also able to see a watch and a couple of wristbands on him.

[5:08] How did you take that picture? With your mouth? 🦭

(5:09) Did you did you just compare me to a seal???

[5:09] What other animal catches things in their mouths?

'I can be an animal with my mouth'. Thankfully, Eddie's fingers weren't as fast as his brain and he didn't send that to Steve. Eddie had in fact put his phone in his mouth the take the picture, having a real 'no thoughts, head empty moment' when Steve asked about his rings.

Steve was letting his own mind wander as he gazed at the picture. Eddie's hands were...his hands were...well they were-

(5:10) Favorite youtuber?

The adoration of Eddie's hands were interrupted by Eddie himself as their question and answers continued. The picture continued as well. Steve sent pics of his favorite pair of shoes, his hair products, and of his neck when Eddie said he didn't believe he had all these moles.

Eddie had sent pictures of one arm, covered in tats, his acoustic guitar, and a super worn copy of Peter Pan.

The hour was growing late and both of them were feeling more bold but at the same time hesitant because it felt like they were close to crossing a line.

Needing an outside opinion, Eddie consulted with The Council (the discord server with his band mates) about whether or not he should shoot his shot. Gareth told him to go for it, what harm could it do? Grant said to do it because it could potentially be the funniest catfishing story. Jeff agreed that he should, if only because their guitarist getting murdered would be a great back story.

With their unanimous approval, Eddie decided to start actively flirting with Steve.

(8:37) Soooooo ya like jazz?

[8:38] I do actually. I really love the piano.

Okay, that one was just practice. Be smooth. Be suave. None of that was in Eddie's wheelhouse but thankfully nothing he said turned Steve away. He always seemed just as eager to reply back.

(9:10) What's your oldest piece of clothing?

Eddie was thinking of his own oldest article a t-shirt that had started out overgrown on his tiny eight year old body but he'd grown into and kept over the years. It was super faded but filled with the memory of the first time he spent more than a couple of days with his uncle.

[9:12] I'd show you, but I'm wearing them right now.

Steve had closed his bedroom door before sending the text. There wasn't anything scandalous but it seemed like it could very quickly veer into that territory. All Eddie had to do was ask. If he wanted to see them, Steve would show it.

'I would like to see it.'

(9:12) I would like to see it

Eddie knew it could be anything. Maybe a holey sock. Or maybe he also had a super faded t-shirt with deep sewn-in memories as well. Maybe he was wearing a class ring?

[9:14] image.jpeg

Eddie was treated (and goddamn what a treat it was) to Steve Harrington's bottom half, barely covered in shorts with a school's logo on them. Thick thighs covered in hair. And a bulge that was there. It was very there. Eddie couldn't overstate how there it was.

He palmed his own crotch before remembering he was looking at a guy's junk and about to jerk off to it in his living room. And he had yet to answer. What was the most respectful way to say 'humina humina humina-wolf whistle-awooga'?

(9:16) Are you trying to kill me Steve?

[9:17] Do you like it?

'Awooga.'

(9:18) ❤️‍🔥 🔥 🥵

Eddie tried to think of any other way to tell Steve how hot he made him but it felt like typing words just wasn't enough.

(9:19) Can I do something insane? (9:20) And feel free to ignore me if it's too much

Steve was lying in his bed, phone of his charger now. Nothing Eddie could do would be too much. He could knock on his door and he would let him in.

[9:21] Go ahead

A second after he sent that, Steve's phone started to ring. It was Eddie. He stared for about five seconds before picking up.

"Hey."

If possible, Steve melted more into his bed. Eddie's voice...he didn't know what he expected but it wasn't that. He said one word and Steve wanted to wrap himself in it.

"That was pretty naughty of you, sending me that pic. I could show up to your school."

"You'd be a few years too late. These are my oldest shorts, remember?"

"Tiniest shorts maybe."

Steve laughed and Eddie was on cloud nine. He was so lost in bliss, he miscalculated and fell off the couch.

"What was that?"

"I uh, I fell. Off my couch."

"Did you fall hard?"

Eddie beamed as he got up and turned off the tv. Now that he had his voice, all he wanted to hear was the man on the other line.

"Oh super hard."

Steve let out a sound from the back of his throat and he wondered if Eddie had heard it. It was honestly amazing how the smallest things got him going. Or maybe he was just that into Eddie.

"You still there Steve?"

....."Yeah. I'm still here."

Part 4

Tag Team (closed)

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If you were tagged but it didn't show up in your notifications, lemme know and I'll do that thing where I tag you in a reblog instead. I know tumblr can't be trusted to function XD

#apo writes #stranger things #steddie #i wanted this out this past weekend #but had other things #anyway i used to work as a culinary instructor #it was for summer camps and after school programs #but my dream was to do it full time at a nice school #ohh the dreams we have in our youth

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